The sun was about to set as I stared blankly at my lab report. It’s a Friday and chemistry is my last class for the day. I was finished with my lab report and I’ve already checked my computations multiple times. All I had to do was submit it but I cannot bring myself to do so.

Can time just stop?

I felt my phone buzz from the pocket of my jeans. There were two unread messages. I bit my lip in annoyance.

“Hey Yoorim you can go ahead if you’re already finished.” My friend, Minhee, said sensing I was done. I shook my head. I’m not ready to go out yet.

“It’s alright. There is still an hour and thirty minutes left before the class ends I’ll wait for you and Sooyeon then we could walk out of the building together.” I said. She nodded. It was a plausible excuse, besides it is dark in the hallways anyways.

Minhee finished fast and so as my other friends. I had no more reason to stay behind. We bid goodbye to our professor and walked out of the building. From the first floor we could already hear music and cheers of the students in the university’s activity area. It is the infamous February fair week after all. There were showcases every night and lots of booths and stalls to go around. Today’s the last day of the weeklong event before our professors dump a massive amount of school work and exams. But then again, it’s not like they didn’t gave us a load of work to do this week. Well other more compassionate professors were considerate enough to give us a slack at least this week and I was thankful for that.

“I’ll go home now.” Said Minhee, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Oh okay!” Sooyeon and I replied and waved goodbye. After Minhee was out of sight, Sooyeon and I started walking to our dorm which was just inside the campus.

I fished out my phone and starred at the message.

To: Lee Yoorim

Your class ends at 7pm right?

Sent: 5:25 pm

From: Byun Baekhyun

To: Lee Yoorim

Should I go pick you up after class or should I pick you up in front of your dorm?

Sent: 5:30 pm

From: Byun Baekhyun

I just wish he’s not in front of the dorm when we arrive. That will be a whole lot awkward to have Sooyeon witness since I do not want her to misunderstand. It was not a date anyways or at least I hope it is not.

Sooyeon snapped her fingers in front of me making me hide my phone back to my pocket.

“You were saying?” I said totally unaware that she was speaking to me all this time. What kind of friend am I?

“I said, are you going to eat dinner? Should we eat together?” She asked. It was so tempting to accept her offer and just text Baekhyun that I have an emergency but that would be so mean of me. I’m even making him wait for my reply all this time.

“Ah.. I promised to eat with a friend. We can eat next time and we’ll bring Minhee along.” I answered.

“Sounds good. Well this way is to my wing. Bye.” She waved and I noticed that we were in our dorm already. I am definitely not in my right state of mind right now.

I went up to my wing and inserted the key to open the door to my room which I share with three others. Thankfully, my three roommates aren’t back yet. I laid flat on my bed and realized how mean I was getting. I took out my phone and started to type a reply.

To: Byun Baekhyun

I am already in my dorm. Class ended early. Text me if you’re already in the dorm’s lobby.

Sent: 6:05 pm

From: Lee Yoorim

After hitting send, I buried my face in my pillow before letting out a very loud scream. I couldn’t care less about the people next door. I have to let out some of my feelings somehow. Any minute now I am going to the fair with Byun Baekhyun. Just the thought of it makes me very very nervous.

It had been quite a year now since Sooyeon told me that Baekhyun likes me. Well she claims that Baekhyun likes me ever since he met me at Sooyeon’s friend’s birthday party and I came to tag along. I ignore her claim. She could be making fun of me for all I know. I was oblivious back then but ever since Sooyeon told me about it I started to notice Baekhyun’s actions. How he did seem to like me.

I happen to have one class with Baekhyun last semester and he would always engage a conversation. He was often scolded by our professor because of that. Then out of nowhere I received a text saying it was him. I never give him my number so I assume he got it from Sooyeon. Sometimes he would also teach me in the subjects we both have. At some point, I notice that he was like that too to our other friends so I thought Sooyeon was mistaken. Baekhyun doesn’t like me. He likes everybody.

Just then Sooyeon dropped the bomb one day

I was at home because it was a weekend and I was having a ‘me time’ spent on eating and occasionally surfing the internet. Just then out of nowhere Sooyeon decided to bombard me in ask.fm. I got a notification and decided to have a look at it. It can be important.

Hey potato. How do you use this ask? -Sooyeon

Was my question sent? -Sooyeon

Hey have you seen Byun Baekhyun’s ask.fm? -Sooyeon

I rolled my eyes. Her first two questions were just self explanatory. Deciding to answer the third question I went to her account and dropped an ask “I haven’t. Why?” She answered almost immediately with a screencap. I read it and my jaw dropped.

It was a screencap of a particular question dropped in Baekhyun’s account asking “Can you name your crush?” and shameless Byun Baekhyun replied with Lee Yoorim. ing Lee Yoorim. He put my name! Deciding to see it myself I went to his account with the help of the screencap of Sooyeon. She didn’t even try to blur the url, that girl. I started to read some of the questions in his wall.

“Since when did you like her?” -Anonymous

Freshman days.

“Did you already had a girlfriend?” -Anonymous

Yes.

“Why did you change your hairstyle? I like it magenta.” -Anonymous

I like to tone down on dyes.

“Do you like someone?” -Anonymous

Yes I mentioned her name already.

And there after a few scrolls I saw it myself.

“Can you name your crush?” -Anonymous

Lee Yoorim

Byun Baekhyun has a crush on me.

My phone buzzed and it didn’t take a genius to know who sent me a text.

To: Lee Yoorim

I’m already in your dorm lobby.

Sent: 6: 15 pm

From: Byun Baekhyun

“This is it.” I whispered to myself and got up to grab my purse. I matted my hair and pulled my keys out of the doornot bothering to change out of my sweater and skinny jeans. I feel my legs turning like jelly as I get nearer the lobby.

“Hey!” Baekhyun called out from a distance. I let out an awkward “Hey!” too to Baekhyun and walked towards him.

“Um so where do you wanna go? Oh have you eaten? What do you like to eat?” Baekhyun asked all in one.

“I haven’t had dinner. I’d like to have rice.” I blurted and I mentally slap myself for being such a drag.

“Oh okay then. Do you have a stall in mind?” He asked. Well honestly I like the barbeque from a stall where I ate last night but he might not like it.

“No.. let’s just roam around then decide?” I suggested. He nodded and we walked around the fair.

While walking I felt I was being too awkward because I was keeping a distance so I tried to not so distance myself and stood beside him while searching for a stall to eat. I was contemplating what to eat when Baekhyun began to talk.

“Have you enjoyed the fair so far?” He asked initiating a conversation.

“Not much.  I had exams the past days. I rarely go out of the dorm.” I replied.  In fact I thought I was going to die from exams before this day.

“Really? I saw you last night in the fair and you were with some guy.” He stated, his voice sounding curious. Was he.. jealous? Oh no way. Lee Yoorim you’re being obnoxious. I thought about yesterday night. When did he see me?

“Oh there were actually three of us. One was a sunbae and one was a hoobae of mine. We all had free schedules so we roamed around and watch performances a bit.” I explained. I hope that he didn’t saw me lose myself and laugh like a hippo yesterday.

“So does your club have a booth too?” I asked to avoid further discussion of the p