"Does he smell good?"

"Yoojung shush, like smelling him is something that she would do!" Hayi scolded the girl sitting on the windowsill near their desks. They were all sitting with four desks pushed together and stray chairs pulled up for lunch. The room was rather loud as it normally was during this time and the new student in class was the subject of the day. Hayi directed her attention back to her best friend who was trying to hide her blushing face with her hair. "Does he smell good?" Soohyun's eyes shot up at her. Hayi shrugged, "I'm asking...for science." 

"He's just a boy okay, he sat next to me cause I had the only open seat, it wasn't his choice. The seating will be changed tomorrow I'm sure. Though, yes I will admit he is...somewhat attractive-"

"Oh come on..." Jimin mumbled

"But I am in school for an education so -"

"You can get into a university in Seoul and become a doctor like your parents want since your brother ran off to be a musician they have high expectations, we know." Her friends all finished for her having heard the speech many times. They actually may know what Soohyun's life plan is better than their own. 

"Exactly. So I have no time for...for boys," She pushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear and snuck a look across the room to Jiwon who was staring out the window barely touching the lunch that was in front of him. Before she could look away he looked at her catching her off guard so she quickly turned back to her group of friends

"I wonder what his story is though," Yein said 

"He looks older," Hayi added

"Maybe he flunked," 

"Or was expelled from his last schools and kept getting held back," Yoojung looked back at the boy who was once again staring out the window.

"Well whatever it is, it's nothing to me. Let's talk about something else." Soohyun said and soon a new topic was distracting the girls enough to not notice Soohyun sneaking more looks at Jiwon.

Part of her did want to know his story, and what he was always so busy jotting down in his notebook. Another part of her was rattling off all of the things that her parents would scold her over at dinner. Something about the boy intrigued her, and scared her, her brother was always telling her to go after the things that scare her most...was this one of those situations, she wasn't sure. 

-x-

At the end of the day Soohyun stayed behind to clean up the classroom like she did everyday but this time she had company. Jiwon was helping her turn the chairs upside down on the desks and make sure no one had left any belongings behind. He even cleaned parts of the whiteboard that she couldn't reach. They didn't talk, just worked. 

When they finished Jiwon left first making Soohyun sad, thinking she missed her chance to thank him for his help but after turning off the lights and closing the door she saw him standing there again with a younger girl. Soohyun stared at the two in confusion but Jiwon wouldn't meet her eye. 

"I had to wait for my sister to get out of class so I thought I'd help you out. I also wanted to make sure you got home okay, my mom would scold me if I didn't." The young girl at his side was laughing at her brothers nervousness but Soohyun's heart was beating fast for some reason.

"Oh," Was all that she managed before turning to head towards the stairs to start her walk home. 

Soohyun and Jiwon walked side by side while his sister skipped a few paces ahead retelling her day, getting the occasional responses from Jiwon. They reached the bus stop that Soohyun needed to board and she wondered if they were going this way...or going out of their way. 

"We actually have to go this way...I hope." Jiwon replied nervously when she voiced her concern. 

"Can't you do anything right Jiwonie? Mom gave you a sheet with instructions in your lunch, didn't you see?" 

"Oh she did? Well I guess that's what we have our Jiyeon for," He reached forward ruffling her hair as she handed him the sheet from her lunch. Soohyun looked over his shoulder seeing that he lived a block away from her. 

"Oh really, small world." he said still avoiding her eye.

"I'm Kim Jiyeon, who are you?" Soohyun laughed realizing she never introduced herself to the young girl 

"I'm Lee Soohyun, I'm in your brothers class." 

"Ah, so my brother can get pretty girls to talk to him I see," 

"Ya, Kim Jiyeon!" 

"It's true," 

Soohyun laughed enjoying the sibling connection that the two had and wondered if she still had any type of connection with her brother. She was assuming any type of connection that they had was surely gone since they hadn't talked in four years. Being with the two wasn't uncomfortable even though it was their first meeting, of course a lot of that could be thanks to Jiyeon who was still young enough to have a carefree mind, Soohyun envied her. 

They boarded their bus and soon left it walking the short distance to the point where they had to part. 

"It was nice of you to let us come back with you," 

"I liked the company actually, normally I just catch up on school reading on the bus." Jiwon nodded 

"I'll see you tomorrow then"

"Yes," The two turned and started down the opposite block Jiyeon still having stories to tell. 

Soohyun watched them a moment longer before finishing her walk home, likely to their housekeeper and her tutor. Was her meeting Jiwon and him living a block away, one of those things done by fate that her brother would always write songs about, she wasn't sure. Although she did know that Jiwon didn't seem like a bad person and he had a nice smile. And she couldn't keep herself from leaning towards him from time to time since she had to admit he did smell good.