Part.01 - The Quarterback Boy and Cat-like Eyed Girl

            ”Chaerin-aaaaah!!! We haven’t over here!!!”

            The said teen girl didn’t spare a second just to respond to that angry yet loud scream came from her own big sister. That morning was really, really, really, the biggest disaster ever happened in her history. Her damn alarm clock didn’t ring at the appointed time. Her well-reserved ingredients in the fridge got ‘robbed’ by her big sister and already turned into their breakfast menu this morning. And, her sister whom used to act like an angel already turned into devil once she ruined her sister’s masterpiece aka the breakfast set as the vivid evidence of her annoyance for using her ingredients without telling her first.

            Chaerin wasn’t noted as the fastest sprinter in her class for nothing. Thanks to her short-tempered big sister whom had become her private coach in every morning. Reached the bus stop, she slumped down on to the bench. Her lips pouted. Her bright, cat-like eyes saddened. That day, she has planned to make something special for someone special. She has got that ingredients with her own ‘spare money’. She even has browsed the recipe of the dish she has planned to make with that ingredients.

            ”You will get old sooner if you kept those ugly face, Agashi.”

            Chaerin stayed still once she heard that. Not because of the words which got spoken out, but the voice which pronounced it. The familiar voice which she often heard whenever she watched the football team of her school practiced or have a match against other team. She looked at her left side, and found him. Dressed in white turtleneck shirt under his uniform jacket with black jeans, a set of earphone attached to his ear, and a piece of strawberry cake which got packed beautifully inside a goody bag.

            ”Why are you here?”

            Such a stupid question, Chaerin!!!

            Chaerin wished that the boy whom ‘miraculously’ seated next to her didn’t hear her stupid question just now. But to her misery, that boy spared his attention which previously glued on his phone to her.

            ”No special reason.” He answered casually, as he let go of the earphone which previously attached to his ear and saved it inside his jacket’s pocket together with his phone. ”My favorite cake’s shop is near here.” He added. Then he got up from the bench, looked back at Chaerin whom still awed by his casual act. ”The bus has come.”

            ”Eoh?”

***

            Both, Chaerin and that boy – her dreamt boy to be exact – got into the same bus, the bus which will brought the two to their aimed place. The stadium. It was Saturday, and that day Chaerin has planned on watching the friendly match between her school’s American football team against their biggest rival – a team which won against Chaerin’s school’s American football team in the last year’s championship. The boy let her to get the only vacant seat in that bus, while he chose to stand up next to her seat. The boy whom Chaerin has known his name since the latter became the quarterback of the team.

            Seungri.

            Actually she didn’t know if it was his real name or not. Just like his name, he hasn’t brought the team lose in any match yet.

            ”Is... something wrong with my face?” Seungri asked her when she ‘caught up’ looking at him.

            ”N-n-nothing.” Chaerin stuttered, then brought her sight on the countless vehicle on the road. Being involved in a conversation with one of the idols of her school, she only dreamt it. So, that thing felt so unreal. She, had a talk with Seungri. It was when she realized something. Did Seungri... know her?

***

            Seunghyun had prepared so many cursed words which will be launched once that day’s match has over. Cursed words to his dear brother whom ‘intentionally’ chose to go stalked his ‘crush’ rather than watch his little brother’s biggest match that month. His big brother even drew the map perfectly and gave it to him once he got dropped in front of his favorite’s cake shop.

            ”That damn dragon!” He cursed as he stomped his foot against the tiled ground.

            It was about five minutes after he got his favorite strawberry cake got served and packed perfectly in a goody bag and he got out of the shop.

So, she lived near that neighborhood?

He questioned once his dark brown eyes caught her slumped down on to the bench at the bus stop. He saw her saddened look, she looked upset for something. So, he let out those remark.

            ”You will get old sooner if you kept those ugly face, Agashi.”

”Why are you here?”

            Seunghyun never expected he got asked back like that. Well, by one of so many fan-girls of his team. That girl, with cat-like eyes, he had seen her several times back then when his team had practice. Unlike the majority girls which showered him and his teammates with their girly, dreamy screams. That girl, always stayed calm, formed a worried look whenever she saw one of the team member got hurt, formed a relieved face when the team succeeded in making a touchdown. Even he only able to see her once in a short time in between his practice, he knew that she was different.

            So did her reaction earlier.

”No special reason.” He answered casually. ”My favorite cake’s shop is near here.” He added. Seunghyun looked away from that girl. He blinked several times. What happened to him? He never interested to have a talk with a girl. So why? It was when he tried to look for the right reason behind it, the bus with the assigned number appeared. ”The bus has come.” He informed as he looked back at the girl.

***

            Even Seunghyun put his sight on the cars outside, he was conscious enough of the stolen glance given to him by that girl. Not only once, but many times. Out of curiosity, he asked her.

”Is... something wrong with my face?” Seunghyun asked her when she ‘caught up’ looking at him.

            ”N-n-nothing.”

            Seunghyun has never agreed to his brother with the phrase of ‘cute girl’. But, it seemed that he should take it back. For the first time, he saw it. The way she ducked down her head, hid her flushed face, and the way she bite her nails. It looked so cute in his eyes.

            ”The next stop is Nara Stadium! The next stop is Nara Stadium!”

            If not for the announcement given by the automatic machine, maybe Seunghyun still glued his eyes to that girl.

            The two got off at the same place. It still took about two minutes of walking from the bus stop till the stadium. Seunghyun initiated to take the lead while the girl walked two steps behind him. The walk was quiet, which was felt a bit awkward. For him. The unexpected scene he saw earlier in the bus still played continuously in his mind. Oh, dear God. He should throw it from his brain, right? He should focus on his upcoming match or the title of ‘no lost’ will remained as history. But, how hard he tried, he still can’t erased it from his head. Moreover, when the source was so close to him.

            ”J-j-jeogi...”

            Seunghyun looked back at the girl once he heard her call. He stopped when noticed that girl stopped her walk. Still with her shy look, she tried to finish her sentence earlier.

            ”W-w-why... did you take a bus to go to the stadium?”

            It was her second question. Different from her first, she said it with stuttered voice. Did she nervous? ”Ah... my annoying bro is the reason behind all of this.” And should I thank him that because of that I can meet you?

            Of course Seunghyun didn’t say the last part out loud. He will keep it for himself, for the rest of his life. He saw her nodded her head. It was when she was about to give him another question, it got interrupted with hungry growl sound. For the second times, he saw it. The cute moment of hers. This time, added with her soft cursed under her breath.

            ”You can have this.” Seunghyun shove his strawberry cake. But that girl didn’t accept it immediately. She looked back at him, gave him another surprise.

            ”I can’t. It’s your prior snack before you got into the field, right?” He got stunned by her answer. It was like it hasn’t enough, she added. ”I can’t have your source of energy for your brainstorming.”

            ”You...” know several things about me?

            ”Then you can have the half of it.” He chose to say that words. ”Don’t worry, I have prepared so many sweets whenever my bro made me upset.” He added fast before the girl was able to object.

            ”Then... thanks...? I... I hope you and your team bring back a victory today.”

***

            Goo Junhoe only could shake his head in disbelief once he saw his quarterback didn’t stop smiling while stuffing his mouth with his sweets as his eyes glued on the sheet filled with strategy of their play that day. The captain boy even got lost of words of how he should scold the latter’s unusual lateness.

            ”Jun, is he alright?” The linebacker in that team – Kim Chanwoo – asked the captain, with his worried look.

            ”What is make you think that he isn’t?” Junhoe asked back, didn’t look at the younger one as he was busy tied up his shoelace.

            ”He... didn’t eat his favorite strawberry cake? Moreover, he didn’t stop smiling like an idiot right now.”

            ”It will be alright.” Junhoe paused as he took a brief look over the quarterback. ”As long as he didn’t mess up the strategy for today’s play.”

***

Part.02 – The Bet, who will won it?

            Jiyong killed the machine of his expensive car once he parked it perfectly. Once again, for the last time, he looked his own reflection to examine his appearance. Perfect. It has almost two months already that he got familiar with the neighborhood where he had his intern activity. An intern in a small bridal business, owned by an old man with his two daughters. The oldest daughter had helped in to manage those business.

            Jiyong looked at left and right, to make sure that there was none following him. After he was sure, he walked casually. Took several turns, till he found the shop. The shop which placed side by side with its owner’s house.

            Neige Bridals.

            ”Chaerin-aaaaah!!! We haven’t over here!!!”

            Such a joyful morning they had, Jiyong stated in his head once he heard that energetic scream came from the well-known oldest daughter of Mr. Park. The scene followed those scream was the running youngest daughter out of the house. Not long after that, the older one made her appearance – with her furious look over her beautiful face.

            ”That ungrateful little girl!” It was when she was turned around, she met the most annoying one she ever met.