“You’re here?!” a tap on the shoulder made her turn away from the sight.

“Oh yea…I just got here,” Namjoo merely stated.

“Come on, I’ll show you around. I just met these really cool people…” Yunae’s voice drifted off as she pulled Namjoo away. Nodding, Namjoo allowed herself to be wheeled forth. Unable to help herself she turned around to glance in Sehun’s direction once more. Since when had he stepped away from her to talk to someone else?

§§§§§

First, Namjoo had taken so long to get ready then she had walked as slow as a turtle the moment they arrived at Soojin’s. Impatient with her Sehun had decided to venture by himself. Boy was he wrong about not having a good time because he suddenly was.

Hwang Seona was among some of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. She was everything he would ever want in a woman. The only downturn was that she was four years older than he was. It was suddenly hell to be stuck in the body of a 16 year-old. Sehun didn’t want to appear like a kid in her eyes. He wanted to appear mature, impressionable.

He was grateful she had offered him a drink by mistake, but damn he shouldn’t have hesitated when he saw the beer in her hand. Doing just that had given away his age and he had been profoundly ashamed by telling her he was only 16. Sehun had expected her to treat him like a fetus, but instead she had been kindly welcoming as if his age didn’t matter at all.

God, she was perfect! He could already feel himself falling head over heels for her.

“So how do you know Soojin?” Seona wondered. He loved how her eyes sat on him like he was the only one that mattered. He sure did hope that his cheeks weren’t flushing mad red.

“We go to school together,” Sehun answered, “but I don’t really know her.”

“Oh yea? Me either. I’m only here because of a friend,” Seona admitted. “I sure do miss being in high school. College changes everything.”

“How so?” he was curious. “Which one do you go to?”

“I go to Seoul National University,” she told then asked, “have you decided which college you’d want to go to? If not, come join me. I’m currently in the arts department, it’s a lot of fun.”

Other than the fact that she could carry their conversation on with no effort he admired how outgoing she was. With just a few words and she was the most admirable person alive.

“I haven’t thought about it,” he confessed, “but I’d sure like to. You know, I mean have a look at the college because I don’t know what I want to do with my life yet.”

“Take your time,” she assured and he felt like all the weight on his shoulders was relieved. “I was like that too, but eventually you’ll know what you want to do.”

Grinning widely he nodded before he felt shoved forward by an arm around his shoulder. “Here you are! Come on, we’re going to play a game!” Then just like that he was dragged away by Chanmi, another schoolmate of his. Sehun barely groaned from underneath his breath before he was led to an area by the poolside. He then recognized a bunch of his classmates gathered around.

“All right, everybody here?” a man he didn’t recognize loudly yelled. He was tall and lean, handsome at most. From the back of his mind he wondered if Seona liked men like him. His eyes darted around, wondering if she had followed.

Sehun’s attention was caught when the man held out an empty beer bottle for everyone to see. “I’m going to teach you how to play a game. You all know how to play spin the bottle?”

“Yes!” the others screamed out in unison.

“Well, this’ll be just like it only the rules are a bit different. I’m going to call this game King, but I’m going to improvise the rules,” he explained. “The first person the bottle points to will be the King. He or she will choose two persons by spinning the bottle to punish. The King can either order them to do pushups, dance, or kiss; anything goes.”

There was a sudden, “Oooooohhh,” from the older crowd around them. Sehun felt himself flush upon imagining himself kissing and hoped he wouldn’t be chosen to do anything.

“Lets have the birthday girl start off as the King,” he looked around for Soojin and handed her the bottle when she stepped forward. With a friendly pat on her shoulder he stepped back. Sehun reluctantly sat down with the rest of his schoolmates with his heart nervously pounding.

It felt like the longest 40 seconds of his life as he watched the bottle spin. The thudding inside his chest grew louder as the bottle slowed and he internally screamed when it stopped on him. There was a roar of shouting from the crowd surrounding him and he began to sweat at once. He suddenly wished he hadn’t come, because dear God he couldn’t go through this. Right now he could only pray that Soojin would make him and his partner do something lame, like 50 pushups.

“I’m spinning again,” she announced and grabbed onto the bottle before spinning it with much force. It rattled noisily then slowed. Sehun’s eyes hotly glued onto it until it stopped. The moment he looked up at his partner he felt his blood rush.

Kim Namjoo.

“Oh, this is gonna be fun!” Soojin exclaimed with excitement.

.

Sehun gulped as he listened to her tell whoever it was behind her that he and Namjoo were childhood friends. Intentionally tapping a finger against her chin she muttered, “Now, what should I have them do?” He swore he saw her eyes spark when she glanced over at him to see his eyes screaming. It was then that he knew she was up to the worst.

Damn Namjoo for even coming!

“Kim Namjoo and Oh Sehun, kiss for 10 seconds,” Soojin grinned.

This was the worst mistake of his life.

Sehun could feel the blood draining from his face. When his eyes swerved over to Namjoo he could see her expression was the mirror of his, disbelief.

“Come on,” Soojin urged. “Hurry up so we can continue the game.”

This was so embarrassing!

His voice barely caught in his throat when he spotted Seona from out of the corner of his eye. She was watching intensively. If he couldn’t even do a thing like kiss someone he would look like a kid in her eyes. Actors and actresses kissed all the time and it was no big deal. Namjoo was just Namjoo, not someone special. Biting back the urgency to refuse Soojin’s order he stood up and started toward the center of their circle. He needed to look calm and cool because it would make him manly, but what he was honestly feeling was all but that. He didn’t miss how Namjoo’s eyes widened. Sehun could already foresee her reaction when they went home. She’d kill him for sure.

He expected her to stand up and push him away or exclaim that she was going home, but she just remained there frozen on her staring up at him. It was flustering, but he still wanted to look manly in front of Seona.

The world suddenly became engulfed in silence when he crouched down onto his knees. He could literally hear everyone holding their breaths as they watched. Sehun was aware that if he didn’t abruptly do it he would hesitate forever. The very second his knees touched the floor he immediately snatched his childhood friend’s face into his hands then kissed her.

The drumbeat of his racing heart grew louder inside his ears before he released her. Quickly getting up he rushed back to his seat and remained utterly quiet for the remaining of the time. As the game resumed and the rest continued cheering he couldn’t help but feel like he needed a cold shower. The shame of what he’d just done made him all hot and bothered. When he snuck a glance Namjoo’s way he noted that she barely reacted along with their schoolmates like she would have. The guilt plaguing him was awful. He was one of the biggest jerks alive.

Then it was finally over. Everyone dispersed as if the game they just played didn’t matter at all when it mattered like hell to him. Escaping toward the food table he grabbed a cup of cold juice and gulped it down.

“That was quite a fun game,” someone commented beside him.

“Oh…oh…” he mumbled surprised when he recognized Seona. After glancing at her he quickly looked away and busied his hands on the cookies sitting in front of him.

“Are you good friends with her?”

“I’m not really friends with Soojin,” Sehun quickly replied then received a laugh from Seona.

“I’m talking about the girl you kissed,” Seona clarified.

“Oh…oh,” Sehun barely coughed on his words. Looking down at the table suddenly he quietly told her, “Y…yes. We…we grew up together.”

“Do you like her?”

“No!” he turned to her and loudly objected on reflex. Realizing he may have been rude he lowered his voice, “It’s not like that. We’re good friends. She’s like a sister.”

“Really?” Seona asked. “I was just wondering because you seemed so flustered about it. I’m sorry if I crossed the line.”

“No, don’t worry. You didn’t,” he assured afraid that he’d lose her interest.

She smiled firmly. It was a pretty thing to see. “It was nice meeting you, Sehun. I’m going to head back with my friend now. Good luck with everything.”

“Oh…you’re leaving?” he asked disappointed. Pulling on a smile he nodded and watched her turn to walk away. Once she was out of sight he sighed deeply before turning around to look for Namjoo. They would have to head home soon and he needed to apologize before they reached her front door. He spent an entire 10 minutes searching to no avail.

Grabbing a classmate he asked, “Have you seen Namjoo?” It wasn’t until the fifth try that he was told she had already left. Bewildered by hearing that he quickly left as well. As he headed home by himself he couldn’t help but ponder over whether he’d hurt her feelings. If anything he hadn’t meant to steal her first kiss, because it had been his first kiss as well, but he knew that a girl’s first kiss meant something different to her.

Did Namjoo think the same?

When he arrived at her house Namjoo’s lights were already out.

§§§§§

A shower hadn’t done the trick. Huddled under her blanket with knees up to her chest Namjoo anxiously chewed off her thumb nail. It was strange. This was very strange. She could still see it so clearly inside her head. Sehun crouching before her, the gaze in his eyes, the courage, and determination to get the kiss; that flow of confidence coming from him…

Namjoo gulped without meaning to. Her fingers shot up to her lips. Sehun’s lips weren’t chapped at all. They were warm and tender.

Her heart rate skyrocketed and her body temperature turned bloody warm.

What was happening to her?

It felt like just a minute ago that it happened. It had been all fun and laughs when the bottle landed on Sehun. How unlucky that kid is she’d thought and then the bottle next landed on her. Why hadn’t she retaliated when Soojin made them kiss? She should have, would have but she hadn’t. Instead, she’d frozen when Sehun got to his feet. In that very moment Namjoo had been confident he wouldn’t have done it, because...because they were just friends.

She had known Sehun all her life. She knew his dirty habits. He was an open book to her when he wasn’t to anyone else. They were that close, even close enough to talk about bathroom business. If her parents died Sehun was the only other one she’d entrust with her life.

Tonight…something had happened and she couldn’t understand it.

Why couldn’t her heart stop racing?

§§§§§

“You’re not going out today?” her mother wondered placing breakfast dishes into the sink.

“Do you plan on kicking your only daughter out of the house?” Namjoo asked at the table. She was currently snacking on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“You’re usually out and about on Sundays. Your so-called last vacation before dreadful Monday,” her mother said.

Namjoo kicked her feet under the table and picked at her bread. “Well, today I’m staying in.”

A sudden knock at the door made her jump in her seat. The next second she heard her mother going, “Oh, look. Sehun’s come over. Now you won’t be so bored.”

Scooping up her plate and cup of milk she immediately dashed out of the kitchen, “I’ll be in my room. Don’t bother me!” By the time she reached the top of the staircase she could hear her mother speaking with Sehun. Shoving the curiosity of why he’d come away she ran the rest of the way to her room and locked the door before clumsily sitting down at her desk.

Disappointment flooded through her when she assumed Sehun had just gone back home instead of coming up after her. Upset, she stuffed the rest of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich into and nearly choked when there was a knock at her door.

“Namjoo?” It was Sehun.

Her heart jumped up to . He’d really come up after her and was right outside her door. If she hadn’t locked the door he would have just waltzed in like this was his very room. Namjoo’s heart spiked up in panic.

“You in there?” he asked. “Hey, can we talk?”

Talk? Talk about what?! Namjoo’s insides nearly shrieked.

“I…I’m studying,” Namjoo lied, “so go away.”

“It’ll just take a minute,” he added. “Can you open the door?”

“Go away, I’m in pain. I’m on my period, you know!” Namjoo shouted. “Leave me alone.”

“Do you want me to get you something?” he offered.

“No!” Namjoo felt her face flush. She wasn’t ready to see him yet. It was embarrassing. Not until she was able to fathom why her heart kept tripping and rolling.

“Then…feel better,” Sehun said.

Namjoo leaned forward in her chair to listen to his footsteps fade and heaved a sigh of disappointment before moving over to flop onto her bed. She hated this. What the hell was happening to her?

§§§§§

“I heard what happened this weekend,” Cho Yunyeong teased nudging Namjoo. They were standing in line waiting for their turn to get lunch food. Namjoo’s face gave her emotions away when it flushed red.

“Nothing happened!” she insisted stubbornly.

“Ehh…” Yunyeong nudged her with an elbow. “Was the kiss gross?”

“Yunyeong!” Namjoo scolded in a whisper but her friend only continued to with a laugh. It was flustering.

“I’m just kidding, don’t get mad,” Yunyeong assured then leaned in to closer observe her friend. In a whisper she asked, “Or is it because you like him?”

“No, I don’t!” without thinking Namjoo yelled and froze when she realized the entire cafeteria had stilled and everyone was staring at her. Gulping she turned around to hide her face against the wall.

Giggling, Yunyeong patted her shoulder, “It’s ok, Namjoo. Everyone knows you two will never like each other.”

And it had been exactly what she’d been thinking, but why was it that right now she wanted a shovel in order to dig her way to China?

§§§§§

Avoiding Sehun was a piece of cake for the most part during the day. It was a miracle they weren’t in the same class or else she didn’t know what she would do. Right after study hall they were let out late in the afternoon. The sun rays were still streaking the sky in a beautiful shade of yellow among the blue world and white clouds. The plan was to run on home in order to hide away in her room.

Namjoo nearly ran to the right after her friends who she told she wouldn’t be hanging out with today, because she’d hate to run into Sehun and his gang in the popular student gathering district everyone went to for cheap foods and games. Her heart literally popped out of her chest when Sehun stepped away from the stone wall with a, “Namjoo!”

In that mere second she heard nothing else, saw no one else. It was as if the entire world had dissolved into nothingness and the only soul alive with her was that of Oh Sehun.

How very disturbing, yet heart pounding.

Before her he shone like an ethereal god who had descended from the sky. Suddenly he looked better than ever as if appearing in a new light, not because of the sun but something indescribably profound. Handsome…hot? No, hot was too much she deemed. Yes, he was striking.

Oh God…her mother was right.

That woman had jinxed her.