They ended up sitting at the coffee shop for 2 hours straight, chatting like normal friends. Even though for different reasons, they were happy with the progress of the relationship.

“So Jamie. How long have you been in SM?” Tao cleared his throat after taking a sip from his Frapuccino.

“A month, 2 weeks and a few days I think.”

“But that’s not why you don’t know where the infirmary is.”

“I’m just bad with directions.”

“So how is it so far?”

“Okay I guess. I like the training. Except the fact that I’ve been doing splits for the past two weeks and it’s killing me.”

“Who is your teacher? Mr.Lee?”

“Yea. How did you know?” Jamie asked, a little interested.

“He’s a very strict and persistent teacher. You have to do it until he thinks it’s perfect. I think you still have to do splits for a while.”

“Ugh… really? My legs always felt like jelly after practice. I always thought he had something against me. Now that you told me. I guess that he’s like that to everyone right?”

“Yea. We dreaded to have him as a dance instructor. But then again he’s very patient with us and we appreciate that.”

“We?”

“Oh yea. I haven’t told you but I’m in a group of 12. The team has been formed for quite some time now. Three? Or four months I think.”

Jamie’s eyes widened in surprise. It’s been while since there was a boy band with that much member. “That’s a lot of members. Like Super Junior.”

“Yea. And we want to be just as great as our sunbaenims. But we actually were divided into 2 groups. K and M. K will promote in Korea and M will promote in China.”

“Then you wouldn’t even stand on the same stage.”

“I don’t know yet since we are still in training. But even if I do, I can’t tell you.”

“I know that idiot.”

“Idiot? Me?” Tao raised his voice and pointed at himself, spotting a dramatic hurt expression.

“Pft. You look even more idiotic like that.” Jamie snorted in amusement.

“You’re lucky we’re in public place. Or you’ve already paid for what you said.”

“Right. I’m pretty scared.” She rolled her eyes sarcastically and faked a fear expression.

“Hey! Don’t mock me.” Tao glared at her, rather playfully.

“Your panda face doesn’t scare me a bit.”

“Panda?”

“Yea. Panda.”

“I don’t look like a panda.”

“Your eyes’ bags say otherwise. I bet everyone thinks the same.”

“Everyone thinks they’re dark circles actually.” Tao had a grim expression on his face while startled Jamie a little since he was always cheerful.

“Are they?”

“No. I just have natural dark eye bags.”

“I think they are quite nice. Very unique.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you.” Tao grinned and for a second, Jamie could her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage as butterflies unleashed in the pit of her stomach. She quickly looked away and cleared .

“You’re welcome.”

The atmosphere turned quiet again as both stared at the streets below, sipping on their drinks blissfully.

“I love it here.” Jamie sighed contentedly.

“Me too.” Tao agreed with a warm smile, again sending an eerie feeling towards Jamie’s heart.

She smiled shyly at him which Tao thought was completely adorable. His mind mentally did multiple flips as he realized the girl had opened up to him almost, completely.

They parted ways since Jamie was called back for private dance lesson. More like private torture session to her. She was reluctant to leave the comfort of the coffee shop and only did so when Tao literally dragged her out. She whined like a little child as Tao thought he could see the imaginary ears dropped in disappointment. Now he actually noticed, the girl remained him of a cat. The way the corners of formed defined curves whenever she smiled, or when she whimpered like one when she was forced out of the coffee shop. He unconsciously giggled when her shoulders slumped, her head dropped low as he scolded her for her tardiness. She was looking at him with those puss-in-boots eyes which actually worked. He heaved a sigh before reached out to ruffle her hair.

“Go and next time I will treat you something nice.”

“You’re just saying that to make me more willing.”

“No I am not.”

“Promise you won’t go back on your words.” She looked up expectantly. He could see she was seriously considered what he said, only unwilling to admit.

“I promise.” Tao held out his pinky finger.

Jamie gazed at Tao’s eyes and knew that he wasn’t just trying to comfort her so she hooked her pinky hesitantly around his and gave him a glare.

“You better or I’ll make you regret it.” She warned as Tao just laughed at her attempt to be scary.

“Right. Better do so or I’ll regret it.” Tao mocked playfully which earned him a kick to his shin.

“Ouch!! What was that for?” He faked a cry. Jamie rolled her eyes at the childish boy.

“For mocking me. You deserved so much more.”

“Why is that?”

“You annoyed me the whole week by sticking to me like a slug, you spammed my inbox with emoticons and now just now you mocked me. I just simply give you what you deserved. Which should be a much harder kick.”

“But it’s worth it though. You finally opened up to me that’s why.” His eyes turned into crescent moons as he flashed his best grin. Jamie blushed at how handsome the boy looked but pushed it off and pretended to look annoyed.

“Whatever. I’m going now.”

“Good luck with the splits.” Tao ruffled Jamie’s hair one last time before waving her goodbye.

The girl gave him small smile and walked back to the building for her dreaded split training. The former scowl on her face was replaced with a wholehearted smile. She finally made a friend and he was beyond what she imagined. Kind, caring and patient. She knew she could trust him because despite how hard she pushed him away, he always resisted and stayed. What she didn’t know was that her happiness was about to be cut short when a certain someone wasn’t very happy to find her hanging around the handsome boy.

Jamie finished practice with a lighter heart. The dance instructor was more than pleased to see the girl finally take lesson without complain but more importantly, she looked happier. The teacher gave her a small smile and told her to take a day off tomorrow to rest because she did very well at today practice. She squealed inwardly but only flashed him a small grateful smile and thanked him for his consideration.

She washed up and put on fresh clothes. She smiled when a message from Tao popped up. Tao had sent her emoticons again but this time each accompanied with encouraging words. She was again feeling grateful to gain such a precious friend. She decided to text him back this time around, fully prepared to be bombarded with hundreds of hysterical text from the excited boy.

From: Jamie~
To: Tao (yes, she changed the contact name)

Hi.

She wrote shortly. Just 3 seconds after she sent the message, her phone vibrated crazily from the flood of messages from the older boy. She snorted at the multiple emoticons from his messages and the boys obvious spazzing over the fact that the girl finally decided to return his messages. Her phone rang a while later and she picked up upon seeing the caller ID. Pulling it away from her ear, she swiped over the answer sign, fully prepared for the loudness of the boy from the other end.

“OH MY GODD!! JAMIEE!! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW HAPPY I AM WHEN I RECEIVED YOUR MESSAGES!!!” Tao’s voice boomed through the phone speaker, followed by constant giggles.

“Calm down. You’re acting like a fan girl.” Jamie laughed slightly as she unlocked the entrance.

“Right. I need some time to breath.” He huffed and cleared his throat that got sore from the constant shouting.

“Take your time. I’m going to hang up now.” Jamie informed but Tao stopped her just in time.

“Wait!!”

“What is it?”

“Do you have lessons tomorrow?”

“Mr Lee gave me a day off. Why?”

“I’m thinking about carrying out my promise.”

“Really? That fast already? So I managed to scare you didn’t I?

“No you didn’t little kitten. I was thinking about it just now and you--” Before Tao could explain himself, Jamie cut him off.

“What did you just call me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You just call me little kitten…” She muttered with a shaky voice.

“Well cuz you look like one.” Tao nonchalantly replied as Jamie’s cheeks reddened.

“Okayy… What were you saying again?” She managed to ask after much difficulty.

“Oh yea. I was saying that I was thinking about what to treat you and then you replied to my text so I figured I will just ask you now.”

“Are you ever busy at all?”

“Well I have training everyday but tomorrow everyone was taking a break as well so yea I’m free.”

“All right.”

“So that means you’re okay with tomorrow right?”

“Yea.”

“Yay!” Tao exclaimed happily which cause Jamie to giggle at his enthusiasm. Sometimes she wondered if Tao was really older than her.

“So can we meet at 10 tomorrow?”

“Alright. Where?”

“Is Starbucks okay?”

“That’s more than okay.” She chuckled.

“Hehe. That’s a deal then. Tomorrow, 10 AM at Starbucks.”

“Alright.”

“See you there tomorrow kitten.” Tao giggled from excitement.

Jamie blushed again as Tao used the pet name. She just hummed approvingly and hung up. She walked down the street towards her apartment while humming to her the current addictive tune in her head. Her lips curved up in happiness as she passed by a coffee shop and the scent of roasted coffee filled her senses. Lost in her own world, she didn’t notice she was being followed until she saw a couple of boys blocking her path. She noticed she was in the quiet area of the neighborhood and she had that bad unsettled feeling. She turned to the left to avoid them but they kept getting in her way. She skewed to another direction to only be blocked again. Annoyed by the pestering, she took off her left eat buds and glared at the group of snickering boys.

“Can I help you?” She snarled dangerously.

“Yes you can.” A female voice boomed from behind her.

Turning around to the direction of the voice, she recognized the person she hated the most. The person who had been embarrassing her for the past two weeks. The person who had been bullying her, ganging up on her.

Sarah Kim.

She let out a growl at the appearance of the in clicking heels. Behind her was her group of followers who was looking at her with the same expression. Jamie wanted so badly to punch those smirks off those ugly es.

“You can’t get me alone so you bring these piece of s?” She snarled, glaring at the group of males who looked at her with bloodshot eyes as she insulted them.

“What? Nobody say I can’t do that?” The shot back.

“I knew you are a . I just didn’t know you would stump this low.” Jamie crossed her arms and eyed the whole group, smirking when she found their eyes hardened.

“Watch your mouth .” One of the guys, seemingly the leader of the male gang sneered.

“Are you talking to me or the plastic face over there?” She chuckled.

“What did you call me??” Sarah, the powdered plastic , screeched.

Jamie laughed before repeated herself, more insulting this time around.

“P.L.A.S.T.I.C. Plastic.” She spelled out in English and smirked to herself as the lost control over her anger, now particularly fuming through her nostrils.

“Guys.” She ordered as the group of guys came forward.

Author's Note

Ooooh. There comes drama. A story wouldn't be exciting without drama would it?