I hate school because its a bore; Why do I have to wake up at 7am everyday?; My parents hate me because they force me to go to school; My nose is too big and my eyes are too small; My school bag is always so heavy; Living is so hard, I wish I could die

I don't understand how people complain about the most trivial things. Maybe it was because I viewed things differently, you know, since I was dying and other normal people weren't so concerned about that yet.

The sudden shrilling sound of the school bell got me back to reality and everyone stood up to greet the teacher.

"Okay~ Attendance will be taking place now~" our Mathematics teacher, Mr. Jung announced.

He called out the students name and one by one, we raised our hands.

"Kim Yugyeom?" he called out but there was no answer.

"Does anyone know where Kim Yugyeom is?" Mr. Jung asked.

"No idea, none of us saw him in the morning," a male student answered.

"Youngjae ah, did you hear anything from him?" I asked softly.

Youngjae looked at me, confused.

"Um, no... Why would he anyway?" he said.

I looked back to the front. My worried expression must have been obvious because I heard Youngjae laugh.

"Yugyeom does this from time to time. He doesn't come to school for a few days and then he comes back again. Don't worry," he said reassuringly.

I smiled back at him in reply and he faced back to the front to pay attention to Mr. Jung. For the first time since I started school, I couldn't concentrate during lesson time. My book was wide open or my eyes were on the whiteboard but my mind was thinking about Yugyeom. What was Yugyeom doing? Is he okay? Did he run away? Those thoughts were in my mind the whole time. I was starting to think that I cared for Yugyeom way more than I should have.

After school, I had 2 hours before my shift for work so I headed to Yugyeom's house. I stood outside of his housW for 5... okay, 20 minutes. I wasn't close to him enough to just go in the house but I wasn't a stranger either... so I just stood there like a blur fool.

"Ahem, ahem..."

I turned around fast... a little too fast that I lost balance and started falling backwards. Then an arm was around my back, catching me before I fell. I looked up and saw a shocked Yugyeom. He helped me up and we both stared at one another.

"You okay?" he asked and I nodded, snapping back to reality.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"You didn't come to school," I replied.

"So?" he asked.

"I was worried," I said.

He was taken aback... and honestly, so was I. Then he looked downwards and he smiled shyly, making my heart skip a beat... although not literally because I would've fainted and he would have to carry me all the way to the hospital again.

"Worried?" he asked as he looked at me.

"I mean, you're my friend so I worry about you," I explained.

His expression then changed and he looked at me puzzlingly.

"Friend?" he asked and I nodded.

"Anyways, you're okay, right?" I asked, seeing that the situation was getting weirder and weirder.

"Um, yeah, I am. My mother was sick today so I had to work and do the chores on her behalf. She'll be fine in a few days so I won't be coming to school then. About the project, don't worry. If there's anything you want me to reasearch about, just text me what to do and I'd do it from home," he said.

"Was this really the cold Kim Yugyeom that everyone distanced themselves from?" I thought to myself.

"Ah~ Okay then... I'll update you," I said before turning around.

"Sowon ah!" he called out and I turned back.

"You came all the way here... You should rest inside for a while," he offered.

YUGYEOM'S POV

"WHY?! WHY DID I INVITE HER IN MY HOUSE?! WHY?!" I thought to myself as I made some green tea for her.

I looked out the window of the kitchen that showed the living room. Sowon was just walking around, looking at everything and anything around her.

"You've never seen this much wood before?" I asked, seeing that she seemed like she was in a whole new world.

"Yeah, the walls of my house are mostly cement and marble. I've only seen houses like yours on the internet and when I walk to school," she answered.

"The heck?" I said softly so that she wouldn't hear.

I saw her pick up the calender that was on the coffee table and she smiled.

"Your birthday is 17 November?" she asked as she pointed to the circled date on the calender.

"Oh yeah. I don't do much on my birthdays though. I bet that your parents throw something grand for you every time your birthday comes," I said, seeing that her family was pretty well off.

I mean, who has their very own butler?

"They don't actually. I tell them not to," she said which really shocked me.

"What? Why not?" I asked as I came out with the drinks.

I was starting to realise too late that I was getting more and more interested in Kang Sowon. She just seemed so different from everyone else. However, behind that smile and her laughs, I know there was pain. I just knew...

She looked at me for a while, trying to find an answer.

"Ah... I just find that my birthday is just another date. Its not something to celebrate about," she answered.

That wasn't the whole truth... I just knew...

"Any boyfriends?" I asked without thinking.

"What?" she asked.

"What?" I said... expressing to her my stupidity.

She smiled and giggled. Her smile... Why did I like it so much when she smiles?

"Um... Nope, I'm not... Yeah, um... Never had one and I don't really want to have one," she said, her tone, a bit reluctant.

"Why?" I asked.

God... Stop asking, Yugyeom, STOP! Why are you like this?!

"I just... can't. Its hard to explain," she sighed.

"You do know that a lot of the guys in our school would kill to be your boyfriend," I said truthfully.

She giggled and looked at me, then she pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"No... I mean, that's nice... but... I can't... have one," she said.

I stared at her, trying to find out what exactly she was hiding from me... from everyone. Somehow, I want to get close to her but there's a part of me that says that there's a catch if I do get closer.