CHAPTER 5

“Ti-ti! Tic-tic! Tic-tic-tic! Tic-tic!”

Daniel hit his alarm for the second time this morning

He had set his alarm clock at 5:30 AM. The first time he hear the alarm, while still sleeping, the second time is he wake up and he start to be lucid.

Daniel is not a morning person but he made an effort to wake up this early because of one reason: and he need to checked for his buddy because their regular training schedule is starting again this morning. The only have 2 classes today; combat lessons with Rain and Literature with BoA- their guidance counsellor

Daniel stepped out of his balcony and observe his surroundings. Though he is not a morning person. Daniel love to listen to the sound of morning dews. He love the sound of clashing water when the fishes jump, he love the sound of chirping sounds of crickets, He love looking at the sky when the stars fades away from the suns light. He took a deep breath of the morning fresh air. Daniel observes his surroundings

Surprisingly he saw someone running near his cabin

Morning exercise? Daniel observed him or her because he has nothing to do at the moment. The runner runs moderately and stopped at the front of the lake, collected some stones and throw it on the lake. Daniel didn’t do anything. He only watch runner on his balcony.

The naiads will be angry because you disturbed their sleep he thought.

The runner walks toward the lake up until on the waist level. Daniel eyebrow raise

What you doing? He thought as he was observing the runner, He was getting worried, the lake is pretty tricky because one wrong step you may be washed out by its wrong current. And Daniel knows that because he always stay at the water almost every day since  he can Breathe underwater for limited amounts of time just like his late brother Percy.

He was about to call the runner but Daniel fully caught a glimpse on the runners face as the sun is raising “Yoo Jeongyeon?”when he realize who the runner is, “What on earth are you doing?”

He choose to stop himself on calling her but instead He decided to observe her.

Jeongyeon was closing her eyes then she opened it while looking at the sky, as Daniel observe she is holding into something- a necklace? But he couldn’t  see it clearly, Daniel notice the sad smile on her face. Jeongyeon attempted to throw the object she was holding but she didn’t, instead she hold the object dearly to her both hands towards her chest.

 Ti-ti! Tic-tic! Tic-tic-tic! Tic-tic

Daniels attention was caught by his third alarm this morning, He immediately turn it off and return to his balcony to observe Jeongyeon once more but to his disappointment she already left

Daniel smiled to himself at he looked at his watch. 6 AM

I guess I see you within an hour Jeongyeon he though while humming his favourite tune toward his shower.

Jeongyeon wasn’t surprise when he saw Daniel at their table after preparing herself for her class.

As much as Jeongyeon hates his presence,she know that she needs to endure it.

Jeongyeon walks quietly at sat across Daniels.

“Good morning Jeongyonnie!” Jihyo greeted her first and she respond with a smile

“Good morning buddy!” Daniel cheerfully greeted her

Ignoring Daniels greeting, she took her plate and started eating the food that Jihyo prepared.

“where are the twins?” She asked when she notice that they are nowhere

“oh Jihoon wants to borrow a book before going to class and Woojin is with Minyoung for an early sparring I guess?” Jihyo answered while finishing her meal

“sorry Jeongyeon I need to go early too because I need to catch up with teacher BoA . I have some questions regarding this year’s curriculum” Jihyo said while hurrying

Jeongyeon nodded her head and continued her breakfast

“So buddy are you ready for your first day of school?” Daniel asked while washing his dishes

Jeongyeon just glanced at him and returned her attention into her food

“ Since It’s your first day, I’ll give an advise on how to deal with the classes. For BoAs-“

“I have two rules Kang” she cut off his litany

Daniel looked at him smiling, which makes Jeongyeon wonder if she isn’t not rude enough just now. Jeongyeon cleared and continue

“One, as much as you love talking the more, I hate it. So please don’t talk to me. And two, don’t act so close with me” she said as she drank her glass of milk

“Okay… rules noted “Daniel give an okay sign, “But if you have rules, isn’t fair that I’ll also have one?”

“Fine what is it?” she said after a long pause

“One you mustn’t disappear without telling because I know that you have tendencies to disappear like magic. Deal?” Daniel offered his hand to seal the deal

“… Deal” Jeongyeon hesitated then accepted his hand for the first time

“So ready to go?” Daniel asked brightly

Daniel fought his urge to talk to Jeongyeon, right now they are on the way to their first class miss BoAs class- literature. He was walking together with jeongyeon or shall he say that Jeongyeons following him from behind.

He glance at her, jeongyeon is now wearing an ordinary white sweatshirt pair with fitted skinny jeans. She is also wearing her cap and her specks to cover up her face.

He noticed that jeongyeon is adjusting her cap more often as she observed her surroundings. Daniel look at their surroundings. Since it is the first day of class this year, it is quite normal to have this number of crowd, people greeted him which is normal for him. What’s not normal is some campers looked at the girl behind him confused and curious. Daniel knows what they are thinking, He knows that they are curious if the girl behind him is a new student and whose cabin she belongs to.

He guided jeongyeon to an amphitheatre, the amphitheatre has rising tiers of stone benches that curve around the central stage. The benches are as comfortable as movie-theatre chair.

“We are here” he said. Jeongyeon took off her earphones search for a place to sit, he noticed that her face brightens waved her hand to Jihyo and left him without even giving him a glance.

Daniel couldn’t help but grin, as he remember the deal they made this morning.

Daniel looked for a chair , he found his friends spot exactly two rows away from Jeongyeon

“Hey!”he greeted them

Jeonghan greeted him back and notice the rest of his friends looked at him weirdly

“Uhmm, hey?” Daniel raises an eyebrow and puts both hands in his pockets. He tilts his head to Jeonghan and mentally saying what’s wrong to his friends

“So, Niel… you ditch having breakfast to us to have a morning date with some girl?” Jaehwan teased

“No, we did ate breakfast but it’s not a date”

“Don’t lie Niel, I didn’t raise you to lie to me” Jisung exaggeratedly stated while holding his chest

“So Niel whos the lucky-no who’s your unfortunate date this morning?” Seongwoo asked, it seems that he hadn’t notice that it’s Jeongyeon

Daniel smiled and simply answered, “A friend”

“Come on Niel you know that we need a name! And whose Daughter she is” Seongwoo complained

“Yeah, Seongwoos right. Can you at atleast give us the name of your date?” Jisung agreed, “I want to protect the poor lady from you”

“Come on guys, Give Niel a break” Jeonghan interfered

“But hyung aren’t you curious who’s that girl?” Jaewhan pointed at Jeongyeons direction, “I’ve never seen her before you know”

“And she seems close to Jihyo” Jisung said as he saw the two girls interact, Jisung gasped “could it be that you already know her?”

Jeonghan didn’t answer. And the three looked at Daniel

“that’s not fair! You already introduce him to Jeonghan-hyung but not us?” Seongwoo reacted

“W-wait guys it wasn’t lik-“Jeonghan was trying to calm the three of them

Daniel deadpanned, He knew that his friends love to over react but this one too much

“guys, listen it wasn’t like that. I’ll explain to you later okay?” Daniel said as he saw their teacher entered.

The five of them sat down because they know how strict BoA is. But before they settled he heard settled he noticed the three of them whispering each other

Jeongyeon could hear the commotion around her. She also saw Daniel interacted together with his friends and remembered one of them-Seongwoo.

“-yeonnie?” Jeongyeon looked at Jihyo while catching her attention

“hmm?” she said still observing around the amphitheatre

“ I said, don’t be nervous and I’ll stay with you” Jihyo smiled

She only nodded and continue observing her new surroundings.

Over all the class has only thirthy students and most of them are on same age. Miss BoA is their teacher and their guidance councellor. And since it is only their first day, she only informed them about her rules and regulation and their coverage, she also gave them an introduction of the matter. The lecture lasted 1 hour and already dismissed the class. While she stretched her arms and Jihyo is busy preparing for another class they heard a voices behind them

“Hi!” a guy with a mid-twenties (on her guess) that who looks like a ball of sunshine greeted them. He was accompanied by two other people which Jeongyeon recognized one of them and that guy named Seongwoo

Kang Daniels friends she thought. She immediately search for his “buddy” but great! he is nowhere to be found

“hello Jisung-oppa” Jihyo greeted him back and waved at the other two

“Jihyo-sshi, can we disturb the both of you for a moment?” Seongwoo smiled at Jihyo sweetly while glancing at her

Jeongyeon doesn’t like their presence so she secretly nudge Jihyo and the latter seems to understand.

“Sorry Oppa, We are kind of hurry today. Can we talk maybe next time?”

“But Jihyo this will only take seconds” Jisung pleaded

“What are doing?” the heard a voice behind them

Jeongyeon recognized the voice and turn towards Daniel. Daniel seems confuse with the situation and eyeing his friends

“Are they bothering you?” Jeonghan who came together with Daniel asked his younger sibling

“It isn’t like that hyung! We are just talking” Jaewhan answered

“It isn’t count talking when the other party doesn’t like it” Jeonghan glan