“Byeol!” Hongbin smiled and waved at his sister, “what are you doing here alone?”

Indeed, she was at the cafeteria sitting at a table all alone with three books opened in front of her and a soda can in her hand. Hongbin sat in front of her, Hyuk by next to him while Taekwoon and Wonshik sat on both of Byeol's side.

“I'm studying,” she mumbled, “I have a math test on tomorrow and I don't understand anything.”

“Why didn't you ask me?”

“Because you're busy, I didn't want to bother you.”

Hongbin shook his head and mumbled something about him having a lot of spare time if it was to help her.

“Shouldn't you be eating on the music room?” Wonshik asked, “since now you're all part of the group.”

“I'm studying,” Byeol said.

“Hyuk and I were planning on eating together but you came to bother us,” Hongbin said to his best friend who didn't even react.

“And I followed you,” Taekwoon simply stated.

“I still can't understand why you have chosen to be part of Chaa Hakyeon's group,” Wonshik looked at the oldest one, “I mean you hate him, right? Like one month ago you told me he was the most infuriating boy you've ever met and now you're singing with him. What's wrong with you?”

Everyone looked at Taekwoon, even Byeol. He blushed and looked away.

“I... I just like to sing...” he mumbled and looked down at his plate.

“Taekwoon's voice is really good,” Hyuk gently smile.

“I agree,” Hongbin answered.

Byeol nodded and looked at her books again. She wrote a few things and tried to do some calculations but when she checked the solutions and saw she was wrong, she sighed.

“Isn't it because of Im Yoora?” Wonshik asked again.

“W-what?”

“Haven't you join the group because of Yoona?”

Hongbin's hand stopped midway between his mouth and his plate and Byeol's head snapped at her left. With her black piercing eyes, she stared at the older boy, waiting for his answer. Taekwoon gulped, mumbled something incoherent and just slapped Wonshik behind the head.

“I told you not to talk about her.”

“Why? You've made a mistake, it happens to anyone.”

“Wonshik...” Taekwoon mumbled between his teeth.

“What? I'm only asking! I haven't say anything wrong and-”

“Hongbin,” Byeol cut him, “help me with his problem, please.”

Hongbin smiled and quickly started explaining her what she had to do. By her side, Taekwoon's tensed shoulders seemed to relax a bit and when Byeol quickly looked at him, he smiled to thank her. He also watched her blush and he smiled fondly.

They ate while talking about useless things until Hakyeon arrived, followed closely by Jaehwan and Yun. The girl smiled at her best friend and Byeol smiled back at her. However, her smile faded when she met Hakyeon's angry eyes. He folded his arms over his chest and cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

“Why aren't you in the music room?”

“We're busy, hyung,” Hongbin answered with his usual bright grin.

“I see Byeol being busy, not you.”

“We're helping her.”

“She doesn't need four boys around to help her, especially boys who aren't able to succeed their exams,” Hakyeon clicked his tongue while looking at his classmate who glared back at him.

“I did succeed.”

“But you arrived last out of the two classes.”

“But I had just enough point to pass.”

“But not enough to enter a good university,” Hakyeon snapped back.

Feeling the atmosphere suddenly changed into something suffocating, Byeol gathered her stuff and she stood up.

“I'm leaving,” she said, “I can't really work there anymore.”

“Byeol wait-” she heard Taekwoon say but she didn't listen to him and walked away.

She went to her empty classroom and sat at her table where she would be able to work correctly. She rolled up her sleeves and tied her head into a messy bun. A few strands of her hair were falling in front of her face but she didn't really mind since it wasn't too bothering. Ten minutes later, she saw someone sat by her side but didn't pay attention to this person, too immerse into her copybook, but when someone suddenly pushed away her hair to put it behind her ear, she jumped, startled and clutched her hand over her heart.

“God Taekwoon sunbae,” she said and blushed when she saw the boy, “what are you doing here?”

“I came to help you.”

“I don't think-”

“Don't listen to what Hakyeon said. I have bad grades because I want to, I could be even better than him if I was really working.”

“And... why aren't you working? As he said, about the university-”

“I don't care university, I have something else in mind,” he admitted.

She nodded and didn't dare to ask what he was thinking about. She bit on her lower lip and looked at him looking at her books, before his eyes fell on her pink scars on her right wrist. She saw him looking so she covered it and hid her hands under her desk.

“Mr. Lee told me you had an accident, you know?” he said with a soft voice, “I know what happened to you.”

“You know someone pushed me down the stairs?”

“I heard the girl who did this to you talking about it, indeed.”

“Oh...” Byeol nervously gulped.

“I thought that even though you couldn't play for several months, you would still come back to play.”

“I couldn't.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Because what?” he insisted.

“I was ashamed of myself. I couldn't stand in front of Mr. Lee again. He put some much faith and hope in me and he worked so hard for me to succeed that I couldn't look at him in the eyes. So I just stopped playing.”

“Do you regret now?”

“I've been regretting it for the past five years...” she sighed.

One of Byeol's classmate entered the room. He smiled at the girl and bowed his head to great his sunbae before leaving quickly.

“And you? Why did you stop going at the academy?” she asked.

“My sunbae had left, there were no use in me staying there,” he answered with a slight smirk.

“But you were so good at playing the piano.”

“Without you I was really bad.”

She chuckled and shook her head, “you're stupid,” she mumbled.

“What do you think about starting again?”

“What do you mean?”

“Playing again at the academy. It could be a good idea, right?” he said.

“I don't think-”

“You can. You totally can.”

“But-”

“I'm sure Mr. Lee will be the happiest man in the world when he sees you coming back.”

“And-”

“I'll start again with you. We were such a good duo it would be stupid to play on our own. Let's just do it together.”

“But you're going to enter a university. Even if it's not the best of the country, you should at least go to one.”

“I told you I wasn't interested in going to the uni.”

“O-oh... right, you told me,” she nodded and looked away.

He stared at her for a short while, observing her confused expression and he smiled when he saw her nervously biting on her lower lip.

“Let's do this again, Byeol. Just the two of us. Like before.”

*

“Hey! Look who is calling for me! My dear sister!” Ryeowook when he picked up the call, “finally you remember you have a brother.”

“I'm sorry, oppa,” she said, “I've been busy lately.”

“And what keeps you so busy that you can't even call for me? You'd better have a good reason!”

“It's just... school in general and I've joined the music group now so-”

“What? The group you've been talking about for months now? You've finally joined it?” Byeol swore she could hear him smiled.

“I did.”

“Oh my! Byeol you did it! Finally! You did it! I'll be able to see you play and sing on a scene again! How wonderful is that? Does mom know?”

“I... no, I haven't told her. Besides, we don't really talk anymore.”

“Well, I should say it's a waste but I don't care if you don't talk to her, so I won't say anything,” Ryeowook chuckled and she smiled, “I'm really eager to go back to Korea so that we can spend times together.”

“Will you come and see me play at the academy again...?”

“The academy? What academy?”

“You know... the one where I used to play before... with Mr. Lee-”

“Byeol are you really coming back there...?”

“Yes, why? Shouldn't I?”

“Girl if you are not going I'll push you there! I'm so happy to hear you say that! What finally convinced you?”

“It's not what, but it's who,” she blushed.

“Who? And who is this who? Please tell me! I want to know! Is the who a boy?”

“Well...”

“It's totally a boy! My sister is finally growing up! I'm so proud of you! So so proud! I'm probably the happiest and luckiest brother on Earth,” he laughed hysterically and it only made her chuckled, “I'll drive you at the academy every times you'll want me! Even if I have to skip work then-”

“Don't worry, Taekwoon sunbae will drive me.”

“Taekwoon? Taekwoon? Is that the name of your boyfriend?”

“No he is not! We're not dating he is just-”

“I'm so happy for you! Once I'm back, you have to introduce him to me, alright? If he is bad for you I won't hesitate to kick him away! I want the very best for you, Byeol!”

“He is the best,” she thought and smiled, “don't worry.”

Hi everyone! How are you ? :)

Here's the 22th chapter and even though it's a lot of dialogue, it's a really important chapter, especially since 6-7 chapters are left: we can somehow see how this story is going to end. 

But what do you think ? do you like this ? Please tell me! I'd like to hear your opinion 

Thx

xx

Mae