I pickup my things as fast as I can. I wanted to leave this place as soon as I can. I wanted to go back to my dorm and throw myself to my bed as early as I can. I felt that someone's gonna bother me. 

I put my bag to my back and immediately walk away without turning back. 

"Irene, wait!" 

I heard footsteps behind me, following mine. I walk faster as I can than the usual. I don't want to talk to her today. I'm pretty sure she's going to tease me again.

"Is there a problem?" 

I ran down the stairs like someone's chasing my life. 

"Irene," she suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me to her when we were on the field. "I was just asking you to eat with me." 

"Please," I said hopelessly. "Please stop following me. You're becoming creepy, Sunmi. I already told you, I don't want to eat with you." 

"Why? I'm not going to bite you." She said, no plans of giving up. 

"Sunmi, just stop." Jisoo suddenly popped up. "You're scaring her." She stand beside me, holding my hand, which is slowly getting colder.

"Scaring her?" Sunmi said shockingly. "No, I'm not scaring you, Irene. I asked you nicely. All I wanted is to have a dinner with you."

"And I already told you I don't want to." I said half-screamed. 

Students slowly gathered to where we are standing. They making a small circle around us. 

"Why?" Sunmi asked.

I wanted to tell her that I just don't want to but I can't. Though, I don't want to eat with her, doesn't mean I hate her overall. Sunmi is my classmate in english. She courted me before but I rejected her. First, because I have no plans in dating her. It supposed to be natural, right? The feelings should hit you really hard that you can't deny or reject it. But, I felt nothing for Sunmi. I mean, we're friends but that's all. Second, because I found her a little creepy. She's kind of a person who is obsessed. 

"Did I do something wrong that hurt you, Irene?" Sunmi said that brought me back to earth. "Tell me wh---" 

"No, you didn't." Someone's voice came out from behind. The students slowly making a way to its owner until Seulgi's figure slowly showing up. "As a matter of fact, she's already dating someone." She successfully made it inside the circle. 

Students started murmuring to each other. Sunmi was taken aback, like she doesn't want to accept the words Seulgi just said. 

"Who?" Jisoo suddenly whispered to me. 

"Who, what?" I whispered. 

"That someone Seulgi said." She said, leaning forward to me. 

"No, it's---" My sentence just died when Seulgi speak again. 

"Sunmi, listen up." She said in a monotone. "I don't know who you are or what's your history with Irene. I don't care." She slowly walked towards Sunmi. "I want you to stop bothering her because that someone I told you earlier is a good friend of mine." 

What is she doing? Why is she saying this? I'm not dating anyone! Does she have any idea that she's putting me in the hot seat now? I'd now imagine what tomorrow would look like. I thought. 

"Seulgi," I whispered, commanding her to stop. 

She put her hands to Sunmi's shoulder. "Sorry, pal. You're 5 days late." She said to Sunmi. "Off you go." She patted Sunmi's like telling her to start walking away. "Give way to Sunmi, guys." She shouted to the students around us, which followed her orders in a few seconds.

Sunmi started to walk away from us. As well as the students. The crowd started to fade. 

"And what was that for?" I decided to talk when I was sure there no one around us but Jisoo. 

"Is that your way of saying thank you for helping me?" Seulgi said with a smirk on her face. "You're welcome." She sholved her hands inside her pockets and started walking away from us. I followed her. 

"No, I mean," I hold her shoulder to stop her from walking. "Why did you make a story like that? You're not thinking about---"

"About you?" She cut me off. "About your image particularly?" She asked, smiling. I didn't answer her. I choose not to. "Any human being who was on my feet in that very moment will do the same, Irene." Seulgi continued. "You know, that's the best excuse you can give to her. She obviously had a crush on you. And hey, did you see your face earlier?" She's making gestures in front of her face using her hand. "If you just saw your face earlier, all it wanted to say is help me, there's this creepy creature that keep on following me." 

"Yeah, I know," I interrupted her. "But not that kind of reason." 

She laughed. "It's ridiculous, isn't it?" I nodded. "Like what I told you, it's the best excuse you can say at that moment." She embraced my shoulder and slowly lead me to walk with her. "I know it's ridiculous but those words just came out from my mouth. I'm sorry." She seated on the table next to her, under the big tree. The sun is almost gone and the wind is quite peaceful, with birds that are tweeting. She looked at me like she's asking why I'm still standing. She tilted her head, telling me to sit down. 

"Jisoo, isn't it?" Seulgi suddenly spoke to Jisoo. "I'm sorry about the other day. That was the worst introduction I gave in my entire life." She said, offering her hand. Jisoo took it and shook it. "Seulgi, Kang Seulgi. The ulti.ate crush of the city." I choked up. She blinked at me when our eyes met.

What a jerk! I thought. They both let go. 

"Sit down, Jisoo." Seulgi said.

Jisoo followed what Seulgi told her. "The wind is great, isn't it?" Seulgi asked, spreading her hands. But none of us answered her question. 

"You're not really going to accept the invitation, Seulgi?" Jisoo suddenly cut off the silence. But her words tells me to cut her off too as soon as possible. Before I make a move, Seulgi spoke and seated down between me and Jisoo. 

What should I do now? I thought.

"What invitation?" Seulgi asked, obviously blinded about what Jisoo is saying. 

"You know, replacing Lisa." Jisoo said while lowering her head. "She's still recovering right now. I wanted, no, we wanted to defend our title. We should have asked you nicely. Not like that." Jisoo continued talking while looking at the floor. Seulgi learned her back against the table, so Jisoo can't see her face, turned to me with what-the--is-she-talking-about look. 

"She doesn't know." I mouthed. I didn't hear the rest of Jisoo's statement because my full attention now is drawn to Seulgi, who is mirroring what I'm currently doing. 

"What did you told her?" She mouthed. 

"Just like that," I mouthed, pointing to Jisoo. "I didn't tell them that you didn't accept the offer." 

"You lie to them." She mouthed back. 

"I know. But let's keep it like---" I didn't finish my sentence when Seulgi suddenly cut Jisoo off. 

"Jisoo, I didn't say that." She said. 

"What the ?" I mouthed Seulgi but she just shrugged. Jisoo raised her head and looked at Seulgi. 

"What do you mean?" Jisoo asked. 

Now, I think I need to leave. The next situation tells me that I'm in danger. 

"Irene didn't tell you the whole story." Seulgi said. "To make the story short, she lied to you." 

"She lied to me?" Jisoo said. 

"Mm-hmm." Seulgi nodded. 

"Wh-what did you say then?" 

"I said that there should be a condition before I'll replace Lisa."

Jisoo looked at me with we-are-gonna-talk-about-this-later look. "And what is it?" Jisoo said. 

"I think I need to go," I stood up from the chair and started walking away before Seulgi will speak up.

"Go and ask her," Seulgi commanded Jisoo, giggling, pointing at me.

I could feel the tension from my back that Jisoo is showing even though she's still sitting there. 

"Yah, Bae Joohyun!" Jisoo said with a serious tone. I stopped, turning my head back at them. 

"Bae Joohyun." Seulgi mouthed, nodding her head, in deep thinking with crossed arms in her chest.

Jisoo's eyes are burning. Seulgi is just smiling sarcastically when I looked at her. I know she knew that I'm in danger now. 

"Yah, Kang Seulgi!!" I shouted, walking furiously towards her. I made faces that tells her she better run or I'll kill her at this very moment. 

"Why?" She asked, slowly standing from her chair. 

"You better run," I gathered all of my courage to sound like I'm scaring her. 

"Why? Why?" She said, hid behind the table. 

"I'll kill you!" I ran towards her. She ran to the other side of the table. In one swift move, I caught her arm, stopping her from running away. I gripped some few hair from her sideburn that made her shout. 

"AH!" She reacted. I pulled her by her sideburn, walking away from where Jisoo is sitting until she's nowhere to be seen, until we made it to the alley going to my dormitory. "It hurts, Joohyun. It hurts." She said. But I didn't stop walking, still grabbing her. 

"Don't call me Joohyun." I commanded. 

"But it's cute," She giggled. "Bae Joohyun." She slowly said word by word. 

She still had the courage to joke even she's in pain? I thought. 

"Don't call me that," I said quietly, letting go of my hand from her sideburn. She rubbed her sideburn quickly. 

"That hurts," She said after a while. "Why did you do that? I didn't say anything wrong."

I crossed my arms in front of me. "Why did you tell Jisoo about that?" I said.

"Why did you lie?" she automatically said. 

"I didn't lie to her." 

"You did. You made me look like a bad person. Did you realize that?" She said, still rubbing her sideburns. 

"You are really a bad person." I said, walked towards her. 

"You're worse." She said that shocked me. "Why did you grab me by my sideburns? It hurts." 

"You deserve that," I whispered to myself, mirroring her facial expression. 

"Why do I need to be punished by you when I did nothing?" She said, leaning her head to mine. Now, our faces are only inches apart. 

"Did you see my face earlier?" I made hand gestures in front of my face. "I made signals for you, commanding you not to tell Jisoo." 

"Oh no, you didn't." She said, shaking her head while putting her hands inside her pockets. 

"I did." I said. "Maybe, you didn't see it because of your eyes." I was talking about how she might not see what I'm telling her earlier because she has small eyes. 

"What's wrong with my eyes?" She frowned. She got what I'm trying to say. "It's beautiful just like you." I almost choked up when I heard her words. She chuckled after a few seconds. "Your face," she giggled, putting her hands to her stomach because of the pressure.

I just sighed. I started walking away from where she stood. But after a while, I can heard some footsteps following mine. "I'm just kidding, come on." she said. But I didn't turn around. "Half-kidding, to be honest." 

I shoved my hands inside my pocket. "Now that you already told Jisoo that you replacing Lisa in one condition, by any chance, do you already made one?" I said, asking if she already made a condition in her mind.

"Yeah," she nodded. She walked beside me, mirroring my pace. 

"What is it?" 

"You ready?" 

"I'm ready, as long as I can give it to you, I'm ready." I said. 

"Oh, you can definitely give it to me." She smirked. 

"Come on, tell me what is it?" I shouldered her to her side. 

She suddenly laughed silently. "Is your soul ready?" she

teased. 

"Kang Seulgi!" I shouted when she automatically spoke that made me stop from walking. 

"Date me, Joohyun." She said quietly. She paused and looked at me straight into the eyes. 

"Are you crazy?" I asked silently, shockingly. Her face is completely blank and I cannot read what's on her mind. 

She shook her head. "I'm serious." Seulgi said with a serious tone and serious look. "That is my condition." She turned around and starting to walk away. "I'll give you time to decide. Bye for now," she raised her hand, telling me that she's leaving. 

I just watched her walking away until she's nowhere to be seen. I thought my tongue was pulled inside my stomach. No one informed me that she's crazy, that I'm dealing with an insane person. 

"What to do?" I whispered to myself. I brush my hair using hands annoyingly. "Of course, I'll never agree to that. I will never agree to that." I keep whispering to myself. I need a sane mind now. Now that I need to study for our long quiz tomorrow. 

I was about to get inside the dorm when someone shouted. "Wait, Joohyun!" It was Seulgi. 

"How many times do I have to tell you, don't ca---"

"I don't care. I love your name." She said, catching her breath, holding onto her knees.

"What do you need?" I said. 

"Here," She opened her palm in front of me. "Take this." She said. 

"Why would I tak---" 

"Just take it," she leaned her palm near me. A silver necklace is shining under the moonlight. Instead of getting it, I decided to ignore her and took a step forward inside the dorm building, but I paused when she spoke with a tone of disappointment. "Joohyun," 

"Go home." I demanded. 

"Not until you get this." She raised her hand, drop the pendant of the necklace, fingers clamping to the necklace's chain. "Come on. Don't be ridiculous." 

"You're the one who is ridiculous." 

"Joohyun," she said while raising one of her eyebrows. 

"Seulgi," I said, mirroring her tone. 

"Just take this then end of the story. That's it!" 

"I will never accept that unle---" 

"Take it first," she said, cut me off me again, getting one of my hand and putted the necklace in my palm. "Okay!" She sound happily when successfully gave the necklace to me. 

"Now, why?" I asked, waiting for her to explain.

"Wear it if you'll say yes to my condition," she started talking some big steps backwards, walking away from me. "Bye," then she run away. 

"Se---" My words died when her figure faded. I have no choice but to take it. It's already in my hands. It will be a waste if I'll throw it in the trash. 

I opened my palm, staring at the necklace which I found fancy because of its design. 

You're really crazy, Seulgi. I thought. 

I put it in my pocket and finally enter the building.