I enter the classroom trying to avoid Myungsoo’s eyes that is surrounded by a group of people; one of them is his friend Sunggyu.

I took a seat and start setting my books and notes on my desk.

“Good Morning, Son Ami” his voice echoes through the the room and with that I’ve got everyone’s attention on me.

Dammit.

Calm down, smile, be polite. He is not a Kan at school, so you shouldn’t treat him as your nemesis.

“Good Morning” I smile as polite as I can.

“I was thinking” he cant hide that crooked smile on his face “it’s no good to be isolated like that. I’m pretty sure you don’t like it so why don’t we hang out sometime”

This kid… what is he scheming?

 “ We are going to the bon fire tonight. Come with us” he continues.

Oh yeah, the bonfire in the beach; I didn’t pay attention to it because I don’t have any intention to go.

Sunggyu’s glare tells me to say no, but the look on Myungsoo’s face is fueling my pride.

“Thank you but I’m sorry I have plans” I say in the kindest tone I can talk with.

“ohooo” he teases and everyone snickers “with who? Your boyfriend?”

“Myungsoo, stop it” Sungkyu hisses.

He really is trying to get on my nerves with that easy-going façade of his.

“Actually, yes”

His mouth drops for a brief moment; he clearly wasn’t expecting that.

“You know what? I’ll tell him to drop by the bonfire so we can join you guys” I smile victorious this time “I mean, if it’s not an inconvenient for you guys?”

Some of the girls shook his head no; they don’t see me as a threat now that I supposedly have a boyfriend.

“Of course not, the more the merrier” Myungsoo answers with a devilish look on his face. Oh, God he is looking forward to it.

Thank goodness the bickering session is dismissed when the professor enters the classroom and everyone goes to their seats.

I had two hours of calm until class was over now I’m heading to the cafeteria. I didn’t eat breakfast and my stomach is protesting.

I take a seat, grab my phone and scroll down on my inbox; I have a new message from Woohyun.

Let’s do something after school… we are free!!; your call.

He is right, I have to enjoy this free time I have while my father is gone but I feel bad for feeling free when he is not around.

I want to tell Woohyun about the bonfire but I don’t want him to face the Kan, any time soon or ever again if possible.

I took one sip of my coke before feeling a finger tap on my shoulder.

“what are you doing?” myungsoo’s smiling face pops out from behind me.

I choke with my coke and he pats my back.

“what?” I rudely ask

“nothing” he lifts his hands in a fake surrounding “just doing charity work with my friend the outcast” he smiles

“get lost, Myungsoo” I roar

“nope, I don’t want to” he takes a chip from the bag I just bought “I said I wanted us to be friends, remember?”

“That’s not going to work if you almost killed my friends”

“But I didn’t” he shrugs “and I saved you from Sungkyu, remember?

“are you asking for something in return?”

“yes” he nonchalantly replies “ I want you to answer a question”

“What is it?” I took a chip

“How long have you known Woohyun?”

“Not gonna answer that?”

“agh, come on” he insists “okay, let me change the question” he lift a finger and his eyes wonder look down searching for the right words.

“Is Woohyun your boyfriend?”

“How is that important?”

“Don’t answer with a question”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Myungsoo!” Hoya joins us at the table.

How funny, two Kan and a son sharing lunch at school.

“what are you two doing?” his is not just asking, he is demanding and explanation.

“ I was just asking her; how Woohyun is doing” he scoffs “right?”

I’m about to say that is a lie but I don’t want to look like a spoiled girl; so I just wave his question.

“I have to go.  See you at class, KIM MYUNGSOO” I remark his last name

-------

At the end of classes I walk out of the school ground to find Woohyun just a few feet away leaning against the wall.

“So, where do you want to go?”

“Let’s have some coffee; I also want to visit my old coworkers”

“okay. By the way, I heard some students talking about a bonfire today”

Uhoh, I don’t like where this is going

“Do you want to go?” he asks

“No. You know I don’t like crowded places; besides…nothing” I almost spilt the truth about Myungsoo being at my school.

He arches an eyebrow in a questioning look but I’m grounded when we heard wheels screeching out of the parking lot. A luxurious black car makes its way across the street at full speed.

“Isn’t that Myungsoo’s car?”

I’m done for

“Was it? I don’t know”

He stares at me for a second before letting out a sigh.

“Don’t lie. I already knew he was attending this school; I was waiting for you to tell me”

He doesn’t show it clearly but I can tell he is hurt; the feeling clenches my heart.

“How did you find out?”

He shrugs “No one can fool me. I’ve been trained remember?”

I nod.

“So, did he try to do something to you at school?” there is an edge on his voice.

“No, I don’t spend much time outside the classroom. I didn’t tell you because you’ll tell my father and he’ll make transfer schools or even worse, stop my studies at all”

“Makes sense”

“Sorry but can you keep the secret? please” I plead

“mmmm” he taps his chin with his fingers “that’ll be difficult, you didn’t only lied to me but also called me a snitch. The offense is severe on this one” he jokes

“pleaaaaseee”

“okay…” he rolls his eyes and starts walking.

“thank you, Woohyun”

“…but we’ll go to that bonfire”

My jaw drops to the floor

“Why do you want to go? The Kan will probably be there!”

“That’s why. That part of the beach is in our territory, we have to keep those bastards on line”

“But”

“No buts, we are going even if you don’t” he grins

“we?”

“Me and Sungyeol. Sungjong had something to do so he won’t be back until tomorrow”

“Just after he was assigned to the team?” I ask as we take a turn in a corner “there is something about him … ”

“nothing to be worried about” he moves his arms around my shoulder, I don’t feel uncomfortable cause I’m used to Woohyun closeness “do you think I’d let him get close with you if I didn’t trust him? He is just an special case”

We arrive at the place and I’m greeted with a big smile from one of my friends. Woohyun goes to find a seat.

“I see you’re still hanging out with the hot friend” she wiggles her eyebrows

“He is just a friend” I laugh

“are you serious?! Poor him”

“why?”

She lets out a sigh and shrugs “you are too slow”

-----------

We head to the bonfire and I can’t help but being excited, after all, this is the first time I’ve got to hang out with my Woohyun and Sungyeol after the accident.

Im also happy for Woohyun, he doesn’t show it but I guess he wanted to spend time with people of our age since he stopped his studies after high school and has dedicated his time to the clan.

He is driving us this time even though Sunjong protested about he shouldn’t be out right after he recovered when we told him we were going.

The beach in our town is not exactly tropical, the “sand” is more like little rocks and there are mountains nearby. I see the beach in the horizon from the road on one of the said mountains and I spot the crowd of students assembling.

“are you sure this a good idea” Sungyeol asks Woohyun; it gives the feeling that is private conversation.

My friend nods.

 “It’s not like we have something to be afraid of” he replies; firmly grabbing the steering wheel.

Sungyeol is about to say something but he closes his mouth as he catches me staring at from the rearview.

He shift uncomfortably and clears his throat

“What is the even for, anyway?” Sungyeol asks me.

“Is a school tradition held after a festival or something. I’m not really interested in those things”

Both of them snorts before Woohyun enters the parking lot; Sungyeol slowly scans for an available space or is he looking for something or someone.

“Over there” he finds a spot.

We step out of the car and I immediately feel the cold wind hitting my skin; I should have worn something warmer, not just jeans and a sweatshirt.

Woohyun notices and takes off his jacket and places it over my shoulders without saying a word. I glance at Sungyeol and he is smiling.

“Leeets go” Wooohyun tries to appear over excited to hide his actual excitement.

And it appears: the magnetism that catches every girl’s attention when my two bodyguards are together. I think I’ll never get used to these two turning every head in the room as soon as the walk in.

When I less expect it Woohyun tussles my hair and flashes me a smile that almost closes his eyes.

“We are not here to pick girls. Don’t worry”

“what?!! Want that why we came here?” Sungyeol dramatically shouts.

We all laugh but we stop in our tracks as we recognize an unwelcomed presence” Myungsoo. He is leaning against a three watching the crowd with his trademark bored-as-hell look.  He doesn’t seem aware of our presence…right now.

“Just keep an eye on him; if possible don’t interact with him at all” the words come out harsher than I intended it.

I don’t like to order around because I think of them as my friends not my employees.

“Yes ma’am!” Sungyeol answers but Woohyun only nods.

I roll my eyes at the younger man.

People is dancing to the loud music, some are holding drink and laughing; there’s also a group little bit far away, playing an acoustic guitar. Their eyes grow wide when they spot Myungsoo walking towards them and taking the guitar from the guy without any effort; the girls start clapping as he starts playing the first chords a song; the boys look at him with proud.

Before I know it I was hypnotized by the melody; my eyes are itching and I have this angst feeling on my chest.

“hey!” Woohyun softly shakes my shoulders “are you okay?”

“I…I don’t know. I think I’ve heard that song before”

Sungyeol looks at Woohyun who seems paler now.

“I don’t think you’ve had heard such a cheap song” he scoffs “let’s go or he’ll see us” he drags me away.

After an hour of moving around the beach, introducing Woohyun and Sungyeol to almost all my classmates –that never talked to me before-  and having some drinks we lay on the sand close enough to the water so that we can feel the breeze on our cheeks.

“I think I’m going to the ladies room”

“you go with her” Woohyun says to Sungyeol.

“I can go on my own, it’s not that far; wait here for me, okay?”

-------

I start to walk back to my friends but something catches my attention: Hoya and Sunggyu are talking mysteriously on the woods. Despite logic telling me to not go, the hunch that tells me to take a look wins over and I’m now on my way, tiptoeing between the threes to stand right where I can hear them but the cant see me.

“Myungsoo looks fine to me” Hoya says as he places his right foot on a log.

“We can’t let our guard down yet; remember what happened in this please” Sunggyu’s voice is low and his eyes are darker.

“I do remember, but he doesn’t” the first one snorts.

Sunggyu doesn’t smiles he just glares at Hoya who looks taken aback as if he wants to eat his words.

“Don’t be like that, it’s not like we wanted it to happen” Hoya says trying to light up the mood “besides, he is better now”

“Let’s go. I want to go to that place” Sunggyu starts walking further into the woods.

“To honor his memory?” Hoya playfully remarks

“Stop it or I’ll kill you” he sounds like he mean it

I’m following them trying not to make a noise; they went higher up for around ten minutes before finally stopping down below of what looks like an abandoned road. The retaining walls have been removed and there are rocks from a landslide on the road.

I hold to a three to not fall on this slanted area.

Sunggyu lets out a shake breathe and looks down. Hoya pats his back with a blue expression. The winter weather makes their sadness even more noticeable.

“it shouldn’t have ended like that” Hoya says with a regretful expression.

“It didn’t end. That’s the problem”