Yuri’s POV

After math, it was time for recess. L.Joe, Niel, Ricky, Changjo and I walked to the canteen to grab something to eat. The boys were joking around and teasing each other like what boys do. It was funny. They were full of smiles and laughter. We lined up to get our food before heading out to the football field to watch a bunch of Year Twelve play football. We sat on the benches and just enjoyed the fresh air.

A few minutes later, two guys came over to where we were sitting. I recognized one of them as Chunji from my first class. He saw me and smiled, reconigtion flittering across his face. “Hi, it’s Yuri, right?”

I nodded. “Neh. It’s nice to meet you, Chunji-sshi,” I said, getting shy all over again.

He beamed. “You remembered my name!”

“She remembers all whose name is Lee,” L.Joe shot back and he frowned.

“Yah, at least let me have my moment of happiness here,” he joked and L.Joe shoved him lightly to one side. He smiled warmly at me. “Welcome to our school. You’ll enjoy it here.”

“Especially since you’re with us!” Ricky piped up.

We all laughed. I looked over at the other guy and wondered who he was. He chuckled when he saw me looking at him. He extended his hand to me. “I’m CAP,” he introduced himself. “Don’t ask why. I just prefer not to use my real name.”

I shook his hand and bowed slightly. “Nice to meet you to, CAP-sshi.”

“Hey, what did we say about the honorifics and the bowing?” Niel spoke up with a teasing smile. “You are our friend. There’s no need for ‘sshi’.”

“Agree,” CAP, Chunji, L.Joe, Ricky and Changjo all chimed in.

I smiled to myself. And to think that I was scared that I won’t have any friends. I turned back to the field. “Which class is that?” I asked.

“Ah, Year Twelve’s,” CAP answered. He looked at his watch. “Oh, . I gotta go to the library for duties now.” He gave us an apologetic smile. He waved at me. “I hope to get to know you better, Yuri! Annyeong!” He bowed and left.

Suddenly the ball flew over to where the rest of us were and two guys hurried to get the ball. Since I was the closest, I passed the ball to one of them.

“Yuri!” he exclaimed.

I did a double take. “Cheolyong sunbae!”

He smiled. He turned to his friend and gave him the ball. His friend nodded and rushed back to the others to continue the game. Mir turned back to me, still smiling that gorgeous smile of his. My heart began thumping wildly.

“How do you like the school?” he asked. He saw the guys I was hanging out with and frowned. “Didn’t you make any girl friends?”

I turned and saw the others who were quizzically looking at the two of us. I turned back to him. “I did, but I couldn’t find her and since I was with them at my previous class, I thought I’d hang out with them,” I told him.

He nodded. “Oh.”

He looked so y in his uniform . . .

“I’ll drop you home after school, okay?” he offered. “That way your brother doesn’t have to drive all the way to here. How about that?”

I nodded, feeling happy. “Sure.” I gestured to his classmates. “I think you have to go.”

“Yah, Mir, we know you want to talk to your girl but come on, we got a game here!” one of his friends said, as if on cue.

I giggled and he threatened to punch him.

“Yah, shut up, Minho!” he yelled back. He sighed.

“It’s okay, just go,” I laughed. “I’ll be fine.”

Mir took and step and leaned down. My eyes grew big. What is he going to —?

He kissed me on the cheek.

Kyaaahhh!!!

He stood up straighter and looked at me in the eyes. “I’ll see you soon,” he said softly, taking my hand. He played with my fingers for a bit before going back to his friends.

Me?

I just stood there, dumbfounded, that he kissed my cheeks. Slowly my hand reached up to where he kissed me. I was squealing uncontrollably inside.

Remembering my new friends, I turned and walked back to them, flushing with happiness. “Hi,” I stuttered as I sat down, still thinking about what happened just now with Mir.

L.Joe frowned. “How did you know Mir? Is he your boyfriend or something?” he asked.

I shook my head and laughed nervously. “Anniyo,” I replied. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my brother’s friend. That’s how I know him.”

Chunji gave a sideway glance to L.Joe before asking me, “Do you like him?”

I blushed. “Arrrgghh, is it too obvious?” I asked him worriedly.

L.Joe looked away. I saw his fist clenching into a tight ball. Was he mad? Wae?

“Noona, Mir sunbae is a player,” Ricky said gently. “At least, that’s what rumors tell us. We can’t be too sure. But we have seen him flirt with other girls before. We just never saw him actually dating.”

“Oh.” I tried to hide my disappointment but L.Joe saw it anyway.

He tugged my hand and I turned to him. He smiled kindly at me. “Don’t worry, if he’s any kind of guy, he’ll like you. After all, you’re really nice. What’s not to like about you?”

I shrugged.

“Oh, Woohyun sunbae just scored,” Niel said, who had been watching the game intently all this time.

My heart skipped a beat when he said ‘Woo’. Woo Chul. I shook my head. I need to call him. I reached for my phone to call when suddenly my throat went dry. I’m not supposed to call him.

Ottoke?

It’s been a week already and I still have not made any contact with him. Would he be freaking out? Will he be mad that I left? What did my class teacher say when everyone asked about my whereabouts?

I want to cry.

L.Joe’s POV

Yuri reached for her pocket but stopped half-way, looking like she wanted to cry. What’s wrong? Why is she like this? I tugged on her hand. “Yuri, what’s the matter?” I asked softly.

She turned to me and I saw that her eyes were filled with tears. “I have to go,” she said quietly. Without waiting, she turned and bolted.

“Yuri, where are you going??” Niel asked, surprised.

“Noona — hyung!”

Ignoring my friend, I stood up and chased after her. She didn’t look good. What’s wrong with her? Is she okay? Why is she crying? Thoughts like these were swirling around my head as I desperately tried to find her. I heard the sound of sobs coming from behind the building. I cautiously walked over there.

Yuri was squatting, sobbing.

And Mir was with her.

“It’s okay,” he soothed her, gently caressing her hair, hugging her tight in his embrace. “It’s okay. You’ll get used to it. I know it’s really different, I know you miss your friends. I’m sorry I’m useless at giving advice, but I’ll be here, you know?”

She nodded and hugged him. He sighed, looking upset to see her upset.

I was surprised. I’ve never seen this side of Mir before. As far as I was concerned, he was always playing and fooling around. I have never seen him serious like this. Could he possibly be something else than what was said about him?

But why is he here with her? I felt this aching feeling in my heart when I saw him holding her. I didn’t know she was this close with Mir.

But I’m not going to lose to Mir.

Mir’s POV

I saw Yuri take off and I knew she was thinking about her friends again. I ran after her. She went behind the building. I wrapped my arms around her and she looked up, startled. I kissed her forehead without even thinking. “It’ll be okay,” I said.

“I wanted to call him but I realized I couldn’t,” she wailed. “I can’t call my boyfriend.”

My heart dropped. She already has a boyfriend? Well, she is pretty and really nice.

I her hair gently as she cried in my arms. “It’s okay,” I repeated. “You’ll get used to it. I know it’s really different, I know you miss your friends. I’m sorry I’m useless at giving advice, but I’ll be here, you know?” I hugged her again.

I looked up and saw L.Joe standing there, watching us. I turned back to Yuri, who didn’t seem to notice. I looked back up and he was gone. Good, give me and Yuri some time alone together.

Yuri . . . why must you be so breathtakingly y and beautiful?

Yuri . . . you’re driving me crazy.

“Why are you so nice to me?” she asked between sobs. “You only just met me.”

“But I already feel as though you are my friend,” I told her. “I like you, Yuri. You’re a cool girl to hang out with. And I don’t like seeing any of my friends upset, especially not pretty girls like you.” I her cheek and I felt it going hot. Was she blushing?

“You say that all the time, huh?”

“Say what?” I asked, baffled.

“You know . . . that you don’t like seeing pretty girls cry to all the other girls.”

I shrugged uncomfortably. Did L.Joe tell her about the rumors of me being a player? I’m not a player. Sure, I’ve dated before but I’ve never dumped a girl after a week for another. I’m not that kind of guy. “I don’t have many girl friends,” I confessed. “They either like me and it feels uncomfortable or . . . I’m just not very good at being friends with girl.”

“So I’m an exception”

I nodded. “I guess you could say that. But it’s not because your brother is Joon hyung,” I added quickly before she could say anything. “I just . . . I don’t know. I find you easier to talk with than with any other girls. You treat me like a friend.”

“You are my friend,” she retorted, wiping her tears away. She smiled sadly. “Thank you, for comforting me. It’s almost time for me to go to class.” She stood up and I stood up as well.

I hugged her.

I’ve never hugged a girl so warmly before. Aish, why is my heart beating so fast? Why can’t I seem to think straight with her?

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” I said.

She nodded, smiling softly. She tiptoed on her toes and pecked me on the cheeks. She blushed, looking away. I smiled, surprised. I didn’t expect that. “Bye,” she said quietly that I nearly missed it. She walked off to her new class.

I stood there, gazing into space, as I replayed that again. She kissed me! Does she like me? Omo, what am I going to do? Will her brother accept me?

Wait. She has a boyfriend already, you stupid. Aish. Ottoke?

I shook my head and walked out to find Minho and Key with their arms folded across their chest, smirking at me.

“Hmmm, what do we have here?” they asked with a tease and I knew what they want.

“Oh, shut up,” I sighed and walked passed them to our next class.

“Mir is in luuurrrvveee!” Key sang and Minho burst out laughing.

Those two will be the death of me, seriously.