As Shin Hye stepped outside of her car, she looked everywhere, checking on something… someone. Her poker face changed into disappointment. Knowing she is still early for class, she walked slowly to the classroom. She kept on thinking about his pickup line on Eun Hye.

Yeah. It came right from his mouth. She’s all he has been looking for.

She absentmindedly sat on her place, front row. Instead of getting a book from her bag, she just sat there—her arms are resting on the desk while she held her face. Her eyes are full of solemnity.

Realizing that she was thinking about him since last night, she slaps her face to forget him, even just for a while.

“Andwae! Don’t think about him Shin Hye-ya!” She said aloud, thinking she is the only in the room… but she’s not.

“Nugu yeyo? Ah Shin Hye-ya… you’re already here.”

Shin Hye was startled at his words. She knew it was him. She couldn’t be wrong. He walked towards her. She had already memorized his voice, his scent, the contours of his face, and even how hard his biceps are when she fell on him at the library.

“It’s me who should say that. Why are you so early?”

Shin Hye told him. He was already sitting at her desk.

“Uh… I don’t know. I just felt like going early today. I thought you’re gonna be the one who’s early.”

“I’m still early. You are SUPER early. Kekeke.”

She tried to joke. Yong Hwa laughed at it and so did she. He suddenly changed the topic.

“I heard it. You’re thinking of Soo Hyun, aren’t you?” He smirked.

“Aniya!” Shin Hye’s face blushed, not because Yong Hwa guessed it right, but because he had no idea that HE was already the one she was thinking of. Yong Hwa got it the wrong way.

“You can’t hide it anymore. You’re blushing.” Yong Hwa said as he leaned closer to her to pinch her cheeks and shook her head.

“Aniya…” She said. Yong Hwa was about to lean a little more closer, they both closed their eyes…

when his phone suddenly rang. They were both startled. They looked away at each other. Yong Hwa went outside to talk to the who called.

“Oh! Annyeong Miss Beautiful! Kekeke. Eun Hye-ssi, what’s the matter?”

She sat on a chair close to the door so that she can eavesdrop at their conversation.

 “Ah, keuraeyo? Geureom, I’ll give it to you later…”

“Jinja? You’re already at the gate? Wait there. I’ll go downstairs.”

He left her without saying a word.

Miss Beautiful, huh? So she’s here… Looks like they are seeing each other often.

She went back to her seat with arms with arms crossed.

***

She wasn’t able to focus at the lecture because her mind was preoccupied with the conversation.

This isn’t good. Why am I like this? I can’t be thinking of him forever. I should stop this…

Just as soon as their Math class was dismissed, she immediately went out of the room. She kept on walking, until she found this empty room. She went inside and the lights. It was a dance studio.

She saw the cassette player and pressed the play button. All of a sudden, she found herself dancing with the song, Satisfaction. She danced with passion; letting all her emotions come out with every move she made—loneliness, jealousy…desire. She never danced like this before in her life. It’s a totally different her, a side hidden for ages. In that moment, the snow queen suddenly turned into a fiery warrior—her heart and mind battling inside her.

She danced until her body got worn out. She was panting nonstop. Because of exhaustion, she wasn’t able to notice that someone was actually watching her.

“Whoa! I didn’t know you can dance like that! Chukahae!” Soo Hyun said while clapping his hands really hard. He handed her a bottle of water.

“How… did you find out…”

“I just knew it. You should teach me those moves. You’re really gracious!”

He stood up and replayed the music. He tried imitating her moves. Shin Hye’s face turned red because she is hiding her laughter. Soo Hyun noticed it.

“Kwaenchanha, Shin Hye-ya?”

She couldn’t hold it any longer so she ended up laughing so hard that her stomach was already aching.

“You should take a look at yourself while you’re dancing! Kekeke… You look like a swaying bamboo!”

“Aish! I’m not a bamboo! That was a robotic dance!” Soo Hyun was defending himself.

“Kekeke. Hello beep-beep. I’m Soo Hyun the robot beep-beep.” She said as she started to act like a robot.

“Yeah! Laugh as long as you can.” Soo Hyun pouted at her but she still couldn’t stop laughing.

“You… you’re like a pole too… That’s right! You are a POLE DANCER! Kekeke.”

“Pole dancer eh? Aigoo! Wait here ‘til I catch you!”

Shin Hye ran for her life but she couldn’t run fast because her stamina was already drained due to dancing and laughter. Soo Hyun was able to grab her hand then tickled her waist.

“Please! Enough! You won!” Shin Hye said while she was fighting with his hands but he was just too strong.

“Take back all that you said.”

“Ok ok! You’re not a pole dancer or a robot or a bamboo! You’re Kim Soo Hyun-ssi, a film major student.”

He stopped. They sat down on the floor, still laughing. Suddenly, Soo Hyun’s face turned to seriousness. She held her hand.

“I… like you, Shin Hye-ya. I hope you like me too.”

Shin Hye almost spitted out the water she was drinking because of Soo Hyun’s sudden confession.

“I do like you too Soo Hyun.” Shin Hye said to him and smiled.

“Jinja?” A glimmer of hope lit his face.

“Ne… Somehow, I feel comfortable with your company.” She said as she arranged herself to intentionally remove her hand from his.

 “Keureom, do you think that… we are suited for each other?”

Shin Hye was shocked by his sudden question.

“I mean… is there a chance that you will fall for me?”

She gulped and looked straight in his eyes. Since he knew her transparency, might as well make things clear to him.

“I do like you too Soo Hyun… but I don’t think that this feeling is something that will develop into love... I believe that I like you because I see my late brother in you.”

Soo Hyun was hurt, but it was the truth. He still wanted to hear her say it anyway.

“I like you… to be my friend, nothing more than that.”

“But… how could you be so sure that you cannot love me? Waeyo?”

Soo Hyun was battling with her, head-to-head, thinking that maybe he can win her through this.

“Soo Hyun-ah, mianhae. I can’t answer that. Truthfully, I also ask myself why I am this clear when it comes to my feelings to you, you’re what I’ve been looking for as my namchin—smart, faithful, someone who watches mushy movies… but, I realized that my idea of my ‘ideal guy’ is just on my head, and not in my heart. After all, it is this (points to her heart) that we are using when we love, and not this (points to her head).”

There was silence. But Soo Hyun wanted to ask one more question.

“Is it because you already have someone else in here?” He said then points to her heart.

“Mianhae.” She softly said without meeting his gaze.

Although Soo Hyun’s eyes were full of solemnity and his heart filled with defeat, he still managed to make himself look fine. He stood up and composed himself.

“Kwaenchanha. At least you made it clear to me as early as now. It could have been more painful if you will let me believe that we might feel something beyond friendship.”

It was painful but he accepted her brutal honesty. He extended his arm for her to shake.

“Friends?”

“Friends.”

She hugged Soo Hyun and his back.

“Friends comfort each other right?... I know you deserve someone better. Surely you’ll find someone meant for you sooner or later.”

He hugged her back and sighed.

“I knew it will come down to this. But it was worth a try.”

 

***

When Shin Hye got back to her class, she noticed Yong Hwa’s empty seat.

Where could he be?

She went to Jong Hyun to ask him.

“Do you know where Yong Hwa is?”

“Mianhae Shin Hye-ya. I don’t know.”

Jong Hyun can see the worried look on her face.

“Don’t worry Shin Hye-ya. I’m sure he is just here wandering somewhere. It’s healthy to cut classes too, you know.” He smiled then winked at her.

***

And so she walked out of the room, not minding if her professor is coming or not. She looked for him at the cafeteria, the garden, the empty classrooms, even the restroom but he was not there.

She almost lost hope in looking for him. She sat on the corridor. While taking a rest, she can hear herself singing along to someone playing Realize by Colbie Calliat. It’s a guy’s voice that was singing it though. Her eyes widened as she remembered the time she was with Yong Hwa and his gang at Divulgence. He saw a door slightly opened so she peeked and she was right. It was him. He was playing with his guitar. He looked so down.

At the end of the song, she barged in the room without knocking. He was startled to see her.

“What are you doing here?”

“It should be me asking that. We have classes, remember?” She said as she leaned at the door.

“Can’t you see I ditched it?” He said with a scrutinizing look at her.

“I’ll tell it to seonsaengnim.”

Shin Hye pretended walking away thinking that Yong Hwa will stop her but he didn’t.

“Ok. You won. I won’t tell it to him.”

“You haven’t answered my question yet. What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?”

“MWO?! Aniya! I just… I just… I just went to the restroom…”

“Then?” Yong Hwa was getting suspicious at her.

“then I heard someone sing that’s why I barged in to check who it was.”

“Hmm... Now you know. Don’t mind me. You can go back to your class now.”

He said without looking at her.

“Ah… arasseo.”

Shin Hye disappointingly walked out of the room when suddenly, she felt a grip on her hand.

“Wait a sec.”

She turned around to face him.

“Wae?”

“You seem to get closer to Soo Hyun, huh?”

“Ne. He’s a nice guy… unlike YOU.”

Shin Hye stuck her tongue on him then released his grip and walked away.

 

Flashback.

“I do like you too Soo Hyun.” Shin Hye said to him and smiled.

Little did she know, Yong Hwa was already there from the start. He followed her silently as she went out of the classroom. When he heard those words, he felt that his heart has just been pounded by a hammer after what she just said—the pieces of his heart seemed to leave traces as he walked away.

End of flashback.

 

Yong Hwa just smirked.

“Bad joke Shin Hye-ya… It hurts.”

_____________________________________________________________________

Another update! Quite long, isn’t it? No Korean classes for next week. Our seonsaengnim is going to Korea for 2 weeks because he was sponsored by the Korean government to have a training in teaching us the Korean language, but immediately after he comes back, we will have our long exam. T.T

Btw, the tentative title of the sequel of The Angel who Saved her Heart will be, Keep Calm I Love You. What do you think? I already have a story in my mind but it’s not yet that clear. You can suggest ideas too. Just message me. :) Happy reading chingus! Comment what you feel. Don’t be shy. :) Btw, thanks for greeting my mom chingus! She's really glad about it.