Kai carefully opened his eyes, still feeling a bit dizzy. He didn’t know what happened; all he knows was that Lu Han betrayed him and B.A.P. almost knocked him down.

“Omo! You’re awake!” A nurse said as she noticed Kai trying to sit up straight. She quickly ran towards one of the doctors on duty in the ward.

Kai got his phone and checked the time. It was ten in the evening.

“Sir, your wounds aren’t healed yet and you cannot go unless your parents fetch you,” The doctor suddenly came.

Kai wasn’t paying attention to the doctor. He suddenly felt a cloth on his hand – the handkerchief of the girl who found him almost dying on the ground.

“Where is she?” Kai asked, surprising the doctor.

“Huh?” The doctor asked.

“You mean… the girl that brought you here?” The nurse butted in.

“Y-Yeah… maybe…” Kai said as he scratched his head from confusion. He didn’t know if that girl really brought him here, but she was the last person he saw before he fell unconscious.

“She actually left a note for you,” The nurse said as she searched something in her pockets. She finally got a little apple green paper from her pocket and passed it to Kai. “Here it is,”

Kai read the note which says: “Sorry but I could not stay with you until you wake up because my mom needs me in the house… I hope you’ll get well soon, chingu. Annyeong!”

Kai paused for a moment to think for a while. His eyes grew wide when a sudden realization went into his mind. “What hospital is this?” He asked the doctor.

“It’s our hospital,” someone said beside Kai’s cubicle in the ward. Kai turned, already expecting that it was his dad. And as the curtain of the other cubicle was pushed to the side, he saw his dad with a cold expression on his face.

“Your homeroom teacher called your mom. She told her that you did not attend any of your classes today… And now you went on a fight?!” Kai’s dad raged; his tone got high, earning a lot of people’s attention. “What the heck are you doing, Kim Jong In?”

Kai stood up and tried to resist the pain he was feeling on his whole body. “Well… I guess I’m living the cruel life in Earth,” Kai replied. He got his coat and phone and walked away.

“YA! We’re not yet done Jong In!” His dad warned, yet Kai walked like he didn’t care.

Meanwhile, Jino was having a dinner with her mom inside their house. She started talking about the 3 biggest chaebols and the fight between Lu Han and the other six boys.

“Omo! Eomma, I think those six guys who fought with the Lu Han sunbae were the same guys who had beaten up the Seoul University student a while ago!” Jino narrated.

“Beaten up? What are you saying?” Her mom asked anxiously.

“Well on my way home, I saw the guy I bumped onto this morning again! But eomma, he was being punched by six guys when I came. And yeah, I clearly saw their faces, they were also the group who played soccer with Lu Han sunbae!” Jino narrated.

Hyori smiled at Jino. “You seem to have a lot of stories in your first day of school. I’m happy hearing everything,” Hyori said and went to the sink to wash the dishes. “But always be careful,”

“I’ll do it!” Jino said and ran towards her mom.

“No, just go to your room and start studying. Let them see that you don’t have to be rich to be smart!” Her mom encouraged and threw a fist up.

Jino held her mom’s hand and caressed it. She felt the rough hand of her mom which made her feel sorry. “Eomma… I can’t just let you wash dishes in the restaurant for the rest of your life,”

Hyori chuckled and started washing the dishes. “That’s true, so you better study hard, okay?”

“I saw a gastro pub a while ago and they said they needed a 17-25 year-old waitress... I think I can do it,” Jino said, as if asking for permission to her mother.

“Hey, I told you to focus on your studies, right? Don’t worry about me, Jino,” Her mother said as she was concentrated on washing the spoons and chopsticks they used.

“But I want to help, eomma. Please?” Jino pleaded. “Besides, it’s a good experience. I could put it on my bio-data some time after college. Don’t worry eomma, I won’t mess up my studies,”

Hyori gave her daughter a look. “Alright. But take care of yourself, alright?”

“Yes, eomma!” Jino said and hugged her mom.

Hyori chuckled and sighed. “What else can I do when my precious daughter’s asking me things like this?”

 

The next day, Jino went to school a little bit early than she did on her first day. No one was roaming around the school yet. The soccer field looked dry without students filling it. The buildings looked really dull, and the corridors gave off a cold atmosphere.

She can even hear her footsteps echoed as she ran towards the staircase.

“Aigoo, why is my heart thumping fast?” Jino mumbled as she put one of her palms on her chest. She was reminiscing about the horror stories she had heard in her past school, but she tried not to be scared – it’s a different school anyways.

As she walked towards her classroom, she noticed on the door’s window a guy sleeping soundly on his desk. He was not wearing the school’s coat, only the white long sleeves and the gray pants. He had earphones on his ears and one of his feet tapped on the floor, probably following the beat of the song. She could barely see his face since one of his arms hid his face.

Jino realized that it was the seat beside her. Not Kyung Soo’s seat; the other seat beside her left; the other seat that was not occupied during their first day of school.

Suddenly, the guy sat up straight, making Jino jump. She quickly hid to the side of the door where she could not be seen. After realizing that it was not a ghost, she took a deep breath and held the doorknob, only to notice on the door’s window that the guy started dancing at the free space at the anterior end of the class room. He was dancing smoothly to a song Jino couldn’t hear, but because of his sharp moves, it was as if she could hear the beat through his body movements.

Jino then noticed his face. It was covered with bruises… And it was the guy she saved last night.

“JINO-YA!” A man suddenly greeted behind her with a powerful voice and grabbed her shoulders, causing her to jump and bump on the man’s head behind her. “Ya, I greeted you so brightly and now you’re hurting me,”

Jino held her head and turned to the man. “Oh, you scared me, Kyung Soo-ya,” Jino said and rubbed her head.

Kyung Soo patted her head as well. “Sorry! I just got excited when I saw you today…” Kyung Soo’s eyes grew wider, realizing that what he said kind of sounded wrong. “W-What I meant was...”

Jino watched him as he scratched his head while he looked for words to rephrase his sentence. He suddenly held Jino’s hand and his confused expression turned to a bright one.

“Jino! Do you want me to tour you around the campus? It’s a bit early for us to wait inside the classroom!” Kyung Soo asked, changing the topic.

Jino smiled and nodded. “Sure!” Jino replied excitedly.

Kyung Soo then pulled her with him. As they continued walking, Kyung Soo noticed that he was still holding Jino’s hand, making his heart beat thump fast.

He suddenly stopped and let go of her hand. He then held his chest and his bright expression, once again turned into a confused one. “A-Aigoo, why am I like this?” He thought.

“Kyung Soo-ya... Are you alright?” Jino asked worriedly.

Kyung Soo felt his heart thump more as Jino added “-ya” on his name. Her voice sounded very sweet and caring. He looked at her eyes that looked at him anxiously.

“I-It’s alright, don’t mind me,” Kyung Soo assured and continued walking.

They then reached the school’s garden and Kyung Soo’s smile widened. “This is the school’s garden. It’s actually my favorite place here in school. Whenever I get lonely or happy, I always go here. It’s like home, where you could let your feelings out…”

Jino was astonished by the beautiful view in front of her. This was more than a garden to her. The fresh air brushed softly on her skin and she could smell the fragrant flowers surrounding her.

“Kyung Soo-ya, it’s like a glimpse of paradise!” Jino exclaimed.

Kyung Soo sat on one of the benches lined up in front of the bushes. Jino then sat next to Kyung Soo, still admiring the whole garden.

“I’m glad you liked it here. I first showed this place to you since this is a special place to me. And you’re a new friend, a real new friend since I never had any girl friends since I studied here… I mean, they all looked intimidating to me… And you’re different,”

Jino chuckled. “Why do they look intimidating to you?”

“Because…” Kyung Soo paused and thought for a while. “I don’t know,” He laughed and Jino laughed as well. “By the way, my friends call me D.O., and since you’re one of them now, you can call me in that way as well,”

“Hmm… I think I like your real name better,” Jino mumbled and looked at D.O. “Can I just call you Kyung Soo instead?”

D.O. nodded. “No problem! Oh… Speaking of close friends, would you like to meet them too?” Jino asked.

“Sure!” Jino said and stood from her chair.

D.O. checked his watch, and it was already 7:00. “Great, I think they’re here already. But we have to walk fast because it’s only 30 minutes before the first bell rings!”

D.O. then quickly led the way and Jino followed. They stopped in front of a door where a sign above it was posted, stating it was the high school building’s music room.

They then went inside and there were tons of musical instruments displayed around the room.

“Kyung Soo, don’t tell me these are your friends,” Jino gawped.

D.O. laughed and shook his head. “No, of course not! Anyways, this isn’t where we meet. It’s only the room for all the instruments. Come, follow me,” D.O. invited and they both went to the posterior end of the room where another door can be found.

D.O. then pressed digits on the pass code lock in front of the door and held the door knob. “Now, meet my friends,” he then pushed the door open, and Jino saw four guys sitting on a couch.

The room was spacious, just like the room for the instruments. Probably that is where they practice. A recording studio can be seen at the left side of the room.

“We are actually the members of the school’s music club. We often meet here and hang out here as well since we love the atmosphere here,” D.O. introduced. “By the way, guys, this is Lee Jino. She’s my new classmate and my new friend as well,”

“Finally, I am now seeing Do Kyung Soo with a girl! You have now surpassed puberty stage, job well done,” A guy with defined jaw and cheek bones teased and patted D.O.’s head. The other guys laughed.

“Shut up hyung!” D.O. shoved the boy’s hand off of his hair.

“I’m Kim Jong Dae by the way. But you can call me with my ‘Chinese’ nickname, Chen… I’m a junior student and I’m the president of the music club,”

Jino bowed and gave off a friendly smile.

“Yaaa, no need to be formal, alright? Call me Chen oppa and talk informally to me just like talking to an old brother, alright?”

Jino chuckled and nodded. “Alright, Chen oppa,”

“Hi! I’m Choi Young Jae,” another member greeted. He had a simple black hair and eyes that turns little and sharp when he smiles. “And this is Yoo Young Jae,” He then gestured his hand towards his seatmate. Yoo Young Jae smiled timidly and waved his hand.

He looked really familiar on Jino’s eyes.

Damn, right. He was one of the members of B.A.P.

“Just like our members, they call us by our whole names if we’re together, so we can distinguish who they’re calling… But, don’t I look better than this hyung?” Choi Young Jae asked. He wrapped his arm around Yoo Young Jae and raised his thumb and index finger, putting it below his chin while raising his eyebrows and smiling widely.

Yoo Young Jae snickered and rolled his eyes. “What are you saying?” He slightly pushed Young Jae which made Jino alarmed but everyone else laughed to it. “I look better than you,” He played.

“Enough, you guys don’t make sense. I’m the most handsome member in this club, I’m Jung Daehyun,” He smiled brightly and offered a hand to Jino.

Jino looked at Daehyun’s hand. He was indeed, another member of B.A.P.

“Kyung Soo-ya… How come you’re friends with them?” Jino thought. She then tried not to make them notice and accepted the hand shake quickly.

“I’m your classmate too,” He said and winked at Jino.

“YAAA, WHAT IS THIS?!?!?!” The other guys bawled like high school girls being disgusted with a boy.

“Honestly, all of you didn’t make any sense, this is music club and you introduced yourselves with looks!” D.O.  chortled and the other guys laughed again.

“We should blame Mr. Choi here,” Yoo Young Jae said and pointed the other Young Jae.

The guys then gave Young Jae an Indian bap, enjoying the playful atmosphere.

But Jino’s curiousity was still bothering her.

“Y-Yoo Young Jae-sshi… Daehyun-sshi…” Jino called, making the playful atmosphere silent. “Y-You’re members of… B.A.P, right?

Yoo Young Jae and Daehyun looked at each other. They then laughed again.

“T-That gang? That was just a rumor. It’s just that our leader looks really scary that’s why they think we’re bad guys. But don’t worry, those four friends, if you get to know them, they’re totally the opposite of what others think,” Daehyun explained.

“Ya, what do you mean it was just a rumor? B.A.P was the past group of bullies in middle school. Even I never thought that these two guys would become my friends!” Chen said and wrapped his arm around Daehyun and Yoo Young Jae.

Jino looked at them, whose personality’s turned really different. “But… Have you… by any chance… been in a fight… last-“

The bell suddenly rang which interrupted Jino. She felt comfort that finally she would be able to be away from the two confusing guys and regret since she wouldn’t be able to ask them the truth.

“N-Nevermind. I’m glad I met Kyung Soo’s friends,” Jino said and tried to hide her confusion and curiosity with a smile.

Young Jae once again looked sternly at Daehyun as D.O. and Jino left the room while bidding their goodbyes.

As D.O. closed the music room’s door, he smiled at Jino. “If you heard about the rumors about them, you don’t have to worry. I’ve been with those guys for how many years. Although they were bullies in middle school, they only bullied those who did something towards them,”

They then started walking back to their classroom.

Jino felt apologetic. “I’m sorry Kyung Soo-ya… I was a bit worried that you were friends with those kinds of guys. I shouldn’t have done that, I’m really sorry,”

“No, it’s okay. They’ll understand. You’re new here,” D.O. chuckled.

Daehyun came out of the music room as well. “Kyung Soo-ya! Jino-ya! Can I come to class with you?”

“Of course!” D.O. said and smiled at Jino with reassurance.

“Daehyun-ah… I’m sorry for bringing up the B.A.P. thing…” Jino said. But she was confused with her own self. Why did she even have to apologize? Even though they cover up for themselves, she still saw the truth last night – they bullied her classmate. She could not stop worrying about it since Kyung Soo’s friends with him and he doesn’t know the truth. What if all of a sudden they became violent with him too?

But the question is… What did the man he saved last night do to B.A.P that made them beat him up?

They then reached their classroom and went to their seats. Jino looked at the left seat beside her. It was empty.

Suddenly, the class got quiet. She paid attention to what was in front of her, expecting to see their teacher in front… But it wasn’t the teacher. It was the man he saved last night – her other seatmate. He came with a lollipop and was wearing a cap, but still not wearing his coat.

“Man, what happened to your face?” A boy asked.

“JACKSON!” The man Jino saved last night almost shouted.  Jackson stood and they did a high five and bumped each other’s shoulders. They both chuckled and some squeals and giggles can be heard in the classroom. “I thought you’d be coming back next school year?”

“Kai, do you think I went to Hong Kong for vacation?” Jackson snickered.  “I even thought my father would allow me to go to Hong Kong Disneyland, but instead he only trained me for fencing! Good thing my cousin, Kris hyung’s back in the campus,”

Kai chuckled. He then went back to his seat beside Jino and at the back of Jackson’s seat. He then put his bag beside his seat and noticed Jino looking at him. He cut the eye contact off quickly and got his iPod from his bag.

Somehow, the girl was familiar. He suddenly remembered the handkerchief.

It was hers.

He put on the ear pods on his ears and played some music.

Jackson turned his seat around, facing Kai. The latter removed one of his ear pods from his ear, expecting that Jackson would talk to him. “Ya, seriously what’s up with those bruises? And I heard about you, Yejin and Lu Han hyung… What the heck’s going on?”

Kai raised his shoulders. “Let’s just say it’s an unexpected rivalry plus betrayal,” He then gestured his head, telling Jackson to turn his seat back, facing the front.

“Betrayal? Who betrayed who?” Jackson asked again, this time lowering his voice.

“IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, MR. WANG KAYEE… IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO FACE THE BLACKBOARD I WOULD RATHER PUT YOUR SEAT IN FRONT OF THE WALL AND LET YOU FACE THAT WALL THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR!” The teacher suddenly roared in the class.

Jackson’s friend chuckled as he rolled his eyes. “Shut up, I’d rather look at the wall than see your face,” He said in Cantonese as he turned his seat to face the board.

“Are you mumbling things I don’t understand Mr. Wang? It’s your first day and you’re leaving me that kind of impression?” The teacher reprimanded.

Jackson stood. “I’m not mumbling things, I’m speaking in Cantonese! And it’s not like you don’t know me, Mrs. Song, so this isn’t an impression anymore! You’ve been teaching since last year! And please don’t call me with my name in Hong Kong, we’re in South Korea! I have an International name, it’s Jackson Wang,” He defended himself while tapping his fingers on his desk.

Mrs. Song snickered. She then walked to Jackson, making her eyes squint. She then pulled Jackson’s ears and made him sit on his chair. “DETENTION LATER!”

The teacher then noticed Kai’s bruises and even the ear pods on his ears.

“By the way class, please don’t ever be absent when you’re not sick, especially when your parents aren’t informed about it.” The teacher emphasized her words, enough for Kai to hear. “I have your parents’ numbers and I can call them whenever I want to.”

Kai stood up and almost walked out of the class. But as he reached the door knob…

“ONE MORE STEP AND I’LL MAKE YOU SAY GOODBYE TO THAT DANCE TEAM OF YOURS,” Mrs. Song warned.

“Is the team still important?” Kai asked himself.

 “Ya,” Jackson stood and wrapped his arm around Kai, pulling him back to his seat.

“Good. Now both of you, detention later.” The teacher said and walked back in front of the class.

Jino watched both Jackson and Kai sit without any eagerness to pay attention to the teacher.

“They’re like immature middle school kids,” she thought.

After a few hours, the bell rang signaling the student’s that it’s lunch break. Jackson quickly left Kai since he’s going to have lunch with the other big chaebols.

“Hey,” Kai called, but Jino didn’t seem to hear. He then got his pen from his pocket and threw it to her head.

“Ouch!” Jino exclaimed as she felt the whack of the pen on her head. She then glared to her side and saw Kai looking at her. “What?”

“Can I talk to you?” Kai asked.

Jino continued to keep the notebooks she used inside her bag, like she didn’t hear what Kai said.

“Ya, are you deaf?” Kai asked. He got irritated by the way Jino reacted.

“Jino-ya,” Jinra and Boram called.

“Yes?” Jino asked, making Kai snicker. She could totally hear; is she playing hard to get?

He got annoyed and looked for something to throw at her again. When he couldn’t see anything else, he took off his shoes and threw it at Jino’s head.

“OUCH!” Jino held her head and turned to Kai. “YA! What the heck is your problem?!”

“What the heck is yours?” Kai asked back. “I kept calling you but you won’t even pay attention!”

“A simple sorry would be a better to start this conversation. How could you throw a pen to a girl?” Jino demanded and crossed her arms.

“Why would I even say sorry?” Kai defended, raising his pride.

“Jino-ya, I think you have some things to discuss with him… We’ll just wait at the cafeteria, alright?” Jinra butted in.

“No, I’ll come with you,” Jino said and closed her bag.

“FINE.” Kai glowered. “I’m sorry I threw things at your head… I just don’t know how to call you or get your attention because I don’t know your name,” Kai said, almost seemed like choking by the apology. He didn’t even look at Jino’s eyes. He took off his cap, fixed his hair and put it on again.

Awkward silence.

Boram then cut the silence off as her stomach grumbled.

Jino turned to look at Boram. “S-Sorry, I’ll just see you at the cafeteria,” She then gave an apologetic smile and the girls left.

She turned to Kai once again. “You can just approach me nicely by saying ‘excuse me’!”

“That’s… embarrassing…” Kai looked on the ground and rubbed his nape.

Jino bawled. “This is so immature! How would you earn respect from other people if you can’t respect them back?”

Kai reached his pockets and got a white handkerchief from it. “Here…” He passed the handkerchief to Jino.

Jino looked at her handkerchief.

“It’s already clean, our maid washed it as quickly as possible,” He tried to sound as nice as possible.

“It’s okay, that’s yours,” Jino smiled at him. Her phone suddenly rang – it was a phone call from Kyung Soo. “Mind if I answer it?”

Kai stared at Jino bluntly and went out of the classroom, like he didn’t hear what Jino asked.

Jino gawped at him and answered the call. “Yoboseyo?” D.O. on the other hand cheerfully greeted back.

“Ya, where are you? I can’t see my other friends; I guess they’re a bit busy today…” D.O. drawled, trying to get Jino’s sympathy.

Jino chuckled as she went outside the room. “I’m already walk-“ She suddenly dropped her phone in shock.

“Jino, are you still there?” D.O. asked but Jino couldn’t hear it. She saw Kai on the floor with a new set of bruises, in front of six familiar boys – B.A.P.

“Ya!” Yongguk called Jino. “Who are you?”

Jino stepped backward, her heart already screaming for help. “N-Nothing…” She continued to walk that way slowly.

“Get her,” Yongguk commanded.

---

A/N: Sorry for the late update. :( I had to study for some of our exams. Wish me luck! Haha! Anyways, keep commenting because I love your comments. :)