15

And I did never feel this sprightful before.

“For the main team, please come to practice every Monday, Thursday and Friday from five to seven. And for the regular members, the club activity will temporarily be deactivated.”

That was what Junhong said as soon as that day’s practice over.

Meanwhile, I just wordlessly stood on the back side.

“Ah—it will be a long week,” Hana mumbled right beside me.

As usual, she was being choosen as one of the main team. I already knew it though since she was indeed really great on dancing.

“Congrats,” I smiled.

She twitched her lips. “Don’t mention it.”

We were walking out of the class, talking about her current activities and newest gossip around school when suddenly, I heard someone walked right next to Hana.

“So, she doesn’t respon to your talk too?” Junhong chuckled.

“We mostly using telephaty!” she hissed.

“Uh, such nonsense,” he scoffed.

“What are you doing, seriously? Don’t walk with girls!” Hana rudely chased him away.

“Well, I don’t want to walk with you too,” he made a face at her.

“Then, go away,” she forced a deep voice.

“Alright, alright,” he rolled his eyes. “Bye, fatty.”

“What?!” Hana squealed.

I smiled. That was indeed the most sensitive topic for Hana.

And her reaction was really amusing.

But then my smile slowly faded away as he looked at me—despite Hana was still yelling at him.

Later, he smiled. And saying something before he walked away.

“Bye, Jieunnie.”





Everyone was so busy.

It didn’t seem that way when I was on the first grade.

Or it was just me that didn’t realize it.

It was the day before festival that we got duty to clean up our classroom.

But I felt like Junhong was there, whenever I was.

“You need to wipe this with tiner first,” he commented.

I looked up from the table that I was working on.

And he was standing on the opposite of me.

“You don’t have one?” he asked.

I looked around, before shook my head later.

“I see. Here you go,” he gave me a bottle of uncovered spray.

And after thinking for awhile, I finally took it from his hand.

“You just need to spray it on,” he convinced.

Being clueless as always—I did like what he told me.

And I sprayed over the table with that stuff.

But—it’s getting worsen.

If there’s only graffitis before,

Now, they were completely covered by red paint.

Then I heard his laughter.

“You literally did it!” he banged the table for several times, laughing really hard that made the entire class turned at us.

I didn’t know what to say.

And didn’t even know what should I do.

But I found myself smiled a little instead.


“Yeah, keep laughing, Choi Junhong.” Mr. Kim hit his head with a book. “You have to clean teacher’s office after school!”

He rolled his eyes. “Why are you so sensitive, seriously?”

“And you,” Mr. Kim looked at me, “watch his work and carefully put your eyes on him.”





The school was already so empty.

Leaving only me and Junhong alone in the teacher’s office.

“Let’s just pretend I have already cleaned up everything and go home,” he tried to settle a plan.

I looked at him that was sitting on Mr. Kim’s chair two tables away.

Wondering whether it was a good idea or not.

“Alright, alright,” he sat up, “I’ll do it.”

I watched him taking a towel and begin cleaning up the window—the way he did those task carelessly while humming a song.

Until I decided to help him out.

I took a plastic bag and picking up some rubbish on the floor.

And he looked at me after hearing the noises.

“Ah, you’re helping me,” he chuckled.

I didn’t reply him.

Instead, I just continued my work.

I felt a bit strange that I suddenly got the urge to help him.

But more than strange—it made me embarassed.

“Twinkle, twinkle little stars. How I want Jieun to talk,”

I turned around, looking at him that was still wiping the window.

“I’ve been talking all day long, she’s just staring with no words,” he continued his singing.

And I wanted to smile to hear his off-tune singing.

But out of a sudden, he looked at me. And caught me smiling.

“Uh, you smile,” he grinned.

Spontaneously, I put back my straight face.

My head was heated up at once.

“It’s good. Nothing to hide about it,” he commented. “Learn talking, expressed your feeling. So you will never regret it later.”

—Regret.

How could he know almost everything that I felt?

He read my mind—and my heart.

And I was really scared,

if I misread everything again.