“Are you serious?” Hayi swatted her spoon and some of her cereal fell onto the dining table. Sukhoon arched his eyebrow at his daughter with slight displeasure.

Hayi looked away. She didn’t care what her father will say when the man had just made a ridiculous proposal.

“Look, Hayi. She’s only staying with us for a few weeks.” He articulated gently.

Hayi balked. “No way.”

Her father forced a grim look. “She’s your mother.”

“No.” Hayi shook her head adamantly.  

The elderly housekeeper came out of the kitchen after overhearing their conversation. She noticed the tense ambience in the household. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is great.” Sukhoon replied, giving her daughter the silent treatment.

Hayi drank up her fruit juice in one gulp. “I’m done.”

“We’ve not finished the conversation.” Sukhoon warned and beckoned her to return to her seat.

The girl blatantly ignored her father and pushed the chair away noisily. “Bye, Halmoni.” With that, she bolted out of the house.

Halmoni cast Sukhoon a doubtful look. “Did you say anything mean to the girl?”

Sukhoon shrugged his head and looked down at his newspapers. “How mean of a request can be if I want her mother to live with us again?” He muttered.

“Hayi’s mother is coming back?” Halmoni gaped.

Sukhoon cleared his throat loudly and averted his eyes from her face. “I’m just putting her up for a while.”

“You two made up?” Halmoni frowned.

“We didn’t.” He answered curtly.

“Then? You know that I don’t like people telling me lies.” Halmoni said sternly.

Sukhoon closed the newspapers and put it away with a weary look. “It’s really nothing.”  

++++++++++

Hayi quietly sat beside Hanbin as he glanced up and greeted her with a smile. “Good morning.”

“Morning…”

Hanbin was surprised by her lethargic greeting.

“Did something happen?” He asked.  

Hayi shook her head while staring glumly at the ground.

“Oh, you forgot to bring home the cookie jar home last night.” Hanbin pointed out.

“Okay.”

Another one-word reply.

Hanbin squared his jaw. “Did something happen?”

No response.

Hanbin frowned. “Hello, am I talking to the wall?”

“No.” Hayi replied and pressed her handphone keypads furiously.  

“Are you really okay?”

Hayi put her phone down and stared at him with a sigh. “Okay. I’ll drop by later to collect. Happy?”

Hanbin looked slightly taken aback. “I can bring it for you tomorrow.”  

“I already said I can go and collect later.” Hayi snapped.

“Okay, fine.”

Hanbin was curious about the person that she is texting on the phone. Her face changed at least thrice as she fiddled with her handphone. He made her look into his eyes.

“What?” Hayi sounded startled.  

“Look, is something bothering you?”

Hayi softened at once and seemed to realize that she had been nasty to him. “Nothing.”

Hanbin looked doubtfully at her. “Really?”

“Come on, the bus is here.” Hayi followed the other passengers and lined up for the bus.  She felt a soft touch on her arm and saw Hanbin’s hand. “You know you can always talk to me if you are feeling troubled. I’m available.” He finished his sentence and boarded the bus before her.

Hayi stared after him with an appreciative glance.

++++++++++

Bobby’s cheery voice welcomed them as Hanbin and Hayi arrived at the school. “Hey teddy bear, your shoelaces fell off.” He pointed.

“Oh. Thanks.” Hayi bent down to tie her shoelace.

“Now the other side is loosened too.” Bobby swiftly untied her other shoelace.

Hayi stood and glared angrily at Bobby. “Stop it.

“Why?” Bobby asked as he reached out to unravel the other shoelace that Hayi had retied.

“Enough…” Hanbin came forward and nudged Bobby’s elbow.

The boy’s chuckles died as soon as he saw Hayi’s black face. She made a final knot with her shoelace and stood up slowly.

“Hi…”

Bobby grinned widely at her and she returned him with a forced smile.

The next moment, Bobby felt a sharp pain in his foot and shrieked loudly. “Ow!”

“.” Hayi muttered and strode away grumpily while Bobby looked back at Hanbin distastefully.

“What’s with her?”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?” He said dryly.

“Did you two fight on the way to school?” Bobby questioned.

“We didn’t.” Hanbin defended.

Bobby ruffled his hair and blew out. “Is she having her period?”

“What?” Hanbin made a face.  

“I tell you, girls get mood swings when their period comes. Jisoo’s like that.” Bobby paused and glanced at his friend.  

Hanbin sent him a wry look. “How on earth would you know such sensitive information.”

Bobby clapped the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. “Huh? Nah, I was talking nonsense.”

Hanbin pulled Bobby back by his sleeve and eyed him suspiciously. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Bobby struggled against his grip. “No. Let’s go in before they lock us outside.” He pointed at the school prefects, who were loitering behind the main gate.

“Really… I want to know.” Hanbin demanded.  

“No nothing.” Bobby craned his head and mocked haughtily at prefects. “We are early today.”

One of them scowled at Bobby and threatened to write his name inside his notebook.

“Fat chance.” Bobby daunted.

“Are you boys coming?” Hayi yelled from a distance away.

“I thought you had left.” Hanbin retorted.   

“Obviously I didn’t.” Hayi rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

Bobby nudged Hanbin quickly. “See! That’s what I’m talking about. She’s mightily scary for her petite size.” He whispered as Hayi walked off.

“Come on, fool.” Hanbin chuckled and swung his arm around his friend’s neck.

“Kim Jiwon! Did you say something?” Hayi growled as they approached her.

“No! I didn’t!” Bobby panicked and slipped off first.

“Loser!” Hanbin chortled. 

“Yeah I don’t mind being one!”

++++++++++

During break, the boys gathered around the canteen table and talked about how Hayi talked back to their History teacher earlier.

“I never knew that she would be so spunky and outrageous. Was it because of the kiss-?” Jinhwan simmered after catching Hanbin’s deadly stare. “Of course not…” He chuckled uneasily.  

Hanbin rolled his eyes and drank his soda in a gulp.

“Is she having a bad day?” Yunhyeong presumed.

“I bet it’s the first day of her period.”

“Shut up Bobby.” Hanbin snapped.

Bobby sat idly on the table with his legs crossed. “If not? How else to explain for her craziness?”

Hanbin gr