Yonghwa hungered for more information, and he knew that internet as his only source would limit him. Even though it went against his independent personality, he had a feeling that there was some staff at the school since the beginning who may have known something—starting with his music professor.

            “You’re right to be worried about the Kang’s return.” The professor began, coughing as some chalk dust hovered the air around his desk. Yonghwa came one hour early to class just to have an opportunity to chat with him. Thankfully, this topic interested both parties.

            “That Minhyuk,” His professor sighed, pulling out a stack of papers as he spoke without eye contact, “resembles his grandfather quite closely.” The professor didn’t quite know why Yonghwa was suddenly interested, but his change of character sure sparked some interest.

            “You’re curious to know how the Kang family relates to Jung Seunghyun’s passing, aren’t you?” He continued after pushing up his glasses. Yonghwa didn’t answer, but his never shifting gaze seemed to answer the question for him. The professor leaned closer to Yonghwa and advised,

            “Almost no one knows of this—not even the media. If I tell you, you better swear on your life that it doesn’t get leaked or you might as well get ready for a hurricane.” Yonghwa nodded once; he knows how to keep secrets.

            “Alright then,” The professor coughed and then spoke in a nearly inaudible voice, “Minhyuk’s grandfather was the one who killed Seunghyun-sshi.”

@}--,--'----

            Shinhye was lucky to catch Hyomin on the way to school this morning. Hyomin gladly helped Shinhye with her heavy book bag , and in return, Shinhye had to spill the entire story to her on the way to school—including how Yonghwa and her held hands on their way home. Hyomin loved exciting news of any kind, especially stories that she can spice up with her own imagination. Sometimes it got her into trouble, but she didn’t mind as long as it made life a little more interesting for her.

            “Wow Minhyuk that fake was just using you then?” Hyomin began jumping to assumptions. She always allowed herself to be caught up in another’s story, getting worked up in place of the one who should be. In a way she made up for Shinhye’s lack of emotional charms.

            “I wouldn’t say that just yet. I mean, as far as I’m concerned it has nothing to do with me.” Shinhye wanted to believe that. Whatever was going on between those two guys went beyond just her, and she didn’t really want to poke her nose into their business, but Hyomin sure did.

            “Oh come on Shinhye, how can this not concern you? Minhyuk used you as bait to get Yonghwa to play superman and rescue you just so he could meet with his wretched mom who obviously has a grudge against his family—which he has no idea about—for something bigger. You were a small aspect of their great scheme.” She elaborated her thoughts in a messy, hard-to-follow way, but after thinking it over it didn’t seem too impossible. If she was right though, nothing seemed fair for Yonghwa. He doesn’t know about his family history, was it even right that he was getting dragged into its’ aftermath?

            “Frick, if I ever get my hands on Min—“

            “Shh, he’s right there.” Shinhye covered Hyomin’s blabbering mouth before her gossip got herself in any bigger trouble. It was evident now that Minhyuk was definitely the opposite of safe, and since they didn’t know what to do it was best to avoid him. Minhyuk stood against the front door, just watching—not necessarily them—but in their direction.

            “Wow, he sure is creepy.” Hyomin breathed only loud enough for Shinhye’s ears.

            “Shush for a bit and don’t make eye contact.” Shinhye advised as the two of them scurried together towards the door beside where Minhyuk stood. As they approached, his eyes seemed to follow Shinhye. Hyomin was right; he was definitely creepy. As they passed, Shinhye hoped he wouldn’t say anything, but hopes don’t always come true.

            “Thank you.” Minhyuk interjected just as they stepped through the door. Shinhye paused at the sound of his voice.

            “What?” Hyomin asked slightly in disbelief. She couldn’t grasp his strange behavior.

            “Thank you,” Minhyuk repeated, shifting his position to square Shinhye, “That’s what you should have said before you left yesterday.” Shinhye was baffled by his bold reproach and slightly twitched. He nodded towards her left arm. The bleeding had stopped sometime last night so she had no need to re-bandage it this morning, but his staring gave her an uneasy feeling. Though she didn’t continue walking, she slid down her sleeve further to hide the wound.

            “Thank you…” Shinhye’s voice began trailing off. It was rude of her to leave without a thanks since he saved her from a certain hypothermic death, but after what she saw yesterday she wasn’t sure if he deserved such gratitude. Minhyuk smiled then, suddenly looking as if nothing happened yesterday. He was back to his friendly and well put together self.

            “I’ll see in you class in a bit then,” He left with a small wave and entered the school in front of them. As he trailed down the main hallway, he brushed shoulders with Yonghwa who shot him a threatening glance. The one second it took for them to cross paths seemed like a millennia of tension.

            “He has some serious issues.” Hyomin sighed with relief after Minhyuk was out of sight. Shinhye didn’t know how to respond. She noticed yonghwa comig towards them when he exited the hallway and entered the lobby, but before Shinhye was able to raise a hand to wave, he made a sharp turn and headed to the window sill, flipping through his iPod with his headphones sitting snug on his head. Disappointment flooded Shinhye’s body but she tried not to make it noticeable. Hyomin followed Shinhye’s solemn stare to the windowsill where no doubt, Yonghwa sat alone.

            “Did you develop any affection towards him after his bold act of heroism last night?” Hyomin teased, nudging Shinhye’s elbow as they both entered into the lobby. They paused by the door to watch him for a while longer. He never noticed their entrance, but his music was probably so loud that he wouldn’t hear even if there was an elephant rampage through the school.

            “What do you mean?” Shinhye asked for clarification. She wasn’t in the right mindset to decipher Hyomin’s word play today.

            “To put it straightforwardly,” Hyomin rephrased, “Are you starting to like Yonghwa?” Hyomin cringed at the thought of sharing her best friend’s time with a close minded and mysterious jerk, but it really seemed like the two were getting closer without even trying. Maybe it was fate—if fate was even real. The question didn’t strike Shinhye as surprising considering Hyomin was the one who asked. She probably saw it coming a while ago, and it was only a matter of time until it was asked. She had all the time in the world to prepare her answer but even now, she didn’t have one ready.

            “Honestly…” Shinhye mumbled, squinting slightly as she watched Yonghwa subtly bob his head to the beat of his music, “I’m not too sure anymore.” Watching him like this, she could only remember the deep worry he had in his eyes when he saw her in Minhyuk’s lobby and the gentle smile he gave her when he was certain that she was okay. Someone who had been so mysterious and chose to be dejected from the rest of the world put his independence aside all for the sake of her. There was no way she wouldn’t be touched by it.

            “You keep looking at him with that intense stare, but I don’t understand what you see.” Hyomin sighed, looking back and forth between the two faces. There was no way she could see Yonghwa the same way Shinhye did. It was like that with everyone. Shinhye dawned over her question for a while. What exactly did she see in Yonghwa that no one else did? There was something new she noticed in him that she was blind to before and it fascinated her.

He was slow to trust but sincere in his actions, and only his eyes told of how he felt.

            It was that moment that he looked up and their eyes met. Shinhye felt a flush of embarrassment, but she couldn’t look away just yet. From the distance she could see something in his eyes, as if he was saying “Thank God you’re okay” but the situation seemed all too awkward to do anything. Just before she decided to divert her eyes and head to her locker, something amazing happened. It wasn’t large scale significant, and no one but her would care or really notice, but the usual hardened expression Yonghwa constantly wore on his face--just for a moment--turned warm when his lips curved upwards to make a perfectly genuine smile. 

A/N: Here's a more emotionally involved chapter between the main pairing of this fic ^^! Hope it wasn't disappointing! I'm actually in a pretty good writing mood. It seems like I always want to write after 5 hours of chemistry studying non-stop (whcih was what I did today too xD) so maybe I'll update again today (: I might end up finishing this fic before Winter Break ends next week!