Ever since that encounter on the rooftop, the things between me and Miss Annoying got… slightly different. She was still the same clingy, irritating girl, but those characteristics of her didn’t annoy me that much anymore.

After seeing her like that, as vulnerable as any girl her age, I guess it made me realize that she was actually a human being with feelings and she shouldn’t ever be mocked for something as insignificant as the way she dresses.

Weeks later, those girls from our class were still glaring at ChaeJi whenever they saw us together, wether it was arriving class or having lunch.

And I bet what made them even more mad was the fact that, unlike before when ChaeJi would talk non stop and I would have a blank expression on, now it was common to see us laughing together or talking. Even when she played around with me, I would playfully hit her and vice versa.

We had built a nice friendship.

Today was friday and everyone was looking happy and more relaxed since the weekend was approaching.

I was particularly happy yet nervous and anxious. I would have a stage at an underground club tonight and I was looking forward to it. I didn’t know why but I had this feeling that tonight’s performance was going to be special, for some odd reason.

I was having lunch with the guys when P.O. brought the issue up.

- “Nervous about tonight, hyung?”

- “Hella” - I replied.

- “As if anything ever went wrong for the great ZI-A-CO” - Kyung added mockingly.

I shot him a glare but the two guys still laughed it off. Geez, why did everyone around me seemed to have the mission to annoy me?

Talking about annoy, ChaeJi was passing by. She flashed us a smile and walked ahead, in direction of the table where her friends were having lunch.

- “What a pathetic smile” - Kyung said.

- “Tsk, I wasn’t smiling”

I swear I wasn’t.

- “Hyung have you thought about inviting ChaeJi noona for tonight’s performance?”

P.O.’s question startled both me and Kyung. Inviting her? Why would I?

- “It doesn’t seem like she would enjoy it…” - I replied.

It was true, rap didn’t seem like the type of music she would enjoy.

- “Are you really that dumb, Zico? That girl would go anywhere you invited her to” - Kyung said.

- “Hyung is really innocent, isn’t he?”

- “What are you guys talking about?” - I asked irritated - “Anyway, I’ll invite her then. But be ready for a ‘no’”

I stood up and made my way to her table. Immediately I could feel the girls’ eyes on me. I smirked, knowing that they would have another deception when they see me talking to ChaeJi; or better, asking her out.

- “Hey ChaeJi” - I called her when arriving her table - “Can we talk for a minute?”

She seemed surprised but still stood up and followed me. We went to the garden outside the cafeteria. I supported my back on the wall and she stood in front of me.

I suppressed a smile. Even with her platform shoes, she was still a lot shorter than me. That’s cute.

- “What is it?” - she asked.

- “Well I have this performance tonight… I think you’re not much into rap and that stuff but, if you want to come… it’s up to you”

What an half-assed invitation.

- “Are you inviting me to your performance? For real?!” - she asked with a smile that reached her ears.

- “Yeah… you want to go?”

- “Of course I do! Thanks, Jiho”

- “It’s okay. I’ll text you the club’s name and time later. Well, see ya tonight then”

- “See ya”

_______

The club was crowded. I had just finished my performance and I was now surrounded by a group of girls praising me. But my attention wasn’t directed to them.

Before my performance I tried to look for her but she was nowhere to be found. Through it I kept my eyes close to the entrance door in case I would see her coming in, but no sign of ChaeJi. A girl with that style would be pretty easy to notice, right?

I raised my head above the crowd and spotted Kyung. He looked at me relieved and rushed to push me from the circle of girls.

- “What is it, dude?”

- “Bro, you gotta see ChaeJi”

- “She’s here?”

- “Of course she’s here, where else would she be? Man just go over there before I loose it… And quit acting like you don’t like her”

- “KYUNG!”

- “By the bar!” - he shouted before pushing me in the direction of the bar.

I kept searching for her but still couldn’t find her. Until I reached the bar and a voice startled me.

- “Jiho!”

If it wasn’t for her voice and the fact that she was the only person (besides my mom) calling my by my first name, I would never recognize her.

No sign of pink, tutu skirts and heavy make up. She was dressed normally, with a lavender crop top and a black (really short) skirt and sneakers. Her hair was waved falling graciously on her back, and her make-up so simple it looked like she had none at all.

But the big shining eyes and cute smile left me without doubts that it was her.

- “Holy , ChaeJi… You look stunning”

The words left my mouth without me even thinking about it. She blushed and bit her bottom lip, while I scratched my neck embarrassed.

- “You were really… amazing” - she said in a low voice.

- “You think so?”

- “Yeah… I mean, I don’t know much about rap, but you have quite an attitude and you look mature on stage. I guess I now know why you have so many fangirls”

I chuckled and sat by her side. We talked and drunk for a while before she realized it was already a bit late and said she was going home.

- “Do you want me to take you home?”

- “No it’s alright, I’m catching the bus”

- “It’s dangerous for you to go alone”

- “I’m not alone, a lot of people catch the bus at this time… thanks anyway”

- “Let me at least walk you to the bus station”

We exited the club. The cold air hit us and I instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She stiffed but relaxed the second after. From the corner of my eye I could see she was smiling.

There was still 10 minutes left for the bus to arrive. She was right, there were other people waiting for it at the station. We stood by a building’s entrance in from of the station.

- “Do you… think I should dress like this more often?” - she questioned me.

I looked at her with wide eyes. What should I answer: what she wanted to hear or my honest opinion?

- “I think you should dress whatever it makes you more comfortable”

She smiled and nodded at me.

- “But I think what you’re wearing today suits you very well”

- “Then I guess I’ll dress like this more often…”

- “You don’t have to do that unless you want to, you know. You shouldn’t be influenced by others”

- “But I want to. I want to dress like this because for the first time I felt you were treating me as a girl your age who’s interested in you, and not just a weird classmate”

I was going to tell her it was nothing like that, but she never let me finish my thoughts as she placed her hand on my cheek and gave a soft short kiss.

My lips felt on fire as she moved hers against mine, but she let go before I could even kiss her back.

The bus had arrived and she quickly got in, waving me goodbye.

What kind of girl leaves Woo Jiho dumbfounded in the middle of the street?

Hey I'm back!! Not really that happy with this chapter but I wanted to update this story.

I'm sorry for being the worst author ever and having writer's blocks every 2 days ;_;

Thank you <3