Status: Awkward

Chapter 17

Her eyes landed on his broad shoulder as he leans forward at the counter upon reaching the guard's station. After he saw her with Junghoon, Seokjin gave Byulyi the cold shoulder and silent treatment again.

"Have you done your council duties today?"

"Why? Do you expect me to let you talk to him again? Is Junghoon's company much better than mine?"

Byulyi never thought Seokjin would still think of last day's incident. Well, she was also disturbed at the thought that someone might have threatened to hurt her, yet Seokjin was more concern about Junghoon getting close to her. Maybe because she hid the fact of what happened before she crashed to Junghoon.

"Because he is a friend."

"You don't get to be friends with your ex."

"We were never in a relationship."

"But you liked him."

From the point of view of the students surrounding them, they looked like they were about to fight at how Seokjin towered Byulyi with his hands akimbo, seemingly interrogating her in whispers.

"So what is it with you?" she whispered in an annoyed tone.

"Don't annoy me. Or I will shout, right here, right now, how much I like you."

Threatened at his words, Byulyi took a step back before he lean forward.

Byulyi immediately pushed him softly just to not become suspicious from the other students around them. "Hey! What are you even doing?"

"Don't make me do drastic things or else we might start a scandal."

Scandal. It suddenly reminded her of the book Yoongi took from the library during the black mail investigation.

"By the way, the book, 'Do you want to start a scandal?' I think you read it wrong."

"Why? Do I really need to read it when it clearly is not about us? It was a threat to you."

"So you know?"

"Just be wary of people around you while I'm still at it."

The scandal. Seokjin thought hard.

What else is bigger than Byulyi being an illegitimate child? If that person is trying to downgrade her by attacking her private life just because she is liked by him, then it is his responsibility to protect her.

Seokjin already knew her secret. Though it is controversial and might cost her stay at school, he believed that it might be more than that. The problem is, he doesn't know what it is that would start a scandal?

"Yah! Move away! You're coming too close." Byulyi shouted as she tried to push Seokjin again.

"Wrong move." after he dodged. "You are pushing the person with a black belt in taekwondo." as he blew her a subtle kiss. "See you later." with a wink.

His shape slowly fades out as he entered the entrance of the tennis court followed by two middle school females looking at Byulyi, whispering at each other as they go after Seokjin's path.

'Ah. Fan girls. How can I avoid them when Seokjin grows on me a little more everyday?'

Yet she also felt the stinging look of the students who witnessed Seokjin's playfulness towards her.

______

It was getting dark when they started the game organized by the male and female football team coaches. It was at first fun and games for the younger players but when they saw how Byulyi initiated a showdown by playing tricks on her footwork with the ball, they all became serious.

All eyes were on her the moment she took a score out of an outside kick. The older players and coach on the bench stood up in amusement. She knew how to play and was just doing it as if it was natural.

"Your noona is really good." Jungkook said as he eyes the girl on the field. "I'll ask her to play with me one day."

"Yes, she is. But please don't."

"Why? I just want to have a friendly match. Why are you worried about her?"

Junhui could not help but bitterly smile. The last time he went home to his parents and left school for more than a week, it was to protest about Byulyi's situation.

"You know Taehyung's brother, right? He is close to my sister. He told me that his brother likes a transferee in his class."

"So, you think it is Byul-noona?"

"Are you acting up or you're just stupid? My sister is the only transfer student in second year."

"Oh, yeah." Jungkook said nervously.

"I am not comfortable with him acting silly around her. I am starting to regret not pushing her to train for self-defense."

Jungkook swallowed the huge lump in his throat. He has not shared with Junhui that he met Seokjin and Byulyi at the high school campus which caused her library work for a week. If he is to spill all the things he did, he would have to be prepared to take the beating, judging by the seriousness of Junhui's expression. He never saw his friend this serious not even during their martials arts training.

"Hey! Don't stress yourself out. Sisters are designed to be stronger than what you think."

"Not my sister."

"What do you mean? She has a really tight grip." as Jungkook remembers how Byulyi snake on his neck and cover his mouth on his thirty-minute visit at the high school campus.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." he quickly retorted. "I mean, she looks fine on the field." Jungkook noticed how Junhui's head turn to his side with his piercing look.

"She's fine, huh?"

"I mean she is tough." he clarified in panic. "Do you think that I like her that way? No. Of course not. She suits well with Sir Kim Seokjin." he frantically blabbed.

Jungkook felt the relief when Junhui brushed off his words. He knew the boy is serious when talking about his sister. Protective is not even a word that would describe his actions.

"She must be a good sister to you."

"We didn't have the time." Then he paused, putting them in an uncomfortable silence. Jungkook tried to decipher his words and came to no conclusion.