When she walked in, everyone stared at her. Nana felt heat gathering in her ears and quickly took her seat and stared resolutely at the whiteboard. Thank god she had no classes with Jongin. Or Bora. She did not even want to think about how her best friend would react.

                Everyone thought she and Jongin were dating and on her way to the class she had heard “” and “library” enough times to be properly humiliated. People could not actually think… urgggg.

                She quickly sat down and waited for the day to be over.

Later on, at her locker, she was frantically putting her stuff away and getting her coat and shoes on as to leave the school as quickly as possible when Jongin came up to her.

“So hey,” he seemed nervous as he put one hand up to ruffle his hair.

His hair seems so soft… I wonder how it would feel... I did not just think that.

“Um Nana,” Jongin peered at her, nervousness dancing in his eyes. Nana focused her own eyes on him.

“So a bunch of us are going to the new ramen place in the plaza by the school. Do you want to come?”

Truthfully, Nana wanted to go. She wanted to go very much. And it wasn’t just because of her love of ramen either.

“I-,” she started and then noticed all the stares they were getting.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Nana wanted to take back her words as soon as she disappointment fill in Jongin’s eyes, “but I make really good homemade ramen?”

Oh my god. Did I just insinuate an invite to my house? To Kim Jongin??

Jongin’s eyes seemed to spark for an isntance before clouding over with confusion, “Do you want- I mean are you- Umm that’s great. Personally I can only make simple ramen. Just add what comes in it really.”

“Oh ummm…. Maybe you could try some of my ramen….sometime,” Nana wanted to hit something, “Look I’ve got to go. See you later?”

But she didn’t wait for an answer before slamming her locker door and booking it.

Nana was determined to avoid Jongin the next day. Bora had come over last night and they had discussed the course of actions that had taken place. Much to Bora’s opposition, Nana had decided that avoidance was the best strategy at the current moment.

But her strategy was spoiled pretty much immediately when she went to the library before class to get some time away from the gossip.

Jongin was standing close to the entrance, leaning on a bookshelf with his hands in his pockets. He looked up as she came in and smiled before coming over, leaving the distinct impression on Nana that he had been waiting for her.

“Nana I really need your help!” his voice perturbed with urgency, “So my dad works at this company that is throwing this Spring Ball. My mom wants me to go with her friend’s daughter”

Nana raised her eyebrows. She couldn’t see the problem at the moment but a twinge of something tingled in her chest at the words “go with her friend’s daughter.”

Jongin stared at her in a way that showed he thought she should have understood already, “The daughter is Lina!”

Nana’s lips formed an O. But she was also amused. She had never seen Jongin so aggressive as he was usually shy and quiet. Not around school and in assemblies but it seemed around her.

“So I told my mom I had a girlfriend that I was already taking,” Jongin continued, now seeming cautious.

Nana’s brows unburrowed as she felt a pang in her heart. So he was already with someone-

“I told her it was you,” Jongin grimaced as he saw Nana’s eyes go wide.

“Please Nana, won’t you consider coming with me? I really do not want to deal with Lina there,” Jongin’s eyes were pleading.

“I- uh-,” Nana started but was cut off.

“Of course she’ll go with you, “A hand came around her neck and she looked into the eyes of Bora with surprise and annoyance.

Jongin seemed to sense she might object and so after quickly thanking her he left the library before she could.

“What do you-” Nana started angrily but again Bora interrupted.

‘What do you think you are doing, actually standing there and even thinking about not going?” Bora’s eyes were filled with excitement, “I can’t wait to see the look on Lina’s face when she sees you next to him at the dance or whatever”

Nana sighed and asked, “How much did you hear?”

Bora shrugged, “Most of it. I was looking for you. Anyway what we really need to discuss is what you are going to wear.”

So the following weekend Nana and Bora set out amidst a clear blue sky and residual chilly air tickling their nose. Nana did enjoy shopping. She didn’t go often but when she did all the styles just enveloped her, urging her to buy every single one of them. It was more for the sake of her wallet that Nana did not go shopping often.

That day however there was sense of dread within her yes, but also a tone of excitement. She didn’t know whether Jongin liked her but she had still never been on a date and to Bora, this defiantly continued as one.

But…. On one hand years of reading had taught her that when a boy tells you that he needs you to go out with him to escape from something, it usually means he likes you and wants an excuse. But this was not a book. And this was Kim Jongin.

“I think we should get you a pale pink dress,” Bora declared as they walked together and looked around at the busy outdoor market, “It suits your complexion and is very pretty, yet suited for spring. And it’s bad to stand out too much”

And so the search for the perfect pale pink dress began and eventually ended. It was much more anti-climactic than what happened in books Nana decided as she looked down at her dress. But she was happy with it. It was sleeveless with a few small cut-outs near the neckline and a tight bodice that flowed out slightly towards her waist to end just above her knees. Conservative yet pretty and delicate with the cut-outs near her décolletage.

The school dance had been the day before and though Bora had gone, Nana had stayed home thinking about what Jongin was doing. Did he go with someone? Obviously he had went he was the school president but there had been no mention of his date in the school rumour mill so….

Jongin had texted her the details informing her that the Ball was at 7:00 on Saturday of the next weekend and asked her for her address. When she first got the request she had been bewildered but then had quickly realized that he probably planned to pick her up. She texted him back with her address and he replied with a quick thanks and a “I’ll be there by 6:30”

Jongin was waiting for her on Monday at her locker.

“Um can you help me in Chemistry at lunch today? Baekhyun said you are really good at it,” Jongin’s eyes flickered between her and the floor for a while.

Nana, having no plans at lunch and surprisingly admitting to herself that she wanted to spend time with him replied with a quick yes and told him to meet her at the library entrance at the start of lunch.

That week they hung out at lunch 4 days out of the 5. On Thursday, Nana feeling guilty that she was not spending time with Bora had decided to decline Jongin’s request and had spent the lunch hour getting lectured by Bora about how big of an idiot she was by doing so.

“Look after you get together and you still do not have time for me, I will get mad. But this whole getting to know each other and getting together stage takes time and effort. Anyways I can hang out with Sun Ah. And when you do get together will you please introduce me to Chanyeol?”

“Bora, he probably does not like me that way-” Nana started.

“No. Of course he does. Why else would he want to spend so much time with you?”

“Bu why so suddenly? He barely knew me two weeks ago.”

“That’s the point. How could he have liked you if he had barely known you? You sparked his interest with the whole Baekhyun thing and know he’s starting to know you. And starting to like you if the whole spending time with you pretty much this whole week is any indication.”

“What if it was a bet or something,” Nana voiced a concern she had had for some time now, “It always happens in books you know? The popular boy getting betted to take out the nerdy girl”

“But this isn’t a book Nana,” said Bora with exasperation, “And Jongin isn’t just a popular boy, he’s a popular, nice boy. There’s a whole difference you know.”

And so the next morning, when Jongin asked her to “hang out” at lunch, not even making some sort of school excuse this time, she said yes.