Apologies for taking so long with the latest chapter. I had some other matters that made me unable to post on my usual day. In return, I will be posting two stories today. 

This chapter can be skipped if you wish as it just provides some more back story on what caused the rift between Joon Young and No Eul. The next chapter will continue the adult story.

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“Joon Young, why are you dating her? I really don’t understand. Tell me what is so good about her so I can understand!”

No Eul was standing in front of him, clearly upset.

“She’s pretty….” He began.

“She’s pretty?! That’s the most important factor?! Don’t you know the kinds of things she does to the other girls?! Don’t you know what she does….”

No Eul clamped shut but Joon Young thought he knew what she was going to say.

“What? What she does to you, No Eul? Help you with your assignments? Lend you her books when you forget yours? Yes, she’s a terrible person! I don’t know how anyone could be attracted to her!”

Joon Young saw No Eul’s lip curl but didn’t understand. Why did she hate Jeong Eun so much? Was it jealousy? Was it because Jeong Eun took up time that used to belong exclusively to No Eul?

No, that couldn’t be it. No Eul didn’t seem to have any problems with them dating before. This had only started recently. So why…?

“You know what? Just forget it!”

No Eul stormed away, leaving Joon Young staring after her, confused.

The cold war had begun.

4 days later:

Joon Young was attempting to sneak off campus when he glanced across the athletic field and saw No Eul with 3 of the girls in their class.

Joon Young recognized the girls as Jeong Eun’s closest friends so he shrugged it off, thinking that they were just gossiping. He frowned and began walking again.

He rounded the corner and ran into one of the patrolling teachers.

“Skipping class are we?” The teacher grabbed Joon Young and dragged him into the office.

After being lectured for what felt like forever, Joon Young was released to go back to class. He sat at his desk, looking at the window towards the athletic field. His mind was on No Eul and the fact that she hadn’t talked to him since their fight a few days ago.

Though their families were close and frequently spent time together, No Eul had even been avoiding coming over with the rest of her family. Joon Young had asked her little brother what was going on but he just said that No Eul was too busy doing getting ready for exams.

It was a flimsy excuse and they both knew it. No Eul had not studied for an exam without Joon Young’s notes since they were kids. Her own notebooks were filled with random doodles that she drew while the teachers were lecturing. He wasn’t even sure she knew how to take notes.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely registered what the group of students in front of him were saying until he heard No Eul’s name.

“……No Eul. It’s been going on for a long time, right? I wonder why Joon Young hasn’t said anything about it.”

“Those are probably just rumors though. Joon Young and No Eul have been friends forever. If that was really happening, do you really think he’d keep dating Jeong Eun?”

“I don’t know…. I’ve seen them sometimes. It’s scary…”

“No Eul would tell Joon Young about something like that though.”

“I doubt it. You’ve seen him around Jeong Eun, would he even believe No Eul? And you know how she gets. No Eul would rather die than say anything to him. I’m still surprised that he’s dating Jeong Eun though. I always thought it would be him and Eul!”

“I know! He was always with her too. Whenever she got into trouble, he’d be following right behind her to clean up her mess! I always figured it was a matter of time before they started dating!”

The voices dropped to a whisper before continuing. Joon Young had to strain to hear.

“I’ve seen the way No Eul looks at him sometimes. She definitely likes him. It has to be that Joon Young doesn’t like her that way.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why else would he date someone as nasty as Jeong Eun?”

As nasty as Jeong Eun? What were they talking about? Joon Young rose from his desk and strode over to the speakers.

“What do you mean ‘someone as nasty as Jeong Eun’”?

The one who had said that flushed in embarrassment while the other paled and stuttered a reply:

“Just that… well… Jeong Eun isn’t exactly the nicest girl in the class…. She’s pretty… but she cruel too… Some of the things I’ve heard she does to No Eul are just downright horrible!”

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