The next few days passed rather smoothly. Daehyun found that the arrangement of him being So Eun's friend gave her much more access to keeping an eye on her and more excuses to being around her.

At the same time, he also made sure to be cold all the time so that he could keep appropriate distance.

Daehyun began warming up to the BAP boys and he actually enjoyed hearing their chatter, learning more about the world around him.

Except that Yoo Youngjae though. Youngjae was someone that seemed to be curious about everything just like So Eun. He could be said to be So Eun's twin brother.

Daehyun noticed him watching and observing him and Daehyun had to watch his expression even more tightly when he was around So Eun, making sure he didn't let slip his actual feelings inside.

It was tiring, the constant hold on his facade, but if he could be around her more, it was worth it.

A week passed and soon the atmosphere was filled with romanticism, hopeful glances, secretive smiled and delighted giggles.

Yes, it was time for Valentines.

The BAP boys walked into school with So Eun, usually meeting Daehyun at the lockers since he didn't stay near them.

They reached the front gate and saw girls holding balloons and chocolate boxes, approaching guys that they secretly had a crush on.

"I feel faint." Zelo muttered as he eyed the girls. "I've always hated this day."

"Aww don't say that." So Eun laughed, amused. "It's not that bad-"

"OMO! BAP OPPAS!" The fangirls spotted the boys and rushed towards them with the gifts that they prepared. "THEY'RE HERE!!"

"Himchan oppa please accept my confession!"

"Jongup oppa! I like you very much please go out with me!"

"Yongguk oppaaaaaa!!! Please sign this marriage certificate!!!"

Zelo threw So Eun a look and she laughed. "Oops, maybe it's as bad as you think." She mused. "Wonder how I forgot how horrifying this day is for the boys."

The boys smiled politely and accepted the gifts, shaking their heads and rejecting those that came with promises of affection. The boys made it a point to make it clear that their accepting of the gifts meant nothing more than platonic. If the girl wanted more, they wouldn't accept it.

Youngjae blew on his bangs frustratedly and So Eun laughed beside him. "I don't get why you're so annoyed. It's an early Christmas isn't it?"

Youngjae rolled his eyes. "For your information, Santa never did yell in my ear like those girls did, professing his love for me. I prefer Santa any time."

The boys reached their locker and by that time, their hands were already laden with gifts which they stuffed in their inadequate locker. They were insanely popular, almost like being Kpop stars.

Daehyun wasn't there when they reached the locker, and the boys occupied themselves with trying to fit everything in their lockers.

"What in the world?" Zelo dropped a box which he had been trying to stuff into his locker. "Which evil noona gave me this?" He shrieked, kicking it away.

Yongguk bent down to retrieve it curiously and realized that they were a box of men underwear. Oh boy.

"What's that?" So Eun asked curiously, tipping her toes to peer at the box.

Yongguk promptly threw the box to Himchan who dumped it in the dustbin, closing the lid before So Eun saw anything. "Nothing." They chorused innocently.

"The fangirls these days." Youngjae muttered under his breath. "Can't they give me book vouchers instead? Chocolates chocolates. Do they want me to get diabetes?"

The boys waited for Daehyun to appear but the guy was taking a longer time than usual. He appeared just five minutes before the bell rang for first period and Yongguk's jaw dropped when he saw the amount of gifts Daehyun received.

"What the-" Yongguk gaped when he saw Daehyun arrive with his arms full of gifts, and another two girls helping him to carry the rest.

Daehyun looked annoyed and pissed at the whole affair. "What am I supposed to do with all these?" He muttered in a low voice, pointing at the heap of chocolate boxes he dropped in front of his locker.

"Eat them." Himchan muttered. "And puke chocolate after."

Daehyun nodded politely at the girls who helped him with the gifts and instructed them to dump the gifts together with the chocolate heap. They giggled and wanted flirtatiously.

"I've never seen someone get as many gifts as you, Daehyun hyung." Jongup gaped.

Daehyun looked thoroughly annoyed at this whole affair and Youngjae grinned. "Dude, do you even know what today is and why the girls are giving you gifts?"

Daehyun looked puzzled and So Eun let out a laugh. "It's Valentines, Daehyun." She mused.

Daehyun blinked. A memory surfaced in his mind, a valentines experience a good eighty years ago. He almost forgot about it.

"If you're not going to eat them, you can give some to me, Daehyun hyung." Zelo eyed the chocolates greedily.

"No he is not going to." Himchan clicked his tongue. "Too many sweets, my son. I think we can give them away later."

Daehyun just shrugged, not feeling bothered enough to care about how to handle the gifts. He glanced at So Eun discreetly, knowing what Valentines day was about.

It was the time for girls to express their affections and White day was the time for the guys to do so.

*I wonder if she's giving anyone chocolates.* he thought. The thought made him slightly uneasy but he forced it down. She wasn't his anymore, and he had to keep it that way.







Lunch was an exciting affair, with more confessions and gifts. The BAP boys received another truckload of gifts and Daehyun looks thoroughly pissed whenever a girl approached him with a box that vaguely resembled one that stored chocolates.

The boys had finally managed to make their way to the cafeteria and got themselves seats, letting out sighs. "Valentines is even more tiring than Sports day." Jongup muttered, rubbing his neck.

"If I see another box of chocolates, I'd puke. I'm not kidding." Himchan let out a sigh melodramatically.

"Even if its by me?"

All eyes zeroed in on So Eun as she picked a box from her bag. "Here, happy valentines boys."

"Finally! I was wondering where your chocolate went." Yongguk rubbed his hands greedily. He opened the box to reveal small chocolate penguins arranged neatly.

Zelo popped one into his mouth and hummed in satisfaction. "Noona's chocolates are the best." He praised.

Daehyun blinked, finally getting it. So So Eun made chocolates, but it was for them boys. It meant nothing more than platonic then. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

The boys picked all the chocolates off the box before Daehyun could even react and he didn't even get one left. He eyed Youngjae who had gotten the last piece and was chewing happily.

Youngjae just grinned and shrugged. "You were in a daze. First come first served, Daehyun hyung."

Daehyun rolled his eyes, annoyed. He wanted to try So Eun's chocolates, even if they weren't made solely for him.

"So Eun?"

The boys stopped eating and glanced up at the guy who had stopped by their table. His name was Kim Jonghyun, one of the other popular guys in school.

So Eun blinked up at him in confusion and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Jonghyun sshi?"

"Uhm well," Jonghyun cleared his throat. "I know most of the times girls are the ones to profess their love on Valentines and guys have the chance to do the same on White's day, but I couldn't wait that long."

He produced a bouquet of roses from behind his back and gave her a charming smile. "So Eun, will you go out with me?"

So Eun bit her lip awkwardly. "I'm sorry Jonghyun sshi, I'd like us to stay as friends." She played with her fingers behind her back.

"Oh. It's okay then. You can keep the bouquet, it's meant for you anyways." Jonghyun trudged away sadly.

So Eun let out a sigh and bit her lip after he left. "I feel bad." She muttered.

"You totally should." Youngjae rubbed salt into her wound. "Didn't you see how dejected he was right there?"

Yongguk glanced at Jonghyun who was being comforted by Onew. "Why didn't you accept him anyway?" He asked curiously. "He's pretty good looking and he sings really well. He's a nice guy."

Daehyun watched silently, waiting for So Eun's reaction.

She shrugged, scratching her head. "He just...isn't it you know? I don't feel that way with him."

"You don't feel that way with any guy." Himchan stated blandly.

"That's not true!" So Eun pouted.

Sparks, she had to admit she felt them when she was with the masked man. They met two times and he left a deep impression on her even though he never once spoke.

She remembered his little notes on her History Textbook and a little smile came onto her face. That was really sweet of him.

She didn't have a crush on the masked man, no don't get her wrong. But there were sparks when they were together and that is precisely what she was looking for in a guy.

The one who could make her heart race.

"I'll feel it when I meet the right guy." So Eun muttered, drinking her apple juice. "Don't worry about me and why not worry about yourselves."

"Meh, we don't need worrying." Yongguk shrugged. "Just afraid that you'll become an old maid and we'd have to take care of you." He barely dodged the bun that came from So Eun's direction.

Jongup twisted his lips and scratched his head. Did So Eun feel the sparks when she was with him? Did he? He didn't know if what he felt was the genuine thing when he was with her, but he liked So Eun. That cannot be denied.

He just had to figure if it was a platonic like or a romantic one.

So Eun glanced at Daehyun secretly when he wasn't looking and thought to herself curiously. *I wonder if Daehyun likes anyone. Will his ice heart melt for anyone at all?*

Yes it will. It already did.