Love and War

12. Trash to Treasure

The next day, Haerin struggled to stay awake in their English class since she hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. Despite her best efforts to focus on the lesson, her eyelids felt heavy as lead, and the words on the pages of her textbook seemed to blur together into an indecipherable mess. Her head drooped slightly, and she jolted awake every few moments, the soft drone of the teacher's voice fading into the background.

Meanwhile, across the room, Danielle appeared to be engaged in a similar battle. Her attempts to stifle yawns were met with little success, and her usually bright eyes were now glazed over with weariness. She shifted in her seat restlessly, her head drooping forward as she fought to keep her eyes open.

Their shared struggle didn't go unnoticed by the observant English teacher, who paused mid-lecture and cast a discerning glance at the two girls.

"It seems like some of you are having trouble staying awake today," she remarked with a knowing smile.

Haerin shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling a flush of embarrassment at being singled out.

The teacher's gaze then turned to Danielle, who met her eyes with a sheepish smile, her cheeks tinged with pink.

"Since you two seem to be having a hard time keeping your eyes open," the teacher continued, "why don't you both do something to wake yourselves up?"

Haerin and Danielle exchanged weary glances, silently acknowledging their shared exhaustion.

The teacher's suggestion came as a welcome reprieve. "How about you two take a quick break from class and go take out the garbage? It'll give you a chance to stretch your legs and get some fresh air."

Haerin nodded in agreement, grateful for the opportunity to shake off her drowsiness. Danielle, too, welcomed the chance to move around and wake up.

As Haerin and Danielle gathered their things to step out of the classroom, they couldn't help but notice the amused glances exchanged between Minji and Hanni.

Minji's lips twitched with suppressed amusement, while Hanni's eyes twinkled mischievously. They exchanged a silent communication that spoke volumes, their shared understanding of the situation evident in their amused expressions.

Haerin couldn't help but feel a pang of embarrassment as she caught Minji and Hanni's playful gazes. She offered them a sheepish smile, silently pleading for mercy in the face of their unspoken teasing.

Danielle, too, felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she met their amused looks. She shot them a weak grin, her eyes conveying a silent plea for understanding as she joined Haerin in making their way out of the classroom.

The teacher called after them with a teasing grin, "And try not to fall asleep in the garbage bin!"

Haerin and Danielle chuckled weakly at the jest, feeling grateful for the chance to recharge before returning to class.

As they stepped into the hallway, Haerin couldn't help but let out a tired chuckle. "Well, that was unexpected," she murmured, casting a glance back at the classroom door.

Danielle nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, definitely unexpected," she replied softly, her voice still tinged with exhaustion.

As they walked down the hallway together, Haerin couldn't shake off the curiosity nagging at her. She turned to Danielle, her brow furrowing slightly. "Hey, how did your morning go with your parents?" she asked gently, concern lacing her words.

Danielle sighed softly, her shoulders slumping with weariness. "Oh, they were already gone by the time I woke up," she explained with a hint of resignation. "Another business trip, as usual."