“WHAT!?”

I rolled my eyes as Songhyun proceeded to freak out on her own, babbling about how “You’re at your peak! This can’t be!” and “We don’t even know him!” or “Your life is ruined I tell you. Ruined!”.

Jaeyeol had only sighed and offered a bear hug for comfort, whispering in my ear, telling me to be strong and to be brave. We watched Songhyun act crazy on her own, staying perfectly happy in the embrace.

It was Monday, the start of yet another week. I was too depressed and confused to tell them anything over the weekend. I, myself, wasn’t very sure what to tell them. I had a mind to decline and run away entirely, but honestly, where will I end up then?

I started listing all the pros and cons and was met with a formidable length of pros and only about 2 things in the cons department. Even though it was small in quantity, it still had the heaviest weightage.

I mean I’m literally going to give up whatever freedom I had at the age of 18, and not only give but also devote my time, space, privacy, soul and body for the guy. And to think, I didn’t know him.

I reasoned with myself that not knowing the guy cannot be considered a con, because I can easily get to know Baekhyun, if I actually make the effort.

Marrying him would be big and mature of me as a person, and yet there was this voice at the back of my head, telling me that I simply do not deserve this and I have the right to a normal teenage life.

Crush on someone, fall in love, regret losing my v-card to someone, get heartbroken, drink away the pain, then meeting someone else and start over the cycle again and again. Until, I’ve had enough and just want to settle.

But, even though it’s very hard to admit to myself at the time, I have to confess that marrying someone like Baekhyun, I mean wow right? I’m not being materialistic or anything, going after his money and , because no thanks I have loads myself. But I mean hello, he’s Byun Baekhyun. 

He’s as hot as men get, he’s smart, he’s born into a wealthy family and that means he knows more about life and might possibly be one of the most mature out there, he’s really nice, or so I heard. So really what exactly is the harm?

But of course, as of that moment Baekhyun was the unknown, and who isn’t afraid of that? So then after 2 days of wallowing in my cruel fate and resigning my life to God, I chose to just get over it. all that teenage life , because that kind of life would never be mine anyway and be useful to the goddamn world for a change.

I decided to marry him.

“But Mi, we’re talking domesticity. You have to be a wife and , you’re 18, you’re not cut out for that. He’s 21, he’s not cut out to be a husband either. What makes you think it’s going to be as easy as playing house?”

Songhyun had both her palms planted firmly on the cafeteria table, looking fiercely at me with a vigour I never knew she had. Jaeyeol looked like he was done with her , and that’s really all the damn time when it comes to Songhyun.

I pursed my lips and smiled at her, “Listen Song, I know it’s crazy and I’ve a few loose screws in my head, but I’m pretty sure I can’t say no, even if I wanted to. I’ve listed the pros and cons of this and the pros are a lot, like a lot. I even came up with this theory, that I might not have to give up freedom as well. Because you see, he’s not much older and he surely wants his own liberty, we can come to an agreement or something.”

Songhyun slapped her palm to her face and groaned, “And now you’re delusional!”. I pouted at her and slapped her index finger away from my face, “Am not. I’m being extremely mature and you should be proud of me. Why are you judging him anyway, you don’t know him!”

Songhyun looked at Jaeyeol with the ugliest, most scrunched up face she could muster, in hopes of his supporting her, “Please tell me you agree with me when I say she’s ing delusional and out of her ing mind, she should NOT do this, if she’s any plans to actually live”. But Jaeyeol had only shook his head saying, “Song, Mimi has an actual point. We should give the guy a chance he never had, if he s it up, then we won’t let Mimi marry him.”

With that Songhyun bangs her head on the table, and Jaeyeol sent me a comforting look that conveys the message ‘ignore the girl, pretend we don’t know her’ clearly. 

Fortunately, I didn’t have his class on Mondays, and I can be rid of him. Unfortunately, that was not Baekhyun’s plan at all. After the cafeteria debate with the idiot and the angel, I was walking alone to my literature class, an extra class I had taken up simply because I like it.

Then, all of a sudden Exo was there walking towards me. I had a thought that they were going to stop me from going anywhere, wanting to talk to me, assuming they all know about the marriage.  I got one thing right, they do know about the marriage, because Baekhyun who had been walking in the middle of the boys had nudged Chanyeol and gestured in my direction.

Somehow, that was supposed to be a signal (as I can figure from all the way across the hall), and soon all the boys were looking at me with knowing looks on their faces. But before they got any closer to me, Baekhyun took a left and entered a room (not really sure what room it is though). The boys didn’t make a move to follow their Hyung, and instead gestured their heads towards the room to me.

I pointed at myself questioningly, and they nodded with solemn smiles on their faces. I walked closer to them and they all followed my every move with their calm but hawk-like eyes. Just as I was turning the door knob, I felt Sehun’s hand, who had been standing nearest to the door, pat me comfortingly on the shoulder.

I opened the door and after I stepped into the room, I smiled at him as I turned slightly to close the door back in front of me. I twisted my body to face the room, and found Baekhyun looking at me with a relaxed face, yet focused eyes, as if studying me.

He was sitting on top of a table, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his fitting dress pants, arms propped up on his knee supported by the chair, to serve as a resting place for his chin. His black hair pushed up on the bangs, wax working like magic.

God he’s hot.

I stood there frozen not knowing what to do and feeling the dangerous atmosphere start to fill around me. Unexpectedly, he sighs and let his chin slip from his hands, opting to clasp his hands together instead, while still maintaining eye contact, “Sit.”

I move like a robot to a chair far enough from him, but not too far in case that would offend him while taking care to not sit too close to him either. When I was finally settled, he continued to stay silent and resumed his observational activity.

I lost interest in making further eye contact and looked down to my hands on my lap instead. I was just about to leave and go to my Lit class when he suddenly spoke up, “Aren’t you going to say something?”

I looked back up at him and shook my head. He raised an eyebrow at me as a response, “Okay then, I will.”

I leaned back comfortably on the chair and gestured for him to continue, “Please, by all means.”

He clucked his tongue and opened his mouth, “So, we’re getting married.”

I smiled unemotionally at him, “So it seems.”

He squinted his eyes at me, in a light manner, “The whole world will know. You already know they would never keep this a secret, we’re too important.”

I bit the side on my lower lip, “Right, why are you here?”

Hearing my response, Baekhyun smirked then chuckled a little, “Smart.” He paused to jump off the table, and began taking small, slow steps around the area. “Community service.”

I was expecting a lot more from his answer, and was taken aback by how simple it was. “You mean to say, teaching is your punishment?”

He his lips and nodded, “Yes but that is beside the point. Your prior question implies the plethora of possible scenarios involving my being sacked from this place and your being expelled from the school if the world were to know of our imminent marriage.”

I looked at him and smiled slightly, “What are we to do about that.”

Baekhyun waved his hand dismissively, “We shouldn’t worry about that, this job is temporary and is my parents’ great idea of a punishment, the marriage won’t get me sacked because then that would mean freedom. They would come up with a plan to keep us both here and still continue with the marriage.”

I bit my lip and nodded in understanding, “Well then, there really is no other choice than just to go with it.”

Baekhyun shrugged at my reply, and continued his walk (more like pacing) around the room. He didn’t seem to be trying to make a point, so I ask