Narrator’s POV

The next day, Hyunji went to school as usual. When she arrived at the school, Minji and her friends waited in front of the main gate.

“What are they doing there? Are they trying to threaten me?” she thought as she pluck-up all her courage to face them. She walked past them and Suzy grabbed her arms harshly. She groaned.

“Yah! What are doing?! It hurts, you know?!” Hyunji yelled.

“What? Now you’re daring to talk back at us, huh?!” Taeyeon shrieked.

“Why? Is it wrong? Tsk. I’m so pity of you guys. Guess I’m the only one who dare, isn’t it?” Hyunji crossed her arm.The students stopped their steps and watched them.

“What is she trying to do?”

“Is she out of her mind?”

“She’s so brave.”

“I can’t believe she’s like that.”

“Guess that’s her true self.”

“Why didn’t she like that when they hurt her last time?”

Everyone started to talk about them as they watched them. Minji and her friends heard it and Minji tried to slap Hyunji but Hyunji hold her hand.

“Listen. I won’t let you hurt me anymore,” Hyunji said.

“If I do?” Minji asked as she tried to release Hyunji’s grasped.

“If you do... I mean, if YOU guys do… I’m never gonna forgive you and one thing you should know. Stay. Away. From me!” she warned as she released her grasped, harshly and walked away.

“Tsk. Who do you think you are?! You’re just newbie here,” Minji blurted out loudly. Hyunji turned back at them.

“What did you just say?”

“Who are you? You’re not like this when the first time we met,” Minji said. Hyunji smirked.

“You wanna know? This is me. This is the real me before my father ‘left’ me. Before my friends betrayed me,” she told them.

“Your father left you? He must be married to other woman, isn’t it?” Minji said.

“Watch your mouth! You don’t even know about me. For YOUR information, my father is NOT marrying other woman! He’s- He passed away,” Hyunji told them.

“Her father is dead?”

“I felt sorry for her.” “Me too.”

“That Minji and her friends are so bad! Why can’t they just leave her alone?”

“Yeah… How could they say that about her father?”

Minji heard it and stormed into the school building followed by Suzy and Taeyeon. After they left, the students gave her applause. She face-palm herself.

“What am I getting myself into,” she thought.

“Hey, are you okay?” someone patted her shoulder. She immediately turns back.

“Gah!!” she startled and fell to the ground.

“Yah! Are you okay? Did I scare you?” the guy asked and helped her to get up.

“I’m- I’m fine,” she said.

“Sorry…” the guy said.

“It’s okay. Why are you late today? Where’s the others?” she asked straightly.

“Uh… Hyunji? Is that you?” Sehun asked. Hyunji eyes widen.

“What do you mean ‘is this me’? Oppa~ What’s wrong with you? ~” Hyunji whined. Sehun just stood there, speechless.

“Hey! Sehun-ah! Hyunji-ah!” Kai called.

“Hyunji-ah~” Estelle called. Hyunji waved at them. Sehun still standing there, could not believe what he’s seeing at the moment.

“Annyeonghaseyo!” Hyunji greeted. Ignoring Sehun. (>.<)

“Annyeonghaseyo~” Kai and Estelle greeted in unison.

“Hey, what’s wrong with this guy?” Kai asked.

“I don’t know,” Hyunji shrugged.

“He suddenly became like when I asked him where you are…” she continued.

“Sehun oppa~” Estelle whined.

“Well, I don’t wanna waste my time here. I’m going to the class now,” Hyunji told them.

“Okay,” Kai answered. Hyunji left them.

“Are you okay?” Kai asked as he waved his hands in front of Sehun.

“Oppa?”

“Did. You. Guys. Realize that she’s a bit different?” Sehun asked.

“Different?” Kai and Estelle look at each other.

“Talking about different… Yes. She’s different,” Estelle said.

“She must be herself before,” said a voice from their back. They were startled.

“Sunbaenim!” they said in unison and bowed. It was the president of the student council, Minho and his vice-president, Key.

“Hey, there~” they greeted.

“So, what do you mean by, ‘she must be herself before’?” Kai asked.

“Well, let me tell you guys. You should’ve come early today,” Key said.

“You won’t believe what we just saw just then,” Minho said.

“Yeah. They’re right. You’ve missed something interesting just now,” Sehun said.

“Hmm… Maybe we should go to the canteen to talk about that,” Minho told them.

“Okay.” They said in unison and went to the canteen.

                        **                     **                     **                     **                     **                    

At The Canteen~

“So, what is it?” Estelle asked. Minho and Key told them about what had happened just then. They were all surprise with what they just heard.

“Are you serious? Minji had ‘lost’ to her?” Kai asked disbelief.

“Guess she’s the first person who dares to talk back at her. Even the teachers are didn’t dare…” Sehun said.

“Well, guys. Enough with the chit-chat now. Go back to your class,” Mrs. Kwon Yuri said.

“Mrs. Kwon, annyeonghaseyo~” they greeted.

“Annyeonghaseyo… Go to your class now or you’ll be late.”

“Okay,” they said in unison and left. Mrs. Kwon shook her head.

                        **                     **                     **                     **                     **                    

After the School Ends~

“Hyunji-ah! Wait!” Kai called.

“Hey…”

“Let’s go home together.” Kai said.

“Okay… But what about Sehun oppa and Estelle?” Hyunji asked.

“Oppa? They said they wanna go to Estelle’s place. Why you are always keep on leaving us behind when going out from the class? We’re in the same class, you know?” Kai asked.

“Then, why are you leaving them behind?” she said as she pointed at Sehun and Estelle that were running towards them.

“Oh, crap! Let’s go!” Kai said and grabbed Hyunji’s hand to run away from them.

“Yah! Where are we going?” Hyunji asked.

“Somewhere.” Kai as he gets Hyunji into his car and instructed his driver to a place.

“YAH!! KIM JONGIN!!” Sehun and Estelle shouted.

                        **                     **                     **                     **                     **

“Wh- Why- Why are you leaving them?” Hyunji stammered. Her heart suddenly beating so fast.

“Uh… I just wanna be with you. Only.” Kai said. He looked at her.

“What- What do you mean?” she asked. Kai ignored the question and asked his driver to stop at a park.

“What are we doing here?” Hyunji asked and went out from the car.

“Come on.”

“Kai~” Hyunji whined. 

“Can you stop calling me Kai? I’m older than you. Note that,” Kai said.

“But- But- I…” she couldn’t continue as Kai looked at her.

“Okay… Kai oppa. Satisfied now?” she asked and walks in front of him. Kai smiles seeing her like that.

“Yah~ Wait for me.”

“So, what are we doing here?”

“For a walk. Hey, I heard that you ‘defeated’ Minji this time.” Hyunji stopped for a while.

“Defeated? Haha… Uh… That’s just-” Kai cut off before she could continue.

“I’m glad you’re like that. I like it. Minho sunbaenim and Key sunbaenim had told us about the incident,” Kai told her.

“What? Uh… Well… It’s just- I- Well… People can change, right?” she asked as she scratches her nape that is not itchy. Kai giggled.

“Wae~ Is it wrong?”

“You’re cute…” he said and holds her hand. She looked at him and their eyes met. She blushes and her heart beats faster than usual.

“I must confess to her now,” Kai told himself and his heart beats faster.

“Hyunji-ah, will you love me if I say I love you?” Kai asked.

“What- What do you mean?” Hyunji bewildered.

“Will you be my girlfriend if I say that I really love you?” he continued. Suddenly, tears started to fill Hyunji’s eyes. Kai hugged her and she started to cry.

“Saranghae… Jeongmal saranghae…” Kai said. Hyunji released the hug.

“Nado saranghae…” Hyunji said and smiled.

“Thanks…”

“For what?”

“For loving me,” Kai said and kissed her forehead.

“Me too…” she said.

Not far from them, there’s two person were peeking at them.

-Flashback-

“Let’s get the taxi,” Sehun said and hold a taxi.

“Follow that car,” Estelle told the driver.

“Where are they going?” Estelle asked.

“How would I know?” Sehun answered.

                        **                     **                     **                     **                     **

“A park? What are they doing here?” Estelle asked.

“I don’t know. But, there’s only one way to find out. Let’s go.”

They followed Kai and Hyunji silently, not to let them realized they were there. When Kai and Hyunji stopped walking, they hid behind the tree.

-Flashback End-

“Did you hear what they said?” Estelle asked.

“Yes. Finally… Seems that my plan works,” Sehun said.

“Your plan?” Estelle asked, bewildered.

“Well….” Sehun told her about what he had said to Kai last night. Estelle nodded.

“Let’s go home now,” Sehun said and unconsciously hold her hand. Estelle startled with the action.

“Uh…”

“What? Let’s-” he couldn’t continue his words when he realized that he was holding Estelle’s hand.

“I- I’m sor- sorry,” he said and release his grasped. His heartbeat becomes faster.

“What’s the meaning of this?” he asked himself.

“Oh, my… What’s the meaning of this feeling? Why is my heart beating so fast?” Estelle asked herself.

They went home using the taxi. There were silences between them in the taxi. ~Awkward~

To Be Continued…