Uncle Ian                                                                            Sean

*6 and a half years ago*

The bell rang loud and clear throughout the halls. 
Locker doors slammed, sneakers scuffed across the floor as you made your way to class. This was your second week at your new school and you have had to rush to practically every class and biology wasn't any different. As you raced down the halls they continued to empty. Rounding the last corner you ran into something solid, fleshy but solid. Pain blossomed in your rear and your head felt a though it had been rattled a bit. "Are you alright?" A deep voice asked  in English from above. A tall guy stood before you when you glanced up, concern filled his eyes but there were earplugs dangling from his ears. So that was the cause for this accident...plus your rushing. 
"Ye." You hastily reply as you go about collecting your books and bag. Feeling irritated you get to your feet. "Need any help?" Persistently asked the guy.  You're sure he was just trying to be polite as you were a foreigner but it kind of insulted you that he thought you weren't intelligent enough to know Korean as well as English. Letting it go you quickly collect your things. Brushing past him you mumble, "Sorry I'm late for class." You have no time to deal with others at school. It's your senior year and having been transferred after half a semester it hasn't made it easy for you to get top marks. 

The entire class stares at you as you enter the class room nearly ten minutes late. The teacher waves you over to his desk. Your stomach drops, feeling thirty pairs of eyes on your back, you approach the teacher. 
"Miss Ahn, I know it is only your second week but being tardy has to stop, it's already happened three times. You can't afford to be late to MY class. You can do some extra work in detention this afternoon." Mr Goong informed you as he scribbled on a detention slip. You did not have time to spend in detention, your brother would be waiting for you to collect him from school. You would have to send a text, finish all your work and pick him up a little later than usual. 'Damn,' you think, you still haven't thought about what you are going to cook for dinner. Taking the piece of paper you make your way to your seat. Forgetting about the stressful things that are happening in your life you fill your mind with biology and the workings of the human organs.

Detention. The one place you REALLY didn't need to be. You never get into trouble, well enough trouble to land you in detention. After class you texted your bother informing him of your expected lateness, telling him to stay near crowded areas and to not talk to strangers as he was 5 years your junior. Rushing you virtually yanked the work you needed to accomplish off Mr Goong's desk and jogged to detention which didn't start for another half hour. Taking out the sheets you need to finish, you are rather agitated but you need to get it done and over with.

Forty minutes into your work, the door clicks open. There stands a boy, tall, black hair and plugs in his ears. 'You,' you think and glare at him, but blaming him wasn't going to get you anywhere. He seemed surprised as you and him locked eyes. Making his way over to you he sits in the seat to your right. "Funny seeing you here." He says in English AGAIN he is kind of getting on your nerves. He flashes you a smile. "Ye." Brushing him off you turn back to your sheets only having two left you get through. "You're new right? Are you on exchange?" You sigh heavily and look at him, place your pencil on the table a little too gently. You don't have time for idle chitchat. "I have lived here for a decade. I do speak English it is my mother tongue but I'm fluent in Korean. I know you are just trying to be polite and attempting to make me feel welcome by speaking it but I don't need it. I'm new, yes. Started attending this school two weeks ago,  I'm originally from America. Blood type O, height 162cm, I own a cat and I live with my brother and  Uncle. Sorry for being rude but I'm here because I was late to class and I need to hurry up and finish this, so hopefully I have told you everything that you need to know." You smile friendly. You knew you were being a but you have gone through so much stuff recently that you don't need friends. Dealing with these people will only get in the way of your studies. Who needs to deal with stupid people and their irrelevant feelings. "Could I get your name?" He asked nicely, not phased by my outburst. Looking at him skeptically you think of what possibly could be bad about telling him you name. You give in. "Ahn Mia" He flashes me a gummie grin and your heart skips a beat. 'No stupid heart we don't have time for him.' You scold yourself. " I'm Bang Yongguk." He extends his hand towards you. 'How is he not pissy after I took so much attitude with him?'
'Oh well, I guess if he is persistent then I'll see if he is worthy enough for my trust.' You shake his hand and return his smile. 

Turning back to your work you zoom through your second last sheet. Yongguk just sat there with his ear plugs in and notebook out. You shake your head to try and clear it. Continuing on with your biology work you get stuck on question 8. 'Dammit what is the name of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy when discovered in humans?! I know it is the name of the scientist who discovered it but who?' You groan and rub your eye. 'Don't look at your book, don't look at your book, don't look at your book..' Placing your head on your desk you try and push images of your brother standing out on the street looking around anxiously from your mind. You need to think of the here and now? A finger taps your shoulder, it's Yongguk. 

"What subject are you doing?"
"Biology." you groan in response.
"What are you stuck on?"
You look him up and down, you definitely don't think he would know the answer. He seemed more of the laid back delinquent type. But you tell him the question anyway.
"Oh yeah thats, Creutzfeldt-Jacobs disease, it's a rather difficult name to remember, it took me a whole semester just to memories it." Yongguk chuckled obviously reminiscing about the difficulty of the task.
"Thanks" 
"No problem, if you get stuck on anything else just ask me and I'll help if I can." He smiles kindly at you. He wasn't what you originally thought he was like. He seemed genuine and kind as he turned back to scribbling in his notebook.

Finishing off the rest of the sheets you got up to quickly hand in your work and pick up your brother. Yongguk got up and jogged to your side.
"In a hurry?"
"Yeah, kind of."
You try to shake him off before you made to the teachers staff room but he just tagged along quietly.  Mr Goong looked up from his table and peered at the two of you from behind his glasses.
"Ah, Miss Ahn and Mr Bang, funny seeing you two together." You hand the pile of paper to him. Skimming through the papers he continued to talk. "You know Mr Bang here is in the top spot of the school." You look at him in surprise as he gives you a sheepish grin, his cheeks turning pink. "Miss Ahn, you could learn a thing or two from him. Mr Bang, please help our new student out, answer any of the questions she may have and since you both seem so buddy buddy why don't the two of you try not to land yourselves in detention again. Just because you achieve high levels in academics doesn't mean you can skip or come late to classes. Understood?" 
The two of you nod.
"Alright this seems satisfactory you may be dismissed."
You both leave the office together. Heading down the corridor you head for the exit. Yongguk was still silently by your side. How in the world was he in top rank? He seemed like nothing but a leisurely music student who cared more about the feel than the actual facts. You roll your eyes and leave the school.

You picked up Sean, your brother, from school. Apologizing profusely you walked towards home as the sky began to darken and the night was beginning to take hold. "What do you want for dinner?" You asked Sean whilst holding his hand. He was a little too old for it but you both were quite close and after having to go through a few issues with getting lost you thought it was the best solution. " I don't know." He replied honestly;  looking around he tried to find an answers. "How about ramen?" Looking up you see a ramen shop to your right. "Ok then, ramen it is." 
Entering the restaurant you both find a table and look through the menu. You and Sean lived with your Uncle and he often gets back home around 10 so dinner is left for you to organize. Uncle Ian always made you both breakfast and was a loving man. He couldn't provide everything you wished but he was sure to provide you both with the love you needed.
Without Uncle Ian you honestly hav no idea where you would be right now.

The food came and you both dug in. While you ate your fresh ramen you discussed your days. Sean met a cute girl that he was interested in and proceeded to tell you every little thing she ever did in that day. You smile sweetly so glad that he had something to take his mind off the horrible aspects of his life. Daydreaming you think of how nice it would be if there was a man out there that would take notice and be enamored with every little thing that you did. In the middle of Sean's explain of how she would nibble on her pen absent mindedly Yongguk dragged a chair over from another table and made himself at home with his own bowl of ramen. Sean fell silent not knowing if you knew this new person. "Yongguk are you right? Do you need something?" 
"Thought I would join you guys for dinner? Aren't we friends?"
You sigh what is the harm. "Fine. This is Sean my younger brother, Sean this Yongguk a friend in my grade."
"So continue with your story Sean, this girl in your class...?"
And Sean dove right back into the story, we all continued to eat and Yongguk only interrupted when he had a question. Sean's eyes lit up every time he displayed interest, he was opening up to him and becoming comfortable around him. I guess he isn't too bad but I'll cut all ties if he becomes too troublesome or a threat to either mine or Sean's stability. 

Dinner is over and the three of you make your way over to pay, Sean and Yongguk were in the middle of a conversation about some rap artist back in America. You step forward to pay when Yongguk stops you. "I'll be paying for their ramen."
"WHAT?! No, it's ok I don't want to waste your money on us."
"No, no, I couldn't possibly make you pay after I interrupted your dinner."
You opened your mouth to protest again but before you could make another sound Yongguk looked at Sean and Sean cover your mouth with his hand and dragged you outside. You were shocked your own brother has turned against you! Yongguk paid and made his way outside and it wasn't until he nodded at Sean did he let go of you. Gasping for breath you rounded on your brother. "You traitor you were suppose to be MY brother and you betray me so easily for," you look at Yongguk, "for him?!" Sean guiltily looks away and Yongguk shrugs with a massive gummie grin that makes your angriness fade. Well it was good that Sean was bonding with someone after what has happened. Since he is more mature due to the events that had previously happened he doesn't really get along with the immature children in his class. Connecting so easily with Yongguk is a good thing, he needs a good role model in his life.
You sigh, "Fine! Have it your way, I surrender but seriously this better not become a habit of yours." Looking pointedly at Sean AND Yongguk. The three of you started to walk in the direction of home only stopping to pick something up for Uncle Ian's dinner. The whole way home the boys wouldn't shut up, they talked about everything and anything. Sometimes the conversation strayed to you or they started talking about you but other than that it would just revolve around their hobbies and experiences. 

Standing outside your apartment building you realize Yongguk followed, or accompanied, you and your brother home. Sending Sean up with your Uncle's meal you have a small talk to Yongguk. " It's really good to see Sean open up like that again, he has become more introverted ever since I had to start taking care of him. So thank you."
"Will I ever hear about you? I want to know everything. Ever since I saw you in the hall flat on your rear surrounded by anatomy textbooks I was fascinated. What type of modern teenage girl wishes to voluntarily study the human body? Especially someone who looks like you."
You raise you eyebrows, "Someone who looks like me?"
Yongguk, understanding how you interrupted the comment as an insult, quickly tries to bring back the previous atmosphere. "No, no, I meant that someone who is really beautiful doesn't really take interest in complicated fields such as biological sciences and the like."
Having calmed down after the compliment you relinquish your anger and continue your conversation. "Well, I understand that many girls just wish to be famous and to get noticed but you are right I don't want to be superficial. I want to make a difference in the world, I want to leave my mark on this Earth that doesn't rely on my beauty or my connections to the entertainment world. I respect those who have a passion and work hard but those who want to become famous just for the money and abuse their power aren't in my good books." 
Yongguk looks at you with a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips. 
"I think I just fell for you a little bit more. I will continue to dig in your past until I know everything there is to know about you, I want to know all your quirks and I want to become a dominant part of your future."
Your stomach drops, 'everything about your past,' your open and happy face closed, blocking off all your emotion and Yongguk noticed.
"But at your own pace." He quickly tried to salvage the connection you both felt. Reassured by his patience you change topics. 
"Would you like to come over some weekends to help me study, I'm falling behind  in math and chemistry."
His face lit up, "Sure I'm free, I'll meet you here Saturday morning. Could you help me with my English as well? I need some more help, my pronunciation isn't quite right." The both of you exchange phone numbers and finish making plans as the night dragged on. 

Plonking down on your bed you glance at your clock that read 10pm. The night had seemed to fly by. After placing Uncle Ian's dinner in the fridge, taking a bath, helping Sean with his homework and cleaning the apartment you were finally off your feet. Rolling over in bed you think of Yongguk and how he has just pushed his way into your life. To be honest with yourself if he hadn't been so forceful or persistent he would have been just another classmate who's existence wasn't very important to you. But now that it is he is all you can think about. At around 10:20 you finally fell asleep with a smile on your face, it had been a really long time since you had done so.