The first thing that woke ToYeon up was not the sunlight that began to peak through her window, not the alarm set to chirp at any moment, but the constant tickling sensation that plagued right above her abdomen. She rolled over holding her arm up to her face. This was just another typical morning in the Park household.

She slowly, she opened her eyes and greeted her best friend. “Jinjja? Just five more minutes,” she sighed covering her face with her hands.

Her friend giggled pressing his mouth to her ear. “Only if you ask Umma nicely.”

She groaned in pain turning away from him.

--

“Seriously KiBum,” the girl scolded buttoning up her skirt. “You need to learn to sleep at your own house. You have a room there, why don’t you use it?”

He sighed trying to fix his tie.

“You’re so helpless,” she nagged undoing the tie altogether and tying it again.

“If I go home my To~kki will get lonely,” he smiled kissing her forehead softly.

Her eyes narrowed looking up at the boy as she straightened his tie. “I’d be fine.”

“Tokki would be lost without her Umma,” he teased playing with the ends of her hair. “Kaja, we’re going to be late for school.”

--

As the duo walked the halls of their school, a path was created where students willingly moved aside making more space for the friends. Kibum had always been aware of this daily rutine, but ToYeon was blind to those that gawked at her, after all, she was too busy nagging her best friend. “I can pack my own lunch pabo,” she hissed tucking her soft brown hair behind her ear. Still unaware of her surroundings and the constant stare of her peers, she pushed the boy lightly causing him to waver.

He chuckled loving the attention the two of them were getting. “Sorry To~kki, Umma will pack a better lunch tomorrow,” he smiled kissing her cheek.

A few girls squealed wishing they were ToYeon and boys clenched their fist, wishing they were KiBum.

“Stop that,” she hummed brushing him away. “I’ve got to see my friend in D-2,” she sighed and put her stuff at her desk.

“What friend do you have in D-2? That class is for idiots,” he scoffed.

She her heel and pierced his eyes with her own. “I do have friends other than you,” she sneered and went back into the hallway.

He held in a chuckle and glanced back to the crowd of onlookers. “Don’t you have class work or something?” he snapped and they quickly ducked their heads down.

ToYeon may have been completely oblivious to the circumstances, but he was more than aware enough for the two of them…in fact, he used it to his advantage. He occupied all of her time, selfishly hiding her from the rest of the school. He loved her more than just a friend or family. He, Kim KiBum, had been in love with his best friend since they were six years old.

He glanced around the room and then looked at his watch. There was less than ten minutes until the teacher would wander in and call roll.

“Where is she?” he muttered and looked back to the students.

ToYeon hated being late even if KiBum was the one making a big deal about it.

He stepped out of the room and sneaked his way down the hall.

“Kim Kibum, what do you think you’re doing? First period starts in less than five minutes,” a voice growled.

He turned to the woman with an apologetic smile. “I dropped my lucky pencil. I’ll only be a minute, promise!”

She looked at him with a hard expression. KiBum rarely lied to the teachers and this “lucky pencil” excuse seemed reasonably for the diva-boy. “It better only take a minute.”

He bowed and thanked her before continuing his search for his “lucky pencil.”

“Wait, so today after school right?” a cheerful voice hummed. A voice he was all too familiar with.

“Yeah, I should be able to swing by your class to get you,” a deeper more calm voice said.

“Anni…Ah-Ah-Anniyo! I’ll come meet up with you. I don’t wanna-”

“Oh, him…” there was a pause. “I’m not worried about him.”

“But I am.”

The boy laughed and KiBum stepped around the corner.

ToYeon’s eyes widened. “KiBum….”

He pressed a hand to her shoulder.

She looked at the boy waiting for him to react as he usually did. “Who do you think you are? Stealing my daughter from me!? Umma know's best!” he had shouted at the last four guys who had asked her out, but this time was different. He looked to her instead and wore a fake smile. “Do you really want to date him?” he asked so softly that only she could hear.

She nodded.

“Then I guess that settles it,” he smiled looking down and away from her.

She stood there baffled. No yelling? No fight? Was this really the Kim KiBum she grew up with? He hadn’t mentioned a family relation once.

He walked past her and glanced at her one last time. If she had disliked being with him so much, she should have said so instead of letting him believe he was important to her. He sighed deeply and took a seat at his desk. This was the beginning of something new, and he hated it.

--

The walk home was quiet and TaeSeung didn’t say much as it was. ToYeon just walked next to him holding her books close to her chest. Other than KiBum, she had never walked alone with a boy before.

“I’m right here,” she said to the distracted teen and went to unlock the door. “Would you like something to drink?”

He looked her up and down and then nodded following behind her.

“What would you like to drink?” she asked leaning on her toes to reach the cups from the cupboard. Usually KiBum got them for her because she’s so short, so this was a new obstacle for her.

Her fingertips grazed the edge of the second cup and she lost her balance.

Instead of falling back into the opposing counter she was caught by two arms cradling her softly.

She looked up at TaeSeung and before she could thank him his lips crashed into hers. Unable to refuse, she struggled beneath him as his mouth messily kissed hers. His hands started to wander around her stomach and she screamed.

“What?” he asked as she gasped for air.

“What are you doing?!” she screamed finding the strength in her arms to swat at him.

“Kissing you, isn’t that what you wanted?”

She pushed him away wiping harshly. “Why on Earth would you think that?!”

“You were pretending not to be able to reach your own cups. It was obvious.”

She banged the plasticware in her hand to the countertop. “Get out.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Get out.”

He looked at the girl glaring at him.

“You and your friend, you’re both disgusting. Being so perfect and flaunting it off, you’re both just teases.”

She slammed the door behind him and thought about what he said. She was no tease, right? Her and KiBum were just best friends. Yes, he was good looking and everyone reminded her that. Just his brilliant smile was enough to do so.

She covered beginning to feel sick. He had stolen her first kiss.

--

The weekend passed and still there was no call from KiBum, not even a message. ToYeon paced her room and then sat down on the floor. For the past two days she had been disgusted with herself. She had been so rude to KiBum when he was just being a good friend, only to have her first kiss stolen by some jerk.

She collapsed her face into her palms and finally cried. After two days of silence from her friend, she had enough. She was sorry for nagging, sorry for not trusting him. She had kept the phone close to her, even watching it as it charged. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Just then, there was a clank and she opened her eyes to see KiBum half in and half out of the window. She instantly stood up wiping her face.

“ToKki,” he mumbled pressing his back to the windowsill. His body was leaned against her room and he could only look at her from a distance.

“Wha-what are you doing here?” she managed to ask between breaths.

He smiled to himself. He was childish. He couldn’t stay away. Even if she was with another he still couldn’t bring himself to leave her. “What did you want me to do?”

She looked up at him with tear stained eyes.

“I’ve been camped out on your roof, off and on for the past few days,” he said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “I want to give you your space, but it’s hard for me.”

She parted he lips to speak but fell to her knees bowing at him. “Forgive me.”

He stepped backwards into the wall. Was this some kind of joke? Had he gone too far?

“ToYeon! I-I won’t do it anymore! I’ll leave you alone. I swear, just don’t act like this,” he stuttered.

“Please, I’m so sorry.”

“Forgive me,” he hushed sliding down the wall. “I’m a terrible friend.”

She looked up at him again. “You’re the best. Why are you...?”

“But I’ve been so selfish,” he said looking down to the floor. “I don’t deserve you.”

“KiBum, you’ve been protecting me. I’ve been a brat, please. I’m sorry.”

He looked at her curiously. “What are you talking about?”

She bit her lip. “I’ve been annoying, persistent only to get what I want and you have my best interest.”

He leaned closer to her, holding her face so that she couldn’t look away. “I’ve been selfish, hiding you from everyone. I can’t stand when other people look at you.”

She smiled shyly. “I’ll forgive you, if you forgive me.”

He laughed. “Deal.”

She inhaled her friend’s scent and looked at him calmly. “I have to tell you something.”

He gave her a lopsided smile rubbing his thumbs against her cheeks slowly with excitement. “What is that?”

“You can’t get angry.”

He chuckled. “Only if you don’t lie.”

Her fingers twisted around his wrists before gazing at him softly. “TaeSeung kissed me.”

KiBum clenched his teeth. “He kissed you?” he tried to remain calm. “But you two are still together, right?”

She shook her head. “I told him to leave after he did. KiBum, he stole my first kiss and I didn’t even know how I felt about him!” tears started to slide her cheeks.

KiBum pressed his lips to her jaw, kissing away any tears. “You’re upset over your first kiss?”

She nodded hold back more tears. She had been saving it for so long that it seemed wrong to let it just slip away.

His mouth hovered over hers mixing their breaths. “You don’t need to worry about that,” he hushed before pecking her lips lightly.

She was shocked but didn’t push like she did with TaeSeung. “KiBum?”

“You forget too easily.”

He kissed her bottom lip as she sat there confused. His hands were still cupping her face and he kissed her slowly until she leaned forward. His mouth smiled against hers and his fingers traced from her ear to her neck. “Do you really not remember?” he asked and she gasped at his touch. “I told you playing house was for girls only.” He kissed beneath her jaw. “But you insisted that we play.” He tickled her skin. “I said no over and over.” He outlined her jaw with his mouth. “But you clamped your hands around my face and told me I was the mommy.” His lips found hers and the grazed the bottom with his teeth. “Then you planted a cute little kiss on me.”

Her eyes widened.

“How did it go?” he chuckled before pushing his lips onto hers and making a smacking sound.

She looked at him and he opened his eyes. “I was your first kiss.”

“But all those times you kissed me like a daughter?”

He smiled. “You’ve only ever kissed me once.”

She clenched her eyes shut gathering all the courage she could. She leaned forward pressing to his.

He chuckled at her cutely opening his mouth to hers. He pushed her down to the floor leaning over top of her. His kisses trailed from her neck down to her chest. Her nails began to scratch at him as she lost reasoning.

“I’ll take whatever first you give me.”