chapter 1 : when a one-sided love ends

Junhoe turned the knob of his locker, matching the combinations of his password. It was the birth date of the puppy he raised ever since he was thirteen, and he didn't even bother secluding it from Chanwoo. That little devil knew too much about him more than he would want to admit it. 

Opening his locker, he was greeted with presents he had stuffed earlier. Chocolates, teddy bears, perfumes, Micheal Jackson albums, you name it. His locker was stuffed with Valentine's Day gifts from the nearby girls' high school. Being in an all boys school didn't stop his popularity from growing. In fact, he was the one, as deemed by Chanwoo, to be the most popular amongst the girls of Sookmyung High. But to Junhoe, it was a given. He was used to the treatment although at first it was overwhelming. Stuffing all the gifts into a paper bag Chanwoo was happily holding, he noticed something. But Chanwoo said it first.

"Eo? It's not here this time," his friend exclaimed. "What?" Junhoe feigned ignorance. "The letter," he replied. "You know, the one that Lisa girl always snuck into your locker every Valentine?" 

Junhoe knew perfectly who and what Chanwoo was talking about. Lisa, the blonde girl with big, puppy eyes and just the most adorable laughter ever from Sookmyung High. Lisa, the girl who confessed during their freshmen year on Valentine's with a mere handwritten letter snuck into his locker. Lisa, who would always watch him from afar when he queued up to buy bubble tea at the shop near school. That Lisa, whom he found quite persistently annoying, stopped giving him letters this time around. He didn't want to admit it but it definitely got him thinking. Why?

"Wow, this is news," Chanwoo was still rambling about it on the way home. And Junhoe was still thinking about her. 

Damn it, who cares if she doesn't give me the damn letter? It's better that way.

"Hey, maybe she finally regained her normality and sees that you aren't the Inhumane Junhoe you are," Chanwoo nudged the latter but was only met with a pair of cold, discerning eyes. It was a nickname the Sookmyung High girls gave him since his looks and abilities to perform well both in studies and music was above the level of what a human could do. But Junhoe hated that nickname. 

Chanwoo didn't care though. He loved teasing the latter with it. 

Entering the bubble tea shop, all eyes were on the duo. The place would usually be flooded with the girls from Sookmyung High because they knew Junhoe frequented the place. Chanwoo was used to his best friend getting all the attention and he would be bothered by it if it wasn't for the fact that he already had a girlfriend. And so he strolled to the counter to place his order. 

Junhoe waited with Chanwoo for their bubble tea before joining a table where two high school girls were sitting. "Why are you sitting here?!" she yelled in a hushed tone. "Can't you see the place is packed?" Chanwoo popped open the plastic covering his straw and poked it into the bubble tea cup. "Well thanks to Mr. Popular here," she rolled her eyes. "You're welcome," Junhoe flashed off a smirk. "Ugh, why am I your little sister again?!" Chanmi glared towards Chanwoo to which he opened his mouth to answer but was stopped by his sister. "Don't outsmart me," she warned.

"Oh yeah, is Lisa here?" Chanwoo asked his sister and Junhoe's ears perked. Hearing her name made him alerted, for some reason. "Lisa? I don't think so. Rumours have it that she got a bad boy boyfriend who picks her up with a motorbike after school since last week," Chanmi spilled and that made Junhoe almost spurted out his drink. "I saw it! She definitely has a guy," Chanmi's friend joined in.

"Hah! So she finally regained her vision and see that Junhoe is not worth it," Chanwoo exclaimed. "Wow, thank you best friend since freshmen year," Junhoe sarcastically spat. "Well, it's good for you right, oppa? Didn't you hate her? The whole school sympathizes her because she's so...persistent but you're so...mean," Chanmi said. "Whoa, hate? I'm mean?!" Junhoe scrunched his eyebrows.

But the only answer he got was three nods.

What am I doing here?

Why am  I here?

This is a bad decision, I should go home.

Small giggles and furtive glances were directed towards the one man standing outside of the gate of Sookmyung Girls High. It had been a week since Valentines and he still couldn't get Lisa off his mind. It was bothering him like mad. Why she stopped giving him letters? Why she stopped coming to the bubble tea place? Why she practically disappeared when she used to follow him around all the time? Was it because he was really mean to her?

Okay, I should go. 

Junhoe gave up in waiting for Lisa only after five minutes since school ended. He turned and just in time a motorbike zoomed towards the sidewalk and a cheerful girl strided towards the guy in shades. It was Lisa and he could already hear whispers from the other students.

So the rumour was true? She got a new boyfriend? That's why?

But she liked me for three years?! How could she get over me so easily?!!