pls read author's note @ the bottom!

When Hyekyung steps into school, she realises that the atmosphere is slightly different today; it is abuzz with anticipation and filled with excitement. When she turns the corner her eyes land on a colorful poster pinned on the noticeboard and it all makes sense.

The annual senior-junior dance has arrived.

This isn’t just like any other dance, it’s the dance of the year. Even the graduates’ prom can’t compare to this.

Every year, people have to find partners for the dance, but the only catch is that they have to be either a senior or a junior. They can’t ask someone from the same grade as them.

That is also the main reason why Hyekyung skips the dance year after year, falsifying some excuse for her absence. She doesn’t know any senior or junior of the opposite ; the only person she’d be comfortable going to the dance with is Jungkook, but he’s in her grade, and anyway, someone’s always snagged him a few hours after the poster’s been put up. The same thing happens every year, so Hyekyung really sees no point in attending the dance.

She walks away from the noticeboard, her mind already beginning to cook up some creative excuse for her letter of absence.

Unbeknownst to Hyekyung, someone has other plans in store for her.

~

Jungkook can’t believe his good fortune.

When she sees Hyekyung walking down the hallway, he rushes towards her, places his hands on her shoulders and shakes her vigorously.

“Yah, what’s wrong with you!”

“She asked me to the dance!”

“Who?”

“Mina, the cute senior I was talking to you about.”

“Uh, okay,” Hyekyung says nonchalantly and pries his fingers from her shoulders. It’s unlike Jungkook to get so excited about the dance. He must really like this girl.

“She’s absolutely gorgeous. I must be the luckiest guy on the planet,” Jungkook says, still in a daze.

“Good for you.” Hyekyung’s voice bears no emotion but she’s a teeny bit curious as to who this girl is. It’s unlikely that a girl would be able to fluster Jungkook so much.

“Are you going to the dance?”

Hyekyung raises her eyebrows. “What do you think?”

“Come on, don’t you think you should give it a chance? I know some guys who’d love to be set up with-,”

“No thanks.”

“So you’re planning to just stay at home all lonely and pathetic?”

“Yeah. Sounds like the usual, anyway.”

~

Hyekyung’s plans are foiled when she runs into Kim V during lunch. Remembering the awkward tension still lingering between them after she had slapped him, she quickly strides towards the other direction but it’s too late.

Quickly, he rushes forward and clasps his hand around her wrist, preventing her from leaving.

“What do you want?” She asks, her tone bland.

“Are you going to the dance?”

“What dance- oh, no. I’m not.”

“Why?”

“No one to go with.”

His eyes are twinkling with amusement. “I have an opportunity for you.”

“This doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s an opportunity for you to redeem yourself. Don’t think I’ll just let you off after the way you slapped me yesterday. My cheek still hurts, you know.”

Suddenly, he takes her wrist and holds it up to his cheek so that her palm is against his cheek.

“I’m pretty sure it swelled a little. Can you feel how swollen it- OW! What the hell?”

Hyeky