Chapter 2
*◞▌｡HEAVEN SENT.
❷nd » C H A P T E R ! ⊱
“Yun Ji…”
Norin was standing in the middle of the soccer field with Yun Ji. Her jersey was tied around her neck, giving it the appearance of the cape. She had a piece of straw in and her arms were crossed. The wind was blowing at the blades of grass and through their hair.
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh? What is it?” Yun Ji turned and faced the other girl, curiosity evident on her face.
“We shall form an alliance - a pact!” Norin spread her arms around. “Together, we can accomplish anything! Our combined powers are mighty and unbeatable!” she yelled out dramatically.
“You’re so cute!” Yun Ji grabbed her into a hug and squeezed her tight.
Norin frowned, not liking how someone smaller than her was calling her cute. “Stay calm, angel Yun Ji! We haven’t gotten to the most important part!” She placed her hands on Yun Ji’s shoulders and pushed her away lightly. “You have unholy feelings for JR, do you not?”
“What’s this really about?” She tilted her head a little.
“But I understand that the gods dislike his impure self!” she said, still completely serious. “I, too, have a great affinity for Ren! But… he loves angels, which I am not. So we must help each other!”
“So… you like Ren, and want me to help you guys hook up?” She asked, hoping she translated her words right.
“Yes! And I will help you with JR! How about it?” she said, removing her hand from her shoulder and holding it out for her to shake.
“You’ll help me with JR!?” Yun Ji jumped excitedly, “Of course, let’s work together!” She shook her hand almost violently she was just that excited.
“Now, to seal our treaty with a blood pact!”
“Say what now?”
“What are you two doing?” their gym teacher suddenly said. “Get to your places, we’re about to begin the game.”
It had been weeks into the school year by now, maybe a good 2 months even. Yun Ji and Norin had been getting along pretty well, they had even been spending more time together leaving their guy friends for their girl time.
“You never spend time with me anymore…” Ren complained quietly as they were eating lunch outside.
“What are you talking about? We live together, how am I not spending time with you?” She looked at him confused.
“That’s not what I mean. When was the last time we went shopping together? Went to the salon together? Got our nails done together? Went out to eat together?”
dropped. “Why do you sound like a chick right now?” He just sighed, looking towards the ground. “What is it? Do you miss me or something?”
“Of course, we used to do everything together. Now since you made friends with Norin, we don’t do any of it anymore…”
“We will, I promise, I just wanted to spend some time with her… since she’s my friend too, now.”
“Really? You promise?”
“I promise, besides I’m feeling like spaghetti for dinner, what do you think?” She smiled at him. His mood brightened up instantly.
“Yes~!”
“It’s a date then.” She laughed.
“Date?!”
“You know, like hanging out.”
“That’s not what the word Date is for…”
“Are you sure? I could have sworn it had multiple meanings…” She scratched the top of her head, thinking about it now. He sighed disappointedly. “Eugh, this is bothering me! I have to look it up now.” She sighed, pulling out her phone to look up the definition.
Ren just laughed. She looked rather cute when being bothered by something, knowing her, she wouldn’t rest until she solved whatever was bothering her.
“Here it is!” She smiled, Ren face palmed as she began reading the definitions out loud, causing other students to look their way. “A social or romantic appointment or engagement. Examples:
"a college student on a date with someone he met in class". Synonyms: appointment, meeting, engagement, rendezvous, assignation, commitment… lunch date…” She looked his way and held up her phone. “See! It does have multiple meanings!”
“I get it…” He laughed, pushing her phone out of his face.
“You didn’t look!” She continued to hold it in his face, she was always like this when someone told her she was wrong when she was right, like she was rubbing it in.
“I saw! Knock it off!” He pushed it away again.
“Aish, you made me feel stupid for a second, ‘That’s not what the word Date is for.’” She mimicked his voice, but failed entirely. “Anything to make me hate you more, huh?” A teasing smile came to her lips.
“You’re a mean little girl.” He smiled. “But that’s okay…”
“How is being mean okay?!” She frowned. “And I’m not little! I’m snack sized!”
“Adorably snack sized!” He pulled her into a side hug.
“Yah, don’t crush me!” She squirmed in his embrace, smiling.
“It’s been a while, my friend.”
“Not long enough,” JR replied when Norin took a seat next to him.
“I know you missed me.”
“I didn’t.”
“I did too… Hanging out with angel Yun Ji was great… but we always have too much fun that we forget our objective.”
“I don’t care.”
“But when I’m with you, I can stay focused. You’re of help after all.”
“I’m not even trying to help.”
“You’re a good guy, JR.”
“... Did you hear a single thing I said?”
She pulled out the earphones in her ears. “... Were you replying to me?”
JR glared down at her, his eye twitched in irritation. “Go back to angel Yun Ji. I’m a devil that’s going to kill you if you stick around.”
Norin stepped back and held up her hands to form a cross. “Begone, demon! Get out of my friend’s body! I won’t allow you to kill and eat harmless humans!”
JR smirked and grabbed her arm, pulling her close. “... I only want to eat this human…” he said with a deep chuckle. He leaned forward and bit lightly on the tip of her ear. “Delicious...” he whispered hotly against her neck.
“Whoah~!” She suddenly yelled, causing JR to wince at the loud voice and lean back. “That was… amazing! You should totally do that on Yun Ji!... Wait, no. She’s an angel… Your devil attacks might hurt her.” She placed a hand to her chin and thought deeply.
JR stared at his friend. “Stupid.”
“Eh?” she looked up at the uncalled for insult
“Stupid, stupid, stupid idiot,” he said, going back to his food. “I don’t know why I bother…”
“Keep bothering.”
JR’s eyes widened and he looked back at Norin. “What?”
“It’s the title of this cool song!” she said, holding up her music player. “Wanna listen?”
“... No,” he said before ignoring her again.
Norin just smiled in reply and looked down at her music player… that was off.
“JR!” she suddenly shouted.
He almost dropped his lunch to the floor. He glared at her. “What? I’m right next to you!”
“Thanks,” she said with a grin.
“... For making you lunch? I said it’s fine. Both you and your mom fail at cooking.”
“You’re actually a nice guy…”
“... Don’t make me out for some bad guy every other time.”
“Devil! Go back to Tartarus!”
“The usual?” The hair stylist asked Ren who took a seat in the chair, next to Yun Ji’s like always.
“No.” Ren shook his head as she was putting the hair cape around him.
“No?” Both the stylist and Yun Ji looked at him confused.
“I want something different.” He replied. “Something new…”
“Alright, like what?” The stylist asked, looking at him through the mirror.
“Something manly.” He said, looking towards Yun Ji in the mirror. “There’s a girl I wanna impress, but with this current hair style, I don’t think it’s working.”
“A girl to impress!?” Yun Ji smiled. “Is it Norin?!”
“Cut it all off… she seems to like short haired men…” He looked forward, not answering her.
“No!” Yun Ji suddenly protested. “Not all of it!”
“I’m not asking for a bald look, calm down.” He laughed.
“How short would you like it?” The stylist spoke up, she too had the look of disappointment on her face. She loved his hair the way it was just like everyone else.
Ren looked at himself in the mirror, debating the length now… in all honesty, he really didn’t want to cut his hair to begin with. But Yun Ji kept teasing him about how girly he looked and always gushed how manly JR looked with his short style… he caved in and decided to cut it. If it would get her to notice him… he’d do it. Besides, change is always good.
“Kpop short.” He said calmly. “Surely you female hair stylist know what I’m talking about, right?” He gave a small smile to his stylist.
“I’ll make you look like the next big Kpop star!” She cheered. Yun Ji just sighed, but smiled softly. She agreed maybe he should try something new, it was just gonna take time getting used to, he’s had long hair for forever.
“I can’t watch~!” Yun Ji covered her face with her hands.
“Then don’t, It’ll be a surprise!” His stylist grinned. “What did you want, JiJi? Maybe I’ll do your’s first before Ren’s?”
“I just needed a trim was all.” She peeked through her hands.
“Right away, then!”
“Or well, since he’s trying something new…. maybe I’ll have mine cut too?” She looked to him, waiting for an answer.
“You want yours cut too?! It’s bad enough I have to cut his precious long locks and you want me to cut yours now too?!” The stylist pouted.
“How short are you talking?” Ren looked over to her, eyes focused on her elbow length hair.
“Well, lately I’ve been really liking Lizzy’s hair.” She looked at herself in the mirror. “You know, from Orange Caramel?”
“That’s too short! Think about it some more and we’ll see next time.” The hair stylist shook her head. Yun Ji laughed but agreed…
With that, Ren’s stylist trimmed her hair quickly. When she was done, she got up and walked over to Ren, looking at him through the mirror.
“Oh man, this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.” She held a hand up to , touching a few strands of his hair.
“Are you crying?” Ren looked at her holding back a small laugh, she always was a good actor.
“No, something just got in my eye was all.” She faked a sniffle, looking up blinking her eyes a bit. “I won’t forget you, precious blonde locks! It’s time for change, maybe someday we’ll see each other again…” She hugged his head, hugging his hair.
“JiJi, you’re being ridiculous!” His hair stylist laughed.
“Shhh~! Can’t you see I’m saying my farewell!?” She faked wiping tears. “Take care of yourselves… precious blonde locks…” She whispered. She let go taking a step back. Ren was trying not to laugh at her.
“My hair says farewell… JiJi.” He managed to say.
“Eugh, no, I can’t… I just.. UGH!” She ran off like a crying girl in an anime. He let his laughter out this time.
“She’s so silly.” His stylist shook her head.
“I like it.” He calmed down from his laughter.
“Oh… so this is for her, huh?” She connected the dots. She’s been doing their hair for the past year, ever since Yun Ji started staying with him. She was happy to see him finally making a move after all this time.
“Yes…” He nodded.
“But she was so against you cutting it… why cut it if you knew that?”
“She wasn’t against it… I know she wants this too.” He smiled.
“I don’t understand.” She frowned, completely confused.
“You’ll see…”
“Hmm? How about this? Is it like this? Oh! Maybe like this!”
JR gulped and glanced at the mirror in fright. “You do know what you’re doing, right?”
Norin grinned, the bleach and comb in her hand. “Nope!”
“What?!”
“I’m kidding!” She grabbed a lock of her own orange brown, bleached hair. “I’ve done it to myself a lot! I can bleach your hair blonde real easy, no problem!” She put on her gloves and began getting the materials ready. “But suddenly wanting to go blonde… Are you going into hiding?! Is there some organization that’s after you so you have to disguise yourself?! Will you need a new name?! Can I call you Totoro?!”
“No to everything,” he said, eyes still focused on the mirror and on his friend.
“Why the sudden change then?”
“... It’s for a girl,” he muttered.
Norin’s hands stilled. JR eyes widened slightly at her shocked look. Was she finally getting the hint-? “But Yun Ji likes you just the way you are!”
“Not her!”
Norin narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. “You two-timer!”
“Get to work, will you?”
She saluted. “Understood, general!” Halfway into her work, Norin suddenly spoke up. “You know… you shouldn’t change your look just for a girl. I mean, you got real mad when I bleached my hair a few months ago! You must not like it at all...”
“That’s because you bleached your hair for a stupid reason.”
“What’s wrong with looking like my idols in Orange Caramel?!”
“When they don’t have orange hair, and you only did it because of the name ‘Orange Caramel’! That’s stupid.”
“And your reason isn’t?”
He met her eyes in the large mirror. “... It’s for the girl I like. How is that stupid?”
Norin smiled at him. “... If she does go for light-haired guys, I’m sure she’ll appreciate what you did… You love-stricken fool,” she said with a sigh.
“Don’t go sighing like you’re more superior than me.”
She had a lock of his hair in his hands. She grinned.
JR grimaced. “... Forget I said anything.”
“Why me though? You’re a rich kid… Couldn’t you have gone to some fancy parlor or something?” Norin asked.
“... I’d rather have only you touch my hair.”
“I see… Trust issues, huh?” she said, nodding in sympathy.
“Wha-? No... “ He sighed. “Nevermind.”
“Are you ready to see the new Ren?” Suddenly Ren’s hair stylist asked Yun Ji who was laying on the couch in the front of the salon reading a magazine.
“You’re done already?!” She sat up quickly, she caught a glimpse that Ren was with her and shrieked covering her eyes, falling back onto the couch. “I’m not ready!” She wailed.
Ren laughed before walking over to the back of the couch, leaning over it. “Open your eyes~!” He chimed.
“Not ready!”
“When will you be ready then?” He pulled on her arm.
“Never!”
“Come on!” He pulled on her arm, but she wouldn’t remove her hands from her eyes. “Yun Ji!” He climbed over the couch, now he was wrestling with her arms. He successfully pinned her arms to each side of her head, but her eyes were still sealed shut.
“I smelled hair dye earlier! You don’t have blonde hair anymore, do you?” She asked, sounding nervous.
“Nope…”
“Oh my god, I feel like I’m gonna faint.” She gasped.
“Don’t faint!” He laughed. “Just look at me already, I wanna know what you think!”
“Aish, fine!” She calmed down. “I’ll count to three.” She took a deep breath and began counting. “1… 2… 2 and a half… 2 and three quarters.......... 3!” She opened her eyes and was faced with a short dark haired Ren hovering over her on the couch. It was clear she was shocked, he looked so different!
“Well,... what do you think?” He asked, smiling down at her.
“I.. you, uhdlakdfjls.” She wasn’t making any sense, and as he expected, he could see her cheeks turning red… she was blushing! It worked! He did a victory move inside his head.
“You like it, don’t you?” He grinned.
“Y-Yes.” She stuttered… she never stuttered in front of him… ever.
“Good!”
[Before/ After] 
[Cute to Cool XD]
“Die, foul fiend! Never come back again! You are no match against my prowess! I have saved the princess from your clutches!” Norin exclaimed to the television as she was playing one of JR’s games.
“... You’re playing tetris, what are you talking about?” a voice chimed in from behind her.
“Oh? You’re done rinsing it off?” Norin fell back on the floor and glanced at her friend, her view of him upside-down. “Is that you?!” she suddenly yelled. “Who~oah! You look so cute!”
JR frowned at her and tugged lightly at the wet bangs plastered to his forehead. “Cute?” he repeated.
“Adorable! I want to cuddle you and pinch your cheeks and take you home!” she cooed.
“... Then what’s stopping you?”
At his words, she tackled him to the floor. He ended up seated on the floor, Norin between his legs and she was laughing, ruffling his hair. “You look so boyish! You look younger than me! Call me noona from now on!”
“No way,” he said, glaring at her, but making no move to push her hand away.
She stared at him for a moment before laughing again. “Hehe~ I did a pretty good job, huh?”
JR nodded at her words. “Yeah… not bad. Thanks.”
“Oh? Did you praise me? Yay!” She remained in her spot, staring at him with a huge grin.
“... What now?” he asked, looking away at her intense stare.
“Just admiring my work!” She sighed and smiled. “And your handsome face! I bet you’d look good in any hair style, huh?”
JR’s eyes widened at the uncalled for compliment… Not wanting to be outdone by the dense girl, he met her stare and smirked. “Then I can admire your face as well, right?” She only smiled in reply.
They stared at each other for a moment. Feeling brave, JR began to lean forward.
But then he blinked.
Norin stood up, hands raised in the air in victory. “I win!”
“We were having a staring contest?!”
[Before/ After] 
[Cool to Cute XD]
“Kyaa~” Yun Ji shrieked while holding the shower curtain up to her chest to cover herself. The coolest looking guy with bed hair just waltzed into the bathroom while she was brushing her teeth.
“Why are you screaming?!” He complained, covering his ears, eye’s barely half open.
“Don’t just walk in here! Knock!” She scolded, still hiding behind the curtain.
“I did knock!” He laughed. “Why are you hiding anyway? I’ve seen you in your PJs for over a year now…” He looked at her with a small smirk making her swoon a little on the inside… he was just so cool right now….
“I just, I uh…” She hesitated… Why was she hiding? He always walked in to join her in brushing his teeth every morning, it was like a routine they had. She’d wake up before him, and he’d come in last minute.
“You what?” He asked.
“I was about to take a shower!” She jumped into the tub/shower and turned the water on.
“With your pjs on!?”
“How I take my showers is none of your business!”
“Well if that’s how you’re doing it, can I join you?” He laughed walking over. He was teasing her now, knowing his new hairdo made her nervous.
“Are you nuts?!”
“It saves time doesn’t it?”
“I don’t know who you are anymore-!” Suddenly he heard a thud behind the curtain.
“Are you okay?!” Ren pushed the curtain aside quickly, kneeling next to the tub.
“Owch… I’m fine.” She frowned, rubbing her lower back. “I didn’t notice the bodywash leaking into the tub when I stepped in here…” She picked up the fallen body wash and placed it back to it’s rightful spot.
Ren turned the shower off and proceeded to scoop her up out of the bathtub bridal style.
“But you’re gonna get wet…” She mumbled, suddenly getting shy at how close he was to her face.
“Does it look like I care?” He carried her to her room. Before he could set her down on her bed.
“Don’t get my bed wet!” She pouted.
“Sorry, can you stand?”
“I don’t know, can I?” She smiled.
“What? You want me to carry you around the house now?” He laughed.
“No, that would be embarrassing!” She blushed, realizing she was still wearing her Pjs, not to mention they were wet from the shower now. “Put me down!” He complied.
When her feet hit the ground, she felt the pain in her lower back suddenly and fell forward into his arms with a small yelp. She froze noticing her cheek up against his chest. She could feel her heart racing and surprisingly, she could hear his heart doing the same inside his chest. The room was silent as they both stood there.
“Ren, JiJi~! Breakfast is ready!” Suddenly his mother’s voice broke the silence as she shouted from downstairs.
“Uh… sorry.” Yun Ji took a step back from Ren, blushing like mad while staring at the ground.
“It’s okay.” He smiled… She likes me… she always had.
“JR! JR! JR! JR! JR! JR! JR!”
JR opened the window of his room and glared harshly at the girl on his front lawn. “Shut up! I have neighbors! Do you know how many times they complain about you?!”
Norin looked up at him innocently. “... I’m not good with multiplication.”
He sighed, giving up on her. “Give me five minutes… Why are you here anyway? I always pick you up at your house.”
“I wanted to see you earlier today,” she said, grinning impishly at him.
The words made him pause for a moment in shock. In less than two minutes, he was out the door, bag in one hand. He held out his other hand and gave her the usual lunch box.
She accepted it gratefully. She ruffled his hair. “Good boy.”
He swatted her hand away. “Don’t treat me like a dog.”
“Your master is very proud of you.”
“I just said-”
“Would you like a reward?” she said, winking at him. She took a step towards him, their chests almost touching.
JR’s eyes widened at the sudden closeness of her face and backed away. But for every step he retreated, she advanced. His back hit the gates of his home and now she was only inches away from him.
This was weird. This didn’t make sense. What was she doing? Why was she not acting slow and dense and oblivious? A blush spread across his cheeks when he found her face close to his - their lips so dangerously close.
But then she suddenly tapped the floor with the heel of her shoes. “Were you intimidated by my superior height?” JR looked down and saw that her black school shoes now had two inch heels. That was why her face seemed so much closer. “My flats broke so-”
He shifted to the side and quickly began heading out. “Heels are against school rules,” he merely said, leaving her… his face still red.
Norin followed after him, a huge grin on her face. “So cute~!”
JR’s eyes widened and he turned around to face her. “... Wait… You teased me knowingly? Do you know that I like y-”
“Brown sugar!” she suddenly said, holding up the lunchbox. “I smell brown sugar! How could a lunch have brown sugar?!”
“... You’re the dog.”
JR raised up Norin’s sleeve to wipe it at the side of . “Don’t drool.”
“Bu-Bu-Bu-Bu-But look at him!” she said, pointing at Ren who was at his seat. The two were still by the doorway. Norin had stopped in her tracks right when she saw Ren and his metamorphosis.
“He has short, black hair,” JR deadpanned, describing his own hair style before she bleached his hair. He didn’t recall her ever going fangirl and drooling when his hair was like that. “I thought you had a thing for light-haired guys?”
“But… he looks good in it!” she whispered, eyes still targeted on the unsuspecting guy. There was no way she’d have the guts to really approach him and say anything about his new look.
“Well, what looks better? His blonde or dark haired self?”
“You… can’t really… choose. It’s the face, really.”
JR sighed. He had changed his hair color, hoping to match her preferences… But it was the face in the end? What did he have to do to get her interested in him? Get plastic surgery?!
But his musings were cut short when she suddenly patted him on the cheek.
“Like your face,” she said with a small smile.
He stared at her, not wanting to trust the unfamiliar expression on her face. “... What are you scheming?” He knew she had a conniving self under her airheaded persona - but it was never used on him before. She grinned, but did not reply.
“Wow… you look… cute.” Yun Ji stared at JR. He had been cool in her eyes all this time, now with the new hairstyle he looked cute…
JR tilted his head, wondering of her sudden change in behavior. She’d usually be smiling excitedly or sighing dreamily at this time. “Doesn’t really match my image, huh?”
"... no, no it doesn't." She shook her head with a weak smile.
"I'm no longer cool in your eyes, am I?"
"... you're still cool!" She sounded like she was forced to say that.
"You never really liked me from the start, admit it already." He laughed.
Yun Ji’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head at his accusation. “I do!”
“... Though you have to admit, Ren suits his new look, huh?” he said, going for a different approach.
A blush appeared on her face at the mention of her friend. “Well yeah, I mean… he’s Ren after all.”
JR smiled. Her feelings for her best friend were so transparent. Why wasn’t Ren making a move yet? They were both so darn slow. “Of course. He’ll look good in anything in your eyes, am I right?”
“True, because he’s so damn perfect.” She pouted, crossing her arms.
JR could only nod in agreement. “Not really… You’re probably the only one that thinks he’s that perfect… because you li-”
“Yun Ji!” Norin suddenly called out, clutching onto the smaller girl’s arm. “Let’s go! You promised to buy my lunch today!”
“I made you some, didn’t I?!” JR asked as Norin was pulling Yun Ji away.
“You can never have enough meals!” Norin replied with a grin.
Yun Ji stared at JR as she was being dragged away. “... What were you going to say?”
JR smirked and shook his head. “Ask Ren.”
“Ask me what?” Suddenly Ren appeared, but by then Norin dragged Yun Ji out of the room.
JR glanced at him with a frown, recalling Norin’s words earlier. “... Why were you born with that face?!” he accused all of a sudden.
“You say that like it’s my fault!”
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