They knew each other since first year in middle school and they became best friends since then too. Nam Woohyun was the typical popular boy with a friendly smile that everyone wants to befriend. Yang Haneul was the typical outcast girl that everyone wants to avoid. It wasn’t because she was ugly. No, actually she was really pretty, with big eyes and cute smile, she has dark bags under her eyes but she was still pretty. It was because she wasn’t the typical cute, sweet and feminine girl everyone wants.

Haneul loved animals, dance, hip hop, skate and soccer. In everyone’s eyes; she was a tomboy, and tomboys were rejected. People in school questioned Woohyun as to why he was best friends with her, what was that he looks in her that makes him wants to hang out together. Some people even made the rumors that she was gay so it was okay for Woohyun to be with her, they could talk about girls without problems.

That was until Woohyun heard the stupid rumor and threatened every student in their school to tell who the culprit was. He didn’t stop until he had the name and went to find him and beat the out of him.

“No one mess with Haneul and gets away with it.”

And since then nobody bothered her again, not in front of Woohyun though. They kept sending her hate letters and pushing her in the hallways or even hiding her things. Haneul didn’t say a thing to Woohyun but actually she was tired of their stupid games. She could stand up for herself actually but she didn’t like make drama scenes so she just tried to ignore them.



During vacations both of them met every day to get ice cream, hang out in the arcade, play in the park, watch movies, go to each other’s house to play videogames, eat dinner, they even have sleepovers.

Woohyun’s mom adored Haneul. Ms. Nam had no daughters, only two ungrateful boys (as she always calls them) so that’s why when she met Haneul she started to spoiled her with food, presents and love. Not that Haneul cares; on the contrary she was really thankful towards her.

Haneul didn’t have a mother; she died after giving her birth. That was why her father didn’t like her and just provided her with the necessary; roof, food and school, but never love. Her brother was the one that look after her after their grandmother passed away, that’s why Haneul likes ‘boy things’ because she grew up in a boy’s world, he was the one who taught her how to dance too. But when Seungho turned 18 he went to America to continue his studies there. The real reason was that he wanted to provide his sister with a good life and studying aboard are always extra points when looking for a job, that and that he was tired of his father’s alcoholism.

He didn’t wanted to leave his sister alone with their crazy father but she assured him that everything would be fine; their father always came home late and just for sleep, he was out the next day early in the morning to God knows where. So Seungho went to America a little uneasy but decided to came back for her.

The Nam family knew about her condition and they always welcome her with open arms in their house. Woohyun and Haneul came to his home always after school and she went home only in the night. It wasn’t a problem the first year that Seungho was away, but when she was in the last year of middle school her father started to notice her absence a lot more and one night he explodes.

Mr. Yang waited for her in the living room so when Haneul entered she was shocked to see him there; he always came home after midnight and it wasn’t even ten. He asked why she wasn’t never in home anymore and accused her of being a . That was the first time he laid a hand on her and the beginning of her life of abuse. That night Haneul cried to sleep holding her bruised stomach.

After that day, Haneul came home before seven in the afternoon. Woohyun was surprised with the new change of routine but she said that it was because Seungho would call at eight so she needed to be there early. It was a lie though, they talked after midnight when Seungho was in his break in school but she didn’t want Woohyun to know that her father became aggressive with her.

There were times when Mr. Yang came home too drunk to even walk to his bedroom so he just fall asleep in the couch, but other times he came too intoxicated with alcohol and other drugs that he ended up hitting her saying that it was her fault that his beloved wife passed away. But he wasn’t stupid; he only hit her in her stomach, back and thighs, places where people couldn’t see the bruises. He was sure that Haneul wouldn’t say a thing about them, he hated when people pity her, and she definitely wouldn’t said a word to Seungho, he would take her with him to America and she wouldn’t want to leave because of Woohyun and his family, she loves them too much to endure being hit almost every night.



When Haneul turned sixteen and Woohyun seventeen, they both entered to Woollim High School and things started to change between them.

Woohyun matured. He lost his chubby cheeks and his jawline became more evident. He took rid of his shaggy hair and now he combed his bangs up, emphasizing his dark, sharp eyes and pointy nose. He also changed his dressing style, throwing away his oversized shirt and pants and now wearing skinny jeans with shirts or branded t-shirts. So he draws a lot of attention on his first day of school. Not counting that he worked out a lot in the summer so he was well built.

Haneul changed too, but nothing too drastic. Her hair was at a shoulders length and dark brown without bangs. Her skin was always flawless so she started to use a bit of mascara and bb cream to look natural, dark bags still present. She joined a dance studio in the summer too, so her legs became more tanned and her S-line more apparent; her body was the one of a woman now. Her style was the same as always; skinny jeans, hip hop pant and comfy shirts or hoodies with sneakers. She didn’t draw much attention and she likes it that way.

Woohyun was always the skinship type, he was always throwing an arm over Haneul shoulders, resting his head on her lap or holding hands; that hasn’t changed and she was thankful for that.

Haneul discovered her feeling towards Woohyun since their second year of high school but didn’t say anything for fear of making things awkward for both of them. So she was really glad that Woohyun keep his old habit of always wanting to be close to her.



They both met Kim Sunggyu and his girlfriend, Hyerin, in their first day. Sunggyu was a year older and he and Hyerin were dating for a year now so when Hyerin got to sit next to Haneul in the first class, they talked a little and realized that they have the same schedule. Hyerin got out of the classroom to meet with his boyfriend outside of it, with Haneul trailing behind and getting the shock of the day when Woohyun slung his arm over her shoulder.

Hyerin and Haneul both introduce the boys and Hyerin said that she and Haneul had the same schedule to Sunggyu and asked him if he could show them the way. He agrees and Woohyun, being the social butterfly that he was, asked if he could tag along because he doesn’t know the school and wanted to know where his Panda bear’s next class was.

“’Panda bear’? Are you both dating?” Hyerin asked curious, tilting her head to the side.

“No, we’re just friends. It’s my nickname to her.” Woohyun smiled widely, pinching Haneul’s cheek. She felt a light pain in her heart but decided to ignore it and poke Woohyun’s ribs with her elbow.

“Stop saying that, people might get the wrong idea.” She frowned and Woohyun cooed at her cute expression making her to hit him hard in the arm.

Sunggyu smiled at them, took Hyerin’s hand and lead the way. Hyerin blinked and turned to look at the boys poking each other behind them.

When they get to the girls classroom, Haneul was surprised when she found Dongwoo in one of the tables at the back, head over his arms, snoring slightly. She broke away from Woohyun’s grasp and ran towards him smacking his back making a loud sound. The other three flinched at the sound.

“Jang Dongwoo!!” She yelled happily and started to smack him again, seeing that the guy barely moved.

“Mmh?” He grunted and lifted his head slowly, blinking away the sleep. “Haneul? Is that you?” Dongwoo asked with a sleepy voice, rubbing his eyes in the process.

“Oh my God, it is you! I can’t believe you’re here!” She threw her arms around his neck. Woohyun frowned at the gesture.

Haneul wasn’t the type for skinship, it took her a while to get used to Woohyun’s random hugs or touches, so seeing her being all intimate with some else that wasn’t  him was a bit… weird.

Hyerin noticed his action. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, is just,” He scratched the back of his neck, not taking his eyes off of his best friend and the new guy. “I don’t know him.” Sunggyu arched an eyebrow.

“And you need to know every one of her friends?” Hyerin nudged his side.

Sunggyu was well known for his sharp tongue, he said what he thinks without bothering of others people feelings. People always tended to stay away from him because his comments could be really hurtful. But that don’t seem the case with Nam Woohyun. Well, Woohyun likes honesty.

“No, but you don’t know her and if you do, you would knew that that isn’t typical of hers.” Another sharp comment that didn’t seem to affect Sunggyu, he just shrugged and Hyerin sighed loudly.

“I didn’t know you’re going to come here!” Haneul said excited. Dongwoo laughed a really weird laugh.

“You never asked where I was going to apply.” He stretched his arms over his head.

“Come here, I need to show you someone.” She took his wrist and her eyes shined. Dongwoo knew which ‘someone’ she was referring.

Haneul dragged him towards the door where the others were talking.

“Dongwoo these are my new friends: Kim Sunggyu and his girlfriend, Moon Hyerin.” Both of them greeted him with a smile. “And this,” She pointed her hand towards Woohyun who took it instantly. “Is Nam Woohyun.” The way she said his name was full of love, something that Hyerin noticed but Dongwoo was used to hear. The other two didn’t realize though.

“Hi! I’m Jang Dongwoo,” He said slinging an arm over Haneul’s shoulders and bringing her by his side, her hand leaving Woohyun’s. “I’m Haneul’s friend from the dance studio.” He smiled widely.

Dongwoo knew about Haneul’s feeling towards Woohyun, it’s just that he didn’t have the pleasure to meet him yet. He really likes Haneul, both of them are a really good dance team. He thinks of her as a little sister and enjoyed hearing her rambling about how great his friend/crush is, he could see how happy she was whenever she talked about him, so he swore to himself that he would get Haneul and this Woohyun guy together.

But his little gesture just now didn’t seem to affect Woohyun in the slightest as he smiles widely at them and punched Haneul’s shoulder playfully.

“I can see that you’re making new friends. I’m glad.” Woohyun smiled, gazing at her softly. Haneul blushes and lowered her gaze.

“Shut up, you’re making me sound as if I’m some kind of emo.”

“But you are.” He smiled more.

“Yah!”

The both of them started to chase each other in the classroom, gaining some weird glances from the students that were taking their seats. Dongwoo saw them and laughed as if he was the one being chased.

“Well, I’m going now,” Sunggyu said. “I’ll be here by the end of the class. Don’t go anywhere.” He kissed Hyerin’s forehead, waved at Dongwoo and walked away.

Woohyun hear that and stop rubbing his knuckles in Haneul’s head and turned to look at Sunggyu’s back.

“Hey! Wait for me! I don’t know where my building is!” He kissed his index and middle finger and pressed them in Haneul’s forehead before running away, taking his backpack from the floor where he throw it a minute ago.

Dongwoo, Haneul and Hyerin ended up sharing one table.



That month passed by without problems. The five of them became really good friends and Haneul was really happy for having a girl friend. In middle school all the girls avoided her because of that stupid rumor.

Hyerin was a really nice, sweet, cute and feminine girl, everything Haneul isn’t, but still they became best friends in the first week of school.
Sunggyu, besides having a sharp tongue, was a good listener and good friend, very intelligent too. He helped them with their homework and still he was the number one in his class.
Dongwoo was as happy as always. Always smiling and laughing, spreading his good vibe to everyone. He and Woohyun looked up at Sunggyu a lot and the older enjoyed it.

The real problems started in the second month.

Because of all the homework teachers left, the five of them have to stay in the school library till late at night. Sunggyu drive Hyerin and Dongwoo to their homes, Woohyun decline saying that he wanted to walk with Haneul as the both of them didn’t spent a lot of time together because of school. That was Haneul’s favorite moment of the day.

One night they went to the park where both of them used to play, ice cream in their hands.

“Thanks for the ice cream, Woo.” She sat on a swing, her vanilla with choco chips ice cream. He smiled at her.

“I just wanted to go back to the old times.” He leaned against a metal bar of the swing, gazing softly at her.

“Go back?” She laughed, throwing her head back. “Woohyun what are you talking about? Nothing has change as far as I know.” She continued eating her ice cream.

Woohyun keep gazing at her, despite all these years, she was still the same. Her eyes were as big as when she was thirteen, they were always bright and playful; that’s what he likes the most of her. He remembers the time when she came to him crying, saying that her brother was going to America and she would be alone. He hugged her tightly saying that he will never leave her and that he would be there for her always. Since that day he promised he would never bring tears to those lovely eyes of her, it broke his heart seeing her so frail and weak when she was always so happy and strong.

“Hey, Woo,” Her voice bring him back to reality, he shook his head to get rid of those images and focused on the girl right in front of him. Haneul turns to look at him and started to swing slightly. “We don’t have a date yet but I’ll be going to a dance competition with Dongwoo in a few months.” She said happily.

“Really?!” Woohyun walked towards her with eyes wide. “Aigoo, you’re such a pro now.”

“Haha not really, it’s all thanks to Dongwoo though,” She jumped from the swing, stretching her arms. “He’s been giving me some extra classes with the moves I don’t get; I think that’s why we both make a good team and the teacher want us to go to that competition.”

“You and Dongwoo are pretty close, uh?” He frowned slightly. “He isn’t stealing my title of best friend, right?” Haneul blinked at him a few times and then a sweet smile appeared in her face.

“Never, Woo.” He smiled too and pulled her into his embrace. Haneul’s eyes widened at his random fact.

Sure, she’s used to his random hugs but they were so tightly that sometimes it takes her breath away and she has to smack his back in order for him to let her go, other times he juts rocked her side to side in a playful manner. But this, this is new. Woohyun wrapped his arms around her with care and love, resting his head on top of hers. Her heartbeat accelerated a thousand
per minute that she was afraid he could feel it against his chest.

“I’m so happy for you, Haneul. It seems as if Dongwoo is making you happy,” She freezes for a moment. So Woohyun thinks that she has feelings for Dongwoo? That’s stupid! But still she wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzle her face in his chest, enjoying the moment.

‘No stupid, you make me happy.’ Haneul wanted to say.

But the moment soon broke when Woohyun started to rub her back, touching one the bruises in her back making her flinch.

“Aw.” Haneul moaned in pain and pushed Woohyun slightly.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” He asked with concern and turned her around, trying to lift her hoodie.

“Woohyun!” She turned around and slapped his hands. “What the hell are you’re doing?!”

“I’m just trying to see what’s wrong with you! Did you hurt your back?” He was genuinely concerned that she felt bad for snapped at him. But hey, he was trying to lift her hoodie in the middle of the park! She was not going to let him do that. First, because it was indecent and second, she didn’t want him to see her back full of old and new bruises.

“I’m okay, I fell during one of our practice and hit with a chair, that’s all.” She lowered her gaze, if their eyes met Woohyun would know if she was lying or not. But he seems fine with that.

“Aigoo, you need to be more careful. I’m going to talk to Dongwoo about-“

“NO!” Haneul yelled and shook her head. They couldn’t talk about that, Dongwoo would say that she didn’t fall and Woohyun would start to ask questions and she didn’t want that.

“Why not?” He frowned again.

“He was feeling really bad for that. I don’t want you to remind him that, he would feel depress again.” Woohyun blinked and sighed loudly.

“Okay, but promise me you would be more careful from now on.” He held out his pinky and Haneul linked hers with a small smile.

That night she came home after midnight and Mr. Yang got really mad. He took Haneul by the upper arm and shook her violently; he didn’t let her go until he was outside her bedroom and shoved her inside before locking the door. An ugly, big bruise started to form in her arm and she tried to swallow the tears while applying an ice pack in her bruise. After all these years she keeps a first aid-kid in her room with all kind of medicine and instant ice packs.

The next day Haneul came to school with puffy eyes and an big hoodie but dismissed everyone questions saying that she ate too much ramen the night before therefore her puffy eyes, and that she was cold, therefore the hoodie. Nobody believed her but didn’t say anything else. Woohyun wanted to know the truth so he followed Haneul in the hallway.

“Haneul-“ He took her by the upper arm.

“Ahh!” She flinched away from him, bumping into a girl and throwing her books to the floor. Haneul raised her hand to her upper arm, closing her eyes tightly.

“Hey! Look where you’re going!” The girl snapped at her, bending down to take her books.

“Sorry, she didn’t mean to…” Woohyun’s voice trailed as he bended down too and looked at the girl.

The girl was beautiful with big eyes, thin lips and small nose. Her long, straight light brown hair fell over her shoulder as she picked up her books. She lifted her gaze and her's and Woohyun's eyes met and time seemed to stop for them.

Haneul’s eyes opened and saw the both of them, gazing at each other as if they were the only ones in there. Both stand up and Woohyun gave the girl her books, she smiled shyly at him while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I haven’t seen you before, I’m Park Hyomin.”

“I-I’m Nam Woohyun.” He said with a smile and shining eyes. Haneul’s stomach dropped seeing that stupid look in Woohyun’s face.


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A/N: So, how was it the first chapter? >>
Please, feel free to point any mistake. I tend to mix past with present sentence so... sorry for that orz