There was a boy. A very strange boy. I knew him ever since we were kids. We are classmates, actually. Both of us are doing the usual stuff. We weren’t really talking to each other. He just stayed at the back and kept silent. He’s always been like that for like, 12 years of being classmates.

My name is Lee Sunny, president of the class. I am currently on my 3^rd year in high school. Too much pressure is going on especially that we’re nearing our college. School paper, teacher’s day, exams, festivities, performances, name it all, the pressure’s all on me. Despite the all these pressure, I am silently reading my favorite book as I’m sitting in my usual spot.

“Lee Sunny, right?” a deep, cold, husky voice broke my concentration. I lowered my book to look at the speaker. He’s standing three feet away from where I’m sitting. The usual black outfit. The dark punk get-up.

“Oh? Kris Wu?” I swallowed a lump of saliva. Why? Why am I afraid all of a sudden? He’s my classmate. Of course he knows me. No need to be afraid of him.

“Yeah…” he said.

“Uhuh. What do you want?” I asked nervously. I shut my book. And stood up.

“I would like to ask for your help.” He said.

“Oh. What kind of help can I give you?” I tried to smile.

“It’s really embarrassing for me to ask this of you, but, could you help me with Chemistry?” he asked, still on his cold tone.

I had to laugh out loud for some reason. I found it really cute. He gave me a puzzled look. “I’m sorry. Of course I can help you. Let’s meet later at the library after class, okay?”

“Okay.” He said and left.

Kris Wu is my classmate ever since Kindergarten. I don’t know how he keeps up, but seriously, he’s like the outcast in our section. He’s always at the back in the same spot. Always wears black. Doesn’t talk to anybody. Well, at least he talks to the teacher when they speak to him. My girl friends are afraid of him, though. Well, we all are. He produces this black aura every time, maybe that’s why. I know deep down he’s very intelligent. Because he’s still in the crème section all these years.

Kris and I regularly met after class for Chemistry. He gets things fast, but he needs improvement. He’s a bright kid, I know. Over the year, we became friends. But he does not want anybody to know of our friendship. Maybe because he’s keeping his dark image in front of everybody. But once you get to know him, he’s really a good friend. At first I thought that he’s cold and all that, but he’s really sweet. He even walks me to my house when it gets dark after our session.

It was another busy day after classes when Kris accompanied me to my house. It’s already dark good thing he’s here. Since he is tall, I feel so protected when he’s near. He could easily scare off bad spirits away with his cold appearance. We were walking silently to my house.

“Sunny…” he suddenly said.

“Yeah?” I looked at him.

“Are you going with somebody to the prom?” he asked.

I blinked. Yeah, right. The prom is coming fast, too. People are already asking everyone out. Everyone is doing the sweetest way they could get the girl’s heart. It’s all too sweet and love’s in the air.

“Yeah, I’m going with my boyfriend.” I said as I recalled how he asked me.

It was a sunny morning when I was walking to school. As soon as I entered our classroom, I was surprised not because there were no other people than him. I was surprised because the place is full of red rose’s petals and confetti.

“Prom?” he asked me.

“Yah! Don’t you know I can report you for littering?” I asked him jokingly.

“The punishment is worth it.” He said and he walked to me and slowly, we kissed.

“Lee Sunny to earth!” Kris’s voice suddenly exploded around and I felt a hand shaking me to reality.

“Yah! Why did you do that?!”

“I was talking to you and you’re just smiling there like an idiot.” He said in his usual pissed tone.

“Aigoo. I’m sorry! Haha! What were you saying?”

“I was asking who your boyfriend is.”

“It’s Luhan Xi. You probably don’t know him anyway. He’s in 3C.” I said.

“Oh. I know him.”

“Really? How?” I asked him in surprise.

“We’re friends.”

“Woah?! That’s nice! Wait. You have friends on other sections but you have no friends in our section? You’re a very strange guy, Kris!” I playfully punched his arm.

“I don’t like socializing with other people. Luhan is my best friend ever since we were kids.” He said.

After that night, everything became different for me. I started hanging out with the both of them. Luhan and Kris were indeed best friends. And I am happy for them. Because all these time, I thought that Kris is very lonely. Good thing he had Luhan before we became friends.

It was another busy day at school. I was staying late at the school to finish some paper works and run some errands. The sun hasn’t completely set when I started walking to my house. When I get to the park near our house, I was surprised by what I saw.

Kris was holding Luhan by his collar. I quickly ran to them. Kris was about to punch his face when I stopped his hand.

“Kris! What the hell?!” I asked in terror. He slowly turned his head towards me. I looked at him with pleading eyes. I don’t know what’s happening but I know that this isn’t good. “Please stop.”

Kris let go off of Luhan’s collar and I quickly hugged my boyfriend.

“Luhan, what happened?” I asked him, as I caressed his face. Looking for some signs of scars or bruises.

“Nothing. We fought over something.” He said silently. Almost inaudible.

I was reading something in the library for the exams next week before the prom. After this, I’m going home directly. After that incident, it was never the same for Kris and me. It’s as if our friendship is all wasted. Still, I don’t know what happened. But I can’t forgive Kris for what he did. Luhan is his friend. He shouldn’t be doing that. That thought hasn’t left me ever since that incident. Lee Sunny! You’ve got to focus! Study now, think later.

“Break up with him.” Kris’s usual deep cold voice made the hairs on my neck stand up. I looked up at him and I was completely shocked. He had a black eye. And a cut on his left cheek.

“What happened to you?!” I hissed, trying to keep it down since we’re in the library. I quickly grabbed my books and dragged him outside. I dragged him till we get to the clinic. Good thing the clinic hasn’t closed yet. I asked for an ice pack and gave it to him. “What did you do this time? Did you fight with Luhan again?” I asked. He shook his head.

We were walking the route to my house.

“He’s two-timing you.” He said.

I stared at him.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“Break up with him.”

“Kris, you’re insane. Seriously.” I scowled at him.

I proceeded to walk but he grabbed my left arm. He looked me straight in my eye. His eyes were full of rage and anger. What’s happening to him? His eyes used to be so empty and mysterious. But right now, this isn’t the Kris I know.

“Kris. You’re hurting me.” I tried to break away from his grip but he’s stronger than I thought.

“You’re pretty boyfriend only wants two things from you. Your body and your money.” He said to me.

Without thinking, I slapped him with my right hand. He instantly let go of my left arm. I ran away from him. I don’t know what’s gotten into me but I cried. I cried really hard. When I shouldn’t be crying. Kris is my friend, right? He shouldn’t be telling false rumors about my boyfriend. I decided not to talk to Kris since that day. I hate him.

I focused more on being the class president and brushing all those thoughts away from my mind. I need to concentrate. Being the class president is no easy work. Today I had to give all my classmates their invitations to the prom. I was all set to go back home when I saw one invitation left. It is for Yoona Im. I know she’s present a while ago. Should I go to her house to give it to her personally? But it’s getting dark. Somehow I want Kris by my side right now. Aniyo, Sunny! He is not your friend anymore!

I rang the doorbell of the Im Residence. Yoona is a good friend of mine. She’s really beautiful. She stands out above all the other girls in our class. It’s my first time in their house. Their house is so big. Her parents must be really rich.

“Oh, hi!” she smiled at me.

“Uhh, Yoona, I wanted to give this to you. You must have forgotten it.” I said as I hand her the invitation.

“Oh. Good timing! You remember my boyfriend, right?” she asked.

“The one you always talk about in class? The one who kiss good?” I asked.

“Yeah! I want you to meet him! He’s inside.” She said.

“Sure. But I’ll be going very soon. It’s getting dark.” I said. Yoona led me inside her big house. We went to the living room and found him.

“Sunny, meet my boyfriend, Luhan. Luhan, meet our class president, Sunny.” Yoona introduced us to each other. Both of us seemed surprised. But he quickly brushed his surprised expression away. It changed to a friendly one. As if nothing happened.

“Hi!” he said, thinking if he will smile or not.

“Hello.” I said. Then I turned to Yoona. “Yoona, you’ve got a wonderful boyfriend. Take care of him, all right? I got to go now. It’s getting dark.” I faked a smile to my ex-boyfriend.

As soon as Yoona escorted my outside, my tears flowed heavily. I started walking to my house. I was walking really fast, I think. I wasn’t looking at my direction. A car was about to hit me when luckily, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me.

My heart was racing. At one moment I thought that I was going to die.

“Are you all right?” that voice asked. That deep, cold, husky voice. It’s so familiar and comforting. I looked at the owner of the voice and cried.

“Kris!” I hugged him and buried my head on his chest. I felt his arms protectively around me. And it was comfortable. He let me cry there until my eyes had gone red and puff. When I was ready to walk again, he walked me to my house.

“I’m sorry for the trouble.” I said before entering my house.

“If I weren’t there, you would be dead right now.” He said with his usual cold tone.

“Yeah. Thank you.” I said and hugged him tightly once again before going in my house.

That night I was sitting all alone in the table. The prom night is almost perfect. Almost. The lights were wonderfully lit. A romantic song was playing in the background. All the other couples were swaying in the dance floor. I saw Luhan and Yoona swaying all so happily there. In fact everyone was happy.

“Shall we dance?” That familiar voice lit up my night. I turned to look at the owner and found him. He was smiling to me. He held out his hand for me and I took it. He guided our way to the center of the dance floor. He s his left arm around my waist. He held my other hand.

Taylor Swift’s Enchanted was playing.

“You’re the most beautiful tonight.” He said while looking into my eyes. I blushed madly.

“Yah! Don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying.” He said. I seized the chance to stare at the figure in front of me. Kris Wu. There are a lot of things I didn’t know about him in the beginning. Those things I missed. Kris Wu, who’s dancing in front of me, who usually dresses up dark clothes, is actually wearing a suit tonight. His hair is in the usual messy way, but slightly combed. I stared at his face. His black eye was gone and his cut has healed. I just realized that he had a good nose. And those eyes, at first meaningless to me, is now sparkling. I never saw this side of him before. “Stop staring.” He said.

“You look handsome today.” I smiled.

“Don’t overdo it.” He smiled back.

“Kris, I’m sorry.” I said.

“For what?” he asked.

“For not believing you. For slapping you. For everything.”  I said. He didn’t reply.

We stayed swaying like that for a long period of time. Exchanging glances and stares.

“Sunny.” “Kris.”

“You first.” “You first.”

We laughed. “You first.” He said.

I took a deep breath. Is it real? What I’m feeling? Kris, I like you. “Nah, I’m not gonna say it. You first.”

“Not fair!”

“But I promise to tell it to you someday.”

“When would be that day?”

“Let’s see… If you get into the honor roll, I’ll tell it to you.” I said.

“Okay.”

I spent my prom night with Kris Wu. Months later, the honor roll was announced. He got in, all right. Hands down. Everyone was surprised. But I am not. I saw him getting active in class lately. On our free time, we would study in the library. Plus, he’s interacting with our other classmates now. He’s really changed.

“Congratulations, Kris!” I said. We were lying down the grass while star gazing. We were in their backyard. I met his parents. And I became instantly friends with them.

“So, what are you going to tell me?” he asked me.

“Kris Wu, I love you.” I mumbled. I thought that he didn’t hear it. But he moved. I was about to straighten up when I found my lips playing with his. He pulled out and found him smiling at me.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. I love you more, Lee Sunny.” He said before kissing me again.