21 Hyuk Jae: Part 1 (1/2)

A few years ago:

”Hyuk Jae, what's the answer on the board?” the teacher asked him. Hyuk Jae stood up from his seat.

”Teacher, I have a question first” he said. Chang Wook sitting behind him passed his hand across his face. He looked over at Mi Jin, she was three rows away from him and at the front, while he was close to the back. Mi Jin looked at Chang Wook, they knew what was going to happen but the teacher still fell for it.

”Yes. What is it?” she asked.

”I don't understand anything. Can you explain it from the beginning?” Hyuk Jae asked. The class erupted in laughter.

”I don't even know why I bother with you” the teacher said ”Hyuk Jae. Outside” all the teachers have made Hyuk Jae stand outside at least twice a week but he's not stupid. Although he isn't as good as Chang Wook or Mi Jin, he does his work and barely passes his exams, but he's not a completely lost cause. He only has interests in baseball. Though he's going to take over the family business, he wants to enjoy his youth while he still can.

During lunch Chang Wook would often spend it in the library or watching Hyuk Jae and the others playing basketball in the gym. He was often joined in the bleachers by girls just watching Hyuk Jae. He was indeed popular.

What he didn't know was that he was popular too. All the girls called Hyuk Jae and Chang Wook ”The Dynamic Duo” while one of them was always energetic and always making jokes, the other was quiet but had an aura to him that naturally attracted people to him.

”What are you reading today?” Hyuk Jae asked Chang Wook after the fun workout.

”Another book” Chang Wook said.

”Well, no shit” Hyuk laughed. He sat down next to Chang Wook and on the other side of the gym, he noticed Mi Jin. She was there since the beginning, so she saw how he was embarrassingly beaten by the other team ”Noooo!” he said hitting his head. Chang Wook looked at him confused.

”What's wrong with you?” Chang Wook asked him.

”Mi Jin was here” Hyuk Jae said. Chang Wook quickly looked up and noticed Mi Jin waving at him…at them. He waved back and so did Hyuk Jae ”I wasn't cool at all” he said.

Chang Wook looked over at the girls on his side of the bleachers They were looking at Hyuk Jae like they were looking at an idol ”Don't worry, you were cool” Chang Wook reassured him. He continued reading his book when Hyuk Jae said something he wasn't expecting.

”I'm going to confess today” Hyuk Jae said with a determined look on his face. Chang Wook dropped his book. His heart started beating at an alarmingly quick speed ”You're pretty clumsy today” Hyuk Jae got up and handed Chang Wook his book back.

”Are you sure?” Chang Wook asked him ”It's the first day of class. Should you try to woo her first, then confess?”

”Dude, if she doesn't know my feelings, then she will never see me as a guy. I will always be just a friend” Hyuk Jae walked towards Mi Jin and asked her if she could go outside with him for a minute. He needed to talk to her about something important.

Mi Jin looked over to Chang Wook. She felt the air wasn't as friendly as before, as if he had something serious to talk with her about. She looked over at Chang Wook and noticed he had a pained expression. Did he and Hyuk Jae have an argument. She and Chang Wook locked eyes but he quickly looked back down at his book.

The words in the book started to blur together as he bit down on his lower lip. He looked back up but Mi Jin and Hyuk Jae where no longer there.

In the back of the gym Hyuk Jae confessed his feelings for her. He liked her since the moment he saw her. Mi JIn found it kind of funny that the same way he liked her, she liked Chang Wook. She fell for Chang Wook the moment she first laid eyes on him.

Mi Jin looked down as tears started to run down her eyes. Hyuk Jae didn't know how to react. Did these tears mean she liked him too and she was happy that he confessed? Or did they mean she didn't like him at all, and he just ruined their friendship?

”You don't need to answer me right now. I just wanted to let you know about my feelings before some other guy came and snatched you away” Hyuk Jae smiled at her ”I've waited for you for a long time, I don't mind waiting a little more”

Mi Jin looked up at him and without warning he planted a kiss on her cheek. He stuck his tongue out and winked at her ”One thing I can promise you is that I will always stop your tears” he said. Mi Jin noticed that she had stopped crying. Although she didn't like him like that, she had to admit that what he did was kind of cool.

Inside the gym Hyuk Jae was talking to Wook like nothing happened.