“So Myungsoo, what are your hobbies?” asks my mother.

            Converse dude aka Kim Myungsoo slowly chews his steak and then finally says, “I like cars and girls. That’s basically it.”

            My mother and Mr. Kim chuckled, thinking that our dear precious Myungsoo was joking and had a great sense of humor.

            What a jerk.

            “And you, Naeun?” Mr. Kim asks me.

            “Well,” I said, “I like drawing and dancing. And reading, too.”

            “That sounds great!” Mr. Kim said, interested. “Do you have a favorite American literary novel?”

            “Yes, I do! I really loved The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald!” I grew very excited at the mention of books so I was super happy that Mr. Kim had asked me about them.

            “Boring ,” I heard Myungsoo mumble beside me.

            The nerve.

            “What was that, Myungsoo?”

            “I said it was very interesting.” A fake smile rose upon his face. How two-faced can this guy possibly get. “I loved how he defined all of the characters so well.”

            “Oh yes,” Mr. Kim concurred. “I completely agree with you, Myungsoo-ah. I didn’t know you read it!”

            “I didn’t know you did either,” I mumbled.

            He smirked and quietly whispered to me, “I didn’t.”

            Then I realized that his answer had been complete and utter bs. Dang he was good at lying.

            During dinner that night, of course I was pretty miserable. Myungsoo was a complete pain in the and he kept making fun of me and the things that I liked. But then I’d look over at how happy my mom was with Mr. Kim and decided that I could put up with a horrid stepbrother because I love her. I could at least do that much for her.

            So before he left that night, I decided to make things clear to Myungsoo.

            “Look,” I said. “I know we have our differences. But I just want to let you know that I’m willing to put up with you for my mom’s happiness. Don’t try to ruin this for her. If you do, you’ll be sorry.”

            Myungsoo scoffed. “Are you threatening me?”

            “Yes.”

            He stared at me.

            “What?” I asked.

            “Nothing,” he mumbled before turning away.

            “Myungsoo-ah, we should get going,” Mr. Kim said, putting an end to my conversation with the nuisance. “Here’s your coat.”

            “Thanks, dad.”

            My mother and I walked the two of them to the front door, bading goodbye.

            “See ya tomorrow at school, little sis,” Myungsoo said with a hint of mockery in his voice.

            And with that, he left.

            I was sitting with my usual friends at lunch the next day when I suddenly hear a “Psstt!” behind me.

            I turn around and see a pair of dirty converse walking away from me, but a head was turned back. He motioned for me to meet him outside the cafeteria.

            “Hey guys,” I said to my friends, “I’m going to go to the bathroom, okay?”

            “Alright Naeun. Gotta look pretty for Taemin, am I right?” my friend Eunji said with a wink.

            Taemin, who was just a table away from us, noticed me and waved. I waved back, my cheeks threatening to turn a bright shade of red.

            I quickly scurried out of the cafeteria and saw Myungsoo standing by the stairs.

            “What do you want?” I asked him.

            “My dad wants me to go to your house after school today,” he said. “He’ll pick me up after dinner. But I’m pretty sure they’re making plans of conjoining houses soon.”

            “As in we’ll have to live with each other?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Oh god.”

            Myungsoo gave me a look, but continued anyways. “I just wanted to tell you that so you don’t accuse me of stalking you or whatever. Okay?”

            I shrugged. “I don’t care.”

            Myungsoo nodded and went back inside the cafeteria. I followed him about ten seconds later.

            When Myungsoo got back to his table, there was a girl waiting for him. A really pretty girl, with nice pale skin and long dark hair. She seemed happy to see him.

            “He actually gets girls?” I asked myself. What kind of crazy chick would want to like him?

            Minding my own business, I rejoined my friends and it was a good lunch. Rigatoni with my favorite chocopie for dessert. Delish.

            School ended. I stayed after a bit to help add some finishing touches to the posters and started heading out to the front gate. I was pretty surprised to find Myungsoo standing right by it when I got out, kicking a pebble on the ground.

            “You didn’t go home yet?” I asked him.

            “My dad would kill me if he found out that I let you walk home all by yourself,” Myungsoo said. “And what took you so long anyways I’ve been waiting out here for over thirty minutes.”

            “Sorry,” I said as the two of us started walking. “I had some homecoming posters to fix. They’re crucial for advertisements.”

            “Homecoming,” he stated. “When is that again?”

            “Three weeks,” I replied. “It’s going to be so amazing that even a nut-case like you will have a good night.”

            “Who says I’m going?”

            “But you have to go,” I said. “What grade are you in again?”

            “You don’t know?”

            “I don’t remember.”

            Myungsoo sighed. “Freshman.”

            “Liar,” I accused. “You are so not a freshman.”

            “I really am.”

            I facepalmed him. “Please.”

            He chuckled and lightly slapped my facepalming hand away from him. “Senior.”

            “Senior? Then you have to go to homecoming this year,” I said. “It’s mandatory.”

            “Says who?”

            “Me,” I stated. “And I’m vice president so you must obey me.”

            “Me? A senior? Obey a sophomore? Son Napoop is gettin’ cray.”

            “Excuse me, Kim Myungpoop?”

            By then, the two of us had already reached my house. My mother wasn’t home due to work.

            “I would love to argue with you further,” I said as I slipped off my shoes, “but I must attend to homework and my textbooks. So see you at dinner.”

            “Well what am I going to do here?” Myungsoo asked.

            I shrugged. “I dunno. Go watch TV or something. Eat a snack. Just don’t bother me.” Then before he could argue, I headed upstairs to my bedroom, where all was quiet and Myungsoo-less.

            About ten minutes later though, I heard a knock on my door. Myungsoo’s head popped in.

            “I thought I told you not to bother me,” I said, not taking my eyes off of the math problem I was currently trying to figure out.

            “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” he mumbled as he closed the door behind him. “Interesting room you have here.”

            “I’m quite the minimalist.”

            He laid on my bed, making himself quite at home. I would’ve yelled at him to get off but there were more important things to focus on.

            Buzzzzzz. Buzzzzzz.

            “Hm...Lee Taemin?”

            Oh .

            My phone was vibrating, Taemin was calling, but Myungsoo had my phone since it was on the bed. I made a dash to grab it from his hands but he was too quick. His arm raised up and my phone was now two feet above me.

            “You? And Lee Taemin?” Myungsoo asked me with a raised brow.

            “Give me back my phone,” I demanded.

            “There’s a heart here right next to his contact name...Lee Taemin <3...”

            “I said give it back to me.”

            “I wonder what would happen if I picked it up.”

            “NO! Don’t!”

            He smirked the smirk of the devil. I didn’t think he would actually answer Taemin’s call for me. But he did.

            “Hello?”

            “Give me back my phone!”

            “Naeun? I don’t think she can come to the phone right now. Who is this, you ask? No it is not Kim Myungsoo from school, sorry to disappoint. Although, I respect the guy he is so damn cool.”

            “I said GIVE IT TO ME!”

            “Have a nice day Lee Taemin with a heart, adios!”

            Myungsoo hung up on Taemin and tossed me my phone, albeit a bit too late.

            “You’re welcome.”

            “Why the hell did you do that for?!” I was beyond angry, beyond upset. “That was Lee Taemin on the phone you ing bastard!”

            “Ohohoho the vice president is cursing now?”

            “I can’t believe you did that. Get out of my ing room!”

            Myungsoo seemed taken aback at how I was raising my voice. “Wait, you’re seriously upset about this? It’s just Taemin.”

            “‘Just Taemin’?” I scoffed. “And you’re just one clueless, selfish, ugly bastard, aren’t you? Now get out of my ing room. Now.”

            When he didn’t move, I yelled, “NOW!”

            Myungsoo casually slipped his hands into his pockets and did as he was told. I wanted to scratch that ing face of his, knee him in the balls. I was beginning to think he was alright on the walk home. But he messed with my feelings for Taemin, feelings that were sacred and special to me. Never have I hated anyone so much.

          “Naeun, you’re awfully quiet today,” my mother said during dinner.

            “Just tired,” I fibbed as I poked at the chicken on my plate. I casted Myungsoo a glare, telling him that I was still angry at him, before turning back to my food.

            Mr. Kim came by soon after dinner ended.

          “Thanks for taking care of Myungsoo today,” Mr. Kim said to me. “I hope he wasn’t too much of a nuisance.”

            “He was fine,” I fibbed. I sent the devil a glare soon after. He looked away.

            When Mr. Kim and Myungsoo left, my mother seemed please.

            “I’m glad you and Myungsoo are starting to get along,” she said happily. “I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to adjust to him but things seem to be going well!”

            “Yeah,” I mumbled. “Totally.”

            During school, I was trying my best to avoid Taemin at all costs. Or, at least, until it all blows over and I feel comfortable enough to talk to him. I was still insanely mad at Myungsoo too. I have never met a guy so obnoxious and rude.

            I was in the library during lunch, catching up on some reading for English, when a brown paper bag was suddenly put in front of me.

            “Hey,” Taemin said as he took a seat across from me. “Thought I’d find you here.”

            “Taemin.” I immediately felt myself smile. “Hi. What’s up?”

            He pushed the brown paper bag towards me. “Just thought you’d be hungry, skipping lunch and all.”

            “But we’re not supposed to eat in the library,” I whispered.

            Taemin chuckled. “C’mon Naeun. We’re the school’s president and vice president. I assume we have some very special privileges.”

            I nodded in approval and peeked inside the bag to find an extremely beautiful slice of strawberry cake.

            “Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed. “Where’d you get this? I love strawberries.”

            “I drove to the bakery down the street from the school.” He gave me a spoon. “Eat up, Son Naeun.”

            I grinned and didn’t hesitate to indulge myself into the delicious strawberry cake that Lee Taemin had bought for me.

            He bought me something! And it tastes great!

            So of course my mood was instantly boosted, thanks to the great Lee Taemin himself. The two of us walked out of the library when lunch ended, happily chatting away.

            “Yah, Son Napoop.”

            He did not just call me that in public.

            Kim Myungsoo stopped me in my tracks. His very face degraded my mood.

            “What?” I snapped.

            “Naeun,” Taemin said, “you and Myungsoo know each other?”

            Oh yeah. They’re in the same grade.

            Myungsoo glanced over at Taemin, then said, “Yes. We do.”

            “So it was you on Naeun’s phone last night?”

            The devil smirked. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

            “What do you want, Myungsoo?” I asked, hating how he was beating around the bush. “Taemin and I need to get to class.”

            If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought that he looked hurt almost when I snapped at him. But then I stopped myself because I knew that a guy like Myungsoo could care less about what I said.

            “Nothing,” he said. “It was nothing.” Then he left.

            “Well that was weird,” I muttered.

            “How do you know him?” Taemin asked me as we started off to class again.

            “Uhhhh.” For some reason, I didn’t really want to tell him that he and I were going to become stepbrother and stepsister. My mother and Mr. Kim had only announced the news two days ago. It was too early to assume that anything was permanent, even if my mom and Mr. Kim were in love.

            Don’t say anything until they’re officially married, I told myself.

            “He’s uh...my mom’s friend’s son,” I said. Okay. Close enough. “So I see him around every now and then.”

            “Ohhh so that’s why he answered your phone yesterday,” Taemin said. “He’s kind of a weird one, to be honest.”

           “What do you mean?” I asked. I knew the guy was weird but Taemin had said it with a different connotation.

            “He doesn’t talk much,” Taemin answered. “Especially to girls so I was kind of surprised when I actually heard him talk to you.”

            “He doesn’t talk much?” I asked, kind of puzzled. He talks a heck of a lot to me.

            “Yeah but I dunno, maybe I’m thinking too much. Where’s your next class?”

            “Uhhh English,” I said. “Down the hall.”

            “My class is just next door,” Taemin said. “I’ll walk you.”

            I smiled. “Thanks, Taemin.”

            I walked home that day, Myungsoo-less. And I was happy about that fact. I didn’t need his face ruining my day again.

            I spoke too soon, though. I found him waiting on the front steps of my house. But I pretended not to notice as I walked right past him to the front door. He pulled on the hood of my jacket. Again.

            “Yah, what’s with you and pretending not to see me, huh?”

            I yanked my hood away from him and said, “Well what’s with you always creepily showing up in front of my face, huh?”

            Myungsoo smirked and said, “I didn’t know you had a crush on Lee Taemin.”

            My eyes widened and I looked away. “W-What are you talking about?”

            “Oh c’mon stop acting so coy. That’s why you got so mad at me, right? Because you thought that I’d ruined your chances with the goody-two-shoe boy of the school,” Myungsoo said.

            “He is not the goody-two-shoe boy of the school,” I defended. “And I was only mad at you because you invaded my privacy.”

            “That,” Myungsoo said as he leaned in closer to me, “is such bull.”

            “Get away from me,” I snapped as I went inside my house.

            “Why do you even like him,” Myungsoo started to say. “He’s not even that cute and he at soccer.”

            “Who are you to judge who I like?” I asked him. “And he’s great at soccer. He’s captain.”

            “Yeah but that doesn’t mean he’s good,” Myungsoo replied. “And AHA! So you DO like him!”

            “I think we’ve established that,” I muttered.

            “I never knew that my little sister would have such bad taste in men. Tsk tsk.”

            “Can you shut up?”

            “Oh wait he’s student body president and you’re vice president no wonder you like him puahahaha!”

            Myungsoo was known at school for not talking much? That was quite hard to believe at the moment.

            I went into the kitchen to heat up some leftover dinner from last night to eat for linner, with Myungsoo in tow.

            “Got any food for me?” he asks.

            “Ummm don’t you have a place called your house?” He seemed to be making himself pretty comfy in my house for the past couple of days.

            “Yeah but it’s just me when I get home,” Myungsoo said.

            “So?”

            “Nothing,” Myungsoo said as he made his way over to my fridge. He always seemed to say that everything was nothing. I began to wonder what his “nothings” meant, what he was actually thinking.

            “I guess I’ll have to get used to you picking through my fridge,” I said as I took my linner out of the microwave. “Since we’re going to be related soon and all.”

            “I am so excited,” he said sarcastically with his head in the fridge.

            “Totally,” I mumbled with my mouth full.

            “Knock knock.”

            “Don’t come in.”

            “Too late.” Myungsoo opened the door to my room and laid on my bed. “I am so bored.”

            “Don’t you have homework to do?” I asked. “Studying?”

            “Finished it all.”

            “Already?”

            He nodded. “Yup. Hey do you wanna go to the park?”

            “The park? Right now?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Um, no,” I said. “Not only is it impromptu but I have a ton of things to get done.”

            “Oh c’mon, live a little will you?” He took my hand. “Let’s go.”

            I grew uncomfortable at how he was practically holding my hand and immediately yanked it away from him. Why do I feel so shy all of a sudden?

            “No,” I said.

            “Please?”

          I was still trying to recover from the touch of his hand on mine and said, “If I go will you stop annoying me?”

            “Yes.”

            I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”

            “Why the park?” I asked him.

            Myungsoo shrugged. “It has slides, swings, and an ice cream cart. All you need in life.”

            The two of us sat on the swings, eating our ice cream. His, rocky road. Mine, strawberries and cream.

            “So,” Myungsoo said, “what’s up with you and Taemin?”

            “What do you mean?”

            He gave me a “stop-acting-so-clueless” look, which made me give in.

            “I’ve liked him ever since the beginning of high school,” I said, choosing to look at my deliciously pink ice cream instead of Myungsoo. “I had dance practice and during my break I went outside to get some fresh air. Then I saw him on the soccer field. And the best way to describe the feeling I got was love at first sight. He motivated me to do well in school and join the student council and everything.” I suddenly felt shy for telling him all of this. But he’d asked for it.

            “Hm,” Myungsoo said. “So that’s how you became one of the most popular girls in school.”

            “Oh please,” I said, “I am not popular.”

            Myungsoo shrugged and his ice cream cone. “You dance?”

            “Yup. Hip hop, jazz, and ballet.”

            “Wow,” Myungsoo said, nodding. “Impressive.”

            “Thank you,” I said. “Still have much room to improve. I’m only a sophomore, you know.”

            “I do know.”

            Myungsoo then looked up at the sky and touched his nose. I scrunched my face at him, confused, then looked up as well.

            Raindrops were falling. It was starting to rain.

            Myungsoo and I looked at each other before chowing down our ice cream cones and running for cover. The faint drizzle suddenly turned into a full on rainstorm.

            “Well thanks a lot, Sherlock,” I said, trying to get through the rain in one piece. “You chose just about the worse day to go to the park.”

            “Well at least I paid for your ice cream, Son Napoop.” Myungsoo took off his jacket and held it over the both of us, who were trying to run from the rain but to no avail. “Let’s get under that tree. It seems to have enough coverage.”

            Myungsoo and I ran over to this huge tree and rested under it. It was freezing cold and I kept rubbing my hands on my arms to keep warm. Then I felt a jacket wrapped around me and realized it to be Myungsoo’s.

            “Aren’t you cold?” I asked him.

            “No.” But I could tell that he was shivering just as much as I was.

            Suddenly, he took my hand again. I felt my body grow insanely warm at his touch.

            This never happened with Taemin...

            “W-What are you doing?” I immediately ask.

            “I know a coffee shop about a block away from here,” Myungsoo said. “It’ll be warm in there, let’s go.”

            Hand in hand, Myungsoo and I ran through the pouring rain. His grip on my hand remained tight, firm. Even though everything was wet and slippery around us, his grip on my hand never loosened.

            When we reached the coffee shop, he let go of my hand. For some reason, I grew disappointed.

            He paid for my coffee and I held the cup in my hands, nice and warm.

            “Thank you,” I said as he sat down across from me.

            He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. I did the same.

            That night, I realized that I still had Myungsoo’s jacket. I held it in my hands, feelings its soft fabric, and I was reminded of the feeling I got when he held my hand, the image of me and him running through the rain.

            I washed it for him of course, and during lunch the next day, made my way over to his table to give it back to him.

            “Hey,” I said. “Your jacket.”

            “Thanks,” Myungsoo said as he slung it over his shoulder. That was when I noticed the same girl from the other day, sitting next to him. The same pale, long-haired girl. She was talking to him about something and right after his little “Thanks” to me, went back to his conversation with her. It was if I wasn’t even there.

            Strangely feeling degraded, I headed back over to my table. Throughout the entire day, something, something was bothering me. But I couldn’t figure out what it was.

A/N: Super long update! (: And I know the format is a bit different but it's because I've been posting from google docs instead of my usual word. Hopefully it looks ok o: