Album No. 21

:: Track 01 ::

“Eh?” I muttered to myself when I received a text from JaeJoong. The last bell just rang and all the Ongaku students were pouring out to the courtyard, meeting up with their friends and going home.

// Sorry I got something to do first. Meet you at your place later ;] //

I snorted to his winking face and put my phone back into knapsack. Well, whatever. It’s not like I wanted him to walk me home anyway… tch. That Kim JaeJoong.

I sighed and dragged my feet out of school. Let me think.
JaeJoong was busy with his stuff. LiYin was busy with her violin practice. Junsu was busy waiting for her. Yoochun was probably not busy or is busy but I don’t care, which then leaves –

“Kid, whatchu up to?” DongHae popped out of nowhere, hitting me on the shoulder, giving me a scare.
“Ah! Whattheheck!” I squealed, jumping up in fright, only to see his grinning face.
“DongHae! Did you HAVE to do that?!”

DongHae kept smiling and shrugged, cutely putting his book bag on the front instead of on the back.
“Hey I didn’t mean to,” he answered as we walked along the sidewalk. “But good thing I did though, huh?”
I gave him a grumpy look, scrunching up my nose, and narrowed my eyes at him. “And why is that?”
“Because your angry face is cute,” he said without hesitation, which caused me to choke. His straightforwardness is sometimes really unbelievable.

“Really, have you ever had a girlfriend before?” I questioned out of curiosity. I’d be shocked if he hadn’t.
DongHae turned to me with a surprised face. “Hm? Why do you ask?”
“Well, you’re always so forward. I don’t believe that you haven’t been able to capture at least one girl’s heart in your lifetime,” I answered as we continued our walk and adjusted my knapsack straps over my shoulders.

DongHae curled his lips up into another boyish smile. “Can’t believe it?” he shot back at me. Was he serious? He really hasn’t?

“Well there just hasn’t been a heart I wanted to capture until I met you.”

I stared at him with disbelief, shaking my head with a small smile.

“Seriously, I think I’m starting to build immunity against your corny pick-up lines,” I told him. He put his hands over his heart and acted like he was in pain.

“Ouch. That hurts, BoA.”

I giggled at his playfulness and pinched his cheek. “It’s time you get used to it, kid.”
“Ha. Yeah,” he replied, rubbing his face with a beam. He never seemed to stop smiling.
“With a rival like JaeJoong sunbae, I’m bound to get hurt,” he sighed and my face burned up. “I really need to get used to feeling this kind of pain, eh?” he added, rubbing his chest with his palm.
“Shut up~” I said and stopped walking for a moment. “W-Why do you always have to bring him up?”

DongHae didn’t answer at first and stepped ahead. He then turned around and looked at me with that boyish face again. “Because your blushing face is just as cute,” he said. I wanted to shoot him another glare but suddenly, he turned serious and let out a sigh.

“Too bad it’s only sunbae who can make it happen.”

I bit onto my lower lip and blushed even more probably. Was it really?
“Even if it isn’t me, I’m happy that there’s someone that can make you happy,” DongHae continued.
“I guess that’s all that should matter.”

I beamed at DongHae, touched by his words. If only somebody by the last name Park could see the same.

:: Track 02 ::

Somehow we walked and talked until we were all the way back to my house.
“Ah so this is where you live,” DongHae noted as he glanced around the place on the outside.
“I thought you’d already know,” I pretended with a smile. “Didn’t you say you stalked me?”
DongHae only chuckled in response to that.

“Wait, I just realized something,” he then brought up and made for a dramatic pause. “I was supposed to meet my friends at a café after school.”
I tsk-ed and shook my head at him. And yet he looked so calm about it. “Then what are you still standing here for? Go~” I told him with a small laugh and pushed him in the right direction, but he pulled on my forearm dragging me with him.

“Come with?” DongHae suggested and I blinked. “I mean, it’s not like you have anything to do right?”

I stole a quick glance at my watch but it wasn’t much use. JaeJoong never told me how long he’d take before he got here and I couldn’t tell DongHae that I had to wait for JaeJoong. That would just be awkward, not to mention the fact that I didn’t need people to find about this.

DongHae reasoned, “Unless you have a date with—”
“I do not!” I defended as my ears and cheeks grew red.
“Well then let’s have a play date of our own. Shall we?” he said with his smiling eyes and hurriedly dragged me along.

:: Track 03 ::

“DongHae, do I even know who your friends are?” I whispered in my loudest soft voice as he led us into a modern-looking café.

The thought soon faded away though when I noticed how nice and refreshing the place looked. It was colorful, bright and the average age in here must have been about eighteen. Everyone was young, or young looking, and I mean we fit in here – a little too perfectly if you ask me – except for the fact that we were the only two still in our uniforms.

Man, I really hoped nobody else from Ongaku was around to see us. This was totally embarrassing.

I eyed a menu sitting on the counter as DongHae pulled me along, almost wanting to grab it so I could hide my face behind it. If any of our classmates see us, there’s bound to be rumors by tomorrow.

“Dude, what took you?” a guy’s voice said and I turned to see just what I feared to meet – five of our fellow schoolmates all at one big table. Half of them were staring at us curiously while the other half was staring at something else with the same interest, if not more. I recognized some of their faces but I didn’t know what their names were. This was kind of awkward.

“Sorry man, I just remembered,” DongHae answered and sat down on one of the empty chairs. He then took another chair from behind his and set it next to him.
He looked at me and patted the seat. “Here, sit. I’ll introduce you.”

Being the odd one out, I did as he said and bowed my head at the others. I didn’t know why I was feeling intimidated.

“Um… hi,” I greeted shyly and I know I also probably shouldn’t be thinking this but was it possible that they were all such good-looking people?

“Oh, you’re Kwon BoA!” the same person who spoke earlier started and he gave me a smile, showing his bright teeth. “I’m Eunhyuk! Nice to meet you!”

Whoa. Eunhyuk? How did he know my name?

“Eunhyuk is my best friend,” DongHae told me, though it didn’t answer my question, and then continued to introduce the others. “And there’s Dana, Sungmin, plus the juniors Kibum and Ryeowook.”

“That’s right. I’m THE best friend,” Eunhyuk claimed with a cheeky smile but the others paid no attention.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just like that,” Dana then said with a pretty smile and I returned the favor. It must have been tough being the only girl in the group though.

Eunhyuk flattened his eyes at her. “Yeah I knew you’d say that Dana,” he said in a dark voice, then turned to me. “She’s always making fun of me because she thinks she’s cooler than me. Dana’s just jealous.”
Dana simply laughed, shaking her head and turned her attention back to the other three.

“Anyway, Eunhyuk and I are part of the dance division at Ongaku,” DongHae explained, which also made sense as to why I didn’t class with him or rarely saw him around.

“Them four are the ever serious musical actors,” he said in a mocking grand voice as he pointed to Dana, Sungmin, Kibum and Ryeowook.
“What are they doing?” I said softly to DongHae, watching as they shuffled and stared at piles of papers. It was like they couldn’t take their eyes off of it for even one second or else something bad would happen.

“To be honest, I have no idea,” DongHae told me but Eunhyuk cut in, hearing my whisper.
“Ah. They’re trying to memorize their lines for their upcoming performance.”

“Oh. I see,” I simply replied and then tilted my head at ‘the best friend.’ “And um, not to be rude or anything but –how do you know… who I am?”

Eunhyuk spat out, “Who doesn’t? You’re only like one of the most talked about people in school.”
Really? People talk about me? Am I popular? Ha, that didn’t make any sense!
“And plus, you’re pretty.”

My face burned up and I’m beginning to see how DongHae and Eunhyuk were best friends.
“Ah, thanks… b-but th-that’s impossible~” I laughed it off coyly and combed my hair behind my ear with my fingers.

“Well for one we’ve heard that you’re engaged to Park Yoochun,” Eunhyuk began.
Then Dana turned back for a moment. “And there are rumors that you’re dating Ongaku’s number one piano player, Kim JaeJoong.”
“Plus DongHae’s told us about you too so in conclusion you are quite the hot topic Miss BoA,” Eunhyuk said, leaning his chin on the palm of his hand and drummed his fingers against his cheek.

I blushed even more, not only at what Eunhyuk said but also…

“Well the engagement… is not really what I–”
“Ah I knew it,” Dana then stated with a snap. “The one about you and JaeJoong is true then!”
I bit on my lower lip and glanced at my hands in my lap. Boy did I wish it were true.

“Hey, she never said that Dana. Don’t think you know everything~” Eunhyuk brought up.
“Well she hasn’t denied it yet so maybe, just maybe…” Dana said with a suggestive wink.
DongHae then turned to me and raised his eyebrow. “You ARE dating sunbae?”

I glanced up and opened my mouth to answer but the words did not come out.
Why couldn’t I just say that it wasn’t true? It was so easy to deny it but maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to.

“There you are, YOU BIG PABO!”
I spun my head around, just to see the rumored boyfriend storming into the café. He sure looked happy… not. So not.

“Do you know how LONG I have been waiting outside your STUPID HOUSE for you?!” he scolded and I only kept my eyes wide and my mouth shut as he rambled on.

“I rang the doorbell like EIGHT HUNDRED MILLION TIMES and left like TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTY messages on your phone! I even called LiYin AND Junsu to ask them where you went but they didn’t have a clue! I ran back to school and I searched through the classrooms and I ALMOST, I repeat ALMOST went to you-know-who’s house JUST to be sure but luckily I didn’t because HERE YOU ARE, in this weird, rainbow-looking café having the TIME OF YOUR LIFE when I’m BUSY getting WORRIED about YOU!”

JaeJoong huffed and puffed after his crazy-mad rant. He then eyed a glass of water and downed it without considering whose it belongs to.

I only stared at him in shock, at the same time feeling particularly happy about the part that he so worried about me, but on the other hand really embarrassed that I was not the only one staring at him in disbelief. The entire café full of people had their eyes on him now.

“God, Kwon BoA. You really – ugh!” JaeJoong face palmed as a shade of red formed over his cheeks. He raised the now empty glass, which wasn’t his to begin with into the air and asked, “I need a refill!”

I hid a smile into my hand. “… Were you really that worried about me?”
JaeJoong locked his jaw and opened his eyes twice as wide. “Are you SERIOUSLY asking this question right now?! Seriously?! You are? Oh my god.”

He then set the glass back on DongHae and company’s table furiously and grabbed me by the wrist, as he so loved to do. “PABO, you are SUCH a PABO! We’re leaving. NOW!”
He dragged me along for a few steps and then abruptly brought me back to where we were just standing a second ago. Ack, what in the world was he doing?!

“And YOU,” JaeJoong pointed at DongHae in the face, who looked somewhere between confused, lost and amused. “Don’t go dragging my girlfriend off to any weird places anymore, got it?”

DongHae then smiled – as if it was for me.
(“Even if it isn’t me, I’m happy that there’s someone that can make you happy”)

He nodded and for some reason I felt moved by his reaction. “I understand, sunbae.”

JaeJoong then scoffed and led me out of the café. I turned back looking at the table, seeing DongHae still smiling at me, Dana beaming victoriously, Eunhyuk with a puffed up face and the juniors still staring at their music sheets.

I stared at JaeJoong’s back as he forcefully tugged me along.

Hm. “His girlfriend” huh?

:: Track 04 ::

The whole way home JaeJoong didn’t bother to even look at me. He didn’t say another word about anything until we were inside my house alone. Was it because he was embarrassed about what he said earlier? Ah, maybe he regretted it…

“Yah, why the hell did you run off with that guy?” he asked in a cold, almost monotonous tone but didn’t face me. We just got into the house and were standing in the living room.

“N-no reason~” I answered with a nervous laugh and played with hair. “He kind of just dragged me with him and-and I didn’t know how long you were going to take so I figured –”

“Figure nothing!” JaeJoong suddenly cracked, leaning toward me and staring down at me, straight in the eyes. This was more like him. Forceful, demanding and mean! “Do you know how worried I got when I found out that you weren’t at home? That you weren’t anywhere I thought you’d be? That no one else knew where you were?”

I stared back at him quietly as my heart started to beat quickly and rapidly. I didn’t even know that he cared for me this much.

“You know, I only got lucky finding you at that rainbow club because I saw some Ongaku people walking out of there. God, BoA you could have at least picked up your phone!”

I took my cell out of my knapsack and checked it for any missed calls.
“… The battery’s dead,” I told him, which explained how I didn’t hear my ringtone go off. JaeJoong let out a frustrated sigh, placing one hand at his hip and the other over his eyes.

“And it was a café, not a club—” I tried to reason but out of nowhere, JaeJoong pulled me up by the arm and caught me in a hug. A hug!

“Don’t do that to me BoA,” he said into my ear as he wrapped his arms even tighter. I could even feel his breath touch my face! “Don’t ever do that again. Don’t go anywhere with anyone without telling me and don’t leave me all alone to get worked up about losing you, okay?”

As much as I appreciated the embrace and the concern, a bigger question was at mind.

“…Why do you care?” I asked him, feeling anxiety wash over me.
“…Why do you worry so much about me? Why do you do all of this for me?”

He then separated from our hug and looked at me from a further distance. From his dark chocolate eyes I could tell that he either didn’t know it himself or he knew it but he didn’t want to tell me.

“I… I like- I like being protective over my students okay!” JaeJoong exclaimed as his face turned red. “B-because I know that a pabo like you gets into danger easily and you’re really easy to trick so I was only worried that another ert might attack you or something, that’s why~”

I put on a frown for a moment but I soon smiled. It wasn’t the answer that I was looking for but at least I know he cares.

“…Thanks,” I smiled weakly and he then scratched his head.
“Um yeah…” he replied in short, and we were both silent for a minute.

“But why do I have to tell you everything?” I started, putting on a cute grumpy face and slapped him on the chest. I didn’t want things to get awkward. “You don’t tell me anything, even when we pinky promise so no. I refuse to listen to you.”

“Whaaat? Are you challenging your teacher’s demands?” JaeJoong argued back playfully and I scoffed at his fight for dominance. “Listen Kwon BoA, you better tell me what you’re doing, who you’re going with, where you’re going to, how you’re going to get there, when you’re leaving, why you’re doing what you’re doing at all times, 24/7! Got it?”

“Ha! You’re not my dad!” I laughed back at him, folding my hands against my chest. “And even my dad doesn’t ask me for all that information! And what? Do I have to tell you when I’m going to the bathroom too? Do I have to tell you about when I have my time of the month as well?”

JaeJoong put his hands over his ears and shut his eyes. “Oh come on, that’s TOO much information, pabo!”
“Haha! Dummy! You asked for it!” I shouted back. I then picked up a pillow from the couch and whacked him on the back of the head with it. I laughed maniacally and quickly ran away.

“YAH! This is not the way you treat your teacher!” he shouted and started to run after me with a pillow of his own in his hand.

“I refuse to be your student!” I squeal as he almost caught me but I spun around and went around the couch the other way.

“Well then listen to your boyfriend, pretty girlfriend!” he yelled but I didn’t know whether he was kidding or not. He then caught me right after he said that because I pretty much froze up on the spot hearing it.

I really like him – that much that even simple words like that get to me.

He practically back-hugged me and then rested his chin over my shoulder. I listened as he was catching his breath slowly. It felt like we were a real couple – that we were a pretty boyfriend and girlfriend match – just him and me.

“… Be with me,” JaeJoong said and all my nerves rapidly gathered up in chest, making my heart speed up like no other.

Wait a minute.

Was he– confessing?!