forty-five

—

ken.

Approximately two months had passed since I first entered this school, and right at this moment, we were discussing about the upcoming school festival. After the teacher discussed about the plans for the school festival, Ji Eun, the class representative, took over. "Right. Before we decide on what this class would do for the event, I need one person to help me with the preparations. I need someone who's free. Anyone...?" Ji Eun scanned the whole classroom. I looked around, and it seemed like no one wanted to volunteer. The girl in front was shocked when I raised my hand, "I'll do it!" I smiled. Everyone stared at me with the same expression as Ji Eun. She blinked twice and cleared , "O-Okay... Jae Hwan it is." She nodded at the teacher who was standing right beside her and got out of the podium. She returned to her seat, which was right beside mine.

—

ji eun.

"Jae Hwan." I neared him who was munching on a peppero stick. He looked up at me with a confused look on his face. "Hmm?" He blinked at me. "Come with me." I patted his shoulder, telling him to stand up. 

"Where?"

"Just follow me." 

I exited the classroom with Jae Hwan tailing me from right behind. "What is it?" He asked, still nibbling on the chocolate-covered snack. "We're going to have a meeting with the committee members." With that said, he nearly chocked on what he was eating. "Pardon?" Jae Hwan coughed as he patted on his chest. I raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You've got guts to volunteer just like that." He looked at me like a lost puppy. "I mean, do you even know why no one raised their hands a while ago? Because work like these are tough. It'll consume all your time and energy. You've got lots of work, things to do... These kinds of events are important and it's a no-no to be idle. Who'd like that?" I explained, while the latter only kept silent and nodded his head. I looked up at Jae Hwan who did the same. 

"What?" He asked. 

"Do you get what I mean?"

"So... You're telling me that I need to work hard?" He pointed a peppero stick at me. "Something like that." I replied.

"Don't worry. That's why I volunteered." A smile appeared on Jae Hwan's face and he bobbed his head from side-to-side, "What do you mean?" I pursed my lips. "I accepted the job so that you wouldn't shoulder everything else." He informed. "You look like the "workaholic" type... So I've decided to help you. That was the only reason why I volunteered. Oh! And I also have a lot of free time~" He averted his gaze back at me which made me jump in my place. "Huh... I don't get you." I looked away and tried to calm my beating heart from the shock. And he also said that was the only reason, but he added another. How weird.

"Say... Do you like Hak Yeon-hyung?" He suddenly changed the topic. I was taken aback with his words. What I meant was, who would ask that kind of thing out of nowhere? And what drove him to asking such? My heart skipped a beat when I tried to open my mouth to answer his question. "Why'd you ask that sort of thing?" I was feeling really nervous while I anticipated for his reply. "Hmm." Jae Hwan tapped his chin. "It looked like it. You two look like you're close." "How?" I asked and he thought about it. "You two kept on arguing and all." 

"Is that so..."

Did we give off that kind of feeling? I didn't want anyone to misunderstand, so I confirmed it. "No... I don't like him, romantically, that is. I like him as a friend, that's all to it..." There was an awkward silence while we were walking at the hallway. "And we've known each other for a long time because we attended the same dance class, so... Yeah..." I stole a glance at Jae Hwan who was spacing out far away at the window. Right at that moment, I really wanted to ask why he directed that question out of the blue. If he was able to ask such, then he was very observant of his surroundings. I wonder why he would give time to observe every moment that was happening around him. "I was just curious, that's all."

I also wondered to myself why I made everything clear. I had two options: To answer truthfully and not to answer truthfully. However, if I were being myself right now, I would prefer the second option, since that was my personality - My character. But I wonder why I answered whole-heartedly. Was it all because I didn't want him to misunderstand? Maybe that's it... I looked down and peeked at Jae Hwan's still and hushed expression.

Or maybe because... There was something else?

—

ken.

Why did I ask that!? 

That was one of the questions that kept on pestering me for days... More like weeks. I couldn't keep it off my mind. I bet it made Ji Eun puzzled. Who would ask such a daring and personal question? It seems like I would be the only person one earth who would do so. Good job Jae Hwan. I felt very mortified to the point that I couldn't stay still. I was restless and uneasy. My heart was pumping a lot of blood, and I could feel them rushing towards my brain. My stomach was also swirling... I tried to keep my eyes off her by looking at the window. Because if I did, then I might not be able to resist asking too much. I wanted to know her more, but I must not embarrass myself in the process. 

...Did I give it away?