✓ | starboy, nishimura riki

STARBOY | 13

CHOI MISO WAS FEELING REGRETFUL.

She regretted picking out a white skirt that morning and a short sleeved blouse, and she regretted pairing it with a thin pink cardigan because now she was freezing.

The wind blew and sent multiple shivers down her spine as she hugged herself tighter, her teeth chattering due to the cold.

She and Niki had been walking in silence for a few minutes. There wasn't any awkwardness to the silence, the both of them enjoying it for some reason. Niki was busy smoking and kicking the stones on the floor with his converse, and Miso was busy trying to not freeze to death. 

Turning his head at the sound of her whimpers, Niki was quick to notice she was cold. He let out a breathy chuckle and shook his head. He let the lit cancer stick sit between his lips as he used his hands to take off his leather jacket.

"Here." He stated, placing the jacket around her petite shoulders. "A broad like you don't deserve to go cold." The boy muttered, reaching up to remove the cigarette from his mouth and blow out the smoke.

"Thank you..." Miso uttered, quickly slipping her arms into the sleeves and letting out a sniffle once she finally felt warmth — the warmth from his body.

"You're friends seem nice." Miso voiced, looking up at the boy who had one hand stuffed into his front pocket as he dropped the cigarette to the floor and put it out with his shoe.

"Not what you expected from lowlifes, huh?" He questioned with a raised brow and a smirk forming on his plump lips.

Miso shook her head, putting her hands into the pockets of the jacket, only to feel the lighter she'd returned to him a few days ago and a pocketknife — which made her breath hitch. She couldn't help but feel worried at the thought of it.

"You're right." She stated, looking back up at Niki, whose eyes hadn't left her. "Us Socs are so blinded by society's stereotypes, that they don't even take a chance to see what the South side can be like."

Niki fell silent as her words repeated through his head. There was something about Choi Miso that he couldn't quite put his finger on. She wasn't like the other stuck up, condescending Socs. She was different. She didn't seem to care about the status and for some reason, Niki... liked that about her.

Never in his life had he liked anything about a Soc — but Miso, Miso wasn't a Soc in his eyes...

All that could be heard was the sound of glass bottles smashing in the distance, along with faded yelling and dogs barking and cats meowing. It wasn't the most calming of noises, however Miso felt serene with the Greaser boy beside her.

Once arriving outside of Miso's drive way, she shrugged off the boy's jacket and handed it to him, muttering a 'thank you' once again.

"Wait," Niki called out for her, as she went to sneak around to the back of the expensive home and to the secret passage way that Beomgyu would use when returning home gone curfew if Miso was asleep.

"Yeah?" She softly asked, turning around with a glint of curiosity in her doe eyes.

"You gonna be around the South side more often?" He nonchalantly wondered, looking off into the distance, avoiding eye contact with the short, pretty girl at all costs.

His behavior made Miso chuckle and a smile appeared on her pink lips. "We'll have wait and see." She teased, before hurrying off, leaving Niki alone.

The Greaser couldn't help but smile and bow his head slightly as a chuckle escaped his mouth — however, once Niki became aware of what he was doing, he bit down on his lip to prevent the smile and he threw his jacket over his shoulder (instantly smelling Miso's sweet scent that lingered on it) as he began heading back to the South side.

What was Choi Miso doing to him? First, he felt the need to protect her against Toby and his other Greaser friends, then he was wanting her to meet his friends — his family, and now she had him smiling like a teenage girl.

Whatever was happening to him, he didn't like at all.

★

Choi Miso had almost forgotten about what her ex-friends did to her, until she felt their judging eyes on her as she entered the school building alone. Her eyes landed on Minhee and she instantly felt her heart ache. He looked guilty and once their eyes met, he quickly looked away and peered into his open locker.

Sighing, Miso ignored them and continued walking. She was going to be lonely from now on. She didn't want to hang around her brother and his friends, knowing it'll only end up with her being pissed off with him, Huening Kai was in an all boys school, Niki and his friends hadn't shown up to school — and it wasn't like she actually could hang out with them in public. She was a Soc and they were Greasers. Everybody would have something to say.

The library was quiet, that's why Miso enjoyed her time there. She pulled out her text book and began to flick through the pages. She needed to revise for the upcoming pop quiz her English teacher was holding. She couldn't afford to fail yet another subject.

However, Miso's plans were put on hiatus as she was soon approached by three female Greasers.

The one girl who came across as the leader had short, black hair and bangs. Her features were sweet and soft — though the very short shorts she was wearing, the black fishnet tights and the black, cropped leather jacket gave off a completely different vibe.

The same could be said for the taller girl that had her arms crossed over her chest. She had long, red, fiery hair and plumped lips that had been coloured with bold, red lipstick.

Once Miso's eyes moved to the third girl, her eyes widened slightly as recognition swarmed her body. It was the girl at the race track a few weeks ago. It was the girl who couldn't help but send her dirty looks whilst Jungwon was busy cleaning the moterbike she sat on.

"Names Chaewon." The short haired girl introduced simply. "That's Yunjin, thats Deji, and you're Choi Miso, correct?"

Silently, Miso bobbed her head feeling confused as the what they wanted.

"We've seen you around the South side with the youngest member of Heeseung's gang," Yunjin informed, taking a step forward. "We're curious about you." She smiled slightly.

Even though the two girl seemed rather friendly, the tension between Miso and Deji couldn't go unnoticed, and Miso saw that she seemed uninterested in the whole situation. It seemed like she was forced to be where she was.

"You should hang with us after school." Yunjin suggested, pouting her lip a little with curiosity in her brown eyes as she looked Miso up and down — quickly and unintentionally making her feel self conscious. "You seem chill enough for a Soc."

For a moment, Miso gulped in shock. Were two Greaser girls really asking her to hang out with them? Really? She wasn't dreaming?

Hesitantly though, Miso nodded her head in agreement and bit down on her lip once she heard Deji scoff.

What was her problem?

★