The sound of the punch exploded in the gigantic private office, which used to be utterly quiet and peaceful. Both brothers seemed stunned to what just happened, to the point that they froze for a solid five seconds afterwards.

Finally, Ji Hoon straightened up, wiping the few drops of blood that dripped from his nose. It was indeed a solid punch. His cheek would swell and bruise soon.

Chanyeol readied himself for the retaliation, but none came. Instead, Ji Hoon chuckled. Somehow, the strange reaction made a chill ran down his spine.

“My little brother finally grows a backbone” Ji Hoon said, walking briskly to his seat, leaving Chanyeol fuming at the plush carpet.

“You’ve crossed the line, Hyung.”

“Have I?” Ji Hoon asked, in his cunning, chilling tone.

“You have all the right to beat me up into a pulp, push me to do anything for the family, but you have absolute no right in messing up Kang Seulgi’s life.”

“If you’re serious about her, then of course I must test her character.”

Chanyeol balked for a moment. When the words entirely sank in, he felt like hurling the nearest chair at his brother.

“Her family’s assets are a lot, lot lower than ours. I need to find out whether she’s approaching you just for your money.”

It was Chanyeol’s turn to raise his brows.

“Hyung. That girl doesn’t even like me. I’m quite sure with your stint this morning, she now loathes me. There’s no chance that she’s scheming to get my money! She doesn’t even want to see my face from the start!”

“Everyone knows that resistance is one of the most effective ways in attracting a man, Chanyeol-ah.”

“She doesn’t want to attract me!!!” he bellowed, “She even has a hard time talking to me without looking disgusted at me!”

His brother stared at Chanyeol from head to toe.

“A girl that is immune to your charm?”

Chanyeol wanted to kick a chair then.

“Hyung. Please. Promise me this is the first and last time you’ll mess up with Seulgi.”

“I can hardly do that, honestly.”

“HYUNG!!!”

“She’s prone to be mentally unhealthy, Chanyeol-ah, for a young girl to lose her parents that way. It could be anxiety, avoidance to mingle socially, or even depression. You will need a partner that has a good childhood. A good mental health, to back you up when you’re stressed out, or when the company is in trouble. I don’t think a girl whose mother committed suicide would have the strength for that.”

“And why being a vet? It would be great if you pair up with a smart, real doctor. We might even hand her our hospital’s management, if only she studies medicine.”

“Seulgi is healthy enough to be the smartest girl in school with her own dreams to pursue. It’s not in your place to question it. You’re not God, Hyung. You don’t get to direct everyone’s choices in life. She’s not me!”

“If she’s your choice, she needs to be qualified to enter the family!”

“Don’t even think of broaching this subject of whether Seulgi is good enough for me or not, Hyung. She is good enough. It is me, Hyung, with a brother like you, who is not good enough for her! Because of what you did today, I will be lucky if she even want to talk me at all!”

“..........don’t lose your head over a girl, Chanyeol-ah. It’s never a good thing.”

“SHUT UP! I swear to God, Hyung, this is the first and the last time you mess up with Seulgi’s life. If you do this one more time, I’m going to destroy the company. I’ll find a way, I’ll find away to destroy everything to the last bit! So you better leave her alone!”

With that, Chanyeol marched out of the office.

Ji Hoon sat silently for a while, his cheek stinging with the aftermath of his brother’s punch.

“He likes her that much, huh?” he asked to the silent office. “It seems like Kang Seulgi would be the making or the destroying of him. We’ll see.....” he said to himself. “We’ll see.....”

*******************************************************

As pathetic as it sounded, Seulgi really couldn’t go home on school hours. She was being truthful when she said her grandmother would throw a fuss. If she knew she was devastated because of Yeri and Chanyeol, Seulgi knew she would march to the school and demanded both students to apologize to her, possibly on their knees. Or she would even devise a way to chuck them out of the school.

Considering how Chanyeol’s family was one of the main benefactor of the school, and how Yeri’s father was a prominent politician, her grandmother would most probably be unsuccessful in her extreme attempts, but the embarrassment it would cause Seulgi to face would be too much for her to bear.

She made the decision to hop back into her car, Choi ahjussi, her driver, had the decency to not question why she was crying so uncontrollably at the backseat, saying to the school’s security that “Kang Seulgi Agassi is feeling very unwell today. She can’t attend school.”

The school security peeked a look at her at the backseat, tears streaming down her face, and nodded in understanding, as if a girl sobbing allowed her to leave the school for the day, no questions asked.

As her car drifted off the school’s gates and they appeared at the main street again, her crying started to flow out of her in earnest. Yeri. Yeri. Her only friend since childhood. The only girl in the class who talked to her after her father’s death. And the only student in class who hugged her after her mother’s suicide.

She remembered both funerals all too clearly.

Everyone from school her class attended both funerals, but she felt it in her heart, in her bones, that no one really cared. She had been such an introvert. Still one, even until today. It was Yeri who first asked her, after she came back to school, after her father passed away.

“Hello. Are you alright?”

Of course she wasn’t alright. No one who just lost a father would be alright. But at least Yeri had cared enough to ask. To even stand long enough beside her to listen to her answer.

Because people who never really cared were often like that. They asked questions, but never bothered to listen to the answer.

They began to start talking to each other when there were chances, when it seemed normal in what children deemed as “not close friends yet civil towards each other”.

And when her mother committed suicide, Yeri was the only one from her class who hugged her at the funeral. She knew, Yeri. That kids who lost both her parents needed hugs, lots of them.

Since then, they were best friends. Yeri was her first and only friend. People found Seulgi to be cold. Uncaring. Even too strange for them to comprehend. Her fascinations with animals. Her independency from them all. Her obsession with science.

Oh, most of them cared for their grades, but none were as serious as Seulgi. No one but Yeri understood. That for Seulgi, if she became smart, if she was constantly chasing knowledge, at least she was smart. At least she was good in something. At least she had something to hold on to.

And Yeri never made fun of her love for animals. Or her dream to be a vet. She, on the other hand, could respect Yeri’s bubbly, sugar-coated way in seeing the world. In living. Yeri always wore ribbons or headbands, pink flat shoes and perfume that smelled of strawberries. Because she said, one day, “The world is as pretty as you see it. If you feel the world is ugly, then change the way you see it.”

Seulgi had whole-heartedly believed her. She learned to see the world in the way Yeri saw it. There was some good in this world, even after everything happened. Even after her parents were taken away from her. Life gave Yeri to her, to cheer her up and make her feel better.

Her world, which was all black, white and gray before she knew Yeri, became colourful. Everything became nicer, and she became happier. Yeri brought her to her home, introduce her to her whole family, treated her like her sister.

Then this happened. Chanyeol happened.

Knowing Chanyeol had cost her Yeri’s friendship. No matter how she explained to Yeri, she wouldn’t believe her.

Deep down, she knew it was all her fault. It was her fault to make Chanyeol liked her, although she practically did nothing. It was her fault for not being brave enough and told Yeri everything when it all started. She was too afraid to lose her only friend. And now thanks to her cowardice, it really happened.

Her tears flew like rain on her cheeks, and finally subsided. Her driver had silently took her around the center of Seoul, through the Gyeongbok palace then around, knowing she needed time to let out her feelings. When he heard that her young mistress finally stopped crying, and only staring pensively out the window, he asked, “Shall I drive you to the zoo, Miss?”

The Zoo, or the Seoul Grand Park, was Seulgi’s favourite place in the city. Or probably in the whole country. Whenever she felt like it, either to entertain herself, to feel better on a bad day, or when she missed being in the midst of animals in varying species, she went there.

“Yes, please” she answered.

It took a while for them to arrive, but when she landed her feet on the familiar park, she felt her heart lightened a little. She showed her card (she subscribed to the annual membership) and ventured in.

She went where her feet took her. The Aviary. The Reptilians. The Mammals. The Farm. And finally, her feet wary and her shoulders less tense, she sat down on a bench at the lion’s den. It was a round room eight lions behind cages made of thick glasses, separated from each other. Male and female, they were of various age. The youngest one was barely a year old, and he was playing with his mother.

Seulgi had returned to the zoo several times since the cub was born, just to see him from time to time. He had grown a bit more since she last seen him. Chubby and golden, he was playing with a rock, pushing it around his cage.

Seulgi thought he’s the cutest thing she had ever seen in her life.

She sat there for hours. It was a weekday. The zoo was nearly empty, except for some students doing a field trip with their teachers, a bunch of tourists, and a handful of senior citizens. No one asked why a school girl sat alone there, staring at the lions. It was the best place in the world.

Her stomach gave a lurch and a grumble, reminding her that she was still alive. That she needed to go on, feed her body, and take care of herself.

Maybe she needed to give Yeri some space, she concluded, her heart getting heavier again, remembering her.

She took her phone and texted her.

I was sick yesterday. I’ve been feeling unwell for days, but keep forcing myself to do everything. When I tutored Chanyeol, I almost passed out. I couldn’t come home. I didn’t want to frighten Haelmoni. You know how she is. Chanyeol brought me to his home. I nearly fainted again. He called his family doctor and I got some medicines. He then carried me to a guest room and I had a nap. I woke up a few hours later, felt better, then went home.

Chanyeol likes me. I’m not even sure why. We accidentally met a year ago on an alley near my cram school. Something I said made him remember me, he said. He told me he dated you to get closer to me.

I should’ve told you this sooner, Yeri. But I guess I was afraid I will lose my only friend.

I am sorry for everything. It’s all my fault.

If you can’t forgive me, I will understand.

But please know, I will always be here. I will always be waiting.

Thank you so much for our friendship all these years. You’ve always made me happy.

Her tears streamed down again as she typed it.

She had said everything she needed to say.

It was up to Yeri now. There’s nothing else she could do, except to go on living.

*************************************************

From that day onwards, Yeri treated Seulgi as if she never existed on earth. When she looked at her direction, it’s as if Seulgi was mere thin air. Clearly, she would never be forgiven. And Seulgi accepted that. Could even understand why Yeri did that. Would even do the same if she’s in Yeri’s situation.

Seulgi went on with her life. She carried on with her busy schedule, aimed to be the best grand daughter for her grandmother, the best sister for her older brother. The best student in school. Everyday, she slept late, woke up early, worked as hard as she could, then repeat.

She gave her school, and her science club, the first winner trophy for The National Science Competition. The final would be in Rome, three months from the national competition. She and her team were called by the principal to stand on the stage, got applauded by the whole school, and her face was even photographed and entered the national TV.

She could barely form a smile, though.

**************************************************

Seulgi did the exact same thing to Chanyeol, pretending he didn’t exist. Ever since that day when Yeri received the questionable photographs, Chanyeol had been trying to contact her. He called, texted, found her between class breaks, even waited for her in front of the door to her house. But to no avail. Seulgi resolutely ignored him.

She decided that he was the biggest mistake she had ever made in her life.

Chanyeol, despite everything he owned, how rich he was and how prominent his family was, knew a lot of heartbreaks. The death of his parents and being beaten by his brother when he failed to do what he was supposed to do, were enough to teach him that life was never merely sugar and honey.

However, the most painful heartbreak was the one Seulgi made him experienced.

It hurt so much that he lied awake at nights thinking of the ways he should’ve known his brother would mess up everything. Or replaying everything she said in his mind, over and over again, until he heard her voice so often in his head, he thought he was going crazy.

One night, tired of not being able to sleep again, he had got up, reached for his backpack, and read the first notebook his hand reached.

For the first time in forever, he studied.

Deep down, he knew he was only doing something Seulgi would approve, even when she pretended she never knew him.

****************************************************

Though it’s cliché and bordering to pathetic, Chanyeol proceeded to stalk Seulgi at school. He crossed the hallways in front of her classes during breaks. Had lunch near her table at the cafeteria (she would always eat alone and he would always be with Sehun). He even took care to be at the library whenever she was.

As a result, he was slacking in his basketball rehearsals, giving “the worse performance in the past two years” during the latest match with the neighbouring school. He took the brunt with his old pretence of good humour, and the couch, who was ignorant of any gossips whatsoever, told him to “stop chasing girls and focus on practice”.

Not that the coach said anything wrong. He was indeed chasing a girl. Who refused to notice his existence.

As a result of all his sleep deprivation, all the reading of textbooks and notebooks when he stalked Seulgi at the library, his grades rose.

For the first time in two years, his scores were on the top 100 of all the eleventh graders.

*****************************************************

“You did a great job in tutoring Park Chanyeol, Seulgi-ssi.”

Seulgi stopped dead in her tracks, utterly shocked by the statement her homeroom teacher made.

“You managed to make him reach the top 100 in just a month. Yeokshi, you’re Kang Seulgi after all. I’ll write the recommendation letter for Cambridge tonight. And will give it to you tomorrow. I shall be able to tell honestly, that you’re a generous student, who dedicate your time and intelligence to hope another student in need.”

Seulgi had a weird mixed of impulses to bark a laugh at the teacher. To tell her that Chanyeol was the last student in the world who’s in need of help to get a good score. Or that she had stopped tutoring the said boy, stopped to even remember that he’s still alive and breathing, for the past two weeks.

Whatever Chanyeol achieved, she mused, was not because of her, it was because of his own work.

Thinking it was the best way, she just bowed to her teacher.

*************************************************

Wanting to see it with her own eyes, she walked to the announcement board, where the rankings of students for the mid-terms were placed. Her name was of course on top of the rank, with Sehun following at number two. It’s been like that since the start of their tenth grade.

However, this time, she walked to the middle of the list. To number 100. And read the list up from there.

She found his name on number 87.

Quite a jump, really.

“I didn’t cheat.”

A deep, familiar voice came from behind her.

Of course he would be there.

She knew he’s always been around for the past few weeks, forever trying to catch her eyes during breaks. It’s just that she decided to ignore him.

Something recoiled in her stomach, just from the feel of knowing he was near.

The guy that made me lose my only friend, he thought.

But despite of everything she’s feeling, she turned to him.

It’s the first time she looked at him in two weeks. Her cold eyes landed straight on his. And Chanyeol’s gut churned as if he was on a very crazy roller coaster.

Damn. I do like this girl very much, he thought.

“How?”

The hallways were empty. It’s the one hour break between formal school hours and extra curricular activities. Everyone was using the break time to their utmost best, lounging in the cafeteria or the many park benches at the garden.

Seulgi’s one worded question sounded so loud between them.

“I studied.”

“Why?”

“Got nothing else to do. Can’t sleep well. Wanna show you I’m not an idiot bastard. That if I’m a bastard, at least I’m not an idiot.”

She stared at him as if he spoke another language.

Chanyeol knew he talked too much. But what could he do, he missed talking to her.

“.........you did a good job” Seulgi said, before walking away.

And she did it again. Just like that.

Just by saying five simple words.

The five words only his sister had ever said to him, and even so, very rarely.

The five words Chanyeol had always craved to hear from his brother.

The five words Seulgi said simply because it was a fact. That someone who’s usually in the 200-something rank and suddenly 87^th rank deserved to her. That he had done a good job.

Chanyeol would never be able to stop liking Seulgi. Even if he tried.

He might as well just admit it to himself.

He’s desperately in love with the girl. He’d do everything in his power to be with her.

**************************************************

His brother’s birthday party came and gone without Chanyeol announcing who his fiancé was. He couldn’t find it in himself to devise a way to make Seulgi wanted to help him. Not when she’s so lifeless lately.

The party was also the company’s party, in which Chanyeol and Yura, her sister obeyed their brother and attended.

Before the party began, Ji Hoon gave Chanyeol an ultimatum. He had to announce his fiancé before the year ended, or he would erase Chanyeol from the family. As free as Chanyeol wished to be, he would never want to be kicked out from his own family. He loved his roots, had been educated that he must honour his family’s traditions as it should be, and would never want to be legally separated from his brother and sister. Because then who would he be if he was not Chanyeol, the maknae in Park family?

So once more, he promised he would obey.

*********************************************************

Her days became so gray, so identical from one day to the next, that Seulgi felt she moved, breathed and lived in complete auto pilot mode.

However, there’s one day that month that she remembered.

Chanyeol approaching her at school, one early morning.

Wordlessly, he gave an envelope to her.

He already turned away when Seulgi opened it.

It was the recommendation letter from Dr. Hwang Woo Suk, the most famous veterinarian in the country. The one Chanyeol promised he’d give her.

She stood silently for a long time, staring at that letter.

How could he know, that it was the final week to submit the application letter to Cambridge?

Needless to say, Seulgi included the recommendation letter in her application, and sent it that night.

******************************************************

For the first time in what seemed like centuries, Seulgi smiled again.

It was a month after the day Chanyeol gave her the recommendation letter.

Cambridge replied.

She was accepted.

Tears and smiles adorned her face.

She nearly forgot how it felt to be happy.

She ran to her Haelmoni and hugged her.

“Crazy girl, what are you doing, trying to strangle me?”

“Haelmoni! It comes true!”

“What is it, Child?”

“Cambridge, Haelmoni! They accept me! I’m going to be a vet and study at my dream university!”

Her grandmother knew how hard Seulgi had been dreaming for this day. Together, they laughed and cried in joy.

She texted her brother, Kang Min Hyuk, just a line.

“Cambridge accepted me.”

Min Hyuk cancelled all his schedule that day, and came home running, hugging and turning his little sister around. Something he hadn’t done in years.

Also for the first time in a long, long time, the three of them sat down to a family dinner.

That night, all the heavy rocks in Seulgi’s heart perished to dust.

****************************************************

Chanyeol nearly tripped over his own feet during the basketball practice when he saw Seulgi at the bleachers.

When the coach signalled a five minutes break, Chanyeol sat down and gulped water from his bottle. He had the second shock of the day when he witnessed Seulgi walking to him.

It was somewhat so surreal, that he had to bite his own cheek to ensure that he was not dreaming.

He tasted the bitter tang of his own blood.

It was indeed real.

Their high school was the most expensive private school in the country. Each class had 200 students. Although they’re not all friends with each other, they at least knew each other by sight, since they’ve been studying in the same school since kindergarten.

In everyone’s memory, it was the first team they ever saw Kang Seulgi approaching the basketball team.

They’ve seen other girls doing that, finding Chanyeol, trying to get his attention, trying to make him talk to them, bringing him energy drinks and snacks. However, it’s the first time the introvert, smartest girl in school did that, approaching Park Chanyeol.

“I need to talk to you” she said, devoid of any greetings or small talks.

Even Chanyeol was speechless.

His team and their friends gaped at her.

“My break is going to end soon. I need to go back rehearsing.”

“When will your rehearsal be over?”

“In thirty minutes.”

“I’ll wait.”

“Really?”

She merely nodded, and returned to the bleachers.

Chanyeol blinked, as his friends guffawed and began teasing that the school’s playboy finally got the school’s nun.

“Don’t call her that. Or I’ll break your legs.”

He had said it so seriously that they all got paled for a second.

“Whew, is he like – serious with her?”

Chanyeol ignored them and returned to the field, as the coach signalled it’s time to resume practice.

********************************************************

Seulgi descended the bleachers and coolly stood near the team after the practice was over. There was something in Seulgi and Chanyeol’s silence that made all the team members, their friends, the basketball team’s manager and assistants, and even the coach quickly walked away, giving them privacy without them voicing even a word.

And all of a sudden, they stood there facing each other, Chanyeol still in his basketball jersey and she was looking at her shoes.

“I got accepted. In Cambridge.”

All the oxygen Chanyeol was holding whooshed out of his lungs.

“Wow. That’s amazing. Chukkae.”

Seulgi blinked.

Chanyeol was beaming.

Really, and truly beaming. The smile lighted up his whole face, as if Seulgi just said she gave him the whole world.

“Thank you for the recommendation letter.”

“Oh. It’s nothing. Don’t mention it.”

The casual way he dismissed it surprised her.

“It’s not nothing. I got accepted because of it.”

“Aniya. It can’t be just because of that. It’s your stellar grades. And winning the national science competition. And volunteering at that animal clinic. Cambridge would be dumb to not accept you.”

“I feel the recommendation letter made my resume better. I’m very grateful.”

“.........it’s the least thing I could do. After what I put you through.”

“Is there anything I could do for you?”

She saw that the question shocked him. Funny. They kept shocking each other. Would it always be like that, if there’s a next time?

However, he was silent for too long, that Seulgi finally said, to end the awkwardness, “If there’s anything I could do for you, as my thanks for the recommendation letter, either tutoring you or—or helping with your homework, I’ll do it. Just – just let me know.”

With that, she walked away.

That went well. She would not be in debt. A favour for a favour.

She heard a loud bump.

Chanyeol was holding a ball.

He must have thrown it away.

When Seulgi turned back, Chanyeol was kneeling on the wooden basketball field.

“.........what do you think you’re doing?”

Seulgi had the instinct to run away. Then and there. Before it’s too late.

But she couldn’t.

Her feet felt like they were glued to the ground.

“It’s my company’s anniversary this Saturday. There will be a formal party in the evening. Let me announce that we’re engaged.”

Seulgi moved a step back, horrified.

“Please.”

It seemed like they would stay like that forever. He on his knees, begging, and she standing frozen, unable to process why, what, and how he could speak like that.

“When I said I was grateful” Seulgi croaked, her voice shaky, “I didn’t mean something as huge as this.”

Chanyeol waited, praying to all the Gods in the world that she would somehow—

“Is your brother that scary? Is he that scary that you have to beg me like this?”

“Don’t feel sorry for me. It’s not what I want.”

“What do you want, then?”

“I want to be with you.”

Seulgi laughed bitterly, uncomprehending. But instead of leaving him, she walked to the first row bleachers and sat down.

“Why me? You can be with any girls in this school, I’m sure.”

“They’re not you.”

“You just need a quick solution.”

“No, I’m trying to make my own way. I’m trying to follow my family’s rules, while also trying to be happy.”

“If I say yes.....will it be temporary? Can we break the engagement when we want to?”

“.........you can. But I won’t.”

Seulgi stared at the kneeling boy in front of her. His face was so determined. His eyes were burning.

“You’re still so young. We’re still so young. How can you know you’ll always like me? How can you know you’ll keep liking me until we’re old enough to get married?”

“Because I won’t change, Seul. I love you.”

Seulgi’s eyes widened at that. Before she smiled and shook her head.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

“We’re too young to be engaged.”

“A lot of people in this school are engaged already, Seul. You know that.”

He’s right. Everyone in that school was an heir to massive assets. Many of them already knew who they would marry, decided by their parents or chosen by themselves, but from the background their family needed.

They stared at each other again, trying to read what they were thinking, what they were feeling inside their head and heart.

“I can’t do this.”

“I’ll always be there for you. You’ll never be lonely again.”

Seulgi heard waves in her ears. All her alarms bells were ringing, telling her if she didn’t go RIGHT THAT SECOND, she’d drown.

Goddamn Park Chanyeol. His last two sentences destroyed her from within. She felt like crying.

“You’re lonely, Seul. I know that, because I’m always looking at you.”

She couldn’t stop it. Tears started to fall. She hated herself for it, but she couldn’t control herself.

“I’ll be your friend, Seul. I’ll be your best friend. I’ll never leave you alone.”

“Don’t say promises you can’t keep, Park Chanyeol.”

“We both have no parents anymore, Seul. I know how lonely it could be. I have my friends. But most of the time, it’s only Sehun. Just one person, just one friend that mattered. But you, Seul. You’re alone. Let me be with you. I want to be always by your side.”

She hated how he knew her so well. He hated how he knew how lonely, how lonely she had felt.

And how she was secretly hoping there would be someone who’d reach out for her and accompany her. Not to take her away, but to be there beside her. Be it in the dark or outside of it.

“Please.”

He had the strength to say that one last word.

“Ahrasseo.”

It took a while for both of them to realize that she had agreed.

But yes, she agreed.

The real meaning of what they were was too gray to be defined.

Still, ever since that day, they became engaged.

*****************************************************

Author's Note:

Like I mentioned before, I started this fic in an effort to return to the habit of writing regularly. I neglected writing for so long that I become rusty, that I had to force myself to write and let the words out. On another hand, not writing regularly always makes me anxious, as if there's something wrong in my world. 

This story is a mission, to make me at least create a story. The idea might be unoriginal, and I chose the pairing just because "I think they might be nice together."

However, as weeks gone by, I'm starting to love this pairing and the story. Since this is also Nanowrimo, I am able to push myself and write this everyday, which makes me feel accomplished and back on the path of writing stories again. 

I haven't edited this, since I'm still on the mission to reach 50,000 words, as per Nanowrimo decreed. I can't say I'm proud of this story, but I am fond of it. 

Thank you so much for reading this little story. I hope you'll stay around and like the update.

I will return in the future to edit this properly. But for now, I'll just enjoy being back in the habit of writing regularly.