Meanwhile, in a city 79 miles from Seoul..

“Kihyun-ah!”

“Yes, mom! Wait,” Kihyun replied from his room, tying his shoelaces. Then he ran to where his mom at.

“Hey, eat your breakfast before you go,” said his mother, gave a sandwich and a glass of milk right in front of his face. “Don’t forget to buy some fruits on the way back home, okay? I already give you money yesterday.”

“Sure, mom. Don’t worry,” Kihyun murmured, “Now I need to go, or I will be late at school.”

“Always be careful, my son!”

Kihyun rode his bicycle fast, he don’t wanna be late this morning, because his teacher at the first two hours is so strict and he did not let any students to come inside after his foot entered the classroom. Fortunately the school only takes 5 minutes to go by bicycle, so he doesn’t have to be worry about sudden traffic and stuff.

“Kihyun-ah! Bless you, you finally came,” said Kwangji, the class president.

“Mr. Baek’s still not coming yet?”

“Yup. He met me this morning and said that he will have a private meeting with the principal, so he’s not teaching today. By the way, did you see your midterm rank at the counseling office? You are in top 5 in the school again, you little crazy!”

“Really? I didn’t get to check it, I was in a rush.. Thank you so much for the information anyway.”

Kihyun then sat in his chair, and opened his book. Yes, he's not like most students, he likes to study even if the teacher is not coming at the class. He is eager to get accepted to his dream university, since her mother keeps telling him how important to him graduating from a good university, because big companies will look at him and easier to get a good job too. It’s so contrast with his passion actually - to be a musician. Since child, he likes to sing and plays piano in his room, even made several songs and melodies from it. It’s just went natural at him, a gift that her mother didn’t agree. She keeps saying that music is just your hobby, and he needs to study to achieve his dreams. However, she doesn’t keep her son’s passion away from him, and let him playing the piano when he’s bored.

He was so serious, until he didn’t realize that there is a girl who keeps looking at him studying.

“Oppa, hi,” said Wheein, she’s one year junior than him. She'd been a fan of Kihyun since he once helped her found her book in a library, months ago.

“How did you get in here?” Kihyun looked at her, distracted.

“It’s a secret.. By the way, I made this for Oppa, so you don’t have to buy lunch at canteen this day.”

Before Kihyun could say a word, Kwangji suddenly came and,

“Wheein-ah, thanks for your lunchbox! I will eat this well, don’t worry!” Kwangji took her lunchbox and brings it outside the classroom.

“Kwangji-oppa! Give it back!” Wheein followed Kwangji to get her lunchbox’s back.

Ting tong!

Kihyun went to the counseling office, he wanna make sure if what Kwangji said is true. Although he’s in top 5 in school, he’s still want to record his progress, that he will discuss it later with his mom.

“Oh, Kihyun-ah,” said Mrs. Seo, his counselor. “It must be the midterm rank that brings you’re here, right?”

“Mrs. Seo, hello,” Kihyun gives her a ninety degrees bow.

“You did so well, don’t worry,” Mrs. Seo replied, “all the teachers here really praised you for your hard work, just keep it and don’t lose hope and you still can go to your dream university.”

“It’s not my main concern right now, Mrs. Seo.. It’s just that I feel blank that I can get something that most of students can’t but I did it half-heartedly.. I just feel so wrong to do that, but I don’t know how to get over from that feeling too..”

“Because your dream is actually to be a singer, isn’t it?” Mrs. Seo was pouring hot water into her coffee, and gestured Kihyun to sit. “Kihyun-ah, I know and I’m sure people that hear this will understand your condition right now, but first of all, do not ever think it is your fault to be smart and make them lose in academic skills. And second, I think it is your time now to tell your mom that you really are wanna be a singer. Like, seriously, you need to. You still have one year in here, and you don’t want to be lost at your choices later, right? It’s high school, and after you graduated from here you have to know what you’ve become to in the future.”

“I know, Mrs. Seo, and I’ve been trying so many times to tell her about this but she always rejects to listen and tell me to study in my room," Kihyun looked at the window. "What should I do to make her listen, Mrs. Seo?”

“You know you need to, Kihyun-ah. Or I will help you talk to her at midterm report day? What do you think about that?”

“Really?” Kihyun couldn’t believe that his counselor will talk to her mother about this.

“Do you think I’m telling you a lie?”

“Thank you so much for your help, Mrs. Seo! Thank you so much!” Kihyun bowed, and asked her permission to leave the office.

He intended to go to his classroom, but he realized that he didn’t eat anything, so he walked to canteen to bought some foods and then leave. Just by then, he heard a familiar girl screaming to him.

“Kihyun-oppa!”

“Oh, Wheein-ah,” said Kihyun, didn’t know what to answer. He knew that Wheein had becoming his fan since the library accident back then and she is so kind to him - he’s not hating her after all, he just didn’t have a feeling to her. “What are you doing this time? Are you not supposed to change your clothes because you will have PE class after lunch break?”

“Here, I wanna give you this,” Wheein gave her lunchbox to Kihyun, and Kwangji was not around the canteen. “I’m sorry for what happened this morning, Kwangji-oppa is being ridiculous these times and sorry if the food is messed up because I had to chase him for this. Anyways, have a happy meal and I have to go change now! Bye!”

“Wheein-ah, wait!” said Kihyun, “how am I supposed to return your lunchbox back?”

Wheein didn’t reply his question, and just rushed into her class to get her sportswear from her bag. Kihyun then sat at the right corner of the canteen and ate the food that Wheein gave him quietly as always. Sometimes he thinks of himself, how happy could he be for being her boyfriend. But the thing is he has a scar from his past - a scar that he would not forget until this day. Yes, he still remembers how his parents fought at his 5th birthday, how his parents blamed each other and how he saw his father for the last time. Since that day, his father is never came back at home, just disappear like dust. Since that day, he always talks to himself that he will never sing of love if it doesn’t exist. To him, love is give-and-take; balance in between.

He just ate until he didn’t realize Kwangji was beside him.

“Kihyun-ah,” said Kwangji, “why do you have to take the lunchbox from her? You know you just give her false hope if you keep say yes to her gifts.”

“She’s just too kind that I can’t reject her gifts, besides, I don’t have any friend except you and her.”

“Well, it’s up to you then. Finish your meal quickly, Kihyun-ah. We have Math class after this.”