I can say that this day is very weird as you could get.

After Mr. Mithra announced our partners, he force us to be with them.

Jiyong went to Dara's side immediately. In a matter of seconds, they start bickering.

As for me, I'm still on my seat, contemplating on whether to go to TOP or just wait for him to go to me. I've decided to hell with it and about to stand up when I heard someone clearing his throat. I look up and TOP was towering me.

"Hey," he said, smiling.

It's just a hey, but that "hey" made my heart flop over inside my chest.

"H-hi," I stammered.

And then silence. That silence, if I may say, is very defeaning.

After a few moments, he gestures at the seat beside me, "Do you mind?"

I shook my head. He settles himself beside me. I tried to act like it doesn't affect me at all.

I started to open our lab sheet to check on the things we need to work on. 

"So, we'll do recrystallization first. The things that we need -," I peek on my right to look at him and was surprised because his face is just a few inches away from mine. He was cheking the lab sheet over my shoulder. Me being the utter moron that I am, scooted a few inches away at warp speed that causes my seat to wobble. '.' I thought. I don't want to have a panic attack with him near me, but I don't want to look stupid either.

"You okay?" His hand caught my arm, to stop me from falling, as he ask. I jerked my arm quickly and stoop up, I'm not certain if because I have a fear of being touched or because when he touched me, it stung my arm as if an electric current had passed through us.

The smile on his face faded; obviously sensing there is something wrong with me.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, pulling his hand back immediately.

He reaches for the lab sheet. I watched him, still staggered, as he read the lab sheet. Didn't comment, and as if there's nothing wrong, he started gathering the things that we need.

"And here's the Erlenmeyer flask," swiftly placing it on the table. "Is that all we need?"

I kept my voice indifferent, "yep."

"Okay. Let's see. I'm free on Thursday afternoon around four, I think. We can do the experiment then."

"Okay," I said, flushing.

"Great." He pulled out his phone. "What's your number? I'll give you a call in case something comes up."

"Uhm," I looked away awkwardly and uttered my cellphone number.

He types in my digits and I felt my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pull it out and save his number as well.

He looked pleased and puts his cell away.

We were finished gathering the tools we need before anyone else. I could see Dara and Jiyong still bickering away in the corner.

Which left us nothing to do. I try not to look at him, but I fail. I glance at his direction and he was staring at me, intensely.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out unthinkingly.

He seemed taken a back.

"About earlier," I mumbled.

He shrugged, "it's okay."

"No, really. It was stupid - it's just that. You know? Of course, you don't. I mean -," I sighed. "It's kind of complicated," I muttered darkly.

He looked intrigued at what I said. His face was so attractive that I tried not too look at it anymore.

"Nevermind."

"You don't like being touched?"

No one had asked me that - not straight out.

I paused for a long moment, then made the mistake of meeting his gaze. His eyes confused me, there are too many emotions in there, like he knew something, that I answered without thinking.

"Sort of."

"Why?" He pressed.

"Long story."

"I have time." He sounded sincere.

"Well," my voice sounded sad.
Just thinking of what happened four months ago made my eyes tear.

"You can tell me about it some other time," his tone is so kind.

I couldn't fathom why he's being so nice to me, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my situation somehow is vitally important to him. 

He was about to touch my arm but decided against it.

"If you're ready to tell it, I mean." He said as he smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, white teeth. Mr. Mithra called the class to order then and I turned with relief to listen.

I was in disbelief that I am about to open up to this beautiful boy whom I know nothing about, except for his name.

I tried to appear attentive as Mr. Mithra explained to us how he'll be grading us.

When the bell finally rang, Jiyong skipped, seemed happily, to TOP's side and both swiftly walked out of the room.

Dara was on my side now. "That was awful," she groaned. "I swear, that jackass will be the death of me."

"TOP seemed friendly enough today," she commented as we walk out of the room.

I tried to sound indifferent. "He's okay."

I couldn't concentrate on Dara's chatter as we walked to Gym. My mind wandering back to TOP's penetrating gaze.
-----
I'm sitting outside on the back porch later that night under the covered patio with a plate of bibimbap when the sliding door opens and Dad steps out onto the deck and glances over at me. 

"Hey kiddo," he says, pulling the door shut. "Mind if I join you?"

I look down into my plate. "No, go ahead." 

He walks over and drops into the seat across from me. "Beautiful out tonight, isn't it?" 

"Yeah, it is."

"How's school?," he says, and I close my eyes. "You seemed pretty busy."

This is it. You see, my Dad works at my school as a coach for the baseball team. One of the reasons I'm a bit hesitant to go to school. No one knows, not even Dara or CL. I try not to loiter anywhere near the baseball field, located at the back of the school.

"It's okay." 

He nods. "Good. Listen, Bom, I was thinking about something. It would be really great if you joi