♫ “Just wanna talk
or a walk along the park;
and shall I get to know you…” ♫

No… it’s not daytime already! It can’t be daytime already. My alarm clock won’t start to ring. No, no, no!

However, thirty seconds later, her alarm clock started to ring. She sighed. It’s been thirty minutes since she opened her eyes and now, she couldn’t avoid anymore the upcoming day… upcoming death? Lia sat up a bit before sliding – yes, sliding – out of her bed.
She walked outside her room and gave a wave to say hello to Hee Chul. Again, Amber was nowhere to be seen… It was normal: she was starting an hour before and was dropping by a friend’s house every Monday, plus she was going to a different university. So yeah, she had better to be early each Monday morning. She sat down next to her best friend Hee Chul who poured Lia some tea… He didn’t speak a word. Well, he may have known how Lia felt and didn’t know what to say.
They finally hurried up to university: of course, they both spaced out and none of them could help the other not to be late! So now, they had to run for their lives… well school-lives.

They ran all the way up to the gates, argued with the guardian – while running away to class – for arriving in the nick of time and separated ways. Lia would have preferred to attend Hee Chul’s lessons… she really didn’t want to be late, in front of the whole room, it’d be awkward… She sighed and went in anyway, trying not to make any noises.

“…in order to make our work more interesting I was thinking about an event… right LIA?”
“…uuuh…?” Lia looked uneasily at Narsha Unnie, their teacher.
“Don’t be late again, you know it disturbs me.” Lia nodded with a pout… Narsha was more like a big sister than a teacher, and she was close to every of her students. “Oh and don’t waste time looking for a seat: third column, second row, the last seat on my right, hurry!”

Lia inhaled and tried hard not to heave a sigh. She made her way to the seat in a normal space, sensing the immaterial daggers Narsha was sending her for not going quicker. However, Lia would have even wished to freeze in her tracks: she finally got to see the seat where she was suppose to sit… And the person next was none other than the Min Woo from the party. His dark brownish and innocent-looking eyes locked on her in surprise.
Well… suddenly, Lia felt bold enough to run out of the classroom and really attend Hee Chul’s conferences rather than hers! But she couldn’t, not now, so she just hurried to the seat and took a pen along with some sheets. Not only Min Woo was looking at her, some boys and girls were looking suspiciously as well. Lia perfectly knew why: rumors already. She sighed and looked down at her pen.

“It looks like fate, uh?” a voice made her head shot up. Lia took a peak beside her with a surprised face. Min Woo looked like he was focusing only on Narsha’s speech; however, a little smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. She hesitated: should she answer anything?

“Or a joke…?” she smiled at him as he finally looked at her, laughing gently. “Min Woo-ssi… May I talk to you after?”

Let’s end this before it goes too far… Lia thought. Min Woo looked at her strangely but nodded in the end. They both didn’t dare to say anything anymore as Narsha glared at them. She gave them her eagle quick stare, which meant she had dark plans for them. Lia sighed, holding tight her head. Even school hates me now! What did I do to you school, uh? Why are you so mean? We aren’t friends anymore! She randomly debated in her head, earning a questioning look from people around. I think I’m going crazy…

███ LATER

Lia managed not to sleep during the whole thing but felt like acting she was sleeping after all. She felt so numb after all the whispers she heard during these two hours. However, she had to clear everything out with Min Woo and apologize so her stupid friend Kevin would talk back to her and stop to act all ‘I don’t want to waste my time on you who don’t know how to apologize’. He could be such an annoying person! Of course, she would say sorry, she wasn’t THIS impolite! Aish!

She packed her belongings and looked for the innocent looking boy. He was waiting by the door with a slight smile. Girls passing by were peeking at him with giggles or mumbles. If a girl were dating him, it felt like she would be happy, he seemed so nice… Breathe Lia! It’s going to be okay! She told herself as she was heading to the exit of the room.

“Lia!” Narsha suddenly stopped her in her tracks.

Both Min Woo and Lia’s head turned to her. Narsha noticed it and looked like considering telling something or not.

“Don’t be late next time, please. Let’s talk as well some day, okay?” it wasn’t what the older girl did want to say in the first place, obviously. Lia nodded, a bit confused. “Min Woo-goon, welcome again. I hope you will make good friends. Lia, help him!” He nodded with a shy yet charming smile. Narsha looked at them successively as Lia nodded in confusion again but said goodbye in the end, leaving with Min Woo.

“This is weird…” Narsha mumbled, looking at the two walking away.

Min Woo and Lia were in the corridor now. For some seconds, after the exchange with their professor, it had been calm between the two. Lia was seriously confused by Narsha's behavior.

“Do you have any class right now?” she finally asked him, done with spacing out.
“I don’t, I have to wait an hour before the next schedule.” He said, looking carefully at his schedule.

Lia smiled, he looked really confused so she asked to take a look and noticed they had most of their classes together… Should she be happy or was she just damned? Kevin’s head popped in her mind, making fun of her ‘Just apologize already!’ he said with his annoying smile while Lia shook her head. Go away, you devil!

“Something’s wrong?” he asked as if she was weird. But, well... actually SHE WAS.
“No… nothing. Well, let’s go straight to the point: I’m sorry if I embarrassed you that night at the party or if you had any problems…” Min Woo arched an eyebrow at her and smiled.
“It’s okay. Kevin is the one at fault; he embarrassed the two of us…” Lia realized: that was TRUE. STUPID FRIEND! And you were giving me this attitude? You are so dead Kim Kevin! “But you especially. I hope your boyfriend doesn’t mind and didn’t misunderstand the situation…”

Lia fell silent. This situation was crazy… She looked at his face. A brilliant and sweet smile on his lips, these two eyes, holes of purity. She felt like telling him all of her life but there was this distant feeling he was giving as well…

███ MIN WOO’S POV:

“Oh… the person at the party you mean?” she said. I chuckled.
“Yes the one who claimed you and he being together. Who else? Do you have many haha?” It sounded like a joke but I was wondering…
“About this… This person and I aren’t dating at all… It’s complicated right now…” she was having a hard time explaining.

What did that mean? Was she explaining to me? Why? It didn’t concern me at all… Perhaps that was true, was this boy a follower? They looked so close to me… Oh well, it really was none of my business but I was crazily curious.

“A follower?” I grinned at her.
“Uh… not really, actually it’s a friend. This friend just tried to help me out. But look now, Kevin doesn’t even talk to me, this friend disappeared, you and I are awkward… Aish!” I laughed at her reaction.
“I don’t think we are awkward.” I smiled down at her. She just went “oh” and smiled back.

Well… after this, we indeed had been awkward. GREAT! You, Min Woo, and your big mouth!

After this, we decided to take a walk around the university to end up in the park rather than stay in between walls. I smiled, feeling the fresh air, hearing the wind’s sounds and sensing the sun’s rays on my skin. It felt good after these two hours of torture. Lia and I just walked and talked randomly. We got to know each other through this little walk and found out we had things in common. It was a lively and funny exchange.
I took out my phone and asked for picture together, she looked reluctant but gave in.

“So now, I have an evidence of the day we became friends, Lia.” I brightly said as she laughed.
“I guess with this proof, I have no choice but to be your friend for the following weeks, right?” she sarcastically said, playing along.
“Weeks? Are you kidding me? We will have to last years my dear!” she laughed again, “I’m sorry!” I playfully said, as if she was going to die because of this.

We had so much fun that we forgot about time and had to run for our next schedule. We ended up late together, hiding our smiles – yes, it was strangely fun – and sneaking in the room trying not to get anyone’s attention. However, the whole room – except for the teacher – was looking at us…

“Is he the said boyfriend who put on a show at the party?” I heard someone whispered behind us.
“No, I heard the boy from the party has blonde hair, no brownish ones.” Another answered… What was this?
“Oh then… Lia acting like this with the new student… Is there something behind this?” the first one asked again.
“Do you mean… she’s two-timing the party boy with Ha Min Joo just there?” the second one answered, “Who knows…?”
“Can you please stop?” Lia stopped their conversation, turning around on the bench, glaring. The two girls just stopped, surprised. I rolled my eyes at them: what did they expect after whispering loudly behind us?
“We’re sorry Lia-ssi, we were concerned about you!”
“Yes, if we can be of a help…” their faces changed so fast that I was left shocked. What a bunch of liars, cowards and hypocrites!
“By the way, my name is Ha Min Woo, not Min Joo.” I smiled somewhat sarcastically at them.

When we turned around, trying to catch up with the ‘lesson’ we smiled at each other and laughed before writing down some notes to pretend to listen.

███ NO ONE’S POV:

It was the end of the morning schedules now. Lia was going to eat nearby before meeting Hee Chul as they were about to spend the afternoon together. Lia asked Min Woo to join, and if he was about to say no, Kevin just popped out of nowhere and said it was okay. The three of them just tried to forget their bad thoughts and had fun eating together. Just then, as they were about to leave the café where they ate at, Hee Chul and Amber ran to them. Amber grabbed Lia’s wrist and Hee Chul pushed her away while waving at Kevin and Min Woo with an “innocent” face.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Lia shouted at them.
“Lia! I need your help my dearest best friend!” Amber said, leaving the girl suspicious and lost.
“What’s going on?”
“Pretend to be my girlfriend!” Amber blurted, panicked.
“… Are you freaking serious? Don’t you know what have been going through all because of what happened last time? Kevin wouldn’t talk to me, rumors at university, Min-” Lia started to rant but Amber cut her.
“Lia please, just my ex needs to believe this.”
“Why? Is this your pride again? Did he already find another girl?” Lia wasn’t willing to give in at all.
“Sort of… I just told him I was already with someone else when I met him at my university. He was showing off and I got mad.”
“Ask Hee Chul!” Lia pointed at him.
“I need a girl.”
“Why? A boy would do!”
“It’d be worse for him if it’s a girl and if he believes I’m bi or something.”
“Who cares? You can still ask Hee Chul.”
“She said she needs a girl!” He cut in.
“If I wasn’t your friend, I wouldn’t make the difference and believe you’re a girl!” Lia answered, shrugging, annoying him on purpose. Hee Chul started to struggle her jokingly as Lia screamed, having fun.
“Can you guys battle, flirt or whatever later?” Amber asked with a pout after. They glared at her. “Plus, Hee Chul doesn’t want his so-beloved-Jessica to believe he is in a relationship. You are not in this situation… are you?”

Amber got a point there. Lia wasn’t in a relationship, nor in love with anyone… right? She unconsciously looked at Min Woo, then Kevin, who were waiting for them. Amber saw that but didn’t say anything. She sighed.

“It’s going to be troubles, I can sense this…” Lia complained.
“I know… And I’m sorry for the party. I couldn’t notice you were interested in this boy…” she said with a sad face.
“Interested in this boy? Do you mean Min Woo? No, I’m not! It’s just… it was rude and rumors, you know how annoying it gets.”
“If you say so… Then, there is no problem for us pretending then?” Amber teased, but only Hee Chul saw that and smiled to himself.
“O-okay…” Lia agreed, defeated. “But one condition! In my side, you are a friend and a boy!”
“A friend and a boy?” Amber asked, amused by the idea.
“These two stupid persons other there thought you were a boy. I told them we were friends and you were just helping out.” Lia explained. Amber laughed along with Hee Chul who fell on the floor.
“Okay, okay, I’ll be your knight!” Amber winked and looked at the two boys. “Thinking about it… Our act was a fail at the party then…” the three of them laughed at this. “Now, Lia, come with me. Hee Chul… you know what to do, don’t you?”

He winked at Amber and she smiled. Lia sensed something fishy but oh well… it was too late. Here they were again, about to pretend again… in front of Kim KiBum, better known as Kim Key.

On the other hand, someone was watching Lia carefully.

“Dae Sung, this blonde guy, after this new student Min Woo and the blonde again? Who does she think she is?”