Chapter 9 ^_^

Sohyun and Kai have just exited the frozen yoghurt store, one high on the sugar from the dessert and the other indifferent from how he had entered. They are both conversing in anything that comes to mind and manage to stumble on the topic of Lay and Hyojun.

“Lay-oppa seems to be quite fond of Hyojun-ah,” the energetic female exclaims casually. Jongin's mind goes alert at this statement.

“Uh... I guess?” he answers slightly nervous. Sohyun begins to hum instead of continuing with the conversation.

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“Noona~~ you're home!” is heard as Hyojun enters her family apartment. The Jang household consists of Hyojun's father and mother, as well as herself and her younger brother Chaejin. Her family is like any other middle-class Seoul family with both her parents being high school English teachers as they were schooled in Canada. Her parents met back in the North American country and decided to build their lives in their background country. English is one of Hyojun's best subjects because of both her parents tuition with the fact that she has English-speaker blood coursing through her body.

“Chaejin-ah~ How was your day?” Hyojun asks with her usual soft tone.

“It was great noona! Could you help me with some maths homework?” he quickly asks. Hyojun mentally face-palms at the question. Knowing Chaejun, he always had a catch when he acted extra cute and polite.

“Aigoo Chaejin, at least let your sister sit down first! Look how tired she is!” her mother scolds the younger as she walks into the hall to greet her oldest child. Chaejin looks down to the floor guiltily. Because of Hyojun's kind-hearted manner, she gives into her brothers act.

“Of course I'll help you Chaejin! Just after I finish my work,” she tells him. His face instantly lifting with a grateful smile.

“You're the best noona~!” he says as he hugs her firmly. Being a sixteen year old male, he was quite tall for his age. At 176 centimetres, he towered over her small frame of 165 centimetres. Their mother sighs in the background, thankful for such two loving children but a bit disappointed for one being too nice for her own good.

“Okay you two,” her mother says in English. “Hyojun, go wash up, Chaejin, set the table for dinner.”

Both children obediently do as their mother says. Hyojun places her belongings in her bedroom and prepares her bath. She sits her bathtub, soaking in the hot water and suds as she thinks back to her day. She instantly blushes at the thought of Lay walking her home.

“Oh my gosh, calm down Jang Hyojun,” she tells herself as she feels her cheeks heating up even more than before.

As she walks into the dining room with her pyjamas, her parents are plating up the last few side dishes for dinner. As for her brother, he's watching TV in the lounge room. As the whole family sits down to eat, they all converse with a mixture of both English and Korean.

“Chaejin-ah, how are you enjoying your high school?” their father questions. Her brother is surprised at the question but answers with a sullen expression.

“It's fine appa... But it's already been the first quarter of the school year and the people there are hard to make friends with,” the rest of the Jangs look back at the youngest with a expression full of pity. Chaejin is a bright and talented student, he follows in the footsteps of his noona. His parents had decided that with his brains, he could easily be able to score a scholarship at one of those expensive private school. Don't get them wrong, Hyojun could have done the same but she had decided against it as she didn't want the pressure of going to a unfamiliar school with no friends and snobby rich kids to gets use to. It would all just end up being a burden on her studies, defeating the purpose of enrolling in such a school. She had decided to stick with their local school that turned out to be just as good as any private school, ranking quite high in their district. Her brother had decided to take the opportunity to go to a private school only in hopes of excelling in school and supporting the family in the future. So far, the only thing he seems to gain from going to such a school is isolation.

“You could always transfer to noona's school!” Hyojun suggests. Her parents nod in agreement, while Chaejin gives her a 'are you sure' face.

“No, it's okay noona, I probably already bother you way too much anyway,” he replies half-teasingly half-serious.

“Fine then! I won't tutor you unless you move schools. It doesn't even have to be mine, you could always go to that school that mine is always competing against in sport. Or you could go to that famous arts school, there's even- “

“Okay noona, I'll transfer... Sheesh,” he cuts her off with a tired expression. Both their parents look at them with a loving expression. They're thankful for such lovely children and even more for the fact that they look out for one another.

“Noona, do you think the people will like me there?” her younger brother asks with a questioning face.

“Of course they will, what's not to like about you? You're tall, good looking, smart, sporty, musically talented, decently artistic, funny and caring. Not only will you make friends quickly but I bet you'll be popular,” the older says proudly.

“Thanks noona,” he says as she fixes his neck tie. She looks up to give her dongsaeng a grin and leaves for the short journey to school. Winter is fast approaching now and both siblings have a similar scarf wrapped up to their chins. The day after they discussed Chaejin's transfer, they filed an application and he was accepted immediately because of his exceptional grades and sporting achievements. Today would be his first day at his new high school, he looks smart (well more handsome than he already is) with the more freewill style of uniform rather than his stiff private school uniform.

When they arrive at school, Chaejin is amazed instantly.

“Wow noona, everyone here looks so happy, and the lockers are actually different colours. Look! Your hallways have artworks on them and everything!” Hyojun smiled at her brothers fascination. From what her brother is implying, it sounds as if his old school is more like a prison than anything else.

Hyojun smiles at him as they walk the front office for his administration. While taking the journey, they have to cut through a populated area of the school, most of the student body is situated in this courtyard before school begins. With Hyojun being well-known throughout the school for being the friend of the popular crowd, many make way for her. Girls begin to fan girl over the unfamiliar male student next to her as they continue walking.

“Hyojun-ssi has a boyfriend?” one of the students say behind them.

“Oh my gosh, he's so cute!” another swoons.

“He got lucky, I was hoping to ask Hyojun out,” says a male this time. Hearing this, Chaejin is unpleased. No one was going to make a move on his noona without his consent. He swiftly wraps his right arm around her small waist, something he had done once or twice when they went through crowded places. To Hyojun and her younger brother, it's nothing whereas to the rest of the students, it's kind of a big deal.

“Woah, so they are going out,” whispers of this can be heard throughout the crowd. Chaejin has a small smirk on his face while his noona stays quiet.

“We got them there, didn't we noona,” Chaejin whispers in Hyojun's ear.

“Get away from me! That tickles!” She playfully pushes her younger brother away from her while laughing. They continue laughing, making the rumour look more fact that fiction.

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Chaejin will be BTOB's Sungjae coz he's adorable and my bias hurhur