Yonghwa stood up from where he was sitting when he saw her heading towards the door of the library, swinging her bulging backpack on her shoulder. He knew it was full of books. He followed her outside, down the corridors of the college building and across the school grounds. She was headed towards the cluster of buildings that belong to the high school department. Now was his chance. This should be easy. He’d just talk to her and get it over with. Surely, she’ll say yes. She was a nice girl. She had helped him before; surely, she would help him now. He took a deep breath.

“Han Seohyun!” he shouted.

She stopped walking but did not turn around. Yonghwa jogged the short distance between them.

“Han Seohyun, I’ve decided,” he said when he reached her side. “I want you to be my tutor.”

She stared at him, her face expressionless. She didn’t say anything.

“Hey, it’s me, don’t you remember? Jung Yonghwa?” he joked.

Seohyun didn’t smile. “I remember you, oppa,” she said seriously.

Uh-oh, this looks bad, he thought. “Then...didn’t you hear me?”

“I heard you,” she answered, her voice soft. “You want me to be your tutor. What an honor,” she said, her voice still soft but was laced with sarcasm.

Yonghwa barely noticed. “It is?” he asked, pleased.

Seohyun sighed. “It isn’t,” she answered truthfully and continued walking. Yonghwa followed, keeping up with her.

“Hey, wait, what do you mean?’ he asked, confused. “It is, then, it isn’t?”

“Have you ever heard of the word sarcasm?” she asked, not bothering to look at him.

“Of course, but what does it have to do with-,” he replied, cutting off in mid-sentence when he realized something. “Wait, you mean you’re just being sarcastic?”

“Glad you finally got it,” she remarked in a flat voice.

Yonghwa nodded, and grinned. “Oh, okay, so when you said that it isn’t an honor to be my tutor, you really meant that it is?” he concluded, mixing up what Seohyun really meant.

Seohyun didn’t know whether to laugh or get angry. Is he trying to be funny? She glared at him.

“Are you really that dumb, or are you just fooling around?” she asked, leaving all attempts to remain polite.

Yonghwa put his hands behind his head. He was more comfortable talking to Seohyun in a teasing manner but she was so uptight. “Neither,” he answered her question. “I’m not dumb, nor a fool.”

He grinned easily again, looking so relaxed. Seohyun wanted to hit him. He never really took things seriously. She stopped walking and turned to face him.

“You know that’s not what I meant!” she said, her voice rising slightly.

He looked confused. “Then what?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand! Will you stop fooling around?!” Seohyun told him, really annoyed now.

She was startled when he suddenly bowed before her. “Forgive me, O wise one, I can’t comprehend your way of thinking. I’m a mere human and of low intelligence,” he said, still teasing her.

Seohyun took it badly. It seemed to her like he was mocking her. When Yonghwa straightened and looked at her, he saw that she seemed about to cry. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and she was blinking to stop them from falling.

“You think it’s funny, huh?” she said in a hoarse voice. “Find yourself another person to annoy,” with that, she stomped away from him.

Yonghwa hurriedly followed her. “Hey, what did I do?”

Seohyun wanted to scream in frustration. What an insensitive monkey, she thought. She ignored him and continued on her way to the parking area. Her sisters and their mom were probably already there, waiting for her.

Yonghwa trailed behind Seohyun, puzzled. What did he say? He was only trying to lighten the mood between them, trying to make her laugh because she looked so serious. Why did she seem offended?

“Hey, Seohyun! Han Seohyun, wait!” he called out, reaching for her arm.

She pushed his hand away, turning around to face him. “Will you just leave me alone?!” she screamed at him, losing all her patience.

Yonghwa backed off, surprised by her outburst. Seohyun looked surprised, too, when she realized what she just did. She had always been polite and in control of her emotions. It was the first time she lost her temper and composure. Ah, look what this boy was doing to her. She ran away from him and suddenly bumped into someone.

“Ah, clumsy, clumsy,” she muttered to herself, and bowed to the person she bumped into before even seeing who it was. “I’m so sorry.”

“Seohyun-ssi!” It was Tiffany Hwang. Seohyun gaped at her, and then looked around. She had reached the parking lot without noticing. Yonghwa was nowhere to be seen. She was both relieved and disappointed at the same time that he finally left her alone.

“I was just looking for you,” Tiffany told her.

“Really?” Seohyun asked, disbelieving. It was the first time Tiffany ever talked to her. Oh, she was nice, all of the girls from their squad are since they greet Seohyun every time any of them sees her, but Seohyun haven’t really talked to any one of the Girls’ Generation. Except for the twins, of course.

“I have a message from Yuri,” Tiffany informed her. “Your sisters are at the gym with the other girls right now. Our coach wouldn’t dismiss us if we couldn’t perfect our new routine for the upcoming interschool games,” then she leaned closer to Seohyun and whispered. “I just escaped,” she confessed, giggling.

“Anyway, they can’t go home yet. And your mom called Yuri telling her that they have an emergency meeting at their office, so...she can’t pick you guys up,” Tiffany continued.

Seohyun’s heart sank. Why does it have to be today? She was in a hurry to get home and read the books she borrowed from the college library.

“Don’t worry,” Tiffany said when she saw Seohyun’s expression. “Yuri asked me to take care of you,” she smiled and held Seohyun’s hand, gently pulling her to one corner of the parking lot. “Since I can’t take you home myself, I’ve arranged for Choi Siwon to drive you,” she told her, referring to the star of their school’s basketball team whom Tiffany was currently dating. For that month, at least. Seohyun didn’t know how long it will last.

“Oh, no,” Seohyun shook her head and stopped following Tiffany. Tiffany stopped walking and turned to look at her. “Thank you very much for your concern, unnie, but I’ll just take the bus.”

“I can’t let you do that,” Tiffany disagreed. “Come on, don’t be shy. Don’t be afraid, either. Siwon doesn’t bite,” Tiffany giggled again.

“B-but...” Seohyun didn’t know what to tell her. She really didn’t want to offend her sisters’ friend by refusing her but she didn’t want Choi Siwon to take her home either. She really didn’t know him well so the ride would be both embarrassing and awkward for her. Ah, seriously. What is she gonna do?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Again!” Coach Won clapped his hands and shouted at the girls. The human pyramid disintegrated.

“What’s wrong with you, Yoona?” he asked as he approached her. Yoona looked down, shaking her head. She looked distraught.

“We’ve been repeating the same cheer and steps a dozen times now and you still can’t get it right!” the coach scolded Yoona. “The other girls would already have perfected the routine if you didn’t commit mistakes again and again. You’re ruining everything! I told you to focus!”

Yoona looked about to cry. She bit her lower lip to keep from bursting to tears.

“Coach, she doesn’t look well,” Yuri appealed. “I think she’s sick.”

“Don’t make excuses for your sister, Yuri,” Coach Won reprimanded. “And where the hell is Tiffany?”

No one answered.

“Can’t we just continue tomorrow?” Taeyeon asked after a moment of silence. “We need to rest.”

“I’ll give you five minutes to rest, then we’ll start again,” he replied in a hard voice. “And, Tiffany should better be here by then, or we’ll extend for another hour,” he warned, then turned and stalked out of the gym.

The girls groaned. Their coach could really be hard on them at times, especially when he’s pressured. He was a perfectionist.

The group dispersed and the girls went wherever they pleased. Yoona sat with Yuri in one corner of the gym. She turned to her right, looking at the double doors that led to the other side of the huge building; the theatre. She tried erasing the thought, but can’t. It was all becoming clear to her now. Hyoyeon had told her that Jonghyun didn’t really know his friends and Hyoyeon had followed them inside the theatre. Yet, she accused him and slapped his face when he was really innocent. She frowned. Still, it was his fault because he kissed her, she reasoned. But she didn’t stop him, when she should have. And she liked the kiss. She shook her head, trying to push away her contradicting thoughts.

“Hmm...I think I know what’s wrong with you,” Yuri said, eyes glinting. She already knew what had happened inside the theatre the other day and she had teased Yoona mercilessly about it.

Yoona groaned inwardly. Here we go again, she thought.

“You’re thinking of that CN Blue boy, aren’t you?” Yuri asked mischievously.

“What? No, of course not!” Yoona cried, blushing furiously.

“Ah, don’t lie to me. I know how you feel.”

“I’m not lying to you! I’m just tired,” Yoona denied.

“Me, too,” Yuri said. “But I’m not absent-minded. Like you are,” she tweaked Yoona’s nose and giggled.

“I’m not absent-minded!”

Yuri didn’t answer. She just looked at Yoona for a moment, then spoke seriously, “Sister, you know what your problem is? You keep on denying how you feel. That’s why you get confused. Why don’t you just go with the flow and see where it takes you?” Yuri advised.

Yoona’s brows furrowed. Since when did Yuri talk like a philosopher?

She looked at the entrance to the gym and saw their coach returning. The other girls began to rise from their seats and strode to the center of the gym, chattering noisily. She turned to her sister. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Jung Yonghwa,” Tiffany acknowledged. “You’re taking Seohyun home?”

“Yes,” he answered his expression solemn.

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What are you doing with an innocent girl like her, Yonghwa? Don’t you dare play with her!” she threatened.

“I’m not!” Yonghwa exclaimed. “She’s my tutor.”

“Really?” Tiffany turned to Seohyun.

Seohyun thought of denying Yonghwa’s claim but then decided against it. After all, what would Tiffany think about her relationship to Yonghwa if he insists in taking her home, if she’s not his tutor?

“Yes, unnie,” she answered.

Tiffany nodded. “That’s understandable, I guess. Are you gonna be okay with him?”

Seohyun was touched by Tiffany’s concern. She nodded. The real question is if he’s gonna be okay with me if he doesn’t keep his mouth shut, she thought nastily.

“Oh, okay,” Tiffany looked relieved. “I better go,” she started to turn away but suddenly stopped. “Oh by the way, Jung Yonghwa,” she called out. “Don’t mess up with her.”

Yonghwa shook his head. “I won’t! Of course not!”

“And, Seohyun, don’t fall in love with this fool,” Tiffany turned to Seohyun.

“Hey, I heard that,” Yonghwa said. Tiffany ignored him.

Seohyun turned crimson. “What? Unnie, what are you talking about?” she asked, laughing nervously.

“Just try not to, okay?” Tiffany advised, then kissed Seohyun’s cheek. “Bye guys! Take care!” She waved at them before turning around and jogging away.

 Seohyun glanced at Yonghwa. He was watching Tiffany’s retreating form. Probably checking her out, she thought, fuming. She looked at Tiffany enviously. If she could be that charming and graceful, will Yonghwa like her? Will he fall in love with her? Probably. But I’m just plain, awkward Seohyun, she thought bitterly.

Yonghwa cleared his throat. Seohyun turned to look at him.

“Shall we go?” he asked, grinning at her.

Seohyun didn’t answer him but started for the school’s exit gate.

“Hey, where are you going? My car’s parked over there!” Yonghwa called at her, gesturing to a different direction.

“Who told you I was going with you?” Seohyun half-shouted, for she was a bit far from him now.

“You did, remember?” Yonghwa reminded her.

Seohyun didn’t answer. Yonghwa ran after her. “But, I thought...” he began, scratching his head. “Yah! I was serious when I told Tiffany I’d take you home.”

“Well, I wasn’t,” Seohyun answered.

“So you’re not coming with me?” Yonghwa asked.

“No.”

“Fine, then,” Yonghwa said, giving up and turning away from her. Girls are a puzzle to him, but Seohyun...Seohyun is an enigma. He shook his head as he went to where his car was parked.

Seohyun was rather disappointed when Yonghwa left. She thought he would continue on prodding her and wouldn’t give up so easily. A part of her wanted to know how it feels like to live one of her daydreams- to ride with him in his car...to sit next to him while he was driving her home. She shook her head and continued walking toward the gate. That was before, when she still liked him. She doesn’t like him now, she told herself.

She was already outside the gate when she noticed that the sky had darkened. Gray clouds hung overhead and hid the sun, and the temperature has dropped. It seemed about to rain. The bus stop was just a block away; she might reach it on time. She walked faster, and then started running when the first drops of rain began to fall.

The rain poured harder and harder and Seohyun finally realized she was already soaking wet. She can hardly see where she was going; her eyeglasses were already hazy and everything was made blurry by the rain. She stopped running and hugged her backpack. The rain was cold and she began shivering.

Suddenly she could no longer feel the raindrops upon her. It was a while when she realized that an umbrella was being held over her head.

“This is what you get for being so stubborn,” a familiar voice behind her said.