CHAPTER 1

Eunjo poked her food moodily. It was her first day in this new high school her parents forced her in to. She was already in her last year, but she was forced to transfer. She hated it. She cannot understand why she needed to transfer. Well, she heard why. Apparently, she accidentally heard her parents talking to Lee Joon’s parents. He and his family just came back from 3 years stay in the US. And apparently, they wanted someone to be with him in this new high school they’d put him in. The most convenient person would be Eunjo, of course. Since she and Lee Joon had always been best friends. His parents thought they would be at ease knowing Eunjo would be there with Joon.

“There, there. You’d make a lot of friends there.” Her mom consoled her.

“Why do I have to babysit Lee Joon? He’s technically older than me!” Eunjo whined.

“Stop whining! It’s not like you can still do something about it. Just go now if you’re not gonna eat! Stop playing with the food!” Her dad said rather harshly.

Eunjo pouted sadly. But she was quite used to it. Her father was not the type to speak gentle and pretty words. To her, that is. But Eunhye, on the other hand, is different. She was a pretty child. Everything about her is gentle, and pure and pretty. It’s obvious that Eunhye is always the favoured child.

“Where’s Eunhye by the way? Isn’t it time for her to come back?” Their dad suddenly said, bringing the newspaper back in front of his face.

Eunhye always jogs early in the morning. It has been her routine since she started high school. She insisted that she must take care of her body and health. No wonder her body is always compared to the y idol Hyuna. Despite being a sophomore in her high school, she’s one of the school’s queenka. Of course, Eunjo had to live up with the never ending comparison between her and her sister. She usually just shrugs it off. She loves her sister, she’s nowhere near a bratty and obnoxious girl which everyone thought she is, being pretty and queenka and all. But sometimes it just gets on her nerves when their dad compares her unjustly. Not that she’s ugly, she just prefers to go low profile. She never took the effort to look pretty, since ….

“Unnie! Appa! Umma!” Eunhye shrieked upon entering their house. Eunjo automatically looked up to her dad, afraid he’ll scream at her to be quiet. Their dad hated too much noise.

“Look who I’ve ran on to!” Eunhye said excited as she was tugging someone behind her.

Their father didn’t screamed for her to be quiet, but instead put down his newspaper and look expectantly at his favourite daughter. Their mom also wiped her hands and took off her apron to welcome their guest. Eunjo also looked up, curious as to who might be visiting them early this morning.

“Good morning uncle, auntie.” The familiar boyish grin flashed to them.

Eunjo looked up and was quite shocked seeing her old friend. They hadn’t exactly kept in touch during those 3 years apart.  She didn’t realize a person could grow so much in that span of year.

“Eunjo-ya!” Lee Joon grinned widely at her, pleased to see her again. She’s actually the reason why he took an effort to drag himself out of his bed, despite the bad jetlag, just to see her again.

But she went back poking her food and grumpily murmuring “hey.” In her mind, she kept telling herself that it’s unfair that she gets stuck with him again. To think that she thought she had forgiven him already. But seeing him came all back rushing to her.

Eunhye giggled as Lee Joon draped his arms around her petite shoulders. It was so good to see her oppa again. He became much hotter than the last time she remembered. Not that she was romantically attracted to him 3 years ago. She was just 14 that time.

“Will you stop sulking already!” Their dad’s voice boomed, sending all 3 kids jumping a little.

Eunjo sighed and stood up. She grabbed her bag and brought her untouched food on the sink.

“Ya! Where are you going?!” Her dad called at her angrily.

“School.” She answered nonchalantly.

“Oh great! Let’s go together!” Lee Joon said excitedly as he bowed to Eunjo’s parents before turning to her, but Eunjo just walked past him, not even looking at him.

How come Lee Joon act like everything’s still the same? How can he act like Eunjo’s still Eunjo 3 years ago?

It was because their parting weren’t exactly friendly.

FLASHBACK

“Unnie! Are you excited?!” Little Eunhye squealed beside her sister.

There were in front of the mirror, admiring Eunjo’s pretty hair and dress. She was also carefully made up especially for that day’s event.

Lee Joon had asked her to go to the school dance with him. Their relationship weren’t exactly the romantic one. Lee Joon and Eunjo are childhood friends and their love for each other is purely platonic. But Eunjo can’t help feeling touched that he actually asked her out to the dance, since it might be the last one that they would see each other all dressed up nicely like that and such. The reason is that, in a few days, Lee Joon and his family will be moving away for god knows how many years, to US because of their family business. Eunjo tried her best to make herself look pretty, which she usually doesn’t, since Lee Joon actually wanted to come with her instead of his obnoxious girlfriend, Tiffany Hwang. Eunjo knew that Tiffany wasn’t exactly his type. He told Eunjo that the reason he was only flirting with her is to piss off his rival on another school’s soccer team, Yang Seungho.

“Dear, Changsun is here!” Their mom called from downstairs.

Eunhye hugged her sister one last time, excited to see her unnie so pretty. She was sure girls would be dying to be in her place. Not only she’s really pretty tonight, but she will be on the arms of the ‘great’ Lee Joon.

“Ready?” Lee Joon smiled at her.

All throughout the night, Lee Joon made her feel so pretty and special, completely opposite to the Lee Joon she knew for 16 years. Usually, he treats her roughly, telling her she’s not pretty at all and he cannot treat her like a girl because she’s one of the boys. Lee Joon simply treated her like she’s one of his guy friends.

Everything was so perfect, until Eunjo thought it’s too good to be true.

“Yah! How come that Jung Eunjo get to have Lee Joon as a date!” one girl whined inside the powder room. Eunjo was inside one of the water closet stalls. She can’t help smiling a little. Eunhye was right. A lot were actually envious of her tonight. Not to mention since Lee Joon is treating her extra special.

“There, there Tiff. Don’t you trust Lee Joon?” Eunjo recognized the voice as Kwon Yuri, one of the queenkas in their school. As young as 16, she was already doing modelling and CF jobs. She was really very pretty.

“First, Eunjo is his best friend. Believe me, there’s nothing going on between them. I’ve seen them grow up together. It’s purely platonic, Tiff.” Yuri said objectively. Eunjo thought despite all the attention Yuri gets, she’s still quite nice.

“Hmp. But that’s the point. It’s not impossible that Eunjo would like Lee Joon more than just a friend. I trust Lee Joon. But I don’t trust that girl.” Tiffany scoffed.

Eunjo felt herself rolling her eyes. That girl is really obnoxious.

Yuri only laughed.

“Still! The attention that ugly thing is getting should be mine. I should be with Lee Joon tonight! I bet she blackmailed him or something so he would have no choice but to bring her.” Tiffany said bitterly.

“Well. I think it’s the other way around.” Yuri said slowly, unsure whether to tell Tiffany or not.

“What do you mean it’s the other way around?! Are you saying my Lee Joon actually begged that ugly pathetic thing to this dance?!” Tiffany spat.

“Ya! Will you cool down! Why are you getting angry at me!” Yuri answered back, rather annoyed too. “What I’m saying is that, my boyfriend Sunggyu, told me they actually made a bet.” She started.

Eunjo held her voice. Inside her, she wanted to just stormed out and not her Yuri’s story. But a part of her wanted to just stay there and listen.

“You know how those guys are, right? Lee Joon, Sunggyu, Woohyun, Byunghee and Mir. They’re all bunch of playboys. In case you didn’t notice. I’m not with Sunggyu right now.” Yuri said. You can notice a bit of disappointment in her voice.

“Come to think of it. You are not with Sunggyu. And I just saw Mir with that ugly loser Jiyeon from Section 9. Seriously, how can somebody be so ugly and stupid at the same time?” Tiffany continued trash talking.

“Sunggyu told me he cannot take me to this year’s dance because the guys made a bet. They wanted to test their ‘charisma’ skills and the one who can get the girl fastest on bed, wins.” Yuri said.

Eunjo froze on the spot. ‘She’s kidding, right? Lee Joon can never do that to me. Or maybe Lee Joon is not participating in that bet.’

“You serious?! How can you let Sunggyu be with another girl?! Oh my god! My Lee Joon!” Tiffany cried.

“Nah. Sunggyu told me they won’t really sleep with them. But they would make it like did. Of course, the girls would throw themselves at them by that time. But remember Mir’s brother? He graduated last year. He gave them each this sleeping drug that they would have to put on the girls’ drink to make them pass out. Then they’d just have to make it look like something happened, snap a pic and post it on their cyworld minihompy. Actually, Byunghee wanted to post it on twitter, but Lee Joon protested because he doesn’t have one.” Yuri laughed.

Eunjo felt his jaw hung. So Lee Joon was not exempted from the bet?

“Now, you didn’t want your picture on minihompy, right? That’s why Lee Joon didn’t asked you to be his date. Sunggyu also told me, Byunghee, being this annoyingly twisted gentleman he is, suggested that they should take girls who aren’t… well… girls who aren’t that pretty looking.”

By this time, Eunjo felt herself sick. After all these years, Lee Joon still thinks she’s ugly. She felt pathetic making her way out to look pretty and special for him tonight.  But then, Yuri is not yet done talking.

“Byunghee said they should take the girls who aren’t gifted on the face department, so at least they’d experience how to date once even in their lifetime. Even if the boys humiliate them in the end, they still cannot spit hate at them, because the boys let them experience something that they only see in their dreams.” Yuri explained. Eunjo can't tell whether Yuri finds it amusing or not. So much for thinking she’s a nice girl.

“Oh my god! Byunghee is really a genius!” Tiffany laughed obnoxiously. “But still, why Eunjo? I mean, she’s not pretty, yes. I think it’s pretty obvious that she the only girl I’m friggin damn jealous because of her closeness to Joon.” Tiffany said, looking at her nails, not wanting Yuri to see in her eyes how much she’s FRIGGIN jealous of Eunjo.

“Well…. From what I’ve heard, Byunghee was supposed to ask her.”

Eunjo heard Tiffany gasp.

“OH--- He did not!” She cried, her voice excited. Everyone knows how twisted Byunghee is. True, he’s a gentleman on the outside, but there’s always a motive under that kindness and gentleness he gives. He’s the biggest player and he takes pride that he was the one who took almost all of the ‘un-’ girls in the school. Even Yuri and Tiffany. Their viriginity was took by Byunghee.

Yuri laughed. “He did. But Lee Joon, of course, didn’t let him. So he took Eunjo away from Byunghee right away.”

‘No wonder Byunghee had suddenly started sending excessive sms to me. Even asking me nicely if I feel okay when I was feeling sick. God, I thought he was genuinely nice!’ Eunjo buried her face in her palms.

“But of course, rules are rules. Lee Joon still needs to do what the others agreed on. So…. There. I’ve told you everything. Don’t throw another y tantrums or I swear I’ll tell Seungho you’re two timing him!” Yuri sneered.

“Oh you !” Tiffany bellowed, but suddenly the two fell into a fit of giggles.

“Let’s go! I want to French kiss my Lee Joon before that ugly starts throwing herself at him. I think it might take him a week of mouth wash before that bile would come off his mouth.” Tiffany laughed as the two went back to the event hall.

END OF FLASHBACK

“Will you stop following me!” Eunjo cried frustrated at him for tailing her.

“Ya! It’s been 3 years. Where’s my ‘I miss you’ and even ‘It’s been a long time’ will do.” Lee Joon was taken back upon seeing the fuming Eunjo.

“IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME !” Eunjo shrieked. “WILL THAT DO?! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Eunjo ran away from him as fast as she can. Yes, she hasn’t forgiven him yet. And yes, she was still mad as hell at him.

“Ya! Let’s go together!” Lee Joon ran after her.

Eunjo has never been so hurt and humiliated all her life. She tried to bury that ugly past away. After that, her parents grounded her and immediately changed her school. And the worst part is, they never knew it was Lee Joon’s fault. They simply thought Eunjo was so careless to get herself drunk and went with a random guy.

During that time, when Eunjo had heard Yuri and Tiffany, she didn’t know she had drunk that iced tea with the sleeping drug in it already. And yes, it was Lee Joon who had put it in.

“ing .” Eunjo murmured as she made her way to the bus stop, as angry tears dangerously pooled in the corner of her eyes, remembering everything.

It was posted everywhere! Her photos! That next morning, she woke up in a fancy hotel, and she was already . No Lee Joon, no one else. She cried and cried, until she cannot even hold herself up. She was pretty sure she wasn’t touch. She knew Lee Joon wouldn’t do that.

But the next day, it’s as if hell broke loose and swallowed her up.

Her photos, sleeping and covered only on a blanket, were posted on Byunghee’s minihompy. He was disgustingly hovering her neck and he had even put her arm around him, so it would look like she knew what she was doing.

It was the first time that Eunjo’s dad had ever laid a hand on her. And her mom didn’t even protest when her dad had slapped her across the face for what had happened.

She felt disgusted and dirty. Suddenly she wasn’t even sure anymore if she wasn't really touched. How could Lee Joon call his friends to make fun of her? How could Lee Joon even let her be in Byunghee's hands, knowing how foul and disgusting he is? How many photos they took? What else did they do to her?

It was the time that her parents never looked Eunjo the same way again. Eunjo never looked at herself the same way again.

For her, she was ugly, pathetic and disgusting. And it’s all because of Lee Joon’s doing.