The difference between waking up in the Choi mansion and waking up in the Kwon household was the matter of how or, at least who, woke you up. For Seunghyun, a boy of power and wealth, he had always relied on his trusted maids to act as his personal alarm clock. However, when living with the Kwons, the only personal alarm clock was the annoying crows coming from the neighbors’ roosters and chickens.

Seunghyun groaned, forgetting for a moment that he was still sleeping over at his cousin’s house and not in the countryside. His cousin’s room was dark and cool, until someone decided to torture him by pulling up the shades, letting the sunlight pour in.

“Yah!”

Seunghyun received a kick to his , immediately knowing that that “rude awakening” was from none other than Jiyong.

“Get up. Umma has breakfast waiting for you,” said Jiyong.

Seunghyun sat up groggily. A scent of fresh shampoo and deodorant was lingering in the air, indicating that Jiyong had just come back from the shower. Slightly opening his eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness, he could make out the figure of Jiyong standing by his bed and preparing his school books.

“Do you always get up this early?” He asked Jiyong, rubbing his tired eyes. “What time does your school begin anyway?”

Jiyong did not reply. After packing the rest of his books inside his schoolbag, he left the room immediately to proceed to his awaiting breakfast.

Seunghyun emerged inside the kitchen, where he found Jiyong and his noona eating their breakfast on their nook.

“Good morning, Seunghyun,” Mrs. Kwon greeted brightly. “My, you look so handsome in your school uniform. No wonder why those photographers are always trying to get a photo of you after school.”

“Oh, thank you, imo,” Seunghyun replied, flustered. He went ahead and took a seat next to Jiyong’s sister, who was engrossed in the morning’s paper.

Mrs. Kwon placed a plate in front of him and served his breakfast. Smelling his aunt’s delicious cooking, his stomach growled. He had completely forgotten that he hadn’t eaten since his stepmom kicked him out the other night.

“Bye, umma. I have to get going now. I don’t want to be late for work,” said Jiyong’s sister. She got off of her seat and kissed her little brother lightly on his head. “Bye dongsaeng, be good today. You too, Seunghyun. No more fights, okay?” She turned to her cousin and patted his head before walking out of the kitchen.

Mrs. Kwon bid her daughter goodbye and then went back to her cooking.

As Jiyong’s sister left, the kitchen had reached the ultimate peak of awkwardness. On one end of the breakfast nook, Jiyong hovered over his plate and ate in silence. On the other end, Seunghyun nibbled slowly on his rice and meat that his aunt prepared.

“Well, how was rooming with each other?” Mrs. Kwon asked the two. “Did you guys have fun?”

The rice that Seunghyun was about to swallow almost went down the wrong pipe, causing him to nearly choke and cough up. Jiyong shot him a look of annoyance.

“Oh,” gasped Mrs. Kwon, who rushed over to her nephew with a glass of water. “Make sure you chew properly before swallowing.”

Seunghyun gulped down the glass of water. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it, but your food must be really good.”

Mrs. Kwon laughed nervously, but Jiyong sneered.

Just then, Jiyong’s phone went off. In a heartbeat, he grabbed his phone and answered it.

“Yeobosaeyo?... Oh, hi… How are you doing? Are you okay?... Sure, no problem… I’ll pick you up right now.”

“Aish, Jiyong! Learn to have some respect!” His mother scolded. “Don’t answer your phone when you’re eating.”

Jiyong ignored his mother as he got up from his seat hurriedly and ascended up the stairs towards his room to grab his schoolbag.

“That girlfriend of his never manners of her own, she’s always calling. Every time we’re at the table Jiyong’s phone keeps ringing and ringing,” Mrs. Kwon complained to Seunghyun. She picked up his phone that he left on the breakfast nook. A surprised look showed up on her face. “Oh? That’s funny… It’s been awhile since Eun Ji ever called Jiyong.”

Seunghyun looked up quickly at his aunt. “Umm… Could I see that for a second?” he asked, reaching towards Jiyong’s cell phone that Mrs. Kwon was holding.

She handed the phone to him. “I thought he and Eun Ji had broken up. You know, I really miss seeing that girl around. I prefer her over that new girl he’s seeing. My son has definitely changed after he started dating Hye Rin.”

Quickly taking his cousins phone before he was caught, Seunghyun looked through it. He was just as surprised as his aunt when he saw Eun Ji’s name on the top of his recent calls list.

So that’s why he kept checking his phone ever so often last night…Seunghyun thought to himself.

“Oh, imo,” He spoke, also getting up from his seat quickly. “I have to go ahead and leave for school now. I might be late.”

Mrs. Kwon bid her nephew goodbye, but before she could walk over to him and give him a goodbye kiss, Seunghyun had already dashed out of the house.

Though her house was a few blocks from Jiyong’s, Seunghyun managed to drive the fastest he possibly could in that neighborhood street. Stopping in front of that familiar two story house of hers, he saw her standing on the sidewalk. Her petite figure was hunched over as she tightly wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep herself warm.

Eun Ji looked up expectantly, but was dumbfounded to see a different car pulling up by her house. She remained glued to her spot, even as Seunghyun appeared from the driver’s seat of his black sportscar.

“Oppa?” she mumbled in surprise. “W-what are you doing here?”

A cold breeze had passed, causing her to shiver even more.

Seunghyun smiled widely. “I’ve come to pick you up, of course. Come on, you’re freezing already.”

Eun Ji turned her head towards the direction of Jiyong’s house. “Uh… I was sort of expecting somebody else…”

“Well, they’re not here are they?” Seunghyun asked. “What kind of person makes a girl wait out in the cold like that?”

“I’ve only been waiting for just a few minutes. I’m fine,” said Eun Ji, who was glancing down at her watch. “I’ve already got a ride. You can go on.”

Eun Ji nervously tapped her foot on the ground, secretly wishing that Seunghyun didn’t have to stay and see who was dropping her to school.

“Come on, get going,” she repeated, a little more demanding this time. “Don’t be late for school.”

Seunghyun chuckled lightly. “I’ll be fine. What I’m more worried for is you. You look so helpless standing out here in the cold.” He walked over to her and gently placed an arm around her, leading her towards his car. But Eun Ji didn’t dare to move an inch.

“No, I said,” She replied, with a slightly contemptuous tone, “I’ll be fine.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Seunghyun.

Eun Ji didn’t answer. She looked anxiously up the street. A second car was pulling up towards her house.

Her heart tugged painfully as Jiyong got out of his car, a look of disdain visible on his face.

“Oh! Jiyong! Funny seeing you here this morning,” Seunghyun called out to him, trying to put his best face forward.

Jiyong’s eyebrows furrowed, his footfalls heavy as he approached the two. He looked at Eun Ji.

“Are you alright?” He asked her seriously.

“Yes, she’s fine,” Seunghyun answered for her. “I was just about to pick her up and drop her off to school. What are you doing here?”

Jiyong’s expression hardened as he shot a dirty look towards Seunghyun. “Once again, you’re not minding your own business.”

“Um,” Eun Ji’s soft voice emerged suddenly, causing the two boys to look at her. “I think I’ll just walk to school…”

“No!” Both boys nearly yelled, causing Eun Ji to jump.

“I was offering a ride to school. Come with me,” Seunghyun said, pulling her towards his car.

Jiyong didn’t say anything, but gave Eun Ji a concerned look. Her eyes locked with his even though Seunghyun was now forcefully tugging at her sleeve.

“I’m sorry,” she mouthed to Jiyong and gave him an apologetic look. She turned and got inside Seunghyun’s car.

Seunghyun, clearly victorious in this situation, tried to keep in the smug look he wanted to express as Jiyong watched them spitefully.

Through the car’s sideview mirror, Eun Ji looked at Jiyong. Her heart tore to pieces as she saw him walk back to his car, his head hanging low.

“It was weird seeing him there, right?” Seunghyun asked her, when they were on the road.

Eun Ji sighed, not wanting to speak to him. She was angry with Seunghyun for stealing away her one moment to spend with Jiyong, and she also felt bad when she saw the look in his eyes when she rejected him.

Seeing that she was upset, Seunghyun decided to keep his mouth shut all the way to her school.

Jiyong was indifferent the whole day, though he couldn’t help but to glance up every other second at Eun Ji during their classes together. Every time she caught him looking at her, she always sent him the same rueful look. She felt incredibly bad for calling him up and then choosing Seunghyun over him. The whole day was a dread for her, especially since the sad, apathetic look on Jiyong’s face was because of her.

By the end of the day, everything was back to “normal”; it was as if Jiyong hadn’t comforted her the day before and the whole “I’ll be there for you” scenario that they shared had not happened. Trudging desolately back to her house, tears had formed up once again in her little eyes.

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A/N: So sorry for taking awhile to post this... lemonswirls has got me busy, and not only that, school has started up again for me. >< But! I am determined to keep this story running until it ends! What Goes Around Fighting~