It All Started With A Kick✔️ | Kim Sunwoo

08

| why can't you see |

rumours spreaded around school quickly. jung areum and kim sunwoo were dating. eric and minju noticed that hayoon was a little down-spirited as the two dragged her to class by her arms. hayoon excused herself to go to the toilet and eric and minju could only exchange worried glances.

hayoon overhead a few girls talking in the toilet. "areum, how did we not become friends earlier? you're definitely our type of friend," hayoon heard one of the infamous girls spoke. "it's all thanks to kim sunwoo. his fame had made the school recognise me and sooner or later, i won't need him anymore," hayoon gasped quietly, not believing what she was hearing. sunwoo's girlfriend, jung areum, had been using him for fame.

when the bell rang for break time, hayoon grabbed onto sunwoo's arm, asking him to stay for a bit. the class started to empty out as students went to the cafeteria. "sunwoo, areum is not as nice as you think she is," hayoon started. the boy frowned as she continued her words. "i heard her in the toilet. she's just using you," hayoon desperately tried to protect him. sunwoo started feeling unhappy but he refused to accept it and continued to side with jung areum.

"i'm just trying to protect you, sunwoo!" the girl half-whispered as she earnestly took a step forward which made sunwoo look at her in disgust.

"did you have to stoop so low and lie to me? you know i hate liars," he glared at her.

it was the first time they had a heated argument and little did they both know that both of their hearts broke a little.

"why can't you see, kim sunwoo?" her voice cracked as her first sob broke. it made the boy freeze in his spot when he heard her cry. "see what?" sunwoo whispered.

"nevermind, you won't be able to see it any sooner with your densed eyes," hayoon glared up at him, wiping her tears away and storming out of the classroom.

-

after school, hayoon had hung out with changmin at a decent cafe. she established that she only saw changmin as a friend - changmin was alright with it as long as they kept in contact. they sipped on their drinks and shared a cake as they conversed about their day.

"just know that if he ever screws up, i'm always available," changmin winked at her, making hayoon laugh uncontrollably at his flirting attempt.

the door bell of the cafe chimed, signalling a customer had entered - except there were two very familiar people. sunwoo raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of him. he had just stepped into the cafe and the first thing he saw was hayoon and the guy, ji changmin. oh? it's him - from the match and the park. sunwoo recalled seeing changmin from both events, he sneered lowly before he walked into the cafe with areum trailing behind.

"oh hi hayoon! who's this?" sunwoo sighed loudly when he heard areum greet the pair. "ji changmin, he's a friend," hayoon muttered, trying her best to present a decent smile. sunwoo could see how changmin stifled a laugh as he bowed to areum.

when areum had gone to the counter to order, sunwoo picked a table not too far away from the two. he urgently scrolled through his phone, hoping to not seem obvious that he tried to eavesdrop the the two. something changmin had said made his blood boil.

"is that the two-faced girl you were telling me about?" changmin had asked as discreetly as possible but to his dismay, sunwoo had heard it. marching his way over to their table, sunwoo slammed a hand onto the table. "so you're telling him false information now?" sunwoo's glare stayed on hayoon as she scoffed. "it's not false, sunwoo. if only you're not too foolish, maybe you'd see it too," hayoon stood up, confronting him even though she was smaller than he was.

before any physical fight could happen, changmin stood between them bringing the girl behind him before an intense face off occured between the two males. "you have your girl and i have mine. keep your hands off my girl," changmin gritted his teeth, his gaze trailing onto sunwoo's uniform which held his name tag,"... kim sunwoo."

"come on, hayoon. i'll walk you home," slinging her bag onto his shoulder, changmin took hold of the girl's right hand before pulling her out of the cafe. for some reason, sunwoo's heart stung so badly that he was not the one to walk hayoon home then.

-

"you're quite daring for a small girl," changmin pointed out which earned him a smack from the 'small girl'. "i'm not that small, ji changmin," hayoon laughed at his pained expression. the walk home was comfortable as they both cracked jokes and the streets were filled with their laughters.

"changmin," hayoon called out. the lad hummed as he walked ahead, the orange skies glowed behind him.

"how's college?" hayoon questioned as she looked up at the college boy.

"it's the same as high school - just that we get to wear our own clothes. oh! and even if we sneak into each others' lectures, professors wouldn't care," changmin chuckled.

college seemed exciting - lee hayoon really looked forward to the new year after graduation. "which college should i go to?" hayoon thought as she kicked around the loose tiny stones on the pavement. "mine, seoul national college. so we can hang out often," changmin joked. "i'll keep that in mind, changmin. thank you for walking me home," her gentle smile made changmin pull her into a brief hug. "don't hurt on your own anymore. i'll be with you," his words were soothing to her as she snuggled closer before the parted ways.

when changmin's figure disappeared from her street, hayoon's eyes glanced at the house in front of hers. who knew things would change quickly between sunwoo and herself. even if goodbyes hurt, her heart was comforted at the fact that changmin would be there when she moved.