You know the world is hating on you when you the person you just pissed off a couple hours ago shows up at your door and turns out to be your only help left in this universe. I don’t know how I managed to make the world hate me. Or maybe it’s god up there trying to get back at me when I promised Myungsoo I’d go to church with him in ninth grade and never bothered to show up. Well, dear god, I’m terribly sorry. So can you please stop this nightmare and just wake up now? Please. I promise to go to church from now on if this is a dream. I’ll even hang one of those wooden crosses on my neck and dress like a priest. Oh for the love of- 

“Is he…okay?”  

“SUNGYEOL!” My mom screamed and pinched my ears, “Snap out of it and pay attention when I introduce you to someone.”  

“God damn it! This isn’t a dream! UGHHHHHHHHH!”  

“Sungyeol, get your back here before I hurt you!”  

“I HATE MY LIFE!” I yelled as I ran up to my room. This is going to be one hell of a night.  

All these papers and assignments on my desk are filled with complex equations that only have one answer to them. And I can solve them, so why can’t I solve the question to love or life? What’s is the answer to being beautiful?  

Beautiful = ? 
 

I just can’t seem to find the answer to it… 
 

“Plastic surgery’s one of them,” a voice said to me. 

“Yeah, but I don’t have the money for it….” Did someone just talk in my head or….“HOW DID YOU GET IN?! I LOCKED MY DOOR!”  

“Your mom gave me the master keys,” the sly dangled the key in the air.  

“You know, I really appreciate your kindness, but you can just go home.”  

 
“You know, I don’t really want to help you after what you did to my bike, but I’m just doing this because my mom forced me too and it would be awkward if I turned you down. Well, for my parents at least.”  

“Wow, thanks. That sounded so- are you eating my food?”  

“No, your mom just offered me dinner and since it was meat, how could I resist?” He stuffed his face like a child that hasn’t ate in years. “So, tell me about yourself, Sungyeol.”  

“Why should I?” 

“You don’t have to, I’ll eventually find out myself,” he took the last piece of meat from his bowl. Damn, I could feel myself salivating. I didn’t get a single grain of rice from dinner. “Do you want it?” He asked, holding it near my face. 

“No, I’m not hungry.” , I’m starving.  

“It’s really tasty you know, your mom’s a really good cook, I wouldn’t say she’s as good as my brother though. He’s a chef and he works at a fine dining restaurant. They’re specialty is meat. All sorts, cooked in any way you want. You name it, they have it. And the taste, let me tell you-” 

“JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!” I threw a stack of paper towards his face.  

“Here, have it,” He held the piece of meat to my lips. “I can hear your stomach growling like a monster.” 

I reached out for the chopsticks, but he pulled back. “Say ahh!”  

I was hesitant. Myungsoo used to do the same thing, but whatever. I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth. 

“Delicious,” he smiled after eating the last piece of meat in front of me. “HAHAHA! You actually thought I’d feed you? No way man, not when you stepped on my bike like that.”  

 “Go die, you .”  

“Nah, I’ll do that after I ruin your face. Wait, it’s already ruined.” 

I froze for half a second when I heard that comment. I was going to swear at him, but I didn’t. I accepted it. What he said was true. I was ugly. Instead of responding, I just turned away and looked stared blankly at the papers on my desk. There was a really long awkward pause, as if everything in the world just stopped.  

“Hey…I-” 

“The door is behind you, on your left.”  

“Look, it was a joke, I-” 

“The door, to the left.” I repeated myself, hoping he would just leave me alone. And he did. 

He was a lot more obedient than I thought. I waited until the front door opened and my mom bidding her goodbyes and locking of the door. Brushing my teeth, I looked into the mirror and noticed something. There was a green post it note reading, “I’m sorry.” That wasn’t the only thing I realized though, there was one other thing. I hate my face.  

It was pouring rain when I opened my eyes and the weather just seemed gloomy. Well, at least I had a good reason to look like today. Wait, I look like every day.  

“Sungyeol, you’re not going to school like that.”  

"It's called freedom mom," I said taking a look at myself from the reflection of the microwave door. 

"Sungyeol, please, at least  go put on a shirt that's not stained. You're make it look like I don't treat you well." She sounded a bit annoyed.  

"Which is true," I stuck out my tongue. 

"Really, do I have to call Woohyun over?"  

My eyes twitched, a response from hearing him name. "I'll take a pass, thanks," I ran up to my room and changed into a better shirt.  

"Sungyeol, why did you pick one with a hole? Are you testing me right now?"  

"It's a coincidence," I left the kitchen after grabbing my bag. I'd rather skip breakfast over facing an angry woman with a frying pan.  

"Morning," a familiar voice said. 

My first reaction was to respond, so I said, "Good mor-" and then I realized it wasn't a good thing.  

"Well, it looks like you're not taking this any better."  

"Excuse me?" I turned around and faced Myungsoo, "what proof do you have?" 

"You're wearing a shirt with a holes. You may have weird tastes, but you don't go out looking like a bum. You care to some extent. I know you Sungyeol." 

"Not only are you making fun of me, but you're also telling lies. You don't know me, Myungsoo." 

"I can't believe you're still not over it," he grabbed onto the rim of the bike seat, pulling me back. 

"I have every reason to be upset." 

"You have every reason to forgive me and move on from whatever I said to piss you off." 

"Well, it looks like you still haven't figured out where your fault was." 

"Yeol, I'm clueless." 

"Don't call me that," I took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Since you're a complete idiot and have no brain whatsoever I will tell you. You insulted me, calling me ugly and you expect me to still be buddy buddy with you. Are you out of your mind? Because I'm not. I'm not going to be friends with someone who doesn't appreciate me, Myungsoo. You never even appreciated me in the first place, after that party in high school. I've tried so hard trying to make it up, to be on par with you, but you never accepted me back." Myungsoo looked at be with lost eyes. He didn't know how to respond."I can do better than this, I deserve better friends." 

"So all you're trying to say is that we're done. We're not friends anymore?" 

I shrugged, "I guess." I strolled my bike away from him, his fingertips slowly releasing its grip. "Good luck on your project, Myungsoo, really. I hope you get that model you wanted to work with." 

I am such a loser for adding that last part in. I am so sure I sounded like a jealous . I really need to man up, come on Lee Sungyeol. 

"No, you see, the first thing I think you should do is stop talking out loud." 

"Please tell me this is all a dream. I really thought I was  talking inside my head." 

"Nope. It's out and loud all right." Woohyun pulled up in the lane next to me on his bike.  

"Your "baby" is perfectly fine and running I see."  

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?" He raised his voice as if he wasn't already loud enough. I gave him a killing stare. He got the hint and changed his facial expression to   a calmer state.   

"Did you see that sticky note on your mirror?" He asked all of a sudden, changing the topic.  

"Yeah, so what? You're still an ." 

"No, I meant-" the traffic lights turned green, I released the breaks, leaving Woohyun behind. From a distance, I could hear him complaining along the lines of cutting him off.  

Luckily, I arrived to the parking lot sonner than I imagined. I stared at my parking space, lost for brief moment. How am I supposed to lock my bike here in the first place? There's nothing here that I can chain it to.  

"So are you going to give me that space or not?" 

"Over my dead body," I stood in the center of my spot, blocking Woohyun from parking.  

"Oh, come on, I'll pay you back monthly okay?"  

"Sure, that will be double the regular charge though."  

"WHAT?" 

"I'm pretty sure all spots are taken at the moment and if you were to purchase one, it would be at a similar price." 

"I wonder who that is now," he took off his helmet, ruffling his hair in distress.  

I shrugged, ignoring the comment. "Well, class is starting in a few minutes...so.." Suddenly, I saw Myungsoo walking by from a few meters away, staring at us. I quickly looked away.  

"Woah, is that guy checking you out?"  

"No, shut up," I hushed.  

"What's up man! Why don't you go home and change into another shirt  before coming to class, plaid is so last year!" Woohyun yelled out like a madman.  

I couldn't help but laugh, like really loudly. So loud, I think Myungsoo heard me as well. A part of me felt sorry, but it felt kind of good hearing that put down.  

"I guess you can park here for the day," I tossed my bike lock over to Woohyun.  

"Really? Just like that? Do you have something against that guy or something?" 

"Just shut up and get to class." 

"What's the lock for?" 

"I need something to chain my bike to, clueless." 

"Damn it, Sungyeol!"  

I was only 5 minutes in class when I noticed my phone flashing like crazy from several text messages from Myungsoo.  

"Hey." 

"Are you friends with that guy?" 

"I mean Nam Woohyun." 

"I'm not even saying this from a friend's perspective, but you shouldn't hang out with him that much." 

"He's not that great of a person." 

"Sungyeol. Answer me." 

"Please." 

Since he desperately wanted a reply so much, 

"I'm considering changing my number." 

"I'm telling you, he's one of the biggest jerks."  

"You're only going to feel lesser of person with him around." 

"He's not a good guy." 

"Don't you get it?" 

Why did it matter to him anyway?  

"You're describing yourself, right?" 

"Very funny, but no."  

"I'm serious, yeol." 

"Oh, off." 

That message definitely had to be one of the meanest things I've said to him.  

After my first class ended, someone from the arts department unexpectedly came over and barged into my class.  

"Hey, did you know that Myungsoo guy has one of the scariest glares...ever?" 

"Uh...yeah, but more like intense." 

"I don't think you understand my situation right now, let me explain. His department and mine are in the same building." 

"Okay?" I got that part at the very least. 

"My sketching class happens to be right beside the photography editing room."  

"Go on..." 

"Our building is pure glass." 

"82% theoretically, I believe. I think I remembered from a math question on our mid term last year related to the building." 

"FINE SMART GUY. What I'm trying to say is that he kept staring at me through the glass panes and I was scared as hell and I couldn't even come up with anything." 

"Well....all the girls thought his stare was hot and dreamy  back in high school. Maybe it's just that you're a guy." 

"Exactly." Woohyun agreed. "Wait. Did you just say  high school?!"  

"Yep." I nodded and pushed my glasses higher. 

"So you know that guy?" 

"Well we knew each other since childhood." 

"SO YOU TWO ARE BUDS?!" I'm not even exaggerating, but he looked like he was about you have a heart attack. 

"Were. Past tense." I calmed him down. 

"So he was too popular for you or something?"  

The words hit me like darts. I let out a short sigh. 

"Sure, let's put it like that if you want." 

"No, then tell me what happened," he grabbed onto my wrist as I was putting my last notebook into my backpack.  

"Why should I tell you this? Are we friends? No. I just met you yesterday, so don't even think about taking a crack on my history." 

"I'm just trying to help here," he removed his touch, looking shocked.  

"Well, I don't want it," I zipped up my bag and walked down the stairs of my class. 

"Oh come on, don't draw a line between us. You can trust me. I'm here to help remember?"  

 "Oh, I'm sure you're a lot of help," I commented with sarcasm. 

We walked side by side in silence.  

"Why are you still following me?"  

" I don't know! I thought you were going to tell me your past with that scary guy." 

"Okay, listen up. I have no plans on-" Coincidentally, I saw Myungsoo walking on the sidewalk across from us. This time, with company.  

"Woah, is that Lee Sungjong with him?" Woohyun was stunned. So was I. " I really think that's him. You know that popular male ulzzang that goes here? That's him. He's a pretty big hit online and he  even has fangirls all over the university. I worked with him last semester for a