As time went on I began to feel as if I had seen wrong that day in the Activities Office.

How could such a guy who seemed to not be lacking in any aspect even cast a second glance in my direction?

Me, Yoo Yoojung, who has never been able to experience the thrill of holding the sweaty palms of a significant other in my own. Me, Yoojung, who has never even experienced the feeling of another person’s lips against my own.

I was convinced that I had seen wrong especially when I weighed out which situation seemed more logical. It had seemed very thrilling in the moment, as my heart beat faster after I turned away, pretending I had not noticed the movement of his eyes. The scene as I had remembered it kept playing in my head over and over, causing my heart to clench and my lips to curl into a smile unknowingly.

But Jiyong never acted any different after that. Even though I carefully continued to observe him, his actions towards me never suggested that he was interested in the slightest bit. Jiyong was nice, funny, and playful. But it ended there. There was never an indication that he wanted something more, which seems obvious now as I remember the fact I kept forgetting when he was in front of me. Jiyong had a girlfriend.

Probably a super hot, model-like girlfriend; I was definitely not going to try to get in between Jiyong and his girlfriend, especially considering how in the end I was just going to end up looking like a fool. Not to mention I was very scared of people getting angry at me. Therefore, I decided that I would forget my feelings towards Jiyong.  

But that didn’t work out well, especially in Physics class.

The only class I had with Jiyong was Physics. And miraculously, he was my seating partner. When I first found out we were to sit next to each other, I was praising the heavens inside my head. It seemed surreal that amongst all these student the teacher would decide to put us next to each other.

I had read in a social media post that teachers secretly ship students as well--could it be? Probably not, right?

Instead of having separate tables like in the other classes, due to the labs that were to happen, four people shared a rectangular shaped table, with a sink in the middle slightly parting two people with the other two people. Jiyong and I were sitting in the two seats closest to the wall. I had hoped that we would click instantly and began the bestest of best friends, but my shyness and insecurity blocked me from going out and interacting with him.

Popular as always, he talked a lot with fellow students sitting in the row behind us. I hated that he had many female friends, as well as guy friends. It seemed as if everyone liked him.

And how smart he was. Thinking of my pride, I never asked him any questions to clarify the lesson. I was determined that I wouldn’t bother him like the other peers who constantly asked him questions to which he answered as nicely as possible, even though sometimes his answers had a tinge of annoyance in them.

We began to get closer, with no other choice since we sat right next to each other anyway.

I sat down at my stool, waiting for the late bell to ring. It seemed as if Jiyong always came in right before the bell rang, and left later than the rest of the class.

As always, the door open and Jiyong slid in the room, flashing the teacher a big smile as he started towards his seat.

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