i. sweet feeling.

lollipop.

It all started 10 years ago...

The time I was still that small, innocent child everyone was fond of.

Especially him.

Ten years ago, life was fun. Everyone notices you, everyone loves you... Everyone thinks that you're that one kid who was still so illiterate about the whole world around you. All the elders think that these kids still doesn't know what life has to offer and what it was bringing ahead of them, how hardships bring them down so much, how to stand up again and fight for your goal, what complicated words meant - What love was all about. Well, in a kid's world, life has to offer a lot of sleep, play and eat routines... 

Hardships, for a kid, was choosing the flavor of ice cream and what to eat for lunch.

Tripping over a rock was how to stand up again. Fighting for your goal meant fighting for the last piece of chicken on the plate.

Complicated words were alien language that gets tangled around after pronounced by a kid.

And love? Simple. Love was a box of chocolates, a jar of sweets, a bunch of lollipops...

But not for Shim Eun Young, that is...

"You want it?" Park Je Sun shoved a piece of caramel candy in front of her face. It made Eun Young blink twice from shock, but it didn't bother to show up. "No thanks." She kept her poker face still, and directed for attention on the sketch pad that was on her lap. Je Sun pouted, "Yah! If you're not going to eat it, then I will!" "Go ahead." Eun Young lifted her fully sharpened pencil and started scribbling on the paper. Je Sun sighed and opened the wrapper in front of her, "And here I was offering you the candy..." She popped it in and started chewing. The little girl gazed on the paper, "What's that? A lollipop?" She pointed at Eun Young's partly-finished drawing.

"It's a rose, isn't it obvious?" Eun Young raised an eyebrow while little Je Sun's mouth gaped. "Ehh~ It does look like a rose, yet at the same time, a lollipop!" The kid beamed while the cold and stern Eun Young averted her eyes, "You're just hungry you start imagining things." She put her pencil down and rested her chin on her palm. "I think I'll fail the Math test today." She sighed. "Eh? But you're so smart! You're one of the people who are running for the rank!" Je Sun informed. I already know that. Eun Young frowned. "One of them. Didn't you know? They only accept the ones from 10th to 1st. And you know what rank am I?" 

"What?"

"Eleventh."

Eun Young glared at Je Sun which made her flinch. "I've been rootted on my spot for three grading periods. Rotting on it." She declared. "More like 2 years..." Je Sun added while Eun Young turned around and gave her the "You-don't-have-to-remind-me" look. "Since Grade 1 I've been on the eleventh spot, and I didn't bother moving, but it's not my fault though... Only at the first grading period of first grade I was ninth, then poof." Eun Young slumped while Je Sun pouted and rested her chin on both hands, "What's there to sulk about? Why are you so disappointed? It's just the ranking, it won't kill you." She shrugged. "It would kill me." Eun Young replied, "If I don't get in the rankings soon, my ears might bleed. My brother wouldn't stop mocking me about it. Just because Chang Min-oppa is in the rank, doesn't mean I couldn't."

"Wow. Look at your love-hate relationship with your brother."

"More like hate-hate relationship." Eun Young corrected.

"I want to outsmart him... Even if it was just academics, even if I only outsmarted him at one single subject, it would be fine." 

Je Sun stayed silent for a while. Eun Young's eyes were distant - She really wanted to outsmart her brother even for once. Just once in her life, she would like to not hear those words no more.

"Geez, why don't you be like your brother?"

"Here." Out of pity, Je Sun placed a candy on Eun Young's desk. It was peppermint-flavored. "Really? I know we've been best friends for a long time, but - " Eun Young's sentence was cut off. "Yeah... I know that you hate sweets, but I hope this would cheer you up." Je Sun smiled ever so softly, "I just hope you forget about the whole "outsmarting my brother" thing, you know?" Je Sun raised a thumb, "Just for once." 

Eun Young fell quiet, she didn't know what to say. Even though Je Sun was sometimes an air head and forgets a lot of things, she was still her best friend, more like the only one she has. She couldn't say no. The latter loved sweets, she didn't - They were the total opposites of each other, but they managed to get close after a short while. This is what social butterflies do to people... Eun Young pursed her lips and was about to get the candy when - "If you don't want it, then I'll take it then!" A voice came out in between the two girls. He grabbed the candy swiftly and hid it in his pocket. "Stupid~ You're too slow!" He stuck his tongue out. "Yah!" Je Sun smacked him at the arm, "That's for Eun Young! Min Woo! Give it back." She kept on hitting Kang Min Woo, the neighborhood bully. He was famous for his silly and crazy antics, and Eun Young was a regular costumer. Eun Young and Min Woo knew each other since diapers, but they were more like "childhood enemies" instead of "childhood friends".

"She doesn't like sweets anyway! So why bother give her a lot!?" Min Woo questioned. 

"You can have it then. Not like I care..." Mumbled Eun Young as she browsed her Math book to study for the test.

"...Tch." Min Woo tisked and ate the candy. "Yah!" Je Sun hit him again, not like Min Woo was bothered about it. He was used to it. Everytime he bullied Eun Young, he would receive slaps, smacks and hits from Je Sun. They're not even that strong, so why would I bother? As expected, girls sure are weak. Min Woo smirked to himself and turned around, hands tucked in his pocket. "Gee, I wonder if that girl would pass the Math test. She tries so hard to pass Mathematics when she knows that it's her waterloo." Min Woo suddenly blurted out.

"Hey...!" Je Sun approached Min Woo but was halted when he stopped and turned around, an evil grin on his face. "Why don't she let her brother, who is a genius at Math, teach her? Oh wait." He eyed Eun Young, "She can't. Because she's one heck of a coward who hates her brother and tries to outsmart him, when she knows that she couldn't." He kept on talking while Je Sun's face cringed, "Stop!" She warned while Eun Young was still quiet on her spot. "Heh. She's one stupid, idiot and ugly girl. She will never get pass her brother." He turned around, satisfied and was about to go to his seat. It seemed like Eun Young couldn't stand it. She stood up, trembling as the chair clattered loudly. It then caught Je Sun's attention - She knew what's going to happen next. Her hands balled into a face, biting her bottom lip and head hung low. She had enough, Min Woo kept on reminding her everyday. Everyday he would mock her, telling her that she was no better than her brother who was loved by everyone. And there she was, that one girl in the corner of the room, being invisible in everyone's sight. 

She wasn't any better. 

I hate this... Eun Young choked.

"Ow!" A hit was thrown at Min Woo's back; a Math book, it did show how much Eun Young hated Math. The two's temper were not that long nor short - Their fuse was really short in such circumstances. Min Woo gritted his teeth in anger, turned around with balled fists ready to hit anyone and approached Eun Young with stomping feet. "Why you...!" He hit Eun Young in the face. Eun Young's head turned right and was still hung low. "Wha...!" Je Sun covered in shock with wide eyes. The classroom was dead for a minute, until Eun Young's crying interrupted it. "You're the worst..." She whispered with stuffed nose and blurry vision. 

I really, really hate this.

Because of certain circumstances, Je Sun wasn't free to be beside Eun Young while going home. They were always together when they go home, but when there was a big, red and swollen mark on Eun Young's face, maybe any kind of person might have known the reason why she didn't get to go with Je Sun home. It hurts... Not only Eun Young's slap on the cheek was swollen, but her eyes as well. That was my first time crying at school... Now it would get worse. Eun Young sighed and carressed her cheek. With her bag on her back, she grasped the strap and kept on walking, her eyesight focused on the ground. It was five at the afternoon, two hours after the dismissal time. Mom would definitely get mad, Dad would ask a lot of questions non-stop, Hyun Woo-donsaeng would just stare at me and Chang Min-oppa wouldn't care. She thought and kept on walking when Eun Young bumped onto someone. "Ouch..." She groaned under her breath and fell two step backwards. "Ah! I'm sorry..." A husky but soothing voice came out in front of her. Eun Young raised her head and saw a very tall guy with a slender, smooth and with skin and good-looks. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere - Ah!" He stopped talking for a while and bent down to meet Eun Young's eye level.

"Eun Youngie!" He grinned while her eyes rounded.

"...Who are you?" A 5th grader? She asked bluntly while he blinked twice at her and chuckled. Unbelievable! 

"You forgot who I am!?" He scolded her and ruffled her hair, "Geez... Did you eat something weird to forget me that suddenly!?"

Eun Young blinked, still wearing the usual poker face, "...Jae Joong-oppa?" 

"Finally!" Kim Jae Joong, a close friend of Eun Young's brother, Shim Chang Min, cheered and smiled even wider. Soft chuckles came out of his mouth - It was very pleasing to the ears. Eun Young stared at him, gripping on her bag's strap even tighter. "How'd you forget?" He asked. "I... Didn't notice you." She reasoned out. "Why is that? You were hanging your head down earlier, were you hiding something?" Jae Joong brushed off some of her hair out of Eun Young's face and tucked it behind her ear. He saw the swollening mark on her left cheek. His mouth gaped open a little and eyes were like an owl's. "Who did this to you!? I'm gonna kick him so bad he won't forget it! Who could ever think of leaving a mark on this cute face!?"

Thump.

...What? Eun Young gazed at Jae Joong's eyes - They were full of anxiety. She never felt so cared for like this before. Even though it was a small matter to deal with, it felt like the whole world was going to crumblr for Jae Joong... He was worried sick, and Eun Young didn't know if she would be thankful or sorry or any kind of human emotion. Her mind was messed up and fuzzy - She had mixed emotions, she couldn't think straight! His black orbs were so pretty, she felt like staring into space. It felt like it was her up, and it didn't bother not to leave her eyes. She didn't want to let go of the eye contact, too! It was so... Alluring. He sighed, "Here." Jae Joong got her hand and placed a red lollipop on her palm, he then closed it and smiled at her, "It's yours. It will make you feel better, I assure you!" He let go, while Eun Young stared at the much hated candy in front of her. "Well, it's fine if you don't eat it... I heard that you hated sweets, and it felt kinda weird." He laughed gently.

"...Am I weird?" Eun Young asked.

"Eh?" Jae Joong chuckled once more. "Heh~ You might be weird for a kid. I mean, kids love candy out of anything in this world. But that weirdness of yours is your cute asset! I like it." He kept on talking, "It's somewhat unique in a way, you know?" He patted her shoulder and stood up, dusting himself. Eun Young lifted her chin and stared at Jae Joong's tall stature. "I bet you'll eat it anyway, since it has a very nice flavor." "...Really?" She asked Jae Joong who took something from his left pocket, "See? I eat it too!" He waved the lollipop in glee and smiled from ear-to-ear, "Don't be sad anymore, okay?" His expression changed from happy to sad a little. "How could I not be sad when everyone calls me "Ice Princess"? Isn't that weird?"

Jae Joong tapped his chin for a moment, "Then I would be your prince! Now we're both weird!" He laughed at his own joke and patted Eun Young's now messy hair.

Thump. 

Again...!

"I'll be going then, okay?" He waved goodbye at Eun Young who was stuck on her ground. The time he walked away, clearly out of her sight, she fixated her eyes on the lollipop again and held it dearly. Does it... Really taste good? She bit her bottom lip and felt her cheeks burning. Maybe from the pain of the slap, maybe not. But she felt weird, her stomach churning and butterflies were flying around it. Her heart beat was faster than normal and for the first time, she thought about trying to eat a sweet! ...Just this once. 

All the elders think that kids still doesn't know what life has to offer and what it was bringing ahead of them, how hardships bring them down so much, how to stand up again and fight for your goal, what complicated words meant - What love was all about. But for Shim Eun Young...

Hardships was the dreaded Math questions.

Fighting for your goal was being in the rank, and going to school the next day with head held high after crying for the first time because of no other than Kang Min Woo was standing up again.

Complicated words were how much of a difference "cute" and "weird" had.

And love? Love is something she didn't bother of... But that all changed.

Love was something simple to describe. Love was sweet.

It was a pat on the head and one wrapper of lollipop.

author.

i didn't think that these would be chaptered or made into a three shot.

it was supposedly a one shot though... but i thought that it was too long.

so i made it into a three shot! :3 anyways, i hope you like it!