Something moved in my hand and I felt consciousness flood me.

I groggily sat up, but not all the way as I felt something resting on my torso. My half-lidded eyes painfully dragged themselves to the body part, and through the blurriness of my vision, I saw something draped across my waist. My hand reached up to my eyes, rubbing them with the heel of my palm as I yawned silently. With my sleepiness leaving me, I opened my eyes clearly for the first time and they registered the unknown thing on my tummy.

It was an arm.

Before I raised any alarm with my scream, my eyes hurriedly trailed up the arm, and I was both surprised and confused at the identity of the arm's owner.

What is... he doing here?

I carefully pulled myself upwards, sliding my tummy under his arm and letting it drape across my legs instead. My eyes roamed the features of the sleeping boy, whose head rested on the arm that lay across my exposed thighs. His other hand was near his face, and if I hadn't moved, it would have been right next to my hand.

I gulped, feeling heat surging through my body as I gazed at him. He was sleeping soundly, and even though I've rustled the bedsheets a couple of times since I awoke, he never once budged.

I chuckled silently. Someone's very tired, it seems.

Leaning back against the headboard of my bed, I let my fingers tiptoe my whole hand towards his, resting it near his long and svelte fingers. My eyes flitted across his face, taking in his defined features and ultimately deciding that yes, Mark Tuan is most definitely handsome.

The corners of my lips tugged upwards as I carefully slipped my fingers into his large hand, gripping it gently. His fingers jerked slightly and afraid of what he might say should he awake, I hurriedly pried my fingers away from his.

But they wouldn't move.

"I'm too good looking, aren't I?"

The boy opened one of his eye, and a mischievous grin crept onto his face. His hand held tightly yet gently onto my fingers and I could feel a deep blush heading towards my cheeks if the skin contact continues.

"D-Don't kid yourself!" I wrenched my hand out of his, and quickly jumped off the bed. His arm that was draped across my thighs dropped onto my bed and his grin disappeared. "I wasn't looking at you."

I traipsed across the room, realising that he was seated at the edge of the bed that was nearer to the door. As I brushed past him, I felt myself being pulled backwards until I landed on something soft.

"But what if I want you to look at me?"

"You have to stop avoiding him someday, y'know."

I glanced up from my mash. It was barely touched.

"And you have to stop evading my questions, too." Jinyoung scowled, jokingly though, for at the sight of my hurt expression, he sighed resignedly and plastered on a small smile. "Fine, I'm being too harsh. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," I mumbled, spoon prodding the mash absentmindedly. "I was the one who forcefully dragged you away from the boys."

He hummed thoughtfully, as though he was admitting that my words were true. They were, somehow. "Suzy, you didn't drag me. I came to you on my own."

That put a small smile on my face. It was nice. It was very nice to have Jinyoung as my friend again.

"Aww, someone's happy," His hand ruffled my hair (rather excessively I must add), causing my spectacles to slide off the ridge of my nose, a familiar playful glint reflected in his eyes, and it was then did I truly feel that the old Jinyoung has returned. "How about you ditch that boy and come back to me, baby girl?"

Pushing my spectacles back up, I blew at my bangs and had finally spooned myself some mash, only to spit it out at his last word. "E-Excuse me!?"

He guffawed, despite his burger being splattered with my mash. "Park Jinyoung!"

The commotion must have been loud, for heads immediately turned to our table and gulp, Mark had looked at us as well.

His eyes were narrowed, possibly judging, possibly hurt, but definitely mad. After all, I escaped the second I heard his confession.

That was a confession, right?

"But what if I want you to look at me?"

He subtly (or not so subtly, since I was so conscious of his every action) wrapped his arms around my waist, and placed his chin on my shoulder. His breath fanned the side of my face, and I don't know if it was the temperature of my room was cold, or the fact that his breath was warm, but I felt extreme heat gathering in my cheeks.

"Suzy?" The way my name rolled off his tongue smoothly, the way it sounded so pleasant, sent shivers through my body. From the corners of my eyes, I saw his brows furrow, his lips tugging downwards as concern flitted onto his face. "Are you cold? I would switch off the air con but um, you're kind of sitting on me right now."

That was when I bolted — forcefully wrenching myself out of his arms, slackened due to his sudden shock at my sudden action. I didn't give myself the chance to look back, flying down the stairs, grabbing my shoes off the floor, unlocking the door, and fleeing the scene barefooted. It was only when I rounded the corner, darting into a deserted alleyway did I stop.

Dusting the dirt off my feet, I wore my shoes and leant against the wall, feeling my heart thumping like crazy.

And I hoped that it was because I ran, and not because of what I had just experienced with the boy that might still be in my room.

“Um, earth to Suzy?”

Something cold prodded my cheek and the chill snapped me out of my recollection, alerting me to the metal spoon that the boy seated opposite was using to poke me.

I blinked rapidly and Jinyoung let out a tch, promptly removing his spoon. "Welcome back to earth, your Highness."

I rapped him on the head with the back of my spoon, earning myself the same treatment. We glared at each other for a few moments, before dissolving into soft laughter and ignoring the curious looks from around us.

However, all the while, the heated gaze from him never quite left me.

It has been a tumultuous and painful day of avoiding him in any and every possible manner.

I had timed my arrival into the classroom just before the bell rang, effectively preventing any spare time for him to saunter over to confront me. I had bustled out of the classroom just as the lunch bell rang, willing myself to not wait for him to swing his arm over my shoulders like we've always done when Jinyoung wasn't speaking to either of us. I had hidden myself behind Jinyoung when he made his way over to us, on the pretext of wanting to talk to Jinyoung but I knew his true motive; after all, his eyes were on my partly hidden visage the whole time he tried to maintain a conversation with his friend.

I had successfully not made contact with him for a day, and this would continue for the rest of the coming weeks as well. Or until I decide to confront my feelings.

In which that time might never arrive.

I rounded the corner, about to head into the alleyway to take a shortcut to school when I bumped into something quite solid. Something that ended up becoming a someone called Mark Tuan.

Crap, I never expected him to be waiting for me.

I made a move to bypass him, clutching the straps of my bag tightly as I stepped to the side and wanted to scurry past when warmt