A year and half prior

“Soojung-ah! Did you hear?! We’re getting a transfer student!” Sulli exclaimed happily as she, Luna, and Victoria approached the sleepy girl who had just been dropped off by Jessica at the school’s gate.

“And how do you know this?” Krystal covered as she let out a yawn. She hates Monday mornings, no, in fact, she hates school days in general due to having to wake up so damn early in the morning.

“She eavesdropped on the teachers, obviously.” Luna stifled a chuckle as Sulli slapped her on the shoulder.

“Yah! I wasn’t eavesdropping! I was just walking pass the office when I overheard them talking about the new transferee.” The girls giggled when Sulli stuck out her tongue, living up to her nickname baby Ssul.

“While you were overhearing,” Sulli pouted when Victoria emphasized on the ‘overhearing’, “did you hear if the transferee was a boy or girl?”

“Why do you care, umma? You already have Nichkhun appa,” Luna and Sulli wiggled their brows, making the older girl blush. Seeing Victoria blushing, the three younger girls threw a fit of giggles.

Their conversation was cut short as the school bell rang. Not wanting to be marked late, they ran towards their classrooms. Victoria separated from the group shortly after upon entering the building since she was a senior while the three were juniors in the same class.

Rushing to their seats which were located on the far back right side next to the windows, Sulli and Luna sat in front of Krystal. They were just in time too since a second after they were seated the classroom door slid open, making a loud thud echo throughout the now quiet room.

“Good morning, class!” their teacher, Mr. Lo, greeted the class excitedly.

Krystal groaned silently before hunching over her desk, burying her head in the crooks of her arms as she takes a nap. It’s not that she doesn’t like Mr. Lo, it’s just that she hates how he’s always so happy and giddy, especially in the mornings. What’s there to be so happy about?

“Anyways, we will be having a new student joining us,” he beamed.

The news caught the students’ attention. It was rare to get a transfer student, even rarer for it to be during the middle of the school year. They were now on the edge of their seats; impatiently waiting. Faint whisperings, which weren’t all that faint to be honest, were heard throughout. It was a debate to see if the new student was a girl or a boy. The boys in the class obviously wanted a hot girl while the girls obviously wanted a handsome boy. Everyone, except Krystal who was not interested in the new student and taking a nap, turned their gaze towards the door as it slid open and let out a gasp.

“Hello,” AJ waved towards the class with a dorky smile, making the girls squeal at the eye candy in front of them. “I’m AJ Liu. I’m actually a year older but due to some circumstances, which I won’t bore you with,” he chuckled, making even more of the girls swoon over him, “I’ll be joining this class. It’s nice to meet you all, and let’s all be friends, okay?” He finished with a slight tilt of his head and beamed an even bigger and wider smile.

The girls excitedly clap and whistled after he finished his introduction while the boys clapped half-heartedly. They had wanted a hot girl, dammit! Was that so hard to ask for?

“It’s nice to have you here with us, AJ.” Mr. Lo patted the young man’s back. “Let’s see…” he scanned the room for an open seat for his new student. Many of the girls were trying to clear the seat next to them by pushing their seatmate out of the chair in hopes of getting to sit next to AJ. “How about up there, next to the sleeping Ms. Jung?”

AJ followed the direction to where Mr. Lo pointed and spotted an open seat next to a sleeping girl whose face was hidden by the cascade of hair and her sleeping position. He bowed slightly towards the teacher before making his way to his seat, smiling politely when some girls greeted him along the way.

AJ wasn’t sure if he should wake up his seatmate or not, but figured Mr. Lo would like for all his students to be awake so he shook the girl lightly by the shoulder.

“Hey…pssst…” he leaned in and whispered. Finding it difficult to wake her up, he reached out and removed the brown locks of hair that had cascaded over the girl’s face with his left hand, hoping it’ll stir the girl up somehow. However, it had an opposite effect. Instead of the effect he wanted, it was him who got stirred. His heartbeat sped up as his eyes were lost on her smooth, porcelain skin to her pink, kissable lips…he swallowed. His surroundings seemed to fade and all he could see was her glistening in the sunlight. She was so beautiful. The most beautiful creature he has ever seen. AJ suddenly reached up and palmed his uniform, just right above his heart, not wanting his raging heart to break out of his ribcage.

Krystal stirred awake when she felt a slight breeze on her face. Fluttering her eyes open, she was coming back to her senses. She jerked a little and quickly glances to the right when she felt a pair of eyes on her. She blinked and blinked again when she came face to face with a handsome llama-looking boy, who was too close for her comfort. She raised a brow as she sees that he was holding onto the tips of her hair and was lost in a daze by the way his eyes seemed to be glazed over.

Feeling a little creep out by this stranger, she faked a quiet cough in hopes to get his attention. It irked her when it showed no effect whatsoever. She was about to snap her fingers in his face but stopped and blushed lightly when she heard him unconsciously muttered a “beautiful”. For the first time ever, a boy’s compliment hd made her heart flutter. Compliments such as “you’re beautiful” were thrown her way everyday by her many fanboys, but none of them had this effect on her. I think I might be coming down with something, she thought.

“Beautiful,” AJ muttered, not even knowing that he had said it out loud.

It dawned upon him and his eyes widen seeing a slightly red hint in her cheeks. It finally hit him full force and he couldn’t help but feel blood rush to his cheeks when he realized he had said it out loud. Crap!

“Ah…uhm…I-I mean…” AJ stuttered pathetically, not knowing how to explain himself to this beautiful stranger. “S-s-sorry.” Only remembering now that he was still holding onto her silky hair, he released it quickly as if it had just zapped him before facing the front, pretending to listen to the lecture.

AJ would sneak glances every now and then to the beauty beside him. She was…a goddess, for better word. There was simply no other way to describe her. He knew he shouldn’t be staring, in fact, he shouldn’t even feel whatever it is that he’s feeling, but he couldn’t help it. Like a butterfly attracted to a flower, he was simply attracted to her…and it scared him. He knows better than anyone that it’ll be nothing but trouble.