From My Only Friend

"Maybe next time?" The girls all chuckled as we walked out of the school.

I suppressed the frown that had been growing on my face.  This was the third time this week that this has happened.  They always do this, why am even friends with them.  Actually, deep down, I know that these girls aren't my real friends.  None of them are, I just stick around them because I don't like to be alone.  Yet, at the same time, they're always leaving me out of .

"Or not." I mumbled as I split trails with them.  I didn't want to hang out with them anyway; they wouldn't even know the difference anyway.

Walking through the school yard was always relaxing for me, mostly because I knew he would be there.

"Leo!" I called as I saw the slim figure sitting on the bleachers of the soccer field. "Jung Leo."

Without even hesitating, he started to get up and walk away.  If someone didn't know better, they'd think that Leo was the rude and cold person who liked isolation—and they'd be right—but there was so much more to him than that.  Sure, he was a bit rough, but if you knew his heart, you could tell he's really charming.  Not only when he's constantly singing, but even if he's joking with a straight face. (Although, it's hard to tell....)

Smiling brightly, I rush to his side and walk against the soccer field. 

"Did you do well on the exams?" I question, tilting my head.

"I did!" A figure pops up from behind a fence. 

"Ah-" I stand back a bit surprised.  

Who is this? I haven't even met him before.

"Hyuk-ah." Leo spoke his soft voice. "This is-"

"It's that one Noona, isn't it— AISH!" The boy rubbed his now bruised arm.

"What have I told you about manners?" A wild Hongbin appeared from behind the fence.

Lee Hongbin, although he was young, he was one among the most popular boys in school.  It actually didn't seem like it though, with the way he didn't socialize that much with other people.  He'd smile and be polite, but other than that, I only saw him hang around Leo and of course—

"Guess what happened to us today~"

"Oh, god." The younger boy groaned.

"Manners!" Hongbin pinched Hyuk again.

Apparently, Hyuk was a 1rst year that Hongbin was stuck 'mentoring'.  It really seemed more like he was babysitting, but hey...

"Ah, Don't leave Leooo~" Haekyeon's whiney voice came louder as he wrapped his arm around the lengthy boy.

Leo looked as if he wanted to die right then and there.  He HATED Haekyeon, well, hate is a strong word. But seriously, even though Haekyeon, or "N", as some call him, was in Leo's grade and they had been friends for a while— wait, how long exactly?

"How long have you guys been friends?" I asked.

N smiled brightly, shaking Leo with his arm hung over his neck.

"Too long." Leo whispered as he tried to remove his arm.

"Ha-ha!" Hyuk laughed. "Too long, I feel you!"

Hongbin shot the boy a look. "You should be concentrating right now."

"Concentrating?" Hyuk rose his eyebrows. "On what?"

Hongbin pinched the bridge of his nose. He really looked like he was seriously stressed out from dealing with that younger boy.  It seemed as if he would age early.

"Have you not been listening to me? Do you even pay attention?" Hongbin asked with his teeth gritted and his eyes closed.

Hyuk secretly grinned at the site of Hongbins hairs falling out, seeming proud.

"Oh, Hyung." Hyuk patted his back. "More than you think."

If one didn't know better, they'd assume that little Hyuk seemed to be flir— Nah, that's crazy.  How would I know what flirting looked like? I've never experienced it before. Well, that and that I've never actually liked anyone to try it on. All the guys at my school never paid a minute of their attention towards me. Besides of course Leo and his friends but that doesn't count? Does it? ... Nah.  He's always annoyed with me, so it's more like fun.

"Oh! Look." Ken, who wandered over with the annoying Haekyeon, finally spoke. 

He was pointing off toward the distance.  It was where I had just came from, he was pointing towards my friends who had stopped for some reason.  Wait, who was that person with them...with orange hair?

"RAVI!" Hongbin screamed.

Oh, of course.  Ravi seemed to always be talking to girls.  Maybe that was flirting? Just talking to people? Who knows?

Ravi came jogging over with an annoyed look on his face.  

"What? I was in the middle of something-"

"Oh, why does your hair look like some sort of radioactive super fruit?"

"HYUK!" Hongbin scolded.

"Sorry~" Hyuk smirked.

"Who is this?" Ravi questioned.

"Hyuk..." Hongbin answered.

"He just like...said his name... three seconds ago?" I added.

As Ravi shot daggers at me, as he always did, Hongbin began to tell the story about how he got stuck babysitting mentoring this kid.  But Haekyeon said he had a much more interesting story to tell.

"Jung Leo?" N Grinned a mischievous grin.  It was a smile that read "Stay Away!" for Leo, because every time it appeared, N was about to get him into some sort of predicament.

"No." Leo answered.

"Ahh, you don't even know what he's going to say!" Ken pouted.

"...No." Leo shook his head again.

"Leo, something amazing happened." N continued anyway. "Do you even know what great thing I did for you?"

"No."

"I know you don't." N dismissed his statement. "Listen, So I was sitting on the floor in the hallway just now, because I had dropped my physics papers after trying to run—I had slipped, talking to Insoo, you know how that goes—and I had to pick them all up. So then, a couple of girls who were on the cheer squad just came out of the bathroom.  One of them was Eunyoung, and you know how that goes.  So she sees me and—"

"No." 

"LEO! Let me finish!"

"He doesn't seem interested hyung."

"Hyuk!" Hongbin grimaced.

"What?" He began chewing. "He doesn't. Just look at him, his eyes are as dead as a fish heads."

"What are you eating?!" 

"Gum." Hyuk blew a bubble.

"That looks like the kind I have."

Hyuk retrieved a pack from his pocket and held it out uncaringly. "It is."

"WHAT THE—" Hongbin snatched the pack from his hand. "How'd you even get this? What is wrong with you!?"

"Heh-Heh, I like him." Ravi grinned.

"Leo," N complained "I promised a double date. You have to go~ It will be good for you."

My heart singed.  Date? Leo? I haven't even thought of the possibilities of Leo dating.  If he dates, what if he starts to distance himself from me?  We've been friends ever since elementary, well... I've been following him around ever since elementary, I don't want to become the third wheel! Then I'd be even more lonely.

"No."

The quite Ravi looked around. "I'll go."

"Leo! She's already waiting for me.

"I'll go." Ravi repeated himself.

"I don't want to." Leo said in his soft voice.

I was sort of relived.

"If you don't go, you'll be letting me down!" N pressured.

"I'll go!"

"She's a pretty girl, trust me.  She's nice too, she's not even clingy!"

"I'll go! I'll do it!"

"......." Leo just blinked at him. 

"Why don't you want to go?" N stomped his feet "Give me one good reason."

"..... I have to walk Daisy home."

My eyes widened.  Walk me home? Since when has he ever—

“I’ll go!”

"Yah, I never—Ahh." I felt a sharp pain on my back.  He was secretly pinching me. I glanced up at him.

"She's sick." He explained, sending me a look.

"I'm not— AH!!" I closed my eyes as he gave me another pinch. "I mean, yeah! I'm so sick."

"You seem fine—"

"Aigoo, my poor baby!" Kenjumma patted my head.  "You hurry home and take plenty of vitamins and drink plenty of water and keep warm and eat soup and take care of yourself! Poor baby, Uwah!"

"If that's so," N folded his arms. "We could have Hongbin walk her home."

"I have to baby sit." Hongbin glared at Hyuk.

See, even Hongbin thought he was babysitting.

Hyuk scoffed, with a smile tugging on his lips. "Who’s the baby?"

"You." 

Hyuk giggled and tugged on his baby sitters arm. "I like it."

Hongbin rolled his eyes and snatched away. "Whatever."

"Let's go." Leo tugged my arm.

Why should it be this easy for him to escape? Just use me as an excuse? Hmm, I've got an even better plan.

"Ow! Uwah!" I pouted, holding onto my stomach.

He gave me a questionable look. 

"Yah, Jung Leo, If you expect me to walk all the way home like this, you're crazy!"

He just blinked.

"How can you ask a sick person to walk in this condition? I'm practically dying."

I smiled at his glare and lifted up my arms. "Up?"

He glanced around at everyone who was waiting for his response. He was stuck.  If he said no, then N would pester him about the double date because I would just say that I could’ve got a ride. However, if he said yes, then he'd have to carry me around and embarrass himself.

He placed his hands at his hips and takes a deep breath and lets it out, something he always does when he's nervous.

"Aw, thank you, you're so kin— What!? Leo! What the hell!? This isn't how you carry a person! AM I A SACK OF POTATOES!? DON'T JUST THROW ME OVER YOUR SHOULDERS! I'M SICK NOT DEAD! YAH!"

As he walks away, N yells after us. "LEO! COME BACK! THE DATE! WHO WILL I GET TO—"

"I WILL ING GO!" Ravi screamed even louder.

♦

"YAH-YAH!" I yelled. "Jung LEO!"

Once he let me down, I pounded on his arms.

"What the heck Leo! Why'd you do that for!? It hurt! You pinched me too! Why?"

He rolled his eyes and leaned down to pinch my nose. 

"Yah." I said in a funny voice due to my nose being covered. A corner of his lips slightly turned up and he let go.  That was completely out of character for him.

"Where are you going!?" I rubbed my nose and followed behind him.  His hands were tucked in his pockets and he didn't even look back at me.

"Walking you home, you're sick."

I rolled my eyes.

"I didn't want to date." He admitted.

He actually answered me, this is a miracle. This has to be a dream, because he never EVER answers me.  He only blinks or glares.

Before I could point that out, I spotted something.

"OMO!" I grabbed his arm and leaped behind a bush along the sidewalk, pulling him down with me.

His eyes were huge and he looked extremely surprised. Before he could even say anything, I covered his lips.  They were surprisingly soft. Like, REALLY soft.  How could a pair of lips be so soft? I wonder what he uses.

"Oh." I uncovered his mouth after a while of just staring at him. "Look." I hiss, pointing across the street.

My friends were still lingering around the school. I remember when they first found out that I hung out with leo, they told me it was weird. Of course, I did what any girl who wants friends does.... I told them " you." They ignored me for a while, but didn't exclude me from their group. After a while, they started to notice things, they started to think Leo was handsome, and after hearing his beautiful singing voice they were in love.  Not only did they just love him, but they loved all his friends too.  They'd use me just to get to them sometimes. But they were still friend....right?

He peeked behind the bush and spotted the girls. 

"They're just girls." He stood up, angrily brushing the grass off. 

"What are you-" He grabbed my arm and helped me up. 

"OH! Daisy!" They immediately spotted me. "There you are!"

"Here I am~" I said through a forced smile.

They rushed over here with their eyes glued all over Leo.

"You didn't say you were hanging out with Leo oppa today!" One of the girls whined.

"Sorry, I must've forgot" I gritted my teeth. "Kinda like you forgot to invite me to your sleep over...again."

"Awh, don't be like that." They quickly dismissed my hurt feelings, like they always do, and got back to batting their eyes at Leo.

"Speaking of such things," the girl flipped her hair "We're going to go and hang out and eat pizza, do you want to come?"

My eyes widened. Did my ears deceive me? Did they actually ask me to go with them? Seriously? Me? Maybe they're finally realizing my presence! I'll surely mark my calendar.

"R-really?" I smiled.

"Sure!" She grinned. "But, only if you bring Leo."

Of course, it was like this.

My smile faltered and I looked up at Leo who looked down at me. He shook his head no, then looked at the girls.

"No."

Their smiles disappeared as well.

"B-but it's going to be fun, and—"

"She's coming over, and we're going to go have dinner." He announced, grabbing my arm and dragging me the other direction.

Looking back at the other girls, their faces were just as surprised as mine was.  Dinner? Since when did we ever discuss this? Was he serious?

After a while of walking in silence, I finally decided to ask him. 

"A-are you serious?" 

He just nodded his head.

"But why....."

He shrugged. "I don't like how they treat you."

I started to choke.  Since when did Leo care?  How they treat me? They aren't even that bad, they just really like boys for some reason. They are still my friends.. I think.

"Wh-What?" I force out a nervous laugh. "I don't know what you're talking about. Hah, you're crazy. They love me..."

That didn't even convince myself.

He shook his head. "Just come on."

♦

This was the first time I've been to his house.  It was clean, and kinda big, but just barely. It seemed to have a lot of rooms, but it was empty. Nobody was home but him. It kinda made me nervous...I've seen it in dramas. I looked up to Leo but he seemed completely un-phased and was focused on the boiling ramyun.

I leaned my face on my hand as I lazily watched him from the kitchen table.  I was confused, this was all confusing. Why was Leo always so nice to me? But then again he always seemed annoyed when I'm around.

"You're supposed to be watching the TV, not me." Leo muttered, with his nose still in the pot.

Grinning, I tapped my fingers against the table, still relaxed. "Why? You're more interesting."

He accidently dropped the spoon in the blaze of the stove top. I covered my mouth to laugh at him as he looked as if he were having a mental break down. 

"Hot!" He hissed as he picked up the heated spoon and headed toward the sink. 

"See!" I laughed, pointing at him.

He ran cold water on his fingers. Feeling bad, I hustled over to look at them. 

"Ha, are you ok?" 

He glanced at me then quickly turned away. I can tell he's embarrassed.

"Ah, so cute!" I laughed. "Poor little Leo, let me see!"

I grabbed his hand and examined them. The blisters were obvious. "Aw! here!"

I pecked his fingers only to get them snatched away by a red faced, very angry, Leo.

Oops.

"Go...sit down." He said with wide eyes, holding his wrist.

"Ok." I said as I rushed over to my chair.

After a few quite minutes, he sat across from me after serving the ramyun.  The tension in the room was almost unbearable.

"Don't..."

I looked up at him.

"Don't keep hanging out with those girls."

We made eye contact. "They're using you."

My heart sank. I never wanted to come to terms with it, but it was only right.

"I know." I whispered. "But, I have no-one else to hang out with...and they're not so bad."

"They don't appreciate being around you though... you shouldn't benefit them." He said looking at his burnt finger tips.

I smiled, picking up his utensil and holding them up to his face, leaning over the whole table to do so.

"You're right!" I grinned at him. 

"What are you doing?"

"Feeding you!" I laugh. "Your fingers look like they hurt! Say ahh~"

He just blinked.

"Leooo!" I complained. "Say ah, or I'll tell N your address."

Slowly he opened his mouth and I laughed hysterically.

"Ah." He said blandly.

"Aigoo, good boy!" I showed him a great big eye smile. 

"Taekwoon! We're home! We all went out to buy groceries and pick up some stuff— What in the world, galxy, and stars."

"....Your name is Taekwoon?"

♦

I never had felt so awkward in my life.  Somehow, I ended up sitting beside Leo as we had a "family dinner" with his parents and older siblings.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you would bring someone home." A sibling declared. "but I didn't even think that'd you'd bring a girl, and why was she feeding you?"

Instead of answering, he just focused on his food.

"I-I," I swallowed, looking around the table nervously. "He burnt his fingers cooking."

"TAEKWOON!?" His family said in unison, leaning forward in surprise.

"But he never burnt himself cooking ever..." A mumble came from across the table.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "Ah, well.."

Leo pushed his seat backwards before standing up. "I'm finished."

I looked down at his plate then to mine. There was plenty of food left on both of the dishes, and I wasn't about to waste it.

"Then, I'll eat yours!" I grinned at him, reaching over at his plate.

"No." He slapped my hands away. "You're done too." 

"B-But." I protested as he grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

"It's getting late. You should go."

I just stood there extremely confused. It wasn't that late, it was barely five o'clock. 

"Come on," He dragged me by my arm and lead me to the front door. "I'll be back."

We both bowed to his family before leaving.

♦

Returning to school the following day, all I could think of was that awkward dinner that ended abruptly.  Even when the bell rang releasing me from class. I even bumped into someone.

"Ah, Sorry." The boy said picking up my stuff. "But you should also pay attention."

I nodded, still lost in the brain.

"Ah, you're that noona! Aren't you!?"

I took a step back, and then it all came to me.  I pointed to him with my eyes widened.

"Ah! Hyuk-ah!"

He grinned with an eye smile, and shushed me. 

"Shh! I'm hiding from someone. I guess you could say that I am a wanted man." he winked dorkly.

I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"HYUK-AH!" We heard an explosion coming from the other end of the hall way. 

"Whelp." He smiled and ruffled my hair. "That looks like my cue to go. I'll see you later noona." He said with a wink.

Just then, Hongbin rushed to me on cue. 

“Have you seen Hyuk?”  Hongbin asked impatiently in between breaths.

I shrugged, hardly paying attention again.  My mind keeps wandering back to the thoughts of Leo and that weird dinner.  When he walked me home, there wasn’t any talking at all. It was just quite.

“Well,” Hongbin sighed, ruffling his hair. “You seem like you care.”

My jaw dropped a little when I realized that I was coming off as rude.  “Ah, I’m sorry.”

He smiled his dazzling smile and flicked his hair.  “It’s fine.  Come walk with me.”

Without much thought, I trailed the hallways with Hongbin,  I hadn’t really noticed until this point that I actually hung out with Hongbin quite a bit.  Not only him, but Ravi, Ken, Haekyeon, and now I was even seeing that little runt Hyuk around more and more lately.  I wasn’t as alone as I felt.

“What’s wrong?” Hongbin pouted.

I cocked my head to the side.

“Hmm?”

“You’re being quite today.”

“Ah,” I nodded again. “Hmm, I’ll tell you later.”

He gave me a look, which I thought was pretty funny.

“I’m serious! I will, promise.” I stuck out my pinky and he rolled his eyes before shaking it with his own.

“Oh, and why were you looking for Hyuk again?”  I asked as I spotted him crouched down and hiding himself badly behind a trash can.  He was basically in plain sight.  It was like he knew Hongbin was a terrible seeker and he barely put any effort in his hiding spot.  He even smiled at me and winked.

Hongbin ruffled his hair as he got annoyed again.

“I’m supposed to be tutoring that little troll, right?”

I nodded.

“Well, in the middle of me teaching him an equation- THWAK- he just leans in and flicks me on the nose.  I asked him why he did that, I was annoyed, right?  All he does is freaking laughs and flicks me again.  We would’ve gotten kicked out of the library if he hadn’t ran out himself.”

Hongbin gives me another look as I try to contain my laughing.  He was seriously oblivious to Hyuk, how could he not notice that…

“Stop laughing,” Hongbin moaned “I have a serious problem.  If I can’t get him to pass, I don’t get my credit and it’s too late to back out now. He’s not even taking me seriously, all he’s doing is bugging me.  I swear he’s doing it on purpose too.”

I smile and shake my head.  “Have it ever occurred to you why he bugs me.”

“Yeah, he’s annoying.”

I giggle again. “No, I mean…”  Looking around, I check and see if he’s still in sight.  He’s no where to be spotted.

“Why he likes to annoy you?”

Hongbin gives me another look.

“Ah, idiot.  He’s….”

Hongbins eyes widened a bit, finally catching on to what I was getting at.

“AH, you think he …”

“Yeah, aren’t you…”

Hongbin nodded.

“So, does that mean that you…”

He glanced at the floor and bit his lip. 

“I dunno, but I’m totally using this to my advantage now.” He looked up, brightly grinning at me.

I laughed. “I bet.”

Just then, my eyes wander over to Leo whose being bugged again by N.  His shoulders are slumped and his face is pointing the ceiling, seemingly asking for help.  When he lowers his face, his eyes automatically find mine and we freeze for a second.  He looks away.  I kinda feel a little…bad I think.

“What was that?” Hongbin asked.

I nibble on my bottom lip.  Grabbing onto his arm, I lead him to a unpopulated hallway and we sit on a stairwell.

“Alright…” I huff before swallowing. “Last night… Leo invited me over for dinner.”

“WHAT?”

“Well, he didn’t invite me but he kinda did at the same time.”

“What?” He repeaed.

“Alight, so he grabbed my arm and dragged me to his house.”

“Aish, this is terrible!”

“What?! My situation?”

“No, now I owe Hyuk fifth teen bucks. I thought you were sick.”

I dead pan.

“Sorry, continue.”

“He cooked ramyun, his family came and they looked shocked, we had a family dinner, and then suddenly he just got up and said it was getting late and I should go home.”

Hongbin nodded. “He was probably being shy and embarrassed.”

He stood up and dusted the stuff off his pants.  “He never invites someone over, that means you must be pretty special well, this one time Ravi and I went over, but that’s different…”

I nodded, feeling a bit better.

“Thanks. I thought he hated me or something…”

“Leo maybe rough on the edges, but remember, the guy likes kittens and babies more than most people I know.”

We both laughed, returning to the same hallway we’ve trailed before.

“Thanks bean, I feel a bit better.”

“I’m glad to hear, and also thanks for the advice with Hyuk, that is noted.  Speaking of which.”

He roams over to the trashcan and pulls the boy up from the collar of his shirt just as the warning bell rings.

“I’ll see you!” He waves using his free hand, using the other to hold the amused and complaining boy by the neck.

Laughing, I wave back, turning around to head for class, giggling as I hear Hongbins scolding voice in the distance.

“YOU THOUGHT I WOULD’NT NOTICE YOU!? HIDING IN PLAN SIGHT, REALLY? THAT’S AN INSULT TO ME!”

“Ouch, Hyung~ Was I caught?”

“You think thIS IS A GAME?!” He screeches. “OF COURSE I’D NOTICE YOU! I ALWAYS notice you…”

I turn around to see the naïve boy, taken back at his hyungs words. 

“Hyung…I’m sorry.” He stammered.

Hongbin grinned and winked at me from down the hallway.

"Really?" I questioned as Leo rushed away from me.  He totally saw heard me, if he hadn’t he wouldn’t have glanced at me just now.

“JUNG TAEKWOON!” I yelled after him, earning shocked stares in the hallway.

I knew I probably shouldn’t have used his full real name, especially in front of so many of his peers, but I didn’t know what to do, he wasn’t answering me! There was nothing else that I could think of…

As I swallowed and stared at his back, I felt nervous, so nervous that my palms were starting to become moist with light sweat.

“I’m…” I began to talk softly.  “… sorry. If I did something…”

He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a look.  The look he gave me, I couldn’t even read it.  He’s never looked at me like that before, so I couldn’t really tell if I had been forgiven or not.  I soon figured it out when he just shook his head and kept walking.

I just stood there in the same spot in the middle of the hallway, stunned.  What did I even do?  Was Hongbin wrong?

“Why don’t you come and sit with us, loser?  Come on.” I felt a pat on my shoulder.

Turning around, I saw it was no other than my small group of “friends”.  They were all wearing grins and I sent a plastic smile back.  Even though it feels awful to pretend to believe that I’m friends with them, being ignored feels even worse. Freaking Leo…

“So, what did you think of my new rug?”

“It was nice.”

“Yeah, it goes perfectly with your bedspread.”

I hated sitting at that damned lunch table with those damned girls.  All they ever did was just blabber about materialistic things and their dumb crushes. 

“Oh!” One of the girls sat up straight. “Here he comes, here he comes!”

“Relax! Relax!”

I didn’t even move an inch from my spot.  My back was still slouched, I was still leaning lazily over the table, and I still didn’t give a fu-

“Hey!”

“How are you!?”  The girls all put on their friendly smiles.

I rolled my eyes and shoveled more food in my mouth.

“Hi.”

My eyebrows furrowed when I heard the voice.  This idiot…

“Daisy.”

I slowly turned around to see a giant blur of bright orange across my face.

“What do you want, you orange freak.”

He showed me his crooked smile as my ‘friends’ all shot daggers at me, as usual.

“It’s not what I want, it’s what hyung wants. And also, I’m going to pretend like you didn’t just say that, you unappealing little .”

Grinning a little, I roll my eyes at him. “Whatever, loser.”

“Get up,” Ravi sighs “Let’s go.”

“Uh-uh, go where?” One of the girls panicked.

“Hyung wants to see Daisy.”

“Leo Oppa?”

“Yes.” Ravi nodded.

My eyes grew.  Leo? Wanted to see me?  After he had avoided me all day and practically glowered at me in the hallway.

Ravi nodded his head in the direction Leo was sitting with the rest of his crew.  He was sitting there, with his arms folded, staring.  It was as if he was expecting me to come on over any second now. What am I? His puppet?

I glared at him and shook my head no, and sent a merhong.

He scoffed.

“Come here.” He mouthed.

I shook my head no and looked up at Ravi who was towering beside me.  “Tell the dim-wit, I’m not coming.”

“Dim-wit?” Ravi chuckled. “Did you two have a fight?”

I glared at Taekwoon who was glaring back at me. “Yes.”

I studied his face as Ravi went to tell him the news.  Seeing Leo scoff made me feel a little satisfied.  See, you can’t tell me what to do.  Idiot.

“Daisy, why’d you do that for!?”

I turned around to pay attention to what was happening at my own table and noticed that all the girls had been glaring at me, just like leo.

“What?”

“You freaking scared oppa away, you loser.” One spoke while chewing on her salad.

“Yeah, and you should’ve gone to see what Leo Oppa wanted, and took us with you.  Think next time.”

“He’s not even your oppa.”

She dropped her utensil. “You don’t know how old I am.”

“Jerk, let’s go girls.”

So they all had gotten up and left me there, sitting alone.  How wonderful of them.

♦

The next couple of days, I had still been sitting alone.  The girls weren’t talking to me, and I wasn’t talking to Leo.  I haven’t seen much of Hongbin since he was always busy trying to tame Hyuk, at least my advice was working… a little.

Instead of sitting all alone in the cafeteria at lunch, I took a different approach.  I went and sat somewhere more comfortable than the dumb cafeteria. Instead, I sat outside on the bleachers of the soccer field….alone.  Although I was lonesome, I didn’t feel like a total loser this way.  When I sat inside, people would drag chairs away from my table and pity me.  On the field there was no-one.

Suddenly, in the mist of my eating. I felt a thump on my head, but when I turned around to see who it was, no one was to be seen.  Ignoring it, I continued eating.  Moments later, I felt another thump.

“Alright, HYUK! CUT IT OUT!”

I glanced down and saw that there was a ball rolling by my feet.

Temporarily putting down my food, I picked up the soccer ball and examined it after I took a look around again. I noticed the ball had scribbles all over it.

“To, the lonesome idiot.” I mumbled to myself.  Someone had written a letter on a soccer ball.

“Hey. I saw what happened.  They left you. Truthfully, I think you should’ve left them first, but either way, I’m happy your friendship with them is exo’s history over.  Hyuk decided to scribble on the ball. Anyway, you’re mad at me. I’m sorry, I was just embarrassed to face you after what happened… every time I look at you, I think about my families blunt advice. That’s exactly why I don’t have people over. Again, I’m sorry! So stop sitting alone every day. It’s getting kinda boring watching you from the tree. Also, a bird tried to eat some of my food… you owe me two lunches dates.

—From,
             Your friend, Leo.

After reading over the soccer ball, I slowly looked up, and surely enough, there he was sitting up in a tree, peering down at me.

I bit my lips.

Lunch date? Lunch dates? Plural?

My heart started pounding harder and harder as I saw him leaping out of the tree and come towards me.

“Hey.”

I swallowed and stared at him.  It was like he suddenly appeared next to me.

“H-Hey.” I replied softly.

It was quite for a while; we both just studied each other, eager to see who was going to speak first.  So I cleared my throat and rubbed my fingers over the ball before starting.

“I’m not mad…”

He just nodded.  After a while he took his turn to speak.

“You can keep it.  I wrote in sharpie, so it won’t come off. I don’t want to play with it in public.”

I nodded, a small smile taking place on my lips.

 “Thank you.” I said as I hugged the ball closer. “Have you really just been sitting up there in that tree every day?”

He pouted and frowned “Yes, and since you already owe me…”

Reaching his hand across my lap, he grabbed my bag of chips and started eating.

My cheeks started heating up. I hadn’t thought we’d start the date right away, I wasn’t ready for this.  I was not prepared at all.

“We’re having a lunch date….now?”

I was even more surprised at his sudden coughing spell.  He was literally choking on the chips he had just stuffed his face with. I was most likely staring at him like he had a second head.

He glanced at me in between awkward coughs.

“Well?” I urged him.

“D-Date?” He said softly.

My cheeks heated even more. “I just thought that…since you had written it on the ball…”

“WHAT?” He snatched the ball from me.  I watched as his eyes furiously scanned over the words that were scribbled in sharpie.

“AISH!” He swore. “That damn Haekyeon. I swear, I’m going to strangle him.”

Then it dawned on me, he hadn’t written that at all.  Well, at least that part. So that means he didn’t want a date.

“Ah…” I nodded awkwardly.

“…I’m still eating all of your chips though.”

“HEY!” I yelled, furrowing my eyebrows. “Is it my fault you were sitting in the tree?”

He just nodded, stuffing if face even more.

“Hey! Stop! Those are my favorite kind!”

As I reached for the bag he just raised his arm higher, smiling as he watched me struggle.

“Stop it!” I pouted. “Seriously, or I’ll be mad at you again.”

His eyes made crescents as he shook the bag.

“YAH! There’s only a few left! Give them back!”

Shaking his head no, he leaned back.

The next thing I knew, he was laying against the bench of the bleachers and I was hovering over him.  It took a while for me to notice how I was completely invading his personal space, but it took me no time at all to notice how fast my heart was beating.

“Uhm…” He said with a red face.

“Right.” I sat up, dusting myself off.

There was another silence.  Although, I had my chips back, I still felt frustrated at him for some reason, but at the same time, I wanted to wrap my arms around him and stay like that forever.

“We could, though.”

I barely could hear him.  If I wasn’t a native in the soft spoken language of the Leo, I wouldn’t have been able to catch that.

“What?” I questioned as I found myself looking at the back of his head.  He wasn’t even facing me, yet he was speaking.

“I said... we could.” He repeated.

“Could what?” I scrunched up my nose.

Seemingly minutes later, and there still was no response.  It was like he wasn’t even alive.

“Leo, are you eve— “

“We could go on a…date.” He said as he finally looked at me.

I swallowed.  My insides were tingling. I swear in that moment, I was melting under his gaze.  All I could do was nod.

“W-we could.” I manage to utter out. “I-If you want to.”

“Do you want to?”

I felt like silly putty, nothing but goo.  I’ve never felt as jittery and anxious ever in my entire life. His gaze was so strong that I had to cover my face with my hands.

“….Yes.” I muttered out pathetically. I probably looked desperate and lonely. But, I couldn’t just deny it though…

Suddenly, I felt the sun’s rays beaming on my face.  My hands had been removed from my face, and my eyes began to open due to curiousness.

The first thing I saw was a small and shy smile, a smile that made my heart feel warm. The second thing I noticed was the hands that had taken mine, and that he only let one of them go and held on to the other.  That made me smile.

“Me too.” He admitted quietly.

♦

After we quietly, yet comfortably, finished the rest of my lunch, we began to walk inside, but were rudely interrupted.

“Hey, Daisy! Hurry in before the bell rings!”

It was the girls; they were standing at the entrance we were headed too.

“Oh- Leo Oppa, You came?”

It felt just like elementary all over again, my “friends” left me, Leo found me.

He didn’t reply.

“Anyway, we were going to invite you both to dinner after school today.”

“We can’t.” Leo said before I could answer.

“Why-“

Grabbing my hand, he gave it a squeeze before clearing his throat. “We have a date.”

I tried my hardest not to have a surprised face, just to make myself seem so much better without them.

“What? Date?”

“Come on, we’re going to be late.” Leo tugged on my hand.

“Ok, Taekwoon Oppa.”

Even I was surprised with what came out of my mouth.  I just had to say something to annoy those girls though.

“Taekwoon?” I heard the girls mumbling to each other before I was violently dragged away.

Pleading with him made no difference, so I just kept my mouth shut until he had led me where he wanted.  It turns up being that same abandoned hallway that I had talked to Hongbin in. 

“Don’t call me Taekwoon Oppa ever again.” He looked down at me with dark eyes.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean too… it just sorta came out of my mouth, Taekwoon.  Won’t happen again.”

“Yah.”

I covered my mouth and giggled.  I probably should have been afraid due to the fact that I was alone with the ex-con Leo in a dark hallway, but for some reason I just couldn’t take him seriously at all.

“Sorry.”

He nodded.

“Taekwoon Oppa…” I added.

“Quit it.”

“Taekwoon Oppa, I’ll seriously stop.”

“Stop.”

“Ok, Taekwoon Oppa. I will seriously stop calling you Taekwoon Oppa, Taekwoon Oppa.”

As he began inching forward, I began inching backwards.

“Say it one more time, and you’re going to get it.”

“Ok, Ok, Ok, I won’t.”

He nodded again, and grabbed my hand and got ready to lead me back into the hallway.  But I just couldn’t help it, the inner child got to me.

“Taek. Woon. Op. Pa.” I whispered.

Just like that, he froze and I instantly regretted it. I had so much to live for, I was going to finish watching the entire series of Sailor Moon.  I was planning on painting my nails gold, and getting a tattoo…maybe of a bunny, or possibly a lion, but all of my plans were almost ruined all because of my childish remarks.

He spun around and looked at me with the same look on his face that he had the day when we first fought.

He lifted my chin with his hands and glared at me.

“Leo, I’m sorr—mph~”

Just like that I felt bliss. His lips crashed onto mine, I didn’t even expect it.  Then again, how could he kill someone he wanted to date?

As he leaned away, his eyebrows were still furrowed; his face was completely a scarlet shade of red.

“Don’t say oppa…it makes me want to kis—-“

“Oppa, oppa, oppa, oppa, oppa!” I grinned, wrapping my arms around his neck and puckering my lips.

He smiled a little, shaking his head at me. “Fine.”

Just as we felt our lips touch. “DAMN IT!”

We both turned around in shock to see the guys standing there stunned, minus Hyuk.

“I knew it.” The young boy yelled. “Pay up, Hyung.”

Hongbin muttered as he emptied his wallet.

“Ohhh, Leo.”

“Don’t start!” Leo glared at N.

“Was it hot?” N said anyway, ignoring the daggers coming his way.

“Was it hot.” Ravi repeated laughing to himself.

“Ahh, Hyung got a girlfriend! I’m so jealous!” Ken began to fake cry. “So lonely.”

I just covered my face with my hands.

“Why, we’re all friends here.  You don’t need to be lonely, hyung!” Hyuk smiled.

“Right, best at that.” Ravi nodded.

It took me a while to notice, but it was true.  THEY were my best friends, even if they were guys.

“I’m not your friend.” Hongbin said bluntly as he peered at Hyuk.

Hyuk pouted.

“You are my slave; now go get me a soda.”

“Yes, Hyung!” and with that, he rushed off.

“What did you do to him!?” Ravi gasped.

“Oh nothing, let’s just say, I found a way to have him wrapped around my figure.”

“Like Leo is to Daisy-“

“Do you want to have a fight?”

“No, then I might end up like daisy-“

“Yah!”

I laughed. “Stop, that.”

“So, Leo.” N spoke up even though Leo was still glaring at the side of Kens face. “Do you want to come hang out with me at the café after school?”

“No.” He denied right away.

“But-“

“No.”

Ravi looked around.  “I’ll go.”

“Leo, you have to go! I don’t have anyone else to go with!”

“No.”

“I’ll go.”

“But there is this hot waitress-“

“No.”

“Seriously! You don’t even have to do anything or talk! I just need someone to come with me and Ken is busy!”

“No.”

“I’ll go.”

“It’s not like you have any plans, anyway.”

“I’ll go!”

“I do.”

“What?”

“I have a lunch date with Daisy.”

“Ha, so you read it…. Well, I’m glad things worked out for you.  But seriously, come with me.”

“No.”

“I WILL ING GO!”

Everyone glanced over to see the angry blob of red and orange lose its temper.

“DAMN IT! DOES ANYONE ING LISTEN TO ME!?”

“….Hongbin Hyung, I didn’t know what kind of soda you wanted, so I bought you all of them.”

“Awh, thank you, you’re too kind.” He smiled at his well-trained slave.

“Here’s your wallet back.”

“YAH!”

Some things never change.

 ♦ A/N: ♦
Thank you so much for reading!
I might do a Hyukbin filler sequal.
If you want it.
Also, have you noticed that sometimes,
when Ravi’s talking….
like no-one is listening
That cracks me up sometimes, it’s so wrong! XD