A little girl softly whimpered in the empty street. Her knee was bleeding. She ripped her favorite socks and tattered her birthday dress. She sat down on that sidewalk as she tried her best not to cry. She stood up, ignoring the pain. She bit her lower lip and walked away. A boy saw all of that. He thought she was amazing but felt bad for not helping her.

>/:::::/<

The little girl grew up and now she is ready to go to school. She tried to make friends but people ignored her and talked behind her back. She did not frown nor did she get mad at those people, but instead she smiled. The awkward boy thought it was the prettiest he had ever seen.

One day, she was walking to school. A group of mean-looking kids had gathered. They were known for their bullying. One cannot get pass through them without surrendering their money or lunch. The girl neared them as she hummed a cheerful song. She ignored the kids and brushed it off.

The tallest and the meanest looking one grabbed her from behind. Demanding that she pay up or be beaten up. She had neither the money nor the lunch to give them. Her grandmother was sick and they have no money until her mother comes back. The older kids got angry and they started to push her around as they called her names. She bit her lip and clenched her fist but a kid punched her. She threw them a furious glare, the boy thought she will hit them back but instead she smiled again. “I promised my grandma I won’t ever get into fights again.”

She came into class that day in ripped jeans and busted lips, a bruise made her face swollen. She was still smiling the entire day and the shy boy again regretted why he did not come out from his corner to help her. During lunchtime, the girl opened her locker with her growling tummy. A bottle of juice and a piece of bread was there. She took it gratefully and looked for her unknown friend. He slipped away further into the shadows and watched her from afar.

One day, he followed her again as she walked home. A silent scream escaped his throat when the girl suddenly ran towards the river. She tossed away her bag and did not hesitate to rush into the cold waters. The boy panicked but he was frozen on his spot unable to move. He felt relieved when she reached the bank. A cat was on her arms. That day the boy promised to himself, he will not run away again.

And so he silently looked out after her. He is happy to see her slowly make friends. Her happiness was his joy. He would always leave food in her locker. It has become a routine for them. One day he was leaving a piece of his favorite candy for her when a voice startled him, “thank you.” he was surprised to hear her voice and he dropped the candy. He did not face her but instead he ran away as fast as he could. The girl chuckled as she picked up the piece of precious candy.

>/:::::/<

A time has come when the boy’s father told him that they were going to live in Seoul. The boy did not have many friends to say goodbye to but he did not want to move away. It rained hard that day, there were no classes but he ran to the school. He panted hard as he scrambled over the fence. He ran to the lockers and placed a special goodbye candy for his only friend.

The next day the girl found the candy and the boy’s note.

I will not be seeing your bright smile again. I am sorry if I never stepped out of the shadows to meet you but always remember that somewhere you have an ally cheering for your happiness.

She looked at the candy and like always, she kept it away in a special jar. Looking up close, words were written there. My best friend.

>/:::::/<

Twenty years later, a man and a woman was arguing on a corridor. The woman stopped and thought it was useless so she proposed a plan. “Oppa will you help me?” she asked while her back is stuck to the wall, her eyes scanning the area now and then. The other one tensed up, wary of betrayals. “What do you want?”

“Let’s take out Kim Jong kook oppa together.” Jae suk was taken aback by his dongsaeng's words. He could not just trust her easily. She seemed to feel his hesitation, and so she appealed to him why they should take out the strongest first. “Let’s be allies Jae suk oppa, I won’t betray you.”

“How can I be assured that you won’t?” Ji hyo fumbled for something in the pocket of her jacket, a bright smile spreading on her face as she found it. She her hand to him making the older man confused. As she opened her palm, Jae suk saw that familiar brand of candies. It had been twenty years ago since the last time he had seen that brand. He remembered that the last time was during that rainy day when he left those special candies in school to say good-bye to someone. It had been a long time but he never forgot her.

Before, he was a coward. He did not like to mingle with others. You would not expect that past from the nation’s MC but it was true. After moving in Seoul, he did his best to change. He had learned to open up and make friends. Whenever he would feel shy, he would think of those times he regretted hiding away from that girl. She had been his inspiration.

Jae suk nodded to Ji hyo, he will not run away now. All those times he just hid behind the shadows like a coward as he watched her fall. He would not let that happen again. Jae suk accepted the candy grinning at Ji hyo as he did.

He had finally found her, his candy girl, his candy ally and favorite dongsaeng.

I seriously don't know what happened. I was typing away freely without thinking and it turned out this way. I hope you enjoy a little bit of Candy Alliance story. ^_^

I think I am in the phase of writing school AU mixed with food and sentimental memories O.o