"Aish what's with that girl!" Zico ran a frustrated hand through his hair. The rest of Block B were all impatiently waiting outside of Yerin's home, a small brick house with a colorful garden in the front, surrounded by a metal fence. Even though the guys had all graduated from school, every morning they would walk Yerin to school and every afternoon they would walk her home. They're all very close to Yerin and treat her like a little sister because Zico, Kyung, and Yerin have been friends since childhood. Zico likes her more than just a friend, but he won't ever tell her because he's afraid of ruining what they already have. 

"Just wait a little longer. Girls like to take their time you know?" Taeil chimed while taking a seat on the stairs.

"Maybe she's taking extra long to get extra pretty for Jiho today!" P.O snickered as the rest of the members laughed, all except Zico and Taeil. Zico was turning as red as a tomato while Taeil was looking at P.O with shocked eyes.

"You knew about the fish expedition today?!" He excitedly yelled.

P.O peered back at him slightly annoyed."No, it's this guy's special day!" He said as he teasingly pointed at Zico.

"Yah! Shut your trap Pyo Ji Hoon! She's always pretty and we celebrate it every year, it's no biggie anymore," Zico remarked."And you know I hate people callng me Jiho!" He quickly added in as he pounced on P.O, but Yerin came bustling through the door and was right in between the two. 

"Yah, it's this early and you guys are already fighting." Yerin rolled her eyes with a mock annoyed face as Zico quickly let go of the the maknae's collar. She was leaning on the side of the open door dressed in her crisp uniform with her school backpack slung over her shoulders.

"Early! You're already late for school!" Kyung said as he poked her forehead. 

"Hehe sorry, but they won't mind." Yerin rubbed the back of her head and shrugged as she walked past them. Everyone at school, even the teachers, know not to mess with Yerin because she's always with Block B and they're one of the top gangs in Seoul. 

"Good morning Kitty! Did you sleep well?" Zico beamed as he shoved his way in between U-Kwon and Yerin as they were walking. U-Kwon looked at him and shook his head with a small smile, he was always quiet but that was a quality that Yerin liked about him. His silence was comforting. Especially since she was always around rambunctious guys.

Zico calls her Kitty because when they first met she had Hello Kitty looking features.

"I slept great! Thanks Jiho". Yerin said as she ruffled his hair. Zico smiled widely.

P.O sauntered past him and mocked,"I hate people calling me Jiho~~~~~!" Zico tried to ignore him with clenched fists.

B-Bomb pushed P.O away and said,"You really want to get beat up don't you?" At this they all chuckled, including Yerin, whose smile was more beautiful than the sunset, Zico thought. She was too oblivious to notice his admiring stares though. 

It was love at first sight for Zico. He remembers meeting her like it was yesterday. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a sunny afternoon and Zico was playing in his front yard with Kyung.

His mother shouted from the door,"Jiho! Make sure you go and meet our new neighbors! They have a little girl and I'm sure you guys will get along!" 

"Yeah, yeah!" Zico replied uninterestedly as his mother walked back into the house. They were little boys, what more could they care about than playing? The boys were playing enjoyfully until Kyung whipped the ball way out of Zico's reach. 

"Yah! I'm over here, not across the street!" Zico taunted Kyung play-angry.

"That's what you get for being short!" Kyung retorted while crossing his arms.

"You're shorter than me!" Zico shouted over his shoulder, walking across the road to retrive the ball. 

The bright red ball had his focus until he saw small, pale hands reaching for it. As he looked up, he felt as if he had seen an angel. The girl was in a simple white dress and a pink headband with bow on top that reminded him of his favorite cartoon character. She extended her arms out to him, waiting for him to take the ball.

He dazedly asked, "Are you....the living Hello Kitty?" 

The girl gave him a confused look, but smiled. "No, but I'm Yerin, Lee Yerin." She said as she smiled.

The boy said nothing and stared instead. He has never seen anyone so pretty before. She was glowing to him and when she smiled, she glowed even brighter, if that was possible.

"Ahh, I see you two have met!" Zico's mother beamed with encouraging eyes follwed by an unfamiliar woman.

"Hello I'm Inha, Lee Inha". The woman, Inha, smiled and said warmly. She streched a hand out for Zico to shake. He noticed the way they both intoduced themselves. Their first name and the their last and first name together. They looked very similar, bright smiles with hopeful eyes. 

"Your father and I are going to help Inha unload her truck. Can you keep Yerin company while we're helping her?"  Zico's mother asked with the look 'you better say yes or you're getting it'. He nodded swiftly, partly afraid of his mom, but also wanting to get to know Yerin more. 

"Good boy." His father said in his husky voice as he ruffled Zico's hair, carrying heavy boxes towards the empty house.

"Dad~!" He whined as he fixed his hair. He noticed something in his new neighbors' eyes, though. They both had grief and longing in them. He brushed off the thought when Inha started to thank his parents for helping her. He felt a nudge and turned to see an annoyed Kyung behind him.

"You came here to get the ball and you took this long and didn't even get it?" He snatched the ball from Yerin's hands and that kind of made Zico mad.

"Where are your manners Kyung! You haven't even met the girl and look how rude you are being!" Zico reprimanded. Zico's mother tilted her head with an inquiry look.

"What?" Yerin's mother asked.

"Jiho," she started but paused to think. "I've never seen him act that way. He is always so forward and aggressive. You're daughter must be something." Inha smiled as she glanced over at the children from the steps of the small house.

"She definitely is." She replied. To which Zico's mother gave her a questioned look but Ihna ignored and said, "Yerin..she's a strong girl. Her father left when she was born and I still haven't told her the reason yet. She still puts up that bright smile even though she is very broken on the inside." Zico's mother was shocked. A girl like that, being so happy? After all that has happened to her at a young age? She was definitely something.

"Your son is something, too," Inha continued, "my daughter, may have a smile on her face, but that's just a mask. She hasn't had such a bright  expression in a long time and I think your son has brought true happiness to her. Thank you". The two women both smiled at each other and hoped for a bright future for their children.

"What do you know about manners!" Kyung argued back.

"Way more than your brain could possibly hold!" Zico got in Kyung's face as Yerin laughed. The boys then remembered that they weren't alone.

One of the boys composed themselves and said, "I'm Kyung by the way." He flicked his hair in what he thought was a cool way.

"Yerin." She replied. There was a short silence before she asked the other, "And you?" She looked at Zico. But same as before, once he locked eyes with her, he was speechless.

Kyung rolled his eyes and answered for him."That," He pointed and looked him up and down. "Is Zic-"

"Jiho. Call me Jiho" He smiled brightly. Kyung eyed him suprised. The only people he let call him his real name are his family. Not even his teachers can call him that. But Zico felt oddly comfortable around Yerin.

"Nice to meet you Jiho and Kyung!" She beamed and the two smiled back. Zico knew she was something more than a neighborhood girl. That was the start of their friendship.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh guys! Can you guys come to my house after school?" Yerin asked excitedly, as if she's just remembered something. That served to pull Zico out of memory lane. 

"Why?" U-Kwon asked, but all of them had an idea as to why as they shared looks.

"Umm... no reason! It's just that... we don't... hang out enough!" Yerin faked a laugh as tried make a good sounding excuse. She looked away and scratched her head, mentally face palming when she couldn't come up with a better excuse. 

"We walk you to and from school everday, but sure why not? I miss having you in my arms." Jaehyo wrapped his arms around Yerin and pinched her cheek while eying Zico waiting for his reaction to his obvious teasing. Yerin was used to the friendly gestures of the gang by now, but Zico will never be able to get used to it. His jaw clenches everytime a guy touches Yerin or even looks at  her. He grabbed Yerin's hand, pulled her out of Jaehyo's grasp, and started walking ahead of the others despite their teasing.

"Hurry! She's going to be late to school." Zico grumbled.

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