Once her school bell rang as a sign to go home, she didn't think about anything else besides going to the market. Her high school is near the market, so it didn't really matter for her to go there. Her uncle sold vegetables. It's kind of SooHee's routine every day after coming back from school. She'll help her uncle manage the store since the day her aunt died. 

     SooHee and her uncle moved to Gyeonggi-do, a year after their house is auctioned. They lived for several months at SooHee's grandmother house-which can occupy only 3 persons. Until her grandmother died, her uncle moved to Gyeonggi-do. Luckily, her uncle has friend that help him here. He gave him this store. SooHee can still remember how thankful his uncle was at that time.

 "Here..." ChanJae passed her a plastic of fresh vegetables.  "Pass it to that ajumma."

     She reached the plastic and gave it to the old woman. "Gamsahamnida." she bowed, so did the ajumma.

     After some moment, ChanJae begin questioned her. "So, how's school?"

     "Just like always." she answered. There's nothing much going lately. She's been to school just for a week for this semester, so there's not so much to tell. 

     "Made any new friends?" ChanJae kept on making questions.

     "No..." she sighed. SooHee has expected that question. 

     "You know, Key is not the only friend you can have." her uncle stopped what he was doing and looked at SooHee. So did her, she stopped and focused at her uncle.

     Key is the son of the owner of this store. Well he’s real name is actually Kim Ki Bum, but others just called him Key.

     He's always with SooHee, from the first day she entered high school. They’ve in the same class since then. Don't know if it was coincidence or what but she liked it.

     "I know..." She played with her fingers. "I did try, but..." she smiled-forcefully. “Forget it." she got back to work.

     She did try. SooHee tried to make friends with them, but in the end they are just friends not the one that she can hang out and not someone that she can talk heart to heart with.

     ChanJae grinned. "If you have problem at school just tell me, arajji?"

     "Arasseo." She giggled. Her uncle is too concerned about her. It makes her want to laugh when her uncle worried about her. She's a big girl now, he don't have to worry anymore.

     It's getting dark. Other stores near were closing down. "I'm going to close the shop now." ChanJae said.

     SooHee already knows what to do. She packed all the unsold vegetables-which not really a lot, and put in a box. She tied the box on her carrier at her bicycle.

     "I'll be going now." SooHee will send the vegetables to the old folk’s house. Her uncle sold only fresh vegetables. He'll get a new stock of vegetables from supplier every morning. Hence, rather than throwing those vegetables away, it's better to donate it there.

     "Don't come home too late." her uncle waved while covered the table using plastic sheet.

     SooHee cycled under the dim street lights. Everyone else was already inside their house. Only two to four people were on the street.

     Right when she turned at the corner, she felt like somebody's following her. She was too afraid to turn around. Her heart beats faster along with her little sweats though it is a bit cold that night. SooHee cycled faster. She can see the old folk’s house. She felt a bit relief.

     SooHee parked her bicycle near the old folk’s house. She squatted down to lock her bicycle tyre with nearest lamp post.

     Shrieeeek. A loud sound of break was heard.

     She looked back to checked what happened.

     "Why did you move so fast?" Key said, breathlessly. He slanted to the right and used his right foot to support his body and his bicycle from falling down.

     She laughed. "It was you?" she untied the box on her carrier. "I thought you were ."

     Key helped her carried the box. "Who would want to rap you?" he said sarcastically and laughed.

     "Whatever." SooHee gave him a sidelong look. Well she's not truly mad though and Key knew it so he just giggled when he saw SooHee reacted like that.

     She walked besides Key towards the old folk house. "Why are you here?"

     He raised one of his eyebrows. "Come on, like I don't know you'll be here at this time."

     "Oh, you got the point." she chuckled. "But... why? Do you want to tell me something?"

     Key nodded but then he shook his head. "I'm not telling anything. I want to ask for a favour from you."

     SooHee frowned.

    "I'll ask you later." he said. "Annyeonghaseyo!" he greeted the old folks.

     "Nae..." Someone answered from inside of the house. An old woman came out. "You're here." she said with a smile. "Key is here too?"

     He smiled and entered the house with the box. "I put this in the kitchen." he walked through the hall and disappeared into the kitchen.

     "I made some tteokbokki. Let me packed it for you." she also ambled to the kitchen.

     While waiting for Key and the old woman, SooHee greeted other old people there. She felt pity for them. How could their children left them here. If it was her, she will never do it. She herself never meets her parents. Their children should be lucky to have real mother and father. Unlike her, she only has an uncle that she treated like a father. Not a real father. However it is, SooHee love his uncle just like a daughter ought to love a father.

     The old woman appeared again with two packages in her hand and Key ambled behind her.

     "Eat this with you friend." she handed out the packages to SooHee.

     SooHee took it with both hands. "Thank you." she smiled widely.

     "We better get going." Key told the old woman. She nodded.

     Both of them walked back to their bicycle. The old woman was inside the house by now.

     "Where should we eat that?" Key asked excitedly.

     "My house?" she suggested. "Is it okay?"

     He raised both his thumb up as a yes sign.

     They both cycled to SooHee's house. Key cycled in front of her. SooHee stared at his back for a while. She'd never noticed that he have a beautiful back. And his hair, whenever the wind it, it seems so soft.

     Without knowing, SooHee's cheeks were getting red. Her face felt warm.

     What am I doing? She screamed to herself.

     Not to denied, Key do have a perfect eyes, face, lips, hair and everything on him seems perfect. She doesn’t know what other's thought about him but for her, he's almost perfect. Sometimes, the same questioned kept on playing in her head.

     Why does he want to be friend with someone like me? 

     Even now, the question popped out again. Didn't matter how hard she treat Key, he'll still be there by her side.

     "Come in." SooHee gapped the house door. Her house is just like other korean's normal house. Not too big and not too small. Besides, it didn't really matter. Only she and her uncle lived in this house. "Appa...I'm home."

    His uncle was watching television in the living room. "Oh Key, come in son." He invited politely.

     "Appa, I have tteokbokki." she showed him. "Let’s eat together."

     ChanJae shook his head. "No thanks, I’m going to bed." he grinned. ChanJae closed his bedroom door, leaving only Key and SooHee in the living room.

     "What are you waiting for?" Key sat on the couch with his leg crossing the other. "Serve it."

     "Stop acting like I’m a servant. Get up." SooHee threw a cushion at him. "Help me."

     He stood up. "Fine..."

   "Here." Key passed out a plate to SooHee. He stood closely to her-focused on the tteokbokki SooHee unpacked from the polystyrene. 

      "Looks good."

     "It is." SooHee agreed. "Let’s eat." she shoved one rice cake into . "Mmm delicious." she said with a mouth full.

     Key quickly feed himself a spoon full.

     "Yaaa.." SooHee slapped his hand. "Don't eat like that. You might choke."

     Right after SooHee finished her sentences, Key started to coughed. His tears were seen in his eyes.      "Water..." he continued to coughed.

     "I told you didn't I?" SooHee gave him a glass of plain water and rubbed his back. "You okay?"

     He nodded. And then he back to the ttoekbokki. "It's your fault." he chewed the rice cake.

     "How is it my fault?" she pouted.

     Key broke into a laugh. "Are you mad?"

     SooHee didn't answer. She stared at the rice cake and put a spoon full into . She ate it and pretended as if Key wasn't there.

     "Hey, I was joking." he struggled to find her eyes.

     She still didn't answer. After a while, SooHee giggled. "You were scared."

     "Argh!" he screamed. "Again?"

     "Shhhh.." SooHee put her index finger on her lips. "Keep it down."

     She had done it before-pretend to sulk. And every single time, Key fall for it. It's funny when seeing his reaction worried like that.

     "I'm going to get my revenge." he mumbled. SooHee just laughed.

     They finished up all the tteokbokki together. SooHee washed the dishes while Key's getting ready to go home.

     "Wait," She wiped her wet hands on a handkerchief next to the sink. "What favor do you want to ask from me earlier?"

     "Oh that..." Key recalled. "Nothing important. I can ask you next time." he sat down to tie-up his shoelace.

     SooHee walked nearer to him. Seeing him struggling to tie it, she helped him. "Are you sure? It's about a girl isn't it?"

     "How did you know?" he jolted.

     "Like I don't know." SooHee stood up in front of him and crossed her arms. "Who is it this time?"

     "Han Hyo Jin. Familiar with that name?"

     "The new vice president of music club?"

     "That's the one." He's on his feet now. "Cute huh?"

     "But she's one year older than us." SooHee somehow felt something, something that is not right.

     Key moved his head up and down. "I don't care if she's old. Help me, please...?" he begged.

     "Fine..." SooHee sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

     "Tell her to meet me in front of school gate, after school, tomorrow."

     SooHee was a bit surprised. "Are you crazy? She didn't even know you and what if she refused to?"

    "Soohee," he placed his hands her shoulder. "Who doesn't know Key and nobody reject me." he smirked.

     OMG! What is wrong with this guy? She gave a disgust face to him.

     Key laughed hardly. "See you tomorrow Soohee-ah. Thanks." he raised his hand while cycled away from her house.

     She stood there, waited until he disappeared from her sight.

     SooHee felt something from what Key asked just now. But her mind can't tell what it is.

     "Urgh! I should forget about it." she whispered to herself.

 

*****

 

Stupid alarm clock, why didn't it ring this morning? Look what happened now. I am freakingly late! SooHee ran as fast as she can to her class. 

     3 minutes before the teacher come in! 

     I'm almost there.

     She climbed up the stairs looking only on her steps. If she didn't, she might fall down. 

     BAM! 

     She's on the floor and papers that she held were everywhere. She hit someone-hardly, but she's the one who fell down.

     "Are you blind." that person said in normal voice yet sounded so sarcastic.

     She stood up and bowed to him. "Jeosonghamnida." She repeated her words again.

     "Used your eyes, idiot."

    She still doesn’t know who she hit just now. Then she raised his head up and took a look at that rude person. 

     He's so tall, taller than Key. With his poker face, he glared straight at SooHee.