Chapter 16 ★

It was Summer, a very fine time to play soccer all day long and yet, much to his dismay, six year old Little Eunhyuk was indoors, huffing and pouting as he raised his toy sword to attack his best friend Junsu, who was in a dragon constume.

"Rawr."

"Ahhh, the dragon is going to kill-- Oh wait, did you just said rawr? Dragons don't 'rawr'! They're for lions! And you Prince Charming Eunhyuk, why weren't you protecting me! I'm the damsel in distress!", the girl with a blonde hair tied in cute pig tails glowered at them.

The same age as Eunhyuk, Little Junsu pouted, taking his dragon head gear off.

"Ya! Put back your costume!", the girl howled and Little Eunhyuk rolled his eyes.

"But noona, we don't want to play this game anymore.", Little Eunhyuk uttered.

"Plus this costume is too hot! I keep on perspiring I'm starting to feel sticky, eww.". Little Junsu added, wiping the little droplets on his forehead with his dragon arm. 

"And this game is really boring.."

"This game isn't for boys!"

"Soccer's much better!"

"Why are we playing this anyway?!"

"Why are you playing this?", the two boys stopped their discussion as they followed the direction of the voice, facing a smiling girl with the cute pig tails and yet something about it looked so off. It seemed to be odd, kind of scary, like those wicked bullies they see onTV.

"Why are you playing with me anyway? Do I need to remind you the reason, Eunhyuk, Junsu?", the girl asked, advancing on the two that they found themselves gulping and stepping back. Junsu felt Eunhyuk gripped on his arm, which is somewhat a miracle because the dragon costume he's wearing is somewhat thick.

"Do you really wanna know the reason why you're playing this?", the nine-year old girl stomped her foot, startling the two best friends in the process. "Answer me!", she exclaimed that Junsu hid behind Eunhyuk quickly, pushing the slightly older boy to sacrifice himself. 

Yes. Because the girl before them is neither a princess nor a damsel in distress. She's the Evil Queen, and a very very evil one at that.

"Why are you playing with me?!"

"B-Because we like it..", Little Eunhyuk muttered half-heartedly, Little Junsu nodding his head in agreement so as to save his life.

"WHAT?!", the girl shouted, making the boys jumped on their feet.

"Because we like it!", they shouted in chorus, eyes weren't even daring to looked back at the girl as they didn't want to see the pleased expression on her pretty face.

"See? You love playing with me! So let's carry on! Wear your dragon head Junsu and Hyuk-ah, come over here and protect me! Aish I wonder where was Siwon, we need a horse to escape later!", the girl muttered as she fixed the tiara on her hair. The two boys looked helplessly at each other. Sure they are brats who do bully sometimes that the kids in the kindergarten feared them, and yet when it comes to this noona, they are spineless, weaklings, mere slaves to her every requests.

Why they are playing with her? The answer's simple.

Because nothing will be a lot more scarier than making the little girl angry. Just the thought of it sends shivers on their lithe bodies.

Yes. That's how frightening she is, and will always be.

The sound of the alarm clock woke her up, Hyukjae grunted as she reached for the device and quickly threw it somewhere. It was just when she heard the loud crash the clock made did she opened her eyes, groaning a little as she lazily sat up. Hyukjae ruffled her red hair, frowning as she remembered her dream.

"Why did I dreamt of noona?", she murmured, shutting her eyes for a while as she knocked off the rest of her drowsiness away. She looked around and found out that she's alone, puffing her cheeks at the thought that Donghae must have come to school early again to study with his Physics Club members. 

With Sunye.

The thought made Hyukjae want to claw Donghae's smiling face. 

~

Still feeling a little sleepy, Hyukjae waved goodbye to Mrs. Lee, Donghae's and Yoona's mom, as she set off to school. She was walking lazily with shoulders dropped down and hands on the strap of her backpack, letting her feet dragged her to the bus stop. She was startled however when she noticed a familiar figure sitting, or if she was conceited enought to think so, waiting for her in there.

Hyukjae tilted her head in wonder when she saw Donghae, sitting and holding a plastic bag as he waited for the next bus. 

Maybe he was just indeed biding for the bus to come, and is no way anticipating for her.

Yeah, that should be it.

She heaved a sigh as she took the spot next to him, successfully gaining his attention as the guy even looked surprise seeing her. He quickly fixed his glasses and smiled coyly at Hyukjae, making the girl quirked an eyebrow but returned it nonetheless.

"I thought you've gone to school earlier, Aunt said you've left home half an hour or so when I woke up.", she uttered casually, not even looking at him as she focused her eyes on the road before them.

"Ah.. y-yeah.. Actually, I just get up early to find t-these, since there's no nearby convenient store in our place so.. yeah, here.", Donghae threw the plastic bag he's holding on Hyukjae's lap, surprising the girl a bit. She took it and found that in it was two cartons of strawberry milk, she remembered whining about not having to taste her precious strawberry milk the night before. The same time she raised her head to look at Donghae, she found out that a bus was already waiting infront of her, and that the brunette had dashed off quickly inside. Hyukjae hurried on her feet as she stepped in too, looking over to see where Donghae was.

She found that he was somewhere at the back of the bus. Since it was still early (forty minutes before the rush hour) there were still a few passengers and it made it a lot easier for Hyukjae to reach the four-eyed brunette. She took the seat next to him quietly, the boy's eyes fixed on the window and yet Hyukjae could tell he's blushing from the way his ears reddenned furiously. 

A smile instantly made its way on her pretty face.

It's nothing to be gleeful about really. Donghae just bought her her favorite strawberry milk. Donghae had just woke up early in the morning and find time on his sort of busy schedule to look for the beverage Hyukjae had been grumbling the night before on how she badly wants it. Well, it's not like she couldn't live without it but Hyukjae had always been a brat, and therefore she tends to exagerate things especially if she really wants it. And she didn't knew Donghae will seriously look for it. He could have wait for them to reach school since there's a convenient store nearby and it was sold in their school canteen, but no. He just really have to face the trouble of looking for it so as to give it to Hyukjae first thing in the morning. Donghae could be dumb sometimes, no matter how intellectual he is. He just bought her her strawberry milk, surely there's nothing to be happy about.

"Thank you.", she muttered as she nudge Donghae softly with her elbow. The boy gazed back at her and she raised her plastic bag, smiling sheepishly as she eyed the boy beside her. 

"Oh.. i-it's nothing, hehe.", Donghae answered, rubbing his nape as a chagrined smile cracked on his face. It's not that it's something to be thankful for really. He just woke up early, excusing himself on their study session to look for that milk Hyukjae had been wanting since the other night. It was late when it occur to him that he could buy it in school, yet the urge to give it to Hyukjae immediately made him forget such ideas. He hadn't done anything special, he just found the necessity to succumb to Hyukjae's every wish. He just couldn't help it. He just want to see her happy. There's nothing wrong with him, right? 

Donghae stole a glance on the girl beside him and found her happily sippin on her milk, eyes twinkling reflecting how happy she is. She let out a sigh as she had her first gulp, just how wonderful it taste and how she really loves it. And then it happened, that one thing Donghae had been anticipating to see ever since he handed his little present to her. 

It was like the world get in to a slow motion, as her plump lips stretched wide and opened up, revealing her teeth and languidly, part of her gums peeked out, revealing that sight Donghae had grown a liking of. 

It was even prettier than what Jeju Island could offer.

Donghae just really wanted to see her smile, so technically he did this for himself. The fact that Hyukjae's happy is just an added point. Yeah, he did this just so he could see that enthralling view that had his heart thumping furiously in his chest, something he haven't felt for so long (the last time was when he had run a one kilometer dash for PE class). 

He did this for himself. Surely, Hyukjae has nothing to be thankful for.

Hyukjae didn't know what was the silly grin on her face was all about, but she just couldn't help it. She was still wearing it as she walked towards the Scholars' Room. Donghae had already excused himself to meet his friends at the Physics Club and although a part of Hyukjae was at it again, being mad and stuff at the thought of Donghae being with Sunye, the feeling diss