Jeon Hyesun is a high school senior at Mwangyong High School. She lives together with her cousin, Park Kyungri who is a college student. Her parents are still alive and most importantly, they are still together but the reason why Hyesun decided to be apart from her parents was because she wanted to learn on being independent as the first child in the family.

“Aren’t going out with your handsome friends?” a question shocked Hyesun who was watching a variety show on the television.

She looked at her left to find her cousin, Kyungri smiling at her as she settled down next to her and grabbed the television’s remote controller from her hand before changing the channel.

“My favourite drama is starting! Jo Insung looks amazingly hot,” she commented as her eyes were so immersed with the drama which starred Jo Insung and Song Hyekyo as the main leads.

Hyesun glared at her cousin before standing up from where she was sitting. She was about to take a step when Kyungri’s voice was heard.

“You haven’t answered my question,” she noted.

Hyesun turned to look at her with raised eyebrow, “Which question?”

Kyungri grunted as she repeated what she asked, “Aren’t you going out with your handsome friends?”

The younger girl laughed lightly, “You mean Dongwoo, Woohyun, Howon, Sungyeol, Myungsoo and Sungjong?”

“Yeah, I’m obviously talking about them because as I remember, you have no other handsome friends other than those seven boys—hey wait. You forgot Sunggyu!” Kyungri frowned at Hyesun.

Hyesun made a surprised face. “Oh I did? I didn’t notice that. And hey, stop thinking about him already! I know you like him that much,” she stuck her tongue out at the elder girl.

Embarrassed, Kyungri threw a cushion at Hyesun but the latter managed to avoid it from hitting her face. “S-shut up,” her cheeks grew reddened at the mention of Sunggyu.

Hyesun smirked, “Look at you. You’re blushing. That proves on how much you like Sunggyu. Should I tell this to him?” she had so much fun teasing the blushing Kyungri.

“You won’t do that, will you?” Kyungri asked as she got ready to throw another cushion and this time she would make sure it hit Hyesun right on her face.

“That, you have to pray hard, Park Kyungri,” the younger of the two smiled teasingly at the elder.

“Then, you need to pray hard too so this won’t hit you right in your face!” Kyungri sneered back to the younger girl as she forcefully flew the cushion as it smacked Hyesun’s face.

Hyesun shrieked at the powerful throw which struck her face since she wasn’t prepared for that attack like the previous one, “I’m going to tell this to Sunggyu!” she provoked her cousin.

“Tell him all you want, Jeon Hyesun. I give no damn,” Kyungri answered. She already gave in to her cousin. She wouldn’t ever win any verbal fight between them since Hyesun was too smart in provoking her.

“Well, you want it so bad then I guess I’m telling him,” Hyesun pulled out her phone as she unlocked the screen and started dialling a familiar number.

Kyungri narrowed her eyes at her cousin, “What are you doing, Jeon Hyesun?”

The said girl shrugged as she casually answered, “Calling Kim Sunggyu to tell him that Park Kyungri has a crush on him?”

“You can’t do that!” Kyungri shrieked as she reached out to snatch Hyesun’s phone but failed to do so since Hyesun had quick moves, “Give your phone to me!”

Hyesun ran away from her cousin in a flash as she stood up while showing off her phone in the air, “Can’t get me, eh?” she raised an eyebrow sardonically at Kyungri.

“Do whatever you want then, Jeon Hyesun!” Kyungri rolled her eyes dramatically as she went back to sitting in front of the television and pressing the remote controller in anger.

Hyesun chuckled to see Kyungri sulking with her. Just when she was about to go back to her cousin, her cell phone rang in her hand. She looked at the caller ID and a broad smile went up her face as she answered it, “What’s up, Jongjong?”

A short answer from Sungjong put Hyesun to a long silence. That turned Kyungri curious as she looked at Hyesun, “What is it, Hyesun?”

A sigh escaped Hyesun’s lips, “They lost to those dwarfs crew again.”

A shock expression plastered Kyungri’s face, “Seriously? How many times has it been? Considering that Teen Top is their ultimate rival, they all must feel terrible huh?”

“Indeed. I think I need to see them right now,” Hyesun stated.

Kyungri gave her a disapproving look, “No, Hyesun. Look at the time. It’s almost late now.”

“It’s only 10, Kyungri. I promise I’ll be back before 1. Besides I have no school tomorrow,” the younger tried to plead.

“Hyesun, it’s not like I’m not allowing you. I’m just worried—”

“They’re my best friends, okay? And they’re the only best friends I have so I think I need to be with them with times like this, besides from Sungjong’s voice, it seems like something happens,” Hyesun sighed. It was true; the moment when Sungjong informed her about their lost, his voice was telling something else also happened.

It was Kyungri’s turn to sigh as she finally gave her permission, “Fine, you can meet them now. But please, get home early. And make sure I smell no alcohol or such things from you, deal?” she sternly pointed her index finger at Hyesun.

Hyesun grinned as she nodded, “No problem! Thank you a lot! This is why I love you so much,” she gave a quick peck on the cheek to Kyungri as she bolted towards the door. Just when she was about to wear her shoe, she yelled at Kyungri, “Can you get me my purse and sweater please?”

Kyungri shook her head as she went to Hyesun’s room. In barely a minute, she went out with Hyesun’s purse and sweater in her hand. With a warning look, she handed the stuffs to her cousin.

Hyesun smiled as she took her things from Kyungri’s hand, “Thank you again. Don’t give me that look please. It scares me and I swear Sunggyu won’t be attracted too,” she said in a breath before running away.

“Stop teasing me you kid!” she laughed when she heard Kyungri’s yell as she quickly made her way to her best friends’ place.

--

Hyesun arrived at her usual hangout place with Infinite; it was a small dance studio which was located at a small building that took 25 minutes from Kyungri’s apartment by feet. She pulled the door open and she halted for awhile when she saw what the boys were doing. The boys seemed to get shocked with her sudden presence except for the one who called her earlier; Lee Sungjong.

“What happened to you, Kim Myungsoo?!” she shrieked as she dashed towards him in a flash. She bent down to him and saw some cuts and bruises in his godly face. She turned to the other boys to see Hoya, Woohyun, Sungyeol and even Sunggyu had some scratches on their faces. Only Sungjong and Dongwoo seemed to be not in mess.

“Don’t tell me you guys had a fight,” her voice hardened. No one replied her and it made she burst, “I told you not to have a fight! How many times had I told you but you guys never listened! You guys always end up having a fight whenever you lose, like seriously? Where does your rationality go?”

At the silence, L spoke, “It was my fault. I should have just ignored their provocation but—”

Sunggyu cut him off, “No, blame it on me. As a leader and the oldest, I didn’t lead us well. I supposed to—”

“We aren’t playing blaming game here so just stop saying it’s your fault or else! Why do you guys keep insisting to fight; especially those losers? You guys not even nearing to gangster so stop it. They don’t worth your energy. Remember, you guys are street kids, but it doesn’t mean you should involve yourself in fighting scene. I don’t want my best friends to go through hard times,” Hyesun sensibly advised the boys. She didn’t mean to be angry at them, but there were times where she was disappointed in their acts.

“We’re sorry, Hyesun. We let you down once again. The fight—we didn’t mean but it just happened. But don’t worry, nothing is broken,” Woohyun assured her as he lifted his arms proudly and grinned at her with his signature greasy smile.

The lass broke a smile upon seeing his smile. She’d always fall for Woohyun’s assuring smile and it wouldn’t that hard to make her smile actually. Besides, she couldn’t stay mad at the boys for a long time.

“Group hug, everyone?” Sungyeol suggested as he flung his arms opened and went to Hyesun.

Just when the boys were surrounding her, Hyesun quickly put both of her palms in front of them, “No no no, you guys stink!”

“We don’t care,” Dongwoo laughed as the lads gave her an embrace.

Hyesun puffed her cheeks, “Great. Now I stink too,” she complained but still hugged the boys.

“You’re getting chubby, Hyesun,” Hoya joked.

The said girl broke the hug as she narrowed her eyes at the best dancer amongst Infinite, “Your abs is getting flat too,” she shot.

Hearing Hyesun, Sungjong who was standing next to Hoya quickly put his palm on Hoya’s tummy, “Where did your six packs go to?!”

Sungyeol grinned mischievously, “Oh God, Lee Howon doesn’t have his so-called great abs anymore.”

“Shut up, I just didn’t work out much lately, okay?” Hoya defended himself.

“Beware, your tummy might end up looking like a pregnant woman if you don’t start working out soon,” Woohyun cackled as he pretended to put his hand on his waist and push his stomach to the front for a few times.

“Sick jokes,” Hoya muttered as he went to sit down on the floor.

“Aw, someone is sulking,” Woohyun pouted his lips and blinked his eyes.

“Stop it, Nam Woohyun,” Hyesun shot the guy a look.

Woohyun hung his head low, “Fine.”

“So, mind explaining to me what happened tonight?” the only girl asked as she looked at each one of the boys with raised eyebrows.

“We lost to those dwarfs crew?” Sunggyu stated in an asking way.

“I know, but how did the fight happen?”

“One of them, L.Joe went to us and congratulated us,” Sungjong said before his eyes fixed to L, “And I don’t know what L.Joe whispered to Myungsoo until Myungsoo suddenly punched him,” he ended the story there.

“That guy again? What is your actual problem with him, Myungsoo? I keep hearing his name and why does he seem like the only one who could provoke you?” Hyesun asked as she looked at L. Two years of befriending them, she had never come to any of their battles so she didn’t know anything about Infinite’s rival but she knew a little bit about them from their stories. As much as she wanted to come, but Kyungri wouldn’t allow her to involve in such things.

“They had a history before,” Dongwoo told the clueless girl when he noticed L wouldn’t speak anything.

Hyesun nodded her head, “Which I believe was a bad one. Then?” she motioned Dongwoo to continue as her eyes stole a glance at L.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring up something from the past,” Sungyeol interjected. As much as it hurt L, it hurt Sungyeol too to be thinking about the incident.

“So, best friends keep secrets from each other, I see,” her voice was laced with deep sarcasm.

“Some things aren’t meant to be told, you should learn that,” now it was L who spoke sarcastically.

“Right. Fine then, let’s keep it that way, hmm best friends?” she was clearly upset with the situation. She knew she came in late in the group and there were still some things that the boys kept to themselves. Feeling offended, she turned away from the boys to go home but a hand snatched her wrist and dragged her outside as she followed him without saying anything.

Once they were outside, the two of them stared at each other; the girl with her angry look and the boy with his usual cold stare.

“What is it that you want to know?” L asked.

Hyesun blinked her eyes once, “You’re telling?”

L chuckled to see how she reacted, “I am. Besides, it to see your sulking face.”

She gaped, “I’m not sulking! Just, a little bit upset?” she rolled her eyes at her own clarification.

“Whatever you say then, little girl. Now don’t you want to ask anything?” L raised his eyebrow at her.

“Just brief me the whole story about you and L.Joe. You don’t have to be very detailed, it’s enough to make me understand,” she requested. She didn’t want to force L to tell her the whole story because it seemed like no one wanted the story to be remembered.

“We were friends but everything changed because of an incident. That’s it,” L briefed. How understandable the story was especially when he summarized it way too much.

The girl nearly gasped at the lad. That’s it?! Her mind shouted but didn’t bother to ask more. She would get the explanation that would satisfy her from someone else; someone who would eventually give in to her.