"We're what?!?" screamed Jiyong from the bathroom. Annoyed, he quickly washed off his face, protecting his eyes from the soap flowing down his hair. He was in the middle of showering when suddenly, he heard his room's door fly open, making him almost fall into a slippery death. Annoyed, the young man quickly finished off and tried to put on some clothes. He just didn't understand why anyone would want to disturb him in the shower. It was his peaceful time, no yelling, no girls, just him and the continuous flow of water clearing his head for the day. 

Oh, he was so going to give his brother hell for this.

"We're going to the house of the 'so-called' kingka of my middle school!!" Jiyong's little brother screamed back with an even more annoyed voice. Little Seunghyun just couldn't fathom why HE was dragged into this situation. Wasn't it enough that he had to see the man every day, making his blood boil? I mean, what was so good with that twerp? Seunghyun had all the confidence in the world that could totally beat Babeom in a "who's more handsome" contest any day. Then, he'd get all those girls and they'd faint at his smile.... And then he would die because Chae Rin would beat some sense into his head. For some reason he couldn't fathom, even in his daydreaming, how Chae Rin would make her way in. It wasn't unusual though, he thought. Maybe because they had been friends for so long that he just couldn't really imagine a life without her. She was family. They were all family.  

"And why am I being dragged in this?" The voice of his annoyed brother interrupted Seunghyun's thoughts and brought the present problem back on track. He watched his brother as Jiyong came out of the washroom, baggy pants over his waist and his hands drying his dark hair. 

"Ask her." Seunghyun pointed exasperatedly to the now frozen Chae Rin, barely breathing and biting her lips as she held onto the edges of Jiyong's bed. He watched his bestfriend turn from white then to red, starting from her chin all the way up to her forehead making him cough off a giggle. What did this situation reminded him of, exactly?

Ah. "You're like one of those manhwa fangirls about to faint from the sight of - oomf!"  Seunghyun felt the impact of a wet towel on his face, its force pushing him towards the soft bed. Wet towel? 

"What- why??? Hyung!!! EWWWWW!" He howled and quickly threw it off himself, grimacing.  

Jiyong looked at his brother with disapproval before inwardly chuckling to himself as he looked at Chae Rin. "Don't worry. Used it for my hair."

Examining her, Jiyong had to admit to himself that it was... Cute, the way she liked him, but he truly believed that it was her and his dongsaeng who was meant to be in the end, hence playing along with her crush on him wouldn't really affect anyone in the long run, right? I mean, they're just kids. They were all just kids. There was no harm in him letting her fawn and enjoying the attention. It wouldn't change anything in his mind, really. 

Little did he suspect that nothing was ever set in stone.

"Ey, stop making fun of your cute best friend," Jiyong said then flashed a smile at the girl who was now covering her eyes with both hands, though they failed to completely hide the flush of pink in her face. The young man chuckled then went to his closet to put a shirt on. Maybe he had been acting too absentmindedly, but he clearly didn't mind either way. They all grew up together and being in the same room came so naturally, he almost forgot she wasn't really his sister. He quickly glanced at the mirror from the door and ran his fingers through his hair, musing, "I don't have to dress up, right? I just hate wearing uptight clothing." He mumbled.

The poor girl shook her head and said in a small voice. "No need to wear anything of the sort. I mean- i mean...." Chae Rin fumbled with her words, her cheeks reddening than ever before. "Now.. If you'll excuse me," and without opening her eyes, she waved around, trying to find her way out of the room and the awkward situation life was for her. Personally, she didn't think her heart could take any more of... Jiyong. First his ness, though to admit she didn't really saw much. She just stared at his face, or so that was all she was willing to admit even to herself, then tightly covered her eyes before seeing anything else. She totally wasn't lying to herself now. She swears. 

"Here," Jiyong said as he held one of her elbows, leading her off to the door. Good too, because he needed to beat some sense into his knucklehead of a brother. The kingka of his school? And he's inviting Chae Rin? He simply couldn't let a guy like him get his little sister and ruin their mother's plans of joining the families together. Jiyong played a small smile on his lips at the thought of their parents reacting to the news - a kingka, in love with their princess.

Jiyong closed the door and turned to his brother, an evil plan forming in his mind. "So... Tell me more about this king."

"Pick up the phone! Pick up the phone!!!" Chae Rin half whispered in frustration as she listened to the ringing on the other line. Her heart was pounding, no, racing. Aaaah. Whatever the word was to describe the moment you first see the man you love , then that was. Wait.... BUT SHOULDN'T THAT HAVE HAPPENED AFTER THEY, YOU KNOW, MARRY? DID THAT MEAN THEY WERE NOW ON PAR WITH NEWLY WED COUPLES? Oh my goodness, please pick up the phone. 

"Yeoboseyo. Park residence, Jaebeom -"

"EONNNI!!!!! Eonni- i need eonni!" Chae Rin screamed into the phone and broke to hysterics, here feeble pre-teenage mind unable to process her emotions anymore.

 

"C-Chae Rin? Oh my God. Are you okay? Where are you? Do you want me to come get you? What happened? Are you hurt???!" Jaebeom cried back into the little piece of electronic connecting him and the voice. Dread over the well-being of his little puppy love filled him. But really, let's face it. What can a thirteen year old do to help? Take his bicycle across:over town and rescue her? Was she kidnapped? How would he fight off the criminals, hit them with his helmet?

Jaebeom couldn't possibly understand what was happening, and so, he told himself and her to breathe. 

"Okay, calm down. Breathe. That's right. Keep breathing." He said, before taking a deep breath, and upon hearing the same sound coming from the other end of the line, he sighed. "First of all, are you safe?"

"Yes."

"Are you at home?"

"Yes."
 

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No.. But thanks.." Her small voice cracked a little, making him feel relief. She didn't sound repulsed at the idea, more of.. Thankful. And for that, he was relieved. 

"Will you be really okay if I give the phone to noona?"

"Yes, I will be. Please and thanks.. Jaebeom," the voice whispered softly, and for a second, he found his heart skip the tiniest bit, and heard the first reason he loved hearing her voice.

For the way she says his name: no expectations, no flirtations, no innuendos, disapproval or order. Just his name. That was it. 

"Wait. Wait!! I can't understand you!" Bom screamed over the telecom, one finger clearing her ears. Was she going deaf? Or was this girl one hell of a rapper that she couldn't understand a single thing she was saying? "Slowly. One word at a time."

"Uh-huh. Yeah. So lemme get this.." The Corn Goddess looked at her feather duster, her nose scrunched upon seeing how dirty it had become. "Towel. Guy. . Bed. Uh what else? Ah yes. Perfection.. Wait a moment okay?"

And then it dawned on her. "OH MY GOD. YOU SAW HIM WITH ONLY A TOWEL AND HE DIDN'T COVER HIMSELF UP? AND YOU WERE ON HIS BED?!?!??!?? HOLY CORN. OH, HE WAS WEARING PANTS? BUT STILL, YOU TWO ARE TOO YOUNG TO BE DOING-"

And then there was a pause.

"What? You weren't alone? HOLY CORN ON A COB, THERE WERE TWO GUYS? AND IT WAS HIS BROTHER TO BOOT?"

A defeaning scream of denial rang on the other end, making Bom out the earpiece a meter away from her ears. "Okay. Okay. So no funny business, right? Yeesh, you scared me so much there. Oh, what did i mean by funny business?" She made a face, blushing for a second. Hell, was she glad that no one was around to hear and see her reaction for that. She looked back to double-check if Jaebeom was behind her and thanked the heavens he wasn't.  

"Never mind the funny business. Whoo. So you saw him .. Well, first off, how was it?" Bom asked, her eyebrows raising in curiousity at the story of this little girl.

"Skinny? Bony? Then how can that be perfect? Ah arasseo arasseo. Perfect indeed. Oh, sorry. I forgot I wasn't allowed to call him that."

See, this was what Bom had been missing. A little sister. And as much as she adored being Jaebeom's noona, she never had the experience of excitement when two girls talked about the guys that they liked. 

"Okay. Secondly, you two are faaaar from being like a married couple. Trust me. Yeah, I'm an expert in these kinds of things. How? Well... U-uhh.. Dramas, girl! They're like real life, only more eventful. That's right. So calm down. Yeah. You two are good. Still oppa-dongsaeng. Yeah. You don't think you can look him at the eyes ever?? Awwww how cute." Bom fawned. Ahh and suddenly it was like a drama unfolding right before her ears. This. This was truly a teenage love. At it's best. And ever-slightly, weirdest. 

"Ooh, I'm excited when you guys come over. Yeah. I'll see you this weekend! Bye!"

The Corn Goddess stood up and continued about her work, her mind buzzing with the possibilities when Jaebeom's voice startled her from behind. 

"Is she all better now?" 

Bom glanced at her care and saw a tinge of concern in his eyes.. Real concert. "Yep. Told you I'm an expert." She grinned and straightened herself up, fixing her uniform. 

"Ah, thank god. She sounded so scared.." He said as he looked down, his voice trailing off to silence.

Goodness gracious. Did Bom really just stumbled off into a modern fairy tale romance where her little man was going to battle the princess' unknowing one true prince? Ah. But why, of all, did she have to be the fairy godmother of both sides? Now this will be one of the most complicated stories Bom would ever have to solve and see to the end.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

please spread this <3 i'm going back to writing slowly, okay? be patient, loves