The week went by in a blur with Jaera concentrating on the initial lesson, acting as if nothing happened. Almost all her breaks were spent with either Jisoo and Hyeri or Mingyu. Sometimes, Sunyoung would tag along. She made sure she had no space in her thoughts for anything else…or anyone else for that matter.

By the end of classes on the first day of school, Jaera was able to voice out her opinion that she and Mingyu should dine separately every lunch for good measure. If the couple wished to join them, they were welcome, but since Wonwoo behaved rudely towards Mingyu, she didn’t want to deal with him further.

Jaera never spared him a single glance from that time on, never glanced at him even if he was but mere inches beside her in her first four classes. Life had been easier for her since she rendered him forgotten. As a form of revenge, when they were asked to solve some physics problems, she did it herself and just passed the paper to him so he could write his name on it when she was done before leaving the classroom wordlessly.

Let him chew on that, she said at the back of head, firm on her stand that he did not have the right to be rude to Mingyu whom she was going to hang out with that sunny Friday afternoon.

After her SAT review session, she immediately left and met Mingyu at the quad where he had been waiting.

“Bingsu?” she asked the moment she got there, asking him if he wanted to go out for the cold treat.

“Game,” Mingyu replied, leading her out of the gates.

After eating, the two decided to part ways. Mingyu still had to walk to the Old Site, but not without walking Jaera to her house first. He has returned the uniform the mother and daughter loaned him days ago and he was off after agreeing to hang out with the girl the next day.

Later the same afternoon, Jaera decided to take a book with her to that usual spot in the community park where a big cherry tree stood, shading her from the sun. It had been peaceful when a shadow cast itself over her book. Thinking it was just a passerby, she continued reading, but then a hand dipped down and momentarily closed the cover before returning it to its original position on her hand.

Startled, Jaera looked up, shutting her book close, ready to lash out on whoever it was when she saw Wonwoo standing in front of her with a blank look on his face, his earphones plugged in. Before she could say anything, he sat down on the grass just a few inches from her, leaning against the tree.

“You really love your essays, huh?” he murmured closing his eyes as he tilted his head backwards. The sun was high in the sky but she shivered visibly upon hearing his voice.

Somewhat annoyed, she pulled one of his earphones off, causing him to flinch away and eye her in irritation. She matched her expressions to his. “What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to sound civil.

He tilted his head to the side, looking like he was considering something. “I didn’t know there was a law that forbids me from coming to the park.”

Seeing no point in talking to him, she moved to the other side of the tree and opened her book, continuing to read in peace until he heard him talk again.

“You’ve been gone for too long.”

Jaera just continued reading, ignoring him.

“They all missed you, the boys,” he said. “Even my mother missed you.”

What are you saying, Jeon Wonwoo? She snapped her book close, unable to concentrate, knowing that he was just a few paces from her. She couldn’t understand why he came all the way from his house to the park just to bug her.

“They all think you’re so sweet…only have nice things to say about you.”

Jaera stood up, brushing off the dirt that stuck to her jeans and shirt when suddenly, he said, “You’re quick to carry on with your life, too.”

Ticked beyond what she thought she was capable of, she rounded the tree and stood in front of Wonwoo, her expressions cold and betraying nothing that went on inside her head. “Look, I don’t have any idea what your problem is or why you’re telling me these things and neither do I have the wildest guess where you’re going with it.”

Wonwoo smirked condescendingly.

“Good day, Wonwoo,” she said, feeling a pang of hurt when she saw that look on his face. Honestly, she didn’t have any idea why he was being an .

“You and Kim Mingyu, huh?” he said, standing up and towering over her. “I heard he lives at the Old Site.”

Jaera arched a brow at him. “What’s your point?”

“I can’t believe you’d stoop so low as to hook up with that low class piece of trash.” He chuckled then. “Oh wait. You’ve always been low.”

Without a warning, she slapped him soundly across the face with enough force to make him almost keel over. “You think you’re all that, Wonwoo? Newsflash, darling. You’ll never be half the person Mingyu is.” She her heels and started to walk off, but he stopped her.

“You want to know what my problem is?” He was successful in making her halt on her feet and when she did not talk, he said, “You. You’re my problem!” he yelled bitterly.

“I can’t imagine why.” Jaera couldn’t help the smug look on her face. She chuckled and walked back to where he was standing. “You’re so different. Is this the new you? I don’t like