I couldn’t take it anymore.

These obsessed freaks who claim themselves as ‘civilized’ women. They’ve been prancing around bullying me every chance they get. Leaving a note or two at their - what I call - ‘crime scene’ saying things like; “L. Joe’s MINE, . Back the @#*$ off!” “OK, who’d have thought that the biggest nerd of our school would be THAT low to blackmail one of our kingkas to date her? No one. Have an UN-HAPPY life, Jae Hae-ri. Oh, and I hope you looove the ‘gift’ I left for you.” and “Giks liek u arnt sootebal 4 almighty kingkas liek L. Joe-oppa. Kingkas leik L. Joe-oppa iz my sool mate!!!! <3 I wuuuuv heeem~”

I’m not really sure which dumb blonde of a queenka wrote the last one but, hey. At least she spelled ‘almighty’ and ‘my’ right (‘kingka’ and ‘-oppa’ doesn’t count). And I was going to recommend her for the kindergarten spelling bee but seeing that, she’ll get creamed by some snotty-nosed 3-year-old.

L. Joe had a look of disbelief on his face. He knew how hard it was for me to finish that. He was bugging me all night, and I had to let him into my room since he threatened to sing me a song. My parents would freak! And, unlike some people, I give a hee-YUGE damn about my grades. Uh, duh, why else am I called the school valedictorian?

“I-I’m sorry,” he whispered, inching closer to me. And, for once, I didn’t even bother hollering at him to move several meters away or kicking him in the shin. I was just too devastated. Sure, the queenkas of the school had done so many more horrible things. But I had a rough week. I just found out my parents are getting divorced. I’m grounded for, like, a week just ‘cus I talked back to mom and dad. And I got an A- in English – an A-.

L. Joe attempted a meek smile. “Hey, you alright?” he whispered, not wanting to attract any attention since he knew I’d hate him for that. I felt his arms touching my shoulder and I automatically took a few steps away.

I didn’t say a word, I only stared in horror at the remnants of my History report that I had worked on all night (I got into bed at 9:59 a.m. dead tired out of my socks, but then that damned alarm went off) since my last History report had decided to play Houdini for the night and ‘magically’ vanish right before my eyes. Queenkas were involved.

“Will you look at that freak, girls? Serves her right…” I heard one of them whisper before maniacally laughing and applying some more lipstick on her stupid retarded face.

My eyes watered and I started shaking. L. joe, who was standing too close for comfort beside me, frowned. “Hae-ri…? If you don’t – ” he started rough but softened his tone when he saw tears running down my cheeks.

Jo, the queen of the queenkas, smirked in my direction, probably relishing my frustration with glee like the sadist she is. “Oh, here comes the waterworks, girls!”

“THAT IS IT!” I suddenly heard L. Joe scream. I nearly jumped 10 feet into the air. I looked to my right to find a scowling L. Joe, and a scowling L. Joe is a bad L. Joe. (He’s the school bad boy, FYI.) He narrowed his eyes at the 5 girls who were huddling up in the corner. Like I said, everybody’s scared of him. “Just shut up, will you?!” he continued screaming, advancing further towards the girls.

I observed them closely to find that nearly all of them were trembling. It was obvious that a fight was just bound to happen any minute now. L. Joe doesn’t care if it’s male or female, he fights anyone. But he’s the type of guy who doesn’t hits girls, though – he’s not THAT bad.

I grit my teeth, and balled up my fists. I’d probably regret what I’m going to do…

“Calm – calm down, L. Joe,” I silently instructed him, weakly grabbing his arm. Cue the massive waves of “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU????!!!!”s “They’ve been bullying you for, like, DOZENS of times!”s and “PAAAAAAYBAAAAAAAACK D:<????!!!!”s bombarding my head.

The class was quiet now, watching our every move. I bit my lip, continuing. “Just… let it go, Joe.”

L. Joe growled, avoiding my eyes. I wasn’t surprised. My eyes looked too vulnerable at that moment rather than its usual glare. “How can you be fine with that? They insulted you! My girl,” he yelled out.

My blood froze at the words “my girl”. Then I snapped, my tears spouting out like a fountain. “How can I be FINE with that?! They’ve been bullying me ever since you’ve started following me everywhere! How can YOU just realize that now, Byung-hun? Are you seriously that dense?” I spilled out. I forced myself to stop. L. Joe had a hurt and confused look on his face. And as much as I hate to say it, I continued on with my meaningless rant. “And I am NOT ‘your girl’. I know you’re just using me…” I muttered out the last part softly.

“Hae-ri…” L. Joe murmured my name softly, reaching his hand out to grab my hand.

I flinched away and glared. Then I turned to my heel and ran. I just… ran.

 

I leaned against the walls. I was panting like crazy. I had probably just run a few metres, but my slightly loony friend, Isabelle always told me that I was as weak as a new-born kitten. Thus that is how I became known to her as kitten.

I fell to my knees, the energy draining out of me.  Then I went back to square one, sobbing my lungs out. I tried to cry as softly as possible. But that didn’t really work out since I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up in alarm to find Isabelle smiling down at me with kind eyes. “You OK, kitten?” she asked me, squatting down in front of me.

I tried smiling back but I was crying too hard. “I-it’s about L. Joe,” I said several minutes later as my sobs began to subside.

Isabelle quirked an eyebrow at me. “He’s still as annoyingly stubborn, pathetically love-struck and dense as water as before?”

I managed a giggle before nodding my head. “Yeah, you can say that,” I responded. ‘I need some advice.” Eventhough most people thought of Isabelle Williams as the craziest air-head in all of Seoul High, she gave some bad advice.

“Mr. Right’s not always ‘right’,” Isabelle told me, smiling that nearly-lunatic grin of hers that I love so much about her. “Just because he may have some bad baggage with him, doesn’t mean he’s not The One,” she quickly added when she noticed my confused look.

“But – but… what if…” I started, unsure of what to say.

“Go on,” she urged me.

I managed a crooked smile and forced the words stuck in the back of my throat to continue. “What if… he’s just t-too far gone…?” I managed to say, nearly choking on my words as my eyes began to get teary-eyed again.

I turned to my right to look at my friend – possibly my only one. Ever since L. Joe began tagging along with me, all of his fan-girls envied me. And when I meant by his fan-girls, I mean the whole female population of Seoul High.

“Aw, baby!” she exclaimed, well, bawled actually. It was like the situation was in reverse and I was s’posed to be the one comforting her. Oh how I wish it just was. I awkwardly hugged her back, trying to no avail to my tears back into its tear ducts or something since I was sobbing like some heartbroken 13-year-old who thought she ‘just found the right guy’ and we were in the middle of the school hallway for God’s sakes! Not to mention the fact that we’re skipping History…

In my opinion, the hug didn’t make feel any better. I bawled even harder. Ugh, this really ruins my reputation of being the ‘girl with an ice heart’.

Isabelle began humming a tune, at the same time cooing to me like I’m some kitten.

Before I knew it, Isabelle’s cooing and humming managed to lull me to sleep. I could’ve sworn I heard L. Joe’s voice as my body waded into slumber. But I guess it was just my brain.

 

My eyes fluttered open. I felt so tired even though it felt like I’ve been sleeping for nearly an hour. The tiredness was probably affecting myself since I didn’t even panic when that thought crossed my mind. In fact, I just cuddled deeper into the warm person cradling me.

WAIT. Warm… person…? Person?! PERSON????!!!!

I began feeling around the person’s body. Even though I knew that Isabelle had practically zero cleavage, this – this… PERSON was as flat as a board (but it was really hard though)! I cautiously looked up to find a solemn-looking Lee Byung-hun staring down at me. I spluttered, and began moving away from him. After that incident in class, I wasn’t all that hyped to face him. He probably loathes me right now. To my surprise, when I tried to pull away from him, he held me back. “L – L. Joe!” I screamed, muffled since I was shoved into his chest. That idiot didn’t even say anything! He just hugged me even tighter.

I was practically suffocating. Maybe that’s his objective. He wants to suffocate me to death. I can see it now, “Seoul High School Valedictorian Suffocated to Death by School Bad Boy”. The queenkas would probably skip the whole school day just to celebrate my passing. Oh, God, what did I do so wrong that –

“You idiot.”

My head snapped up to face him. I hated being called an idiot - especially by an idiot. “What did you say?” I snapped. But my confidence was soon gone when I realised that our lips were waaaaay too close. Our bodies were touching. And L. Joe didn’t look all that happy, he looked a bit angry actually.

“You thought I was using you?” he asked me, his voice rough and his eyes hard and cold.

Tears started to prickle through my eyes and a huge lump formed in my throat. “I – I – ” I stuttered.

“YOU THOUGHT I WAS USING YOU????” he bellowed. Then, there and then I cried, showing my vulnerable side. I felt like a little lost lamb that its owner had just found out that the lamb’s been doing bad stuff that little lost lambs do. He heard me?

I began sobbing my eyes out. The salty tears running down my cheeks once more, I started talking. “I-I thought that – that y-y-you were just us-s-sing me to have your fa-fan-girls to stop b-bothering you,” I sniffled. I had felt so used. The man I’ve been admiring ever since I laid my eyes on him was so close yet at the same time, he’s too far gone.

L. Joe was quiet for a moment. But then he CHUCKLED. That damn y chuckle of his as I was practically confessing my feelings here. Despite having puffy red eyes, I glared through my tears. He noticed my meek attempt at glaring, and pinched my cheeks. “You are so adorable,” he suddenly blurted out, grinning like the idiot he is.

I blushed and puffed out my cheeks, my tears subsiding.

I opened my mouth to say something. But I was stopped short when he kissed me right on the forehead. I now resemble a tomato. Call me tomato, peeps. After that short yet breath taking, heart stopping, waves crashing, fireworks firing kiss, he smiled a smile that made my insides melt. “I was never using you, Jae Hae-ri.”

“But – ”

I was automatically shushed when he placed his forefinger to my lips. “I genuinely fell for you, slowly,” he chuckled, placing our foreheads together. “The first day I met you, it was the first day of school. You were pacing back and forth whilst staring at the ground while on a lollipop.”

I gaped at how specific he was.

He continued. “I had thought; Hey, Earth to L. Joe. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT make a fool of yourself in front of this hubba-hubba.”

I laughed. L. Joe really knows how to make me laugh in the most dire situation.

“After I met you a few more times after that, I confirmed that I started to kind of like you – well that, and the fact that the other members loved to tease me about you. Then I got to know you better. You’re adorable, book worm, perfectionist, couldn’t care less about anything, smart, a typical tsundere. And you have this habit where you’d pout whenever you’re mad.”

I brought my hands up to my lips to find out that I actually was pouting.

“Hey, Hae-ri,” he suddenly whispered ever-so-seductively at me, tipping my chin upwards with his forefinger. He slowly neared his lips to mine. I couldn’t do anything, I was frozen into place. I only stared at his pink plump lips, helpless. He stopped advancing, a single millimetre away from my lips in a kiss. Then he smirked. “What’s your move, Jae?”

“This.”

I pushed my lips against L. Joe’s. It was my first kiss, and I lost it to the baddest bad boy of the school. As soon as I realised what I was doing, I pulled back. But L. Joe pushed me against the wall, cornering me. He passionately kissed my lips. I had no clue of what to do. Do I just sit there doing nada? Or do I put my hand around his head? I squeaked when he started to softly bite my lower lip. He cracked his eyes open to flash a wink at me. I took that as a sign to kiss him back. He still had dominance though.

I started pushing him back, a sign that I was gasping for air. L. Joe broke away from me and pouted cutely. For a bad boy, he seriously does aegyo a whole dang lot, I thought. “I could’ve continued for another few minutes there!” he whined like a little kid who had just had his lollipop being taken away from him.

“I-I’m still new at this!” I yelled at him, blushing at the awkwardness that we were actually discussing about this.

He laughed at me and winked again. You people have to seriously start calling me tomato. “But seriously though, Jae Hae-ri, I’ve fallen for you.”

“Really?!” I exclaimed. I immediately clamped my mouth shut soon after. That was totally uncharacteristic of me. I sounded like his fan-girl. Blekk. I’ll have to wash my mouth with soap when I get back home. “I-I meant that I – uh…” I struggled with my words, not knowing what to say after my all-time admire-ee confessed to me – a geek.

L. Joe smiled and silently chuckled at my nervous behaviour. “You love me, too,” he finished for me, pecking my cheek.

I felt touched, really, really, reeeeaaaally –

SNAP!

I immediately turned to the direction of the noise. It sounded like a –

“Camera!” Isabelle randomly shouted, waving her polaroid camera around as if it was a trophy. OK, how is it that she just read my mind there? And why the heck is it that I keep getting interrupted?!

“Yo,” L. Joe lamely greeted the other members of Teen Top, one of the most famous groups of kingkas in our school. Their leader was C.A.P.

C.A.P., Chunji, Changjo, Niel, and Ricky were cheekily grinning ear to ear around Isabelle.

“You are too loud sometimes, L. Joe,” C.A.P. commented.

“Got you~” Niel taunted.

“You are way too bold sometimes, Byung-hun. Seriously kissing just a few doors away from the teachers’ lounge,” Chunji said, shaking his head at the blonde. My ears went bright red at his words.

“I knew that the both of you would end up together eventually,” Changjo smirked, slinging an arm around Isabelle’s shoulders.

“We saw the whole damn thing, Hae-ri-ah,” Ricky winked at me. I blushed and pulled my collar over my reddening face.

L. Joe growled at him “Stop flirting with my girl, Ricky,” he growled, pulling me to his chest. I instinctively smiled at his possessive behaviour.

Niel side-hugged Ricky. “Aw, lookit Hae-ri, smiling like a bright sunny sun-sun all over.”

Ricky grinned and winked again. “Ain’t L. Joe snagged a cutie,” he chortled.

L. Joe slowly stood up from our position and did a war-cry before chasing the two boys around the hall way, not bothering to lower his voice. “Come here, you two idiots!”

Chunji and C.A.P. immediately tagged in on the chase. Changjo shrugged at their behaviour before kissing Isabelle lightly on the cheek. “Gotta do my duty, babe,” he told the smiling girl. Changjo then proceeded to tackle Chunji.

I gawked at Isabelle then at the running Changjo then back at Isabelle again. “The both of you were together all this while?” I asked her.

She grabbed my hand and started to swing our joined hands back and forth. “Yup,” she simply replied, flashing me a wink that indicated that she’ll tell me more about it later. “Soooo, did my advice help?”

“Sure did,” I told her, swinging our hands even higher, I probably even started jumping a little.

“I do not care whether you’re female, Izz. Get your hands offa my girl!” L. Joe screamed under a whistling C.A.P. who was nonchalantly checking his nails.

This time I didn’t freak out when he referred to me as his girl. I was getting used to it.

 

 

 

 

( Crappy ending TT _ TT )