“another rose?”

Kim taeyeon shrugged. Yes, it was another rose, her seventh for the exact. For seven days, she had accustomed herself receiving a long stemmed white rose from the mystery guy and it never occurred to her once that she figured out who the person is. not a single word, not a single look, and definitely without any idea.

“do you have any guess who the person is?” taeyeon asked her classmate and friend, seohyun, who just raised both of her eyebrows in confusion.

“I asked everyone about it but neither could tell or pinpoint.”

“same.” Taeyeon sighed. If only she could really tell the culprit herself. Not that she would want to throw him punches because of the oh-so-traditional way of courting a girl but because she would really want to know who would even care to look at her twice.

She doesn’t look bad. In fact she dresses quite good. She’s a natural beauty. Not really that popular but contented with eight girls as her friends. But what was with her that someone would anonymously slip in a letter combined with an expensive looking flower.

And why does he know, out of all people, her locker combination.

Taeyeon sighed. Even her friends do not know her password. Maybe the mystery person had been watching her whenever she’s out.

Crazily, taeyeon looked around in paranoia, wishing to catch the culprit. But everytime she stares at their eyes, the only respond was a smile in return.

Weird.

“you wont guess who the person is, everyone just stares when you stare at them.” Seohyun interjected.

Taeyeon nodded and resumed opening the little blue envelope, situated inside her locker. She had seven envelopes too. just like the white roses, the envelopes correspond to a day to which her admirer would slip in details about himself and his interest on her. somehow, the letter for today is different.

“just counting the days until you can see me.”

And the nerve he could tell me that, taeyeon thought. its too much of a big headedness for an admirer. But oddly enough, she found his guts interesting.

“do you think it’s donghae?” seohyun placed both of her arms on taeyeon’s shoulders causing the latter to turn around, facing herself again to a bunch of people passing the hallway.

Donghae, the basketball mvp?

“anni, donghae’s courting yoona.” Taeyeon hissed. Donghae passed in front of the two and made a slight bow before joining his team. Donghae of course, would only have eyes for her cheerleader friend.

Taeyeon took out her rose and closed her locker.

“okay, let’s keep looking from here.” she told her friend seohyun, and the two watched again.

“maybe it’s a girl?” seohyun giggled.

“aigoo, maknae, what are you thinking!”

Taeyeon had found herself in utter embarrassment, holding her long stemmed rose and staring into a space, waiting for guys to take notice. One of them has to be he, she thought. only a student in their campus would know her locker. A classmate can be a possibility. But everytime she would observe their class, no one would really pay that much attention to her. that much attention.

Seohyun pointed to a tall senior suddenly bowing to them at the hallway.

“I think its Hankyung, from the dance club.” She whispered.

Taeyeon looked at Hankyung and tried to give her a pleasant smile but the dance club leader seemed frightened by her gesture and ran off.

“aigoo.” She mumbled. No, it wasn’t Hankyung. The mysterious admirer is a big headed person.

Come to think of it, she thought. he couldn’t be big headed if the only thing he can do is to slip in his gifts. A courageous admirer has to face her in all possibilities. Why should it take more days until he could make himself visible to her?

Suddenly another tall person passed too, making seohyun take a few steps back to hide at the back of taeyeon.

“what are you doing?”

Then she pursed her lips.

“so my secret admirer is kyuhyun?” taeyeon asked out of the blue. She didn’t know if she had uttered something that made seohyun quickly shook her head.

“no, its not oppa.” Seohyun said. “unni, oppa is mine.”

“of course, you maknae.” Taeyeon smiled, in awe of her sudden statement. “I didn’t know that you like him. You should tell me more in class.”

“I will, after school.” seohyun blushed.

Taeyeon sighed again. no. this thing wouldn’t do. they couldn’t just stand there for hours waiting for the mysterious person to pop out from nowhere.

“lets just go, were wasting our time.” She decided, pulling seohyun by the hand.

Taeyeon lowered her head and resumed walking, not believing herself how she decided to stay in her spot for a few minutes before going to class. Of course he wouldn’t just appear to her and tell her that he was her mystery person. The person even told her that he will appear to her in a matter of days.

And why was she so interested? She was suddenly intrigued by his silent charm.

Taeyeon wasn’t in her senses when she bumped into a rather sturdy human being clutching a black folder, who, too, appeared not surprised upon seeing her. when she looked up, taeyeon did an urgent bow upon realizing her mistake.

Student council president, Park Leeteuk.

“mianhe.” She mumbled, and tugged again seohyun by the hand when leeteuk signaled her to stop.

“music club president, kim taeyeon?” leeteuk looked at her. taeyeon nodded and paced a few steps back.

He was towering her. she couldn’t blame herself if she’s only a five feet and few inches. And somehow, theres always this presence of leeteuk that make other people intimidated, even she. The way he stood with grace, his movements, his leadership abilities.

Leeteuk was definitely someone who girls would fight in lines just to catch a glimpse of him. The presence of his neatly trimmed brown hair and dimples were a really good sight to behold.

Taeyeon shook her head to erase her thoughts.

Leeteuk lowered himself to the ground to catch the fallen flower that was once gripped by taeyeon’s delicate hand.

“you dropped this.” He said, immediately standing up.

“mianhe.”

“good thing it’s a flower or I’ll report that you’re littering the facilities.” He kidded, in a manner that made taeyeon’s hair stood up. Why wasn’t he smiling everytime he would make a joke?

“I’m sorry, I’ll be careful next time.” Taeyeon muttered. Leeteuk nodded and paced himself forward, leaving taeyeon and seohyun behind.

Taeyeon clutched the rose deeply to her chest, as if it appeared that it was given by the president.

“what if its leeteuk sunbae?” seohyun blurted.

“him?no.” taeyeon replied. It couldn’t be leeteuk. “he’s got his mind focused to the school. everyone knows he’s not interested to the younger female species.  So why would he be interested in me.”

“hmm, makes sense.” Seohyun agreed too. “sorry, it would be nice if its him.”

Taeyeon suddenly looked at seohyun like she had a bright idea into her mind.

“do you think, it will be odd, if I give him a letter?”

“huh?”

“the mysterious person, I mean.” Taeyeon said. she was thinking of replying to his letter. Or if she could really come up with a good idea, even ask him about his self.

“unni…”

Taeyeon rushed herself towards her locker situated at the end of the hall and scribbled words that even seohyun could die out in embarrassment.

“unni.” Seohyun tugged her hand. “unni, don’t do that.”

“hey, its okay, besides it will be good if he knows I’m interested. There.” Taeyeon left her pink stationary inside her locker and looked a bit proud of herself.

“lets’ go to class.” She said.

---------------------------

Taeyeon’s classroom

Taeyeon’s POV

Every time I go to the classroom every morning. the scene always has to be in a complete chaos.

Guys would compile themselves in the corner, talking about basketball stats, girls would be talking about boys and shopping. I would always sit next to the window while trying to focus my sanity on my school career, with Jessica and hyoyeon always bugging me off about shopping incidents and hullabaloos. Jessica and hyoyeon are just two out of the eight girls I befriended for almost four years. And either of us could really tell the personality of each.

I was a bit dazed on the English poem situated on my table when the classroom turned into a comparable graveyard. A group of five students in their clean uniforms wearing gold badges to their chest marched in carrying what looked like raffle tickets.

The student council.  And leeteuk sunbae was with them.

I seldom see leeteuk sunbae visiting our classroom because he was always preoccupied with other activities, but when he does, every student would just look at him as if seeing their own dream movie star. I don’t have to deny on that principle. He’s a professional at everything--- stable grades, soccer mvp, chess champion, a student model, etc etc.

Jessica wasn’t paying attention to him but was instead feasting her eyes on my rose.

“yah, that’s the seventh one.” She said.

I tried focusing on leeteuk but this girl beside me just gives me a little bit of insanity.

“you know, I think I already knew the suspect.” Jessica continued in such an airy voice I didn’t have any idea how I came to love this friend of mine in the first place.

“booya?”

“you receive letters and roses every day. and you always wonder how the person knows your locker combination. So I think by now you know who’s behind all that.”

I stared at her, gaping. Probably still at daze of what to say.

“taeyeon?!” Jessica hissed impatiently. She pursed her lips and pointed to a still talking leeteuk on the platform.

I looked at leeteuk and looked back at Jessica, who gave me a mischievous smile.

“no.” I quickly said, trying to erase her thoughts. “that cant be sunbae. He’s a sunbae.”

Fortunately, leeteuk didn’t seem to notice us talking that I was in time to pinch Jessica secretly on her thighs.

“ouch! O come on taeyeon!” she hissed again. “don’t tell me you’re going to deny all this? That guy has a copy of all the locker combinations. He’s the school leader, goodness!”

“am I hearing any objections?” Jessica and I turned our heads at the direction of leeteuk who was quick to notice what’s going on. Unfortunately, were the only ones simultaneously talking.

“erm—“ I suddenly found myself speechless, and couldn’t deny the sudden weakness grasping my knees. “Jessica and I were just---“

“sunbae, can I ask a question?” Jessica intervened.

“yes, miss?”

Jessica grinned at me for the moment before focusing on leeteuk. “I’m suddenly interested. what is sunbae’s favorite flower?”

Omona. She didn’t just…

I stared at leeteuk, who, still in his composed blank expression, suddenly appeared like he was thinking to answer the question too. the classroom always stays silent when he’s around. but the silence right now, was deafening.

Leeteuk cleared his throat and shuffled the tickets before handing the materials to Sungmin, our class president.

“please list down all those willing to buy the tickets.” He told Sungmin. Then he looked at everyone, especially to Jessica, as if owing her an answer.

“long stemmed white roses.” He smiled. and headed out immediately outside the room, leaving me motionless and surprised at the same time.

---------------------------

Locker room

9:00 pm

 

Leeteuk looked around his meeting room before closing the door.

Nine in the evening.

Yes, he was always the last person who leaves the school, apart from the principal who would always accompany him out. he really didn’t have any idea why he would really opt to stay late. Maybe because he was so obsessed with his council activities and the possibilities of making the school best when it comes to leadership and intellectuality.

Leeteuk moved around the school, checking if the lights are off, leaving some open for the guards patrolling the hallways at night. He befriended them all, even the late at night working janitors. The grey men, fondly called because of their grey uniforms, would always accompany leeteuk during his late night stay at the school.

“another one?” a tall, gangly janitor beamed at leeteuk when he was standing in front of a locker situated on the third floor.

“hmmm..” leeteuk said. he pressed on different combinations, and with a click, the locker opened. “every student out of this facility I suppose?”

“yes, only you sir.” the janitor smiled. leeteuk nodded and found himself blinking at the presence of a pink stationary lying next to a compilation of other files. With a face filled with utmost curiosity, he retrieved the paper and immersed himself to the contents.

“tell me about yourself.” It read.

“tell you about myself.” leeteuk muttered.

“ah, she’s interested.” The janitor said.

Leeteuk raised a brow before stuffing the pink letter inside his chest pocket. he took out a little white envelope from his folder and a little white notepad. “can you give me a light?”

The janitor raised his hand to provide leeteuk some illumination.

“thank you ahjussi.”

Leeteuk scribbled some words. Looked at the letter from afar and smiled with contentment when he was finished.

“when are you---“

“six days from now.” Leeteuk answered the janitor quickly. “I believe the flowers are---?”

“inside the guards room, it can stay there in a week.” The janitor said.

Leeteuk nodded and left the locker slightly opened.

“the same routine then.” He said, leaving his friend in all smiles.

-----------------------

The eighth day

hallway

Taeyeon’s POV

I hurriedly went to the locker and found myself smiling at the presence of the eighth long stemmed white rose with an accompanying little envelope.

Did he reply?

Maybe. I could no longer see any signs of my pink stationary around.

I took hold of the envelope and carefully slipped out the content. I read his scribbled handwritings up and down, rather carefully. Took in deep breaths again, and reread.

I didn’t know why I was doing this but I was somehow got entangled into space by his reply.

“you already know me, dearest. Five more days. “

Did I really? Then he must be someone I really know. Gosh! Why didn’t I think of this before. Maybe it was really someone from the classroom! or someone from my music club. Music people are into arts anyways, they would love to express their emotions the Shakespearian style.

Although…

I scratched my head.

Jessica and her assumptions yesterday… personally, I didn’t know whether these discoveries would make me happy or anxious. She assumed that our president was the culprit--- the secret admirer who would continuously slip in letters to my lockers every day for eight consecutive days.

But it can’t be our sunbae. Leeteuk must have liked long stemmed white roses but there are other guys who would prefer that too right? And he couldn’t be interested in me. he wouldn’t have eyes for an average.

I was walking along the corridor, making all sorts of hypothesis in my head when I bumped myself to a sturdy human being.

Again.

“i—aigoo.” I bit my lip and made ridiculous ninety degree bows in front of our student council president who was just in an unfortunate amount of time, patrolling the hallway early in the morning.

“I’m really sorry.” I continued, as leeteuk looked behind his back and then focused his attention to me.

“is this hallway small?” he asked.

I snorted. I didn’t know why I made such a sound but his humor gets me distracted at all sorts of places.

“I’m sorry, I was not myself again.” I said, taking another bow. “I was, how do you put it…”

“daydreaming?” leeteuk finished my sentence for me. I laughed again. and stopped when he just innocently inclined his head, probably unaware of my actions.

“I was thinking of someone.” I confessed. I looked at my right and made a wave as one of the sunbaes, Wooyoung passed by.

Leeteuk looked at wooyoung too.

“who?” he asked, in a tone that changed from calm to suddenly anxious.

“um—“

“Jang wooyoung ssi?” he asked. I didn’t know exactly if I was just imagining that leeteuk appeared jealous or he just sounded like he had throat irritation.

No, he wouldn’t be jealous. Kim taeyeon what in the world…

“no, not wooyoung sunbae.” I said simply. “just an anonymous person. You know, when someone gives you something and you suddenly appear interested to know.”

“hmm.. I see.” He said, loosening his left arm.

To get hold of my awkwardness, I focused on the black folder he was clutching to his right when I spotted something pink folded behind his badge.

A pink paper? That material appeared like—

“miss kim?” leeteuk bowed his head down to see where I was looking. And he noticed that I was paying attention to the pink paper in his pocket.

------------------------

Leeteuk’s POV

“miss kim?” I looked down and noticed that the pink paper appeared visible in my chest pocket.

“that paper.” She said, pointing to the material.

I pushed the paper inside my pocket and smiled.

“you wouldn’t have that kind of paper do you?” she asked. I looked at her, amazed. She was probably discovering every bit of my anonymity.

Every bit of me being exposed.

“yes, its not mine.” I said, as she scratched her head in heaps of confusion. “someone gave it to me.”

“you want to know?” I asked, revealing a huge amount of danger that lies ahead.

If she says yes, then I would have to reveal myself.

If no?

“no.” she said. I let out a little sigh of relief, realizing how much of a daredevil I am to such things.

I clutched the folder deeply into my chest to prevent her from asking another question.

“w-well, I have to go.” Taeyeon said. I nodded and watched on my peripheral side as she motioned herself towards her classroom.

Semi-busted.

---------------------------

LUNCH

Taeyeon squeezed himself between Jessica and seohyun.

“ouch.” Jessica complained.

Taeyeon placed both of her elbows to the table and leaned in towards Jessica. “yah.”

“what?”

“I think I’m going to consider what you said.” taeyeon said in a very careful tone. She doesn’t want others to get entangled to her views, most especially that she was talking about someone really popular.

“is this about sunbae?” Jessica said as seohyun tried looking at her back to see if there was someone listening. “leeteuk?”

Taeyeon nodded.

“I saw him with a pink letter.” She toned her voice down. “I know that its mine because I bought that stationary myself. but I didn’t ask him because he might think that I’m so full of myself.”

Jessica started hitting taeyeon with her fork.

“yah, I know!” taeyeon hissed. “but I was doubting in a way because when I asked him if it was from someone, he said yes and even dared to mention who it was. So I was thinking also if its really me or..”

“unni.” Seohyun rolled her eyes, telling her that things are really obvious.

“you also think that its him?”

“I was doubting too at first.” seohyun clasped her hands and looked around again. when she realized that no one was paying attention, she uttered a sigh of relief. “because we all know that leeteuk sunbae’s interest to girls can be quite misleading. But when I realized that knowing someone’s locker combination is intriguing, and when he mentioned that he liked long stem white roses, in which you are receiving everyday. Plus the pink letter in his pocket. I think the puzzle fits.”

Jessica nodded too.

“taeyeon.” She said. “no one knows your locker combination except you and the school authorities. He is our president.”

“so what will you do, unni?”

“I don’t know.” Taeyeon shrugged, looking dazed. “I mean. We have the evidences but we still have to look for more. I guess I have to keep an eye on him for a while.”

--------------------------

The Twelfth day

Taeyeon’s POV

9:30 pm

I decided to stay after class, hiding myself inside the girls’ washroom two hours after our class ended. although I am more than fifty percent sure that he is the one… or is he? I cannot deny that I still have complexities going through my head. There are a lot of possibilities. It can be that someone is standing up for my mysterious admirer. I watched movies and series relating to this--- a friend of the admirer will do his/her job, and cover up for him/her so the recipient wouldn’t find out, etc.

I tiptoed towards my locker situated on the third floor, obviously not used to the night time setting of the school. the only light out there was the moon creeping on the rows of windows opposite the lockers. My mobile phone was the only light I can use, unfortunately, since I don’t want to be caught up by the guards.

We aren’t allowed to be inside the school premises during this night.

Except of course if I am the school head. This statement alone increases the possibility.

Though I don’t want to be sure about that.

raising my mobile phone enough to give me light as I walked on the dark facility, I immediately stopped upon seeing a student sitting on the ledge, just a few steps opposite my locker. His hands were placed on either of his sides, his legs crossed.

I cannot clearly see his face but it looked as if he was waiting for me.

“hey.” I immediately recognized his gentle yet very authoritative voice.

 

Leeteuk.

 

“hi miss taeyeon.” he stood up and walked towards my direction, and lights immediately as if he’d done it himself. I crossed my arms trying to hide my nervousness.

“how come you know?” I asked. Did he just hear me and Jessica talking about this plan of catching the culprit before his confession on the thirteenth day? “I mean, its not yet the thirteenth.”

“but its clear that you already have the idea who that person is.”

Yes. Now of course I know now. But I am still filled with questions…

“is it you?” I don’t want to waste time trying to figure out, and I hope that he will sincerely answer my question.  I didn’t know why I feel suddenly cold. As if my body was covered with ice.

 

In the middle of summer.

Leeteuk cleared his throat and turned his attention towards my locker, his hand gliding to the set of numbers.

“3-9-1-9-8-9”

Click.

He stared at me as he opened the locker and I turned to my left.

There it was.  The thirteenth rose.

“I hope I don’t freak you out, I will answer your question.” He said gently, as I rubbed my arms from feeling the shivers. The shivers, felt like ice stinging my skin. “yes, I am someone you know. I know your locker combination, simply because i’m your president and its my task to handle all student relations in this school. why am I doing this? I keep asking myself that one too but I think the only answer to that is because I am interested.”

I know that the reason why I was here at the first place is to catch the culprit. Why did it look like he was the one catching me?

I thought I heard thumps echoing somewhere and I realized it was just my heart.

“f-fine.” I said, raising my chin. “so its you. The coward who gives me roses.”

Leeteuk chuckled.

“coward?” he asked, biting his lip. “I didn’t know that my actions appeared that coward.”

He suddenly looked down, and I could tell that he was a little bit of embarrassed about it.

“its actually nice.” I said, raising his hopes. I didn’t know why I was suddenly giving him an appraisal. Maybe because I was used on him giving all the high priorities. The “coward” word then, could be placed to recycle bin. “the roses, they’re beautiful. And your letters too. I just didn’t realize that you’re kind of conventional when it comes to this stuff.”

It was really conventional. Shakespearian style?

“to show you that this is serious.” He said gently. He suddenly stopped when I was staring at him in bewilderement. “I’m scaring you am I not? oh,, what should I do.”

He paced back and forth, probably afraid that I will take his actions terrifying.

But the more he did this, the more I find his charm leveling up.

“a student council president doesn’t know what to do?” I asked in such confidence leeteuk suddenly stopped his actions. He stood in front of me, silent, as I laughed. “this is fine. You’re not scaring me. at least now I know that you’re not that perfect. Which gives me a relief.”

He sighed and gave me a smile.

“I acknowledge this.” I gestured, taking the rose out of the locker. “but you have to know me more. You might find some information in me depressing once you really get to know me.”

“I find those words challenging, taeyeon ssi.” Leeteuk nodded. “frankly, I know a lot. I think this time I will be showing you my side.”

His side? So there is gentler leeteuk.

“deal.” I said.

My stomach suddenly rumbled, giving me heaps of embarrassment more than what this guy could feel right now.

“i—I’m sorry,.” I said, rubbing my nose. “I skipped dinner.”

“to catch me?” leeteuk laughed. “okay. This is my fault. Please let me buy you dinner. I don’t want you reaching home in an empty stomach.”

He smiled, and signaled me to come over. I didn’t know why, but my feet suddenly just followed.

--------------------

Five months later

Taeyeon was thinking whether she would start her words sweet or rough. She was standing infront of leeteuk, at an early hour in the morning, strategizing words to match his query.

 “you’re late.” Leeteuk said.

“sorry, we ran out of water.” taeyeon said. she really did ran out of water at home, when her mother tried fixing their water supply in vain. She really didn’t want to be late. She was a time maniac like him.

Leeteuk looked at his watch and nodded.

“okay then.” He said.

“you’re not mad?”

“should I get mad when there’s a proper reason?” he asked, checking his watch again.

Taeyeon smiled and gave him a peck in the cheek.

“what is this, for goodluck?” he chuckled.

“well, I wouldn’t want my boyfriend to lose on his debate right?”

“right.” Leeteuk said. he propped the folder in his arm and motioned forward.

He extended his hand.

“come with me, I need my life support.” He smiled. Taeyeon giggled and intertwined her hands with his.