After the explosion in my head, now there’s this heavy feeling on my chest. I get speechless for awhile, and I can only say one thing. “What?”

     Our subway to school arrives, and Sehun needs to take my hand to drag me inside because I was staying awfully still. He brings me to an empty corner inside the train, and looks at me. “Calm down first. You being frozen like this is actually even more worrisome than you freaking out. But still, I’m glad you kept your reaction simple, I have anticipated worse things.”

     I yank off his hand from mine. “Explain.”

     “After you left yesterday, I overheard our mothers talking about it. At first I was thinking that must be just a joke, but they actually meant it. I purposely get out from my room to show that I heard it all, and they didn’t even flinch. They even told me our families are going to have dinner next weekend to talk about this.”

     The train starts moving, and the sound coming from the rail below copies my heartbeats. “This can be just a wish. Just our mothers’ desires. We just know each other, how can we—“

     “Are you against this idea?” Sehun looks incredibly calm. He takes the milk bottle from my hand and drinks up the content.

     “I’m not saying I’m against this, but we just know each other for two days, how can our mothers talk about engagement right away?”

     “So you’re not against this idea.” Sehun only takes out that part. “I get it; this is too fast for us. But would you give it a chance, as time passes?”

     Sehun’s intense stare would probably kill me now if it were laser. I look down, avoiding his sight.

     “Answer me, Nam Shira.”

     “Let’s see what I can do.”

     Sehun smiles. Now he owes me proof, and I also owe him one. I look at his entire existence in front of me. There’s nothing to hate. He’s tall, undeniably handsome, well-mannered... Oh wait.

     “What’s your rank?”

     Sehun is taken aback by my question, but then he laughs loudly. “Thirtieth.”

     My eyes widen. “In your class?!”

     “Entire school.”

     I exhale a bit too audibly. Sehun is looking at my direction, and he laughs again. “You’re afraid your fiancé-to-be is not that bright, aren’t you?”

     I smile a bit, take the milk from his hand and finish it up. Sehun leads me to sit on empty seats near us, and faces my direction.

     “And what about you?”

     “Thirty-seventh.” I answer, and he just smiles. We spend the remaining time knowing more about each other, and I start to find this engagement thingy less shocking.

-

     I think a lot about the bomb that Sehun dropped this morning. Even though I agreed to see what happens, I still feel confused. Engagement. Why is my life suddenly turning into a drama?

     On break time, I look outside the window beside my seat, and notice the boys playing soccer on the field. My eyes spot Sehun, and I find myself following his every movement in the game. Hey, he’s good. I unconsciously smile.

     Suddenly the school staff that brought the box two days ago came to the class, bringing a few sheets of paper. “Okay, girls, this is the confirmation paper. The boys already signed, so you can see whether your efforts to find and assure them work.”

     I come up to sign the paper, and find Sehun’s signature beside our names. Of course you would. A little smile comes to my face as I put my signature.

     The annoying girl who got Kim Jongin tries to hide the fact that Jongin didn’t sign. There’s even rumor that Jongin refused to meet her at all. Hah, that’s what you get from being a , I think. Heeyoung can’t hide her happy little jumps to see Yixing’s signature.

     “Just date already.” I sneer as Heeyoung sits back beside me.

     She just giggles. “How about your partner? Is he nice?”

     “He is.” I nod slowly.

     “You look good together, you guys also should date!”

     I look away, and close the book I’m scribbling on. “We need… Some time.”

     “We’re going to have weekly ballroom dance practice for the prom, so the school expects you to come tomorrow at Saturday with your partners. Bring your PE outfit. That’s it.” the school staff announces.

     Ballroom dance practice… Oh dear. On the subway home, Sehun seems excited about this thing. Wait, why am I going home together again with him? I can already see this being a routine since now.

     “See you tomorrow.” Sehun says as we part ways in front of our apartment buildings. I keep looking at his back until he enters his building, and I suddenly miss him already.

     Mom is on the phone when I arrive home, and I decide to go straight to my bedroom to study. A few minutes later, she comes in, and sits on my bed. When this happens, you know she’s going to tell something serious.

     “Shira…”

     “I don’t appreciate how you decide about engagement on lightning speed, Mother.” I mutter before she can say anything. Mom gets silent, but then she stands beside my studying chair.

     “Sehun must have told you.”

     “Nobody else would.”

     “That was partially a test.”

     I drop my pen. “What?”

     “To see how close you two are. You’re bound to be, anyway, because of the prom. Him telling you this means that he cares about you.”

     “Mom, I’m still in high school. I haven’t even taken my college entrance exams. How can I get engaged?”

     “That is the purpose, dear, to start as early as possible. You’re not going to get engaged right away; of course we will give you two some time. And I can see you two are getting along well.”

     “Mom, I haven’t even known him for that long, we just knew each other literally two days ago.”

     “Then know him more.”

     My mouth gapes a bit, and I come out from my room with the excuse to buy something. Now I get confused on where to go, or who to tell. I can’t tell Heeyoung, she’ll find this just as weird as I did. I can’t tell my other friends. Have I ever felt this frustrated before? I don’t usually have something to hide, but now…

     I somehow end up in front of Sehun’s apartment door. Well I came all the way here, might as well just really meet him. I send him a message.

                Are you home?

                Yeah, why?

                Can we meet?

                Where are you?

     I’m typing my answer when the door is slammed open, and there he is, Sehun, holding up his phone tightly, and his expression is anxious. I step a few steps back, a bit shocked, and he puts down his hand once he sees me.

     “Oh…  I thought…”

     “Sorry, I come without notice.” I say. “I would like to talk… Maybe we can go somewhere.”

     “There’s nobody home, so come in.” Sehun opens the door properly, and I get inside. He points to his room, and I come in first. I sit on his studying chair again, and after awhile he comes in bringing a glass of water and hands it to me. “You look very tense.”

     “Not as tense as when you open the door earlier.”

     Sehun laughs. “I’m just a bit worried.”

     No words are spoken. I finish off my water, and stare at my lap.

     “Do you have something to talk about?”

     I look at him who is sitting on his bed. “Mom didn’t even get surprised when I told her that you spilled the beans to me… She even said that it was a test.”

     Sehun just nods. “And then?”

     “She said that she would give us time to get closer before the engagement.”

     Sehun crosses his legs on his bed, and cups his face with his hands. “Let me ask you again, Nam Shira, are you against this engagement?”

     “I still have my answer from this morning.”

     “Yes, and you said that you would try.” he stands up and approaches me. I get nervous every time he does this, what is he going to do now? “I don’t even have to try, because I’m not against this at all.”

     Oh my God. Is this a confession? He kneels in front of me, and his hand reaches out in the direction of my neck. “What are you do—“

     He pulls the necklace from my neck. “Wow, you’re lucky this hasn’t fallen off, it’s almost unhooked already. The ends need to be tightened up a bit.”

     I look at my necklace with the star pendant that I’ve been wearing for years. He’s fixing the clip, and tells me to stand up.

      “Turn around.”

       I slowly turn around, and get super nervous inside. He puts the necklace on my neck. I hold onto the star pendant for no reason, just to comfort myself. I hear Sehun sighs behind me.

     “You already have a necklace… Maybe I can give you a ring next time.”

     My eyes widen, and I can feel myself blushing. Suddenly there’s sound of the main door opening outside after the sound of password confirmation of the lock. Sehun covers my mouth from behind and his other hand wraps around my hips. I let out muffled sounds from my covered mouth, and he holds me tighter.

     “Sssh. Don’t let out a sound. Don’t move.” he says to my ear. He slowly releases me, and rushes outside. I collapse to his bed, and his body heat is still lingering around me. That was undeniably unnecessary, but still, that successfully makes me feel as fragile as a ball of cotton. Wait, what am I talking about? What has Oh Sehun done to me?

     I try to hear what is happening outside, and there’s a grown man’s voice. Is that his father? I can’t hear clearly, so I just go around looking at things in his bedroom. There’s not really much to see, but I look continuously at photos of the younger Sehun. He grew up well…

     The door creaks open, and I hurriedly hide beside the bed. Sehun appears, and he holds his laughter. “It’s okay. I also have hid your shoes earlier, you aren’t found out.”

     “Who was that?”

     “My father. He was going out with Mom, but he forgot something. He has gone back now.”

     I nod. “I think it’s time for me to go, too.” I say as I come up to his studying desk to take my phone. He snatches it before I could.

     “My Mom is in the lobby. Do you want to meet her? Wait for at least ten minutes, then you’ll be safe.”

     I sigh. “Just tell me that you want me to stay longer.”

     “Yes, exactly.”

     My lips curl, so tempted to form a smile. Sehun opens the door, still holding my phone, and gestures to go outside. “Let’s go to the living room, it’s dangerous to be with a boy in a bedroom.”

     I scoff. “Who made me stay inside?”

     We continue talking in the living room, and I no longer see him as a stranger.

-

     The next morning, Sehun has already been there when the elevator door opens. When we arrive at school, the other students all walk side by side with their partners, either shyly talking to each other, or some even has started holding hands.

     “Do you think we’re close enough for that?” Sehun suddenly asks while monitoring our surroundings.

     “For what?”

     He offers his hand to me. I blank out for awhile, and hesitantly hold it. He squeezes my hand tightly. “For this.”

     We keep holding hands until we arrive to the school hall, where the practice will be held. We sit in twos, according to the couples, and pepero boxes are being handed over. Oh no.

     The couples start buzzing, and the committee announces special prizes for the couples who can make the shortest sticks. I stare soullessly at the box. Sehun takes it from me, and starts to open it. “Interesting. I wonder what the prizes are?”

     “You’re enjoying this.”

     “So should you.” he smiles, and put a cookie stick between his lips. I can’t even look at my friends are doing, because I am somehow so pulled into the sight of Sehun in front of me.

     “Start!” the committee yells. There are muffled screeches and screams between the participants, but I can’t even let out the air I breathe. I get super careful and slow, but apparently my partner wants to do it exactly the opposite way. Our lips touch, and I immediately pull away while covering my mouth. Sehun smirks as he chews the cookie. I look around in case people saw it, but unfortunately nobody did. He holds up the remain of the cookie, which didn’t even measure to be half a centimeter.

     The committee notices this, and we are immediately declared as winners. I stay on my seat as Sehun claims the prize, a small box, and he gives it to me when he gets back. I open it and I raise my eyebrows when I see two couple rings in it. Well then. He puts the ring himself on my finger, and the other couples let out oohs and aahs for us. I’ve never been so burned up and happy at the same time.

     "You also got a ring. What should I give you later?" he fakes a pout. I just smile.

     The dance practice starts, and we’re starting from the simplest moves. Everyone is stiff, but soon we warm up. Sehun starts to let loose, too, but I’m still rigid as hell. His hand is on my back, and the other is holding my hand up. We move right and left, but my sight can’t be settled somewhere.

     “It’s okay, we’re going to do this a lot in the future.” he whispers.

     I let out a small laugh. “Well, then lead me.”

     “Looking at our circumstances, I’m going to lead you in a lot of things starting now.”

     My face turns scarlet, and I didn’t respond.

     “Your body is too far from me, you can trip on that position.” Sehun warns me slowly, as he pushes my body forward, and now I’m basically sticking to him.

     “I can also trip in this position.”

     “But at least now I can hold you because it’s closer.”

     I hang my head, and smile just comes to my face. I rest my head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

     The dance practice is finished, and I drag Sehun with me to my classroom because I need to take a few books from my locker. He looks around the deserted halls and classes, and ends up beside me as I open my locker.

     “The female classes are so colorful.” his tone is either amazed or confused.

     “Yeah? Right, I saw your class and it’s so… Tough-looking.”

     Sehun laughs. “We try to match the masculinity of the basketball field near our class.”

     “Hey, right, the basketball field. You promised me something if I approached you there, when we were in the café. What are you going to give me?” I demand his promise.

     Sehun doesn’t say anything. I lock my locker and turn around, only to find Sehun right in front of me, cornering me in front of my own locker. He has his hands beside my body, sticking to the locker, and he bends down.

     “Se—“

     He silences me with a kiss, and I just instinctively close my eyes. I felt the softness of his lips previously on the pepero game, but now I get it on full mode. My head feels light. Why doesn’t he stop? After seconds that feel like an eternity, he slowly breaks it, but our faces are still so close to each other.

     “I’ve thought about it, and this is what I came up with, to return the favor.”

     He kisses me again, and the coldness of my steel locker strongly contrasts with the fire inside me now.