“Kai, I thought you said they were all supposed to be here.”

“I know,” Kai replied, turning his head to Hae Jung’s direction without taking his eyes off of the empty studio. Hmm…where is everyone?

Hae Jung wasn’t a dancer. In fact, Hae Jung hated any kind of physical activity except for a few things. Still, she was stunned to see such a nice practice room. There were lights hanging from the ceiling, brightening everything in the room. There was a hardwood floor that glistened in the lights and mirrors covering the walls except for the wall that was practically the whole window. There was a leather couch against the wall opposite from them. Hae Jung was always mesmerized by dancers, envious of their skills. “Hey, Kai?” she called out to him, slowly taking a step forward as she smoothed out her uniform skirt.

“Ye-”

The sound of a door on the opposite wall clicking open made Kai close his mouth. The door opened and a male around Kai’s height with pale skin, neat hair, and a blank expression walked out. He looked up from the ground, but wasn’t surprised to see them.

“Suho said he would be back soon, but the others aren’t here. He decided to just cancel practice today.”

“Why are you here then?” Kai asked.

The stranger to Hae Jung shrugged. He held a water bottle then brought it up to his lips. After taking a swig, he answered, “I’m just sticking around.”

Kai nodded his head. He looked back at Hae Jung who was staring at the ground. “Let’s go, Hae Jung. You can come another day,” he smiled reassuringly at her.

“Who’s that?” the other teenage boy wondered out loud. He threw the water bottle onto the couch and wore an inquisitive mask.

Kai his lips. Why was he always faced with this situation? He seemed to always have trouble trying to introduce Hae Jung to people. “A schoolmate.”

The male nodded quickly. His eyes met her and grew nervous under his stare. “I’m Sehun,” the male said flatly. A mysterious aura surrounded him, but something inside Hae Jung felt comfortable with him.

“Um, I’m Hae Jung,” she attempted to smile at him. “I’m a first year at Kai’s school, too.”

“Ah, I go to your school, too.”

“Oh,” Hae Jung breathed, her lips parting slightly. Her eyes drifted off toward Kai who was looking out the window from his position. She tore her eyes off of him. “Well, then…we’ll see you around?”

“Yeah,” he said with that same monotone voice. Then, Sehun flopped onto the couch, crossing his arms and crossing his leg over the other.

Kai turned to her and nodded his head to the door. “Let’s go,” Kai spoke.

The two headed out without another word to Sehun, but they could feel his eyes on them. When they finally reached the main floor, Hae Jung opened . “Is that the quiet guy you were talking about? He doesn’t seem-”

“Hm, I thought so, too. He rarely talks during practice. That might’ve been the most I’ve heard him speak in all this time.”

Hae Jung frowned. “Weird.”

Kai turned his head to her with a curious look. “Maybe it’s you.”

Hae Jung knew what he meant when he said that. “No! Sehun’s just…I don’t know, not the way you thought he was? It’s not because of me, he’s just being nice…I guess.”

Kai’s eyebrow rose as the two exited the building and entered the damp air. “Ugh, did it rain?” Kai spoke his mind.

“I’d guess for that bit while we were inside. I didn’t hear it all though,” she muttered. There was a light drizzle. The two strolled around the area, passing by clothing stores. Every now and then, Hae Jung would say something like, “That’s a nice shirt,” or, “That’s a cute dress!” Kai found it very cute. From what he could tell, Hae Jung didn’t seem to be girly, nor did she seem tomboy-ish. She seemed to be more boyish, he concluded.

Hae Jung sniffled. “Hey, Kai, I forgot to ask you this.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

The rain was becoming heavier. It wasn’t pouring, but it wasn’t bird-spitting anymore. Hae Jung could see the drops of water hit her glasses and drip off. “What happened to your date, So Jin? Is she your girlfriend?” Hae Jung asked too casually to her liking. She didn’t want to sound so nosy, but maybe Kai didn’t notice.

Kai laughed a bit, and it made Hae Jung wonder why he was. “So Jin’s…nah, we’re not together anymore.”

“So, she was your girlfriend?” Again, Hae Jung had spoken before she could think.

Kai just laughed at her curiosity, but he shook his head. “No, that was just a date.”

“Oh.” Is there a difference?

“Hae Jung? What are your thoughts on dating?” Kai inquired. He wanted to hear Hae Jung’s view on this. He wanted some kind of, maybe, advice for later.

Hae Jung gawked at Kai with a puzzled expression. Kai looked down at her with a smile. She sighed. “Well, I’ve never had a boyfriend. I’ve never gone on a date before. I’ve probably only had…three crushes in my life. I don’t know anything about that kind of stuff.”

Hae Jung could feel the rain seeping into her uniform, and so did Kai. Hae Jung took a look at her watch. It was past six o’clock, and Kai had also caught a glimpse of the time. “Do you want to go for dinner?”

Without hesitation, she replied, “Sure.” She was learning to give into what people offered to her. Kai was always being nice to her, and it wasn’t that she was trying to take his considerateness for granted, but she was learning to accept what he wanted to do for her. Her parents had taught her that. That you could be modest, but still accept what was given.

Because Kai was more familiar with the area, he led them to a restaurant. The duo noticed that people were scattered everywhere while they walked to the restaurant. They were scurrying to shelter, shielding themselves from the rain.

Kai liked the rain. It made him feel safe and cozy. There was something so inviting to him about the rain.

Hae Jung didn’t particularly hate the rain. She just preferred the sun, but just like Kai, there was something she found so comforting about the rain.

“So, you’ve never had a boyfriend?” Kai asked once they were seated at a table.

If another girl was in her position, they might’ve been embarrassed to say “yes.” Hae Jung was more than happy to say that she’s stayed single the whole fifteen years she’s lived (though, her sixteenth wasn’t very far).

“Tell me about your crushes.” It always intrigued Kai to hear more about other people’s love life. He had something to compare his to. He had another thing to make him feel more superior and to show off, but Hae Jung’s innocence threw that off. He didn’t feel like boasting about the number of girls he’s been with. He didn’t feel like explaining his experiences. He didn’t want to tell her anything.

Hae Jung chuckled. “Why? It’s been so long ago.” She turned the page of the menu she held in her hands. She used the menu as an excuse not to look into Kai’s eyes.

Kai grinned and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just interesting to hear.”

Hae Jung exhaled. “Fine.” She didn’t think it was really that important telling him anyway. “In my whole fifteen years, there‘ve been three guys I’ve liked. One was from grade two to grade four. Then, the next was grade four to grade six. Then, my last had been from grade seven to grade eight. I was pretty over the top back then. I guess I was pretty loyal to my crushes though.” Her shoulders dropped.

The waiter had come back to take their orders and their menus. He had left, and the pair found themselves alone at the table again.

“Tell me about them.” Kai leaned forward onto the table. Hae Jung still wasn’t looking at him. Instead, her eyes were focused on her hands in her lap.

Kai’s feelings were definitely attracted to Hae Jung at that moment. He was always interested in Hae Jung, but the feelings brought on at that moment were the kind he felt around a girl like So Jin. Desire? Something like that. The dim lights illuminated Hae Jung’s face, making her look as if she was glowing. Her hair was wet, starting to become wavy, and it framed her face delightfully. Her lips were a little pinker from the cold weather, but her cheeks were still the same colour. It slightly bothered Kai that she didn’t blush or anything of that sort, but Hae Jung was glad the blood rushing to her face never showed.

“Why?” Hae Jung was laughing now. Her smile was warm, and her eyes were clear behind her glasses.

“I’m just curious, Hae Jung. Does it bother you?”

She quieted down. “I guess not. It’s just that no one is ever really interested in that kind of thing. Especially with me.”

“Well, I am.”

“Fine,” she repeated. She did trust Kai, but she was still questioning it. Friends do these kinds of things, Kai. “My first crush is named Han Ji Woo. I’m not in contact with him anymore because he left after grade five. I was pretty close with him. He was a year older than me. A lot of my friends liked him, too, but I always thought that if it came down to choosing one of us, he would choose me, but then he left. Everyone forgot about him, but sometimes, I think about him, but my feelings disappeared even before he left.”

Kai was studying the look on her face. It reminded him of the expressions she wore when he was telling her that she wanted to travel the world. It was a happy expression, but there was something sad to it as well. She looked a bit silly to him. He was trying to hold back his laughter, realizing that he just listened to that whole thing.

In every relationship, Kai was the selfish one. He only really cared about how he felt and rarely talked to the other person. I guess Hae Jung and I have a different kind of relationship. He still didn’t give in to the voice in his head telling him they were friends. I can’t become friends with her. It’d be too tiring. I’d just forget her eventually…

“What’s wrong?”

“Hm?”

“You look, um, upset.”

“Don’t worry, Hae Jung. I’m just hungry. Tell me about your second crush,” he insisted she keep going. Hae Jung was hesitant to continue, thinking if he was lying or not. Kai wasn’t lying; he probably looked upset because he could feel his stomach grumbling. He just hadn’t told her everything behind that face.

Hae Jung shook her head with a playful smile on her face.

“Why not, Hae Jung?”

“I’ll save that for another time.”

So, there will be another time we talk like this?

There was silence now, but the waiter had come with their food. They dug in, feeling that they were at the peak of their hunger.

“So,” Kai started to speak with food in his mouth, “His name is Ji Woo?”

Hae Jung looked up at him. “Yeah.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about him?”

Hae Jung sat back, pondering. Why is Kai wondering so much? “Well, he was always such a rascal. The time I liked him was the time I would always get in trouble and get detention. He would always laugh at me, but we were always close. Oh, and there was this one time where we went on a school trip, and we were walking over a bridge over a river with no side rails or...whatever they’re called. We were walking beside each other and then, he pushed me. I almost fell in. I got so angry at him, but I didn’t do anything. He just laughed. I guess that was something I didn’t like about him. He always laughed at me. It was like he cared about me…but he didn’t.” There was a hurt expression on her face yet her facial expressions were brightening as she told her everything. Kai was jealous that a male that didn't exist in her life anymore could make her seem that way.

Kai then smiled, realizing that she looked like an innocent child. She pushed her glasses up and made eye contact with Kai. He flashed his charming smile, and Hae Jung could feel her stomach do a flip. She swallowed the lump in and continued to eat.

Was this friendship? Listening to the others’ stories willingly? Having a comfortable silence? Wishing to comfort the other? Understanding what one meant without speaking? When Kai thought about it now, he never really had a best friend. Back in Seoul, he did have good friends, but after he left, he didn’t really talk to them. When Kai thought about it now, had he ever experienced true friendship? That was one thing he couldn’t boast about. The number of girls he’d been with, the number of times he’s kissed, and the number of people he knew didn’t matter when he compared it to friendships.

Friendship is truer. It’s much truer than any relationship he’s had with any other girl. But why hadn’t Kai known that?

They spent the rest of the time in the restaurant in silence. “Here,” Hae Jung breathed, giving her money to Kai after he paid for the both of them at once. They were out of the restaurant now, and Kai had offered to take her home. Also, she didn’t know her way in that area, so she needed his help anyway.

“I think you need to tell me a story now, too.”

Kai let out a bubbly laugh. “About what exactly, Miss Do?”

Hae Jung laughed in a similar way to Kai’s. She found it cute that Kai had just called her “Miss Do.” Miss Do? Is that a new nickname? “Your crushes, obviously,” she mumbled.

“Oh, well…” Kai began, scratching the back of his neck, “My love life’s a little complicated.”

Hae Jung tapped at her chin. “So? That’s okay. I have time to listen to a long story. And I'm sure you have time to tell me a long story, right?”

Kai had now found the right bus stop. He waited until Hae Jung sat down on the bench first, then he took a seat himself. Their arms were touching, but neither paid attention. There were some people walking by, but they were in the lesser populated part of the area. It was just Kai and Hae Jung waiting for the bus.

Kai began to whistle a quiet tune as Hae Jung waited for him to actually say something. He looked straight forward, though he could feel Hae Jung’s eyes on him. He knew she wanted him to say something. She just didn’t want to ask any more questions.

Kai stopped whistling and heaved a sigh. He turned his head so that his chin was resting on his shoulder. His eyes gazed at Hae Jung staring up at him.

“Will you be honest with me?” Hae Jung wondered out loud.

He looked into her eyes for some sort of doubt or any kind of lies. But all she wanted was for Kai to open up to her. His eyes bore deep into hers, trying to find some kind of excuse not to say yes. It wasn’t possible. Kai sighed once again. “Yeah. I’ll be honest, Miss Do.”

Hae Jung smiled. She sat back against the wood of the bench and readied herself for Kai’s stories. Maybe it won’t be as interesting as I think it’d be. But maybe Hae Jung was just setting herself up for disappointment. Still, each of them wore genuine smiles. 

A/N: Yo. So, chapter eight. Yeah? Was it okay? I hope it's not too overwhelming. And from now on, the stories will include a lot of, like, deep (?) kind of things. Not deep...deep isn't the right word, lol. I'm sorry, I can't think straight. I worked on this all day. Yesterday and Thursday, I was busy reading a fanfic my friend forced me to read. It's not kpop, but it's Peter Pan fanfiction. I sweeear on my life, it is so amazing. Ugh, I'm not even done reading yet, but that's only because I'm a slow reader. But yeah. So, now, we have more Hae Jung and Kai talks. Do you think they're a good couple? Are you looking forward to Kai's stories now? :) I hope you are. Oh, yeah, and sweetie boy, Sehun, is here :D lol, I don't know if he'll be a sweetie boy in my fanfic though. Anyway, please comment if you haven't and would like to ^^ Subscribe as well ;) Have a wonderful day! Thanks for reading!