Chapter 1:

The Best Thing

|Starring Jiyeon X Joon|

                It was the first day of their senior year.  Jiyeon was looking at her classmates in crisp uniforms all beaming and greeting at each other.  She wondered at how each of them would turn out.  She knew who will probably end up in the university, who will probably run a business, and who will probably end up with whom.   She thought, the future won’t be sure.  This year was their last chance in many things.  It seemed to her that a lot of things have to be carefully decided. 

She saw him in the corner of her eye.  He was standing tall and laughing with his clique, flawless and sparkling in his own cheery way.  A feeling of nervousness, excitement, and gloom arose in her.  She realized that this is probably the last year she will see Joon.  And in that moment she knew she had to do it.  This year she decided that she has to tell him no matter what.  It’s her last chance.

At the stage, the head of the school motioned everybody in the gymnasium to quiet down.  Students hurried to the line of their assigned classes.    Earlier today she found out she is assigned in 3-B, along with other former classmates.  She half-walked, and half-ran to her other classmates who were already in line.  They listened to the head’s welcome message half-heartedly, the guy next to her yawning widely. She looked up to see who it is, and to her surprise she saw that it was Joon. Her Joon.  She pinched her cheeks to see if she was dreaming.  She’s not.  They were never classmates before.  Joon was always in the Class-A.  “If you’re sleepy don’t pinch your cheeks,” Joon told her after seeing her pinch her cheeks.  “It is turning red already,” he said.  He’s real. She turned around to hide her blush and her nervousness.

All day at class Jiyeon just did two things, watch him and pretend not to watch him.  She wished a thousand times before to become classmates with him but now that he is here she doesn’t even know what to do.  She understood that this year is going to be very interesting and complicated for her.  “So beautiful,” Jiyeon said, trying to imagine what it would be like to be close to him, feeling like this every day, happy and content looking at his perfection. “Who is beautiful?” a voice behind asked, full of curiosity and intrigue.  It was Soyeon.

“Today is beautiful!!  Isn’t the weather pretty?” Jiyeon said in defence, although it was totally dumb and stupid to say this on a rainy day. “Don’t kid me. I know you.  You like him up until now, right?.” Soyeon said with a giggle masked with mischief.  “ Ssshh. Someone might hear you.” She pulled Soyeon closer and whispered to her, “Don’t tell him.  I will, someday.  But, not yet.” Soyeon just nodded in agreement, she likes being in on a secret.

Weeks passed without them getting close to each other.  They talked a few times but Jiyeon is still too awkward around him.  She finds it hard to think straight and not get awestruck every now and then.  Soyeon had advised her to do something about this.  She should start acting normal or else her little secret would get busted.

 She improved at it as days passed, she can now talk to him without being drawn into his eyes.  She now levelled-up to ‘friend-level’ from ‘just-another-classmate level’.  The more she gets closer to him the more she admires him.  Joon to him is like a muse.  He is her inspiration, her source of pride, and her happiness.  Senior year can’t get anymore better.

 Joon likes playing pranks on others.  He likes the reaction of girls to his actions. One day,  Jiyeon became one of his victims.  “Jiyeon,” he called out to her, “ do you want to see some magic?” “Uhmm,” w as all she could mutter. “Okay, first hold into my hands,” he instructed her, and although she is hesitant she did as she was told.  “Now, look into my eyes,” he said, this is making Jiyeon a little more nervous.  She lost sense of everything, because she is looking right into his eyes.  “Now, can you feel the magic?” he asked her.  She nodded.  And at this, Joon laughed out.  She just realized what happened, there was no magic, he just played a prank on her.  Deeply embarrassed she just eyed Joon. 

“Are you mad?” Joon asked worried.

“Your joke wasn’t the least bit funny,” she retaliated, a deep blush on her face.

“But, is it true? Did you really feel magic?” he said.  He noticed her deep blush, her angered face.  Why did he notice it just now? This girl in front of him is beautiful.  He doesn’t regret what he just did. 

“Stop it.  I’m really disappointed in you.  Why do you have to do this to us girls? Don’t play with our feelings,” she blurted out regretting it afterwards. 

“I didn’t mean to. It’s just a game.  I’m so sorry.  I won’t do it again.  I promise,” he said.

 How can she not forgive this man who was so sincere in his words? This is what she loved about him, his playfulness, his sincerity, his out-going character.  Where in the world did she find the reason to be mad at this beautiful creature?

“I…I…I…I..” I like you, wants to tell him.  “Forget it.  Just don’t do it again,” she said. Just don’t do it to other girls, she thought.