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She looked at the clock ticking its way to 7 in the morning. It was too early to for a young girl like her to wake up. However, she was no ordinary young girl, at least not the only one. Her friend Ga-in was also awake but in the bathroom now. She carefully combed her hair and tied it up. She went into the living room and sat down for breakfast. The older woman served food on the table and sat down along with her. Ga-in entered few minutes later before they started.

             After they finished breakfast and cleaning up the table, she picked up her jacket and took her cell phone.

“You are going somewhere Hara?”   Ga-in asked as soon as she noticed.

“Yeah, just to the book store…”   she simply answered.

“This early dear? They might not even be opened yet.”   The older lady said.

“Don’t worry Nana, they always open at 6. I saw it myself once.”   Hara assured that she might not have to come back with disappointment.

“Alright, just be back early.”   Ga-in shrugged and went back to the room.

She went out in the cold and started walking towards her destination. However while walking an image flashed into her mind. She quickly stopped in the middle and started thinking.

Maybe I’m thinking too much.

She started walking again this time a bit more relaxed. She arrived at the store 15 minutes later; she started looking for a book. As her fingers traced each book, her mind traced back to her memory. The boy who kept looking at her, He had an exceptional face. But why was he looking at her like that? She should be one to goggle at him and she admitted that he was very beautiful. Maybe the spinach was stuck onto her teeth. But it was actually hard for her to rip her eyes off his face.

Good thing I went off before eye that boy…   she laughed in her mind and unintentionally shook her head. When she found the book, she immediately rushed to the shelf and before she could take it out, her fingers touched someone else’s.

She looked at the person with the person looking at her t the same time.

Him?” She could definitely fall off a cliff now.

“Uhh, you can have this, I’ll have another one.”   She lightly smiled and walked off.

“Wait!”   He called her from behind. She turned back; he walked forward with the book with a bit of nervousness on his face.

“Yes?”   Hara calmly responded, compared to the boy.

“Uhh, this may seem weird…but have we met somewhere before?”   He asked.

Heh…a typical conversation…

“Why of course, at university. We bumped into each other. Your face is very hard to forget.”   She smiled with a hint of flirt.

With that sort of attitude my boy, you’ll never come near me again.  

“Well…am I that ugly?”   His face showed a tension…which was entertaining to Hara.

Ugly? I could eat you off young man.

“Of course not, you’re that eye-catching.”   She smiled like an elderly woman flirting with a young man. At last she saw a light smile on his face. She was actually sort of relieved to see that he wasn’t uncomfortable with her.

“Ohh...thank you…but I don’t mean the university...I mean I have seen you before…not at class but even before that…sorry to be rude but I’m Jaejoong. Kim Jaejoong.”   He held out his hand to her. She slowly took his hand and warmly smiled at him.

“Koo Hara, nice to meet you.” They were finally normal with each other.

“If you don’t mind, would you like to have coffee with me at a nearby café?”   He shyly asked.

Oh how sweet…the young boy is asking his Nuna to join him for coffee. He obviously thinks I’m younger than him. Well I see no harm here.   Which she will later regret.

“Sure, why not? I’ll love to join you.”   She on purpose is totally free with him to scare him.

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Hara took her sip of coffee and observed the boy in front of her. He was very shy to even start talking. He didn’t seem this shy when inviting her. She had to do everything herself.

“So you’re a new student here. Tell me more about yourself.”

“Well, I’m at the composing department along with my friend. I’m 24 and I live in an apartment with my friends Kim Junsu and Par Yoochun and…”

“You’re 24?”   Hara asked.

“Yes…why do you ask?”   He simply looked at her.

Ai dim! I thought he was younger than me…gosh he is…

“How old are you if you don’t mind me asking?”   He asked carefully without seeming like and interferer.

“I’m 3 years younger than you…”   te-hee for Hara. She couldn’t even smile properly. She messed with the wrong person. She thought it was better to change the subject.

“So you live with your friends…where are your parents?”

“They live here however in another town.”

“Any siblings? Hold on is Kim Junsu your brother?”

“Ahhahah…no, everyone seems to think that just because we share the same surname. No we’re just friends. But I do have a sister…a biological sister and one half-brother.”   He looked at her only to find a wide pair of eyes looking at him.

“What?”

“And you’re the oldest?

He nodded.

“Alright never mind. Tell me more about your life. Why did transfer here in the middle of the semester? Everyone is talking about it.”

“There are some reasons. Long story actually, now tell me about yourself.”   Jaejoong countered with her statement.

“Well, as you know, I’m from the piano department. I live with my friend Son Ga-in and my nanny. My parents are in Jeolla and I love my life here.”

“You’re in piano department? Then you must have seen Yoochun. He’s there as well.”   He laughed, as if relieved as if it was a big deal.

“Really? He’s new there?”   Now come to think of it, she does remember a new face.

“That’s him?”   She said when she finally recalled. Jaejoong nodded happily like a child.

“That’s great! But where did you see me before?”   Hara finally went back to the topic which led them here in the first place.

“This is also a long story.”   Jaejoong rubbed his forehead.

“I’m listening.”

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Junsu came out of the bathroom with a towel on his head. He looked around and noticed that someone was missing.

“Where’s Jaejoong?”   He mumbled. He put the towel on the sofa and took out his cell. Before he could dial, his lost friend entered and slumped on the sofa.

“Junsu?”   He whined.

“Hyung, where have you been?”   Junsu slowly asked.

“How many times should I tell you not to put wet towel anywhere? It wets the furniture. Now look my pant is wet.”   Jaejoong threw the towel on his face. Junsu got a bit disgusted because he was sitting on it. Nevertheless he asked again.

“Where have you been this early?”

“To the bookstore.”

“Oh.”   Junsu responded and was about to walk off but Jaejoong called him.

“Hey Junsu, remember when I went to Japan for a week?”   Junsu nodded.

“Remember I told you about a girl I saw at the hospital?”   Jaejoong asked further. Junsu nodded again.

“I met her today…at the bookstore.”   Jaejoong slowly said.

“Really? That’s good. Who is she?”   Junsu asked.

“Her name is Koo Hara and fortunately, she’s student at our university and upon that she’s Yoochun’s classmate.”   Jaejoong almost said out loud.

“Uhh...Mickey’s sleeping, so not so loud eh?” Junsu whispered.

“But seriously what did you guys talk about?”

“Well, I got to know what she studies and that she’s extremely brilliant and what happened in Japan that time etc.”   Jajeoong said.

“Great, I’ll to the story someday else but first lets have breakfast. I’m starving.”   Junsu rubbed his poor stomach.

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Yoochun was walking towards his class. Their friends’ class always starts before Yoochun’s which gives him more time to sleep but he always has to come alone. He entered the class, and none as usual bothered to notice him. Gosh how he missed his popularity. The teacher, Emon, hasn’t arrived yet.

Is he always this late?

He took the seat he took last class. The students were either reading or talking but only in duo. Yoochun remembered that students back at previous university had various groups and tables. Here they’re only interested in groups during studies or departments. Then he noticed the girl Hara coming in. she seemed happier than last time. She suddenly looked at Yoochun, nervous; he tried to avoid her gaze. She comfortably seated beside him.

“Hi, you must be Yoochun.”   She greeted. He was sort of taken aback with her sudden friendliness.

“Yeah, and you’re Hara…”   Of course you twit! Why am I introducing her name?

“I know that…so catching up to syllabus?”   She asked. He nodded still confused how she knows his name.

“You must be wondering how I know your name. I know your friend Kim Jaejoong. We met today.”   Yoochun slumped in his mind disappointingly. He finally thought he was getting popular, but it was Jaejoong.

“Ohh, you know him….great...well yeah I’m catching up to syllabus.”   He muttered.

“Good, cause no one gets to come here in the middle of the semester, only you and your friends.”   She smiled. He smiled back actually happy that he has someone to talk to here.

She’s so cute….

“By the way, your friend asked me to take care of you, since you’re like a bunny.” She lightly laughed.

“I’m not a bunny, I’m Mickey.”   He whined.

“Yeah, he also told me that’s your nickname. Your parents named you or your previous classmates named you?”

“Oh he told you about that too? My parents named me that unlike the others.”

“Don’t worry, if you don’t like to be called that way, no one will call you that.”   Hara assured that.

“Yeah well I would…..”   The teacher already entered before he could finish.

God man, you had to come now? I would love it if she calls me Mickey.

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Junsu was walking looking for the toilet. He had to go now? It was in the middle of the class and being a shy boy as he is, he couldn’t even tell Mrs. Yvonne, until Jaejoong stood up and said. He mentally slapped himself.

         He rushed in as quickly as he found the toilet. And after he came out, he heard some noises and shouts. He was sort of surprised to hear shouts here. He thought nobody would do that here. He walked further and peeked behind a wall.

   A girl with short hair was shouting at a boy. The boy seemed absolutely scared. The girl kept shouting at him. She seemed like a bully and with the dress she was wearing, anyone would get the image that she’s a bully.

I didn’t know there were bullies here.

She was wearing a black short overcoat and black shorts, revealing her long tender legs. Her hair covered half of her face even though it was only short to her neck. He could see the hint of white of her skin through the hair.

“YOU LITTLE NINKAPOOP! NEVER STAYING IN LIMITS! JERKS LIKE YOU NEVER LEARN UNLESS STOCKING SOME MANNERS IN YOU! IF YOU EVER DARE DO THAT AGAIN I SWEAR I’LL GET YOU EXPELLED FORM THIS COLLEGE!”

That seemed too much to him. He had seen bullies like her at his previous college. That was one of the major reasons why he left that place. He won’t be able to bear it if the same happens here.

She was about to walk away when he came out and called out to her.

“Hey you!”   She looked back revealing her entire face. Oval shaped face, very white and smaller eyes than anyone here and heavy eyeliner.

“Me?”   She pointed at herself.

“Yeah you, who do you, think you are? Screaming at the poor boy like that.”   He pointed out.

She looked at him with no emotions. The boy looked at both of them, sensing danger he scrammed.

“Who do you think you are? Interfering at other people’s business like that.”   She said.

“Doesn’t matter who I am, you shouldn’t bully anyone like that.” He loudly said.

She raised an eyebrow at his comment. Then she slightly sighed; understanding the entire situation.

“You’re new here aren’t you? Well don’t judge the situation unless you know the entire thing, since you’re new here I don’t need to explain to you. Now mind your own business.”   She said and walked off.

He clenched his teeth. How dare she say that? He was not going to bear all of this here. He had been through too much, but not here. He was going to do something about it. But at the time he needed to get back to his class.     ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::