The guy took Aecha's hands, gazed into her eyes.

“Aecha-ah, I know that you are really self-conscious and you are also aware of the fact that you are not as pretty as most of the girls. But that doesn’t matter to me, what matters is that I love how you always take care of me when I'm sick, cheer me up when I'm down, and be there when I need you. Please always stay by my side no matter what. And you must know the most important thing is,” he took a deep breath to steel himself before continuing, "I love you. So, will you be my girlfriend?”

She blinked once, then twice. Then Aecha looked back at him suspiciously, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not. No guy had ever said that to her. No. Guy. Ever.

He said her name once more, urgently this time.

“Aecha!!!”

Aecha jerked back a little away from him, with a surprised look on her face as he was fading away.

This time, his tone was more urgent and harsh.

“AECHA! Wake up and get down here or I’ll ask Kris to go up and bring you down!” Yelled her mother as she prepared breakfast for everyone.

“Him? Up here? So what?” Aecha grumbled as she rolled over and continued to sleep, trying to remember her prince’s face.

Damn it, she was trying to see who her prince was in real life!

Five minutes later.

“Wake up, you sleepy-ugly duckling!”

Kris said as he yanked away Aecha's blanket, standing by her bed with his hands on his hips like a mother hen.

“Do you really have to add the ugly part?” 

Aecha glared at him and sat up straight. 

So, that was why Kris had the power to wake her up? He could annoy her to her bones?

“Yes, and get ready in 5 minutes or I’ll make you,” said Kris as he invited himself on Aecha's chair and waited for her, crossing his arms on his chest like a boss that he thought he was.

“Arrogant jerk!”

Aecha mumbled and made her way to the bathroom. 

What a way to start her first day of high school! She met the jerk first thing in the morning.

Kris was her cousin, he lived in her neighborhood and went to the same school as Aecha. Although he was a jerk to her most of the time Aecha knew that deep down in her heart he cared for her. He always bragged about how perfect he is just so Aecha would fight back, argue with him, and forgot about her imperfect self. It was his way of making Aecha feel better, and he made her feel grateful for him sometimes, but other times he was just downright irritating.

“Hello, ugly duck! You're still alive in there? It’s been 15 minutes, you don’t want to be late on the first day, do you?" Pausing to wait for Aecha's reply but he didn't, Kris went on, "Considering how unpleasant-looking you are and how handsome I am, we’ll surely attract a lot of attention. How can we walk together and not attract attention? Impossible! We are just too different by appearances."

Kris talked nonstop by the bathroom door, urging Aecha, who was preparing inside, to respond.

“Uhh jeez! For a high school boy, you sure talk too much.”

As she made her way out she grabbed her back-pack and Kris's arm, yanking him with her.

“Let’s go, arrogant jerk.”

“About time, ugly duck.” He shot right back.

“Don’t call me that at school.”

“You neither.”

They ate breakfast at Aecha's house and went to school together by bus. Sometimes, when they weren’t in a rush like today, they would walk to school, with Hana too, occasionally.

On the bus, Kris stood at the front while Aecha stood near the end. She ignored all the glances people threw her way now and then, keeping on her poker face like she always did. But inside her heart, it was a different story. Aecha was used to scrutinizes though, so she left them to judge her.

They were traveling peacefully when the bus jerked to the side, which caused her to bump into a very tall boy. As people around her righted themselves, the boy helped her up by taking her arm to steady her. She looked up and glanced at the boy's face just as he smiled at her apologetically, which caused her heart to stop beating for a few seconds. She realized that he had just seen her clearly in the face, in proximity, and he was still smiling at her. Unbelievable! At least, it's an unbelievable thing to Aecha. And what's more? His smile was so beautiful and so contagious. Aecha flushed for the first time in her life because of a guy.

“You ok?” asked the guy as he looked her over in concern.

“Y-yeah. I'm well, eh, g-good. I'm good! Thank you!” Aecha stuttered and exclaimed at the same time. 

He asked if she was ok. This guy is so sweet!

After gaining her balance, she looked around and glanced at his uniform. “You study at TX high school?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Yeah! You study there too?”

The boy asked excitedly, thinking that he found a schoolmate on the same bus.

“Yeah. Today is my first day.”

Aecha smiled at him, hoping to be able to talk more with this nice guy. He also smiled back at.

All too soon, the bus stopped at the school gate. Aecha bid the boy goodbye and went to find Kris. Kris and Chanyeol first met when they got off the bus. The two boys scanned each other, assessing. 

Hmmm tall and handsome just like me, and we are in the same school. Maybe we could be friends or foes, let’s see.

On the way to find their class, Aecha was like she just caught gold. Kris looked at Aecha and noticed it. “You look radiant, did something good happen?”

“Yes, but I won't tell you. You go to class first, I'm going to go find Hana.” 

With that, Aecha ran ahead, hugging herself with glee as she thought about what would happen if she met the guy again and what would she do then.

Chanyeol was the first guy that had seen Aecha face inches apart and didn’t freak out. Aecha was very happy because of that. Maybe she could finally make a guy friend aside from Kris. Maybe she could find a best guy friend. Or even better, find a boyfriend?

Oh, don’t let your hopes get too high­! Aecha chided herself and hurried down the hall. Just then, she spotted Hana standing in the hallway, reading something as usual.

“Hey pretty, let’s get to class!”

Hana looked up, beaming at Aecha. “Yeah, let’s go!”

Linking arms, they skipped to class together.

“Today, I met a very handsome boy that goes to our school!”

Aecha exclaimed gleefully, wanting to share the interesting meeting on the bus.

“Oh, is he?” Hana sounded distracted and continued to bury her head in her book, letting Aecha lead her through the halls.

“Oh yeah, Hana and guys? Not a good combination.”

Aecha said mockingly, teasingly. She forgot that Hana was never interested in guys. Hana looked up at last and shoved Aecha playfully. They giggled together and continued down the hall. 

When they were near their class, Aecha stopped in her track and stared at the group of boys standing by the class’s door.

Wow, they are so good-looking that they could probably form an idol boy band. And what’s more? That boy from the bus was there too! They are conversing comfortably. Maybe they knew each other? What a group of flower boys our class has.

Aecha thought as she watched them from nearby. 

So Aecha and he were in the same class and rode the same bus? Hope rose in Aecha's chest as her train of thought went on.

Just then, the boy turned his head around and looked at the two girls, which made Aecha blush lightly and lowered her eyes. And then he started walking towards them, staring intently at his target.

This poster goes to levante ^^. Thank you.