June 22, 2005

Daehyun endured months and months of tutor-less homework and assignments, and to no avail, it was one of the hardest struggles he ever had to go through. Throughout the rest of the year, Daehyun studied on his own, using his own power to beat Ji Eun at something. But of course, his chance had never come through. Although that may be, he was never really so caught up on time. He always believe that they'd end up going to the same middle school and high school, having both similar grades and academic achievements.

That was before he overheard it.

Ji Eun wasn't going to private school with him. She would be going to public school instead.

Devastated, the boy was. Never in all his life would he expect even the slightest thought of Ji Eun going to public school. Ji Eun surely had the skills and drive to go to a prestigious middle school as well, and money was never an issue since her grades alone would provide for a scholarship. So of course, the Daehyun just had to pester her about it.

"Ji Eun! Ji Eun! Lee Ji Eun!" Daehyun screamed from the other side of the hallway.

Ji Eun's ears perked up at the voice of a young boy calling her name. She stopped in her tracks and watched as Daehyun chased up to her.

"What is it Daehyun?" she ask.

"Why are going?"

"Going where?"

"To public school of course! It's only those who fail on the exam that go to public school, and I certainly don't want you to be a "failure." That would make me a "failure" as well since we have similar grades. My reputation is at stake here!" He started to spit out random words, a few in which he consciously knew were pure lies.

"So I'm guessing you're going to that selective school, established for rich kids Daehyun?" Ji Eun changed the topic, certainly not in the mood to deal with this boy's countless nagging for now.

Daehyun's brows rose and the sound of the word "rich", and he immediately started flaunting about himself once again. "Why, but of course. I am an elite after all, and only those of the highest rank can enter such a place."

At that moment, the young boy felt a boost of confidence and boast rise from within him. He started to think with a different mindset, one in which only upped that self-esteem even higher. What was the point of asking her to go to school with him? She would just only get in the way of his perfect number one spot! He shouldn't even try to provoke her into entering exams with him.

The sound of Ji Eun's voice broke his train of thought after a few seconds of silence.

"Ahem, if I may say so myself, I am kind of disappointed in the fact you won't be going to public school with me," She said, but her mind was focused on the thought of today's supper. "I guess I'll feel kind of lonely. Bye."

Daehyun blushed profusely,

and Ji Eun ultimately decided to cook curry for dinner.

August 24, 2005

During opening ceremonies, Daehyun sat down in his seat stealthily, in search for the same pig-tailed girl it's been months since he's made contact with. It was the first day of school, and he just knew that he had to make a good impression on Ji Eun if her were to ever win against her. After all, he was never one to be looked down on. Ever. And he had to show Ji Eun that he was even smarter than before as well as stronger.

Daehyun bent his head down, wiping his hands together in irritation of the sweat moisting his palms. He was a nervous wreck in the end.

"Is that you? Daehyun?" Being poked in the back, Daehyun turned around, only to meet the eyes of Lee Ji Eun, his arch nemisis.

"Oh," he paused, "it's just you."

"Why are you here? This is public school Daehyun."

"I-I just wanted to try learning with commoners! That's all! I just- umm- I just wanted to get used to society and working with those of your kind! It's surely not because you're here. I can promise you that Ji Eun."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion, feeling a sense of an awkward slur in Daehyun's speech. He just didn't sound right to her. At all.

"Oh, okay, I guess. Well have fun with that! I have to get going to class now anyway. Bye!" Ji Eun waved, turning the other direction to leave.

After she left, Daehyun crashed to the ground and leaned his back against the wall at an empty hallway in the back. He was supposed to be heading to class at this time, but he was much too embarrassed to do anything else at the moment.

And so he thought to himself, "Smooth, Daehyun. Smooth."

January 5, 2007

Three years. It had been nearly three years since the pair have uttered a word to each other. It wasn't a matter of anger or annoyance or ignorance, but it was more of detachment. Not once did they ever pass by each other in the hall and muttered a word as simple as "hello." They both mutually thought that there was never a need to make contact, and that it was okay to move in with their day to day lives.

Sooner or later, they even forgot of each other's own presence.

 It was in their third year of middle school when a simple interaction was put into place. Both had significantly gotten taller, matured in facial features, with their hair grown out.

Daehyun's chin was now chiseled, his nose sharply pointed and eyes dullingly a bore. Ji Eun's hair had grown even longer, still in the same pig-tailed hair style he once remembered her having. Her bangs were still fringed slightly above her eyes, giving her an unapproachable and gloomy look as always. But she was still the Ji Eun he remembered.

"Ji Eun!" Daehyun called her name out, recognizing the same young girl from three years ago passing by him in the hallway. She had several rather large books tucked in her possession, and it looked as if she'd been studying even more than before.

He cringed, remembering the thought of her name appearing right above his in the school ranking. She was first as always, and he would inevitably always follow behind as second.

Ji Eun's eyes blinked twice at the sound of her name. She turned to face the boy, cocking her head to the side as if she forgot of his existence, but after a few seconds, it seemed as though she remembered.  "Oh, it's you Daehyun! Long time no see."

Daehyun's mouth dropped open in complete shock. He found it rather embarrassing that he so eagerly called out her name while the latter took a few seconds to remember his. That didn't make him seem desperate, now did it? 

"Did you happen to forg- H-Hey, where are you going!" He demanded to know after seeing the girl blatantly pass by him and ignoring the things he had to say.

She looked at him curiously. "I thought we were just greeting each other. Why, do you have anything you need to tell me?"

"Urgh, nothing. Like I'd ever have anything special to say to someone like you!" he retorted as a response. And once she said goodbye and left, he quickly shook his head and sighed.

Back in class, Daehyun held his head in the palm of his hands, tapping his finger against the wooden desk in irritation. He had a deadly aura surrounding him in all angles, and his friends were backed several feet away in caution. However, the mood was soon broken when a girl from the class next door strolled in to have a word with him.

It wasn't just anyone thought. It was Kwon Soo Jin, a girl in which every man in school had a thing for at least one time in their lives. She was the stereotypical definition of the perfect girl. She had streaks of long brown locks, bouncing voluminously back into perfection whenever the wind blew in her direction. Her skin was almost-porcelain like, fair and the absolute opposite from tan. She came from a good family, not entirely wealthy like the Jung's, but her family lived well. She had fairly high grades, and to top it off, she seemed like a nice girl.

"Daehyun, if it doesn't bother you, I would appreciate it if you would try this boxed lunch I made back at home. I want you to be the first one to try it!" she said, smiling.

Daehyun opened the lunch box sitting neatly on top of his desk. He returned the smile, seeing a box full of different luxury cuisines, but deep down inside, he had the slightest feeling that this type of lunch was made by her own personal chef, or at least someone of a similar profession. The meal was just too exquisite for someone like her to possibly make.

But nonetheless, he thanked the girl, eating up the whole meal in several large gulps. She blushed at his compliment which was rather exaggerated in his opinion, but it still worked. And after she left, Daehyun received despising glares from his companions.

"Daehyun, why must it always be you who gets all the girls! You even got the hottest girl in school to make you lunch. What the hell man!" Taemin complained, sulkingly pouting his lips in disappointment. His other friends backed Taemin up, nodding their heads in agreement.

"The girls an angel, yet she somehow got interested in an like you," another spoke up.

"Yeah man, she's a goddess! Why the hell do you deserve her? This is all crap, I say."

At that moment, another one of his friends brought up a new topic, one in which got everyone curious.

"Daehyun, why is it that you don't have a girlfriend yet? I mean, I know I'm a guy and all, but this is quite obvious in everyone's eyes. You may not have the nicest personality, but you're still extremely rich and handsome. I'm surprised you haven't had one yet."

In fact, he never really ever put much thought into it. Why haven't I had a girlfriend yet? was the thought continually pressed in Daehyun's mind. He began with the finger-tapping again, this time to help him with deep thought.

But sooner or later, he found the answer.

"I know I'm popular with the girls, and that does make me happy guys. I mean, come on. You see me smirking at the fact all the damn time, right? But... I guess even if I have a ton of money or if I have extremely good looks, that doesn't matter. It was all earned by my parents after all. Not by my own two hands," Daehyun spoke after much thought, remembering the words said by the girl who which scarred him several years back. Ji Eun's words, that is.

"Ugh, stop with the modesty, will you? It's seriously not like you. But what kind of girl is your type then?" Taemin asked.

Daehyun's eyes unconsciously made their way to the window, and he began to scout out the area, half bored at the time and unwilling to answer his friend's question.

Type, he thought, what exactly is my type?

As if on cue, the girls PE class walked right out of the gym and onto the field, right in Daehyun's sight. Smack in the middle of the big group of girls was same old Lee Ji Eun, beating the rest of the females in every single sport with little to no effort at all. And the thought of her being able to beat him as well tucked at his old and rusty strings.

He scoffed, turning back to face Taemin.

"It's obvious isn't it? I like those who aren't smarter than me. They don't have to be stupid, as long as I'm the more intelligent one between the two of us. I should be better at sports than her as well. She's a girl so she shouldn't have the stamina and strength of a professional sports athlete. She must be a girl who never forgets of my existence when I pass by her in the hall, and I swear. If she has a stupid, outdated look like braided pigtails suited for a kindergartners, then she and I will never have a chance. It will never happen."

"Well aren't you being quite detailed?" Taemin laughed.

"But you know, I kind of get how Daehyun is feeling. It must having a girlfriend who's just better than you. I mean, what a stab at a man's self esteem right?"

"Ah, I get it too! You're talking about girls like Ji Eun, right?"

"Ahaha, right. Girls like Ji Eun," Daehyun chuckled, but there was a sense of awkwardness in it. Through the rest of their talk, Daehyun kept quiet, deep in his own thoughts as their new topic of conversation centered around Lee Ji Eun.

"I swear, her braids are so outdated, and she never has anyone to talk to. I guess she has no friends?"

That's exactly right.

"She always insists on going home whenever we invite her to hang with us."

That's because she has to make dinner.

"She always eats boxed lunch and never buys anything at the canteen!"

She probably has to save up on money.

"Now that we're on this subject, this is getting me kind of annoyed. Do you guys think she's just judging us? Maybe she finds herself superior and doesn't feel the need to be friendly with the rest of us."

No, that's wrong.

"She thinks she's better than the rest of us. Wow."

Incredibly wrong.

"Well I guess she's just a snotty little nerd, right Daehyun?"

You're all wrong.

"No, she isn't any of that, so stop saying bull that isn't even true. Now I suggest you all better shut the hell up before I get angry."

"What the is your problem Daehyun? You were even agreeing with us just a second ago!"

Daehyun snapped back into realization that he was agreeing with them just a while ago. He quickly shook his head into reality, trying to stop himself from seeming like an even bigger that before. He was sure that he got his friends pissed at this rate.

"S-Sorry guys, I'm a little out of it today. Forgive me."

"Well no . I swear Daehyun, you're just so weird sometimes." Taemin retorted.

He laughed, "I guess I am."

I really am weird, he thought.

Sorry for the extremely late chapter.

I guess I have to cram in a lot of extra writing if I'm going to ever finish this by the fourteenth!