When I stepped out from my bathroom, I heard a tentative honk. Wrapped only in my blue towel, I peeked through the curtains of my window and found Jaejoong’s car being assisted by fellow callboys of black Hummers. My jaw dropped as I followed with my wavering eyes the figure of Jaejoong wearing our regular uniform, step out from his Porsche and slip out his lustrous black phone from his pocket. My phone rang from my side table near the alarm clock. I picked it up fast, still watching Jae leaned against his car casually clutching his phone to his ear. 

            The sky overhead was a warm sea blue with streaks of bright rays from the happy sun. I slept dreamless and well last night, excited about what this day might again bring. Jae is very unpredictable. This wasn’t what I was clearly expecting when he said he’ll pick me up. I shook my head, thinking there’s no one with better chauffeurs in school than the grandson of its founder, perhaps no one even richer.

            “I’ll be down there just a sec,” My voice was croaking. Jae met my gaze from my window that faced the front driveway. He smiled mischievously raising his perfect brows, sending butterflies to my stomach.

            “And I’ll be here.” He hung up and I hastily rummaged my closet for my ironed uniform.

            I only took two pieces of Korean bread Soboro, stacked one whole inside my mouth as I kissed my father goodbye, he looked excited too that Jae is picking me up. He barely hid his excitement correctly after seeing my mouth, he burst into laughter. I left him in a good mood as I held my breath when I saw Jaejoong.

            He was looking at the ground first hands in his pocket when I came out, playing with the pebbles with his foot. When he looked at me through his lashes, my breath got caught in my throat for a while. He never failed to look dazzling.

            I glanced at his bodyguards inside the Hammers nervously as Jae opened the door for me. When we were settled inside his car, I had a feeling that this will cause another gossip. Being with Jaejoong has ignited a fire in my boring brainy high school life, and I had already realized that this is what it feels like to be in love with someone loving you back. I’m sure Jaejoong is waiting for me to tell him that we are official, although he tried his best not to let it show, I could feel he wanted to prove me something other than he has changed. Still he was giving me time.

            “Don’t you want me to buy you a car?” He asked as he drove swiftly towards the highway. The first two callboys were right in front of us while the other two was at the back. I wonder why he has this many armored assistants when he’ll only be going to school and not to any terrorist dominated country.

            “Why would you want that?” I settled my bag pack in my lap silently. I prefer him driving me anyway.

            “Well… because only your father owns one and you don’t.” He peeked at me for a split second. I notice his hair was dry and carefree, and there was a necklace hidden beneath his barely buttoned shirt, revealing his slender neck yet again, too distracted to picture my father’s 1953 Chevrolet Corvette.

            “You don’t have to.” I replied stiffly to hide my surprise. I never like it when people try to buy things for me, because I have to make it up for them. And what kind of guy would ask if he could buy me a car? What will I give him in return?

            Besides, I have decided to buy myself a car after I graduate high school, which is only a month or less from now, a matter preferably practical for college.

            “That’s completely absurd So Eun. Girls would die to stand a chance you are being offered.” The callboys might be boring Jaejoong since he usually drive the fastest legal speed, but his assistants drive normally sane to me.

            “But I’m not like most girls.” I said stubbornly, raising my chin. “And I wouldn’t need it yet, I have a bike remember?”

            He tried to stifle a laugh by his lower lip. “Yeah I remember. And a bike could sure run great speeds than a car.” He was laughing his magical smooth laugh now. I wanted to listen to it longer.

            I watched his white hands and the blue tendons that traced it as he manipulates the wheel. We were by the gates of the school now, and people are starting to get off their car. Some girls noticed Jaejoong’s callboys as if they’ve been anticipating it before which they probably have. The callboys round the curb and stopped in front the building, Jae’s bodyguards started to get out, boy were they plenty than the president’s.

            “Eun,” I was surprised when he called me by my nickname. His bodyguard opened my door by then. “I’ll be off to practice for our upcoming basketball competition the whole day.” His eyes were carefully distant.

            My eyes dropped slightly. “That’s okay.”

            “And it would be for two weeks, so I’ll only be by the gym with my team.”

            “Oh.” I wasn’t able to hide the crack that’s clearly visible to my face.

            “Don’t worry, I’ll still be picking you up from school, by then practice is over.” He placed his hand to mine briefly and started to get off. I notice now he was usually careful not to have physical contact, possibly not to scare me.

            A vague familiar emptiness engulfed me, the emptiness I felt last Monday when I confronted him, and then when he was in a one on one practice last Tuesday. For two weeks I’ll be spending less time with him. It was weird but, there was already a physical connection between us in a matter of a few days.

            Jae had rounded the car by then and took me by the hand. I slung my bag pack on my right just like his. His bodyguards were positioned in a box around us as the students peeked through. I hear some girls chant while others whined in dismay as Jae held my hand and walked nonchalantly up the stairs. We did draw a lot of attention as expected. I sigh quietly to myself, debating in my mind how fast this gossip could travel the whole institution.

            When we reached the lockers and people started gawking, I pulled off halfheartedly to mine and took my books. Jae’s locker was still at the other far end, he smiled as he went there with his fellow bodyguards, but most of the guards stayed to me, leaving me with an uncomfortable feeling. I hurried to stuff the books inside my bag and half-ran to Jae, still his bodyguards followed. 

            I kissed his cheek goodbye to his obvious surprise and wished him well for his practice. As much as I hated it, I left him and went for my class glumly. People were still gawking at me although Jae wasn’t by my side. My fingers still felt for his warm hand.

            I walked inside my classroom hearing my footsteps and the echo inside my heart. Kyu Hyun was by the seat where Jaejoong should have been, and he was talking to Yoona. I dimly heard him mutter to Yoona. “Isn’t that Jaejoong’s bodyguards behind So Eun?”

            I peeked at my back to check, and there they were still behind me. All my classmates started to look too. I blushed in embarrassment. Why are they still here? After placing my bag to my desk, I turned ridiculously to them and ask them why they are following me. They replied robotically that Jaejoong ordered them to follow me all throughout the day. A brief flash about the scene inside the bar sprang to my mind. So this was one of his schemes again?

            I tried to ignore the murmurs my classmates were making and the guards in black as they positioned themselves inside every corner of the room, making it look narrow. Mina and Jess arrived while holding hands; they stopped to look at my face then to the guards around and finally giggled.

            “Don’t tell me this is what I am thinking?” Mina held her hand to in false shock.

            “Yeah it is.” I rested my chin to my hands. “Jaejoong picked me up and he’s becoming overprotective since he has practice the whole day.”

            “This is about what happened in the bar right?” Jessica whispered.

            I nodded, leaving Mina confused. Jess started off the details in a minimized tone and Mina gasped exaggeratingly and laughed.

            “Are you being honest with us Eun? That nothing exciting happened?” Mina’s perfectly arched brow raised.

            I held up my hand, making sure I mean what I say. “Nothing.”

            “Maybe Jaejoong really likes you!” Mina squealed.

            “Mina how could you ask such an obvious thing, do you think he’d call me at two in the morning to purchase Eun a uniform?”  Jess flung her just-curled brown hair.

            “Really? Tell me exactly what happened?” I tuned off Mina and Jess as they go over the details again, Jess exaggerating a little. My mind drifted around the classroom, Donghae caught my attention since he was the only one not peeking at me. All of my classmates might be catching the talk that I arrived with Jae.

            “Eun!” Jess called my attention. There must be a question I’m missing.

            “Yep?”

            “You do know that Jae had his way to girls. But don’t you think he’s been like this only to impress you?” Jess asked.

            “He has impressed me alright.”

            “So then you are now his girlfriend?” Mina lowered her voice. Her lashes looked extra long from mascara; it made me conscious that I wasn’t wearing any make up even just a blush.

            “It’s not like that…” I trailed off.

            “What’s not like? He has probably kissed you yesterday!” Jess quipped.

            “No he hasn’t. Not since Seven Minutes in Heaven.” I blushed.

            “What!” They both gushed.

            “So what are you two then?” Mina bit her lower lip in eagerness.

            “It’s not like we’ve put a label in whatever is going on.” I chewed my lip.

            “I can’t believe Jae would take in something like that. He should have been calling you ‘Baby’ or ‘My Girl’ by now.”

            “I’m nobody’s girl.” Am I?  I thought to myself.

            “Oh I really doubt that.” Jess leaned forward.

            “Really, he only said he was courting me.”

            “Courting?” Mina raised a brow again. “Since when did Jaejoong become traditional?”

            “That’s exactly what my father told me.” By then Mr. Han walked inside the room and shushed everybody.

            “You’ve got more to tell later.” Jess warned as she and Mina walked to the back.

            Mr. Han made his morning introductions about the guards that the boards of the school had permitted them before surprisingly called me. “Ms. Kim, why were you absent yesterday?”

            “I…” Oops, I haven’t thought about that.