The following day, the trio bullies: Duna, Tina, and Nina shot death glares at me.

“You’re lucky Dahi was able to cover the bruise with makeup. Be careful next time, we have our eyes on you. GOT IT?” Tina shot while bumping into my shoulder on purpose as she passed.

It turns out the theater club president was the granddaughter of the school sponsor. Her family has been supporting this school for twenty three generations. So teachers and the principal often turned a blind eye for the Park family.

Diamond Bar High School was a private school that depended on sponsors. If Dahi’s family decided to transfer out, it would spell doom for the school. Half the school extracurricular programs would be halted which could mean students transferring out one after another.

Dahi was a moving bomb for the school therefore, treated as a VIP guest by everyone.

On my lunch break the teacher called me out to her office.

“Jiyoung,” She paused with her hands clasped together.  “What you did the morning before is unacceptable. If you have something to say, express it with words. Dahi had to get her shoulder treated because of internal bleeding.”

“Are you sure she’s not pretending?” I asked the teacher.

“Jiyoung!” The teacher yelled. “Dahi is very sick right now. She has trouble eating and takes many supplements. Her bones are very weak and even a light touch can hurt her. Healing any sort of wounds take awhile for her.”

I looked to my feet and didn’t say another word.

“I know her friends can be a bit mean. I’ve also talked to them. But, they’re just worried for Dahi. Just be more careful from now on, okay?” The teacher requested.

I nodded.

“Dahi has cancer. Her parents spoil her very much. Just please try to understand Jiyoung and keep out of trouble, okay?” She held my hand.

I nodded.

Now I was feeling guilty. How was I supposed to know she had cancer? I sighed.

“Jiyoung, please go apologize to Dahi. The principal said he will let you off if you do so,” my teacher’s words rang in my ear.

I stepped into Dahi’s class. Everyone grew quiet when the trio stood up to form a barrier around Dahi.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong yesterday. I didn’t know Dahi was so sick.” I bowed earnestly.

Dahi told the three girls to back off. They did so although cussing under their breath.

“It’s alright. You didn’t know.” She pinched my cheeks and smiled. “Let’s be good friends. Okay? I like people who aren’t afraid to stand up to bullies. I heard what the girls did to you, I told them not to do such a horrible thing again. They’re really nice girls but sometimes they get very protective,” She smiled but coughed and started wheezing.

The trio glared at me and supported Dahi.

“You don’t need to apologize to that brat!” Tina growled.

“Stop it guys. I know how much you care, but stop. Okay? Please? For me.” She grabbed her friend’s arms. They nodded.

So she is not a bad person. I just misunderstood.

“The dance club is often disturbing our filming process. We get way more funding than them since Dahi is our president. Dahi was nice enough to build them a dance studio in hopes to make peace but it just got worst!” Nina complained. “The principal found out about the delinquents and disbanded the dance club. They’re not suppose to be active anymore but there are some stubborn people.”

The lunch bell rang signaling class was starting again. Dahi smiled and waved goodbye.

I sighed. What a pitiful girl. I hope she gets better soon.

After school, I decided to drop by Kikwang’s school. I’ll just see his face and go home. I was feeling tired after all this drama. Why do people’s lives need to be so complicated?

Kikwang was running around doing sprints so I decided not to bother him and sat in the shade under a tree.

I’ll probably become just as scary if someone pushed Kikwang around and hurt him too, I reflected quietly to myself.

“Jiyoung!” someone patted my shoulder. I turned around, it was Dongwoon.

“Hi,” I smiled and returned to watching Kikwang.

“You’re not wearing your indoor slippers today!” He joked.

“Ah,” I turned to him. “Please don’t tell Kikwang!” I begged.

“Are you being bullied at school? I saw your bag was also really messed up last time. You hid it from Kikwang but I saw everything!” He said suspiciously.

“I accidentally pushed a girl who had cancer. I didn’t know she had cancer and injured her shoulder. I deserved it. I thought she was bullying someone.” I confessed. “I apologized and we made up already. Her friends were mad at me.”

I looked up at the sunlight poking through between the leaves.

“They’re not bothering me anymore.” I assured him.

“Well, if something happens, I’m all ears,” He smiled. “Give me your phone for a sec.” He stuck his hand out. I hesitated.

“C’mon!”

I gave him my phone. He punched some numbers very fast and texted himself. “There!”

“Call me if anything happens! Okay?!” He patted my head.

“Jiyoung!”

I turned to the voice and found Kikwang madly running over to us.

“What are you guys talking about?! Hey! Why do you have Jiyoung’s phone?!" He yelled at Dongwoon.

“It’s a secret. I promised Jiyoung not to tell,” Dongwoon stuck his tongue out and returned my phone.

“I’d better go before your boyfriend turns psycho,” He teased the both of us. I felt my cheeks flush red.

Kikwang took a seat next to me. “What’s up?” He asked me.

“I just dropped by to see your face. Oh!” I remembered I made some lemon drops for him yesterday night.

“Here. You can share it with your soccer friends.” I gave him a whole jar.

They were packed with vitamin C and sugar for extra energy. Whenever I was with Kikwang I felt very comfortable, but today I had nothing to say to him. We just sat in silence smiling dumbly. What did I talk with Kikwang before? I could not remember.

“Thanks! The guys will love it.” He opened the jar and popped one into his mouth. “My favorite.”

The next second Doojun came running yelling at Kikwang for slacking.

“Jiyoung, I have about an hour after practice. Want to go out somewhere later?” Kikwang asked me with sparkling eyes. His jaws were becoming more defined and my eyes fell to his lips. He them because they were dry and I quickly looked away and started plucking at the lawn for no reason.

“When does practice end?” I asked him looking away.

“In twenty minutes.” He replied.

“Okay. I’ll wait here then.” I smiled taking out a book.

“Great!” He waved and returned to his dribbling practice.

The smell of the grass and the happy sun shining through the rustling leaves was enough to cheer me up. This was such a nice campus. There were so many colorful flowers and cheerful looking people.

My school was gated and very conservative. Art and music was very popular in my school. The physical education department was all held indoors in a giant air conditioned room with fancy equipment like treadmills and non-moving cycles.

It was nice, but I liked feeling the air brush against my cheeks while observing the scenery of the world pass by. That was impossible inside the stifling stagnant room. Apparently, there were some erts who liked to stalk all-girl schools so even the windows were all blocked out.

“Jiyoung!” Dongwoon plopped next to me.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than come bother me?” I shot teasingly.

“Right now, it’s my priority.” Dongwoon winked. “Want to be my girlfriend?”

My heart thumped. “W-w-what?” I stuttered laughing. “What a joker!” I slapped his arm.

“I’m tired so I’m sleeping,” I turned away from him and laid my head on my backpack and pretended to sleep.

“Jiyoung,” Dongwoon whispered. “I know you’re not sleeping. Your eyelids keep trembling and moving around.”

When I got up and turned his lips was very close to my lips. Before I could move back he moved forward. I could hear the leaves rustling and birds chirp. The wind brushed against my cheeks and he kissed me under the oak tree.

“MMMMM” I screamed and slapped him. I shoved him away and covered my lips with my hand. The feelings of his lips still remained, I was saving that for my first love! My eyes stung and a lump formed in my throat. I grabbed my backpack and slapped it hard on his face, but he caught hold of my backpack before it hit him.

I bit my lips in anger.

“I like you. It’s because you didn’t believe me!” Dongwoon protested.

I retrieved my backpack and flung it at him again this time he didn’t block and let it hit his face. I huffed, I thought he would block it again and used all my strength that time.

“Oh no! Your nose!” I gasped. His nose was bleeding from both nostrils. I supported his head and covered his nose lightly with my handkerchief.  

“Did the kiss gross you out that much?” Dongwoon asked sadly.

“I was just shocked.” I replied but still a bit angry.

“I guess that’s a no then?” Dongwoon stayed still in my hold.

He wasn’t a bad person. He did look very handsome. He was also very tall and mindful about me. It seemed it would be rude if I just flaked him off like it was a joke.

“I already like someone. I don’t have room for another person in my heart.” I answered truthfully.

“I know.” Dongwoon answered looking to Kikwang who was far off.

“OPPPA! THERE YOU ARE!” a group of girls squealed with handmade cookies decorated in pink wrapping.

“Bye Jiyoung. Talk to you later!” Dongwoon got up and dashed the opposite direction. “Call me if you need anything.” He mouthed.