“Ah~ Mi~,” he called out, dragging his voice.

Ever since the detention incident, Chan Yeol has been popping out around me all the time in school.

It is a relief that while I’m in Class 2-1, he is in Class 2-7, which is at the other end of the corridor.

This means that I won’t see him during classes, although he does make it a point to appear at the door during lunch breaks and after school ends every single day.
One time I wanted to sneak out of class earlier just to avoid him, so I feigned a stomach ache to be excused from class 10 minutes earlier. Right when I turned to the stairwell-

“Oh! Ah Mi! Your class ended early today? I bought you your favourite kim bab! Let’s have it on the way home.” He grinned widely as he waved the paper bag in his hands.

I suspect if he attends classes at all.

He also went to the extent of giving me a nickname.

According to him, because I am the most amazing pianist he has ever met, I should have the word itself in my name. So he combined pi-ah-no with my birth name, which resulted in……………

“Ah~~~~~ Mi~~~~~~~”

I paused my History essay and glared at him

“Why don’t you want to have Korean BBQ? It’s such a waste for this 1-for-1 discount! Come on, I’ll treat you to it!” He said while waving the flyer at me.

“Chan Yeol ah…. Why don’t you go with your other friends instead? Your classmates?” I suggested and attempted a smile.

“I…. don’t have anyone else other than Ah Mi.” Suddenly, he looked sad.

“Huh?”

“Ha ha, the people here, they are all weird.” Who’s the weird one… “They all look at me like I’m scary. No one wants to befriend a monster, right…?” He smiled bitterly.

I think my heart felt something at that moment. I couldn’t exactly describe it. But the consequences is me saying, “That BBQ…. I’ll go with you.”

“Really?! DAE BAK. See you in a while!” He immediately regained his usual enthusiasm and ran out of the class room as the lunch bell rang, as if nothing happened.

Was all those sadness……. an act to con me into having the BBQ with him?!