03

. the fake couple

They just start dating yesterday. It is a breaking new for everyone in their school. Some of them suppport the couple, some just hate it.

“They are perfect for each other.”

“Great match.”

Or

“I hate that girl, Kim Soeun.”

“Soeun, why are you dating that Kim Bum dude?”

//

Kim Soeun is known for her intelligence, grace and beauty. She is perfect.

Kim Bum is handsome, sporty and a little bit flirty. He is also perfect.

Perfect boy and perfect girl.

Well, not actually.

They are dating, fake dating.

It all starts when Soeun finds out that Kim Bum is actually very poor. Kim Bum-the guy with pride overflows his body, actually follows her everwhere to beg her not telling anyone about this. Kim Soeun is no ordinary girl. She likes to tease everyone, and so she keeps letting him feel miserable and scared. She lets him follow her everywhere she gies, orders him to do this and that just to feel less bored.

Who knows that the King could be this desperate.

And when they realize things, they start to become a couple in everyone’s eyes. The fact that he follows everywhere she goes, does everything she says makes them become a couple. A happy, lovey-dovey couple.

//

“This is wrong. This is so wrong.”

Kim Bum sits in a coffee shop, which is not really far from school, grumbling.

“What? It’s actually fun.”

Soeun looks happy. Of course she does. Nothing is happier when the person you hate turns into your boyfriend.

“My .” Kim Bum swears.

“Well, I will keep silence if you agree to be my boyfriend.” Soeun offers. Kim Bum doesn’t respond immediately but he accepts the offer.

//

“Oi boyfriend, bring me some drink.” The girlfriend commands over the phone.

“Now? But I’m playing basketball. Later.” Kim Bum hangs up immediately.

If you want your lil’ secret gets exposed then go ahead. - Soeun

When Kim Bum sees the message, he drops everything and runs for his life.

Tsk, that woman. Unbelievable.

//

“Buy me some food. It’s lunch.” Soeun says as she throws her wallet toward him.

“What do you want?”

“Anything. And buy for two.” Soeun says without looking up from her book.

“Why?” Kim Bum gives her a perplexed look.

“Why you ask? One for me, another one for you of course. You don’t want?” Soeun pulls a wry face.

“N-no. It-it’s not that…” He stammers.

“Then hurry up. I’m hungry.” Soeun interrupts.

“O-okay.”

Who would think that Kim Soeun actually cares for her boyfriend. She notices why Kim Bum keeps hanging out with girls and flirting with them. From her observation, she knows that it is for food, for his own benefit.

That guy has no dignity...

//

The consequence of dating the most popular guy in school is being harrassed by his fangirls. Soeun is now experiencing that.

It’s not that surprised. And she feels amused.

I’ve gone too far to draw back anyways.

//

The harrassment is more than Soeun imagine. Those fangirls actually want to kill her. They put pins on her locker’s handle; they push the flower pot when she is walking; they tear all her notebooks and books apart; they do everything they can.

But Soeun still keeps it to herself. She doesn’t like to be protected. She is taught to be strong and self-assertive.

“Hey boyfriend, I’m hot, fan me.”

That statement of her outrages many fangirls who are there to witness such an action. Kim Bum doesn’t say anything but does what she says. He is used to it anyway. Apart from weird-but-happen-to-be- perfectly-normal command like give her snack/drink/food, fan her, hold the bag for her, etc., she doesn’t ask him to do anything weird. And she actually keeps her promise. The fact that he is extremely poor, cannot afford his own meal but to eat from other girls, is still with her and nobody knows about that. Everyone starts whispering to each other. They are not happy with what they see, especially the girls.

//

“We wanna talk to you.”

It happens when school’s finished.

I knew it…

They are his fangirls. She knows they will come to her. She knows what business they want to discuss about. But she still follows them. She’s curious about what they will do.

.

“So? What do you want to talk about?” She folds her arms in front of her chest as she talks, looking all high and mighty.

“Break-up with him!” The girl in front of her is a direct one. Soeun smirks.

“Why should I?”

We are not dating in the first place anyways…

“This woman! Don’t think you’re dating Kim Bum that you have the right to be cocky at us!” One girl loses her temper and is about to slap her.

I wasn’t being cocky… I’m just asking.

Soeun is prepared to block the slap but someone does it for her.

“Don’t touch my girlfriend.”

Kim Bum is right behind those girls, holding the girl’s hand to prevent her from slapping.

“K-kim Bum.” They are scared. They don’t know what to say, to defend themselves. So they just run away.

“That was close.” Kim Bum leaves a relieved sigh.

“Who told you to come?” Soeun, instead of saying thank you, asks him that.

“I came to your class to get you but you were gone. I thought you ditch me but then saw you passed by the moment later so I chased after you.”

“Why did you come?” She keeps asking.

“Well, those girls looked scary.”

“I’m fine by myself.”

“I AM your boyfriend, so at least let me protect you .” Kim Bum is about to raise his voice at her. Soeun is surprised. The next thing she knows, she is in his big, warm and protective arms.

It was warm.

//

Kim Bum knows she is bullied by the other girls for quite a long time, but he doesn’t say anything.

Serve you right, is what he thinks.

However, seeing her getting bully by everyone without saying, whining, or complaining anything to him worries him. Instead of using him to shield from those girls, she stands up herself, and even provokes the girls harder.

What is she thinking?

For all his life, he has never seen such strong girl before.

She is the first.

Weird girl, he chuckles to himself.

“Hey, let me go. I can’t breath.”

“Oh c’on, we all know you like that.” Kim Bum hugs her tighter and jokes.

What he receives is a hard kick to his leg from her.

“Oi boyfriend, I’m tired, piggy back me.”

“Kay.”

“Huh? HEY! I said piggy back, not this princess-like carry. Put me down!”

“Haha too bad. I won’t.”

“Yah Kim.Bum. I will expose your secret!!”

“I don’t care anymore actually. So go ahead.”

“... YAH! Put me downn!!”