Sungjong sat in between Hoya and Ryosuke in the car that belonged to Hoya’s father. However, the driver wasn’t exactly Hoya’s father but a hired driver. Sungjong had started to sweat thanks to the car’s heater that has been running and him being beside Hoya. After all he’s been crushing on the guy for so long.

“To whose home?” Hoya’s driver questioned.

“Just head home, they live in the same neighborhood so we’ll decide once we get there.” Hoya ordered. Hoya was a high schooler who Sungjong looked up to and secretly like. The boy, Hoya, has always been masculine and praised by those around him. But for whatever reason Hoya wasn’t always the happy go lucky kid and instead works even harder to overcome all of his personal goals. “So, Sungjong, how’s your family doing? Last time we visited, I heard your mother has became a mall owner in Japan?”

“Yeah!” Sungjong said in a gleeful tone. Sungjong was aware that Hoya was a bit blunt and cold, but it still felt amazing that the older boy could recall so much information about his family. “She moved to Japan to run her business and every now and then she would send me Japanese merchandize. She also sent some to Ryosuke since she knows how much he loves his country’s stuff.”

Hoya eyed the smaller Ryosuke who sat in silence, glancing out the window of the car until his name was mentioned. Ryosuke turned his head around and saw Hoya’s gaze before the boy focused on Sungjong once more. With that a strange feeling formed within Ryosuke’s small body. A feeling of jealousy.

“Is that so? You know, if I can get my hands on some of those Japanese goods, I might be very happy.” Hoya said with a soft smile.

“Really? Then I’d ask my mom to send you some too! Her mall has a variety of just anything and everything! Just tell me what you like and maybe she can send it over!” Sungjong has never been happier, to be able to speak to his crush in person, and to hear that he could possibly make his crush happy by giving him something.

“How about a Manga series? I heard Japan is well known for those. Right, Ryosuke?” Hoya asked to involve the Japanese boy. But he could only nod.

“Yeah….Manga….”

“But which manga?” Sungjong asked with curious eyes.

“Surprise me.” Hoya’s last word was left hanging when the driver came to an abrupt stop.

“We’re here, young master.” The driver said. As they looked outside, they saw that they have come to Hoya’s front door. A two story building caged in by a bricked wall. And luckily it has stopped raining.  

“I guess I’ll get off first then. Sungjong, you can tell our driver where to drop you and Ryosuke off.” Hoya said.

“Oh, sure….” Sungjong said, slightly disappointed at their sudden depart.

“Why are you sulking? We’ll meet again soon, and next time when we meet, I hope I’d be able to get a manga series from you.”

“Of course!” Sungjong said aloud. With that Hoya got out of the car and shut the door before the driver took off again. Hoya smirked a little.

“That puny wimp.” Hoya said through gritted teeth.  

Myungsoo and Hoya were seated facing one another at a table in a small cafe within Hoya’s company. While Hoya enjoyed the tea in hand, Myungsoo had sought out to try the place’s coffee, and surprisingly the taste left him wanting more after each sip. But with Hoya’s presence, it was made difficult for him to drink freely. Hoya was the first to speak in order to break the ice between them. “What do you think of this place? Don’t you just want to work here with me?”

Myungsoo breathed an annoyed scoff. “Seriously. Why did you bring me here instead of setting up a place for me to meet her?”

Hoya raised his brows at the lad’s question and kept an unamused expression. “Teacher Kim, you should know that I’m purposely delaying your meeting because I know that the moment you see her, it would feel strange. After all, hasn’t it been at least a decade since she ran away from you?”

“She only did it to marry that Nam guy.”

Hoya nodded in agreement, “True I suppose. But just why did she run away one night? After all, you’ve loved her so much.”

“That’s what I’d like to ask her. Exactly why did she leave me for a loser like Woohyun.” Myungsoo could feel his body heating up with anger, but he was trying his best to keep himself under control. After all he hated attention the most and to be the host of making a scene was out of his plan.

Hoya took a sip of his drink before giving a response to his company. “Teacher Kim, people who holds grudges even after ten years are very dangerous people. Are you sure you won’t hurt her when you see her, again?”

Myungsoo flattened his eyes. “What is it to you if I do anything to her?”

“Well. I wouldn’t want to be blame or responsible for anything that you do to her. Especially if I was to be the center of how you two got to meet again.”

Myungsoo hate to admit it but Hoya had a point. Hoya has always wanted to build up his reputation and like Myungsoo, Hoya hated unwanted attention just as much as Myungsoo. “So what are you implying? Are you not going to tell me where she is?”

Hoya set his cup down against the table, creating a clashing sound. “It’s not that I won’t let or tell you where she is. But in order to do so, you know I still need favors from you.”

“What kind of favors?”

“Oh you know, the same stuff I’ve been going on and on about. You know? You working with me? You being my personal photographer? All it takes is for you to agree to do so and bam! I’d show her to you.”

“Just what do you mean by photographer? How many years were you planning to keep me?”

Hoya shrugged, “I didn’t put that much thoughts into it because I believed you would reject my offer right from the get-go.”

“Well, say I agree to your terms. How many years were you planning?” Myungsoo pushed. This time Hoya stared him straight in the eyes.

“The minimum could at five to seven years at most.”

“And the maximum?”

“Well, I was looking at twelve to fifteen years.”

Ryosuke was left guarding the van with his driver and manager gone to attend some kind of short businesses they had. In his hand he tightly clutched his phone to himself. Soon the sound of arguments entered his hearing and caught his awareness. Outside of the tinted window he could see his manager and driver arguing with a certain somebody.

Ryosuke decided to step out and that’s when the sound of their argument hit him crystal clear. “Go ahead! Call the police! We don’t know anything about it!” His manager screamed at the younger man.

“What’s going on?” Ryosuke interrupted, causing a short stop to the ruckus.

“Ryosuke why are you out here? Get back in, we’ll handle this.” His manager said before turning his back on the Japanese man again.

“Fine! I’ll call the police! You’ll be drag to police once they get here!” The stranger threatened.

“Like we’re scared! We’ve done nothing wrong!” His manager barked back, but the other didn’t back down as well.

“Enough! Tell me what’s going on!” Ryosuke demanded. His sudden outburst made his manager and driver froze in sight, as well as the stranger.

“I-it’s really nothing Ryosuke. I told you we got—” Instead of letting the latter finish what he was going to say, Ryosuke pushed the male to the side so he could see the stranger himself.

“I’m sorry on their behalf. But can you explain to me what the problem is.” Ryosuke said to the older who wore a surprised face before frowning.

“The problem is my wallet is gone and I know one of them took it! I left it on the top of my car, right here!” The lad smacked the back of his trunk a few times, “I had to turn around for a moment and when I look back around it was gone! And the only two who were here was them!”

“You old—” Ryosuke’s driver, a younger man in his breath. Ryosuke stopped the man before he could fully make the case worst.

“You said they took your wallet?” Ryosuke’s calm voice gave the older goosebumps.

“That’s what I said! Didn’t you hear me the first time?!”

“Then, would the CCTVs from the parked cars around here caught what you’ve just said?” Ryosuke’s question caught the stranger off guard, and put curious expressions on his manager and driver’s faces instead. “If you want I can retrieve all of the CCTVs from each vehicle's, then reveal to you where your wallet may have went.”

“You….” The older started.

“I believe I have seen you before. You were among the reporters who came to one of my recent interviews, right? You know fairly well who I am and what this van was carrying. Are you trying to scam me or are you looking for a scandal to report? Certainly you weren’t going to lie to the media that my manager was responsible for stealing your misplaced wallet, right?” Ryosuke left all three men speechless.  

“I….”

“If you strongly disagree with me then feel free to phone the police. I’ll make sure not one of my friends here leave.” Ryosuke’s words made the minds of his manager and driver uncomfortable.

“Ryosuke—!” His manager began but was quickly stopped when the older scoffed heavily.

“Fine, you caught me this time. But next time, I’ll be sure I make big checks about you.” The man said before showing his wallet to the three men squad then walk away with a shabby smug.

“Dirty reporters like him will never get far. Don’t mind him, Ryosuke.” His manager mumbled.

Ryosuke kept his calm face and expression. Actually he appeared so blunt that it seems like nothing will surprise him even if he was jumped.

Hoya watched as Myungsoo took the last drink of his now-cold coffee. “So? Now that you’re done drinking, shouldn’t you give me your answer?”

Myungsoo set the glass cup down before looking Hoya in the eyes. Myungsoo could see that Hoya, who’s usually a patient guy, was running out of patience. “You’re already so famous, so why do you want me?”

Hoya kept his face straight though he obviously wanted to explode. “Until every living person on this planet knows my name, I won’t stop trying to become even more famous. Not just Korea-famous. I want to be everywhere famous, world-wide famous, Myungsoo.”

The pretty man sighed a little, his coffee stained lips. “Then what’s your plan after reaching that goal? Are you going to try to live a quiet life afterwards?”

Hoya brushed his statements off. “Don’t you know that every year millions of people are born? Unless the human species becomes extinct, I will always try to reach and stay at the top for as long as I’m alive.”

“A photo.” Myungsoo began, “You really think that the more pictures you take the more popular you’ll become? Then why aren’t you in the model industry? What are you doing in the music industry?”

“Because not only my image, but I want to show the world my voice, my body, my personality, my thoughts, and my fame of being a top celebrity. I don’t want to compete against only models, I want to go head to head with those who makes billions just exposing a part of themselves to the world.”

Myungsoo wasn’t impressed, in fact he thought Hoya has completely lost it. “Want to know why you were never really my favorite student?”

“Not really, because I didn’t like you so much as a teacher either.” Hoya countered. With that Myungsoo scoffed an offensive smirk.

“Then I’m afraid that any unfinished business we had stops here. I won’t play your game anymore. You basically wasted my day, Lee Hoya.”

Hoya shook his head, “This is where you’re wrong. It was you who wasted my time. Continue to act that way, keep your talent only to yourself. I’m curious to see how much longer you’re going to endure your longing for her.” Hoya stood up from his seat and stopped when he noticed something on the ground. As he looked toward Myungsoo’s feet, he quickly bent over to pick up the item that has caught his interest. “This?”

Myungsoo saw the black mittens that Sungjong has given him in Hoya’s hands. Though he didn’t want to be aggressive about it, he stood up at a fast speed to snap the mittens from Hoya’s hands. “They’re mine.”

“W-who gave them to you…?” Hoya asked. With that Myungsoo cocked his head to the side a little.

“How did you know it was given to me?”

“Because….I received something exactly the same more than ten years ago.” Hoya’s words was left untouched as the two fell silent for what appeared to has last an eternity. “Is the name of the presenter Sungjong? Lee Sungjong?”