"I can't believe you still don't have a girlfriend." You teased, looking through the childhood photo album that Xiumin showed you. "How do you look so good even as a child?"
You and Xiumin have been neighbours since young, so he's pretty much like a brother and a best friend to you. Both of you are in high school now, but still inseparable and hang out together all the time.
"I just...can't find anyone yet, okay?" He tried to explain while you were distracted by something else. A group of girls at the side were whispering to each other and giggling, looking towards your direction at Xiumin. You recognized them, they're the clique of the prettiest girls in school.
"Uh...hey, Xiumin oppa." One of them walked up to him and said shyly. "I just want to ask...will you..go out with me?"
Xiumin looked at her with a blank expression. It's normal for him to get confessions from girls, but he had never accepted any of them.
"No, sorry." He replied. You were surprised by his answer. That girl is the prettiest and most popular girl in the whole school. Other guys are practically begging her to go out with them. Why would he reject someone like this?
"Oh...okay." She took a glance at you and ran away.
"Wow." You watched her until she was no longer in sight and looked back at Xiumin. "This is why you don't have a girlfriend." You said. "In case you didn't know, she's the prettiest out of the entire clique of popular girls in school. Why did you reject her?"
"I don't care if she's pretty. She's not my type!" He protested.
"Whatever." You stood up to leave. "I have extra lessons so I'll be late. Don't wait for me if you're tired."
"Tired? Come on, when was I ever tired?" He laughed. "I'll be outside your classroom when your class is dismissed."
You picked up the necessary books for the lesson from your locker but as you exited the locker room, you felt your body being lifted up and a hand covered your mouth to prevent you from shouting for help.
It's her. The girl that Xiumin rejected earlier on. And her clique. What are they trying to do?
They threw you down on the ground of the staircase at the corner of the building. No one ever uses this staircase.
"How could Xiumin oppa choose someone like you over me?" She pulled you up by your collar and slapped you. "You're such a burden! If it wasn't because of you, he wouldn't have rejected me!!" She insulted and continued hitting you while the rest watched with smirks on their faces.
You fell to the ground as some of the others decided to join in, hitting and kicking at you but you didn't bother fighting back or defending yourself from their attacks. What she said was true, why should he stick with you when he could be with all the pretty and popular girls in school?
"I'll kill you..." Just as she was about to hit you again, someone caught her wrist and pulled her hand away from you.
Xiumin...
"What. Are you doing to her?" He shouted at her.
"Oppa, I-I can explain—"
"Listen well, I'm only saying this once. Don't you dare to ever hurt her again or you'll be sorry." He growled. After all your life spent with him, this is the first time you've ever seen him get angry. "Get out of here now, and better stay away from my girl. All. Of. You."
"How could you do this, oppa? I hate you!" She screamed and ran off crying, the rest of her clique following behind her.
Xiumin turned to you, the anger in his eyes quickly turned into concern. "Are you okay?" He helped you up and walked you to the table in the canteen where the both of you sat together just now.
"I think you should just stay away from me." You said, tearing up.
"W-Why...?" He asked in confusion.
"She's right, I don't deserve to be hanging out with you. You're one of the most popular guys in school and I'm just another ordinary student."
He stayed quiet and looked at you with his puppy eyes. "All those girls hate me because of you." You continued, focusing on somewhere else to break the eye contact. "You should just leave me and go be with them... You could get all the pretty girls in school and my existence is just stopping you from that."
You tried to leave, but he stopped you with a hug. "What if...all those pretty girls aren't the one I loved since I was a kid?" He wiped your tears off with his sleeve. You stared at him, speechless and his words kept repeating in your head. Was that a confession?
He smiled at your cuteness and pinched your nose gently. "Let's go and get you some bandages now. Sorry you got hurt because of me, but I'll never let that happen again." He frowned at the thought of that but instantly changed back into a warm smile.
"Please don't ever say that you're not good enough for me again. You're the only girl I want to be with."
