Krystal had been waiting for Kimberly and Debra's call but they never did it even reply to her SMS. She was already sick hoping for them to remember her and now she even feels lonelier.

"How come they forget me so easily?"

Author's POV: The fact is that her two black American friends were just accepted for Junior volleyball team after some period of tryouts. They were intensively preparing for the first tournament that will be held in Poland and thus their minds are pre-occupied with that priority. End of POV.

Krystal is  aloof, cold, and unreceptive type of girl since child. She rarely talks with other except when being asked. She normally goes and leave the school without being noticed much. However, during fourth grade in elementary, she was obliged to participate in a wrestling match during a camping trip. Her classmates believed that she will be the first one to get eliminated since she was the smallest and skinniest of all the girls. To their surprised, she knocked down all her opponents (regardless of their sizes) with her skillful technique. "She's an amazon!" praised by Kimberly and Debra. The two became her admirers and since then they encouraged Krystal to be involve more on sports.

She was in a daydreaming mood, when suddenly Sica appeared in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"Hey, I'll gonna ask you for something." Sica told her calmly.

"What is it?" She asked her in a cold manner.

"Minho asked me to be his partner though I wasn't sure about it. I said yes not to frustrate him but awhile ago, Taecyeon called me to inform that his flight is postponed just to spend valentines with me. You know, I'm worried about Minho since he's expecting me but I can't go there. So... Can you substitute me instead?"

"So you are throwing your responsibility on me? Poor man, you should denied him then."

"It's done and I admit that was my fault. But I don't want him to be so upset of it. So please..." Sica begged her.

"I don't know. You need to tell this to him first, not me." Krystal left her. Though she likes the idea of being partnered with Minho, Krystal would only feel sorry for him. She was blaming her older sister again for deciding quickly just to please anyone.

Sica called Minho on the phone to apologize and informed everything about her pull back. He was saddened as he lose another chance to her. He accepted her apology yet his sound could not hide his disappointment.

"I'm sorry Minho. But if you want, Krystal will substitute me." She offered to him.

"No. She already has partner." Minho refused her request.

"Okay. Sorry again. I think there will be more events like this and maybe I can join you next time." The conservation just ended with her sentence. Minho did not know if he will continue to participate in that event nor will pursue his plan for Jessica. Her withdrawal just made him lose interest at it.

The following day, Krystal noticed Minho walking along the street and she drove faster towards him.

"Hey! My sister has a date on valentines so she could not come. Are you okay?" She asked him to know if he is upset or not.

Minho was not in the mood to talk with her so he just said yes then he walked away. Krystal did not like it and so she shouted "So you don't like me to be your partner then?!" He turned his head to her and said "Yes." It was short but upfront answer that hurt Krystal. She went mad in front of him and shouted. "I don't like you either!." He went back to his senses figuring it was too harsh for her. Nevertheless, whatever he said were just honest responds. Never he imagined himself to be her partner unless she behaves good.

Krystal drove her bicycle furiously, she thought Minho is a good guy but he proved her wrong. The man was just pretending to be nice in front of her family, she concluded. She was burning as hell while she did not noticed a fat lamp post across her path. It was too late for her to brake the bike, she bumped into it and slammed herself to the ground. It was too painful as it sounds. Her right knee which hit a sharp rock bleed unstoppably. Krystal was in shock and unable to move for a minute. She cried for help, yet no one is answering her. She tried to crawl but her wounds are aching painfully. After a while in distress, a guy came into her sight wiping her blood with his own handkerchief. "Minho oppa?"

"We don't have medicines here so I have to bring you home." To her surprised, she agreed. She was in much pain that she totally forgot how angry she was to him.

Minho wanted to scold her yet he thought It was not right to do it. She is carefree driver and as he predicted this will going to happen.

In Choi's house, they have plenty of first aid medicines as his coach father is always ready for emergency. Being an athlete himself is prone to injury so Minho was thought how to treat some minor injuries. As they reached the house, he lied down Krystal on one of the sofa and elevated the injured knee. He got some antiseptic liquid to wash the wounds and firmly pressed the wound with the sterile cloth. Krystal sobbed at the intense pain on the area. When the bleeding stop, Minho put some antibiotic cream and covered it with gauze pad and adhesive tape. He tried his best to be careful not to hurt her more. When he was finished, he stood up and decided to leave the room.

"Have some rest. I'll send you back home later if you're already okay." He was leaving then when Krystal found her voice.

"Why are you doing this? She asked him.

He turned around answered. "You need some help, that's why."

"You need my approval too? To get my sister, right? Sorry. But she's already taken, I can't do anything for you." Like her usual hasty thought, it only sparks some irritation.

"Shut up! You don't know what you're saying. Just rest now so I can send you back." He told he, slightly bitter at her tactless words.

The accident drained Krystal of her strength. She fell asleep, feeling safe inside his home.

After an hour, Mrs. Choi Jiwoo, Minho's mother came back from grocery carrying some bags of  fresh foods and stuffs she bought. She was passing through the living room when she noticed a sleeping girl lyring on the main sofa. She went closer to the girl trying to figure out who she is. The strange girl has wound visible through the pad. Out of curiosity, she searched for Minho to ask about the girl. She knocked on the bedroom door first to see if he was there.

"Come in." Minho was then browsing on his laptop.

"Son who is that girl?"

"Hi Ma." He met her at the door and kissed her as a sign of respect. "She's Jessica's sister."

"Who's Jessica?"

"Jessica Jung, my childhood playmate."

"But she was on the States?"

"She just came back with her family."

"I see."

"Her sister got minor accident on the road so I brought her here to apply some medicines."

"But she's not a girlfriend, am i right?"

Minho smiled "Yes".

"Thank goodness." The mother was relieved hearing that. She does not like the idea of bringing a strange girl inside her house unless the girl was introduced to her at first.

"But you have to send her back. Her parents maybe searching for her now."

"Yes. I will if she's already awake."

"This is a house and not clinic. Her parents might suspect you a culprit once they know you send her here." Minho realized that her mother is right. She is not even his obligation to begin with. "We have to wake her up so she can have full rest in her home."

"You're right Ma," He obeyed. They went down to the living room where Krystal stayed and the mother was the one who awakes her.

"Girl, wake up... Wake up... Wake up."

Krystal opened her eyes and saw a woman who is in her 40s. She rose up from the sofa and sat up immediately.

"I'm Minho's mother. Your parents might be worrying about you now and he will be sending you back so you can continue your rest there." The mother has a pale white skin, curly hair, and high pointed eyebrows. The only thing that Minho resembles from her is the shape of the face.

Krystal nodded. Minho helped her in walking outside. She was still suffering from pain so she could not walk straightly. Her mountain bike was damaged in accident so Minho used his scooter to ride. He let her to backhug him to ensure her safeties. She sat in a side position since she cannot bend her knee and leaned her head to his shoulder as she still feeling weak from her accident. This time, she could feel the warmness of him in front of her. There is something with it that she feels really protected, something that she could not even feel from her father. She, suddenly wished he is a brother on that moment. Minho can scent Krystal's hair at his side. It was waving at the blow of the wind and It smells like a baby's sweat. No wonder she is acting like a child, he told himself. Krystal is already 16 yet she looks like a baby to him.

As they approached Jung's home, some old man saw Minho driving with a girl at his back suspecting on them. He yelled at him asking "Boy is that your girlfriend?!"

Minho laughed at the silly thought and answered "No." Krystal heard it and felt flushed all over. She did not realize that she is actually riding with a boy that can spark some rumor among the villagers.

Mrs. Jung was so nervous outside the house waiting and hoping for her youngest daughter to return. "It's almost six o'clock and she's still not here. What I'm going to do?" She asked herself. Normally, Krystal just ride her bike only when she wants to buy something. She's not the type that will spend so much time outside and that makes her mother more anxious about her daughter's condition. Mrs. Lee went beside her, comforting her after she finished contacting the village security.

For a moment, a scooter showed up with Minho driving it and Krystal at her back. The two rejoiced at the sight of them being all safe and ran gladly to meet them. "Oh thanks God! You scared me Krystal." Mrs. Jung went to hug her daughter and checked her, then she saw some cuts all over and big wound on her right knee.. "What happened to you Krystal?" She asked her worriedly.

Her mother and nanny assisted her to got off from the scooter where she finds difficulty stretching her legs. "Mommy, I'm sorry. I accidentally bumped on the lamp post while driving. Luckily, Minho oppa helped me."

"Thank you Minho. I'm glad you rescued her." She said to him while looking gratefully. She appreciated the fact that if not Minho's help, then her daughter might still be in anguish now.

"Anything Mam." He smiled to her.

"Do you want to stay first so you can have some snacks?" She offered him.

"No, Mam, Thank you. I'm actually busy doing something. But I'll be glad to visit you again next time."

"Oh sorry for disturbing you. Yes, comeback so I can pay your kindness."

"Sure Mam. Next time..."

"Okay. See you next time." Mrs. Jung cheerfully told him. The relieve was seen all over her face, truly a heartwarming moment for him.

Minho did not go until the three were already inside, he made sure that everything is fine before he leaves. As the nanny closing the door, Krystal took a glimpse back on Minho and by chance their eyes met. She really wanted to thank him but could not utter the words. On a spur of moment, she became too shy to him.

One week to go before the game show, the wound is still throbbing in pain.. "Damn!" She cursed herself for being so reckless. As she was massaging her leg, she could still remember Minho's gentleness applying the medicine on it. The thought of him taking care of her sent some tingling sensation inside her. But It made her bit sad of how he did not able to visit him since the incident. "Anyway, If I see him I will thank him." She told herself as It was her plan to even present him a gift as thanksgiving.

to be continued...