"Do I know you?” I asked in confusion.

How in the world did he get my name?!

It was hunk #2’s turn to come closer to me to take a good look. "Lee ChaeRin??” he said in disbelief.

He was orbiting around me, looking me up and down, and smiling all the while, putting a finger on his chin like an arts critic when looking at a painting.

I felt self-conscious - not to mention awkward - being put under the microscope like that.

Hunk #2 looked at hunk #1. "She's Lee ChaeRin, the Lee ChaeRin?” he asked hunk #1, like I was not standing in front of them. Then they both laughed together like I was a secret funny joke that only they knew about.

Wow, was I popular for something that I didn't know about?

I was growing impatient. "Well, if you boys can please excuse me now, I’m going to eat my ice-cream while it’s still in the form of ice-cream while you guys can laugh all the way till morning here.”

I began to walk towards our table.

"Yah, Lee ChaeRin!” I heard hunk #1 called from behind me, "You're still as ugly as before.”

Then I could hear them laugh again.
Oh, they think they're so funny.

I winced.
Ugly as before? 
Ouch, that hurts.
Did he even know how I looked before? Okay, so I wasn't the prettiest girl in the world but it's not like I was -ugly either, if I do say so myself. I can look nice with make-up and my hair done at the salon too. Damn, how did those stupid hunks even know my name?

I turned to glare at them one last time and continued to walk towards the table. YeJin and DaeSung were already halfway through their ice-cream.

"Mmm...” DaeSung said, "This is the best ice-cream I have ever tasted in the whole wide world,” he exclaimed happily when I took a seat beside YeJin.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"What took you so long?” YeJin asked me as I took a spoonful of my already melting ice-cream. I curse you, hunk-faced devils!

I told them all about the hunks.

"Wow, it’s creepy how you've got yourself creepy admirers,” DaeSung remarked.
YeJin chuckled.

"Yah, yah, yah!” I protested, "They weren't admiring me, okay? They called me ugly, remember? What kinds of admirers do that?” I took another spoonful of ice-cream in anger.

"Well, which ones are they?” YeJin asked, playing with her napkin.

I scanned through the shop and saw the hunks with some other friends at the table near the door. I pointed towards their direction with my mouth.

YeJin and DaeSung looked at them for a brief period of time before turning to face me again. "I think they're from YeSung’s high school,” she said, "I swear one of them looks familiar.”

"Whatever,” I said with disinterest, "I don't know who the hell they are and how in the world did they get my name?!”
"Maybe you have gotten famous?” DaeSung suggested.

YeJin snorted like it was so funny. I glared at her.

"Famous for what? Having ugly hair?” I grunted, holding my long, straight but limp hair that I had tied into a high ponytail. You know, it really brings down a girl's mood when she is being called ugly, especially by out-of-this-world gorgeous guys.

"Your hair's not ugly.”
"Yeah, I swear this kind of hairstyle is famous nowadays. It looks neat.”

That was the immediate reply.

Friends.
I'm so glad I have them.
Who else but your friends would make you feel better after being condemned by two of the world's most gorgeous hunks?

We stayed back for quite some time before going home. Most of the time was spent by DaeSung and YeJin imitating how I talk in the presence of Lee MinHo and laughing their asses off afterwards.

"Me. DaeSung. You. YeJin? Ice-cream. Want?” DaeSung said in a robotic voice complete with the stupid robotic hand movements, which I had to admit, was performed well.
YeJin snorted.
I blushed to a deep shade of crimson.

"Yah! Yah! Yah!” I said, "Stop it, you two monkeys!”

"ChaeRin-ah, you have no idea how retarded you sounded whenever near that not-so-popular guy,” YeJin was wiping tears at the corners of her eyes with a tissue.

"Yeah, like the Master Yoda in Star Wars, only weirder. Hahahaha~,” DaeSung had laughed gleefully.

"Yah! Would you two just stop laughing at me?!!” I yelled. 

I had the feeling of being watched and true enough, when I turned to look towards that table, hunk #1 was smirking at me and laughing quietly to himself again.

Damn it! What’s his problem with me anyways?

"I bet you can’t sleep tonight because MinHo's joining us tomorrow,” DaeSung teased.
"Urgh, don’t remind me,” YeJin groaned.
I smiled. "But of course!” I said, "It's like a dream come true,” I clutched at my heart dreamily.
YeJin rolled her eyes.

"But you won't be able to talk to him, when you sound so retarded,” DaeSung said, "MinHo. Tree. Everyday!” DaeSung's body started to shake up and down.
"HAHAHAHAH~~~” then they had both laughed out loud.

I groaned. This is the time when you wish you don't have any friends. Make it smart- friends at that. 

The hunks had left before us so in a way I was quite relieved. It was tormenting enough to find hunk #1 looking my way and laughing to himself every once in a while. I thought hard. Have I met them before? They didn’t even look familiar. I swear I had not seen him ever in my entire life.

When I reached home, I immediately went to search for Appa who was in the living room reading the newspaper. Chicky was sitting beside him and yelped happily when she saw me.

"Appa,” I called as I picked up Chicky and plopped myself on the sofa opposite to where he was sitting.

Appa put down his newspaper. "Yes, dear?”

"Do I happen to have a cousin whom you have forgotten to tell me about?”

My Appa looked confused with the question. "I don't think so, dear,” he said after giving it a thought.

I Chicky's head and he yelped in delight. "What about second cousins? Third cousins? Fourth cousins?”

Appa scratched his head. "Err.. you have one living here in Seoul. His name's SooJoong, Lee SooJoong. My cousin's son. He's your age. His father doesn't like to keep in touch so we're not that close.”

"Well, is he cute?”

"What?” Appa suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Err.. I guess he is. I don't know. You should know better, you used to play all the time with him when you were little.”

A sudden image of a snotty boy with chubby cheeks entered my mind. I vividly remembers him. Well, he turns up really good if he’s hunk #1.

"Are you sure, Appa?” I asked again.
"About what, dear?” Appa sounded confused.
"About him being cute?”
"I guess so. Why are you asking all this? You know, if you haven't always refused to go to our family meetings and meet the other relatives, you’ll know him. You're always refusing to meet them. What'll happen if I die tomorrow? You won’t even know your own relative.”

Damn, Appa can nag till tomorrow if he's given the chance.

But anyways, a-ha! I think I finally got the identity of the mystery hunk. No wonder he knew my name. He must have remembered me from our childhood days. I knew it. We're related! There's no other way for a guy that hot to just happen to know my name. Like I said, I'm not famous. So I was 100% sure hunk #1 is my relative.
Yes, I know. I'm a genius.
Damn, why didn't I know that I have a HOT relative?

"Family is like...”

"Okay, Appa! Thanks so much,” I cut him off and put Chicky down on the sofa. I gave Appa a kiss on the cheek and ran happily up the stairs to my room. Finally I got his identity.

Just you wait dear cousin, I’ll make sure you pay for calling me ugly!
 

******************

I was doing my homework when suddenly the phone beeped to signal an incoming text.
It was from DaeSung.

*Beep beep* Are you busy?
Not really.
GOOD!! Can you come down for a moment? I’m in front of your gate. ^_^
Okay.

When I arrived at the gate, I saw DaeSung grinning at me with his hands behind his back, like he was hiding something from my sight.

"Why? What's wrong?” I asked him.
He continued to grin. "Remember how I said I will always give you flowers?” he asked.
I nodded.
His grin grew wider.

Suddenly a bouquet of white roses appeared in front of my eyes. 
"This is for you,” DaeSung grinned.

I blinked hard when I took the flowers from him. "Wow, they're beautiful,” I said, sniffing them. "Where did you get them from?”
"It's a secret,” he winked. "All I can tell you is that there won’t be anyone running after us this time, I promise.”

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, I'm going off now. I was supposed to get my mother some things from the grocery shop but saw this and thought of you,” he smiled, "I guess I have to go now.”
"Bye,” I said and waved him goodbye. He was already walking a few meters away.

I turned to enter my house when I heard him calling my name from afar.

I rushed out, afraid that he was robbed or something.

"What~~~!!” I shouted. 

He was standing at about 20 meters away, cupping his mouth