Do You Love Me Like The Way I Love You? || SF9

Episode 1: Falling, Falling... In Love

"Ah, I'm going to be late!" Seventeen year old Lee Youngja exclaimed, quickly packing her things into her bag, all while grabbing a piece of toast off of the dining room table. Why was it always like this? Why did she always have to be late? Why did she always happen to sleep in?

"Idiot, next time don't sleep in," her older brother Minjun stated back in response to Youngja's hurrying. "If you want to keep that job, don't be late!" He quickly handed Youngja her lunch sack and grinned at her. Ever since their parents died when they were younger, the two siblings have had a special bond, although they argue at times.

He scratched his head as he watched Youngja run out of the door, once again grinning to himself. His little sister sure was growing up.

Youngja's P.O.V.
Onboard a transit bus headed towards the FNC Entertainment building

Looking through various English textbooks, I recollected my thoughts as I tried figuring out how exactly would I be able to translate the words coming out from the SF9 members' mouths. You see, I'm an English translator for FNC Entertainment and have been working for them for over a year now. As a working student, I have to jumble through both work and my studies. Sometimes, it's difficult. Other times, it's not. Quickly, I held onto the handle grip above me as the bus's wheels screeched.

The man beside me screamed out of irritation and cursed as he realized that the cause of the screeching was because a young teenage boy was running in front of the bus, in order to get the driver to let him on. I eyed the boy as he got on from head to toe. Tightly, he held onto the grip beside me, his arm outstretched above my head. Uncomfortable, as it seems, I tried my best to shift around from where I was standing and focus on what I was reading.

"The importance of learning a foreign language can benefit you in various ways. From work-related to personal..." My English trailed off, as the boy, around my age lowered his head and read over my shoulder.

"Ahh! Youngja-ssi!" he exclaimed, loudly enough for everyone else on the bus to hear. "I knew that that English was familiar, even if I could barely understand what you just said," I glimpsed up, noticing that familiar face. With a smile, SF9 member and maknae  Kang Chanhee, better known as Chani to fans, offered up an empty seat beside him. His mouth was covered with a mask, perhaps to hide his identity from the public.

"Ah, Chani-ssi!" I stated back in response with a smile. "On the way to the agency I see."

"Yeah, you too, huh?"

"Yeah, I have to help your guys's publicist with certain things to translate for an interview,"

"Interview? What for?"

"Korea Today, it's for the Korean pop culture section that they cover monthly,"

"I see," Chani rubbed his chin, then coughed rather roughly.

"Are you alright?" I asked of him, concerned.

"It's nothing, just a little cough," he replied back, clearing his throat and sniffling.

"You sound like you just caught a cold,"

"No, no! I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!" he exclaimed this in English, of which I found rather funny. I was laughing without even noticing that I was. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, it's nothing..." my voice trailed off as I directed my eyes back to what I was reading.

Suddenly, the bus driver slammed roughly on the brakes and with another screech, I found myself with Chani's arm around my shoulders; preventing me from falling over. "Noona, are you okay?" Chani's face was only centimeters away from mine. He gave me a look of concern, but once again cleared his throat as I regained my balance once more; letting me go from his grasp.

"Noona?" I stated, raising a brow.

"Yeah, aren't you? You're one year older, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I-I forgot!" I realized that my attention span was completely focused on Chani, but why did he protect me? Out of kindness, maybe? Hmm... 🤔 I wonder. "Yah! Kang Chanhee!" I exclaimed as I saw him bend below me and adjusted my stance, for I was wearing a skirt. Could this boy possibly be a pervert?

"No, don't get the wrong idea. I was just picking up the book that fell on the floor," he stated back in response. "I'm not the type of guy who would do that type of thing,"

"Yes, clearly innocent," I whispered to myself with a grin following after.

"What was that?" Chani asked.

"Oh, nothing..."

Chani's P.O.V.
Around 30 minutes before Youngja's encounter with Chani

"Oh, you'll be late!" my friend Taemin stated, checking his watch. "You have dance practice this afternoon, don't you?"

"Yeah! I better go!" I called out to him as I had already begun to run towards a bus's direction, in order to stop it for a ride. "Don't wanna be late! See 'ya later, bro!"

Running, I continuously panted as I stopped directly in front of the bus's tracks. It's wheels screeched as I could see the bus driver curse at me through the windshield.

"I'm so sorry," I stated, entering the bus. I gave the driver an apologizing-type of bow and headed towards the back of the bus. It was then that I saw Lee Youngja-ssi. I call her that since she's been working as an English translator for FNC Entertainment and has been helping her fellow employees translate English articles into Korean, and vice versa for the sake of style, fashion, and trend. She also helps during interviews as a part-time intern for Korea Today, a really popular Korean pop culture website based in the States.

She's one year older than I am, thus making her my noona. Ironically, I'm a little taller than her and I've been told by the other members of SF9 that I could pass as her older brother. I found that quite hard to believe as I don't think Minjun hyung would approve of that idea. After all, I'm like a little brother to the both of them.

I wonder if she'll ever look at me differently though. It's not like I like her or anything, but there are times when I start wondering and can't stop thinking about her. Is it strange to be like this?

Maybe, just maybe... Maybe I'm falling, falling in love.