CHAPTER ONE:

THEY are laughing with mirth as they run up the stairs, fingers intertwining and hearts beating against their chest. They do not mind how breathless they are already, only wanting solidarity away from the obligations that is chasing them.

"Where are we going?" she asks as they round a corner, a wide smile plastering on her lips. She takes a peek down from the rails, almost jumping when she sees a shadow on the second floor— maybe?— of the building. "They might look for us."

He shushes her and stops midway on taking another step, pulling her close to him and wrapping an arm around her waist. "They wouldn't mind," he says, tilting her head up with his index finger under her chin. He watches a trickle of sweat roll down from her forehead before gazing at her chocolate irises with full of adoration, a soft smile on his lips. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he quips as he leans her forehead on his, cornering her on the wall.

She beams and nods, a small chuckle escaping from her lips as she pants, "You did— a countless times, too." Leaning forward, she gives him a chaste kiss on his lips. "That doesn't mean I'm getting tired of it," she adds.

He laughs. "I guess I couldn't stop myself from stating the obvious."

"I approve of that, thank you."

They smile to one another and Sehun starts running up the stairs again, Soojung following in tow and holding on to his hand with a tight squeeze. Once they reach their destination to the rooftop of the school building, they release hurried breaths and he throws an arm around her shoulder; he sighs in relief and she hugs him close as if her life depends on him.

"I wish time would stop," she murmurs silently, her face burying on his chest, succumbing to his warmth. "I wish that life is simple and I'm free and my future is not written in stone and—"

He shushes her again and places a hand on the back of her head, fingers threading through her raven locks. "Let's all leave those responsibilities behind for now, Stal," he says near her ear, eyes close. "For now, let's just think of the present, alright?"

And they do; they whisper dreams and plans to each other, buying time and stopping it as well as if they own it. He tells her how— if ever we end up with each other, Stal, I would buy us a house near the beach and we'd sleep beside each other, feeling the cold breeze on the air, the touch of the mist at night, the glow of the moon on your skin and the things we'd do until we grow old— much he's willing to do things for her and how he's blessed to find that someone reciprocates his feelings.

She bites her lower lip in thought once he finished his monologue and she nods weakly before pulling away. She opens to say how much she's lucky to have him and how much she loves him back— only that it is swallowed down when she hears her phone ring inside her school jacket's pocket. She freezes on her spot and quickly lets go of him, rummaging her pocket to retrieve the buzzing phone.

"It's Mother," she tells him with a hard swallow, swiping across the screen to answer the call and moves away once she places the phone against her ear.

"Soojung," her mother tells monotonously, "where are you? I called Jiyeon and she told me that you left to go somewhere."

Her brows furrows in confusion, already forming the words that Jiyeon is someone she shouldn't have asked about her whereabouts but chooses to be tightlipped. Instead, she replies, "I apologize, Mother, but I'm at the library. Can you ca—"

"Nonsense, young lady," Lady Haein interrupts with that clipped tone of hers, "abandon whatever you're doing and meet the chauffer outside the gates." There is a pause when someone talks at the other end of the line before her Mother continues, "I've already informed the Headmistress about the sudden leave so you're free to depart. Did you hear me?"

She looks at Sehun immediately and purses her lips, drumming her fingers on her skirt and nods, as if her Mother can see it. "Yes, Mother," she answers, willing to not let her voice quiver, "I'll be there." Without another reply, her Mother hangs up the call and she drops her hand on her side, sighing tiredly while gripping her phone with a tight grip. "I hate my life," she mutters.

"What was it?"

Soojung looks up at him and she smiles sadly at the tall brunette in front of her before walking towards him. "It's nothing," she lies, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Mother just wants me to come home early. Probably something about House stuffs."

Sehun blinks but bites back the words that he knows it's anything but nothing; having been with her for two years taught him that when it comes to Lord and Lady Jung, something is up and she is not allowed to argue back. And so, he decides to nod and smile in response, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before tucking his hands on his pants' pockets. "You should go, then. You wouldn't want to anger the Lady of the Noble House."

Soojung chortles at the mocking tone of his voice, gently slapping his shoulder with her palm and steps back whilst tucking a stray of hair behind her ear. "I'm guessing we're moving this rendezvous for tomorrow?" she asks, grabbing his hand on hers as they descend back down to the stairs.

"I guess so," he replies with a nod, ruffling her tresses playfully, "that is: if I don't have practice for tomorrow."

Soojung blinks and glances at him momentarily, skipping two steps down with a squeak. "Which one?" she questions, knowing that in order to keep his position atop the list of honors, he has to join extracurricular activities; she admires him terribly for it.

"Dance," he answers shortly, shrugging, "I might be busy the whole day."

She nods slowly in response, leaning her back on the wall inside a dark alcove once they reach the ground floor. "I