Dongyul being nice to me was weird, what was even weirder was that he didn't drop the act. He kept being nice to me, until I had no choice but to accept this pleasant change in behaviour.

Whenever someone tried to throw something at me, Dongyul was there to protect me. He didn't mind getting flour on his cashmere school jumper, nor did he think anything of hurling insults at the various spectors. After a week, I began to expect Dongyul to be there to help me out.

I wasn't the only one that was shocked at the sudden one hundred and eighty degree turn in Dongyul's behaviour either.

Nana was slightly skeptical of Dongyul's attitude, as were his legion of faithful followers. I think they were most confused as to why their beloved leader was suddenly protecting the very girl he used to bully the most out of all of them.

I wish I knew the answer so that I could shut them up. They kept on whispering about me, and hissing behind their hands whenever I passed them. It was infuriating.

I had heard some people guessing that I was going out with Dongyul, and I wanted to laugh right in their faces. Sure, he had been helping and protecing me lately, but people can't change that easily.

And I wasn't buying the "mending all of the bridges" he broke excuse either, I may be stupid, but I wasn't that dense.

If I read the reactions of the crowd right, I wasn't the only one suspisious of Dongyul's motives. His hanger-ons and his fans kept asking him why he was being so nice to a "freak" like me. Dongyul would always reply with the mending all of the bridges he broke excuse.

It was beyond aggravating. I didn't really care what his motive was, as long as he kept helping me out of sticky situations, but I would prefer to know the reason rather than being kept in the dark.

I didn't care if it was a bet with his friends to make me fall in love with him and than when I confess my love for him, he talls me it was a bet, and then everyone in the whole school has it on camera, and I become a YouTube hit, as the girl who was publically rejected.

But no, that'd be too cliché, right? And besides, why would I fall for him? What sane person falls for her tormentor? Especially when they already have someone they like.

And what were the chances that everyone in our school was in on the plan? It would be hard enough with twenty people, but with the four hundred odd people in our school, it would be virtually impossible.

But, I liked to think that I was still somewhat sane . . . or at least I wasn't crazy enough to be put in a mental instituation yet (although Nana said that was up for debate).

"Joy, watch out!"

I looked up from where I was putting my books in my locker, as soon as I heard Nana shout. I caught a glimpse of the pale orange outer shell of a egg heading my way.

I let out a small yelp and was about to hold up my Maths copy to shield me, when a large black boulder came charging towards me.

The boulder smacked into me, and everything was shrouded in black. A cloth of material was covering my head, and I felt someone stand next to me, and they rested their chin on the crown of my head.

I heard the impact of the protein rich food, but I didn't feel any of the wetness seeping through my clothes.

The unknown person slowly lifted their head off of mine and then pulled the item covering my head off of me. I blinked rapidly a few times in the harsh brightness.

I lifted my eyes up to meet my protectors, and who else would I have expected to see, but Dongyul?

"Gwenchanna?" Dongyul asked me softly, and it was a sign when no one said anything or mocked him for speaking in his native tongue.

"U-uh," I said, unsure of what had just transpired, "I am, are you?"

Dongyul smiled tenderly at me. "Good." He said faintly.

"What about you?" I asked, sunddenly worried. I grabbed his shoulders and spun him around, so that his back was facing towards me.

"I'm fine, really." Dongyul reassured me, and then hissed at the gathering crowd to go away.

"Oh no!" I groaned. The egg had smashed into his back, and the egg yolk stood out among the vibrant blue of our jumper.

Nana was at my side in seconds, she gave me a hasty inspection, completely ignoring Dongyul. Once she was satisified that I wasn't hurt, she turned her attention to my saviour.

"Tsk." Nana tutted, and got a tissue out from her pocket. She started to wipe the gunk off of Dongyul's back, perhaps a little harsher than she would have needed to.

"That hurts you know." Dongyul informed her from over his shoulder.

"Well then, take it off." Nana snapped at him, and tugged at the sleeve of his jumper, almost ripping it in the process.

And so, my week continued like that, with the two bickering and making up constantly.

The three of us began to get closer, and although I couldn't say that everything was fixed, and I would place my life in his hands, I could say that I trusted him a lot more.

I didn't listen to my instincts that were screaming at me not to trust his reasons, but I listened to my heart. If he was helping me right now, why doubt him?

*          *          *

"Joy?" Nana called me, and I looked up from my magazine. "I'm bored."

"Me too." I sighed.

It was the weekend, and like the exciting and sociable people we were, we were currently hiding in my room, reading magazines and not doing the massive amount of homework that we had to get through for the mid term.

Nana was trying to avoid her parents in case they gave her any chores, hence why she was hiding at my house. Appa, Ahjussi and Leechoi, were out. Appa was taking them to the place they had a meeting at. 

Leechoi and I still didn't see eye to eye. We didn't fight, mostly because I think Ahjussi spoke to him, but we kept a stony, brittle silence between us, that neither of us dared break. It was for the best. I didn't want to say anything to the man who wanted to use me and my accident as a tool to boost B.A.P's popularity, and I didn't want to hear what he had to say either.

Therefore, there was a bitterness in the air whenever the two of us were in close proximity, and I'm sure that Appa and Ahjussi felt it, but neither of them mentioned it nor did they try to fix it.

"When are your guests going home?" Nana asked me. I had told her all about Leechoi and how much I disliked the man who resembled a reptile.

"A few days, I think. I don't even know why they're here." I confessed.

"Maybe something to do with B.A.P?" Nana suggested.

"Nah, B.A.P haven't been out that long, have they? Perhaps Secret?" I thought aloud.

"I suppose." Nana said, defeated. She threw down the magazine that she was holding in frustration. "I'm bored!"

"Nana," I began slyly, and gave her a look out of the corner of my eyes, "you never told me what happened with you and Zelo."

"W-what?" She asked in shock. "Z-Zelo? Me?" Her voice was ridiciously high pitched, so that if I didn't suspect something in the beginning, I certainly did now.

"Something you want to tell me, bestie?" I asked sweetly, and moved from where I was lying on my stomach, so that I was beside her.

"N-no, not at all." Nana protested, and shifted away from me slightly.

"You sure?" I asked and gave her doe eyes. "Nothing at all?"

"Well, nothing of interest." Nana tried to placate me, but I wouldn't be fooled that easily.

"Anything would be interesting to me." I told her innocently.

"Well, not this." Nana told me, and got up from the bed. "Gee, I think it's about time I should be getting home. It's getting late." Nana said and pretended to stiffle a yawn while she stretched out.

I checked the clock on my bedside table. "It's two." I told her bluntly.

"Yeah, but I'm wrecked." Nana told me. I guess she'd rather go home and clean up instead of tell me what was going on with her and Zelo.

I watched Nana pack up all of her things with a grimace on my face. More than anything, I wanted to know what was up with her and Zelo, and if there was a relationship further down the pipes. I had decided to be a supportive friend, and not turn into a green monster, no matter how envious of her I was.

I was determined to help her, and not be a meddlesome friend. I didn't want to be a hinderance. And besides, I could benefit from her and Zelo. I could see Daehyun again. 

This interest was probably only seconded to my curiosity about Dongyul. I felt like I should go around singing the intro to 'Sherlock' by SHINee, like Nana did every time there was a secret I wasn't going to tell her about.

It always worked. Neither I nor Nana can sing to save our lives. We once had the great idea to enter a singing competition, because all participants get a twenty pound voucher for a random store in London.

However, what we didn't realise was that you had to audition prior to entering the competition. The judge told us that he would rather listen to nails dragging down a chalkboard than our rendition of 'The A Team' by Ed Sheeran.

Nana swung her bacpack over her shoulder, and I followed her out the door and down the stairs, humming Sherlock all the time. When we got to the door, she gave me a hug, which I rather reluctantly returned.

"Keep trying to convince your Abeoji, okay? I believe in you. Fighting!" Nana said and made a fist pumping motion with her arm. I rolled my eyes at her, and opened the door.

The two of us simulanteously jumped back in fright when I opened the door to reveal a breathless Dongyul at my doorstep.

"What are you doing?" Nana asked in shock.

"I . . . need to . . . talk . . . to . . . you." Dongyul told us inbetween heavy breaths.

I silently gestured for him to come in and lead him to the front room. Nana trailed behind us, leaving her bag abandoned at the door. Nana and I sat together on the two seater across from Dongyul.

"What do you want?" I asked tentatively, once it became apparent that neither of them were going to start talking first.

"I may be accepted back as a trainee sooner than I thought." Dongyul beamed, and held out his hands as if he expected the two of us to applaud him.

Nana and I glanced sideways at each other. "And?"

"I thought you both would be happy for me." Dongyul said, crestfallen.

"We are . . . I think." I muttered the last part under my breath.

"Good, because I need you two to help me." Dongyul told us in excitement.

"Us? How?"

"Well, you know that I've been going to anger management classes, wait, no, you didn't know that, but anyways, my therapist gave JYP a call and told them that I have my anger under control. I'm going back to Seoul this week to see if I can become a trainee again."

"That's great and all, but what does that have to do with us?" Nana asked.

"I was told by a very reliable source that if I had people, that aren't related to me, in person with me to give a recommendation, my chances would be increased by a hundred per cent." Dongyul said and paused for dramatic effect. "And you two girls are the lucky ladies I pick to come with me." 

"Why us?" I enquired.

"Because you guys are the only Korean speakers around me who've witnessed my change in behaviour." Dongyul explained, as if he was talking to a five year old.

"Gee, thanks." Nana said sourly. "There's one problem though, how are you going to get our parents to agree?"

"Yours have already agreed, Nana." Dongyul smirked. "I just have to get Joyce's Dad to agree now."

"You've already asked my parents?!"

*              *             *

"Can you hear?" I hissed at Nana, and she shook her head violently.

We had our ears pressed against the living room door, determined to hear what was going on in there. Dongyul had asked to speak to Appa, Ahjussi and Leechoi alone.

They had already been in there for twenty minutes.

I was getting nervous.

Without warning the door opened, and Nana and I scurried away from it, trying to pretend as if we weren't listening. The first person to emerge out of the room, Ahjussi, raised his eyebrows at us, but said nothing.

Appa and Leechoi came out next and said nothing. The trio all walked into the kitchen, probably to make a cup of coffee or something.

Dongyul came out last wearing a glum expression.

"How did it go?" I asked nervously.

"It went . . . it went . . ." Dongyul never got to finish his words because Appa called for me.

I walked into the kitchen; my palms became clammy and I was suddenly feeling very hot under the collar.

"You're really persistent, aren't you?" Appa asked me and shook his head.

"What?" I asked in confusion, I felt Nana grip my arm. She was using me as a shield.

"I've said, to both proposals. This is your trial run, Joy. If you mess this up or get into trouble, that's it - you're coming home. However, if this all goes smoothly, you can stay in Seoul, I won't fight you." Appa told me seriously.

"R-really?" I asked in complete and utter shock.

"We're going back?" Nana intoned from beside me.

The two of us whipped around to face Dongyul.

"Hey, what can I say? I'm a smooth talker." He shrugged his shoulders and gave us the most cocky grin I've ever seen in my lifetime.

"Appa, I love you!" I said and gave my Dad a tight hug.

Finally! I was going back back. To Seoul. To Daehyun.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________