"Mom, I need your help.  I've made friends with someone who needs a lot of care."

Mom smiled and asked, "Is he a boy?"

I said yes and told her I want to be this guy's friend even for just a year. I also said that I know after school that would be the end of it.  I'll go abroad as planned.  I asked for her help because father will wonder about my going somewhere after class.  I am closely monitored and need some space.

"Very well, Chiseki at the end of the school year, everything goes back to normal. You know your limits. I'll speak to your father."

Then I called Yuta to update him.  "Onii-chan, when will you be back?"

He said within the month.  He asked me how is school coming along.  I told him about Young Do becoming my friend.  He said there is no way boys and girls can become best friends. I told him it makes sense because I grew up surrounded by brothers.  I also told him Young do is like them, rough around the edges.  I asked him to allow this friendship, as it is valid for one year only.  I can tell he is not convinced and said we'll talk again when he comes back.  I forgot to ask him who is the mole he planted at school or if it is Yato Honda.

Young Do and I gradually developed a schedule.  After school, when he has no other plans with Rae Won, he goes with me after class to eat dinner.  I don't know what Yuta said to Rae Won but that fellow has since kept a polite distance from me.  There are times Young Do and I study together.  He's not dumb. He's actually pretty smart and picks up concepts faster than me.  He was really just unbelievably lazy before.  Who knows, my love of studying probably rubbed off him.  It also helped that I made it a condition that we study after eating dinner together.  Everything just evolved into some sort of platonic friendship.  Either he hasn't gotten over his first love, Eun Sang, or I'm not  IT for him.  I was content and left it at that.

His weekends are spent working at his father's hotel doing the dishes. Soon, he'll move on to the reception lobby. I'll surprise visit him one of these days.  It will be priceless.  I'm confident he won't kill me in school the next day.

I met his dad when he brought me to one of their sparring sessions together.  That tells you the level at which I have been friendzoned.  Arrgh!  My poor heart.  I'm totally not girlfriend material, I'm his new best bud! He is comfortable enough with me to let me see how he is thrashed by his dad repeatedly.  At dinner, we discussed his weak points.  I also consulted Yuta with some strategies he can later use against his father who is a mean son of a on the judo mat.  His dad didn't think anything of me.  I've been classified as that peculiar type of female who avidly likes combat sports.  I was allowed to call him uncle instead of Mister Choi.

My own Sundays are blocked for family.  Dad is aware that the only 'real' friend I have made is Young Do.  I'm betting he has a comprehensive dossier on him now.  Since he has let it continue, Young Do must have passed muster and judged safe enough to be my friend.