Dear Journal,
Today was...complicated.
It started like any other day during summer vacation. Mom went to work teaching brats how to play the violin and told us not to burn the house down while she was away. We told her not to worry. She wouldn't leave until we squirmed and promised we wouldn't cause any trouble.
Mom is great, but sometimes she treats us like we're still 7-seven-year-old monsters instead of the mature, responsible 16-year-olds we are.
Minjae went back to sleep, I went for a run, and Minsoo started fooling around in the kitchen, thinking of his next masterpiece.
During my run, I had an interesting experience.
Kylee Brooks was arguing with her boyfriend, Trey Johnson, whom she'd been with for two years. Normally, I would just run by and ignore the commotion, but this was Kylee Brooks and Trey Johnson! The handsome star quarterback on our school's football team and his gorgeous cheerleader. They were inseparable.
Everyone thought they'd up getting married, have two kids, and maybe a dog. I mean, you could always catch them hugging, kissing, or being the happy couple that they were. Everybody was jealous of the perfect relationship they had. Every girl wanted Trey―some guys, too― and every boy wanted Kylee―I'd say girls too, but I don't doubt that even lesbians wanted a piece of the Trey man.
For me, though? Trey was hot sure; he was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome as well as being 'perfect' boyfriend material―or so I've heard. But football jocks aren't my thing, no matter how charming they are. I did have a thing, though. His name was Baron Farmer, a Jamaican boy on my school's co-ed track team.
I'd been crushing on him ever since he came to our school in January. I don't know what it was about Baron that had me hooked, but it had me ever since I saw him run. His long, graceful legs flying on the track and―I'm getting off track.
Anyway, I'd never thought I'd see the power couple arguing intensely next to a convenience store. Kylee was waving her arms and stamping her foot. Trey looked frustrated, which was odd, since he was normally calm, cool, and collected.
I may or may not had crossed the street to eavesdrop a little while passing it off like I was stopping under a tree for a break in the shade.
"I don't understand why you can't just tell me," I head Trey say.
"It's none of your business, Trey!" Kylee snapped back.
"I don't like how you're so close to this guy."
"So what? I can't have friends because it makes you uncomfortable?"
"I didn't say-"
"That's what it sounds like!"
Trey took a breath. "I'm just saying, Ky. I mean, he likes you―it's as clear as day. I don't understand why you keep hanging around him."
Oh? Who is this mystery boy that's causing so much trouble between these two? Whoever it is, he's got some guts to come between Trey and his princess. Boys tremble in fear if Kylee so much as looks at them when Treys around.
"I've already made it clear that I want nothing more than friendship, Trey, and he's accepted that."
"Really? Because I've seen you two together and it didn't look like that."
"So I like being with him, what does it matter? Is it a problem when friends enjoy time together?"
"It is when you're with him."
Kylee rubbed her temples. "My God, you're so infuriating!"
Trey clenched his fists. "I want to meet him and see what's so great about him."
I took a swig from my water bottle. This was getting exciting! Would Kylee refuse and make Trey even more suspicious or accept and potentially cause a 'purely platonic' friendship to end because of her boyfriend? All in all, I just wanna know who this guy is.
"Just leave it alone! Minsoo has nothing to do with you, Trey!"
I spit out my water. Minsoo? Minsoo, my brother? My little brother is friends with the Kylee Brooks? Are you serious?!
Unfortunately, my outburst caught the attention of the couple.
"...Minhoe?" Kylee said, stepping out from behind her boyfriend.
I cleared my throat. "Hey, girl. Um, how you doin'?"
She looked confused but Trey looked pissed.
He took a step forward. "You're his sister, aren't you? Minhoe Sunwoo?"
"Trey, stop," Kylee said, grabbing his arm. He shook her off and came closer.
"I may or may share the same surname with him. But, you know, we're not the only Asians at school..."
"No, no you're it," he said. "You and that idiot are always with that emo freak."
"Trey!"
I blinked. Emo freak? Idiot? This guy...
"Alright, Mr. Tough Guy," I said, clenching my fists, "you might be the star quarterback, but I don't appreciate you trashing my brothers. And Minjae being quiet and antisocial does not make him emo. And Minsoo―well...you still don't get to call him that."
"He didn't mean it," Kylee interjected. She grabbed her boyfriend and pulled him back. "I'm sorry for troubling you, Minhoe."
Trey scowled. "Troubling her? She was the one who was eavesdropping!"
"Eavesdropping? If you haven't noticed, it's like a million degrees out here," I countered. "I'm resting in the shade."
"Bull," he growled. "I saw you come over here. There are plenty of trees on the other side of the street where you could 'rest in the shade'."
I straightened. "Fine. I'll go over there."
I turned to march back out across the street, but Trey grabbed my arm.
"Not yet. You're not going yet," he snarled.
Kylee stepped in, looking scared. "Trey, stop it! Let her go!"
His grip only tightened on my arm. "I want you to tell that idiot brother of yours to stay away from my girlfriend."
"Trey, enough! You don't get to-"
I interrupted her with a sneer. "Are you afraid that Minsoo, scrawny, little Minsoo who can hardly talk to a girl without making a fool of himself, is going to steal your girlfriend? How self-conscious and stupid do you have to be to get to that conclusion?"
His eyes flashed and the next thing I knew, I was flying toward the street just as a truck came speeding down the road.
Everything but the truck became so far away and insignificant. I heard Kylee scream "Trey!" and then some other people shouting for the truck to stop.
I saw the truck driver's eyes widen as he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. His truck was moving too fast.
And then a familiar voice reached my ears: "You stupid bum! Get up!"
Hearing that made me move. I don't even know how I did it but I was on the sidewalk a millisecond before the truck slammed into my body.
What. Just. Happened?
I've never moved so fast in my life before. How did I do it just now? Kylee, Trey, and other pedestrians (as well as the truck driver) were all staring at me, wondering the same thing.
"Minhoe!" A body slammed into me a second later and hugged me tightly. It was Minsoo.
"Hey, you idiot," a second voice called. Minjae was riding his bike across the street. His hair looked disheveled and the bags under his eyes seemed darker than ever. "I didn't wake up just to see you die. What were you doing in the street, huh?"
"I...I was..." I couldn't come up with an answer. My brain was still in shock over the fact that I was just about to die and somehow...I'm not.
My brothers, however, didn't seem fazed. Minsoo finally pulled away from me and said, "I got the feeling something bad was going to happen so we followed you."
"Huh."
"Are you okay?" Kylee was the first one to snap out of her daze and rushed over.
"Um...sure. Let's go with that," I told her.
She grabbed my forearm. "I'm sorry about Trey. I-I didn't know he'd do that. I-"
"Wait, wait, wait," Minjae interrupted. He looked over at Trey, who was still standing there in shock. "You pushed her into the street?"
The menacing look on Minjae's face made him take a step back. "I'm-I'm sorry."
My brother looked ready to kill him, but a voice said, "Wow! A Speeder! That's amazing!"
A boy who looked about 10 got out of the truck that had nearly killed me. He pointed at me and said, "You've got to come to Edgewood!"
We all looked at him like he was weird. Edgewood? Like, the Edgewood? The academy on the island of Brodale where the genius cultivators went to study?
He nodded. "Yes, yes, you're coming. And your brothers, of course. We can't have one without the other two. You're going to make my school great!" Turning back to the truck, he banged on the door and yelled, "Hey, you stupid butthead! Come out and apologize! You nearly killed our newest prodigy!"
The truck driver, a middle-aged man with graying blonde hair and a tired expression, stepped out of the truck. He gave me a deep bow. "Forgive me, Ms. Sunwoo. If the young master had not asked me to speed, I might've been able to get ahold of my vehicle."
"What?" the kid exclaimed. "Are you saying this is my fault?"
"If the young master had not broken the flying sword as well," he continued, "perhaps we wouldn't have needed the truck. I do hope you will not hold a grudge against him. He is young and immature."
I blinked. "Um, okay."
The kid huffed. "Whatever! We're leaving, Bertrum."
"Of course, young master."
Before he got back in the truck, he turned to me with a smile. He had a certain look in his eyes that told me he wasn't a normal 10-year-old boy.
"Will I see you at Edgewood Academy, Minhoe? I hope you'll accept the invitation."
"Uh, sure."
His smile widened. "I'll see you in September. Hit it Bertrum!"
The truck sped off and disappeared down the street. So many things had happened at once, I couldn't process it.
And then Minsoo asked, "Hey, who was that? And how'd he know your name?"
Minjae slapped him on the back of the head. "Now you're asking these questions?"
"Oh, shut up!"
Before they could start a fight, I grabbed them and walked across the street. "Alright, come on. We should get home."
"Wait, no," Minjae said. "I still have to deal with that jerk who nearly got you killed."
"All is forgiven," I said, tightening my grip on him. "Let's go, J."
He frowned. "Fine. But if I see him again-"
"The guy's a tank," Minsoo interrupted. "You wouldn't stand a chance."
"Why, you-"
"Shut up, both of you." I punched their shoulders. "I appreciate you defending me, J, but let's not do anything rash."
"What'd he push you for anyway?" Minsoo asked, rubbing his shoulder.
"I insulted him because he was afraid you might steal Kylee out from under him. They were arguing about it before the incident."
He got this stupid little smile on his face. "Really? Kylee spoke up for me?"
Minjae punched him again, "You're an idiot, Suey. She doesn't like you like that."
"There's still a chance!"
I shook my head. He was hopeless. It looked like he didn't completely accept the idea of a non-romantic relationship with Kylee.
Let's just hope he doesn't do anything stupid that might get him killed before September. If what that kid said was true, our lives we're gonna change big time.
"Whoever gets home last has to do the laundry for a week!" I exclaimed.
The boys grinned and took off. I gave them the headstart.
They were gonna need it.