She stared at her phone that was vibrating. She felt conflicted as to whether she should pick it up.  She look at the caller ID, it was TOP. And Jonghyun was here. Somehow the combination of being next to Jonghyun and talking to TOP didn’t particularly seem like a good idea.

“ Well are you gonna answer it?”

“ just shut up and drive “ Jessica snapped .

“ I’m just annoyed by your phone’s ringtone so if you’re not gonna answer it then make it stop ringing”. He knew it was TOP and he wished she would just pick the call already so that he could know what the sneaky bastard was up to calling Jessica this early in the morning.

Fine fine.. Jessica rolled her eyes and answered the call.

“ Hey” the husky voice spoke at the other end of the line.

“ hi ! “ Jessica replied as carefully as she could. She could already feel Jonghyun trying to eavesdrop on her. She shot a glare at him signaling how rude he was, and he didn’t seem to care.

“ Hey”, “ Yeah I’m fine.. don’t worry!”

“ Oh sure.. of course”

“ uh huh”

“ no no.. “

“ really? Nah… I don’t think so.. seriously?”

“ oh.. that’s great!”

“ no what.. you don’t have to do that!” Jessica said and giggled.

By now Jonghyun was literally straining his ears trying to listen what TOP was saying on the other end but his voice was so deep that he could hardly make any sense out of it. He suddenly felt ridiculous and slightly ashamed of what he was doing. But who cares, this was his opponent in his game and he had to know what he was up to. Jonghyun convinced himself.

“ Sure, I’ll see you tonight then.. “

Jonghyun’s arms stiffened and his grip on the wheels tightened.

WHAT?! They’re going on a date?! Hey that’s unfair..

“ Alright bye! “ She said and hung up finally.

“ Byeeee! “ Jonghyun mimicked her in a high pitch tone.

“ Don’t do that ! “

“ Don’t do THAT! “ He repeated, in an even higher voice. And Jessica sent a light punch to his arms. He protested in a fake whimping.

“ So,” Jonghyun began.“ You’re going on a date with the rooster?” He said, poking fun at TOP’s ridiculous new hair.

“ It’s TOP.” She gritted through her teeth. “ And yes.”

“ Looking forward to it?”

“ Yes. Yes I am.”

They’ve already reached the school carpark and Jonghyun was looking for his usual slot to park in. A few minutes had gone by and the car pulled to a complete halt. They didn’t move. Jessica can feel his quizzical eyes on her. She can feel them.

“ What?” She snapped defensively, turning to look at him. She hadn’t realized he had bent forward. At that the tip of their nose was almost touching. She blinked a couple of times quickly but remained still. Lately she realized he particularly enjoyed doing this, pulling in so close that she felt so helplessly defenseless. Since when had he gotten such nerves?

“ Did I say anything?” Jonghyun raises his eyebrows. As Jessica saw his expression she feel stung. What does he know about TOP and her?

“ I know what you’re thinking,” she say, lifting her chin defiantly. No matter how unconvinced Jonghyun is of her actually liking TOP and TOP liking her back too, despite their engagement, she believed herself. Well someone had to.

“ But you’re wrong.” She affirmed him.

“ I’m wrong?”

“ Yes! You.. underestimate our affections for each other.”

“ Affections for each other? “ Jonghyun looks as if he wants to laugh. But he fixed his eyes on her. Then he said, “ you mean your affections for me? Well yes, you’re underestimating it a lot. You’re just trying really hard to lie to yourself and win me aren’t you?” He asked.

“ No.” Jessica pursed her lips. Then she looked down. Not a good body language signature she’s sending, she knows, but where else could she look? She didn’t think she could look straight into his eyes and say that. Because part of it was true.

“ Look at me,” Jonghyun said finally, lifting her chins up. “ Don’t go. I know you don’t want to” He taunted her.

There was a silent pause. And for one moment Jessica actually felt compelled to do whatever he was saying.

Then his phone rang. The vibration caught Jessica off guard as she jerked back a little in shock. Thank god.. I almost fell for that! She scolded herself.

Jonghyun pulled his phone out, it was Minho.

Getting out hurriedly, he began jogging to catch up with Jessica that was already speed walking to class.

Making the way down the hall with stares had already been a given and they got used to it but even then today seemed different.

Must have be the fact that everyone knew about his breakup with sekyung and everyone is assuming that he’s with Jessica now since they both are strutting down the hallway together again.

Good, he smiled to himself. At least someone could give TOP a reminder she’s not up for grab.

Trying to find Yuri and the rest of the girls as quickly as she could, Jessica was elbowing her way through the crowded hallway. And as luck would have it, Jessica bumped into the last person she wanted to and the impact had sent all her files sprawling on the ground with music sheets scattered all over the floor. Great. Just great.

Jessica shot a glare at Se kyung wondering if she did it on purpose.

“ oh it’s you sekyung…” Jonghyun said, almost too casually after the drama that had just happened days ago. And a moment of incredible awkwardness came over.

Seemingly having no choice, se kyung bent down and pick the papers up with her perfectly manicured fingers. If she had so much money to do that perhaps she should stop money from Jonghyun long ago and pay her own damn debt, Jessica thought.

Se kyung dangled the papers between her fingers like it was a smelly rotten fish that carried an incurable plaque.

“ Thanks, “ Jessica said, grabbing it before it dropped on her SPF50000 sunscreen-lotioned face. It already her her greasy fingerprints on it.

“ Let’s go” Jessica mumbled to Jonghyun, nudging him forward because he probably wouldn’t move on his own.

As his feet moved Sekyung’s voice stopped him, “ Wait.”

He turned around, but Jessica didn’t. But she stopped.

“ Can we talk, please?” There was a hint of desperation in her voice which irk Jessica to her core and prompted her to brush past Jonghyun’s shoulder and march forward alone. She didn’t need to hear his answer. It was none of her business if they were gonna make up and get back together again. She had to focus on falling back for TOP and not Jonghyun anyway.

And it didn’t take more than 10 minutes later for Jonghyun to catch up with her at her locker.

“ So how was it?” she pretended not to care.

“ She’s more or less fine with the break up “

Jessica shut the locker and looked at the grinning Jonghyun. “ Well which is it, the more or the less?”

“ Why do you care?” He smiled.

“ You’re right. I don’t. I was just asking because I couldn’t tell from her botox face that had no expression.” Then she spun around and walked to her next class. What an annoying guy. Clearly he was testing her again. What do he take her for? This Jessica she knew inside was never gonna stoop down to fight with Sekyung for anyone’s attention. She can have this monkey all she wants.

Jonghyun watched as she paced off slowly, then eventually disappeared into the student crowd. He had to do something. It was only 6 more hours till school is over and TOP drives her away for another fancy date. He had to do whatever it takes to stop her.

Deep in her thoughts, Jessica hadn’t realized a towering figure that slowly slipped by her side.

“ A penny for your thought “

TOP smiled as she turned to her side and realized it was him.

“ Hey..”

“ What’s on your mind?” He asked, genuinely curious.
“ Nothing.. just a random thought.. “

“ What do you wanna have for dinner tonight?” Top asked, as he opened the classroom door and held it for Jessica.

“ I don’t know.. what do you say?”