Hayoung's Side

I finally chose to wear a little simple white dress and curled my hair into simple waves.

"You look so pretty!" Jiyoung, my ever supportive best friend, said once she saw me stepping out of the bathroom, "Jaehyo's gonna die when he sees you."

Yep. I'm going to the winter ball. With the great Ahn Jaehyo. I still can't believe it yet.

Jiyoung looks adorable too in her pink feminine dress and newly curled long hair.

"Who are you going with again, Ukwon or PO?"

Jiyoung rolled her eyes, "none of them. We're just gonna go as friends. The Three Musketeers."

"Your friendship with them are so adorable!"

"Trust me, they are more annoying then you know," Jiyoung mumbled as she put on her earrings.

I looked at the time.

Crap it's already almost 8pm.

"Jiyoungie, we're running late!" I grabbed my small purse and we headed off in a hurry.

The ball is held in a 5-star hotel. Of course, only the prestigious school of Seoul High could afford such a lush place to have a winter ball. The entire's place white and have crystals and fake snow everywhere. Everyone's all dressed up, looking elegant. In one word, it was beautiful.

I was captured in the beauty of it all, until I glanced through the crowd and captured Zico's eyes.

Zico looked... wow. Handsome, like a prince. He cleaned up nicely in his formal black suit and even bothered to style his hair neatly but still with that Zico-boyish-charm.

Most of all, separated by the distance, his eyes are fully on me. They were wide, awed as they just studied me. His mouth was even hanging slightly open as he just looked at me. The expression on his eyes, it made me almost want to forget everything he'd done and relent to him. But I can't because what he did still hurts.

Thankfully, Jaehyo came and broke off our silent secret eye contact.

"Hello beautiful," Jaehyo said with a smile. He had that same expression as Zico's in his eyes, awed and breathless. By me. He continued again, "you look breathtakingly beautiful."

"You look quite charming yourself," that was an utter understatement. As always, Jaehyo looked like Prince Charming, too good to be true.

"I'm gonna go and find the boys," Jiyoung managed to wink knowingly at me before leaving us alone.

Then, once we are alone, Jaehyo kissed my cheek lightly. God, I swear I'm melting inside.

But from the corner of my eyes, I saw Zico. I saw him watching us. Then I saw him throwing his wine glass on the floor and left. Upset by something. I felt bad seeing him like that. But I had a tiny feeling of satisfaction inside. Hurts, doesn't it, Zico?

"Would you like to dance with me, princess?" Jaehyo kissed my hand, definitely Prince Charming-style.

"Most definitely," I said in my best elegant accent.

"So I'm a princess now?" I said as I looped my arms around his neck. Man he's tall.

"Well of course. Since I'm your prince today, you automatically become a princess. My princess," Jaehyo's hands are around my waist as we swing to the music playing in the background.

I could only giggle. Really, when in the presence of someone like Jaehyo, it's just overwhelming to see how handsome, charming and what a gentleman he is.

"Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Yes. Like 500 times. But keep going."

We didn't fill every silence with words, mostly because we don't feel the need to. I just stared into his eyes, and he did the same. And for the first time, I didn't feel awkward at all.

Once the song finished, Jaehyo told me, "I'll get us some drinks, princess."

Not even a minute after Jaehyo had left, Zico appeared. Looking angry.

"You rejected to come with me, so that you can come with Jaehyo?" shockingly, his voice was calm even though his eyes betrayed him.

"Yes" I answered curtly, trying to avoid looking him in the eyes. I can't look him in the eyes. I might just believe his words and relent to him if I did.

It was quite for a while. Then Zico whimpered, in a desperate voice, "why?"

"Because I like him."

More silence. I really couldn't look at his expression.

"You like him." His voice was cold, flat, like he was trying to accept it.

I remained quiet, looking at anywhere but him.

"Do you like him more than me?"

That took me by surprise. How do I answer that?

Zico, I like you so, so much but I found out about what a hypocritical liar you are so screw you!

"Look at me!" Zico gripped my shoulders and started shaking me, his voice raising in desperation.I looked at him then and almost broke. For the first time ever, I saw desperation and insecurity in Zico's eyes. Like I'm breaking his heart. And seeing that is breaking my heart.

Don't fall for it, Hayoung. He's only playing you to score another girl, remember? You're a toy to him.

"Answer me!" Zico's voice is raising.

You're just a toy to him.

"Jaehyo."

Zico looked blankly at me.

"I like Jaehyo more." I somehow managed to look straight into his eyes as I said it.

Zico was stoned for a minute, then he let go of me. His face was impassive, his eyes empty. Then he just left without a word.

I felt dizzy. For a moment there, he really looked like he cared.

I walked, trying to find the girl's toilet.

Then I was stopped by Subin and Hyewon. Of course. They just can't leave me alone.

"What did you do to get a date with Jaehyo? Sleep with him?" Subin said in a malicious tone.

"Back off," I am so not in the mood to deal with these girls right now.

"I knew it, you . You are so not worthy as our Jaehyo's date," Hyewon said, crossed arms.

"Well he still chose me over the both of you, didn't he?" I snapped. I am in a really bad mood.

"You !" Subin pushed me, hard.

Then, they started cornering me, forcing me to walk back and back until we stopped at probably the center of the huge ballroom.

"I told you you're gonna pay for messing with us," Hyewon said, and then she snapped her fingers as if to signal something.

Next thing I know, a huge bucket hanging on the ceiling, hidden in all the white balloons, was overturned and red paint splashed all over me.

Red. All red. My hair, my dress, everything.

And everyone's staring at me, gasping. They were momentarily shocked to see me, in red. Then, they started laughing and pointing fingers at me. Just like my first week here. Humiliated.

I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there, taking in all the humiliation.

They just keep laughing at me.

All of a sudden, a figure showed up in front of me, his back towards me.

"Who did this?!" he yelled.

I was in a daze, still shocked, unable to do anything.

"I SAID, WHO DID THIS?!" he yelled again, "you two." He pointed at Subin and Hyewon in front of us, "did you two do this?"

Subin and Hyewon cowered and looked at each other, unsure. And obviously scared.

"I SAID, DID YOU TWO DO THIS?!" he's yelling really loud now, and everyone's watching in suspense.

"Yes." Subin and Hyewon answered in a low voice.

"I would beat you till you bleed if not because you are girls. If you lay one finger or hurt one strand of her hair, I will destroy you. Get out of my sight now!" he yelled.

Subin and Hyewon ran away immediately.

"Whoever that is against Hayoung, is against me ! Got it?" he shouted to the audience. The audience nodded immediately. Definitely the power and influence of Block B.

Then, he turned back towards me and grabbed my hand and just pulled me away.

Zico's Side..

I let her sit on a bench at the park outside the hotel. She's covered in red from head to toe. She still looked vacant, hadn't absorbed what just happened.

I got a wet towel and tried to wipe the red paint off of her hair and dress. If she was the normal Hayoung, the hotheaded Hayoung, she would never have let me touch her, let alone help her clean up. But now she's still shaken.

We were quiet. I was kneeling on the ground (not even caring I'm getting my Giorgio Armani suit dirty with mud), trying to get red paint off of her as she sat on the bench.

"Why did you do that?'

I looked up at her.

"Why did you help me?"

I hesitated, thought for a while. Then I realized that I don't have an excuse, "I don't know."

"I already told you I like Jaehyo. So why did you still help me?"

Yeah, why, Zico? You couldn't care less about ANY girl at all just last month, and here I am kneeling in mud getting my hands dirty with paint for trying to help a girl?

"I don't know."

"You confuse me."

"Believe me, I'm very much confused too."

I continued cleaning her with the wet towel. Then, suddenly, she put her hand lightly on my chin and lifted my face to face her eyes.

"What game are you playing, Woo Jiho?" she asked in a quiet voice.

She said my real name. It's just a little thing, but somehow, coming from her, it left an impact in me.

Right there, looking into her eyes, I was tempted to tell her my feelings. Confess. Even though I know she doesn't like me back. But my ego, I can't do this. I'm Zico, leader of Block B, I don't fall in love and I certainly don't confess to a girl!

But I opened my eyes and saw that it's Hayoung. I might lose her.

Screw my ego.

"Hayoung, I..."

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Someone cut me off. I looked back at the entrance of the hotel and saw Jiyoung running towards us. With Jaehyo behind her. Great.

"I'm looking all over for you!" Jiyoung had even brought a robe and covered Hayoung with it. Then, she noticed I was there and she actually frowned at me. Jaehyo came and stood behind Hayoung.

"You're done here. I can take over from here," Jaehyo said to me, expression cold. He put her arms on Hayoung's shoulder.

I looked at Hayoung for any signal, hoping she won't let me leave. I got none. She kept looking at the ground.

So I left.

Hayoung's Side.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you! I wasn't there because..." Jaehyo kept apologizing and explaining even though I'd forgiven him already.

Even Jiyoung is apologizing again and again. Apparently she was in the hotel kitchen with Ukwon and PO (I have no idea what they are up to) and had missed the entire thing.

But I wasn't thinking about that. Wasn't even thinking about the humiliation I'd just been through.

I kept thinking about Zico. His expression when he looked at me.

For a moment there, he looked sincere. Like he really do care.

The expression on his face when he walked away, was heartbreaking.

Get it together, Hayoung! It's all just an act! He's not known as the Casanova for nothing!

He doesn't care about you.

Get it together, Hayoung.

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NOTE:  THIS IS NOT THE END OF || THE WINTER BALL || ! Stay tuned for Chapter 9 to read Bbomb's side of the ball. Yes, Bbomb's story's finally starting ! Aaaannnd, this is your last chance to vote in the poll (in the comments section, if you don't see it then just check out the previous comments) to VOTE FOR BBOMB'S GIRL !

One more thing- tell me what do you want to happen between JIYOUNG/UKWON/PO. Right now they are just the Three Musketeers, but do you guys want there to be something special in there, something more than friends? Tell me what you think !

Leave comments ! I enjoy reading them =DD