a/n: i swear this chapter is unbeta-ed. i've been out for so long haven't i? well then, here's a rather long chapter for all my readers. i hope it doesn't get you bored coz i know i did.

“ this !” Jonghyun snarled as I hear him, yet again, curse at his math book.

“I swear I hate this X-letter,” He mumbled. I shrugged as I look back at my own book―neat and clean unlike his, perfectly worn out. I feel sorry for the book; it must’ve been thrown in the trash for who knows how many times.

“Mr. Kim,” everyone stiffened, sitting properly at our teacher’s tone of voice, “Anything wrong?” I glanced back at Jonghyun who just glared at our teacher like he was mentally knocking him for teaching his favorite subject.

“Yes.” He hissed after a pause.

“And what would that be, Mr. Kim?” The teacher raised his brow.

“Uhh, these math problems. I thought it would be obvious.” He retorted, matter-of-factly.

“Well it wouldn’t be a problem unless you know how to solve it.” I chuckled silently although I swear Jonghyun saw me in the corner of his eye, made me shiver.

“Sir?” He raised his hand, pulling on a pout a.k.a. a very incredible act, “May I ask for a tutor? You know I need it bad.”

The teacher paused and nodded, “Considering your situation, I think that would be necessary.” The class laughed but he kept smirking to himself.

“Good. Then may I be assigned to Ms. Lee?”

*                     *                     *

“Oppa! OPPAAAA!!” I yelled, stomping into our living room. Jinki sat there on the couch, almost loosing grip on his coffee as I snapped in front of him.

“Yah! Don’t yell at me.” Jinki straightened up, putting the cup of coffee carefully into the table. Then Jonghyun emerged from my back, waving at him and making Jinki spill some coffee on his papers. “!”

He spun around to look at us, “Why on earth―?”

“Some dino here is having a major problem dealing with his Xs.” I pointed back at him.

“What does that have anything to do with you? He asked me, glaring at Jonghyun.

“Actually,” Jonghyun raised a finger, “I can deal with my own EX thank you very much. But with math? Everything’s  complicated and bull.” He threw his shoulders down and then he hid behind my back, braising himself at my brother who looked like he would spill the coffee down his pants. “Hey, chill hyung, we’re cool now right?”

“You’re tutoring him?” He pointed and I nodded.

“He asked the teacher to assign me with him, and I know you wanted to punch him before but could you do it now, please?” I begged. Then everyone started to talk at once. Jinki glaring at Jonghyun. Jonghyun still hiding behind my back, speaking words that sounded incoherent. I kept throwing a parade of hateful words to Jonghyun and at the same time I was trying to understand what Jinki was trying to tell me.

“Stop! STOOOP!!” Jinki yelled, both me and Jonghyun froze at his rare use of tone. “I have an idea.”

*                     *                     *

My brother’s a genius.

I do his homework for him and he does all the tutoring. I kind of want to tutor him, too. Oh, if only I could control myself, if only the feeling of disliking him was more eminent.

“What’s this?”

I sighed. “A bookmark.”

He snorted, like I was dumb enough to call it a bookmark, “Really? Doesn’t look legit.”

“Kim Jonghyun, if you talk about my bookmark one more time I―” I snatched the bookmark back, “Now what page was it?” I glared at him. He just shrugged and whistled like that would excuse himself.

Apparently, as much as I love my brother and his brilliant idea, I ended up tutoring Jonghyun. A knock on my door a while ago and to my surprise my brother was already shoving him inside my room leaving me extremely baffled.

“I do your homework, you tutor him.”He said. I don’t know what happened in his room for 30 minutes, what they did or what Jonghyun did. But now, I guess I have an idea why.

“Can I have your bookmark?”

“NO.”

“What a waste.” He scoffed. It was a ticket to the amusement park that Jinki gave me. We both have each but then he lost his. He said he’d take me there when he buys another but that same week he was flooded with school work and activities until he forgot about it. It’ll expire in two weeks though.

“Why are you so talkative?”

He raised his brow on me, “It’s a free country, I can talk whenever I want.”

“Yeah, and you’re inside our property, my bedroom, so stay quiet and answer this exercise before I kick you out.”

He frowned, pouting like a puppy at me. “You can’t do that! Mr. Hwang assigned you to tutor me.”

“What do you think I’m doing right now?”

“Making me answer this stupid math exercise.” He grimaced. I suddenly spotted that girl magazine underneath my table, rolled it and set myself to hit him.

“Tutoring!” He held his hands up in defense, “I mean tutoring!” and I smiled in satisfaction. He can be such a kid sometimes. He’s acting like a 9 year old brat. It was different at school since I always get trapped on the wall. But now, I’m just happy I can see this side of him, like I was the one cornering him, or trapping him on the wall, like I held victory.

“Is this 35, or 85 or―why are you looking at me like that?”

Oh god.

I felt sorry but the only escape I could take right now was to hit him with the magazine.

*                     *                     *

30 minutes has passed and he was still stuck on number 3. I swear it’ll take him a hundred sessions to master algebra.

“Listen, if I get half of the answers right, can I play the piano?” I raised my brow, he’s been eyeing my piano ever since.

“Why? Don’t you have one at home?”

“My mom made me choose between a guitar and a piano for my birthday.”

“Oh really?” I crossed my arms, “Why don’t you buy one then?”

“I’m still saving for one.” He played with his pencil, rolling it between his fingers. I never get to learn that trick. Jinki does that, too. Why are boys so good at it? “So, can I?”

“I don’t―”

“It would really motivate me.” He pleaded. I rolled my eyes.

“As long as you get half of them right.” He smiled, showing his teeth. He looks like a dork with bad grades in math. Still, that look gave me triple summersaults in my stomach.

*                     *                     *

I eyed him.

I was glaring him.

He answered more than half of the questions right. “How did you―?”

“What? I learned something from the old man a while ago.” He smirked, blowing the tip of his pencil like he just fired a bullet with it. I rolled my eyes once again. I gave him a nod and he was already up to his feet and towards the piano. He took a notebook from his bag; it looked worn out just like his math book.

“Are those―?”

“Notes. I always wanted to try this. Can’t get access to music room every time.” Yeah, because he was always in detention.

I motioned near him, a few feet away, just enough distance for me not to swoon over him and on the spot. I took a peek on his notebook. Lyrics. There were lyrics and notes written, they were in his handwriting which only he, himself, can understand.

“I wrote a song.” He smiled.

“For yourrrrr ex… girlfriend?” He frowned.

“To be honest, no. I guess she never inspired me to write one for her. She’s so clingy and whiny, I was happy I got rid of her.”

“You cried.” I deadpanned.

“I laughed. They were tears of joy you babo.”

“Oh yeah?”I motioned to hit him with that magazine.

“Shush!” He made me shut up and he started to push the keys―one and another, like he was still learning to play it.

But then some sort of melody started to form; only the sound of the piano filled the room and I was left glued on the floor, still a few feet away from him. He started to bob his head; he would close his eyes some times. He started to hum and then… and then he was singing. Singing. The summersaults came back and I find myself looking back at the time when I first heard him sing. It was beautiful. He was like an angel. I felt my shoulders dropping and I was only 3 feet away from his back. It made me feel what it was like before, when I kept tugging my mom to buy me a piano on my birthday. It was so beautiful, so so beautiful, I could get used to this.

I let myself smile as he glanced back at me―smiling and singing. It was stupid, but I felt like he was singing for me.  His smile grew wider until he stopped, the melody gone, the voice gone. Silence drowned the room and then I realize I have to breathe.

“So, what you think?” he smirked and I dropped my smile. I can’t believe I was doing it again. STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!

“It was, uhh, good.” I shrugged.

“I’m not done with it though, but I think it sounds fine,” He smiled at me and I raised my brow, “From the way you reacted.” He chuckled.

“I wasn’t even moving, you jerk!” I snapped. It’s not like I made myself obvious that I was enjoying him sing.

“Which explains how amazed you are?”

“You’re so full of yourself, you… you…” Then he got up and slung his bag pack to his shoulder.

“Listen, if I get my answers right from now on, can you reward me with something? Like letting me play the piano?”

“No way. You might cheat.”

“Then if I don’t get all of them right, I’ll owe you something.” He pointed at me.

“Huh,” I looked around the room, contemplating it for a moment. Owe him something? I felt my cheeks flushed. Owe him something, right.

“Oh c’mon! it would really motivate me if I get something.” He pleaded. And I couldn’t help but just stare at him. I don’t want to agree with this but―

“It’s a deal then!” he clapped his hands and went for the door knob, opening the door, stepping out and giving me a quick smile before he shut it off in front of my dumbfounded face.

“Yah! Don’t decide on your own! YAH!!” I yelled. I was about to reach for the door until it swung open once again. His face was a feet away from me, or less. I forgot to watch my distance. He was so close.

So very close.

“What? It’s not like I’ll ask you to kiss me.” he smirked before he leaned in closer. I swear I could feel the tip of his nose on mine. And I should’ve backed off because it wasn’t his lips that crashed mine. He shut the door after he gave me that smile I know so much.

That smile that says he held victory.