“Chan ah... yahh, Jeong Sungchan. Jah ni??” said Youn Jung waking her bestfriend who fell asleep. The rest of the squad had left the hideout except for them. They wanted to stay for a bit to revise for their Chinese Literature test coming up. They are the only two that took up the module to gain more credits for Uni.

 

 

Sungchan jerks awake at her touch, frowning at the hands roughly shaking his shoulders. Brushing them away, he rubs his eyes and squints at the clock on the desk, barely making out blurred numbers forming 09:10pm in the dim light.

 

“Mian... Chinese literature keeps dragging me off to dreamland.”

 

 

Youn Jung lets out a laugh, sweet and clear in the night’s quiet realm, “Yah Geumanharago.. you big nerd. How hard could the test be?”

 

 

Sungchan rolls his eyes and closes his notebook, shuffling papers until they’re in a neat stack inside his binder folder, “Unlike you procastinator, I actually want a good grade in this class.”

 

 

“Yah ibayo i neomiya, Na Jaraeee. Not as good as yours, but high enough.” answered Youn jung back.

 

 

Sungchan snorts, shrugging out of his hoodie before turning to raise an eyebrow at his best friend, now lounged across the couch, “And who’s the one that helps you get those scores?”

 

 

She winks and drops her phone to shoot him a pair of finger guns, “Me, myself, and I, of course.”

 

“HA HA HA. Keep telling that to yourself and you won’t be getting any more tutoring.” said Sungchan sarcastically.

 

 

“Yahhhhh.... Chan ah, you know I’m just joking!” She pouts, scooting across the couch to show those kitty eyes he grew up trying to resist (keyword: trying).

 

 

“You’re not going to refuse your best friend, are you?” asked Youn Jung innocently.

 

 

“Aishhhhhttt wae irreoke gwiyowo?? You do know my weakness eo...” Sungchan curses with a smile on his face. 

 

 

“Hmmmm because you love me and there’s no one else willing to help you in Bio.”

 

 

“Unfortunately.” Sungchan sighs and gently flicks Youn Jung in the forehead, smirking to himself when she falls back and lets out string of colorful language, “Yahhhh jjaa.. I'll wake you up when we are about to go home.. Eo.. Jaljayo.. Good nightt...”

 

 

Youn Jung peers up at him from the swamp of blankets, cushions with her cheeks flushed and hair spread out around her head like a halo, making Sungchan forget how to breathe.

 

 

“Aren’t you going to come and cuddle with me,” said Youn Jung boldly, not even making it a question. Like as if Sungchan would refuse, but she doesn’t need to know that. :p

 

 

“Maybe if you weren’t so clingy,” Sungchan teases in attempt to ignore the stimulation of his heart, the sudden roar of blood in his ears that was most definitely not a result of hearing her request. He is just like his father. He can lie, but his ears won't cooperate with him. 

 

 

“Jogiyoo, who’s the one here that always needed to hold my hand when we crossed the street?” Youn Jung shoots back, sending a poorly aimed kick in Sungchan's direction.

 

 

Sungchan lazily dodges her foot and quirks a brow at the memory, “Yah! We were like five, I had to prevent you from killing yourself somehow.”

 

 

She scoffed, “Yeah right, you were always too busy gushing over Spiderman and whatnot to look both ways. Stop taking all my credit, I’ve been a certified Jeong Seongchan protector for twelve years.”

 

 

“For the record, I think I saved your life way more than-” Sungchan unable to finish his sentence.

 

 

“Oh, just shut up and come over here pabo yahh.” interrupted Youn Jung.

 

 

Sungchan obliges, crawling onto the huge couch and shifting the blankets so he can lie down comfortably besides her. She turns and slips her arms around his neck, drawing herself closer until there’s nothing between them but the thin fabric of their school uniforms.

“We haven’t done this in ages,” Sungchan mumbles into the cushion, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair – grapefruit, probably that tickles his nose. It’s a comforting smell, washing over his tired mind until there’s nothing left in his thoughts but her.

 

 

“Mmmhmmmm.. I remember when we’d have sleepovers almost every day at the Suhs. Their loft were the best before this Hideout was alive.” Youn Jung hums, smiling into Sungchan shoulder when he begins to play with her fingers.

 

 

“Time passes quickly, doesn’t it?” commented Youn Jung.

 

 

Sungchan nods absentmindedly, taking note on how soft and small Youn Jung's hands are in his, how he can feel the steady beating of her heart against his back, how easily they fit together even after all these years apart.

 

 

“Yeah. I can’t believe we’re graduating next year.”

 

 

“Shh, I don’t want to think about that yet. Exam is first, remember?”

 

 

Sungchan groans, “Ugh, yeah. Studying and cramming is going to be a pain, though.”

 

 

Youn Jung chuckled and throws a leg over his, tangling their limbs even further, “Lucky for you, your study buddy won't graduate this year. So we’re gonna get through it together, mmm?”

 

 

Sungchan lets out a whine and tries to squirm out of her hold, “Arasso arasso... My trusty sidekick will make sure I don’t overwork myself and die of stress. Happy?” 

 

 

Satisfied with Sungchan's answer, Youn Jung pinches his cheek and ruffles his hair, “Mm. Saranghae Jeong Sungchan.”

 

 

“Nado.”

 

 

The two of them lie in comfortable silence, feeling the rise and fall of each others’ chests, neither wanting to get up and turn off the lamp left pulsing across the room. Sungchan eyelids are fluttering shut when he feels the brush of lips on his temple, making a familiar warmth bloom inside his stomach.

 

 

Smiling, he turns around to see Youn Jung's sweet face, eyes soft and light cascading down her ethereal features, and his heart just swells because he’s never seen anything so beautiful.

 

 

As Sungchan returns the kiss on her forehead, he throws out a prayer to the heavens, wishing they could remain like this until the world had spun its end, until there’s nothing left but the stars in the sky to watch them in their timelessness. The two took a nap for another hour before heading back to their respective homes.

---

 

The Next day..

 

 

Jaehyun pulls up to the Kim Residence in his Kia Carnival. HyunA fiddling with the knobs of the car radio as she waits for Youn Jung to arrive. Sungchan was poking at the newly formed pimple on his chin in the backseat when there’s suddenly the sound of a crashing gate. Not even a second later the passenger side door pops open to reveal the girl they have been waiting for.

 

 

“Joan Achim yeoreobun.. Gomapsumida Jaehyun Samchon for fetching me today. Appa had a early morning schedule that he had to go.”

 

 

“Arasso.. Joan achim to you too” Sungchan reaches over the console to tug Youn Jung seatbelt down, locking it in place and lightly prodding his best friend in the forehead. “Yah.. Did you bring me breakfast?”

 

 

HyunA rolls her eyes at her brother remarks, "Yah.. didn't Eomma made you egg mayo sandwich earlier?" earning a "Tchhh" from her brother.

 

 

Youn Jung is used to Sungchan's requests. She opens the container in her hands, lifting the homemade treat for him to take a greedy bite.

 

 

“Yah Jeong Sungchan.. you’re not even a child, why does Jungie still feeds you.”

 

 

“Hyun ahh, it’s not my fault that she make the best choco muffins in the world,” Sungchan the crumbs from his lips, humming in appreciation as Jaehyun looked at his son from the rear mirror then starts the engine and pulls onto the road.

 

 

 “Plus, I’m her best friend and she loves me.”

 

 

“Aigoooo.” sighed Youn Jung.

 

 

“By the way, what’s with the look?” Sungchan looks at her pointedly, briefly noticing the difference in Youn Jung. She had curled her hair wavy and put on red lip tint. Her school skirt looked a bit shorter than before. Sungchan was amazed at how long Youn jung legs look with the skirt.

 

 

“I’m pretty sure we don’t have a scouting entertainment agency coming to our school today.” said Sungchan.

 

 

Youn Jung purses her lips and avoids his gaze, cheeks turning a shade darker than the blush she had carefully applied earlier. “Ani.. Jadin’s basketball game is this afternoon. I'm going to SOPA to see it.”

 

 

Sungchan froze for a moment, heart dropping into his stomach as he remembers the heart fluttering tension of Youn Jung and their squad SOPA's star basketball player yesterday.

 

 

“Well then, you better be the loudest one cheering for him,” Sungchan chuckles, casually running a hand through his hair to hide his annoyance. There’s a twinge of jealousy stirring in his gut, ugly and bitter as it climbs up his throat, but he bites it down before he says anything he’ll regret.

 

 

“Are you actually going to pursue him after what happened yesterday Jungie?" asked HyunA. Her father was just eavesdropping not wanting to interrupt the teens' conversation. Of course he would need to meet up with Johnny and Jungwoo to discuss about their kids soon. 

 

 

Youn Jung sticks her tongue out at Sungchan, “Hmmm I don't know guys.. Should i? He’s really sweet right, unlike Sungchan.”

 

 

Sungchan scoffs loudly, “Wow, i'm speechless. What else is he? Is he taller than me? No. We are the same height LOL. Plus Jadin goes to the animal shelter after school to play with all the adorable puppies and kitties while a crowd of girls coo at him from behind the window.”

 

 

“Jadin is cute too. Although he is a bit stoic, he is nicer than you’ll ever be,” Youn Jung huffs, slinking back into her seat with a pout painted across her cherry red lips.

 

 

Jaehyun was too into their conversation but it takes everything in him to keep his eyes on the road, to block out any thoughts of pulling over and nagged at the kids.

 

 

“Appa watch out there’s a pothole right there-”

 

 

KA-THUNKkk.

 

 

“!” Jaehyun exclaims as the rest of the children lets out a surprised gasp. The three of them were jerking in their seats and straining against their seatbelts when Jaehyun abruptly brakes the car in vain. Once they come to a stop, Youn Jung blinks open her eyes to see an arm hastily thrown across her waist, flushing at its closeness before turning to the owner.

 

 

“Yah Gwenchana???” Sungchan eyes are wide as he anxiously looks Youn Jung up and down, “Eodiseo appeo?”

 

 

“Na gwenchana Chan ah. It was just a little bump,” Youn Jung sighs, gently patting his hand and removing it from her lap.

 

 

“Don’t worry so much about me.”

 

 

“Don’t worry about you?” Sungchan raising his voice, ears growing red. “How can I not worry about you when you’re always running off chasing guys who we all know will break your heart?”

 

 

 

"Huh??"

 

 

Youn Jung, HyunA and Jaehyun stares at him with a dumbfounded expression, startled by his sudden outburst. The air hangs heavy with anger and confusion, and too late does Sungchan realize that he had let out the bomb he’d been holding in.

 

 

“Jangkanmanyo, I’m- aishhhhhh, Mian, that’s not what I wanted to say-”

 

 

“Break my heart? Yah! Jeong Sungchan I’m not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself,” Youn Jung snaps, eyes hardening while firmly presses into a straight line.

 

 

“Why are you so protective? I can like whoever I want to, you’re not the one deciding for me.”

 

 

Youn Jung's response slaps him hard across the face, not just him but also the other Jeongs in the car too. Shoving the wind right out of his lungs until there’s nothing left but empty apologies. Breathing has never been so hard as their father, Jaehyun grips the steering wheel and resume driving.

 

 

Several moments pass between them in the car as Sungchan fumbles for the right words, hesitating slightly before forcing out a sentence, “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

 

 

Youn Jung exhales, breaking their eye contact to look out the window, “I’ll be fine. Chan ah.. Just…stop talking to me..”

 

 

The rest of the car ride is unbelievably stifling. Neither looks at the other, instead seeking the silence for comfort that isn’t there. Unspoken words of hurt sit on the tip of HyunA’s tongue, but she knows they’ll do nothing but worsen the damage that her brother had caused. So she kept her mouth shut, neck straining against the neck rest for a glimpse of the girl behind her seat.

 

 

When Jaehyun pulls up into the school drop off point, Youn Jung unclasps her seatbelt quicker than the other two, swiftly grabbing her bag and only facing Sungchan to shove the half eaten muffin into his hands.

 

 

“Thank you for driving me to school Samchon. Ittabwayo.” bowing her head thanking Jaehyun who was still silent.

 

 

She doesn’t spare Sungchan a second glance as she slips out of the car, slamming the door shut with a firm bam! That shakes the family to the core.

 

 

“You look pretty today,” Sungchan mumbled as he watches Youn Jung stride across the lobby, her hair flouncing airily in the spring breeze. Tearing his eyes away, he angrily bites into the now dry muffin. Youn Jung had made it sweet with lots of chocolate chips, just how he liked them. He then swallowed it so abruptly that he almost choke and coughs it back up. There’s a bitter aftertaste on his tongue as he wipes at his mouth, but it’s nothing compared to the sea of regret filling up deep inside him.

 

 

"Yah.. Neo manggetta... I've never seen Jungie angry like that before. Plus why are you so against Jadin and her? I saw you shooting laser beams through your eyes yesterday." asked HyunA to her brother.

 

 

"Shut up Hyun.. Just because you have a boyfriend now.. You don't have the right to lecture me too.." answered Sungchan now exiting the car. 

 

 

"Boyfriend?? Nugu??" asked their father.

 

 

"Eo Appa molla? Hyun is dating Suh Jabin now.." Sungchan selling his sister secret to their father just like that. 

 

 

"Aniyo Appa ha ha ha.. No. No.. We're not together..." stuttered HyunA.

 

 

"You two have alot of explaining to do tonight over dinner.. Your mother is going be very stress when she hears this." 

---