Prologue: new beginning

Heartbreak is never easy, especially for someone as naive and soft as this guy who sat just next to her. This guy who filled her mind with him, and only him, for the past five years. The prince, who is loved by everyone in school. Hwang Hyunjin, her best friend (and first love), got his heart broken just a week ago. She could see from his face that the pain subsided, changed with numbness and despair.

She thought she would feel relieved and elated when she heard about the news. However, that wasn't the case at all. For the second time, she could feel her heart cracked a little bit as she saw him crying last week. He told her how he is not good enough, not worthy as a guy and that he should've done better. She feel so horrible, guilty, and above all mad at him for saying all those things. He should not say those words, because they are not true at all. She knew how he truly is, five years of being with him pays off, after all. It hurts to see the cheerful happy go lucky guy turned into a disaster after a heartbreak.

She was so lost when he came to her house that night, looking so pained, so heartwrenching. Tears streamed down his face, his body washed by the rain. At that time, she knew she probably couldn't gave him anything he wanted. All she could gave him, is a minimum comfort any friend could give. That night, she cried after he went home. It hurts her to see him hurting himself.

Time does heals though, she could see him trying to look stronger and be his cheeky self. She noticed there are moments when he looked so lost and in pain, but he tried to cover it up with a weak smile. She couldn't say if trying to look happy is a good or a bad thing. One thing that she's sure of: there is definitely that hole inside his heart, leaking his feelings and happiness away, because not even once, after the incident, did she saw him smiling and laughing as loud and as genuinely as he did. 

She glanced at him while switching the TV channel, trying to look for an interesting show. It's Friday night, and just like their routine, they spent the whole night watching movies or playing games together. It's their quality time outside of the school. He is so focused in playing his game, which he kept on losing in the past few days. She shut down the TV and sat right in front of his face, trying to get his attention. Hyunjin wasn't fazed at all. He probably didn't know she've switched position.

"Hyunjin-ah", she called. Hyunjin hummed in response, not giving her his full attention. Who knows where his head is currently at.

"Us..... Should we start dating?", she slowly, hesitantly asked.

Hyunjin choked and look up at her properly. Jiae looked back at him, right through his eyes.

It was silent for a while until Hyunjin broke the ice with a laughter.

"Huh? Yah Kim Jiae, what are you talking about? Haha, cut it out. It's not funny!", he muffled as he turned his attention back to his game, right at the moment as he lost another round of the game. He sighed and lightly throw his phone to the bed. She kept looking at him and sighed. 

"I'm serious though", she retorted calmly.

"I mean.... we could try it! I have never go out with anyone, and people say the best medicine for a heartbreak is to find ano..."

"If it's to mend my broken heart then forget it. I don't want to make you a substitute, Jiae. It's just three months since I broke up with Yeonwoo noona. Haha, let's quit talking about this. Let's talk about something else. I'm done mourning anyway", Hyunjin replied. He tried to get up when she grabbed his shirt, trying to stop him from going. This is not something she would have done five years ago. Heck, she wouldn't even go for it last week. Hyunjin looked right at her in shock.

"You're not making me a substitute. I.... really do want to try dating you. Hwang Hyunjin, let's do it. Dating."

A/N: Hello everyone! Here's a new fanfic of Hwang Hyunjin, my ult b! <3 I am sorry if there is any gramatical error in my writings. English is not my first language and it has been a while since I write a fanfiction, so you can say I'm a bit rusty. Hehehe, but anyway, thanks for dropping by! Hope you liked the prologue! Will try to upload the first chapter by the end of this week! <3