FLASHBACK

It has already been two weeks since high school started for Chi Hae and Eun Jae. Unfortunately, the two best friends only had lunch and second period together. Eun Jae was fine making new friends, but not friends as close as Chi Hae was.

Chi Hae, on the other hand, focused on her schoolwork and didn’t really care if she made friends or not. Her goal was to graduate high school and college then find out what she wanted to do with her life.

“Unnie, are you sure you don’t need help carrying those?” Eun Jae pointed to the load of books on Chi Hae’s desk.

“Ani. It’s okay. I can manage.”

“Don’t overwork yourself, arraso? Annyeong!” the brunette greeted as a few of her new friends dragged her to her third period class.

Chi Hae’s third period class was a free period and the teacher asked for her to carry the load of workbooks to the teachers’ office. From her third period class the teachers’ office was on the other side of the hallway, one floor down.

Chi Hae sighed, “Let’s get this done and over with,” she told herself now settling on the journey that eventually changed her life.

There she was lugging the load of books that stacked up all the way to her eye level. She went down the nearest staircase and now she had to walk across the long hallway. The hallway was pretty empty with the exception of a few teachers and students passing by.

The books she carried blocked her vision whenever she stepped with her left foot. As she took another step with her left foot, someone bumped into her shoulder quite forcefully and she fell along with the several books she carried.

“I’m sorry,” a voice said behind her as she propped herself on her knees and started picking up the books.

“It’s okay,” she turned around to face a very handsome face with brown eyes that seemed to stare right to her core. The guy started to pick up the books and hand them over to Chi Hae snapping her out of her trance.

“Here,” he said handing the book over.

“Thanks,” she took the books and stacked them once again. The male got up and offered a hand to help her up. She took his hand and stood up. He didn’t release his grip from her hand. Chi Hae stared at their hands and back at him with a confused look.

He shook her hand and smiled, “Kim Myungsoo-imnida. Nice to meet you.”

“Seo Chi Hae-imnida,” she introduced herself as well and bowed her head slightly.

Myungsoo released his grip and took half the stack of books.

“Wait, you don’t have t-”.

“It’s my pleasure.”

The two of them dropped off the books and said their farewells, making it seem like their little collision into a small encounter. Then they encountered once again because Chi Hae shared 5 other classes with Myungsoo including lunch. Myungsoo and Chi Hae hung out more in class and Eun Jae eventually met him as well when Chi Hae offered to each lunch together along with Eun Jae.

That was the start of their friendship.

As more and more school days past by, Myungsoo got more popular because of his looks. He seemed to keep a facade to anyone other than Chi Hae and Eun Jae, which attracted girls more, including Chi Hae, although his real self made him shine in her eyes.

Chi Hae began admiring him from day 1. Each class she had with him, she had small conversations with him making her laugh. She was glad to make a good friend in high school already. Everyday after school, her Myungsoo and Eun Jae would meet, do homework, and then talk about their passion, music.

The two kept their friendship for a while until senior year of high school.

As school went on, Myungsoo became protective over her after seeing some students (his fangirls) bash on her. He came to admire her in whatever she does. From the small acts of brushing her hair behind her ear to the kind acts of helping the teachers, he began to fall for her. He tends to notice her overworking herself from work at the cafe and school. Repeatedly, Eun Jae reminds him to watch her and he responds with an ‘of course’ or ‘I will’.

On Valentine’s Day, he finally asked Chi Hae to be his girlfriend and she cheerfully accepted. Instead of the bashing coming to a halt, the bullying increased. Myungsoo noticed that Chi Hae wore a hood or a hat and clothes that didn’t expose more skin, but Myungsoo never really confronted her about it.

Chi Hae wore these types of clothes ever since the incident where the sasaeng fangirls cut her hair and shoulder. And of course she didn’t want to worry her two friends. Eun Jae eventually found scars on her body and that was the start of her cold personality towards anyone against Chi Hae.

“YAH! KIM MYUNGSOO!” Eun Jae confronted him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

“Eun Ja-”

“Don’t you ing ‘Eun Jae’ me! What the hell are you doing?”

“What do you-”

“Chi Hae went to the hospital!”

“Bwoh?” Myungsoo panicked.

“How dense are you? Don’t you know your girl is getting bullied everyday? Don’t you know she still attempts to hide it for you so you won’t worry? She still overworks herself on top of that to support herself! How ing oblivious in life are you?”

Myungsoo stayed silent. Eun Jae snapped and slapped him across his face.

She started tearing up, “If you can’t protect her, then get out of her life!” Eun Jae released her grip on his collar and stormed off leaving him speechless.

Truthfully, two months in the relationship, Chi Hae didn’t feel like she liked Myungsoo anymore. Her feelings faded away and became blinded by fear from his fangirls.

After the confrontment from Eun Jae, Myungsoo debated on what he should do next. And in his view, there was only one way.

“Chi Hae-ah,” he called out to her.

“Yeah oppa?” Chi Hae took her eyes off her desk and looked at Myungsoo.

Silence filled the classroom before he started talking to him. The atmosphere was tense and anyone could have read the scene like a book.

“Let’s break up.” Myungsoo murmured, loud enough for Chi Hae to hear.

Chi Hae looked down and nodded. Her face was frozen and her frowned expression could not be wiped off that easily.

“Friends?” He asked her holding her shoulder gently.

“Hmm,” Chi Hae hummed in affirmation, looking back to him and giving a fake smile. But Myungsoo didn’t notice. Of course he didn’t notice. He was too oblivious to the situation to notice.

“Hey oppa…” she managed to croak out.

“Yea?”

“Promise me one thing.”

“Okay, what it it?”

“Don’t worry about me once again. Don’t try to protect me because I’m only gonna be in your way.”

As the words escaped , Myungsoo only heard the first sentence and his dense self let the rest flow in and out of his brain without even processing it. “I promise”. He gave his immediate response.

That moment made history for them. Their feelings both died out and was replaced with friendship once again. The three still hung out, but it wasn’t the same. Eun Jae became harsh on Myungsoo behind Chi Hae’s back, knowing that her unnie would just scold her once again.

Chi Hae became reluctant to make new friends once again after all the bullying. The bully didn’t end even after Myungsoo graduated early. They still picked on her. She still wore her hat or hood to cover her hair. Once she finally graduated that hell hole and became a trainee was when she began to make for herself ‘a fresh new start’.

“Oppa… Chi Hae really deserves better. And I know you’re not the type of person to openly care for someone so that’s why I’m telling you this.” Eun Jae fixed her posture on the couch and turned to see Leo reaction to the story.

His face was serious. Dead. Serious. In the middle of the story his hands curled into tight fists as he felt anger towards Myungsoo and his oblivious self. But Leo definitely knew one thing, he wanted to protect her the right way. And this time he will...