The next day, I moved to Seoul. I lived the next few months of my life mourning over the loss of a friend.

However, like everything else in life, I got over it and established a new life.

But I wasn’t the obedient little girl anymore. As I entered my teens, I became more and more rebellious. I was the type of children parents feared most.

I stayed out late. I got into fights. I hardly ever talked to my parents. I ditched school. If I did go to school, I slept in class. I never did my homework. My grades dropped drastically. Oddly, I don’t even remember why this sudden change in behavior came over me.

Putting it simply, I was a delinquent. But I was popular. I was pretty and rich. Everyone wanted to be my friend.

Except I didn’t have any friends. Sure, every time I wanted to go to the mall, I had lots of people I could go with. I had hundreds of contacts in my phone. People were always surrounding me, chattering away.

But it wasn’t friendship. Something was missing. I didn’t grow close to any of them.

Then, halfway through my first year in high school, Kim Sunggyu re-entered my life.

During the last few years, he had rarely passed my mind. When my parents did mention him, I dimly recalled a little boy, but that was it. Which explains why I didn’t recognize him when I saw him.

My teacher had introduced him as the valedictorian of his middle school and first place winner of the nation-wide Math competition. I paid no attention to him, thinking he was another nerdy geek.

Amazingly, he recognized me.

“Lee Soojin, it’s been a long while,” he said, taking a seat next to me.

My head shot up, and I was shocked by the boy in front of me. He was not, as I thought, a “nerdy geek”. Far from it, in fact. He was really good looking, even with the over large glasses he was wearing.

“Who’re you?” I asked bluntly.

He chuckled. “How can you not remember me? I thought we were friends.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “If that’s a pick up line, you .”

“Please, I wouldn’t be that lame. But seriously, you don’t remember me? Kim Sunggyu, you know?”

Kim...Sunggyu. That name sounded familiar. My eyes widened as it dawned on me.

“You!”

He laughed. “Me. Man, Soojin, you changed a lot.” He eyed my super short skirt, killer heels, and designer jewelry.

I shrugged, uninterested and wanting nothing to do with him. “Whatever.”

To my dismay, he declared himself my best friend again from that day on, and followed me everywhere. He was not only a shadow, but a pest.

Every time I was going to ditch school, he would drag me back with a reproving look. Every time I was going to sleep in class, he would poke me, stopping me from falling asleep. He met with my parents again, and got permission to help me with my schoolwork. He forced me to study and stayed with me every single day, making sure I did my homework. I hated him. He was plain annoying and I wanted him to leave my life.

However, an incident near the middle of my second year made me change my view of him.

One of my sunbaes, Nam Woohyun, asked me out at the end of my first year. In the beginning, I didn’t care much about him, but slowly, I felt myself falling for him. By the start of the new school year, I was helplessly in love with him.

Sunggyu knew of course, and he constantly teased me about it. He was with me that day.

On my way to class, with Sunggyu scolding me about my latest C on my math test, I was greeted by a terrible sight.

As I neared that hallway, I knew something was wrong. People were whispering as they passed me, giving me odd looks. Confused, I pushed my way through the crowd.

Then, I saw what they were all whispering about. My boyfriend was having a heated make-out session with a girl in my class shamelessly in front of the classroom.

The crowd hushed as I walked towards them, my heels clicking on the tiled floor. He didn’t even lift his head. I pulled him back gruffly and slapped him across the cheek.

He saw me and rolled his eyes. “What’s your problem, girl?”

“My problem? My problem is that I was stupid enough to go out with you!” I spat.

“Oh please, babe. Stop being so dramatic.”

I stared at him disbelievingly.

“I mean, you’re hot and all, but you’re pretty damned annoying right now. I was going to break up with you anyways.”

Before I could open my mouth, I heard a thunk and he flew against the wall.

I looked at Sunggyu’s backside in surprise.

“W-what are you doing?” I asked.

“Teaching the scum a lesson,” he said casually, walking towards him with his fists clenched. I immediately stopped him.

“You’re going to get in trouble.”

He shrugged. “S’all good.”

“Your perfect record’s going to get ruined.

“I don’t really care.”

“It’s not going to be ruined ‘cuz of me.” I dragged him away, shooting my ex-boyfriend a dirty look.

“Why didn’t you let me beat him up? You’re going to feel much better when you see me pulverize him,” Sunggyu said, helping me hold my books.

“I’ll feel much better if you’ll shut up now.”

“Shutting.” He pretended to zip up his lips and I laughed wearily at the childish gesture.

“Thanks,” I said quietly.

“What for?”

“For sticking up for me back there. No one ever does that for me,” I muttered.

“Anytime. We’re best friends, right?” He winked.

I rolled my eyes but laughed.

From that day on, I slowly began to accept his presence. I was constantly hampered by him annoying me about homework and the like, but I didn’t find it as irritating as before. In fact, I actually tried in school and my grades improved by a lot.

One day, Woohyun called me and asked me to meet up with him again. I saw no harm in that and went to the designated park.

When I got there, he was already waiting for me.

“What do you want?” I asked icily.

“Hey babe, how you doin’?” He asked.

“Hurry up, I don’t want to see your face.”

“Oh, but you do. That’s why you came right?”

I scoffed in disbelief. Gosh, he was conceited.

“Are you stupid? I’m doing this out of courtesy. If you’re not going to talk, then bye.”

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist.

“Ouch! Let go!”

He pulled me close to him. “Come on, let’s have some fun shall we?” He whispered. I smelled alcohol in his breath and stiffened. I hated that smell.

While I was debating on whether or not I should kick him in the balls, someone suddenly released my wrist from his grip. That person pulled me against them protectively and wrapped their arms around me from the back.

“Scram, you little bastard,” a familiar voice said.

Sunggyu?

Woohyun cursed and stumbled away.

Well, that was easy...

Sunggyu suddenly released me and spun me around, gripping my shoulders.

“Dude, that hurts!” I was about to open my mouth to whine some more, but I closed it immediately after I saw his expression. He looked pissed. Like, really pissed.

“Is...something the matter?”

“Why in the name of muffins did you go meet that guy, Woohyun, again?” He asked through clenched teeth.

“Muffins. Haha that’s a good one,” I laughed meekly. He was not impressed and I sighed.

“Fine, fine. I was stupid, okay?”

“Stupid? That’s putting it lightly. He could’ve hurt you!”

“But he didn’t, right?”

“What if I didn’t appear?”

“But you did. And I was going to kick him in the balls anyways,” I said.

“And if that doesn’t work?”

I shrugged. “Scream?”

“Why are you acting so nonchalant??? Do you know what he could’ve done to you?” He demanded, his voice increasing volume.

“What’s your problem? Why are you yelling at me?” I cried, ignoring the staring looks of the passersby. He didn’t reply, but continued looking at me. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm roughly and dragged me down the road.

“Ow, ow, ow! Sunggyu, let go! That hurts!”

He let go and pushed me against a wall, planting his hands on either side of me, not letting me move. I gulped at his angry expression.

“Lighten up, would you?”

“This is not a joking matter, Lee Soojin.”

“Why do you care so much?”

“Why do I care so much? WHY DO I CARE SO MUCH? BECAUSE I’M ING IN LOVE WITH YOU, THAT’S WHY!” He screamed, frustrated

My eyes widened. What? He sighed and stepped away, not meeting my eyes.

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you home,” he said in a low voice, running his fingers through is hair.

The walk home was filled with an awkward silence. The only talking was him calling me stupid when I tripped over a rock. He helped me up, dusted me off, and assumed his position three yards in front of me again. He watched me enter the house before leaving.

The next day, he was waiting outside of my classroom as usual. My face burned as I remembered what he said to me yesterday.

“A-annyeong,” I said as I walked towards him.

“Good morning,” he said in a monotonic voice.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“No. Did you do your homework?”

“CRAP! I FORGOT!” I had spent all night thinking about him and his stupid confession.

He shook his head at me and dragged me inside the classroom and watched me do as many problems as I could before class started.

“Babo, you don’t do it like that,” he said, taking the pencil from me and solving the equation out easily.

“Oooohh, I think I get it now,” I mused, making sense of the numbers. “Thanks!” I looked at him and our eyes met. He didn’t look away and I grew uncomfortable. I shifted in my seat and tore my eyes away from him and back to the paper.

“S-so, how do you do this one?” I asked, pointing to a random problem. He didn’t say anything.

“Sunggyu?”

“Are you going to give me an answer-” he began.

I stiffened.

“Or are you just going to leave me hanging there?” He finished.

“I...” My voice trailed off. Finally, I cleared my throat and began again. “You know, you’re a really good friend to me, and you’re probably my only friend...but...I just don’t see you that way...”

He nodded, giving away no expression. He seemed unfazed, but as he continued tutoring me, he avoided my eyes.

He was a really good sport about it, and I was glad. Aside from the awkwardness that day, everything turned back to normal after. He continued cracking lame jokes and nagged me about doing my work.

At the end of the year, we have the annual prom. Since partners weren’t required, I went for the sake of going. So did Sunggyu.

That year’s prom king and queen happened to be Nam Woohyun, and his newest girlfriend Han Seungyeon.

I thought that I had gotten over him, but I realized I was wrong that night. When I saw them walk up the stage together to receive their crowns and sashes, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from their smirks and was dimly aware of Sunggyu’s hand placed firmly on my shoulder.

He turned me around and I was staring, not at the couple anymore, but at his chest. He pulled me close and patted me on the back.

Slowly, he led me away from the crowd and out the back door of the venue. By that time, I was crying earnestly.

“It’s alright, Soojin,” he whispered gently as I grabbed onto the front of his shirt, trying hard to stop my tears.

“Why am I crying?” I said hoarsely, taking deep breaths. “I thought I didn’t care about him anymore!”

Without realizing it, I began pounding my fists against Sunggyu’s chest weakly. He didn’t even flinch. If it hurt, he didn’t show it. Finally, my punches became weaker and weaker and he took my hands in his.

“Calm down, Soojin. That dude’s not worth it. If you want, I can go re-arrange his face for you. I’m sure his girlfriend will totally stay with him after that,” he said with a snicker. I didn’t stop crying but looked at him with watery eyes. When he looked at me, his eyes softened.

“Can’t you just...” He looked away. “Can’t you just look at me for once? Can’t you...accept me?”

I didn’t say anything but just hiccupped.

“I won’t hurt you like he did,” he said, looking me firmly in the eye. “I’ll make sure you forget about him. I’ll make sure you won’t get hurt if I’m by your side. I’ll protect you from everything, Soojin.”

I moved my eyes to the ground. He sighed.

“Forget everything I said. Come on, let’s get you home.”

_________

Don't hate on Woohyun, guys :D