Although I understand Korean some words are not within my basic vocabulary so the school has provided a tutor for me. I would expect my tutor to be Taemin who knows Japanese not Luhan. He speaks two languages and is fluent in both Korean and Mandarin but I don't see the benefit in his teaching since he isn't Japanese. 

"Don't be rude. I need volunteering hours." Luhan says as he pulls out his notebook. 

I stare at him. His hair is a different colour from yesterday. It's pastel pink and although it isn't Identical to my hair I still feel as if he is trying to become the male version of me. 

"Why pink? you could have chosen any other colour. Brown would look good on you." I reach towards him and lightly pull on a strand of hair. Luhan looks up. His eyes are big and warm and his cheeks are rosy. I drop my hand and pull my chair so that my belly is pressed against the table and my posture is straight.

I don't talk and he doesn't push me to and instead, we start the lesson. An hour passes before we are interrupted. At first, I imagine that she's talking to Luhan about the football club. However, she stars poking my shoulder and ushering me to look at her. It's irritating and annoying so I harshly turn around and give her a death glare. 

"Yah! Give me back my spot!" She shouts. 

I guess this girl isn't aware of the stares that the students are giving us or she plans on creating a big commotion. Not wanting to take any part on this I tell her to be quiet. This causes her to slap me across the face. 

"What is wrong with you?" I say as I hold onto my left cheek.

Luhan is up in an instant and is pulling the girl away from me and leading her to the exit. When he returns I'm already packing to leave. 

"We still have twenty minutes left," Luhan says as he too places his notes away. Once we're done we sit facing each other, staring. My left cheek feels numb from the force and it's probably red. 

"You're in the S.M club? I didn't believe Nicole because you just got here and I've never pictured you for a football player. I thought you wanted to be a designer with all the art classes you have."

I guess saw his biased statement coming. In his eyes, Nicole is the only girl that can play with the boys and the rest are just in the way. He never compliments people and he has never said anything nice to me when we were young. He always spoke in a matter of fact tone. It was different and that's what made him stand out from all the other students. Always mature and first to lead the rest. He hasn't changed while I'm seating across from him pretending to be someone I'm not.

"My brother plays so I always wanted to follow his steps." I let my secret escape without notice and continue to talk with Luhan.

"What's his Name? Maybe I've met him." Luhan says. It's comfortable talking to Luhan about my future, my dreams, my family and it's as if we never parted.  The familiarity of his voice pulls a sense of security over my body. 

"Choi Minho." I smile and give him a gummy smile. I hate this, I shouldn't be happy or talk at all. And no matter how many times I tell myself that he is no good I gravitate myself towards him. 

"Your full name?" Luhan is staring at as if trying to figure me out. It's not possible. I've changed so much. Nothing can hint that I'm the preschool girl who had a crush on him. He never even knew I had a brother and parents were rarely at home.

"How do you still not know my name, it's Choi Mina." I joke even though my palm is wet and my chest is rising from the lack of oxygen. 

"It's you. I'm right it's you!" Luhan comes closer and hugs me.

No, get away from me. You can't just forget the mean things you said to me that day. You can't pretend that there was no hatred behind those words, behind those tears. 

I try to speak and can't since he has my face pressed against his chest. 

"Minami." Luhan kisses my forehead and pets my hair gently. He pulls me away and holds me in place so he can make sure that I'm not temporary.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me. I should have helped you escape and I knew she was hurting you but I couldn't help. I tried but no one believed. Please say something." His grip tightens around my wrists and his nails are digging into my flesh and his eyes are undescribable. I'm lost. I have no clue who he is talking to nor know what happened in the past to make him this desperate. He has never looked broken not even my young eyes could hold such depth of sorrow and regret. 

Luhan. I don't know what prompts me to play along, to feel his emotions and to cry along with him. We silently retrieve ourselves so we're both hugging. Perhaps there are eyes staring and hushed voices speak about us but this throb in my chest pulses through my veins and it won't let go until Luhan's heart beats equally. 

When we pull away Luhan still holds on to my wrist, like a lost puppy that needs guidance. 

"Can I drive you home? We need to catch up." Luhan asks even though he is already leading me towards the parking lot of the library.

"Are you still living with that women or did you escape." Luhan doesn't turn on the radio and neither does he start the car. We just sit in silence. I figure that he won't do anything until I start speaking.

I don't know what to say. I don't anything about Minami. I should tell him the truth but I can't. Not when he looks at me like I'm his saviour, a piece of sanity that keeps him grounded. So I give him a vague answer. "I'm here aren't I". 

Luhan is driving, I haven't told him the direction but he seems to know how to get there. I let him be. It's ok if it's far, I can always call my driver and ask him to pick me up.

"How are your parents?" We're both looking ahead at the red lights. 

From the corner of my eye, I see his hand move to rest beside mine. There is a need to touch but he is putting a wall. Who is Minami? How are her parents? I have to lie. I can't lie, this needs to stop. 

"I don't see them much but they're doing ok." 

No! What am I doing? I mean I can just answer them as if he was asking me and not Minami.

"How is your brother?" Luhan turns to look at me and I look away. The light is green.

"He's doing fine." Actually, Minho is doing great. He is still young but after a certain age, he will have to stop playing football. And there is something between Hana and him but they haven't put a title on it.

"How are you?" It's a whisper but I hear it.

I'm doing fine. The school is stressful and I don't know if I should go to post secondary. I have football but that won't last for long. I lost weight. I look pretty but I still go unnoticed. 

"I'm ok."

Luhan takes a right turn and then a left turn. This is actually close to my house. There are trees and more trees and my house is difficult to find, even with directions. 

"I don't remember further than this. I have never been to your house because your parents are strict. It makes sense since you got kidnapped."

Luhan. How do you know this? 

It's a coincidence. I mean the chances of me being Minami are one in a million. I do admit that Mina is just the shorter version of her name but that doesn't mean anything. plus, I only recall meeting Luhan for the first time in preschool. Sure I met him at the park but that was after school.

She lives close to my house, three blocks to be exact. That's as far as Luhan drove. He must have come by this area for a long time in order to remember this much. It's engraved in his brain.

"Take a right turn."

How can you recognize a little girl but not your best friend, the one you told she wasn't good enough. How can you be so cruel and nice to me?

"I'm here for you and don't forget that."  

I exit his car.

"You're here for her not me."

Author: This might be confusing but in the future it will make sense. Bye