“I remember the day we met for the first time,

on a dazzling and bright day,

you came to me.”

IN YOUR EYES - ONEW

It was the beginning of Spring the first time Oh Hayoung met him.

It was during the PE class, when they were playing hand ball and someone threw the ball flying across the field to the gym’s direction. And since Hayoung was the nearest to the gym, she sprinted there to retrieve the ball. The ball seemed to fly to the backyard behind the gym, so Hayoung went there. She walked pass the bushes, but her steps halted when she saw the people behind the building.

They were third years, and even though it’s only been around a month since Hayoung had been a high school student, she knew the seniors; they were well-known at school because of reasons.

The most famous one, the first one that Hayoung knew – or heard of – was Lee Hyeri. She’s a social butterfly, bright and chatty. But people said she’s easy, taking money in exchange for things, and she also liked to seduce and date older men. Rumors said she made a teacher resigned before.

Hyeri was squatting down side by side with a boy, Kim Jongin. He’s one of the best basketball players the school had, but he’s way too careless and reckless for his own good. People still liked him, though, since he’s a playful, fun kid and he’s just that likeable. There’s a cigarette between his fingers, and he’s sharing it with Hyeri.

Another girl was standing beside Hyeri, leaning back to the wall behind her. She’s Son Naeun, known for her amazing paintings and her elegant beauty. There’s no negative rumor about her, but apparently she didn’t really socialize outside her group of four, so she came out as a snob.

The last one that’s nowhere in the sight would be Oh Sehun, a jack of all trades – good look, good grades, quite an athlete, had a lot of friends from various circles, and he’s the vice president too. But mostly people knew him first, because he’s the principal’s son.

And even though each of them was well-known individually, the main reason they were popular was because they’re stuck together. It’s kind of unpredictable, Hayoung heard, the four of them never shared a class together before this year and they weren’t exactly hang out around the same clique.

“You’re looking for this?” A voice from behind startled Hayoung and she jumped in her place before turned around.

The tall, slender, famous principal’s son was standing a few steps away from her. He lifted the ball in his hand while cocking his eyebrow which disappeared behind the dark locks that almost reached his eyes.

“U-um, yes,” Hayoung stuttered.

He walked to Hayoung with firm steps and Hayoung stepped back a little; for a first year like her, the presence of one of the most famous seniors was intimidating. 

Sehun pushed the ball lightly to Hayoung’s embrace and he leaned down, whispering words to her ear. “… Don’t tell the teachers.” When Hayoung looked up, the vice president had a half smile on his face.

Hayoung was too struck by the encounter – the close proximity, the whiff of Sehun’s cologne, his deep, husky voice, and his half-smile – that when she snapped awake, Sehun already left her alone.

“What is it?” Hayoung could hear Hyeri’s voice, asking Sehun when he walked back to his friends.

“A first year,” Sehun answered shortly.

“I’m bored,” suddenly Jongin stood up, throwing his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. “Let’s go and do something else,” he slung an arm around Naeun and made her walk with him.

“Yah Kim Jongin, you finished my last cigarette!” Hyeri yelled, standing up and linked her arm with Sehun, following her two friends.

Hayoung stood still in her place, holding the ball tightly to her chest.

“… Hayoung-ah! Do you find the ball?” her friend’s shout from afar brought Hayoung back to reality.

“Umm!” Hayoung yelled before she went back to the soccer’s field, still dumbstruck by the previous meeting.

***

Hayoung knew Choi Junhong from a day care near their elementary school. They had reached for the same toy and surprised, both immediately gave it up to the other. They played together after that.

Their mothers bonded there and soon enough the two families were good friends. Since they were the only child, they held into each other like real siblings would do, they even chose the same school. Miraculously, for the first time in years, finally now they’re in the same class. 

And even though both of them already made new friends, sometimes during lunchtime they still sat together, just the two of them. Today was one of those days.

Hayoung was picking up an egg roll with her chopsticks when the same seniors she saw yesterday walked in into the canteen; this time Jongin had Hyeri on his arm while Naeun and Sehun walked behind the two. Subtle glances were thrown toward their direction, a faint excitement floated in the air. That’s because the four were an eye-candy and there’s always something new to talk about especially from the troublemakers Hyeri and Jongin, also because the kids liked to pair them up and forever confused about the relationships of the four.

Junhong was one of the ones that liked to appreciate the beauty.

“… Ah, Hyeri Sunbae is so hot, don’t you think?” he whispered to Hayoung, his eyes never leaving Hyeri and all the moves she made. He went through ridiculous growth spurt last summer and now he’s one of the tallest students at school, but since he’s skinny and awkward, he didn’t look intimidating.   

Hayoung creased her eyebrows; didn’t appreciate Junhong’s choice of word in his attempt to look manlier, apparently, the effect of his new high school’s friends. “You could just say pretty… Or beautiful….”

But she agreed with Junhong.

Hyeri was, undeniably, very pretty. Her brown hair sported a bob cut but she looked nowhere near boyish, she had a small face and small lips, slim, long legs, curves in the right places, she smiled brightly and cutely, but there’s also something about her that gave a y vibe.

“Naaah, Hyeri Sunbae is hot, you’re pretty,” Junhong said, distracted, sipping his milk and still stealing glances at Hyeri.

Hayoung didn’t know if that’s a compliment or a mock.

“I wonder which one of the two she’s dating. The kids are betting on it. Who do you think I should bet on? Kim Jongin? Oh Sehun?”

Unconsciously, Hayoung followed Junhong’s line of sight and stared at the four seniors.

They were queuing for the lunch, Jongin didn’t look like he wanted to eat and Hyeri put double portion on her tray for him, his arm still around her neck.

“… Maybe… Jongin Sunbae?” she tilted her head, her opinion came out more like a question instead.

“They look too touchy for friends, right?” Junhong turned his head to Hayoung. “But both of them are actually touchy, Hyeri Sunbae also treats Oh Sehun like that, and Kim Jongin to Son Naeun as well.”

Hyeri turned around and pulled Sehun’s hand, pointing at something in the buffet that probably funny because Hyeri was laughing. Hayoung couldn’t see Sehun’s expression but Hyeri reached out for his face, pouting now. Sehun grabbed her wrist before she could do so and then he laughed.

“What if none of them are dating?” Hayoung asked. “Maybe they’re all just friends.”

Quietly, walking in the back, Naeun put a bottle of milk on Hyeri’s tray, and when the four already sat down, the milk was the first one that Jongin took.

“Huh,” Junhong scrunched up his nose. “Then I guess we all lose. But do you think that’s possible? That none of them are dating?”

Sehun picked up a piece of meat from his plate and feed it to Naeun. He seemed like asking Naeun for her opinion, because when Naeun nodded Sehun put more meat into Naeun’s plate. 

Hayoung looked away and stared at Junhong in front of her. “I don’t know. Probably not.”

***

It was self-study time in her class and Hayoung was trying to do her homework. Her attention was distracted, however, when some of her friends, standing near the window, squealing excitedly over something. Hayoung looked up, clicking the mechanic pencil in her hand, wondering if whatever it was that made the girls make the noise worth to see.

Seeing this, Hayoung’s curiosity won and she decided to ask. “Sooyoung,” she called out to one of the girls who had a bashful smile on her face, “What’s outside?”

Park Sooyoung sat in front of Hayoung in class, tall, just slightly shorter than Hayoung, raven hair, and cute chubby cheeks. She’s a cheerful soul, always smiling, easily excited, and opposite of Hayoung, she talked a lot. But maybe that’s why they clicked, their personalities complemented each other.

Sooyoung tried to restrain a smile, but her eyes lightened up with excitement. “It’s the seniors! They’re playing basketball.”

Hayoung tilted her head and walked to Sooyoung’s side. Below their class was the basketball court, surrounded by stone-steps. The playing boys were third years, and the boys had basketball for PE class. Hayoung quickly saw what made the girls went noisy – it was the pair of Kim Jongin and Oh Sehun.

Sehun was dribbling the ball, and with swift movements he fooled the opponent team that guarded him, throwing the ball to Jongin across the court. Jongin caught it and he jumped, effortlessly scoring two points for their team, gaining big cheers from the girls.

Jongin was smiling cheekily to his friends after he shot; his damp black hair stuck to his forehead, his skin glistened with sweat. He rolled his sleeves up, showing his tanned, muscular arms, and he used his shirt to wipe his forehead, revealing his abs.

More squeals were heard, and one of Hayoung’s friend even yelled, “Jongin Oppa!”

Jongin looked up and saw his juniors. He grinned, his eyes disappeared into a mere slits, and he waved to the girls.

“He’s so handsome…,” Sooyoung whispered and sighed. Hayoung already knew that her new friend in high school fancied Kim Jongin, like most of first years did.

At that time Sehun talked to Jongin and Jongin pointed up to them, bragging. Sehun only shook his head, uncaring with his best friend’s smug smile, simply wiping his hand to Jongin’s face. He chuckled when Jongin scowled at him.

“Sehun Oppa!” another girl yelled, taking Sehun’s and Jongin’s attention. Sehun glanced up and he smiled, nodding politely to acknowledge them. Hayoung’s friends’ reactions didn’t disappoint.

The others that didn’t fall into Kim Jongin’s charm, chose Oh Sehun’s smile.

***

She’s going home with Junhong that day, riding the back seat of Junhong’s bike, and since the boy had a class duty, Hayoung waited for him while Junhong cleaned up the room with Choi Youngjae, another classmate with the same class duty schedule with Junhong.  

“Aren’t you going to help me?” Junhong protested, since Hayoung just sat down and propped her chin on her palm, staring at Junhong’s back.

“You didn’t help me when I have a class duty,” Hayoung replied. She wondered whether she had enough time to finish her homework while waiting for Junhong; the homework she did earlier that day before she got distracted.

Youngjae – had small eyes and a bad influence for Junhong with his lame jokes – was wiping the window when he suddenly stopped, waving his hand to Junhong who’s sweeping the floor. “Yah yah Junhong, quick, you have to see this!”

Junhong dropped his broom in a heartbeat and dashed to Youngjae’s side, class duty forgotten. Hayoung sighed, but still she walked to the boys and tried to look for the source of their excitement. She should have known – it’s Lee Hyeri and Son Naeun. 

They were sitting on the bench under the tree, Naeun was reading while Hyeri rested her head on Naeun’s lap and Naeun her hair absent-mindedly. The scene, somehow, looked pretty intimate, but Hayoung didn’t know if the thing that made the boys excited was the intimacy or because the blowing wind made Hyeri’s skirt flew around at times.

It didn’t take long before the other half of the group came, Jongin already took off his tie and blazer while Sehun still looked dapper with his blazer and tie on. Jongin pretended to sit on Hyeri’s stomach and the girl slapped his leg, making the other laughed. He lifted Hyeri’s legs and sat under it, letting Hyeri be comfortable by putting her legs on his lap. Jongin’s hand automatically rested on top of her lower legs.  

Junhong and Youngjae groaned at the same time.

“Did he save a nation on the previous life or something?” Junhong whined.

“Ugh, the things I will do to have Hyeri Sunbae’s legs on my lap…,” Youngjae murmured.

Hayoung cleared , trying to remind the boys that she’s still there. Fortunately they returned to their work after, although still grumbling about how lucky Jongin was. She threw her gaze back down to the field, where Sehun stood beside Naeun and talked to her, presumably about the book that she read.

“Ah,” Hayoung jerked up a little, seeing the flower petals from the tree above the third years fell down onto Sehun’s hair. He didn’t seem to notice, but when he moved and a petal fell from his hair, Sehun looked up, catching a falling petal.

The sight looked like it jumped out straight from a drama, a flower boy with flower petals, and it stunned Hayoung that she didn’t even realize – Sehun was looking at her.

He smiled, just a little tug at the end of his lips, and Hayoung, startled, quickly moved away from the window.

When she dared to look out again a few minutes later, the group was already gone, leaving a bench full of flower petals deserted. 

It's been 8 months (or more?) since my last update and I decide to edit this from the beginning.

In this chapter I only added small details.

Please please please call me Nico instead of authornim.

And please no more 'update soon' comment.

Thank you for reading!