“When we’re at school today,” I said as Chanyeol and I walked out of the building,  “Pretend like you don’t know me.”

“Why?  We’re basically marr--”

“That’s exactly why.  Songmi is already suspicious, and I’m sure that others will be too.”

He sighed.  “If that’s what you want, then I’ll respect that.”

             “Thank you,” I replied.  “And I don’t think that we should walk past the school gate at the same time.  If we do, people might think--”

            He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close, making me lose my train of thought.  Instantly, my face turned red, and my legs felt weak.

             “Don’t worry so much, Eunbyul,” he replied.

             “When did you get so mature?” I mumbled.

             “I was always this mature.”

             “Says the guy who fervently reads swimsuit magazines in his free time,” a voice called out.  We turned around, and I was surprised to see Baekhyun there.

             “YAH!” Chanyeol exclaimed.  “BYUN BAEKHYUN!”

             “Hey Eunbyul,” he said.  “I saw you two as my driver was going by, and I told him to let me out here.”

             “STOP IGNORING ME, YOU BASTARD!”

             “I see that you’re walking to school with Chanyeol,” Baekhyun continued.  “Are you going to practice with Jin later today?”

             I nodded.  “Yeah.”

             “BAEKHYUN--wait, Jin?” Chanyeol stopped yelling and turned toward me.  “Can I meet Jin?”

             “Sure,” I replied.

             “WAIT, no...I have something today.” Chanyeol hung his head.  “But I’ll meet him one of these days.”

            As Chanyeol walked ahead, Baekhyun suddenly grinned and winked at me.  “That’s a pity,” he called out, “because Eunbyul practices her solo alone with Jin.”

             I burst out laughing, and Chanyeol stopped in his tracks.  We caught up with him, and Baekhyun slapped him on the back.

             “Baekhyun, have you met Jin?” Chanyeol asked.

            He nodded.

             “What’s he like?”

             “Well,” Baekhyun replied.  “Definitely great at music.  Girls like that.”

             “BAEKHYUN!”

            We were getting close to the school gates, and my smile fell a little, remembering that I had asked Chanyeol to ignore me at school.  “Well, I’ll see you guys later then.”

             “See you in gym!” Baekhyun said.

             “Gym?” I asked.

            He nodded.  “I heard we’re swimming today.”

            OH HELL NO.  NOT SWIMMING. 

<:>

            “I’m here, and I need tomato juice,” I announced as I walked into the nurse’s office.

            “Kim Eunbyul,” the nurse replied dryly.  “What a surprise.  You should really stop ditching gym.”

            “I heard we were swimming with 2A,” I muttered.  “And I didn’t want to die.”

            “Hm?”

            “Ah, nothing.” I bowed in thanks after the nurse handed me the juice pouch.  “I’m just going to lie down over there.”

            “Fine.  Since you’re here now, I’m going to grab lunch.”

            “Okay.” As soon as the nurse left, I sat down on one of the beds and sipped at my tomato juice.  Hearing the door open, I said, “That was fast.”

            “Eunbyul?”

            I looked up, surprised to see Baekhyun standing there, hair dripping wet.

            “Baekhyun?”

            “So this is where you were hiding.” He was kind of squinting, and I frowned in confusion as he covered one eye.

            “Are you...okay?”

            “My contact fell out in the pool,” he replied sheepishly.  “Thank goodness the other one is still in, or else I would’ve been completely lost.”

            “What are you going to do?  You can’t go around the rest of the day with only one contact lens.” I frowned.

            He sighed, pulling out a pair of glasses.  “I have these...but…I really hate wearing them.”  He walked over to the sink and swiftly removed his contact, throwing it away in the trash can.  Baekhyun put on his glasses and turned toward me.

            I burst out laughing.

            “Don’t laugh.  I know I look horrible.”

            “You actually look really cute like that.” I laughed.

            “Really?”

            “Really.”

            “Why are you here anyway, Eunbyul?”

            I immediately stopped laughing.  “Because swimming.”

            “Don’t tell me...you can’t swim?”

            “I…”

            “But we went to the beach, and you were fine!”

            “Ah,” I replied.  “That’s because at the beach, the water only goes up to my waist, and my feet touch the sand.  Pools are different.”

            “You could’ve just told the teacher, and he would’ve moved you to the shallow end of the pool.”

            And embarrass myself in front of Chanyeol, Songmi, and everyone else?  No way.  “Well...maybe next time.”  As I was speaking, I noticed that the nurse forgot to shut the door completely, and I stood up to close it.

            “Chanyeol was sad that you weren’t there.”

            “That ert probably only wanted to see me in that horrible school swimsuit.”

            “Hey Eunbyul...no, forget it.”

            “What is it?”

            “Do you really like Chanyeol?”

            My face reddened.  “Y...Yes.  BUT don’t tell him.”

            “Why don’t you want me to?”

            “We’re just friends.”

            “Who also happen to be engaged.” Baekhyun frowned.

            “I don’t want to make things awkward between us.  Chanyeol doesn’t reciprocate my feelings.”

            “No offense,” Baekhyun replied, “But I think you’re dumb.”

            “Eh?”

            “I think you should just tell him how you feel.  He was moping around at lunch today, mumbling your name.”

            “Do you really think so?”

            “He flirts with you all the freaking time, Eunbyul.”

            “I just thought he was like that to everyone,” I replied sheepishly.  “I guess...I should text him right now.”

            “Go for it.”

            I smiled.  “Thanks, Baekhyun.” I pulled out my phone and texted Chanyeol, asking if we could talk.  “Your love life must be really great.”

            “Ah…” His smile faltered.  “My love life...is basically nonexistent.”

            “Really?” My eyes widened.  “Do you have someone you’re interested in?”

            “Maybe.”

            “REALLY?” I asked.  “Have you confessed?”

            He shook his head.  “She’s kind of dense.  And if I ever did, I wouldn’t have a chance anyway.”

            I frowned.  “You don’t know until you try.”

            “No, Eunbyul,” he replied.  “You don’t understand.”

            “How did you two meet?”

            “Through a friend.” He smiled.  “But I didn’t fall for her until I got to know her better.”

            Nodding, I sipped at my tomato juice.  All of a sudden, my phone vibrated.  When I looked at it, Chanyeol’s name was on the screen.

          Ok.  Meet me at the pool?  I forgot something there.

            I looked up at Baekhyun.

            “Go.”

            “Huh?”

            “That was Chanyeol, right?” He grinned.  “You should meet him.”

            “But what about--”

            “I don’t mind.  Don’t forget what I’ve told you!”

            I nodded and smiled.