I saw him mopping the floor, like he usually does before going to sleep. I stopped at the doorstep and headed towards the garden. I proceeded to the maid's quarter and barged in without knocking. I called one out and ordered her to gather soil for me and put it in a container.

 

I proceeded to the main hall and saw that he was far away, with his back facing me. I poured the soil all over the floor with a smug smile. I stepped on it, careful not to let my skin have contact with it, and started heading towards the staircase, making sure to leave trails behind. I was at the top of the staircase when I heard him shout.

 

“WILD CAT!” he roared. I looked down and saw he was running towards me. But I already had a head start. I removed my soiled slippers and threw both of them at him. I laughed as the other one hit the side of his face. I ran to my room and locked it.

 

“You're gonna pay for this, you wild jungle cat!” he pounded on my door.

 

“I'd like to see you try!” I said through the door. I waited for an answer, but there's none. I leaned my ear on the door and tried to listen for any suspicious sounds. But I heard none. I slowly opened the door and peered through it. I saw an empty hallway. I opened the door wider and stepped out of my room. I sneaked a look over the stairs and I saw him mopping the dirt away. Ha!

 

Success is mine again!

 

I went back to my room and removed my clothes. I stepped into the bathroom and turned the shower on. So, I was in the middle of wetting myself when the lights suddenly went out. I screamed at the top of my lungs. It's a common knowledge that I'm afraid of the dark. I didn't stop screaming. I was sure the maids were now frantically going here in my room to fetch me.

 

I was sure it's past one minute already since the lights went out, but there were no maids! No freaking maids went to fetch me! What the heck! My throat was aching already from too much screaming. I felt around me, looking for the towel and the bathrobe, darn it!

 

As I felt the both of them, I quickly dried myself and put the bathrobe on. Next, I looked for my phone that I put just above the sink. I opened it and used it to light my way. Ghad! I don't want to stay alone here!

 

I quickly went to the door and gasped as I saw the vast darkness in front of me. I shouted, calling the maids, but no one answered. I started feeling goose bumps all over my body as my heart went galloping. I slowly walked down the hallway and into the staircase when I suddenly heard a loud banging of the door behind me. I screamed again and ran for my life down the stairs. As I reached the bottom, I stepped on something slippery, and fell on it. I lit my phone again and saw that it was the soil I left a while ago. Aigoo! Where did everybody go?

 

I gasped as a thousand possibilities came into my head.

 

What if we're being held hostage? What if a thief did this? Or maybe someone or something wants to me? I mean, I'm pretty, so, it's possible that the aliens would also like me. Yes, that's right! The has killed or abducted everyone so that he or it can get to me! Aigoo! The prize of being beautiful! I should hide myself, I shouldn't be here, exposed. I stood up and went back to the stairs when I saw a yellowish light upstairs.

 

OMONA!!!! The is here!

 

I ran to the kitchen and hid myself under the kitchen counter. I was trembling.

 

Silence.

 

Then, I started hearing whistle followed by a very weird sound that I can't quite describe. Aigoo! The is an alien! The sound disappeared. Then, I heard a creaking sound from afar. I get out of my place and crawled to the kitchen door that leads to the maids' quarter. I was near the door when it suddenly opened. My eyes went wide. I was afraid to look up, but then, I found out that it's a human’s feet. I looked up, and even through the dark, I can see a glimpse of the stupid blond hair. I quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. I pulled him out.

 

“There's an alien in the house!” I exclaimed. Okay, I'm a bit relieved that I found him, I mean, I really can't stay long alone in the dark! I pulled him to the maids' quarter. “Where are the others?” I asked, gasping for breath. “Did the alien get them?”

 

He didn't answer.

 

My heart went plummeting again. What if the alien took control of the pest's mind? Out of nowhere, he burst out laughing. The lights suddenly went on.

 

“What's going on here? Jiyong, did you close the main circuits? I found them close,” Mrs. Kwon appeared.

 

I looked at Jiyong, dumbstruck. “Y-you. . .you did this?”

 

“You're so funny! A-aliens? You actually believed there are aliens?” he said in between laughter.

 

He was totally laughing his heart out, rolling all over the floor. I fumed, feeling myself boiling. I curled my fists and started kicking him.

 

“KWON JIYONG!”

 

~o~

 

I was being called to the principal's office.

 

“Good luck!” the pest snorted. I glared at him and marched out of the room. The moment I was out of the room, I started feeling anxious. I knew why the principal called me.

 

“Hello, Miss Park,” the principal greeted. I didn't greet him back and just went to seat in the chair in front of his desk, crossing my leg along the process. “Are you ready for the exam?”

 

“Do I look ready? It's as if I have a choice,” I said. The principal shook his head. I just rolled my eyes at him.

 

“Here's the exam. You're only allowed an hour for each subject.”

 

“An hour?” I asked, aghast, he just gave me a pointed look.

 

“Yes, Miss Park, an hour. You've already encountered this in your previous years, I'm pretty sure it'll be easy for you.”

 

 

Later. . .

 

“So, how was it?” Wooyoung oppa asked.

 

My shoulders fell from embarrassment. “I failed.”

 

“It's not really surprising,” Hyuna chuckled.

 

“Oh, shut up,” I said.

 

“Come on, Dara. It's like your life depends on it,” Taeyeon said.

 

“My credit cards will be held back!” I burst out.

 

“I'm sure your Dad can't bear seeing you suffering. You can just use your trembling lip technique. He always gives in, anyways,” Yuri seconded.

 

I brightened up. “You're right! Haha. I totally forgot about it.”

 

“Now that your mood lightened up, would you like to hang out?” Wooyoung oppa asked.

 

“Absolutely!”

 

Wooyoung oppa drove me home since I told the driver a while ago that I'll be out late with my friends. He went to open the car's door for me. Aww, he's such a sweetheart, not to say a perfect gentleman. “Thanks oppa. I had fun,” I said.

 

“Glad you did. I don't like seeing you down,” he smiled, making me blush. Ah, he's simply perfect.

 

“Would you like to come in first? For a tea or something?” I asked.

 

“Nah, I don't want to keep you late. You still have classes tomorrow,” he said, then messed my hair playfully.

 

Oppa's car was long gone but I just stood there, transfixed with my hand endlessly waving.

 

“Ya! Wild cat! Your father's looking for you. He's in the library.”

 

Yeah, expect the pest to always ruin my mood. I glared at him as I passed by him and went to the mini library. “Hi Dad!” I greeted. He sighed then looked at me for a brief moment then bowed his head back to the book he's reading.

 

“The principal called,” he said, eyes on the book. “He said you failed the exam and you didn't even reach half of the items!”

 

“Dad, come on. It was really hard you know.”

 

“I'm afraid I have to hold your credit cards. And you're grounded.”

 

“But Dad!” I protested.

 

He sighed then closed his eyes, leaning it on the head rest of his chair. “Okay, I'll give you a second chance.”

 

I brightened up.

 

“I'll give you two weeks to prepare for the exams.”

 

“Thanks, Dad! You're really the best!” I said as I went to hug him. I was about to leave when he spoke again.

 

“Oh, one more thing. Since you're grounded, you'll be going straight home after class.”

 

“Okay. I think I know how being grounded works,” I said.

 

“Oh, one more,” he said. I rolled my eyes. What is it this time? “You're not allowed to accept any visitors here. May it be a friend or a classmate.”

 

I turned back to him. “But Dad! How am I going to ask someone to tutor me if that's the case?” I blurted out.

 

“Either you study alone or you ask Jiyong's help,” he shrugged.

 

I was dazed while I was going back to my room. There's definitely no way I'm going to pass the exam without help. And there's definitely no way I'm going to ask for that pest's help.

 

N-E-V-E-R.

 

I changed direction and went to the kitchen. I pulled out a pint of ice cream and started attacking it. I was in that state when the pest entered the kitchen and went to get himself a glass of water. All the time, my eyes never left him, glaring.

 

As quietly as he came, he did the same when he left. I stood up, still wearing my most dangerous and dark glare. I followed him. “Ya!” I called as he was about to enter his room. He stopped and looked at me.

 

“What do you want?” he scowled.

 

Ha? Why the hell did I follow him anyways? Darn it! I was lost in my thought when the door suddenly closed. What the? I banged on his door.

 

“What?” he asked.

 

“Tutor me!” I commanded. Ugh. This is so embarrassing! So humiliating! So degrading! So insulting! And so disgusting! Heck! Where did that come from? Am I that desperate? Maybe I am.

 

He didn't answer, face looking serious. Then, it broke into an evil look with his devil smile. “No,” he answered.

 

My jaw dropped in disbelief. Did he just say no? Due to irritation, I smacked the pint of ice cream in his head.

 

“How dare you say no to me?” I shrieked. He didn't answer as he removed the pint off his head. “Take that back!”

 

“No,” he said again and closed the door. I was about to pound on it when it opened again. “Oh, thanks for the ice cream,” he smirked as he banged the door close against my face again. I pounded on the door furiously.

 

“You don't have the right to say no!” I shouted. “You're just a servant here!”

 

No answer.

 

“KWON JIYONG!"