D-22

" Okay, class. That's all for today. Exam results are out so don't forget to check that out on the board. Have a good spring break everyone! "

The man in front of the lecture hall tries his best to raise a good amount of his voice just so he could be heard as the students in front of him scurried out of the room not giving care to the poor man.

Finally spring break is here and the students are excited to finally enjoy their holiday and more importantly, looking for a date for the spring dance that's coming up.

" So has anyone asked you yet? "

Miyoung asked her best friend as they walked towards the bulletin board that's swarming with students.

" Asked me what? " Hwang Aerin gave a confused face as she searched for her name on the board.

" To play at the buffalo pitt. To the dance of course! " Miyoung said irritatedly at her senselessness.

" Oh. No. Not really. Let's face it. I'm a failure with guys. " Miyoung glared at her. " Oh please. You can get any guy you want. Whenever you want. You just choose not to."

" That is not true. Remember Jin sunbaenim? I'm not lying. No one really asked me yet. Cross my heart. " She said as they pushed through the crowd, still not finding their name.

" Figures. They all think you're already going with V. "

" What? What makes you get that idea? "

" Oh come on, Aerin. You KNOW he's going to ask you. The whole university does actually. You guys are inseparable. If I had just known you, I would've thought he was your husband. You're the only girl he hangs out with. "

Aerin was about to say something back but she closed because apparently, she had nothing to say to that. She realized that her best friend was right. Taehyung is the only guy she hangs out with personally. Their relationship has become very close in this past year. The thing is, everyone is confused at the status of their relationship. They say they're not a couple but they're actions say otherwise. They're levels of skinship are way past friendship level.

When thinking about it, even Aerin was confused. It would be a lie to say that she doesn't have any feelings for him. From all the time they spent together this past year, she found herself feeling giddy and happy when he's around. But she doesn't know if he felt the same for her. His action felt like he did like her. But he is a very difficult person to read. All she knows that he is precious to her. She breaks out of her thoughts when she feels a poke on her shoulder.

" Look, you got 2nd place,Aerin-ah. "

She searched for her name and smiled when she saw the no 2 beside it.

" Look who's first, again. '' Miyoung nudged her while giving her a smirk. She quickly looked at the name above her. She rolled her eyes but tried to hold a smile. She looked around for the top student but he was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, her pocket vibrated from an incoming call. She looked at the screen and smiled. Speaking of the devil. She immediately answered it while looking at Miyoung who was smirking at her.

" Hello? "

" Bear, where are you? "

" What do you mean? "

" Hello, it's 3 o' clock. "

Aerin thinks for a while before gaping.

" Oh my god. I can't believe I forgot. I-I'll be right there. "

" Hurry up. I'm getting sleepy over here. "

" Arasseo. "

She hangs up.

" What does he want? " Miyoung asked.

" I forgot I'm supposed to meet him today. "

Miyoung just rolled her eyes. " You mean like everyday, right? It's not fair. I want you to accompany me today to look for my dress. "

" I'm sorry okay. Maybe tomorrow. "

She quickly ran to the exit while hearing her best friend shouts

" Yeah yeah, go to your boyfriend. "

" He is not my boyfriend! " She shouts before disappearing before Miyoung's eyes.

She ran to the place where he's waiting.

~

As soon as she arrived, she immediately saw a figure with a brown head of hair leaning onto the trunk of the old oak tree while crossing his arms. She sighs and smiles before walking towards him. His eyes are closed and his legs are stretched in front of him as she softly sits beside him and imitating his posture. She admired his side profile and fixed his hair softly so she wouldn't wake him. But the sudden sound of his voice makes her pull her hand back.

" Why are you so late? " He turned his head towards her with open eyes.

" I was looking at the bulletin board which was where you should be too. "

He scrunched up his face making her smile. " Why? "

" The final results are up. " He lightly smiled.

" You got first. Again. "

He stretched his body and laid his head on her lap facing the view in front of them. " What else is new... "

" Excuse me, Kim Taehyung. Unlike somebody, the students here are actually concerned about the grades they get. "

" Like you? Come on, Hwang Aerin. You know the exam was at the tip of your hands. You were going to ace it with your eyes closed anyway. You just had a few slip ups. No biggie. " He said sleepily.

" Easy for you to say. You skip classes all the time and still get 1st every time. So not fair. " She said while pouting. She felt he chuckled on her lap.

" Can we actually talk about something other than school cause you're making me tired just by the word of it. "

She gave him a glare and showed her fist at him, knowing that he wouldn't see it.

" Fine. Why did you want to see me? "

" That's easy. I missed you. " Aerin felt her heart thump. It then starts to beat at a fast pace when Taehyung looks up at her with a warm smile, his head still on her lap. Their eyes made contact with each other and it stayed like that for a few minutes.

It's times like these that they appreciate each other's presence. Just knowing that they will always have each other's back, calm their hearts. She smiled back and caressed his dyed brown hair that matches her own. He smiled and closed his eyes again.

" I wish time could just stop right now and there is just you and me on this planet. "

" I don't know. I'm not really fond of the idea of losing Miyoung and my other friends though. Not to mention my parents? "

They both chuckled. Then the silence reappeared. While caressing his hair, she remembered what she and Miyoung talked about earlier. What they're doing now, is exactly what only couples would do. She hesitates at first, not wanting to disturb him from his rest. But she breaks the silence anyway.

" Taehyung-ah. "

" Hmm..."

"...What are we? "

" What do you mean? " Taehyung asked sleepily.

" I mean...what are we? Everyone's been talking about how we are actually a couple and not just friends and..."

" And..."

" And I just think that...." She sighs.

" I don't know. I just....I think I'm starting to agree with them myself. "

Taehyung smiled and raised his body, facing her. " Well, do you like me? "

His sudden question startled her and she slightly choked on her own saliva.

" What? No--I--ye--I don't--what? "

She was embarrassed by the fact that she was terribly stuttering. And how does he suddenly answer that question with no hesitation whatsoever?!

He chuckles at her red face.

" It's a simple yes or no answer, Hwang Aerin. Not an essay on civil war rights. "

She slightly glared at him but he remained his poker face. He is so hard to understand sometimes.

" So...I'm waiting here. "

And so INSENSITIVE.

" I--I think so. "

" You think so? Wow. So glad to hear that I'm still a hesitation in your life. " He playfully said but it came out like he was angry at her.

" Fine, I do okay? I do. " She covers her face, so embarrassed by her confession. She didn't expect for it to turn out like this.

" Now was that so hard? It's settled then."

That's it? After all that embarrassment?

" Well. How about you? Aren't you going to tell me how you feel? "

" You know how I feel about you. "

" That's the problem. I don't. I never do. " She scoffed.

" Okay, fine. I'll say it for you then. Hwang Aerin, will you please be my- "

" No. Stop. " She cuts him off making Taehyung scrunch up his face.

" Okay, now you're confusing me. First, you want me to say my feelings and now you don't? "

" How do you know if our feelings for each other are sincere? For all we know, it was just a feeling of friendship disguised as what we're feeling now. What I'm feeling. "

Taehyung just sighs at the girl in front of him. Her head is getting to her again. He had been too familiar with this side of her who is not confident with everything that she does. It kinda hurts him a bit that she is doubtful of her feelings for him but he lets it slide because he knew he can't force her and just let it happen on its own.

Even though he won't know how long it will be. After all, he has been waiting for her for a year now and he is scared that he can't wait any longer and in the end just hurting himself. He loves her too much.

" Okay, I get it. So, what do you suppose we do? " She thought for a while.

" A test. "

Taehyung's eyes widen. " A test? Ugh just kill me why don't ya? "

He closes his eyes in despair. It's bad enough that she rejected him. Now, she wants him to do the thing he hates the most?

" Just trust me, okay? " He glares at her pouting face before sighing.

" Hit me.