“Honey boo! What took you so long?” Peniel playfully scrunches up his face when he sees Seolhyun. He has waited for her for about 2 hours, and seeing her face, in his opinion, is worth it.

Seolhyun chuckles at the big man who’s trying to pull of a cute face. “It’s not my fault that you waited! Come on, now, I’m hungry!” Seolhyun pulls Peniel’s arm forcefully, going towards the canteen.

Girls and boys chattering, loud footsteps and sounds of keys locking. The hall where the two were at is crowded, full of students from every corner of Seoul’s finest schools. GwangPo Cram School has only one admission requirement: it’s either you have to be rich (for financial “needs”) or you have to be a genius (to keep up the reputation). Nonetheless, the citizens in this cram school are quite happy, so no one ever complains about it.

In between two locker rows, stands a girl gripping her math books tightly. The girl looks down in melancholy, for the reason that only she and god knows.

When she hears voices of her friends approaching her, the blue-greenish haired girl holds back her tears, compose herself and rise up her head in constrain. A smile soon plasters on her face and laughter comes out from .

One secret that she hides – her elated face, is fake.

-------

The next 4 months

It’s the zillionth time of the year when Seolhyun catches Hyelim staring out the windowpane, deep in depression. Little droplets would come out from her tiny eyes once in a while, but she doesn’t even bother to wipe them. Random novels, movies and CDs scattered all around her. Those things used to make her excited, thrilled. Awakes her from boredom or sadness.

“Hey, umm..” Seolhyun had opened the door seconds before, giving enough space for her face to enter the dark room. Seolhyun purses her lips when she sees Hyelim almost lifeless. She never thought that the Hyelim she knows would be in a phase like this – it’s too unbelievable.

The pretty-faced girl steps into the room, making her footsteps as loud as it can ever be. No reaction. She sits on the peach couch just in front of Hyelim’s bed. Again, no reaction. “Kim Hyelim!” Seolhyun had lost it, the change present in Hyelim is just too much for her to handle.

Without saying another word, Seolhyun drags Hyelim outside, to the front door. She puts Hyelim on a pair of sneakers before heading out, towards the café.

--

"Here's your order. Please enjoy" Seolhyun take a glance at the good looking, red-haired boy before grabbing the green tea latte from his left hand and Original Black from his right hand. She walks towards hers and Hyelim's table and place the green tea latte in front of Hyelim. 

“Do you want to talk?” Seolhyun arches her right eyebrow when she realizes Hyelim didn’t even touch the drink. Hyelim keeps her head down, looking at the wooden floor.

“Is it Peniel?” Seolhyun had always been the blunt one, and in the past, Hyelim would snap at her for her bluntness.

“Do you still like him?” At last, after some gloomy months, Hyelim raise up her head, as this question never popped before. “I… Don’t know?”

 An unexpected answer that Seolhyun tought would never come out from Kim Hyelim’s mouth just did.

Just before Seolhyun could dig any deeper, a very familiar figure enters the café. “KIM HIMCHAN?!” Seolhyun shouts excitedly as she runs towards the 5’10 man, hugging him warmly. Soon the boy returns the hug, and they both release each other when they realized people are staring at them weirdly. 

After a couple of “How Are Yous” and “I’ve Missed Yous”, Himchan points to the handsome man beside him – the red-haired boy earlier. “Do you remember him? He was our classmate in senior year! Yu Barom!”

And a couple of seconds later, Seolhyun and Barom walked out from the café, completely forgetting Hyelim who had comeback being lifeless.

“Have we met before?” Himchan asks the girl in front of him when he recognizes the unique hair color Hyelim has. It took seconds for him to comprehend who Hyelim was, bringing him in bewilderment.

Flashback

“OUCH!” Seolhyun yelps in pain when Hyelim purposely bumped her shoulder to Seolhyun’s, making Seolhyun fall backwards. All the heavy books that Seolhyun had acquire from the library lands besides her, making the students walking steps on her books. Some begin to laugh and snicker too.  

“Way to go, Hyelim!” the girl with the ponytail high-five with Hyelim. Hyelim gives cunning, sly smirk to Seolhyun before walking out the scene.

All of that, Himchan had witnessed from a distance. He would’ve jumped in the scene if just the stupid securities let him pass the school’s gate. From that day on, he knew he hated Kim Hyelim’s guts.

End of Flashback

“Aren’t you the bully? Why do you look worn out? Lost strength after beating up a bunch of victims?” Himchan is more than ready to have a fight with Hyelim, but looks like his opponent isn’t. If this were the past Hyelim, she would’ve started the game.

Himchan is getting more confused as seconds passes by. ‘Why isn’t this saying a word?!’ “Heard Peniel’s with Seolhyun now. Ouch, must’ve hurt. But you know how the tale goes, the will never get a happy ending.” If this sentence doesn’t budge Hyelim, Himchan doesn’t even know what to do anymore.

Again, an unexpected move from Hyelim – she still doesn’t look up. Himchan can feel a weird feeling… for a reason, he was getting… interested?