"HAVE YOU picked a book for English just yet?" Kyuhyun asked Juhyun as they wait in classroom for their English teacher to come in the next morning.

 

 

 

She smiled. "Yes."

 

 

 

 

"What book?"

 

 

 

 

"Everyday by Davit Levithan." She answered briefly.

 

 

 

 

"I heard it's a nice book." Kyuhyun commented.

 

 

 

 

"It is. I actually finished it last night. I even cried at the ending." Juhyun sighed. She really hate tragic endings, but she reckon it's what makes a story even better, just like Romeo & Juliet.

 

 

 

 

"What's the ending about?" Kyuhyun asked. For a guy, Kyuhyun is a wide reader. One of his characteristics Juhyun loves about him. As a friend of course.

 

 

 

 

"Should I really spoil you? Just read it, Kyuhyuniee. It's worth it." Juhyun assured him. Just then Ms. BoA entered the classroom and everyone greeted her.

 

 

 

"I forgot to mention one last requirement for the book review yesterday, class." She said.

 

 

 

"What is it?" Taeyeon asked.

 

 

 

"Well, in your portfolio, I want you to document your work together with your partners. That means I need a lot of pictures while you are working on the reviews as proof that you really did work together and not separately."

 

 

 

At the back of the class, Yonghwa is smiling as if he won a lottery. 'What will the witty Seo Ju Hyun do now with this, huh?' He wondered.

 

 

 

 

Juhyun, on the other hand, couldn't get more annoyed than ever. Ms. BoA and her stupid requirements. She really doesn't have any problems with book reviews. Heck, she can do one even if she doesn't read the book again. So, her real problem is her partner. Now that there seems to be no way out of this, she has to really put up with him. And she dreaded the idea.

 

 

 

 

Can't Juhyun just interact with him and forget her aversion and distaste towards boys even just this once?

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

"Here."

 

 

 

Yonghwa was startled when he heard her voice from behind him. The four of them, him, Jonghyun, Minhyuk and Jungshin are at the lockers, chatting randomly, when Juhyun, yes, Seo Juhyun, approached the group of boys. The boys can't help but gaped at her in shock. Even the bystanders who happened to catch this rare scene in SM High were in awe.

 

 

 

 

"Uhmm.." Yonghwa started.

 

 

 

 

"The book you're asking yesterday. Here." Juhyun said in her usual emotionless voice.

 

 

 

"Oh. Oh yeah. Thanks." Yonghwa reached for it and read the title aloud. "A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. Uhm. Is this a romance?" The three guys around them snickered at the thought of him reading a romantic novel.

 

 

 

"Yes. I'm going now." Juhyun started walking away from them.

 

 

 

Yonghwa felt Jonghyun nudging him and when he glanced at the other guy, Jonghyun was mouthing the words 'follow her' at him. He immediately ran to Juhyun.

 

 

 

 

"Hey. Thank you again for the book. But.."

 

 

 

"What?" She asked, her voice deadpan.

 

 

 

"I.. I can't read romance."

 

 

 

" it up. All my books are romance. Unless you wanted to read some self-improvement books." She said. Yonghwa winced. Romance is bad. But self-improvement books are worse. Except possibly when you wanted to get yourself bored.

 

 

 

 

"But really.. I just can't read a book like this. Seriously, Nicholas Sparks? It's so.. Gay."

 

 

 

 

Juhyun glared at him. "It's not gay. And you won't die if you will read a romance novel sometimes."

 

 

 

 

This made Yonghwa snort loudly, much to Juhyun's irritation. "Tch. You won't die if you will just stop hating men sometimes."

 

 

 

 

Juhyun scowled and she stopped walking abruptly to face him. "You don't know anything." She said, her tone menacingly low.

 

 

 

 

"Well, enlighten me." Yonghwa taunted. They started to have a staring-- Scratch that--a glaring duel with each other. He doesn't care if the two of them is making a scene in the middle of the hallway. But right now.. He just want Seohyun to open up to him even for a bit.

 

 

 

 

"Everything okay here?" Just then Kyuhyun popped out of nowhere, his body slightly blocking Juhyun's away from Yonghwa.

 

 

 

 

"Yeah, man. Everything's cool." He said, still not taking his gaze away from Juhyun, who also kept on glaring back at him.

 

 

 

 

Finally she turned her head away and looked at Kyuhyun. "Let's go, Kyuhyuniee. I want to go home."

 

 

 

"Uhm. Okay. See you, man." Kyuhyun hurriedly said as he followed Juhyun who left them two boys standing.

 

 

 

"What was that about?" Minhyuk asked as Yonghwa got back to them.

 

 

 

He just shrugged.

 

 

 

"That's the longest interaction of Seo Ju Hyun with a boy aside from her teachers and friends. Nice, nice." Jungshin said.

 

 

 

"Progress?" Jonghyun wondered aloud. Minhyuk and Jungshin nodded. "Good job mister Jung Yong Hwa. Keep it up!" He playfully tapped the other's shoulder while nodding approvingly at him.

 

 

 

 

Yonghwa just heaved out a sigh. "I'm telling you guys, she's going to be a handful."

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

 

Juhyun was busy reading 'Everyday' for the third time in her room when the doorbell rang twice. Since she is alone in their house because her mom is away for work, she immediately went down to see who it is, but the second she opened the door and walked to the gate, she regretted her actions.

 

 

 

 

In front of her door, there stood Jung Yong Hwa with a boyish grin across his lips.

 

 

 

 

"Hi." He greeted her. She just stood in front of him, not saying anything.

 

 

 

 

"Uhm. I brought your book." He said as he handed the book to her while looking down.

 

 

 

 

"Done already?" Juhyun asked.

 

 

 

 

"No. That's not A Walk To Remember. It's Dear John. The one you threw at me the other day while we were at our verandas." He simply said, which made Juhyun remembered and made her face flushed.

 

 

 

 

"Oh. Thank you." She mumble just to be polite. That's why she can't find that book. She totally forgot that she threw it over at him.

 

 

 

 

"You're most welcome. And uhm.. I'm sorry. About the incedent earlier at school. I didn't mean it. Maybe that was a low blow for you." He said shyly.

 

 

 

 

"I guess that's fine."

 

 

 

He was surprised that she answered like that, so he continued talking, just to prolong their little moment. "Sorry. Really. I was a jerk. I really--"

 

 

 

 

"I said it's fine. Stop saying sorry over and over again."

 

 

 

 

She smiled, remembering his first day at their school when he kept on thanking her over and over again.

 

 

 

Yonghwa was stunned and speechless. She smiled. Christ, she smiled. She smiled at him! Joy! "You should do that often." He finally managed to utter.

 

 

 

 

"Hmm?"

 

 

 

 

"You should smile often. It makes you look prettier." As soon as he said it, Juhyun's smile washed off her face, the coldness back so soon.

 

 

 

 

"Do you need anything else?"

 

 

 

 

"Uhm. No. I guess I have nothing else to say."

 

 

 

 

"Alright. Thank you for the book."

 

 

 

 

"You're welcome. I'll go now." Juhyun just nodded. "Bye, Seohyun."

 

 

 

He smiled before walking away, and he swears he saw her slightly smiling before closing the door of her gate. 'I'll melt your heart. Soon.' He thought.

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

 

'FOR GOODNESS's sake, Ju Hyun! He's just another boy. Ugh. Stop smiling!' She chided herself. Crap. That boy has bad effects to her.

 

 

 

 

She smiled? She unconciously smiled at him? And up until now, her smile goes on and off. Oh God, what is happening to her?

 

 

 

 

She slumped down at the living room couch and absentmindedly flipped the book Yonghwa gave back to her. That's when she noticed a white paper stuck in the middle of the pages. She picked it up and read the writings on it.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

Hi partner!

 

Here's your book. Sorry for what happened the other day at the veranda. I really forgot that I was.. Err.. You know.. Dress like that.. Sorry, really.

 

Anyway, looking forward to be working with you. Please be nice to me.

 

 

Your classmate/neighbor/partner, 

Yonghwa

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

By the end of the note, Juhyun is completely smiling from ear to ear. The note is very simple, handwritten (by Yonghwa, of course) in a white piece of paper. But Juhyun really liked the gesture. She thinks it was very romantic and sweet of him to-- Stop. Romantic AND sweet? Him? What in the world, Seo Ju Hyun??

 

 

 

 

"Aaaahhh! For the love of Sergeant Keroro, Juhyuniee! Get a grip!!" She shouted at herself while ruffling her hair.

 

 

 

 

Once she calmed down, she decided to go online just because. She saw her facebook timeline filled with pictures of Exo, Super Junior and Big Bang. Tiffany had been spamming again. Or spazzing would be a better word. Aigoo~

 

 

 

 

There's one friend request. And it was from none other than her 'partner'. She's pretty sure she declined his request before. So she did it again.

 

 

 

 

After five minutes, a request from him popped in again, and she declined it again. Three more requests came repeatedly, which she declined again and again and again.

 

 

 

 

By the fifth request, Juhyun got tired and finally, with a sigh, she accepted Yonghwa's friend request. This guy is really persistent.

 

 

 

 

A message popped from the chatbox.

 

 

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Thank you for accepting! :)

 

 

 

 

She doesn't know what has gotten to her, but she found herself typing a reply.

 

 

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

That's because you're so persistent.

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

It's worth it, anyway. ^^

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

Whatever you say.

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

So.. When are we going to start our project?

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

When do you think?

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

You decide. :)

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

Okay. The day after tomorrow. So you'll have the time to read the book.

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Fine by me. I'll start reading tonight.

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

Read faster.

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Will do ;)

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

Bye now

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

WAIT WHAT????? NO DON'T!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Juhyun was surprised by his reaction. Okay? That's a bit exaggerated, wasn't it?

 

 

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Uhm. Sorry for the capslock and excessive punctuation marks. It's just.. Uhmm.

Please don't log out just yet.

 

 

 

 

Juhyun cannot help but smile. 'He really wanted to talk to me, huh?'

 

 

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

I need to go. Home work. Plus dinner.

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

I see. :(

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

What's with the sad emoticon?

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Nothing :(

 

 

Seo Ju Hyun 

Bye now. Good night ^^

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa 

Good night Seohyun ;)

 

 

 

 

And then she logged out. It was after she stood up to go to her room when she realized how stupid she was for chatting with that boy. Heck, did she look like a girl chatting with her crush? Holy guacamole, she hope she doesn't.

 

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

 

YONG HWA cannot wipe the grin away from his mouth.

 

 

 

 

Seohyun chatted with him! Yes! Seo Ju Hyun! Couldn't he be more happier? The girl he likes finally is warming up to him, isn't she? Ha! Just a bit of patience and effort and she'll be comfortable with him as much as she is comfortable with her best friend. Come on, she even used a smiling emoticon on chat. That could mean something, right? He must asked his friends if Juhyun ever do that during chats. But then again, no boys--except her friends--have ever chatted with Seohyun. He is lucky to be able to that to her. And now, he is even more determined to pursue a friendship--if not more than that--with her. He has hope, afterall.

 

 

 

 

Yonghwa decided to go to his veranda to relax. Ever since they moved in, he discovered that this little place will be his happy place. The ambience is nice here and it's peaceful even though it's lacking some picturesque view. But there is a bonus where he will see a beautiful girl sitting on her swing across from his veranda, reading a book and sipping a cup of milk tea-- Wait a minute..

 

 

 

 

He blinked twice, and there really sat Seo Juhyun on her own veranda, engrossed on her own world, obviously not aware that he's there gaping over her.

 

 

 

 

"Uhmm.. Hi neighbor!" He greeted cheerfully when he recovered.

 

 

 

 

Juhyun looked up, stunned to see Yonghwa standing a few meters away from her.

 

 

 

 

"Hi?" She hesitantly said.

 

 

 

"You okay?" He asked. 'She looked weird. Beautifully weird.' Yonghwa thought.

 

 

 

 

"Yeah." She breathed before she continued reading again.

 

 

 

 

"Uhm. Sorry to disturb you." He murmured as he sat on his chair, the book from Seohyun on his lap. She just looked up at him quickly before going back on reading.

 

 

 

 

After a several pages of the book, and a few glances at Seohyun, Yonghwa stood up and went inside. This doesn't go unnoticed to Juhyun anyway, for she has been watching him secretly from across.

 

 

 

 

She was surprised when he emerged from inside with a guitar on his hands. He just smiled at her before strumming the strings gently.

 

 

 

 

"Do you mind?" He said to her, asking permission to play. She just shook her head. He smiled again, and then he started playing chords.

 

 

 

 

Gin bameul jam mot irunda 

Geurinda ddo nan nan nan nan oneuldo nunmul chamabonda 

Han sum swieobonda 

You're my love 

Stabirabi rapststabira 

Love you love you love you my love 

Stabirabi rapststabira 

I want your love

 

 

 

 

Juhyun was stunned when he started singing. His voice is so mesmerizing and relaxing that she wanted to listen for some more. All the while, Yonghwa kept his eyes on the guitar as he strum and sing at the same time.

 

 

 

 

Apeun saranga sal bein deut nan appeuda 

Chameuryeo aesseobwado sori eobsi ddo apaonda 

Sseurin saranga dokeul samkin deut sseurida 

Useuryeo aesseobwado aryeonhage sseuryeoonda

 

 

 

 

After singing that part, Yonghwa looked up and straight to Juhyun's eyes. He just looked deeply at her while he sings, his face serious.

 

 

 

 

'Seohyun-shi, I hope you'll get my message.'

 

 

 

 

Nanoneuldo achimeul bonda geurinda 

Ddo nan nan nan nan miryeoni dashi milryeoonda 

Ajik saranghanda 

You're my love 

Stabirabi rapststabira 

Love you love you love you my love 

Stabirabi rapststabira 

I want your love

 

 

 

 

Yonghwa locked his gaze on Seohyun's. The girl, however, doesn't have to be locked upon his gaze, since she cannot look away from him. She just managed to gaze back at him. She is so amazed with the sight in front of her.

 

 

 

 

Nabbeun saranga bulleodo daedabdo eobsda 

Jabeuryeo aeweonhaedo naengjeonghage dolaseonda 

Nabbeun saranga yeongicheoreom ddeonaganda 

Son bbeodeo jababwado eoneusae neon ddeonaganda nal

 

 

 

 

The song was finished, and he's done strumming his guitar. But both of them are still staring at each other, both bedazzled with each other. Yonghwa thinks Seohyun has the most beautiful and innocent face he has ever laid his eyes upon, while Juhyun is thinking of the way Yonghwa sang and played his guitar really good, and how handsome he is during that time. Well, he is handsome all the time for her, she just would not admit it.

 

 

 

 

The two were pulled away from their trances when they heard a phone ringing somewhere downstairs. Juhyun was the first to stand up.

 

 

 

 

"I should probably get that." She said, realizing it's their home phone that is loudly ringing.

 

 

 

 

"Uhm. Yeah. Okay."

 

 

 

 

Just when she was about to get in, Yonghwa called her name.

 

 

 

 

"Seohyun.." His eyes once again transfixed to hers.

 

 

 

 

"Yes..?"

 

 

 

 

"Just so you know.." He trailed off, which made Juhyun swallowed thickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I like you."

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

-End of Part Two-