What’s his deal?

My alarm clock has long since roused me but I’m still lying in bed, thinking about last night. Thinking about oppa, about the kiss…

Aish. It’s just a kiss on the cheek! Why am I so bothered?

I immediately sat up and knocked my head with my fist.

“A-ah~ eotteoke?”

After I showered and prepared for school, I headed downstairs to see Oppa helping Sohee set the table.

“Oh, good morning my little dongsaeng~ did you sleep well?” oppa asked, placing a steaming pot full of hot kimchi jjigae onto the table.

“Ah can’t really sleep well last night because of…” I paused to look at him but he looked at me without even a single trace of knowing. It’s as if last night never happened. “…because of too much homework.” I managed to say.

Well that is a lie. But how do you expect me to sleep well after…that?

And what’s with his reaction? He acts as if…as if it’s nothing. Now I’m beginning to wonder whether I’m just overreacting. See, I’ve never been kissed by anyone other than my parents. So this feeling of being kissed by someone other than them (even if it’s just on the cheek) is really new to me to the point that it bothers me.

“If that’s the case then wait till you taste my kimchi jiggae. It will help refresh and relax you.” Oppa said apparently believing my alibi.

“You cooked that?”

“Oh, Sohee helped with the cooking but it was mostly me.” oppa replied with a proud smile. “This kimchi jiggae is unique because it has the special Chanyeol flavor.” Then he winked at me.

“Yah. Uminnie~ did you know that oppa woke up earlier than me this morning?” Sohee interjected. “I woke up hours ago to prepare the breakfast but when I left my room I saw oppa already in the kitchen cooking the jiggae, which is like a miracle since oppa always wakes up late and all.”

Oppa smiled widely, showing most of his teeth, apparently proud of himself.

“Okay then. I’ll taste it. Let’s see if the Chanyeol flavor made any difference.” I said with a light laugh.

Maybe he’s just showing his brotherly affection in a way that I’m not used to. Get over it.

I’m really not ready to let it go but since oppa seemed to forgot all about it then I guess I should forget about it too.

I scooped a spoonful of the jjigae and tasted it. “Oh it’s really good!”

“I told you!” oppa exclaimed pointing his finger at me with a triumphant smile.

“Are you sure you cooked this with Sohee as your helper and not the other way around?” I asked skeptically.

“Yah! I could cook too, you know.” He contends defiantly. “It’s just that I don’t always have time for cooking.”

Ah. Now I’ve hurt him. I never should have been that harsh on him. He worked hard on this but now here I am questioning his talent and credibility. Gosh I feel guilty.

“Okay fine. I’m sorry.” I said sincerely then smiled at him. ”Your cooking is delicious oppa and I really liked it.”

“You do?” His face brightened up again.

“Yes, I liked it.”

“Minhee, I may not be able to walk home with you later because our last subject teacher is already back from her leave so it means I will be dismissed an hour after you. Is it okay if you walk with Hae Kyung instead?” oppa asked me as we entered the school’s main gate.

“Oh. I guess it’s okay. Be careful later, ok oppa?

“Of course my little dongsaeng~” oppa ruffled my hair. “Take care too. Bye!”

“Bye Oppa~!” I said before we separated, each of us walking towards the building that contains our respective classrooms.

The room is in chaos. Apparently there is still time before the start of the morning period so everyone was too busy doing their own thing. Female students are too busy fangirling about some famous boy group. Sleeping students lie lifeless on the floor. I was walking over scattered notebooks and papers towards my seat when Hae Kyung suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Good Morning~” she declared with a smile.

“Good Morning to you too!” I replied then looked around the classroom. “Is it really this noisy and messy every morning?”

“Not always, only if there is homework given the previous day. Most of our classmates never really do their homework so they cram the next morning, including me.” She replied, showing me her just finished homework as if to prove her point. “While many are cramming, the others either chat, sleep, eat or even sing and dance!”

That explains the scattered bodies everywhere.

“Oh by the way, remember what I told you about Jung Hae? Well, let me show you what happens if someone sits next to Joonmyeon.” She said with an impish grin then flips her hair. “Just watch me.”

She immediately walked toward my seat, stepping on a sleeping boy in the process, who just moaned in protest but resumed sleeping immediately after.

“Hi Joonmyeon! Can you pretend that I’m telling you something really interesting and fun?“

“Uh? I guess so.” Joonmyeon replied before realizing something. “Wait, what is this about? I’m telling you Hae Kyung, if this is about th-“

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jung Hae appeared out of thin air.

What in the world? That was fast! `

Jung Hae stood there towering over the sitting Hae Kyung. This is actually the first time that I really saw her. I saw her yesterday but it was too quick to notice her appearance. She is taller than me by a few inches and wears her wavy hair with a red ribbon to keep her bangs from falling onto her face. Her face has sharp and defined features like a supermodel.

“Oh hello. We were just talking about our future, right Joonmyeonnie~” Hae Kyung touched Joonmyeon’s arm before winking at him.

Annoyance immediately filled Jung Hae’s face. She grabbed a notebook from the floor and smacked it on Hae Kyung’s head.

Hae Kyung looked vexed but not hurt nor shocked. It seems that she’s expecting it. “Ow! ARE YOU CRAZY?! Did you know that this pretty head contains a precious brain?!“ She announced in an overly hysterical voice then talked to herself. “Don’t worry my precious brain~ I won’t let this witch hurt you again.” She said in a cute voice as she caressed her head.

“Oh tell your small brain that this witch is sorry.” Jung Hae responded as she smacked the notebook in Hae Kyung’s head again.

“Why you little-“

“Yah! Stop it now you two!” Joonmyeon said, silencing the bickering of the two. “Jung Hae she was just joking alright?”

“Oh hello Joonmyeon~” Jung Hae changed her mood in a fraction of a second. “I know. I was just messing around. “ She uttered sweetly at Joonmyeon before giving Hae Kyung a death glare.

“Yes, I’m messing around too!” Hae Kyung stood up from my seat then turned her head towards me. “I told you she’ll get all ballistic.”

I just smiled. I can tell that the two of them are close.

“Oh by the way, you’re Minhee right? Can I talk to you for a while outside?” Jung Hae asked with a smile.

Before I could even reply she caught my arm and lead (well, more like dragged) me outside. I looked at Hae Kyung for help but she just traced a finger on her neck as if to say “You’re dead!”

I gave her my when-I-get-back-I’ll-definitely-strangle-you look.

So much for moral support Hae Kyung. You’re really the best.

“Do you like Joonmyeon?”

Wha-. Is that what this is all about?

“No. I don’t, so you don’t have to worry.” I replied reassuringly.

“What do you mean don’t worry? Don’t tell me you already know about my…” then she leans in to whisper. “…my secret crush on Joonmyeon?”

What secret? Does she seriously think that nobody knows that? Well she’s not exactly subtle.

“Ah it was just a guess.” I touched the back of my head sheepishly.

“Oh. Well I’m sorry for being cold towards you yesterday. I just thought that if you were to sit beside Joonmyeon…” she didn’t finish her sentence but instead looked at me apologetically. “Can we be friends?”
“Oh of course! I’ll be pleased to be your friend.” I said with a smile.

She smiled at me too before our subject teacher appeared at the other end of the corridor. Her face immediately turned serious and ran inside the room before shouting: “CODE RED! I REPEAT. CODE RED!!!”

What happened next was too unbelievable to the point that it was almost comical. The several scattered bodies of sleeping students stood up to run towards their respective seats. The chatting students abruptly stopped talking and directly took to cleaning. Notebooks and homework are flying everywhere, thrown by students towards their respective owners. Joonmyeon started barking orders at the students. Chairs are aligned and tables are cleaned.

What in the world is happening?

Every part of the room is bustling and it seems that I’m the only one standing still, mouth open in awe. By the time our subject teacher arrived the room is already impossibly clean, considering how messy it is just a few moments ago, and everyone was already seated on perfectly aligned chairs and tables. Almost everyone that is, except for, well, me. I was too busy being amazed that I forgot myself.

Well, fudge.

“Minhee-ssi, don’t you know that everyone should be seated by the time the subject teacher comes inside the room?” Seonsaengnim queried.

“I uh-I was just-ah…”

“She just came back from the library, seonsaengnim.” Joonmyeon interjected. “I asked her to return something to the library because I’m busy cleaning the room. She’s still unaccustomed to the school so I guess she might have been lost her way back.” He told seonsaengnim before turning his head slightly towards my direction so that his face is partially hidden from seonsaengnim’s view. “Am I right, Minhee?” he said before winking at me.

“Ye-yes it’s true. I got a little lost on my way back and ended up on a different floor.” I agreed sheepishly.

“Seonsaengnim I will take responsibility as class representative because I was the one who asked her in the first place.”

“Oh. If that’s the case I guess I could let this pass.” Seonsaengnim turned to me. “But I don’t want this to happen again, okay?”

“Yes. Seonsaengnim.” Both of us replied in unison.

“Now take your seat so we can start our lesson.”

I hurried to my seat and gave Joonmyeon a grateful smile as I passed him.

He mouthed ‘You’re welcome’ and smiled.

Now I understand why Jung Hae likes him.

“I’m very grateful at Joonmyeon for saving my sorry .” I declared over lunch.

“Nah. I bet it’s nothing special.” Jung Hae responded indifferently.

“Yeah, I agree. I bet he did that because as class representative he would be blamed for the faults of his classmates so he saved you to save himself.” Hae Kyung asserted before eating some beans and rice. “And besides, all the teachers listen to him. He’s like everyone’s favorite student so no one really gets angry at him.” She said in between munches.

Jung Hae nodded in agreement.

“Oh.” I’m apparently taken aback from their statements.

But the gesture looks genuine to me.

“Well, I guess you’re right. But still, I’m grateful.”

“Whatever you say.”

After lunch, we had to go to a laboratory for our Home Economics class.  Apparently, there is a different seating arrangement in the kitchen-like room not unlike the one in the masterchef show. The class is divided in pairs so of course I ended up being paired with someone who doesn’t have a pair yet.

“Annyeong.  I’m Kim Minhee.” I reached out a hand.

“A-annyeong. I’m Kyungsoo, Do Kyungsoo.” He replied sheepishly as he shook my hand, avoiding eye contact.

“So, I’m going to be your pair in H.E. from now on. Please bear with me~” I said with a shy grin.

He nodded then immediately averted his gaze when I laughed lightly.

Aww he’s shy. He looks adorable~

He is a little taller than me, maybe as tall as Jung Hae. His face has soft and delicate features, pretty round eyes that made him look like in a constant state of shock, and heart shaped lips.

“Let’s work on this recipe together okay?”

He just nodded.

Well, as long as he’s cooperative I guess it’s okay.

Our teacher stated the instructions and procedures before actually letting the students work on the recipe.

Today we have to bake and design a cake.

Kyungsoo’s adorable demeanor immediately changed. He readily prepares the ingredients needed and told me to gather the equipment and utensils that we have to use. He took to mixing the ingredients while I preheat the oven. In a few minutes, we already have a batter to bake. I’m really amazed at how skillful Kyungsoo’s delicate hands work on the cake. He obviously knows what he’s doing and it seems that he’s good at it. He only asks for help on the more difficult parts of the baking. We already finished our frosting when Hae Kyung and Jung Hae approached our table.

“Kyungie~ can I taste your frosting?” Hae Kyung asked with pleading eyes. “Your frosting is the best.”

“Ours tastes like crap!” Jung Hae exclaims. “Hae Kyung added stuff in our frosting telling me that it will improve it but it ended up tasting like .”

“I already told you I’m sorry! I actually know 0% about baking that’s why I’m asking my Kyungie for help.”

Kyungsoo sighed and looked at Hae Kyung insipidly but still ended up teaching her the proper way of making a frosting.

“Thanks a lot Kyungie~ you’re the best!” Hae Kyung exclaimed before hugging Kyungsoo then ran towards their table.

Kyungsoo just nodded.

“You guys seem close.” I commented after the two left for their table.

“Hmm. She was my classmate and next door neighbor ever since kindergarten.” He replied as he looked up from the frosting to face me.

“Oh. That explains it.” I opened the oven to get the cake out. “Waaaaaaahh~ it smells so good. You’re really good at this Kyungsoo-ssi. I wonder if it tastes as good too.”

“Oh of course it is.”

“Really?! Aww it’s a shame I can’t eat it.” I remembered that we have to pass the cake to seonsaengnim before the period ends.

“Oh you can. The students only need to pass a slice for seonsaengnim to taste so she can grade us accordingly.” He said before smiling at me. “You can have the rest since you look really fond of cakes.”

“For real? Waaaah~” I squealed. “Thank you!”

He laughed lightly. “You’re funny.”

I tilted my head. “I am?”

He smiled before saying “You’re just…never mind. It’s nothing.”

I’m not convinced but I don’t want to annoy him so I just let it go.

“Okay fine.” I pouted. “But still, thank you for the cake! I thought I can never taste it. It looks and smells really good~!”

“No need to thank me though.” He said before laughing lightly.

I returned a smile.

He might be adorable when he’s shy but he looks cuter when he smiles.

A-ah finally! I'm sorry for the late update. I started working on it like 5 days ago but...distractions are everywhere. 

Also, it's a long update because I got tons of ideas for this chapter and ended up incorporating all of them.

Let's welcome Kyungsoo into the story~! 

By this time i bet you guys are wondering where the other boys are (since this is harem), but wonder no more~

The others are going to make an appearance soon.

The harem is not yet starting but it will, soon~

Sorry for the slow pacing. I will try speeding it up a bit too.

Btw EXO The Lost Planet concert is happening soon in our country and I still haven't saved enough for a ticket. 

I need to budget strictly if i ever want to see Xiumin and EXO live.

I HAVE TO. hahaha