Chapter 02

Author's POV

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Sleeping late and waking up early in the morning isn't new to her, it's what she usually does and she's used to it. Fluttering her eyes open, she squints it a little as she adjust her vision from the sunlight streaming from her window. A groan slip from her lips when she tries to move her body to stretch and that's the time she realize her position and where she slept on. She slept on her study desk. Getting up from her chair, she ignore the sounds of her cracking bones from her every movement as she heads to the bathroom.

Getting all prepared, she made her way to the kitchen already in her school uniform and made a breakfast only for her halmoni since she don’t take a breakfast in the morning. She put it on the tray together with the medicine before walking to her room. Seeing her still asleep, she just wrote a message on a piece of sticky note ‘’Eat well and don’t forget to take your medicine. I love you.’’ and put it beside the tray before she left silently.

It’s still early in the morning so she just simply walked to the school. It’s not far from their house. She was about to enter the school gate when she heard someone just yelled her name.

“Wait, Yeori!” She turn around to see who it was and it’s Haneul, running towards her.

“Oh hey, Haneul.” she simply greets him.

“Hi, Yeori. Let’s go inside.” He says with a cheeky smile and they both get inside.

"Okay."

They could hear the students murmuring, sending death glares and disgusted looks at them especially on Yeori obviously by the fact that she's with Haneul. She tries to distance herself a little from him and looked down, letting her hair to cover her face and he noticed it.

What Haneul did caught her surprised when she felt his hand grabbing her wrist as he gently pulls her closer to him and she could hear the students' dramatically gasping at them. She slightly yank his hand but Haneul didn’t bother to remove it and this made Yeori looked up to him only to see his unbothered serious face mixed with confidence that he’s with her.

“Haneul, what are you doing?” She lowly asks, enough only for the two of them to hear while still trying to remove his hand.

“Don’t mind them. Just keep walking.” he says without looking at her. His face may not be showing any comfort but his hand on her wrist shows as his thumb gently caressing the skin there comfortingly.

“But—“She tries to say something but he cut her off.

“No buts, remember I said I’ll be your friend...and I won’t let them harm you.” he says before turning with a concern and sincerity on his face and Yeori just stare at him, can’t utter even a single word due to confusion. Those words, why does it sound familiar? She thought as she felt a kind of fog forming in her mind when she tries to remember something.

They then enter the classroom and Yeori can see their reactions especially Mira and her minions, they’re sending her death glares. Yeori looked away, tugging Haneul to their respective seats. While waiting for the teacher, she took out her book and starts flipping pages for an advance reading. Haneul tapping her arm, gets her attention and she give him a questioning look. He pointed on his own book, asking her if what would be the topic for today in their History class. Yeori leans closer to turn the page into page 265 right on time when someone just approached them, no other than Mira with her friends.

“Oppa, if you want someone to help you, we can hang out and study together.” She shamelessly spoke in a flirty voice but Haneul didn’t answer her, not even sparing her a glance as if it like she doesn’t exist. While Yeori's eyes goes 'here and there' as she quietly watch the scene infront of her. How Mira tries hard to get Haneul's attention.

“Ahm, Oppa.” She says, fake clearing her throat in attempt to get Haneul’s attention but fails to do so. Mira groans, stomping out from the class with a fuming face. She doesn’t even care for being absent in the class since she’s the daughter of the principal. Spoiled brat.

“Hey Haneul, why didn’t you talk to her?”

“I told you already, I don’t like them. Now back to study.” He simply shrugs, giving her a small smile before turning back his attention to his book.

After their classes, they went to the cafeteria together for lunch but halfway there, Haneul told her that he left something in the classroom and has to go back to get it. Yeori sits there at cafeteria, patiently waiting for Haneul. The place fills with loud laughters as the students eating around are too immense in their own world chitchatting random things.

"Look what do we have here! A filthy rat. Why aren't you eating? Oh right, you're waiting for a food donation." Yeori internally groans hearing the voice of the devil again coming from behind her. Can't she just leave her alone? Mira rounds the table until she's in front of Yeori with a smug smirk. Her friends then laughs at Yeori judgingly. She heard the other students also laughs at her. She badly wanted to stand for herself but she doesn't have enough courage to do that as her fear always empowers her. One bad record could affect her academic performance, she can't just risk it and once she do that, she will be called to the guidance office together with her grandmother. Don't give grandma a problem. She's too weak to endure suvh problem like this. Her subconscious warns her and with this, Yeori didn't utter any words. She stood up, turning around as she ignores them but Mira didn't just stop there. Yeori gasp in shock when she felt a cold liquid from her head running down to her whole body. When the smell of the white liquid came to her nostril, that's when she realize what Mira have just spilled on her. Milk. "Oops." Mira evilly giggles with her friends and the whole students inside the cafeteria laughs at her poor state too.

Her tears streams down from her face. She can't help not to cry due to embarrassment. She runs towards the exit with a heavy heart and the moment she stepped out of the place she bumped into Haneul's chest. He immediately catched her when she almost lost her balance. His eyes widens at the sight of her appearance, soaking wet and crying.

"H-Haneul.." She quickly pull herself away and looked down, to ashamed too looked at Haneul who eyes her with concern. He holds her shoulders to keep her steady as she seem on the verge to breakdown to the ground from crying.

"What happened? Why are you--wait, is this a milk?" He worriedly asks and smells the cold liquid that gets into his palm from holding Yeori's shoulder. She's trying leave without an answer but he wouldn't let her. It really concerns him seeing his friend like this. Who the hell did this to her?! He thought, frowning in anger. "Who did this to you?"

"It's Mira--hey! What are going to do? Haneul!" Yeori didn't even get to finish her words as Haneul head towards the intrance not without wearing off his coat and drapes it on her shoulder to cover.

"Chill, I'm just going to get a drink. I'm thirsty. Wait for me here." He replies without turning, voice held nothing but calm. He gets inside while Yeori stays there with a flustered face. Did he put his coat on me? She thought as she looked down on his coat that's covering her. His perfume lingers there and it smell so good. It must be expensive one she guess--

"Ahhh!"

The sudden yell she heard coming from the inside of the cafeteria before startles her. Haneul then came out after, holding a banana milk in his hand.

"What did you do?" Yeori asks him right away and he innocently raised an eyebrow at her, looking clueless.

"Eh? I just get a drink." He says, pointing back at the cafeteria's entrance and Yeori frowns confusingly.

"Then what's with the scream inside?" His lips forms in in 'o' shape after the question.

"Oh, that? Well, a girl have just slipped on a banana milk." He nonchalantly answer, sipping on his milk, one hand tucked inside his pocket. A girl? Yeori got curious and goes to the entrance to take a peak and there she see Mira glaring at the students laughing at her, complaining who the hell spilled a banana milk on her way while trying to fix her now wet skirt and holding her aching back. Banana milk? She looked at Haneul over her shoulder. He's drinking a banana milk. Did he just...oh no.

"Let's go." Haneul gently tugs her on her wrist.

"Where to? Haneul, I'm in a mess. I need to clean up myself." She points at herself. Now where would he going to take her?

"I know. I'm taking you to the restroom. I'll wait outside." He says as he take her to the nearest restroom, motioning her to get inside. "Do you have extra shirt with you?"

"Yeah. It's in my bag." Yeori mumbles as she gets inside while Haneul stays outside looking like a bodyguard. He taps his foot on the ground as he think of what just happened to her today. How come she could bear all of those beatings and embarrassment they give to her? She can't be left alone. Those people could probably do worse than this. Why would they hate her when she doesn't do anything wrong? It's not fair. It should be stop. He couldn't help not to worry for Yeori. He can't help not to get angry there when he found out that it was Mira who embarrassed his friend. As stupid as it may sound but, he's the one who spilled the banana milk on Mira's way without anyone noticing it. She deserved it anyway. He roll his eyes away at the thought it. That girl's been bothering him since yesterday.

He could hear the sound of the water running from inside the restroom. After some minutes, Yeori finally stepped out of the restroom dressed up in her P.E. shirt tucked inside her matching black cargo pants, hair still wet from the water. She handed him back his coat right away and Haneul looked at her up and down, checking her in a respective manner.

"All good?" He asks, smiling when Yeori nodded at him. "Let's eat then."

"But I don't think we have much time." Yeori says, brows slightly furrowing at the idea. They only have ten minutes before their next period. Haneul must have been hungry. She thought, slowly starting to overthink and this didn't go unnoticed to Haneul who's looking at her amusingly.

"No need to worry. The time is ours. Mr. Flynn is out of town." Haneul tells her before she could think to blame herself and Haneul sees how her face lit up in that news.

"Really?" She felt relief, slowly exhaling out the air that she just realized she's holding and for the first time...a bright smile appears on her face and Haneul amusingly stares at her for a moment. She's pretty. Why did I just noticed it today? She has the prettiest smile. She should smile like that often. He thought.

"Let's eat outside. I know a small resto near here. They have a delicious spicy rice cake there." He suggests and Yeori agrees with him. She's craving spicy rice cake anyway.

It didn't took them long to get to the place Haneul's talked about. Although it's a small restaurant, it's cozy and has great peaceful vibe inside. What makes it best is that, the foods are all affordable. Yeori has enough money with her to pay for her order but Haneul insisted to pay for her. It took them a minute of bickering before Yeori finally give up at Haneul's stubbornness. She sighs while Haneul only grins at her. Yeori took a moment to stare at him who's happily waiting at the line. Haneul's such a nice friend. She thought while waiting there at the table she picked for them that's near to the glass wall. Haneul soon came with a tray of their order on his hands.

"Thank you." She politely accept her food as Haneul took a seat across her. "So, tell me. Why did you transferred?" She starts a conversation while eating.

"I wanted to study in a university with less restrictions. You know, less pressure." Haneul shrugs. He did a great choice then. She thought. The university they're studying in is the most 'Less-restriction' of all the university. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"How old are you?"

Okay, why does the topic jump there?

"Twenty." She's confused as to why he just asked about her age but tells him anyway.

"Twenty? For real?"

Why do he looked surprised? Isn't it obvious?

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?" She asks, raising an eyebrow and Haneul slightly laughs. It's not in a mocking manner though.

"Aish. All this time you would just call me by my name. I'm two years older than you." He says and Yeori's lips formed into an 'o' shape as she finally get what he mean.

"Oh. Well, you see, I think I'm not comfortable with calling an elder guy 'oppa'." She says, trailing off with the last word as she awkwardly clears her throat. Slowly feeling her blood rushing up to her cheeks. Addressing an elder in that manner kinda sound awkward for her. She hasn't yet experience or tried to call someone like that since she doesn't have a brother or a known elder cousin to call that.

"And why's that?" Haneul asks curiously, doe eyes innocently looking at her with his cheeks cutely stuffed with food like a squirrel and Yeori tried her best to bit back a smile. Why does she found it cute and funny?

"I don't know." She says as she continues to eat her food while Haneul jokingly narrows his eyes at her as if like a detective trying to figure out something before his lips forms into an amused smile. This girl infront of him is just...something different. An interesting one. It's not that difficult to him to understand what she mean. It's obvious she never had a guy in her life and he understand her.

"You don't have to do that with me. If you're not comfortable with it, it's fine. I'm not that much older than you anyway." He assures her and that makes her looked up to him.

"Thanks." Haneul only smile at her. Thank god she wouldn't have to do it or else she would always feel awkward whenever she calls him that. Haneul is such a different guy. Most of the rich guy like him has a bad personality and all. But Haneul is way far from those and has a kind soul. What makes him more different from them is that, he has a unique sense of style and interest. "Can I ask you too something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Why pink?" She pointed at his hair before and Haneul's face lit up in interest.

"It's my favorite color. Do you like it?" A guy who likes pink color? Hm, that's...kinda interesting. She thought. Nowadays, it's rare to find a guy who likes pink color.

"Blue is my favorite." This is new to her. She never had someone to share her interest with, until now, with Haneul. She admit, she's slowly getting comfortable having him around. "Pink color suits you by the way." She honestly tells him and Haneul nods appreciatingly before lips curl into a mischievous smile.

"What can I say, I'm gorgeous." He joke, sassily flipping his invisible long hair and that makes Yeori huff out an air in disbelief before a bubbles of giggle came out from her as she finds his act funny and Haneul could swear that it's cutest giggle he's ever heard from a girl. Something from the back of his mind telling him that he did a great job on making Yeori happy.

They used the whole free time hanging out and talking a lot of things and when it's time for them to get home, Haneul insisted to walk her home. She didn't refuse because she knows he won't accept her 'no' as an answer. It only took them fifthteen minutes before they finally arrive at Yeori's simple house.

“Yeori.” He calls as they're now standing infront of the door.

“Hm. What is it?” she hums, turning sideways and she's met by a little orange gift box with a printed maple leaf in the middle of its lid.

"What's this?" Yeori asks, frowning in confusion as she looked up to him.

Haneul reaches for her wrist, placing it on her hand. "It's a little gift for our friendship. I hope you like it." Haneul says, rubbing the back of his neck as he shyly smiles at her while Yeori stood there on her spot with wide eyes and mouth hung opens in surprised. "I saw it yesterday while I was on my way home and you're the person who crossed my mind. So I thought I'll buy it as gift for you." He what?! Her mind just shout.

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