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chapter 1

story by misstalkytalk - 

I knew the facts but I never knew the reasons. Curiosity always takes over and that's how it led me wanting to know the next page. How? She kept seeing me, she kept paying attention to me. It was like she needed me from then on, since the first time we had a conversation. She was lost in her own world. Most of the time, she didn't want me around and I didn't want to be around her. In the end, she always came to me. I had no choice but to help her. I was curious, I wanted to know more, I wanted to turn the pages. Because I wanted to protect her, I had to go. Because she asked me, I had no choice but to stay by her side when she needed me. I became her author.

Kai stretched his arms while walking out of the school. It's been two weeks since his conversation with Krystal and the fact that she kept paying attention to him made him uncomfortable. He never needed attention or ever wanted it and for the first time since he came to the school, he got attention. The front of the school was filled and he ended up getting pushed out of it. His footsteps stopped as he looked over and saw Krystal with her friends and the soccer team. For some reason, she looked... Pressured. It wasn't the first time that he saw her this way. He didn't pay attention to her, out of all people, he just seemed to be the one to notice.

"Come to the mall with us!" "It's Friday. You can't miss Minho's party!"

"Please. It is my party and I really want you to come." Minho told her with a smile.

"I can't, I'm sorry. I have something at home," Krystal replied quickly before leaving her friends and walking away.

Her friends were all rolling their eyes and the group ended up leaving. Her friends... They only wanted her to come so she could spend her money for them like before. Kai couldn't believe she called them friends. All they ever did was use her money and her. Or at least that's what he thinks and heard. No he can tell. From the very first day of school, he already knew they were taking advantage of her. They were bragging it to literally everyone. He continued to walk away from the school until a finger poking his back caught his attention. Glancing at the owner of the finger, he continued to walk quietly.

"Jongin," Krystal called.

"It's Kai." He corrected but she ignored him by playing with her hands. "What do you want?" He asked without looking at her. Krystal shrugged a bit and stared at him before looking away. "You're scared I'm going to tell, right?" He said and she nodded quickly as he rolled his eyes. "I won't tell, I'm not like your friends." He told her and she smiled softly.

Did she really not trust him? It's been two weeks since the incident and she should know that he doesn't talk to a single person at school, not even the teachers. Okay, maybe she didn't know know since someone like her wouldn't pay attention to him but still. He was quiet and he sat in the back of the class and alone, couldn't she get the hint? He didn't sit with anyone on the bus too but she probably didn't notice him.

"Jongin," Krystal called again and Kai corrected her but was ignored once again. She ended up staying quiet instead, not knowing what to say.

"We don't have to talk, we can stay quiet." Kai told her and Krystal nodded. "You're having a hard time, aren't you?" Kai asked and she nodded sadly.

He examined her once again but his eye stopped at her wrist when he saw a red mark on it. His eyebrow raised a bit when they reached the bus stop. Krystal glanced at him and noticed him staring as she hid her wrist quickly behind her back. Having a feeling that she didn't want him to know, Kai ignored it.

"Jongin," Krystal called again and Kai let out a sigh and decided to give up on correcting her. "Yes?" He asked, sitting down at the bus stop. "Since you know about me, shouldn't I know about you too?" Krystal questioned and Kai stopped a bit. Was she really asking him? No one ever wanted to know about him. He was boring in his opinion but Kai shrugged and looked at his feet. He could feel Krystal staring at him, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm from the countryside." Kai started with a small smile. "Ever since I was young I always helped my parents out with the small shop they have. They own a small restaurant and its pretty well known. School wasn't really the best down there and so they sent me here for an education. I don't call them much because I miss them. I send their money back because they need it more. I make money on my own so they don't have to worry. My life is boring. I don't have everything and anything. I like living alone because I'm use to it." Kai shrugged and continued to go on.

He ended up telling her about his personality and how he didn't need or want attention, how he likes helping people. He told her how in the countryside he was known to be quite a cool kid but when he came to Seoul everything changed. His story went on and on. Krystal noticed how he got sad when he talked about Seoul and their school. Did he not like it? Was he that lonely? Hearing about his life, it really was different from hers. He earned everything, she got everything. He worked a lot, she never had to work in her whole life. Even now when her family was broke, Krystal didn't know how to do anything, not even something as simple as washing the dishes. Kai suddenly stopped when he realized she was knowing too much about him. He was supposed to be a mysterious guy, not someone that told a stranger things about him that easily. Kai quickly looked up and noticed the bus passing by them and was already far away. Krystal gasped and stood up as she stared at the bus too far away.

"What do we do now?" Krystal asked and looked at Kai.

"Walk," Kai replied and started to walk with his hands in his pockets.

"Should we call the taxi?" Krystal asked and Kai shook his head.

"I've never been on one and I'm not ever planning to," Kai told her and she nodded, looking down at her feet. She really didn't know how to save money. The girl was never a money spender in the first place but she used it on ridiculous things and he can tell. Krystal followed him slightly, not saying a word until Kai turned around to glance at her.

"Where's your home?" He asked.

"Over there," Krystal said, pointing towards the somewhat good neighborhood. The two passed by Kai's neighborhood as Krystal stopped. "You're not going home?" "

My parents always told me to walk a girl home," Kai said honestly. If others heard, they probably thought that he was trying to make a move on her, but he did not have a single thought on that. The two walked quietly and he could hear Krystal muttering softly to herself, but he didn't quite understand what she was saying. After a few minutes, they reached her apartment building. He offered to go up the elevator with her, but she stopped him quickly.

"I'm fine. I can go by myself," was all she said before bowing to him quickly and running into the building. Kai watched her body disappear as he his heels and headed home. Something was off, Kai didn't know what but he had a feeling she was hiding a lot of things. Too many things to be exact. Then again, who was he to find out?

It was another ordinary day to Kai. While Kai was at his locker, all he could hear were the girls talking about Choi Minho’s part. To them, Minho was some kind of god. He was the captain of the soccer team, he was in the top 5 percent of their class, and he had the looks. Everyone knew who he was, even Kai knew who he was. 

Once Kai closed his locker, the sight of Krystal walking into the hall with her head down caught his attention. Like usual, her so called friends tagged along, trying to talk to her but all she could do was stay quiet. Before Kai could leave to class, Krystal’s eyes had met his and the next thing he knew, she greeted her friends goodbye and ran towards him.

“Hello, Jongin,” Krystal greeted, making Kai's eyebrow arch a bit. It wasn't her first time approaching him, but if Kai was right, it was the first time she talked to him in school. In front of people. He wasn’t shocked or anything he was just… He couldn’t explain himself. Feeling all eyes on him, the queenkas, the girls, the soccer team, literally everyone. Ignoring them, his eyes were on Krystal, staring at her blankly. Seeing how she wasn’t going to say anything, Kai turned around and left towards the cafeteria, ignoring all the stares he was receiving.

“I really hope you go to the party,” Minho said, walking with Krystal to the cafeteria with the soccer team following behind. “

I can’t, I already told you. Sorry,” Krystal replied softly, looking through her backpack.

“Are you looking for something?” Minho asked as Krystal shook her head. Kai was sitting by himself, his eyes on his food as he ate quietly.

Like always, his earphones were in his ears as he listened to music, ignoring his surrounding. But the sight of Krystal having a frown on her face made him look at her. As ev