Eunjo must say she felt a little better. She wasn’t the type to brood, she was sure of that. But she just can’t help feeling insecure of everything. Her parents think she’s not good enough for anything. Lee Joon thinks she’s not pretty enough to be with someone. Sure she has a few friends at school, but she can’t help feeling that they were only taking her in because they pity her. Of course, that’s not really true. They tried telling her to have a little more self confidence, but how could she? After the way her parents treat her as she grew up, and not after what happened during the freshman year of her previous school.

In her whole high school years, she totally had 3 schools. First, when she was with Lee Joon, Byunghee, Tiffany and the others. The second was when she transferred because of the humiliation Byunghee had brought to her. She thought that school wasn’t so bad; she just needed to remain low profile. And now, she got transferred again because of Lee Joon. And it’s as if her freshman years were repeating itself.

She was seated quietly at the school garden, looking over the students scattered all over the school grounds. It was lunch break, and she needed fresh air. The stares and the murmurs were all very suffocating.

“Hi.”

She almost jumped from her seat when she turned to her side to see the intruder of her peace. Lee Joon.

“So here’s where you always hide, huh.” He said, looking around at the area. The place was the most peaceful Eunjo could found. Not a lot of students hang out in there, because it was too much walk from the school building. But it was also a good spot to hide; you can still see what’s happening over at school.

“What are you doing here?” She asked quietly. She didn’t mean it to sound too harsh.

“Hey.” Lee Joon said, feeling a bit hurt. “I was actually looking for you. You cannot send me away anymore. I decided to stick to you like a glue! Ha!” He stuck his tongue out at her, looking so childish. It made her laugh a little, but looked away.

“I brought food. Here.” He placed the lunch box on the middle of them and carefully placing a pair of chopsticks on the side. She looked up at him. Only 1 pair of chopsticks.

‘Oh maybe he just wanted to eat here.’ She thought as she looked away, feeling embarrassed that she thought he had actually wanted to share with her.

“Here.” Lee Joon called her attention, trying to feed her a piece of egg roll. She looked at him.

“No, go ahead.” She said politely. But he forced feed her, not accepting no for an answer.

“Yah!” She cried, while chewing appalled at what Lee Joon just did. But he smiled contently.

“Good, right? I’ve been practicing cooking.” He said, smiling to himself, feeling contented. He popped a kimbap to his mouth.

“I thought you didn’t want to share with me.” Eunjo admitted, eyeing the other deliciously looking food inside on the lunch box.

“Ah, coz I only brought 1 pair of chopsticks? I thought it’s cute for us to share, even the utensils, just like before.” Lee Joon smiled, as if it was the most obvious and normal thing in the whole world.

Eunjo didn’t want to bring it up anymore, but she knows how hygiene freak Joon was. Was there even the 'just like before' he was talking about? Years before, he would have thrown a fit if someone uses something he’s using already. Let alone eating utensils.

She remembered one incident when she ate a piece of cake from his plate and got caught by him. She thought it was okay to share, since they were kids and that they were best friends. But Lee Joon threw fit, throwing his cake on the floor, refusing to eat anymore.

Lee Joon took a look at her face again. He knows what she was thinking, and he felt ashamed. He was such a spoiled brat before.

“I don’t mind us sharing things. It’s not like I would die because of it, right?” He just said, laughing a little.

Eunjo glanced at him and smiled a little. Still a sad smile, he thought.

“OPPA~!”

Suddenly the peace that Eunjo went for was invaded. She didn’t mind Lee Joon that much anymore, but she wasn’t just sure for this one.

“OMG! Oppa~ I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” The girl stumbled as she tried climbing the hill with her 6 inches stilettos. She almost looked so funny.

“Hyuna?” Lee Joon’s expression was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out of his socket.

“Finally I’ve found you! Oh my god this place is so sad! I cannot even find someone to talk to!” She said in a very dramatic voice, all in English. She looks so pretty and her curves are to die for. Eunjo never felt so ashamed of what she currently has. With this girl, she totally looked like a trash. 

She tried looking away. She was sure this ‘Hyuna’ that Lee Joon had called is probably sitting on Lee Joon’s lap already.

“Hyuna, why are you here?” He continued asking in English.

“Well, my father apparently wanted me to learn a few manners and Korean etiquette so he sends me to study here. But don’t you just love it! Now we can still continue what we had---“ Eunjo risked stealing glances at the two beside her. Surprisingly, Hyuna was seated calmly on the other side of Lee Joon. She was just clinging on his arm.

Eunjo just sighed and decided to just stood up and walked away as fast as she could without saying anything nor looking back.

“Wait! Eunjo-ya!” Lee Joon called, reaching for her, but Hyuna looked up and noticed Eunjo for the first time.

“Aish!” He cried frustratedly.

Hyuna was his sort of girlfriend back in the US. She is a hot stuff in their school, being all chic and y and everything a guy could ever want.

Sure, Lee Joon was so surprised to see her then. But he didn’t exactly know how to react; Hyuna hasn’t been on his mind since he went back to Korea.

“Who’s that girl, and why are you with her?” Hyuna asked sadly, pouting a little. She was now settled down beside Joon, eating the lunch he had prepared for himself and Eunjo.

“She’s my friend.” Joon just said, slowly trying to calm his nerves down.

“Really? Oh. Is this her food? Oh my god, Lee Joon, I thought you’ve changed already, why are you taking her lunch!” Hyuna scolded him. Although Hyuna looks like an obnoxious , she’s still nice to people she likes and to the people who treats her nicely too. For example, Lee Joon’s friends, whether they are girls or boys.

He gave her a look as if he cannot believe she’s actually being nice. Sure she’s nice to some people, but not on the first meeting.

Hyuna just shrugged and popped another piece of kimbap in . Maybe she’s just in a very good mood because she’s finally with him again.

“Anyway, I missed you.” She purred, smiling sweetly at him.

“It’s been a long time you know.” She said, her voice smooth as a silk. It was one of the things Lee Joon liked from her before.

Eunjo let out a low huff, shaking her head with what she just witnessed. She didn’t imagine Joon being that way in the US. Or maybe she didn’t even think Joon would even forget about her during those 3 years. He never did say anything in the emails. Sure he mentions girls, but it dawned to her that maybe he lived there in a different way already.

But she was more annoyed at the fact that someone had stolen her spot in that area. Now she needed to find another.

She settled on the farthest tree on the lower school grounds. She was closer to a lot of students but she was pretty sure she was still concealed from their eyes. The last thing she wanted is to have another batch of scrapes on her body.

“H-Hi?”

Eunjo immediately spun around and met a pair of dark brown eyes and a baby faced looking guy. He was wearing a pair of large glasses. And he looked a little lost and confused.

“Are you alone? Do you mind if I sit next to you? I promised you won’t even notice I’m here.” He said all at once. Eunjo laughed a little at his cuteness and scooted over to make room for him. His faced glowed up and took it as her yes.

For a few minutes, he was really being serious. He was too quiet, clutching his bag. He’s really being the ‘you-won’t-even-notice-I’m-here’ self.

“Are you new here?” Eunjo turned to him. He looked up at her and smiled back. Eunjo can’t help liking him immediately. He’s as if radiating positivity around him. Even though they just met, barely half an hour, it was like; he was a walking ray of sunshine. For unknown reason, she felt light and happy just sitting with him there.

“Yeah. My name is Lee Junghwan. But you can call me Sandeul,” Then suddenly he was looking around if someone had overheard him. Then he leaned closer to Eunjo when he found none.

“Not a lot of people call me Sandeul. I only let the people close to me call me that.” He said. Eunjo nodded, thinking why he told her that when obviously they aren’t close that yet.

“Erm.. You’re probably thinking why I told you that, right?” He asked sheepishly. Eunjo laughed a little, was she that obvious?

“Please don’t freak out but,” He looked almost too frightful, but Eunjo was all ears. Then he looked down, looking embarrassed. “I like you, and I feel like I can trust you so I told you.” He confessed.

Eunjo smiled. And she never smiled genuinely like that for years.

“I like you too.” Eunjo said, looking straight in front of them, smiling. She saw from her peripherals that he was looking at him, surprised.

“Then does that made me weird too?” Eunjo said, laughing a little.  Sandeul’s face suddenly light up.

“Of course not, Of course not.” He shook his head.

“My name is Eunjo. Jung Eunjo.” She said.

“Eunjo sunbae,” Sandeul said, trying calling her name out.

“You can just call me Eunjo. You can drop the sunbae. I don’t mind.”

“No! I’ll call you Eunjo noona then, since you’re obviously a year older than me.” He said, smiling brightly while pointing out at the year level embodied on her school uniform.

“Okay.” You giggled. He looked like a human stuffed toy, so cute and fluffy.

“Have you had lunch already, noona?” He asked, pulling out his backpack.

Eunjo suddenly reminded of the earlier incident with Lee Joon and Hyuna. Somehow, it made her a little sad.

“Nah. I don’t really eat lunch.” She lied lamely. Well, not really lied, but it was partly true. She doesn’t usually have lunch.

“What?! You shouldn’t do that!” Sandeul exclaimed, as if he hadn’t heard anything more absurd. “Here, my noona prepared lunch for me.” He brought out a big lunch box and settled them between them.

“Noona?”

“Ah, yeah. I have an older sister.” He briefly said but didn’t explain further. He pushed a pair of disposable chopsticks on Eunjo’s hands while he has his own.

“Let’s dig in!” He pumped his fist excited as Eunjo watched him, amused, at how much lively this boy can be.

--

In almost all classes after the lunch break, Lee Joon tried asking his teacher for bathroom passes just so he can walk past Eunjo’s classroom. He can see her alright, but he cannot even ask her teacher to excuse her so he can talk to her. He guessed he just needed to wait until school is over. He decided to wait for her on the school gate. He’s sure she cannot avoid him anymore since everyone passes there.

“Eunjo-yah!” He called, relieved to see her walking towards her.

“Eunjo---“

“Oppa!” Lee Joon saw Hyuna grabbed his arm again. “Tour me around here. It’s been a while since we spend time together.”

The other students eyed with them envy. For everyone’s eyes, they looked like a perfect couple. Lee Joon being oh-so-damn-hot-boyfriend while Hyuna being the –oh-so-perfect-girl-what-can-u-ask-for-more-girlfriend.

“But I have something to—“ Lee Joon stopped when he looked up at Eunjo and saw her talking to some guy who was smiling too much that his eyes were already disappearing. He looked like a child asking Eunjo for some candy or something.

Lee Joon was about to approach them but stopped when Hyuna did aegyo that he cannot resist before, but maybe the real reason he halted when he sees Eunjo finally gave the rare smile she has and nodded at the boy before walking off together. He followed them with his eyes as Eunjo started chatting with him, looking happy for the first time in years he had seen.

“Oh. Junghwan!” Hyuna suddenly called someone while she had his arms around Lee Joon’s.

Sandeul stopped when he heard his name called.

“Oh. Noona!” He smiled and waved back. Eunjo followed his gaze and was a bit surprised to see Lee Joon and Hyuna standing just a few meters away from them. Lee Joon seemed just as shocked as Eunjo so neither of them said anything as Sandeul pulled Eunjo with him.

“Oh, isn’t she your friend?” Hyuna looked up at Joon, asking.

“Who is that?” Lee Joon suddenly asked, frowning a bit.

“Who? Ah, Junghwan?” Hyuna asked, battling her eyelashes a little. “Why, are you jealous?” She grinned sheepishly.

Lee Joon scoffed and put his hands on his pockets and started making his way.

“Yay! Oppa, let’s go! I want ice cream on our way!” Hyuna squealed and hugged his arm.

-

Eunjo had learned a lot about Sandeul in a short span of time. She learned that Sandeul’s family came from Busan. But he went to the US to study English for a few months before going back to Korea to continue studying high school. Eunjo felt calm and relaxed just by listening to him talk.

“Well, what about noona? What’s the reason you transferred school?” Sandeul asked, as they settled down on the table, with their iced coffees on hand.

“Well,” Eunjo contemplated whether to tell Sandeul her very sad life. But she decided against it. He’s such a happy person, unlike her. She doesn’t want to taint his sunshine like personality with hers.

“Well, because my parents wanted me too.” She simply said; it was partly true. But she hoped she doesn’t anything away to him. He seemed to be satisfied enough, since he was nodding his head.

“Kids in the school are pretty……” Sandeul paused to think of the right term, “Well, they’re pretty… unfriendly.” He laughed. “That is to me. Or maybe because I’m just new.”

Eunjo laughed. “Believe me, I’ve experienced worst.” She said with humor. Having someone to talk to and joke about it makes it less hurtful. Or maybe Sandeul’s warm personality is slowly rubbing on her.

His eyes flickered on the white gauzes that cover Eunjo’s bruises.

“Did they…” He trailed. Eunjo blinked a few times before sinking in what he was asking.

She immediately put down her arms and smiled uncertainly. Sandeul seemed to notice her uncomfortableness.

“Ah, by the way, can I also get your number? So we can sms each other when were bored in class!” Sandeul said excitedly, handing her his mobile phone. She laughed.

“We can only sms each other when we’re in class?” Eunjo asked, teasing him a little. He seemed a little taken back, but she was smiling.

“Ah of course not, we can sms anytime!” He laughed. “I feel like I’m really closer to you now. Does that make me sound creepy?” He asked, worried a little.

Eunjo laughed at him. He’s really adorable. “No, it’s not creepy. And I feel the same way too. Don’t worry I’ll tell you when you’re creepy.” She patted his head. He beamed in glee.

“Let’s take a photo noona! I want a remembrance for my first day in school!” He said as he scooted next to her on the couch.

“1,2—Kimchiiiii”

She smiled at the camera with Sandeul as he raised his mobile phone. But then,

“Hey guys, what are you doing here?” Hyuna’s pretty face suddenly materialized infront of Sandeul and Eunjo. Her smile immediately dropped. Beside Hyuna, is Lee Joon, whose arms are around her waist.

For the 2^nd time of the day, they both looked so surprised to run on to each other again. Eunjo sighed and looked away.

“Ah, this is my friend Eunjo. Noona, this is Hyuna noona.” Sandeul introduced the two to each other. Eunjo briefly smiled at Hyuna, then looking away.

“Ah, I know her! She’s Lee Joon oppa’s friend.” Hyuna clapped her hands together, as if excited to meet Eunjo.

-

Lee Joon frowned at her, although she was avoiding her gaze. Hyuna had dragged her in this weird café that sells her coffee flavoured ice cream that she’s craving. As they stepped inside the café, he was so surprised to spot Eunjo and the guy she was with earlier. From all his life, he knew Eunjo as the school-home person. She doesn’t usually go out with friends, or if she does, it will be with him and Eunhye.

And what surprised him even more, is she’s smiling like she’s really happy. He thought she looked really lovely and pretty. But as soon as Hyuna dragged them to Eunjo and the guy’s table, her pretty smiles immediately fell. He’s starting to think she hates him so much.

FLASHBACK

“Joonie, come on! Let’s take pictures!” Eunjo called on to him during their middle school trip. As usual, they were partnered for the trip.

“Take them yourselves! What’s the use of your camera if you’re gonna take photos of yourself and not the sceneries.” Lee Joon crossed his arms and ignored her. She pouted. But she knew he’s having his usual tantrums because his mom didn’t let him bring his gaming console.

“After I take our souvenir photo, I’ll take photo of the sceneries.” Eunjo smiled as she hugged Lee Joon’s arms.

“Just one photo Changsunie~” She aegyo-ed a little.

“Don’t do that!” Lee Joon bellowed; she was startled a little. She knows he doesn’t like being called by his real name. She smiled at him widely so he wouldn’t feel so angry anymore.

“Okay, let’s take that stupid photo so stop smiling like an idiot.” Lee Joon said as he took the camera off Eunjo’s hands.

“Yay!” Eunjo cheered as she smiled and pose for the camera.

“1,2,3!” Lee Joon counted lamely.

“Ya! What kind of—“

“I said don’t do that!” Lee Joon yelled at her again.

“What’s your problem?” Eunjo said, feeling a little irritated already.

“Why do you always do that aegyo face?” Lee Joon asked, as they looked at the photo they took. Eunjo was smiling brightly as Lee Joon had his normal face. Not smiling, but not frowning either. Eunjo thought it was pretty okay.

“Don’t do that aegyo smiling face. It’s disgusting. It’s not even pretty.” Lee Joon said harshly as he handed her the camera, leaving Eunjo, too speechless with his harsh words.

END OF FLASHBACK

“We can just share tables, if its okay?” Hyuna said excitedly, looking at both you and Sandeul.

“Sure! The more, the merrier!” Sandeul answered, smiling at the Hyuna and Lee Joon.

“I’m Lee Junghwan.” Sandeul introduced himself to Lee Joon, who merely nodded lifelessly at him. Eunjo felt a little irritated at how Lee Joon is looking at Sandeul.

They were now seated facing each other with Eunjo beside Sandeul and across them are Hyuna and Lee Joon.

“Were you just taking a photo? Let me see!” Hyuna said excitedly, taking Sandeul’s phone who just laughed. Eunjo observed their unusual closeness.

“I met noona in the US.” Sandeul just said to her, smiling, sensing her stares.

“Oh! You guys are so cute!” Hyuna giggled, showing the two their cute selca. Eunjo saw Lee Joon peering at the camera to see.

“No I’m not.” Eunjo suddenly burst out. She was so afraid that suddenly Lee Joon would say it would look ugly and disgusting.

“You can just delete them, Sandeul.” She sighed.

Hyuna raised an eyebrow at how Eunjo had addressed Sandeul. She knew that Sandeul only let special people call him by that name.

Sandeul looked flabbergasted. “WHAT? No, of course I won’t delete that! We looked so cute, see!” He showed her again the photo. It was actually cute; Eunjo smiling at the camera with peace sign and Sandeul’s head leaning on to hers, smiling cutely too.

“Why are you being like this,” Sandeul said, turning serious. “Are you saying you’re not pretty and this looks ugly? Why, did someone ever tell you you’re ugly?”

Eunjo opened your mouth, but no words came out. She didn’t know how to answer. How did he even know? But Sandeul doesn’t seem to be waiting for an answer.

“So don’t be like this noona~” he aegyo-ed, shaking Eunjo’s arm a little, and then smiling cutely.

From her peripherals, she noticed Hyuna just watching them while she has this mysterious smile across her face. And beside her, Eunjo saw Lee Joon staring hard at her. He had his face between scowling and frowning.

But either way, she felt her heart sink. Will he scold her again later for being ‘ugly and disgusting’? 

Will she need to brace her heart from harsh and cold words again?