“So Hyun! Kim So Hyun!”

I ran faster, ignoring Taeyong who was running behind me, but no matter how fast I had run, Taeyong could catch me up.

“So Hyun!” Taeyong grabbed my wrist.

“Let go off me!” I screamed without looking at his face. Honestly, I’m ashamed of what I did back in the class. How could I kiss Taeyong back?! I shouldn’t kiss him! I don’t like him! I don’t like him, right? How could I fall for him? He is my nightmare! Right? I scolded myself silently in my head. I’m not naïve. I like kissing him. This sounds so stupid!

“I understand if you’re angry for what I did.” Taeyong said with his soothing voice, as his hand still gripping my wrist tightly.

“I’m not angry to you! I’m angry to myself!” I looked up, now looking at his eyes. His tender gaze makes me nervous.

“Why? Why are you angry to yourself? Because you kissed me?”

“Yes. I shouldn’t kiss you. I don’t like you. We’re friend. Friend shouldn’t do that. I hate something like friends with benefit!”

“But I like you.”

“W-what?”

“I like you, So Hyun.” Taeyong whispered. He sounds sincere. His strong gaze now looking straight into my eyes tenderly, deeply, as if trying to convey his feeling, and I could feel it, he is being honest now. His gaze strangely made me weak on my knees.

“It’s okay if you don’t like me back, because I’ll do anything to make you like me in the end.” Taeyong pulled my wrist, making me standing closer to him. My face now was face to face with his chest. I could smell his refreshing cologne.

I gulped. “T-this is confusing. I’m confused with myself. And you make me confused.”

“Confused is good. That’s mean you’re considering me. You don’t reject me right away like what you did to Jhonny, or other boys back in junior high school too, or even in elementary school.” Taeyong smiled, half smirked.

My eyes widened. “H-how?”

“I think I’ve been like you since then. I’ve been observing you all this time.” Taeyong cut me off. “Maybe since elementary school? I don’t know. I’m too dumb to realize it back then. Maybe that’s why other girls never met my expectation. Because I always compare them all to you. She is not as cute as So Hyun. Her eyes not as sparkling as So Hyun. She is not as chic as So Hyun. She is not as direct as So Hyun. She is not as brave as So Hyun. She is not as strong headed as So Hyun. She is not as annoying as So Hyun.”

“YAH! Are you complimenting me or telling me all of my flaws?!”

Taeyong chuckled. “That’s your charms.”

I scoffed. But Taeyong still smiling, this time warmly. His smile makes my heart melts. “Nobody could be you. And nobody could replace you in my heart, So Hyun.”

I could feel the heat on my face. Taeyong chuckled again. “You’re cute when blushing!”

“Stop teasing me!”

Taeyong now interlaced our fingers. His long delicate fingers somehow make me safe. Strangely, I always feel safe around him. Maybe I do like him too? But my pride is too high? And my heart is too cold to realize it?

I squeezed his hand. “Let’s go! I don’t feel like going back to class. Let’s just skip class for now.”

Taeyong smirking at me teasingly. “Oh, so you’re afraid our classmate will tease you?”

“Don’t you?”

Taeyong shook his head. “No.”

“They’ll ask you so many questions too!”

“I’ll just answer them honestly. I’ll say I like you.”

I pulled away my hand from his, but he managed to grab my hand again. “I’ll just skip school alone then!”

Taeyong chuckled. “I think we’re too late to do that.”

“Lee Taeyong. Kim So Hyun. What are you doing here? Class has been started since 15 minutes ago!”

I gulped, Mr.Kim’s voice getting closer and closer. I didn’t dare to look up. Shoot! Just give us detention! I know we’ll get one.

“Are you guys fighting and trying to reconcile?” Now our headmaster, Kim Hee Chul, was standing right beside us.

I realized Taeyong and I still holding hands, so I pulled my hand away, still lowering my gaze, staring at the floor.

“No, Sir. I’m confessing to her.”

I looked up and shot my glare to Taeyong. Is he dumb or what?! That’s not a good answer! Teacher would not buy that lame excuse! Even though what’s Taeyong said is the truth.

I turned my head when I heard Mr.Kim giggling. He patted Taeyong’s shoulder, “Finally.”

Taeyong sighed. “Uncle, stop! Don’t embarrass me in front of So Hyun!”

“Uncle?”

Mr.Kim nodded. “This brat here is my eldest sister’s son.”

Taeyong smiled at me. “Don’t worry, Mr.Kim would not give us detention.”

“Who said so? This is my school, Taeyong, not your home.” Mr.Kim smirking. “Let’s go to my office! I’ll give you detention. I want both of you writing about each other’s good traits. I think 25 items is good. For example…. Kim So Hyun is beautiful. Etc…etc….but I prefer you guys excluding physical appearance. It would be too easy.”

What? No way! I should jotting down 25 good traits of Lee Taeyong? Are you kidding me?! This is harder than being asked to clean the school bathroom!

I took a quick glance at Taeyong. He just smiled at me, didn’t feel any burden at all.

<3 <3 <3

 

At headmaster’s room….

“Oh, so you think I have a soft heart?” Taeyong smirking after taking a peek on my paper.

“Stop cheating!” I put my arms around my sheet protectively.

Taeyong chuckled, shrugging. “Mr.Kim! I have finished!”

“Good. You can comeback to your class.”

I widened my eyes. “You’ve finished? You’re fast!”

“It’s not that hard, So Hyun.”

“It’s hard!”

“Ouch! I’m hurt. You can’t think of any good things of me?”

“Taeyong, stop disturbing So Hyun! Just comeback to your class!” Mr.Kim trying to scold Taeyong but the latter just making faces.

“Uncle, you’ll show me what So Hyun writes, right?”

“Why should I? No! This is confidential.”

“Uncleeee…..” Taeyong trying to act cute, didn’t fail to make me smile.

“Shooo~~~ go…Taeyong… now!”

Taeyong sighed. “Alright then. See you later, sweetie clumsy!”

After Taeyong walking out of the room, I felt a bit relax. I don’t know, it’s nerve wrecking sitting next to him and writing good things about him. I don’t want him to know what I write about him!

 I added ‘Lee Taeyong can act cute sometimes’. Duh! I still have a long way to go!

“So Hyun, I’m not trying to play cupid here, but I just want you to know that my nephew is being serious of you. He never talks about other girls but you.” Suddenly Mr.Kim telling me this.

I don’t know what to say, so I just smiling.

“Taeyong pretty close to me. He is just a pitiful child. His mom is my older sister, but I resent her as much as Taeyong does. I hope you can give him a chance. I’m sure you’ll make him happy. You always do, by the way.” Mr.Kim winking his eyes, then giving me Taeyong’s sheet.

“B-but…Mr.Kim.., you said this is confidential.”

Mr.Kim laughed. “Read what that idiot wrote about you. So you’ll more certain of his feeling for you.”

I start reading.

Kim So Hyun is really brave. She is not afraid of speaking out what’s in her mind. Kim So Hyun is honest. Although sometimes her honesty hurt my feelings, but I like her being honest like that. Kim So Hyun is kind hearted. No matter how much I’ve hurt her, she still treat me well. Kim So Hyun’s voice is really amazing! I have the recording of her singing performance on our school festival at 2nd grade junior high school. I always listen to it whenever I’m feeling down. Kim So Hyun’s piano and violin skill is no joke! It’s the best! I start learning piano because of her. Kim So Hyun’s voice can make me calm in an instance whenever she talks to me. I know this is weird. But she rarely talks to me, she thinks I’m an annoying jerk, that’s why I always disturb her so she would talk to me. Kim So Hyun can make the most delicious hot chocolate in this universe! Kim So Hyun’s smile is the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Kim So Hyun…..

 

I didn’t continue reading it. My heart’s beating increase rapidly. I feel hot all over my face. I guess I would have heart attack if I read the remaining confessions. Confession? Yes! It’s like a confession to me! Meanwhile I was just writing : 1. Lee Taeyong is a good dancer; 2. Lee Taeyong good in playing basketball, etc.

I returned Taeyong’s sheet to Mr.Kim, but Mr.Kim declined it, “Just keep it, So Hyun.” Mr.Kim smiled widely, and I swear he was trying to hold in his laugh.

“Now, please give me your paper.”

“You won’t give this to Taeyong, will you?”

“Of course not.”

I stared at our headmaster doubtfully.

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