Flashback

Jiyong’s POV

First day of school has never been a pleasant experience for me since I almost always meet the wrong kind of people. I seem to attract a lot of fake characters who only acknowledge money and power.

But I hope to change that with this new school. I didn't want to be seen as the stereotypical rich spoilt brat. I want to be plain old Kwon Jiyong, the mama's boy.

As I stepped out of my mother’s car and made my way across the concourse, I could feel a few penetrating gazes on my back. I wasn't appreciating the attention much.

Somehow I had managed to find my way to the school's office. There, I got the combination to my locker, my timetable for the semester and a few other papers that I had to get my parent to sign. As I thanked the clerk, I made my way to the cafeteria where I had been given directions to. It is break time now, and there is still a few minutes left till the next lesson starts. I stood in line at the drink stall to get myself some juice.

Since I may get lost along the way, I figured it'll be smart to find my way to class now. As I studied the timetable while sipping on my juice, something hit me.

Well, more like someone hit me, hard.

It all occurred too quickly for my mind to register the entire situation. All I knew was my back had made contact with the cold floor and accompanying that was a numbing sensation and spilt juice on my shirt.

As I was still caught in a daze, I failed to realize that the person who had collided into me was now laying on me. As I regained my senses, my eyes made contact with the most unique set of brown feline eyes I have ever seen. And for the second time today, I was caught in another daze. I was quickly snapped out of it though, literally.

She was snapping her fingers in front of my face, asking if I was okay as she studied my expression. I could only manage a silent nod. I was so smitten by her beauty that I found myself tongue-tied. I kept staring at her lips as she spoke, as though I was lip reading. But my mind was far from trying to figure out what she's saying. Her plump lips look soft and I can’t help but wonder how they felt like.

She suddenly snapped her head over her shoulder. She cursed under her breath and muttered a quick apology to me before getting up on her feet and dashing off into a direction. I watched her retreating back as she ran off and disappeared.

A few moments later, another figure came running towards my direction. His attention shifted to me and seeing how I was still a stunned mess on the floor, he held a hand out in front of me. I looked at him curiously before accepting his helping hand. He pulled me up to my feet and assisted me in gathering my scattered belongings.

"Uhm…you better get that cleaned up. Sorry." He eyed the red stain on my wife beater I wore under the dress shirt. I was taken aback at how deep and husky his voice sounded because it definitely did not match his…pretty face. Yes, pretty.

"By the way did you see where she went? The crazy girl that bumped into you," he spoke again.

I simply pointed to the direction where I had last seen this 'crazy girl' run off to.

"Thanks. Yah Lee Chaerin!!" he called out.

And with that, he was on his way, leaving me dumbfounded and a little light headed.

Lee Chaerin?

So that's her name.

End of POV/ flashback

The following day…

Chaerin and Jiyong were seen walking side by side around school. Chaerin was performing her duty as the ‘tour guide’ to help Jiyong familiarize himself with the school facility. She would occasionally point out an area where they would happen to pass by, but for most of the time, silence engulfed the two.

Chaerin did not know what to say to the new kid so she can’t but help but feel awkward at having to start a proper conversation with him. She would just ask him casual questions like why he transferred or how he found the school so far. For a guy, Chaerin found him to be quite shy.

Jiyong on the other hand, was trailing beside Chaerin like a lost puppy. He was more than happy to have met her again, let alone be classmates with her. And after he learns from their homeroom teacher that Chaerin would be his ‘buddy’ who would help him around school, he was really counting his lucky stars.

What are the odds that he gets to see more of her everyday so effortlessly?

He was too concerned with throwing side glances at her beautiful self that he had forgotten how to converse like a normal human being. Whenever she made eye contact with him to ask a question, which he knew she felt obliged to ask, he would divert his gaze elsewhere, afraid that he might have been caught staring. He tried playing it cool but the girl was oozing with charisma that he can’t help but feel a little self-conscious whenever he had to answer her. He did not want to ruin their little ‘moment’ by saying the wrong things that might make him look stupid. Yes, walking side by side with her was considered a moment to him.

“Hey Cat!” a male student waved to Chaerin who was walking towards him with Jiyong beside her.

“What’s up dog? Where are you going?” Chaerin called back as the three halted in the middle of the hallway.

“Going to pass this to the office,” the guy waved the brown file he held in his hand. “So are we still on for later?” he playfully wiggled his eyebrows at her, totally ignoring the dirty look the third party was giving him. Chaerin rolled her eyes at his annoying gesture before briefly nodding.

“Great! I can’t wait to see you baby!~” he cooed and smacked her behind as he scurried off before she could get to him.

“YAH! I WILL PINCH YOUR S YOU !!” Chaerin screamed at the ert who was now a safe distance away from her. She had totally forgotten about the Jiyong who was standing awkwardly behind her, being an audience to the unusual spectacle.

“I WOULD LOVE THAT!” the guy shouted back, further provoking the already mad Chaerin.

“YAAAAHHH!!!” Chaerin screeched at no one in particular since all that could be heard was an amused chuckle echoing through the hallway.

“That idiot,” she huffed as she turned to continue on her way only to be confronted by the slightly puzzled and amused Jiyong.

“Oh right, you’re still here…” she muttered under her breath.

 “Are you ok?” Jiyong asked, concerned that the girl’s modesty had somewhat been outraged.

“Yeah. He does that all the time. I’ll get him later.” She stated as a matter-of-fact before she gestured for him to follow her as they continued on their way. Jiyong was slightly puzzled at how unfazed she sounded and how quickly she brushed the matter off. She must be used to that kind of treatment.

“He does that ALL the time? Who was that guy?” Jiyong was not one to pry but he was itching with curiosity; mainly due to the fact that he was interested in knowing more about Chaerin and what exactly was her status in this school. Not that he cared about status, but all day today as Chaerin showed him around the school facility, she had been exchanging informal greetings with some students that they bumped into. Even the teachers whom they passed by called out to her like they were her friends. Chaerin was definitely something else; it was as though her peers held some form of respect for her but Jiyong couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s Seungri. He’s just like that.” Again, how she could sound indifferent and cool was beyond him.

“Still, you shouldn’t let him do that to you.” That may have come out differently than it sounded in Jiyong’s head.

Chaerin stopped in her tracks and turned to give Jiyong a death glare. The boy could only gulp as she burned holes right through his face.

“Did you see me putting on a sign that says ‘tap this ’? Anyway, what are being so concerned about? I told you it’s fine,” she retorted.

Chaerin didn’t appreciate busybodies, and since she took Seungri’s antics lightly, she didn’t understand why Jiyong wouldn’t drop the matter.

She and Seungri or little Seunghyun as he was formally known, had known each other since they first entered school. Seungri had always been ‘that guy’; that guy in school who’s known to be a flirt, extra touchy with girls and the class clown but behind all that he is a really good friend with a good heart. So whenever he pulled something funny on Chaerin, she would always get back at him. They had a love-hate kind of friendship so Chaerin had been accustomed to his sort of teasing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound like that…” Jiyong trailed off not wanting to offend the girl further.

“It’s fine. Let’s go.” Since he had apologized there’s no need to be a about it, Chaerin thought.

So the two walked some more around school; Chaerin showed the newbie the usual to-go to places, like where to study or where to relax. Jiyong paid attention to the new surroundings and the places of hangouts that Chaerin discouraged him from going to; something about the high class es’ usual haunt and how they hate outsiders invading. Jiyong took a mental note to steer clear of those places. The last thing he needs is to have to deal with school bullies in a new semester. He nodded in understanding as Chaerin continued giving him the ‘101 guide on surviving high school’.

Jiyong was perplexed as to why she is going the extra mile in giving him the insider’s information on how things are run around the school. Be it she’s concerned for his safety, since the new kid always gets pushed around in school or she is just genuinely helpful and kind, Jiyong secretly wishes it was the former, her thoughtfulness made him feel warm somehow. Call it infatuation, but his guts tell him that there is more to this girl than meets the eye; and Jiyong was all about his instincts. And the way she had a strange effect on him was something Jiyong could not completely grasp at the moment.

“Hunchae…,” he suddenly blurted out his thoughts, surprising both Chaerin and himself.

“What did you say?” Chaerin quirked a brow at the boy beside her, wearing his wide grin, looking as if he was high on something. His image scared her a bit.

“Hun-hun Chaerin...Hunchae!,” he proudly stated as if it was some sort of great revelation. Although confused by his own actions, there was no shame in it since he had been thinking that about her the whole time they were together. That was how she made him feel; his heart to be exact, felt warm and fuzzy, as though it was swelling in contentment with her just being beside him. Jiyong did not fully understand this foreign feeling but it sure felt good to him.

"Aha....y-yeah okay...I think we should take a break at the cafeteria...." Chaerin quickly walked away from the awkward situation, attempting to hide the furious blush that was tainted on her cheeks. She didn't even give Jiyong a second glance as she made a beeline towards the cafeteria. She assumed that he was trailing behind her. 

What the hell was that about? She thought. She mentally cursed herself for having such an unexpected reaction towards a mere compliment she was sure he passed to many other girls. She was after all Chaerin, a tough girl; and the last time she checked, tough girls don't take from people.

Neither do they blush like shy little girls in front of handsome guys.

hey guys! Sorry to have made you wait.

Anyways, is the speed of the story ok? too fast? too slow?

BTW, who do u wnna see appear next chapter?

Tabi? Bommie? or both....? malhaejwo~ :)