THE PRESENT

Looking back now, Woohyun felt he was so stupid. How could he have not seen how uncomfortable Yoomi was? She just wasn't made to be loud and y, she just wouldn't fit the hooker look.

How could he have forgotten what made him approach her as a friend in the first place?

Her innocence and pureness. Her angellic smile. Her sweet demure exposition.

Woohyun regretted bringing her and trying to make Yoomi and Soyi be friends, when clearly they weren't of the same type. He only made Yoomi suffer more. *What have I done?* he frowned.

"Hoya hyung wasn't kidding when he said you'd die a few times out of guilt, you know." Sungyeol piped up.

Woohyun wanted to send him a glare, but that statement only made him wonder what other foolish things he did. He bit his lip, sighing. "I admit, I was wrong in that okay?" he put his hands up. "But it's not always me who's wrong right? I mean, Yoomi isn't exactly an angel too, she makes mistakes. What's wrong with me hating her for those mistakes?"

Dongwoo rolled his eyes. "If there's a mistake Yoomi made, that's falling for you, Woohyun." he retorted, making Woohyun redden in anger.

"Besides." L continued. "You don't hate her."

Woohyun blinked at L. "What?" He frowned. "Of course I hate her. I hate her intensely!" he defended.

Hoya laughed a little. "You're so stupid." he shook his head. "But it's still our early life, we've got to get to where you really turn into a jerk. Where the answers lie."

Yoomi tried really hard to be friends with Yoon Soyi.

It wasn't that she hated Yoon Soyi for stealing Woohyun from her or anything, but beneath the smiles and cheerful chatter, Yoomi couldn't find herself clicking with Woohyun's girlfriend ever.

She really really tried though. She didn't want to disappoint Woohyun, since he must have wanted for his girlfriend and best friend to become friends too. And Yoon Soyi was the best person to ask if Yoomi wanted to change her dressing style. She NEEDED to change, because Woohyun said so.

Yoon Soyi smiled and laughed along with Yoomi, and even Soyi's friends were accomodating towards Yoomi. They gave her nail polish and bought her dresses, but somehow Yoomi couldn't feel the sincerity in their eyes. Everytime Yoomi showed up with the new clothes they bought for her, their smiles on their faces aren't really of appreciation but of teasing ones.

Hoya was put off by Yoon Soyi trying to change Yoomi into a . The clothes she gave Yoomi were y beyond words, but at the same time, a fashion disaster. Hoya had a feeling that Soyi was playing along with Yoomi, just trying to make Yoomi embarrass herself even more.

But he didn't dare tell Woohyun because it was his girlfriend's doings.

And to think Woohyun thought his girlfriend and Yoomi were progressing well. How foolish.

Yoomi thought Yoon Soyi was just being nice to her, and that Yoomi was uncomfortable because of problems she herself had, until she overheard what Soyi and her friends were talking about in the toilet one day.

Yoomi had gone to the toilet and was about to step out of the cubicle when the door was pushed opened and several girls came into the toilet. They were chattering like the es they were, and Yoomi's attention was caught when she heard her own name in the conversation.

"Did you see that Shin Yoomi today again?" a shrieking voice asked, followed by cackling laughter.

"Of course I did." a familiar voice replied. "My eyes were just made to look out for disasters." she laughed.

Yoomi's eyes widened. *Yoon Soyi?* She didn't know what caused her to start doing what she did, but she pressed her ear against the door and eavesdropped on the Queenka's conversation.

"She looked like a fool didn't she?" Yoon Soyi laughed. "With that dorky glasses and bird nest hair of hers. She still hasn't found out we were just playing her by buying her things."

Yoomi swallowed. *What?*

"Thank goodness we are in middle school, and there are such things as uniforms." Yoon Soyi continued. "If we could wear our own clothes and I made her wear those to school, man! She'd be a national joke!"

The girls giggled ily, not knowing someone was listening to them.

"But it's already good enough when we go out on weekends to hang out with Woohyun and Hoya." Another voice said, one of Soyi's friends. "Did you see what the other people on the street's reactions were? I heard one boy ask his mom if Yoomi was crazy! Of course! No dork faced person would wear a skimpy dress that was meant to seduce, paired with hello kitty stockings! That was a joke!"

Yoon Soyi laughed the loudest. "I didn't imagine she'd really wear those stockings!" she admitted. "She's such a fool! I really wonder why Woohyun oppa is still her best friend."

"Yeah." another voice nodded. "But oh well, he doesn't even notice that we're making a fool out of her. He only has eyes on you, Soyi, when we go out. I think he wouldn't even notice if we dress that freak Yoomi in a superman costume!"

The girls laughed again and left the toilet after touching up with their hair. Yoomi covered with her hand to bite back a sob.

*So that was how it was.* she sobbed silently. *No wonder I felt they weren't sincere. They were playiing with me just because I didn't know how to say no. I should have listened to Hoya oppa when he said not to wear those things.*




Being Shin Yoomi, the first person she thought of to seek comfort from was still her Woohyun oppa. He was surprised to see her message to ask to meet on the rooftop during break, alone. He tore himself away from Soyi and went to find her, a little annoyed that his couple time with Soyi was interrupted.

"Why did you ask to see me, Yoomi?" Woohyun asked curtly.

Yoomi turned around, her face stained with tears. Woohyun's eyes widened in shock. "What happened to you? Someone bullied you?" he asked, cupping her face.

Yoomi nodded, making Woohyun frown. "Who?" he asked.

"Soyi." Yoomi choked. "Yoon Soyi."

Woohyun's hands fell to his sides limply as he narrowed his eyes at her. "What?" he breathed. "Do you know what you're saying? Soyi? My girlfriend? Why would she bully you? She adores you! She told me herself!"

"That's a lie!" Yoomi blurted, tears still falling down her face. "I overheard her talking to her friends in the bathroom. Sh was just faking, Woohyun oppa! She gave me those clothes to make fun of me! She just wanted me to be embarrassed, but I was too dense to realize it!"

"ENOUGH." Woohyun cut her off, looking pissed. "I didn't know you were so ungrateful, Yoomi. Soyi was just being nice giving those clothes to you, and you said she was trying to make a fool of you. And now you accuse her of bullying you!"

"But really!" Yoomi cried out desperately. "She gave me hello kitty stockings and told me it was fashion-"

"Hello kitty stockings?" Woohyun nearly laughed. "Why the hell would my y cat Soyi be associated with Hello kitty stockings? She told me herself she doesn't like that mouthless cat."

Yoomi looked at Woohyun with tear-filled eyes. "But I wore the stockings she gave me just last Sunday. Didn't you see?"

"I saw no such thing." Woohyun said firmly. Yoomi bit back another sob. *He really didn't notice anything about me.*

"I will take no accusations about my girlfriend lightly, Yoomi." he told her firmly. "Because you're my best friend, I'm going to let it go. If I hear you accusing my girlfriend of anything again, I won't let you off easy."

With that, he strode off without a care for Yoomi in his mind.

8 September 2005

Dear Diary,

So Soyi was playing with me all along. I knew those smiles she gave me weren't genuine. Hoya told me that thousands of times, and even Jinki had passed a note to me telling me how I shouldn't mix with Soyi, even though I was the one who chose to unfriend him.

It seems only Woohyun believes in her. He is the one who can't see the truth.

But Diary, even if everyone is on my side, why don't I feel happy?

I don't need everyone to believe me, just him.

Yoon Soyi is so lucky, to have Woohyun oppa believe her no matter what.