Love and War

7. Slam-dunking the troubles away

As she made her way to her next class, Haerin couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of her stomach. She knew that she couldn't avoid Danielle forever, but wish that she could.

After enduring another grueling Mathematics class, Haerin was relieved when the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the period. She hastily gathered her belongings and made her way out of the classroom, eager to escape the stifling atmosphere, her mind still buzzing with equations and theorems.

As she navigated through the sea of students, she spotted Danielle struggling with her locker, a frustrated expression on her face. Despite her best efforts to avoid Danielle, fate seemed determined to throw them together at every opportunity.

Haerin hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach Danielle or not. Recalling their recent moment in the bathroom the previous day, Haerin couldn't shake the lingering awkwardness between them. But as Danielle continued to struggle with her locker, Haerin's innate sense of empathy won out over her hesitation.

"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to keep her voice casual, stepping closer to Danielle.

Danielle glanced up, her expression softening slightly at the sight of Haerin. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied, though her tone betrayed her frustration.

Haerin raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Doesn't look like nothing," she remarked, gesturing to the locker.

Danielle sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "It's stuck," she admitted, shooting a glare at the offending locker.

Haerin couldn't help but smirk at Danielle's predicament. "Mind if I give it a try?" she asked, reaching for the locker door.

Danielle hesitated for a moment, clearly torn between pride and practicality. But then she relented, stepping aside to let Haerin take over.

Haerin expertly manipulated the handle, applying just the right amount of pressure, and with a satisfying click, the locker door swung open.

As Haerin successfully unlocked Danielle's stubborn locker, a sense of satisfaction washed over her. She couldn't resist a smug grin as she turned to face Danielle, who looked equal parts impressed and annoyed.

"See? Piece of cake," Haerin teased, her voice laced with playful triumph.

Danielle rolled her eyes, though there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head," she quipped, unable to hide a small smirk.

Haerin chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, I won't," she replied, her tone light and teasing. "Wouldn't want to bruise your ego."

Danielle bristled at Haerin's comment, feeling a surge of indignation rise within her. "My ego is just fine, thank you very much," she retorted, her tone playful.

"You know, for someone who claims to be so independent, you sure seem to have a lot of trouble with your locker. Is this the fourth time already?" Haerin teased, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Danielle shot her a mock glare, though there was a hint of laughter in her eyes. "Hey, even the best of us have our off days," she retorted.

Their banter drew the attention of the students around them, who were amused by the unexpected camaraderie between the two classmates who were known for their mutual animosity. Haerin could feel their eyes on her, their amused smiles fueling her irritation.

She glanced at her watch, realizing that they were both running late for their next class. With a reluctant sigh, she gestured towards the hallway, indicating that they should continue on their way. "Come on, we better get going before we end up with detention again," She said with a grin, her tone light and teasing.

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As Haerin and Minji reached the gym room, the sounds of bouncing basketballs and cheering echoed through the air, signaling that basketball practice was already in full swing. Coach Park stood at the sidelines, his clipboard in hand as he barked out instructions to the team.