http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUvwxdWbYew

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I slammed my palm on my phone to stop the alarm from going off. I stretched and caught the scent of breakfast from downstairs. I shuffled out of my room to have breakfast. I always had breakfast before I got ready as I was paranoid that I would stain my uniform. I padded downstairs to the kitchen.

“Morning, mom~”

“Morning, sweetie. Help yourself!”

I decided on cereal, some strawberries and a small cup of tea.

“Is that it?” Mom asked, eyeing my meal.

She asked me this every morning. I actually didn’t like having breakfast. I was never hungry that early and it just felt pointless even though I knew it wasn’t.

“I’m not hungry,” I said for the millionth time.

She humphed and turned back to the stove. I quickly finished my breakfast and headed upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. When I headed back downstairs JongUp was just finishing his breakfast.

“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing his backpack.

“JongUp-ah, we need to talk.”

“Well let’s walk and talk so we’re not late.”

We walked out the front door and started heading to the bus stop.

“Ok,” I started, “I know I’m your baby sister and you don’t want me to be close to any guys but you but that’s not fair. JunHong seems really nice so I don’t see why we can’t at least be friends.

“Just friends?”

“We barely know each other what else would we be?”

JongUp stopped and turned to me. “You’re right. I was a real jerk yesterday. Mianhe~” He smiled embarrassedly and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I forgive you oppa but it’s not me you have to apologize to.”

Just then we heard the rolling of wheels against the sidewalk and turned to see JunHong speeding towards us on a skateboard. When he got closer he hopped off and stepped on the end of the skateboard so it flipped up into his hands.

“Hey! Looks like we go to the same school!” He grinned at the both of us and I wondered if he remembered how JongUp had treated him yesterday.

I nudged my brother and he cleared his throat.

“JunHong-ssi, I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. It was really –”

“That’s ok, hyung. We all have off days.” He smiled genuinely. “Are you guys headed to the bus stop?”

“Yeah,” JongUp said, a little taken aback at JunHong’s cheerfulness, “Wanna come with?”

“Thanks but I prefer boarding if you don’t mind.”

“No problem.”

When JongUp looked away Zelo winked playfully at me, then sped off on his skateboard. He was soon out of sight even though JongUp and I weren’t walking slowly. In about 5 minutes we arrived at the bus stop. JunHong was already there of course, leaning coolly again the bus shelter. The bus pulled up and we trudged inside.

“Saya,” JongUp whispered, “I’ll sit with my friends and you can sit with JunHong.”

I smiled gratefully and went to sit next to JunHong.

“I hope I’m not keeping you from sitting with your friends,” he said.

I hid my face. I didn’t have any close friends at school. There were girls I would exchange a few words with but no one that was close enough that I’d sit next to them on the bus. As for guys, I got asked out often but I never said yes. I didn’t understand why guys liked me and after my first relationship I was pretty hesitant.  JongUp knew I was asked out a lot but he wasn’t worried because he knew I always said no.

“Saya?”                                                                                                                                                                    

“Oh, um, no, you’re not keeping me from anyone.”

“Well then,” he pulled out his phone, “I didn’t get your number yesterday…”

I took his phone and entered my number and let him do the same. I looked at my phone and saw that he had entered his name as ‘Zelo’. Before I could ask him why, a shadow fell over us and I looked up to see the school kingka, Kim HimChan. Unfortunately, he was who I had history with. He had asked me out and I said yes. We dated for a month until he tried to force himself on me. I had gotten away and now I tried my best to avoid him at school. He was really good-looking but he scared the crap out of me. I couldn’t imagine being his girlfriend now.

“And who might you be?” he asked, staring at JunHong.

“I’m Choi JunHong.”

HimChan narrowed his eyes and leaned close to JunHong. “I am Kim HimChan, the most popular guy in school. The girl you’re sitting next to is my one and only target. If you get in between us I’ll snap your skinny little neck, arasso?”

JunHong looked like he was holding his breath. Out of fear? Suddenly he burst out laughing in HimChan’s face.

“Are you serious?” JunHong asked, trying to catch his breath. He pretended to cover his neck in fear.

“Aish! You punk!” HimChan hissed, starting to make a fist.

The bus came to a halt and HimChan gripped the seat so he wouldn’t fall back. He gave JunHong a disgusted look and stalked off. JunHong smirked and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He turned to me, “Shall we?”

I nodded still dazed from what had just happened. As we walked to the entrance of the school girls were giggling, squealing and pointing at JunHong. He didn’t seem to notice them though. He gawked around at the school grounds and buildings.

“Wah~ this is so much bigger than my other school! You’ll show me around right, Saya?” He looked like an excited little boy with his eyes bright and wandering and his mouth gaping open. I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable he looked. His happy face pushed away my uneasy thoughts about HimChan.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, you just look so happy.”

“I am! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“HimChan didn’t bother you?

He laughed. “No way. Did you see his little pretty-boy hands? There’s no way he could snap my neck! But…why are you his target?”

“I don’t –”

“What am I even asking?” He smacked his forehead, “It’s obvious!”

“Why then?”

“Do you not own a mirror, Saya? What guy wouldn’t be chasing after you? You’re beautiful.”

My face got redder than it had ever been in my entire life. No guy outside my family had ever told me I was beautiful, not even HimChan.

“Saya, are you ok?!” JunHong asked, peering at my face. He sounded truly alarmed. “Are you allergic to something in the air?”

I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. I started coughing on purpose.

“I think I swallowed a bug or something.”

“The more I think about it…why aren’t you the queenka?”

“MWOH? No way. You have to be really popular and have lots of friends!”

“I’m sure you have lots of friends, Saya.”

I avoided his eyes as we entered the school building. No, I thought, I actually don’t have any friends, JunHong.