I watched as my four friends pondered over the list that Park Hyoli had given me underneath the bleachers.

 

After Minho had wrapped up his soccer club session, we had all made our way to Jinki’s place where I had told them all about Hyoli and her apparent ‘10 phobias’.

 

“Half of these words I’ve never even heard of” Minho was the first to step back from the list he and the guys were reading. I nodded in agreement as I was pretty much in the same boat as him and I was almost sure if I took on this ‘project’ a lot of my time would be spent googling the phobias on the list.

 

Jonghyun was the next to speak.

 

“Who cares? She said she’s give me a chance if you help cure her. Personally, I don’t see why you’re having such a hard time making a decision over helping her or not. The answer is pretty clear to me” He smiled at me.

 

“Of course YOU would think that” Onew commented, emphasizing on the word ’you’. 

 

“Jonghyun, are you sure you even want to date a girl like this, Park Hyoli is beautiful but the more I hear about her the more un-stable she appears to be”

 

I bit my bottom lip, already knowing what was coming next for Taemin.

 

“Awch! What the hell was that for?” Taemin whined while rubbing the spot on his head where Jonghyun had just whacked him.

 

“It serves you right for speaking like that about your future sister-in-law” Jonghyun stated in a composed tone of voice.

 

“I was just saying, there are other, more normal girls out there” Taemin shrugged as Jonghyun turned his head around, refusing to even look at Taemin as well as acknowledge what he was saying.

 

“There is no one else” Jonghyun stated stubbornly. 

 

 “On some level you have to admire his dedication” Minho sighed, sitting down on one of the bean bag chairs.

 

“More like stupidity” Taemin mumbled just loud enough for us all to hear.

 

Jinki, sensing the irritation building up in Jonghyun because of Taemin’s comments quickly moved the conversation along.

“So, what are you going to do Key?”

 

Almost instantly, every pair of eyes were fixed on me, waiting for my answer. It as well because I hate reason I always got into trouble in my previous schools, I crack when put under pressure.

 

Lucky for me though, Jonghyun was an impatient person.

 

“Key will help her. After all, he did promise to help me win Hyoli”

 

“She’s not a trophy Jonghyun, she’s a human being” Taemin commented but Jonghyun ignored him.

 

“So you’re gonna do it?” Minho asked, directing his question towards me.

 

Thinking about it, what’s the worst that can happen? I nodded my head finally in response.

 

“Yes!” Jonghyun cheered as he thumped a fist in the air.

 

Minho sighed as Taemin folded his arms while watching his Hyung begin to perform a ‘victory dance’.

 

“Figures after I graduate is the day something interesting goes on in that school” Jinki pouted, making the rest of us laugh in response.

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

The next day I school I managed to pull Hyoli to one side during lunch period. We stood in one of the empty science labs in complete silence.

 

Her eyes bore into my as I took the note from out of my trouser pocket and unfolded it.

 

“For real, you have a lot of phobias” I commented as Hyoli shrugged while folding her arms.

 

“I guess you could say I’m used to it, just not so used to it that I want to live in fear of them for the rest of my life”

 

I nodded my head in understanding, I only ever had one fear when I was younger and that fear was rejection until I hit puberty and discovered that any girl would be lucky to have me because I’m me.

 

I was still trying to over come one fear of mine which I kept a secret from practically everyone and it would remain a secret forever.

 

Like hell was I going to let my reputation plummet into the ground because of one little fear that I have.

 

“So, because you wanted to talk to me in private I guess you’ve made a decision?” She said pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up at her to see her looking straight back at me with almost hopeful eyes.

 

“You promise to give Jonahing a chance if I do this?” I asked as she suddenly ran over to me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

 

For someone who looked so fragile, she sure was strong.

 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I promise I will, I’ve never broken a promise before in my life and I don’t intend to start now” She said pulling away from me and grinning at me.

 

“I take it public displays of affection isn’t on this list?” I asked as she laughed.

 

“We’re not in public right now but no, it’s not” She answered as I nodded as she tilted her head to the side, almost waiting for something.

 

“What?” I asked as she laughed.

 

“When do we start?” She asked.

 

I thought about it for a second before coming up with a plan. Looking at her seriously I answered her question.

 

“Well it’s Wednesday today. If you’re not doing anything on the weekend we could start then. That way it gives me enough time to research the next phobia on the list and come up with a way to help you concur it” I said as she nodded her head, refusing to hide her excitement from me.

“Okay, we’ll meet this Saturday, around 11am?” She asked as I nodded.

 

“We’ll meet each other at my friend Lee Jinki’s apartment and go from there. I’ll write down his address and give it to you once I check to see if he’s okay with it” I explained as she nodded in understanding.

 

“Well I better get back to the cafeteria before people start wondering where I’ve gone. I’ll see you later and thanks again for what you’re doing for me. It means a lot” She said giving me one last hug before leaving the classroom as I stood there, frozen to the spot.

 

Looking down at the paper in my hand, I looked to the phobia that was listed underneath claustrophobia.

 

“Amaxophobia”