"DAEHYUNNIE~" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me.

I turned to see a girl with long, black hair. It was my best friend Yoonji skipping towards me like a little kid. We're the same age, but most of the time I act more mature.

I laughed at her. "You act like we haven't seen each other in years, when really we just saw each other yesterday and were talking on the phone a few minutes ago." We were at school now, and classes were about to start. I sat down and she took the seat beside me, as usual.

"You seem more hyper than usual."

"It's probably because I slept at 3 doing my reports so I'm really hyper on lack of sleep which means that probably later I'll just end up crashing in the middle of class." she said really fast. She was practically bouncing.

Typical Yoonji. Although she seemed immature most of the time, she's actually hardworking and smart and responsible(sometimes), so she's kind of the teacher's pet, compared to me. My grades are average.

"Yah, there you go again, Yoonji, you always stay up too late. You have to worry about yourself."

She simply smiled at me, lay her head sideways in her arms on the desk to face me, and said, "Aw Daehyunnie, I already have you to worry about me." She was about to fall asleep when the teacher burst in.

"Morning, class! As you know, it's almost time for the school fair." Everyone started to talk at the same time. "So, our class has been assigned to do a play. Any ideas?"

One kid raised his hand. "AVATAR!" Everybidy laughed.

"CITY HUNTER!" (and then one girl at the back squealed, "Lee Minho!")

"Goldilocks?"

Yoonji raised her hand. What? I thought she was asleep.

"How about Cinderella?"

Everyone liked this idea.

"That's a good idea, Yoonji! Alright, let's assign parts now." The teacher wrote names on the board, but I wasn't paying attention.

"…Okay, finally we have the main parts, the prince and Cinderella. Any volunteers?"

I didn't want to get involved in this since neither I nor Yoonji usually participated in stuff like that.

"Alright, since there are no volunteers, I'll assign..." the teacher looked around the classroom, but everyone avoided his eyes.

"… Youngjae! You'll be the prince!" I looked at Youngjae. If Yoonji was the teacher's pet, Youngjae was her male counterpart. He was the brainiac that answered all the questions whether or not he was called.

"Ne, Seongsaenim."

"And Yoonji, since this was your idea, you'll be CInderella!"

"MWO?!?!?!" Yoonji and I both said in surprise. I mean, no offence, but Yoonji didn't exactly look like… well, a princess.

"But... seongsaenim, I don't want to be..." Yoonji started.

"Come on, Yoonji, you'll get extra credit." The teacher said. He knew grades were Yoonji's weakness. She slumped in her chair and nodded silently.

"Hey, don't feel bad, you'll do okay." I tried to comfort her.

"Alright, you all know the story already, so we can go to practice directly." 

The first practice began. Since I didn't have a role and I was good at literature, I would just help with writing the script and moving the props. As I helped cut out some wood, I couldn't help but watch Yoonji as she practiced with Youngjae and the assigned director, Yongguk. She seemed nervous, but I think she was a natural actress, she just didn't know it. Still, as her best friend, I felt protective of her. She was often uncomfortable around other guys.

"Yah, can't you get this right?? It's so simple!"

I turned around to see Yongguk getting pissed at Yoonji. A vein on his neck was sticking out. Everyone was afraid of Yongguk because he got angry a lot.

"Mi-mianhe, oppa." The usually-bubbly Yoonji seemed to shrink. seeing her like this made me angry.

"Yah, don't shout at her like that, hyung!" I went over to defend her.

"Daehyun, don't get involved, I'm warning you." Yongguk said.

"You can do whatever you want to me, hyung. But don't hurt Yoonji." I felt Yoonj's hand on my back.

"It's okay Daehyunnie, I can handle this. Okay?" I saw a glimpse of her usual smile.

"Alright Yoonji. Remember, I'm here to worry about you." I smiled at her then turned to glare at Yongguk before leaving.

"Alright, let's get back to work." Yongguk cleared his throat.

For the whole week, I watched over Yoonji like an overprotective mother. (Lol) Still... she seemed to get closer to Youngjae everyday. SHe smiled a bit more. I'm glad she got more comfortabl with him, but... Everytime I looked at them laughing together, I felt something burning in my stomach, as if their happiness caused me pain.

I asked Himchan hyung about it. "AWWW DAEHYUNNIE'S JEALOUS~" He said and rubbed the top of my head.

"Mwo? Jealous of what?" I tried to fix my hair.

"Keke. You don't like seeing Yoonji happy with someone else because you liiike heeerrr~"

"AISH, hyung! I don't like her, okay?"

"Oh~ Then why are you jealous?" He said with a mischievous smile.

"She's my best friend, so I'm protective of her."

"Aigoo, that's all? Tsk tsk, Daehyun. You're so slow, you can't even realize your own feelings." He just chuckled and walked away.

Do I like her? Naah. I tried to push the thoughts away. But maybe… maybe? It was hard to see her as anything other than my plain, ordinary-looking best friend. Ah! I'm so confused.

After the last day of practice, Yoonji and I walked home together, as usual.

"Yoonji-ah" I said.

"Ne, Daehyunnie?" she turned to face me and skipped backwards so that we were face-to-face as we walked.

"What do you think of me?"

She tilted her head like a child (while still skipping. kyeopta.). "Mmm? I think you're the awesomest, most handsome, kindest, sweetest guy in the world!"

I blushed. "R-really?"

"Yeah! I'm so lucky to have you by my side!" She smiled and skipped normally again, going faster than me.

"Yeah... as a best friend." I said in a low voice.

She turned her head. "Did you say something, Daehyun?"

"I said... Race you home!" I started running ahead.

"Yah! Jung Daehyun!" She started running, too.

Neither of us knew this, but truthfully, I was probably trying to run from my feelings.

"Pssst." I tapped on Yoonji's bedroom window.

Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not a y creeper. =_= We're always welcome in each other's rooms, since we were little kids, being best friends and all.

She opened the window to let me in.

"To celebrate you being a star! Here, Cinderella." I gave her a small plush mouse.

"Kyaaaah~ It's so cute! Gomawo, Daehyunnie!" She played with the mouse. "But you know, none of this wouldn't have happened without you. You wrote the script and did most of the props." We sat down on her bed.

"That's just because I didn't have much else to do." I rubbed my hand on the back of my head.

We continued talking for hours. I was in the middle of a story when I noticed Yoonji fell asleep on my shoulder. I guess it was tiring, she works really hard, especially since she was the main star.

I tucked her in properly. She slept soundly, still like a little child. She was really pretty when she slept. Did I just say that?

I looked at her sleeping innocently. She was smiling as she slept. Her long black hair fell around her face. I tucked a loose strand behind her ear. Her eyelashes were really long... and her cheeks and lips were pink... Jung Daehyun, get a hold of yourself!

I hadn't realized that as I was watching her sleep, I had moved closer to her face, and now we were inches apart. For a moment, I wondered what it would be like to kiss her lips...

Then I changed my mind and kissed her forehead softly. What was I thinking? I'm supposed to protect her.

"Let me worry about you now and then, okay, Yoonji? It's my job as your best friend." I gently caressed her cheek with my thumb before climbing back out the window and heading home.

"WHAT? What do you mean he's not coming??" Yongguk hyung was on rage mode again. Hoo boy.

"He's been hospitalized with the flu." Teacher explained.

"Sh*t. Where are we going to find a replacement on such short notice?" Yongguk raised his hands in exasperation.

"Why don't we let Yoonji pick a substitute since she's the one who was to work with him?" Everybody turned to look at Yoonji.

"Um.. Since I'm not that close with a lot of guys, I don't think I can work with any other guy so I pick Daehyun." Yoonji said.

"Bwo? ME??" I looked at her. Behind her, I saw Himchan hyung give me a wink.

"That's right, Daehyun wrote the script, right? So he knows the lines!" Seongsaenim was not a big help.

"Please? Can you be my Prince charming, Daehyunnie?~" She looked at me with her puppy dog eyes. Aish, I can't resist those puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, alright." I raised my hands in surrender. "Yay!" Yoonji threw her arms around me, making me blush.

"PLACES PEOPLE! IT'S SHOWTIIIIMMEE~" Yongguk's loud, booming voice could be heard everywhere. I bet he scared some of the audience away.

"Daehyunnie, good luck!" Yoonji said from behind me.

"Yah, Yoonji, you dragged me into this mess."

"Aw come on, Dae-dae~ You'll have fun, I promise." She smiled.

"Aren't you in the least bit worried?"

She put her finger on her chin as if to think about it. "Hmm... nope! I'm not worried!"

Then she suprised me by hugging me tight. "Because I have you to worry about me~" She pulled back far enough so that we were face-to-face, our faces were practically touching. "I know that when Daehyunni's there, everything will be fine." She giggled.

She let go and our hands accidentally touched, and I tried to hold her hand as she skipped away, but then I let go immediately. Dammit! I was mad at myself, but I wasn't sure if I was mad at myself because I held her hand or because I let go so fast.

She simply looked back at me and smiled, then happily skipped away. Aish, this kid.

I didn't want to watch the play, I felt too nervous already. So when they called me saying, "Daehyun, you're up next" I felt like running away. Oh well, time to face the music.

I was in the middle of the stage, dressed like a prince, surrounded by my classmates dressed in fancy clothes. They were supposed to be my "guests." I  danced with one or two girls, still acting.

Then, I saw her.

I was awestruck. This girl.. she was still my best friend... but she wore makeup and had curled hair and a beautiful gown, only making her already beautiful features even more beautiful. I was amazed at Cinderella, and I wasn't acting this time.

I finally remembered I was in a play. I walked to her and held out my hand. "May I have this dance?"

While we were dancing, it was like there was no one else. The teacher, Yongguk, the other actors, the audience, they were invisible. It was just Yoonji and me, dancing. Cinderella and Prince Charming? No, me and my best friend, my baby girl.

We went through the play as we (no, as they, I didn't get to practice) rehearsed. It went really well, and we even got a standing ovation. Some people cried. The best part was the ending, though. Wanna know how it went?

"I finally found you, my Cinderella."

I held her by her waist with one hand, and held her other hand with my other hand, and pulled her close to me. We were supposed to FAKE-kiss  and dance until the curtain closed and live happily ever after blablabla. Whenever I saw her act out the scene with Youngjae, I got super jealous and protective. (A/N Mother Hawk Daehyun lol)

Instead, I kissed her for real. On her lips. Not as a best friend to a best friend, but with all my feelings and emotions and love poured out for her. Everyone was shocked, even me.

But that's not the best part.

The best part was:

She kissed me back.

As the curtains closed, I put my forehead on hers and looked deep into her eyes. I could feel her breath as if it were my own.

"Yoonji, I like, ani, I love you." My heart was beating so fast, I felt like it might pop out of my chest. "Instead of being just my best friend, will you be... my girlfriend?"

"Daehyunnie..." she said.

She smiled. "Pabo. You don't even have to ask. You're already my prince charming, remember?"

I smiled and lifted her and we kissed.

And we lived happily ever after.