“Hyeonsung-ah!”

I turned my head and raised an eyebrow at the tan boy running up to me. “Hyeonsung?” I reiterated.

Kai stopped abruptly and ruffled his hair. “I mean, Manager noona.”

I narrowed my eyes at him but relented and sighed. “Call me Hyeonsung. Just don’t let anyone hear.”

He smiled smugly and put an arm around my shoulders saying, “Oh, so we’re at that level now, huh?” before laughing loudly and pulling his arm back. I rolled my eyes at him.

“What do you want?”

“Is it wrong to want to spend time with my manager noona? I just want to get to know you better.”

“You know me like the back of your right hand; don’t lie.”

“Do I? I didn’t know you were such an open book. You know, boys like it better when girls are a bit...” He leaned in closer and my cheek. “Mysterious.”

I pulled my cheek from his hand and jolted away. “What the , Jongin? Are your testosterone levels off the charts today? Go find some other girl to pester, one who won’t see past your acting.” I turned around and started to walk away but he held onto my arm and boy, his grip was strong. “Noona.”

I grit my teeth. “I told you not to call me noona.”

He pulled me in and laced my fingers with his. “I like seeing you flustered like this.”

I tried to pull my hand away from his but he wouldn’t budge so I gave up and let him do what he wanted.

It’s just Jongin, I figured. What’s the worse he could do? He’s probably just feeling extra playful today.

            “What if I’m not acting? What if I do really like you?”

            “Then I wouldn’t get the vibe that you’re just screwing around.”

            Jongin sighs and lets go of my hand. I turn around again but he speaks, holding my feet to their spots.

            “One day.”

            “What?”

            “Give me one day to prove it’s real. Let me be yours for a day, I’ll show you I mean it.”

            I kept silent and started walking away again, set on ignoring his advances as I always do.

            “Hyeonsung, I love you.”

            I twirled around and gaped at him, eyes wide and shocked. “Shut the up! Shut up, fine! Fine, fine, you’re mine for the day! Now, will you stop? God!” I ran to my homeroom, hoping to God Jongin won’t follow me like the stares of the people in the hallway.

            I sat in my desk irritated and frazzled. Jongdae looked over and asked, “What happened?”

            “She and Luhan had a little tête-à-tête before getting to class. You know, lovers nowadays,” Baekhyun said matter-of-factly.

            “Baekhyun, I swear.”

            “Baekhyun, I don’t think this is the time to be joking,” Jongdae said cautiously. Baekhyun snickered and sat on my armchair.

            “Cheer up, babydoll! Don’t start your day with a frown. You’ll get wrinkles quickly that way,” Baekhyun said in his disgustingly chipper voice. He poked my knitted brow and pinched my cheeks. “Now, tell mama Baek what happened.”

            “It’s Jongin. He’s acting really weird.” I got my pencil case out of my bag and put it on my desk. “Weirder than usual, I mean. Like, he told me he loved me in his serious Jongin voice.”

            “He used his serious Jongin voice?!” Baek and Jongdae chorused. “Oh god, this is bad, what has gotten into him?” Baekhyun said in a panic. I kept quiet. They slowly turned their heads to look at me.

            “What do you know?”

            “What? Nothing! We’re just as shocked as you are,” Baekhyun defended.

            Jongdae averted his eyes and kept from making eye contact. “I have no idea. Maybe he’s just on his man-struation or something.”

            “I hate you all.”

            “What?! What, we’re not lying! We really don’t know anything!”

            “Whatever, Baekhyun. Just... Just go back to your seat, will you?”

            The two exchanged glances before Baek silently got up at went back to his seat. I don’t know what’s going on but I can’t wait to get home and get this day over with.

            It was lunch time and Jongin was sitting next to me, sharing an ice cream cone with me. Since this morning, he has called me beautiful about 42 times, has said he loves me about 18 times and has complimented me 54 times. I don’t know what’s gotten into him but I’m still not buying it.

            “Love, you have some ice cream on your cheek,” Jongin said, a mellow smile on his face that could send his fangirls home crying. I wiped it off quickly with a tissue, afraid he might try something like it off of me or something. “Thanks-“ I start to say but I’m cut off when he presses his warm, smooth lips on my cheek in a butterfly kiss. I narrowed my eyes at him. “I thought we’d agreed on our rules. What’s rule number 1?”

            “No kissing in public, right. Sorry. But you missed a spot.” He his lips. “I swear that tasted sweeter than usual.” I pushed him lightly because of his cheesiness and he laughed jubilantly. His guffaws faded and he was back to his smiling self, like he won the lottery, sun shining off of his cheeks. “Man, I love you.”

            “Yeah, yeah. You better get back to class now,” I said. As a responsible manager unnie, I’ve taken note of their schedules and have memorized all twelve by heart. I know Jongin’s next class is in the other campus so if he took off now he’d make it in time. But he didn’t move. He just sat there with his (handsome) serious Jongin face, staring at me, like he’s waiting for something. I looked at him quizzically as he looked around, like he was looking for something. Once he was satisfied, he looked back to me and gave me a quick smooch. He grinned at me and said, “No one’s around. See you, jagiya~”

            And he was gone.

            “S-see you,” I mumbled, feeling my cheeks go up a degree by the second. I shouldn’t be feeling like this. He’s just kidding. It’s Jongin. It’s Jongin, for Pete’s sake!

            When I entered the room, I was welcomed by Baekhyun’s teasing.

            “Jongin and Hyeonsung sitting on a tree~”

            Suddenly, Jongdae joined in.

            “K-I-S-S-I-N-G~”

            “Yeah, yeah, can it, kids. Noona’s not in the mood right now.”

            “You were pretty in the mood earlier when you were sharing an ice cream cone with him~”

            “I bet you got ice cream on your cheek on purpose just to see what he’d do~”

            “Are you guys stalking me? I’m getting a restraining order, I mean it.”

            “Oh, please,” Jongdae said. “You were in the middle of the field. Everyone saw.”

            I felt my cheeks start to flush again.

            “Wah! Noona’s blushing! Manager noona is actually blushing, Chen, get a camera!”

            At that moment, the teacher walked in and told everyone to sit down.

            “I guess I’ll just see you at practice then,” Baekhyun said. Then he leaned in close and whispered “Jagiya~”

            It’s a blur what happened from that point on, but all I know is Baek needs an ice pack and my mom’s getting called to the principal’s office again tomorrow.

            I was walking to the club room when suddenly Jongin appeared beside me and took my hand. In a flash, we were on the rooftop of the school, behind the shack where I used to eat lunch before the 12 nutcases met me.

            “Hey! We’re not supposed to use our powers-“ But I was cut off- again – as he sealed his lips over mine. I’m really getting tired of getting cut off, but as I stood there, his lips melding with mine, warm and soft, I thought this is something I’d never get tired of. This is something I could get used to. But then...

            I pulled away and tried to catch my breath. “J-Jongin, no! We’ll get caught! Plus, we need to go to practice-“

            “It’s fine,” he breathed, before kissing me once, twice, thrice. “They’ll understand. We’ll just stay late some other time.” His hand started to crawl up my skirt as he was nibbling at my neck and I finally put my foot down. I pulled away and pushed him off of me. “Jongin! I’m serious!”

            I saw a bit of anger flash in his eyes. He spun around and shouted with frustration in his voice. He punched the steel fence that served as a barrier for the roof.

            “I’m serious, too. What about me?”

            I fixed my collar and stayed silent, unsure of what to do.

            “I’m trying, jagiya. I really am. Why won’t you just let me show my love for you?”

I slowly made my way over to him. I tentatively hugged him from behind and felt his muscles relax in my hold.

“I’m sorry, Jongin. I’m not used to this. You know I’m not used to this. I just... Can’t. I can’t feel it. I don’t see it.”

I could feel him sigh heavily as he cups my hands in his.

“We don’t have to go to practice if you don’t want to.”

“Can we stay here? Please?”

“...Yeah. Sure.”

He removed his hold on my hands and I took my arms back and sat down on the floor. He took the seat next to me and rested his head on my lap. He looked up at me and placed his hand on my cheek.

“You really like doing that, don’t you?”

“Hyeonsung, I love you.”

“I know.”

“I love you.”

“Yeah, you’ve told me already.”

He pulled my head down and gently placed a kiss on the corner of my lips. “I,” then on my nose, “love,” and finally, my lips, “you.”

I hold his molten stare and don’t shy away from his hold. If a day is what he wants, who am I to deny that?

“I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met you.”

“Probably the same things.”

“Shut up. You’re ruining the moment.”

“Then, stop talking and just kiss me.”

And he did. Over and over and over again.

He walked me to the school gates to see me off. He couldn’t walk me home because he still had some paperwork to settle with a teacher. He didn’t pull his hands away, even as we walked out of the school gate.

“I love you.”

“That’s like, the 71^st time you’ve said that already.”

“You’ve been counting?” Jongin said, obviously surprised. Maybe he wasn’t expecting me to be the sentimental type, the one who counted and celebrated anniversaries or whatnot.

“Ah, I’ve said it 71 times and you haven’t even said it once,” he pouted. I kissed him. I couldn’t help it. He’s just so adorable when he pouts. He grinned cheekily.

“Well~?”

“I’m sorry, Jongin.”

“Oh, okay,” he said, disappointed. “Bye, then.” He waved goodbye and went back inside the campus.

I’d gotten pretty far when I remembered that I left my homework back at school. I turned around and ran back towards the direction of the school. Maybe Jongin will be there and he could walk me home.

As I pulled up into the stairway, I heard three familiar voices.

“It was pretty frickin’ hard. I couldn’t get her to say she loved me.”

“See? I told you!”

“That’s 4000 won, Kai!”

“Agh, fine, fine, here, just take it already. Jeez, how am I gonna go home now?”

“Ha! See where your pride gets you? Not all ladies fall for your charm, dude!”

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Kai. Try not to cry tonight.”

“Screw you.”

Oh my God. Oh my God. I can’t believe this. I was part of a bet. They were betting on my choices, they put actual money into gambling about my life choices. Someone’s coming up the stairs. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to feel. I feel played. I feel angry. I feel sad. Oh my God. Am I crying? Oh God, no, you can’t, don’t cry, Hyeonsung. Stop. Stop crying.

“...Hyeonsung?”

I looked up. Through my tear-blurred eyes I saw Jongin and his treacherous lips, his lying eyes, his deceitful voice ringing in my head, “I love you, I love you, I love you”.

I pushed past him and started running down the stairs.

“Hyeonsung!” he called.

“You’re beautiful, you’re lovely, you’re perfect.”

I’m not.

            I was just an extra buck

            I ran down the stairwell crying and didn’t stop running until I got home. Ignoring the concerned calls of my mother, I ran into my room and flopped onto my bed. And what’d you know? I still forgot my homework at school.

            this.