More than Friends

Chapter 1

My phone buzzes loudly from my pocket startling me as I was trying to read the map of campus. I slip the papers under my arm and pull out my phone. The caller ID makes me groan.

“What? What is it?!” I answer, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice. I’m not trying to be rude, but he had already called me five times this morning. It doesn’t help that I had only woken up two hours ago.

“Jihyun-ah~~” he whines. “Don’t be mean…”

I sigh, rubbing my temples. It is my first day of university, and he isn’t making this any easier.

“I’m lost,” he says. I can practically hear the impish smirk he probably has plastered on his stupid face. “Can you save me?”

I throw my head back, exasperated. “Where are you?” I ask.

He replies brightly, “In front of my dorm. Let’s go together!”

My jaw drops. All this time, he had been complaining and calling me, and he hasn’t even gone anywhere?! Instead of yelling at him like I normally would, I shake my head.

“I’m coming,” I answer, giving in. “Stay. Put.”

“Araseo!!” he replies. “Jihyun-ah~ Gomawoyo!! See you soon!”

I hang up the phone, tapping the end button extra hard and set off toward that idiot Kim Jonghyun.

Jonghyun and I have known each other for a long time. Our parents became best friends when we were in kindergarten, so I’ve pretty much been around him my entire life. He’s technically 4 months and 8 days older than me, but most of the time, he acts like my little brother. I guess I could call our relationship “friends” but that seems too shallow a word to describe us.

We didn’t become ‘friends’ right away. We mostly avoided each other the best we could until our parents stuck us in the same high school. I’m organized and studious, but Jonghyun is the one with the best grades. We shared a lot of classes together, so we ended up studying together a lot. What I lack in natural intelligence, Jonghyun lacks in common sense. We’re complete opposites, but it works.

A lot of people say that we’re dating, but that’s not true at all. I wouldn’t date Jonghyun for many reasons. The first and foremost, he’s not my type. My type is more of someone who’s cool. Someone tall and handsome and—

Oh my freak— I stop walking so quickly I practically trip over my own feet and fall to the ground. I scramble to get up and stare straight ahead. Am I dreaming or is that really an angel gliding toward me?

Walking in my direction is the most beautiful guy I’ve ever seen dressed in all black. He has ear buds in his ears, and he’s reading some sort of book. His eyes are what captivates me first. Dark and distant yet perfectly dreamy. His dark hair is neatly combed and simple, but gorgeous. With the face of an angel, I start to wonder if this guy is all really part of a beautiful dream.

That is… until he speaks to me.

“Excuse me,” he says, meeting me with a cold stare. Even his voice is hot.

My mouth opens to say something back, but my mind is completely blank.

He blinks at me, sighing. He pokes me in the shoulder with his forefinger and pushes me to the side to make way for him to pass.

“Thank you,” he says, rolling his eyes. He goes back to his book and continues on as if nothing had happened. I stand, stunned. I’m not sure how to take this, but his beauty is so blinding, I can barely think straight.

That’s all true… until a stupid voice pulls me out of my trance.

“Jihyun!!!”

I snap back to reality and see Jonghyun jogging toward me. When he reaches me, he hugs me tightly.