*Ai's POV*

"Ai... Ai... AI!"

I snapped out of my daydream and heard someone calling my name.

"Are you okae?" Soyoung asked. "You've been spacing out a lot recently." 

I shook my head. "I'm okae. I'm just stressed out with school." 

"Okae. But if you need to talk, I'm always here for you," she said.

I smiled. "Thanks." 

Soyoung smiled back and returned to the kitchen while I stayed at the cashier. Today was pretty slow and we've only had five customers so far. I guess it's because people mostly buy bread in the morning, but today just really seemed slow. 

I heard the sound of a bell ringing, the sound made whenever the door opens and there's a customer. "Welcome~!" I said in a more happy tone. 

A girl who was the same age as me walked in. She also wore the same uniform. When she picked up her head, I immediately recognize who she was. "Oh! Aren't Miyeon? The girl I spilled my ice cream on?"

Miyeon laughed. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry about that," I apologized once again.

"Stop apologizing," she said. "It's starting to get annoying."

I nodded. "Okae then. What brings you here?"

Miyeon looked around in confusion. "That's strange... I thought I walked in the ice cream shop."

I looked at her weirdly. "This is a bakery. The ice cream shop is a few blocks down." 

Miyeon sighed and she didn't look to happy.

"Are you okae?" Then I remember, she told me her problems before. "Did you not make up with your friend?"

She shook her head. "We did but..." She trailed off and looked in the distance. 

"Do you want to talk?" I ask and she nodded her head. "Hold on, I'm off in a few more minutes. How about you wait for me at the ice cream shop?"

She nodded her head solemnly and walked out of the bakery. Once my shift was over, I quickly left and headed towards Sweet Dream. I saw Miyeon sitting at the corner of the shop and I took a seat across from her.

"How are you feeling now?" I asked. 

"Not the slightest bit better," she replied.

"So... what happened?" I asked.

She sighed. "I don't know. We made up and I thought we were friends again, but this morning when he came into class, he acted so cold towards me. He was never cold towards me. I kept asking what's wrong, but he won't tell me. He ignored me the entire day and and..." Her lips were quivering and she was trying hard not to cry. 

I got up. "I have no idea who this boy is, but he's really messed up for doing this to you." I grabbed my umbrella. "What's his name? Tell me so I can hit him."

Her eyes widen. "No! Don't do that! I know very well why he's doing this, but..." Her voice trailed off and she was silent for awhile. I didn't know what to say so I just waited for her to continue talking. "I know why he's doing this, but at the same time I don't know why. It hurts that he's acting this way towards me. I know his situation so I don't see why he can't tell me. We tell each other everything, yet... If he just told me, I would understand and try to help him in anyway possible but... he just ignores me. I want to help him and be there with him to endure the pain he's going through, but he keeps pushing me away." 

She was really on the verge of crying. She tried to blink a couple of times to make the tears go away, but it didn't work. A single tear fell down. Eventually, she covered her face and began crying. I saw a few stares but I gave them a look and they quickly turned away. I sat there awkwardly. I barely know her yet she's telling all this to me. I got up and moved to a seat closer to her. I put my arm around her and pat her back. I didn't say anything as she sat there to cry her heart out. 

***

Miyeon wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry for troubling you."

I shook my head. "It's no trouble at all. Besides, it's better to let out your feelings than to keep it bottled up."

Miyeon nodded and looked at the time on her cell phone. "I should be heading home now." She slipped the phone back in her pocket. "Thanks for listening. Again, I'm sorry if I troubled you.

"Okae, now you've got to stop apologizing," I said. We both laughed for awhile. "If you need anyone to talk to, I'm always here."

Miyeon smiled. "Thanks. You've been a really good friend even thought we barely know each other. Well, bye."

"Bye bye!" I waved and Miyeon waved back. She turned around and walked away, leaving me by myself again. I sighed and walked along the sidewalk. What should I do now? I really don't want to go home yet. I kept walking and I somehow ended up at the park. I looked around and saw a bunch of kids playing. Few grown ups were around, except for the ones watching their kids. I decided to hang here until I felt like going back home. 

I walked over to the bench I usually sat at to clear my head, but to my surprise, I saw it occupied.

"Wooyoung..."

Wooyoung looked up and our eyes met. We both awkwardly looked away. I thought he would want some time to himself so I was about to turn away and leave, but his words stopped me. 

"I think we should talk," he said. I turned to look at him, but his eyes were facing forward. 

I didn't argue and sat down on the bench, but not too close to him. We were silent for awhile, and awkwardness filled the atmosphere. I looked towards the kids playing and was able to recognize Wooyoung's little sister right away. She's such a cute and sweet girl.

"I'm sorry," Wooyoung said.

I looked at Wooyoung. 

"I'm sorry to have ignored you like that the other day. That was rude of me," he said.

I tried to figure out what he was talking about and then I remembered on the day that Soomin came to our school, I went to talk to Wooyoung, but he walked away without hearing me talk. I wasn't mad though. I could understand why he would be mad. I'm surprised he's even talking to me right now. 

"You don't have to apologize," I said. "I should apologize. The whole class should apologize for what they did to you."

Another minute of silence. "I'm really sorry for what they did to you. What I did to you. You shouldn't have been treated like that. You have a right to know since you're in our class."

"Maybe you should apologize," he said and sat forward. "But first, I want to know what's going on in our class. I want to know what those illegal funds are and why certain people receive "benefits" from being in our class. I want to know it all."

I sighed. There's no reason to hide it anymore...

*Wooyoung's POV*

I listened carefully as Ai explained to me. She told me about how the school was losing money and how the former Student Council President, Jang Jaegyu suggested the idea of his father's company and others to support the school by giving them illegal funds. All the people who donated those funds, their children were accepted into the school and were even placed in the A classes. Not only that, but they were given special privileges. She explained the reason why she and the other current Student Council Members were chosen for the roles was because their parents' company donated to the school. To avoid full suspicion, they placed the students who were suppose to be in the A classes. Like me. She then got to how a teacher found out about it and if they don't stop now, the teacher will open his mouth. The Principal of the school is figuring out a way to solve this, or so he said according to Ai. Then she explained the reason why Jihwan and Soomin High got to together was that maybe it can save us from our predicament. However, she's not sure if Soomin knows about our school's current situation. 

She finally finished and I sat there, trying to process everything. 

The school is losing money. That's bad. Asking for money from other companies. That's also bad. Especially when it's illegal funds. Favoring students because of those funds. Also bad. It's going to be our last year here anyway, so why worry so much? No, that's selfish. What about the other students? With the school's image, if this were to get out, it will ruin them. They could possibly close. But what if Jihwan and Soomin do become one? Will that help us even just a little bit? What if we still get found out? Won't it affect them too? I side-eyed Ai. If we were found out, won't everyone who was involved get in trouble? Even if they're just students, they would receive some sort of punishment.

Ai sighed. "I really hope we can stop this soon. I don't want to keep this up. It's tiring and if we keep going, our troubles will all just pile up. I heard that the school is doing a little better, but the Principal is too reliant on the companies."

I didn't reply. Honestly I don't know how to reply. It was all a shock to me. I couldn't believe our school would go to such measures just to save their reputation. We just sat there and said nothing.

Ai started to talk once more, "I don't expect you to understand or forgive me. But I want you to know that I'm sorry. I told our classmates to stop bullying you. And they did, but I have a feeling it won't last long. I'm truly sorry for everything I did. If it hurt you in some way. You must think I'm some two-faced liar."

I couldn't help it, but a smirk formed on my lips. "So that was why they were bullying me? Because they thought I told on them?" I chuckled a little. "The reason why I went to see the Principal was to refuse my position as Student Council President. Sorry about that."

"It's alright. I had a feeling you don't want to be in it after what you heard," Ai replied. "So Hyun is now the President."

"Does he know?" I asked out of curiosity.

Ai shook her head. "It might be a problem if he were to find out. That's why I want to end this soon. I don't want any more people to find out about this."

I sighed and stood up.

"Are you mad at me?" I heard her ask.

I thought about it. "Mad? Possibly. But..." I looked at the sky. The sun was setting the blue and orange were starting to mix. "I think what the school is doing is really stupid and dangerous at the same time. I agree with you. You have to stop it right now. If the media were to find out, it will be a really big negative impact on not just the people who were involve, but the whole entire school. Maybe those involve will have it worse."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"What is it?"

I kicked a pebble in front of my shoe. "When Jaegyu proposed the idea of the illegal funds, how did you feel? Were you against it or with it?" 

It took awhile until she answered. "I thought it was a crazy idea. I thought. 'We would get in so much trouble if people were to find out'. But the Principal was so willing. Jaegyu just seemed greedy. Ji Eun was scared and went with it. Chihoon... Chihoon never gave his input on it, but they went on with it anyway. I think I was the only one who was against it."

"Then why did you let them go through with it? Why did you stay as Vice President?" 

I heard Ai sigh. "Honestly, I really don't know. I wasn't thinking at the time. Plus, my mom was so proud to hear that I got into the Student Council. I guess I didn't want to disappoint her." 

I nodded. I understood the feeling of not wanting to disappoint your parents. You do something you don't want to do because it will impress them and you don't want them to be disappointed in you.

At that moment, my sister ran up to me and hugged my legs. "Oppa~ I want to leave now!" I saw tears in her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked. I crouched down to her level and wiped away a tear. 

She pointed at the group of kids by the swing set. "They pushed me off and said I couldn't play anymore!" 

"What? How could they do something so mean!" 

"Oppa! Can you scold them!" She asked.

I chuckled. "I'll tell them that it's not good to push their friends off from swings. Arasseo?"

She nodded her head and looked to the side. "Ah! Ai unnie! You're here again!"

I looked at Ai who gave a small smile to Yoobin.

"Annyeong~!" She said. 

"Annyeong!" Yoobin said brightly. "Are you here to play with us again?"

Ai shook her head. "Actually, I was about to leave right now." 

Yoobin pouted. "Aww. I was hoping unnie and I could play."

Ai patted her head. "Next time. Arasseo?" 

Yoobin held out her pinky. "Promise?" 

Ai hesitated a little but entwined her pinky with Yoobin's. "Promise." 

I stood up. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." I said, not meeting eyes with Ai.

"Goodbye," she replied.

"Bye," I said.

"Bye-bye unnie!" Yoobin said cutely, making Ai smile. I held Yoobin's hand and walked towards the bad kids that made her cry. 

*Ai's POV*

I watched as Wooyoung and Yoobin walk over to the swing set where the other kids were. Wooyoung spoke with them eye level and after awhile, the kids all looked down in embarrassment. In the end, Wooyoung patted their heads. I sighed. I don't think he would ever forgive me.

I was going to walk away but something shiny caught my eye. On the bench where Wooyoung and I just sat on, a small keychain of a silver bear hung on it. I picked it up and examined it. "Was this here ever since?" I tilted my in confusion. "Why does this look familiar?" I rattled my brain until I finally got my answer. I looked at the keychain wide-eyed. This was the keychain I gave to Wooyoung that night of the cherry blossom viewing. They were giving these out, but I already had one so I gave it to Wooyoung. Did he keep it with him ever since?

My heart beated faster than usual. Could it be that he thinks of me as someone special? What if he's just like that? I shook my head. I shouldn't get my hopes up. Even if he did like me, I bet he lost all interest after what happened. 

I held the keychain close to me and sighed. "I should probably return this to him...." I took a deep breath in and let it all out. I walked over to Wooyoung who was leaning on the pole of the swing set. His back was facing me and his little sister was right next to him. 

I was close enough to hear their conversation. 

"Oppa, you like that girl don't you?" Yoobin said.

I stopped in my tracks. What did she just say?

Wooyoung didn't reply for awhile. He patted Yoobin's head and said, "You've always been a smart girl Yoobin."

"Does unnie like you too?" 

I saw his shoulders rise and fall. "I don't know."

"I think unnie likes you too!"

I saw Wooyoung laugh. "You think so?" 

Yoobin nodded violently that her bow was out of place. "Will you and Ai unnie become a couple like appa and eomma?"

"Woah, get a hold of yourself. You're going a little too far," Wooyoung laughed.

"Okae, but does oppa plan on telling unnie his feelings anytime soon?"

Wooyoung's hand fell from his little sister's head. He sighed greatly. "Things are a bit complicated right now. If only I didn't hear about that thing that day..."

Ahhh~ I really have no comment~ :3  But do you guys have any?? Huh? Huh? Please comment!! T^T

I guess the story is heading to the soon, so... stay tuned~! :D