Chapter One:

 

It was a cold, windy day in January. The Seoul Academy for the Gifted and Talented let out their students at 3pm to go home. Students hurried through the halls, grabbing stuff from their lockers and rushing to get home quickly.

 

Yoona stood in front of her locker, carrying several binders and a textbook in her arms. She locked her lock and turned to leave when she saw Tiffany and her small posse of popular queenka wannabes Jessica and Yuri.

 

“Well, looks like you’re going to be doing some studying tonight.” Tiffany gestured towards the pile of books in Yoona’s arms. “Maybe you should read a guide on how to NOT be a total failure.”

 

Jessica smirked. “Perhaps a makeup tutorial.”

 

“How about an article on NOT being a shy nerd.” Yuri said, raising her eyebrow.

 

Yoona looked down. She didn’t want to get into an argument with Tiffany and her gang.

 

“I-I have to go.” She said quietly, turning to leave.

 

Tiffany gave her a small smile. “Sure you do.” She motioned to Jessica and Yuri. “Come on, girls. We’ve got business to take care of.” She looked at Yoona one more time. “Have fun studying, you b***h.”

 

With that, Tiffany flipped her hair, knocked down Yoona’s books, and strutted down the hall, leaving Yoona with a pile of scattered paper from the binders and books. Sighing, Yoona bent down and began picking them up.

 

Suddenly, someone bent down next to her and started helping her.

Yoona turned and was face to face with kingka Ok Taecyeon. His handsome, charming face smiled back at her.

 

“Need some help?” He asked, picking up her textbooks.

 

“Ah.” Yoona slightly bowed her head. “Thank you.”

 

Taecyeon smiled. ‘Wow.’ He thought to himself. ‘She’s really pretty.’

He looked at the pile of heavy books in her thin arms and the rest of the binders on the ground.

 

“Let me help you carry them.” Taecyeon said, taking a couple textbooks from Yoona.

 

Yoona looked at him. “It’s okay.”

 

“No, it’s fine. I’ll help you.” Taecyeon insisted. “A small girl like you shouldn’t be carrying fifteen pounds of books and paper.”

 

Yoona stared as he piled all of her books and binders in his muscular arms and stood.

 

“Well, come on.” Taecyeon said, smiling.

 

Yoona bit her lip and stood up. She took a few books from Taecyeon’s arms.

 

“I’ll carry some too.” She told him.

 

The two walked down the hall.

 

Although Taecyeon didn’t know who the girl was, he knew that she was the girl he had been searching for for so long. He could feel something tingling in his heart. He could feel himself blush whenever he looked at her. He could feel his heart race when she spoke.

 

Yoona glanced at Taecyeon.

 

‘Isn’t he super popular or something?’ She thought. ‘He seems really kind...’

 

Outside in the school’s courtyard, Tiffany, Yuri, and Jessica were standing around, flirting with some guys.

Then Yuri spotted Taecyeon walking out.

 

“Oh! Tiff!” She squealed and pointed to Taecyeon.

 

Tiffany smiled and blushed.

 

Jessica squinted her eyes.

 

“Wait, who is he walking with?”

 

Yuri gasped. “Isn’t that Im Yoona?”

 

Tiffany’s eyes grew wide with jealousy as she watched her crush smiling at Yoona. He noticed he was holding some books: the books she had knocked down earlier.

 

One of the guys Jessica had been flirting with, Jaebum, whistled.

 

“Wow! Is Taecyeon dating her?” He asked.

 

Another guy, Minho, grinned. “They make a cute couple.”

 

Siwon laughed. “Taecyeon has been telling me about some girl who caught his eye but he didn’t know her name. Maybe that’s her.”

 

“Shut up!” TIffany shouted. Everyone stopped talking.

 

Tiffany took a deep breath. “Taecyeon...doesn’t like that girl. WHY would he like that girl? She’s a freaking nerd, studying all the time.”

 

Minho shrugged. “Meh. I like smart girls, and so does Taec hyung.”

 

“Yeah. Dumb girls are too...dumb.” Jaebum said, popping a piece of gum in his mouth.

 

“Ah, oppa! Me too!” Jessica whined, twirling her hair.

 

Jaebum sighed and placed a stick of spearmint gum in Jessica’s mouth. She smiled and chewed.

 

“Thanks, oppa!”

 

Tiffany watched Taecyeon and Yoona walk out of the school’s property, talking and smiling, and going down the concrete steps to the sidewalk.

 

‘Taecyeon can’t like that girl. He has to like ME! I can’t lose Taecyeon to that b***h.’

 

Meanwhile, Taecyeon and Yoona walked down the steps. At one point, Taecyeon nearly slipped on the icy steps. Yoona held his arm tightly, which made Taecyeon blush.

 

“Be careful.” She told him in a quiet, soft voice.

 

They strolled down the street together. Finally, Yoona stopped walking.

 

“Thank you for helping me.” Yoona said, smiling lightly. “I can go by myself from here.”

 

Taecyeon refused. “It’s okay. I’ll help carry these until you get to your house. It’s too heavy for such a skinny person like you.”

 

Yoona tried to take a few more books. “It’s fine. I can go by myself.”

 

Taecyeon shook his head. “Uh uh. It’s not gentleman like to leave a girl with a ton of stuff to carry. I’ll take you up until you get to your street.”

 

Yoona bit her lip.

 

“Fine. Thank you.”

 

“No prob.”

 

The two walked a bit more. As they walked, snowflakes began to fall.

 

Taecyeon cleared his throat.

 

“So, uh. I don’t really know your name. Or anything about you. Except for the fact that you probably study a lot.”

 

Yoona smiled. “Yes, I do study a lot. My name is Yoona.”

 

‘Yoona…’ The name was pretty. Perfect for a beautiful girl like her.

 

“Do you, uh, have any hobbies?” Taecyeon asked.

 

Yoona thought for a moment. “I like music. And reading.”

 

Taecyeon nodded.

 

“What type of music?”

 

“Piano. It helps me relax.”

 

“Ah. I see.” Taecyeon said.

 

Yoona smiled.

 

“Your name is Taecyeon...right?” She asked. Taecyeon was pleased to hear his name come out of .

 

“Yeah. Ok Taecyeon.” He confirmed.

 

Yoona nodded. “Ah. I see.”

 

They walked a bit more. Finally, Yoona stopped at a small street.

 

“My house is down this street.” She said. “Thank you for helping me.”

 

Taecyeon gently placed the books in Yoona’s arms. His hands slightly touched her hands, and he blushed.

 

“Anytime.” Taecyeon said. He gazed at Yoona. “Uh, maybe we should talk a bit more? I, uh, kind of find you interesting.”

 

Yoona looked at him for a while. Then she nodded slowly.

 

“Okay.” She said in her quiet voice. “Why not?”

 

Taecyeon smiled.

 

“Well, you better go in. I don’t want you to catch a cold.” He blushed more.

 

Yoona felt herself blush slightly and smiled.

 

“Alright. Thank you, again.”

 

Taecyeon nodded.

 

“See you at school tomorrow.” He said, waving.

 

Yoona bowed slightly and turned.

 

Taecyeon watched as she walked down the alley and sighed.

 

“Wow.” He said. “You...are really beautiful. Inside AND out.”

 

(At Yoona’s house)

 

“Noona! You’re back!” Taemin greeted happily.

 

He ran up to her and hugged her. Yoona smiled and set down her books. Then she hugged him back.

 

“How was school, Taemin?” Yoona asked her dongsaeng.

 

“Good. Jonghyun hyung beat me in basketball again though.” He said, pouting. I have to get better.”

 

Yoona laughed softly. “Jonghyun is a lot older than you, though, so it makes sense if he beats you. You are only fifteen.”

 

Taemin smiled. “Yeah.”

 

He helped his noona carry her books into her room. Then the two sat on her floor, worn out because of school.

 

“I want to see Dad again.” Taemin said.

 

Yoona nodded sadly. She took his hand.

 

"Me too."

 

Taemin sighed.

 

“I hope he’s doing okay.”

 

Yoona hugged him. “Of course he’s doing okay. He's with Mom up there at the happiest place on Earth."

 

The two hugged each other warmly.

 

“Noona?”

 

Yoona nodded.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m glad you’re here with me. I would be so sad without you here.”

 

Yoona rubbed Taemin’s back.

 

“I’m glad I have you, too, Taemin. I’m very glad.”

(Later that night)

 

Ok Taecyeon laid down on the couch in the living room of his parent’s huge mansion. He flipped through a workout magazine, but didn’t really focus on it. He kept thinking back to the girl he had helped earlier.

 

“Yoona.” Taecyeon said the name aloud. He smiled and cleared his throat.

 

“Hi, Yoona.” He blushed and grabbed his ears.

 

“Oh gosh, what’s wrong with me?” He said.

 

Taecyeon put the magazine down and yawned.

 

He laid down on the couch, feeling too comfortable to go back to his room.

 

‘Goodnight, Yoona.’ Taecyeon thought. ‘Sweet dreams.’

 

He shut his eyes and dreamt about the girl of his dreams.

 

Yoona sat on the sofa, reading a book on Korean history before going to bed. She thought about Ok Taecyeon. Thinking of his sweet gestures and helpfulness made her smile. Whenever she pictured his cute and handsome face in her mind, she blushed and smiled even more.

She shut her history book and pouted.

 

“Im Yoona. What are you doing right now?”

 

She shook her head, trying to get her mind of Taecyeon. But she couldn’t. No matter how hard, Taecyeon’s charming smile was always in her mind.

 

‘Im Yoona…’ She thought as she laid down on the couch, too tired to get up. ‘Why are you like this?’

 

With a perfect image of Taecyeon in her head, Yoona dozed off on the sofa.