Nana, being a functioning and straight female as well as a student at Yukon High, had thought about Kim Jongin at least a few times. Those times usually occurred after spotting him randomly in the hall or overhearing the current gossip that almost always involved him.

Nana had a shallow crush on him. Not a real crush where you actually talk to the person and like them for who they are. Not a deep crush where you know you will probably end up falling for the person but rather a crush every sane girl has for some hot guy they spot regularly. An extremely shallow crush. It shouldn’t even be called a crush really.

So when Kim Jongin rounded the corner suddenly, Nana’s eyes immediately were drawn to him and so  as a result she began thinking about him for maybe the 15^th time in her life.

Of course she looked away a second later and continued walking down the hallway pretending to be in a hurry. Four seconds later her mind was already beginning to think about the book she was excited to get from the library that day.

 The moments where she thought about Kim Jongin never lasted too long, at least she made sure they never lasted too long.

But when he stopped her and asked, “Uh have you seen Byun Baekhyun anywhere?” Nana was surprised… and also unable to respond in a coherent manner.

“What?” her voice had all the shock and the slight aggressive defensiveness of a girl that had not much experience talking with hot boys… or rather any boys.

He winced but continued, “Uh you know Baekhyun? Brown hair, shorter than me and um… he is the assembly MC?”

Nana knew who Byun Baekhyun was. Another hot dude with a funny personality and the person who made each assembly hilarious with his introductions.

 But the thing was… she had seen Byun Baekhyun only a few moments ago. The problem was that he had been making out with somebody. Kim Taeyeon. The quiet, pretty girl who apparently was a great kisser. And who also was Kim Jongin’s girlfriend.

“Uhhhh I-…,” Nana instinctively looked toward the corridor behind her where Baekhyun and Taeyeon were probably still going at it.

“Umm no… I haven’t seen him,”

No way was Nana going to be the reason Jongin found out that his girlfriend was cheating on him with his best friend. But when Kim Jongin gave her a hurried nod and began going down the hallway to the very same corridor where a nasty surprise was waiting, Nana panicked.

“No!” The near-scream echoed along the empty hallway but it accomplished the desired: Jongin stopped and looked back at her with confusion clear on his face. “I mean…uh…” Nana wanted to smack herself. She should have just let him go and find out on his own. She wouldn’t have had anything to do with it if he walked there on his own accord.

“I wanted to ask you something...uh… when is the school dance?” Nana mumbled out one of the stupidest questions to Kim Jongin a.k.a. student body president. You idiot, she thought, now he probably thinks you are about to ask him out. Everyone knew about the school dance. Even Nana and that was saying something.

 But Jongin answered in a kind though clearly impatient voice, “It is next Friday, the 23^rd”

And then to Nana’s horror he continued down the hallway.

“You can’t go there!” And this time she actually screamed.

Jongin whipped around, his face clearly confused, questioning, and albeit a bit more than a little impatient.

“I …uh… m-my friend is there,” the words rushed out, “He finally is with this girl he has liked for a long time and they… are kissing. There. In that corridor. Just don’t …don’t go there.”

That last sentence sounded more a plea than anything else. Nana began to feel colour blossoming on her cheeks and blushing was not her body’s usual response to embarrassment. Nana considered herself usually pretty lucky for that.

Wonder where all that luck went now.

As understanding dawned on Jongin’s face he gave Nana a small smile and with a nod, turned around and ran past her. Away from Baekhyun and Taeyeon.

Nana wanted to sink to the floor with relief but before she had much of a chance, the forbidden couple cautiously came out into the hallway with confusion and surprise written on their faces. They were undoubtedly summoned because of her screaming.

Nana stared at them, her face fully red now and quickly mumbled out, “I- I won’t tell anyone,” and then ran away from that hallway and didn’t stop until she reached her locker.

Now surrounded by laughing and talking students she pressed her face into her locker and closed her eyes. How was she supposed to handle this secret?

Turned out she didn’t need to.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day she came to school with courage and determination. She would not let Taeyeon and Baekhyun intimidate her. She would not feel guilty for keeping a devastating secret from Kim Jongin. And for sure she would never, ever let high school drama ruin the enjoyment of a good book, something that had unfortunately happened last night.

Going to her locker, she noticed that the rumour mill was running quite strong today. Everyone was in little pods and whispering while glancing around. But there were giggles and Nana knew that if everyone was gossiping about Jongin, their precious and admired school president, getting cheated on there would not be any laughter. So she resumed with her fumbling in her locker, worriless, until Kim Bora, her best and well only friend, came up to her.

“You do not know what happened!” Bora’s eyes were wide and the corners of her lips had the marks of a recent smile. Nana glanced at her, smiled and turned back to her locker.

“I think I have a general idea though. It is a big deal that might change who I see with who in the hallways today and probably involves Baekhyun as everyone is laughing full out,” Nana said Baekhyun’s name with a bit of spite as she had decided last night that he was not a very good friend.

“You are right on both accounts. But it also involves Jongin and Taeyeon. Bell is about to ring. I’ll tell you about it later-,” But Nana had turned to Bora so fast that her hair whipped Bora’s face.

“Jongin and Tae-? You have to tell me now! What happened?” Bora just stared at her. Nana was not someone who was so into gossip that she would suggest being late to class.

“I-uh,” Bora stumbled but then catching the look on Nana’s face she quickened her words, “Baekhyun and Taeyeon got together yesterday.  Apparently he had a crush on her forever but she thought he was a bit of a fool because you know how he is like at assemblies. Anyway, he convinced Jongin to ask Taeyeon out so she could get to know Baekhyun better and obviously she said yes to Jongin but found herself falling for Baekhyun. It was a really big deal and she was confused and then Baekhyun did this very funny and stupid proposal thing and he got her in the end. So yeah… What’s wrong?”

Nana was laughing with a hint of hysteria. All the worry, all the panic she felt yesterday was for nothing. She had ruined a book for this and… and it all turned out to be some sort of joke?

“Nana… what happened?” Bora pronounced each syllable slowly and looked at Nana with obvious concern.

“Nothing,” Nana gave Bora a glance to assure her that she was fine and then closed her locker. Grabbing Bora’s hand, she ran to History class.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It seemed that the Baekhyun-Taeyeon thing was the only thing anyone could talk about. Personally Nana wouldn’t have done what Baekhyun did, she would get too jealous watching her best friend and the guy she liked date. Did Jongin and Taeyeon never kiss? How could Baekhyun have stood it?

But watching them sitting in the center of the cafeteria, Nana had to admit they were a cute couple. But then she noticed Jongin wasn’t there.

Oh god, she thought, he probably wanted to celebrate his friends’ getting together and there I was pushing him away like a fool. What must he think of me?

With that thought she abruptly turned and smacked into someone. And from the moment the hard lines pressed into her she knew it was a guy and a second later she knew it was Jongin because that was just her damn luck. It was also something she could have predicted from all those novels she read.

But novels aren’t supposed to come true.

She reluctantly opened her eyes and found herself sprawled on the ground. In front of her, Jongin was on his own bum, his uniform shirt drenched in what looked like tomato soup. And the shirt was white.

Pale, she glanced over his form until her eyes finally crept up to his eyes.

They were wide and surprised… but not annoyed yet. As recognition crept into them, Nana quickly got up.

Bowing, she said quickly, “I am so sorry. Sorry…..sorry”

She finally crept her head a bit up and peeked a glance at him through her hair.

He was smiling, “It’s okay. I can get a spare shirt from the office.”

She quickly nodded then paused and in the next second she had grabbed his hand off from the floor and was yanking him up.

Obviously surprised he tried to balance himself and unfortunately it ended with Nana on the ground again. With Jongin on top of her.

God, why must you make my life like a cliché romance novel when I don’t want it. You could have done that the day I ran into Suho at the park.

Then she became aware of the way Jongin was pressed onto her though he was obviously trying to push himself up. That thought led to thoughts about whenever she had previously thought about him. Thoughts that usually involved him declaring his secret love for her. Thoughts that she tried to repress as quickly as they appeared.

Gosh Nana stop fantasizing about every hot guy you meet.

With that, she moved her gaze up and then caught his. He had been struggling a moment ago to get on his hands but when his gaze met hers… he stopped. For a few seconds they just stared at each other. And then he glanced down… down at her lips. And Nana felt a hot scalding start in her stomach.

But then she realized that by him falling onto her, the hot tomato soup was all over her uniform now as well and that scalding hot feeling was not the lust she had often read about in those trashy novels of hers. It was quite more literal.

Groaning she pushed herself up with her triceps. And brought Jongin up with her

 “Uh… wow …you are strong aren’t you?” he asked and Nana nearly wanted to die. But not because he had said she was strong, though she didn’t know if that was a compliment.

Instead she wanted to die because of other obvious reasons. Reasons that included the whole cafeteria staring at them in shock.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nana’s face was still burning when the secretary was handing her the spare female uniform. Kai was beside her, patiently waiting so they could walk to the changing rooms together. Nana wished he would just leave instead. The awkward conversation on the way there would be just too humiliating.

But all too soon Nana found herself leaving the office and walking in the abandoned hall. Class had started a few minutes ago and Nana had an orange late slip pass secured in her backpack.

“So I wanted to find you today anyway,” Jongin was talking to her but not looking at her, “I guess its good things worked out this way.”

He glanced at her face and then lower before looking away. Nana felt heat gathering in her ears. Her chest had been pressed up to him rather hard.

But he doesn’t have to look. God, what if he’s a ert? Urgg Nana, he’s not a ert but just a hormonal teenage boy. Wait, am I making excuses?

“I appreciate you trying to save me heartbreak or whatever yesterday even if it wasn’t real. Baekhyun told me. He has rather stupid plans, doesn’t he? But I guess I’m stupider for going along with them,” Jongin looked at her face this time.

Nana noticed that he talked to her as if she already knew the gossip.

Well everyone was going crazy about it in the morning.

“Uh at least he got the girl right?” Nana kept her head down. They arrived at the changing rooms’ doors.

“Well, um, Baekhyun is kind of sentimental and he told me to invite you to this party he’s throwing for you know, getting together with Taeyeon. He said you have to come as ‘you were the first outsider to witness the most happiest and glorious moment of his life’” Jongin rolled his eyes, “He knew I was going to talk you today so he asked me to ask you. So will you come?”

“I actually have to do something that day,” Nana mumbled out an excuse. No way was she going to embarrass herself further. She probably wouldn’t know anyone at the party.

Jongin smiled, “But I haven’t told you the day yet”

“I assumed it to be this Friday and well I am busy,” Nana looked at his eyes this time. She wasn’t going to be a mumbling fool any longer.

“Well lucky for Baekhyun it is on Saturday,” Jongin looked back at her, “Give me your number so I can text you the details”

Nana resisted arguing. She could make an excuse later if she really did not want to go. Right now she just wanted to leave this fiasco behind.

So after jotting down her number on the hand he gave her (“So I don’t lose it”), she dashed through the door of the girls changing room and changed as fast as she could, as to avoid any further encounters. She also made sure she had did not think about a certain tall boy.

I really need to stop reading romances.