Life was like a roller coaster.

 

Up and down. Up and down.

 

For some it dipped down pretty hard, for some it remained a pretty peaceful

ride.

 

For Lee Jaekyung, the roller coaster she boarded seemed exceptionally

bumpy. First she devoted her entire life to protecting her sister, and then

she was the one getting hurt physically and mentally.

 

However at least for now, the roller coaster seemed to only be going up.

 

Life was wonderful with L as her boyfriend. He was caring, gentle, and not

to mention protective. He had a good reason to, and Jaekyung was

somewhat grateful for his protection. She just wasn't prepared to be that

friendly with other guys yet.

 

Not after that incident.

 

It left a scar in her heart that could never be erased, but L's presence was

doing wonders on nulling the pain of the aftermath. She still had a long way

to go to recovering, but she was getting there.

 

Everyone was starting to realize that the dull one wasn't very dull after all.

 

On the other hand, the pretty one seemed to have lost some of her shine.

The perfect little life she had didn't seem as perfect as it did before.

 

She always prided herself in being a good person, even if she knew she was

slightly insensitive and thoughtless, but Chaekyung never expected herself

to have been a boyfriend-snatcher. Not to mention snatching from her

sister.

 

She felt the pain of Jaekyung's unfortunate incident, she felt the pain of

being the other one in a relationship. The sudden knowledge of what

happened in the past made her realize what she made her sister go through

because of her actions.

 

Guilt. It attacked her everyday.

 

Until one day if you stopped to observe, you would have realized that the

pretty one wasn't that pretty without confidence anymore.

ForewordWhen the dull one of two sisters is prettier than she lets on, does that make

the pretty sister duller than she seems?

 

HER: LEE CHAEKYUNG

 

Hoards of fanboys at her feet and even having female admirers didn't boost

Chaekyung's confidence. She was the school's little princess, the little miss

popular that everyone loved.

 

But when miss popular didn't believe in herself anymore, who would?

 

 

 

HIM: LEE BYUNGHUN (L.JOE)

 

 

Byunghun, or rather L.Joe, was a new student that had just transferred over

to Woolim High. He was a year younger than Jaekyung and L but studying

the same year as Chaekyung as he was rumored to have previously been

retained. He had his fair share of ups and downs which caused him to

instantly dislike Chaekyung due to stereotypical assumptions.

 

A little crush, a little plan.

 

What would happen when L.Joe met with the Lee sisters?

 

 

 

HER: LEE JAEKYUNG

 

 

Chaekyung's older sister by two years, sacrificial by nature, too much for L's

liking. She was currently on the road to recovery with L's help, but was still

trying to get over her current boy phobia.

 

 

 

HIM: KIM MYUNGSOO (L)

 

 

After a whole roller coaster ride with him being too dense for the first part

and Jaekyung being too stubborn in the second, L was proud to announce

that he was Lee Jaekyung's boyfriend. Heh.

 

Mrs Lee glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and stopped her cooking,

turning off the stove. She stacked the pancakes in a neat stack and washed

her hands, wiping them on her apron.

 

With a small smile, Mrs Lee treaded carefully up the stairs to the second

level of their house. She came to Jaekyung's room first and opened the door

carefully, peeking in. Just as she expected, she found her elder daughter

asleep at her study desk.

 

She shook her head in amusement. "When will she stop doing this?" she

murmured to herself.

 

She walked over to her daughter and watched as Jaekyung slept soundly

against her textbook. Mrs Lee sighed softly to herself as she pushed some

hair out of Jaekyung's face. Her heart ached when she thought of what her

daughter had gone through.

 

It wasn't fair that someone so young had to go through so many painful

experiences. Too many.

 

Mrs Lee's eyes moved towards the photoframe on her daughter's desk and

her eyes softened at the selca Jaekyung took of herself and L. This boy was

a blessing to the family, even if he did cause some conflict between her two

daughters previously.

 

If not for L, Mrs Lee doubted that her daughter would recover from that

incident this quickly.

 

Mrs Lee gently shook her daughter. "Jae, time to wake." she murmured.

Jaekyung woke up easily and she rubbed her eyes, looking slightly

disoriented. "Umma?" she yawned slightly. "Morning."

 

"Morning to you too." Mrs Lee chuckled softly. "Get ready for school, I'll go

wake Chae up."

 

"Okay umma." Jaekyung stretched on her chair and smiled sleepily.

Jaekyung's phone gave a timely buzz and Mrs Kim hid a smile while going

off, having a feeling of who exactly sent that text.

 

Mrs Lee went over to the next door and saw her younger daughter curled

up under the blankets, so much that even her head wasn't seen from under

the blankets. She sighed softly as she pried the blanket off Chaekyung's

head. Thinking of her younger daughter made her worry as well. This girl

met with an accident, lost bits of her memory and fell in love with a guy that

had his eyes on her elder sister.

 

Life really did suck for her.

 

"Chae." Mrs Lee called. "It's morning."

 

Chaekyung continued sleeping soundly. She was harder to wake out of the

two sisters. Mrs Lee pulled the blanket off Chaekyung to rid of the warmth

for easier awakening, but stopped halfway when she saw what Chaekyung

had been hugging to sleep.

 

It was Jaekyung's diary. The diary which told of the betrayal that happened

years ago, the betrayal that Chaekyung had no memory of.

 

It was then that Mrs Lee noticed the tear stains on her younger daughter's

cheeks and the former nearly sobbed out loud. She could hardly imagine the

guilt Chaekyung felt.

 

Being the mother, she could tell that Chaekyung felt responsible for

Jaekyung's rape even though she had nothing to do with it. The younger

sister always felt that it was her fault that Jaekyung was caught as Kim

Junki's crazy victim. If she hadn't been having a cold war with Jaekyung, she

would have noticed if her older sister was missing. She would have gone out

with Jaekyung for the walk instead of letting Jaekyung go alone. Everything

could have been prevented.

 

Stupid reasons, but when someone wanted to find reasons to blame

themselves these points suddenly seemed legit.

 

Mrs Lee caressed Chaekyung's cheek softly. "Babo. It's not your fault. It

never was and never will be."

 

 

 

 

"Morning L oppa!" Chaekyung chirped cheerfully as she skipped out of the

door. L chuckled and ruffled her hair, causing her to beam brightly. "I'll go

to your car first!" Chaekyung darted off to L's car and plopped herself at the

back seat.

 

L repeated the greeting and diverted his gaze back to the front door. He

waited with an amused smile as he heard hurried shuffling from inside the

house and a very urgent "Bye umma!". Jaekyung rushed out of the door with

a flushed face and dazed expression.

 

L chuckled and cocked his head to the side, watching his girlfriend. He

never thought it was possible to love anyone anymore than this, but with

every passing day, there were new things he found out about his girlfriend

that made him fall in love with her over and over again.

 

"Morning." L half-smirked. Jaekyung stuck out her tongue at him and

rearranged her hair, knowing that it was in a terrible mess. Terrible mess or

not, L thought she looked adorable.

 

"In a rush today?" L teased lightly as he grabbed Jaekyung's bag for her.

She wrinkled her nose again. "I almost forgot to bring my thumbdrive I had

to rush back up to get it. Teacher Jung would kill me if I didn't have it with

me."

 

L made sure to move slowly towards her as he grabbed her hand. These

were the things he had to take note of these days with Jaekyung. No sudden

movements. Not too much intimacy. It kind of killed him to not be able to

kiss her as and when he wanted to, but Jaekyung was getting better by the

day and it comforted him.

 

He was the only male that could touch Jaekyung without shocking her. The

Infinite boys were allowed a closer proximity to her, but none of them dared

to even pat Jaekyung on the shoulder.

 

It seemed as though she had developed some sort of a boy phobia after that

unfortunate incident and found it very difficult to trust any males besides L.

L hoped to bring her out of the pain but knew something like that needed

time.

 

His fingers touched Jaekyung's lightly and he watched her expression.

Assured with her lack of reaction, L tightened his grip as his lips curled up

in a wider smile. "You'll have me if Teacher Jung ever decides to be suicidal

by provoking you." he grinned.

 

Jaekyung made a face and shook her head in amusement. "Just because

you're the principal's son."

 

"Exactly because." L grinned.

 

He walked her to his car, his eyes gazing lovingly at her while her back was

turned. He couldn't help it. He knew that if someone watched him by the

side, they would think he was completely smitten and pathetic to look so

helplessly in love.

 

However the fact was, he was helplessly in love. He couldn't stop himself

from loving Jaekyung if he wanted to, and that was the last thing on his

mind. Why would he want to stop loving her? He was falling more and more

in love with her with every passing day and that made him insanely

contented and goofily happy. He liked it that way.

 

He just didn't think it was fair for THAT incident to happen to Jaekyung.

They didn't talk about it much and tried not to bring it up, but sometimes

dead in the night, L would get a call from Jaekyung and she would just cry

and cry over the phone. He knew she hadn't recovered from that incident

yet and he could hardly blame her.

 

He felt anger, agitation everytime he thought about it. There were so many

other girls in the world, why did something like this have to happen to the

girl he loved. Didn't God know that he hated to see Jaekyung suffering

especially in something so severe?

 

However he knew as well that he wouldn't want something like this to befall

on any other girl. It wasn't so much of "why Jaekyung?". It was more of "why

did it even have to happen in the first place?"

 

But life was as thus. Life didn't just go like how stories were usually

planned, with some terrible obstacle and morales learnt, before the happy

ending. If so world hunger wouldn't exist. There would be world peace. If

only the world was so perfect.

 

Jaekyung didn't seem to deserve to be raped. But who deserved to be? Rape

was a serious offense, something detrimental to mental and physical well-

being. No one, not even the most evil of people deserved to go through

something like this.

 

She was such a sweet girl, always giving in, always thinking for other

people first before herself. There was absolutely no reason why she had to

go through something like this.

 

But if there was something L learnt, it was that life was unfair. You couldn't

bargain with life, you just had to accept what lemons were thrown your way.

The thing about it was that it all depended on whether you were going to sit

there and cry about your misfortunes or try to walk out from the suffering.

 

L was glad that Jaekyung was brave enough to step out of all this, even if

not completely. Her state of mind was so strong that L thought she was

much more courageous and resilient than he could ever be.

 

"L oppa, stop zoning out!" Chaekyung hit L on the head.

 

L blinked and realized that he had been staring out into space while his

hands were on the steering wheel, the girls waiting for him to start the car.

 

"Oh sorry. Just thinking about some things." L muttered and started the car,

the engine roaring to life. Chaekyung giggled and shook her head from the

back seat. "Next time you decide to start thinking about things, at least turn

on the engine first L oppa, so that unnie and I can get some aircon."

 

Jaekyung chuckled amusedly at her sister and L made a face. "Fine fine I'll

try to remember alright?" he pretended to pout. "Alright ladies, sit tight.

Time for school!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Noona!" Sungjong beamed at Jaekyung. "Morning Chaekyung!"

 

Chaekyung beamed back and went to join her friends. L narrowed his eyes

at Sungjong and snorted. "What about me, am I transparent or something?"

 

"Ayee why so calculative?" Sungyeol harrumphed. "It's not a very attractive

trait to have, L." Sungyeol wriggled his brows at Jaekyung in a joking

manner. "If someday these unattractive traits of L finally get to you, always

remember that there's a Lee Sungyeol around the corner."

 

L scowled and inserted himself between Sungyeol and Jaekyung. "Excuse

me but this is my girlfriend you're hitting on. Go get yourself a girl and stop

harbouring such thoughts over mine."

 

Sungyeol pretended to be hurt and gestured wildly. Dongwoo nodded and

pretended to pluck out the "knife" L "stabbed" into Sungyeol's back. "There

pal, feeling better?" Dongwoo patted Sungyeol's shoulder. "Much."

Sungyeol nodded, wiping away a pretend tear.

 

L rolled his eyes and reached for Jaekyung's hand slowly. "They never grow

up."

 

Jaekyung smiled softly and shook her head. "Stop acting so much like a

parent when you're like a kid yourself." she teased.

 

L pouted and flicked Jaekyung's nose lightly. "Mean."

 

Jaekyung laughed softly. L just had to prove her point about him being a kid

didn't he? She moved closer to him, feeling more secure whenever she was

near him. He was the only guy that she could allow within a half metre

radius to herself. Even the Infinite members were confined outside that

range.

 

L reached out and tucked her curls behind her ear, giving her a tender

smile and her hand a gentle squeeze as he led her towards their lockers.

Jaekyung sighed softly, knowing that her cheeks were a pretty rose pink by

now.

 

She couldn't ask for more, really.

 

-----

 

"-you serious? There is?" Bomi nearly fainted. "I had no idea there was

history homework. Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit." she fanned herself.

 

"Relax." Soomi murmured. "It's due later in the afternoon so you have some

time during break or something to rush it out. It's just a few multiple choice

questions, not an essay so it's fine."

 

Bomi pouted. "But still!" she turned to Chaekyung. "Chae, did you do the

history homework?"

 

Chaekyung gave no indication that she heard what her friend said, her eyes

staring blanking into the distance. Bomi blinked and followed Chaekyung's

line of sight, realizing that Chaekyung had been looking where the infinite

boys and Jaekyung had gone off to.

 

"Yah Chaekyung, stop zoning out!" Bomi nudged her friend. Chaekyung

blinked and forced a smile on her face. "Sorry. You were saying?"

 

"History homework, did you do?" Bomi repeated. She frowned at

Chaekyhung and twisted her lips in thought. "You're not as bubbly as

before, Chae. Are you not feeling well?"

 

Chaekyung forced a nasal laughter and nudged her friend back. "I'm fine,

just tired. You were talking about history homework? Wait, History

homework? There's history homework?" her voice grew higher.

 

Yoomi laughed and high-fived Soomi. "Exactly the reaction I expected."

 

Chaekyung pouted and rushed to grab her books. "Aish why didn't you guys

remind me! Which assignment? Bomi let's get to class early to finish it

quick!"

 

The girls rushed off to their class and Chaekyung found herself lagging

behind as she got pushed about in the hoards of students in the hallway.

She stared at her friends for a second before the smile she fixed on her face

slowly faded away.

 

She was tired of smiling when she didn't feel like it. Tired of meeting

expectations of her peers in cheerleading. Tired of pretending everything

was alright.

 

It wasn't.

 

Chaekyung swallowed as she passed by the senior's classrooms and caught

Jaekyung's eye. Immediately, she plastered a cheerful smile on her face and

waved at her sister. Jaekyung waved back, which caused L to notice her as

well. L gave a cute salute and went back to talking to Hoya.

 

Once Chaekyung passed the class, she let the smile drop as she stared at

her feet.

 

She was so so tired of pretending she was alright when she wasn't. She

knew that Jaekyung deserved to be with L more than herself. Her sister had

suffered so much because of her own foolish acts in the past and it was time

for her to give back to her sister.

 

Chaekyung was now more sensible and sensitive to her sister's feelings and

more often than not, she gave in and did things for her sister when

Jaekyung wasn't aware of it. This was her growing up. She felt the guilt of

what happened to her sister even if people kept telling her time and again

that it wasn't her fault.

 

Couldn't they see? It was.

 

She cheered and supported the Jaesoo couple and could be appointed the

couple's greatest fan, not at all an exaggeration. She liked it when L

surprised her sister with sweet plans, when he was sensitive and caring.

This was her point of view as Lee Jaekyung's protective younger sister.

 

But it didn't feel good as Lee Chaekyung, the girl.

 

Because even if no one could tell under her brilliant smiles and cheerful

character, Lee Chaekyung was suffering from both guilt and heart break.

 

Because even if no one knew, Lee Chaekyung was still in love with L. And

very much so.

 

"Don't touch me."

 

Chaekyung's gaze darted over to her sister when she caught what her sister

had whispered. If it had been six months back, she wouldn't even have

noticed a thing. However, Chaekyung now had the habit of focusing on her

sister even if subconsciously, noting Jaekyung's every small reaction which

would lead to her own defensive measures.

 

Guilt. It was all guilt.

 

Jaekyung licked her parched lips and tried to pretend as if it didn't bother

her but Chaekyung could now see through her sister's act. She had once

been fooled by Jaekyung's facade but now she wasn't. Jaekyung's happiness

was more important than her own, she owed Jaekyung that much.

 

The two sisters were grabbing some groceries for their mother after school

and L had offered to drive them to the supermarket. After purchasing all the

required things, L put the bags away and suggested taking a walk around

the neighborhood.

 

He had gone off for a few moments to get the two sisters ice creams,

leaving the sisters strolling leisurely down the neighborhood street that had

few stores down the road.

 

It wasn't a very crowded road, but there was a fair amount of people.

Chaekyung had been rather uptight about going to somewhere like this but

Jaekyung had assured them that she was alright with it. Apparently not.

 

Jaekyung had avoided going to crowded areas ever since...THAT. Everytime

L brought her out on a date, they went to places like the park, the nature

reserve, the libary (I know -_-) and places where there were few people.

Popular dating places like Myeongdong was out of the option.

 

This street was fairly crowded, not too squeezy but enough to make

Jaekyung feel uncomfortable with the distance with other passerbys. She

tried to dodge them as best as she could but it still scared her when some

males went too close to her.

 

It wasn't very impressive of her to have a boy phobia, wasn't it.

 

Chaekyung moved closer to her sister and hooked her arm around her

sister's. "Unnie, let's go somewhere with less people okay?"

 

Jaekyung gave a grateful smile and nod, more than glad that her sister was

so sensitive to her own feelings. Chaekyung led her sister to the side of the

road where there were a few wooden benches. She watched as Jaekyung

flinched involuntarily as a male nearly brushed past her while he was

focused on his phone while walking.

 

It shouldn't cause such a great reaction but it did. It pained Chaekyung so

much.

 

"Jangjang!" L suddenly appeared with two ice cream cones and a goofy

smile. He passed the strawberry one to Chaekyung and the chocolate one to

Jaekyung. "Yummy ice creams for two beautiful ladies." he winked.

 

Chaekyung's heart skipped a beat and she forced herself to look away. She

bit into the ice cream and winced as the cold got to her too quickly. Great

distraction though.

 

Jaekyung smiled at her boyfriend and made a face. "Such a flirt." she

murmured, accepting the ice cream with thanks. It was a hot day. L stuck

out his tongue and squeezed in between both sisters on the bench. "Where

is the gratitude? I walked MILES to get these for you girls you know."

 

"Miles?" Jaekyung raised her brows amusedly. Chaekyung glanced at L and

stifled a chuckle. L oppa was always so cute.

 

"Yes miles." L nodded as convincingly as he could. He tweaked Jaekyung's

nose with a gentle smile. "Don't you know that every step away from you

seems like a mile to me?" he teased.

 

Jaekyung pinked and slapped his hand away, directing her gaze to her ice

cream. "Aish you." L chuckled in amusement and brushed away the stray

hairs from her face so that it wouldn't obstruct her from eating her ice

cream.

 

Chaekyung had to look away immediately or she thought she would die of

suffocation. She felt like it was so difficult to breathe all of a sudden. "Aigoo

you two!" she pretended to gag but to be honest, she did feel like gagging.

 

Chaekyung hopped onto her feet and grabbed her bag. "Can I meet you two

back home? I have to grab some stationery from the bookstore." she

wagged her finger at L. "L oppa, you'll send unnie home safely won't you?"

she warned.

 

L gave a salute. "Yes madam!"

 

"Great! See you two later!" Chaekyung waved quickly and darted out of

view as fast as she could. As soon as she turned around the corner,

Chaekyung leaned against the wall and her body immediately sagged. Her

gaze dropped and the smile faltered.

 

Her fingers curled up against her skirt, crumpling the originally straight

and smooth material.

 

This. This was what she had to endure every single time Jaekyung and L

were together. The worst thing was that she couldn't feel angry or anything

of the likes because she knew that L and Jaekyung belonged together. There

was no two person more suited for each other in the entire world.

 

But so what? It didn't keep her from hurting when she was still so much in

love with L.

 

In her memory, L was the only guy her heart ever felt something for. She

didn't know if she really did like Lee Dongjae, the problematic guy, but she

chose to not consider about him since she didn't have any memory of him at

all. It was better that way.

 

But L, she really really really liked him. The first moment she saw him, she

was attracted to his superior looks. Who wouldn't? However after that, she

came to appreciate the things he did for her sister, how he took care of the

both of them.

 

Too bad the centre of his affections wasn't directed to her.

 

Even if she gave her blessings to this couple, it was still very difficult on her

to pretend as if it was okay to see them being affectionate when she

couldn't help but wish she was her sister. And after thinking that way, she

would feel the guilt.

 

Guilt again. It was the thing she felt the most these days.

 

Chaekyung knew that she was nothing compared to Jaekyung. It was the

reason for their row two years ago anyway. Jaekyung was everything

Chaekyung was not, she was perfect. Absolutely perfect in every single way.

It was almost as if this girl was some sort of a goddess.

 

But Chaekyung, she was lacking in so many other areas, she had so much to

learn. It was not surprising that L fell for Jaekyung even if he dated

Chaekyung first.

 

But it didn't stop Chaekyung from hoping that he would see her in that

light. And this hope translated into more guilt for thinking that way. It was

just a viscious cycle.

 

Chaekyung pushed herself away from the wall and looked around. She had

to stroll around this place for a while more before making her way home.

She wouldn't want to get home to see L and Jaekyung's cosy moments.

 

Chaekyung sighed, her head dropped and her gaze fixated on her shoes.

She didn't even notice that her strawberry cone was melting fast and that it

was already dribbling down her fingers. She took a step forward and

incidentally, it was that one step that caused her to put herself right in the

direction of an incoming male.

 

He and her crashed into each other, the strawberry cone smearing itself

beautifully on his crisp white shirt.

 

Chaekyung gasped and glanced up at him in horror. Oh shit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there was one thing L.Joe hated, it was clumsiness.

 

He had no idea where girls got the notion that guys thought it was cute for

them to be clumsy. It was cute for them to trip over their laces, giving guys

the chance to catch them when they fell. It was cute for them to drop plates.

It was cute for them to be so cutesy clumsy so that their prince charmings

can come save them.

 

Hell no.

 

L.Joe thought it was horrifyingly annoying and couldn't have cared less if

one of those girls accidentally tripped on their laces and fell on their faces.

Heh.

 

The girls back in his hometown Gunsan had that insane notion that being

clumsy was cute and all of them tried their best to be cutesy around him all

the time. Heh sorry, the great L.Joe didn't buy that.

 

He had been hoping that girls in Seoul were a different case but looking at

the pretty pink strawberry scented smear on the front of his favorite

abercrombie shirt, he guessed he was wrong.

 

"What the fuck?" L.Joe cursed, slightly glad when he saw the girl flinching.

Yes girl, be afraid. That was what you got when you went around dumping

strawberry ice cream on people. "Don't you watch where you go?"

 

The girl bit her lip. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention, but you don't have

to be so rude about it." she muttered under her breath.

 

L.Joe raised his brows at her. Oh this puny little girl dared to talk back to

him.

 

"I'm rude?" L.Joe sneered, narrowing his eyes at her. Gosh this girl was

short. He wasn't that tall himself and this girl only reached his lips. He

looked down at his ruined shirt and a new wave of irritation struck him. His

stomach was getting cold too.

 

"Excuse me woman, but you're the one who dumped this freaking shit on

me." L.Joe snapped, annoyed. "I don't think you have any right to call me

rude."

 

The girl snapped her head up to face him and glared right back at him.

L.Joe was slightly surprised to see her face. She was...not as bad as he

thought she would be. Rather pretty features, if had to admit. Her eyes

were large and she had the cutest little lips. Her hair ended a few inches

below her chin, framing her almond shaped face.

 

He could imagine many foolish boys falling for this pretty little face. Too

bad she was such a clumsy annoying little brat.

 

"You excuse me, mister." the girl growled, her eyes narrowing at him. "If

YOU had paid attention to where you were walking, you could have avoided

me even if I didn't pay any attention to where I went. You can't blame me

for not looking where I was going when you weren't yourself!" she

harrumphed.

 

L.Joe scowled. He didn't like that this girl wasn't scared. She was supposed

to be terrified, damn it.

 

He opened his mouth, about to say something when a few guys rushed over

to join the fun. Fucking idiotic looking, they were. L.Joe scowled deeper as

the guys in the same uniform as this puny girl rushed over and stood in

front of her protectively.

 

"Chaekyung, is this guy bothering you?" one of them asked protectively.

 

Another cracked his knuckles. "If he is, we can take him down no problem."

he eyed L.Joe from head to toe, making the latter raise his brows in

disbelief. Like excuse muah, that dude should totally go look in the mirror

before making such comments. Did that dude even realize how scrawny he

was?

 

"Don't." The puny girl, apparently called Chaekyung, pulled the two guys

back. "Don't do anything rash."

 

She faced L.Joe. "I'm sorry I crashed into you and ruined your shirt. 20000

won should be enough for a new shirt, here." she pushed the money into his

pockets. "Please don't be so rude to strangers in the future." Her gaze

shone with distaste.

 

L.Joe gaped at her. What the hell, this girl dared to preach him?

 

Another one of the guys stared down (unfortunate height disadvantage) at

L.Joe and scoffed. "You should be glad our school's little princess decided to

let you off. You have no idea how many of her supporters would beat you up

to death for being rude to her."

 

L.Joe wanted to puke. Oh so this little girl was a little miss popular. The

dislike grew by leaps and bounds. L.Joe hated popular people, he hated

those people who tried to mislead everyone by how perfect they were when

they were actually pure scum inside.

 

How fake.

 

"Jangwoo." Chaekyung pulled her friend back and shook her head. "Let's

go." she didn't spare L.Joe another glance as she walked off in the opposite

direction.

 

L.Joe stared at where Chaekyung went, his lips pressed in a firm line of

displeasure.

 

"Stupid popular lass thinking she did a good deed." L.Joe looked down at the

notes in his pockets and pulled them out. "I don't need your charity."

 

He gave the money to the first homeless guy he saw and growled angrily to

himself. He wished he wouldn't see that girl ever again.

"What a rude guy." Joowan sneered as he turned behind, giving the guy a

look. Chaekyung hushed him and quickly ushered her friends away from the

offending stranger.

 

She didn't want to cause any trouble or talk bad about anyone, but honestly

that guy was seriously rude. She had to admit that she wasn't looking where

she was going because she was too preoccupied by her thoughts, but hello,

he was as well.

 

It took two hands to clap, two blur poks to knock into one another.

 

She never met someone quite this unreasonable and annoying before and

she hoped she would never get to meet him again.

 

"If you run into any problems like this in the future, Chaekyung, you can call

us no problem." Another one of the guys called Junshik offered in a smile,

trying to catch her eye. Chaekyung gave a polite grin and nod. "Thank you

for your help today. I'll be going home now, thank you again."

 

She quickly darted off before her admirers could say anything else.

 

Chaekyung's friends used to say that she was very dense. She could never

tell if a guy liked her or was courting her because all guys were good to her

in general. She thought she was pretty and attractive, and it didn't help

when her friends always told her about how this guy had a crush on her or

another guy told his friends he found her cute.

 

She once thought all this was meant to be, guys were meant to like her.

That was all until L came along.

 

It wasn't until then that she realized exterior meant little and no matter how

hard she tried, she wasn't going to take over Jaekyung's position in L's

heart. Sure, she now felt a little inferior to Jaekyung because her sister was

stunningly beautiful, but that wasn't the only reason why she felt inferior.

 

It was the fact that she knew L fell in love with Jaekyung even when

Jaekyung had disguised herself. The fact that L didn't care about how

Jaekyung looked, loving her sister for who she was inside.

 

That was something so strong that Chaekyung could never fight against.

She suddenly felt as if being pretty wasn't that good after all, it was slightly

burdensome even if a little cocky for her to admit.

 

Would she ever know if those guys back there, were they nice to her and did

they like her because of her looks or for her personality? Like L, he was

pressured into wooing herself and all because she was pretty on the

outside.

 

What Chaekyung was afraid was that if she let someone close enough to

know her on the inside, they would be disgusted. Someone that actually

stole her sister's boyfriend in the past. Someone that wasn't gracious

enough to give her blessings to L and Jaekyung quick enough. Someone that

was disgusting enough to still be in love with L even till date.

 

She was a mess wasn't she?

 

So now even though Jaekyung was the one with the physical boy phobia, it

seemed Chaekyung was not far behind on the mental scale as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That boy is cute." Whispers like this spreaded around the hallway as a new

student stepped into the school grounds. Even before everyone saw his face,

he already got the attention from the masses of students filing into school

that morning.

 

Driving a bright striking red motorbike, L.Joe looked absolutely suave and

could send girls swooning with his bad boy vibes. He hopped off his bike

with overwhelming swag and flicked his bangs to one side, narrowing his

eyes at the school. 

 

He slung his bag over one shoulder, knowing that he would get caught

sooner or later with his loud black tee with the letters "FCUK" written in

front of it. He could feel the other students staring at him as if he was some

sort of specimen in the zoo and he wanted to just point his middle finger at

them to make them look away.

 

Way to make a newcomer feel comfortable, seriously.

 

He sauntered into school and got to the office to get his timetable, annoyed

with the glances the girls kept shooting him. He sighed to himself and

tapped his fingers on the table impatiently, already annoyed with his Seoul

life.

 

A few girls walked past him and giggled, waving flirtiously at him and one

even winking. L.Joe nearly rolled his eyes  as he looked away, disinterested.

 

Were Seoul girls all this....annoying?

 

L.Joe thought about the girl he met yesterday at the market place. He had

to admit that if all girls in Seoul were of her standard, phew...he better stop

that Niel from coming or that boy might just nose-bleed to death.

 

However he just found her annoying and irritable even though he had to

admit he had to take some blame because he wasn't looking where he was

going either. But heck, that girl was supposed to back down like he

expected her to, and he could tell she was some popular chick.

 

He hated popular people.

 

L.Joe blinked when he realized that the counsellor was saying something for

the past five minutes and he hardly caught anything. He noticed an

enthusiastic boy beaming at him by the side and got the gist that this cute

dude was supposed to bring him around school for the day.

 

Shit, he hated cute people.

 

"-as I was saying Byunghun, Ricky has so kindly volunteered to bring you

around school and he will be your buddy for the day. Feel free to ask him

any questions." the counsellor smiled kindly. "If there's nothing else, you

two better rush to your first class. It starts in 10 minutes."

 

L.Joe wasn't given a chance to speak as the enthusiastic Ricky whisked him

away towards their first class. L.Joe blew on his bangs in annoyance, not

liking the feeling of being bossed around.

 

"Byunghun right? You're a hyung right?" Ricky dropped his voice and looked

at L.Joe curiously. "I'm sorry for being nosy but I saw your birthdate on the

form just now and you're two years older!" he gasped.

 

L.Joe eyed the boy. "Yeah so?"

 

Ricky played with his fingers and gave a cheeky grin. "I was just wondering

if you could share with me the interesting story of why you're two years

behind in your studies." he muttered. "Maybe you were too busy crime-

fighting with CSI, or or maybe you were trying to research on a way to cure

cancer. Or maybe you were an Olympic swimmer but you didn't get in or

something- hmm but you don't look too tan for swimming-"

 

Raising his brows, L.Joe stared at Ricky. Where did the guy get those ideas

from?

 

"-can ask me anything if you need any help in your work but I'm not sure if

I'll be of much help," Ricky scratched his head. "but I'll try my best or

maybe I can ask my sister who's already in college-"

 

L.Joe didn't know why but he suddenly felt a gush of warmth for the young

kid in front of him. L.Joe didn't usually like cute guys because one of his

best friends back where he came from, Niel, was already giving him severe

headaches from all the aegyo he was spamming L.Joe.

 

However, L.Joe thought perhaps he could live with Ricky's nonsense. Maybe

even learn to get used to it even.

 

"You talk to much." L.Joe muttered as he sauntered with his hands in his

pockets.

 

Ricky's jaw dropped open and he stopped in his tracks, his face falling in

disappointment. His eyes darted around as if contemplating if he should just

leave L.Joe alone when the hyung stopped as well, turning back while

raising his brows in question. "Where's the class? By the way, call me L.Joe

hyung."

 

Ricky blinked a few times before a slow smile made it's way onto his lips.

"YES L.JOE HYUNG!" he saluted.

 

L.Joe sighed to himself and wondered if it was a right choice he made.

 

-----

 

Just his luck, really, just his luck.

 

L.Joe rolled his eyes and turned to the other side, blowing on his bangs in

annoyance. The annoying miss popular was in his same class. He could feel

her eyes on him from the other end of the classroom as she was surrounded

by her minions.

 

And to think that he even made a wish that he wouldn't see her ever again.

Another one of those examples when wishes didn't come true.

 

L.Joe glanced at the clock and growled lowly to himself. Ricky was chatting

away to another guy called CAP beside him. CAP did not look 2 years

younger than L.Joe at all, despite L.Joe being the retainee in the class, not

that anyone needed to know that.

 

CAP and Ricky seemed like the strangest pair of friends but somehow, they

clicked well.

 

L.Joe contemplated for a few moments before grabbing his bag and making

his way to the door. Ricky nearly toppled off his chair in surprise. "L.Joe

hyung, where are you going?"

 

"Skipping class." was his short answer. And some people said he didn't have

swag. Heh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.Joe went off to the back of the school, preparing to climb the walls to

escape. He didn't feel like studying or listening to long boring lessons all

over again. Starting school one day later wouldn't make that much of a

difference, he figured.

 

L.Joe threw his bag over the wall and looked around for something for him

to push himself up.

 

Mew.

 

L.Joe stopped in his tracks and blinked. Mew mew.

 

He cocked his head to the side and peeked out from behind the pillar. His

eyes rounded when he saw the silhouette of a girl patting a few kittens

while feeding them milk and cookies. Usually, L.Joe would have just turned

around to go but he didn't.

 

He seemed to be doing a lot of things out of the norm today.

 

He took a step closer, slightly mesmerised by how brown the girl's hair

looked under the morning sun and how fair she looked. The girl chuckled

softly as she played with a kitten, causing the little feline to give a cute soft

mew.

 

L.Joe's eyes settled on the girl's face and he took a sharp intake of breath.

"Holy shit." he cursed under his breath. She was by far the prettiest...no,

most stunningly beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on.

 

Okay so that might have been slightly exaggerated because he was sure he

saw other girls more beautiful than this one, but the way she nearly looked

like she was GLOWING in the sunlight made her seem almost celestial. She

might not be the most beautiful but she was certainly most attractive.

 

At least, he was attracted.

 

L.Joe contemplated on whether he should go up to introduce himself despite

how it wasn't the norm of him to do that, but heck he was breaking a lot of

his norms already. His train of thought was disrupted when his goddess's

phone suddenly rang,

 

"Myungsoo?" even her voice sounded wonderful, or was he just biased

already? "Oh no! I didn't take note of the time. I'll go up to class now!"

 

L.Joe hid behind the pillar as the girl set the kittens down and grabbed her

bag, rushing off to catch her first lesson. L.Joe swallowed and looked out

from behind the pillar, licking his suddenly parched lips.

 

That girl she just looked...different. So pure, so innocent and untainted by

all the fame and popularity that other girls were involved with. She

just...shone.

 

L.Joe suddenly thought about the bag which he had already thrown over on

the other side of the school wall's. "Shit." he muttered under his breath.

 

Now he had to climb over to grab it again because he just found his

motivation to study.

"How can that dude just disappear minutes before the first lesson?" CAP

muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He eyed his younger friend

who was still staring out of the door where their new student had went.

 

"Why? Did you want to follow after him?" CAP raised his brows. 

 

Ricky sulked slightly and bit his lip. "I'm not biased or anything, but don't

you think L.Joe hyung just explodes with swag?" he whispered in awe. "Even

walking, swinging his bag over his shoulder, sitting down on a chair.

Everything he does just screams of swag, I wonder how I can do that as

well." he tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully.

 

CAP scoffed, unimpressed. "You don't live on swag, Ricky. So what if that

guy has swag, he obviously has brawns but no brains, seeing how you told

me that he's two years older than us and still a junior." he sneered.

"Obviously rather slow on the intake."

 

Ricky wrinkled his nose. "Maybe, but we can't put a judgement so quickly

CAP hyung." CAP wanted to hurl something at the younger one after seeing

how starstruck his dongsaeng seemed to be. He had no idea why Ricky just

seemed to like that L.Joe guy so much. That guy just looked like some cold

rude dude to CAP.

 

CAP himself was a cold rude dude so he didn't really like seeing people

similar to himself.

 

"Anyway," CAP settled back into his chair and snickered. "I bet that L.Joe

guy has decided that school was too hard for him and he has already pulled

out of school in the last minute like the coward he most likely is-"

 

CAP was abruptly cut off when Ricky sprang out of his seat with a wide

beam. "L.Joe hyung, you're back!"

 

CAP blinked in astonishment as the said guy strode back into class like it

was perfectly normal to disappear minutes before the lessons started and to

come back as if nothing happened. L.Joe flicked his bangs as he sat back

down on his seat, throwing his bag on the ground carelessly.

 

Ricky was beaming wider than ever and it irked CAP that he had been

wrong about L.Joe. "I'm so glad you're back, L.Joe hyung. I thought you

were serious about skipping school! Thank goodness it was a joke." Ricky

grinned.

 

CAP eyed L.Joe curiously. "What made you come back?" he murmured,

frowning.

 

L.Joe shrugged and didn't look at the two, his eyes directed in front.

However CAP did notice how the sides of L.Joe's lips curled up in the

slightest motion and his eyes seemed to twinkle ever so faintly.

 

"Nothing. I just found a reason to stay."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I can't believe that rude guy you were talking about was L.Joe oppa."

Soomi fanned herself. "The guy sounded like a total bastard when you

described him to us."

 

Chaekyung raised her brows at her friend when she caught the disbelieving

tone. "What? You think I'm lying?" she twisted her lips into a pout. "It

doesn't matter how his exterior looks like, what he did and what he said was

all relayed word for word."

 

Bomi was obviously not in the mood to reason things out as her eyes nearly

formed heart shapes while staring at L.Joe pack his bag. "You certainly

failed to mention that the guy was so hot." she whispered. "Gosh, he could

totally join Infinite with his good looks."

 

Chaekyung's face contorted in disgust. Like what? Join her favorite oppas?

No way. "You girls are so shallow." she grumbled.

 

Yoomi chuckled and patted Chaekyung's shoulders. "You've got to forgive

them since even I've got to admit that the L.Joe dude is really quite some

eye candy material." she giggled. Chaekyung shot Yoomi a look and Yoomi

made a face back. "Don't tell Woohyun oppa I said that, serious."

 

Chaekyung stuck out her tongue. "Traitor."

 

She glanced at the new student and coincidentally, he glanced at her at the

same moment. L.Joe narrowed his eyes at her and Chaekyung glared back

just as fiercely. She didn't know what fueled such an action when she wasn't

so fiesty usually. L.Joe just irritated her for unknown reasons.

 

He rolled his eyes at her and broke the eye contact first, striding away as if

he owned the world. Oh the nerve of that guy... Chaekyung wrinkled her

nose and blew on her bangs. Just hopefully they paths wouldn't cross too

much.

 

Please.

 

-----

 

L.Joe's eyes were scanning the cafeteria thoroughly for that one girl that

motivated him to stay on in school that day. His goddess. He wondered if it

was really possible for love at first sight, but he knew that the effect from

the sun and the picturesque view didn't help in making love at first sight

less believable.

 

He didn't think he was in love, but he was definitely attracted. He was tired

of high profile girls that wanted attention for themselves, fake and putting

up facades all the time. He detested people like those.

 

The reason why L.Joe was so attracted to his goddess was because he knew

he caught her at an unguarded moment. He knew that the kindness she had

shown to the kittens was genuine, the delighted giggles and smiles were all

from her heart and not just an act to entice a man's heart.

 

L.Joe scanned the cafeteria again and frowned. Just where was his goddess?

 

"Are you looking around for pretty girls, hyung?" Ricky noted how L.Joe was

distracted. "Ayee you could have asked me to introduce some to you."

 

L.Joe raised his brows at the dongsaeng and scoffed. CAP shook his head

and shoved a spoonful of mash potato into Ricky's mouth. "Just concentrate

on eating, please."

 

Ricky opened his mouth to protest and both L.Joe and CAP echoed at the

same time, "Just eat."

 

They looked at each other and L.Joe smirked while CAP just cleared his

throat, looking as if he wanted to kill himself for saying the same thing L.Joe

said.

 

L.Joe's attention was suddenly caught when he finally caught sight of the

girl he was waiting for. His eyes lit up and his gaze followed her as she

walked in with a bunch of other guys.

 

God damn. She was still as pretty as the first time L.Joe laid his eyes on her,

so it wasn't entirely the effect from the sun's rays.

 

L.Joe found it tremendously cute how she seemed dodgy and polite while

she walked, even though he could see she was rather well-known because

quite a lot of people waved hi to her as they passed. No airs, no nothing.

 

His gaze trailed off to the other seven guys following behind her and he

frowned slightly. They looked like her bodyguards or something. Somehow,

it seemed as if the other guys didn't dare go near her when his goddess had

those seven guys around her.

 

L.Joe found it annoying to note that those seven were pretty good looking

themselves.

 

His gaze followed on as his goddess moved on to a seat and settled down,

bringing out two bentos from her bag. He found it extremely endearing that

her book never left her hand even if she wasn't reading it. He thought it was

adorable.

 

CAP noticed L.Joe staring and he snickered softly. "She's taken, L.Joe." No

hyung. He wasn't going to just call anyone hyung just because that guy was

older than he was.

 

L.Joe's head snapped towards CAP and his eyes was hard. "What did you

say?"

 

"I said she's taken." CAP jerked his head towards his goddess. "She's

already taken so don't even try."

 

A nerve jerked in L.Joe's jaw and he clenched his teeth in annoyance at

CAP's cocky attitude. Ricky quickly rushed to fill in the additional

information he thought L.Joe might want to know. "Her name is Lee

Jaekyung, L.Joe hyung."

 

L.Joe's eyes flickered to his goddess again. Jaekyung, her name was

Jaekyung.

 

"She's two years our senior which means she's the same age as you." Ricky

tapped his chin. "She's one of the most well-known girls in school."

 

L.Joe blinked. What if his goddess was one of those miss populars that

craved attention and fame?

 

"She's basically popular for 3 reasons." Ricky listed. "Firstly, well, see the

guy beside her over there? His name is Kim Myungsoo, also known as L, the

principal's son and one of the most popular guys in school. Jaekyung noona

is L hyung's girlfriend so naturally a lot of attention is placed on her."

 

L.Joe narrowed his eyes on the said L and scowled. What was with that

guy's name as well. L. L.Joe. He already disliked this L before even knowing

him personally.

 

L.Joe witnessed how L pushed a curl out of Jaekyung's face tenderly and

how Jaekyung gave him a smile back. L.Joe's scowl deepened. Aish, his

goddess was taken by this pretty boy already.

 

"Secondly," Ricky continued without missing a beat. "Jaekyung noona used

to be very unattractive and it was later that we found out that she chose to

be ugly for I don't know what reasons. Her makeover was very inspiring and

naturally that made the headlines as well."

 

L.Joe cocked his head to the side and observed his goddess. She was very

obviously beautiful and for her to hide it....hmmm. He was interested. Very

interested.

 

"And well the third reason is obviously because she's the Woolim Princess's

elder sister that's why." Ricky turned slightly pink. "There's a lot of debate

on which Lee sister is prettier and Jaekyung is gaining votes rapidly, but my

loyalties lie in the younger sister." he blushed. Yes BLUSHED.

 

"What younger sister?" L.Joe blinked in confusion.

 

CAP rolled his eyes. "Dude, she's in the same class as you. The Woolim

Princess, little miss popular and flyer of our cheerleading squad. Lee

Chaekyung."

 

L.Joe took a few moments for everything to click. "Lee Chaekyung? You

mean that-" he faltered when he saw his number one enemy (he just

appointed her with this title) make her way towards his goddess with a

bright smile and plopped herself next to Jaekyung.

 

And the worst thing was that he could see the resemblence. The two sisters

did look alike but they were just pretty in different ways.

 

Jaekyung was more elegant and poised while Chaekyung was cuter and had

larger eyes.

 

But seriously, that girl was his goddess's younger sister? How could that

rude chick be blood related to his heavenly goddess??!

 

"Oh and an interesting fact is that L actually dated Chaekyung before

Jaekyung." Ricky muttered as he chewed on his food thoughtlessly.

 

L.Joe's eyes snapped towards the three and blinked. Hmmm. 

Jaekyung shook her head in amusement and chuckled softly to herself. Oh

Kim Myungsoo.

 

"Dude it's not that I'm judging you or anything," Sungyeol muttered while

shaking his head in a similar fashion while his eyes scanned L from head to

toe, his eyes narrowed. "But I always thought it was the girls who did the

fantasizing of marriage of kids."

 

Sungyeol scratched his head and looked at the rest of Infinite for their

support. "I mean, I thought if one of you were to do something so stupid, it'll

probably be Jaekyung who would fantasize about being Mrs Kim and

naming your first daughter Mimi or something. No offense." he raised his

brows at Jaekyung.

 

L turned bright pink and he cleared his throat while squaring his shoulders

in an attempt to look more manly. "What's wrong with that?" he defended,

slightly pouting.

 

Sunggyu laughed heartily while slapping his own thigh while Sungjong

looked like he was about to suffocate to death from laughing too much.

Woohyun gave L a knowing look that made L want to strangle his hyung.

 

"Besides it being rather gay," Dongwoo choked on his own saliva. "There's

really nothing wrong."

 

L looked a little shorter as he hung his head in embarrassment. The Mr and

Mrs Kim thing was always a thing between Jaekyung and him. He liked to

call her Mrs Kim because he thought it was a much better endearment than

babe, baby or whatever.

 

He loved her enough to know that she was the only girl he would marry in

the future, and what better way to tell her that than to remind her every

single day?

 

He wasn't going to name their first child Mimi for real, seriously L had some

common sense left in him, really. However he always thought it was cute

how Jaekyung would blush in that adorable way of hers whenever he teased

her about Mimi. It was their little secret between the two of them because

yes, Kim Myungsoo could be cheesy like that, and he hadn't meant for

anyone else to find out about it.

 

But good job to him because he absent-mindedly doodled a few pictures, (no

elaborations with his specific request but just to let you know, it consisted

of him, Jaekyung and Mimi in a happy family), and that piece of doodle

unfortunately found itself in the hands of Lee Sungyeol as the tall dude

picked it up.

 

L wrinkled his nose. Aish, he was just so pathetically in love. Heh.

 

"Don't worry," Jaekyung chuckled softly and tugged on his shirt. "I find it

cute."

 

L pouted at her but his eyes softened at her words. "I could really kiss you

right now." he whispered slyly. It was then Jaekyung's turn to pink and she

stuck her tongue out at him. L laughed and shook his head. He knew, of

course he knew.

 

Minimal physical contact. Kisses were allowed but he had to do it slowly

and briefly for now. He could live with that as long as she was by his side.

 

The Infinite boys were teasing L relentlessly around him but he hardly

noticed as his fingers found their way to hers, intertwining them firmly. He

gave her hand a light squeeze and got one back in return.

 

He chuckled. So maybe being embarrassed like that wasn't that bad after

all.

 

 

 

 

L.Joe watched Jaekyung and L from the side and frowned to himself. It

didn't escape him how L was holding onto Jaekyung's hand even if the rest

of their gang didn't notice anything. It wasn't everyday that L.Joe found

himself interested in any random girl, and it irked him to bits that this

particular girl was taken.

 

Who the hell was L anyway? L.Joe bet that guy wasn't even worthy of his

goddess Jaekyung.

 

L.Joe grounded his teeth and wrinkled his nose in deep thought. He

scratched his head and wondered how he was supposed to make himself

known to Jaekyung when she was surrounded by so many guys, or rather

bodyguards, all the time.

 

It was a funny thought for L.Joe to be worried about something like that

since girls usually noticed him without him having to try. Boys always liked

a challenge. Maybe that's why L.Joe thought the process of courting

something forbidden was enticing.

 

L.Joe cocked his head to the side as he observed Jaekyung with a tender

expression and slight smile. This girl was perfect, absolutely perfect.

 

And absolutely worth his effort to court her. Definitely.

 

-----

 

L.Joe twisted his lips as he waited outside the senior's classroom. He never

really thought about how he was lagging two years behind in his studies but

at that moment, he thought it was a real burden.

 

If only he wasn't lagging behind, he could have been classmates with

Jaekyung and perhaps even sitting beside his goddess instead of waiting for

her outside the classroom like some stalker. L.Joe didn't stalk.

 

Maybe.

 

He frowned and scratched his head. How on earth was he supposed to make

her notice him, really? He usually didn't need to worry about stuffs like that.

After brainstorming for a long long loooong time, L.Joe decided to settle

with the stupidest and most cliche method of "accidentally" banging into the

target.

 

Cliche, but forgive him.

 

L.Joe waited dilligently while leaning against the pillar, not knowing that

even a simple action as thus was reveberating with swag and causing junior

girls to swoon as they walked past him.

 

L.Joe tapped his foot impatiently as he waited, and he noticed a group of

girls walking towards him as they made their way towards the main

hallway. His eyes narrowed on the girl in the middle of the quartet, his

brows furrowing slightly.

 

Chaekyung glanced at him at the exact moment and the smile on her face

stiffened, dropping almost instantly. Her eyes narrowed at him in a similar

fashion to his own and L.Joe instantly felt annoyed at her presence.

 

Little Miss Popular didn't notice the longing glances other male students

casted in her direction and L.Joe wanted to scoff at those foolish boys. Puh-

lease.

 

Popular girls like her would never like them back because she was too

engrossed in her own little world. There was no one she would love more

than herself and only herself. L.Joe knew this from personal experience.

Girls like her took everything for granted.

 

As the quartet neared L.Joe, both L.Joe and Chaekyung tensed as their

gazes turned more intense. "Chae, why are you zoning out?" Bomi nudged

Chaekyung.

 

Soomi blinked and looked Chaekyung's line of sight and raised her brows at

L.Joe. "Oh." the girl pinked fanned herself discreetly. "It's L.Joe sshi. Hi."

she waved weakly with hearts in her eyes. Bomi looked equally starstruck

and Yoomi looked like she was almost there as well, except she had more

control because she already had a boyfriend.

 

"Lee Chaekyung." L.Joe spat the words like they were dirty.

 

"Lee Byunghun." Chaekyung muttered under her breath. L.Joe snickered as

he pushed himself off the pillar, sauntering over to the quartet. Chaekyung

didn't notice how her two single friends were shivering with delight and

almost melting into a puddle as L.Joe neared, or perhaps she would have

knocked their heads together to straighten their thoughts.

 

Chaekyung didn't know why she disliked L.Joe so much. He was rude, yes,

but it wouldn't cause such a dramatic reaction from her usually. L.Joe just

managed to make her feel angry and irritated for the smallest reasons,

especially with that big red hair of his. Annoying, really.

 

"It's really unfortunate that I ended up being in the same school as you

huh." L.Joe sneered, narrowing his eyes at her. Chaekyung jutted out her

chin and scowled deeply. Gosh, that guy really irked her.

 

"I second that." Chaekyung muttered under her breath. "Wholeheartedly."

 

L.Joe growled, a little fired up that she even bothered to respond. He really

wasn't used to girls going against him like this. Not at all. He was just about

to give a rude response when the bell rang, signalling the end of the last

lesson for the seniors. L.Joe's attention shifted to the door he was standing

by and eyed it carefully for the goddess he was waiting for.

 

Chaekyung wrinkled her nose at him and ignored him as well, a somewhat

involuntary act as L came out of the class together with her older sister.

Chaekyung burst into a great smile as she greated L with enthusiasm. "Hi L

oppa!"

 

"Hey!" L grinned at her and ruffled her hair. Chaekyung beamed and felt

her own cheeks grow warm. She should really tell her body to stop doing

that. L wasn't her boyfriend anymore, and it wasn't a secret that L loved

Jaekyung. Loved with all his heart.

 

Chaekyung's smile slightly faltered as L ruffled Soomi, Bomi and Yoomi's

hair as well in that big brotherly manner of his. He walked back to

Jaekyung's side immediately after and together, they made the perfect

picture. A perfect picture without Chaekyung in it.

 

Chaekyung's smile was stiff as ever. She cleared her throat and looked

down at her feet, willing herself to not act like a loser all the time. Why was

it that she still couldn't forget about L?

 

Oh right, that guy was her sister's boyfriend and she saw him nearly

everyday. Giving Jaekyung and L her blessings didn't mean she could cut off

all her emotional attachment towards L at once. And she was really afraid

that no matter how hard she tried, it couldn't be cut off. That would

definitely be deep shit.

 

"Going home, Chae?" Jaekyung asked with a soft smile. "Myungsoo could

fetch us."

 

L pretended to pout and and jutted out his bottom lip. "What am I, your

driver?" Jaekyung blinked at him in confusion and he quickly put on a smile

again. "Jokes."

 

The smile wavered dangerously on Chaekyung's lips. "It's really okay, I'm

thinking of staying in the library to study a little for the history test

tomorrow. You guys go ahead."

 

Jaekyung nodded. "Take care and come home early okay?"

 

Chaekyung nodded with a cheerful smile and watched as her sister and the

guy she loved walked further and further away with the rest of the Infinite

boys. Was it always going to be like that? Her watching, waiting, and

suffering...alone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.Joe cursed as he ran to catch up with Jaekyung.

 

Damn. It was just so difficult to get her attention or find any chance to

speak to her when she was alone. She seemed to be always surrounded with

those stupid Infinite boys or her idiot boyfriend L (L.Joe already didn't like

him), and there wasn't a chance for L.joe to properly introduce himself into

Jaekyung's life.

 

Completely pathetic. The goddess now still doesn't know of his existence.

Great.

 

He followed Jaekyung as she moved off with the Infinite boys towards the

carpark and he grew anxious. He wouldn't live it down if he didn't make his

existence known to Jaekyung by the end of the day. It just wasn't normal for

him to try so hard to get a girl's attention when he usually already had it.

 

L.Joe bit his lip and wondered how he was supposed to approach Jaekyung

with seven cockblockers around her shining as bright as the sun. Hmm. The

infinite members got onto Sunggyu and Woohyun's cars respectively and

only Jaekyung was left to sit in L's car.

 

The rest of the Infinite members drove off after bidding the couple goodbye,

and L made a motion for Jaekyung to get in the car first while he got

something out from the boot of his car. Jaekyung nodded and proceeded to

walk towards a dustbin near L.Joe to throw away her milk carton.

 

L.Joe stood there like a freaking tree as if he was trying to fade into the

background while he gaped at her too stunned to speak. Way to go man.

 

Jaekyung saw him looking at her and she sent him a polite nod and smile

before turning on her back to return to L's car. L.Joe's mouth went

completely dry and he swallowed hard. God, must she look so perfect?

 

"This is the time to say hi, man, there's no other better chance to do it."

L.Joe muttered to himself, growling. "Just do it."

 

Just as L.Joe took the first step out towards Jaekyung, L closed the lid to his

boot and shot Jaekyung a charming smile that could blind people. "Mrs Kim,

wanna head out to that cafe to try the new raspberry cheesecakes?"

 

Jaekyung gave an enthusiastic nod and darted into L's car with a laugh. "As

long as you're treating, Mr Kim."

 

L snorted in amusement and climbed into the car as well. "I'm spoiling you,

aren't I?"

 

That was the last thing L heard before he watched the car drive off, his

chance flying away in front of his eyes.

 

Just wonderful. Cockblocked every moment of the day.

 

"Great. Just great." L.Joe muttered under his breath.

"Dude, you didn't even say hi? You're losing your touch I'm ashamed of

you!"

 

L.Joe grumbled under his breath and deeply regretted the decision of telling

his friends about what happened that day. Having moved over from Gunsan

to Seoul, L.Joe had to leave his best friends to start anew in Seoul. He

sometimes wondered if it was the wrong decision because he really couldn't

live without his best friends, friends who had stood by him ever since he

could remember.

 

And other times he felt extremely glad to have left. Times like this.

 

"I'm so ashamed to have to call you hyung, man." Changjo snorted and

shook his head in amusement. "Just introduce yoruself to her with that

overwhelming swag you always seem to have. what's so difficult about

that?"

 

It didn't feel good to be scoffed at by the maknae. It didn't feel good at all,

especially for the bully L.Joe.

 

Chunji pushed Changjo out of the frame to stare into the webcam. "You're

losing your touch, L.Joe. This isn't it, definitely." he clicked his tongue.

"You're supposed to be the one with most charm. Keyword on supposed,

because I completely disagree." he muttered under his breath but

completely obvious that he meant for L.Joe to head. L.Joe rolled his eyes.

 

So a short introduction to his bestest friends.

 

L.Joe knew Chunji for the longest time since they were neighbours and he

had the unfortunate chance to make acquaintance with Lee Chanhee. L.Joe

had never known anyone with such concern over their hair.

 

The degree in which Chunji cared for his hair was horrifying. He would

refuse to change his clothes because doing so would mess up his perfectly

gelled up hair. Have you ever heard of anyone so vain, really? And dirty.

 

Niel was one hell of a prankster and the rest of them always had to endure

different tricks Ahn Daniel threw in their way. L.Joe was usually the one

who wouldn't fall for those traps of Niel, but even the witty him had to

admit that some of them were really quite ingenious.

 

Changjo the maknae was in that growing phase of his trying to figure what

kind of a person he was. Changjo fancied himself being cool and rebellious

like a bad boy but L.Joe knew that the kid was actually warm and fuzzy on

the inside.

 

He would rather die than admit that he missed these guys, but he figured

that they knew he did miss Gunsan to some extent because he did agree to

this webcam meeting. The other three boys were huddled together in order

for all of them to be captured in the screen. They looked ridiculous, but

L.Joe was used to it.

 

"What's so different about this Jaekyung girl anyway, hyung?" Niel asked

curiously, his face ridiculously close to the camera such that L.Joe could

even count the number of pores his dongsaeng had on his nose. "I thought

you didn't like popular girls."

 

"I don't." L.Joe shrugged. "But Lee Jaekyung is popular because of her

boyfriend and her makeover, she didn't choose to be popular. In fact, she

hid her true beauty previously. Don't you think that's a gem?"

 

Changjo wrinkled up his face. "Sounds fishy to me. Which girl would want to

hide her true beauty. I mean, with fake eyelashes and big-eyed contacts,

girls are trying to attain fake beauty that they originally did not have. Heh."

 

L.Joe grinned. "That's why she's special."

 

Chunji rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever man, as the person

who has known you for the longest, I don't have a good feeling about it." he

pursed his lips. "And anyway that girl is attached. Aren't there any other

girls there that you have to go for one that already has a boyfriend? Doesn't

she have a cute sister or anything?"

 

L.Joe's face immediately turned back. "She does." he muttered in distaste.

"The fiesty girl who bumped into me the other time which i told you guys

about? She's Lee Jaekyung's younger sister, Chaekyung."

 

"Fiesty? I like fiesty." Changjo immediately blurted and Niel whacked the

maknae's head. "You're too young to handle fiesty girls." he muttered.

Changjo's jaw dropped and he puffed out his chest. "Excuse me? When is

age a matter?"

 

Chunji eyed L.Joe and blinked. "That girl..." a sly smile came onto his lips.

"Don't you think it's fate that you ended up in the same school as her? It

isn't often that L to the Joe shows such extreme feelings for a girl. Even if

negative."

 

"Fate my ass." L.Joe cringed at the thought. Chaekyung annoyed him to no

end without even doing anything. He already had his basic impression built

so firmly that no matter how Ricky sang Chaekyung praises, L.Joe was never

going to change his mind about her.

 

Niel's face brightened up. "Hey don't you think this is the chance? Get close

to Chaekyung so that you can get closer to Jaekyung? Don't you think that's

a brilliant idea?"

 

"Brilliant idea my ass that's just low." Chunji muttered disapprovingly, but

the trickster thought he had the come up with the greatest idea of all time.

 

Changjo twisted his lips as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Seems feasible

provided she really doesn't hate you as much as she seems to." he mumbled.

 

L.Joe considered this. That really seemed like a low-blow to use Chaekyung

to get to Jaekyung, but really, he didn't have many other options did he,

especially when he retained and he was a junior and he had no valid reason

to stay beside Jaekyung. That girl didn't even know his name yet.

 

"This idea seems feasible." L.Joe murmured. Chunji's jaw dropped and

internally tore at his hair. His best friend COULDN'T be considering this

idea for real. It was a pure scumbag move.

 

"But it's too lowdown Niel, I don't think I'm up for it." L.Joe muttered while

shaking his head. "Unless everything else fails, this idea is out."

 

Chunji heaved a visible sigh of relief and Niel deflated. "Awww."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"For the upcoming project, you guys are supposed to come up with a faux

business stimulation model, of which you are going to make analysis and

proposals for it." Teacher Lee told the class. "More instructions will be

found in the pieces of paper that are being passed down the row now."

 

L.Joe wrinkled his nose as Ricky passed the paper to him. He sighed and

raked his fingers through his hair as he grabbed it reluctantly, skimming his

eyes across the words.

 

He stopped at a particular sentence and blinked before going back a few

words. "This project is to be completed in pairs." he muttered under his

breath. He cursed promptly after and narrowed his eyes at the paper. He

shouldn't have come back to school damn it.

 

He mentally went through all the people in class and knew that there were

quite a few girls eying him meaningfully from the other end of the class. He

could only hope that he wouldn't be paired up with them. Please.

 

L.Joe's eyes landed on the guy in front of him and noted how Ricky was

sending him hopeful grins and he quickly diverted his gaze.

 

Okay, give him any of those fangirls instead. He would be willing to have

them if that meant his partner wasn't Ricky. Ricky was cheerful and a

moodlifter but heck, sometimes he was too cheerful.

 

L.Joe swept his eyes quickly through the class and didn't mean to, but his

eyes met with Chaekyung's accidentally. Both of them felt a little strange

zap between them and both gave a sneer before looking away. Irritation at

it's best was what they thought.

 

Teacher Lee began speaking again after most of the students were settled

down again. "The project partners, unforunately, are going to be appointed

by me and no changing your partners."

 

A series of groans rang throughout the class.

 

"Listen carefully while I read out all the pairings alright?" Teacher Lee

picked up his paper. "First, Byun Baekhyun and Han Eunbyul." Loud groans.

"Luhan and Yoo Haejung." Shy smiles. "Kim Jonghyun and Park Ji Eun."

 

L.Joe twirled the pen around his fingers as Teacher Lee went down the

namelist.

 

"Lee Taemin and Oh Jooyeon."

 

L.Joe spun the pen once more.

 

"Lee Byunghun and Lee Chaekyung."

 

The pen dropped.

 

...

 

"WHAT?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well... life sucked. Heh.

Chaekyung could not believe her luck. She had to have committed some

horrible disgusting crime in her past life to have deserved such bad luck

now. Not counting those unfortunate incidences that happened in the past,

the fact that she was paired up with Lee Byunghun made it absolutely

certain that this was some sort of bad karma.

 

Repeat. Paired up with Lee Byunghun. Groanssssss.

 

Chaekyung could feel his glare on her face before she even turned to look at

that pink haired idiot. She met his eyes and he gave her a glare that was full

of disdain which made her feel incredibly indignant about it all.

 

It wasn't as if she wanted to be partners right? Even if the rest of the female

population in the entire world wanted to be his partner (minus Jaekyung of

course, her sister was too in love with L to care about L.Joe), that didn't

mean she was the same as them.

 

The way he acted was as if it was her fault they were made partners. PUH-

LEASE.

 

Chaekyung sighed and rubbed her temples, her lips absent-mindedly

blowing a raspberry. Damn, she would just have to sacrifice her grade for

this subject wouldn't she?

 

------

 

L.Joe grumbled under his breath as he packed his back with vigor. Ricky

glanced at him in alarm as L.Joe threw his books in his bag with such

strength that one would think his books had offended him.

 

"Hyung." Ricky whispered over to CAP. "Do you think L.Joe hyung needs to

go for some anger management classes?"

 

CAP gave Ricky a duh expression. "Always felt that way since day one." He

snickered.

 

L.Joe narrowed his eyes at Chaekyung as she packed her own bag, very

obviously trying to ignore him. It was obvious in the way she tried to slant

looks at him to catch f he was still glaring at her, which he was by the way.

And then when she realized he was still looking at her as if she was

responsible for all the bad things in the world, she would divert her eyes

and pretend he was nobody.

 

The nerve of that girl. L.Joe did not like being ignored, even if the girl in

question was a little miss popular which he absolutely hated. L.Joe didn't

get ignored, not by anyone.

 

He stormed over to Chaekyung, ready to rip her head off if she angered him

anymore by doing absolutely nothing. It was strange why he could dislike

her to such an extent when their interaction had been minimal and he

wasn't someone that was quite that quick to judge, but for Lee Chaekyung,

her pretty little smiles and bright smiling eyes just irked L.Joe to no end. He

knew that the girl was attractive and that she was an eye candy to lost boys

in school, but he really really hated popular girls like that. Especially

popular girls that seemed to not bother about their popularity, those were

the scariest girls.

 

He thought about Jaekyung and slightly backtracked in his thoughts. Well

Jaekyung had a high profile and was popular and didn't seem to care for her

popularity as well... L.Joe shook his head. Jaekyung was different. Just

because.

 

L.Joe stood beside Chaekyung's seat and narrowed his eyes at her and he

could see her taking a deep breath before turning to look at him as if facing

took a whole lot of courage and effort. "What?"

 

"Our project." L.Joe muttered in annoyance. "We have to get it over and

done with as soon as possible so I wouldn't need to see your irritable face."

 

"My sentiments exactly." Chaekyung didn't take offense and L.Joe felt even

more irritated. Why couldn't he get a reaction from his girl no matter how

he tried. She just didn't act like how he would expect her to. And it irked

him to no end.

 

"We have to complete it soon. You can come over to my house to get it

done." Chaekyung looked him straight in the eye without flinching or her

eyes turning into sparkling heart shapes. "When are you free? Tomorrow?"

 

"Tomorrow." L.Joe nodded, scowling all the way. "You sure this isn't your

plan to seduce me to your house? Maybe you even told teacher Lee you

wanted to be partners with me."

 

Chaekyung snorted and slung her bag over her shoulder. It was quite an

uncharacteristic move since she never snorted, ever. L.Joe seemed to make

her behave in her worst ways ever, because she didn't have that conscious

effort to keep up her reputation around him. She didn't care.

 

"I wouldn't go to such lengths to seduce you, don't worry. Seducing you is

the last thing on my mind." Chaekyung mumbled as she walked past him. "I

don't like my guy cosplaying some Disney princess."

 

L.Joe blinked in confusion and his hand shot out to grab her elbow. "What

Disney princess?" He snapped, annoyed.

 

Chaekyung blinked innocently and glanced at his hair. "Ariel, of course."

She looked as if she was trying to control her laughter as she slipped away

while L.Joe was trying to figure out what she was talking about.

 

"Who the fuck is Ariel?" L.Joe growled, furrowing his brows at no one in

particular and successfully looking extremely suave all the same.

 

"The Disney princess, the little mermaid of course!" Ricky chirped, not

hearing Chaekyung's previous words and innocently replying his hyung's

question without knowing that any moment he would be stepping on a land-

mine. "You know, the mermaid with a bottom body like a fish and red fluffy

hair-"

 

L.Joe blinked and his fingers went up to his hair almost immediately. His

eyes darkened and he snapped his gaze towards the door even though

Chaekyung was long gone.

 

"Ariel?" L.Joe gasped in fury. "That girl called my fashionista hair a lame

Disney princess? What the f-"

 

"No cursing." CAP whistled as he walked past. L.Joe bit back his words and

growled internally. Oh god damn, she as so going to get it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only good thing L.Joe could think of when going over to Chaekyung's

house for the project was that he might have a chance to see Jaekyung.

Other than that, it was just pure torture.

 

When he told the rest of Teen Top that he had been paired with Lee

Chaekyung for his first project of the year, they had laughed their asses.

Chunji however, kept looking as if he had something to say but didn't want

to say it, giving secretive smug smiles all the time. It was annoying but

L.Joe didn't ask. Chunji had more than a few screws lose in his mind, in

L.Joe's opinion.

 

L.Joe tapped on door and scowled deeply as he waited for Chaekyung to

open the door. Darn that girl, she knew he was coming so why didn't she

prepare for his arrival?

 

It took a good minute before the door opened and L.Joe immediately shot at

the person who did. "What took you so long princess?" He snapped. He

called her princess not as an endearment but rather in a sarcastic manner.

Princesses in her opinion, were stubborn, naive and selfish people.

 

Look at Ariel for example. She had to be the most naive person on earth, to

give up her family and life underwater for some random prince she had only

seen and never talked to, risking her entire life and existence. Seriously,

were there other people as dumb as she was?

 

L.Joe thought the description was particularly apt for Little Miss Popular

Chaekyung since being the popular chick she was, she was bound to be

stubborn and self-centered like a princess.

 

He fully intended to criticize and his tone showed it, which was why he

nearly bit his own tongue into half when he realized that the person who

had opened the door for him wasn't Chaekyung but instead his goddess.

L.Joe's jaw dropped and he almost felt his cheeks blushing (almost, Lee

Byunghun didn't blush) as he could tell Jaekyung was trying not to laugh.

 

"Hi, are you Chaekyung's classmate coming over for the project?" Jaekyung

had a hard time keeping a straight face. "She didn't mention being on such

close terms with you till you guys used endearments."

 

Endearments. L.Joe felt faint. His goddess thought he called Chaekyung

princess with an intention of it being an endearment. Lord save him from

this mess.

 

"It's not meant to be an endearment."  L.Joe quickly clarified as he followed

Jaekyung into the house. "It's mean to be an insult you know, because

princesses are stubborn and selfish and-"

 

"Most of the times beautiful and absolutely gorgeous?" Jaekyung teased

lightly. L.Joe's jaw dropped a second time and he felt like finding a hole to

hide himself. He was such a fail.

 

"I'm Lee Byunghun by the way." He finally coughed out, hoping that his

goddess would get an impromptu memory loss for the past two minutes.

"You can call me L.Joe. I'm that prin- Lee Chaekyung's classmate but I'm the

same age as you." He cursed himself for nearly saying that awful word

again and hoped that his age would make himself seem more manly to her.

 

"Yeah I heard." Jaekyung mumbled absent-mindedly as she pouted a cup of

drink for him. L.Joe accepted it gratefully and took his time marveling at her

beauty. Gosh, she was really beautiful especially when she smiled. Her

features might not be perfect, but it was the aura of calmness and kindness

she exuded  that made him unable to tear his eyes away from him.

 

Call him biased or whatever. He couldn't really find any points in which

Jaekyung was much better than Chaekyung in any particular way, but she

just was. Just because.

 

L.Joe backtracked to her answer and nearly whooped in joy. She heard

about him how great was that!

 

"Pardon Chaekyung. She was here waiting for you but being the clumsy

cutie she was," Jaekyung chuckled a little that sounded like a nightingale's

tingle in L.Joe's ears. Gosh he sounded ridiculous didn't he. "She

accidentally split some iced cocoa on herself and had to go upstairs to wash

up."

 

L.Joe snorted unintentionally. Her clumsiness was another thing she hated

about him. It was also the thing that caused them to meet in such an

unpleasant way heh.

 

"She would be back down in no time I guess." Jaekyung shrugged, smiling

at him. L.Joe felt like he was in heaven and secretly hoped that Chaekyung

would be locked in the bathroom so that she wouldn't come down.

 

He couldn't help but remember what his friend's said about using

Chaekyung to get closer to Jaekyung. Look at him now, sitting in Jaekyung's

living room and talking to her one to one. Even if he wasn't a very witty

participant in the conversation, this was a huge leap from where he had

started.

 

The only thing he had to complain about all this was how Jaekyung had

taken the furthest possible seat away from him as if he had some sort of a

disease. It wasn't as if she had some boy phobia or anything, but well at

least she was here.

 

He was about to open his mouth to impress her with some hopefully witty

things that might come out of his mouth when someone descended from the

stairs. L.Joe turned over to look and he was momentarily stumped by the

unexpected sight of Chaekyung.

 

Correction: the unexpected beauty radiating from Chaekyung.

 

He always thought she wore makeup to school with her rosy cheeks and

large sparkly eyes, but her freshly washed face told him that those features

were all hers and not he doing of some artificially crafted product.

 

Her hair was in lose curls and she was wearing a comfortable large tee with

cute bright yellow shorts with a towel around her neck. Completely homey,

completely comfortable and not at all dressed up to impress.

 

But still completely gorgeous.

 

L.Joe growled to himself for thinking that way. Well of course she was

sommeeewhattt acceptable in terms of looks because she was after all blood

related to his goddess, but his goddess was forever better, he told himself.

 

"Took you a long time, princess." L.Joe snarled with the intent to enrage and

Chaekyung rolled her eyes at his comment, catching his meaning.

 

Jaekyung however, found it cute that he called her sister princess again and

chuckled softly to herself.

 

"Get your lazy self up from that couch Ariel, time for work." Chaekyung

rolled her eyes once more and sauntered up the stairs.

 

L.Joe jerked his head towards Jaekyung in alarm and hoped she didn't catch

that, but apparently luck wasn't on his side and she did, sending a

questioning look in his direction. "Ariel?"

 

L.Joe nearly choked. "Uh that's just your sister being stupid and-"

 

"It describes his hair, unnie. Simple as that." Chaekyung poked her head

down from the second floor. "Ariel are you coming up or not?"

 

L.Joe growled. Princess Ariel was by far the most hated fictional character.

Ever.

"How could you call me Ariel in front of your sister, are you dumb or

dumb?" L.Joe snapped as he stepped into Chaekyung's room. The girl's

room was undeniably, and unexpectedly, pink. Very pink

 

L.Joe nearly shrivelled up in all that pink essense that seemed to be seeping

all his energy away from him. The walls were a baby pink, her bed sheets

were a ombre of different shades of pink, her curtains were white with cute

pink hearts. God help him.

 

Chaekyung just shrugged as she moved over to her laptop, turning it on

while plopping herself on her bed. "It doesn't matter what unnie thinks

about you anyway. I've already degraded you to pit bottom in front of her so

it doesn't matter. It's not as if you like her right?" she hummed.

 

L.Joe wrinkled his nose and remained uncharacteristically silent. The

silence was what that alerted Chaekyung and she snapped her head in his

direction, her eyes wide. "Wait, you like my sister?" her voice rose.

 

L.Joe glanced at the door in alarm and moved over to shut it. Chaekyung sat

upright in her bed, her eyes wide. This was the first time a guy had gone

into her room, alone with her, and now he proceeded to shut the door. Even

though she was absolutely hundred and one percent sure nothing would

happen between them, she was worried what her parents would think if

they knew.

 

"Ya, my umma will flip if she sees the door closed." Chaekyung frowned,

moving to stand up. L.Joe strode over to her and sat her back down on the

bed. "No wait." he snapped. Chaekyung glanced up at him curiously.

 

"Don't tell anyone." L.Joe warned menacingly. "If you do, I'll cut off your

head to feed the dogs."

 

Chaekyung chortled. "Cut off my head to feed the dogs sounds rather

childish." she laughed heartily with some near cheerfulness. "Don't tell

anyone what? That you like my unnie?"

 

L.Joe's eyes narrowed.

 

Chaekyung looked up at him and sighed, shaking his head. "It doesn't

matter so I won't say. You'll only be one of the thousands that's in love with

her and it doesn't make a difference. Besides," her voice grew smaller.

"Unnie already has a boyfriend and they're perfect for each other."

 

L.Joe never stopped to ponder why Chaekyung sounded vaguely

melancholic. "That's what you think. Maybe I'll be a better match-"

 

"No." Chaekyung cut him off, shaking her head. "L oppa is the best guy for

unnie and vice versa. You better stop lusting over her good looks before you

really get hurt."

 

Like I did, she nearly blurted. The first moment she set her eyes on L, she

was drawn to his good looks and handsome charming face. That was what

attracted her to him at first, she could not deny, but as time passed, she

learnt that her initial attraction had turned into real blossoming love.

 

Real blossoming love that shouldn't exist, because now she was hurting

madly and had no way of stopping it.

 

"I'm not lusting over her good looks-"

 

"You are." Chaekyung cut L.Joe off. "You haven't talked to unnie much and

you have no idea what sort of a person she is. What makes you so sure you'll

like her personality as much as you like her exterior?"

 

L.Joe frowned. He didn't like how this naive, childish little princess seemed

all grown-up and reasonable all of a sudden. He didn't like how she was

making sense. "I just like her alright?" Because she was different, she

wasn't popular by choice and she was nothing like those popular girls he

knew in the past.

 

He didn't stop to consider how Chaekyung might be different as well. No.

 

Chaekyung just sighed once more. "Okay okay, let's get on with the

project." she muttered, not wanting to hear another word about it. She

could almost hear another heart breaking and she smiled bitterly. Yet

another broken heart in this perfect union.

 

L.Joe watched her as she proceeded to open a few files and began her

research, completely ignoring him. What made her think that his like for

Jaekyung was based on outer looks only? He cleared his throat as he

thought about it. Okay maybe there wasn't any solid evidence that he liked

Jaekyung for her personality but he had a good eye for this sort of thing, he

was sure Jaekyung was a nice person and it would then be justified to like

her. Humph.

 

Jaekyung was popular because she was L's girlfriend and she didn't want to

be known at all, according to Ricky. L.Joe liked that about her. Chaekyung

on the other hand being the flyer in the cheerleading team and having

scores of fanboys and even a fanpage....L.Joe scoffed inwardly, a fame

monster this one was.

 

He hated popular girls. Hated how they pretended to be nice to everyone

around them. Hated how their pretty smiles could hide their inner demons

lurking within.

 

He hated them. With a passion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Don't you have anything to eat in your house? You're not a good host at all

you know. Your sister gave me a drink once I entered your house and you

didn't even flinch these past two hours while I complained about my

overwhelming hunger." L.Joe grumbled.

 

Chaekyung looked over at him and stuck out her tongue. He was lying on

her bed like the boss he was and playing with her Domokun soft toy while

being absolutely unproductive. "You never did anything to earn your share

of food."

 

L.Joe rolled over on the bed to frown at her. "I'm seriously hungry. Feed

me."

 

"I might really poison your food." Chaekyung whispered to herself while

trying her best to act like she was ignoring him. She typed another sentence

on the report when her domokun came flying her way and knocked her

straight on the head.

 

L.Joe laughed when he saw her surprised expression. "Food." he repeated.

 

"You pig." Chaekyung shot, picking up her Domokun from the floor and

dusting it furiously. She huffed at him and narrowed her eyes. "I better see

two more pages on that report when I get back with food. You haven't done

anything but crumple my bedsheets since you got here you lazy bum."

 

L.Joe shrugged. "Studying is not my forte. Not my fault." He tapped a

pretend watch on his wrist. "Food, princess. And make sure not to poison

me because I'll kill you and your fanboys who dare do anything to me."

 

Chaekyung shook her head as she went out. "If I poisoned you, I'd make

sure you'd die wouldn't I?" she muttered. She sighed as she thought about

what to make since she could not cook whatsoever. She remembered the

cupcakes she baked for L and Jaekyung's cupcakes which she feigned as her

own.

 

Another difference between Jaekyung and her. Another reason to mourn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.Joe looked around Chaekyung's room and twisted his lips. This girl's room

was really quite typical with this huge Dongbangshinki poster pasted on her

wall like any teenage girl out there. L.Joe eyed Changmin's face and quickly

guessed that he was the girl's favorite character with all the heart shaped

stickers around him, and he scoffed inwardly. What was so good about that

guy annyway? (Besides height ahem).

 

L.Joe noticed a few photoframes on Chaekyung's table and he rolled over on

Chaekyung's bed to get to them. He stretched and grabbed one frame, lying

back down on her pillow once more. It was a picture of the Lee family,

mother father Jaekyung and Chaekyung. They looked pretty close-knitted

and happy.

 

L.Joe's eyes narrowed in on Jaekyung and Chaekyung's smiling faces and he

tapped his chin. He couldn't exactly pick which one was prettier because

both were beautiful in their own ways. They were very different despite

being sisters and well, beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

 

He looked over at the other two photos on the table and noted that one of

them was of Jaekyung and Chaekyung, and the other was Chaekyung

together with her friends Yoomi, Boomi and Soomi. L.Joe put them back and

made a face. Not at all interesting this girl.

 

He let his eyes glance around the room when he noticed a bright pink box

that was stored under Chaekyung's wardrobe. He moved over to it and

pulled it out curiously. What was this?

 

He opened the box and blinked at the cute photoframe that was right on the

top. His eyes widened at the photo and he recalled Ricky's words of how L

had dated Chaekyung first before. He hadn't really remembered that but

the photo served as a reminder. It was a selca of L and Chaekyung taken by

the latter and it seemed L was still driving while it was taken. Chaekyung

posed for the camera while L gave an absent-minded smile as he focused

ont he road.

 

L.Joe instantly realized that this box was forbidden to just anyone and he

shouldnt' be opening it, especially how he was her enemy and everything.

But as it was in all fictional tales, L.Joe didn't care and he glanced at the

door making sure that it was properly closed before grabbing the book

under the photoframe and flipping it open without a moment's hesitation.

 

He flipped through a few pages and it wasn't long before he realized just

what this book was about. He never realized girls did things like this but

this book was actually a scrapbook for Chaekyung's and L's relationships.

Like seriously.

 

Chaekyung had taken a picture of the love letter she wrote to L before she

passed it to him, and she pasted it on the first page. The title written in

bright pink glittery pen. "L OPPA ACCEPTED MY CONFESSION

WHOOHOO!"

 

L.Joe blinked. This idea was a little lame but...kinda cute. And hell lot of

devotion involved. He wondered if L knew Chaekyung made something like

that for him because if a girl did this for him, he would be really touched.

 

L.Joe flipped a few more pages and saw that Chaekyung took photos of little

things relating to L. Like the car seat the first time she sat her car, her feet

next to his while they were walking, a picture of him staring into the

distance while sitting on a bench.

 

"She really liked him huh." L.Joe murmured. He intially thought Chaekyung

might have dated L because of his popularity (because who knows?) but it

didn't seem to be the case.

 

He flipped a few more pages and saw that the pictures were more and more

scarce and there were a few sad faces here and there with no comments for

a few days. It wasn't until the end that L.Joe saw a last picture in the entire

book; a picture of Jaekyung and L. "This is the perfect couple right from the

start, there's no place for me. I'm the third party."

 

L.Joe didn't really get it. Was Chaekyung really the third party? But L dated

her first. What actually happened?

 

He frowned and scratched his head. "But anyway, if only Jaekyung wasn't

dating L now." he muttered. "I'd have a higher chance."

 

L.Joe was about to close the book when he realized that he hadn't reached

the end yet. The scrapbook was numbered from the day one of L and

Chaekyung's relationship and there was still quite a bit after L and

Jaekyung got together.

 

L.Joe flipped a few pages and noticed that Chaekyung wrote a few lines on

every page to summarise her thoughts instead. Somedays they were just a

sad face and otheres were motivating phrases. However motivating they

were, it gave off a feeling that Chaekyung wasn't all that happy and was

forcing herself to sound so.

 

He reached the last entry which was freshly written the previous day.

 

"My smile may be bright, my footsteps are light, but I can never be happy,

when you're all I think of day and night." L.Joe read. "What should I do if I'm

still in love with you...L oppa?" L.Joe's voice rose and his eyes widened in

surprise.

 

Chaekyung opened the door at this moment with peanut butter sandwiches

and she blinked. "Why are you shrieking Arie-" she faltered when she saw

her scrapbook in L.Joe's hands.

 

She dropped the sandwiches and her face turned pale. "You-"

 

"I'm sorry." L.Joe blurted. And he wasn't sure that was enough.

"How could you look through my thins without my permission?" Chaekyung

stormed over to L.Joe and snatched her scrapbook away, stuffing it roughly

into the box and shoving it under the wardrobe again.

 

Sudden regret hit L.Joe as he realized just what he had accidentally

stumbled upon. It was a well-kept secret that Chaekyung had been

feverishly trying to keep unknown. No one had ever realized that her

expressions were unnatural when Jaekyung and L were together.

 

L himself never took notice of Chaekyung whenever Jaekyung was near, of

course and he thought it was justified. But he wondered why Chaekyung's

friends didn't realize anything was wrong unless Chaekyung herself was

really that good of an actress.

 

He wished he could have unseen the contents of the box because it made

everything so complicated, and God, were those tears brimming in her

eyes?

 

L.Joe felt like a total cad.

 

He wanted to say something nice but heck, he wasn't such a person and he

had no idea how to go about doing that. He bit his lip and blurted the first

thing that came to his mind. "You're seriously in love with your sister's

boyfriend?"

 

Oh great, it irked her even more.

 

Chaekyung's face turned redder and redder and L.Joe wasn't sure if she was

blushing or was it due to anger. "I'm not, that's...that's just..." Chaekyung

defended weakly, her hands falling limply by her sides.

 

L.Joe folded his arms. "If you're worried, don't be, because I promise not to

tell anyone about it especially since you're guarded this secret so carefully

with your life."

 

Chaekyung looked up in surprise. Really? He wouldn't say?

 

The surprise was identical to that on L.Joe's face and it seemed he hadn't

really thought about it before letting his mouth run off freely. Before he

could justify that sentence in his mind, his mouth went off again. Seriously

his brain and mouth needed to have some team building sessions to bond.

 

"But of course in return you'd have to do something for me."

 

Chaekyung's face fell and she looked at him with utter disdain. Even if L.Joe

didn't particularly like this girl, he wasn't one to enjoy it when someone

gazed upon him as if he was the spawn of the devil.

 

However on second thoughts, at least she didn't look like she was about to

cry anymore. She just looked plain angry. L.Joe figured he could handle

anger much better than tears.

 

"Are you...blackmailing me?"  Chaekyung choked out in disbelief. She really

was quite naive wasn't she? Couldn't she tell a blackmail when it was

shouting at her straight in the face?

 

L.Joe nodded and the more he thought about it, the better. Now he had

something over Chaekyung which she most definitely didn't want anyone to

know and she would do absolutely anything to keep him from telling. If only

that dim-witted and pure girl thought about it deeply enough, she would

realize she could reduce L.Joe to a similar position by threatening to tell

Jaekyung about his crush on her. But no, the girl was too pure and nice.

 

"What do you want me to do then?" Chaekyung bit out.

 

L.Joe smirked and crossed his arms while shrugging. It was all a very

awkward position but only he could pull it off while looking kind of cool at

the same time.

 

"Let me think about it." L.Joe grinned. Chaekyung gave him an exasperated

look and looked like she wanted to throttle him to death.

 

She turned away from him and took a deep visible breath. "Just make sure

you keep your word and not let anyone know about...about that." She

struggled.

 

L.Joe beamed. "Absolutely madam."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't a very gentlemanly act, L.Joe concluded, but he wasn't very

gentlemanly to begin with. He finally decided to put Chaekyung out of her

misery as he helped her with their report.

 

His definition of help was of course nitpicking every tiny detail and

questioning it with utmost seriousness and annoying Chaekyung to no end.

But then again when she was annoyed she wouldn't dwell on the fact that

the one guy she loved was the one she couldn't get.

 

Oh well. It was maybe a "kind" act on his part, and he really enjoyed

annoying her.

 

They finally finished their report a good two hours later with much

bickering between, and both of them were pretty much drained. Mrs Lee

knocked on the door at this instant and smiled warmly at the two. "It's

almost time for dinner, you two."

 

"Already?" L.Joe glanced at his watch in alarm. He didn't have much on

except for that prearranged Skype meeting with the rest of the Teen Top

boys. However that wasn't until very much later at night.

 

It just shocked him that he had spent almost five hours in Chaekyung's room

and it felt barely an hour despite the amount of things that had happened.

 

"Dinner!" Chaekyung perked up visibly and scrambled to her feet. L.Joe

snorted loudly, which caused her to direct a glare in his direction. "What?"

 

"Nothing." L.Joe just shrugged. It's just I never saw anyone acting so much

like a child at the mention of food at this age. "You're a glutton, princess."

 

"And you're a sloth." Chaekyung gave him a look over at his comfortable

position. She glanced at the clock and was particularly happy at the time it

showed. "Since it's so late, you better get home quickly and-"

 

"Byunghun ah, why don't you join us for dinner? I cooked more than enough

and you're welcomed to join us." Mrs Lee offered with a warm motherly

smile. L.Joe wavered slightly at the kindness the woman showed, she made

him crave for the mother figure he had missing in his life.

 

Chaekyung on the other hand, looked horrified that her mother could

suggest something like that. "Ariel, I mean Lee Byunghun is obviously very

busy, umma. He doesn't have time to have dinner with us right?" Her voice

rose sharply.

 

L.Joe gave her an innocent smile. "Of course I have time for your delicious

dinner, Mrs Lee," he smiled a "good son" smile. "What are you talking about

princess. I have time, all the time in the world."

 

Chaekyung's jaw dropped opened and she shot him a glare as she mouthed

"what?" L.Joe pretended not to see and smiled at Mrs Lee who looked

absolutely excited to have another guest for dinner.

 

"Come down in five minutes then! I'll have the plates set up in no time!" Mrs

Lee beamed warmly and hurried down the stairs.

 

Chaekyung elbowed L.Joe hard in the stomach and he just gave a playful

shrug. "What? I need dinner don't I?"

 

------

 

His original motive of irking Chaekyung and getting closer to Jaekyung was

slightly defeated when he realized he wasn't the only guest at dinner. While

Chaekyung and L.Joe were upstairs doing their report, L had popped over to

the Lee house and he was watching a drama while Jaekyung was typing out

an article for the next issue of the school newspaper.

 

L.Joe tried not to let his displeasure show on his face. Just when he thought

he had the upper hand.

 

L blinked at L.Joe and gave a friendly smile. "You're L.Joe right? Nice to

meet you. I heard the girls talking about your irresistible charm." He joked.

 

L.Joe shook his hand with a firm nod. He discreetly looked L up and down

and scoffed. What was so special about this guy anyway, to have gained his

goddess's affection. Humph.

 

L looked over at Mrs Lee and hurried over to help her set the plates. "Leave

this to me, Omonim."

 

L.Joe cursed in his mind for not thinking of doing that earlier. He watched

as L seemed to blend into the family and could even joke around with Mr

Lee when he came home from work. It seemed as if L was already part of

the family.

 

"I hope I'm not troubling you by having dinner here so often, Omonim." L

grinned.

 

Mrs Lee chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Of course not Myungsoo, you're

welcome here always."

 

Jaekyung shook her head in amusement and laughed softly as she took her

seat beside L. L.Joe sat opposite L and Chaekyung opposite her sister. The

meal began and everyone started digging in furiously.

 

L picked out the largest chicken wing and put in on Jaekyung's plate,

earning a smile from the latter. Inspired, L.Joe too picked out a second

largest chicken wing and deposited it on Chaekyung's plate.

 

Chaekyung looked at him as if he suddenly grew two horns and L.Joe

smirked. "For show, princess." He whispered. Chaekyung rolled her eyes

and shook her head, whatever, at least she had the chicken.

 

L.Joe slanted his gaze and saw that Jaekyung had notice his exchange with

Chaekyung: exactly what he wanted. She gave a little secretive smile and

looked down at her own food.

 

L.Joe felt like pumping his fists in the air. Yes, point gained. Now Jaekyung

would think he was a considerate nice guy and hopefully forget about

Chaekyung calling him Ariel.

 

"L.Joe, try the spicy tofu as well." Jaekyung pointed. "Umma makes very

good Chinese food." She praised.

 

L.Joe's face lit up and he gave a wide beam. "Really?" He reached for the

said dish and put it into his mouth, not knowing what he just ate. She was

talking to him. She was talking to him!!

 

L.Joe secretly smiled. Damn, if only he could come over as and when he

pleased, he could spend more time with Jaekyung and perhaps win her over

from her not very impressive boyfriend.

 

He watched L enviously as the latter guy leaned towards Jaekyung and

whispered something into her ear, making her giggle.

 

He was brainstorming on ideas when a light bulb lit in his mind. He

brightened and looked over at Chaekyung who looked absolutely miserable

sitting beside L.Joe and watching her sister and boyfriend laugh at secret

jokes.

 

A win-win situation really, his idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I know what I want from you in return for not spilling your secret." L.Joe

said while they were walking to the bus stop. Mrs Lee had insisted

Chaekyung show L.Joe to the bus stop, which was very ridiculous in her

younger daughter's view. Of course he knew where it was, how did he get

there in the first place?!

 

Chaekyung glanced at L.Joe's mischievous smile and cringed. It was

something very bad, definitely. She had been absolutely humiliated that it

was L.Joe of all people to have found out her secret, and was just waiting for

him to laugh at her about it. Her foolishness.

 

"What is it?" Chaekyung retorted impatiently. "Your slave for a day? But you

meals for the rest of the year?"

 

"Sounds tempting but my idea is even better." L.Joe leaned closer, smirking.

 

His breath tickled her ear as he whispered his idea.

 

"Lee Chaekyung, be my pretend-girlfriend."