“Everyone, can you please look up here?” The teacher clapped her hands together for the whole class to give her their attention. “Since this is your last year, the annual ‘third year retreat’ is coming up!”

While the room erupted into mixed reactions, Hanbin looked at the boy in front of him. Even from the back, he can see that Jinhwan was literally bouncing in his seat from eagerness.

Jinhwan's hand shot up energetically. “When is it?”

“This Friday, it will be a three-day-and-two-night’s trip.”

And when Hanbin didn’t think Jinhwan could get any happier, he was proved wrong right away. Jinhwan twisted his body around to look at Hanbin, eyes wide and ready to burst at the seams. “Are you going?” 

Hanbin remembered this trip. He didn’t go in the past and now that he has the opportunity again, he wasn’t planning on going this time either. He leaned forward - “Jinhwan, it’s going to rain all weekend.”

“Aww come on, it’s going to be fun!”

Hanbin let out a small laugh, the boy wasn't going to let any rain dampen his mood. “Did you not hear what I said?” Jinhwan simply blinks in response. “The weather is going to be terrible, there is no way any ‘fun’ is happening.”

Jinhwan was not going to let sore Hanbin change his mind and Hanbin didn’t know why Jinhwan was taking his student disguise so far either.

“I’m not letting you talk me out of it.” He grinned and turned to face front again.

“Hanbin, you should go.”

Hanbin turned his attention to the quiet girl beside him. “I don’t intend to.”

“I- I would r-really like to see you there.” She sputtered. Ja Young couldn’t handle the pressure that came with saying that. She felt her cheeks heat up and she could feel her own heart hammering against her chest from such simple words.

Hanbin kept his eyes on the teacher and leaned his head on his palm. “You won’t even know I’m missing.” There was absolutely nothing that will change his mind.

***

“I’m going.”

The two boys beside him turned to look at him. “Uh – I was sure that you said you weren’t going.” Bobby arched his brow at his indecisive friend.

“That was until I found out Sarang was going.”

Jinhwan let out a chuckle. “Should have figured that would be the reason.”

Bobby only clicked his tongue. “It’s like whatever warning I give you, it goes through one ear and out the other.” He had given up. There was nothing at this point to persuade Hanbin to move on. But, he won’t have it easy. It was one thing to go after a single girl and another to go after someone with a significant other.

“Save it. Mino is no good for Sarang.” Hanbin says like he could hear Bobby’s doubt. Hanbin had said that since day one and nothing was ever going to change it. “I have to go, see you guys later.”

Jinhwan watches Hanbin walk away, he was the only one who knew the extent of Hanbin’s desperation. No one realized what was on the line for him.

Hanbin walked into the library and it was like he was naturally drawn to Sarang. He didn’t need to look around, his eyes instinctively found her sitting at the table, reading her book. Not a moment of hesitation and he took the seat across from her. “Did you wait long?”

She shakes her head. “Not at all.” She couldn’t explain the sudden pleasantness she felt seeing Hanbin in front of her and again, she tries to push it aside. It wasn’t good of her to think like that about someone else. “Let’s get started.” She was doing that more for her sake than Hanbin. She wanted something to distract her from these feelings welling up inside of her. Feelings that shouldn't be occurring.

She leaned forward to get some practice questions down for Hanbin and strands of her hair fell over her face. And out of habit, Hanbin reaches out and brushes them back behind her ear. It seemed to have taken her off guard and she moves away slightly from his touch.

Sarang placed her fingertips upon her ear where Hanbin’s fingers had briefly touched. That gesture was usually reserved in affection and for Hanbin to have done it, it took her by surprise. It brought back the same fluttering in her heart like the other day at the secret place.

Hanbin realizing what he had done, tried to make up an excuse. “Sorry, I was – I thought it was bothering you.”

Sarang quickly shook her head. “It’s fine.” She cleared and looked back down at her paper to cover up the redness in her cheeks. This wasn’t good.

Hanbin pulled his hands back and placed them in his lap to prevent himself from doing something so reckless again. That was too obvious. At this rate, he is going to scare her away.

***

“Hanbin, you got all the questions wrong.