Jihyo found it hard to breathe as she convinced herself that what she had heard was a lie. Her body was a bit shaking and tears were forming in her eyes. She tried her best to stand still and not fall on to the ground.

She had to face the reality.

“Kwon Jihyo.” she took Junhyung’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. “Just call me Hyo.”

They kept looking at each other for about a minute.

“Do you remember me?”

Jihyo pulled her hand away first. She looked on the ground and let her tears fall down. She tried her best to hold her tears back but she failed. “Mianhae.”

“For what?”

“For leaving you like that. For not telling you that I would go to another country.”

Junhyung closed the gap between their bodies as he hugged Jihyo tightly. He her smooth hair and buried her face on his chest, letting her cry there. He kissed the top of her head and swayed their bodies to the sides slowly, a wide smile plastered on his face.

Jihyo hugged him back, glad that finally she could find her bestfriend after being separated from years. “I’ve finally found you.”

“Hmm.” Junhyung gave a simple nod. He pulled away, his hands moved to the sides of her head. He gently lifted her face up so he could look straight into her eyes. “From now on, don’t you ever dare to leave me again. Don’t. You. Ever.”

Jihyo exhaled. “Arasseo.”

Junhyung chuckled and pulled her in his embrace again. “I heard about a new transferred student in the beginning of the previous semester and for some odd reason I immediately thought that it was you. When I accidentally saw you introduced yourself to your friends at the school backyard last year, I got the feeling that you were my lost bestfriend even though I haven’t known your name. I started stalking you to make sure that you were really her. The way you talk, the way you smile, the way you laugh, it all reminds me of her. Glad to know that I was right.”

Jihyo’s lips curved into a wide smile. “Stupid me. I didn’t even recognize you. You’ve changed.”

Junhyung broke the hug and chuckled. He messed Jihyo’s hair playfully. “I know you better than you know me.”

“So, this is the reason why you called me? That you wanted to prove that I’m your lost bestfriend?”

“Sorry. It’s just… I couldn’t take it anymore. I just wanted to know the answer as soon as possible. Sorry.”

“Gwaenchana~” Jihyo pinched Junhyung’s nose and laughed a bit. “Let’s go home. We still have classes tomorrow.”

“This morning.” he corrected.

“Ah yes.” Jihyo rolled her eyes. “Good--“

Junhyung cut her off before she could finish talking. “I’ll walk you home.”

“You don’t have--“ Jihyo pouted as she couldn’t complete her sentence because Junhyung had already grabbed her hand and started walking to her home. ‘Junhyung is still as stubborn as before.’

~~~

It was right that Jihyo was a new transferred student and she started studying at this senior high school as a last year student. She spent half of her junior high school life and two years of senior high school in Paris because her father got a job there. She didn’t tell her bestfriend, Junhyung, because she was afraid that he would be very angry.

Regret always came late. Jihyo missed Junhyung too much up to the point that she always asked her father to continue her study in Korea everyday and when her father finally said yes, she was so happy.

“Thinking of me again?”

Jihyo snapped back to the reality and looked up only to see a smirk on Junhyung’s face. “Pfft. Hell no.”

Junhyung let out a chuckle and sat on the empty chair beside Jihyo. He turned his head to look at Jihyo who was pouting and looking at her fingers on her lap. “Waeyo? Did something bad happen?”

“Ani.” Jihyo sighed and took her phone out from her bag. She closed her eyes then rubbed her temple as she saw no new message on her phone. “Minkyung has been really weird lately. I… I don’t even know why. After having dinner at Kikwang’s house, she hasn’t talked to me yet.”

“She’s busy, perhaps.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

“Don’t worry too much, Hyo.” Junhyung patted her head and gave her a sincere smile. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”

“Umm. I hope so.”

Junhyung messed Jihyo’s hair and got off of his seat. “I’m gonna meet the others at the dancing room. Wanna come along with me?”

“Sure.”

Junhyung reached out his hand and Jihyo happily took it. They were walking hand in hand to the dancing room when they heard some whispers from students in the hallway.

“Junhyung oppa has a girlfriend?”

“Oh . I’m prettier than her.”

“Hell. She ruined my plan to get Junhyung oppa.”

“She is ugly!”

Jihyo tried to pull her hand away but Junhyung tightened his grip on her hand. She opened to protest only to close it again the next second. She sighed in relief as both of them arrived in front of the dancing room.

“Don’t mind them.” Junhyung spoke as he cupped Jihyo’s cheek with his free hand because he was still holding on Jihyo’s hand. “Ara?”

She stuck her lower lip and puffed her cheeks out. “I ruined your reputation.”

 “Not at all.” Junhyung said while opening the door and was welcomed by the smiling Kikwang.

“Oh, hyung. I was about to open the door and go get some water for them.” Kikwang looked past Junhyung and saw Jihyo. “Hyooooooo! Wanna accompany me?”

Before Jihyo could answer, Kikwang cut her off with an unexpected question. “Are you guys… dating?”

Jihyo followed Kikwang’s gaze and realized that he was staring at her hand that was being held by Junhyung. “We--“

“No. Don’t worry, Kwangie.” Junhyung answered a second faster than Jihyo. He pulled his hand away and patted Kikwang’s shoulder. “Don’t forget to buy me coke.”

Kikwang’s lips slowly formed into a smile. He was too happy hearing that Junhyung and Jihyo weren’t dating, at least it gave him a chance to get Jihyo. “Arasseo, hyung. Let’s go, Hyo!”

Jihyo stole a last glance at Junhyung before being dragged by Kikwang. She saw Junhyung smiled sadly at her, and somehow it hurt her heart.

~~~

“See you tomorrow, Woonie.” Jihyo said after rolling Junhyung’s car window down then waved at the younger boy. “Don’t skip your dinner again, okay?”

“Hahaha… Arasseo, noona.” Dongwoon bent down and waved his hand at Junhyung on the driver seat. “Drive safe, hyung.”

“Bye, magnae!” Kikwang shouted from the backseat.

Dongwoon waved his hand again and stepped back as Junhyung started driving away from his house.

“Finally~ Two more left.” Junhyung said, his eyes were still on the road.

“Hyung, can you drop me off at Jihyo’s house? I have something to discuss with her.”

Jihyo looked at Kikwang innocently. “Uh? What?”

“About… the chemistry project?”

Jihyo knew Kikwang was lying. She could tell by Kikwang’s unsure answer but she decided to play along. “Aaaaaahh~ Yes, I remember.”

Junhyung kept stealing glances at Jihyo as he also felt that something was up between Kikwang and Jihyo. He wanted to ask them about that but he didn’t want Jihyo to think that he was that kind of person who liked to jump into someone’s business.

“Finallyyyyy~” Jihyo cried as the car stopped in front of her front gate. She put her seat belt off and smiled sweetly at Junhyung. “Gomawo.”

“Umm. You’re welcome. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 7.” Junhyung said then handed Jihyo a box of chocolates. “Mom told me to give that to you.”

Jihyo’s face brightened as if she had just won a doorprize. “Whoaaaa! Tell her I say thanks.”

“Umm.”

Jihyo and Kikwang got off of the car and waved at Junhyung’s car as it slowly disappeared. They went inside Jihyo’s house in silence.

Junhyung was about to park his car on his garage when his phone vibrated. One new message.

From : Hyo <3

Come to my house tonight at 8 and I’ll tell you about this ‘chemistry project’.