C h a p t e r 3:

It was the next week as someone unexpected came in late.  Everyone looked at him, seeing how unfamiliar, well sort of unfamiliar, he is.  He looked up.  All the girls started having dreamy and googly eyes at him.

“Class, this is Kim JaeJoong,” said Ms. Song.  “I’m sure that some of you may know him or not.  He came back from America and is now part of our class.  Please treat him nice like you did to JiJae.”

“Araso,” said the students.

“Now JaeJoong, sit behind…Kim JiJae.  JiJae, please raise your hand,” said Ms. Song.  ‘Kim JiJae?’ JaeJoong thought.  “Right there.” JaeJoong didn’t respond.  “Kim JaeJoong!”

“Uh, yeah?” JaeJoong finally responded.

“Sit behind her, next to Shim ChangMin.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, kamsahamnida,” JaeJoong said politely and walked to his seat.  He sat down and faced ChangMin.

“Hey,” JaeJoong greeted.

“Hi, I’m ChangMin,” said ChangMin.

“JaeJoong.”

Both then faced the bored.  JaeJoong couldn’t though.  He kept staring at JiJae from the back.  ‘She’s so beautiful,’ he thought.  As JiJae handed back a worksheet to JaeJoong, she gave him a welcoming smile and started on her work, and copied some answers from YunHo.  JaeJoong’s heart jumped in joy, but there’s something that felt weird in him.  Something was…missing.  JiJae immediately finished and walked out of the classroom.  JaeJoong watched her and frowned.  Quickly, he wrote down his answers.  As a couple of minutes passed, JiJae came back.  She walked back to her seat and talked to YunHo.

“So, where are you taking SeulGi on Saturday?” JiJae whispered.

“I don’t know, you have any ideas?” YunHo asked.

“Hmm…go to the movies.  I heard there’s this awesome action one,” JiJae suggested.

“Oh, I’ll go with that, thanks.”

“Welcome.”

“Kim JiJae, Jung YunHo, no talking please,” said Ms. Song.

“Mianhe,” they both said.  Ms. Song smiled and continued walking around.  Suddenly the bell rang.

“Class, read pages 50-120 and the worksheet about the chapters you read.”

Everyone groaned and ran to lunch.  ChangMin sprinted, getting yelled at and walked VERY slowly.  JiJae laughed and followed ChangMin, knowing how YunHo is waiting for SeulGi while JunSu and YooChun are at their lockers.  As for JaeJoong, he headed to his locker.  JunSu turned and smiled.

“JaeJoong hyung,” JunSu called.  JaeJoong turned and they suddenly hugged.  “I missed you.”

“Me, too. Let’s eat?” JaeJoong questioned.

“Yeah! JiJae made some lunch, race ya!” YooChun said and ran ahead of them.

“Yah!” JaeJoong and JunSu yelled and ran to the cafeteria.

JunSu and JaeJoong entered the cafeteria, finding YooChun and ChangMin, eating.  They started talking to JiJae as she was reading her book.  YunHo sat next to her as SeulGi sat next to YunHo.  JunSu smiled and walked to them as JaeJoong followed.  They sat down as JunSu handed JaeJoong some food, too.

“SeulGi, that’s JaeJoong, new student in our class,” said YunHo.  SeulGi looked up and smiled.

“Hello, SeulGi, imnida,” she introduced herself.

“Kim JaeJoong, imnida,” JaeJoong said back and ate.  He smiled to himself.  “Who made this?” he asked.

“JiJae,” ChangMin answered and pointed at JiJae.  JiJae looked at her book, trying to avoid JaeJoong’s gaze.

“You’re good,” said JaeJoong a little sad.

“Th-Th-Thanks,” she stuttered and continued reading her homework.

“JiJae, aren’t you hungry?” asked YunHo.  JiJae looked up and smiled at him.

“Anio, oppa. I’ll be alright,” JiJae answered.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Her stomach growled. “Uh…”

“Here,” said YunHo as he pushed the rest of his lunch to her.

“Thank you,” she smiled at him and ate the rest of his leftovers.

After school, JiJae walked up to the front gates, not bothering to wait for anyone.  She didn’t know why, but she just wanted to leave school immediately.  Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.  She turned and sighed in relief.

“ChangMin oppa, it’s just you,” said JiJae.

“Yup, it’s me,” ChangMin said smiling, “Come to my place, we’re going to have a very quick get together.”

“Oh, araso. Aja!”

ChangMin smiled and grabbed her wrist.  They then ran to his house immediately.  As they came in, ChangMin quickly set everything up with the help of JiJae.  The doorbell rang as JiJae ran to the door.  She soon saw JunSu, YunHo, YooChun, and…JaeJoong.  They came in and JiJae shut the door and sat down next to YunHo.

“Oppa, where’s SeulGi?” asked JiJae.

“She wanted to finish her homework then her dance classes,” YunHo answered.

“Oh.”

“JiJae~ah…help!” ChangMin called.

JiJae smiled and got up, helping ChangMin in the kitchen.  Her eyes widened seeing ChangMin about to carry 20 plates of food.

“Oppa, what’s all of this?” JiJae asked.

“Food!” ChangMin answered cheerfully.  JiJae laughed at his silliness.

“Let me help.”

“Gomawo.”

JiJae took a tray and placed the plates there.  They both placed it on the table and they all dug in.

“ChangMin~ah, why so much?” asked YooChun.

“Most is for me,” ChangMin answered.

“ChangMin, you haven’t change at all haven’t you?” JaeJoong asked.

“Anio, hyung.” ‘They knew each other before?’ she asked herself.

“JiJae, you alright?” asked JaeJoong.

“Uh…you 4 are close?” JiJae asked.

“Yeah, since we were 5, but then I moved to America when I was 13,” JaeJoong answered.

“Oh, wae?” JiJae asked.

“It’s personal,” JaeJoong answered sadly.

“Oh.”

YunHo, ChangMin, YooChun, and JunSu felt his pain.  JaeJoong hasn’t been feeling himself ever since he was 12 years old.  They only knew that JaeJoong could count on them since then.  It was tough now when he moved.  JiJae felt the different vibe in the room and stood up.

“I’m going to head to home,” JiJae said.

“Me, too,” JaeJoong said.

“Bye guys,” they said.

“Bye,” JaeJoong and JiJae said and JiJae headed out as JaeJoong followed.  ‘I hope she’ll know me,’ he thought and ran to her.