"U-uhm well, I thought maybe you'd go with me?" Why was I doing this again? Why? Why? What had driven me to such insanity? I had no idea. 

"Ahh, that... I'm sorry, I already promised somebody else." I should have known he would say that, why did I even ask? Why? Why?

"I see, yeah, right; I've been a bother... have fun." I plastered a smile on my face before I turned around and started to walk away.

"Hey, Laa-laa! You're not offended right?" I stopped in my tracks and turned to him with the same smile I had plastered on my face.

"You hurt my pride so bad that it can't be mended, you owe me one, you better remember." I said jokingly and chuckled. It seemed to ease him too, thought it was nice to see he at least cared. 

"Alright, I'll remember." he smiled and waved. I turned around again and kept walking away. My heart was beating in my ears. Idiot, idiot, idiot!! Why did I have to go ahead and do that?!

I turned the corner and made sure he wasn't anywhere near, I let out a breath and messed up my hair. I was mad, embarrassed and disappointed at the same time. What did I expect; that he would wait for me? Of course not, of course he had someone to go with! Who was I for Joon to wait for? I was so stupid!! At least he cared, I was at least his friend; but how stupid was it to hope for more? Not stupid, that was downright retarded! Oh how I hated myself. At least I didn't act all awkward at that moment, maybe that would help us stay friends later. 

Then again, did I really want to stay friends? 

"What's wrong?" I jumped with the voice that came from right in front of me. I grabbed at my heart.

"You scared the living out of me!" I swore. Jonghyun frowned.

"I wasn't even being sneaky, something must be really wrong." he said and came next to me instantly. "You know you can tell me." 

"Not here." I took a deep breath to calm my still racing heart and looked at him. "Is the class empty?" 

"Here is more secluded, actually. Wanna try out the roof?" he offered. I whined.

"Why would you even offer that?" I was scared of heights and he knew that quite well. He shrugged.

"Well I know no place else." he said. I looked around. We were close to the last year students' classrooms. Those classes would always be empty; the last year students would either study at the library or be in an exam... or at cram school. 

"I know where." I said and grabbed his sleeve. He followed me without me having to pull him. In a few seconds we were in an empty classroom. As soon as I closed the door, he was right in front of me again.

"What happened?" he asked once more. I sighed.

"I was rejected." I said. His eyes widened in shock.

"You confessed?!"

"No I didn't!! Well I sorta did in a way but I didn't officially? I asked him to come to the prom with me." I confessed, my voice getting weaker and weaker towards the end. He blinked.

"You... asked him?" he said slowly. I was surprised this time. I didn't know why he looked so shocked. Going to prom wasn't such a big deal even though we weren't last years. Prom was held for last years; but all of the school was invited, like an end of the year party. The graduates would also come if they could. The last year students were given their certificate with a ceremony, then there would be a waltz show they did, then others would join the dance. I had went last year, the year before, and the year before that too when my cousin was graduating. So it couldn't be that shocking. What was shocking had to be the fact that I asked Joon. 

"Well... I had to try my luck." I said sheepishly. His expression didn't change.

"I thought we were going together." he said. My turn to be surprised hadn't passed it seemed. 

"Well neither of us have said anything about that?" I said. 

"I didn't think we had to, we always do. I thought that was a given." he said. He almost looked disappointed.

"Well it doesn't matter anymore, I was rejected, he promised somebody else; nothing to worry about." I said. I hated to see him so disappointed, it made me feel like a true jerk... which I most probably was. He averted his eyes; but smiled in the end.

"Yeah, well, true; but more importantly... are you alright?" he said with concern. I felt relieved that he didn't look disappointed anymore.

"Well I am... sort of? What else could be expected, really? This was like an indirect confession and an indirect rejection for me, so maybe it was even good." I reasoned. 

"Yet you can't deny that it hurts." he shot his words right at the bulls eye. I sighed.

"Of course I can't. I've liked him for two years now and I had come to be friends with him for a while too. I had my hopes higher than I should ever have... and the person I liked doesn't like me back, of course that hurts." I said, my shoulders slumping down. I huffed and pouted. Jonghyun poked my lips slowly.

"Did you know that whenever you're upset, you pout your lower lip out like a kid?" he said with a smile. 

"Huh?" I said, quite rudely. He nodded.

"When you pout you look like a cute baby girl huffing. It makes me wanna bully you." he said playfully. 

"Yah, you always bully me you evil!!" I flailed on his chest. He just laughed and raised his arms to protect himself a little. When I stopped, he smiled more softly, though.

"You see, baby girl, with time it will stop hurting." he said, "You're not even crying after him right now; he didn't leave that deep a scar on your heart. You won't be feeling bad for too long. Hurt will heal and you will forget about this crush, too."

I could just stare at him for a while. Whenever I was upset about something, he knew exactly what he had to do to make me feel better. Absolutely no one could know me better. Those were the times I was grateful I ever had the luck to know him. I smied. 

"Thank you, harabeoji." I said, feeling the words. He chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"Anytime. Now, when did you say we're going for prom dress hunt, again?"