Chapter 1: The Plan
Shy Boy Secret Santa
"Good morning, class," Park Kyunglim said as she walked into the classroom.
"And then I was like..."
"Really?"
"Where should we go this weekend?" The room was filled with students' voices, but none of them answered the teacher, except one.
"Good morning, Park seongsaeng-nim!" Jeon Hyosung greeted with her bright gummy smile.
"Good morning, seongsaeng-nim!"
"Good morning!"
"Good morning." A bombardment of morning greetings came to Kyunglim after Hyosung greeted her. Including one from our resident shy boy, Lee Kikwang.
"Good morning," he said softly.
"Thank you, thank you," Kyunglim answered to all the students. "Now settle down." The students immediately became quiet. "That's better." She walked over to the blackboard. "Now before we start class, I have an announcement to make."
"Ooh!" All the students seemed to get really excited, nudging each other and whispering what they thought the announcement might be about.
"Ahem," Kyunglim cleared . "Class." The students became quiet again. "Thank you. Now, as you know, it is nearing Christmas."
"Woohoo!" The whole room burst into cheers. Kyunglim just glared at them until they stopped.
"So..." She walked over to her desk and pulled out a hat from under it. "We will be doing Secret Santa!"
"Ooh!"
"Yes," the teacher said. "Now, in this hat, there are slips of paper with everyone's name on it." She pulled out a folded piece of paper to show the class. "I will pass the hat around the room and you all are to take a name from the hat. Whoever's name you get is the person you are getting your gifts for." A hand shot up into the air. "Yes, Joon?"
"What if we pick our own name?" Joon asked from his seat at the back of the room beside Kikwang.
"Hmm..." Kyunglim contemplated this. "I'm not sure..."
"If you get your own name," Hyosung said from her desk in the front of the classroom. "Just put it back and draw another name. It doesn't affect anything if you see your own name."
"Very good, Hyosung!" Kyunglim praised the girl. "How about you pick first then?" She moved to the front of Hyosung's desk and held out the hat.
"Neh!" Hyosung reached into the hat and unfolded the piece of paper. Her famous gummy smile appeared on her face.
I wonder why she is smiling so big? Kikwang asked himself. Wait, no. It's Hyosung, she'd be smiling like that even if it was someone she didn't like, even if it was... me. Kikwang blushed. Joon looked at him weirdly.
"Oh, I forgot to mention something," Kyunglim said as she neared the last student in the first row. "Don't tell your person who their secret Santa is. They can guess though, but that wouldn't be any fun!"
Kikwang waited impatiently for the hat to come around to him. He secretly hoped he would get Hyosung, but as the hat continued to go around, he grew weary as he noticed everyone growing excited as they got their person. Hyosung's so popular... Anyone would be excited to be her secret Santa.
Finally, the hat came to him. Joon nudged him and hand him it. Okay... Here goes nothing. Kikwang closed his eyes as he reached into the hat. He unfolded the small slip of paper and read the name on it. Jeon... Hyosung. Kikwang widened his eyes and pushed his oversized glasses higher on his nose to make sure he was reading correctly. Jeon Hyosung. Jeon Hyosung! Jeon Hyosung! It took everything inside him to not jump up and run around the room being uncharacteristically loud and rowdy. Instead, though, he put on a smug smirk and handed the hat to the next student, who looked at him strangely before taking the hat.
"Okay, does everyone have a name?" Kyunglim asked the class after the last student brought the hat back up to her.
"Neh!"
"Good!" Kyunglim said. "Now, as it is Friday, you have the weekend to think about your first gift. It doesn't have to be big, and you don't have to bring something everyday, though it would be nice. And the last day before you're off for break is when you bring your last gift. That one can and should be bigger than the other ones you have brought. And that's when you'll also find out who your secret Santa is." All the students nodded in understanding. "Got it? Good. Now, time to start the real work."
The whole room groaned.
~
"Aigoo." It was now lunchtime. Kikwang was sitting with Joon and Yoseob, picking at his sandwich.
"Hey what's wrong?" Yoseob said while eyeing his sandwich.
"Nothing's wrong," Kikwang said. "Or at least, nothing should be."
"Is it the secret Santa thing?" Kikwang nodded. "Who did you get?"
Kikwang poked at his sandwich a little more and made sure no one else was listening. "Jeon Hyosung."
"What!" Joon jumped out of his seat. A few students looked over at him to see what the commotion was, but most just ignored him.
"Shh!" Kikwang tried to push him down into his seat. "Sit down. I don't want anyone to know."
"Wait, I don't get it," Joon said as he sat down again. "Why would you be upset if you have Hyosung?"
"Well..." Kikwang started. "I'm not upset. I'm more worried. I don't know her very well. What if I get her something she doesn't like and she ends up hating me when she finds out I'm her secret Santa?"
"Aish, don't be silly," said Joon. "It's Hyosung. She wouldn't hate you even if you killed her best friend." Yoseob glared at him. "Oops, sorry. Bad analogy."
"I'm surprised you even knew what analogy meant," Yoseob said as he rested his head on the table. "Kikwang, if your worried about what to get her, just think about what she likes."
"But I already told you! I don't know her too well," Kikwang said, exasperated, before burying his face in his arms.
"Calm down!" Yoseob told him. "Just list the things you know about her, and we can go on from there."
Kikwang sat up and rested his chin in his hand, thinking about Yoseob's request hard. "She loves to dance..."
"Ooh, maybe you can get her dancing shoes!" Yoseob glared at Joon to be quiet. "Sorry... Go on."
"Um... she's very pretty."
"What can you give her based on that?" Yoseob scolded Kikwang. "A mirror? I swear, even though those glasses make you look smart." Kikwang adjusted said glasses. "You're about as smart as Joon!"
"But that's a compliment, isn't it?" Joon asked.
"Argh!" Yoseob hit his head on the lunch table several times. "Idiots. You probably wouldn't look half as smart if you didn't wear those glasses," His insult was muffled by the table. "Wait, that's it!" He bolted up straight in his seat. "Hyosung hardly knows you with your glasses on. You be a completely different person to her without them!"
"Really?" Kikwang said. "Why do I need to know this?"
"And I'm proven right, yet again," Yoseob said to himself. "What I'm trying to say here is that you should go try to find out what Hyosung likes by talking to her, but you shouldn't wear your glasses, so she won't suspect it's you from her class and get suspicious."
"Yeah," Kikwang said. "That's a good idea!"
"Uh huh!" Yoseob nodded, proud of himself for thinking of it. "Now, do you know where you can meet her?"
"Oh, yeah!" Kikwang said. "She always goes to this cafe a few blocks from our houses."
"Finally, you know something useful!" Yoseob exclaimed at the same time Joon muttered, "Stalker."
"Then it's settled! After school today, I will go talk to Jeon Hyosung!" Kikwang said.
"Yeah!" Joon chimed in.
"Idiots."
~
After school, Kikwang went straight home, making sure Hyosung didn't see him, and changed, remembering to take off his glasses. "Umma, I'm going out for a while!"
"That's good, dear. Don’t stay out too late,” his mom called from the kitchen.
“I won’t!” Kikwang said as he slipped on his jacket and went out the door. Omo... so excited! As he walked towards the cafe, Kikwang felt confident and excited, impatient to finally talk to his crush. However, his confidence slowly went away as he neared the cafe. Aigoo! What will I say? By the time reached the door, he felt completely nervous. When he saw Hyosung, still in her uniform, through the clear glass door, his nervousness heightened. But that all disappeared was he spotted the small content smile on her face as she sipped her hot chocolate. No, I’m doing this for Hyosung. He tried to muster up every bit of courage he had and pushed the door open.
Now, Kikwang is what you would call shy boy personality-wise and with his glasses on. But without his glasses you would think the opposite. As soon as he stepped into the cafe, the eyes of all the females in the shop went to him, including Hyosung’s. However, Kikwang’s nerve’s returned, and he didn’t notice all the women staring at him. Oh, God. What do I now? Luckily, Kikwang spotted the cafe’s menu. Oh, yeah. I should order something so I won’t look suspicious. He walked up to the waitress at the counter, who just stared at him before he spoke.
“Um... can I get,” Kikwang took a quick glance at Hyosung’s drink from afar, “A hot chocolate?”
“S-sure!” The girl stuttered before ringing it up. “U-um... would you like anything else?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” Kikwang said, oblivious to affect he was having on the waitress as well as all the other girls in the shop.
“Then that will be 3,500 won.” She watched, mesmerized, as Kikwang pulled some bills out of his wallet. “Th-thank you. It will be ready in a moment.”
“Neh, thank you.” The girl blushed but Kikwang had already turned away. Where should I sit? ...I should sit with Hyosung but... He took a quick peek at Hyosung before he heard himself being called.
“Sir! Here’s your drink!” The girl from before held out the drink with both hands while closing her eyes.
“Neh, thank you,” Kikwang said calmly, not seeing her extreme reactions as he took the cup. Yes, I will go sit with Hyosung. He walked over to her table near the front window of the cafe and sat in the seat across from Hyosung.
"Why is such a pretty girl like you sitting alone?" He asked. God, that was so cheesy. Now she's going to think you're some sort of playboy.
"You know, sometimes you need time alone to think," she said with a baby gummy smile. "You know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, I think I do," Kikwang said while trying to suppress a lovestruck smile caused by her smile. Oh, God, what to say? What do I say? "Um... Anyways, I'm kinda of new here, so I don't know a lot of people." That's good, it's the truth.
"Really? In that case I'm Jeon Hyosung!" She reached across the table to shake Kikwang's hand. He tried not to seem too giddy. I get to touch her hand! "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too I'm Ki-" Kikwang stopped himself quickly, mid-sentence. Wait, I'm not supposed to be Lee Kikwang. "I'm K-Kang Saeho." Please, don't let there be someone she knows with that name!
"Well nice to meet you, Kang Saeho," Hyosung said as she smiled again. Yeesh, she should stop smiling before she kills me. "Where did you move to?"
Right across the street from you, Kikwang thought glumly. "Um, I moved a block or two away from that ramyun shop. What was it, in Seocho?"
"Omo, really?" said Hyosung. "That's where I live!"
"Really?" I knew that...
"Yeah!" Hyosung answered while nodding. "Um Saeho-ssi, if you don't mind me asking-"
"Neh?"
"How old are you?" She asked.
"Oh, I'm 17," Kikwang said.
"Oh, then you should be in my grade!" Hyosung said happily. Omo, she's so happy... "Maybe we can walk to school together!"
Kikwang really wanted to say yes to this, he really did. But I go to school as Lee Kikwang, not Kang Saeho. She'll know it's not me, that I lied! Gotta think of something quick. "Oh no, that's fine. I have to go to school really early."
"Oh, really. That's okay," Hyosung said in disappointment. I'm sorry Jeon Hyosung but I have to do this T_TT Kikwang said to himself. "Why do you have to go so early, though? Do you have a girlfriend to meet, Saeho-ssi?"
"What? No!" Kikwang blushed.
"A-ha! I saw that!" Hyosung accusingly pointed at Kikwang's reddening cheeks.
"No, no!" Kikwang shook his head repeatedly. "It's not like that, Hyosung-ssi! I don't have a girlfriend! In fact," He looked to make sure no one could hear him. "I've never had a girlfriend."
"Chincha? No!"
"What, you don't believe me?"
"How can I? I mean, you're so good-looking!" Hyosung quickly clapped her hands over as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Cute...
"What did you say?" Kikwang asked, not hearing her last statement.
"Yah, you just want to hear me say it again, don't you?" Hyosung said.
"No, no. I really missed it!" Kikwang said. Why does she seem so embarrassed?
Hyosung sighed. "I said you were good-looking." She muttered softly. Really? A big grin appeared on Kikwang face. She's thinks I'm good-looking? "Yeesh, this why I didn't want to say it. You seem so full of yourself."
"No, no. It's fine! I'm taking it as a compliment!" Just like Kikwang is not immune to Hyosung's gummy smiles, Hyosung found out that she is not immune to Kikwang's killer eye-smiles, which are usually obscured by his oversized glasses.
"Yah, how do I know you're telling the truth?" Hyosung interrogated Kikwang. "That you're not playboy that's using this as a ploy?"
"But I'm telling the truth! I really haven't dated anyone before," Kikwang told her. "And anyways, How do I know you're not a girl playboy, um, playgirl?"
"Don't be silly, I'm like you," Hyosung said as she giggled lightly.
"Well, I would think you wouldn't have had any girlfriends," Kikwang dumbly replied.
Hyosung burst out laughing. "No, no," she said in between breaths. "I'm mean I've never had a boyfriend."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Kikwang half imitated Hyosung from early. "I mean you're too pretty!" He said without hesitation, as opposed to Hyosung's embarrassment from when she complimented him.
"Really?" Hyosung felt her warming cheeks.
"Uh huh!" Kikwang nodded.
"I suppose you aren't a playboy," Hyosung admitted. "You had almost million chances to be playboy-like when you were talking to that waitress, but you were either clueless or just indifferent, because you didn't do anything of the sort."
"What? Really?" Kikwang tried to look at the girl again but Hyosung stopped him.
"Don't look at her!" Hyosung admonished. "You don't want her to know that we were talking about her."
"O...kay?" Kikwang straightened himself in his seat.
"Good." Hyosung fidgeted in her seat a little bit. "Oh, how are you liking Gwangsan high school?"
"It's fine."
"Really? Which teacher do you have?" Hyosung asked, excited.
"I'm in Park K-" Wait , I'm still not Kikwang. "Park Kahi's class."
"Ooh, that's cool!" Hyosung said. "She's really pretty!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," Kikwang said. But you gotta know, you're the prettiest for me. He thought with a smile.
"So, Saeho-ssi-"
"Mwoh?" Oh right, I’m Saeho, not Kikwang.
“It’s strange,” Hyosung said. “I haven’t seen you around. Are you sure you’re adjusting okay?”
“Neh, I’m fine!” Kikwang said. She’s so sweet! Always looking out for others.
“Well, you are always welcome to hang out with and my friends,” said Hyosung.
Say yes! “I would love to,” Kikwang said. You pabo! What if one of her friends recognize you? I don’t care, I get to spend time with her.
“Yeah, maybe we can soon,” said Hyosung. “How’s tomorrow sound?”
Kikwang resisted the urged to scream out of happiness. “That would great!”
“Great! Great.” Hyosung nodded. “I think you’ll really like my friends. There’s Jieun,” she put up a finger, “And there’s another Jieun too, but she likes to be called IU.”
IU? Yoseob always talks about her! Kikwang nodded for her to continue.
“Umm...” Hyosung said. “There’s Soyeon, Min, Hana, Sunhwa...”
Might as well list the whole school. I know that you’re really popular. “Wait, are they all girls?” Kikwang asked. That would be kinda awkward...
“Oh, no! There’s, um, Doojoon-oppa!” Hyosung answered. “Hmm... Lee Joon-ssi...”
Joon? Oh, I’m going to kill him when I see him.
“They’re all really nice,” Hyosung said. “Doojoon is really funny and Min is too. Soyeon is pretty smart. Hana and Sunhwa are really nice, as is Jieun. Lee Joon is really funny too, though I don’t think he means to be...” Hyosung paused, trying to think of what she should say next. Kikwang didn’t mind. It gave him more time to admire her beauty. “So I don’t think they’d mind you coming along. In fact, we were going to go to a movie tomorrow."
"Ooh, what movie?"
"Hmmm, I'm not sure yet," said Hyosung. "We'll decide when we get there. What kind of movies do you like?"
"Oh, I like action movies!" Kikwang said with an eye smile.
Hyosung blushed. Pabo, what are you doing? You just met him. "Me too," Hyosung said. "But I like all kinds of movies!" She made a hand gesture circling the air. "Except for horror movies. They scare me." She shivered at the thought.
"Well that's what they're supposed to do, isn't it?" Kikwang said, sending yet another eye smile her way.
Geez he has to stop doing that.
"Yah, I was right!" Hyosung pointed across the table at Kikwang. "You are a playboy! It doesn't even matter if I didn't see you try anything with the millions of girls that have been staring at you since you walked into shop!"
"Staring? Really?" Kikwang said, surprised, as he began to turn around to check. Wait, that is how Lee Kikwang would react, not Kang Saeho. Kang Saeho would be... charming. "Um... Maybe I'm only this charming with pretty girls."
"Pretty?" Hyosung smiled a small smile and blushed. Yah, stop blushing you pabo! "Ah, this is what I was talking about!" She frowned and reached across the table, about to playfully hit Kikwang.
"Yah, do you hit all of your new friends?" Kikwang tried to say angrily but a teasing grin quickly made its way to his face. Hyosung giggled at what he was implying, even though she seemed fairly mad a few moments earlier.
"No, just the charming ones." Hyosung giggled. Yeesh, what does this guy do to me? We've hardly even talked...
Buzz. Buzz. Hyosung's phone went off. It was a text from Sunhwa.
Unnieeee, where are you?
Ugh, Sunhwa, I don't regret telling you about this cafe. Hyosung said in her head as she briefly eyed Kikwang. He was drinking his hot chocolate happily, making Hyosung smile unknowingly.
Why? Hyosung texted Sunhwa. She didn't wanna tell her about her about "Saeho."
I'm at my house with Zinger and Jieun. I was trying to do some math homework, but it's really hard, unnie!
Really? Hyosung rolled her eyes. It's only Friday...
Yeah, but I wanted to get some done before we all went to that movie tomorrow. Can you come over unnie? Since you're so good at math...
Oh, yeah! The movie!
Sure, Sunhwa, I'll come over. "I'm sorry, Saeho-ssi," Hyosung said. "My friend just texted me, she needs help with something. It was nice meeting you!" She stood up, picked up her drink and took one last sip from it. "Mmmm..."
"When will I see you again?" Kikwang said dramatically as he also stood up.
"Never." Hyosung watched as his face fell, and tried to keep herself from laughing. "Unless you come with us to the movies tomorrow!"
"Oh, really? Great!" Kikwang smiled and put his hands in his jean pockets. "Well, nice meeting you, Jeon Hyosung."
"Bye, Saeho-ssi!" Hyosung gave a small wave and walked to the door. Once she was out of the shop and out earshot, Kikwang started jumping around, dancing happily. He attracted the attention of all the customers in the cafe now, not just the girls'. This time, Kikwang noticed them all staring, so he stopped dancing but remained smiling like an idiot.
Jeon Hyosung... Heh, that wasn't so bad. He thought as he left the shop himself.
~
"Finally!" Zinger exclaimed.
"Unnie? What took you so long?" Sunhwa whined from her spot next to Zinger on the couch by the coffee table.
"Huh, I don't think it took me that long..." Hyosung placed her purse on the coffee table and plopped down in the armchair next to the couch.
"Uh, huh. I beg to differ," Jieun said from the other side of Zinger. "It took you exactly 19 minutes and 36.8 seconds to get here. Four minutes and 36.8 seconds too long." Hyosung stared at Jieun silently.
"You made that up, didn't you?"
"Yup." Jieun nodded and admitted it shamelessly. "But tell us the truth, you were out with a boy, weren't you?"
"What? N-no!" Hyosung blushed.
"A-ha!"
"Unnie!"
Jieun giggled mischievously. "I got a text from Hyorin. She said that she saw you with a guy at the cafe. A very good-looking one, I might add."
"What!" Hyosung jumped out of the armchair.
"She even sent a picture!" Jieun said brightly. She whipped out her phone and pulled up the photo. Sunhwa and Zinger leaned over to get a look.
"Wow! He's so cute, unnie!" Sunhwa said as she looked from Jieun's phone to Hyosung.
"What's his name?" Zinger asked, still looking at the picture.
"... Saeho." Hyosung said softly. "Kang Saeho," She said a little louder.
"Ooh!" Sunhwa clapped, still looking to Hyosung.
"Mm hm." Zinger nodded. She tried to look closer at the picture. He looks familiar...
"He's new. He moved into my neighborhood," Hyosung said. "Though I haven't seen him around a lot..."
"Yeah..." Zinger tried to think of where she saw him before.
"He's going to come with us tomorrow, is that okay?" Hyosung said.
"Sure! I definitely wouldn't mind having that hottie around," Sunhwa said.
"Sunhwa!" Jieun pushed Sunhwa on her arm.
"I mean, of course he can come!"
"Great! Then I'll just text...Wah!" Hyosung yelped in surprise. "I don't have his number!"
"Ah, that's okay," Jieun said. "Maybe someone knows his number. Here I'll text some people and send his picture to them, someone should know him." Jieun started tapping at her phone. Ding! "Hey, look!" Jieun's face lit up. "We already got something! Joon thinks he knows him and he'll try to call him. Problem solved." Hyosung pulled her legs up to her chest in the armchair.
"Thank you..."
~
Ring. Ring.
Kikwang was sitting at his desk in his room, trying to do homework when his phone rang. "Yeoboseyo?"
"Kikwang-ah, did you talk to Hyosung-ssi today?" Joon asked on the other line.
"Yeah, why?" Kikwang said.
"Did you agree to go to the movies?"
"Yeah, I did," Kikwang answered. "Why are you asking me this?"
"Do you know where we are going tomorrow for the movie?" Joon asked one last question. "...No," Kikwang answered.
"YAH! You pabo!"Joon yelled. Kikwang had to pull his phone away from him because it was so loud. "Then how are you going to get to the movies? I swear, sometimes you're dumber than me!"
"I find that hard to believe," a voice from inside Kikwang's room.
"Argh!!" Kikwang jumped up in surprise and his phone flew out of his hands and out of the open window of his room. It sailed through the air, landing on the ground below with a crunch. "What? Oh my God!"
"Smooth," Yoseob said as he sat down on Kikwang's bed.
"How did you get in here?" Kikwang stood up and walked to Yoseob from his bed.
"Your mom let me in," Yoseob said with a "duh" expression. "So you're going to the movies tomorrow with Hyosung?" He leaned back on Kikwang's bed.
"Not just Hyosung," Kikwang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. It's not a date or anything. "We're going with some of her friends."
"Ooh!" Yoseob sprung off the bed. "Is IU-ssi going to be there?" He asked hopefully.
"I probably would've found out if I didn't break my phone!" Kikwang glared at Yoseob briefly before falling back onto his bed, despondent.
"Hey, it's not my fault! It's not like I threw your phone out the window," Yoseob tried to convince Kikwang, but when he looked to him, he was still crestfallen.
"Fine. You know what? I'll call Joon for you."
"Yay!" Kikwang jumped up and slung his arms around Yoseob. "Thank you!"
"Yah! Get off!"Yoseob pushed Kikwang off himself, sending him back onto the bed.
~
The next day...
"Should I wear this?" Kikwang pulled out a blue button down shirt from his closet and showed it to Yoseob and Joon, who both sat on his bed. Joon opened his mouth to say something but Kikwang spoke. "No, no! It's horrible, right? How 'bout this?" He was a bout to pull out another shirt when Yoseob got off the bed and stomped over to Kikwang's closet.
"Oh my God! Here!" Yoseob shoved a random pair of jeans and a hoodie towards Kikwang. "You're acting like a teenage girl going on her first date. We've been for over an hour, just calm down!" Kikwang just stared at him, dumbfounded. "Go on, change!" Yoseob pushed him out of the room with the clothes. As soon he was out, Yoseob sighed and leaned against the door. "This is going to be a long day," he said to Joon.
"Yep."
A few moments later Kikwang came back into the room wearing the clothes Yoseob gave him.
"Finally!" Joon exclaimed as he jumped off the bed. "We can go!"
"Yeah," Kikwang said, dazed. He started to walk out of the door when Yoseob stopped.
"Kikwang." Yoseob gestured to his eyes.
"Oh right, glasses!" Kikwang removed his glasses and tossed them onto his desk.
"Now we can go."
"And then I was like..."
"Really?"
"Where should we go this weekend?" The room was filled with students' voices, but none of them answered the teacher, except one.
"Good morning, Park seongsaeng-nim!" Jeon Hyosung greeted with her bright gummy smile.
"Good morning, seongsaeng-nim!"
"Good morning!"
"Good morning." A bombardment of morning greetings came to Kyunglim after Hyosung greeted her. Including one from our resident shy boy, Lee Kikwang.
"Good morning," he said softly.
"Thank you, thank you," Kyunglim answered to all the students. "Now settle down." The students immediately became quiet. "That's better." She walked over to the blackboard. "Now before we start class, I have an announcement to make."
"Ooh!" All the students seemed to get really excited, nudging each other and whispering what they thought the announcement might be about.
"Ahem," Kyunglim cleared . "Class." The students became quiet again. "Thank you. Now, as you know, it is nearing Christmas."
"Woohoo!" The whole room burst into cheers. Kyunglim just glared at them until they stopped.
"So..." She walked over to her desk and pulled out a hat from under it. "We will be doing Secret Santa!"
"Ooh!"
"Yes," the teacher said. "Now, in this hat, there are slips of paper with everyone's name on it." She pulled out a folded piece of paper to show the class. "I will pass the hat around the room and you all are to take a name from the hat. Whoever's name you get is the person you are getting your gifts for." A hand shot up into the air. "Yes, Joon?"
"What if we pick our own name?" Joon asked from his seat at the back of the room beside Kikwang.
"Hmm..." Kyunglim contemplated this. "I'm not sure..."
"If you get your own name," Hyosung said from her desk in the front of the classroom. "Just put it back and draw another name. It doesn't affect anything if you see your own name."
"Very good, Hyosung!" Kyunglim praised the girl. "How about you pick first then?" She moved to the front of Hyosung's desk and held out the hat.
"Neh!" Hyosung reached into the hat and unfolded the piece of paper. Her famous gummy smile appeared on her face.
I wonder why she is smiling so big? Kikwang asked himself. Wait, no. It's Hyosung, she'd be smiling like that even if it was someone she didn't like, even if it was... me. Kikwang blushed. Joon looked at him weirdly.
"Oh, I forgot to mention something," Kyunglim said as she neared the last student in the first row. "Don't tell your person who their secret Santa is. They can guess though, but that wouldn't be any fun!"
Kikwang waited impatiently for the hat to come around to him. He secretly hoped he would get Hyosung, but as the hat continued to go around, he grew weary as he noticed everyone growing excited as they got their person. Hyosung's so popular... Anyone would be excited to be her secret Santa.
Finally, the hat came to him. Joon nudged him and hand him it. Okay... Here goes nothing. Kikwang closed his eyes as he reached into the hat. He unfolded the small slip of paper and read the name on it. Jeon... Hyosung. Kikwang widened his eyes and pushed his oversized glasses higher on his nose to make sure he was reading correctly. Jeon Hyosung. Jeon Hyosung! Jeon Hyosung! It took everything inside him to not jump up and run around the room being uncharacteristically loud and rowdy. Instead, though, he put on a smug smirk and handed the hat to the next student, who looked at him strangely before taking the hat.
"Okay, does everyone have a name?" Kyunglim asked the class after the last student brought the hat back up to her.
"Neh!"
"Good!" Kyunglim said. "Now, as it is Friday, you have the weekend to think about your first gift. It doesn't have to be big, and you don't have to bring something everyday, though it would be nice. And the last day before you're off for break is when you bring your last gift. That one can and should be bigger than the other ones you have brought. And that's when you'll also find out who your secret Santa is." All the students nodded in understanding. "Got it? Good. Now, time to start the real work."
The whole room groaned.
~
"Aigoo." It was now lunchtime. Kikwang was sitting with Joon and Yoseob, picking at his sandwich.
"Hey what's wrong?" Yoseob said while eyeing his sandwich.
"Nothing's wrong," Kikwang said. "Or at least, nothing should be."
"Is it the secret Santa thing?" Kikwang nodded. "Who did you get?"
Kikwang poked at his sandwich a little more and made sure no one else was listening. "Jeon Hyosung."
"What!" Joon jumped out of his seat. A few students looked over at him to see what the commotion was, but most just ignored him.
"Shh!" Kikwang tried to push him down into his seat. "Sit down. I don't want anyone to know."
"Wait, I don't get it," Joon said as he sat down again. "Why would you be upset if you have Hyosung?"
"Well..." Kikwang started. "I'm not upset. I'm more worried. I don't know her very well. What if I get her something she doesn't like and she ends up hating me when she finds out I'm her secret Santa?"
"Aish, don't be silly," said Joon. "It's Hyosung. She wouldn't hate you even if you killed her best friend." Yoseob glared at him. "Oops, sorry. Bad analogy."
"I'm surprised you even knew what analogy meant," Yoseob said as he rested his head on the table. "Kikwang, if your worried about what to get her, just think about what she likes."
"But I already told you! I don't know her too well," Kikwang said, exasperated, before burying his face in his arms.
"Calm down!" Yoseob told him. "Just list the things you know about her, and we can go on from there."
Kikwang sat up and rested his chin in his hand, thinking about Yoseob's request hard. "She loves to dance..."
"Ooh, maybe you can get her dancing shoes!" Yoseob glared at Joon to be quiet. "Sorry... Go on."
"Um... she's very pretty."
"What can you give her based on that?" Yoseob scolded Kikwang. "A mirror? I swear, even though those glasses make you look smart." Kikwang adjusted said glasses. "You're about as smart as Joon!"
"But that's a compliment, isn't it?" Joon asked.
"Argh!" Yoseob hit his head on the lunch table several times. "Idiots. You probably wouldn't look half as smart if you didn't wear those glasses," His insult was muffled by the table. "Wait, that's it!" He bolted up straight in his seat. "Hyosung hardly knows you with your glasses on. You be a completely different person to her without them!"
"Really?" Kikwang said. "Why do I need to know this?"
"And I'm proven right, yet again," Yoseob said to himself. "What I'm trying to say here is that you should go try to find out what Hyosung likes by talking to her, but you shouldn't wear your glasses, so she won't suspect it's you from her class and get suspicious."
"Yeah," Kikwang said. "That's a good idea!"
"Uh huh!" Yoseob nodded, proud of himself for thinking of it. "Now, do you know where you can meet her?"
"Oh, yeah!" Kikwang said. "She always goes to this cafe a few blocks from our houses."
"Finally, you know something useful!" Yoseob exclaimed at the same time Joon muttered, "Stalker."
"Then it's settled! After school today, I will go talk to Jeon Hyosung!" Kikwang said.
"Yeah!" Joon chimed in.
"Idiots."
~
After school, Kikwang went straight home, making sure Hyosung didn't see him, and changed, remembering to take off his glasses. "Umma, I'm going out for a while!"
"That's good, dear. Don’t stay out too late,” his mom called from the kitchen.
“I won’t!” Kikwang said as he slipped on his jacket and went out the door. Omo... so excited! As he walked towards the cafe, Kikwang felt confident and excited, impatient to finally talk to his crush. However, his confidence slowly went away as he neared the cafe. Aigoo! What will I say? By the time reached the door, he felt completely nervous. When he saw Hyosung, still in her uniform, through the clear glass door, his nervousness heightened. But that all disappeared was he spotted the small content smile on her face as she sipped her hot chocolate. No, I’m doing this for Hyosung. He tried to muster up every bit of courage he had and pushed the door open.
Now, Kikwang is what you would call shy boy personality-wise and with his glasses on. But without his glasses you would think the opposite. As soon as he stepped into the cafe, the eyes of all the females in the shop went to him, including Hyosung’s. However, Kikwang’s nerve’s returned, and he didn’t notice all the women staring at him. Oh, God. What do I now? Luckily, Kikwang spotted the cafe’s menu. Oh, yeah. I should order something so I won’t look suspicious. He walked up to the waitress at the counter, who just stared at him before he spoke.
“Um... can I get,” Kikwang took a quick glance at Hyosung’s drink from afar, “A hot chocolate?”
“S-sure!” The girl stuttered before ringing it up. “U-um... would you like anything else?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” Kikwang said, oblivious to affect he was having on the waitress as well as all the other girls in the shop.
“Then that will be 3,500 won.” She watched, mesmerized, as Kikwang pulled some bills out of his wallet. “Th-thank you. It will be ready in a moment.”
“Neh, thank you.” The girl blushed but Kikwang had already turned away. Where should I sit? ...I should sit with Hyosung but... He took a quick peek at Hyosung before he heard himself being called.
“Sir! Here’s your drink!” The girl from before held out the drink with both hands while closing her eyes.
“Neh, thank you,” Kikwang said calmly, not seeing her extreme reactions as he took the cup. Yes, I will go sit with Hyosung. He walked over to her table near the front window of the cafe and sat in the seat across from Hyosung.
"Why is such a pretty girl like you sitting alone?" He asked. God, that was so cheesy. Now she's going to think you're some sort of playboy.
"You know, sometimes you need time alone to think," she said with a baby gummy smile. "You know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, I think I do," Kikwang said while trying to suppress a lovestruck smile caused by her smile. Oh, God, what to say? What do I say? "Um... Anyways, I'm kinda of new here, so I don't know a lot of people." That's good, it's the truth.
"Really? In that case I'm Jeon Hyosung!" She reached across the table to shake Kikwang's hand. He tried not to seem too giddy. I get to touch her hand! "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too I'm Ki-" Kikwang stopped himself quickly, mid-sentence. Wait, I'm not supposed to be Lee Kikwang. "I'm K-Kang Saeho." Please, don't let there be someone she knows with that name!
"Well nice to meet you, Kang Saeho," Hyosung said as she smiled again. Yeesh, she should stop smiling before she kills me. "Where did you move to?"
Right across the street from you, Kikwang thought glumly. "Um, I moved a block or two away from that ramyun shop. What was it, in Seocho?"
"Omo, really?" said Hyosung. "That's where I live!"
"Really?" I knew that...
"Yeah!" Hyosung answered while nodding. "Um Saeho-ssi, if you don't mind me asking-"
"Neh?"
"How old are you?" She asked.
"Oh, I'm 17," Kikwang said.
"Oh, then you should be in my grade!" Hyosung said happily. Omo, she's so happy... "Maybe we can walk to school together!"
Kikwang really wanted to say yes to this, he really did. But I go to school as Lee Kikwang, not Kang Saeho. She'll know it's not me, that I lied! Gotta think of something quick. "Oh no, that's fine. I have to go to school really early."
"Oh, really. That's okay," Hyosung said in disappointment. I'm sorry Jeon Hyosung but I have to do this T_TT Kikwang said to himself. "Why do you have to go so early, though? Do you have a girlfriend to meet, Saeho-ssi?"
"What? No!" Kikwang blushed.
"A-ha! I saw that!" Hyosung accusingly pointed at Kikwang's reddening cheeks.
"No, no!" Kikwang shook his head repeatedly. "It's not like that, Hyosung-ssi! I don't have a girlfriend! In fact," He looked to make sure no one could hear him. "I've never had a girlfriend."
"Chincha? No!"
"What, you don't believe me?"
"How can I? I mean, you're so good-looking!" Hyosung quickly clapped her hands over as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Cute...
"What did you say?" Kikwang asked, not hearing her last statement.
"Yah, you just want to hear me say it again, don't you?" Hyosung said.
"No, no. I really missed it!" Kikwang said. Why does she seem so embarrassed?
Hyosung sighed. "I said you were good-looking." She muttered softly. Really? A big grin appeared on Kikwang face. She's thinks I'm good-looking? "Yeesh, this why I didn't want to say it. You seem so full of yourself."
"No, no. It's fine! I'm taking it as a compliment!" Just like Kikwang is not immune to Hyosung's gummy smiles, Hyosung found out that she is not immune to Kikwang's killer eye-smiles, which are usually obscured by his oversized glasses.
"Yah, how do I know you're telling the truth?" Hyosung interrogated Kikwang. "That you're not playboy that's using this as a ploy?"
"But I'm telling the truth! I really haven't dated anyone before," Kikwang told her. "And anyways, How do I know you're not a girl playboy, um, playgirl?"
"Don't be silly, I'm like you," Hyosung said as she giggled lightly.
"Well, I would think you wouldn't have had any girlfriends," Kikwang dumbly replied.
Hyosung burst out laughing. "No, no," she said in between breaths. "I'm mean I've never had a boyfriend."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Kikwang half imitated Hyosung from early. "I mean you're too pretty!" He said without hesitation, as opposed to Hyosung's embarrassment from when she complimented him.
"Really?" Hyosung felt her warming cheeks.
"Uh huh!" Kikwang nodded.
"I suppose you aren't a playboy," Hyosung admitted. "You had almost million chances to be playboy-like when you were talking to that waitress, but you were either clueless or just indifferent, because you didn't do anything of the sort."
"What? Really?" Kikwang tried to look at the girl again but Hyosung stopped him.
"Don't look at her!" Hyosung admonished. "You don't want her to know that we were talking about her."
"O...kay?" Kikwang straightened himself in his seat.
"Good." Hyosung fidgeted in her seat a little bit. "Oh, how are you liking Gwangsan high school?"
"It's fine."
"Really? Which teacher do you have?" Hyosung asked, excited.
"I'm in Park K-" Wait , I'm still not Kikwang. "Park Kahi's class."
"Ooh, that's cool!" Hyosung said. "She's really pretty!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," Kikwang said. But you gotta know, you're the prettiest for me. He thought with a smile.
"So, Saeho-ssi-"
"Mwoh?" Oh right, I’m Saeho, not Kikwang.
“It’s strange,” Hyosung said. “I haven’t seen you around. Are you sure you’re adjusting okay?”
“Neh, I’m fine!” Kikwang said. She’s so sweet! Always looking out for others.
“Well, you are always welcome to hang out with and my friends,” said Hyosung.
Say yes! “I would love to,” Kikwang said. You pabo! What if one of her friends recognize you? I don’t care, I get to spend time with her.
“Yeah, maybe we can soon,” said Hyosung. “How’s tomorrow sound?”
Kikwang resisted the urged to scream out of happiness. “That would great!”
“Great! Great.” Hyosung nodded. “I think you’ll really like my friends. There’s Jieun,” she put up a finger, “And there’s another Jieun too, but she likes to be called IU.”
IU? Yoseob always talks about her! Kikwang nodded for her to continue.
“Umm...” Hyosung said. “There’s Soyeon, Min, Hana, Sunhwa...”
Might as well list the whole school. I know that you’re really popular. “Wait, are they all girls?” Kikwang asked. That would be kinda awkward...
“Oh, no! There’s, um, Doojoon-oppa!” Hyosung answered. “Hmm... Lee Joon-ssi...”
Joon? Oh, I’m going to kill him when I see him.
“They’re all really nice,” Hyosung said. “Doojoon is really funny and Min is too. Soyeon is pretty smart. Hana and Sunhwa are really nice, as is Jieun. Lee Joon is really funny too, though I don’t think he means to be...” Hyosung paused, trying to think of what she should say next. Kikwang didn’t mind. It gave him more time to admire her beauty. “So I don’t think they’d mind you coming along. In fact, we were going to go to a movie tomorrow."
"Ooh, what movie?"
"Hmmm, I'm not sure yet," said Hyosung. "We'll decide when we get there. What kind of movies do you like?"
"Oh, I like action movies!" Kikwang said with an eye smile.
Hyosung blushed. Pabo, what are you doing? You just met him. "Me too," Hyosung said. "But I like all kinds of movies!" She made a hand gesture circling the air. "Except for horror movies. They scare me." She shivered at the thought.
"Well that's what they're supposed to do, isn't it?" Kikwang said, sending yet another eye smile her way.
Geez he has to stop doing that.
"Yah, I was right!" Hyosung pointed across the table at Kikwang. "You are a playboy! It doesn't even matter if I didn't see you try anything with the millions of girls that have been staring at you since you walked into shop!"
"Staring? Really?" Kikwang said, surprised, as he began to turn around to check. Wait, that is how Lee Kikwang would react, not Kang Saeho. Kang Saeho would be... charming. "Um... Maybe I'm only this charming with pretty girls."
"Pretty?" Hyosung smiled a small smile and blushed. Yah, stop blushing you pabo! "Ah, this is what I was talking about!" She frowned and reached across the table, about to playfully hit Kikwang.
"Yah, do you hit all of your new friends?" Kikwang tried to say angrily but a teasing grin quickly made its way to his face. Hyosung giggled at what he was implying, even though she seemed fairly mad a few moments earlier.
"No, just the charming ones." Hyosung giggled. Yeesh, what does this guy do to me? We've hardly even talked...
Buzz. Buzz. Hyosung's phone went off. It was a text from Sunhwa.
Unnieeee, where are you?
Ugh, Sunhwa, I don't regret telling you about this cafe. Hyosung said in her head as she briefly eyed Kikwang. He was drinking his hot chocolate happily, making Hyosung smile unknowingly.
Why? Hyosung texted Sunhwa. She didn't wanna tell her about her about "Saeho."
I'm at my house with Zinger and Jieun. I was trying to do some math homework, but it's really hard, unnie!
Really? Hyosung rolled her eyes. It's only Friday...
Yeah, but I wanted to get some done before we all went to that movie tomorrow. Can you come over unnie? Since you're so good at math...
Oh, yeah! The movie!
Sure, Sunhwa, I'll come over. "I'm sorry, Saeho-ssi," Hyosung said. "My friend just texted me, she needs help with something. It was nice meeting you!" She stood up, picked up her drink and took one last sip from it. "Mmmm..."
"When will I see you again?" Kikwang said dramatically as he also stood up.
"Never." Hyosung watched as his face fell, and tried to keep herself from laughing. "Unless you come with us to the movies tomorrow!"
"Oh, really? Great!" Kikwang smiled and put his hands in his jean pockets. "Well, nice meeting you, Jeon Hyosung."
"Bye, Saeho-ssi!" Hyosung gave a small wave and walked to the door. Once she was out of the shop and out earshot, Kikwang started jumping around, dancing happily. He attracted the attention of all the customers in the cafe now, not just the girls'. This time, Kikwang noticed them all staring, so he stopped dancing but remained smiling like an idiot.
Jeon Hyosung... Heh, that wasn't so bad. He thought as he left the shop himself.
~
"Finally!" Zinger exclaimed.
"Unnie? What took you so long?" Sunhwa whined from her spot next to Zinger on the couch by the coffee table.
"Huh, I don't think it took me that long..." Hyosung placed her purse on the coffee table and plopped down in the armchair next to the couch.
"Uh, huh. I beg to differ," Jieun said from the other side of Zinger. "It took you exactly 19 minutes and 36.8 seconds to get here. Four minutes and 36.8 seconds too long." Hyosung stared at Jieun silently.
"You made that up, didn't you?"
"Yup." Jieun nodded and admitted it shamelessly. "But tell us the truth, you were out with a boy, weren't you?"
"What? N-no!" Hyosung blushed.
"A-ha!"
"Unnie!"
Jieun giggled mischievously. "I got a text from Hyorin. She said that she saw you with a guy at the cafe. A very good-looking one, I might add."
"What!" Hyosung jumped out of the armchair.
"She even sent a picture!" Jieun said brightly. She whipped out her phone and pulled up the photo. Sunhwa and Zinger leaned over to get a look.
"Wow! He's so cute, unnie!" Sunhwa said as she looked from Jieun's phone to Hyosung.
"What's his name?" Zinger asked, still looking at the picture.
"... Saeho." Hyosung said softly. "Kang Saeho," She said a little louder.
"Ooh!" Sunhwa clapped, still looking to Hyosung.
"Mm hm." Zinger nodded. She tried to look closer at the picture. He looks familiar...
"He's new. He moved into my neighborhood," Hyosung said. "Though I haven't seen him around a lot..."
"Yeah..." Zinger tried to think of where she saw him before.
"He's going to come with us tomorrow, is that okay?" Hyosung said.
"Sure! I definitely wouldn't mind having that hottie around," Sunhwa said.
"Sunhwa!" Jieun pushed Sunhwa on her arm.
"I mean, of course he can come!"
"Great! Then I'll just text...Wah!" Hyosung yelped in surprise. "I don't have his number!"
"Ah, that's okay," Jieun said. "Maybe someone knows his number. Here I'll text some people and send his picture to them, someone should know him." Jieun started tapping at her phone. Ding! "Hey, look!" Jieun's face lit up. "We already got something! Joon thinks he knows him and he'll try to call him. Problem solved." Hyosung pulled her legs up to her chest in the armchair.
"Thank you..."
~
Ring. Ring.
Kikwang was sitting at his desk in his room, trying to do homework when his phone rang. "Yeoboseyo?"
"Kikwang-ah, did you talk to Hyosung-ssi today?" Joon asked on the other line.
"Yeah, why?" Kikwang said.
"Did you agree to go to the movies?"
"Yeah, I did," Kikwang answered. "Why are you asking me this?"
"Do you know where we are going tomorrow for the movie?" Joon asked one last question. "...No," Kikwang answered.
"YAH! You pabo!"Joon yelled. Kikwang had to pull his phone away from him because it was so loud. "Then how are you going to get to the movies? I swear, sometimes you're dumber than me!"
"I find that hard to believe," a voice from inside Kikwang's room.
"Argh!!" Kikwang jumped up in surprise and his phone flew out of his hands and out of the open window of his room. It sailed through the air, landing on the ground below with a crunch. "What? Oh my God!"
"Smooth," Yoseob said as he sat down on Kikwang's bed.
"How did you get in here?" Kikwang stood up and walked to Yoseob from his bed.
"Your mom let me in," Yoseob said with a "duh" expression. "So you're going to the movies tomorrow with Hyosung?" He leaned back on Kikwang's bed.
"Not just Hyosung," Kikwang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. It's not a date or anything. "We're going with some of her friends."
"Ooh!" Yoseob sprung off the bed. "Is IU-ssi going to be there?" He asked hopefully.
"I probably would've found out if I didn't break my phone!" Kikwang glared at Yoseob briefly before falling back onto his bed, despondent.
"Hey, it's not my fault! It's not like I threw your phone out the window," Yoseob tried to convince Kikwang, but when he looked to him, he was still crestfallen.
"Fine. You know what? I'll call Joon for you."
"Yay!" Kikwang jumped up and slung his arms around Yoseob. "Thank you!"
"Yah! Get off!"Yoseob pushed Kikwang off himself, sending him back onto the bed.
~
The next day...
"Should I wear this?" Kikwang pulled out a blue button down shirt from his closet and showed it to Yoseob and Joon, who both sat on his bed. Joon opened his mouth to say something but Kikwang spoke. "No, no! It's horrible, right? How 'bout this?" He was a bout to pull out another shirt when Yoseob got off the bed and stomped over to Kikwang's closet.
"Oh my God! Here!" Yoseob shoved a random pair of jeans and a hoodie towards Kikwang. "You're acting like a teenage girl going on her first date. We've been for over an hour, just calm down!" Kikwang just stared at him, dumbfounded. "Go on, change!" Yoseob pushed him out of the room with the clothes. As soon he was out, Yoseob sighed and leaned against the door. "This is going to be a long day," he said to Joon.
"Yep."
A few moments later Kikwang came back into the room wearing the clothes Yoseob gave him.
"Finally!" Joon exclaimed as he jumped off the bed. "We can go!"
"Yeah," Kikwang said, dazed. He started to walk out of the door when Yoseob stopped.
"Kikwang." Yoseob gestured to his eyes.
"Oh right, glasses!" Kikwang removed his glasses and tossed them onto his desk.
"Now we can go."
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