Mi Cha spun around quickly to find Yong Guk leaning on the door, staring at her and the basket. She was about to say something but it was caught in .

He’s going to tell my secret! All my hard work will be for nothing!

Yong Guk leaned off the door and walked towards her. He looked at the basket and whistle. “It’s really pretty.” He averted his eyes up to Mi Cha, who was frozen with fear. “I can’t believe that you’re the ‘Angel’ that everyone talks about. Then again, everybody has a side to them that no one really knows. It’s laughable, really.”

Mi Cha snapped back into focus and glared at him. “Laughable?”

Yong Guk nodded and sat on the table, keeping his eyes on her. “Yes, laughable because you’re the least expected person to be Angel. Even I wouldn’t have expected that since you put up such a convincing appearance.”

“W-well, what are you going to do now? Tell everyone?”

“Maybe,” Mi Cha clenched her fingers, “but I won’t.”

Mi Cha froze for a second then looked up at him. “You won’t? Why not? Are you going to have me do something for you?”

Yong Guk sighed and hopped off the table. “Do you really think that lowly of me? Do I really seem like the type of person to force you to do something you don’t want to do?”

“Well, it’s hard to say. After all, ‘everybody has a side to them that no one really knows.’”

“Haha, wow, I guess I should watch what I say next time, but I promise, I won’t.”

“Well, then what do you want?”

Yong Guk walked up to her and leaned down so they were at eye’s level. He looked at her, unmoving and expressionless that it almost scared Mi Cha. Then he broke out into a goofy grin and stood up.

“I want us to be friends.”

Mi Cha blinked at him. “No really, what do you want?”

“That’s exactly what I want. I want us to be friends.”

“That’s it? No slavery? No wanting something in return?” Mi Cha asked, unsure.

“I’m only asking your friendship in return. You don’t have to start right away, but I want you to be nicer to me. Then slowly, you’ll come to understand that I’m a great guy, at least I hope. But, I want us to be friends.”

Mi Cha bit the inside of her cheek and tilted her head. “That’s it? Are you sure? You promise you won’t ask for anything more? No slavery?”

Yong Guk saluted. “Scout’s honor.”

Mi Cha stared at him then shook her head. “I doubt you were ever a scout.”

Yong Guk laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. But still, I promise.”

“Okay, but why are you asking for my friendship?”

Yong Guk tapped his chin and shrugged. “I don’t even know the answer to that question. I guess it’s because I admire you in a way.”

Mi Cha blinked. “Really? You admire me?”

Yong Guk chuckled. “Yeah, I know it surprises me too. Anyway, I promise I won’t tell your secret. But starting tomorrow, I want you to hang out with us whenever you have free time. We’re in room 204 at lunch, before school and after school.”

“Um, okay. But, if you break your promise I won’t let you go until you’re punished.”

“You know, that doesn’t sound so bad.” Yong Guk smiled playfully and walked closer then grabbed my hand. Mi Cha reflex was to flip him, but her hand flinched from the pain. Yongguk noticed, especially since he was prepared to be flip, and looked down to see her hands bleeding. “What’s this?”

Mi Cha pulled her hand away and hid it. “Nothing, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She made a move for the door but Yongguk grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the nursery room. “This is not nothing, we have to bandage it.”

Mi Cha struggled but was surprise by his strength. He didn’t seem this strong yesterday. “Let me go, I’m fine. This is nothing.”

Yongguk scoffed and started pulling out some bandages and ointments from the cabinet drawer. “It’s not nothing. Sit.”

Mi Cha sighed and sat down. Yongguk kneeled down before her and starting applying the ointment then the bandage. Every now and then he would ask if it hurt, but Mi Cha denied it. Although, she felt kind of touched by this guy who was helping her treat her wound. Back in her karate dorm, if she ever got hurt, nobody offered to help her. Maybe because they were scared, but they could at least asked if she was alright.

When Yongguk was finished, he placed everything back and smiled. “Does it feel better?”

Mi Cha flexed her hands and nodded. “Yeah … uh, thanks.”

“Of course, it’s what friends do for each other.”

“Ah, that’s right, friends.” Mi Cha stared down at her hands.

“I mean, Cheondoong must do it for you all the time right?”

Mi Cha thought about it. In fact, Cheondoong never offered to help her at all whenever she got hurt. He would actually just make a smart remark about how she should be careful. She never thought about it, before.

“Uh, anyway I have to go.” She avoided the question. “Thanks, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Yongguk gave her a big smile and opened the door for her. “You’re welcome. Remember, we’re friends. I want you to relax yourself around me and my friends, who will be yours soon.”

Mi Cha just nodded her head and went back up to the dorm to collect her stuff. As she made her way out of the school, she saw Yongguk in the distance with his friends. They were all playing around and having fun to the point where Mi Cha almost wanted to be a part of their group.

Wait. Mi Cha froze. You don’t need that much friends. You have to focus on your training and on becoming the world champion. I have to fulfill my dad’s dream. It’s only until you graduate, then you won’t see him ever again.