It was a sunny Friday afternoon, the sun's rays peeked through the trees at Imsil Boy's School. You closed your eyes and savoured the last few rays of the day. You opened your eyes and smiled as you started walking. You were prepared, it is just a car ride, it's not like you and Ren weren't in the same car before.

“Teacher!,"you hear a few voices call out after you. You almost reached the school gate but you turned around to see five boys running uphill from the school calling after you.

They were the boys from the rowdiest class in school, some of them weren't wearing the school jacket while all of them had their ties loosened. You stopped and waited for them. The first boy to reach you was Jaemin, who had the reputation of being the biggest bully in class because of his lanky frame and taekwondo skills. He was panting when he finally caught up to you, he tried to regain his breath so he stooped down a little resting his hands on his knees. The other students – all Jaemin's classmates finally reached you.

"Yes, how can I help you?", you said with a smile.

"Tea-teacher - are you going home?", Jaemin asked looking up at you.

"Yes, I am", you replied, you heard a collective groan from them.

"You mean you're not giving tutorials today?”, Hyunjae the stocky one with a bowl haircut asked you.

"Oh, I won't be giving them today, I have a wedding to prepare for”, you said absent-mindedly.

“WEDDING?!” The five of them stood up and exclaimed.

Soo Bin the smallest kid of the group grabbed your hand, “But teacher there's no ring?”.

“ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GETTING MARRIED?”, All of them said in unison again. You had to stifle a laugh as you found their perfect synchronization amusing.

"Teacher are we too late?", Jaemin asked with a crestfallen face. You sighed, all these boys were busy giving you love confessions than studying.

"We are GOING to be late. Are you ready?", a deep familair voice interrupted, you looked towards the direction where the voice came from and saw him. Dressed in a black suit and tie, he looked impressive with his platinum hair swept up and his sunglasses.

"That's - that's PO!", one of your students said in surprise. It was really Jihoon or PO as he is known now. You were also surprised and you raised an eyebrow at him. You thought he couldn't make it but here he was fetching you from school, and you thought, Well that's a relief .

PO was still smiling when he took the files you were carrying and offered his other arm to you. The students reacted wildly in disappointment.

“Not my wedding”, you told them and suddenly their eyes lit up.

“But- are- are you guys dating?”, Soo Bin asked hesitantly, you saw Jaemin jab him with an elbow, “Ow!”

“N-”, you began to reply.

“Not yet”, PO cut in, giving them a wink. You rolled your eyes. PO was always making a joke of things.

“EH?”, the boys looked at you with questioning stares.

You shook your head not wanting to explain because as PO said, you were going to be late. So you smiled at the boys and said, "Well, I better get going now guys, I'll see you on Monday for class!”.

“OK, teacher", they replied looking a bit disappointment.

As soon as you walked another step towards the school gate, you heard the students talking.

"What a relief, she isn't getting married", Soo Bin said cheerfully.

"But PO said they were dating", Hyunjae said with a sigh.

"Are you guys stupid? PO is a hyung just few years older than us, if Teacher can date him, maybe she can date us too!", you heard Jaemin confidently say. You saw PO smirk.

"Really?", you heard the other boys say.

"Really! We just have to get rid of him!", Jaemin said. Both you and PO chuckled as you walked away.

"Noona, you never change, still the dongsaeng magnet".  He said as you both got in the car. He at the driver's seat and you beside him. You look over as he placed the key in the ignition and you strapped your seatbelt. Was it just a few years ago that you were the one driving him around during his trainee days? Now he's the one driving you. You feel older again.

"What dongsaeng magnet?"

“Those guys had hearts on their eyes while talking to you, and each time you replied they were hanging on to your every word”, he said. “They shouldn't have assigned you to an All Boy's School".

"You speak as if I am purposely baiting the kids", you told him.

"You are" , he said giving you a warm smile.

"Having a pretty teacher like me will make them concentrate", you joked while flipping your hair.

"You should wear a shorter skirt to make them concentrate better", he cheekily said.

"Ya Jihoon!", you mock threaten to slap him, "you haven't changed a bit".

You guys share a laugh and then silence descended on the car. You wondered why he did't turn on the radio, he would usually find a station that was playing Block B's songs and make you listen to it. At first you didn't get all the hiphop stuff, you couldn't imagine your dorky, chubby, little neighbor suddenly having this deep vocie overnight and performing on stage. To you he'll always be the boy who followed you around  begged to be carried.

"Nuna," he brooke the silence, you looked at him he was staring straight ahead at the road", You are OK right?".

You looked out the window, and gave a small smile. A smile that betrayed the pinch you felt in your heart.  Of all people who could have asked, you didn't expect PO to ask the question you have been avoiding yourself. But then again, he also knows as much.

"I guess so", you said in a voice you hoped sounded confident.

In reality you didn't know how to feel. Your only best friends in the whole world are going to get married on Sunday. You were the maid of honor and PO was the best man.  You, Ren and Minjung grew up next to each other and then PO came along. PO had two nunas and a hyung who always looked after him and played with him. But because PO was too young, the three of you were closer.

It wouldn't have been complicated if you hadn't fallen for Ren when you were seventeen, and confessed three years later.

It wouldn't have been complicated had you kept your feelings to yourself.

It wouldn't have been complicated if you didn't confessed to Ren on the night that he and Minjung became a couple.

It wouldn't have been complicated at all if you had just went along with PO when he suggested to go home because he had school the next day.

And PO wouldn't have asked you this question today if he hadn't seen you kiss Ren after you confessed to him.

Even if you and Ren pretended that nothing happened after that, you kept your distance from him and Minjung. When Minjung confronted you, you just told her that you felt uncomfortable being the third wheel, an explanation which was easily believable. You believed that Ren was also grateful for the distance. Slowly things returned to normal, you didn't meet up often with them but occasionally you had dinners together. PO was the one who was more worried about you, until now, he still thinks about your feelings.

“It's been a few years”, you said

"Well, if you ever feel too overwhelmed just give me a signal and I'll let you escape out of here", he said with a wink as the car pulled over the driveway of your house . All of your families were involved in the wedding – since all of you were the only child, your families were close to each other. This wedding was no different, the mothers all gathered at your house preparing for the rehearsal dinner and were all busy cooking.

“I'll just go and change”, you told PO, “You go greet the elders first”. He nodded and passed you your stuff as you went up to the second floor.

But the truth is ever since the announcement of the engagement and the preparations began you didn't think too much of the secrets that you and Ren kept from the rest of the people, actually it was more like secrets between you, Ren and PO.

The night you confessed was during last night of the university festival. You and Ren were watching fireworks from the rooftop.

While watching the fireworks your heart thundered because you knew it was time to tell Ren how you felt. You didn't know that at that time Ren was also pondering if his confession will move Minjung. The fireworks was Ren's idea, you didn't know that as the rest of the student body including Minjung were watching the fireworks from the university stadium, at the end of it the screen will flash with Ren's confession to Minjung. Ren was nervous so he asked you to accompany him to the rooftop to calm his nerves. But you thought that it was the perfect time to confess to Ren.

“Ren, I love you”, you blurted out, your chest pounded heavily, there was ringing in your ears. He looked at you in stone-faced shock. “I don't know since when but I really do love you. Can you – will you accept my feelings?”

He was still staring at you, you saw the fireworks illuminating his face. Your heart was just overwhelmed with all the unsaid feelings that you took his face with your hands and kissed him, amidst the “wows”, “oohs” and “aahs” of the people below.

“Cho Minjung I Love You”, you heard Ren's voice boom over the loudspeaker and the cheers of the students below.

Ren pushed you away roughly and ran away. It was then you saw that the stadium's screen was lit up with the picture of Ren and Minjung smiling together at the camera – a picture that you were also in but you were cropped out. And you realized what happened, that moment the ringing in your ears rang out loud and drowned everything except the sound of your heart breaking. You felt like collapsing but then you found somebody's arms catching you as you fell forward. You looked up, it was 15 year old Jihoon, looking worried and calling your name over and over.

Yes, PO accidentally walked in on the Confession Kiss, which was from then on would be known as the Most Awkward Moment of Your Life. That night, PO's shoulder was soaked with your tears, you were grateful to him because he didn't laugh or tease you to make you feel better but he held you, he held you when your heart broke into a million pieces. It was that night that PO, the boy who you always looked after and worried over, it was his turn to worry over you and look after you. Instead of making things awkward between you and PO, he became more sensitive to you, like he was now. He was always saying that you made him grow up faster and that he didn't have a childhood because of you. Maybe it was true, because he saw how first loves can hurt so bad because of you.

Everyone was in the kitchen because your house had the biggest kitchen and because your mother was the best cook among them all. You saw Ren and Minjung's mum preparing the rice cakes, PO's mom was chopping meat, your mom sat opposite of PO on the table. She was chopping vegetables while they recruited PO to peel potatoes. You sat beside PO and started chopping potatoes.

“Our Young Mi is here”, PO's mom announced as she sat beside your Mom. “My oh my isn't she getting prettier by the day?”. The other mothers murmured their agreement.

“Aish, what will her being pretty do if she doesn't get married soon too?”, your Mom voiced her disappointment. You almost stopped yourself from saying something against your Mom. There was no use arguing when you're in a room full of ahjummas.

"What do you mean Eomoni?" PO asked. You called each other's mothers Eomoni. It was something natural to all of you. "Look at your living room, there are a lot of Valentine's Day chocolates and letters afor nuna, why some of them aren't open yet. Nuna has a lot of admirers".

"Don't go there-", you try to warn him, but it was too late your Mother sighed

"Aigoo! Her admirers are all babies- all those students at that Boys school she's teaching. I want someone to take care of her , I don't want to take care of someone's son".

"Jihoon ah", PO's Mum began, "Do you know if your agency has guys who are good for Young Mi?". You pretended to be focused on chopping potatoes, and not hearing the conversation where you are being talked about like merchandise.

“Yes! You must have a lot of contacts in the industry”, Minjung's Mum piped up.

“I hear some of the managers are quite good-looking”, PO's Mum added.

“Eomoni! I am here too you know I can hear you”, you said with a pout.

“Aigoo, look at this grown woman doing aegyo”, you Mum said slapping your hand.

"I think Jihoon is the last person you should ask to help find Young Mi a man", Ren's mom chuckled.

Everyone in the room exchanged knowing smiles except for you and PO. You can tell PO was getting ready for the onslaught of ahjumma reminiscing. He hung his had even lower as he sat beside you peeling potatoes.

"I still remember", your Mum said with a smile, "Jihoon here vowed that he'll marry his Young Mi nuna". You felt your blush. Every year a few stories need to come up one way or another and it's always the stories on how you are PO's first love.

“The moment baby Jihoon laid his eyes on Young Mi he stopped crying”, PO's Mom said proudly. “I just need her to be in Jihoon's sight and he'd be a well-behaved baby”.

"Rememember your cousin's wedding?", Minjung's Mum asked PO's Mum. All the mothers laughed, you didn't dare look at PO because this was one of the best stories, best meaning that it elicited the most laughs.

“Yes! I wondered why he always asked me if it was time for the bouquet toss”, PO's mother replied. “When I finally told him that it was time he was on his way to the toilet”.

“And he held it in, while waiting for the bride to toss the bouquet”, your Mum said with a laugh.

“At first I was wondering why he was at the side watching it so intently”, PO's Mum continued, “When my cousin tossed the bouquet he suddenly came running towards the middle of the women and he jumped to catch it and then ran up to Young Mi and proposed".

"NUNA! I WILL DEFINITELY MARRY YOU. PLEASE SEE ME AS A MAN", all of the ahjummas said at the same time, perfectly copying PO.

He didn't call me Nuna, you wanted to remind them but then you didn't see the point. They wouldn't have noticed anyway.

“And then”, PO's Mum said while trying hard not to laugh, “When everyone is looking at them he gave the loudest fart and his stomach grumble so he ran to the toilet”. Everyone else was laughing but you can't help but feel sad for PO. Both of you sighed at the same time.

'We'll never live this down", you told him, “It might be even told in MY wedding”.

"My actions have made your life hard", he said with mock regret. You smiled at him, trust PO to make an uncomfortable situation funny.

"But I really thought Ren and young Mi were a perfect pair", Min Jung's mother suddenly said. You almost dropped the knife you were holding. Nobody noticed that your face suddenly became dark.Although that statement felt like an earthquake to you, the four mothers continue chatting away.

"Yes, they were inseparable", Ren's Mum agreed."Minjung was always sick as a child so she never really got out to play".

"Young Mi was the reason they all became good friends and divided their time between our house and playing outside", Minjung's Mum recalled.

“But Ren and Young Mi had the same personality”, Ren's Mum said, “They shared more things together and they could complete each other's sentences.” You felt yourself blush, were your feelings for Ren that

obvious to the parents? Did they know about your confession? Why were they bringing this up now? What's worse is that it seems like your feelings don't matter anymore.

“I thought it was my Minjung who I needed to worry about”, Minjung's Mum said, ““Imagine if Young Mi here really had feelings for Ren, and our PO has feelings for Young Mi and Ren has feelings for Minjung”. Your hands were trembling, you couldn't believe that this conversation was really happening before your ears. Although you already set aside your feelings for Ren a long time ago, it still hurt to hear what could have been. You were trying to tamp down your anger.

“That would be one sad love rectangle”, PO's Mum said with a chuckle.

"Fate is funny", Your Mum said with a sigh.

“Eomoni, I am Nuna's fate", PO suddenly said grabbing your hand, you looked at PO in shock. What was he doing?

"Ok, Ok, I know I know", you Mom said going along, "Since young Mi attracts a lot of younger guys I'd rather have you as my son-in-law".

“Yes, Young Mi doesnt' seem to have luck with men who are her age or older than her”, Ren's Mum said. You felt a stab to your heart, maybe she wanted to add - “Like my son Ren”.

"I wouldn't mind to", PO's Mom said smiling, “Young Mi is such a nice girl, and I can imagine she's going to treat Jihoon well".

“And these kind of relationships – they are common nowadays right?”, Ren's Mum asked. You looked at them in shock, PO was just trying to deflect the attention by making a joke and now they are talking as if PO and you had feelings for each other. That can't be right, it has been years since that bouquet incident.

You felt yourself blush, but you were confused, Jihoon was still holding your hand and it was making your heart race. You looked at his hand holding yours and then looked at his face, his jaw was tense. Was he also angry at the mothers' suggestion of them dating?

"Jihoon ah- ", calling him by his real name, you tried to pull your hand away, he didnt seem like he was joking or trying to divert the conversation away from the love triangle that was Ren, You and Minjung, he

seemed to be seriously thinking about something.

"We might as make it a double wedding”, Ren's Mum said laughing. You couldn't take it anymore, it was unfair to PO to receive such ribbing from the mothers when he was just trying to protect you.

“Please, stop it”, you stood up on the verge of tears. You have never voiced your complaints before and you were shocked that you raised your voice at the elders. You didn't know what else to say that you just went off running outside of the house.

You thought it was because that you were running so fast that everything was blurry but it was actually the tears from your eyes that were blurring your vision. You stopped at the middle of the street and rubbed your right fist on your chest. You already got over Ren, but why does it still hurt? It can't be that you still have feelings for him. You wanted to try something but you were scared of what the result will be. They said at the moment that your heart is hurting, you must close your eyes to find out the person that you care about. But he's getting married, you told yourself, yet you still , slowly you closed your eyes. In your shock you saw the 15-year old Jihoon reaching out his arms to catch you, your eyes flew open.

“Nuna!”, you hear him call you, you thought you were dreaming but he calls you again and you see him running after you. Without even knowing why, you continued running this time faster than before. As you ran you hear the sky thunder as dark clouds form. What was once a sunny day was turning to a grey afternoon.

One week after the Awkward Confession, PO had asked you to accompany him to a class trip to Busan. Since you were itching for something to do to avoid Minjung and Ren you accepted. After the trip, PO had asked to go home with you instead of going with the rest of his classmates. You both decided to take the bus home, since it meant more time talking to each other. You knew that you were using him as a distraction and you apologized to him.

“It's OK nuna,” he said with a smile, you were sitting on the bus waiting for the rest of the passengers to board. “As long as you won't cry for Ren anymore”.

“I won't cry for him anymore”, you said sealing the deal with a pinky promise.

“Are you sure you can get over him?”, he asked you as you were about to fall asleep.

“I am not sure”, you mumbled resting your head on his shoulder, you felt strange that the once chubby Jihoon was now shaping up to be a guy. “You know maybe I was confused with my feelings, that's why I waited so long to tell Ren how much I cared for him. I thought I was just his friend who was becoming possessive. But I was really a friend who wanted to be more than friends. I waited until my feelings were clear to me, but I didn't realize that he didn't have feelings for me. Once my confusion cleared up, I was already too late.”

“Jihoon-ah”, you said to him in your half-dazed state.

“Hmm?”, he asked as he adjusted his shoulder so you can lean on him comfortably.

“Don't be like me, don't be confused for a long time that you don't realize that the person you love already loves someone else. The moment you feel it you must say it”, you said dispensing advice you didn't follow, “Promise me OK?”

“Yes, nuna”, he said with a whisper, you closed your eyes, you felt him adjust the blanket over your shoulder. “I promise”.

You reached the playground as raindrops started falling, you were breathless from running. You knew you should be running for shelter but you didn't feel like doing anything that was right. Why did you run? Why are you crying? Why did you blush when PO held your hand? Earlier this afternoon, why did you feel happy when instead of Ren it was PO who fetched you? You told yourself that you were just relieved not happy. You are his nuna, he just pities you, you remind yourself. Stop confusing yourself, you scolded yourself.

“Nuna”, you heard his voice. You turned around, there he was standing in front of you. Barely panting from running, he wasn't wearing the coat of his suit but the long-sleeved white shirt and his tie was loosened too. He reminded you of how your students looked just now. His styled hair was now flat and he looked even younger. You felt a twinge of pain in your heart. It hurt to look at him.

“I'm sorry I shouldn't have left like that”, you said finding your voice trying not to waver. “Let's just go back”. You walked by him, but he didn't move, instead he grabbed your wrist.

“Jihoon-ah”, you said softly, “The rain's getting stronger, we should go back.”

“Do you still love him?”, he asked not looking at you, he was looking at the ground. “Is that why you couldn't handle the conversation? Does your heart still look for him? Does it still hurt? Do you still cry for him?”. You were stunned, his voice was filled with anguish. “How are you going to survive the wedding then? Why are you punishing yourself?”.

“Jihoon-ah, it's not like that”, you tried to reassure him. You placed your other hand over his hand that was holding on to your wrist.

“Then what is it?”, he asked impatiently, he looked at you and you could see the frustration in his eyes. Why was he trying to solve your problems? The rain was still falling hard but both of you weren't moving.

“I am fine”, you said forcing a smile. With both of his hands he suddenly cupped your face, you could see that he was crying too, “Jihoon-ah, it's OK, I am OK. I am fine.”

“When?”, he said bringing his face closer to you, “When will you see that I'm a man too? When will you feel my feelings for you? The rest of the world might laugh at me, our mothers, my friends, but I have been and am still waiting for you to see me – as a man”. You just stood there, you couldn't believe the words that you just heard.

“I was never confused about my feelings for you,” he continued, you tried to look away but his hands held you firnly that you had no choice but look at him, “I have always been waiting for you, there were many moments that I let my feelings known to you, but you – you don't even see me. I want you to look at me now, look at me clearly. Look at me as the Jihoon standing before you now, not the eight year old Jihoon not the fifteen year old Jihoon, look at me”.

This time you didn't try to look away, but you looked into his eyes, and you saw it. The person who was always there for you no matter how busy his schedule was. That person who made you smile when you had a bad day. The person who became a human handkerchief during your first heartbreak. The person who was your guinea pig when you were preparing for your teaching assessment. The person who never failed to greet you Happy Birthday at twelve midnight. The person who was the first guy to propose to you. The person who you thought all along was a good dongsaeng.

“Jihoon-” you wanted to tell him what you felt but before you could get another word out, he lowered his head and very softly pressed his lips on yours. Your eyes closed automatically and you felt the sound of the rain falling drowning everything else. His hands slid down and wrapped around your waist as he brought you up to a tiptoe.

*During the wedding – eleven years ago*

The whole reception hall was abuzz with anticipation at the bouquet toss, all the women were gathered at the centre. You were busy at the punch bowl trying to smuggle the alcoholic drink under your mother's nose. You sighed from boredom since Minjung and Ren weren't there. Jihoon was being his normal self by shooting you with imaginary guns and blowing off the imaginary smoke.

“No matter what I won't die”, you told him.

“Of course you won't die”, he said matter-of-factly, “These are Love Guns, and Love Bullets are coming out of it so you would fall in love with me”. You just laughed at him and patted his head. But that was a few moments ago, now you couldn't find him anywhere. You were supposed to watch him but somehow when the bouquet toss was being announced he disappeared.

You heard the emcee call the bride for the toss, you went back to strategizing how to get the punch from the punchbowl to your cup. Suddenly you heard the women scolding someone, you turned around and you saw Jihoon with his fat legs running up to you and in his pudgy hand was the bride's bouquet. All the women were running after him, you felt that you had to run but you were frozen in place.

“YOUNG MI-YA ! I WILL DEFINITELY MARRY YOU. PLEASE SEE ME AS A MAN”, He said breathlessly as he ed the bouquet in your face.

“Aww”, what he did drew collective sighs from the women at the reception hall. You were so shocked that you accepted the bouquet, Jihoon smiled at you, suddenly his face contorted in pain. Then came a loud ripping sound of air that filled the hall. You saw him gape in horror, and then quickly run towards the exit as everybody laughed.

You followed him to the restrooms and waited outside while holding the bouquet. You looked at the wonderful bunch of peach and pink roses and smiled. This was by far the most exciting thing that has happened to you. It was a few more minutes before he came out all sweaty and yet relieved.

“Here ya go”, you said handing him your handkerchief, “Wipe the sweat lover boy”.

“Thank you!”, he said. You slapped his head with the bouquet, at that time you were still taller than him, “Ow”.

“How many times must I tell you to call me nuna!”, you said hitting him with the bouquet again and again, “This punk!” .

“Ow! OK, Nuna”, he said finally relenting, “Don't destroy the bouquet I worked hard for that”.

“You're right it is pretty”, you said trying to assess the damage on the bouqeut.

“Don't I get a kiss?”, he said lifting his cheek towards you.

“Ya, do you wanna get hit again?”, you threatend him with the bouquet. He stuck his tongue out and then without warning pecked you on the lips and ran off.

“You punk!”, you screamed wiping your lips, “That was my first kiss! Why you little -”

You took off running after him, rose petals swirling after you as you tried to catch him.

***

NOTES: Hello! New chapter featuring maknae PO, and yes somehow I always feel that maknaes deserve a love line with nunas! Please tell me your thoughts! Did you like the story? Did you like how PO's character was?