“Hey,”

Gohee looked up from her book, and broke into a wide smile as soon as she saw Jaebum’s head poking through the small gap between the door and the doorframe. Jaebum laughed lightly as he went inside her room. She was resting on her bed with a novel on her lap. She had a rehab session that morning but Jaebum couldn’t go with her because of his practice so he visited her at her home in the evening. Jaebum could hardly remember the last time he entered her room, but due to her situation, they could only meet in her room now.

“Hi, Jaebum.” Gohee put her book on her lap, face down. She was still unable to stand on her own feet, but she could at least move around on her own, usually on her wheelchair.

“How was the rehab this morning?” Jaebum asked as he took a seat on the edge of her bed.

“It made me feel better this time actually. It didn’t hurt as much as before. Oh, and by the way, do you know that I can grab my own mug now?” Gohee said happily. Jaebum just smiled, feeling so much better looking at her positively progressing each day, physically and emotionally.

“Really?” Jaebum held out his hand. “Squeeze my fingers. As hard as you can.” Jaebum said smugly, challenging her.

Gohee narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t regret it.” Gohee reached for his hand with both of hers and began squeezing his fingers, at the sme time digging her nails onto his hand. Jaebum instantly pulled back his hand and screamed in pain. 

“Ouch, Gohee, your nails are so long!”

Gohee shrugged as she briefly eyed her nail clipper on her bedside table. “I tried to clip my own nails once, I ended up clipping on my flesh. Controlling a nail clipper isn’t as easy as grabbing a mug,”

“Let me do it for you,”

“It’s okay, my mom will-”without waiting for her to finish her sentence, Jaebum already grabbed her hand, her cold hand in his warm ones. He briefly looked up at her before he began clipping her nails, just to show her his smug smile.

Gohee smiled gently at him, quietly thankful of him for being so thoughtful, for always staying there with her. They stayed silence that way for while, just to savor the moment between them two.

“I heard Minsun dropped by the gym yesterday,” Gohee spoke, breaking the long, yet comfortable silence just now.

“Yeah, but she left almost immediately. Did she come to see you?”

“No, but we talked on the phone last night. Poor Minsun, she must be feeling lonely.”

“Don’t worry. She’s coping just fine. She’s strong, just like you.” Jaebum clipped the last nail which was Gohee’s pinky finger and then he gently rubbed his finger over her nails and even blew on them. And then he wrapped his fingers around hers, and stared gently into her eyes.

“Squeeze my fingers again.” He said.

Gohee obeyed him, and squeezed his fingers. She still had limited control on her hands, so the pressure she inflicted on Jaebum’s hand was inconsistent. Jaebum smiled anyway, at how far she had come.

“You're doing great, Gohee.”

Gohee smiled back at him. Those simple words really boost her motivation. She had no reason to feel down anymore to have such person by her side.

Jaebum brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. Then, he softly caressed her locks which fell to frame her slightly thinner face, and then carefully tucked them behind her ears. He stared at her eyes, and realized that she looked exhausted. Rehab must have been really hard for her, but she endured it everyday to fight her fate.

“I miss you so much, Jae.” Gohee sighed, faintly frowning. She couldn’t help but to feel lonely sometimes. Her parents were always there with her, during the rehab sesion and also at home, but this was still a battle she had to go on alone.

“I know. I miss you too,” he smiled, even though it pained him to see her frowning even the slightest. “But you’re doing fine Gohee. Just keep going, I know you can do it.”

Gohee smiled again at his words of encouragement. She held back her giggle when Jaebum slowly leaned closer towards her. It must have been hard for him that they couldn’t be alone anymore. They either meet at the hospital or at her home but Gohee only allowed him to snuggle or get close with her only when they were completely alone.

Jaebum paused when he was only about a half inch away from her lips. 

“Why are you laughing?” Jaebum pulled a straight, no-nonsense face, a contradictory to Gohee who was about to burst out laughing.

“I’m not laughing,” tid bits of giggle escaped her lips.

“Do you know that people who laugh at others should get punished?”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, really.” He said, still looking poker as he finally sealed the gap between their lips, but jumped back immediately when he heard the door creaked. In fact he jumped back so far and and carelessly that he fell on his back.

“I brought you- oh,” Gohee’s mother paused at the doorframe, watching Jaebum slowly rolling onto his stomach in pain. 

“Am, am I interrupting anything or-”

“Oh, no, not at all eomoni!” Jaebum jumped to his feet instantly and then took away the tray of juice and snack from Gohee’s mother’s hand. Gohee’s mother gave him a warm smile as she took her leave. Jaebum heaved a sigh and then crushed his face on Gohee’s bed.

“God, that was so embarrassing.” He said, his voice muffled in the blanket. Gohee just giggled carefreely. Jaebum looked up and accusingly narrowed his eyes at her.

“Come here,” Gohee scooted closer to the wall and pat on her lap, motioning him to lay his head there.

“Really?” Jaebum’s eyebrows raised, slightly doubting her offer, but was excited at it nonetheless.

Gohee nodded assuringly, and in an instant Jaebum jumped on the bed and let his head rest on her lap. Gohee smiled at him being childish and then casually let her fingers rest on his shoulder. He grabbed her fingers and playfully fiddled them with his.

“I thought you said Taecyeon and Munhwa is coming along. Where are they?” Gohee asked.

“Ah, that.” Jaebum laughed as reminisced what just happened 30 minutes before.






30 minutes before…

Miryung High School
5.00 p.m.

The basketball members had finished with cleaning up the gym, so they were all ready to go home. Jaebum, Taecyeon and Munhwa were planning to give Gohee a visit since most of the time they couldn’t be there for her rehab sessions this morning. The whole team was about to leave the gym when Nichkhun suddenly appeared in the middle of the main entrance. Taecyeon and him instantly locked gazes.

“Why are you here?” Taecyeon asked naturally.

“I’m here to look for Chansung and Junho. They were supposed to meet me at the library after school ends today.” Nichkhun’s gaze now transferred at the two juniors who seemed to be avoiding his eyes.

“Chansung and Junho?” Taecyeon too looked at them. “Why?”

“You didn’t know? They’ve been scoring the lowest mark for the past few quizzes in History, even lower than Wooyoung’s. The teacher decided that they joined the tutoring program. I’m their tutor.” 

Jaebum saw Taecyeon’s jaw hardened despite his natural expression. Jaebum winced as he immediately imagined the suffering the two boys might go through real soon.

“You scored the lowest for your quizzes and you didn’t show up at your tutoring session?” Taecyeon asked through gritted teeth at the two players. Chansung and Junho gulped when they saw a thick vein popped out on Taecyeon’s temple. The two partners in crime automatically fell to their knees.

“And… and we kind of forgot to tell you hyung.” Junho said honestly, adding more to the list of their crime.

“We’re really sorry! Please forgive us, hyung!” Chansung added.

“Jaebum, you go ahead. I have things to settle here.” Taecyeon crossed his arm. Jaebum hesitated for a while, thinking if he really could leave these boys with raging Taecyeon with them. 

“On the floor, do thirty.” Taecyeon instructed them in a hauntingly calm voice.

Chansung and Junho quickly went into the position to do the thirty push-ups.

Nichkhun stared at the scene, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief. 

“Are you sure this is necessary?” He asked Taecyeon.

“Why not?”

“Well…” Nichkhun shrugged.

“Do you have the notes that they supposed to study on today?”

Nichkhun nodded and took out a few pieces of paper from his folder, which Taecyeon quickly snatched away. He laid the paper one by one in front of the two who were diligently finishing their punishment and then stared at each of them.

“Memorise these notes before you finished your push-ups. Instead of Khun, I’ll be your tutor for today. I’ll be asking you questions after these, and for one wrong answer, you have to add ten more push-ups. Understand?”

“YES CAPTAIN!”
“YES CAPTAIN!”

Munhwa sighed at the sight and then turned to Jaebum. 

“Sunbae, you should go ahead. I guess I’ll stay here,” Munhwa sighed, and then quickly added, “You know, in case one of them pass out,”

Jaebum shrugged. “Good luck guys,” Jaebum waved them goodbye before he left.






Next day.

Miryung High Shcool
11.20 a.m.

Wooyoung was sitting on one of the tables at the library as he secretly munched away on a muffin which he quickly hid under the desk after each bite, ignoring the librarian’s warning just now to not eat in the library. He was diligently filling out the answers in his Mathemathic practice book, supervised by Junsu, his assigned tutor in the school tutoring program. Junsu himself was studying the same subject.

The solemn mood of the library slightly disturbed when a fit of girly giggles filled the air right outside the library. Wooyoung raised an eyebrows and looked up. He shook his head to see Chansung and Junho through the transparent glass wall, with a line of female freshies and sophomores following them like fireflies to light, bees to flowers.

“Channuneo and the girls,” Wooyoung sighed.




“Come on, oppa~” One of the girls begged with pouty lips and whiny tone. They even held onto their arms and brushed their bodies together; abit too intimately between a star and his fans. Well, it’s not like the Casanova duo of the basketball team had ever complained about that, and the girls didn’t mind about what the seniors would think either.

“Oh, what to do, our pretty little Juni,” Chansung said poutily, imitating his girl fans as he pinched one of the girls’ cheeks. “But oppa is too busy with studying and practice, let’s have lunch together next time, okay?”

“Ah, but you promised us to have lunch together today,”

“But we really can’t today. How about we treat you girls for lunch tomorrow?”

“But we even cooked for you today!” Juni said, backed by her friends, eagerly nodding and agreeing.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry but tomorrow, okay?” Chansung laughed.

“You promised! And you promised to to tell me about Wooyoung sunbae’s ideal type too!”

“Well, only if you bring extra meat for us first,”

“Ehem.” Junsu cleared his throat as he stood by the main entrance of the library. Both Chansung and Junho automatically turned their heads towards him.

“Khun told me that he will be late, so he asked you guys to start with me first, and, Taecyeon wants to see your practice book filled this evening so don’t even think about procrastinating,” and then Junsu looked at the girls. Adjusting the rim of his glasses, Junsu gathered his sense of superiority of his seniorship to use, “And girls, if you could please be quiet and let these two study peacefully?”

The girls ‘tch-ed’ and mumbled their dissatisfactions as they left. 

The expressions on the two boys faltered as they turned to Junsu, who eagerly ushered them into the library. Chansung and Junho plopped onto the seats next and across Wooyoung; not without a sigh though.

“Yah, yah. Quick and get started. You guys played too much already.” Wooyoung acted a bit snobbishly at the fact that he was the ‘sunbae’ within this tutoring program, even though that wasn’t a fact that he should be proud of. Afterall, only the low scorer were included in the program, unless he was the tutor. Junsu quietly chuckled at Wooyoung’s behavior.

Junho and Chansung reluctantly opened their text book.

“How come Taecyeon hyung isn’t as strict when it comes to your studies? ” Chansung mumbled with his pouty lips.

“Are you kidding me?” Wooyoung retorted, “Did you forget how I half-died after that 50-laps at the track field?”

“Oh, that’s right…” Junho nodded to himself, recalling back the time when he sincerely felt sorry for Wooyoung.

“But then, Taec hyung is being easy on him these days. Did you know that Taec hyung called me last night to remind me the topic I should study today? Ugh!” Chansung added. His face grimaced with frustration.

“Well, that’s because he knows that Wooyoung studies well on his own these days, unlike you guys who are too busy with your girls and your gossip blog.” Junsu said dryly. Chansung and Junho couldn’t retort back as they felt a pang of shame from Junsu’s statement, which was true fact of course.

“Could it be because we were assigned under Nichkhun? I mean, they had been sort of rivals to each other, and maybe Taecyeon hyung's pride is challenged that we actually had to be tutored by him?” Junho asked, wondering the possibility under Taecyeon’s extra strict supervision on them.

“Guys, it’s just simply because you had been fooling around and the fact that you were trying to run away from this program. That’s it. Now study.” Junsu said, finishing with a light smack of a roll of thick practice books each of their heads.

“But then, I think the reason that Taecyeon hyung has been a tad bit lenient to me is because of you, hyung,” Wooyoung finally spoke as he looked up from his book and looked at Junsu.

“Me? Why is that?”

“I don’t know. Because you guys had been friends for long, or there’s something else that makes him trust you more. It’s like he totally handed me to you.”

Junsu paused to gave a deeper thought at Wooyoung’s opinion. “You know what? It makes more sense if it’s the other way around. Don’t you think he’s being lenient to you because he trusts you more now?”

Wooyong sighed. “What trust? If he trust me then I don’t even have to continue with this program.”

Junsu didn’t reply, but he smiled to himself. Well, Wooyoung did anyway, and it wasn’t because Taecyeon asked him to, in fact, when they first started the tutoring program, Taecyeon didn’t even know but Wooyong had been dligently attending the study sessions.

“You know what?” Junho slowly turned to Chansung, and they exchanged knowing gazes.

“Either way, I think it would be better if study under Junsu hyung. With him and Wooyoung, Taecyeon hyung probably wouldn’t be as mad at us anymore. He would probably let us-”

“Not unless Nichkhun agrees. He’s your tutor, remember? The teacher specifically assigned him for you guys because you guys are the star of this school. How can you score even lower than Wooyoung? Tch,” Again, Junsu hit their head with his rolled practice book.

“Ah, hyung~ Stop it,” Junho pushed away Junsu's weapon from his head and then rubbed at the hit spot. He was wincing like some spoilt little child even though it wasn’t as painful as it looked, but then all of a sudden he quickly adjusted his pose; this time looking proper, like he was really into studying.

“Hey, Munhwa!” Junho winked and waved at the girl passing by their desk.

“Hey, guys. Studying hard, huh?” Munhwa smiled, looking cheerful and bright and cute as always.

“Don’t you think we looked more handsome when we study seriously like this?” Chansung asked.

Munhwa laughed, and then replied, “Well, better than gasping for air after 400- um, 460 push-ups was it?”

“Um, heh,” Chansung’s cool act just now faltered as he smiled sheepishly at the little reminder of how pathetic they looked yesterday. 

“I have to go now, bye guys,” Munhwa adjusted the books she held against her chest and then waved goodbye at the two boys. Her gaze accidentally stranded to Wooyoung, who was sitting next to Junho and they locked gaze for a an awkward second. Munhwa’s smile faded in an instant before she quickly left for the library counter, looking not too friendly unlike a few seconds ago.

“Uh, I think I sense black shadows behind Wooyoung.” Chansung’s gossipy antenna suddenly popped out and reacting towards possible new controversy.

“Did I just see intense electric sparks when Wooyoung and Munhwa locked gazes?”

Wooyoung ignored their growing curiousity and continued studying. His expression said otherwise though. He didn’t seem like he could concentrate on his books.

“They haven’t been talking to each other since… you know?” Junsu whispered to Chansung even though he was aware that Wooyoung could clearly hear him. “Since Minsun visited the other day,”

“OH!” gasped the other two gossip boys.

“Oho. I’m already thinking of a new article to post,” Junho muttered as he kept his gaze on Wooyoung, who was feigning ignorance towards them. Junho on the other hand eagerly looked for his smartphone in his pocket, ready to report a new scandal, fresh from the scene.

“Quick, Junho! Type this! ‘Tense atmosphere within the basketball team. Recently something seemed wrong between top player Wooyoung and the secretary, Munhwa. Why are they not talking to each other? Why are they avoiding each other? Will the basketball team’s strong teamwork gets shaken-”

“Oh, Chansung ah, I can’t find my phone. Is it with you?” Junho cut Chansung off, which spoiled his excitement. Chansung stared at him accusingly.

“Ah, you must have left it in your bag again! I told you it’s dangerous to just leave it there!” Disappointed, Chansung slumped in his seat.

“But I swear I have it in my pocket just now…” Junho frowned, feeling bad that Chansung was disappointed at his carelessness again, “Or did I really left it in the class?” Junho muttered to himself.

“Yah, yah. Stop gossiping and start studying now!” Junsu tapped on the text books which remained untouched since they sat there. The two boys sighed in defeat and began to flip through the pages and took notes.






A group of girls formed a circle in a rather shady, hidden corner of a chemistry lab which was'nt in use at the moment. They suppressed their giggles which can still be heard from outside the lab, but since people rarely pass by that area, nobody could hear them.

“Replay that scene! The one when Minsun sunbae tried to catch the ball, and Taecyeon sunbae caught her from falling!”

The girl who held the smartphone complied, and all the girls squealed in delight to watch the scene again. 

“Oh my god! That’s so romantic!” One of them squealed, and some of the girls were so excited that they had to hold onto the person next to them.

“Juni, you’re such a pro! How did you get this without him realizing?” The girls giggled more.

“Sssh!” One of them reminded.

“Quick, quick! Play somehing else that we haven't seen before!”

“Hm? What’s this?” the girls played another video recorded from the smartphone and grew quiet as they watched the intense scene.

“I don’t get it! You’re being really weird! Taec hyung is a really great guy, you don’t break up with him only after two months without ever having a fight, unless you like someone else!” 

“You don’t understand!”

“Oh, I do now! You’re breaking up with Taec hyung because you still have feelings for Jaebum hyung aren’t you?!”

SLAP!

“Oh my god!” They gasped at the shocking recording.

“That was really Minsun sunbae? And she slapped Wooyoung?”

“Did you hear what Wooyoung said? She likes Jaebum sunbae!”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe it. So her being nice to Taecyeon sunbae was just acting?”

“Yah, yah, publish this on the internet!”

“But Chansung and Junho oppa is keeping this a secret!”

“That was probbaly because Taecyeon oppa asked them to! Taecyeon oppa is too kind!”

“Yah! Yah! Look, Junho oppa didn’t log out from his blog. Let’s upload this here, this way everyone else will know!”

And the girls giggled again, this time livelier than before.




Gongmun High School
11.20 a.m.

Today, Minsun spent her recess reading under the big tree near the forest behind her school, but oddly enough, she still managed to catch the attention of some of the students there, especially the girls who had been watching the guys playing soccer at the field. Usually, they would ignore her, but today, they were extra curious about her, and Minsun could feel their eyes on her. Feeling suffocated with the unnecessary attention, Minsun got up and decided that maybe studying in the library would be better. 

From under the cold weather, Minsun went back into the warm building, and heard people whispering her name everytime she passed by the students in the hallway.

“That’s her!”

“Seo Minsun? The one featured on the Gossip Boy?”

“She’s not even that pretty,”

Minsun shook her head at their ridiculous gossipping. She wondered what did Chansung and Junho put up on their blog this time that it was such a hit among the students at Gongmun High as well.

Minsun had to pause her step when Joongki suddenly appeared from a corner, blocking her path. 

Great. Just when she was about to run away from attention, out of all people, he just had to block her way. 

“Why, Minsun. What a coincidence. I was searching for you,” 

“What is it? Make it quick,”

Joongki chuckled. “I saw your video on the internet. You’re really something, huh? Just like what Khun said, you are a heartbreaker. Just what kind of guy you prefer, I wonder.”

Minsun shook her head. “I don’t have time for this.” She stepped aside, trying to pass by Joongki but he caught her arm and forced her against the wall nearby. He pinned her on the wall and put his face real close to hers, that they could feel each other’s breath on their skin.

“You do know that I’ve been showing interest towards you these days, don’t you?”

Minsun stared at him angrily and refused to reply to him.

“When I show interest to a girl, she must give the same thing back, and I’ve been waiting for too long,”

“Leave me alone!” Minsun pushed him away but he caught her wrist instead, and pressed his body on her harder. He teasingly close-in the gapp between their face, pausing only an inch away beofre their lips met, causing her heart to race and peoplewho passed by began to look at them weird, but didn't dare to raise a voice becasue of Joongki. Minsun was glad that there wasn’t much people around but still, it was humiliating.

“You are mine Seo Minsun. From this day onwards, nobody can touch you, but me.” Joongki whispered. He pulled out a platinum necklace which hung a ‘J’ letter pendant, and then put it around Minsun’s neck. She wanted to push his hands away but he quickly warned her with a smirk.

“Don’t move, our lips might touch. Not that I mind, but you can’t blame me if that happened.”

Minsun surrendered and stayed quiet, deciding that she’ll just bite her lips and go through with it. When he finished putting on the necklace on her, he simply left with a smirk. Minsun just couldn’t measure how humilating it was when some of the students there were watching, some even took pictures of them. She quickly took off the necklace and almost dumped it on a trash can nearby, but she decided that she should return it to him no matter how she hated that idea. The necklace looked expensive afterall.

---

Thank you sooo much to everyone who left comments. It really helped me to find the weakness in my writing that I might have overlooked before. I'll try my best to bring you more updates! Hopefully a fulfilling and enjoyable one!

Thank you for your support and thank you for reading!