Chapter 1: Return

Nikki's Pov

*𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚜. 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽!*

The cold fresh air of the winter weather in Seoul met me as I walked to school. It wasn't often that I'd get to walk to the said building as either Mark or Renjun would pick me up since they had their license, but they couldn't as both had soccer practice today. It had actually been a while since I've walked the trails that led up to Gangdong High. I recently arrived from Australia, in an exchange program for three years. I arrived here for the last two months of summer break, and now schools are starting up again, and here I am again.

On occasion during my freshman year, Jaemin, Jeno, and Haechan, would walk with me, but today they had to do some extra work for Mr.Moon. because they apparently never returned their textbooks last semester. Jisung was probably still dancing in the gym, and Chenle is appreciating him.

Our friendships were weird; we all met the same way- on a business meeting with our parents, and almost burning down the staff room at Chenle's dad's office, almost twelve years ago!

Fun times.

When that started, we all became friends in elementary school. Our parents had been business partners; thus we were all, kinda forced to grow up together; it wasn't bad, though. It was comfortable.

~

As I approached the gate, I was greeted by my classmates Koeun and Hina.

Hina was a transfer student in middle school, we had been friends ever since, not close but enough to look out for each other. Koeun, however, was my partner on the debate team, as well as my assistant for the student council- which made us friends, I guess.

"Nikki!" Hina waved me over.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" I smiled at them.

"How was your trip to Australia!" Hina asked excitedly.

"Yeah, it's been so long since we've seen you!" Koeun asked excitedly.

"It was fun, but I missed everything else here," I laugh as they smile endearingly at me.

"Did you hear the news?" Koeun asked.

"About?"

"Nina Jung. She's coming back from her American school," Hina said excitedly.

"She attended here during your three year leave," Koeun laughed.

"She left midway through because she had some issues with her visa. Did Mark or any of them ever introduce you to her?" Hina asked me

"Nope. I've never heard of her. She must have been really cool then?" I chuckled.

"She took over your spot at the debate club and danced, but obviously since your back, you got reinstated!" Koeun laughed as she nudged me, excited to work together again. "Your work back in Sydney was immense, that they just couldn't resist,"

"Aw, thank you guys! I worked hard, a little bit," I laughed.

"Too bad, she was really good." Hina stated as she slowly formed a pout, which I wasn't sure whether or not if it was fake. "Just kidding, we missed you too much,"

"Thanks for the love, guys," I chuckled back hesitantly. "But I'm excited to finally meet her. She's been a mystery." I said blankly. Not really sure if I meant what I was saying or if I was just kidding myself.

"She was very lively, I'm sure that you'll like her," Koeun chuckled.

"Too much if you ask me, a distraction at most," Hina stated.

"Did you guys not get along?" I asked quietly.

"No we did. She's something." Hina laughed. as we all nodded along. We were chatting for a while longer then suddenly a voice interrupted us.

"Babe!" I turn around and see Chan, my boyfriend, running towards me.

Chan and I have a unique relationship, we have been together since the second year of high school, he was excellent friends with Mark and Renjun since he was on the soccer team along with them. He was also a close family friend. He was picture perfect- the perfect record, sleek black hair, aspiring athlete, future valedictorian- just excellent overall. Too perfect, as some would say.

"Oh, hey, Channie." I slightly smiled as he hugged me.

"Sorry to kill this conversation, but I would really like it if Nikki came with me to the first practice of the season, I've missed you too much." He cheekily smiled as he put his arm around my shoulder.

"Haven't you guys talked since she got back?" Hina asked curiously.

"No-"

"Of course we have. I just missed her over the weekend." He smiled brightly at them.

"We'll see you later then, Nikki." Hina and Koeun smiled at me as they both walked away.

"Why did you need me?" I asked as we started walking to the field. Once we got further away he let go and we just walked side by side.

"You haven't come around much since you got back. My mum wants to see you soon." He huffed a bit.

"Well, the first round of the dance competition is just around the corner, so I've just been practicing. I'm a bit rusty," As apart of my extracurricular activities in both Australia and here, I've been practicing with Jaemin and Jisung for the annual dance school competitions, but when I was over in the land down-under I never really focused much on my dance, as I am now.

"I understand, I'll hang around more after the competitions end, alright?" I slightly smiled up at him and nodded.

"That's like another four months! My moms gonna kill me!" He exclaimed.

"I'll text her frequently then," I laughed slightly. It was nice to still have our friendly dynamic, like we did before.

Before we changed.

"Go or your teammates will get mad at you!" He pointed finger guns at me and ran away weirdly. Almost like a duck trying to escape an enclosed spacing. I laughed and walked up to the bleachers. Immediately spotting Donghyuck, Jaemin and Jeno sitting, and approaching them.

"Hey, guys!" I smiled as I sat in front of their legs.

"Hi, Nikki!" Each gave me a hug, though one's arm lingered longer, to which I didn't really mind for.

"How's dance practice going?" Donghyuck asked.

"It's been stressful." I sighed and leaned into Donghyuck's touch. "It's a lot to learn in the last week that we've been preparing. It's not even people I'm familiar with anymore!"

"You're with group C right?" Jaemin asked me.

"Yeah. It's the lowest class, I mean it's fine, but I know that I can do more if I have people willing to risk their beauty for the art!" I began to complain and I was reinstated to my previous extracurriculars yet I was ranked lower than before.

"You'll get better and hopefully you can join Jaemin, Jisung, and I when you improve again!" Jeno chuckled as his eye smile began to form. "In the meantime, let's just keep practicing together to get back in the swing of things!"

"Did you tell him yet?" He asked. My throat went cold and I looked up at him and shook my head.

"He'll eventually find out," Jeno imputed.

"I don't want to deal with it." I mumbled. Silence hit us as we watched the soccer team practice.

"He's been doing it too, right? So what is the point of him finding out?" Jaemin asked me as he walked up to us, holding his and Jeno's bags.

"I don't know." I stared straight ahead as Jeno rubbed my arm lightly.

I don't know why I was so reluctant to tell my boyfriend that I had cheated on him days after coming back, when he's been doing the same for the last three years as well.

"It won't change anything." He said.

"Let it happen again." Jeno said randomly

"They'll both just end up getting hurt though!" Jaemin reasoned with him as he watched from afar the soccer players play.

"Then maybe they'll learn a lesson that they need to learn," Jeno said quietly and he jumped up out of his seat towards the main building,

The air was windy, but to me it seemed to be warm as I started to sweat.The tension and the nerves were getting to me- to say the least. I watched as the team played. Each of them working hard to get the ball at least once.

Mark was the star player- he always had girls lining up to watch him play- ever since we were younger, he had always been great at what he does, no doubt. He's even being considered up for a soccer scholarship for college. He then introduced Renjun to us as he was new in middle school. Renjun was great at soccer and so he got into the team.

However Jaemin, Jeno, Jisung, Mark, Donghyuck and I have been friends since we were in elementary school. We met through school activities such as dance, and choir.

Chenle transferred into our school during the last year before we graduated to middle school, and Jisung immediately fell in love- I mean held a close bond with the, at the time, black haired boy.

Ever since we've all just been close, considering our families were all business-ing together as well, we've learned who to trust and not.

A tap on the shoulder made me snap out of my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"Can we talk real quick?" Donghyuck asked.

"Sure," We eventually wandered down the bleachers towards the school garden.

The wind, of the cold front that was closing in on the city not far from now, howled and made the scene ten times more intense than it really was. I sat down on the cemented bench as he took the seat next to me.

"You know the whole Chan thing wasn't meant for me to use as an excuse to make a move on you, right?" He asked me quietly.

"I know. It's just a lot to deal with right now. I guess I'm a little scared," I trailed off not wanting to continue this conversation.

"Why are you so scared of telling Chan? He's been doing this for so long," he asked.

"I don't know," I said quietly. "I think I'm scared of things changing. Us, our friendship, my family business. It's a lot to consider,"

"I'm sorry for not being considerate about this situation. But I've liked you for so long, and I know that you like me too," he said. I reach out and grab his hand and hold them tightly. "How else can I stop myself, if I know that there is nothing holding me back now,'

"I liked Chan too. And it's hard to come to terms that it's ending now- I guess. It's hard to face the consequences of us." The consequences of letting down my mom, my brothers, Chan's mom, and the family business.

"I understand." He said. "Do you think that maybe we shouldn't do- this- anymore?" He asked pointing between the both of us.

"I don't know," I whispered.

"Jeno has a point,"

"Huh?" I turned my head as I saw him breathing in and out with his eyes closed, looking handsome despite the fact.

"Every secret comes out eventually, so why not keep going until it eventually comes out?" He said slowly.

He turned towards me as he opened his eyes and I followed suit.

My eyes were lost in his as we shared a few stares before leaning in slowly. The same sensation flowing through us once again.

"You're right," I whispered before meeting his lips with mine.

Our lips met.

For the second time.

And certainly not the last.