[SUNWOO POV]

 

 

Lately, school has been just a little bit easier to deal with.

 

 

Before, I dreaded going to my classes. Why would I enjoy hearing the monotone voices of my teachers, half-heartedly telling me to read a page of my textbook or do some project that they knew I would never get done? Cha Sunwoo doesn't do work. Simple as that.

 

 

Plus, the group of students I always hang out with – the wannabes, the kids who try as hard as possible to be something they're not – have been getting on my nerves lately. Yes, I understand I am one of them. I rely too much on my social status, because that's all I really have. That's all any of us “popular kids” have. However, for the past few weeks, I've been craving more than that.

 

 

I don't want to just be popular anymore. Hanging out with tons of kids and doing whatever I want is great and all, but I want something more, something real.

 

 

And through picking on Sandeul and belittling the guy, I think I've found that something (as horrible as that sounds).

 

 

I'm still hazy as to why torturing this guy was so much fun at the beginning. All I know is that I got a kick out of seeing his reactions. But now that he's fighting back, things are ten times more entertaining. I find myself smiling genuinely much more often. Not just a stupid smirk that I use to woo the ladies or pretend someone's joke was funny, but a real, happy smile.

 

 

I'll never admit it out loud, but when Sandeul and I bicker, it feels like he's my first real friend.

 

 

In a way, we're honest with each other about our feelings. He hates me, and I love picking on him. We're both completely open about that. And along the way, I've found companionship with the older boy. I find myself thinking about him, wanting to spend time with him.

 

 

A strange feeling bubbles up in my chest every time I think about the concept of a real friend. I've never had one before. All of my “friends” were just to help my image. What do friends do together? They joke around and tease each other, right? Do they spend time together? What do they talk about? I'm curious, and I long for one of my own.

 

 

I'm not going to stop being an to Sandeul any time soon. It's too much fun. But if I'm honest with myself, I'm secretly hoping he'll think of me as a friend someday.

 

 

Maybe someday, we could get along.

 

 

But that day has yet to come. Throughout the school day on both Wednesday and Thursday, I go out of my way to bother Sandeul as much as possible. Without planning anything out, I try to pull as many pranks and annoy him in as many different ways as I can. Everything is coming off the top of my head, so nothing special or elaborate happens, but nonetheless, it gets the job done. Every time, Sandeul spurts curse words at me and gives me that adorable glare mixed with a pout that sends me bursting into hysterics.

 

 

It's almost as if I can't control myself. I do the prank without thinking, and then laugh without thinking. The entire time, I know I'm making a fool of myself – letting such trivial things entertain me so much – but I can't help it. I feel like a mischievous little kid again, and the stupidest things are making me so unbelievably happy.

 

 

Sandeul's reactions are the best. Usually, it's an evil glare and some profanities, mixed with a good physical beating that leaves me bruised and sore the next day. But sometimes if I'm lucky, I catch him off guard and get a glimpse of his rare innocent, shocked, and embarrassed look. The time I pulled his chair out from under him at lunch was priceless. When he fell on his , his eyes got so wide I swear they were about to fall out of the sockets. His entire face warmed up with a slight blush, mouth forming into a little “o”, and it was probably the cutest funniest thing I've ever seen.

 

 

As I start to spend more of my time bothering Sandeul and less of it hanging out with my usual crowd, I find myself becoming happier. Maybe I can give up my usual cocky attitude, find a few true friends, start focusing on my grades, and do something productive with my life. I could easily make it happen. Maybe tonight I could pull out my dusty old textbooks and actually study for once; learn something. I just have to make the initiative and try...

 

 

Ah, who am I kidding? There's a party tonight, with a keg and college kids, and I'm not going to miss it for the world.

 

 

---

 

 

When Jinyoung tells me he'll drive me to the party, I'm surprised.

 

 

When he comes downstairs fully dressed in skinnies and a t-shirt, saying he's going to join me, I'm baffled.

 

 

And when he explains that Gongchan invited him to help celebrate Sandeul's birthday, I'm mind-boggled.

 

 

“Sandeul's birthday is today?!” I questioned, my eyes popping out of my head as I froze mid-shirt-removal.

 

 

Jinyoung nodded and tied the laces of his purple converse as he sat at the bottom of the stairs. “Yeah, Channie said something about throwing him a party at home, then taking him out to experience his first real party at Himchan's.”

 

 

I furrowed my eyebrows. It's Sandeul's birthday today. Why didn't I know about this? He could have told me. I was so mean to him today, too. And he did seem like he was in a slightly bad mood. Jeez, I probably made his birthday worse...

 

 

Wait, why does this matter?

 

 

“Oh,” is all I mutter, and then I finish pulling my dress shirt over my head. When I turn to pick a t-shirt out of the basket of clean laundry on the floor, I catch Jinyoung's eyes on me.

 

 

“What?” I question, “Like what you see?” I wiggle my eyebrows and flex my arm muscles out in front of me. I've been working out a lot more lately, and I'm proud of my defined biceps.

 

 

My hyung rolls his eyes. “No, I'm just thinking,” he says, standing up.

 

 

“About what?” My shirt muffles my voice before falling snug to my torso. I slide off my black pants then, swapping them for a pair of plain jeans. Jinyoung averts his eyes.

 

 

“Just... I don't really know,” he grumbles, running a hand through his hair. “We don't spend very much time together anymore, do we?”

 

 

I pause and think about it. It's weird for him to bring this up, but he's right. Besides the spontaneous ramen trip we went on the other day, we mainly keep to ourselves anymore. So unlike the way things used to be...

 

 

“Yeah,” I agree softly, “you're right.”

 

 

He turns towards me and gives me a small, sad smile. “I'm sorry, Baro. We should do things together, like the good old days. I'm the only thing close to family you have, aren't I?” he sighs. “I should treat you better.”

 

 

The good old days. The days when I'd spend all my time with my hyung, just trying to somehow forget everything that happened. Watching movies, going to sporting events, playing in arcades, doing anything that would appease my younger, conflicted mind.

 

 

The only thing close to family I have. Because when my parents were suddenly gone, all I had was my sister. And then she left, too, leaving me to stay with one of her old childhood friends, the only person who would take me in.

 

 

I give Jinyoung a warm smile, trying to ease his apparent guilt. “Don't worry about it, hyung. No need to apologize. Let's just start hanging out again, okay?” You've already done so much more than necessary for me, I add in my head.

 

 

He smiles, a little less apprehensive this time. “Okay.”

 

 

And with that, I pull on my sneakers, pat him on the back, and we head out the door, climbing into the green station wagon and making our way to our first party together.

 

 

---

 

 

Of course, once we get to Himchan's, we split up, because we're both there for separate reasons. Jinyoung's there to spend time with that brat, Gongchan, and I'm here for the alcohol.

 

 

But when I make a beeline for the kitchen, heading towards my target, a familiar mop of messy chestnut hair distracts me, and I realize I've completely forgotten a certain boy was going to be here.

 

 

I stop in my tracks and spin around, now facing the victim of my everyday taunts and pestering.

 

 

And God, do I regret looking any lower than the back of his head.

 

 

My stomach clenches and I nearly choke on my own saliva.

 

 

What. The. Hell.

 

 

Is Sandeul. Wearing.

 

 

My wide eyes fall upon his top, a soft pink cotton that flows over his small frame, exposing one shoulder. He looks good in pink, I think, then mentally slap myself for ever thinking such a thought. I can't take my eye off of the bare shoulder, wondering if the milky skin is really as soft as it looks as he speaks to Gongchan, who I barely noticed was standing next to him.

 

 

What the , Sunwoo? Get a hold of yourself.

 

 

But if I think I'm acting weird now, I'm totally unprepared for what I'm about to see next.

 

 

My eyes lower even farther, and ohmygod his pants.

 

 

His pants.

 

 

Not only are they made of a tight, nearly black fabric that clings to his legs like cold on ice, but they're ripped. All the way up the back of his thighs, are wide, revealing, y cuts. They climb all the way up to just below his , exposing so much skin it's making me sick, yet I can't look away.

 

 

SUNWOO.

 

 

GET. A HOLD. OF. YOURSELF.

 

 

I take a deep breath and calm my flipping stomach, trying not to let myself get flustered when he shifts his legs uncomfortably, giving me a nicer different view. He turns his head as well, eyes wandering more towards my direction, yet without looking directly at me, so I'm able to see the thin line of black that's smudged along his eyes, along with the expanse of his neck that seems a lot more attractive than the one I'm used to seeing at school.

 

 

Sunwoo.

 

 

That is a boy.

 

 

You are a boy.

 

 

Boys are not attracted to other boys.

 

 

Sandeul is in no way, shape, or form, attractive.

 

 

So pick your jaw up and stop drooling.

 

 

I tear my eyes away and do as I'm told(?), then rush towards my original destination with much more enthusiasm than before.

 

 

There's something wrong with me. My palms are sweaty, my stomach keeps clenching, and now I'm in panic mode.

 

 

I like girls.

 

 

I like girls.

 

 

I like girls.

 

 

I chant this in my head as I down cup after cup of cold, hard alcohol, wiping my lips with my sleeve.

 

 

Sandeul isn't attractive. He's just... he just looks different today, that's all.

 

 

That's all it is. He looks a lot different. He's in a different environment, wearing unusual clothing, donning eyeliner that I've never seen on him.

 

 

It's just different, and it's throwing me off guard. So I can stop getting worked up about it.

 

 

Then how do you explain the butterflies?

 

 

Shut up, I mentally snap at the other voice inside my head, furrowing my eyebrows over another sip of beer.

 

 

I find myself watching the other boy's form across the room, following with my eyes as he interacts with his friend and who appears to be Jinyoung, but my slightly muddled mind isn't entirely sure.

 

 

He's facing my direction, the other two chatting amongst themselves as his eyes scan over the party. He's got a cute pout on his face, and I blame the previous adjective on the liquid that's currently running through my system. When his eyes move towards my direction, I quickly spin around on my barstool and bang my head against the counter.

 

 

“Ugh,” I groan out loud at the pain of my forehead coming into contact with granite. I clench one hand around the cup that rests beside my head, and the other fists the fabric of my pants.

 

 

Maybe I'm getting sick. It's just a fever messing with my mind... Or maybe someone drugged me at school today..?

 

 

That doesn't make any sense, idiot.

 

 

God, why doesn't Gongchan affect me? He's wearing pretty much the same outfit as Sandeul...

 

 

it.

 

 

Not feeling like dealing with the conflict going on in my brain, stomach, and admittedly my southern-region, I let myself get completely wasted. The alcohol moves throughout my bloodstream, and before I know it, it's taking over my thoughts, my feelings, and my actions.

 

 

After getting up from the counter, there are only three things that I distantly remember happening that night.

 

 

One: I remember realizing, with a drunken frown, that I never got Sandeul a birthday present.

 

 

Two: I recall stumbling over to said boy to deliver some gift I had thought up at the last minute.

 

 

Three: I remember a hard slap to the face, followed by someone angrily storming away.

 

 

And then, with a stupid smirk on my face, I pass out on Himchan's couch.

 

 

---

 

 

[A/N]: Boo. :( Baro was drunk, and I know many of you were hoping he wasn't. D: But I have the entire story planned out already, so I couldn't do very much about that. XD

 

 

I apologize profusely for updating so late. D: I've been working on reviews for a bunch of people, and I'm betaing like five stories, so I had to get all of that done. Plus, I've been working on this and this. Aish, responsibilities. XD

 

 

Again, feel free to submit your answers for my poll. (: You can vote more than once, you know. ^^ [I'm secretly hoping choice D is going to win LOL so vote away!]

 

 

 

Less than 20 days until Sunwoo's birthday! :D [Yes, I'm counting down (by the second *cough* what?)]

 

 

My sister is writing this and I'm betaing it. (and I made all the graphics.) ^^ Check it out? :D

 

 

Oh, and hey guys! Guys! :D I got my brown belt yesterday!!! :D *swings from ceiling* I'm only two belts away from being a black belt now! :D

 

 

And last but most definitely not least, thank you all for subscribing and commenting. (: I'm hoping that by chapter 20, I can hit 100 subbies. So sub away! :D And your comments are complete love. <3 Every single one of them make me happy beyond words. If you're an author, you know what I mean. ^^ It's as if bubbles and puppies and tasty-kakes are just swirling around inside my tummy with, like, purple glitter or something. It's great. XD

 

 

Enjoy this chapter, and see you all soon with the next update. <3 (: