CHAPTER 2

When the bell rang for lunch, Saem leaned over to grab her lunch bag when someone rasped their knuckles against her desk. She looked up and found Youngjae looking at her.

"Do you happen to have something I can have for lunch. I couldn't pack something and I have no money. I'll pay you back tomorrow."

The words tooks a moment for Saem to process them before she nodded and reached in her lunch bag. "You can have the yogurt cup."

Youngjae nodded his thanks as he took the snack and then got up and left the classroom. As Saem got up and left, she was acutely aware of the students whispering about Ghost Girl and Slacker being chummy all of a sudden. 

Saem s her way through the hallways and out onto the courtyard. Students were scattered around in groups or on their own. Some were eating and some were chasing each other or playing basketball. Saem ignored them all as she neared Mr. Jang's little kiosk. As she neared the small building, the door opened and the old man smiled as he stepped out. "Thank you again for letting me eat here," Saem smiled.

"Of course, of course," he nodded before heading out to do his lunch time rounds. Saem entered the kiosk and shut the door behind her. The door shut off all the noise the students were making. 

Saem sat in the little chair and table in the middle of the kiosk and emptied out her lunch bag. She didn't have time to make much this morning, so she settled with a simple ham sandwich, crackers, and an apple. As she ate, Saem leaned back in her chair and pulled one of the books of Mr. Jang's desk. He always kept a few in the kiosk with him and let Saem read through a few while she ate. 

"Are we safe to talk here?" BamBam asked. Saem took another bite and nodded. "Okay, good. I know I said after you ate, but you can see two of my friends from here, and since it's safe I'd figure it'd be okay." Saem nodded again and then BamBam ushered her to the window. She got up, bringing her sandwich with her, and looked through the glass.

BamBam pointed to a tall student with light brown, almost blonde hair. He was sitting in between to other students. From his uniform, Saem could tell he was a first year student. He was laughing at something one of his friends said and slapped his knee in hysterics. He seemed like a nice kid. "That's Kim Yugyeom. I was closest to him in the group. He's one of the ones that's stayed the most the same. He's really cool and loyal. I'm sure my...uh...passing really affected him..."

I smiled kindly. "He seems really sweet."

BamBam nodded and then pointed towards the basketball courts. "The one with his uniform shirt ed is Jackson Wang. He's from -"

"Hong Kong," Saem cut him off. "Everyone knows him. Didn't know you were friends with the school's #1 player."

BamBam laughed sheepishly. "Well, he's always had this charm with the ladies, but I promise you he wasn't always that bad. Even I'm put off by his greasy ways. And I'll warn you now, he'll probably be the hardest to get through to."

"Great," Saem muttered. She wandered back over to the table to started eating and reading again. 

"Saem noona, he's really not that bad. In fact he's actually arguably the most sensitive of the whole group."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Saem murmured opening the baggie with the crackers in it. Once the those snacks were finished, Saem brushed off her hands and tossed the garbage into the trash bin before grabbing the apple and heading towards the door.

"Alright, are there more at the school?" 

"Yeah, in the the library," BamBam replied. "I'll meet you there." With that he disappeared. Saem sighed, wishing she could disappear from sight. Biting into the apple, Saem stalked across the courtyard again. This time, paying a little more attention to the students than usual. Especially Jackson and Yugyeom. Since Jackson was closer, Saem wandered a little closer to the courts and took in his appearance. He had dark brown hair, sweaty from playing, and his eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled. Even Saem had to admit it was easy to fall for his charm.

"Heads up!" 

Saem blinked suddenly but didnt have enough time to dodge the ball as it thumped her in the side of the head. Scrunching up her face, her free hand went up and rubbed the side of her head. Some girls who shared a class with her giggled at the scene.

"Damn Wang, even Ghost Girl can't resist your charms."

Saem heard a laugh that could only be explained as similar to a hyena. Face burning red, Saem jogged away only to stop when a gentle hand caught her arm.

"Sunbaenim, are you okay?"

Saem looked up, and kept looking up until she meet the kind eyes of a very tall first year. Kim Yugyeom. 

"Ah, yes..."

"Here, I bought a juice can but never drank it. Maybe the cold can will ease the pain." Yugyeom held out a can and Saem hesitantly took it. 

"Thank you," she murmured. Yugyeom smiled and let her arm go. Saem continued walking into the school, pressing the can against her head.

• • •

"What happened to you, noona," BamBam frowned as Saem came up to him, can pressed against her head.

"Jackson's a horrible shot," her murmured. BamBam laughed and then stopped when he saw Saem's look of contempt. 

"Where'd you get the can?"

"Yugyeom gave it to me."

BamBam smiled. "See, you're already interacting with them."

"Shut up," Saem muttered. The can had gone a little warm by now, and so she dropped it from her head, but kept it in her hand. "Where's this other friend?"

BamBam bent down and peaked through the books towards the tables. "That's Park Jin Young, but we all called him Junior a lot. He's also stayed somewhat the same, but sometimes he'll snap at people which is really unlike him. He's usually really calm."

Saem snuck a peek and found Junior to be really handsome. He was tall, she could tell just by his figure, and lean. His hair was black and swept slightly to the side, his dark eyes intensely taking in the book. 

"He likes to read?" Saem asked.

"Looooves it!" BamBam said. "Every free moment he had he'd have his nose in a book."

Saem nodded and the first lunch bell rang. Saem pulled back from the shelf as Junior looked up. She pretended to be last minute browsing the shelves as he came into the aisle she was in and put back the book before running off, barely casting her a single glance. Once he was gone, Saem bid BamBam a wave and then head back to class. As she walked past a trashcan she tossed in the now warm juice and kept her head down as she weaved through the students.

Back in the classroom, Youngjae was already in his seat, his head up this time. When Saem sat down, he cast her an amused glance. "Everyone's talking about how you got caught staring at Jackson hyung. Did the infamous player win you over as well?"

Saem rolled her eyes. "Please. Something in that direction caught my eye and then the ball hit me. Everyone looked over and thought I was staring at him."

Two classmates walked past their desks and whispered loudly. "I heard he laughed in her face when his friend caught her staring at him."

"She's such a freak and she really thinks she can get Jackson sunbaenim," the other scoffed. They both looked over their shoulders at Saem and rolled their eyes. Saem sighed and grabbed the next course's notebook as the bell rang.

"Hey," Youngjae said in the clatter of the students rushing to their seats. "Don't listen to them. They'll forget about it by tomorrow anyway."

"Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?" Saem asked. The teacher stepped into the room and stood behind the podium. Everyone quieted down.

"Us freaks gotta stick together," he smiled, putting his head back down on his arms.

• • •

After school Saem packed up her things and left the classroom. In the front lobby of the school, Saem noticed BamBam's friends walking past each other without a second glance at one another. Jackson was laughing and throwing his arms around his others friends as they sauntered out of the school. Yugyeom was with his friends smiling at whatever story was being told. Junior had one hand in his pocket and the other carrying a book as he dodged students running about. Youngjae had headphones on and his hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked out. 

Saem wondered how friends that could be so close could not even ackowledge each other now. Walking out into the courtyard, Saem hoisted her bag up on her shoulders and started towards the gate. She waved to Mr. Jang as she passed and then stuffed her hands in her uniform's pockets. Some students purposefully shoulder checked her on their way past her but she ignored it.

"Ready to see the other two?" BamBam asked while Saem was waiting at the crosswalk.

"Mmm," she hummed quietly. 

"Luckily they're both at Seoul National University. And while you were in class I did some ghostly snooping and found their class schedules. Mark hyung gets out in an hour and Jaebum hyung gets out around the same time." 

When the light changed, Saem crossed the street and instead of turning to walk towards the direction of her house, Saem turned towards the bus stop. BamBam's words settled in and Saem blinked. Pulling out her phone she clicked around until she descreetly pushed the button that played her ringtone.

Pretending to answer the call by shutting off the tone she held the phone to her ear. "You said Seoul National University, right?" she asked BamBam, pretending to be on the phone.

BamBam looked on in amusement but answered anyway. "Yeah, why?" 

Saem felt a panic build up in her chest but pushed it away. "No reason. Just wanted to make sure I had heard you right. See you there." With that, Saem "hung up" her call and pocketed the phone. BamBam must've caught something in her tone because he gave her an odd look before shrugging it off and disappearing. 

• • •

A/N: Here is chapter two! So I am half asleep editting this so please excuse any typos or mistakes. I'll be coming back tomorrow to do a fully awake edit :) Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think? I'm always open to constructive criticism as well!