Jae's POV

I was on the school rooftop….sitting, thinking about what just happened. So many emotions I was feeling right now. Sad, angry, embarrassed…I’ve never snapped like that before, never punched anyone, never yelled like I did. I never felt so out of control in my life… I wondered what everyone thought, what did the girls think of me now? What did my brother think of me? What about the other kids at school? I sighed as I buried my head into my knees. Should I regret what I’ve just done…? I heard the sound of a can being kicked across the cement. I looked to my left to see Dujun kicking an old can around with his hands in his pocket. (Why did he stop me…?) I didn’t know how long I stayed in his arms crying my eyes out but I started to feel embarrassed about it. I also felt sorry for pushing him like I did. Dujun caught my eyes on him and I turned away, looking down at the ground. I heard his footsteps slowly approaching me, and then he sat down next to me. I scooted over once he did. Dujun moved closer which led me to scoot over once more. He moved closer to me again and before I could move away from him he grabbed my arm. “Yah, stop it….” He said. I looked at him and he smiled a little moving my hair out of my face. “You still crying?” he asked. “No” I mumbled. “You want me to hold you again?” he grinned. “Ani!” I said turning away. (Don’t say things like that……) He laughed while I continued to sit silently. “Hey Dujun…” I started to speak. “Ne?” Dujun said. “Am I a bad person?” I asked. “No…you’re not” he said. “Wae?” he asked. I was silent again. “Is it because of you hitting Junhyung?” he asked. I only nodded at his question. “Hitting him probably wasn’t the best thing to do…but that incident overall doesn’t make you a bad person Jae” he said. “You were doing it for a friend…” he added.

“Why did you pull me away?” I asked. “Did you want to get in trouble…?” he asked. I shook my head no. “Then that’s your answer” he smiled. (Is that the only reason…?)

“And because I’m your friend…right?” he asked.  I didn’t respond to his question right way. “Right?” he said pinching my cheek. “Ne” I finally said as I rubbed the side of my face.

I felt my stomach growling and I could very well hear it. I looked at Dujun hoping he didn’t hear but I knew he did since he laughed at me. “You hungry?” he asked. I nodded my head. “I didn’t eat breakfast…” I said. I realized I didn’t have a lunch with me. I slapped my forehead. “Aish I forgot my lunch!” I exclaimed. I started to sulk, Dujun handed me a lunch box. “Share mine” he said. “No I couldn’t” I said pushing it away. Dujun just shrugged “Oh well suit yourself” he said starting to open up his lunch box. He pulled out his chopsticks and started to eat. “Mmm so good” he smiled. I swear he was taunting me. I felt my stomach growl again. “Okay maybe a little?” I said clasping my hands together hoping he would offer one more time. “I knew it” he smiled, my heart was fluttering. Dujun picked up a piece of egg and stuck it in my mouth. I was surprised for a minute but started to chew, it was so unbelievably good. He held some kimchi to my lips for me to take a bite. I did and he ate after me. “You don’t have to feed me you know…” I said feeling awkward. “Why not?” he asked. “Because…it’s embarrassing” I pouted a little. “But what if I think it’s cute…” Dujun said, his voice sounding kind of serious. I almost choked hearing his words. I didn’t know what to say to that… “What you never had your boyfriend feed you anything before?” he asked. (Boyfriend!?) “I never had…a boyfriend before” I said, I felt so embarrassed admitting that to him. “Chincha?” he said. I nodded a little. “Wow”. “Have you had a lot of girlfriends?” I asked. I was sure he did, I mean he was a gorgeous boy and seemed popular enough. “I’ve dated” he said. I wasn’t going to ask how many and frankly I didn’t want to know how many girls…

“Would you…” Dujun started to say as he held more food to my mouth. I ate on queue. “Would you ever date me…?” he asked. I was shocked at his question. “Um…well...I” my words were jumbling together. Dujun just smiled. “Mianhae, you probably don’t like Korean guys, right?” he said looking away from me. (Is he serious…!?) I lived here for two years how can I not like Korean guys…) Instead of answering his question I countered with my own. “Would you date a foreigner…someone like me?” I asked in a monotone voice. “Ne” he said. (Really?) “I see” I said. It felt kind of good to know his answer was “yes” but I hoped he wouldn’t ask me the same question again. I honestly didn’t know if I would date him…Yeah I kind of  liked him sure, but I don’t feel like I’m good enough for him…

“Yah” Dujun said. “Hmm?” I responded. “Ddeokbokki” he smiled. “What about it?” I asked. “You owe me” he sung. “Wait why!?” I exclaimed. “For saving your life again” he said standing up and stretching. I stood up too. “How did you save my life again?” I asked crossing my arms. “Well if I didn’t drag you away from Junhyung, a teacher would’ve come. You would’ve been caught and your life would be over if you got suspended” He explained as he looked at the sky. “Therefore I saved your life, again” he grinned poking my forehead. “But-” The bell started to ring, and Dujun started to walk away. “Yah, Yoon Dujun!” I yelled. “I don’t have any money” I said as I followed after him…

Yoseob’s POV

I was in my room writing lyrics…something I liked to do when I had free time. Suddenly my cell phone started to ring. “Yoboseyo?” I answered. [“Yoseob its Joanna”] a voice said. “Oh hi noona” I smiled a little. [“Have you heard from Jae?”] she asked. Her voice sounded a bit worried. “I haven’t talked to her all day….wae?” I asked. [“Well this morning she attacked Junhyung…she yelled something about what he did to you.”] She said. (What?) [“Dujun dragged Jae away from Junhyung and carried her off somewhere…we’ve never seen her upset before…she didn’t show up at lunch either…”] J noona continued. I was silent trying to process what I was hearing right now. [“School’s over now, are you alright?”] She asked. “Ne noona, I’m fine” I said. [“Okay…”] “Noona, don’t worry…I’ll find Jae and talk to her” I said. [“Alright, I’ll leave it to you”] Joanna said and hung up the phone. I put my pen down.

Jae…what are you thinking….?

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Yoseob’s POV

I sat in front of Jae’s doorstep waiting for her to get home. She wasn’t answering her phone at all. I looked for her around the area, but she was nowhere to be found. I was starting to get worried. I thought back to what J noona was saying… How could Jae do something so reckless...And for my sake…? I had a bad feeling earlier this morning and that feeling of mine was right. I looked at my cell phone it was almost 5:15PM. Her parents are probably working late and I didn’t know what was up with Taemin since I didn’t have his number. Suddenly I heard a few footsteps stop in front of me. “Yoseob?”  That familiar voice I’ve been waiting for said my name with a little confusion. I looked up to see Jae looking down at me. Giving me the wondering look of why I was here…. I stood up. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Ne, I’m fine...are you okay?” I said. Jae walked pass me to get to her door. “I’m fine” she said unlocking it. She took a step into her house, I followed behind her… We both slipped off our shoes and I shut the door behind me. “Your parents are working late?” I asked following her up to her room. “Ne, they won’t be home for another hour or two…” she said. “And Taemin?’ I asked. “Molla…he’s probably with one of his friends” she said with a shrug. “Or he’s probably worried about you” I mumbled. “What?’ she said as she the light to her bedroom.

“I said he’s probably worried about you” I repeated. Jae sat on her bed and didn’t say anything…

“I got a call from J noona about you attacking Junhyung today…” I said. “So...” she replied. (So? What’s going on in her head…?) “So Jae why’d you do it?” I asked I was getting a little frustrated with the way she was acting right now. “You know why…” she said taking out one of her text books. I rubbed my fingers through my hair. “Jae you didn’t have to do that because of me…what if you gotten hurt?” I said. “So I can’t avenge my friends when someone does something bad to them” she said trailing off her sentence. “When someone hurts them!” she snapped. I could see her eyes a bit teary. “But Jae...” I said moving closer to her, still standing. “You doing what you did today makes you no better than Junhyung…” I said. She looked at me a bit surprised at what I was saying. “Don’t you understand that…if Junhyung would’ve hit you back…do you think that would make me feel any better!?” I said. She turned her head away from me. “Look at me…” I said turning her face toward me as I leaned closer to her. She brushed me away without a word…

She was mad at how I was reacting…but she needed to know how I felt about the situation…. If Junhyung would’ve laid one finger on her I didn’t know what I would do…

“And you skipped the rest of school?” I said. “Jae you can’t…” I started to say something else to her but she cut me off with “Why are you scolding me like I’m some sort of child Yang Yoseob!?” she yelled. “Because that’s how your acting!” I yelled back. She looked hurt the tears building in her eyes even more… she didn’t look at me again. I sighed backing away from her…I wanted to give her space…

I left her room… and walked downstairs. I slipped on my shoes and left her house….

I didn’t want to make her cry…

Jae’s POV

Yoseob left me sitting in my room. My eyes were watery and I tried to back my tears… I just argued with my best friend…who I called myself trying to avenge earlier today…but just winded up making him mad at me…I lay back on my bed burying my face into my pillow letting the tears flow. I felt terrible about what I did, the embarrassing feeling started to come back. Now I regretted hitting Junhyung…but why did it start now….?

I was no better than him right?

Like Yoseob said….what if Junhyung would’ve fought me back… I would’ve just worried everyone even more…they were already worried about me to begin with. I got up off my bed and walked to the bathroom. Turning on the light I looked in the mirror and dried my tears. I turned the water on and washed my face. I just need to forget about all of this and get back to the better me…

Yoseob’s POV

I lay in bed thinking about my friend...that was our first little disagreement…argument you may call it. But I hoped we could move past it. I sighed turning over and looking at my hand, when I touched her she turned from me… If only she knew how much I worry about her sometimes….how much I care. I closed my hand and put my finger to my lips…..

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The next morning I was waiting for Jae outside of Manchan’s. I had just bought a bag full of pepero for us to snack on during class… I hope she was feeling better today…that she was over what happened yesterday. I saw her come around the corner. “Annyong” I smiled at her hoping to receive one back. “Annyong” she smiled back which made me feel good… We started to walk together. “Are you still mad at me…?” I asked looking down. I waited for her answer…

Jae’s POV

Yoseob greeted me with his usual smile as I turned the corner. I was glad he still waited for me… “Annyong” I gave him a smile back. “Are you still mad at me?” he asked. “Ani” I said. He nodded as we walked silently for a few minutes (I can’t stay mad at him). “Yoseob” I said. “Hmm?” he said looking at me with those puppy eyes of his. “I’m sorry” I said in English. “I’m sorry too” he replied in English as well. We smiled at each other which lead to us laughing. “Oh hey guess what I got ♪” Yoseob sung. “What?” I asked. He held up a Manchan’s shopping bag, “Pepero” he smiled. “Wow!” I exclaimed.”Yep I bought these just for us” he said. “Kamsamnida” I smiled.

Today I feel better….things were getting back to normal.

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When we arrived to the school gates I saw the girls waiting for us there. “Yoseob, unnie!” Taylor exclaimed. Joy ran to me giving me a hug. “Unnie I was worried” she said hugging me tightly as if I was going to disappear. I patted the back of her head. “Mian” I said. “Yoseob we’re glad you’re alright” Zsuzsi smiled. “Thanks noona” he smiled back. Joy hugged him too causing his face to turn a little red. We laughed at his expression. “Is that pepero?” Jameel asked, her guys seem to be peering through the shopping bag Yoseob was holding. “Ne” I nodded. “Oppa can we have some?” May asked. All the girls looked at Yoseob with big eyes. “Um…well” I grabbed his hand quickly. “Mehrong!” I said sticking my tongue out at them. “Jae!” J unnie yelled after me. “Unnie you guys should share!” Joy shouted chasing after us. The other girl followed. “Give us pepero too!” Camila whined. “Pepero!” we heard Mir shout. “YAHHHHH!!!!” we heard him yell as he started to chase Yoseob and I too.

We ran faster….

I’m glad things were back to the way they were before….

To be continued…