Hyo Shin walked up to Piper and Eun Sang as the two sat on the school bench. Their conversation over, they were listening to music – the headphones split between them – their heads still resting on each other’s. He gently placed a stack of books on Eun Sang’s lap, causing her to jump which in turn caused both girls to look up at the intruder.

“Among those that I have seen, I selected the most acceptable.” Hyo Shin explained, gesturing down to the stack of books. “The frequently used questions are all marked, and they mean a lot to me in many ways.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Eun Sang grinned widely, holding the books close. “Thank you, Sunbae-nim!”

“I’m the one who’s thankful.” He told her. “For filling my harsh school life with warmth, thank you, Cha Eun Sang.”

“Should I feel insulted?” Piper wondered amusedly.

“You’re my best friend, Piper-ah,” Hyo Shin smiled gently. “You should know better than anyone else how much your company has meant to me.”

“I’ll take it,” Piper approved.

“What is this?” Eun Sang mused. “You’re acting like a person who is leaving.”

Hyo Shin didn’t answer, his eyes darting momentarily to Piper. She knew exactly what was going on; it was the day he was leaving for the army.

“Study well.” He returned his attention to Eun Sang. “I hope that you have a sweet cuddly romance with Tan.”

“Are you really going somewhere?” Eun Sang pressed, but Hyo Shin only smiled in response.

“Hyo Shin-ah, come talk with me,” Piper instructed, standing up and guiding him away from the bench. Once they were far enough out of earshot, Piper spoke again. “Have you gotten a time for your departure?”

He nodded, “Are you going to come see me off?”

“Did you expect anything different?” Piper wondered incredulously. “Do you really think I’d let you go off without a proper goodbye?”

Hyo Shin gave another smile, this one tinged with sadness. “Thank you, Piper-ah. You truly have been a shining light in this dark place.”

“If you’re trying to make me cry, you better stop,” she warned, already feeling the sensation welling up, “Or else you’re going to meet your army buddies with several bruises and have to explain to them that you got beaten up by a girl.”

He laughed, raising his hands in mock defeat.

///

The three McPherson siblings sat with Hyo Shin at the train station, waiting for his train to arrive.

“This ,” Parker sighed, leaning against the concrete wall.

“My thoughts exactly,” Piper muttered despondently.

“You guys are so supportive,” Hyo Shin teased.

Prosper pouted, slipping off the bench and coming to stand in front of Hyo Shin. “I don’t want Hyung to leave. I’m going to miss you.”

“Hey, come here Prosper,” Hyo Shin took Prosper in his arms, sitting him on his lap. “I’m not going to be gone forever, and I’m going to write you guys all the time.”

“But still,” Prosper sniffed. “I liked it when you read to me at bed time.”

“Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret,” he grinned. “You sister recorded me reading all of the Robin Hood stories, so if you ever miss me reading bedtime stories, you can just listen to that.”

“Really?!” Prosper exclaimed, wrapping his tiny arms around Hyo Shin’s neck.

Hyo Shin chuckled, hugging the boy that had become like a younger brother.

“Hey, Lee Hyo Shin!” They heard from the other side of the waiting area and all looked in surprise to see Kim Tan rushing up.

“Isn’t that Eun Sang noona’s boyfriend?” Prosper asked as Hyo Shin lifted him off his lap, the three teens standing up.

Hyo Shin gave a short, bewildered laugh at Tan. “How did you come here?”

“I didn’t tell him,” Piper vehemently stated.

“Neither did I,” Parker added.

“I didn’t know you would be one step ahead of my mom.” Hyo Shin went on. “At least these three were invited. Why are you showing up so unexpectedly?”

“How can you suddenly do this?” Tan interrogated. “What do you mean army? You haven’t even graduated.”

Hyo Shin looked around, nervous about the potential attention Tan’s loud voice would garner. “No need to overreact like this. It’s not like you’re not going to serve someday.”

“Even if you’re going, how can you go like this?” Tan pressed. “Did your parents really give you permission?”

Hyo Shin puffed up slightly, looking pleased with himself. “During my 19 years of life, I haven’t received permission for anything. I’m going without them knowing, giving them some time to think. Around this time, they must have found the letter.”

“You’re really crazy.” Tan stated.

“If I want to stop my mom it has to be something big, like the army.”

“Hey, you loony!”

Hyo Shin chuckled. “I can’t say that I’m not.”

Tan huffed, his tone growing serious. “Don’t be hurt, you crazy guy.”

Hyo Shin nodded, an impressed smile daring to appear. Tan pulled the older boy into a hug, surprising everyone in their company.

“I’ll return safely.” Hyo Shin promised, still in the hug.

“Hey, let go of my best friend,” Piper nudge Tan. “It’s my turn.”

Tan released Hyo Shin from the embrace, and Piper immediately took his spot. She and Hyo Shin hugged each other tightly.

“You better write me,” she told him, “or else I’m going to track you down and stand over you while you write it.”

“This girl,” he chuckled. “Why am I friends with you if you keep threatening me?”

“It’s how you know I care,” she mumbled.

“I’m going to miss you, too.”

///

“You’re not here for a tune up, but for a maintenance check?” The technician at the motorcycle asked Young Do. “It’s been only 3 months since your last check-up.”

“I’ve decided to go for safety rather than pleasure.” Young Do answered, and Piper cleared loudly from beside him. “We’ve decided.”

The man gave a wry grin as Young Do looked despairingly at his companion.

“Hey, what did I say about not turning us into Yoon Chan Young and Lee Bo Na?” He asked.

“I’m not doing anything like that,” she defended, looking up from her phone as she was texting Eun Sang. “I just want you to get your facts straight; after all, I made the suggestion.”

He cast a side-eyed glance at her, at which she smiled cheekily, before looking back to the technician.

“I can look at the helmets at this side, right?” He asked, knowing full well where they were located, and sauntered off in their direction.

He surveyed the new helmets, rapping his knuckles against one as he waited. The cut he got while washing dishes at his hotel caught his eye, and his ears pricked at the sound of the door opening.

“Chicken delivery is here.” He heard, and turned around to see a girl wearing a bright yellow uniform.

Memories swirled as he watched her leave. Memories of a chicken delivery girl that he barely noticed long before he saw her sleeping in front of a convenience store. Cha Eun Sang.

“Our first meeting… was way before than what was in my memory.” He muttered to himself, smiling softly at the revelation.

He looked once more at his cut and reached in his back pocket, pulling out the bandage Eun Sang had given him long ago.

“Piper,” he called out, causing her to look up from her phone. He held out the bandage. “Come here; make yourself useful,” he teased.

“You better be nicer to me, Young Do,” she smirked, walking over to him nonetheless. “Especially if you’re asking me to tend to your wounds.”

He chuckled lightly, watching intently as she carefully wrapped the bandage around his finger. As she smoothed out the edges, he could feel his grin become softer as he watched her.

Old wounds. The healing process. Young Do wondered what scars would be left over after getting his heart broken by his first love. He wondered how long it would take to stop feeling a twinge of pain every time he saw Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang together.

Mostly, he wondered about the auburn haired girl in front of him and how much time he’d be able to spend with her before her father’s job moved them elsewhere.

“All done,” Piper declared, snapping Young Do out of his reverie. “In payment, how about you buy me ice cream.”

A sly smirk appeared on Young Do’s lips. “How about something a little sweeter?” He asked, leaning down and capturing Piper’s lips in a swift kiss.

Her eyes were wide as he pulled away, thoroughly taken aback. “Young Do!”

He chuckled heartily at her astonishment. “There, I took you by surprise this time. Now, we’re even.”

“You’re ridiculous,” she muttered, and he was pleased to see the pink blush staining her cheeks.

“It’s part of my charm,” he teased back, his grin growing wider.

///

Piper and Young Do walked hand in hand the next school day, earning many stares and whispers from their classmates.

“Aish,” he bemoaned. “This is totally ruining my image.”

“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes. “A little skinship is not going to ruin you. Besides, everyone here is convinced that I’m some kind of gangster, so I think your reputation is safe.”

“That’s because you’re always so violent,” Young Do explained.

She gave a short laugh. “Nice to meet you pot; I’m kettle.”

A laugh escaped in spite of him. “If you’re going to remain as my girlfriend, you’re going to have to come up with better lines than that.”

“Don’t deny that it was clever,” she scoffed. “Then again, I am ranked higher than you, so the wit might have escaped your understanding.”

“You’re only ranked one spot higher,” he protested.

Piper laughed. “One spot higher is still higher.”

“Tch,” he shook his head. “And here I was about to tell you some good news.”

“Good news?” Her ears perked up. “What good news?”

He shook his head once more, his lips pursed in the imitation of deep thought. “I don’t know if you really deserve it.”

“Young Do-yah,” Piper scolded. “Do I need to tell your mother you’re being mean to me?”

“Just because you met her first does not mean she’ll be on your side,” Young Do chuckled. “She’s my mother, after all.”

“Which is why she’ll be very disappointed to hear her son is being mean to his girlfriend,” Piper grinned impishly up at him. “His girlfriend that she worked very hard to set her son up with, albeit indirectly.”

He smiled, caving in. “I’ve convinced the board to start construction of a Zeus Hotel in New South Wales, so if you do move there I’ll have plenty of excuses to come see you.”

Piper blinked rapidly in surprise. “And…if we don’t move there?” She wondered.

“Then the company will have expanded and we can build another hotel in the other place you might move to.” He remarked confidently.

Piper laughed. “So, essentially, it’s a win-win situation for you?”

Young Do beamed proudly down at his girlfriend. “Is there any other way for me to live?”

Piper shook her head, the smile still branded on her face. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Take responsibility for me, and keep making me feel good,” he began flippantly. “Make me good food and stay pretty; don’t go someplace where the tourism is awful and I can’t get Zeus to expand there…”

“Hey!” Piper interjected with a laugh, “This sounds like only you’re benefitting? What am I getting out of this?”

“My presence alone should be enough,” Young Do remarked unabashedly.

Piper scoffed, “Oh, really?”

Young Do grinned, the sincerity Piper favored coming out yet again as he spoke lightly. “Here’s what you’ll be getting: I’ll take responsibility for you and keep making you feel good. I’ll give you a comfortable life and stay handsome. I’ll make enough money so you won’t have to work unless you want to.”

Piper tilted her head, a bemused smile appearing as she let out a breathy laugh. “This almost sounds like you’re proposing to me.”

“Unofficially,” Young Do replied, a pleased smirk now planted boldly on his lips. “We do have to graduate high school and become adults first, after all.”

Hello, my dear readers! Thank you for sticking so faithfully to this story! And thank you for subscribing and commenting! There’s one more chapter after this, and then ‘Honor Pricks Me On’ will be complete! I love you all dearly, and hope you enjoy!