“Young miss, we’ve arrived.”

“I can see that, thank you.” Oh, the sarcasm just poured out of my words like water pouring down the Niagara Falls. Of COURSE we were here. I was awake the whole damn time, and of course I would notice when we’ve arrived on campus when he parks the damn car!

Being the gentleman that he was (and cue myself mentally gagging on my own words), he got out first, and headed over to my side to open the passenger car door for me when-

“MIN-AAAH~” I could see my friend jogging over to where Woo (his deemed nickname that most of the female population referred to him as) and I were located, smiling.

“Hey-” and I wasn’t even completely finished giving my monosyllabic greeting when I had been literally glompified (for lack of a better word) so...strikingly that I had to step back a couple of times to keep my balance. God knows how I was able to support the weight of this towering figure with my...short...self... (curse Asian girl shortness)

Meet Kim Junsu, a close friend of mine for the last 6 years. How we had even formed this rather distorted friendship of ours, I had no clue whatsoever. Though for purposes that involved an legitimate answer when asked that question, we would say that it involved lots of popcorn, cookies, and curses about school and homework. Hey, it was better than telling them that we didn’t know, and it wasn’t as if everything had to have a reason.

“What’s...up?” I finally said as he was still burying his face into my hair...my preciously...fixed...hair. Well, maybe “preciously” assumes too much that I put a lot of effort into my ponytail, but it’s the principle of the matter. “Junsu...”

“You’re late,” he scolded me, finally stepping back to look me over. “I was expecting this dolled-up princess to come dancing into the school, but instead I get someone who looks remarkably like the average college co-ed.” He looked me over. “I actually like you looking like you just rolled out of bed. Makes you seem less like a spoiled brat,” he chirped.

Oh. The irony. “Why, thank you, Junsu! I would have never known this to be my better look!” My evil-disguised-as-chipper gaze moved over to Woo, who...looked...emotionless, as usual. “If it wasn’t for a certain someone, I...” But I trailed off. If I said that Woo was responsible for pulling me unceremoniously out of my bed, then that would lead to questions of why he was there so early in the morning, which may lead to who he really is, which would lead to me confessing that he’s my body guard, which I certainly did not want everyone to know, which would lead to the end of the world, which would lead to no more cookies or milk! My head hurts now. Let’s blame Woo. “Uh...I would have never woken up! He’s so awesome, calling me like that and everything! What a swell guy! Couldn’t ask for a better friend! Yep, Woo’s awesomesauce like that!” I pinched Woo’s right cheek. “RIGHT, WOO?!” Hope he didn’t hear the frantic tone in my voice.

However, this is Junsu we’re talking about here, and he always notices everything (who wouldn’t notice that cheek pinch? I never pinch cheeks. Who knows where that cheek’s been?! I mean, it’s not like Woo goes out at night and rubs his face against bird droppings or tree trunks that have that yucky green stuff on them, but you never know), but he let it slide for the time being and started yapping away about Jin...again. Seriously, Junsu? Seriously? If I hear one more rant about oxidation or whatever the hell she sweet-talks him with, I will personally shove my ugly green giraffe into an orifice on his body of my choosing. At least my giraffe will finally serve a purpose other than sitting on my shelf, looking dull and stupid compared to my other Beanie Babies.

“AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE GOT?!”

“A 100.” I didn’t even know what he was talking about, something about ligands and how the oxidation state doesn’t change, and then back to some other subject involving pH and pOH levels with buffers and what not, but when he asked what “she got,” I assumed it meant grade wise.

“EXACTLY. IT NEVER CHANGES.”

Oh, Junsu. Bull. . Even you don’t ever change, as if your rants were about any else besides your pure hatred for anything Chemistry related.

“Like that one time when we were talking about Sn1 and Sn2 reactions, and which types of...”

Well that had certainly just zoomed right over my head...or was that the plane that just flew over our heads right now? Either way, my ears didn’t bother picking up any decipherable messages in that amount of Chemistry-related rant, so my brain was obviously not able to process anything either. “Yeah, yeah, that’s all sunshine and daisies, Junsu, but let’s go back to me-”

“AND I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO BRING IN EFFIN’ CALCULUS INTO CHEMISTRY...”

Okay...so let’s not go back to me...

Thankfully, Woo had decided that he too was done listening to The Junsu Ranting Hour and skillfully steered me away from Junsu and towards my first class without seeming too rude (a swift and muttered, “Class,” did the trick). He simply nodded, his way of saying goodbye, before hurrying off to his first class. I swear, I have never met another human being that could travel as fast on two legs as that man could. I hitched my bag farther up my shoulder and kept walking, humming quietly to myself. Hmm, I wonder if Junsu ever stopped rambling on and on about Chemistry this and Jin that. You know, he should just make a Jin shirt. I’d even loan him the money for a letterman jacket, if it made him happier. Now that I think about it...he’s always so gleeful whenever the words “Chemistry” or “Jin” tumble from his mouth. Hmm, I wonder...

“Good morning, Min Young,” said a quiet voice.

WOO NINJA MODE ACTIVATE! Oh, it’s only Nichkhun. Dang it, I can’t use the awesome defensive moves Wooyoung taught me so long ago. Oh, well. “Heya, Nich.” I immediately brightened up; Nichkhun was one of the hottest guys at school (and I still can’t pronounce or spell his last name; go figure), but he also had the sweetest disposition of any hot guy I know. “Going to class?”

“Sadly,” I said while pouting cutely, which made me cringe on the inside, but that’s okay, no one needed to know.

“How about after, we go grab a cup of coffee or something? That is, if you’re free and all.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I dunno. Maybe you had a date with Wooyoung or something.”

The urge to burst out into enormous magnitudes of laughter was overpowering, but I bit my own tongue to prevent myself from doing so (because I’m weird like that).

“Wooyoung and I are dating?”

“Aren’t you?”

I had to admit, it was rather amusing to see how hopeful he had seemed after I had questioned Woo’s and my apparent relationship. Oh, he was so innocent...or he was just a really good actor, but I preferred to think on more...positive terms.

“No...” I replied dumbly, not knowing how else to respond.

“So, I’ll see you after classes then?”

I smiled at that idea. Anything that was just a little less boring than the ordinary day spent with...Woo...I’d be willing to take that opportunity.

“Sure.”