Kai blinked and stared at the small brown hairpin which he was holding up high. Ryu Jangmi – the name written on the side of the hairpin read.

“…I will not fall for you. Not in this lifetime or in the next!!”

He sighed and plopped his hand down to his side and put his other arm in front of his shut eyes. It looks like he’s into something deep. The girl who he likes obviously hates him…for being such an airhead which is a concept that he never imagined doing.

Flashback

“Kai, Minho’s not going to make it. He said he’s not feeling well” Lay said as he made his way towards Kai who was looking at the posters of the movies. “Then we’re the only ones watching? If I knew this will happen then I should’ve dragged Taemin. He’s not doing anything anyway” Kai replied.

“Then call him to come. It’s better with many people” Lay suggested and Kai quickly dialed his friend’s number but then nobody’s picking up. “Maybe he’s on a date” Kai muttered to himself before pocketing his phone.

“Let’s just watch it with the two of us” Lay suggested and Kai nodded. On their way to the cinema hall, Lay halted and turned to him. “Why?” Kai asked. Lay made a face and rubbed his tummy. “Sorry man, my stomach’s not cooperating with me. I’ll just take a very short trip to the restroom” Lay replied as he rushed towards the restroom’s direction. Kai rolled his eyes and huffed in utter disbelief.

He followed his friend who was still making his way to his destination. “Did you drink the milk placed on the lower part of your fridge?” Kai asked. Lay nodded quickly. “It’s way past its expiration date. I told you to throw it away a week ago. You forgot?”

Lay, having no energy to open his mouth, nodded again. “You-”

“Stop” Lay paused as he pointed his finger on him. “Wait for me here” he continued before entering the restroom. Kai ran his fingers through his hair as he dragged himself towards the side of the waiting area. He got his phone from his pocket and dialed Taemin’s number.

He picked up.

“Hey, where are you?” Kai asked immediately. There was no reply but he could hear him panting through the phone. His eyes grew wider. “Did you just answer the phone in the middle of a-”

“Crazy! We just finished our dance practice. Why did you call?” Taemin replied while chuckling. A bitter smile came across his face when he heard the words dance practice. “I thought you were in a date. We’re watching a movie, do you want to come?” he asked.

“I’m not in the mood. I just got dumped and a movie will not help. I need something where I can use my energy and here I am, dancing with the guys”

“Oh” Kai did not know what to say to comfort his friend. Naeun was Taemin’s girlfriend for three years and he thought she’s the one for his friend. Silence overtook the conversation. “Come and join us some time before you transfer” Taemin suggested, keeping up his cheery tone.

“Maybe next time” Kai replied. “Who are you with?” Taemin asked before Jongin heard a couple of loud voices through the phone. He rolled his eyes and chuckled when he recognized those voices. “I’m with Lay”

“Good luck with your date with him” Taemin huffed before laughing. “He’s already giving me a headache; he’s been in the restroom for 5 minutes now. He’s still not coming out. The movie’s going to start in 8 minutes” Kai complained as he looked at his watch.

He noticed some girls staring at her while giggling and simply/secretly taking pictures of him. Taemin was laughing. “He’s making a bomb inside the restroom. Don’t make him go on his own way or he’ll get lost” Taemin reminded him and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Second set of practice!” the voice, which obviously belonged to Chen, said and Kai heard it. “Sorry man, gotta go. Good luck babysitting Lay” Taemin said. “Thanks. I’ll call you again” Kai replied before he heard that single beep that signaled that Taemin already hanged up.

As he put his phone in his pocket, a girl with curly hair came to him. “Can I have your autograph?” she shyly asked before handing him a piece of paper and a pen. He smiled and reached for them. Her friends were taking pictures of him. “There” he said, handing the paper and pen back to her. She shyly thanked him before she walked towards her friends. They looked like middle school students. He smiled at them and they started giggling to each other.

Giving such services to his fans is no big deal. He can do it. But the constant eye prying of the media and magazines about his personal information was making him uncomfortable. There is a thing called privacy and he wanted it for himself. Being a star, if he can describe himself as one, has never been his dream. He just wanted to dance and play basketball. He cannot say he’s a genius with his own mouth. He just considers himself blessed.

He leaned on the wall and looked at his watch.  It looks like they’re going to miss the movie because of Lay. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a face that looked so familiar. He turned to her direction and his heart felt like it stopped beating.

Ryu Jangmi.

He stared at her as she looked at her phone with an unreadable expression on her face. She put her phone inside her bag. His feet were stuck on the ground. He never imagined he’ll see her at such place or even see her again.

She was tying her shoe laces and Kai gathered all his might to walk towards her. As she stood, she lost her balance and Kai, with the speed of light, ran towards her –catching her on time. His mind was turning into circles. He couldn’t think straight. He could smell her sweet vanilla perfume.

She lifted her face and stared at him. He was also staring at her. It must be fate that brought them again. She had this blank expression on her face as she continued staring. Kai already thought of the possibility that she must’ve forgotten about him. Eleven years was so long. But not him, he still remembers how she looked like. He’s been looking for her.

But this is not really the time to reminisce, he needed to talk. But what? She was still staring at him. Just looking at her made him a bit happy. The corner of his lips curled up. 

“I’m used to girls falling for me but don’t you think this is a bit literal? Falling?” he asked.

! What is that?! Did I just ask that? Kai asked himself when he realized what he just asked. “Huh?” Jangmi asked, still looking a bit dazed. Kai found himself leaning forward. “Where should I sign?” he asked softly.

Where are all these lines coming from?! Kai yelled inside his head but was still keeping his cool act. He doesn’t know anymore if there’s another personality taking over his body.

Jangmi pushed him and before he could even realize it, he was already acting like an arrogant guy with a Prince Syndrome. He could see her getting irritated. When she left with her friend, Kai felt a little disappointed that he was not able to introduce himself.

Meeting her again inside the cinema hall was really by destiny and sitting next each other was in the next level of destiny. He could feel her stares and it was making him feel like a young kid again, having that sweet crush thing on her. But then again, his unconscious arrogant self took over the whole conversation. He would be lying if he says that he’s not enjoying her reactions.

Everytime she would look irritated or start making faces, his heart would skip a bit. The girl he never imagined to meet is in front of him. He was again disappointed when the movie ended. He was not able to introduce himself again.

When they got out, he immediately looked for a pen and a piece of paper. “What are you doing?” Lay asked before looking back on his phone. Kai smiled before scribbling something on the paper. “Nothing” he replied.

With a satisfied smile, he pocketed the pen and looked around. That was the exact time that their eyes met. She immediately looked away. “Wait here” Kai said before running towards Jangmi. She turned around. 

“Hey” he said in a cheery tone as he tapped her shoulder. “Hey yourself” she spat. He patted her shoulder again. She turned around with an irritated expression. He was holding that piece of paper in front of her.

“Take it. You’ve been trying to ask for my sign since a while ago, right?”

And there goes the alter ego of Kai. Blabbing things that are not making any sense even to his ears. But it was fun looking at her expression. Kai was holding his laughter inside. The conversation was then again stopped when Lay called for him. Although he really wanted to introduce himself, he was enjoying what was happening so he just pushed that idea for later.

 “I need to go. See you around” he said with a smile that he thought was perfect.

 “I have this gut feeling that we’ll meet again” he added.

He was not really expecting for something but then what she said took him by surprise.

“If we meet again, I’ll be your dog”

It took him some seconds to analyze what she just blurted. A grin came to his face and that’s where it all started – when he closed the deal.

He made his way towards Lay and like a perfect timing from the heavens, Kai’s phone rang. “Hello?” he answered. “Jongin, about the school that you’re going to transfer to-”

“I want to transfer to Shinhwa High School”

“Huh?” his mom asked from the other line. “Why there?” she added.

 He grinned to himself. I found her.

“I think it’s my fate”

End of Flashback

He rolled to his side and pulled the hairpin, examining it intently. He pouted and grunted before rolling roughly on his bed like a madman. He fell off from his bed and hit his elbow on the floor. He grunted louder before sighing. He sat up and ruffled his hair before glaring at the hairpin lying on his bed.

“Jongin, let’s eat” his mom’s voice said from downstairs. He pushed himself up and picked the hairpin. He put it back inside his drawer and made his way to the dining room. His grandmother was already sitting on her seat. He pulled his chair and waited for his mother to also sit.

They all started eating in silence when his grandmother broke it. “Jongin, so when will I meet her?” she asked and he lifted his head quickly