"Excuse me?" Mia could feel someone's strong gazes. She knew that there was someone standing beside her. She didn't know why . . . she had to do her work.

"Yes?" she spoke out without looking at the person. She was completely absorbed in her assignment. Being the obedient and hard-working student, she didn't want to disappoint her teacher.

"Can you show me the way to the gym? I'm a new student here." the guy's accent was a bit alienated. It was like he wasn't used to speaking english.

Mia sighed and looked up to see who it was. fell open in an 'O' as soon as she saw him. It was the same guy she had bumped into before.

She quickly got up from her seat and looked at him. He was one hell of a tall guy, "The gym?"

He nodded his head with a small smile, "Yes. I'll be really grateful."

She scratched the back of her neck. She could easily refuse him and resume on with her work . . . but being the good and obedient American citizen she was, she somehow felt a bit responsible. 

Mia nodded her head and smiled as she collected her books, "Follow me, please." she said and led him out of the library. It was a bit weird though . . . if he was searching for the gym, then why would he come all the way to the library to ask the direction?

Mia shrugged and shook her head, You're thinking too much these days. she sighed and lead him towards the gym.

"So . . . in which year will you be studying in?" she asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

The guy looked up at the ceiling, "1st year."

"Oh . . ." she smiled and turned back to look at him, "I'm in 1st year too."

He smiled and stretched out his hand, "My name's Tao. Nice to meet you. I just transferred here from China." 

she smiled and shook his hand, "My name is Emilia. But you can call me 'Mia' for short."

"You don't look American at all." he said as they started walking slowly.

She chuckled and nodded her head, "I'm half-korean. My dad's an American." she felt proud whenever anyone asked her about her ethnicity.

"I'm from China." Tao smiled and looked at her.

For a brief moment, his eyes really made her blush. And his smile . . . the most beautiful thing she had ever seen . . . 

Mia shook her head as soon as they reached the gym, "Here's the gym. If you need any help then you can contact the teachers or the staffs," she smiled and looked at him, "welcome to Beverly Hills High School."

"Thank you." He smiled and went inside the gym as he waved her goodbye. It was weird . . . her heart was beating constantly inside her chest.

Mia looked at the watch and groaned. It was almost time for her next class . . . since her assignment was almost finished, she thought of going back to her class.

"It was weird in every way . . . Kai's an amateur. Why would the Lord assign him with this work?" Kris sipped on his coffee as he stared intensely at the game of chess he was playing with Suho.

Suho shook his head and moved his pawn on the chess, "As you know . . . Kai has a special talent. Maybe that's why . . ." he carressed his chin, totally not absorbed in this conversation.

"For your kind information, Tao also has that talent. And he's a senior too . . . seriously . . ." Kris analyzed the game as he moved his queen and chuckled, "check-mate."

Suho groaned in frustration, "Why do you always win? It's not fair!"

Kris chuckled and sipped on his black coffee, "Because I'm good at it."

Suho sighed and looked at the chess pieces, "We're nothing for them, are we?" he said in a serious tone.

"What do you mean?" Kris asked and looked at him with concerned eyes. He knew that Suho was worried about those four kids who were out on the mission.

"Just like these chess pieces, we're nothing but weapons and shield. We don't have an identity of our own, do we?" Suho sighed and he started massaging his temple. He haad been around for 200 years, but still . . . he felt as if he was not meant to be here in the first place.

"Don't think that way. We all worked too hard to be in the position that we are in today." Kris put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with concerned eyes. This mission has been stressing them out for the past few days, and he knew that Suho was really worried since Kai was out there. Kai was like a kid to him . . .

"Let's go and finish our work." Kris said and started walking towards the door.

Suho took out the pendant that he was wearing and smiled as soon as he saw it, "I hope you're doing well in Heaven." he said and followed Kris. But he still couldn't take his mind off of it at all.

They had to find the black pearl, or their lives could be at great risk.

"Where were you?" Sally hissed under her breath as soon as Mia entered the classroom.

She looked at her with tired eyes and took out her books, "I was in the library completing my assignment." she said and sat in front of Sally.

"Thank god that you're on time. You know how Mrs. Strauss gets about late students." Sally rolled her eyes in frustration as the teacher stepped in the class, "talk abou the devil . . ." Sally cursed under her breath which made Mia chuckle.

Mrs. Strauss was their Literature professor, or to quote the sutudents, the 're-incarnation of Adolf Hitler'. She would give the students endless assignments whenever she would be in a bad mood. She was one hell of an annoying teacher.

"Class!" she struck her stick on the desk to get them quiet, "let's welcome out new transfer student! Will you please come in?" her voice turned sugary sweet all of a sudden, which is so unlike her.

A guy stepped in, wearing a white wife-beater as he held his leather jacket in his hands. He was wearing big sun-glasses, so it was a bit hard to look at his face.

But as soon as he entered, all the girls started murmuring something or the other. There was no doubt about it . . . this guy was really hot.

Mia shrugged her shoulders, "What's with all these guys coming in today?" she said and waited for the guy to do his introduction.

He took out his glasses slowly . . . and dang! Mia stared at his eyes once again . . . he had beautiful eyes. They were deep blue and there was no doubt about the fact that he was really good-looking.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Kai Kim and I transferred from South Korea. Nice to meet you all." he bowed his head and smiled at everyone, which sent every girl in the class in a jiffy.

"That guy's Korean," Sally whispered in Mia's ear.

"I know." Mia said and shook her head, still not able to take her eyes off of his beautiful face. It almost seemed like a sin to look at him . . . he was that beautiful.

"Welcome, Kai. Let's see . . ." the teacher looked around the class, "you can sit near Mike Dawson over there since he's the calss president and will help you with every-"

Before the teacher could continue saying anything further, Kai silently walked towards Mia who was still staring at him.

"Can I sit with you?" He asked and pointed towards the empty desk beside her.

Mia nodded her head and turned away in embarrassment, "Sure, why not . . ." she literally mentally kicked herself for staring at him for so long.

"Hi, I'm Kai . . . and you?" he smiled at her and stretched out his hand for a shake.

"Mia." she managed to speak.

He smiled at her and nodded his head, "Let's get to know each other well." and for some weird reason . . . it really made her heart-beat, his smile.

(PRESENT DAY)

She had met him the first time that day. A day she still remembered as if though it happened just yesterday . . . she never regretted meeting him. His smile was still captured in the back of her head. 

She can never forget his smile . . . his beautiful smile.

"Mia . . . let's go, or you'll be late." Aron came inside her room.

Mia got up from her bed and handed the bags to her brother, "Oppa, you leave first. I'll come in a moment." she said and walked towards the wash-room.

She needed a little time to think . . .

Mia looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed . . . she looked so pale and tired as if though her life was taken.

She shrugged and was about to open the wash-room door when someone climbed in from the window . . . Mia tightly gripped on the towel in fear.

"Mia!" the person looked at her with concerned eyes . . .

"Wh-" she was about to say something when he hugged her. He hugged her so tightly that she started choking a little bit.

"Suho . . . what are you doing here?" she asked him and locked the door. He was not supposed to come here!

He patted on her head and gave her a letter, "It's from him . . . he told me to give you this."

Mia quickly opened up the letter:

Mia . . . I promised you, didn't I? That I'd keep you safe?

Just wait for some more time time, okay?

I promise to you . . . after all this is over, we'll finally be one.

Till then . . . take care of yourself.

I'll always be protecting you even though I'm not there.

Mia . . . Saranghae.

"Nado saranghanmida . . ." she whispered and hugged the letter tightly to her chest. She knew that he would keep his promise.

(A/N: who do you think is the guy?? :P)