"Don't tell me, he will be coming with us!" Jieun shrieked in horror as she watched Kai open the rear door and make himself comfortable at the seat diagonal to the driver. I did not get the reason for her surprise because if he had to carry out his father’s orders he was doing so perfectly by first taking my seat in the car. So much for ‘treat me as your son’, stupid !

“Oh my god unnie!” shriek Jieun as if she had just received enlightenment, “If anyone sees us with him your reputation will be gone in air!”

Yes, she had definitely received enlightenment. It was one thing treating the VP as courteously as possible it was a different story if we housed him. The logical solution would of course be to talk with him and get the problem cleared out but was he ever ready for any discussion.

“Excuse me, Kai?” I enquired, knocking my knuckles at the window. Like a suave landlord, he rolled down the automatic window as if he was the owner of the car and I was just a random passerby. Trying to keep my anger in control at his indecency of not stepping out of the car I furthered my case, “Kai, it’s absolutely impossible for us to be seen together. It will lead to a spurt of rumours, which will harm my reputation as well as yours. So it would be best if you could get off at some point near the school and walk your way to it.”

“I don’t care about my reputation being harmed,” he replied looking straight at front, “And isn’t it my job to humiliate you?” He rolled the window up and I was left staring at my reflection. Swallowing my anger,  I stomped towards Jieun who had been looking at the scene with expectant eyes and said, “Why don’t you try?”

She cocked her head to the side, confused and then slowly realised that I had failed in convincing him. “Don’t worry unnie!” she said encouragingly, “I’ll take care of this!” and sauntered off to open the door at Kai’s end.

Well her beauty better be of some use apart from making me feel inferior! I noticed how Kai’s head jerked towards her the moment she opened the door and peered into the car. He looked surprised at this sudden unannounced intrusion and when he smiled ever so shyly, I realised he was pleasantly surprised. I could not catch even a word of their conversation but I could hear Jieun laugh occasionally and Kai nod his head enthusiastically as if agreeing to every clause of her proposal. When Jieun straightened her form and with a flick of her long hair turned to walk towards me with a victorious smile, I saw Kai looking at her longingly and with soft knock on his head, he diverted his attention from her.

“Unnie, mission accomplished,” she said with her lips pursed in a line, “Kim Jongin has officially been to reduced to being our slave.” She looked cute and funny but I was in no mood to laugh. I did not know why Kai’s partiality towards Jieun got to me to this extent. I knew he would be enamoured by her that is why I had sent her to talk with him. Then why did I regret my decision? May be it was because of the fact that the cold Kai and the warm Kai were polar opposites, that difference hit me with a magnified intensity. Or maybe I was just being overly sensitive.

“Good,” I murmured absentmindedly and without waiting for Jieun, went to sit in the car. I could either sit at the back at Jieun’s designated place, which was behind the driver’s or I could sit next to the driver. I had no issues sitting on the roof of the car but it was the power positions, which bothered me. With a heavy sigh, I opened the door to the front seat and sat down with slumped shoulders.

“Unnie, why are you sitti-“ Jieun began but stopped when she realised that Kai was sitting on my place, “You can sit in my place.”

“Jieun, I already have a headache; please do not argue on this silly matter,” I implored wishing she would just shut up. And thankfully, she did. The rest of the ride to school was silent, pin drop silent. Kai got off at the last lane and with a wave at Jieun walked along the footpath.

“Sorry,” Jieun apologised as I reclaimed my throne at the back.

“Jieun,” I said sternly. Just because I was back on my throne did not mean I was ready for melodrama.

Kai was hovering at the school gates garnering the attention of squealing teen girls and jealous teen boys, completely lost. He looked uninterested of the attention and almost a bit terrified by some of the over enthusiastic calls of ‘oppa’ but overall he looked terribly lost.

“Jeez, I need to guide him to his class,” I muttered frustrated for no reason. I guess frustration had become a part of me. If I was normal then it meant I am frustrated.

“Ah unnie,” Jieun spoke, a little shy, pressing my palm as I turned to open the soor, “Could I guide him?”

I narrowed my eyes wondering what could have ignited the sudden interest in her to being the guide. Getting a little flustered she said, “Don’t get me wrong! It is just that you have an early class and you have to meet the teachers to submit something. Didn’t you have to submit something?

No, I did not have anything to submit but Jieun’s eyes begged me to submit some imaginary file to some imaginary teacher.

“No Jieun,” I answered, not believing my own words, “I have nothing to submit. In fact, I am relatively free today. You, on the other hand, have a class within the next 15 minutes. Also being a junior to him by two years and I don’t think it’s fitting for you to accompany to the other building.”

I sounded scarily like my mother but that was not the horrifying part. I had refuted my sister’s request to accompany Kai for no obvious reason! Like why in the world would I do that?! Even when I was giving her the sermon, my inner self was shouting in agony at the blasphemy it was committing. On one level was the fact that I had blatantly refused my sister a request, which was aked a little hesitantly, and on the other level, I had willingly volunteered to drop that unfeeling idiot to his class! No sense of rationality, no book of logic justified my action and needless to say, I felt scared and idiotic.

“Oh.” She said and without bidding me farewell got off the car and marched her way through the school gates. She did not spare Kai even a glance but Kai almost walked over to talk with her and when she did not return his gesture he was back to being confused and lost.

“Follow me,” I commanded as I walked past him. The hoards of fan girls dispersed into scattered groups and the hushed whispers began again. I could feel Kai’s lazy strides behind me. He did not even attempt to match his pace with me. It was as if he was following me because he had no better option, which was of course, partially true.

“I am going to set up a meeting after school for you to get familiar with council members,” I said to the trees passing by me or may be even the birds who seemed to pay more attention than Kai, “I don’t want time to be wasted in useless introductions in the actual weekly meeting and I also want you to be familiar with your nature of job. Kai are you listening to me?”

I turned around to confirm his presence of mind on the subject I was talking about but I found him petting a random bird, which was conveniently pecking on his finger while he its head with his thumb. There was something gentle about him at that moment. He was softly smiling at the bird nipping at his finger as if he had nurtured that ball of feathers from the day it was born. And the bird, despite known to be a fragile and a cowardly creature seemed immensely comfortable in his presence. Surprisingly, I felt like an intruder.

“Go on,” he said suddenly, still smiling at the bird, “I am listening.”

It took me a few minutes to organise my thought and monotony. “Umm. . .as I was saying,” I faltered. “What was I saying again?” I whispered to myself amazed by my sudden failing memory.

“Meeting, waste of time,” he urged as he caught my whisper.

“Uh yes.” I was dying of shame at my stupidity. “So I want you to be familiar with the nature of your job and know your peers and juniors and do you know where the council room is?”

“Third floor, corner room,” he replied. How weird he knew the council room but he didn’t know where his class was? His class!

“Oh no! We are late!” I shouted slapping my forehead, “Hurry! None of the third year teachers is nice so you are going to be punished irrespective of which devil sits before you!”

I did not wait for Kai to get up and get going but began to run instead. I was not worried about him reaching late as much I was worried for myself reaching late. If he could match up with me, he would reach his class, if he did not, well, tough luck!

“And this is your-“I announced as I reached his class.

“Hey Kai!” shouted an upperclassman as he slapped his back, “Do you ever intend to get in on the right time?”

Kai laughed and elbowed the senior and without so much of a thanks or goodbye walked into the class. I felt like a fool for some reason. The seniors, especially the male seniors, were a disrespectful bunch because they couldn’t tolerate the idea of a female, second year President and Kai , unsurprisingly, was one of them. I don’t know why did I expect Kai to show any sort of kindness towards me especially when  it was pretty much established that he had all intentions of being an towards me. May be it was the lingering effects of the sudden hug . . .

 A rush of blood went to my cheek as I remembered that embarrassing incident. If only I had the talent of selective memory then I could gave freed myself from that wretched warmth of his hug!

“Oh by the way,” Kai said as he turned, “I knew where the class was, I was just hoping for Jieun to guide me to it, which obviously didn’t happen.”

Thank god, it was not winter otherwise, the splash of cold water would have frozen me into a block of ice. For once, I realised he was not being rude but forthright but did that realisation help, of course not! I still felt insanely stupid. Jieun had given me the chance to not embarrass myself but for some divine cause, I had taken up the mission. There was nothing to respond to so I just turned around and dejectedly made my way to class. At least, I had the minor liberty of entering the class late and being embarrassed only by the students and not the teacher.

 “I am the jilted lover,” commented Sehun, “So why do you look so down?” The two of us were exhausted after the ruthless grilling by all our subject teachers but Sehun still had the energy to joke. “Just tired,” I answered dismissively. “Just so you know,” he said look straight ahead, “I know you are lying but I won’t pester you because like your sister even you will push me away.”

I stopped in my tracks and looked up at Sehun. He may be in the mood for jokes but he was still wounded by what had transpired between him and Jieun. He had resigned from the idea of having a relationship with her but the bitterness tasted very fresh in his mouth.

“Pester me all you want, you varmint,” I said laughing, “Because I don’t have the strength to push you away.”

“Really?” he asked cocking his head to the side, “Because if you dare push me away after saying this I am going to chain you up and then pester you.”

I laughed at his silliness and he joined in after a few seconds. What had started out as a soft chuckle from my side turned into senseless laughter from both our sides. We didn’t even know why we were laughing except that we were laughing our heads off!

“Wh-Why are you laughing?” I asked between my bouts of laughter.

“No clue!” he replied waving his hand still laughing.

“So the President laughs in addition to crying,” came a cold voice disturbing our harmonious laughter. Our laughter ceased and while I became conscious, Sehun frowned. “You are supposed to be at the council room,” Sehun said glaring.

“I know,” Kai replied, flashing a sickeningly sweet smile, “that’s why I thought of accompanying you guys. By the way, I am older than you both in age and position so remember your honorifics.”

“Yes, Sunbae,” Sehun muttered, clenching his fists. Ego issues seemed to be the trend those days.

“Now,” Kai smiled, “Shall we?” and walked ahead of us, leading the way to the room. I did not even have the energy to get angry. That guy had miraculously developed in me an apathy to his actions, if anything, I just felt like “Not again” to his sudden interruption. However, things did not stand the same for Sehun. His downcast gaze and clenched fists clearly reflected his suppressed desire to punch a hole through Kai’s face.

“I think most of you are aware,” I began placing my palms on the table and looking at the most brilliant students the school had ever produced, “But I shall still introduce once again.”

Directing my hand towards Kai who was leaning against the table with a palm placed on it, looking as cocky and confident as ever, I continued, “This is Kai or Kim Jongin who will act as our new Vice President from now on. I hope, both the junior and the senior, members will make him familiar with the nature of work we do here.”

“Ah!” sighed an exasperated Kai, I could see he was acting but I didn’t get his sudden need for drama, “All the senior members here, both male and female, please raise your hands if you feel annoyed by the President’s disrespect towards honorifics.”

What was with his obsession with honorifics! I narrowed my eyes at the entire class of students silently indicating them to not open their mouths. There was no point arguing with Kai so might as well shut the others up.

“Oh come on!” provoked Kai, as he propped himself up on the table, “Don’t be scared of her.”

“Listen Kai that’s enou-“Sehun interrupted but I indicated him to shut up. A single hand had been raised, a sworn enemy had been formed- it was my Financial Advisor. Finding courage in his actions, three more hands were raised. “Now shouldn’t you be nice to your seniors?” mocked Kai as he smirked at the four hesitantly raised hands.

I felt so betrayed that without further ado I bowed and apologized and called them “Sunbae”. I won’t deny that I was taking a erse enjoyment in their discomfort when they saw me accepting my ‘fault’ so willingly. Kai could not win, even if he tried to influence the entire council against me, he still would not win. And his pursed lips told me that he knew it very well.

“Times, they are a changing, especially with the coming of the new VP,” I said sarcastically, “But I don’t think I can handle anymore changes for now, so you may leave.” Kai was the first to leave and the four, who had raised their hand, scuttered behind him avoiding any eye contact with me.

“Well, somebody is showing their true colours,” grumbled Sehun as he lingered behind after the members had left. It had been his habit to always leave with me since first year and I guess, he hadn’t been able to get rid of it.

“Sehun,” I said as I looked at him picking up a topic which neither of us had forgotten but both of us were stubbornly avoiding, “I am sorry for behaving the way I did yesterday. Something just came upon me and I snapped.”

Sehun didn’t reply immediately but shuffled around a bit and then spoke, “I didn’t know that what I had said nine years ago would be with you for so long. I felt terrible, like really terrible. And you are amazing, you don’t need anyone to tell you that or anyone to argue against the fact. And . . . and if you ever feel bad at anything I say or do, please don’t keep it bottled up inside yourself. Tell it to me, if necessary, hit me but don’t hold any grudges. Yesterday, I had a frightening premonition that I was the one who killed a vivacious you. It was a false premonition, wasn’t it?”

There was something in the tone of his voice, which felt like desperation and fear, I couldn’t see his eyes because he had his eyes averted from me but his voice conveyed it all. And boy! Did it suffocate me! We have had quite some playful banter between us with him poking and I, ignoring but it was the first time we were actually, talking, talking in its fullest sense and definition. I was shocked at the fact that Sehun regretted his act from nine years and that he had actually managed to remember it, which also made me realise that I was not the only one who had changed, he had as well. As for his question, which both of us knew was rhetoric left me feeling guilty, guilty of making him feel guilty for something so trivial and far back, guilty of his pained expression etched on his face and guilty of the discomfort he was facing.

“Of course not,” I replied weakly trying to dissuade his fears, “I was never vivacious! I was born grumpy! If anything, you have instilled some vivacity in me.” It sounded so pathetically ridiculous that Sehun, obviously, did not believe it.

“The car won’t wait till your melodrama gets over,” intervened a familiar cold voice. Never in my life did I expect to be delighted by Kai’s ridiculously off timed interventions but the enveloping pressure between Sehun and I made me rejoice in his sarcastic rejoinder.

“Ah yes!” I said a bit too chirpily, “Sehun! I have to go! Meet you tomorrow!" I rushed out of the room with Kai lazily following me. Never did it hit my mind that Kai had pretty much declared to Sehun that the both of us travelled in the same car.