“I’m on my way now misun, why what’s the big deal?” I said into the phone.

“Just…hurry to school ok.” She said but I could tell she was eager for something. Sighing I disconnected the call and hurried down the street towards school. I couldn’t lie I was a little eager to get to school to see roh ji-hoon. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since the other day when we had coffee. I had talked to him a few times since then but he seemed a little different from the first time we talked. I ignored it thinking nothing of it.

“Eungi!” misun called running up to me when she saw me. I grinned meeting her halfway. “Ok, so you know how you’ve been crushing on roh ji-hoon, well ilhoon was talking to hyunsik and they didn’t know I was listening and, well ilhoon said that roh ji-hoon had been asking about you because he likes you.” she said happily. I gasped cupping my hand over my mouth hiding my grin of excitement.

“Chincha?” she nodded eagerly.

“I think he could be the one who breaks your curse, you just need to get him.” she said smacking her hands together for emphasis. “Now…he’s over there…go get him.” she said shoving me from behind. I stumbled forward from the force ending right in front of roh ji-hoon. I looked back wide eyed at misun who just mouthed the word fighting. Grimacing I turned back to see roh ji-hoon watching me and I laughed nervously scratching the back of my neck.

“Hey ji-hoon-ah.” I said nervously. He gave me a small grin before gesturing for his friends to go on ahead without him.

“Hey eungi…what’s up.” he said sitting back against the picnic table behind him.

“Umm…well.” I started nervously. “I…was wondering if…” I looked down picking at my nails like I always did nervously. “if maybe you…wanted to go on a date with me.” I blurted out all at once. There was silence between me and ji-hoon and I looked up to see him looking down chewing on his lip.

“I…” he took a deep breath before looking up at me. “I don’t think so.” He said softly. I looked to him shocked…hadn’t he been asking about me? “I’m sorry…but I’m not interested in a relationship that won’t last more than 30 days…mian I’m not that type of guy.” He said apologetically before he pushed off the table. “Mian.” He said again and walked off leaving me standing there staring in shock at the picnic table. He denied me because of the curse.

“DAMN YOU CURSE!”  I yelled out loudly attracting attention but I just ignored it as I fumed. I kicked out connecting my foot with the table but the table won and I hissed grabbing my foot. “Wahhhh…ouch.” I whined plopping down on the picnic table as I rubbed my foot.

“Pabo.” I looked up to watering eyes to see ilhoon shaking his head at me.

“Go away lhoon. I’m not in the mood.” I mumbled dropping my foot and looking away from him.

“Omo…are you actually crying?” he said shocked. I reached up wiping my face frantically.

“Anni…why would I be crying.” I said trying to act cool.

“That’s what I’m saying.” He said laughing. “I’ve never seen you cry for real over being dumped.” He said completely shocked. “Daebak.” I looked at him wide eyed and appalled.

“What’s so great about this!” I said jumping up from the table and stomping down on his foot.

“Ouch!” he yelped hopping up and down as he hissed from the pain. “Yah! what was that for!” he whined. He dropped his foot and reached out flicking me in the forehead. I reached up rubbing my forehead.

“Go away you jerk.” I said and grabbed my bag walking off.

“Yah, eungi-ah come back!” ilhoon called out but I ignore him walking across the university grounds. “hey!” he yelled again as he caught up to me. he reached out grabbing my wrist spinning me around. I lost balance from the sudden yank sending me spiraling as I fell towards the ground. gasping ilhoon grabbed me pulling me back again but instead of keeping me from falling we both tumbled to the ground me on top of ilhoon. The impact jolted my head forward and our lips connected. My eyes crossed as I looked down shocked at ilhoon’s face that I could only assume was mimicking my shock and horror.

“BWAHHH!” we screamed jumping apart.

“OH my god…did you see that!”

“Are they dating?”

“They’ve got to be…they just kissed in public!”

“Ilhoon’s dating curse girl!”

People started whispering as soon as they saw what had happened no longer paying attention to the fact that me and ilhoon where disgustedly wiping out mouths on whatever we could grab a hold of.

“Yah…why did you kiss me!” I yelled smacking ilhoon’s arm harshly.

“Omo…lovers quarrel already!” ilhoon looked around as people started whispering more and gathering around us.

“Aish…so much trouble.” He groaned grabbing my wrist and pulling me after him. I fought against his grip angrily.

“Let me go you ert!” I continued to smack at his arm trying to get him to release me as he yanked me into the practice room of his band and slammed the door shut locking it. he finally let me go and I stumbled by the sudden release falling into a chair with a flop. “Ouch.” I pouted rubbing my wrist.

“I’m not a ert! You kissed me.” he said finally speaking. I looked at him flatly.

“No I didn’t…when did i?” I said confused. he looked at me like I was stupid.

“Just now pabo…do you have short term memory loss?” he said poking me in the head with his hand. I swatted at it angrily.

“I did not, you pulled me not the other way around!” I said pointing that fact out. ilhoon fell silent his face turning red whether with anger or embarrassment I couldn’t really tell.

“Whatever…no matter how that…nightmare happened.” He said waving his hand. “We still have to think of a way to explain it away.” he said starting to walk back and forth. I looked at him startled.

“What do you mean? Can’t we just go out and say you pulled me we fell and our heads smacked together?” I said tapping my chin. Ilhoon stopped pacing and turned to me raising his hand like he was going to poke me in the head. I crossed my arms in front of me warding him off.

“Pabo, how are you so slow?” he asked furrowing his brow. “Is this some kind of drama? Are we in some kind of love show?” I shook my head making him groan. “it was a rhetorical question idiot.” He said flicking my ear. I hissed grabbing it to rub away the pain. “We can’t just go out there and tell them that, they’ll make up more stories…they’ll think we are lying to keep a relationship a secret.” He returned to his pacing as we fell into silence. “Hey…so why were you crying earlier?” he asked suddenly. I looked up to see he had stopped pacing and was leaning against a desk now watching me evenly.

“Wae…aren’t we supposed to be coming up with a solution?” I asked confused. he shrugged sliding into a seated position on top of the desk.

“I can’t think of anything, I want to focus on something else and come back to the problem…so what was it? he call you a nuisance with the body figure of a 12 year old boy?” he said non chalant like he didn’t just insult me.

“Yah! only you think of me that way.” I said crossly. “Anni…he wouldn’t accept my feelings…because he believes in that stupid curse.” I said sadly. It was quiet a moment before ilhoon snickered then fell into laughter. “Hey…it isn’t funny.” I said sadly. He dried up his laughter clearing his throat.

“Mian…I guess it isn’t.” I looked up at him to see he actually looked sincere in his apology. “What can you do about it, every relationship you’ve had has ended in a month…you can’t blame a man for believing when even you believe.” He said shrugging.

“I’m doomed!” I cried dramatically. Ilhoon sighed sliding from the desk.

“Don’t be so dramatic. You aren’t doomed, roh ji-hoon only denied you because of the curse right? Well just find a way to prove to him the curse isn’t real then you’ll be set right?” I looked to ilhoon shocked…was he actually helping me right now. “Now…about this whole misunderstanding we are in…” he said bringing our kiss back to the fore ground.

“Omo! I’ve got it.” I said suddenly coming up with an idea. ilhoon looked to me waiting. “How about we play on it.” I said eagerly. He looked at me confused. “You said so yourself, find a way to prove to him it isn’t real and I’ll be set to go…” I said nodding as I stood up and walked around like it was going to help my thoughts flow better. “So you do it…pretend to be my boyfriend for a while and prove to him it’ll last over 30 days!” I said snapping my fingers and pointing at him. ilhoon was staring at me flat faced.

“Are you…insane.” He said deeply. “I ask what we should do about the misunderstanding…and you come out of nowhere talking about your problem.” I nodded grinning.

“It’ll kill two birds with one stone. We can play it like yea we are dating, then break up and there won’t be any gossip, also I’ll be able to prove to roh ji-hoon that I’m not cursed.” I said happily.

“What…no way…that’s just pointless. I’ll think of something myself…you just sit quietly your talking is killing my brain cells.” He said shooing me away. I sighed deflated as I sulked sliding into the chair and pulled my knees to my chest resting my head on them as I sighed periodically. “If…we were to do this…how long would we have to fake it.” he said after about 20 minutes of silence. I jumped up looking at him eagerly.

“Chincha? Does this mean you’ll do it?” I asked eagerly.

“Anni…it means I’m curious as to how you had planned on that plan working.” He said seriously. I sighed shrugging.

“I don’t know…it just has to be more than 30 days but long enough as not to look like a fluke…so 40 days.” I said shrugging.

“What…you want me to pretend to date you for 40 days! I don’t think I could do it for one day!” he said laughing.

“But that’s the only way to prove it.” I pouted. Ilhoon groaned sitting back in his chair.

“Then what do I get out of this?”

“Hmmm….oh…umm….anything!” I said hoping that would seal the deal. Ilhoon cocked a brow looking at me. he stood up form his chair suddenly crossing the room to stand in front of me. he bent down plaing his hands on the back of the chair and leaned in so we were face to face.

“Anything?” he said roughly. My eyes widened as he neared. “Because…I could think of a few things we could do…right now.” he said gesturing to the empty room.

“B-Bwohya!” I yelped pushing him back roughly. Ilhoon started laughing loudly.

“You are to easy, arrasso. I’ll help you but under the condition that I have an open ended deal…you have to give me whatever I ask for in the furture when I decide what’s fitting.” My eyes widened in shock as I jumped up grabbing his hand.

“Chincha! You’ll do it!” he grimaced pulling his hand from mine.

“Yea…I’ll do it…might as well it’ll keep rumors from spreading about the stupid kiss…us dating will die out of interest sooner than a scandal.” He said shrugging.

“Yay!” I cheered happily as I danced around the room. “Komawo ilhoon-ah!” I cheered as I hopped onto a chair. In my clumsiness it slid across the floor out from underneath me sending me spilling to the floor. Ilhoon on reflex lunged for me grabbing me before I hit the ground and we both fell with him on top of me this time. just at that moment the door opened and a couple students came in freezing when they saw us.

“Omo…ilhoon-ah…eungi-ssi.” They hissed covering their gaping mouths.

“Oh…mian…didn’t mean to interrupt.” They said and started backing out.

“Yah! it’s not-“ I started to say but ilhoon clamped his hand over my mouth cutting off my sentence.

“Since you know you’ve done wrong…go out.” he said waving his hand. they nodded and hurried from the room shutting the door. “Pabo…we are supposed to be dating…you better start acting like it or it won’t be believable.” He said standing up from the floor yanking me with him.

“Oh…yea.” I said embarrassed.

“Whatever…let’s go over a couple rules. We have to be believable but there are defining restrictions.” He said seriously. “1: no hugging…I get queasy thinking about contact with you.” he said shuttering. I made a face at him but let him continue. “2:no kissing, or hand holding.” He said holding up his hands and wiggling his finger.

“Yah…hand holding is basic boyfriend girlfriend stuff…I agree with the no hugging and or kissing…that’s….gross in the least.” I said nodding. “But come on hand holding is a must.” I said crossing my arms. Ilhoon sighed.

“Fine…hand holding but only! When we are in front of others…otherwise you keep away from touching me. you can be near me but no touching unless absolutely necessary.”

“Fine with me.” I huffed.

“Rule number 3 : the most important rule!” he said making sure I was paying attention. “Don’t you dare under any circumstances forget this is fake…and fall In love with me…understood.” He said wagging his finger in my face. I grimaced leaning away.

“trust me…you are the last person in the world I would all for.” he smirked nodding.

“Well you are the last person in the universe I would fall for.” he said trying to one up me. I went to speak back when he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. “let’s get this stuff started.”