To the quiet ones, the loud ones, and the ones who love in secret — This one is for you!
"Sometimes the best kind of trouble… is love you didn't expect."
Copyright © 2025 by Rhodora Paruhinog
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
CHARACTERS:
There's a girl who always looks sleepy and always carrying a sketchpad—
a sketchpad full of weird doodles, some of which suspiciously resemble her crush.
Her name?
"Megumi"
(16 years old)
A walking ball of chaos. She's cute, simple, and just a little bit weird the kind of weird that makes people either laugh or question their life choices. She loves drawing, hates math, and currently has exactly one goal in life:
"Not to get caught staring at her crush!"
(Again.) That crush?
"Akihiko"
(same as Megumi's age)
Tall. Quiet. Cool as ice.
He is kind, respectful, quiet, and serious. Handsome and tall, always neat — the kind of guy who looks like he smells good just by the way he carries himself. The kind of guy who makes everyone stop and stare — even when he's literally just drinking water.
His Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Azuma, own a well-known jewelry company in their area in Japan. Akihiko is an only child and grew up to be independent, having gotten used to his parents often being away because of their business.
Now, let's talk about Megumi's Older brother — incredibly charming and undeniably attractive with a well-toned physique, He constantly teases her like any classic older brother would. He's loving, affectionate toward their parents, and when it comes to Megumi, his way of showing love is by bothering her every chance he gets.
He is —
"Yoo-chan"
(18 years old)
Their Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hayashi, are the kind of parents you'd call truly amazing. They treat their children like treasures — always supportive, caring, and nurturing toward both siblings. They lived a simple life and owned a small café
And then there's a playful, a bit of a troublemaker, undeniably cute girl, she shares the exact same energy as Megumi. That's why they click so well and agree on almost everything,
She is—
"Seoyeon"
Megumi's Best friend.
She has Korean ancestry from her mother.
Her Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, lived in Korea and were financially well-off, which allowed them to grant her every wish. Wanting to study abroad, she chose Japan — and there, she made friends and lived a comfortable life.
"Hinata"
(A friend of Megumi and Seoyeon)
has a good physique, a smiling face, and a playful personality. He is a friend of Megumi and Seoyeon. Tall and handsome with yellow hair, he looks like he came straight out of an anime. He's also quite popular with the girls and is known as a troublemaker student—just like Megumi and Seoyeon.
CHAPTER I
"Morning came again"
Megumi woke up early to get ready for school. Her alarm blared loudly from her bedside table.
"Ugh! What is that noise so early in the morning?!"
(she groaned, still sprawled across her bed.)
She kicked her legs into the air, as if pedaling an invisible bicycle—her signature move whenever she was too lazy to get up but too annoyed to stay still. After inhaling her breakfast like she was racing against time, she dashed out of their small, humble home in full-blown panic mode. Inside, her older brother Yoo-chan and their parents watched the whirlwind that was Megumi fly past them.
"That girl... you'd think she was being chased by a horse!"
(Her mother muttered, shaking her head in disbelief)
"A horse?"
(Yoo-chan scoffed with a teasing grin)
"She moves so slowly every morning, like she's been possessed by a turtle!
But, Ma, it's a miracle — it's like she suddenly turned into a horse, right!?"
(It was as if he found himself asking the same question)
Their mother smacked him playfully on the shoulder, suppressing a laugh, while their father stood quietly in the corner—watching the chaos unfold with the same awkward silence he always had in the mornings.
"Finish the food I prepared for you! Your sibling already left, so you eat the rest
and drink your milk — it'll make your bones strong,"
(said of his mother with flashing a mischievous smile)
"Ma! I'm already grown up. Your son is handsome, you know!
Girls will be chasing after me!"
(he said proudly)
"Chasing you? By what? Dogs?"
His father quickly chimed in while busy preparing coffee for their small café.
His mother immediately burst into laughter at what she heard from his father.
"Ahhssshhh! Dad! Who else would I take after? We're both handsome and macho!"
He said, flexing his muscles and winking at his father. His father looked at him with a sideways smile and winked back.
"Oh my, oh my! That's enough — you're going to be late for school!"
his mother said.
Yoo-chan began eating right away as his father turned and made his way to their café, which stood just in front of their house. Meanwhile, his mother quietly continued with her chores in the kitchen.
"Ouch! What on earth is this?"
In her rush, Megumi accidentally slammed into something solid—so solid, it might as well have been a wall. The impact sent her stumbling backward and landing hard on the pavement.
"Ouch! What the heck? Was that a wall or a chest?"
she groaned, clutching the part of her head that had taken the hit. As she scrambled to gather her things, a large hand reached out to help her—clearly a man's.
"Wow… even his nails are so clean and shiny! And his fingers… they're slightly pink and flawless!"
(she thought, mesmerized)
Slowly, her eyes began to travel upward.
"First, his shirt, then his neck—Oh my gosh, his Adam's apple… and he smells so good!"
She whispered under her breath, almost swooning. Her gaze drifted higher, to his chin—perfectly sculpted—and then to his lips: soft, pink, and glossy, like a baby's.
"Oh my!"
She gasped inwardly, swallowing hard as her eyes continued their journey. His cheeks and nose came next.
"Perfect… his nose is so straight and elegant!"
She thought, her heart pounding. Then came his forehead, thick but beautifully shaped eyebrows, and lashes so long and curled they looked like they belonged in a mascara ad. Every single detail on his face was flawless.
"Finally! Their eyes met"
His eyes sparkled like polished gems and in that instant,
She froze. Her own eyes widened in shock.
"Huh???"
(She rubbed her eyes furiously)
"Am I dreaming?!"
And then, realization struck like a lightning bolt. She had just been gawking at Akihiko. Instantly, she stumbled backward in panic.
"Is there something on my face?"
Akihiko asked, raising an eyebrow and giving her forehead a gentle flick.
"Ah! N-no! I mean—yeah! I thought there was… uh… dirt or something!"
she stammered, her face turning crimson.
Before he could say another word, Megumi turned and bolted—mortified, overwhelmed, and completely unsure if she'd ever recover from what had just happened. Akihiko was surprised and couldn't help but wonder why the girl had acted that way. He stood up immediately and made his way to the classroom, putting on his headphone and adjusting his uniform as he walked. His posture instantly caught the attention of his classmates — it was as if they had just seen an impossibly handsome celebrity. Some looked like they were about to swoon, while others whispered to one another, giggling with excitement at the sight of him. Even the boys couldn't help but admire his appearance and the effortless charm that came with his good looks.
At the Classroom 2-B:
While Megumi was holding her sketchpad, a playful voice suddenly called out to her.
"Megumi!"
her friend Seoyeon called, bouncing over to her desk.
"You're smiling, girl! What's going on? Your face looks way too bright today!"
(she teased, snatching the paper from Megumi's hands)
"Whoa! Don't tell me Cupid's hit you again!"
(Seoyeon added with a mischievous grin)
"Give it back! Don't be so nosy!"
(Megumi replied)
Her voice a mix of panic and playful irritation as she reached for the sketchpad. Just then, Megumi's eyes flicked toward the door—and her breath caught. Akihiko had just walked in.
He stood there for a moment, staring at the two girls with a serious yet slightly confused look before heading to his seat—right behind Megumi.
"Oh my gosh, girl! Don't act weird. Calm down… stay calm!"
(Megumi whispered to herself, quickly sitting down and falling completely silent as her cheeks turned crimson.)
"Megumi! Megumi!"
(shouted their male classmate, Hinata)
"What?!"
Megumi snapped back with an irritated glare, her eyes wide as she looked up from under her hair, which had nearly covered her face — yet, she still managed to look cute. Even she was surprised by her own tone, especially since she'd been trying hard to act more feminine in front of Akihiko. Everyone turned to Megumi in shock, and she quickly responded with a smile, trying to brush off the tension. Akihiko, just as surprised by what he heard, glanced at her and smiled subtly, holding back a grin as he turned his eyes elsewhere. Megumi slowly turned to look at him, trying to read his reaction to her outburst.
"A-Amm… ah, hehe..s-sorry, I think I raised my voice a bit too much, haha"
(She muttered awkwardly)
Akihiko's face immediately returned to its usual serious expression, as if nothing had happened.
Megumi stood up and quickly bowed to apologize.
"Yo! Yo! Yooo! Did the wind just change direction or something?
Our friend's acting like a gentle little lamb!"
(Hinata exclaimed)
He walked over to Megumi, studying her like he was inspecting a strange new version of his friend. He bent down and looked at it, and said—
"Eyy! Are you sick or something? Why are you blushing?"
he asked, raising a brow, then, he gently placed a hand on Megumi's forehead.
Akihiko suddenly looked over at Megumi and stood up.
"Come with me"
He said to her.
Megumi froze, clearly flustered. Panic flashed in her eyes when Akihiko unexpectedly took her right hand.
"Ehh? W-Wait!"
(she stammered)
quickly pulling her hand back, her eyes widening at the strange sensation she felt.
Without another word, she turned and ran out of the classroom, overwhelmed. Seoyeon immediately followed after her. Hinata and Akihiko were left behind in the room, surprised and confused. They exchanged glances, both raising their eyebrows as if asking each other what just happened. Hinata couldn't believe how much their friend was changing. He lowered his head with a mischievous smile, mouth slightly open in disbelief, as he looked at Akihiko — who remained serious, one eyebrow raised.
"Caught daydreaming"
As their teacher, Mrs. Tamagochi, began the Topic. Megumi was clearly somewhere else, smiling to herself and lost in thought.
"Ms. Hayashi Megumi, what's going on?"
(Mrs. Tamagochi called out, adjusting her glasses to peer over the rim)
"I'm serious here, but your eyes and mind are clearly wandering—
and you're even smiling to yourself!, Care to explain? Stand up!"
(she added)
"Ah! M-Ma'am!"
(Megumi gasped, jolted from her daydream)
Before she could even try to respond, a calm voice spoke up from behind her.
"Ma'am, I think Ms. Megumi was just thinking of a great idea for our topic about camping,"
(Akihiko said smoothly)
"W-What? Huh?"
Megumi turned around in shock, pointing at herself as if to say,
(Me?? Are you serious?)
(Mrs. Tamagochi raised a curious brow)
"Well then, Ms. Hayashi, why don't you share your idea with the class?"
(Mrs. Tamagochi said)
as all her classmates looked at her, grinning — Megumi was spacing out again.
"A-Ah… Ma'am… haha… I think… um…"
(Megumi stammered, clearly scrambling for words as her mind went blank.)
"I think it would be great if we held the camping activity at Iwaya Paradise Park Camping Ground," (Akihiko chimed in again with a gentle smile)
"Yes! Perfect, Mr. Akihiko! I love that idea,"
(Mrs. Tamagochi said with enthusiasm)
While everyone was looking at Akihiko, his eyes were fixed on Megumi — wearing a serious yet shy smile. The girl, on the other hand, looked like she was about to break her neck from bowing too much, overwhelmed with embarrassment in front of the boy.
"Saved… He saved me? But why?"
(she wondered in her head, her cheeks blushing from the sudden rush of giddiness)
"Same day, 4:00 PM at the café"
Megumi came running, out of breath, and her mother was completely shocked by the sight.
"Sweetheart, what's going on? Why are you running? Is someone chasing you?"
(her mother asked, clearly worried)
"Ma! We're going on a camping trip—with the whole class!"
(Megumi replied with a big smile)
Suddenly—
"Camping!? Ma, that might not even be true. Maybe she just has a date with some turtle guy!"
her older brother Yoo-chan chimed in, grinning insultingly with an impatient look aimed at Megumi.
"Oh, come on! Mind your own business!"
(Megumi snapped, clearly irritated)
"Yoo-chan!"
their father finally spoke, having been quietly listening to the entire exchange.
"Alright, sweetie, but no dating, okay? I'll have your brother keep an eye on you,"
(her father added, sounding serious)
"Dad! I'm going camping, not going on a date! I don't even have a boyfriend!"
(Megumi protested)
"Dad! Why are you letting her go? You never let me before!"
Yoo-chan, her older brother, complained like a child. His face was adorably sulking, frowning as he scratched his head and twisted his body back and forth in frustration.
"Aww, my son's growing up!"
their mother said with a warm smile, trying to soothe her eldest as she gently rubbed his back. Yoo-chan hugged her like a child pretending to cry, acting as though he were being bullied by everyone.
"Yoo-chan, get a grip! You're too old for this behavior. Look at all the girls watching you!"
(their father scolded and shaking his head)
Meanwhile, some of their female customers were giggling and glancing shyly at Yoo-chan, clearly charmed by his childish antics.
"Ugh! Yo! Clumsy big boy! You're so embarrassing!"
Megumi snapped, rolling her eyes before turning her back and heading inside their café, which was connected to their home while Yoo-chan just stood there grinning, clearly enjoying the attention—and even acting cuter for the customers.
While Megumi was doing her homework, her mind suddenly drifted to the heart-fluttering moments she had shared with Akihiko at school. She grabbed her teddy bear and hugged it tightly, smiling to herself as she rolled around on her soft bed, completely overwhelmed by the giddy feeling. She didn't realize that her older brother was about to come in to bring her some fruits and a glass of milk.
"Ossshhh! Woah!"
he exclaimed, laughing as if amused and a little teasing at what he had just walked into.
"Yo! Hey, Turtle Girl! What are you imagining now, huh?
Your assignment's not even done and you're already rolling around in bed!"
(He teased)
"Mom! Dad! Meg's got a boyfriend! Mom! Daaaad!"
he shouted, quickly setting down the snacks on the table and running downstairs, clearly excited to tattle.
"Ugh! This Clumsy big boy! I don't have a boyfriend!"
(Megumi yelled in frustration at her brother, Yoo-chan)
"Camping Day at Iwaya Paradise Park Camping Ground"
Everyone was gathered cheerfully in front of the two buses. While Seoyeon and Hinata waited for Megumi, Akihiko walked up to the two of them and asked if he had arrived late.
"Not really,"
(Seoyeon replied)
"But Megumi's not here yet, and our bus is about to leave."
Suddenly—
"Yo! Guys, I'm here!"
(Megumi shouted, waving her hand excitedly)
"Megumi!"
Hinata exclaimed with a huge smile, his happiness clearly written all over his face. Seoyeon was just as delighted, and Akihiko quickly turned his head to look. As Megumi approached, she instantly noticed Akihiko, who seemed to flash a small smile in her direction. Then came the loud honk of the bus, signaling that it was about to depart for the camping site.
Everyone had boarded the bus when suddenly—
"Yo! Wait for me!"
shouted a guy, running breathlessly toward them, looking completely exhausted. All the girls inside the bus gasped—one of them being Seoyeon. Most of the girls squealed while others whispered excitedly to each other, clearly thrilled as they stared at the guy. He was none other than Yoo-chan, Megumi's older brother.
"Yo! Clumsy Big Boy! What are you doing here?"
Megumi called out to her brother, shocking everyone on board.
"W-Wait… you two know each other?"
(Seoyeon asked in surprise)
"Ah! Yeah—he's my brother. Clumsy Big Boy!"
(Megumi replied playfully)
Seoyeon smiled and seemed to suddenly blush as she glanced at Yoo-chan with a flustered look.
"Can I sit here?"
Yoo-chan asked Akihiko, who quickly moved over to let Megumi's older brother take the seat beside him. Midway through the trip, most of the students had already fallen asleep. Seoyeon and Yoo-chan, however, were still wide awake. Yoo-chan was busy playing games on his phone while Seoyeon snuck shy glances at him, smiling to herself, clearly feeling giddy and flustered.
Then, unexpectedly, Yoo-chan turned his head toward her. Seoyeon's eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled awkwardly—but cutely. Yoo-chan stared at her with a puzzled look, tilting his head slightly and raising an eyebrow as if trying to figure out why this girl—his sister's friend—was looking at him that way. Seoyeon quickly looked away, pretending to be interested in something else and awkwardly reaching for something that didn't even seem to be there clearly overwhelmed with butterflies.
Meanwhile, Megumi was fast asleep—mouth wide open, as if her jaw was about to fall off, snoring loudly.
"This girl… every time she sleeps, it's like there's a trumpet in her mouth.
She sounds like a frog caught in the rain,"
(Yoo-chan whispered with a smirk)
Akihiko opened one eye, amused, and quietly glanced at Megumi. A small smile played on his lips as he leaned back in his seat, pretending to still be asleep—though he was clearly watching her.
"Aww!"
Megumi suddenly cried out in surprise. Her brother had lightly smacked her forehead with a small pillow because of her loud snoring.
"What is your problem?!"
(Megumi said withserious face)
she snapped at her brother, glaring at him from across the aisle. Her face showed clear annoyance at Yoo-chan's behavior, but her brother only mocked her by repeating what she had just said in a teasing tone, making funny faces. Akihiko glanced over at the bickering siblings and smiled quietly to himself, clearly finding their sibling dynamic both amusing and endearing.
"We're here!"
shouted the bus driver.
Everyone was filled with excitement, their faces lighting up with amazement at the beautiful view of the camping site—even though most of them had just woken up. Cheers and songs filled the air as they stepped off the bus, while the two drivers exchanged amused glances, smiling at the students' joy. Their teacher, Mrs. Tamagochi, couldn't help but smile as well.
"Alright, kids, come over here. I'll divide you into groups of five,"
she said.
As most of the students gathered and were being grouped, Mrs. Tamagochi, who already knew the close friends from the class, immediately called out Megumi, Seoyeon, and Hinata.
"Ma'am, excuse me,"
said a polite voice.
Yoo-chan stepped forward and bowed slightly to show respect to the teacher who was in the middle of speaking.
"Yes? Wait... who are you, young man? Are you one of my students or from another section?"
(she asked, confused)
Laughter erupted from the crowd, including Megumi herself. Yoo-chan scratched the back of his head, clearly embarrassed, trying to act cute to lighten the moment.
"A-Ah… Ma'am, I'm Megumi's older brother. Our parents asked me to join the trip to keep an eye on her in case anything happens."
Instantly, Megumi's classmates burst into applause—especially the girls, who practically melted with excitement and giggles.
"Alright then, you can join their group. But you're still one person short,"
the teacher said.
"A-Ah, Ma'am! I'll join them!"
shouted a handsome voice from the back.
Everyone turned toward the direction of the voice. They froze when they saw who it was—the one and only Akihiko. Megumi's eyes widened in shock as she heard his voice. She quickly exchanged a look with Seoyeon, as if the two of them were speaking silently through their expressions.
"Okay, Mr. Akihiko. Go wherever you're most comfortable,"
said Mrs. Tamagochi with a nod.
While everyone was busy setting up their tents, Yoo-chan approached Hinata.
"What's your name? You've been stuck to my sister all day,"
(He said)
giving Hinata a suspicious glare. Akihiko, overhearing this, quickly turned to look at the two.
"Ah! I'm Hinata, nice to meet you, Big brother!"
Hinata said cheerfully, extending his hand for a handshake.
"'Big brother'? I'm not your brother!"
Yoo-chan replied teasingly, raising one brow and curling up one side of his lip in a mischievous smirk. Hinata laughed, and soon Yoo-chan joined in. Without hesitation, Akihiko walked toward the two as they laughed together and introduced himself to Megumi's older brother.
("How should I introduce myself?")
he wondered to himself while working on their tent while shaking his head, as if his mind was in a state of confusion.
"I'm Akihiko,"
(He said smoothly)
His voice calm and composed as he extended his right hand toward Megumi's older brother.
"Now that's how you introduce yourself!"
Yoo-chan joked to Hinata, making all three of them laugh together.
"Yo! Looks like you guys are having fun over here!"
Megumi said as she walked over, with Seoyeon beside her, laughing while wearing a flower behind her ear that she picked from the campsite garden.
"Hey, girl! Why were you staring at me earlier, huh?
Were you taking advantage of my handsome face while I was relaxing?"
Yoo-chan said to Seoyeon with a teasing grin. Seoyeon's eyes widened in shock, her face stunned as if she had been caught red-handed. Hinata and Akihiko burst into laughter, while Megumi stared at her brother in confusion.
"Hey! Clumsy Big Boy! What are you even saying?
Why are you dragging my friend into your nonsense?"
Megumi scolded her brother, while the three boys just laughed even harder—clearly entertained by the reactions of the two girls.
"Darkness slowly crept into the sky as the light began to fade"
To be continued...