Chapter One

"YongJoo!... Jung YongJoo!!!”

The loud screech echoes the room and down the hallway.

I shot up from my seat at the scream of my name. All I could see was darkness when I groggily opened my eyes. I realized that my textbook was stuck to the side of my face. How much did I drool? I could feel the eyes of the students in my class and the glare of my teacher standing at the front of the class on me. The giggles and laughter could be heard as I pull down the textbook and quickly wiped the drool off my face. Wow, there was definitely a lot. I guess I really dozed off there.

“Please fix your hair Miss Jung.”

My teacher advised, giving me a displeased expression.

“You might be one of the top students of this school but that does not excuse you from dozing off in my class.”

I felt my cheeks slowly blushing with embarrassment as I fixed my hair. I bow in apology to her as I slowly sat back down on my seat. Letting out a sigh of embarrassment I lean back against my chair. How embarrassing, I mean I’ve dozed off before but never to the point where I would get call out for it like today. My friend next to me started to giggle some more at my embarrassment, I nudged her arm as a sign of warning with a displeased expression of my face.

“Sorry.” She mouthed me in between her giggles.

I let out another sigh as I turn my attention towards the window beside me, staring outside and began daydreaming. I could still hear Ms. Lim lecturing us about the upcoming semester and how important it was for the all of us, like I haven’t heard this speech already. Ever since this school year started all I’ve been hearing about is the importance of this year for us all.

“This will be your last semester before your university examinations. You all need to prepare yourself diligently if you want to get in to a good school. Your future depends on it.”

I like Ms. Lim. She’s your typical doughty teacher who was in need of a major make-over to keep up with the current times. She wasn’t ugly nor was she a beauty queen. She just looks really unkept. The woman looks older than she really is. I sometimes feel bad for her, so much that I once even offered her to help with a make-over, of course she declined so who was I to argue. She’s always been really helpful to me ever since I entered high school, but sometimes her so call pep talks turns out to be quite stressful. Rather than helping and encouraging her students, she manages to put more pressure and stress on them, me being one of them.

I let out another sigh at her last sentence “...Your future depends on it.” Thanks Ms. Lim, thanks for reminding us the harsh reality that is our lives.

My thought was quickly brought to a halt at the sound of the bell. A sigh of relief left my mouth, everyone in class shouted in excitement. The sound of the bell ringing was a normal occurrence of any school, but what made this bell so different? It was the announcement of the beginning of summer break! Of course everyone would be excited it means the ending of the first semester and all of us getting a break from the torture that was school!

Everyone quickly gathered their things and shoved them carelessly in to their bags, we just all wanted to get out of the school and enjoy our two months of summer break before school starts all over again! Everyone quickly rushed to the door with excitement, but of course Ms. Lim being the teacher that she was stopped all of us before bestowing us with a few more last words of wisdom.

“Don’t forget to keep up with your studies over the summer break for the upcoming semester. Don’t forget how important this is to your future.”

All the students groan at her reminder.

“Yes m’am.” They all groan in unison.

With deflated postures they all filed out one by one.

As I made my way towards the door Ms. Lim calls out to me and asks me to stay back for a few minutes. I was curious as to why. I was thinking that I might be in trouble for dozing off during class, but that couldn’t be the reason, Ms. Lim likes me too much to punish me for something so frivolous.

“You wanted to see me Ms. Lim?” I asked as I stood in front of her desk when every student was out of class.

She looks at me with one of her sweet and caring smiles that I’ve grown to adore and admire each time she would help me with my studies.

“I know you want to enjoy your summer break with your friends and all but I just wanted to offer this to you.”

I was curious to what it was until she handed me pamphlets to some of the most prestigious schools in Korea, and not only that, there were also pamphlets of different prestigious schools from all over the world.

My puzzled expression plagued my face as I looked up at her.

“What are these for?”

She gave me another nurturing smile, “I don’t know how much you’ve thought about which school you plan to attend once you graduate high school, but I’ve taken the liberty of looking at some options for you.”

“Wow, thank you Ms. Lim. I don’t know what to say.” I really didn’t know, because in all honesty, I’ve never thought this far ahead. I know this will be my last year in high school but I’ve never really thought about which school to attend after I graduate. It has never really been a priority to me.

“Take a look at those brochures and let me know whichever one interests you. I’ve actually made some contacts to some of my friends that I know from some of the schools there and I’ve told them about you. They all seemed to be quite taken and interest in you. If you continue with your marks like how you’re doing now then there’s no doubt that they’ll offer you a full scholarship.” She was beaming with pride like a mother for her daughter.

I smile at her with appreciation, “thank you Ms. Lim. I’ll look over them and let you know.”

“That’s good. You know where you can find me if you have any concerns or questions ok?” She offers. “Now go, enjoy your summer break.”

I gave her a respectful bow and made my exit.

This is why I really truly liked Ms. Lim and what I mean when I say that she’s been really helpful to me ever since I entered high school. She has always looked out for what was best for me. She has become like a mother to me. I lost my mother during my first year of high school and I live with my father who is rarely home because of his work, but meeting Ms. Lim was like me getting another parent. I also like how she knows when and where to display her affection and I would say favoritism towards me, never during school hours, only after school was done. I would go over to her house whenever I need to talk or have problems with my school work. She has been a great mother figure to me, especially each time I miss my mother.

Sigh…

How rude of me, this whole time babbling on about my schooling I’ve completely forgot to introduce myself, the name is YongJoo, Jung YongJoo. But friends call me Nicole, and I would prefer it that people refer to me as such. YongJoo is a nice name and all but once you’ve reached an age of maturity like me it’s not so cute anymore. I once asked my mother why the name YongJoo, her answer was because it meant that I was rare, something that was unique, different from anyone else in this world. I asked her for more details and she told me that my name meant dragon ball, dragon as in a legendary and mythical animal with great power and strength. I thought it was cool at my young and naïve age but once I started elementary school all the boys would tease me for having a name like YongJoo, teasing me constantly and referencing the anime with the same name. How I loathe that period in my life, “YongJoo the secret dragon ball.” “YongJoo, are you going to help Goku?” “YongJoo, why haven’t Goku found you yet?” “We found the missing dragon ball!”... The teasing was endless.

Those comments affected me to a point where I ran home crying to my mom and complained to her about my name. She laughed at my complaint and told me that she also had an English name that she had wanted to name me when I was born. I was curious as to what it was and she told me the name Nicole. I was so surprise with such a beautiful name, why didn’t she name me this in the first place I asked her, she just laughed and told me that she wanted to respect my grandparents’ wishes to give me a traditional Korean name. But of course the moment I entered middle school I had officially made it known that people should call me by my English name: Nicole. I thought I was cool having an English name as such. Of course I was still registered under YongJoo so that was what the teachers would call me but I cringe each time they say it, it just brings back horrible memories of the constant teasing. But to my friends and the people that know me well, they call me by Nicole, and that’s how I like it.

I’m currently in my final year of high school and like you’ve heard from before, it will be my last semester before heading off to college. I honestly don’t know how to feel about the whole idea of going to college, like I said, I’ve never truly thought about it. There is never really any pressure at home to go to college anyway, with my father always absent there was never really any talk about which school, if any, that I should attend. He’s just happy that I’m in school, getting good grades, graduating with honors, and keeping myself out of trouble. Once in a while I would see him and he would ask me how things were and I would say that things are good, our conversation never really gets past that of formal greetings, only because there was never enough time for us to do so. But each time before he leaves he would always say to me:

“I’m glad that you’ve grown to be such a responsible lady. I’m happy with all your decisions in your life so far. Just promise me that you don’t come home involved with anything illegal or end up pregnant. That’s all I ask. You know I love you right YongJoo?”

That is what, much or less, he says each time he leaves for work. I always laugh at that pregnant remark. Not going to lie, I’ve thought of playing a joke on him and pretend that I was pregnant and really see what he does.

You can say my life is pretty normal and average, nothing really eventful. All I truly worry about is my schooling and my home life with my father, there was no real other worries for me with my station in life right now. I’m just a simple high school girl living a simple life in the simplest moments in life.

As I walked down the hallway of the school, looking through the brochures that Ms. Lim had given me. Completely distracted, I was knocked over by students rushing from behind me. I turn to see a slew of students running up towards me, not caring that I was standing right in the middle, they just kept coming forward. I quickly crouch down to the ground with my arms over my head, trying to shield myself from any oncoming collision that might occur.

When I thought the coast was clear I stood up and watch the back of the last of the students fading away. What was going on? I know that today is the last day of school and all but it couldn’t have caused this much excitement could it? I turn back around and bend down to pick up my bag and papers that were knocked over during the stampede. Two more girls ran past me as I heard their whispers of excitement.

“I can’t believe they’re gonna fight.”
“I hope nothing happens to their handsome faces.”
“I know! Me too.”
“Some last day of school.”

Their squeal of excitement got me curious when I heard them mention a fight.

“Fight?” I asked myself.

I quickly gather my things and rush up towards the two girls that were heading towards the school’s main entrance.

“What fight?” I asked them as I walked behind them.

They turn to me with a surprise expression as if it was wrong for me to ask such a question.

“You serious? This fight has been rumored for the past week or so, how could you not know?”

I couldn’t help but feel offended at the tone she was taking with me, as if I was so idiotic to not know a thing about what was going on. Well excuse me for having a life outside of school, but honestly, I didn’t, but she didn’t need to know that. I just gave her another curious expression.

The girl let out another sigh of annoyance, “Choi MinHo is about to fight the new student…” She paused for a second, as if trying to think of something. She turns to her friend, “yah. What is the new kid’s name?”

“HoWon, Lee HoWon.” Her friend answers, jumping up and down to catch a glimpse of the fight.

All the students were gathered at the main entrance, no one dared to move forward, they all basically blocked the entrance. I rolled my eyes at the idiocy of the scene, seriously? Why don’t they just move forward and then the rest of us who merely feign interest in what was going on could go home? For a group of students who were nothing more than excited that school has ended, they certainly don’t mind staying behind after school to catch a juvenile fight.

A sigh of annoyance escapes my mouth as I threw my messenger back over my shoulder and across my chest. I rolled up my sleeves and inhaled, I hitched up my skirt and exhaled, I was not about to wait around for the fight to be over before I would or should I say could go home. I was not about to stay at school any longer if I didn’t have to. With one last deep breathe I began pushing through.

“Excuse me. I need to get through. Go home people. Summer break has started. Go home!”

I screamed my last statement as I continue to push through the crowd of students. None of the students seems to care about what I was screaming, nor did they even notice me pushing myself through. Where the hell are all the teachers? I sigh, why would they care, it’s the last day of school the students are none of their problems anymore.

I made it to the front of the crowd and the front of the school and I turn behind me to see the crowd of students staring intently at the scene in front of them. They didn’t even notice me standing in front of them. I turn back towards the scene in front of me that has everyone’s undivided attention. I observed the scene, trying to take in who it was that was fighting each other. My train of thought got derailed when a hand from the side pulled me away from my gaze.

“What are you doing woman? You want to get yourself knocked out too?”

It was none other than one of my good friends, JinAh. One look at her and you’ll be mesmerized by her natural beauty. The girl was drop dead gorgeous and I’m not saying it because she’s my friend but she seriously is. The girl has a slim and tall figure that rivals any supermodel. Sometimes I get jealous of her because of how stunning she was.

JinAh pulls me over towards our group of friends who were all standing by the side of the school watching the scene unfold.

“You guys are just gonna stand here and watch?” I asked with a hint of sarcasm.

“What else are we gonna do?” KiBum voiced as if not sensing the sarcasm in my tone.

I gave him another quizzical expression, was he being serious? But of course it was just like him to be aloof to everything around him. Ever since I met him, KiBum had been nothing but a laugh-and-a-half for me. Everything he says causes me to break in to a laugh riot and his diva attitude brings me the most joy when I’m with him. The guy is quite slow when it comes to his reflexes so it takes him a little bit of time before he catches on to anything.

I rolled my eyes at his reaction. I was caught off guard when I saw none other than my other good friend JooHyun standing with them. I was quite surprise with her presence.

“Um... JooHyun, why are you here? You’re never really in to these type of things.” I asked her, quite surprise.

She clears as she tries to hide her embarrassment, “I was dragged here by KiBum.” She mumbles under her embarrassment.

“Excuse me, but you came on your own free will. I just told you that a fight was happening.” KiBum defended and then turns to me, “she got interested when I told her MinHo was involved.”

JooHyun quickly slaps KiBum’s shoulder to shut him up, still reeling from the embarrassment that she was discovered.

“Ah...” I mouthed before letting out a laugh at JooHyun’s reaction.

A smart girl JooHyun is, but sometimes she was quite socially awkward. But I adore her nonetheless. Out of all of us, she was the most innocent and pure. Ask her anything about the real world and all she could do is stiffen her body and revert to what she’s read about in books or see on the news about the subject of the real world.

“Yah, yah, it’s about to start.” JinAh’s voice could be heard from up front.

All four of us quickly turn our attention towards the scene in front of us.

“Guys!” A shouting voice from behind came running up to us.

I turn to see HaRa bending over and breathing heavily.

HaRa, what can I say about her? My closest friend is who she was, a doll like image that I never get tire of staring at. Her personally is quite like mine, maybe that’s why we get along so well, reserve when we need to be and outgoing when we feel comfortable enough to be. You can say she and I are like two peas in a pod, inseparable, joined at the hips, my better half. I laugh thinking about all the description I can give about our relationship. Let’s just say that she’s my very best of best friends.

“What?” All four of us asked in unison.

“ChulYong and JaeJin are on their way to help MinHo.” She said through bated breathe.

“What?!” KiBum and JinAh shouted.

I just stood there contemplating the situation.

“That seems a bit unfair doesn’t it?” I voiced.

Everyone turned their attention on me. I shrugged at them, they kept staring at me as if I just said the most blasphemous thing ever, waiting for me to continue. I let out a sigh.

“MinHo and this new kid is about to duke it out one on one and now ChulYong and JaeJin are about to rush in and help MinHo. What about the new kid huh? It’s gonna be three against one, it seems quite unfair to me.”

“So who are you rooting for?” KiBum glances at me suspiciously.

I rolled my eyes at his insinuation, “no one.” I defended. “I don’t even know who this new kid is how am I supposed to pick sides?” I paused, “who is he anyway? Why haven’t I seen him before?”

KiBum quickly took out a little black book from his messenger bag and begin to flip through the pages. He stops and turns to us four girls who were all in the same predicament, we didn’t know who this new kid was.

“Lee HoWon. Moved here to Seoul from GwangJu. Father is an office manager. Mother is a stay at home mom. Has one older brother and a younger brother. High interest in sports, music, and dance. A top student from his previous school. Has a bad boy image. Even as a top student he almost got kicked out of his previous school for skipping too much. Currently single.” KiBum finished off as he slams his book shut.

All four of us stood there stunned at the information he had given us.

“How in the world did you find out all that?” HaRa questioned with amazement.

“I have my sources.” KiBum simply reply as he brushes off the invisible dust off his shoulder.

“Excuse me but why didn’t you share this information to us before? You know, during the semester.” I was quite offended at how he kept all this information a secret from all of us.

“All my information are private, it’s all on a need to know basis. If you don’t ask, I don’t tell.” His lips widens in to a mischievous smile.

I roll my eyes at his answer, such a typical KiBum attitude.

“Uh... Do you have us in there too?” JinAh asked with curiosity.

The realization finally hitting us and the four of us quickly turns to him with urgency in our eyes, we needed to know. Who knows what kind of information KiBum has about us in there and what he will or has exposed to whoever has asked about us.

He flashes us his devilish smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He teased us.

The four of us were about to jump him to get that black book of his but was interrupted with the screaming of the other students from behind us.

“Fight!!!”

That was all we heard as we turn our attentions towards the two boys going at it.

The four of them stepped forward and had their eyes glued to the fight. I stood behind them as I continue to observe the scene in front of me. I’ve seen MinHo many times before, you can say that he's part of our circle of friends but this new kid really had me interested. Who was he and why have I not seen him this whole entire semester?

Is it possible to be so distracted with school work so much that I couldn’t even grasp my surroundings? Each time a new student comes to this school I would usually be the one who tells KiBum about it, but this time it was the opposite, though he told us a whole semester too late. How did he manage to evade my student radar? I was so baffled at the thought. I went the whole semester not knowing who he was and now there he was. On the last day of the school semester and I’m finally meeting the new kid.

“Oh my god! ChulYong and JaeJin!” JooHyun announces.

Once again my train of thought was derailed by the sight of MinHo’s friends coming to his aid.

Poor HoWon, though I didn’t know him, I felt bad for him. He was getting beaten down by three guys. It was completely unfair. With all the nerves that I had I straighten up my body and pushed past my friends and ran up to the fight. Students by the entrance were still there chanting away and shouting with excitement. I could feel my friends’ eyes widen as they laid their attention on me. What is she doing?! I could hear them screaming at me. What was I doing? Am I crazy?

“MinHo! ChulYong! JaeJin!” I shouted their name one by one. Ok, what the hell was I doing?

The three of them stops at the shouting of their names from me. They turn to me as I approach them. The closer I got I could see HoWon on the ground, coiled up in pain.

“This doesn’t concern you Nicole. Get out of here.” MinHo’s strong voice bought chills down my spine. He was serious, dead serious.

My body stiffens at his commanding voice. I took a deep breath, “do you think this is fair? Even for you?” I managed to squeak out. I took another deep breath. “It’s three against one. I know this is not your style.”

His eyes were on me as I spoke to him. My body didn’t respond to what I wanted it to do. Run, was what I was thinking, that anger in his eyes scared the crap out of me. I’ve seen MinHo angry before and I know what he was capable of. I was ready to collapse from his angry eyes alone.

“Whatever it is that this fight is about I know that you are capable enough to solve it in a more non-violent way.” I added, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

MinHlo quickly turns back to HoWon who was still on the ground clutching his stomach in pain. I took a quick glance at him and felt a tug at my heart, poor guy. New to the school and already you’re fighting one of the most popular and revered guy at the school, definitely not giving yourself the best reputation for the upcoming semester.

“Considered yourself lucky, Nicole spoke up for you.” I heard MinHo state as he spit down at HoWon.

A sigh of relief swept over me as I begin to breathe normally. Thank goodness, I thought to myself.

“Let’s go.” MinHo commanded as he grabbed his school bag from the side and ChulYong and JaeJin followed suit.

My group of friend rushes up to me from behind, I almost fell backwards when relief swept over me.

“Nicole, you ok?” JinAh asked as she held my shoulders.

I nodded incoherently. All I could hear now were the students behind us at the school door entrance mumbling and cursing me for ruining the fight.

HaRa turned around to face them and screamed. “Go home! Get a life!” She was clearly annoyed at their mumbling as well. Thank you HaRa!

KiBum and JooHyun quickly helped HoWon up. He stood up coughing roughly, his lips and eyes were bruised, blood dripping from the side of lips. He brushed JooHyun and KiBum off when he regained his balance. He wiped off the blood on his lips and glares up at me.

“Am I supposed to thank you?” His bitter tone caught me off guard, so much for trying to help the kid.

“Yah! You should be grateful that Nicole came to your rescue.” HaRa quickly defended me.

I could hear a snicker escaping his bloodied lips. “Rescue? Did I ask for it?”

“Maybe not but you could’ve been beaten to death if she hadn’t stepped in.” HaRa once again came to my defense. “She doesn’t even know you but she still did it anyway.”

Another snicker escapes his lips, “exactly, she doesn’t even know me and she’s getting in to my business.”

“Alright, you know what,” JinAh begins to roll up her sleeves, as if ready to fight him, “that’s enough you ungrateful ######. You better thank and apologize to Nicole or I’ll deal with you myself.”

I couldn’t help but find amusement in JinAh’s actions. A slim and feminine girl like her getting ready to have a smack down with a guy four or even five times her strength, I laugh at the thought, that would definitely be a sight to see.

“Guys, it’s alright. I don’t need anything from him. He’s right, I don’t know him. There was no real reason for me to get in to his business.” I assured my friends. I turn to him and directed my final statement to him. “Next time, I’ll leave you to get beaten to death instead. You are none of my concern.”

I grabbed my bag from JinAh and swung it over my body as I walked off. I could hear all my friends giving him the cold shoulder as they following me from behind.

“You are definitely lucky.” I could hear HaRa taunt him with that final statement.

We left HoWon standing in the school yard as we made our way towards the bus stop. During the bus ride as each one of my friends got off at their stop I couldn’t help but think of HoWon and what had happened. I wondered what he did to MinHo to make him so mad at him. MinHo might be revered at school but he hardly picked fight, he was quite a calm and relaxed person, all you need to do is talk to him and everything could be solved easily. I wondered what happened that made MinHo go beyond talking.

I let out a sigh when I realized my stop was coming up. I got off the bus as I begin to walk up towards my house. I stood in front of my house as I searched for my keys. Seeing a shadow from my side I took a quick glance to see who it was that was walking up from behind me. A smile crept over my face when I saw who it was.

“WooRam oppa.” I greeted him as I tried to contain my excitement.

He smiles at me, “hey Nicole. Just getting back from school?”

I nodded as I tried to hide the smile on my face.

“Summer break just started for you right?” He asked.

Once again all I could do was nod, trying my hardest to hide the blushing cheeks that were already present on my face.

He let out a chuckle, “maybe we can hang out sometime. I think I might need your advice on a few things.”

My eyes shot up at his suggestion. Was he being serious? Was he asking me to hang out with him? Say something you idiot. Stop standing there like an idiot and some something, anything.

“Meek...”

You idiot! What the hell was that? Meek?! What was that supposed to mean?

He continues to chuckle at my response. “I’m sorry? Was that a yes?”

I quickly nodded.

“Okay,” He says through his chuckle, “I’ll see you later then.” With that he opens the gate next door and went in.

All I could do was wave like an incoherent idiot at him. Once he was out of my sight I snapped back to reality and began to berate myself for making myself look like such an idiot in front of him. Stupid, stupid, stupid, I began to fist the side of my head.

It’s no secret that I had the biggest crush on my next door neighbor Kim WooRam. Ever since I moved here with my family eight years ago I’ve fallen for my next door neighbor. I remember our first meeting clearly as if it just happened yesterday. The first time I saw him was when we were moving in, I was only ten and he was eleven, one year apart. He was playing with his puppy in his front yard and his mother was watering the plants when they saw us unpacking. His mother greeted us and my parents began having a conversation with her. I was holding tightly to my Winnie the Pooh plush toy when he approached me with his puppy.

“My name is Kim WooRam. What’s yours?”

I was hesitant at first. I was quite shy and nervous. “YongJoo, Jung YongJoo. But you can call me Nicole.”

“You have an English name? That’s so cool.”

And that was when I knew that he would be mine. At a young age there was no question at his handsome features.

“How old are you?” He asked.

“Ten.” I reply.

“Oh, I’m eleven. That makes me one year older than you.” He says proudly to me. “That means I’m your oppa. So I’ll take care of you.” And he flashes me his pearly whites.

That was the moment that I melted for him even more so. It cemented my decision that I would always and forever be the destined to be with Kim WooRam. Mrs. Kim WooRam would be my future name.

I stood in front of my gate with a huge smile on my face as I reminisce about my first meeting with WooRam. I probably looked like an idiot but who cares, there was no one else around anyway. My chuckling could be heard as I began to think deeper about being the possible future Mrs. Kim WooRam.

“So this is the hero that saved me?”

The voice woke me from my stupor. My eyes widened at the sound of the voice. I turn to see who it was and I could feel my eyes widened even more. What the hell was he doing here?