Zico’s POV

Kasumi seemed to have frozen as soon as the words, “Because that was the same day my father killed your mother,” left my mouth.

Tears welled up in her eyes but she brushed it off. She shook her head. “How did you remember?” she whispered.

I softened when I looked into her eyes because I saw the six-year-old, terrified little girl I met those years ago reflecting through those brown orbs. “Well, it’s not that hard to figure out,” I confessed. “Your name is Kasumi. But you told me your name was Sumi. You freaked out when you realized who my dad was. And you’re an orphan.” I shrugged. “Plus, I even did a little research. I don’t know why my mom kept that newspaper clipping of my dad being arrested that day. It said that a lady named Nobuko was killed, leaving her daughter Tanaka Kasumi.”

Kasumi didn’t say anything.

I took a step forward.

She took a step back.

“Was that why your ‘brothers’ overreacted the other day?” I whispered to her. “Because they knew that I was that little boy from all those years ago?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she whispered back. Her face was so white I’m scared she might faint. “They know it was you.”

“Kasumi, I . . .” I took a deep breath and tried again. “Kasumi, I’m not like my father. I’m not going to hurt you, or anyone. I don’t do anything I was rumored to do. In fact, I hate it when people compare me to my father. I am nothing like him.”

“You look like him.”

“But I damn sure don’t act like him. Look, I just want you to know that I’m really sorry for what my dad had done. I know it’s hurtful . . . but please . . .” I had never begged for anyone’s forgiveness before. Although I can be a hateful person and have a lot of haters, I never once asked them to forgive me.

But this wasn’t even my mess to ask for forgiveness. This was something my dad did, that I had to apologize for.

I clenched my fist, suddenly hating my dad even more. I can’t believe I actually used to look up to that monster. Everywhere I went, I was condemned because of who my father was. I was lucky that my friends couldn’t care less about that as long I’m not an to them. They were the ones, besides my mother, who knew that I was nothing like that bastard locked up behind bars forever.

“Please . . .” she went on, scared to look at me. Kasumi began to tremble and her dog called Botan noticed it. He stood in front of me. “Please . . . just leave me alone.” She took another step back.

I frowned and tried to take a step closer but she took even more steps back. “I can’t do that. I’m your tutor.”

“I’ll just ask one of the Oppas to help me. They can help me.” She didn’t even want to look at my direction anymore.

“I need to earn my credit.”

“I can’t look at you without remembering what happened.”

Ouch.

I nodded understandingly. “Okay.” I took a step back. “I’m sorry, about what my dad did to you. I really am.” I turned around and walked away.

Kasumi’s POV

The moment he was gone, I turned and ran to my house, Botan happily running beside me. When I was inside, I closed the door and sighed.

“What’s the matter?” Kris asked.

I opened my eyes and ran to him. I began to cry as I wrapped my arms tightly around his torso. He didn’t say anything but he just my hair. I knew he was bemused, I knew he wanted to know why I was crying, but I was grateful when all he did was carry me to my bedroom before he set me down on my bed. He grabbed a teddy bear Changmin had bought for me and handed it to me.

I hugged it tight.

He my hair gently and kissed the top of my head. “Let it out,” he said softly. “Just let it all out.”

“What’s going on?”

“Changmin hyung.”

Changmin wrapped his arms around me. I felt Kris leaving the room. I turned to Changmin and I hugged him as I cried, the memory of that day flooding back into my mind like it only happened yesterday.

I must’ve fallen asleep because I opened my eyes and found myself lying in bed, with the covers over my body. I looked up and saw that Changmin was staring at me with worried eyes. When he saw that I was awake, he kissed my forehead. “It’s five in the evening,” he told me. “You’ve been asleep for nearly two hours.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Mind telling me what happened?”

I shook my head and looked down. He hugged me tightly and we just stayed like that until Halmeoni called us to go down for dinner.

The next day when Woohyun hugged me first thing in the morning, I sighed, feeling slightly better. I looked up to him the same time he leaned down. Our lips met and I could tell you that kissing Woohyun was seriously amazing. He was so sweet and gentle with his kiss and I wished I could be lost in the kiss forever.

But, of course, Myungsoo’s chastises broke us apart.

Woohyun frowned at him. “Yeesh, maybe next time I should just secretly meet Kasumi so we can have a make out session.” He gave me a cheesy wink.

“Don’t you dare do that!” Myungsoo replied angrily as we walked to our class. “If you do that, I swear I am going to —”

We rounded to a corner and bumped into Zico and U-Kwon. When Zico and I met eyes, I quickly averted them and looked down. Zico didn’t say anything but he kept on walking, as if he didn’t see me.

“What the hell was that about?” Hoya turned to me and demanded to know the moment they were out of earshot.

I shrugged. “Molla.” I glanced over at Woohyun and saw that he had this faraway look on his face. “Woohyunnie Oppa?”

He turned to me and smiled. “Why don’t we go on a date after school?” he asked. “We don’t have anything on, right?”

“Oh, yes, she does. And it’s with me,” Myungsoo spoke up firmly.

My boyfriend frowned. “What? Since when?”

“Since this morning. We’re going to do anything that doesn’t involve you kissing her,” he said, nodding his head.

I only laughed. “Oppa!”

Woohyun rolled his eyes and looked at me. “Let’s go to the lake,” he suggested.”We haven’t been there in a while.”

My eyes shined. “Oooh, yes!” I agreed, hugging Woohyun.

“Can we come?” Dongwoo wanted to know.

“No,” Woohyun immediately replied.

His face fell and Hoya only laughed. “Let them spend some time together,” he said.

Myungsoo raised an eyebrow at Woohyun. “Don’t impregnate my little sister,” he said, causing him and me to blush furiously.

“Awww, they’re blushing, how cute!” Sung Jong cried out gleefully, hence the start of their endless tease.

U-Kwon’s POV

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked him the minute we walked away from Infinite. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Zico sighed. “I figured out how I know my tutee, Kasumi,” he mumbled. “The only thing was that the memory wasn’t a good one.”

I raised an eyebrow and let out a laugh. “What? Don’t tell me you’ve done her before?” I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

“Of course not,” he snapped. “I’m not a heartbreaker like Min Hyuk hyung.”

I had to agree with him. B-Bomb was more of a player than Zico or I were. In fact, we only had one girlfriend in our lives whereas B-Bomb probably had more than we had, multiple it by a hundred.

Anyway, this story isn’t about me or about B-Bomb but about my poor dongsaeng here, who can’t even talk to his own tutee. I find that sad. I mean, he may be scary-looking at times but Zico was actually a really decent guy. Jaehyo hyung on the other hand . . . man, don’t even go there.

“So, what happened?” I asked him.

“My dad killed her mom that day he was arrested.”

I winced. “Wow. That is harsh. No wonder she hates you,” I said sympathetically. I frowned thoughtfully. “She’s hot.”

He gave me a look. “She’s also taken.”