♦♦♦

"Are you...feeling better?" yongguk asked. Out of the blue, he asked hyosung who was looking at blank space. "Feeling better? I never felt 'not' better though." she replied. Yongguk let out a sigh. He dislikes being fake; so with his friends' constant concerns over hyosung, he decided to tell her. 

"They thought I was different these days?" Hyosung laughed. "Fine, then I shall say I am feeling better. You happy? Don't worry much; I know the others are, but don't let yourself be affected by them. You don't overthink that much, right?" then she walked away, still with an obvious sad back figure.

Yongguk approached the back entrance. "That's what she said." he told his 'friends' who had concerns over hyosung. "That is not cool, man! She lacks...something! Our chief, what happened....." Ravi was the first to cry out. 

"Chill Ravi....it takes time for a girl to fully express in words what she truly wants." Himchan calmed him down, whereas Leo didn't even budge. "Sunhwa, it's your turn now. I hope you make progress." Himchan said both in hatred and with hopeful thoughts. "Leave it to me." she replied and went to catch up to her.

This thoughtful circle of 'friends' had planned to break hyosung's formed shell by consistently trying to make her talk. For a week, there has been no level-ups. Same things were said by her to each of them. They thought yongguk would make a difference, so they made him approach her. Still, it's the same as ever.

"Why can't we just tell Kikwang then?" Ken complained. 

The boys slapped the soul out of him. "Have you not been paying attention? Kikwang is a no-no. Hyosung would not like that." 

With tears, ken said. "But wait! Is that kikwang talking to Hyosung?" He pointed towards the refreshing view. Sunhwa retraced her steps with her plans ruined. "Guys, my brother got to her first..." she told the circle. 

"...I'm actually happy. We should let them talk."

"Yeah....this is the first time they've talked since she came back."

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

It was recess.

After her conversation with yongguk, hyosung rushed to the canteen. She hasn't eaten breakfast this morning and her stomach cried out in the last minute. A few students were left lining up to fill their hunger. She seemed lucky at that point; but fate played with her again when she realized she left her wallet. 

"Can I please please pay later ahjumma??" she pleaded. The canteen lady was not too pleased. The hungry youth bowed her head out of desperation and thought of more smart and convincing words.

"Here you go" the lady said. As hyosung looked up, the ahjumma gave her the piece of bread she wanted.

"Thankyou! I will pay later, I promise!" 

"No need; your friend paid for you." the canteen lady replied. My friend? By her side, Kikwang stood smiling. He was watching the whole time and came to the rescue to give no ill feelings to his principles.

"Kikwang..!" for a moment, she exalted happily in gratitude, and realized seconds later the embarrassment of cheating she avoids to talk of in kikwang's eyes. "..Thank you..." she continued and quickly gobbled down on her bread. One piece was not able to satisfy her and embarrassingly she received 3 plates of food from Kikwang who was one step ahead of her. They sat in front of each other with Hyosung eating 'politely' so as to protect her feminine image and with Kikwang looking away out of respect, but still catching glances each minute.

As Hyosung continued, she noticed the eerie feeling of the empty canteen surrounding her with all of the students leaving for class. Added to what she sensed was the heavy sound of raindrops pouring from outside and on the window panes. It feels just like that day... She felt a shadow in their midst and started getting paranoid. 

"Hey?" Kikwang's voice snapped her out of it. "Our class adviser actually asked me to do some errands for her, so I'll do it real quick." When he stood up, hyosung grabbed his hand. "Please don't leave me!" she shouted unconsciously and regretted right after. "I mean! You can go! Don't worry about me, I'll be heading to class when I'm done." she smiled and let go of his hand. She continued eating like nothing happened.

Just like her, Kikwang smiled like his usual and ignored hyosung's sudden actions. "Since the canteen lady is not here anymore, you can do some self-service and get a bottle of water. Don't worry, I'll leave an amount of money on the counter." He proceeded to do the errands.

When he left, Hyosung ate all of the food almost all at once. And went to get a bottle of water and drank it disgustingly. I'm such a mess....her eyes slowly shut and she slept so suddenly, ignoring the bad vibes emmitted by her senses. Unconciously, she skipped class like a delinquent.

...........

..............

An hour and a half later, she awoke and realized the offence she's making. She felt a school jacket on her shoulders and sensed from it, a familiar scent she's particularly fond of. As she came to a better state, she was surprised at the sight. Kikwang sat sleeping a table away from her for some distance and was resting his head on his hands. He, too, skipped class, but willingly to keep her company. 

The blushing youth could not avoid feeling flattered. She stood quickly and went to wake him up. But paused as she was placed face-to-face with his sleeping eyes. Even in sleep.....your charm unconsciously...attracts me. As she was in enchantment, he slowly woke up and she backed away. 

"Kikwang..! Why did you skip class? You should've went to class" she told him in panic.

He, who was barely awake, replied "....Didn't you tell me not to leave you alone? So I didn't"

Hiding her flustered face, she continued. "But this is a big offense, aren't you scared?"

He yawned and barely said "I've done this quite a lot back in the days of younger youth."

Hm? What does he mean? Hyosung wondered. "We should... go back to class by now. But I think it's too late. Maybe we should wait for lunch to come." she sighed.

"Great! It gives me time to finally talk with you." Kikwang remarked with a smile. 

She was flustered again. "What did you wanna talk about?" They sat in proper seats.

"Hmm, firstly why have you not eaten breakfast today? Or were you just realllyy hungry?" he asked.

"Uh...." Hyosung was having a hard time trying to pick the right words. "I just couldn't eat at home because of a frustrated feeling I had when I saw someone visiting again."

"....Who's the someone?"

"ah..." I slipped "hmm...he's just one of Old Lady's guests that I didn't like" 

Kikwang paused. "He? Is he the reason why you've been feeling distracted all the time ever since you came back?"

"What?"

"Is it not true? Whenever I saw you, your mind was always floating away. Is he who fills your everyday thoughts? If he frustrates you, I just want to remind you that you have us to share with. Remember what I told you when you cried on your birthday?" 

my birthday?....our first meeting...

Kikwang said "..you don't have to keep..." Hyosung finished "...those bad thoughts trapped inside of you..."

"You have to let it out and express remember? I'm not forcing you, Hyosung. I'm just reminding you." He smiled.

"Hakyeon." Hyosung, looking straight down in shame, said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Hakyeon...He is the guy who's frustrating me. Not because he is an enemy, but because he is my old treasured friend..." Her voice, though almost collapsing to tears, continued.

"And...! because of old stupid me....He turned to the bad side... It's all my fault..I left without thinking what might happen to him! Indeed, I am the worst master in this whole entire world. I am the worst friend ever...and I don't even know what to do...because despite every rebellion I've caused, I'm still too scared of my family..." she broke down completely.

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

(That Day)

Hyosung finally came home at a very late hour. It was 11 pm KST.

Old Lady kept calling her phone but she wouldn't pick up. The staff decided to settle the case by discussion with the involved's guardians by tomorrow due to their busy schedules. Hyosung went home directly with less conversations with Sunhwa and Ravi. Just like the big epiphany day of Sunhwa and Kikwang's sibling relationship, she strolled around the city to almost everywhere. Hyosung even stole a bottle of soju on the way. She was used to drinking soju as she grew up considering her delinquent life and her father's ill trainings. 

"Do your best!"

This familiar handwriting kept bothering her. His...or her... name was at the tip of her tongue. Who wrote this? It couldn't be Kikwang, she thought.

After wasting herself on ramyun shops, teokkbokki stands, arcades and amusement parks, she eventually became tired. She constantly bumped into delinquents like herself and released her hidden natures of a beast. 

11pm KST. It started raining.

She entered the locked shop with the key she brings everywhere. She directly hit the shower and changed into her pajamas. Hyosung paused and realized she left her bag somewhere during her stroll in the city. She couldn't find it anywhere. She texted her own phone to post a message "Please bring this bag to owner at this address......". When she pressed send, she heard her ringtone. She texted it again and heard it clearly from outside. Hyosung paused again; this time, it was a long pause of sudden realization. She climbed down and nervously went outside with an umbrella. She saw her bag at the front by the side. Hyosung, although drunk, remembered clearly she left her bag in the arcades after being distracted. 

At this very moment, she remembered and recognized the handwriting. She also knew why her bag was outside the restaurant. And she knew who was behind all of it.

"Hakyeon-ah. I missed you so much." Hyosung said, above other questions she wanted to ask, this was the first words that came out. "Please come out! let me hug you." she cried out.

The culprit stood hiding in the shadows. Because of her pleas, he plugged out his earphones and came out. "...You left your bag under the arcade chair." Hakyeon said.

She ran, dropping the umbrella, and hugged him under the rain until she was contented. But he didn't respond to any of this. Instead, he remained an emotionless robot. 

Hyosung brightly asked him as many questions as she could "How are you...?! Have you been eating? You are so thin now! and I can see those biceps coming out....You became taller too. I really missed you--"

"Please stop." Hakyeon broke her hug and nudged her away. "I know you have other questions in mind. Don't hesitate to ask; I will answer them."

"It doesn't matter. I just want to know how you've been doing. How's your life? like did you celebrate your birthday? I really wanted to send you a letter but I didn't know how and--"

"Stop." he interrupted. "Are you afraid, perhaps? to know the answers to the questions you have in mind? Don't lie to yourself, miss Jeon. This is the real Hakyeon and I have ill intentions. But I need not to answer them anyway. Because you already know the answer don't you?"

"....No...that's not true, why do you call me that? stop." she replied in denial

"I gave you that pen. and I stole the test paper from your teacher. Your examiner during the exams was part of the plan. He was assigned to your class because of my transaction with the school. He purposely switched out your test paper with one he answered on his own to which brought you a perfect score. It was the perfect plan. And I did all this because I am working for your father."

"STOP. I refuse to believe!" she broke down to her knees. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation but this is the end. You need to go back to the household. The family's been experiencing.... issues because of your leave. But I take it that you wouldn't go back with just a simple plead, am i right? and that is why we devised some plans to urge you to do so." he suggested.

"I don't need to hear that. I don't care about them. And I'll never back down." she said with her clenched fists.

"Then suffer, miss Jeon.

especially with these words I will tell you:

I'm not the only 'friend' who has ill intentions

I bid my goodbye for tonight." Hakyeon turned around and left Hyosung crying under the rain.

Leave some comments, I'd appreciate it! And it would really help me check if i'm on the right track :D

-fairy