We weren't always this distant. He wasn't always this cold and I wasn't always so disappointed and angry everytime I see him; disappointed that he doesn't acknowledge me or smile like he used to. Angry at myself for letting my heart race and my breath shorten everytime he was near me.

At giving myself false hope.

-1 year back-

"Oppa! What are you doing? Let me down now! Oppa!" I laughed as L swung me in the air around in circles.

L chuckled. "Aniyo! I'm never letting you go~" and he continued to spin me around as I laughed harder until we both fell down on the grass, dizzy from turning in so many circles. I looked at him adoringly as we lie down side by side on the grass at the back of the school.

I never noticed how cute he was when he smiled, especially with the sun shining through the leaves of the tree we were under, letting the rays just dance across his face.

It was a year after we started dating and we were as happy and as in love as any couple would be during this period: always laughing together, holding hands, and just any excuses we could find to be with each other. It was really daebak.

When we first met, I was reluctant to approach him because he had such a cold exterior. L was like any male lead in the dramas you see-a silent guy with a chic, cold and intimidating image. He had this aura radiating off of him that made me feel compelled to get to know him yet wanting to run away at the same time; it was so fascinating, yet I never got the courage to approach him. 

But of course, how would anything have worked out if fate didn't do a little something-something for us?

-another year back-

My first class, homeroom: Music. I wouldn't have minded at all, if it weren't that I was feeling utterly alone. My friends and I all took music, in hopes of jamming out together in class, but as fate would let me have it, we were all thrown into separate classes.

Sigh. How cruel.

I knew virtually no one in my class, so when it was time to pick seats, I just sat with some people I knew, to some extent. The teacher, Ms. Song, must've sensed our discomfort as she decided she would place us all in alphabetical order. And where did I end up sitting?

Between two walls. L was on the left side of me, and some other guy was on my right. I felt like I was suffocating. Somebody help me...

Just as I thought, we didn't really talk at all. This torment lasted for a few weeks, until one day L approached me and asked me about our class assignment. Even the way he first approached me sounded oddly cool.

"Hey, when's our assignment due? Is it a group assignment?" I paused and looked up. Was he talking to me?

His piercing eyes stared back sideways into my surprised ones. Being caught off guard, I only managed to stutter, "Oh? Uh y-yeah, it's a group assignment and it's due n-next week..." I mentally kicked myself for sounding so stupid. He just looked back at me. slightly exasperated when I told him it was a group assignment.

"Aish...how many people in a group?" I looked back, slightly startled yet again. "Uhm, f-four..." With this new information, he looked even more exasperated and scratched the back of his head frustratedly.

We were interuppted as Ms. Song called the class to attention. "Class, everyone, calm down. It's just four people per group and I'll let you guys choose, alright? Consider this as an ice-breaking assignment." Most of the class waere excited, save for a few of us. A slim boy waved at L and walked over to us before slinging his arm over L's shoulder.

"Hyung, we'll work together right?" He asked cheerfully. L turned over and poked him on the forehead. "Is that even a question? Pabo." The boy laughed. I watched, interested in how L instantly turned warm when he was around his friends. However, the boy stopped laughing abruptly.

"But hyung, aren't we supposed to form a group of four?" he looked at L, troubled when he nodded. I was looking around myself as I had the same problem.

Aish they've all formed groups already...

Suddenly, L called me. "Hwayoung-sshi? Do you have a group yet?" I turned back at him, dumbfounded. His friend looked up and when he met my eyes, he smiled warmly.

"A-ani..." I muttered, half embarassed to be discovered that I didn't have many friends in this class.

"Oh! Then would you like to join us? We don't have a full group either." I looked over at the boy, then back to L, hesitant. When he noticed me looking unsure, he slung both his arms over L's shoulder and mine's.

"Don't worry, we'll be cool together! We'll definitely work well, and we're not anybody bad~" he winked at me. L just muttered at him, but he didn't seem to be that displeased, so I agreed tentatively.

"Great! Now we only need one more person," the boy scanned the room before letting his eyes land on my face. "Oh! By the way I'm Sungjong. Lee Sungjong." he smiled again. I smiled back and introduced myself. Then, he went back to scanning the room before jumping up.

"Yah hyung! We're saved! Bora's here! BORA-AHH~" He slipped past us to drag an athletic-looking girl over. "Everyone, this is Bora. Bora-ah, this is my friend L and Hwayoung." 

She greeted us warmly and we moved to make space for her before going further into introductions and slowly getting a bit more comfortable with each other. She had a pretty laid back personality, whereas Sungjong had a bubbly attitude, and L remained a mystery.

And just like that, we formed a group for the assignment sucessfully, but who knew we would form such a strong friendship as well...