new friends

THE 'IT-BOY'

Hanyang University was a chaos of the personalities and not a single major here could ever come to any unanimous agreement on anything, but there was one irrefutable fact every student could understand and accept- that Choi Yeonjun from Chemical Engineering was undeniably, irrefragably and most certainly the 'It Boy' of the school.

It was not fair that he could be good-looking, smart and cool, the U in
Equality clearly stood for Unfair. I seriously wished I had a crumble of his good looks and confidence.

Although he was hotshot and big news, his incredible sex appeal was all I've ever known about him. San bestie here kept me so busy with all his drama, I haven't gotten a single moment to get some fresh air since I befriended that thot. So of course I never dug into or kept up with Choi Yeonjun's unending soap opera.

In fact, I didn't even know Choi Yeonjun was much closer in relations to me than I had ever thought until one very fine new semester we extremely coincidentally took the same Thermodynamics class.

"Hey, aren't you Yangyang high-school crush?"

Famous words for chaos.

Everyone within hearing range- which was extremely huge, considering the motherfucker who said it paid no mind to lower his voice- turned to stare. Someone with innocent curiosity, others with less welcoming expressions.

I plucked one of my earpieces from my ear and sighed, turning and preparing to recite the same absolute response to end this rumour up once and for all, but-

A jolt went through me the moment my eyes landed on his face. He was better looking up close than from corridors away and the heating up of my face could vouch for that.

"You are, aren't you?" he said, eyes wide with excitement. "You are Byun Jihye, no?"

I opened my mouth dumbly, trying to formulate a proper denial that would not hurt anyone's feelings, but before I could say a word, I was once again cut off.

"Don't even try to lie," he pointed an accusing index finger at me. "He has that picture of the two of you at some café on his lockscreen. I know your face."

Now this, I did not know. Yangyang that asshole truly be out here making full use of the rumours to shoo all his admirers away, huh.

"Look, I think there's some sort of misunderstanding," I tried to plead the boy with my eyes to please shut up before I get buried under by all of Yangyang's fans. "It's true Yangyang and I knew each other from high school, but our relationship is platonic. Seriously. Just friends, bro."

"Oh," he looked almost pityingly at me, clearly misunderstanding what I was trying to convey to him. "That twat didn't confess? What a coward." He plopped himself down on the seat beside me, "Don't worry, I'll make him."

At this point I don't even know whether laughing or crying would be a better representation of how I felt. "On the contrary, that'll make me extremely worried. Please do not," I said flatly. "I have no intentions of getting run-over by his admirers."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Seriously, of all things you could possibly be worried about, you're afraid of his fans?" he said between cackles. "When you become his girlfriend, you'd be the head of the hierarchy. They can't do a thing to you, love. Or at the very least, they wouldn't, if they have any commonsense."

"Bestie, no offence," I scrutinised at him, wondering if there was something seriously wrong with his head. Perhaps all these Engineering classes drove him stupid. "But you should really, really get your facts checked. Yangyang and I have no non-platonic feelings towards each other, I'm sure of it. You can even ask our high-school mates! Huang Renjun from Fine Arts was Yangyang's bestfriend in high school, you can ask him, if you don't believe me."

Yeonjun stared at me for a long second, as if trying to understand something...

Three seconds later, he broke into a smile that made me feel all sorts of impending horror I never knew a smile could make anyone feel.

"You're scared," he said softly, so softly I nearly missed it. "You're scared it might be true that he likes you because you don't like him that way, am I wrong?"

"He doesn't like me romantically," I stayed firm to my point. "I know it. I have nothing to fear."

His smile widened rather wickedly. "We'll see about that, sweetheart," he cooed, "I'm pretty infamous for making people's worst fears come true, you see."

That was hands-down the most cliché wattpad shit anyone had ever said to me, so of course, immediately after the episode, I was reporting the whole situation to my three Engineer friends once again.

"Damn," San complained when I finished spilling the tea. "Is there no end to this? If your University life was written into a book, this would have been the third chapter about this same plot. It's seriously time to move on, guys, this is getting boring. Literally, is there nothing more interesting going on in school? Why is everyone so pressed about Mr Hot-shot Business Major's love life? He isn't even that good-looking."

Seonghwa side-eyed the Choi boy, "I don't know, but what you said sounded extremely salty, San. Are you perhaps jealous that you're not the only one with things going on in their lives?"

The mildness he said the entire dialogue with made Yeosang swell with pride, and both me and San gawk at him- me with suprise and San with betrayal, of course.

"E-excuse me?" San huffed, greatly offended. "Wha- What did you just say you, prick?" He let out a disbelieving huff, wagging an accusing finger at all three of us. "Is this how it's gonna be from now on? The three of you against me? Preposterous!"

I blinked at him, wondering if I had heard it right. Did this man just pronounce a word with more than three syllabus correctly? How fascinating. "Damn, did I hear that right? Did you just use a big word?"

"San sweaty," Yeosang said with a little laugh, "I'd advise you stick to words you feel comfortable using. No need to act smart around us now. We all know you're an idiot."

"It's sweetie, dumbass," San snarked.

"I meant what I said," the Kang boy responded mercilessly, missing no beats. "You're sweating. A lot. Like a pig."

"Why is everyone being so mean today?" San grumbled. "All I want are snuggles but all I get are struggles."

I could say the same about my situation, really. Getting involved with the It-Boy turned out to be more troublesome than it was really worth.

God damn it.

He damn as hell be grateful he's hot.

a/n: vote and comment~