“Hey Seohyun, can you please stay away from Changmin,” Kyuhyun said to Seohyun as they passed by the corridor leading to the library.

“Why? Is he not your close friend? Why are you speaking against him?” Seohyun asked.

“I am not speaking against him. I am just telling you to avoid him.” Kyuhyun answered. Seohyun came in front of him and gave him a skeptical look.

“Fine, I misphrased what I wanted to say. What I mean is I want you to be careful around him, okay.” Kyuhyun said. He swept sideways past Seohyun and led the way again.

“Waeyo?”

“You don’t know his reputation with girls,” Kyuhyun said facing her. “He is a ‘yeoja killer’.” Kyuhyun whispered.

“Like you?” Seohyun chirped in.

“What are you talking about? That I’m a ladies’man?” Kyuhyun exclaimed. He was scandalized by that comment. “Ah, jinja, this girl! All this time, that is what you thought of me?! Seriously, can’t believe this.”

“Isn’t that what you call a person who is surrounded by a lot of females but not a single serious relationship?” Seohyun reasoned out.

“There is a big difference between me and Changmin. Although I’m surrounded or followed by a lot of girls, I never entertained them, not a single one,” Kyuhyun justified. “Consider yourself lucky. You are the only girl I’ve ever entertained in my life.”

There he goes again, making her heart flutter like that. Why is he making her confused like this? She tried to guess what his actions meant but the answers get inconsistent everytime. Sometimes, she felt like she is a very special girl to him but there are also times when she thinks he only sees her as a younger sister. How can this be so complicated? She wanted to know but she can never ask him.

“Eottoke… Why it must be you?” Seohyun muttered.

“Pardon?” Kyuhyun asked.

“Eh? Di-did I say something?”

“I think I really heard something.” Kyuhyun said, bewildered. He was convinced he really heard her say something but it was not quite clear to him. “What is it? Are you hiding a secret to me now?”

“It’s almost time to start my class,” Seohyun said, looking at her watch. “I think I have to go.” She then turned around the corner.

“Wait! Do you already know how to get to your room?” Kyuhyun asked. Seohyun stopped in her tracks and gave a discomfited laugh.

“Haha, that one! I forgot to ask,” Seohyun said scratching the back of her head. “I don’t know if I got too excited or I just became nervous right now.” She explained while scolding herself in her head. In her desire to avoid his questioning, she did a stupid thing. She was now sure that Kyuhyun caught that. How can she be so obvious?

“Well, it’s this way,” Kyuhyun said then he turned left. Seohyun followed but Kyuhyun stopped again. “I think it’s that way,” he said pointing to the opposite direction. “Or maybe this way, or that way,” then he started pointing on random directions.

“OPPA…” whined Seohyun. “Stop fooling me.”

Kyuhyun placed his hands on his hip. “Well, stop hiding secrets from me. I seriously heard you saying something under your breath. So what is it?”

“It’s nothing.” Seohyun replied.

“Oh, so I got you. See, you really said something.” Seohyun tried to deny it but Kyuhyun was being his persistent self again.

“Oppa, I will already be late.” Seohyun pointed out.

“Tell me your secret first.” Kyuhyun said blocking her way.

“I really have no time for this. I cannot afford to be late.”

“Turned around and go straight, you will find the classrooms of the first years there.” Another voice said. Kyuhyun turned to his back and found Changmin standing there with a cheeky smile.

“Thank you,” Seohyun bowed her head curtly and then she sped off to her room.

“Sorry, oppa. This secret is the one that I cannot share with you yet.” This filled Seohyun’s thoughts as she left the scene.

---------------------

“Come on, give her a break.” Changmin said as he approached Kyuhyun and put his arms around his shoulders. “But I cannot blame, she is such a cutie when she is teased like that.”

“Changmin,” warned Kyuhyun. “I think I’ve heard statements like that before. I’m telling you, you can play with anyone but please not-“

“Not Joohyun.” Changmin ended the statement for him. I know, I know.” He raised his two hands as if surrendering. “Hands off,” he said to him. He leaned to him and nudged him at his side. “She’s yours, right? What is Kyuhyun’s is Kyuhyun’s and what is Changmin’s is Changmin’s.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Kyuhyun.

“You like her, don’t you?” Changmin said.

Changmin knew by Kyuhyun’s tales of her that he is harboring some feelings for his childhood friend. Every time Kyuhyun kept insisting that it was not that way, Changmin told himself that he had to discover it with his own eyes and based on what he witnessed, he knew he was right.  With the way his eyes brightened at the sight of her, the way he was bothered and suspicious every time he tries to compliment her and with the way he transformed from his campus image of being the serious and distant one to the one who is warm and playful, Changmin confirmed his suspicion. His friend had that special fondness with this girl. It was just that he was so oblivious to acknowledge that four-letter word.

“What are you talking about?” Kyuhyun asked. “How many times I am going to tell you-“

 No matter how much he tried to show it to his face,

 “Okay, fine. You don’t like her. But do you happen to love her?” Changmin asked.

… it all ended up in vain.

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “One more time, you insist on that and I’ll-“

“Fine, sister complex, right? Sister complex. It’s just sister complex. Honestly, that is really a serious sister complex that you have. Do you mind controlling it so that it doesn’t arouse misunderstanding of any sort,” Changmin told him.  He wondered how long Kyuhyun will be able to conceal that feeling stuck behind the shadows of his so-called complex.

“I don’t know how to stop this.” Kyuhyun muttered under his breath.

-------------------

“Hey, you’re that girl, aren’t you? I heard you’re that girl.”

A voice startled Seohyun from behind as she was quietly standing outside of the class room reading the student handbook while waiting for the teacher to arrive. It was so noisy inside so she decided to go outside for a while. She turned at the girl and looked at her curiously,

“Are you referring to me?” Seohyun asked pointing to herself.

“Who else will I refer to? It’s only you and me here. The anonymous girl replied. “So are you that girl?”

“That girl?” Seohyun asked cluelessly.

“That girl who is with Kyuhyun-oppa this morning,” she answered shortly. “It’s big news here. It’s the first time we’ve seen him get so close with a girl.”

So there are rumors already? Seohyun wondered what kind of school this is. Instead of studying, why do they keep minding other people’s business and make up rumors based on mere assumptions? Her elementary days flashed back in front of her.

“You are enjoying that, aren’t you? You get Kyuhyun-oppa’s full attention. You’re such a flirt!”

Since then, she told herself she won’t let that happen again.

“Kyuhyun-oppa and I are childhood friends. We grew up together and our mothers are best friends.” She clarified it to her immediately.

“Really? I do not know if I should say that you’re fortunate or unfortunate. In this campus there are two most popular guys here. It is Changmin-oppa and Kyuhyun-oppa. Changmin-oppa is the warm city man. He is so friendly and gets along well with the girls here. He is such a sweet talker. While Kyuhyun-oppa, on the other hand represents the cold city man, he is liked by girls who like guys with a mysterious aura. They are the campus heartthrobs and Kyuhyun-oppa being the ‘cold city man’ that he is, I am sure that after this day, many girls would want your place.” She paused and gave her a sarcastic smile. “Just saying.” That was the last thing she said leaving Seohyun a thought to ponder on. Will history repeat itself? She was thankful that people in the middle school were not bunch of insecure and narrow-minded people. It seems like the competition is tougher now.

“I’m your only oppa.”

Seohyun smiled as she recalled those words, however, a bittersweet feeling swept over her.  He is her only oppa but can she be the only one for him too?

--------------------

Several hours later…

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the classes. At the sound of the bell, students started pouring out of the classroom and easily filled the once empty corridor. To avoid the myriad of the people, Seohyun chose to be the last person to leave. When the crowd started clearing up, she decided to go.

She stood by the door, waiting for Kyuhyun to pick her up. Since the place has already been cleared, the silence was restored. She took this time to walk along the corridor. If Kyuhyun arrived, it wouldn’t be difficult to find her and besides he could always phone her.

As she sauntered along, she looked at the bulletin boards that she passed by. It was an opportunity for her to find out more about the school and perhaps she could also find an organization where she could join. However, instead of learning more about the school, it seems to be that she was learning more about how popular Kyuhyun is at the campus.

Math Olympiad Champion, Best Vocalist, Student Leader, Most Outstanding Achiever. Name it, he got it.

“He’s really something,” Seohyun muttered. “Who wouldn’t like someone like him?” she thought. While her, she still remained to be a nobody. Fifteen years of being with him, that was her only card that made her gain the upper hand over those other girls. But how long will she be able to hold that ace? Today, she might be the special one to him, but who knows what will happen the next day? Maybe a girl who has a winning card will come and defeat her ace.

The girls might be probably thinking now, who is she to deserve that kind of special treatment from Kyuhyun? She is just a mere childhood friend.

------

And Seohyun was right for at that moment, Seungyeon was thinking of that same exact thing. “Who is she to deserve that kind of treatment from Kyuhyun. She is only a childhood friend. Is there anything more to her? Is she pretty?” Seungyeon ranted.

There was a long pause after the question. Seungyeon’s patience was running out as she waited for her minions to answer. “Is there anyone who is going to answer my question?”

“I-I think-,” stammered the smallest among them. “I actually think she’s kinda pretty.”

“What?” Seungyeon exclaimed as soon as she heard the word ‘pretty’. In her world, she is the only one who is worthy of that description so she was outraged by that opinion of her own minion. The other one who is beside the smallest, immediately interjected to save themselves from the fuming Seungyeon.

“She is so ordinary-looking,” she said. “Nothing special, really. You are still the best! You see, our new recruit here forgot her contact lenses at home so she really could not see clearly, right?” She nudged the other one to agree and she instinctively nodded.

That girl was just a new recruit of Seungyeon’s group. Since she was just new, she still did not know that when Seunyeon asked questions, the answers that she expect don’t necessarily have to be the facts or truths. She never cared for honest opinions. She just wanted her people to say what she wanted to hear.

“I think I really have to see her with my own eyes.” Seungyeon said.

-------------------

Seohyun heard some footsteps behind and she thought it was Kyuhyun but she was wrong. She saw instead a group of girls and she could sense trouble from them. They have the same aura as that of Hyorin’s group.

“So you’re that girl,” the one at the center said. She reckoned that she’s probably their leader. She got that trademark condescending stare typical of mean girls. She knew a lot about them since her elementary days.

“I have a name.” Seohyun firmly said. All day, she has been referred to as that girl.

“Well, I don’t care about nobody’s name.” She said as she encircled her, sizing her up. Seungyeon had to admit although it’s very hard on her part that this girl is quite pretty. She’s just too simple for her taste. She was immediately threatened by her but she won’t let herself lose to her. She has to let her know her place in this campus. “I don’t want to exchange names with a nobody whose only claim to fame is that she is Kyuhyun-oppa’s childhood friend.

She swept one side of Seohyun’s hair and pushed it back to her ear. She leaned to her and whispered, “You don’t des-“

“Seungyeon!” somebody bellowed. Seungyeon and Seohyun both turned to toward the voice and they both saw Kyuhyun marching furiously to their direction.

“Excuse me for a second but Seungyeon and I needed to talk.” He grabbed Seungyeon’s arm and dragged her away. Her minions were scared and they instantly ran off to their respective destinations.

----------------

“Kyuhyun-oppa, I am hurt. Let me go please.” Seunhyeon whelped as Kyuhyun continued to drag her upstairs to the rooftop. It was only when they reached the rooftop that Kyuhyun let go of her.

“That actually hurts. What’s wrong with you?” Seungyeon asked while massaging her arm which got red marks from Kyuhyun’s tight grip.

“Lay another finger on her and I will never forgive you.” Kyuhyun told her angrily. Seungyeon had never seen him so serious and angry like this. He was always calm and gentle.

“Just who is she to you?” Seungyeon asked.

“Just leave her alone, okay.” Kyuhyun answered.

“If she’s only your friend, you will not act this way,” Seungyeon cried out. “I will not leave her alone and you cannot stop me unless you give me an answer why you’re acting like that.”

“She’s my friend. She’s like a sister to me and I don’t want her to get involved in this. Is there anything wrong with that?’ Kyuhyun replied.

“There is. Do you think I will believe that? You are constantly lying to me. You are always avoiding me. Do you think I will never find that out? So give me an answer, oppa.” Seungyeon said hitting his chest.

How can he give an answer when he could not even figure it out yet?

“What do you want me to do to make you believe what I said?” Kyuhyun asked.

“I’ll believe you, in one condition.”

“Okay, if that’s what will make you stop this. However, as soon as I knew that you hurt Seohyun, that will be the termination of our agreement. So what is that condition?”
-------------  

“WHAT?” Changmin exclaimed as soon as he learned from Kyuhyun about the condition that Seungyeon gave. “And you agree with that?”

“If that’s the only thing I can do to protect Seohyun.” Kyuhyun answered.

“Seohyun will surely be hurt by this,” Changmin muttered to himself.

End of Chapter