Dongyeon shrugged his backpack on before grabbing Sana’s bag by the strap and yanked it out from between her arms, “I can’t accept you, but I will understand you,” a small sigh left Dongyeon’s lips before he continued, “we won’t take the bus, but let’s start walking or we’ll lose the good spots in the library,”

Their walk was cut short when Dongyeon insisted that if Sana wanted her bag back then she should try to get it from him. Thus as they shamelessly raced down the streets, any embarrassing or awkward moments from before eventually faded before they got to the school’s gate. When Dongyeon first arrived on campus, he had Sana’s bag cuddled into a tight ball as he wait for the shy being to approach him. Sana’s face was blushed with a shade of red out of embarrassment and excitement.

When she came slamming into him, trying to get her bag from his hold, Dongyeon turned his back to her and held the backpack out from her reach. Sana whined and groaned but Dongyeon couldn’t stop with his playful act. As their panting circled around one another and all they cared for was taking possession of the lass’s bag, a hand suddenly shattered the atmosphere and ripped Sana’s bag from Dongyeon’s grip.

Startled they stopped and tracked the intruder down. The smile on Dongyeon’s face grew into a frown, “What are you doing here?” As Dongyeon and Sana straightened themselves out, Sana was standing so close to Dongyeon that she could feel his backpack brushing against her bare arm. The unknown person was a man, a little older than them with wavy brown hair. Sana watched him carefully from behind Dongyeon and thought the man looked awfully similar to Dongyeon. The only difference was the man gave off a cocky attitude, compared to the normally calm

“Is this your girlfriend?” the stranger asked with a smile.

Dongyeon eyed Sana briefly before answering, “No, she’s just a friend,”

A mere smirk matured onto the older man’s face, “Really? Just now you two looked like a young high school couple,”

An uneasy scoff escaped Dongyeon’s mouth as he reached for Sana’s backpack and was able to retrieve it with a jerk, “What business do you have here?” The older the corner of his lips as an amused smile was shown on his face.

“Don’t worry it has nothing to do with you,”

Dongyeon knew who the man was referring to and with a kick of the ground the man swirled himself around and pass through the school’s fences. Sana took a step out in order to get a better look at Dongyeon’s facial expression. She has never seen anyone killed his mood before, but somehow and for some reason the stranger was able to do it. “Who was that, Dongyeon?”

Frustration and jealousy started rising in Dongyeon’s system, boggling his eyesight and mind and glueing him to the ground where he stood. Then something triggered him to move, to find the person the man had came to see. Instantly all that crossed Dongyeon’s mind was Mijoo. He was no longer concerned about any leftover good spots in the library or whether he and Sana should fight for her backpack.

Mijoo and Yein had found a peaceful unoccupied corner around the school’s building practicing and coming up with some new stunts for the cheerleading team. Though Mijoo had suggested certain moves, Yein was the expert at what a cheerleader is all about. As the two discussed certain possible moves, behind them a man snuck up and peeked over their shoulders. There was nothing for him to see but Mijoo and Yein’s empty hands and gestures.

“If the flyer can do the needle, do you think that would be possible?” Mijoo asked to her vice president.

“You mean during the pyramid?” Yein answered with a question. Mijoo processed the lass’s words and tried to imagine the move.

“Yes,” the man answered, stealing both of the girls attention at the same time. In less than a second Yein threw herself against the man and gave him a tight hug, with a high-pitched yelp.

“Senior!” she said joyfully as the man returned her hug.

Mijoo smiled to them while crossing her arms across her chest, “I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to make it?” Though she was just as excited as her vice president to see the man, Mijoo tried to hide it with a bold question. Finally the man and Yein released one another.

“You said it was urgent so I skipped class today to be here, why? Do you want me to leave even when I just got here?” the man teased, knowing Mijoo would object to the idea.

The lass let out a sigh before smacking him on the arm, causing him to flinched and react to the short-lived sting. “Ow, is this how you treat a senior?” the man then dragged Yein into the conversation as he jokingly needed backup, “How is the club holding up now that she’s the president?”

Yein smiled, enjoying his way of joshing with Mijoo.

However, on the other hand, Mijoo was done with the playing and wanted to move on to business, “Did you do what I asked?”

The man sighed with a growing sneer before placing his hands on her shoulders, “I did,”

Mijoo stared into the man’s chocolate eyes before raising a brow, “And?”

“I got permission,” he said, plastering a smile onto Mijoo’s face.

“Really?!”

“Yup,” the man nodded, “since I did you a favor, you should do me one too,”

Yein watched on the sideline, confused at what the two were getting at. But she didn’t question them, she knew how well Mijoo and the man got along before he graduated.

“What do you want from me?” the president questioned, the man before her couldn’t stop revealing his straight white teeth before answering.

“I haven’t had the cafeteria food here for two years and I miss its blandness. Let’s eat together,” he said, pressing down onto Mijoo’s shoulder gently before removing his hand.

It was quiet in the cafeteria after students came in for breakfast and left for study sitting or school activities. Mijoo sat across from the lad, meanwhile Yein sat next to him. If they were in public, people would have thought the man and Yein were siblings. As the three dug into their late breakfast put together with some veggies, oatmeal, and bread, the girls watched the man carefully. As the lad took a spoonful, he quickly followed it up with a pleasurable sound, “Hmm, this is exactly what I’m talking about. I swear the food here always gives me the strength and satisfaction I need,”

“It’s just plain oatmeal…,” Mijoo mumbled.

“Senior,” Yein said as she offered the man a piece of her bought cookie. The man wore a proud and cunning smile. As the man ate the pieces from her hand the two exchanged friendly chortles. But before the air could get any sweeter, Dongyeon approached the table and grabbed Mijoo by the wrist, surprising everyone at the table.

“Dongyeon—” Mijoo started but was silenced by the older man.

“What are you doing to Mijoo? Release her,”

As the mood grew tensed by the second, Dongyeon finally eyed the older male down, “She’s my girlfriend,” a startled look grew on the man’s face.

“What…?” He uttered.

Though Mijoo was aware of his expression, she was clueless as to what was about to happen or what was going to happen next. “She’s the girl I told you about, brother. My girlfriend is the president of my club,”

Brother? Mijoo thought.

President of Dongyeon’s club? The man thought.

Dongyeon was aware that Mijoo and his brother, Ilwoo, knew nothing about his connection to either one of them. It was like Dongyeon was rubbing both Mijoo and Ilwoo’s lack of interest in him into their faces, showing them he had the upperhand.

“You were dating my younger brother?” the man now identified as Ilwoo asked. As shocked as he was, Mijoo was no exception. She had always thought Dongyeon was a single child who didn’t receive enough love and care from his parents. That’s why he would choose to stay out and fight anyone who wanted to take him on because it was an alternative way for him to get attention. But it all made sense now, how Dongyeon reminded Mijoo of Ilwoo and how Dongyeon’s fighting and stunt style is so similar to Ilwoo.

“Dongyeon is your younger brother, senior?” Mijoo asked back. It would only become an Q&A session, thus Dongyeon suggested that he and Mijoo go elsewhere so he could explain everything to her. Meanwhile, leaving Yein behind to accompany the guest.

As time passes, Mijoo and Dongyeon remained quiet while looking out a classroom’s window together. Below they watched as students happily play and conversed in pairs to large groups. Standing shoulder to shoulder, Dongyeon finally broke the ice, “I knew what Ilwoo meant to you, so I couldn’t bring myself to tell you that he’s my step brother. I was afraid that if you knew, you would want to see him more often or that you’ll see him in me, so I—”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mijoo cut in bluntly, “what matters is that we’re together now and whether or not if we’ll stay together after graduation,” in the meantime as Mijoo released a sigh, Dongyeon picked up on the topic.

“How do you feel? Should we be together or…,” Dongyeon trailed off, not wanting to say the words ‘break up’.

Mijoo turned to Dongyeon, observing his expression and trying to read what was on his mind. Dongyeon was very far from being transparent, and though Mijoo could only assume what he was thinking of she was never too sure of it. “I think we’re both aware of our dying feelings for one another. We used to be together 24/7, but as time passes, once I became president we started to drift apart. We don’t study together anymore and the only time I’d see you was at the club meetings,”

“So you think because we’ve spent less time together it means I don’t hold anymore feelings for you?” Dongyeon questioned but was dismissed by the club president.

“I’m saying we’ve grown tired of one another. We haven’t been on a date ever since last year, and I’m not blaming you but the only thing keeping us together is our interests for stunts,”

“That’s not true—”

Mijoo quickly cut off the boy as she wasn’t finished, “Last night was the first time ever since our relationship that I pondered about whether I should be with you or not,” A moment of silence ate up the room until Dongyeon pushed for the answer, despite how afraid he was to hear it.

“And?” Once Dongyeon locked eyes with Mijoo, the lass took a step forward and tip-toed in order to plant a soft kiss on Dongyeon’s cheek, surprising even him. Then slowly she pulled back and smiled at him.

“We became partners as shadows, we were the actors stunt double. We supported and balanced each other even in the back. I’ll like it if we try to improve our relationship and stay as a shadow couple,” Mijoo’s decision and words brought immediate warmth to Dongyeon and instantly he reached over to caress Mijoo’s cheeks. Mijoo, keeping her gleeful smile, reached up and pinched Dongyeon’s cheeks gently. Then quickly Dongyeon pulled Mijoo into a tight, cozy hug allowing the side of her face to rest against his flat chest.

“Let’s do that, Lee Mijoo,”