“Seohyun!” someone called my name. Seohyun is my nickname. I turned around and saw my best friend. She was Choi Sooyoung. “Sooyoung!” I called back. She came running to me. “I got a B for my report. Is that good?” she asked. “Of course it is,” I replied.

“When are things going to actually happen?” she asked. “What do you mean?” I asked. “I mean that things are super boring here,” she answered. I raised an eyebrow. “This is about a guy, isn’t it?” I said. She nodded and showed me a magazine. It had a handsome man on the cover. It said, “Superstar is the age of a high school student.” “He’s the age of a high school student! And I saw on the news that he claims that he’s going to this school!” she squealed. “A celebrity… going into this school? You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said.

“It’s true,” she said. “Well, it’s not like he’s just going to walk in the door,” I said. Then we heard girls screaming. We checked to see what was going on and we saw the guy on the magazine crowded by girls.

“I stand corrected,” I said. I looked to my side and noticed that Sooyoung left me. She was in the crowd of girls. I rolled my eyes and started walking to class. “3… 2… 1,” I said. And as soon as I said, “1,” the bell rang and everyone was off to their classrooms.

I sat on a chair next to an empty one. I always sat alone on the first classes of the day. But that all changed. “Students, we have a new… student. I’m sure you’re familiar with him. In fact, he’s a superstar,” the teacher said. Then a guy with a black, leather jacket came in. All the girls screamed.

“Hello, I’m Cho Kyuhyun. I’m pretty sure all of you know who I am,” he said. I froze and I took a long look at him. He couldn’t have possibly been Cho Kyuhyun. But it’s pretty impossible if someone has the same last name that goes with the first name of your past friend.

“Mr. Cho, you can sit next to Joohyun over there,” the teacher said. My eyes widened and I looked away. He nodded and walked to the seat next to mine. He sat down and looked at me.

“What?” I asked. “Nothing. It’s just that… you look familiar,” Kyuhyun said. I wondered if he thought I was Seo Joohyun, which I am, that he was friends with before. “Hello, I’m… Seo Joohyun,” I said. He looked at me. “J-Joohyun? The Joohyun from 2^nd grade?” he asked. I nodded. I couldn’t believe that he still remembered me.

“Wow, it’s been a long time. You’ve grown beautiful,” he said. I turned away to hide my blushing cheeks. “And you’ve grown handsome,” I said, still hiding my face. He patted my back and asked, “Are you blushing?” I shook my head. “Then face me,” he said. I shook my head again.

“Mr. Cho and Ms. Seo, is there anything you want to share with the class?” the teacher asked. We both shook our head. “Then pay attention,” he said. We both nodded.

After class, he followed me. Even to my locker. “Is there something you need?” I asked. “Ah, no. It’s just that you’re so beautiful. And why can’t I spend time with my old friend from 2^nd grade? You were the BEST!” he said. “Well, thank you. And you do know that you have fans, right?” I said.

“Seohyun!” I heard Sooyoung call. I groaned and looked at her. “Did you know that Kyuhyun is in your class?” she asked me as soon as she got to me. I pointed at Kyuhyun and he just smiled.

“Hi there. I’m Cho Kyuhyun,” he said. She jumped up and down from excitement. I sighed and closed my locker. “I knew it! He is in your class!” she squealed. Kyuhyun chuckled. “What’s so funny?” I asked. “Your friend knows I’m a star and you don’t? So you didn’t bother to find out where I was so… did you even care about me?” he asked.

“No, it’s not like that. After you left in the 2^nd grade, I was lonely. I missed you so much. I would’ve been depressed if I saw you on TV and I wasn’t there with you. So I guess I kind of forgot about you,” I said. “You knew him?” Sooyoung asked. “Yeah, we were like best friends in the 2^nd grade,” Kyuhyun answered.

“Kyu, I didn’t mean to not care. I only forgot while I was trying to move on,” I said. “You haven’t changed at all,” he suddenly said. I raised an eyebrow. “You always explain why something happened and you never put the situation down for a whole day. Maybe even two,” he said.

“It’s because I care. Now, I’m going to Music class,” I said. Then I saw him follow me. “Hey, I’m going and you should go to your own class,” I said. “I was recommended to go to Music class and I took it. I’m in Music class,” he said. “Of course,” I mumbled.

“Why? Do you think I’m annoying?” he asked, making a puppy face. I turned away and said, “No, it’s just that I feel weird that you’re following me.” I saw him smirk at the corner of my eye.

“I’m going to follow you all day, then,” he said. I groaned. “You haven’t changed at all, either. You still do things like following me,” I said. “Yes I do!” he said, proudly. I rolled my eyes.

I walked across the hallway, but I never experienced seeing a superstar in the corner of my eye. He was in my peripheral vision. I felt so weird. Not just because he was a superstar. It was also because he was the guy in my past. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced it but I think you would know that it feels pretty awkward.

“How are your mom and dad?” I asked to break the silence. Kyuhyun looked down. He became silent. He looked up and said, “They’re dead.” “Oh! I’m sorry I asked,” I said. “No, it’s okay,” he said. He looked at me and said, “That’s why I need someone to be a friend right now. It’s been hard.”

I patted his back and said, “Don’t’ worry.” He looked at me straight in the eyes and smiled. In his eyes, I saw the same kid who teased me at first, but became kind to me. I might as well tell you about it.

In elementary school...

When I first came to school, no one would talk to me. I was really lonely and I regretted moving to Seoul. I was eating lunch on a lonely table. And that’s when he showed up.

“I don’t have anything! You took it from me!” a little boy exclaimed. “Well, I need more food and I think you stole your lunch box back,” another boy said. He was bigger than the first boy who talked. I stood up and walked to them.

“Hey, you shouldn’t be doing this to boys smaller than you!” I yelled. “Hey, look at this. A little girl is going to fight your fights? Pathetic!” the larger boy said. The smaller boy looked at him and punched him in the nose. He grabbed my hand and we ran like the wind. We went under stairs and the large boy wasn’t able to find us.

“Wow, you’ve got guts to go up to him and say that. What’s your name?” he said. “I’m Seo Joohyun. You can call me Seohyun. What’s your name?” I answered. “Cho Kyuhyun. You can call me Kyu,” he said. He opened his lunch box and gave me some of his sandwich.

“I saw that you weren’t able to finish your food back at the cafeteria. You can have some of my sandwich,” he said. I took it and bit the sandwich. I finished it right when the bell rang. It was time for recess.

“Joohyun, can you stay with me?” he suddenly asked. I was thinking about leaving so I could walk on the playground alone. But staying with him would be the first time I’d have company.

“Um… sure,” I said. I sat next to him, feeling awkward. “You know, this is the first time a girl has ever been with me,” he said. I looked at him and looked back at the floor.

“Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderful?” he started to sing. I looked at him and he was staring at the floor. “Isn’t she precious? Less than one minute old,” I sang with him. “I never thought, through love we’d be making one as lovely as she. Isn’t she lovely? Made from love,” we both sang and laughed when we finished.

“You’re good. You should be star when you grow up,” I said. “You should too,” he replied. We both smiled. And that’s how we became best friends. But of course, he left after that grade.

Present...

He tapped my shoulder and asked, “We’re almost to Music class or what?” “Oh. We’re almost there,” I said. I was worried though. If any of the girls in Music class saw me with Kyuhyun, they’d try to kill me. Except for a few of the girls.

Once we walked in, girls squealed. I sighed and sat down. I was hoping Kyuhyun wouldn’t sit next to me because there was an empty chair next to me and the girls would kill me. But he did. He sat down next to me and smiled at me. I looked at all the girls and most of them were looking at me with angry looks. Only a few girls were just minding their own business.

I knew that it was going to be tough in Music class today. But I was ready for it.