It was already late at night and Sung Jae was having a hard time sleeping. He adjusted his sleeping figure many times but it didn’t work. He tried sitting up and stretched a little and noticed the clock on his bedside table. It reads 2:35 am. He tried lying back again and closed his eyes but every time he did it, he could only see the face of the 7 year old So Hyun.

***

                “Sung Jae-ah! Let’s play!” So Hyun called out.

The 7 year old So Hyun came inside Sung Jae’s room excitedly, holding an expensive looking doll. She was looking for her childhood friend when she was suddenly surprised by a 7 year old boy who was hiding behind the door.

                “Boo!” Sung Jae shouted, giving So Hyun a fright.

So Hyun was so surprised and scared that she suddenly cried so loud. Sung Jae didn’t know what to do to make his friend stop from crying. He totally forgot that So Hyun didn’t like to be frightened and she would immediately cry for it. He tried to calm her by tapping his friend at the back but it’s no use, she wouldn’t stop crying.

                “So Hyunie, please stop crying. You know that it would only make you ugly if you cry.” Sung Jae said, hoping it would stop her from crying but it made her cry even more and this time, louder.

                “Okay, okay. You’re not ugly! You’re super pretty So Hyunie. As far as I know, you’re the prettiest of all the girls at school so please don’t cry anymore.” Sung Jae confessed while all red-faced.

At the same time, he wiped So Hyun’s tears from her face. So Hyun had finally noticed Sung Jae because of his light touch on her face. She looked up to see her friend’s face and noticed that Sung Jae was blushing and was on the verge of tears. She suddenly laughed at what she saw and Sung Jae was so embarrassed that he turned around to avoid being seen like that by his childhood friend.

                “Are you crying?” So Hyun asked, trying to sneak a peek at her friend’s face.

                “I am not, you stupid.” Sung Jae countered, wiping his eyes.

                “What? Stupid? Why you!” So Hyun smacked her doll towards Sung Jae making him yelp.

                “Yah! That hurt, you cry baby!” Sung Jae tried to get revenge on her but So Hyun was already running away from him and headed for the door.

They kept on chasing and running from each other when Sung Jae’s mother, Ha Jae Kyung entered the room. She immediately smiled seeing the both of them running around the room. She was very happy every time So Hyun came to visit and play with Sung Jae. She doesn’t have a daughter so it made her even closer to So Hyun.

                “The both you, please stop. And Sung Jae, you really shouldn’t hit girls you know.” Jae Kyung scolded.

                “Yeah, you tell him auntie.” So Hyun teased, sticking out her tongue and Sung Jae just glared back at her.

                “Alright, you two. Now’s not the time for that. Your friend’s here already.”

Upon hearing the news, the both of them lit up and ran outside the room. They were both giggling while running down the stairs towards the backyard where they would always meet. As soon as they opened the door to the backyard, the both of them searched the area, running their eyes all around looking for their friend. At the very same time, they both spotted their friend sitting on a wooden bench, just beside the fountain.

                “Yoo Jung-ah!” They both called out at the same time and their friend looked up seeing their faces and smiled.

The three of them were always together since they were on their preschool. So Hyun’s family and Sung Jae’s were living in America when they were still young and since their parents were close, they decided to send them on the same school (Korean School). There, they met Yoo Jung who was also a Korean who lives in America. Since then, they started hanging out at Sung Jae’s house and became very close friends.

                “You really should stop calling her names, Sung Jae-ah.” Yoo Jung scolded. “It’s not very nice teasing and hitting a girl.” She continued and Sung Jae just kept quiet and was making faces at them.

                “You see? Even Yoo Jung finds it bad.” So Hyun stared at Sung Jae accusingly.

                “Fine! I’ll stop teasing her. Happy?” Sung Jae stated while crossing his fingers at the back without them knowing.

They were at a small cottage just behind the fountain. They were having their snacks while working on their homework. So Hyun and Sung Jae were having trouble in their English class and that’s why Yoo Jung was helping them. Yoo Jung’s family were in America as long as she can remember. She practically lives there her whole life.

                “By the way So Hyun-ah, did you hear the bad rumours about you at school? They were all talking about you.” Yoo Jung informed, sounding worried.

                “Yeah, I heard.” So Hyun simply answered.

                “And?” Yoo Jung wanted to know her friend’s thoughts about it and even Sung Jae seemed to be worried about it and kept on listening to his friends’ conversation.

                “I don’t really care. Let them believe what they want to believe. They’re not my friends. As long as I have Yoo Jung and Sung Jae with me, I’m more than satisfied.” So Hyun assured them and smiled widely.

                “You really are dumb!” Sung Jae shouted and So Hyun glared back at him. “But don’t worry because I’ll definitely protect you no matter what.” Sung Jae assured her, blushing all over again.

So Hyun was just quiet while staring into Sung Jae’s eyes. They both were speechless and kept staring into each other’s eyes until they were interrupted by Yoo Jung who cleared .

                “Hello? I’m still here you know.” Yoo Jung reminded and made Sung Jae looked away. “You’re so obvious Sung Jae-ah.” Yoo Jung teased and snickered.

                “Wha.. What.. What do you mean?” Sung Jae stuttered looking nervous.

                “Wha.. What..” Yoo Jung repeated, teasing him. “ Hah! Look at you stuttering!” Yoo Jung was laughing now.

                “Why are you laughing Yoo Jung-ah? What did I miss?” So Hyun asked looking confused.

                “Ah! The insensitive one! No wonder Sung Jae keeps on teasing you.” Yoo Jung sounded frustrated and just shook her head, not believing she have friends like them.

At school:

                “Yah! Here comes the wicked witch of the school.”

                “Is it true that she’s mean? I heard that she pushed Ji Soo in the school pond.”

                “Really? So that’s why she’s in the hospital. Daebak! She really is cruel.”

So Hyun, Sung Jae and Yoo Jung were walking along the school corridor while all the students were looking at them. Most of the students were looking at So Hyun with their angry and disgusted faces. So Hyun was just looking down, avoiding their glares. She was cool about some of the rumours but she couldn’t take about Ji Soo’s accident being her fault. She started to tremble and was about to run but she stopped when she felt Yoo Jung’s hand on hers.

                “Yah! It wasn’t So Hyun’s fault that Ji Soo fell in the pond! It was actually So Hyun who helped her. If she didn’t call for help, Ji Soo would be in serious trouble by now.” Yoo Jung defended.

                “Yeah right! As if we’d believe you!”

“ You’re her friend, of course you’d take her side!”

Yoo Jung was about to say something but So Hyun stopped her. So Hyun was happy enough that Yoo Jung was there to defend her. She didn’t care about them anymore. The three of them continued on walking towards their class room. When Sung Jae passed the student who said something about