Even before reaching the door of the student council office, Claire could already hear a loud voice which she can't be mistaken is from Ningning. Only the secretary would have the energy to talk on an on especially on a Monday. And she wasn't wrong. There she was standing in the middle of the room while the other officers present were sitting on the couch listening to her banter. 

"All I'm saying is it's kind of unfair how the athletes have a week off from the university after the season yet we officers don't have the same privilege." Claire closes the door which made a soft thump garnering the attention of Ningning who pauses for a second and turned to look back at her. After a nod at Claire, she was back at it again. "We track and take note of their progress, needs and profiles while in preparation for the competition." She finishes with an exasperated sigh.

Philip, the newly elected auditor this year stretches his arm before saying, "Just say you still have a hangover from the party last Friday, Ningning." which earned a series of laughter from the rest of the officers.

"Well I wasn't the one puking out all over the damn floor was I?" Ningning countered back sharply.

"You can cut it out now. We all had our share of liquor last Friday." Claire intervenes lightly to ease the situation before settling on her designated desk. "And as for your sentiments Ningning, you can voice it out to Mr. Park since I just got out of his office and he's asking for you."

"Did he say why?" Ningning questions with a knit on her brows. Her thoughts completely wash away by the new found information.

"Nothing that I'm aware about." Was the president's immediate response.

For a moment, Ningning made a mental ran through of her tasks over the weekend. Reports, dinner meetings, planning with Yijun...all were already finished. 

It was Anna, her closest friend in the room who breaks her out of her thoughts. "You already submitted your report last week right?" She asks even though she already knew that Ningning had it already sent last Friday.

"Yeah that's why I was late for the party."

"Was he at the party? Was he invited? Maybe he caught you smoking, Ningning! Remember? You were drinking wi—" Philip consecutively queries as he looks around the room to check if his suspicion was right.

"Oh it was one stick!" Ningning huffs and rolls her eyes in annoyance at the auditor's enthusiastic voice.

Knowing well enough that Ningning was stretching her words, Philip smirks at the former and whispers softly but enough for the whole room to hear, "You know student council officers shouldn't lie, Ningning."

It was only the first day of the week yet her patience was already being tested. 

She knew what she did last Friday. The overflowing liquor definitely took a toll on her but not enough for her to forget what transpired that night. Yes, she did smoke. Even though it was prohibited for student council officers to do so, Ningning with liquid courage flowing in her system paired with her turmoil stemming from her fiancé did grabbed a stick for the first time in her life.

The initial burning sensation wasn't for her but the puff of relief was what pushed her to ask for another one and another until the last drop of liquor hit her lips.

"Okay I had two. Or maybe three. I don't know, I've lost count that night okay!" Ningning tried to explain as she fetched her bag and faced the other officers in the room.

Claire stands up from her seat and slowly approaches Ningning who was clearly being worked up on the situation. "Take it easy, Ningning." She started then puts a comforting arm around the secretary's shoulder. "Maybe the call for you wasn't about last Friday. Maybe Mr. Park just wants a personal explanation of your report." 

Claire maybe a lot of things but one thing about her is she knows what being a leader means. At that moment, Ningning visibly relaxes at the president's reasoning. Philip was about to say something more when Claire eyed him, sending him signals to keep his mouth shut to which the auditor was quick to obey.

Mr. Park was nursing a cup of coffee when Ningning knocked against the door and asked for permission to enter the room.

"Have a seat. I've been waiting for you." The professor offered motioning at the empty chair across his own. 

"Yes, Claire told me about it. What can I do for you, sir?" She asked directly going to the point. Ningning wanted nothing more for the talk to be done and over with. 

Having observed that the student in front of him wasn't leaning towards a small talk, Mr. Park placed down his cup on the table and clasps his hands together before answering the question. "I'll go straight to the point since it's almost five." He started as he glances at his wristwatch. "Kate called me this morning and she had some concerns regarding her daughter."

Upon hearing the name, Ningning instantly, in her head, went over the people that she have mingled with last Friday. There was Anna of course, Philip the puking , the men's swimming team, Jay the one whom she got her smoke from and a lot more. But she couldn't recall someone named Kate.

"Kate?" She tries for clarification. She might just misheard him the first time. It could have been Nate for all she knew.

Mr. Park just simply smiled at her. "Kate," He repeated then continued to explain, "My best friend. Aeri's mother. Aeri your fiancé." Seeing how Ningning was taken aback at the mention of the word fiancé, he immediately calms down the secretary. "Don't fret. I already know about your engagement with Aeri. Kate and Louis told me about it."

Ningning took her time assessing the situation that she have walked into. This could be a setup, a trap to lure her into admitting that she was indeed Aeri's fiancé since only a number of people knows about it at the moment. No public announcement have yet to be made so a university professor asking about personal matters seemed a bit sketchy to her.

"So I'm here because of Aeri?" She responded. The safest answer that she could come up with at the situation at hand. No confession or denial happened so she's still in the clear.

Mr. Park slightly shifts on his seat and gently tugs on his tie to loosen if for a bit. "Not Aeri. Me." He started, "I wanted to talk to you as Aeri's uncle." A ghost of a smile spread upon his lips as he saw Ningning's eyes widen at the information. Giving the girl enough time to digest the new piece of light in their conversation, Mr. Park then continued to go on with his side. "Well you see, Kate is a bit worried about her daughter. She said she's been out of it for quite some time now. You know, skipping home meals now and then which she never does by the way. That kid loves home cooked meals. And she's working a lot. Getting out of the office late, bringing home paperwork and the likes which got her parents a bit concerned especially her mother." He pauses for a while, letting his words sink in towards his companion.

"Do you two happen to have some misunderstanding?" He finally asks the million dollar question.

All the while, Ningning stayed still on her position. Sitting up straight and hands on her lap.

Seeing how the secretary has her guards up, Mr. Park tries again. "I know this is sudden for you. A professor asking about your personal life. But I'm here as Aeri's uncle."

Ningning knows she will either regret or pat herself on the back for not leaving the room, the conversation earlier but she wanted answers. She wanted to know if Aeri's reason for being aloof is different from the one that she already has in mind.

"Well as far as I know there's no misunderstanding. I did kiss her a few weeks ago. Then she just suddenly stopped showing up at my house. The communication also went dead. I managed to talk to her last Friday, cornered her on the lot. She said she's busy. That's it." She answered after recalling the events that happened between her and Aeri.

Mr. Park hums a little. He rubs his temple for a while. "First kiss. That's definitely it." He says to himself, nodding repeatedly with a joyful expression written across his features.

"I don't know what came over me that night but yeah I kissed her. A mere kiss. No tongue." Ningning said defensively once she remembered that she was talking to not just one of the university's professors but also to Aeri's uncle.

"Well it might be a mere kiss for you but I think it was Aeri's first one."

With her head tilted to one side, Ningning looked at Mr. Park with confused eyes.

"Well she have never dated anyone. So it's safe to assume that she have never been kissed before." The professor answered