I was her best friend and bodyguard. And happy to say that I still am.

   The official welcome sign to my neighborhood read, “Welcome to Yanggoon." I found that side really dull. Boring. A complete cliché. Haven't the officials ever thought of a better and more interesting name that could actually have attracted tourists? No wonder we only have a small populace.

   Our house resided on the right side of Yanggoon, somewhere near those elite country clubs and leisure spots. I would have rather lived somewhere near the slums. It would be, most likely, more thrilling and full of action-packed surprises. The only place I considered to be exciting was the abandoned mansion built on top of Pledis Hill, near the river. The mansion was a private property by the late baroness who built it and, unfortunately, also died there in isolation. I wasn't allowed to go in and out of there freely and easily. That was why I learned the art of sneaking in. Thanks to watching too much spy and action dramas of Lee Minho, Lee Byung-hun and my oh-so-handsome-cute-and-adorable oppa, Jo Hyun Jae.

   I only have one close friend in Yanggoon—a very dorky and awkward but rich girl, Dara Park, who was shockingly more unpopular than I am. I was on third grade when I officially met her. I spotted her outside a grocery store after I bought uksusu and bread. Sitting on the shop's steps whilst waiting for my umma to pick me up (who was late as usual) I noticed a skinny little girl cringing at the bottom of the steps and whimpering like a baby. She didn't have anyone with her, as if she was left. Forgotten unintentionally. Looking yet so thin and weak, she was actually very pretty. She had a baby face that looked so fresh, like someone who had just washed their face with Etude Moisture facial creams/washes or whatsoever girls call them. It was quite amusing though, that her hair is tied on top, looking like an apple bun.

   "What's wrong?" I went near and asked her, feeling sorry.

   "Umma forgot about me. I was busy buying my favorite ramen, but when I called for her, umma was gone," she cried, her tiny hands covering her piteous, wet face. "She left me!" she continued.

   "N-no, she didn't! She wouldn't do that."

   "But...but," she stuttered as she tried to reason out.

   "Maybe she went to pick-up something she forgot which is important. She'll get back here to get you."

   "You really think so?"

   "Yehp. Or she probably went to buy some cosmetics. Uhm, you know, those girly stuffs our ummas like to use," I stated confidently.

   "Really?"

   "Yeah, sure. Happens all the time. Or maybe she went to buy some ice cream for you. You see, there's no ice cream in this grocery store."

   "Why would she should do that?"

   "Why not, you like ice cream, don't you? So never fear. She'll be back! I'm sure of it." I gave her a reassuring, sweet smile. The smile I don't really do in front of strangers but for the sake of her feeling better, I did.

   And sure enough, a Range Rover Sport in Fuji White drove up with an apologetic mother and a friendly, exquisite cat. Goodness gracious! Firstly, I didn't expect that they owned such luxurious car. Her umma's car was way more pimped and bad-assed than dad's. Second, just wow! I thought that Range Rover Sports were still not on the market! Yes, although still in third grade, I must say it was impressive that I know some things about rides, right? Cool Park Bom is cool.

   "Umma says you can come over Saturday if it's okay with your umma and appa," Dara said excitedly, running back to me.

   I stood there motionless, not moving even a muscle. No one had ever invited me to their house, except if you'd consider that one time I went to that jerk Jiyong's house for his birthday party back in first grade, to which in actuality, his mother ordered him to invite all his classmates. So whether he liked to invite me or not--well obviously NOT--he had no choice. And I, on the other hand, needless to say, didn't want to attend, too. But unfortunately for me; umma was so pepped up to mingle with her fellow Yanggoon mothers and to see the Kwons' house. Scratch that! Jiyong's family lived in a freaking mansion.

   Oh well, back to Dara. I was not really shy like Dara, but I was just as unpopular. I was always late for school because I overslept, I wear oversized sunglasses and sometimes hoodies in class to cover my tired, dark circles; and I had opinions, all atypical to Yanggoon.

   Dara, too, lived in a mansion. Yes, I exaggerated. Well, her house was big but not as big as Jiyong's. Her house size was only at least one-fourth compared to the Kwons'. Our house? Just one-half of Dara's. So as it appears to be like, our house is probably just Jiyong's bedroom and bathroom combined. But hey, we're not peasants. We could afford to live. It's only that Dara and Jiyong's families were, let's say, too blessed and too fortunate to live this Earth.

   Dara has a backyard almost as big as a football field—a great place to hide and play monsters and eat all the fresh apples, banana and uksusu a growling third-grade stomach could hold. She was my three-dimensional shadow, while I awas the so called '8D Bom.' I was her best friend and bodyguard. And happy to say that I still was.

   Back when I was young, if I wasn't playing with Dara, I spent my time applying black eyeliner on my eyes and painting my nails with whatever pattern I felt like painting it with, catering my stomach with lots of sweets, bread, meat and uksusu; and making sure that Pesky Maknae doesn't ever go near or even touch my things...my territory.

   I was in gym class wearing a Maison Martin Margiela 's cutout mesh top, short khaki shorts, Rick Owen's hightop trainers and to complete the outfit, a Piers Atkinson's double pom pom beanie in blue instead of the required white-on-white and gym shoes. What was even the point? Did white ensemble make a student a better athlete? Students should be allowed to wear clothes that they felt comfortable in, not the ones that will make them conscious every second.

   "Bom, I don't feel like sending you to the office today. Why don't you just give me a break for once and wear what you're supposed to wear?" Mr. Hwang Ssabu, our gym teacher whined. Who am I kidding, he didn't exactly whine, you know? I exaggerated things because that's just the way I roll. 

   "I didn't bring those white..." What was it again? I couldn't remember what those uniforms were called. "...uhhh...white." I continued, still trying to recall what our gym uniform's name was.

   "Why don't you give me a break just this once?" I gave up. I couldn't remember the name, plus I didn't even bring it with me. It was probably hidden somewhere in my closet back home. Correction. It was a walk-in closet; it was definitely huge. And as ridiculous as I may have seemed to my classmates, I pouted for the first time and made puppy-dog eyes. I knew I looked so sweet and innocent. Gosh, I could have puked if I saw myself on the mirror.

   He stared at me (maybe mesmerized), not knowing what to say. "Just today," he finally agreed. Bam! I PWNED him! "And not because of your aegyo, but because I'm not in the mood to send you in the office."

   Dara and I giggled as we went toward the bleachers where the class was waiting. 

   "Yah! Corn Girl!" I heard an annoying, nasal pitch sound.

   Yes. That annoying voice I could never forget.

   Kwon Jiyong, my kindergarten nemesis, and his shuffling sidekick, Dong Youngbae, followed us. They were perfectly combed, right-winged, moneyed soccer snobs. They knew they were strikingly gorgeous and it made me want to puke that they were so cocky. And yes, I admit that they were good looking.

   He was gorgeous, no doubt about it. His set of brown eyes were beautiful and his hair looked as perfect as a model's. Jiyong, the mollycoddle snot-nosed kid I pinched back in kindergarten, was darn good looking. Hell, he really was. And I hated that I have to admit it. He had a chic for every day of the week. He was a bad boy, but he was a rich bad boy. No. He was a filthy rich, millionaire, bad boy, which made him very boring.

   "Yah! Corn Girl!" he called again. He even had a name for me. He would always declare, publicize, and make known to everyone in school, that he and only him had the right to call me that freakin' name. Was he crazy? As if others would even care to talk to me, look at me or hell, even give about me. Remember, I was Miss Unpopular, right? He really enjoyed pissing me off, huh?  

   So I ignored his squealing.... squealing like a pig. And I continued walking.... walking like a freakin' boss. Dara and I sat at the far end of the bleachers, leaving Jiyong and Youngbae standing on the track. I tilted my head and looked at him. Yehp, he was definitely losing his temper. Just a couple more snubbing and he'll lose it for sure. Pft. Jiyong ADHD. I was about to smile at him with victory when all of a sudden he gave me his infamous smirk. I creased my forehead. Raised my eyebrows, even. What was he up to? Now, I'm the one confused and losing my cool.

   "Park Bom-yang." Being polite now, eh? Really? I would never get it! Was he someone suffering from personality disorders? Does he have split personalities? Questions kept flooding my mind. Questions after questions.

   "So how are you spending your birthday?" Jiyong questioned while sitting with the rest of the class, loud enough for everyone to hear. WHAT? My birthday? What date was it today? I absentmindedly looked at him. Shoot, I was being a scatterbrain.

"It's 21 today. Just 3 more days to go, Bom-yang," he answered as if reading my mind. His smirk was no longer just a smirk. It turned into a smile, a HUGE smile, I tell you. A smile that was reaching his ears. But his eyes, oh no. They weree hiding something. He obviously has some sinister plan at the back of his almost hollow, filled with idiotic thoughts, mammal mind. I'm screwed. I'd lose to whatever he was planning.

   Then it dawned to me. WAIT! What concerned him about my day? And why the heck did he even know when my birthday was? take! 

Words: 1,815

Author's Note: So I updated this because I think you guys just deserve chapter 2 already. Gonna proof read this later since it's 1am here already and I still have classes by 7am and we even have a school occasion to attend to. Also, I finally decided to let GD have a black hair in this story. keke :) And oh, about the take thing, what does it mean anyway? I just saw it on one of the YGL fan fics and I thought it's some slang or some swear word. Anyway, it appeared cool to me so I put it there. haha Just please check it. On Google, it said that it's supposed to be shiitake and it means mushroom. So okay, I'll leave it to you guys to check that. Another thing, don't think that Hwang Ssabu is pedo here, okay? Idk what Bom should do so I just made her do aegyo. Yes, totally random. And add the name of YG and the Pledis company to the randomness. Idk the names of the towns, cities, neighborhoods or whatsoever in Seoul so I hope you don't mind me using their names as places.

I'll update soon. And sorry, this chapter and probably failed your expectations. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter though. :D
Okay, this author's note is too long already. I'm awkward on the internet and I'm afraid that I might annoy you guys so bye now. GDBOMTOP, hwaiting! :DD

Replies:

BB21owez: Thank you for always being so supportive of me! I am so grateful! Thank you, really. And I hope you enjoy this. And please wait for TOP to appear maybe on chapter 3 or 4. Just saying. :)

veesaur: Thanks for subscribing! Although I want to chit-chat with you about the book I based it from, I hope you don't mind that I don't reveal it yet. :) I'm trying to avoid comparison for now and so that the story will be a bit surprising. keke And oh, the story is not really that similar. Made a lot of changes. :)

rockyourlove: Because of your nice comments, I actually am motivated to update this as often as possible so don't worry. And thanks for subscribing! :)

gjie2cute: Thanks! And since you love this, I love you! haha :)

psyched_anima: updated! :D

iheartparkbom: Super, super thank you! I really don't now what to say. I'm an awkward person you know. haha :)