as usual, kai and i went to school together. once we got to school, we decided to part ways because he decided to hand in his overdue social studies homework first. as i head to my locker, i saw krystal leaning against the lockers, face plastered with smirk as if she was there waiting for me.

 

“hey si yoon.” krystal said. her tone was abit different today. it sounded like she was about to laugh.

 

“hey,” i said cooly as i opened my lockers.

 

“hows jong in’s ?” 

 

i stopped what i was doing and looked at her.

 

“what- i mean... this is a very intimate question... no....?”

 

she suddenly started clapping. 

 

“drop the act. i know everything.” 

 

“what?” I asked.

 

“you wont be able to answer because you never got to sit on his .” 

 

“wait. what the are you trying to say?”

 

“girl. i saw you going home to your host family’s house yesterday.” she said calmly as she show me pictures of me entering the kai’s house.

 

“you stalked me home? why?” i asked while holding in my anger. i felt like i was violated.

 

“just because. im always so suspicious of you, si yoon. i knew i wasnt wrong”

 

“what do you want?”

 

“leave your from kai. i know you guys are not together. he just went with it because of that incident when i caught you guys together. he knows that i like him, and no matter what he will always be mine. get out of that house before i will twist and expose your secret.” krystal smirked as she was about to turn and walk away. “and. if you tell him about this, ill expose you right away.” 

 

i broke down in front of my locker. what am i suppose to do? let her blackmail me? i dont even enough money to find my own place. 

 

i didnt even have the mood to eat lunch today. i ended up hiding in the washroom the whole time.

 

the last class of the day was dance. 

 

krystal and kai were chatting when i enter the studio.

 

“oh. hey kai’s girlfriend” she said as i walked in. 

 

should i just explode right there and then? i suddenly thought back about her words. if kai finds out about her blackmail, she’ll expose us immediately.

 

i sighed and put on an act. i just gotta do this, “break up” with him, and find somewhere else to stay.

 

“si yoon! are you distracted!” the teacher stopped the music and shouted at me.

 

my eyes welled up with tears. not able to hold in my tears anymore, i dashed out to the washroom.

 

soon after, i heard someone came into the washroom. i was praying that it was not krystal who were instructed to come and “comfort” me, since i was in the female washroom afterall.

 

“si yoon? are you okay?” a male voice spoke up. for a spilt second i was hoping it was kai. 

 

“taemin...” i sobbed out.

 

“whats wrong? youre not being yourself today.” he said as he squatted down beside me. 

 

should i tell him? i mean.... it’ll be nice to have someone knowing what im going through. but... telling him is like telling kai. i know for sure he will tell him. and everything will be backfired.

 

“nothing... im just feeling moody...”

 

“i know youre hiding something. but i wont force you to say it out.” he said as he sat down beside me.

 

“hmm... how about this? how about we convert all this sad energy into something we can accomplish together? the competition is one week from now. we can both focus on practicing and you can get whatever off your mind? lets use this energy to kill krystal and kai.”

 

those two names triggered me so much that my sadness turned into anger. i want revenge. 

 

“yes. thats it, taemin! lets do this together!” i stood up and punch my fist onto my palms.

 

“thats the spirit!” taemin joined in as he stood up.

 

“lets go and kick their !” i said with energy.

 

“hey. your crybaby is back,” krystal sung to kai when they notice us walk in. wow, the urge to just run up to her and punch her. 

 

krystal, i will make sure taemin and i will win this competition. 

 

“nice si yoon and taemin! that was good! keep practicing and im sure you two will do extremely well for the competition.” the teacher complimented us at the end of the class.

 

we bowed as the teacher packed up and leave the studio.

 

“are you guys staying to practice too?” krystal asked. 

 

wow. do i have to continue facing her? i’d rather not practice in the same room as her but i already promised taemin... i looked at kai and he was just practicing the choreography by himself in the corner. i barely even talked to him today.

 

“nope. we’re not. didnt you hear the teacher just complimented us two only? we’re leaving.” taemin said as he took off.

 

kai stopped dancing as he noticed us leaving. i looked away and ran after taemin.

 

“hey,” i ran up to him.

 

“your sadness got to do with her right? was i right? shes trying blackmail you right?” he said angrily.

 

i eventually nodded my head. “but see taemin, this is why i cant tell you.” 

 

“alright. you dont have to tell me, of course. i already promised you that.”

 

“thank you. and also, dont worry. i am able to handle it myself.”

 

“i just want to let you know that no matter what you do, i will understand your decisions.”

 

i walked closer to taemin and gave him a hug. he hugged me back tightly. the studio door suddenly close shut and i jumped and pulled away from the hug.

 

“wow that scared me,” i laughed it away.

 

“hey. are you free? lets go somewhere that release all our sadness.”

---

 

“yeah. but thats not all. it has rock climbing and obstacle courses too.” 

 

“oh my god! really?” i said as i ran up to the counter.

---

 

“shall we go get something to eat?” taemin asked.

 

taemin brought me to a bimbimbap place nearby the trampoline park.

 

“i thought that if youre hungry you should eat a lot of rice.” he explained as we sat down.

 

“yeah. its exactly what im craving for!” i said as i reached out for the menu.

 

after dinner, because we were so stuffed, we decided to take a walk along the han river.

 

“hey, i had a good day today.” i said out of the blue.

 

“yeah it is. it actually feels like a date to be honest,” taemin said and it hit me. you dont take night walks along the river with a guy friend. 

 

i laughed it away. “it does,” 

 

“hey. talking about dates, you havent really talked about your boyfriend.”

 

“what boyfriend?” i asked before i actually remembered. “oh that boyfriend!” 

 

should i just tell him it was all a lie? like, theres no point to continue lying. 

 

“it was all a lie. kai’s mum asked if there was any good looking guys in school. i wanted to avoid the topic when she mention her son, so i made that up.” 

 

“for real?!” taemin burst into laughter.

 

“yeah. when i showed a picture of my friend to his mum, she went to compare them. you should have seen kai’s face. it was hilarious” i said as i thought back at the memory.

 

“wait. so was kai’s mum actually subtly matchmaking you two?”

 

“nah, she was just curious i guess? until i mention the “boyfriend”. i guess it did help me a long way.” 

 

“maybe his mum did see potential in you to be with kai?”

 

“nah.” i laughed it away.

 

“did you see any potential in kai?” taemin suddenly asked.

 

“why... the question?” 

 

“i dont know. when i first saw you, i thought you and kai had some connection...”

 

“connection...?”

 

“but after awhile that vibe went away. maybe because i started to know you more.” 

 

“yeah. see? that’s a learning lesson that you shouldnt judge someone by its cover”

 

we ended talking by the river until late at night.

 

i looked at my phone to check the time. “its 9 pm. shall we go? its getting late.”

 

“yeah. let me send you home,” i know for sure theres no point arguing. i nodded my head.

 

we took the bus and walked home.

 

“what about you? any crushes?” i suddenly asked.

 

“yeah. i used to have one. she was a dancer. but then she graduated. i never really talked to her back then. i admired her from a far.”

 

“and thats a long time ago?”

 

“yeah. about 2 years ago?” 

 

“what about now?” 

 

“now...? i...”

 

“hey si yoon. youre finally home huh? and youre with taemin?” jong in said cooly as he leaned against the metal gates of the house. oh. we’re already home. 

 

“well. thanks for walking me home, taemin. ill see you tomorrow?” i said awkwardly to taemin now that kai is here.

 

“yeah. see you tomorrow... si yoon.” taemin said as he left without acknowledging kai. i felt so bad. i remember how close their bond were when i first met them.

 

i walked past kai and went into the house without having eye contact with him. we need to “break up”, and then find somewhere to live. 

 

kai pulled me back and spun me around to look at him.

 

“hey, hey. where did you go with taemin?” he asked as he placed my hands on both of my shoulders.

 

i shrugged his hands away and walk away from him:

 

“hey whats going on? why are you ignoring me?” kai held me back again, by the arms. i took a deep breath before turning around. im sorry, kai. 

 

“why do you care so much? its none of your business.” i said coldly as i pushed his hands away from me.

 

he didnt come after me anymore that night. 

---

hey guys! i guess here is a turning point!! finally some drama!!! i havent written much from here on, but the next update could be next week since its pretty much completed. anyways, i hope you guys are staying safe and practicing social distance! till then :-)