4 years ago.

She skidded to a stop when she just bumped into a tall guy, causing all of his music papers scattered to the floor.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" He hollered angrily as he kneeled down to collect them all.

She rolled her eyes, mumbling, "Of course I am, it's just you suddenly popped your giant body and-"

He snapped his gaze up to her and she immediately shut up, "Fine, sorry." She helped him with taking the paper, though eventually he would just snatch it back with anger.

She blew a raspberry when the last paper she took from the floor being snatched for the umpteenth time, "Stop being grumpy, Chan. Geez, I'm helping here."

"I don't need your help. Plus, how many times I have to tell you to not-Chan-me, hm? We're in school, okay? Call me Yeol instead, or at least add an 'oppa' behind it. I'm your senior for God's sake." He huffed as he stood up and hugged the papers to his chest.

She ignored his sentence just when she realized everyone was starting to spread out the classroom door at the very end of the corridor, "Damn it, because of you and your nagging, I just wasted my precious time here. Gotta go." She stood up and was ready to run again when she turned around with a mischievous look, "See you around, Chan~!"

"Y- YAH! CHOI JINRI!" He yelled though she had disappeared in the ocean of students. He turned around to be greeted by the weird looks on the other girl juniors' faces. He immediately scolded himself to lose his cool because of Jinri, "H- hey, girls. 'Ssup? Ignore the yelling. I'm usually a gentle man with manners and-" The latters just rolled their eyes and left him.

He pouted and walked to his locker, feeling dejected. Just when he was about to reach the key in his pocket, his phone vibrated. "What now.." he murmured then took it out.

ROOFTOP. HELP. URGENT. Ok, hyung?

What about NO?

Lunch on me.

I'm on my way.

He put his phone back into his pocket and stuffed his music papers into the locker. He blinked, "Another business with a younger dude. What's wrong with me actually.. My other friends usually order juniors, not being ordered. Even that Baekhyun. There's no use my mother gave birth of me years older than them if since in diapers, I had to know them and play with them. Up until now. Bless me with this kindhearted soul." He kept on grumbling as he walked up the stairs to the rooftop.

As being told.

***

"What?" she whined and pulled her wrist back to the report she was working. Thank God I love Biology or else I would've gone to the canteen for a burger to feed my growling belly, she thought. "Go by yourself, I'll go after you once I'm done."

Jinri ignored her; she kept on tugging her free hand, "Come ooooooon. You know you can't let me walk alone because I have this oh-so-innocent-that-the-seniors-are-fascinated-to-bully look. You know you can't bear seeing me knees on the ground and hair being pulled whilst crying; screaming for help, right?"

"In fact, I can."

"Wait, what?"

Soojung smiled; pulling up her now finished report with a satisfied look, then turned to her, "I said, in fact, I can, Sull."

"But- why? You've seen me got bullied." She wrinkled her eyebrows.

She shrugged and packed her things into her backpack, "Well, that was a looong time ago, wasn't it? You got bullied here and there and BOOM!" She surprised her by suddenly turned her body to face her just before her eyes, "You met Chanyeol-oppa and things became wonderful as in school life cheesy dramas."

Jinri's slow brain still couldn't get what she meant for the first 10 seconds, "Wh- whoa, why are you bringing that jerk into this discussion, Miss? I thought I came all the way here to drag you out of your table for a really different reason." She huffed and crossed her arms to her chest.

Soojung stood up and left Jinri confused in her seat, "I thought we're going?"

"Oh- right!" She stood up and tugged her hand again to join the crowd of the school corridor. 

"So," she started, "how things are going with him?"

"What him," Soojung replied nonchalantly as she fiddled with her phone.

A message, how rare, she thought for herself. She opened it and wasn't surprised, right now? Well it's a bit early today though..

"You know," Soojung stopped abruptly and indirectly cut Jinri who had been blabbering about stuffs she barely hear, "I'll catch you later. I got things to handle and I promise it won't take long. We're halfway afterall. You can walk by yourself, right?" She smiled and patted Jinri on the head- sensing her didn't blink for a second, "Good girl. See ya!"

A second, two seconds, there Jinri just realized and facepalmed herself. Taking out her phone, she quickly typed a message, saying 'Plan B status: failed'.

She sighed and didn't bother to wait for another second, dashing off to the canteen; where Soojung believed her to be there.

The classroom after her was silent. As usual. To be located at the corner of the floor, no one bothered to stay in class when it's recess. Except that one particular person besides the window.

"Knock knock."

He glanced up, "Oh, you're here."

"Well, yes?" She said and slowly sit down beside him. "What is it? Make it quick because I'm hungry and you said to yourself that I gotta-"

"Here," he handed her a lunchbox with Pororo sticker on it, "I'm not feeling hungry, at all.. Don't worry, they're poison-free and better than canteen's foods. These are healthy, unlike those."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh please, I know there are cucumb-"

"No cucumbers." He said, not looking away from his phone.

"Kai," she sighed, "your mom always make sandwiches with cucumbers inside. I know. Except if I asked her and today, these are yours and-"

"I said, there are no cucumbers inside," he looked at her in the eyes, finally peeling his eyes from his phone's screen. "Believe me."

Soojung gulped, "F- fine... What's wrong with you seriously," she shook her head and took the sandwich, munching it happily, "Mmm.. This really tastes better than ahjumma's sandwiches."

Jongin just stayed silent, drowning in the music he had been hearing.

"So," she said, taking the second sandwhich in her hand, "why did you text me to come here? I ditched Sulli, you know. And she won't be pleased knowing I left her just because three sandwiches. Not to mention, these are your mom's sandwiches."

Sensing her unanswered question, she nudged him on the rib, "Are you even listening?"

He was taken aback. "What?" He glared her way but she didn't flinch. In fact, she chuckled as she took of one of her earplugs.

"Why? What's wrong?" She asked, way too softly for him to take. His heart thumped, a bit faster than the usual.

He dared himself to stare back at her, whose eyes gleamed. He didn't want her to leave. He wanted her. He liked her, afterall.

"Kai?" She asked again, still not leaving his eyes.

Something's wrong, she thought. But she didn't voice it out loud. Deep down inside, she had known she had feelings for him. It was more than just friends, more than best friends, she could say. She had been denying, but the reflection of herself in his eyes told the other way. She wasn't sure herself. Not until that day, when they held their longest stares to each other's eyes. She just knew right there. But still, she couldn't predict his next words.

And his move.

"Sehun's going to confess," he said, breaking the eye contact. Soojung almost choked on her last bite of sandwich.

"What did you say?!" She shrieked, mentally thanking the school designer for making this outcasted classroom. Far from everywhere, including the crowd.

Jongin held his breath and dared himself once again, to look at her right shocked face, "He's waiting for you on the rooftop. Sehun. He likes you. He likes you since you helped him with his English homework." He looked away, almost looking troubled, "Not so surprising, huh?"

Soojung gulped and Jongin paid attention to the abandoned phone in his phone. "Kai." She called.

Jongin didn't reply, but she knew he was listening. "I think it's pretty surprising for me though.. Sehun's a nice guy. I never thought-"

He slammed his phone on his desk, much to her to be taken aback, "Well, I guess you're supposed to be at the rooftop right now." He stood up, "Do you want me to fetch you there or?"

Soojung stood up, didn't really disturbed by the height difference, "How nice of you to fetch me there. But then again, who's the one who told me to come all the way here in the first place?"

Jongin didn't reply. He stayed still, looking to the outside.

She sighed, "Kai, do you really want me out? To be there? On the rooftop?"

Still, no answer from Jongin. He wanted to pull her down to her seat. He wanted to tell her not to leave. Even if it was possible, he would kneel down and beg her not to leave. But that was far from Kim Jongin. He had too big ego to do all of those. If she decided to leave, then she would, eventually. He wouldn't hold her back. He would just watch her leave. Maybe that's the fate afterall, he thought. The destiny wanted him to be alone. And he had no right to do anything against it. He gotta repeat to himself, he was no more than Kim Jongin. 

Soojung knew, anyway, he wouldn't ask her to stay. He was Kim Jongin. And she was no more than a friend. Even if he had feelings for her, he still wouldn't budge, more to beg her not to leave. She was just Jung Soojung, the best friend of the loner Kim Jongin. But she was his only friend, besides his childhood chinese friend, Luhan. She didn't want him to be alone, not anymore.  She wanted to be with him. She wanted to stay. And she didn't care if the bond between them was only pure friendship. She loved him enough to turn down the offer to be the girl of the school's Mr. Right, Oh Sehun.

Slowly, she sat down to her current seat. 

Jongin was confused, "What are you doing?"

Soojung looked up to smile at him, "Finishing my last sandwich. Why? Have you changed your mind about giving me your whole lunch?"

Jongin had to hold the urge to smile back at her. Take them, take them for all I care, he thought. He didn't care he would suffer from hunger throughout the day, considering he left his breakfast untouched this morning. 

"Sit down, will you? You're blocking the spring breeze to gust in." She divided the sandwich into two messily and looked up to see him again, "Here. I know you didn't eat your breakfast this morning because if you did, you wouldn't have a lunch box in your bag. And this disturbing Pororo sticker, seriously.."

He didn't flinch, just staring at the sandwich in her hand. 

She rolled her eyes and tugged his other hand to sit and handed him the food, "Eat, Kai. Don't make me babysit by feeding you. I'm up for everything but cheesy things."

Soojung ate her part in one big bite and munched heartily. She leaned and picked up the almost broken phone after him. 

"For one last time, eat it. I won't say it again because the time I insist it for the third time, it-"

"Would be inside your mouth already," he finished it for her, biting the sandwich while rolling his eyes, "I'm eating it, okay? Stop scolding me, Krys."

She smiled, showing him his favorite eyesmile. His heart couldn't help but flutter. She really had this effect on him. She had been an addiction.

He looked away, "Stop staring, damn it. I'm not the flower boy Park Chanyeol nor Oh Sehun."

"Oh really? You're bringing Sehun again in this conversation?" She raised an eyebrow.

Jongin snatched his phone from her hand, this girl really.

Soojung chuckled, not being able to hold in any longer. Jongin ignored her, yet couldn't help but feeling relieved inside since she was really not going. Maybe, just maybe, she really wanted to stay. With him.

After good five minutes of comfortable silence, Soojung was doodling things on his tablemate's desk, there, he decided to break the ice. Slowly, he learned to hate the silence. Unlike before he met her. Silence was everything he could have asked for. But it was different then. Her presence had made everything warmer, lighter, and he loved that feeling. Stay. He really wanted her to stay. Like, to stay and never leave. 

"Don't leave me, " he mumbled. Instantly regretting his action, he looked outside as fast as he could. It was no use though, there was no one besides them in the class. Soojung caught him, of course. She stopped doodling and seated up.

She stared at him.

He expected her to ask him to repeat what he just said. And if she did that, he wouldn't say it again. He know it would be a waste of effort but he still wouldn't do that. For the umpteenth time, he was Kim Jongin. He had this wall called ego that prevents him from doing so.

To his surprise, Soojung answered.

"Then, don't you ever let me."

There, Jongin looked back at her. Widened eyes. Thumping heart.

"W- what did you say?" He stuttered. 

Soojung chuckled, "You heard me, Kai." 

"I'm here if you ask me to stay. I'm going if you ask me to leave. I'll be here as long as you want me to stay. And I'll be gone.. once you ask me to leave your life," she said, staring into his black orbs.

Jongin let out a breath, "Don't."

"It's as simple as that, Kai. But even if you ask me to leave, like right now, I'll still be around. I'm here, Kai," she smiled, "I'm here."

Jongin didn't know what brought him closer. As soon as he opened his eyes, her small figure was embraced in his arms. He could sense her perfume. He could feel her thumping heart. He never thought there was something thumping as hard as his heart. I love her, he said in his mind.

"Stay with me," he said, burying his face to her hair. He brought her closer and brushed her long soft hair. 

Soojung closed her eyes, smiling, "I'm staying, Kai. I'm staying."

Then again, actions speak louder than words for Jongin. He could feel himself slowly smiling in the hug, "I love you, Krys."

Her breath twitched at the magic words. He said it, she gulped. Barely a second passed, she could feel herself being hugged, tighter.

That time, Soojung realized three things.

She had never regretted knowing him. She had never regretted approaching him in the first place. Then again, she would never, regretted, saying the same exact words to him. To Kai. To Jongin.

Soojung slowly hugged him back, "I love you too.. Kai." 

She was his, from that time on.

She really didn't mind neglecting the Oh Sehun for this Kim Jongin, at any cost. Because she knew, this guy was more than perfect for her. Everything was too beautiful for them to believe. The loner was no longer the loner. He had become the boyfriend of the Jung Soojung, the girl whom all boys had eyes on. He was blessed. He would never, ever, let her slip away from his life.

As his mind, and his heart told him so.