CHAPTER TWO

“You two looked over your scripts right? Please tell me you did! I can’t film you staring down at your script trying to get the right emotion on your face.” Baek-hyun whined and pouted his lips. I glanced over the script and nodded, “I don’t know about Jong-in, but I did look over it,” Baek-hyun looked at Jong-in with a raised eyebrow, “Did you?”

Jong-in clamped his lips shut and nodded his head, “So, we kiss in the last scene?” I widened my eyes, “We kiss?” Baek-hyun began to guffaw and nodded his head, “You said you read over it and you didn’t even know that you and Jong-in were going to kiss?” I furrowed my brows in confusion, “This is an art film for school! Shouldn’t it be appropriate for school then?” Baek-hyun shook his head while he still laughed.

“You’re killing me, Ryung-cha!” He laughed. I stared at him in disbelief and sighed, “I don’t see how I’m so funny, but ha-ha-ha. I’m killing myself too.” I sarcastically replied and rolled my eyes. Jong-in snickered off to the side and Baek-hyun stopped laughing and glared at me, “You’re a sarcastic dark little bunny aren’t you?”

I snorted at the comment and Jong-in began to laugh at me. Baek-hyun stared at Jong-in and smacked him on the back of his head, “Let’s get started already! Ryung-cha, stand next to the tree.” He pointed at the tree on the top of the hill and I widened my eyes, “I have to climb up that hill? You’re kidding me! I didn’t expect this to have some exercising in it too!” Baek-hyun pushed me up the hill without saying anything and turned my back to where we came from, “Stay like that until Jong-in taps on your shoulder, okay?”

I nodded and sighed. I was going to have to wait a while then because that hill was a mountain! Baek-hyun was chattering his head off and I turned around to see him and Jong-in happily talking to each other, “Um hello? Aren’t we going to film this thing?” I asked. Baek-hyun nodded and held his index finger up to indicate that he was too busy to reply. Jong-in glanced up at me and smirked in my direction and I felt my cheeks burned at the sight of his lips curling up into a smirk.

Baek-hyun twirled his finger in a circle and I turned around slouching my shoulders calmly waiting for Jong-in to tap on my shoulder. I leaned against the tree and stared at the sunset as it slowly began to melt under the horizon. There was a faint tap on my shoulder and I was shocked to see Jong-in’s lips centimeters away from mine. His hot breath hit my collarbones and I blinked. I could feel my heart speed and fly as he smiled and I was lost for words. I felt like I was stuck in time and only Jong-in and I were standing on the top of the hill—well we were, but it felt like nothing I had experienced before.

He began to lean in and Baek-hyun began to shout, “No! Don’t kiss now! It’s not even close to that part yet! Don’t ruin it!!!” Jong-in and I giggled at his furious shouting. Baek-hyun angrily stomped his feet in the long grass and crossed his arms across his chest and frowned, “Stop trying to make me mad! Come on, we need to film scene six!” Jong-in grabbed my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. I could feel my hands slip from his grip because it was so sweaty since I gripped onto my skirt with it.

Jong-in gave me subtle smile and brushed a strand from my face and gazed deeply into my eyes. I did the same, and as I gazed into his eyes, I wanted to see what he was thinking. Did he feel the same way I did? I wanted to ask him, but I snapped out of my dream and remembered Baek-hyun was filming the whole thing and I forced a smile at Jong-in and he chuckled. Only he was able to tell when I was trying to my hardest to look happy.

He pulled me in and hugged onto me tightly and I hesitantly wrapped my arms around him and I could feel his fingers play with my hair. I giggled noticing that he was just as bored as I was since we were to hold our hug until Baek-hyun told us to not, but as we stood there hugging each other, I could feel his heart racing again. Was he nervous? I wanted to talk and ask him why his heart suddenly started to race, but Baek-hyun interrupted my thoughts by shouting at us that he was done filming and Jong-in accidentally jerked his body from mine.

“Sorry, I didn’t think it would be that long,” He said and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as his face flushed a bright rouge shade and grinned at me avoiding my gaze. I smirked, “Did you actually enjoy that scene, Kim Jong-in?” He clamped his lips but his mouth was still curled into a goofy smile and he laughed, “Honestly, it was one of the longest most boring hugs I’ve ever had, but it was a pretty warm hug.” I playfully hit his bicep and then snapped back to reality. Did I just flirt with him?

Baek-hyun jogged up the steep hill and was panting when he reached us, “That was... cute. Now, tomorrow we’ll film Ryung-cha’s side of the story, okay?” He held up his hand with the ‘okay’ sign and we both nodded at the same time. Jong-in cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his pants with his thumbs hooked, “Well, I’ll be heading home. I have a test to study for, actually.”

“Ooh~ you’re actually studying now. Impressive Jong-in; maybe I’m rubbing off my good studying habits on you.” I joked. He smiled in reply and waved at me and Baek-hyun and walked away. Baek-hyun and I awkwardly nodded and smiled at each other in silence and I began to fiddle with my skirt, “I think your art film is really unique, Baek-hyun... it’s really creative. I can see your name being posted on famous blogs and on TV.” Baek-hyun let out a relaxed laugh and smiled crinkling the ends of his eyes. He had such an adorable eye smile when he laughed.

I giggled and he rubbed his neck, “Thanks again for acting in this... At first, I was going to ask Ae-ri or Soo-young to star in it because they’re the popular girls that guys like to see in films, but I noticed that you had such a subtle and artsy look to yourself... and I think you’re way prettier than them.” I widened my eyes and chuckled, “You think I’m cute?”

Baek-hyun nodded and laughed again, “I’ve always thought you were pretty and adorable, and I’ve always wondered why you never had a boyfriend. It wasn’t until Soo-young told me that you were waiting to meet your first love that I began to actually start thinking about this film. I guess you can say that you’re my true inspiration for this film.” I clamped my lips shut and averted my eyes to the grass, “I never thought that someone would write something so beautiful because I inspired them. You’re really something, Baek-hyun.” He began to his lower lip and I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up.

“I think I need to get home. I have to study for that quiz we have tomorrow.” I slightly bowed and turned, but I tripped somehow and Baek-hyun grabbed my waist but fell on top of me and we began to tumble down the hill. We laughed as we stopped and I opened my eyes and looked at Baek-hyun as he smiled at me with his cute eye smile. I could feel his breath on my lips and I began to groan, “I don’t understand why girls don’t top in relationships. They’re way too light to be on the bottom to hold both her and the male’s weight.” I attempted a joke.

Baek-hyun chuckled and stood up on top of me and then held out his hands to me. I reached for his hands and he pulled me up without any sign of struggle and sighed, “Do you need a ride home?”

“I’m taking her home,” Jong-in’s voice boomed. I turned and saw Jong-in leaning on his motorcycle with a displeased expression on his face. Baek-hyun nodded and patted my shoulder, “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Ryung-cha. Thank you for helping today!” He turned his attention to his equipment and I turned my back to Baek-hyun and glared at Jong-in who cockily grinned at me.

I dragged myself over to Jong-in and his motorcycle and puffed out my cheeks, “Point for Jong-in. Looks like I’m failing at our game epically.” He handed me a helmet and nodded, “I’ll let you earn some points yourself, but you’re going to have to work for them. Now, stop trying to flirt with Mr. Romance and ride along with Mr. iness.” I feigned to gag and Jong-in ruffled my hair making my hair knotty and messy. I groaned in misfortune, but climbed onto the back of his motorcycle after putting on the helmet and gripped my hands around his waist. Why didn’t I decline his offer and run to Baek-hyun?

Then I remembered; I couldn’t do it even if I forced myself to.

------o--------o--------o------

Ae-ri and her posse glared at me when I walked through the door. What’s wrong with them? Soo-young didn’t do anything much yesterday... I walked over to my seat and began to feel nervous. My hands shook and my eyes scanned the classroom. Everyone was looking at me strangely. I put my hands in my desk and gasped in surprise to feel a bouquet of white roses in my desk along with my papers and notebooks and textbooks.

I put it on my desk and Ae-ri clicked her tongue and sat in the desk in front of me. She smirked, “Looks like you’ve got Kim Jong-in wrapped around your little finger. What are you doing with him to make him this way? No girl has ever received white roses before and it must mean something much more than just a crush.” I glared at her and raised an eyebrow, “If you’re jealous just admit it, Ae-ri. Besides, it’s not like you’re seeing him anyway.”

Ae-ri scoffed and flipped her hair dramatically over her shoulder and grabbed the bouquet and threw it on the floor, “I thought your meek little self would rub off on Soo-young and she would stop stealing my boys, but turns out her ty self had rubbed off on you. I never thought this would happen, but I had to keep a close eye on you too.” She snarled at me and stepped on the flowers.

“Should I tell Jong-in that you couldn’t accept the bouquet? We can always lie to him that you don’t like him like how you’ve been trying to do, and I can have him to myself.” She picked up the crushed roses and chuckled at me, “I don’t know what he sees in you, Ryung-cha. You’re quite bland and simple, and you’re such a typical nerd. Why would a hottie like Jong-in even glance in your direction?”

Ae-ri began to walk past me and I pushed my book-bag out making her trip and stumble on another classmate of ours. She screamed in frustration and slapped my cheek. The stinging pain didn’t hurt as much as she cursed at me and began to tug at my hair. Her long fingernails dug into my scalp and I could feel my blood rush to my face in fury. I gripped onto her forearms trying to pull her away from my head, but she shrieked and continued to pull out strands of my hair and throw them at the ground.

“Stop!”

Ae-ri shoved me into the window and the wall making me crack the window and crumble to the ground in pain. It was excruciating, but I managed to choke back the tears and keep my eyes open. My cranium felt hot and messy and I felt my head throbbing in pain. I lied on the ground unable to see what was happening, but I could recognize his voice from anywhere.

“What do you think you’re doing? Are you the one who always pick on her?” Jong-in’s voice scolded. My ears perked up, and I couldn’t help but want to listen to his voice. It was the first time I was ever happy to hear him talk.

“J-J-Jong-in, it’s not what you think it is,” Ae-ri’s voice whimpered. I could tell she was starting to sob because she had just realized what she had done. I groaned in pain and felt a pair of hands help me up. I looked behind me and saw Baek-hyun chewing on his lip nervously, “Ryung-cha, are you okay? Let me take you to the nurse to make sure, okay? I’ll excuse us from class for the first few minutes. I’m sure our teacher will be okay with it.”

I nodded my head, but grimaced as my head felt heavier and my eyes rolled to the back of my head, “No, no, no, no! Stay with me Ryung-cha! Don’t close your eyes! No matter how hard it is to stay awake, keep your eyes open!” Baek-hyun shouted and then lifted me off the ground. He literally swept me off my feet!

I looked over at Jong-in as he gazed over at me and Baek-hyun and then back at Ae-ri who was lowering her head in embarrassment. He said something, but I couldn’t hear him because my head began to lull to sleep and my eyes slowly rolled to the back of my head. I could feel Baek-hyun pat my cheek and I attempted to open my eyes. The sound of the classroom was starting to fade and become droned out. I listened to Baek-hyun’s voice as he repeatedly assured me to stay awake.

“We’re almost there! Stay awake, Ryung-cha! Come on! Just stay awake! Keep your eyes open! Listen to my voice, Ryung-cha! Stay awake!”

I woke up to birds chirping and I closed my eyes at the bright light that shone on me through the glass window. I felt a cloth or bandage wrapped around my forehead and I blinked in confusion and slowly sat up. I looked to my right and saw Baek-hyun sitting in his chair and he had his eyes closed as he rested his head on his hand. I looked to my left and saw Jong-in staring at me and I jumped and shrieked.

He laughed, “Are you feeling okay?” I grunted in reply and felt my back sharply sting, “Aish! My back is killing me!” Jong-in stood up and placed his hand on my back, and then I noticed that I was only wearing my spaghetti strap white top. I jumped at the feeling of his touch, but I soon relaxed my muscels as he gently rubbed my spine, “The wall probably caused your pain because hitting your spine at the cement wall was such a hard contact that it might have shattered, but it could just be cracked or slightly just in pain.”

I coughed and felt my throat become tight and I was loss for words, “Are—did you take anatomy or something?” Jong-in shrugged, “I watch a lot of medical Korean dramas in my free time.” I giggled and Baek-hyun yawned and woke up. Jong-in jerked his hand away from my back and sat down in his chair and the nurse entered the office, “I see that you’re finally awake. I thought you might have died... I was almost ready to call the hospital.”

She walked over to me and then grinned, “I’m Nurse Geum. These two boys told me that you had been bullied recently and that in class you were shoved into a wall and hit your head against the window and the wall, and the bully had also tried to grab your hair. Now, when females fight they usually aim for the hair or the ears, and let’s just say that we’re lucky you hadn’t been wearing earrings. Okay, I need you to look at me and not the light.” Nurse Geum a small light and pointed it at my right eye and then at my left eye.

I felt my lower eyelid began to puff and I was squinting at the bright light. Nurse Geum turned off the light and I saw blue dots appearing in my vision and I closed my eyes, “Do you think I had injured anything?” Nurse Geum scribbled on her papers on her desk and shook her head, “I think you had just gotten a few bruises and scratches, but you’re not severely injured. You did crack the window though, and I would go check with your doctor with your parents about your scalp. I don’t know if any small glass pigments and scratched your head and maybe sunk into your open flesh or not.” I nodded and stood up feeling my balance teetering to my right onto Baek-hyun.

He held my arm and grinned, “Are you okay? Are you feeling dizzy?” I shook my head and began to walk to the door. I turned around back to Nurse Geum who was busying herself with paperwork and I smiled, “Thank you, Nurse Geum.” She looked up from her work and smiled back, “You’re welcome, Ryung-cha.” I my lips and turned back to the door and gulped.

Jong-in and Baek-hyun raced to the door after me and I could hear both of them struggle to catch up with me, “We’re going to postpone our filming until you’ve fully recovered, Ryung-cha. I think it would best if I didn’t overwhelm you with this and your studies plus the filming.” I shook my head, “No, we can still film. I’m sure I’m fine.”

“Maybe you really need to rest. Even before this accident you overwhelmed yourself with stress and work. I think you need to take a break, Ryung-cha.” Jong-in suggested. Baek-hyun nodded in agreement and I sighed, “We’ll take a day or two off of the project, but I’m not going to back out just because of a boo-boo.” Baek-hyun chuckled, “You seem to care about my project way more than I do, and I’m glad you’re taking it seriously.”

Jong-in smirked and rolled his eyes, “It’s probably because she’s filming in there with me.” I scoffed, “I take it seriously because I want Baek-hyun to receive the grade he deserves. If he doesn’t get an A then I’m going to beg to his film teacher about my poor acting and get him to give Baek-hyun an A. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me I need to head back to class because there is an exam in two weeks.”

I walked into class and was greeted by all of my classmates’ attention and I noticed that Ae-ri was missing from class. I walked to my seat and looked at the window as there was a small crack and some dry blood on the spot. I must have been injured somewhere... Baek-hyun patted my back as he walked past me and I grinned.

Do I feel the same way for Baek-hyun as I do with Jong-in?

Jong-in appeared at my front door with another bouquet of white roses and walked in before I even opened my mouth, “I wanted to bring flowers to remind you that the flowers are for you and only you, and also I want to have a study date with you tonight since we’re both free... studying.” He shoved the flowers at me and I watched him as he strutted to my room, and I giggled.

I walked into my room and saw Jong-in looking at my pictures, “You were cute when you were a baby, what happened?” He chuckled and I held up the bouquet up in the air and he stopped waving his hands, “Don’t ruin the roses! They don’t deserve such harsh treatment!” I snorted and put the flowers beside my bed on my nightstand and sat at my desk.

Jong-in snuck up behind me and breathed down my neck and chuckled mischievously, “What are we studying tonight? Western history, calculus, or writing? May I gloat and say that I am an impeccable author?” I shrugged, “Whatever you want to study, Mr. Author. I’m just studying for the first semester exam we have coming up.” Jong-in nodded and continued to look over my shoulder in silence, and then he began to sit closer behind me.

I froze and my heart began to dramatically beat faster and crash into my chest. I could feel my ears and cheeks burn and my hands become clammy in nervousness. Why did I feel like this around him? Jong-in’s heart also raced as I felt his heartbeat on my back and his fingers began to entangle themselves in my hair. I loved the way how he gently played with my hair as if he knew what he was doing.

I clamped my lips shut and let out a relaxed laugh, “I thought we were studying, Jong-in. You’re playing with my hair and—”

Jong-in began to massage my shoulders making me relax all the tensed muscels in my body and a moan escaped from my lips, “I thought you may need a massage. You’re so tense and you have a ton of knots.” He began to press deeper in my shoulders and his fingers ran along my collarbones. His warm touch was sensual and my body felt attracted to his touch. I closed my eyes and grinned, “You should become a professional massager or something... your touch is relaxing.”

He didn’t respond, and instead he began to move down to my back. His thumbs gently pressed down onto my spine sending painful shocks and I grimaced, “My back isn’t ready to be massaged,” I exhaled and groaned. Jong-in’s hands slowly pulled away and Jong-in turned me around. I gazed into his eyes and could feel such emotion stirring in me, but when I looked into his, he hid his emotions well. I wanted to know what he was thinking and what he was feeling. I couldn’t see any emotion stir within his eyes, and I averted my gaze and smiled, “Thank you for the massage, but I think it’s time I started studying. Care to join?”

Jong-in sighed and chuckled, “I’m sorry; I completely blanked out right there. Do you want me to get us some food for dinner?” I shook my head, “I’m trying to study... I don’t usually eat until eleven anyways.” Jong-in nodded and smacked his lips in boredom, “Ryung-cha, do you still like Byun Baek-hyun? I mean, he is a great guy and all, but he’s a little serious don’t you think?”

I bit my lower lip and turned away from my notes once again and tucked my hair behind my ears as I faced Jong-in, “Okay, I didn’t like him like that before and I don’t like him like that now. Happy? He’s just a classmate of mine who I just so happened to write on my notes unconsciously. Like yours!” I gasped and clasped my hand over my mouth. Jong-in chuckled, “You drew my name on your notes? Let me see!” He stood up and walked over to me and I slowly stood up as well and avoided his gaze, “No, you’re not going to see. I didn’t bring those notes...” Jong-in reached for my notes anyways, and I slapped his hand.

He pouted his lips and batted his eyelashes at me, “Ryung-cha, come on! Just one little peek and I’ll be satisfied, and I’ll leave you alone.” I watched him as he attempted to try his aegyo on me and I laughed and whipped out the notes and flashed it before his eyes. As I pulled it away, he grabbed my wrist and snatched the paper from between my fingers and stared at the paper.

Jong-in’s lips curled into a smug smile and he his lips as he looked up at me, “You like me? Last time, it was Baek-hyun with pretty roses, and now it’s me with,” he glanced at the paper and his eyes widened, “eyes?” I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment and I flustered for other notes to look at than at him.

“You like my eyes don’t you? I never thought that Ryung-cha—the Ryung-cha—would have a crush on me! I’m honored, but my name should have been drawn with white roses because I do give them to you every day.” Jong-in babbled on. I clamped my lips together and ran my fingers through my hair and sighed, “Jong-in, are you really here to study or are you here to talk to me?”

Jong-in scratched the nape of his neck and chuckled nervously, “I just wanted to make sure you were doing fine with your injury. Oh—and I just wanted to be with you... uh, during this afternoon as a friend.” I snickered and gently pushed him backwards, “You’re such a flirt, Jong-in. If you have something you want to say, just go ahead and say it.” He bit his lower lip and shrugged, “I don’t have anything to say really, but are you going to kick me out?”

I laughed, “Why would I—”

Jong-in pulled me up and pinned me against the wall. I gaped at him in shock and he leaned into me whispering in my ear, “Can you please think only about me?” His lips gently pressed onto mine and I felt my body freeze. My mind was circling around thinking of all the possible ways why Jong-in had kissed me. I felt my heart violently pound against my chest, and my lungs burned. Jong-in pulled away and chuckled and turned away from me, “I’m sorry. I have these weird moments when,” he faced me and smiled a smile I have never seen him use before. I felt myself staring at his eyes again and something happened that I never knew would happen.

“I like you,” my mouth blurted. It seemed like the moment happened in slow motion as I watched his face become unreadable, almost as if he didn’t want me to know what he was thinking, and he pulled me into him and smirked, “So, my corny white roses did work. Ryung-cha, I thought you were the type of girl who wouldn’t fall for the guy.” I averted my eyes, “I was just trying to throw you off track, and it looks like it really worked. I don’t really like you; you can leave now, Jong-in.”

He loosened his grip on me and he looked at me with a crease between his eyebrows, “What?” I gave out an airy laugh and looked at him in the eye, “I-I...” Jong-in gazed deeply into my eyes with his glassy eyes and I averted my gaze, “I don’t really like you... Honestly, it just slipped just because that happened, but I don’t actually like you, Jong-in. I’m sorry if I can’t return your feelings.”

“Can you at least look at me in the eye and tell me that?”

I slowly turned my head and I closed my eyes, “I-I-I... I can’t.” Jong-in sighed, “I’ll see you at school, Ryung-cha. Get better.” He mumbled and brushed past me. I could feel my blood boil and perspiration moisten my face and I sank to my knees. My heart plummeted to the bottom of my stomach and I heard myself cough into a sob. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I wiped them with the back of my hand.

Why was I crying? Why did my heart race when I looked into his eyes? Why do I feel so hurt? Why does my heart feel heavy?

Do I actually like Kim Jong-in?