A/N: A homage to Cookie from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. 

Why was Lee Jieun so cute?

Jeon Jungkook leaned his forehead against the top rim of his navy blue gym locker despite it having seen better days. The cool metal against his warm skin was a relief to his body, but it still didn't alleviate the lovesick thoughts plaguing his mind.

She had been running through his head when he was suppose to be taking diligent notes in AP Calculus AB. She popped into his brain when he was suppose to be choosing the best answer to a psychology test question that came after a chunky paragraph. She appeared when he accidentally said her name as the main character of a love story in the live recitation of his book report to the class.

Lee Jieun came into his life like a wrecking ball, and he was allowing all the academic destruction to happen.

Why?

Because she was the first person to approach him after transferring from Busan High to SOPA, which was also known as the School Of Performing Arts in Seoul.

With one strap of his backpack strapped to his slumped shoulder, Jungkook meekly trudged his way over to SOPA's E building because, according to the school map he was given by one of the administrative office staff, this was where all the English classes were held. He was still nursing his homesick heart that yearned for his childhood friends and home when he had bumped into someone at the entrance to room 102.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He solemnly murmured. Jungkook scanned the person he accidentally collided with and took in the tan loafers, light denim skinny jeans, vertical striped blouse, and the white binder covered with celebrities tucked in her right hand. She steadied the thin strap of her faux leather messenger bag on her narrow shoulder before replying.

"That's okay. No harm done." She smiled, but he couldn't reciprocate the amiable gesture.

Jungkook nodded in her direction, believing that to be the end of the brief conversation, and was about to head inside the classroom when he felt a hand grabbing his arm.

"Wait, why the sad face? I mean, I know that school started a month and a half ago, but summer will be back soon." She chuckled.

Although he appreciated the humorous effort, Jungkook couldn't lift the sorrow blanketing his facial features. "Today's my first day, actually."

She threw her head back in surprise. "Really? That's kind of late considering that it's nearly October now."

"Yeah. My dad got a sudden job transfer because of a promotion, and my family had to move from Busan to Seoul. So, here I am, friendless and completely alone in a foreign environment. What a great way to begin junior year right?" Jungkook scoffed.

"Come on, now. That's not the right attitude to have." She chastised. "Junior year is one of the most exciting times of our lives! We can finally go to prom without having to be invited by the upperclassmen, and we get more priority when it comes to choosing classes."

"You forgot about SATs and all that prep work for college." Jungkook sullenly retorted.

"Hey, no one said it was easy, but you shouldn't focus solely on academics or you'd go bananas. Trust me."

Jungkook remained mute. "It would be easier getting through my third year if I had my friends with me."

Jieun tapped her chin with a single, manicured nail. "Tell you what. After this class ends, why don't you come and hangout with me at lunch? I have a group of friends who are just as nice and hilarious as me. You'll love them all the same. Deal?"

It was Jungkook's turn to reel back in shock. He had never expected to be friends with this fashionable girl who was so blunt yet so caring. She wasn't obligated to even talk to him yet she took it upon herself to get him comfortable in his new setting. Tears suddenly choked his throat, and, since he didn't want to betray the extreme gratitude he felt for her, Jungkook emphatically nodded in affirmation.

"Great! By the way, I should've asked this in the beginning, but what's your name?" She out her hand. "I'm Lee Jieun."

"Jeon Jungkook. Junior. Class of 2019." He quickly shook her hand to hide his embarrassment at the lame way he had introduced himself. 

Really, Jungkook? You ain't running for president, you idiot.

Jieun nonchalantly wrapped her arm around his shoulder, already guiding him past the doorway. "Alright, dongsaeng. Let's get to English before our butts get whooped by the teacher. Mr. Ryu is a cool guy and all, but he can only take so much tardiness-"

Jungkook halted in his tracks. "Wait, you're older than me?"

Jieun nodded. "I'm a senior, and I'm the teacher's assistant for this class. So, you should addess me as 'sunbae', but, because you're new, I'll play nice. You can call me 'noona'."

"N-noona." The word sounded bizarre in his mouth. In his family, he was the oldest sibling and "oppa" was the only thing he heard incessantly from his younger sister's lips. However, as he mentally repeated the title over and over, it began to grow on him. For once, he could depend on someone and lean on them during times of trouble. He acutally had someone to look out for him.

"What a beautiful start to a relationship we have here. But, just so you know, I won't go easy on you when I'm grading your assignments and tests. Even if you're my dongsaeng." Jieun emphasized, but she softened her statement with a grin.

And that initiated the precarious process of when his feelings took a nosedive from admiration to infatuation in less than a year.

Summer had officially retreated back into its shell as Autumn made its way through Seoul, transforming the leafy green trees lining the school to lovely hues of orange, gold, and ruby red. Although it was still a tad warm in the mornings and afternoons, the nightly winds came with tinges of crisp, cold air promising that winter wasn't that far behind.

It had been almost a month since Jungkook had started at SOPA, and he had already found his home away from home. Thanks to Jieun's introduction to her group of senior friends, he had managed to carve out his own little, cozy niche. Despite Kevin, Heechul, Hwasa, Eunji, and Henry teasing about him being the youngest in the co-ed gang, Jungkook quickly grew to love them and their sarcastic natures. Every day was a memorable event as light-hearted squabbles ensued amidst the trolling and studying. However, his heart did give a slight pang whenever they discussed about college and financial aid applications because the time that he had with them was unconsciously ticking away.

It saddened him even more that Jieun was going to leave too because he was so accustomed to seeing her almost daily at school. English class wouldn't be the same without her sitting on the side listening to music on her Iphone while she graded last night's homework or filed everyone's work away. She literally brightened his day with her perky demeanor and gleaming smile.

Nevertheless, he was going to focus on enjoying his third year with his newfound friends while attempting to pull Jieun's attention towards him. Through subtle questioning, he was aware of the fact that Jieun was currently "single and ready to mingle" as she had termed it, and Jungkook ambitiously hatched a brilliant idea to be the man by her side.

Halloween would be arriving tomorrow, and he had the perfect costume to wow Jieun and bring him onto her radar. 

Oh, she can't deny missing me for sure, Jungkook thought as he began chortling in a deep tone before rising into a crescendo.

"Jeon Jungkook! You better be in bed, young man! It is past your curfew!" His mother, Jeon Jinna, shouted from behind the closed door.

He hastily scrambled to his feet to shut off the lights and jumped into bed to placate his mother, but internally screamed that it was only one minute past 10 PM. 

It's okay. In nine and a half hours, Jieun will be not be able to tear her eyes off of you.

It was nearly eight in the morning, and he was being blinded. "Dude, can you turn off that outfit, please?" Henry Lau hurriedly shielded his eyes.

Kim Heechul choked on his breakfast burrito. "Are you a walking fire hydrant?"

Kevin Woo buried himself into the corner of the junction of where the table met the wall. "Is that a real gangster on campus?"

"Really, guys? I think the tail and horns are cute though." Jung Eunji, who was dressed as a lifesize pikachu, complimented.

"Um, is this some ghetto version of Satan you're trying to summon, Jungkook?" Ahn Hwasa couldn't hide her grin.

Jungkook glanced down at himself. It was like someone had thrown a bucket of luminscent red paint at him, drowning him in it from head to toe. His attire consisted of a crimson hoodie, shorts, knee-high socks, and sneakers along with a plastic devil's tail attached to his bottom and horns on his head. He fashioned himself a paper mache pitchfork in under an hour and was mightily pleased with how his handiwork turned out. After scrutinizing himself in his floor-length mirror, he deemed himself a suitable and masculine devil.

Seeing his friends' reactions, however, suddenly caused him to doubt himself. Was it that difficult to identify himself as a devil? Jungkook thought that it was pretty obvious from the telltale signs, but he was now having second thoughts.

"Here comes Jieun now." Eunji conspicuously announced as she caught a glimpse of the said person from her peripherals. "Boy is she going to have a fit." 

"Morning, guys." Jieun stumbled to a stop at the table once she got a full look at Jungkook. "Oh my god...you look like a firetruck."

Jungkook's face crumbled into a crestfallen expression.

"But a cute firetruck." Jieun optimistically added after observing his reaction, which lifted his mood up again.

"How come you and everyone else excep