Soundtrack for the second part is "I Know" by Big Bang's Seungri featuring IU.

Enjoy reading! =]

= = = = = = = 

I'm not a superficial person.

Beauty is not my basis for everything.

I'm not shallow.

It's astounding how people think of me otherwise.

People think that if you're pretty or handsome, or maybe hot or cool, you'd be able to get away with anything. But I don't. I am not the type of guy who'd prefer beauty over brains, because choosing the vain beauty rather than the lasting knowledge is a mark of a shallow person. And as I've said just moments ago, I'm not shallow. I prefer simplicity in life, to be honest. I'd choose a life in the countryside or the suburbs over the city life any day. I'd rather stay away from the busy and hectic world with the one I love beside me, rather than immersing myself in the world of time robbers and relationship breakers.

My types of girls are those who are smart, intelligent, caring, and are music lovers. Even if you are not as pretty as the girls I see in magazines nor as rich as the company heiresses on TV, I'd still like you if you possess all of the said characteristics.

And so far, only one person had all three.

"Yah! Baekhyun-ah! What's with the blank stare? Are you thinking about that cover girl in KHT magazine again?"

My head snapped to look at the source of the voice and a smile broke out on my face before I opened my arms wide and silently pleaded for that person to hold me.

She did.

"Shirin-ah..."

"Hmmm? Waeyo, Baekhyun-ah?" She has softly asked me while we are in the embrace, but I shook my head in reply.

I just liked saying her name, actually. The way her name rolls off my tongue is the one of the easiest things to love. It's like, for me, I could call her and say her name forever without stopping.

"Yah, tomorrow is going to be my birthday already, Shirin-ah. Go to my house, arasso?" I asked her after I buried my face in her neck and inhaled her sweet scent.

She was still wearing the perfume that I gave her as a gift last christmas.

Yes. I am in love with my best friend, who frustrates me half the time I am with her. No, it's not because she frustrates me deliberately, though. It's because she's pretty much numb to my advances towards her. I've been dropping hints to her here and there, but she still doesn't get it. She just goes away from me when she realizes that I'm already trying to hint at my feelings for her, like she can't accept it.

But you know, at first look, it would be hard to know and understand why I fell in love with her. Besides being quiet and shy, she's pretty much the biggest nerd of the whole school, with spotless records and exemplary grades. But other than that, she possesses nothing...

... or so they think.

She's more caring than what she gives herself credit for. She's always open for a hug whenever she sees the need to give it, and I should know because I've fallen prey to her warm hugs more than just once. She rathers that you not mind her, even though she's been giving a lot to you without asking for anything in return, and you wanted to repay the favor. She would just smile at you even though she's hurt, and she won't ever show pain to you.

Even though many people say that Shirin-ah isn't a talented person, given the chance, I'd have defended her.

They just haven't heard her sing yet.

= = =

"Shirin-ah's in the music room, Hyorae-yah. You can bring Baekhyunnie to meet her there. He'll love her, I bet."

I remember Chaehyun Omonim's words to my mom when I first got to meet the love of my life. She hasn't been showing herself to us when we visit the home of the Songs, so out of curiosity, I made Umma ask Chaehyun Omonim where her daughter is.

Truthfully, I had expected nothing when I finally passed through the door of the small music room that the Songs owned. It actually is smaller compared to what I have at home, but then again, being the son of a successful business couple pretty much becomes the difference. I was in no way complaining when I got to see the musical instruments there, though.

In the middle of the room, there stood a blue grand piano, and a small girl was sitting on the chair in front of it. She looked around my age, so I assumed that it was the shy daughter of the Song couple. She had her back towards me, so I couldn't see her face yet that time. I guess she didn't notice anything when I went inside, because I had intended my steps to be light and silent.

But out of the blue, my next step got caught in time as she began to sing.

Really get to know you... but rewind.
Wanna love you in slow motion... Why can't I?

As soon as she sung the last words, her fingers began playing the intro of one of my most favorite songs sung a by a foreign girl.

Slow Motion.

It was pretty weird for someone like me, who's still about five years old that time, to like a mature song like that. What amazed me, though, was not just the singing, but also the dynamics of the piano. To be able to do both at the same time without even making a single mistake is impressive.

It was also pretty weird in her case, I guessed that time, because she's also as young as I am, but she knows the lyrics to the song. But then again, she sang it very beautifully. Her fingers grazed the keys lightly, but they are still on line with the keys that should be pressed. She huffed a sigh as she pressed the last key, and whispered a joyous "Assa. I finally got it."

"Uhm... Excuse me..?"

My silent question made her jump a bit and snap her head towards my direction...

... and I saw an angel's surprised face.

That was the time I swore to myself that I'll become friends with her... or even be more than that.

Ever since then, with that angelic face as my inspiration, I studied the piano and tried my best to do well at it. I had dreamed of playing piano for her, or doing a piano duet with her, at the very least. It never came true with the passing years that we had gone to school, though. It was because while we grew up, we both went through a lot of changes. While I was becoming more trendy and outspoken, she became even more quiet, and she dressed more and more like a school nerd.

She wasn't wearing any glasses back when I met her, as she does now. But then again, I'm pretty sure that her glasses now are fake ones. They don't help her see better becase she has 20/20 vision. I would know, certainly, for I grew up with this girl.

And I can't stand not knowing much about the one I love.

= = = =

"Shoot."

I threw my phone angrily towards my bed in total frustration, then sat on top of the sheets and cradled my head in my hands. The object collided with a few of my pillows, but I could care less. It was my birthday already, and the party is almost ending, but there's this one person who hasn't shown up at my house.

Yep. It's Shirin-ah.

I didn't get a chance to talk to her at school all day, though I've seen her enter classrooms and stay in the library for a few minutes. She went home without seeing me, actually. I've tried calling her lots of times already, but it just goes straight to voicemail. I even called her parents, but they themselves didn't know where she went. They just told me that Shirin-ah went home to change clothes, then went out straight again without saying much to them, both Chaehyun Omonim and YooJoon Abeonim. They even thought that she went to my party, which she obviously didn't do.

I had no idea what was going on.

Shirin-ah knows TOO WELL how important my birthday is to me, especially if she's there. I've been pestering her to come, and just two days ago, she said she will.

So what the heck happened to her?!

"Baekhyun-ah, son? The guests are beginning to leave..."

The voice of my mom cut through my enraged aura, and I found myself staring at her with a pissed off expression.

"Let them go, Umma. I don't need to see them." I muttered as I close my eyes and laid back on the covers.

It was true though. I had invited almost everybody in school to celebrate my birthday this time around, for a change. Of course, Shirin-ah was still invited, but I did it in a subtle way, only telling her about it whenever the two of us are alone. Despite the fact that a lot of people came, it appeared that they could last my party even without me. It was just like my birthday was just a normal clubbing day to them, and that I am not necessary for the fun to continue. That's why I focused more on reaching Shirin-ah, but now, I'm stuck with this.

I heard my mom sigh, and while I was trying to calm myself, I asked her a question.

But even before I could finish it, she already responded.

"Umma, is Shi--"

"Son, Shirin-ah talked to me on the phone earlier this afternoon, just a few minutes before you got home. She told me that she would not be able to go here tonight, and said that I shouldn't say anything to you. I assumed that you already knew about that..."

I was astounded.

"What do you mean, Umma? She didn't come to my party ON PURPOSE?!" My voice became heightened in pitch during the last part because of raw anger rushing through me.

How could she do this to me?!

= = =

May 7 went by fast for me.

I went to school, took up classes, tried to take my mind off of the tears I cried last night, and succeeded in battling through the day with my head still up. I had my few classes with Baekhyun-ah, and managed to not spare even a glance at him and avoid him at all costs.

I stayed away from the indoor garden.

Knowing that it is only there that he and I could freely talk, I never attempted to go to that place. For all I know, Baekhyun-ah goes there during spare time and waits patiently for me to go there as well so that he could have a word with me. It was fear in my heart that had compelled me not to go there, for I know that when I see his face and talk with him heart-to-heart, I'll see the side of my bestfriend that never once would I like to meet.

With dismissal now far from over, and only a few people in the hallways, I was fixing the books in my locker when the locker door suddenly slammed close, and if it weren't for my quick reaction time, the bones in my hands would have been broken. I felt an intense fear at what had just happened, and the fear escalated to fright when I saw that a perfectly manicured hand was the one who pushed the door of my locker close.

"K-K-Kyuhee-sshi..."