Youngmin’s POV

 

I rolled over and faced my clock sitting on my nightstand.  The glowing red light said 6 AM.  I rolled onto my back and groaned.  I barely got any sleep because of Shorty.  No matter how much I tried, she kept pushing her way in my head.  Did she come here because of Kwangmin or because I dared her to?  Does she really hate me?  How can she hate me so much, I barely did anything!  I imagined her crossing her arms and pouting.  The image was amusing and a faint smile formed on lips.  

 

My room was at the end of the hallway, so passing Yoomi’s was inevitable.  I slowly walked past her room, afraid I’d wake her up.  Once I was past her room, I relaxed and walked down the stairs to the living room.  Someone sitting on the soft white carpet caught my eye and I ducked.  “Too small to be Kwangmin,” I mumbled.  I looked over the banister to see who it was.

 

Yoomi tucked her hair behind her ear, focused on what she was doing.  I quietly moved down the staircase without taking my eyes off her. 

 

“I never knew you were a song writer.”  I mentally kicked myself for letting the words slip out so loudly.

 

“Hey, let me read some of these!”  I leaned forward and snatched some papers.  She grabbed for them, but I held them away so she couldn’t reach.  She pouted and sat on the floor with her arms crossed.  I skimmed the paper.  “She’s got some talent…” 

 

We sat awkwardly for a minute.  “So, uh…” I cleared my throat.  “Hey, do you want me to help you?” 

 

She gave me a funny look and spread her papers on the floor. “No, it’s fine, thanks though.”  She paid no more attention to me. 

 

 The morning sun shined through the window and hit her hair just right where it brought out the brown highlights in the pieces of hair that had fallen out of the messy bun, made shadows on her face that highlighted her soft cheekbones and jaw line--   

 

“Hey, Youngmin?” 

 

I shook my head.  “Oh, yeah?”

 

She bit her lip.  “Can you help me with this part?” 

 

“Sure.”  I moved from the chair to the floor closer to her.  “Which part?” 

 

She gave me the paper.  “Just the bridge.  I’m stuck on it.” 

 

I read through the song.  “Hm… Okay, I got it.”  I slid closer to her so we could both read the paper.  “After this, you should use juxtaposition for the song to have a bit of an impact, like a punch.”  I picked up the pencil and wrote on it.  “It’ll flow of course since it’s the bridge, but that way it mixes it up a little.”

 

“Want some breakfast?  I put toast in before I came in here and they’re done.”  She stood and walked in the kitchen.  

 

Kwangmin’s POV

 

I saw Youngmin running up the stairs.  “Aish!”  I shut my door and leaned against it.  “Is it just me or do they look close now?  I thought Youngmin didn’t like her… And more importantly, she doesn’t like him either...” I frowned.  I took a deep breath.  “Kwangmin, get a hold of yourself!  They’ll be family soon, they were just trying to be nice with each other.”  I nodded.  “That’s it…”  But I couldn’t get the image of his stare and the sound of her giggle out of my head.  

 

When I walked down the stairs, I could hear laughter from the kitchen.  My chest clenched up.  I walked in the kitchen where Youngmin waited impatiently for breakfast.  He saw me come in and waved.  “Yoomi-ah, I’m glad you weren’t our cook with that slowness!” 

 

“Oh, good morning Kwangmin oppa!” Her smile made my heart skip a beat.  

 

“Morning, Yoomi,” I said.  I glared at Youngmin as she passed me to the table.  

 

Youngmin’s POV

 

I saw Kwangmin’s face and knew I went too far.  I glanced at Yoomi and back to my food.  Why is it so easy to like her?  Why does it have to be her?  She’s Kwangmin’s girl, I can’t let myself ruin… I swallowed hard.  I pushed my plate away.  “Heck!  This is nasty!”

 

Yoomi laughed.  “Youngmin, you ate the most of it, how can you say that now?” 

 

I stopped.  Kwangmin looked at me expectantly.  “I was trying to be nice,” I blurted.  “I can’t take it anymore, that was the worst ever,” I rambled.  I gulped down the last of my milk and slammed it on the table.  I avoided Yoomi’s eyes.  

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Author’s POV

 

Yoomi ran to the door.  “They’re always on time,” she said to herself.  She smoothed her shirt and smiled as she slowly opened the door.  Mr. and Mrs. Jo stood behind the door carrying three boxes of pizza.  

 

“Yoomi, I heard you work at a preschool?” Mrs. Jo asked.  

 

“Mom, the preschool she works at is our preschool!” Kwangmin beamed. 

 

Kwangmin put a piece of pizza on Mr. Jo’s  plate.  “She’s a very good song writer too.”

 

Yoomi pushed his shoulder.  “No, I’m really not,“ she blushed. 

 

“Oh really?  Maybe we’ll have to find a job for you as a song writer,” Mr. Jo said.  

 

“Mom, Dad, you heard her.  She doesn’t want the job,” Youngmin said with his mouth full.  “Kwangmin, have you even heard her songs, they’re lame and have bad pitches.”

“They were the iest songs I ever heard!”  He didn’t want to see Yoomi’s face, knowing it would hurt her more than earlier that morning.  He almost knocked over his chair leaving the table and rushed out of the dining room.   

 

Youngmin’s POV

 

Kwangmin had me cornered in my own room.  “What is wrong with you?  Huh?”  I crossed my arms.  “Why are you always so mean to her?”

 

“One simple answer.  I don’t like her.  Do I have to?”  I pushed past him to the closed door.  

 

Kwangmin slammed me into the wall.  My eyes widened and he held onto my shoulder.  “Please.  I know you don’t hate her,” he said evenly.  

 

“I’m sorry I don’t like your girlfriend, but that’s the truth.  I don’t like her.  Now will you let me go?”  I moved forward, but he pushed me against the wall again.  

 

“I saw you today.  Youngmin, I know when you like a girl, and you like her.  You’re playing with her and I don’t like it.”  He moved his face closer to mine.  “If you yank Yoomi around one more time, don’t ask why I hit you.”  He released me and took a step back. 

 

My mouth dropped.  “Kwangmin, you’re freaking me out, we’ve never fought like this before.”  He turned his back to me.  “Just because of a girl that you haven’t known for more than a week, you’re grabbing my collar and ready to hit me any second!”  I walked to his side.  “C’mon, what’s got into you?”

 

Kwangmin looked down at his hands.  I followed his gaze and saw him slowly release a fist.  

 

“Youngmin, it’s something you couldn’t understand.”  He met my eyes.  “I’m disappointed in you.  You’ve got problems.”  He opened the door and stopped at the threshold.  “I’m serious, Youngmin.  Be honest with Yoomi.  Don’t mess with her anymore.  I don’t know what I’ll do if you do.”  He kept walking back to the kitchen.

 

I stood there in my room alone.  I turned to see my reflection in the mirror.  Yoomi's really too good for me.  Kwangmin’s my brother… “Aish!” I yelled as I punched the wall next to my mirror.    

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Youngmin’s POV

 

 I threw my backpack on my desk.  The kid next to me scooted their chair away from mine.  I took out my notebook.  Since I couldn’t think out loud, writing it down would have to do.  

 

Why do I have to be mean to her?  Why did I say I hated her when I don’t?  What if she hates me more after what just happened?  Well duh, she will.  Even if I can’t be the love of her life, I want to be her friend.  Right?  Isn’t that better than nothing?  I don’t even know anymore.  I don’t know.

 

I put my head down on the table.  “Yoomi, why are you doing this to me?” I mumbled.  “Why do you have to ruin my life?” A tear slowly rolled down my cheek.  Oh God, get yourself together!  

 

Naeun came to mind.  “What if Naeun finds out when she comes back?”  I shook my head and ripped my ranting out of my notebook.  “Aish, what am I talking about?  We broke up a long time ago.”  I stood up and walked to the trashcan.  “We look the same, so why does Yoomi like him and not me?  Does she really hate me?”  I looked at my hands.  The paper was torn to shreds.  I dumped my feelings in the trash and sat at my desk again.  

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Narrator’s POV

Yoomi and Hwayoung had to strain their ears to hear the last bell of the year ringing, if they even cared.  They joined in the screaming of the rest of the students who rushed out of the school and into the welcoming arms of summer.

 

A smile spread across her face and she punched Yoomi’s arm.  “Well you barely do your homework, but it got worse after you and Kwangmin!” She shook her head and looked toward the main doors.   

 

Yoomi opened in protest, but Hwayoung interrupted her.  “Speak of the devil!” She waved to the doors.  Yoomi followed Hwayoung’s line of sight and spotted Kwangmin shyly waving back.  

 

Hwayoung winked at Yoomi.  “See you later!”  She spun around and walked in the opposite direction.  

 

“Bye Hwayoung!” Yoomi waved.  She turned her attention to Kwangmin once Hwayoung’s swinging ponytail disappeared down the next street.  “How are you?” 

 

An idea popped into Yoomi’s head.  “Oppa, let’s go!” She snatched Kwangmin’s hand and dragged him down the street. 

 

Facing him was the beautiful water maze of lore-- there wasn’t a sign saying so but he just knew.  “Do you know what this place is?” his eyes never leaving the giant hedges. 

 

 The pounding against his ribcage couldn’t be described in words so he remained silent.  For as much as he believed he and Yoomi were the perfect match, now faced with the water maze, he feared for their relationship.

 

As he approached the middle of the maze, Kwangmin felt even more nervous.  Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he was even going to make it.  He decided what he must do.  Slowly he turned around and walked back the way he came.  He looked over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Yoomi walking happily toward the middle.  

 

“I can’t do this,” he muttered.  Shaking his head, he continued toward the exit.  “Something is telling me this is just not going to work,” he convinced himself as he took a step outside the water maze.  “I’d rather disappoint her this way instead of finding out we aren’t a match…” 

He kept telling himself that as he walked home, leaving Yoomi alone in the water maze.

 

Youngmin’s POV

 

I needed fresh air to clear my mind.  The last day of school and I already saw Yoomi walking away with Kwangmin.  She couldn‘t keep consuming my thoughts… So I went for a walk.  Somehow my feet led me to the water maze.  I hadn’t been here in years.  My eyes shut tightly to block the memories but they flooded me too quickly and I surrendered to them.  

 

“Oppa, let’s try it out.  I bet we will meet in the middle!” Naeun’s smile shone brighter than anything back then. 

 

I could never say no to her.  “Why not?  Come on, let’s give it our best!”  

 

We parted and entered the maze on either side.

 

“Oppa, we’re almost there!” Naeun squealed as she hopped around in the maze.  I couldn’t help smiling.  Everything she did made me smile.   

“One more step.  Are you ready?” I asked, surprised at the nervous tone.  It never occurred to me before that maybe… 

 

“Let’s jump together!”  Naeun said.  “One, two, three!“ 

 

We jumped, but hit a thin wall separating us.  I bounced back while trying to hold down mixed feelings in my gut.  Naeun’s face was the worst.  Crumpled and spirit broken, it almost physically pained me… But strangely enough, I almost didn‘t feel disappointed.  Like I expected it.    

 

“Ayyy Naeun, this isn’t even true, it probably doesn’t work on anyone,“ I said calmly.  Hopefully she would be convinced.  “Let’s go, I’ll treat you to some ice cream.”

 

I gulped summer afternoon air and stepped inside.  Reliving the memory was interesting.  It was easy to lose track of time here.  I walked into something and recoiled back in surprise.  Staring at the ground, I realized I was in the middle of the maze.  My eyes widened, I slowly looked at what--who--I wandered into.   

 

“Y-Yoomi?” 

 

I wouldn’t doubt at that moment her eyes were bigger than mine.  

 

“Youngmin?!  What?  How?  When?  What?”  Each question slung sharply at me, each hurt as if they cut my heart.  I was still trying to wrap my head around that Yoomi was here.  

 

She avoided my eyes and scanned around the maze.  

 

I reached out to touch her.  I needed to know if there was a wall between us.  My hand barely brushed her arm before she yanked it away.  “Where’s Kwangmin?” she demanded.  Although her voice was harsh, a trace of a wobble was there.  

 

I laughed.  “This has to be a joke.” 

 

Her eyes shined and her hands balled into fists.  “No, you’re the joke!  I was here with Kwangmin, we were supposed to meet in the middle!” 

 

“Did you meet here already?” 

 

“No!  The person who should be talking to me right now is Kwangmin!  Not YOU!” she screamed.  I stepped back.  She raised one of her hands and it wildly gesticulated.  “Why are YOU here?  Trying to ruin my PERFECT relationship with Kwangmin?!” 

 

I put my hands up in surrender and backed away again.  “When I got here I didn’t see anyone but you.  Why are you blaming me?” 

 

She blew a piece of her bangs out of her face.  Her face was rigid.  

 

“He probably got scared and left,” I said gently. 

 

She inhaled deeply.  With a heavy exhale, she wiped away a tear and her heel, leaving me alone in the middle.  Was this fate or coincidence?

 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

 

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