“Kwon Jiyong! I’ve told you many times now! Come downstairs – they’re almost here!”

Jiyong scoffed as he heard his mother’s voice screech out to him once more. He sighed, getting off of his bed and pushing his hair back. Why? Why did they have to come? They were going to live off his family, weren’t they?

This wasn’t a place for beggars.

Descending the stairs with a very irritated expression, Jiyong appeared in the main lounging area and his teeth unpleasantly. He grimaced when Kwon Hyun pulled him off the final step before rushing him to stand with her at the front door. His dad was already outside, enormous smile on his face as he waited for his friend and daughter to arrive.

“I don’t understand, Mom. Why can’t they just stay somewhere else?”

“Kwon Jiyong!” Her hiss was enough to shut him up. Jiyong folded his arms and frowned, the crease in his brow refusing to leave. “They need our help. After all, Yoon Hong is someone your father is indebted to. Be respectful, Jiyong.”

Respectful? It wasn’t in his dictionary, nor was it something he could be.

Jiyong was a god damned , after all. It was in his nature to be disrespectful.

It was all rather sudden when Kwon Young Hwan all but leapt in the air, announcing the arrival of Yoon Hong and his daughter – they were steadily approaching in a modest vehicle, clearly not having brought a lot with them.

He was told that their home, after they’d failed to pay the mortgage for three months straight, had been taken into repossession causing them to suffer a big loss.

Great, Jiyong thought when his mother told him.

Not only would he have to live with complete strangers – but these strangers were poor as well.

Absolutely fan-ing-tastic.

“Yoon Hong! My old friend!” Jiyong’s father clasped the man’s shoulders before crushing him into a tight embrace; Hong simply smiled brightly as he pushed his arms around Hwan. “It’s been so long, my dear friend. So long! Come in. Jiyong will take everything in, don’t worry.”

“Oh? I am?” Jiyong finally spoke up, gritting his teeth together. No response was received except for a huge glare from his mother, as she sidestepped the laughing men and waited for Hong’s daughter to step out.

And when she did… Jiyong bit his tongue.

Yoon Yuri.

Yuri was… The new girl in school. He’d heard that she was pretty, and all sorts of other nonsense – but he hadn’t realised that she was this pretty. Her gentle, doe-like eyes gazed up at him nervously as she stepped out from the driver’s side (oh, so she could drive?) and hopped down on the paved ground. Bowing to Jiyong and Hyun, Yuri bit her lip. “I’m sorry to have to… Disturb your household like this, but…”

Hyun practically shoved Jiyong out of the way. “My, you’re so beautiful! Oh, I could just squeeze you up.” Yuri blushed like mad. “So lovely. You call me nothing but ‘Mom’, okay?”

Yuri laughed anxiously, taken aback by the forceful welcoming. “… Mom. Of course. Thank you.”

“Come in! Are you hungry? I know you’ve been driving for hours—”

“I’m okay, Mom – but I will eat soon since you’ve taken time to make food. But first, I should start bringing our things inside, if you’ll allow it?” There came the blush again. Jiyong, as he witnessed the exchange, couldn’t help but note how sweet she looked with warmth across her cheeks.

Hyun gasped. “No, no! Jiyong, be a gentleman. Why are you just standing there? Unload the car.”

Yuri protested. “Please – it’s okay. There’s only a few boxes, Mom.”

Even Jiyong himself was surprised when he said, “Don’t worry about it, Yoon Yuri. I will bring everything in.”

It was then that Hyun hummed thoughtfully, looking from Jiyong to Yuri. When did he ever offer to do something like this? “Well then,” she murmured. “Both of you bring the things inside, while I set the table. Okay?”

Yuri was sure that even Hell couldn’t be as hot as how she suddenly felt with Jiyong’s eyes on her. “Okay,” she meekly replied, avoiding Jiyong’s startlingly intense gaze as she went around to the back of the car to open the boot up.

Suddenly behind her was Jiyong, who inhaled her sweet scent. “Nervous around me already?” he asked with a terrible smirk, “I don’t want you to fall in love that easily.”

“Umm.”

Speechless, Yuri simply shook her head, causing her hair to fall over and guard her face as if her cheeks and eyes would betray her. She piled some boxes together and lifted them up, throwing some miscellaneous things at the very top and effortlessly getting them in the small space. Jiyong looked at her, impressed. Not exactly the weakest girl, even if she was quite slim.

He grinned. “Strong, eh?” He matched her feminine strength for his masculine strength, easily taking four boxes piled up on one arm while the other wrapped around some smaller ones. Together they went to the front of the enormous Kwon residence, resting the boxes on the porch before he followed her back to get the remaining things.

Yuri the entire time was silent, afraid that she’d stumble over her own words or that she’d make a fool out of herself.

Nobody told her that Kwon Jiyong, the hottest boy in her new high school was who she’d be living with.

And she was sure that he was awful, arrogant, and fitted every other stereotype she’d came across in the books and television both.

The last few three boxes in the boot were Yuri’s things: one was completely packed with books and trinkets, another with her few clothes, and the third was sealed with tape all around so that it remained a mystery.

Jiyong watched her take the sealed one, almost protectively, and clutch it to her chest.

“Yoon Yuri, what’s that?”

“Nothing.”

And that’s when she unintentionally slipped into the danger zone.

Jiyong stepped in front of her, blocking her path by firmly placing a hand on her shoulder. “Yoon Yuri, I should tell you now, if we’re going to live together… I hate being lied to. Avoid it at all costs, do you understand?”

Yuri looked up at him, the subtle shadow of shock evident in her eyes. “Uhh – oh, I… I’m sorry.”

“Stupid girl,” he uttered.

Yuri didn’t know why that stung.

“Get inside,” he ordered. “Give your keys. I’ll lock the ing car when I get those last boxes.”

She threw the car keys to him, which he smoothly caught. Not even a glance was spared her way as she walked past the gates and inside his house, finally looking around the open space; the comfy, but modern living area. And even as Hyun rushed her to the dining area to eat, and even as she was shown her temporary room, Yuri couldn’t help but feel bad about irritating Jiyong earlier.

Jiyong, on the other hand, had for the most part forgiven and forgotten it.

Yes, he might have overreacted.

But he simply didn’t take well to being lied to.

That was all.

Author's note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this story. If you would like to see more, please consider leaving a comment - they're so motivating and I love to read people's thoughts. <333