The girls in school were squealing and giggling. The younger female teachers too were finger-combing their hair. It was because a handsome sight was standing outside the school gates.

Jaejoong was clothed in a slick greyish blue trench coat, a formal suit underneath, and super stylish one-inch heeled shiny shoes. His piercing stare could not be deciphered because he was wearing a pair of Italian-branded shades, and his y fringes were swept to the left side of his face. He was scanning through the area of the local high school, looking for something--or someone.

"Look at that Ahjusshi! He's so hot!" the girls said among themselves.

Jong Hyun, meanwhile, passed by the school grounds when he noticed the commotion. He looked around and saw a large female population gazing at the sight of the person near the gate. Since he was tall, he was able to tower high from the girls...

And his eyes saw Jaejoong. And he lifted into a smile.

As the girls oogled over the y Ahjusshi (and Jaejoong is not an ahjusshi yet, but they thought him to be), Jong Hyun went over to Jaejoong, earning him glaring stares from the girls.

"Why is that geek going to that Ahjusshi?"

"He will never look hot like that Ahjusshi!"

The teachers, meanwhile, were envious that they wanted to get closer to the nerdy outcast.

"Let's be good to Lee Jong Hyun-haksaeng," one teacher said.

"I have always been good to that haksaeng," her colleague said.

Jaejoong lit up a smile as he saw Jong Hyun.

"Annyeonghaseyo, Jaejoong-ssi?" Jong Hyun greeted with a bow.

Jaejoong looked at him before looking at the girls, then at him.

"Just call me 'Hyung.'"

"Arasseoyo, Hyung," Hyunnie said.

"Eodi ga?"

"Jib-e gaseyo (I'm going home)," Jong Hyun said.

Jaejoong smiled at him before smiling at the students and the teachers. They all giggled and swooned over such hottie. He could really be an idol member already.

"Don't go yet," he told Jong Hyun. "Let's hang out for a while."

Then, he took off his shades, exposing his femininely masculine beauty to the girls. They all squeeled again like some idol member had been lost in the school. He smiled warmly at them before giving out a flying kiss and winking at them. And all the female hormones skyrocketed that afternoon. Then, he beckoned Jong Hyun to follow him, and all the girls, especially the students, reckoned that they should be kind to Jong Hyun--for the purpose of getting close to that hot Ahjusshi.

What a bad plan. But at least, it's a plan!

****

 The two went to a coffee house owned by a certain Kang Min Hyuk (hohohoho!!!!). It was the best in Gangnam, and Jaejoong had been craving Min Hyuk's green tea latte for weeks. He wanted Jong Hyun to try some good stuff too, so he ordered yogurt green tea for the student.

"How many times did Jageun Eomma let you play the piano after I let you play Scott Japlin that night?"

"After that night...two days ago," Jong Hyun replied timidly, making Jaejoong laugh again.

"You are such a lovely young man," Jaejoong said. "You should get a girlfriend already! Why! When I was your age, I had like, five girlfriends a day!"

"But it is because Hyung is so cool that all the girls love him," Jong Hyun told him.

Jaejoong chuckled before sipping his latte.

"Why is Hyung so kind to me?" Jong Hyun asked.

Jaejoong's eyes sparkled.

"My parents taught me kindness, and I think kindness is a silent language that the rich people need to learn," Jaejoong said. "Nae Sultry Honey and Jageun Eomma need to learn that when they treated you ill in front of me."

"Nae..mworaguyo?"

"Nae Sultry Honey," Jaejoong said before laughing. "That is my pet name for Bo Young-ah. She wears thick makeup and likes cute guys, and she excels in getting guys' attention just because she's pretty and smart."

"Ah...." gaped Jong Hyun.

The hyung sighed and shook his head.

"Been quite busy lately with stuff," he told the student without revealing his plans of looking for Shin Hye.

And of course, Jong Hyun did not tell Jaejoong of Shin Hye because the latter might not have known Shin Hye...or might have only known her in one occasion.

"Anyway, I see that Jageun Eomma pays you little that your bumonim cannot even pay for the debt and the interest," Jaejoong said. "But I will make a deal with you, if you will agree with what I will have to say."

"Arasseoyo."

"I will pay your parents' debts," Jaejoong declared.

"Ne?????" came Hyunnie.

"Yes. I am sure," Jaejoong said.

And Jong Hyun turned whiter than he already was.

"What.. what does Hyung want me to do?" the student asked.

"Do you want to get rich?" Jaejoong asked.

Geuraeyo!" Jong Hyun replied as his glasses fell of his nose. "Oops..."

"Joha (Good)," Jaejoong said. "You can work for Jageun Eomma as stipulated, but on Saturdays, you need to come to my restaurant and apply. Bring an updated resume and pass it to my manager. I will tell her that I am sending you over."

Jong Hyun smiled. He thought that what he was supposed to do was harder than he imagined. 

"I will be hiring you to work at the counter but you need to be interviewed for formality's sake. I want to teach you how to run a business," Jaejoong said.

As if he had read Hyunnie's mind.

"Gamsahamnida, Hyung."

"I don't understand how it is to be poor, but I understand struggling as a student. Just like I said, I saw myself in you," Jaejoong said. "That is why I am willing to help."

Jong Hyun was so excited that he slurped his tea until it was gone.

"Do you want seconds?" Jaejoong offered.

"Eh? Ne! Ne..."

And Jaejoong ordered another round for Hyunnie. While waiting for the order, Jaejoong leaned forward to take away the thick glasses that Jong Hyun just recently put back to his face.

"Burning Eyes," Jaejoong said with a smile.

"Hyung! I can't see a thing!" groaned Jong Hyun.

"Anyway, just continue sporting the glasses," Jaejoong told Jong Hyun as he returned the glasses. "By the way, what's your number?"

Jong Hyun looked at him blankly before getting his humble phone, then he rattled off his cellphone number. Jaejoong eyed the old-fashioned phone.

"I used to have that one," Jaejoong said to him. Then, without giving Jong Hyun a chance to reply, he gave the student his cellphone number.

"Hyung..."

"If you need something, or if you want to talk to me, call me," Jaejoong said.

"Ah ne... algesseumnida, Hyung."

When the tea arrived, Jong Hyun took the cup and began slurping his treat.

"Gaja," the businessman told the student. "I have a very busy day, but of course, I am not busy when it comes to meeting friends the old-fashioned way."

Jong Hyun smiled meekly, though he should really look hot.

"Thank you for thinking of me that way, Hyung."

"Ani. I am just wanting to make yourself worthwhile. I can see that the girls back in the school do  not like you because they glared at you when they saw you with me."

"Ne... Nobody but the teachers talk to me," Hyunnie said.

"Gaja," Jaejoong said again.

And the two of them stepped out of the cafe.

****

However, what Jong Hyun did not know was, Hye Ri was very angry that she was not able to acquire a certain land that she had wished for, so she took a whip and got in the basement. She found Shin Hye still with her dirty clothes and unkempt hair, and she began to whip the poor girl.

Shin Hye usually kept her precious things so Hye Ri could not see them, and after dinner, she usually bathe and dress her clean clothes so Jong Hyun will see her presentable. She did not want Hye Ri to find out that Jong Hyun had been seeing her.

Of course, because Jong Hyun had been turning Shin Hye's life around, she thought she should protect the secret too.

The whippings were too much and Shin Hye grimaced in pain.

"Because of you bastard servant, I have no luck in acquiring the land I want! I did not get the things that I want because of you, and because of your wretched mother!"

Shin Hye thought it was too much. Blaming her was something she could bear, but insulting her mother was something she could not forgive. In her anger, she grabbed the fork and began to scratch Hye Ri's arm with it.

"WHY YOU!!!!!" Hye Ri shouted as she whipped the poor girl one last time, and Shin Hye fell to the ground.

Hye Ri went out of the basement and saw a long gash, almost the length of 12-inch ruler, and it was bleeding. She rushed to the kitchen to have her wound cleansed, then she called on Bo Young.

"Wae, Eo....mma??????" Bo Young asked. "Who did that????"

"Who else?"

Bo Young's blood pressure rose and she declared she's going down the basement to kill Shin Hye, but Hye Ri told her to snap out of it and drive her to the hospital. Hye Ri wanted to have her wound stitched.

*****

Meanwhile, at the basement, tears started to fall down Shin Hye's eyes again. She wanted to escape. But how? She had to, no matter what. By all means, she had to find a way.

And she remembered Jong Hyun. If she would run away, she will miss him. Because he was her only friend.

"Jong Hyun... jebal dowa (please help me)..." she sobbed in a whisper.

And her wounds began to hurt again.

~~~~