Would you?

Chapter 2: Friends

Another day has begun, and you were currently walking to class thinking about yesterday when Yeong-Gi jogs up to you.

"Good morning!" he says with a bright, cheery smile, blinding your eyes.

"Good morning" You replied back, nervous for unknown reasons.

"Nice weather today huh?"

"If that's what you feel"

"Why? You don't like today's weather?"

"It's too bright..."

"I see, so you don't like sunny days.. Noted!"

"Why would you note that?" You ask with confusion, at which he laughs.

"Oh, just in case you know?"

You shrug, and the two of you continue your conversation into the class. When the few people inside saw that you and Yeong-Gi walked together to class, their faces were that of pure shock.

"What the heck? Who's that?"

"I don't know, but he's hanging out with her when he refuses to talk to us..."

"How evil"

It would be a lie if you said their whispering didn't bother you, but you told yourself not to care. After all, these are all people whose opinions of others are based on their status. And you were pretty sure they also talked about others behind their back. Such people's opinions didn't matter, at least not to you, so you pretended not to hear their whispering and kept your cool.

Meanwhile, Yeong-Gi was worried and felt bad for making you his friend. Now they would gossip about you as well as him and it would all be his fault. Guiltily, he turned to see what you were feeling, and was briefly surprised when he saw your usual expression, looking unfazed by everything.

"You alright?" he asked, to which you nod, confused.

"Why would I not be?"

It takes him a moment to smile, and then laugh. "Well then, as I was saying..." With that, he continues his rambling about various things, asking you questions along the way.

* * * *

Having reached home and had dinner, you lay on your bed and stare at the ceiling. You spent the entire day with Yeong-Gi today, walking with him to class in the morning, having lunch together, and waiting for your ride to arrive together. He even went as far as asking the teacher to move seats so that he now sat next to you in the back row.

It felt... weird. You were unused to someone wanting to become friends with you so much, so the new attention you were being given by Yeong-Gi made you feel strange. It's not only that he wants to be friends with you, but the measures he takes in order to become better friends is something you truly appreciated, even though you would never say it out loud.

You were glad to finally have a friend who seems like they would last. You hoped you wouldn't ever again feel the pain of trying so hard for people only to get abandoned by them when they make new friends. It happened often to you when through elementary and middle school, so in high school you decided to give up trying to make friends and enjoy a quiet life instead. Until you had met Yeong-Gi at least.

Now, you finally had who you hoped was a true friend, and you couldn't be happier. 'If he is trying so hard, then maybe I should give it all my effort too..', you think, remembering the past hours when Yeong-Gi had practically begged you to come hang out with him and his friends tomorrow. You were skeptical, as you have met him just yesterday, but he seemed sincere, telling you they would meet at a public spot and there was no need to worry. Being embarrassed that he recognized your worries, you finally accepted, and he rejoiced.

'Even if something does go wrong', you look at your fist. 'I still remember those martial arts lessons from when I was a child..' Thinking this, you drift off to sleep, overconfident in your physical abilities.

* * * *

"Are you sure this is alright?" You ask nervously for the millionth time, looking down at your school uniform with the usual baggy black jacket.

"Yes! Don't worry about it!" Yeong-Gi says as he walks next to you, also in his uniform and his red hoodie on top.

"But it's the first time I'm meeting them, so is it really alright? I can go change-", you start, but get cut off by Yeong-Gi's sigh.

"Y/n, it's not like we are headed to a ball or some fancy restaurant. It's just a cafe! All students go there, and no one will care how you dress."

Although his words caused you slight reassurance, you were still doubtful, but decided to pay it no mind. If he says it's alright, it's got to be alright.

And two minutes later, when you were inside the cafe where a bunch of teens walked around in lazy clothes and coffees in hand, you were glad you listened to him. If you had dressed up, you would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

When inside, Yeong-Gi grins, and tells you to follow him as he makes his way over to a specific table with a foreign, platinum blonde boy and a tall brunette seated in the chairs around it.

"These are my friends! Dieter and Soushi", Yeong-Gi says as he points to both the boys. At your appearance, Souchi raises a brow.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Soushi asks, suddenly curious.

"What?! No!" Both you and Yeong-Gi yell at the same time, blushing in embarrassment.

"Geez ok..", Soushi says as Yeong-Gi explains.

"This is Y/n, the friend I've been telling you guys about."

You were touched to hear that you've been told about, and decided to focus on this information and not the thought of being called the ginger's girlfriend.

"Ohhh so it's you. Well, come, sit down!" Soushi immediately grinned and as you sat down across, offered a piece from a box of fried chicken. Although you wonder why in the world this person has a box of fried chicken in a cafe, you refuse politely because this is the first time you've met him and for some reason, you believe it is rude to accept food so soon.

"More for me then", Soushi shrugs and grabs his fried chicken. Across you, Dieter smiles calmly and waves as you sit down, and you wave back. 'So we have another introvert here!'.

Yeong-Gi sits beside you and then all four of you begin conversing, mostly introducing each other so you can know them better. After a while, Soushi throws a question that you have always found quite annoying when asked.

"So, what do you wanna do in the future?" he asks, and you almost frown but stop yourself because he asked it in a friendly way and not so he can judge you.

"I'm not sure", you say the same thing you always do to such a question, and thankfully Soushi doesn't judge and laughs instead, surprising you.

"Oh thank goodness! I thought you were gonna say something like 'doctor' because you seem smart, but you're in the same boat as us."

It was astonishing that Soushi finds this reliving, but you have to admit you were glad to finally not be judged because of a poor answer towards your future career.

"Speaking of doctors, how's your arm Dieter? I don't think you've updated us on what happened yet" Yeong-Gi asks with concern as he sips his shake.

"Oh right! The treatment was done just a few days ago and I'm good now. See?" Dieter says as he moves around his arm to show Yeong-Gi, and that's when you notice... how attractive his hands are. 'Does he do boxing or something..?'

You try not to be too fazed by it, but when it doesn't seem to be working, you look at your drink and take a long sip, ears burning from embarrassment. That's when you realize- that you were surrounded by hot people.