Third Person's POV

-flashback-

Jonghyun grunted as he walked to the infirmary. Geez, why does he have to be in a fight in the first day of the new semester? Jonghyun wondered to himself. He unwillingly opened the sliding door, and went inside. He looked around. Although it's his second year in this school, he had never stepped inside the infirmary.

Jonghyun quietly closed the door. The nurse was nowhere to be spotted, but he could hear someone was wincing in pain. He walked to the source of the voice, and opened the curtain that was covering the source. 

"Hey--" Jonghyun widened his eyes as he saw a girl with her back facing him, her shirt on the floor, wore no top but a bra, and an ice pack on her shoulder. She screamed, and Jonghyun quickly closed it back. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I thought you were hurt or something--" he shouted. Jonghyun's mind stopped thinking for a few seconds. Wasn't that the girl that everyone was talking about in the class earlier?

'Hey! Hey! Look who's in our class this year?'

'Who?'

'That friend, the antisocial one!''Eyy~ she's nice to everyone and she always smiles! Don't say that!'

'Actually she's quite a beauty...'

'Hey, I'm telling you there's a reason why no one wants to get close to her...'

'What? What is it?'

The antisocial one?

Jonghyun frowned. 

A reason why no one wants to get close to her?

Jonghyun silently cursed himself for not paying attention of the rest of the conversation. 

He saw her shoulder was bruised. He saw her whole body was bruised. 

Did someone bully her? Is that it?

"Y-yah! Y-you okay?"

"...yeah. It's okay. You can come in." She heard her say. Jonghyun opened it hesitantly, and saw her wearing the shirt. He sighed in relief. 

"Just now I saw you were bruised. Are you okay? Are you being bullied or-- AH! Sorry about earlier. I'm really really sorry--"

"It's okay" she smiled.

'So the rumors are true. She'd smile whatever happens, huh?'

"Err... It's not okay." Jonghyun stated. He took a pencil case (probably hers) and gave it to her. 

"You can hit me....two? No, three times. I was being rude, so..."

"You want me to hit you?" She confusedly asked.

"Yes."

"Why?" 

"Because I did something wrong." 

"Then this is not the answer." She took the pencil case and threw it to the bed. 

"You can do me a favor instead" she smiled. 

"Favor? What favor?" 

"I'm going to treat your wounds and you won't complain" she smiled again. The fact that she smiles a lot scared him. 

"O....kay. But doesn't that mean--" 

"No complaining, right? Sit here" she gently patted the bed she was sitting on earlier. 

"Wait here, okay?" She went out of his sight, and went back wearing a white doctor coat and a box of first aid kit. 

"You're treating people here?" He asked

"Mm-hmm. Only when Mrs.Dahae is not around, though" she curled her lips into a smile. 

'Can a person even smile this much?' Jonghyun wondered to himself. He saw her wiping his wound with a wet cloth. It hurts, but since she said he can't complain, he decided to stay quiet and held it in. 

"What did you do earlier? Your head is even bleeding." She sighed worriedly. 

"It's nothing. I just got into a fight." He grunted.

"Arasso" she chuckled as she saw him grunting. Jonghyun closed his eyes. It hurts a lot more when she started to treat the wound in his head. He bit his lips to endure, but suddenly she stopped. 

Jonghyun confusedly opened his eyes. 

Their faces were inches away. She was wincing in pain and the wet cloth fell to the floor. It's her shoulder again. 

"You okay? Here" he quickly grabbed the ice pack earlier and carefully placed it in her shoulder.

"Thanks." She smiled. A forced smile. 

"Yah, why are you still smiling?" 

"Huh?"

"You're hurt. You're in pain, so why are you still smiling?" Jonghyun frowned. 

"I...it's nothing." She smiled again. 

"Look, be comfortable with me, okay? You can tell me everything you want and I promise you I'm good at keeping secrets, okay?" He smiled

"So...can we be friends? I'm Jonghyun, by the way. Kim Jonghyun." Jihye stayed quiet. The smile on her face was gone.

"Jonghyun-ssi, you know, people don't like me....and I don't like it when people get too close--"

"It's Shin Jihye, right? Nice to meet you" Jonghyun cut her off. 

"Jonghyun-ssi, I--" 

"Arasso. Let's be good friends from now on!" He smiled, and he could see her blushing. 

-a week later-

Jonghyun ran to the halls, checking every room, eyeing every student. It wasn't the first time she was bullied, but it was the first time after he knew her. And he knew this is too much. 

"Hahah! Did you see her face earlier?! She's a f_cking , man."

"Yeah right! She--"

Jonghyun quickly pushed the two boys into the wall. 

"Who's a f_cking now?" Jonghyun eyed them as they trembled in fear. 

"Where is she?" 

"Y-yah! Who are you to boss us around?!"

"Where is she?" Jonghyun lifted the boy's shirt. 

"S-storage room."

"Stay away from her. You're dealing with me next time."

Jonghyun let the two go, and he quickly went to the storage room. He could hear her sobbing, inaudible sounds. The room was locked. 

"Jihye ah? Shin Jihye, you're in there?! Stay back!"

Jonghyun kicked the door three times before the door opened. The room was pitch dark. He peeked inside and saw her in the corner of the room. 

"Oh god." Jonghyun quickly ran to her and released the ropes that tied her. 

It was horrible. 

Her shirt was torn, so bad that her underwear was visible. 

Her cheek was red, slaps. Her head was bleeding. 

"You okay? Here" Jonghyun took off his shirt and gave it to her, leaving him in his white t-shirt.  

She was trembling hard even after she stopped sobbing. 

"J-Jonghyun-ssi-- don't--"

"Yah, look at yourself. Why are you worrying about me right now?" Jonghyun sighed as he helped her stand. 

"B-but--"

"Kim Jonghyun!" Jonghyun turned as he heard his name was called. He could feel her hand was holding his tight. 

"Jonghyun...-"

"Don't worry. Just stay back."

It was the gang that bullied her. 

-later that night-

"A....ah! Yah! A-ah....wait...please go slowly for me, will you?" Jonghyun whined. 

"I'm sorry." She put down her forceps and put back the gauze near the alcohol fluid. 

Jonghyun carefully looked at her from the corner of his eyes. 

"Look, you don't have to feel guilty, I did this to myself, being snobby and all" he took the gauze with his hand and carefully put it in the wound on his head. "But now no one will bully you anymore, since they're a loser and they won't stand a chance against me. Just like what happened back there."

"...you broke your right hand, Jonghyun-ssi..." She looked down, afraid to face him. 

Jonghyun smiled and ruffled her hair. 

"It's okay, It's just a sprain. Boys have to fight once in a while. To look manly." He smirked. She continued to look down until he heard her sobbing. 

"Yah, what's wrong? Did you hurt somewhere?"

"Jonghyun, you should stay away from me...I--I can't see someone else getting hurt for me, I...I'd rather get myself hurt than seeing others in pain because of me. I....it's the first time someone ever stood up for me and I...I don't think I can live with that-- I told you don't get too close with me...Why--"

"I told you to be comfortable with me, right?" He sighed. "I'm okay. This is nothing, really. I'm your friend."

"But--"

"Stop. Stop it. I'll tell you what, I'll make you feel even. Since I can't use my right hand, can you hang out with me everyday afterschool?"

"W..what?"

"I used to hang out with my band members but now I can't even hold my bass properly" he pouted. "Everyday for a month?" 

Jihye stayed quiet. 

"I'll see you then!" He stood up. 

"Why are you doing this to me?!" Jihye shouted. 

"What?" Jonghyun turned to her, she was crying. 

"I told you to not get too close with me. You'll get hurt."

"No, I know you're--"

"You don't know anything! People.......people die, when they get too close to me, Jonghyun-ssi."

"Don't put it that way, I'm sure--"

"A friend of mine died in junior high school. I-it was my fault. Please. I'm begging you. Don't do this--don't hurt yourself."

"I don't believe what you said."

"J-jonghyun-ssi--"

"If you don't have anything else to say, I'm going home, okay? See you tomorrow!" Jonghyun messed with her hair and left. 

"Kim Jonghyun! What happened?!" The whole class grouped around Jonghyun's table. 

"Yah! Is it really because of Shin Jihye? Her 'curse' is real then!"

"Yah don't say that! She was bullied and Jonghyun saved her, didn't you hear? It was 'that' gang from class 3"

"But doesn't it count as her fault? Ah poor jonghyun, how are you going to play the bass now....."

"Thank you so much for your attention! I reaaaaally really appreciated it, but I have to go. See you at fourth class?" Jonghyun smiled, quickly left the class and sighed. 

Curse? What curse? He snorted.

Jonghyun walked aimlessly at the hallway, until he found her walking at his direction. 

"Oh? Jihye ah!" Jonghyun loudly shouted and ran to her, making everyone's attention at him. Jihye startled at the shout. 

"Yah, you got home safely yesterday? Wanna get something to eat?"

Jihye looked around her, uncomfortable with all the stares and the whispers. 

"Yah, look at that, it's Shin Jihye"

"Why is Jonghyun oppa talking to her? That witch must have caught him in her curse"

Jihye looked down. 

"Jonghyun-ssi I told you don't--"

"What? You're hungry? Okay let's get something to eat!" Jonghyun dragged her away from the hallway.  

"Here" Jonghyun handed her a pack of chocolate bread. 

"Jonghyun-ssi. You didn't hear what they say about me? You--"

"Ah man, here we go again" Jonghyun sat down beside her. "Look, Shin Jihye, no matter what you say, I'm your friend. I'm staying close to you, either you like it or not. I'm not going away, okay? Instead of thinking about that, I think you should just think about this." He pointed at his casted arm. "You owe me? Remember? So what do you say, everyday for month? Afterschool?"

Jihye looked down for a moment, and nodded at his question. 

"Okay, I'll see you afterschool, then!"

"Shin Jihye! You're late!" he pouted as he sat down in the bench behind him. 

"I'm sorry...I was lost so--" Jihye looked at his casted arm and flinched. 

"Yah, you've never been here before? This is the only shopping centre in our neighborhood" she shook her head. 

"Wow, really? Well okay, apology accepted." He stood up and stretched his arms. "Let's get going then! I'll give you a tour" Jonghyun smiled.

"Yah, how could this be your first time in the amusement park! What are you, a caveman?" 

"Yah you punk, you never visited hongdae too? What, are you studying at home all the time?"

"Please don't tell me this is your first time visiting this place......this is our city's museum....or is it your first time visiting a museum..."

Jonghyun sprinted to the park and sat on his favorite bench. Jihye followed behind him and sat beside him. 

"Yah, I can't believe it's almost a month already!" He exclaimed.

Jihye smiled. Afterschool was her favorite time of the entire month.

Going around with Jonghyun was always a pleasure, visiting places she had never been to before since she never left the house aside from school and the market. They had gotten a lot closer, too. The time she spent being with Jonghyun was magical, she thought. At that time, she didn't think of the tortures back home, nor how furious her family was going to be. She only thinks about being with him. 

"Jihye ah, there's one more in my bucket list." She turned to him. 

"What is it?"

"Gangwon-do." He smiled. 

"G-gangwon-do? You mean--"

"Yes! When I was a little, I went there a lot with my family. We always stayed in this beautiful villa near the mountain. The view was amazing, it was breathtaking." Jihye smiled. His eyes was glowing as he described it. 

"So what do you say? Staying for a night there?"

"A night?" She stayed quiet. "I don't know, Jonghyun, I...."

Jonghyun smiled. "Alright, I won't push it. I promise we'll be back before 8, okay?" 

Jihye nodded happily. 

Jihye took a deep breath at the view. It was amazing, just as Jonghyun described. It was snowing, and the whole view was covered in white. 

"Jonghyun, this is amazing!" She exclaimed. 

"Yah, what did I told you?" He smiled, handing her a cup of tea. Jonghyun sat beside her, staring at her. 

"Why? What is it? Is there something on my face?" Jonghyun smiled and shared his blanket with her. 

"You're pretty." He blushed.

He thought about this trip a lot. He was really worried that they came all the way here and she didn't like the view.

Jonghyun was lying. 

Well, the first trips were his bucket list, the places he wants to go to. But the last few days, it was the places he wants to take her to. 

To make her happy. To see her smile.

"Anyway, I'm glad you like it here." She blushed, looking at her cup. 

Jonghyun was a miracle to her, a magical experience. 

She never thought she could be this happy in her entire life. 

Jonghyun smiled. "Come here." He gently leaned her head to his shoulder.

"YAH! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE" He hit her once. 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU COME HOME LAST NIGHT, HUH?" Twice. 

"WHAT? YOU'RE SICK OF THIS OLD DAD OF YOURS? THE ONE WHO RAISED YOU WHEN YOU'RE SITTING AND CRYING IN A TRASH CAN?" Three times. 

"I SPENT MONEY ON YOU! BE F_CKING USEFUL, DAMN IT!" Four times. 

"A-APPA I'M SORRY--I WAS WRONG- I WON'T-- APPA PLEASE STOP IT HURTS!" She shouted in pain as she sobbed.

"You're f_cking shouting at me? YOU'RE F_CKING SHOUTING AT ME?" He took a bottle of wine and started hitting her

"A-appa please--please let me go" she weakly sobbed as she covered her head. 

"F_CK YOU!" He threw the bottle to the corner and spat at her. He closed the door with a bang, leaving her crying.

-two months later-

"Jonghyun ah, we'll wait in the studio upstairs!"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon!" Jonghyun quickly packed his bag and hung it on his right shoulder. He quickly walked outside the empty class until suddenly Jihye walked in. 

"Hey, where have you been?" He greeted her. 

"Infirmary. Ms. Dahae told me to sort a few things." She smiled. Jonghyun smiled back at her. He kinda missed her. After a month of their 'hang out', Jonghyun and her had known each other a lot, but Jonghyun has been busy with his band lately. They'd text each other every night, but Jonghyun felt that he must meet her in person. 

"Look, um... You're coming to the school festival?"

"I don't know yet..."

"My band's playing at the main stage on 12-- so..."

"Really? Arasso. I'll come and watch you, then" 

"REALLY?" He said, almost shouted. She nodded and smiled at him. 

"I'll go to practice, then. I'll see you tomorrow?" 

"Call." Jonghyun excitedly waved his hand at her and left for practice.

"Yah, who are you to decide stuff?" He hit the dining table with his hands. 

"Appa, I--"

"I WASN'T FINISHED YOU BASTARD!" He slapped her hard. Hard enough to make her fall from her seat. 

"What did you do this month?" He glared at her.

"N-nothing, appa."

"I ASKED YOU WHAT DID YOU DO?" 

"T-there's a school festival, I--everyone had to go home late, I--"

"You what?"

"I-I'm sorry." 

"You're always sorry." Her mother rolled his eyes. 

"Appa she's lying alright. How is that 'sorry'?" Her brother mocked. 

"I'm sorry, appa." She kneeled down in front of him. 

"Disgusting." Her mother splashed her with a bowl of hot stew. Jihye widened her eyes in shock. 

"Clean these, please~" Junhyung, the brother, swiped all of the dirty dishes on the table to the floor. 

"Useless." Her father kicked her, making her fell to the floor again.  

"I'm sorry, appa." Her three other family members walked out of the room, leaving her alone in the dining room. She sighed in pain. 

'At least today he didn't beat me that much.'

-the next day-

"Thank you very much everyone!"

Jonghyun stepped out of the stage. His band was in good condition, everyone was in a good mood too. 

"Jonghyun ah, great job, man!"

"Yeah, you guys too! Em... Sorry guys I have to go first."

"Jonghyunnie, you're going to that girl again, aren't you~"

"Yah, I'm not!"

"Aww, look, she's waiting for you" Jonghyun turned to see her, smiling at him.  

"Gotta go, guys" 

"Jonghyun and Jihye, sitting on a tree, K-I-S--"

"YAH!" He laughed.

"Your bandmates seemed like good people." She chuckled as both of them walked away from the stage. 

"Yeah right. They only look that way." He chuckled, "so, how did I do?"

"Great! The crowd was crazy too" 

"Really?" He smiled, "anyway, I'm glad you can make it. Thanks."

"It's nothing. We're friends, right?"

Jonghyun stayed quiet. 

"Jihye ah, about that." Jonghyun stopped walking. They walked quite far away from the crowd. 

"Yeah?"

"I....I think I like you." Jonghyun evaded her stare, flustered. 

"Yes?"

"I think I'm in love with you. Would you be my girlfriend?" She stayed quiet. 

"Jonghyun ah, you're going to regret this. You're only going to get hurt--"

"I won't." He cut her off. "I know you're not like that. The month we spent together was great to me. I was doing it for myself, but then I realized I did it to make you happy. I like you, Jihye ah"

"...Jonghyun ah..." He stared her in the eye and slowly messed her hair. 

"It's okay. I'm not expecting you to give me the answer now." He smiled, "I-I'll get going then." 

"Wait."

"Yeah?"

"I-I like you...too, so--" 

"R-really?" He blushed. "Thank you, for trusting me" He smiled, leaving her a peck in the forehead.