o o 8 ;

My duty as his buddy was to only show him around school, explain the rules and teach him the things he didn’t understand. My obligations didn’t have to stretch any further than that.

I was more than happy about the fact. I didn’t want to spend more time with him than what I was needed to.

But apparently, Daniel had other ideas.

“Chorong,” he called out to me after school one day. “Wait for me.”

I contemplated if I should stop or just carry on walking. The sun was scorching hot that summer afternoon, and my head was throbbing in pain because of the heat. I just wanted to go home and drown myself in a tub of cold water.

But then my feet just stopped, as if that was the most natural thing to do.

“Hey...” he said, when he finally caught up with me. “...heading home already?”

I shrugged. “Where else would I go?”

“Let’s go for a drink, shall we?”

When I didn’t say anything, he cocked his head to the right and gave me a small pout. It should look ridiculous on someone as tough and manly as he was, but it didn’t. He just looked even more adorable than ever.

“Aw, come on Chorong. It’s a hot day, I’m sure you’d agree for some ice-cream?” he continued to tempt me. “Pretty please? There are still places that I haven’t got the chance to go to.”

I started to walk away. “You can always find someone else to play your tour guide.”

“Wait,” he said, grabbing my wrist. I turned back to face him for a brief second, before my eyes fell on his hand. He pulled away at once.

“I’m sorry. Just...humour me this once? And besides, I don’t know anyone else except for you.”

I smirked. “Go and make some friends then.”

I started to walk away again, but this time he didn’t stop me. Instead, he fell into step next to me.

“Where do you live?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“So that I can send you back home and we can go to school together too.”

I stopped in my tracks. He did too.

“I think we should get some things straight here. I’m only your partner in school,” I told him, and emphasizing on the word ‘partner.’ “Our conversations are only limited within the school compounds.”

“Says who?” he argued back.

“Me. Says me.”

I picked up my steps again. As expected, he was still following me.

Shoving both hands into his pockets, he said, “You know, I’ve heard these things about you. Rumours, as you call it.”

I clenched my fist tightly by the side, but I put on a calm expression.

“Oh really?” 

“Yeah, these things about you being an arrogant person and how you just won’t talk to anyone in school.”

“That’s not true!” I blurted out. “I talk to Eunji.”

I didn’t know why I felt the need to defend myself in front of him. I used not to care about what anyone say or think about me. But with Daniel...somehow I didn’t want him to have that kind of impression of me.

I heard him chuckling softly.

“It’s okay Chorong. You don’t h – “

But he was suddenly cut off when a bicycle zoomed past us in an undeniable speed. Daniel stretched out his arm in front of me in a protective manner.

“Watch out!’ he said.

“Yah!” I heard Eunji’s voice shrieking from behind. “Nam Woohyun! Get back here! What are you? 5 years old?”

I whirled around and saw my friend fuming with anger as she had her hands placed on her hips and steam was practically coming out from her ears.

The boy who was riding the bicycle earlier, was laughing hysterically as he held up a piece of paper in his hand.

“Howon-ah!” he called out to his friend who was cycling closely behind him, at a more sane speed. “Let’s go. We have her homework with us. We’ll surely get right answers this time!”

I narrowed my eyes at the boy with black, thick-rimmed glasses, still happily laughing and exchanging hi-5 with his friend. They were still joking and smiling gleefully at Eunji’s stolen homework, like they had done nothing wrong.

I know Nam Woohyun. He was the biggest prankster in our class. The jerk who was constantly being a pain in the for others.

He was always skipping lessons and when tests came, he’d try to rip off the answers from someone else’s sheet.

I hadn’t been his victim personally, but I couldn’t stand watching my friend getting bullied.

“Nam Woohyun!” I shouted out loud, not caring if I was attracting attention from the other students. Even when Daniel was tugging at my arm, I ignored him and stormed over towards where Woohyun was.

The latter was staring at me in disbelief, with unblinking eyes. ‘Guess nobody had stood up to him before.

“Give Eunji back her homework,” I told him in a threatening voice.

He stared at me for another few seconds, before exchanging looks with Howon, and then bursting out laughing once again.

“Wow, Park Chorong. The girl who never talked can actually talk. Congrats, for finally finding your voice.”

I didn’t know where I had gotten the strength from, but before I knew it, I gave his bicycle one mighty push and he toppled over along with the bike.

I took the chance to pluck the paper out of his hand and before I turn to walk away, I smiled bitterly at him and said,

“Remember this voice, because this voice will be the one giving you sleepless nights.”

Woohyun made a short appearance :>

Just to give you an insight on his character. 

But it is not his time yet ^_^