Se Hun halts on his track the moment his eyes rest on them. They seem to be in a serious discussion. Curiosity makes him take a step forward, narrowing his eyes to get a better view. His heart feels heavier behind his ribs. Taking a deep breath, he tries to hear their conversation, but due to the distance, he couldn’t.   Using the wall to hide him, he decides to observe their facial expressions. A crease forms on Amber’s forehead following a sentence Myung Soo Kim says, and then contempt and she whacks the guy on the head. He lets out a loud screech in shock and yells at the girl, “What the hell was that for?!”   Amber says something back with a pleased smirk, frustrating Se Hun for not being able to hear.   “You promised to stop physically abusing me!” Myung Soo shouts again, scrunching up his nose in distaste.   Se Hun wonders why the hell do they seem so close. Amber never mentions anything about the guy. In fact, he has never seen Amber spoken to the guy until now. Is it because of his and Krystal’s engagement that the two become friends?   He huffs, crossing his arms. He doesn’t like it. And he doesn’t know what to do. In the past, he would have gone up to Myung Soo Kim to back the off from his girlfriend, but the knowledge that he won’t be able to that now disturbs him.   He sees Amber typing something into a phone, which he assumes to be Myung Soo Kim’s since it looks like a Samsung. When he shifts his glance to the guy, he is typing something into an iPhone.   Se Hun frowns in disapproval, but doesn’t make any move to move or look away. He wants to see how this ends and he is going to see it.   Amber hands Myung Soo Kim’s phone back as they lock gaze with a mischievous look on her face and the next thing Se Hun hears is a familiar song from her lips.   “Hey, I just met you and this is crazy, but here’s my number, so call me maybe!”   Myung Soo Kim laughs loudly as they exchange their phone back and Se Hun just wants to punch him. He scowls when Amber responds with a giggle before walking away suavely. He is about to leave the area when the subject of his anger returns to his classroom, only to realise that they are in the same Maths class and he curses his luck.   He spends the class half-listening to the content and half-glaring at Myung Soo Kim as if that’d make the guy leave his territory.   ---   “Will you stop it?”   “What?”   “Stop staring at me!”   “I wasn’t staring, I was glaring.”   “Why are you so upset? I’m the one who should be upset!”   “For what? Being engaged? At least, having an arranged married means there’s a certainty to it.”   Se Hun clenches his fist and takes a long, deep breath to prevent himself from lashing out at Jong In’s, another, sarcastic remark again. They are in History class and their teacher, Mr. Lee, is going to come in any minute. He is glad everyone else in the class is too busy talking to their peers to even notice that the two friends sitting at the back of the class are arguing.   “You don’t understand!”   Jong In scoffs, “Don’t be a ! You’re not the victim here! If anyone, it would be Amber and Kim Myung Soo.”   “Can you not mention that guy?!” Se Hun snaps, irritated.
From the particular tone Se Hun uses, Jong In raises an eyebrow and looks at him more intently. “Did you… see something?”   “See what?”   “Something… Amber and Myung Soo.”   Se Hun scowls at the familiar way Jong In calls Myung Soo Kim this time. “Kim Jong In, try being in my shoes! You like this girl for years and you’ve finally been able to make her your girlfriend for a year and then your grandma tells you, you are to marry someone of her choice. You know what my mum is like, and in your case, if you don’t do anything your grandma tells you, you know she is going to blame it all on your mum. What would you do?! Huh? Tell me!” He hisses and glares at him.   He knows it has struck a chord in Jong In’s heart because the older’s eyes soften and in that moment, Se Hun feels his best friend has finally returned.   “I’m not an adult, Jong In. I’m still a kid. My future depends on my parents. I can’t refuse their wishes like Ji Hoon hyung can. I really can’t,” he says in a pained whisper and rubs his face with a groan.   “I’m… I’m just upset,” Jong In lets out a low growl. “I’m upset okay! You can’t be with anyone other than Amber! I don’t approve!”   Se Hun turns to his friend again and almost rolls his eyes seeing the childish pout adorning his lips. A sixteen-year-old boy shouldn’t be acting like this, especially with the fact that some girls at the school have a crush on the attractive and charismatic male. Who is completely in love with someone else from another school, Se Hun adds in his head.   “Yeah, well, it’s not like you’re my parents who can decide who I marry.”   “You know, you really need to voice out your thoughts more to them! You can’t just let them rule your life forever!” Jong In wrinkles his nose in displeasure at the notion.   “Yeah, well, who are you to say when your grandma rules your life?!” Jong In glares at him again and crosses his arms with a huff. Se Hun squeezes his shoulder firmly. “At least, you have Yoo Jin by your side all the time. She has your grandma wrapped round her fingers.”   Jong In rolls his eyes, “Yeah, that’s because—”   Wolf whistles fill the front of the classroom and takes the boys’ attention to the source. A group of boys, led by a boy named Chan Sung Hwang from the Judo club, continues to make inappropriate noises while looking at the outside of the classroom through the windows. Se Hun sees Yoo Jin walking past the classroom with Min, a blush on her cheeks as she dips her head down. She speeds up her pace, dragging Min next to her, and is gone in a flash.   “Ya know, I’d get my hands on that perfect little tush one day.”   A loud bang on his desk causes Se Hun to jolt on his seat. He sees Jong In on his feet, fuming all over from his ears, nose, and mouth.   “Stop that! She is not some chick you can get with your disgusting act! She was obviously not comfortable!”   Something akin to anger blazes in Chan Sung’s eyes; his pride wounded by Jong In’s words. He raises his head high and glares at Jong In with a condescending look.   “Actually, I can do whatever I want, Kim! Besides, she was blushing! How do you know she is not comfortable?”   One of Chan Sung’s friends, who goes by the name of Woo Young Jang, stands up to Chan Sung’s side.