Along with her classmates, Dara was cleaning their room before going home. Bom, who went to Mister Choi’s office to get some cleaning paraphernalia, ran excitedly.

“Dara! Mister Choi is looking for you,” she said.

“What could it be?” Dara wondered.

“I don’t know, but I know that Jiyong was there when I left. I think he will still be there when you’ll arrive,” Bom said, her eyebrows moving up and down, as if sending Dara a secret message.

Dara was pacing outside the door of Mister Choi’s office. She can still hear the voice of Mister Choi and Jiyong talking seriously. She breathed once more before going in. I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with me.

“Hello, Sir,” Dara bowed.

“Oh, you’ve arrived,” Mister Choi said happily and motioned to the seat to the left of Jiyong.

But before Dara sat, she looked at Jiyong who was staring blankly to his right.

“Do you know why I called you too, Dara?” Mister Choi asked returning his serious tone.

Dara shook her head.

“Do you know why Jiyong got the lowest score?” Mister Choi asked again.

Dara was caught off guard. How should I know? Does Mister Choi think that Jiyong and I have something between us? She was interrupted when Mister Choi cleared his throat.

“Oh, um,” Dara thought for a while. “Maybe, he was busy with his basketball career. He practices basketball with his team every day. And,” she paused, “every morning, I could notice him sleeping at his desk or staring outside the window, instead of studying or listening to the lesson.”

Dara paused so what she said would sink in first to Mister Choi and Jiyong. The both of them were looking at her, especially Jiyong who thought that calling Dara here would not be a good idea, but surprised that it worked.

“Um,” Mister Choi cleared his throat. “Yes, that must be it, right Jiyong?” he turned to Jiyong.

Jiyong nodded, still looking at Dara. But Dara was bowing her head.

“So, with that, Dara,” Mister Choi returned his attention to Dara. Dara looked up, anticipating something she doesn’t have an idea of. “I have a plan,” Mister Choi paused for dramatic effect again. “I’m going to let Dara tutor you, Jiyong.”

Jiyong’s eyes widened. Dara stood up.

Dara, herself, was shocked with her reaction so she sat back.

“This is for your own good, Jiyong,” Mister Choi told Jiyong. Then he turned to Dara. “I’m sorry I decided this on my own. But my decision is final. Since you are on top of the honor roll, I decided that you would be the one to tutor Jiyong.”

Dara didn’t like the idea, especially now that she likes him. It would be awkward. But she thinks that it would be a chance for her to get close to him. And besides, she doesn’t see a more excusable reason to decline.

At the end of the day, they both agreed. Not that they have much choice, because according to Mister Choi, it’s already his final decision.

Dara walked home alone because Bom went home ahead. While walking home, Dara’s mind is filled with scenes that might happen when the tutorial starts. She just hopes one thing – that both of them will be very good friends in the future.

However, her mind is also filled with Mister Choi’s words when he finally dismissed Jiyong but letting her stay.

“Jiyong is the son of the President of our university,” Mister Choi had said. “Being in a very high position, his mother has a reputation to hold. This is sometimes a matter they always argue. Jiyong doesn’t care of his mother’s reputation. But despite this, his mother is still very loving towards his son. She tries her very hard to have his life very comfortable. She cares for him but indirectly, though. She doesn’t know the proper way to show it. So, that’s why I asked you to tutor him. It is for his own good, too. Also, it’s his mother’s too. Hope you understand, Miss Park.”

Dara now understood.

The next day…

It was after class. Dara was now nervous that the tutorial’s going to start today.

“Come on, Dara!” Bom offered. “Let’s go out.”

“Oh, um,” Dara fidgeted. She hasn’t told her best friend yet. “I can’t. I’m busy.”

“Busy? With what?”

Dara was hoping that Bom would let it pass. But Bom didn’t. So she leaned to whisper on her ear. “I’m going to tutor Jiyong.”

Bom squealed. “You’re going to tutor Jiyong?!”

“Bom!” Dara quickly covered Bom’s mouth but she was too late. Now everyone who hasn’t left yet knows and stares at them. Now that she noticed, she wondered where Jiyong is. She thought that he was already at the library waiting.

But before Dara got out from their classroom, a crowd of boys went to her.

“Dara, please tutor me too.”

“Dara noona, please. I’m begging you. I’m not good in Chemistry either.”

“Dara, please let me come with you.”

But Bom was fast, she blocked them all and Dara was able to escape.

Arriving at the library, she was surprised to see it empty, except for the librarian.

“Oh, hello,” the librarian greeted. “Aren’t you going to watch the basketball practice?”

Dara was lost.

“The library’s empty because the students chose to watch the basketball team practice. They have such a crowd there. I saw it myself. The captain was especially handsome.”

Jiyong. He’s practicing too. He must’ve forgotten our tutorial. Maybe he doesn’t want me to tutor him. These were the thoughts filling Dara’s mind.

Nevertheless, Dara waited. While waiting, she studied her notes too.

Mwanwhile…

“JIYONG-AH!” Bom squealed at the top of her lungs. Amazingly, the voice of the girls crowding at the gym became silent. Jiyong was surprised to see his cousin red with anger.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! DARA IS WAITING FOR YOU AT THE LIBRARY!” Bom continued to shout. Then she added in a softer voice. “No conscience. Dara has been waiting for him for half an hour.”