“Look at that, your lips are still intact.”

As if I had left him there all night, Hanbin was standing in the same spot at my home’s gate, peering back at me as I met up with him this early morning. “I pieced them back together this morning. It was a lot of work.” I retorted before noticing he was seemingly up to something. “What?”

“Aren’t you going to thank me?”

“For coming here to pick me up?” I stop in front of him, not yet opening my gates. I feel like I should keep my distance until he reveals what he’s up to.

He nods his head expectantly.

But, he was the one that insists on coming here. “…Thank you.” I merely responded. I’ll indulge him in this.

He clicked his tongue in response, expressing his disapproval. “Not that.”

I stared back at him trying to figure out what he wanted but realized quite quickly what it was. “Hanbin, we are not touching lips every time I thank you.” I snorted before pulling my gates open. How ridiculous. This is not going to be a start of some strange habit. 

***

“Here.”

A thin piece of paper was promptly shoved into my face and I reached up to grab it when the person holding the paper, refused to release it. “Thanks, Hanbin. You can let go now.” If it wasn’t already obvious enough.

He remained rooted to the floor before my desk and I tugged on the sheet a bit more in case my words weren’t clear enough for the boy. 

“Thank me first.” 

“I just did.” I responded simply. 

“Not that.”

“Then, what?”

“Like, thank me.”

I gaped at him in disbelief. “Hanbin.”

“Fine.” He gave in pretty fast before stomping off to his desk in the back. 

And if you thought that was the last time that Hanbin demonstrated that kind of behavior, you are all extremely mistaken. It wasn’t just that day, it would continue for the whole week. Hanbin would find some sort of excuse to help me with something and then, he would repeat those damn words, ‘thank me’. 

Where did things go wrong?

How could I have created a monster from one kiss?

“Hanbin, you need to calm down.”

“I am calm.” He answers in a ‘calm’ manner. Yet, that wasn’t enough to convince me. 

I gave him a look before focusing back. “You are not calm – you are trying to bank in on good deeds.” I cornered him at his locker while everyone else was busy trying to get to the cafeteria at the start of break.

“Okay, you got me.” He admits in exasperation. “If I don’t do this, it won't ever happen again” He shamelessly reveals.

I can’t believe this. “I think you’ve become a monster. A kissing monster.” 

“A kissing monster? And you call me immature?” 

“This is exactly what I am talking about – chill.” My goodness. “This isn’t going to do.” I looked up at Hanbin and hesitantly puckered my lips while the sight spurred sudden silence from the boy in front of me.

“…Really?” He asked incredulously.

I quickly nodded my head, urging him to get it over with and while no one is paying attention to us. Hanbin attempted to hide his smile before leaning forward and just as I anticipated a touch on my lips and another exchange of germs –

“Am I interrupting something?”

Frozen in our position, we shifted our eyes to the side to see who it was. 

Sanghee.

“Wow, Jiwoo. Just last week you didn’t even want to kiss and here you are not even considering where you two are.” Her tone was enough to emphasize her disappointment in me. “Right here…in the middle of the hallway.”

I straightened up at her accusation. I am the innocent party here. “Wait a minute, he – “

“Sorry, maybe I should have pretended I didn’t see anything.” She smirked before turning on her heels and leaving us behind but, not before muttering something along the lines of ‘kissing monster’.

I have totally been misunderstood.

“’Kissing monster’ is really a term?” The boy beside me questions, not the least bit bothered with what had just happened and while he couldn’t have been more irrelevant at this point in time.

I silently sent him a glare before walking off. 

I’ve indulged him too much. 

***

“I don’t want this to remain a mystery – but I don’t miss these meetings and if I haven’t made it obvious enough, my mistake.” With how many times I have to meet up with Bobby on this very rooftop, I think we can claim it ours now. And though the weather was not as cold as it has been, it doesn’t change the fact that I really don’t want to be here, wasting my lunchtime. Bobby still doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment from me.

Bobby smiled at me briefly. “How are things?”

“You really like to go missing when bad things go down but here you are, standing before me when everything is all good and dandy again.” The issue between Hanbin and Mino has cooled down, the ‘Woonie’ situation seems to be cleared up, and Zico should be dealt with after our little hangout with Chanwoo the other week. 

Again. Everything is good and dandy.

Bobby has some killer timing. But, did I expect anything less from him?

“What do you mean?” Bobby chuckled at my allegation. “I’m always there.”

Look at him appearing all suspicious-like again. “So, get on with it. What is brewing in your mind this time?”

“Take care of Hanbin.”

I snorted. “Don’t hand over the responsibility to me.” I can’t even get him under control. If anything, I keep getting caught up in his behavior – just like the other day when I became known as the kissing monster among the lunch table (all because Sanghee couldn’t keep what she saw a secret and while Hanbin didn’t bother denying it either).

“It’s tradition for the girlfriend to take over now.” He teasingly gave me a look. “And traditions are meant to be followed.”

I knew he was going to take advantage of this. 

Something he has already done anyway. 

“I want to hear you say something first.” And I am nearly dying waiting to hear it.

“What?” He looks at me in confusion.

“Say you were wrong.” I have been thinking endlessly about it. This will put an end to all the he has put me through since the beginning of the school year. All the . 

“In regards to what?”

Look at him acting like he doesn’t know. “Woochan.” I clarified. If there was one thing I was certain of, when it came to Woochan, I was right. Bobby ended up worrying for nothing. And on the contrary, with her back, everything started to move into the right places. In other words, Woochan was the very person we needed. 

“Okay, look –“

“Just say it.” I interjected. I don’t want to hear excuses. I just want to hear the three specific words.

“It was a valid concern. I really thought she –“

“You were wrong.” I emphasized. If he needed help thinking of the words, I will whole-heartedly help him. Just say so and I will. 

Bobby breathed out. “If you were in my position –“

I shook my head. “You’re getting cold.” Nothing close to what I want to hear.

“You have to understand –“

“You just got colder – is that possible?” 

“Jiwoo –“

I interrupted once more. “You –“ 

“Jiwoo –“

I ignored his effort to gather my attention. “Were –“

“Jiwoo –“

“Wrong.” This is not a discussion or a debate. I will not hear Bobby go on and on about random things in an attempt to get me to think otherwise. I will be a stone, and act as one. “I’m not budging, Bobby.” Not an inch. 

I’m not giving in.

Not today, Bobby. Not today.

Bobby chewed the inside of his cheek. “I was –“ He cleared his throat and looked away. “…Wrong.”

My God. Have I ever been this happy? I think I can see fireworks. An explosion of glitter and pretty things. An eruption of complete satisfaction. Nothing – I mean, nothing can beat this. Don’t even try to convince me otherwise. 

“Don’t start crying.” Bobby muttered.

I pretended to wipe away a tear at the corner of my eye. “Sorry, I didn’t know I would be so touched.” 

Seeing my reaction, the ends up Bobby’s lips lifted. “I figured. These moments are rare and don’t happen twice.”

I froze. What is he insinuating? Is he declaring war? “Are you saying this would be the only time you will –“

“You’ll never hear me say that again.” He confirmed.

And, it’s on. “We’ll see.”

Just found my life’s goal.

Bobby’s small smile widened when he commented on something else. “To the very end, you were the fixer.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You solved it all, eve