Tuesday, September 11, 2012

                I slammed my fist onto my alarm clock, shutting it up and also successfully pushing it onto the ground. Groaning loudly and barely functioning I rolled out of bed and into the bathroom. With eyes still closed I walked the familiar path and carried out my morning ritual, except I was up two hours earlier than normal.  Because freaking Kai made me miss freaking track practice yesterday I had to make it up in the morning. I slid into running gear; bright blue sports bra, lightweight t-shirt, black Under Armour shorts and Nike 2.0s. I braided my bangs, tied my hair up, and then grabbed the bags I had prepared last night to take to school.

                “Awh, there’s Little Miss Sunshine,” Key sang, bringing me a plate of breakfast as I stumbled down the steps.

                “Don’t even joke about that,” I growled. “Why are you even up?”

                Key shrugged. “I’m used to this. Work, school, party…and repeat.” He grinned at me.

                I rolled my eyes and continued eating. Suddenly, the door slammed open and a half dead Yongguk walked in. “Oppa…?” I asked tentatively. He was in his usual gray slacks and white wife beater, but his blond hair was tussled and his eye bags were much darker and bigger today than normal. Tucking the keys back into his pocket he dropped into one of the seats next to me.

                “Coffee. Black. Now,” he demanded, and Key rolled his eyes, leaving to get Yongguk his drink.

                I let out a small laugh. His morning voice was even deeper than normal. “Why’re you up so early today?”

                “Have to fix some guys motorcycle. Insisted he needed it done and he’s paying me a load so I figure…whatever.”

                “Ahh…regretting it now?” I asked with a smirk.

                “Oh wipe that smile off your face…” he muttered, taking some of my food and eating it. “Why are you up?”

                Instantly, any happiness from chatting with Yongguk vanished. “Some got me in trouble yesterday so we had to stay after to work on some dances, but he didn’t show so I just missed track for nothing and now I have to freaking make up for it at 6AM.”

                “Mm, Junhyung was talking about that I think…” Key came out with Yongguk’s coffee and he instantly grabbed it and drank. “Thanks, Key.”

                “Don’t mention it. What was Hyung talking about?”

                “Some kid who seemed to have it out for Hyemin,” Yongguk answered.

                “Awh, my poor Hyemin,” Key pouted at me.

                Yongguk raised an eyebrow at Key. “You are well aware that Hyemin probably started it.”

                “Hey! That…is insulting,” I mumbled through my breakfast. Yongguk gave me a look. “True…but still insulting,” I finally added.

                “So what did happen?”

                I blew a raspberry. “Let’s see you want the short version or the loongg version?” I asked.

                “Short,” Yongguk said firmly at the same time Key insisted “Long.” They stared at each other for a moment before making disgusted faces at the other.

                I laughed. “Alright, I’ll give you the gist. He’s an . Yeah…that’s about it.”

                They both laughed. “And you’re completely innocent?” Key asked.

                I bit into my toast, contemplating. “Yeah. Pretty much.” Finally after a few more moments of expecting stares I continued. “Fine, fine, I don’t even know what his problem is.” I chose my next words carefully, not really wanting to reveal everything. “He’s just kind of…bipolar. I tried to be nice to him and he was an so then I said some things that…may have pissed…some people off…and he turned into an even bigger …”

                “Ohh the trials of being a pretty girl,” Yongguk told me sarcastically.

                I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Whatever. My incredible good looks have nothing to do with this,” I joked.

                “It has everything to do with this,” Key disagreed, sharing a knowing look with Yongguk.

                “Right. Well…who can give me a ride to school?” I asked, standing up.

                Yongguk finished the last sip of his coffee and got up with me. “I need to go near there, I’ll take you.”

                “Bye, thanks, Oppa,” I called as I climbed out of the car, heading to the athletic area.

                “Hi, Hyemin,” Coach Baek greeted, smiling like the devil he was.

                “Hi,” I responded half heartedly. I bet he was enjoying this…

                “Ready to run?” God, would someone please punch that smile off his face?

                “As I’ll ever be,” I snapped back, stretching.

                “I can’t wait for the end of track season,” I groaned, falling into my seat next to L in homeroom.

                L let out a small laugh. “Awh, why?”

                “Because then, and only then, will I allow my self control to snap and beat the out of Coach.”

                “Ahh but then it’ll get messy what with all the criminal charges…and college…and you know your talent agency miiight not like it if you’ve got a violence issue and they try to debut you…” L responded jokingly.

                “Talent agency? Good joke…”

                L grinned at me and shrugged as the bell rang and Mr. Jang began his lesson.

                “I can’t believe I’m stuck with you,” Kai sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes as we walked into our practice room. With a tinge of pride the first thing I noticed when I saw him was his cut and bruised lip.

                I cocked my head at him. “Excuse me? You have no right to complain. If you hadn’t pulled that TA crap yesterday in class we wouldn’t have gotten in trouble, I could have chosen a regular, not bipolar partner, I could have gone to track, and I wouldn’t have been up at 5AM this morning. So feel free to some more and see how long I can resist not punching you again.”

                Kai sneered at me. “Excuse me? Me? Gladly. Please, somebody get me out of this room, away from this untalented dancer before this psycho tries to me.”

                “Guys?” Both of us turned away from each other and saw Junhyung at the door. “I need to talk to you. Grab all your stuff cause you’re also switching practice rooms…”

                I shook out of my pissed off attitude and followed Junhyung, Kai behind me. “So…what’s up?” I asked hesitantly as we went to the hallway.

                “Well, it’s mostly Kai that I need to talk to,” Junhyung started, and Kai rolled his eyes. “But since you two are partners and need to switch rooms I just brought both of you out here. I glared at Kai as Junhyung started talking. “Look, Kai, is there a reason you couldn’t make it to the room after school yesterday?”

                “I forgot…” Kai mumbled.

                Junhyung eyed him. “Look, even if that is the case that was incredibly irresponsible and you caused Hyemin to miss track practice for no reason.”

                I was about to add a chorus of “Hell yeah, ,” but I held it back…

                “I’m really sorry,” Kai muttered, sounding about as sorry as I was for punching him in the lip. And for the record, the only thing I regretted about my act of violence yesterday was not doing it A) sooner, B) more than once, and C) harder.

                Junhyung sighed deeply. “You both really need to work on your attitudes, alright? I won’t tolerate any more of your petty fights. Got it?” Both of us responded quietly, and Junhyung continued. “Because you two are partners Kai will just teach you today in class, so you guys don’t need to come in after school, but let this be a warning. I better not here any complaints about you two, especially because you need to use the practice rooms that Mr. Jang’s class usually use.”

                “We…what?” I asked.

               “Our class is a bit too crowded, and Mr. Jang has open practice rooms because they’re in a different unit. Therefore, I thought it would be better for the TA and…um…Hyemin…to go use his practice rooms instead of a different group. I’ll take you guys there now.”

                A sarcastic “Great,” left my mouth before I shut up again. “I mean…grrreattt!” I added in a more enthusiastic voice.

                Junhyung laughed and shook his head as he led Kai and I down the hallway. “Alright, here’s Mr. Jang’s room, so just head in and he knows all about it already,” Junhyung told us, stopping in front of a door that looked exactly like his. He raised a hand as he left and Kai boldly strode in, me following him thinking what a conceited prick he is…

                “Hi, Mr. Jang. We’re here from Junhyung’s class; we need to borrow your practice room,” Kai told him, using a friendly, confident voice.

                “Ah…right, right. Just you two?” Mr. Jang asked.

                “Yes, we’re the only partnership,” Kai responded.

                A small crowd had gathered, trying to eavesdrop into the conversation. Mostly girls who liked the extra eye candy… One of the students, a tall, thin, pretty girl with loads of makeup scoffed, “She weaseled her way into his group again?”

                “Yah, Minri, that’s inappropriate. Please apologize,” Hyunseung instantly reprimanded the girl.

                Rolling her eyes and smacking her glossed lips together she turned to me. “Sorry.”

                I ignored her attitude and turned back to Hyunseung. “So…which room can we use?” I asked.

                “Mm, come here,” Hyunseung said, walking to his desk. Kai and I followed and he retrieved the keys for a room, handed them to us and then pointed us in the right direction. “3C. Right over there. Just come out and ask Min or me if you need any help.”

                “Thanks,” I nodded at him before Kai and I headed to the room.

                After what felt like an eternity of hard work I glanced at the clock only to realize we still had a half hour left of dance class. Kai was working me to death, nitpicking every last move I made and yelling at me for every impossibly unnoticeable detail I messed up. And the most ridiculous part is he refused to actually demonstrate or come over and help me, he just sat in the chair shouting out what was wrong and leaving me to guess how to fix it. I’d had enough. “I’m going to the bathroom,” I announced, walking out before Kai could disagree. When I got to the classroom I looked for Hyunseung, but not seeing him I turned to Min. “Um, sunbae, can I use the bathroom?” I asked.

                She nodded and smiled brightly. “Sure.”

                I thanked her and then left the classroom, turning right to go to the bathroom. After I had finished I went to the mirror, idly looking at my reflection. I didn’t really care; I just didn’t want to go back to class. Finally, I left the bathroom and walked slowly back to class, taking the long, wander-y route.

                “Oh look, it’s the princess that always wants the TA for an easy A,” I heard a voice, and I turned to face the girl from before with a few friends. She was holding a bag of ice to her head.

                “Yeah, she’s getting an easy A, she’s probably pretty easy herself,” her friend laughed.

                “No kidding. How else would a like her get Kai in her group twice in a row?” the last girl spat.

                So not in the mood for this… “Um…okay. Thanks for the self profile?” I asked before turning away and heading back to class.

                “Hey! Listen you rude brat!” A voice shrieked before grabbing my ponytail and yanking me towards them.

                I cried out from surprise, and then ripped my hair out of their grip. “Look, would you leave me alone? I don’t care what you think of me, I honestly, honestly don’t give a . If you want Kai, take him! I don’t even want him in any of my ing groups! Now I would advise backing away and not touching me. Ever. Again.”

                The girls looked slightly startled, then Minri spoke up, anger in her voice. “Oh, so you’re too good for him now?” she spat at me, as the three of them backed me up to a wall.

                Yes, I thought. He’s an . Anyone is too good for him… But before I said anything aloud I heard someone call my name.

“Hyemin?” Hyunseung called, his voice echoing in the empty hallway.

Great. Just fantastic…I thought, when I felt a hand on my sports bra pull it back and dump something into my shirt.

                “Have fun Ice Queen,” the girls cackled, running ahead of me back to class.

                ! That is ing ice… I thought, arching my back as the freezing cold seeped into my skin.

                “Hyemin!” Hyunseung’s voice was more urgent now, and he reached me in only a few seconds. “Are you alright? What happened?”

                I cringed and bit my lip. Hyunseung put his hands on my shoulders and spun me around gently. I was curious as to what he was doing when I felt a warm hand pulling the ice cubes out of my shirt. I let out a gasp from the electricity running through my body from his touch.

                “Ohh…Nngh…” I moaned as he removed the last freezing object. “Thanks,” I mumbled, facing him again.

                He smirked at me. “You were making such noises when I was only helping you remove ice.”

                My jaw dropped open, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “You try having a bag of ice shoved down your shirt and we’ll see how well you’re able to control your mouth,” I snapped back.

                He smiled but then his expression sobered. “Minri really went too far. That behavior is unacceptable.”

                I shrugged. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

                “Yes ! It does!” Hyunseung insisted, making us stop our walk back to class and face him. “That was too much.”

                “Look, obviously you never had to deal with anti’s because you were the hot one the girls fought over, but I know how to handle them. They’re just attention seeking drama queens. Let it be, wait for my dance with Kai to be over, and it’ll die down. Don’t get them in more trouble, it’ll just piss them off,” I explained. “Plus…then they’ll start getting jealous of me for having you on my side and the whole thing will really just blow up…”

                Hyunseung continued his slow pace back to class, and I followed suit. “They couldn’t be upset…I’m a teacher, that’s my job to protect the students.”

                “Ohh, and that’s where your wrong,” I disagreed. “You’re a hot, young teacher. You’re virtually the same as Kai jealousy-wise.”

                Hyunseung smirked. “Plus I’m mature and devilishly good looking.”

                I laughed as we entered the class. “Maybe,” I told him as I left and walked to our practice room. Kai was standing at our room, leaning against the open door frame. Around him, there were a few girls that seemed to be hardcore flirting with him, but he was ignoring them and glaring at me.

                I walked over to him, of course noticing the crippling glare from Minri before pushing him back into our practice room and shutting the door. “Oh, calm your , I’m here and we’ll make a kickass dance.” Kai’s glare didn’t exactly disappear after that…