Heartstrings - GDRAGON STORY

Who You?

The group of girls around him giggled, some playfully nudging him on the arm. The bell rang, signalling the end of recess.

"Sorry girls, gotta go," Jiyong interjected, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Oppa! There's still time! Stay with us!" they pleaded.

He marched towards his locker, sneering under his breath, "Oppa? What, am I their boyfriend now?"

Suddenly, he gasped lightly and stepped behind the corner, hand over his racing heartbeat.

What is she doing there? he thought.

Hyun Ae leaned against the metal lockers and stared contemplatively at his locker.

"What do I say to him? 'Hi Jiyong, how're you going? ...okay, bye!'" she mumbled to herself. "Ugh... This is stupid. What am I doing here?"

Taking one last glance at his locker, she walked away.

Jiyong poked his head out from around the corner and watched her curiously as she walked away. His heart urged him to run after her, but his feet were stubbornly rooted to the ground.

"What was that about?" he whispered to himself.

~

It was finally the end of school for the day and Hyun Ae strode out of the building, eager to get home. She stuck earphones in her ears. Scrolling through her music playlist on her phone, she selected her favourite song again.

"I don't know why I feel bad, who you?" she sang to herself and bounced along the street.

She continued to sing. "Whether I hate you or I love you, I can't determine, everyday I get confused, I don't know why I feel bad..."

Suddenly, she stopped. For a moment there, the name Kwon Jiyong filled her mind. The song continued to play in her ears and she laughed, thinking back to one of his mischievious antics in class earlier today.

"Baby, hate you! Baby, I love you! My baby, hate you... Baby, love you~"

"Why does it have to be him?" She sighed.

~

The next day, Youngbae navigated through the bustling canteen tables en route to where Jiyong would be. Suddenly, he halted as he heard the name "Jiyong" being mentioned.

Normally, he would brush it off as some girl swooning over her friend, but this voice was one he was interested in listening to. He casually bent over to 'tie his shoelaces', ears pricked.

"He's so annoying! I can't believe so many girls fawn over him. Ugh."

"Whatever happened to the 'Oh my god, I love Jiyong so much' Hyun Ae?"

Youngbae identified the second voice as Hyorin as he slowly retied his shoelaces for the nth time.

"I never said that!"

"I know you like him. Just stop being mean to him, okay?"

"I can't. He ticks me off. I'm not going to be like those other girls who practically throw themselves at him!"

Hyorin sighed and Youngbae casually stood up, brushed himself off and walked away. His mind carefully assessed the conversation he just heard.

I knew it, he thought. She doesn't completely hate him.