Piper sat with Prosper that night, helping him with his math homework. It was family movie night, and all the children’s homework had to be done before it started or else they’d be confined to their room until it was finished. Prosper, who hated math, was struggling with some of the problems. He could do them, but it was writing out all the work that annoyed him. Like his sister, the 7 year old had little patience.

“Love, go put on something a bit nicer,” their mother remarked, leaning on the couch they were seated on. “Your father’s invited one of your school friends over.”

“One of my friend’s or one of Parker’s?” Piper wondered.

“I’m not sure,” her mother confessed. “He just said, ‘a friend from Jeguk’. Regardless, if it’s someone from your school, pajamas and a sloppy bun won’t cut it.”

“Alright,” she sighed, standing up. “Can you help Prop finish the last couple of problems?”

“Of course,” her mother smiled warmly, taking her spot next to the youngest McPherson.

Piper got ready reluctantly, grumbling that her father was bringing someone not in the family to movie night. He had never done it when they were at different schools; why was this time so different? She trudged down the stairs that led to the foyer, catching her brother at the foot of the steps. Though she only saw his back, she could tell his arms were folded across his chest.

Wondering who could have arrived that would cause her brother to have that kind of reaction, Piper made her way to the bottom and nearly fell off the final step. There, smiling pleasantly at her, was Choi Young Do.

“What the ?” She gaped, her eyes wide.

“Piper,” Pádraic scolded from his place beside Young Do, giving him a hardy slap on the back. “Watch your language in front of our guest.”

“He…he’s the friend?” She sputtered.

“Of course,” her father grinned sincerely. “He was so helpful picking out a motorcycle for Peyton’s birthday, I thought it would only be right to repay him by inviting him here.” Pádraic turned to Young Do, who was still acting the part of the benign school friend. “There’s pizza in the kitchen; help yourself.”

As soon as Pádraic had left, the kindly look had dropped from Young Do’s face, the familiar smirk resurfacing.

“What are you doing here?” Piper demanded, keeping her voice low so she wouldn’t draw her father’s attention. “Go. Go home.”

“After your father went out of his way to invite me? That would be rude,” Young Do replied, acting offended as he pressed his hand to his chest.

“How did he even do that?” She pressed.

“At the motorcycle shop, after I helped him pick out a bike, we traded numbers.” He explained, closing the distance between them. “And since I’m busy playing with Eun Sang at school, what better way to play with you than at your own home?”

“You really are terrible, Choi Young Do,” she hissed, glaring daggers at him.

Young Do flashed them a smile. “I’ll go in first. Don’t miss the start of the movie.”

Piper huffed as he moved past them, burning holes in his back as she watched him leave.

“Stop giving him so much attention.” Parker sighed.

“Is it my fault he’s always up in my face?” Piper questioned. “I mean, really? Who does this?”

“Have you ever wondered why he isn’t in mine?” Parker returned. “I don’t give him a reaction. You give him the satisfaction of annoying you; you’re so obvious.”

“So you expect me to just sit there and take it?”

“No, I expect you to treat him exactly like you would at any other school we’ve been to.” Parker informed her. “Like he was no more bother than a pebble easily removed from your shoe.”

Piper held back a deep groan and opted instead the clench her jaw. With one last encouraging look from her brother, Piper followed him into the living room and plopped into the only remaining seat, on the couch in between her brother and Young Do. She refrained from throwing any kind of look at Young Do – who was giving her the side-eye, his trademark smirk on his lips – and turned her attention instead to her younger brother.

Prosper had crawled into her lap, snuggling his head into her shoulder. Piper smiled and wrapped her arms around her little brother, silently thankful to him for providing a distraction. By the end of the movie, the pair had fallen asleep. Piper’s head had fallen back against the couch cushions, Prosper’s head still buried in the crook of his sister’s neck.

“Oh, sweetheart, isn’t that the cutest thing?” Pearl cooed as she looked at her sleeping children.

Pádraic gave a soft chuckle, “We should get them off to bed.”

“I’ll do it,” Parker volunteered immediately.

His parents hadn’t noticed, but Young Do was giving Piper a look that made his hair stand on end. Though his face was ostensibly blank, there was a curiosity brewing underneath it. An interest that Parker didn’t want Young Do to have where Piper was concerned.

“Son, you’ll break your back if you try to carry your sister,” Pádraic disputed. “You take your brother; I’ll take your sister.”

“Sir,” Young Do interrupted, “I can carry Piper. I’ve been training in Judo since I was young; I’m strong. I can handle it.”

“If you’re sure,” Pádraic conceded. “To tell the truth, it would save straining my back as well.”

Parker couldn’t argue, not without raising his parents’ suspicions. Not to mention any argument he could raise would be automatically brushed off as an overprotective brother. Thus, he was forced to lead Young Do upstairs, indicating his sister’s room with his foot.

Young Do nudged the already ajar door open, sliding into her room easily. Her room was not at all how he imagined it to be. The walls were a pale purple and the room was dimly lit by a few lamps. Her audio mixing equipment was on a desk tucked in the corner of the room, and a collection of photos were pinned to a corkboard above it.

He laid Piper gently on the bed, pulling the blanket at the foot of her bed over her shoulders.

He could admit it to himself; it had put him out when Eun Sang had walked out on him that night. Sure, he had essentially blackmailed her into joining him, but it stung just the same. The call from Pádraic had seemed like the perfect opportunity to get back on his game. But now, standing in Piper’s room, he wasn’t so sure.

“Why did you have to fall asleep?” He mused, looking at Piper’s sleeping figure, rubbing his neck where her warm breath had been moments before. “Now I’m even more confused.”

He gave one more cursory glance around the room, his eyes falling on a plastic bowl with numerous USB stick thrown carelessly in set next to one of her soundboards. Without a second thought, Young Do grabbed a random stick and pocketed it. He left with short goodbyes to the McPherson parents, promptly rushing home to see what exactly the USB stick contained.

///

“Ugh, I hate him! I hate him!” Piper groaned, lying back on the rectangular table of the broadcasting room. “I want to rip off his stupid eyebrows and throw them away.”

“Let me guess,” Hyo Shin began, sifting through proposal pages for future broadcasts. “Choi Young Do.” Piper groaned again, pressing her hands over her eyes in annoyance. A small smirk appeared on Hyo Shin’s lips, “What did he do this time?”

“He came to my house!” She exclaimed, throwing her hands off to look at his reaction. His normally impassive face was riddled with surprise. “Yeah, and what’s worse is that he’s been in my room, too.”

“You didn’t want him in your house, but you invited him to your room?” Hyo Shin questioned bemusedly.

“No!” Piper shook her head wildly. “He barged in on family movie night and I fell asleep. Mom told me he carried me to my room.” She shuddered slightly, “just thinking about him pawing through my things creeps me out. And, now that I mention it, I think he stole on of my USB sticks with my music on it.”

“One of them?” He repeated. “How do you know, if you have so many?”

“Because before he was at my house, there was a black one with blue stripes.” She explained. “Now, no black stick with blue stripes.”

“So why are you complaining about it here instead of yelling at him?” Hyo Shin quirked an eyebrow.

“Because according to my brother, I’m too obvious about being irritated by him, and the sooner I stop the sooner he’ll get bored and move on.”

Hyo Shin was silent for a moment. “Maybe.”

“Ugh,” she groaned yet again.

The door opened, and for a split second Piper imagined it was Young Do coming to torment her again. However, when Bo Na’s slight frame slipped into the room, Piper allowed herself to relax.

“What are you doing in here?” Bo Na wondered, genuinely confused to see Piper lying on the table. “Have you become one of Sunbae-nim’s fangirls?”

Parker propped herself on her elbows as she looked to Hyo Shin. “You have fangirls?” He smirked and gave a small shrug. “This is high school and you already have fangirls?”

“You still haven’t told me what you’re doing here,” Bo Na interjected, sounding annoyed.

Piper sat upright, smoothing out her blazer. “I’m here because Hyo Shin is my friend; contrary to popular belief, a boy and a girl can be friends without any strings attached.”

“Tch,” Bo Na muttered disbelievingly. “Just don’t make any noise while I do the lunch broadcast.”

Bo Na glided past her, Piper exchanging amused grins with Hyo Shin as Bo Na sat at the microphone and began the message.

“The morning of good-bye was walking towards me with a smile. We’re like the sunlight at night. Sleep-walk of the night. We will be forgotten along with the curve. ‘Caramel’s Words’ by Park Young Joon.” She recited. “Have a great lunch. This is Lee Bo Na.”

With the short program over, she whirled around and strode over to Piper, linking their arms together, “Come. Let’s get lunch together.”

“I – okay,” Piper agreed, half forced to because Bo Na had grabbed her bag and was pulling her towards the door. She looked back to Hyo Shin, “We’ll talk later.”

The pair walked out of the broadcasting room to find Tan and Eun Sang standing there. Her arm still linked with Piper’s, Bo Na attempted to bring them both back inside the room.

“Anchorwoman Lee Bo Na!” They heard Chan Young’s voice come from down the hall.

Bo Na stopped, sighing heavily. “God,” she muttered under her breath. She slapped on a smile and turned to face her boyfriend.

“I liked your announcement.” Chan Young offered her a drink. “I’m your fan.”

“Thank you!” She simpered, taking the drink from her. “No pictures or autographs.”

Tan gave a breathy laugh, “Please!” Eun Sang began walking towards her friend, but Tan stuck his arm out to block her path. “Where do you think you’re going?” He began to say, fumbling halfway through when he saw her duck right under his arm.

Eun Sang walked right up to them, a smile on her face. “I’m sorry Bo Na.” She apologized, turning to Chan Young as the smile completely dropped. “Chan Young! Can you tell me what will be on the midterms again?” She nodded behind her, a meaningful look on her face explaining she needed an escape.

Chan Young caught on quickly, glancing behind her at the slightly fuming Tan. “Come with me.” He nodded, glancing momentarily at his girlfriend. “I will see you in a bit.”

She huffed as they walked off. “Cha Eun Sang? Oh my God!”

“Just remember what I said not five minutes ago,” Piper reminded her. “They can just be friends.”

Bo Na threw her an accusatory glance as she steered her new acquaintance towards the lunch room. They had almost passed Tan, who was still standing nearby, when Bo Na stopped short.

“Hey, Kim Tan!” She turned, and he finally looked away from Eun Sang’s retreating figure. “I really don’t like you following me like this. You still haven’t gotten over me?”

“Wait, did you two date?” Piper asked, gesturing between her two classmates.

Bo Na sighed, “It was forever ago. So, Kim Tan, are you still not over me?”

Tan laughed, a grin forming on his lips. “I guess not.” He replied, and it seemed like Piper was the only one who heard the sarcasm.

“I knew it.” She lamented. “Hey, Kim Tan! I’m really happy with Chan Young right now.”

“You were happy with me too.” He threw back at her, his voice still playful. “You liked me a lot.”

“A lot? No, I liked you a little bit.” Bo Na argued, her voice fading off.

He gave another short laugh, momentarily catching Piper’s eyes as she desperately tried to stop herself from laughing. “You’re still cute, Bo Na.”

“At least you have eyes.” Bo Na muttered, and determination jumped back into her voice. “Just in case you were wondering, I don’t like you anymore.”

“But I like you.” He insisted.

“Hey! I have a boyfriend!” She shouted.

“Does he know that I like you?” Tan wondered, finding it hard to stop himself from laughing as he noticed Piper turning red as she attempted to hold down the laughs.

“He shouldn’t know that!” Bo Na shouted. “Ugh,really. Can you get over me?”

At that, Bo Na spun and left Tan behind. Piper finally allowed some of the laughter to escape as they walked off.

“Oh, Bo Na-yah,” Piper sang as she strode alongside her new friend. “I envy you. What a world you must live in.”

///

“It was easily the most horrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” Piper remarked, sitting with Prosper at the café where Eun Sang worked.

Prosper was busy munching on a slice of cake and slurping down some juice as Piper nursed a cappuccino. They hadn’t had much time to spend talking at school, so Piper decided to catch up while Eun Sang worked.

“I can’t imagine him being in my room,” Eun Sang shuddered as she wiped down a nearby table.

“And I doubt you’ll ever have to, since there’s probably a 1 in 100 chance he’d step foot in the house you’re in,” Piper mused. “I, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of having his nemesis nearby to chase him off.”

Eun Sang sighed, “Well, having that person nearby isn’t as beneficial as you’d think. Even though his mother’s breathing down my neck, and if she suspects anything we could be thrown out, he still tries to act the same as if we’re at school.”

“You know that if it gets too overwhelming and you need to get away, you can always stay at my place,” she offered.

“Thanks,” Eun Sang told her, smiling gratefully. She patted Prosper lightly on the head. “How’s the cake?”

“Yummy,” Prosper replied, gleefully shoveling another forkful into his mouth.

“Just don’t tell mom and dad about this,” Piper warned him, glancing up at Eun Sang as she walked behind the counter. “They’d kill me if they found out I was giving him sugar this late.”

Eun Sang gave a wry smile that faded into a slight confusion. She pulled out her cellphone and sighed deeply as she saw the name on the screen. Shoving the phone back into her pocket, she walked back out to the café floor. Piper saw her stop short and the color drain from her face, seeing Young Do sitting calmly at one of the tables.

“Stay here for a moment,” Piper instructed her brother, mentally punching herself for not noticing his presence earlier.

“You still don’t answer the phone.” He remarked, ignoring Piper as she walked up.

“How did you know I was here?” Eun Sang questioned, shifting uncomfortably as she looked to Piper. “Do you think he followed you here?”

“That’d mean he’d have to know where I was coming from,” Piper reasoned, eyebrows knitted as she stared at Young Do. “Did you know where I was coming from?”

Young Do chuckled. “You underestimated me. What surprised me the most when I was getting to know you was...that you got rich because you worked so hard.”

Eun Sang took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever he would throw her way. “What do you want to say?”

“Nothing.” He chuckled again. “I’m just here because I’m lonely.” His face fell slightly, and for half a second the girls wondered if he was being sincere. “Oh yeah,” he caught himself, pulling something out of his jacket pocket.

He threw the item to Piper, who miraculously caught it given that she was unprepared. When she looked down, she saw the black USB stick with blue stripes. She gave a small huff – he had stolen it.

“It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve heard.” He quipped, awaiting her reaction.

Piper cleared and adjusted herself stiffly, attempting nonchalance. “Thanks.”

Young Do smirked, “I didn’t mean it as a compliment.”

“I didn’t take it as a compliment.” She replied, copying Hyo Shin’s impassive expression.

This caught Young Do off guard; he had expected an eye twitch or a lip curl, anything really. Knowing without a doubt he’d get a reaction from Eun Sang, he returned his focus to her. “I dropped the lawsuit.”

“Really?” She wondered.

“I told you that I would.” He smiled at her, enjoying the way she became both hopeful and wary at just a few words.

“What did you tell her?” Tan’s voice spoke from a few feet away. They turned to see him leaning against the door frame, none of them having heard it open.

“This is cheating.” Young Do grumbled as Tan strode up to them.

“How did you know this place?” He demanded, sitting in the seat opposite to Young Do.

Young Do threw his phone on the table, an aggravated sneer on his face. “She already asked me that question.”

“And what did you tell her?” Tan pressed.

“I know this place.” Young Do informed him “I know that she works at the chicken place, the pizza place and the restaurant. I just kept it to myself.”

“So what? You wash dishes at your hotel every weekend and during every school break.” Tan retorted.

“Stop pretending that you don’t understand.” He replied.

Tan struggled for a response, deciding instead to focus his attentions on Eun Sang. “Aren’t you going to work?”

Eun Sang looked defeated, Piper looked incensed. Nevertheless, the two walked away from the table and left the boys to their own devices.

“Your shift is over, right?” Piper wondered, Eun Sang nodding her response. “Do you want a ride home?”

“I’d appreciate that,” she told her friend, pulling out a wad of money and handing it to her boss. “This should cover those two guys’ drinks.”

Piper looked on in confusion, wondering why exactly Eun Sang was being so nice to the two boys who had done nothing but give her grief the moment they had entered her work. Piper took her brother by the hand and guided him out of the café, walking side by side with her friend.

“Why did you do that?” She questioned. “I mean, you’re being nice when they’re acting like jerks.”

Eun Sang shrugged. “It just felt like the right thing to do.”

Piper threw her arm around her friend’s shoulder. “Cha Eun Sang, you will forever be a better person than I.”

She noticed the orange and black bike parked in front of the café, and an impish smile appeared. Unwinding the arm from Eun Sang’s shoulder, Piper pulled her phone out to make an anonymous tip to the police. “Hello, I’d like to report a motorcycle illegally parked in front of the Mango Six Café. Thanks.”

Eun Sang looked to her with wide eyes. “What did you do that for?”

“Well, he needs to be punished somehow,” Piper chirped. “Not even Choi Young Do is above the law. Besides, even if I didn’t call it would’ve gotten towed. Apparently, someone else made the same call before I could.”