Some things
are just not meant to be.

Back in the high school


In a coffee shop, across from the gate of Seoul High, Jiyong took a seat by the window. For about a week already a thought of someone who looked exactly like him existing in this world had been bugging him and he was having hard time concentrating on his studies or anything else. The middle term exams were coming up and this distraction was not needed so he had finally found some time to investigate the matter.

Sipping his cappuccino he waited for the students to come out through the gates but suddenly he jumped in his seat, distracted by his ringing phone.

“Ya! Where are you?” Dara yelled and he quickly brought the phone away from his ear, frowning slightly. One day she'd make him go deaf.

“I have an appointment, why?”

“You promised to teach me math today.”

Jiyong lowered his head, clenching his jaw. “Sorry, I forgot” he mumbled.

“How can you forget?” She shrieked. “Get home now! My friends asked me to go hang out but I declined just for this tutoring session.”

“I'm sorry Dara, I really can't come today.” Jiyong bit his lower lip, his eyes shifting at the gate.

He was not going to leave now when the first students already started coming out. He was too curious. “I'm busy right now so-”

“Where are you?”

“I'll tell you later.”

“Tell me now.”

“I promise I will make this up to you later but now I gotta go.”

“Wai-”

“Bye.”

Cursing under her breathe, Dara stared at her cellphone in disbelief. He was so getting it from her for hanging up like that. Today they were supposed to walk home together but Jiyong had went ahead, totally forgetting about her. Luckily a few of her friends had seen him and that's why she was able to sneak after him.

However, now she was lost, she didn't have any idea where he was and also no idea where she was herself. Quickly, she tried to dial his number again but he had turned off his phone.

“Fine, be that way!” she yelled, switching her phone off too. If he was on a date with some girl she would murder him with a pillow during the night. Oh, how angry she was.

Dara looked around, she was on some quiet side alley. Frustrated, she kicked an empty can in the wall and walked into a random direction, soon coming out to a bigger and busier street, framed by all kind of shops and stalls.

As she continued walking she realized she was around Seoul high, then she got distracted by cute accessories, then by make up sale, then by some clothes and then by shoes. She ended up spending all of her allowance in the shops and paid with her last 10 won bill in a fancy coffee shop that was twice as expensive as the rest. Well, she had always appreciated good quality and besides coffee in such shops was much stronger and tasted better.

When Dara came out from the coffee shop she saw Jiyong and her eyes squinted in annoyance. So this was the meeting he was having, with some delinquent looking kids? Her gaze never leaving him she quickly hid behind a stand with idol key chains and postcards.

For a while her attention was interrupted by winking Lee Jun Ki but then she shook her head, forcing herself to concentrate on more important issues.

She noted Jiyong looked sort of different. He was not wearing his glasses, usually he always wore them. His clothes seemed strange too, was he leading a double life or something? He was now dressed into loose jeans, black long sleeved tee and leather jacket, on his feet he was wearing worn out sneakers. As far as she knew Jiyong always wore converses so this was extremely suspicious.

A white beanie on his head and clinging chains, hanging from his pants, didn't make any sense either. Sure, he also knew how to look cool but this was totally not his style, he never dressed up like a troublemaker.

Usually he wore his school uniform all day long and in his casual clothes he looked more like an innocent member of a boy band (possibly gay) or a basketball team captain on leave (which he practically was).

Loud laughter, a few slaps on the shoulder, friendship hand shake and they parted. That was way too cool. Jiyong walked away from his friends, shaking his hand in the air and they yelled something after him before walking into an opposite direction.

Dara was about to run after him when an old man stopped her. “Kid, you need to pay for that.” His eyes narrowed at the notebook she was holding. Dara never realized she had grabbed something from the stall. After a short silence and staring she handed the notebook back to the man and ran off, afraid to lose Jiyong again.

“Wait, ya! Jiyong!” she yelled when he turned the corner. “YAAA! Jiyong!” He still did not look over his shoulder or stop walking. Probably because he was listening to his mp3 player he didn't hear her.

His hands were tucked safely in his pants' pockets and he was whistling by himself, trying to decide what to have for dinner, when suddenly someone grabbed the hem of his jacket. In surprise he spun around and saw a pretty girl glare at him. Whoa!

“What?” he asked, his brows arching. She was not saying anything, just fumed at him while trying to catch her breathe.

“You stood me up today because of this? To meet some weird people? I thought you didn't like kids from Seoul High! Traitor!”

“What?” He raised a brow, wondering if the girl was crazy or something.

“And why are you trying to ignore me?”

“Maybe because I don't kn-”

She suddenly threw her shopping bags in his chest and he caught them by a reflex. “Hold these.”

“Yah, what the hell?” A frown spread on Seung Hyun's face as he stared at the weird girl in disbelief. Suddenly her stomach grumbled and his eyes shifted down, while she grabbed her stomach a pitiful expression spreading on he face.

“I'm so hungry” She complained. “Buy me dinner.”

He just scowled at her in answer and tossed her bags back at her. “I'm busy” he mumbled, walking past her.

“Wait, wait!” Dara stubbornly followed. “Where are you going?”

“None of your business” He didn't look at her, just stared in front of himself.

“Why is he in such bad mood today?” Dara wondered aloud. “Is he PMSing? Or did he get stood up by some girl? Probably, because he looks like a homeless dog today.”

“Yah!” Jiyong spun around, giving her a scary glare but for some reason she didn't seem intimidated. It was weird because at this point girls would usually retreat in fear.

“I can hear you, you know.” But what did she do? She laughed mockingly.

“Where did you learn that kind of look from? Rambo? So funny.”

Gritting his teeth he just turned away from her, fastening his pace. But even when she was wearing such high heels she kept up, though she complained a few times, asking him to slow down. Girls... It was obvious she had mixed him up with some Jiyong and that meant there was a guy who looked exactly like him. Or then the girl was retarded, or this was her secret plan to get his attention. Suddenly Seung Hyun grew curious, maybe there really was a guy who was an exact copy of him?

“Stop following me.” He stopped abruptly and she bumped into his back, letting out a cute grunt.

“But I don't know how to get home.”

“Well, figure it out.”

“Then give me money for a taxi.” So was this Jiyong her boyfriend or something? Seung Hyun shifted his indifferent eyes at her. She was wearing a MNG high school uniform, maybe the guy would be there too?

“Then take the subway.”

“Where is the nearest station?” she inquired.

“There” Seung Hyun pointed at a random direction.

“I don't trust that look on your face. You just want to get rid of me” Dara mumbled.

'Bingo' he thought, a smirk spreading on his lips. Maybe she wasn't that stupid after all.

“Let's go home together, you promised to tutor me math.”

'Great, someone with my face is a freaking nerd. What an insult, towards me.' Seung Hyun grew gloomy. Her stomach grumbled again and she bit her lower lip, taking a look at their surroundings. 'She is kinda cute, though.' Actually, she reminded him of a small restless animal, the way she fidgeted not patient enough to stand still.

Meanwhile Seung Hyun observed her, wondering what would she do next. Her hair was short and straight but very fluffy. She was wearing light make up and her lip gloss glistened in the sun capturing his attention. What a tender shade of pink... Then he checked her out, her chest was rather small but her hips were wide enough for her to have a figure even though she was skinny.

But the best part of her body were her legs, long and slender and her skirt was shortened to the max, letting him have a good view. He noticed that she was not just skinny but had pretty toned body like she was doing a lot of sports and she was tall for a girl, but maybe that was just an illusion of the high heels.

The conclusion was made in Seung Hyun's head, another high school queenka. That's when his interest died, they were usually needy, bit.chy and annoying.

“There!” She suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Surprised by her gesture, Seung Hyun followed but when he saw a ttokbokki stall he pulled his hand away from her grasp. There was no way he was eating at a dirty place like that. Ignoring him she skipped to the stall and ordered food, placing her bags on the ground next to her chair.

"I-" Suddenly she turned around, her hair flying in the wind. Somehow the angle of the sun was perfect making her glow warmly, her eyes were innocent and her lips pouted cutely. He was about to protest but his jaw dropped and he just stared at her, his heart making a strange throb.

Now that he took a better look she was very pretty and y yet at the same time managing to look innocent. Something pulled him into her, like magic.

“Why are you standing there and looking like a monkey has just shoved a banana up your ?”

And what a bit.chy angel she was.

“Come on, you have to pay.” Since when was she standing behind him and pushing his back.

“Yah, I am not-” Seung Hyun wanted to protest but he was already sitting on a chair beside hers. Helplessly he looked at the ttokbokki ahjumma and then shifted his eyes at Dara, who looked satisfied with her food. Seung Hyun's mouth twitched but he didn't say anything.

Fine, he'd try some street food for the first time in his life and if he ended up with an upset stomach he'd hunt her down and torture to death. He grabbed an odeng (fish cake stick) and took a bite, it was actually good, salty and soft. Then he realized Dara was staring at him suspiciously.

“What?” he mumbled wile munching.

“I thought you hate odeng...”

He coughed on his food.

“Here” Dara handed him a water bottle. “You are acting so weird today, I swear.”

Seung Hyun dropped his odeng on the table and gulped down the water. How come of all the foods he had grabbed the one he was not supposed to take and why was he even pretending he was some Jiyong? He should just tell her she was mistaken and leave her behind. But when he narrowed his eyes at the girl, she was red sauce from her lips and the corners of .

She gave him a questioning look, her tongue still sticking out. 'She shouldn't do such a seductive thing out in the public...'

“Want some?” She offered him to take a bite from her hot dog and since he didn't say anything she almost forced him to take a bite. By this time, Seung Hyun's body had turned into a stone. What was this weird woman doing to him?

Suddenly she leaned in, her hand brushing his cheek and he leaned a little bit away not knowing what to wait next. Her soft thumb slid over his lower lip and she pulled her hand away, a smirk playing on her lips and he gasped silently. How dared she flirt with him when she didn't even know who he really was? The fact he felt his cheeks grow warm annoyed him, no one... one one makes almighty Seung Hyun blush!

“You just looked like you had lipstick on. Like a clown.” She chuckled and her finger. He almost fainted and fidgeted nervously in his seat when feeling dangerous amount of blood pressure in certain area of his body. Damn, she was turning him on and he had no idea why. Wait, what did she just say?

“You'd make a good drag queen though...” he heard the girl sigh.

“What?” He snapped from his daze and looked at her in disbelief. Forget about the y, her dirty mouth ruined it all.

“You are so pretty, sometimes I think you look more like I girl than I do.”

He couldn't believe his ears.

“Say that again.”

“Pretty dongseng.”

“Ya” Seung Hyun eyed her in suspicion. “How ol-” Luckily he realized to shut his mouth in time, but most probably this girl was not older than him. There was no chance.

“So what were you doing all day long?” Dara inquired curiously.

“Nothing.” Seung Hyun answered dully. Why didn't he just leave now? What kept him sitting there? He groaned, covering his face with his hand. Meanwhile Dara grabbed her bags, something fell out and, seeing from the corners of his eyes what it was, Seung Hyun blinked.

“What is that?”

“I have been looking for this Lee Jun Ki pencil case forever” Dara exclaimed, holding her treasure up, proudly. Seung Hyun scrunched his nose.

“But he is ugly.”

“What?”

He grabbed the pencil case from her hand and snorted while observing it more closely. “Why would you buy something this ugly?”

“He is not ugly” Dara fumed. It's not like she expected him to understand, anyway.

“Yes he is.”

“You are!”

“Whoa, sensitive topic?” Seung Hyun raised a brow.

He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that a queenka would be as uncool as to buy celebrity stuff, like a crazy fan. Dara just glared at him and then grabbed the pencil case back.

“Give it back, this is none of your business.” He had never understood her love for Lee Jun Ki, anyway. “You are jealous that I like him more than you.”

“Trust me, I am not.”

“Well, you will be.”

“I'd like to see that day come.”

Seung Hyun ended up walking Dara to the subway station and somehow she had made him carry her bags too, he had no idea when or how it had happened. All he knew she owed him a dinner but he was not sure if they would ever meet again. Did he want to? Hell no. Or... maybe?

Little did he know that this meeting, was just a beginning of it all.


Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected


for fate to play such tricks on him.
 

(from now on, Seung Hyun are Jiyong are as before they switched places, the ORIGINAL them)

The sight of Jiyong sitting in the hallway, in front of Seung Hyun's room, made me stop in my tracks. I needed to think over and process yesterday's happenings before I could face him. Right now, I was totally not ready.

 Daesung again rushed to him and started asking many questions. I couldn't concentrate on what they were saying, everything simply stopped existing in my worlds except Jiyong.

Apparently he did not notice I was there because he smiled wearily at Daesung, his happy smile. He was tired but relaxed and cheerful. Leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest he even chuckled.

My eyes twitched and I bit my lower lip. The jerk was only being cold towards me, even during the moments I needed him he kept turning his back at me. Fine be that way if you want to lose me for good. Deep in my heart I decided to never forgive him. I'll make you regret!

I snapped from my trance when Daesung started to point at me, I don't know why I was holding my phone in my hand but it saved me, I pretended I was reading a text message.

”I need to talk with her” I heard Jiyong say. ”Go in.”

Daesung looked at his hyung with great suspicion. ”Be nice” he said sternly. ”I mean it.”

”Tsh, I am always nice to women.”

Liar, I stayed rooted where I was and glowered at Jiyong from there. Daesung rolled his eyes and turned to smile at me. ”If he bullies you, just tell me.”

I nodded. He nodded too and smiled warmly before walking in the room and leaving me alone with the idiot. Jiyong ran his hand through his hair and then turned to look at me. Not relaxed and carefree anymore, at all.

”Follow me” His voice was ice cold.

”Where?”

”There is someone you most likely would like to meet.”

I decided to follow him, Seung Hyun would be here for a while anyway.

Reading a book Taeyang sat on his bed, leaning his back against the backboard. His left hand was in a cast, so was his right leg. There was a bruise on his jaw and his left eye was totally black, his lips swollen, his skin scratched. He looked like he had been hit by a truck, let me correct, he looked like a prince who had been hit by a truck.

The comforter was barely covering him, hanging from the edge about to fall on the floor. Beside the bed, the window was slightly open and a fresh breeze of morning wind played with his messy hair.

”Taeyang!” I gasped and dashed to his side. He looked up from his book, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw me. I quickly grabbed his comforter and threw it over him as I noticed he was shivering.

”What? How did you?” he started asking but then noticed Jiyong at the doorway. Immediately Taeyang clenched his jaw and his eyes turned into slits while his body grew rigid. I could tell he was not happy to see Jiyong there.

”I guess I should give you two some privacy” Jiyong commented dryly and soon was gone.

While I was busy looking at the door, my mind empty, Taeyang closed his book and placed it on the bed, next to his pillow. Then he captured my attention by clearing his throat.

”Are you okay?”

”You are asking me that?” I grinned wearily while patting his cast. ”Seriously.”

”You look pale and tired. Like a total mess. What happened?” I could hear concern in his voice.

”A lot of things happened?” I sighed, lowering my gaze while my fingers gripped on the hem of my dress. ”After I found out that Jiyong is Seung Hyun and vice versa, Jiyong, I mean Seung Hyun, somehow ended up half dead with his head bleeding.”

Taeyang groaned and rubbed his forehead. ”I knew something like that would eventually happen. They fight way too much.”

”What's going to happen now?”

”Who knows, it's hard to tell anymore.” Taeyang closed his eyes, letting the wind caress his face. ”I should have gotten involved earlier.”

”What happened to you anyway?”

”I got into a fight.”

”With a truck?”

He chuckled. ”I wanted to get rid of Bae but this is how I ended up, how pathetic.”

”You what?” I gasped, my worried eyes finally landing on his face. ”You what?”

”That bastar.d never plays fair. I was so close to eliBomting him but then...” Taeyang closed his eyes and shook his head, a silly smile spreading on his lips. ”For one second I didn't pay attention and the next thing I know I am flying through the window, falling from the seventh floor.”

”What? Chincha?!” I was so shocked to hear this I even sprang up from my seat.

”I am lucky there was a fruit truck parked right underneath, if only the tomatoes were not packed into boxes I would have never broken anything.”

I stared at him in disbelief. He fell from the seventh floor into a truck loaded with tomatoes? I would have laughed if I didn't see him in front of myself all wrapped in gauze. Taeyang was some lucky bas.tard. But wait, he wanted to eliBomte Bae?

”Wait, you call tomato a fruit?” I raised a brow.

”Technically speaking it is” Taeyang smirked.

”You guys are crazy” I uttered a muffled chuckle and slumped on my chair. ”I don't know what to do with all of you anymore.” His life was threatened and we were talking about tomatoes being fruits? ”Does this mean Bae will be now running after you?”

”He needs to be distracted while the others get rid of Sil Jang.”

I covered my face with my palms. ”I don't want to talk about this now.”

”Don't worry, things are looking quite good for us right now.”

”Good? You and Jiyong are hospitalized” I groaned.

”As long as Seung Hyun is out there. Wait, we can now speak of them by their real names. So, as long as Jiyong is out there-”

”I am too tired, please stop talking” I complained, laying my upper body on his bed.

”Take a rest” Taeyang's hand ruffled my hair. I closed my eyes his comfortable presence calming me down. ”Sleep for a while, I'll protect you while you rest.”

”With your cast?” I asked ironically.

”It's my job, injured or not. So don't worry about a thing.”

”Your job?”

”I mean my job as a guy, my obligation in other words.”

”Whatever...”
 

Seung Hyun lied motionlessly on his bed, his eyes closed tightly. His breathing was very quiet and extremely slow, almost unnoticeable. Yes, he looked dead. His head was bandaged with white gauze and an IV needle was stuck to his wrist. The comforter was pulled up to his chin and his arms rested on top of it.

He looked peaceful, like he had finally found happiness. A sigh escaped my lips, he looked like he didn't want to ever wake up and I couldn't blame him, but this thought broke my heart.

My eyes moved over to my little sunshine. Daesung's upper body was sprawled over the bed and he snored lightly, his lips parted. He looked cute while asleep, his body twitching and jerking along whatever exciting dreams he was seeing. I grabbed a chair to take a seat beside Seung Hyun's bed, on the other side from Daesung, and took his hand in mine, rubbing it gently. He didn't reach at all, the monitors beside his bed beeped steadily. The smell of hospital added to my misery, he looked so pale and weak and I hated seeing him like this.

”Mmmmh” Daesung stirred in his sleep and suddenly lifted up his head. ”Nuna, you are here” he chirped, a happy smile spreading on his lips. I smiled weakly at him, it came kind of naturally.

”Shh, you will wake him up.”

Daesung's sunshine smile dimmed and his face fell, his eyebrows lowering a little. ”I wish I could. He is in coma.”

”What?” At this point, nothing surprised me anymore. I took in a sharp breathe of stuffy air, my hold of Seung Hyun's hand tightening. ”How bad is it?”

”They are very optimistic. Actually the odds to lose him are really low but they don't know how long it will take him to wake up, a few days, weeks or months.”

”Months?” I breathed out, my gaze shifting at Seung Hyun's face. ”You are kidding me.”

Just yesterday he was joking and getting angry, just yesterday he was fighting, just yesterday he was... so very much alive and now... now... he could die any moment. He lied there looking so vulnerable and weak. I wanted to cry but there were no tears left.

”We have to take good care of him!” Daesung pat Seung Hyun's leg. ”If we come here every day and talk to him he will hear us. We need to insult him a lot so he will feel the urge to wake up and yell at us.”

I smiled bittersweetly. ”I'm scared” I admitted truthfully. ”Of losing him.”

”Don't say that nuna” Daesung whined. ”We need to keep the atmosphere positive in this room.”

”I know” I mumbled, lowering my face. ”Why does this have to happen to us?”

”You really care a lot for him, huh?”

”Why wouldn't I?”

I