Leeteuk opened the lights on the empty classroom and pointed to an empty chair a few meters away from him.

“take a seat.” He told taeyeon, who was still trying to catch up with what she just heard. She looked nervous rather than being scared, evident by her chest constantly moving up and down with a tiny sweat trickling down the side of her face. Leeteuk knew that she couldn’t take the sentence, his sentence alone that appeared like it had sent shivers down her spine. it was true, he had a dark past behind him continuingly haunting him until now. It must have been a nightmare much to anyone’s perspective. It’s a type of situation where one does not want to go back.

“you don’t have to tell me everything.” Taeyeon said. she paused, looking down on the floor, unsure whether she should continue. “I mean, if you don’t want to, that’s fine by me.”

“no you hear it, so you will know how to deal with me.”

Taeyeon nodded and kept herself silent. This was indeed a consequence for her intruding constantly to his life.

“go on.”

“I was eleven, nearing my teens.” Leeteuk crossed his arms and reminisced back to the scene.

 

He could remember himself waking up inside his room. there was a lot of noise, noise from a group of what seemed like young adults. They were exchanging drinks and substances he couldn’t fathom to exist. There beside his left was his baby sitter Jiwon. Jiwon’s arms were enveloped to her knees and she was looking at leeteuk intently, her eyes wandering to and from his body.

 

And leeteuk realized that he had been only wrapped by a blanket. He tried to move but he felt so weak. How did he felt that weak before. He looked at his body. There were a lot of bruises, some of them already in a deep shade of purple. He tried to inch himself up but he couldn’t, his hands palming down the hard surface of the floor.

“we shouldn’t have done this.” He could hear jiwon speak.

“he’s only young he wouldn’t remember a thing.”

It was then that leeteuk realized what had taken place when jiwon’s group started laughing. His head started to spin so bad. Jiwon earlier, had invited friends to come over his mother’s condominium. At first they seem like normal young adults, playing around, goofing around. he had been with them until one of jiwon’s friends donned in a black cap started handing out powdered materials that they started sniffing or snorting as it would appear.

 

Leeteuk started to remember about jiwon suddenly changing into someone he never knew existed inside of her. she started calling him names, names that wouldn’t match from an eighteen year old telling an eleven year old child. Then suddenly out of some spur of moment, she took him by the hand and dragged him to his room, calling more members of her group. He was locked inside with them.

 

Leeteuk’s hands curled into a ball upon realizing what jiwon and her friends just did to him. They had maltreated him and forced him to inhale some substance that would make him sleep.

 

Leeteuk suddenly started to tear down, bawling so hard but none of the people inside the room didn’t even seem to care. They were so focused to their substances, some even laughing at the presence of an eleven year old child who couldn’t even move single muscle.

 

Then the door opened and leeteuk’s mom entered, started screaming when she saw her son only covered by a blanket, fighting for his life on the floor.

“jungsu!” she shrieked. She began to go ballistic, shooing out jiwon’s friends who immediately stood up and went for a quick escape upon being discovered.

Only jiwon was left behind, she too, started tearing.

“I’m sorry mrs. Park.”

Mrs. Park slapped her in the face.

“you, you, what did you do, I trusted you!” she said, hitting her all over her body. Jiwon shielded herself and cried more. “you ruined my son, look what you did to him!”

“mrs. Park, mrs. Park.” Jiwon said. she couldn’t find any explanation.

Leeteuk cried more until mrs. Park’s attention was on him again.

“I’ll get you to the hospital, I’m here now, you are safe.” Mrs. Park took off her jacket and wrapped a shaking leeteuk in it.

 

Leeteuk opened his eyes, a tear running down on his cheek.  

“that’s it.” he said, turning to the other side so she wouldn’t see him. It never occurred to him that something about his past could make him tear up again after a number of strong foundations he had built around his thinking mind. It must have affected him really hard.

Taeyeon opened her eyes too and rubbed her arms, the disturbing thought running down to her system.

“gosh.” Was the only words she could say. Not that she meant negative about it, she just didn’t know how to react. Something like leeteuk’s situation could only happen in the television series, much more to female species just like her. but to a male, specifically an eleven year old? It was really something that no one could even imagine.

Leeteuk bit his lip and faced taeyeon again, this time with a lesser authority in his voice. “that’s what you get from being nosy.” He told her gently. “now you don’t know what to do with me.”

“I will not tell it to anyone if that’s bothering you.” Taeyeon said. “and that’s because  I don’t even want to dream about it. or imagine it. ”

 “good.”

Taeyeon really felt uncomfortable looking at him now but she just pretended that everything’s fine. she could just pretend that he was discussing with her another project but his story kept flashing into her mind like a repetitive media player that she closed her eyes, her head keeping on moving from left to right.

She was thinking so much that she almost jumped when leeteuk suddenly slapped her face.

“ouch what the—“ taeyeon touched her cheek and realized that leeteuk had placed a band aid there.

“what are you doing you didn’t even notice you got a little wound on your cheek.” Leeteuk said. “let me discuss with you another set of limits.”

 “what?” he asked when taeyeon suddenly smiled.

“do you think that those limits will prohibit me to fall more for you?”

“I already told you that I was molested, you still have the guts to tell me that, what are you?” leeteuk said. he frowned and went on, erasing to his mind  taeyeon’s words that gave goosebumps to his skin. “from what we have discussed, I already gave out some rules—“

“shoot, there are rules? ” taeyeon asked. leeteuk looked at her alarmingly and she raised a hand. “I’m just kidding, I know, I had it mentally saved. Go on.”

Leeteuk did a little grunting sound before moving to the topic.

“no asking about family lives.” he said. “you are not supposed to know anything from my family background. Not a single thing. If there’s anything that slipped, you shouldn’t be putting your nose to someone else’s business. clear?”

“my love, you are definitely hiding something worth divulging. ” Taeyeon said. “continue.”

“try not to fall too much.” leeteuk said.

Taeyeon laughed and crossed her arms.

“I’m not being standoffish, you already told me your feelings.” Leeteuk said, suddenly embarrassed. if ever there was a phase called rewind, he would opt not to tell something about that again.

She shook her head. “no, its not that.” she said. “it’s the other way around. gosh, why haven’t I thought about it before.”

“what?”

 

Park Family Home

Seohyun marched down the stairs and jumped in delight upon seeing her mother drinking coffee at the kitchen nook.

“eomma!” she shouted. Mrs. Park smiled and stood up, enveloping seohyun in her arms.

“I’ve never seen you since last month!” seohyun squeaked. “since when did you arrive? I stayed up last night to study, were you here already by that time? I should have known!”

“baby, I was just here earlier at four.” Mrs. Park said. “I’ve been having some headache so I didn’t sleep, so apparently I just continued doing some morning routine.”

“you should be taking some rest.” Seohyun said. she pulled her mother’s chair and let her sit on it.

“thank you.”

“wow, I like your hair.  we should be going out sometime.”

“how’s your brother?”

Seohyun bit her lip and played on piles of sugar cubes on her teacup. “he’s fine.” She said, masking leeteuk’s scandal. She was told never to speak anything by her brother. Ever since leeteuk had a feud with their parents, he had been telling her not to divulge anything related to him that will make them worry.  “he’s been having a lot of things to do for the council lately.”

“your brother’s really good at organizing things like your father.” mrs. Park said.

“we had a sportsfest days ago. It was really successful.” Seohyun said. “oppa had it planned really well.”

“about your brother.”

Mrs. Park had recurring thoughts to her mind, plans that she wanted to do involving leeteuk.

“because of my current work nowadays, it seems that I am in need to expose him.” Mrs. Park said. she was a bit hesitant of opening up something sensitive to her twenty three year old daughter but she also knew that she must do something. “you and your brother. I guess I’m in need to expose a little of my family background.”

Seohyun suddenly went tense. “you don’t mean, introducing us to public.”

“well its about time, isn’t it?” mrs. Park pursed her lips. “I’ve been working on my name for years and people haven’t really recognized what’s really my background. Considering  my position right now, I think it’s the right timing to do it.”

“don’t you think he will not like that idea?”

“I know your brother won’t like it, especially that if I introduce you, you know the consequences.” Mrs. Park said. “that’s why I need you to tell it to him.”

She knew that leeteuk would mind. It was the plan that made him distant to her anyways. Leeteuk didn’t like his parents exposing their family especially seohyun. He knew that it will be dangerous and it is. the moment that people start knowing about them, there could be a lot of consequences. But mrs. Park also had something in mind that she knew will benefit leeteuk in some sort, though she had never tell it to him before and even if she did, didn’t know if her son would just accept it as is.

“I’ll try to convince him.” Seohyun said, aware of leeteuk’s thoughts too. she didn’t even know how to start. Should she tell it to him straight away or let the scandal die down first? But leeteuk’s scandal was so powerful that she didn’t know how to initiate her motive.

“I will wait for his reply seohyun.” Mrs. Park said. she placed a hand on top of seohyun and the latter just nodded. Wishing for a normal family to be together again was far more important than anything else.

Seohyun opened her phone and dialed a number. “kyuhyun oppa.” She said, trying to sound calm as possible. “I need your help.”

 

-------------------------

USC office

Leeteuk could see kyuhyun’s head popping outside the door of the council office.

“just making sure that I don’t have a trail of people following me around so they could see you.” kyuhyun said, swinging his head from left to right like a detective in search of a thief. When he noticed that no one’s paying attention outside, he slipped in and closed the door.

“hyung, nice morning isn’t it?” He continued, still in his mind, the clear command of seohyun of talking to leeteuk about her mother’s plan. Without causing further commotion, he placed in stack of papers for leeteuk to see.

“that’s many.” Leeteuk said. “what is that?”

“projects from my department.” Kyuhyun beamed, referring to the department of architecture, where he is the incumbent president. The members of the superiors were all presidents from their departments and out of all the presidents, it was leeteuk who was chosen to become the leader of all leaders. “for your next project, community building, right?”

“ah, yeah, I almost forgot about that.” leeteuk bit his lip and retrieved the files. He started skimming down the contents, contemplating on every word. “because of the follow up report on the sportsfest I almost lost my balance on the future projects.”

“hyung.”

“hmm?”

Kyuhyun was about to talk regarding his communication with seohyun when heechul entered the door with a flustered look pasted on his face.

“what happened to you, you look like you’ve been harassed or something.” Kyuhyun said.

Heechul shook his head and opened the website of the student council.

“this.” He pointed to leeteuk an article from an anonymous. “your scandal with taeyeon, someone said that she exposed your picture on purpose and she was just acting like she didn’t know. I knew it, that girl would just do anything to get you. I can’t imagine that she’ll do this just to get attention. ”

“there was an evidence?” kyuhyun intervened. But leeteuk was all silent, continuing his agenda on skimming down kyuhyun’s files.

“you seem not to mind.” Heechul noticed.

“she didn’t do it on purpose.”

“how can you be sure?”

Leeteuk wrinkled his brows upon noticing an error on kyuhyun’s project proposal. “she explained it to me.”

“and you believe that?” heechul rolled his eyes , took a seat in front of leeteuk and crossed his legs . “I don’t get you, we should be investigating this so you we could end the scandal right away. we just couldn’t let her do what she pleases.”

“heenim, she wouldn’t be embarrassing herself to a lot of people by owning something scandalous.” Leeteuk raised his head and stared at his bestfriend. “I thought you’re a female expert, why does it seem that I understand them better?”

“aish, teuk!”

“hyung’s got a point.” Kyuhyun suddenly said. he looked at his president, with worry on his mind. If he starts to talk about seohyun and her plans regarding his family, he might not be in the position or mood to entertain it, especially leeteuk’s currently facing a scandal that continued to surface. “I mean, who would want to embarrass oneself in front of the board of directors. I think she just stood up for him to defend his position in the council.”

“not that I’m in favor of her, I guess she’s jus pretty bit misunderstood.” Kyuhyun raised hands when heechul started giving him provocative glances.

“just don’t tell me right now that you’re falling for that girl.” heechul told leeteuk. “because right now I’ll kill you.”

“what?  You’re expecting me to fall when I don’t even know the feeling? ” Leeteuk said. “if I do, I’ll tell you.”

He smiled at heechul and got curious upon seeing shadows of heads outside the office. Voices started to get louder too which bothered him. Are those the sound of cameras clicking?

Heechul began to entertain the scene too. “are those what I think they are?”

“open the door.” Leeteuk ordered kyuhyun. The vice president of the university council opened the door and was surprised to see students piling up outside carrying clipboards and cameras.

“reporters from the college newspapers.” Kyuhyun told the two. He faced the students and waved a hand out. “I’m sorry guys but the president does not want to be interviewed for the moment.”

“were conducting a special article about him and his relationship with ms. taeyeon.” The student said, looking at leeteuk who in turn gave her a questioning look.

“aigoo, you shouldn’t be including something private!” heechul shouted. “you guys, get out!”

“but sir—“

“can you just interview miss taeyeon for that matter?” leeteuk said. “I’m sure she will be entertained to answer your questions.”

“mr. president we—“

“taeyeon can answer all your questions.” Leeteuk repeated, trying to remain calm even if his insides appeared like they were about to boil up. “please, I have things to do. I’m not sure if I can entertain too much time.”

“orders from the president., thank you thank you. ” Kyuhyun said, pushing them out of the office. “don’t tell me these people had been following you all the time?” he looked at leeteuk.

“ever since this morning.” leeteuk said. he ran a hand on his blond hair and sighed, wondering how will the issue stop in a matter of few months. He couldn’t take it anymore, he just didn’t want to involve himself to something he’s not even supposed to be at.

“and you will leave everything to that spoiled girl?” heechul said. “she can be telling anything.”

“she’s good at that, talking is her expertise.” leeteuk said. “isn’t it?

-------------------------

Kim Daesung’s office

Taeyeon’s POV

“shoot, shoot.”

I threw my game pad on the floor and cursed as I realized that I just lost from an online stranger beating me up with a game I just found out last week.

“what the f--- shoot, shoot.” I continued, this time, throwing a little pillow on the player.  I wouldn’t try this game again. all the wrinkles piling up just for this does not weigh the benefits.

“can you try to not to curse words like a gun?”

 “what?” I asked my father, kicking the game pad one last time before I crossed my legs.

“when can you act simply and more caring?” he asked. Father  picked up my game pad, situated himself opposite me on the chair and looked at me in the eyes. I stuck my tongue out. “taeyeon, how old are you again?”

“wait, let me count, twenty five.” I rolled my eyes.  

Duh.

“I saw a preview of your grades last week in literature. “ my father mentioned while I busied myself looking at the new carpeted floor. I planned the decorations single handedly, really proud of my intricate choices.  “your professor told me that you plagiarized a couple of home works from someone. Someone in the name of Ms. Im?”

Deep inside I was overreacting but I just maintained my cool by staring at him back.

“what about yoona?”

“taengoo, dear.” Mr. kim sighed. “have I told you not to get your homework assignment from other people? Your course is communication arts, you should be creatively making your own ideas. “

“she lets me copy.” I said.

“you don’t want her to fail with you just because she shared right?”

I frowned, my father’s words sinking. “I am failing?”

“if you don’t have a good grade this next few days.” Mr. kim said. “I might tell all your professors to fail you.”

I bit my lip and cursed again.

“yah appa, you cannot do that!” I said. “you own this school.”

“yes, and apparently, I also have the power to fail you.” Mr. kim said.

Why didn’t I just think that being a school owner’s daughter has its disadvantages?

“taeyeon.” Mr. kim said. “you’re smart. I doubt that you have a low IQ, everyone in our generation is successful. You just have to study.”

“I hate you.” I just said.

Appa took out some cash on his wallet and gave some to me. at first he was hesitant. Yes I still live with credit cards, its more fashionable and practical to carry one rather to have a wad of cash. But I guess appa doesn’t want to waste more money giving me another set. Imagine just owning ten bunch of platinum credit cards.

“you’re leaving?” I noticed, when I stopped counting. Why didn’t I think of this before? He was truly up to something.

“won’t be long.” He replied. “I will be out in a convention. Its necessary for school owners, I will be back once I have other matters settled. Its just about time to leave since I know you’re old enough to handle matters on your own.”

“you’re leaving me.”

“no, silly.” Father said as I heftily pushed the wad of bills inside my blazer so he wouldn’t think of a second thought of getting his money back. “you should behave while I’m gone.”

I didn’t waste any more words to say. Goodbyes are definitely not my thing.

“I would.” I said, innocently as possible. But deep inside…

 yes! I can definitely go out.

I tried to hide my glee but I cannot take it. it was too surreal. Appa would usually send representatives to his seminars because he was always that afraid that I would cause some nuisance while he was gone. Shall I go to the new department store first? Or go out with Jessica and yoona? I could get all the girls generation to go out with me whether they like it or not.  I started texting, working up on my phone with a smile still pasted on my face. maybe I should drop by at a friend’s birthday party later. What about my clothes?

 

But my expression immediately vanished when appa smiled mischievously too.

“my taengoo, I have someone to keep an eye on you.” He said, leveling my gaze with his. “and he will definitely make sure that you behave.”

--------------------------

School grounds

Seohyun’s POV

 

Okay, so I guess, for the meantime, I wouldn’t be talking to my brother leeteuk about my conversation with eomma.

 

I closed the locker door and made my way to the lower ground floor of the building, which faces directly the school parking and the activity area mixed with a lot of university students huddling  together after a long day of class. My building was the perfect place I guess to be standing there since its nearer to the entrance gate, aside from the main building where the school board and the student council were situated. i stared at the big clock hanging in front of me and I was told that it’s already thirty minutes past five.

Spending time to do homework at the library really gives a lot of things to do.

I huddled my bag and paced forward the entrance gate so I could easily stand next to the bus stop . At this hour of rate, many students are supposed to be there since they are eager to go home after a tiring day at school. and of course me, I have to talk to my mother eventually if she’s at home regarding some matters.

It was almost a bit dim, a fighting game between day and night, when I saw a towering figure near the bushes, busily looking at something. Then I noticed as I came closer, that he was playing a game.

“kyuhyun oppa!” I said. this guy is a total game freak. But I didn’t know how he could manage to have good grades in spite of that.

 kyuhyun turned towards me with a surprised look on his face.

“hey.” He said, almost dropping his game pad. with a glide of his finger, the application on his pad suddenly turned off.

“you should continue.” I said, embarrassed of my disturbance.

“no, I will be going home anyways.” Kyuhyun said. he stared at the big clock too. “why are you still here, aren’t you supposed to be home?”

I carried my bag closer to my waist. “I’ve been doing some research at the library.” I said, more sensitive of the time now. “I forgot about the time.”

“does hyung know?”

“don’t tell oppa.” I said, reminding myself that I will be scolded if my brother finds out that I’m still at school while he already left for his apartment at four.  I stared at him with inquiry. “you shouldn’t be at school too, why are you still here?”

“I have a project to do.” kyuhyun said. “it’s a next project about the social welfare community building that your brother is sponsoring.”

“ah, I see.”

“it’s a big project so I have to work on it.” kyuhyun said. “It’s quite a nice exposure.”

“you’ll be a big help to the community.” I said. my brother leeteuk had been an advocate for social welfare rights ever since he finished his course in nursing and started enrolling himself to a social science and public health course.

We walked, a few distance going to the entrance gate.

“I didn’t tell hyung.” Kyuhyun bit his lip, suddenly, after passing by a lot of students who would still continue to stare glances at us. people started to become more aware when the superiors started getting in contact with the girls generation, Taeyeon unni’s group , ever since news about her and my brother leeteuk surfaced.  I couldn’t say a thing, of course news would still circulate around them even for the longest time. they were like a power couple, a university wide president dating a school owner’s daughter is a scoop worth entertaining.

But I knew it was just a façade, my brother kept reminding me that to make sure that I will still treat him normally like his other friends. Why wouldn’t i? I love him too much that I just carried on with his and taeyeon unni’s scheme.

I nodded with what kyuhyun oppa told me and just went on walking. Whenever kyuhyun oppa would start diverting to another topic, I knew that topic is way more important than others he cared about.

“I guess we need to wait.” I just said. “I can’t tell him that quick too, I just don’t want him to be stressed out, I  knew he has a lot of things in his mind lately.”

“you think he will let you?”

I shook my head, knowing my own limits. “exposing is a major no-no to him.” I said, being reminded of my mother’s schemes. “but I just want my family to be together again. I think I will be trying to do things just to bring back together the way it was.”

-------------------------

Leeteuk’s apartment

 

Taeyeon awkwardly closed the door behind her as the car with mr. kim in it sped off , leaving her alone with leeteuk.

So he was the person her father was talking about. Leeteuk? The council president? And watching her? no way.  taeyeon didn’t know that mr. kim will take the relationship really seriously, opting for someone she barely knew to watch over her.  the old man didn’t even know that she was only acquaintance with leeteuk. Her father seemed to trust the president too much that he would even let taeyeon be with a male. Someone must have liked leeteuk too seriously.

And of course to leeteuk, she will be another big burden. Just her presence alone seemed like an eternal irritation to him.

“just leave your bag there.” leeteuk said. he was sitting on a chair next to a table filled with files of papers, contemplating on some important matters regarding school activities. He was frowning, appearing he was thinking hard over some aspects.

“appa said…”

“yes, he talked to me about it.” he said, answering taeyeon’s thoughts. He took off his reading glasses and ran a hand on his forehead.  “take a seat somewhere, don’t just stand.”

“ I was thinking of that.” Taeyeon nodded and took off her heels, tiptoeing towards leeteuk’s bed. His apartment was so small that the kitchen area, study area and bedroom appear really close to each other in a seemingly few meters away. the bed was just a few distance away from where leeteuk was, and taeyeon could easily see the president contemplating over his work.

He looked like any average student, except that he was working twice as hard. It was taeyeon’s first time to see him post his uniform, only wearing black jogging pants, and a striped v-neck top. Leeteuk caught a glimpse of taeyeon looking, and she diverted her gaze away, staring at her toes.

“you could have said no.” she said, aware of leeteuk in deep phobia with women. Weighing the benefits again, she sure would be benefiting too much rather than him. She liked leeteuk in ways she couldn’t imagine, and spending more time with him was a like a wish being granted. But leeteuk? It was another burden for him, yet she didn’t know what’s in his mind that made him agreed.

Leeteuk didn’t look back at taeyeon but didn’t hesitate to reply either. “don’t you think it will appear odd for him if I don’t allow it?” he said, flipping over some papers. “he’s scared too much that he didn’t want to leave you alone in your home.”

Taeyeon touched her cheeks which could be right now, in a deep shade of pink.

“I can live alone.” She said. “he just doesn’t trust me.”

“he doesn’t trust you because you’re always not sure of what you’re doing, you might be partying with others the minute he sets foot on the plane.”

“aish, I’m that visible?” taeyeon wondered, her hands making a deep grip on her phone right now. her father talked to leeteuk with the negatives too much that she didn’t know if there are other good things to talk about left.

Leeteuk flipped his paper to another page. “there are always ways to be good.” He said, not minding taeyeon constantly kicking the foot of his bed. He looked up, thinking of mister kim and the convention he’ll be attending. “his flight?”

“at eleven.” Taeyeon said. her father will be leaving by three hours now.

Leeteuk nodded and stack his pile of papers to his side.

“he said I should do my..”

“have you finished your homework?” leeteuk asked, now looking.  she shook her head. “do it here, I want to see you working on it.”

“I don’t want to do it. ” taeyeon said, she looked at her watch without hesitation. “I will be leaving early actually, I will be attending a friend’s birthday party. I can do it anyways on the day of the deadline. It’s a bit hassle but I think—“

“birthday party?” leeteuk asked.

“you heard it.”

Leeteuk saw taeyeon browsing on the contents of her phone and he stood up, snatching the gadget away from her.

“hey.”

“I will keep this, and you can only have this when you finish your assignment.” Leeteuk said, getting back to his seat.

“so this is what appa’s telling me about.” Taeyeon suddenly laughed. “I’m sorry love but I don’t follow orders easily, you’ll have a hard time if you continue being the boss.”

Leeteuk pushed his chair closer to the table.

“no I won’t.” he said. “you will follow me. and please, can you stop calling me love?”

“and if I don’t want?”

Leeteuk scanned down the contents of his book, unwavering. “who am I to you again now, kim taeyeon?”

Taeyeon opened to speak but the thoughts she wanted to say suddenly disappeared. She smiled in amazement, knowing that she was defeated in all aspects.

“you win. my time is all yours, love… boyfriend.” She teased, retrieving her school bag near the front door. She looked around, noticing that there were only four chairs on leeteuk’s apartment. The other three chairs were surrounding the table to where leeteuk was and it appeared odd for taeyeon to take some space with him.

Especially after the incident upon discovering his past that seemed so haunted it resembled a very disturbing horror movie.

Leeteuk tapped the chair next to him. “here.” he said.

“lovely.” Taeyeon said.

He took away piles of papers from his side so she can place her stuff.

She sat next to him, and could even smell the scent of leeteuk’s soap. Her heart, beating irregularly because of too much proximity could be in a state of attack in any minute. She inched her chair to distance herself away from him.

“I’m distracted.” She laughed meekly, couldn’t believe that she just said it. “imagining too much, that’s something dangerous if too provoked, and now I’m wondering why I even said it.”

“I’m distracted too.”

Taeyeon looked at leeteuk, puzzled.

“I haven’t sat down with a girl.” Leeteuk said, resting his chin on his palm. It was a discovery for him to notice taeyeon being a bit awkward about their status.  “but I guess, You’re pretty much less harmful now, considering you know something about me, am I right?”

Taeyeon shrugged, not keeping his eyes off him.

“except when I’m drunk .” she said. “don’t worry, you will be safe if you don’t show up.”

Leeteuk raised a brow and put down his pen.  He looked at her too, his brown eyes filled with curiosity.

“nothing happened right?” he asked her, reminding himself about the incident days ago when she was on the same location with him, to the same apartment where the scandal took place.  The details were not as clear as glass, and he did want to know if he did something.

Taeyeon opened to reply but she didn’t know what to say.

“I didn’t… I didn’t do something reckless, did i?” leeteuk asked, leaning over.

Taeyeon froze. Why was he so close? Is he going to do what she thinks he’ll be doing?

“did i..” he leaned closer again, his eyes not taking itself away from hers. “did I kiss you?”

The scent of his breath. Taeyeon’s heart appeared jumping all over the place.  Then Leeteuk’s hand started to touch her cheek, it was really warm and delicate. Wait, is this true? taeyeon thought.  out of the moment, expecting something to happen, she closed her lids.

“ouch!”

Taeyeon opened her eyes and realized that leeteuk just removed her band aid.

“you should have removed this, you’re already okay.” Leeteuk threw the material to the nearest trashcan and noticed taeyeon inhaling and exhaling deep breaths simultaneously. “wash your other bruises later when you’re finished with your homework… are you hyperventilating?”

“nothing.” Taeyeon said immediately. she touched her cheek to feel the bruise which appeared non existent now.

 

She sighed, half irritatingly at herself, knowing that leeteuk of course, wouldn’t be doing something out of the box.

 

It’s a band aid thing.