I beg for your pardon, for this is all new to me.

Because this armor was of no use to raise any strength nor courage.

But for you, My Queen, I’ll be brave once more.

Jennie was on the edge, agitated on what’s this day is about to come. She focused her eyes forward, and with a hove of its doors opening, came her bus onwards to her school. She climbed onboard and once seated, she reveres back on staring outside of the windows. But unlike her adulating the routinely view, she coils back to her afluttered state. That its one of those days wherein she’d just like to skip the whole day and not attend to her classes anymore.

And it wasn’t that typical reason of absence inherit to be deemed excused.

She wasn’t sick nor she’s dreading on taking an exam.

That it’s more on being distressed on meeting someone, more specifically, meeting her blonde classmate who she happens to seat next to.

Jennie watched as the district inspirits into the busy streets that grosses the typical morning rush, which she could say, she’s unused on seeing.

It was far from the empty road that greets her in her early commute.

15 minutes in, their bus now came uphill, cuing for her stop within a few hundred meters, which also lead to the slowing down of the bus which tails the emerging traffic, bounded by the simultaneous flow of cars that’s boarded by the students of their school.

Jennie looked at her wristwatch, noting that there’s still time to spare, she opted to stay seated unlike the other students opting to trekked to their school, rather than dealing with the traffic jam.

She’s unused on coming to her school in time.

It was her routine, after all. To wake up early. Get ahead of the sun before it could even peek through the skies. From cooking her breakfast to strolling through the pathway to her department’s building, neatly dressed up with her uniform. The gentle breeze would caress her face then, and with the sun finally emerges from the horizon, she’ll inwardly voice out her mantra.

That today’s gonna be a good day.

The sudden halt of the bus lulled her back, and in a minute, she found herself pacing towards the school’s entrance gates. She waits in line as students, one by one, swipes their card on the turnstile to grant them entrance.

Okay, Jennie. Just relax okay?

She needed the pep talk.

It was drawing near.

That inevitable moment of seeing Lisa again.

Yet, her dread only grew with each step towards their department’s building. As now, she finds herself completely lost in reverie, not minding the path she’s roving into.

You can do this. Nothing big right?

You just need to talk to her.

That’s all.

Be a normal responsive person, Jennie.

She nodded to herself, assenting to her thoughts. A way to boost her own morale, seemingly like an anecdote of someone who’s about to depart to war. 

And here she is.

Standing in the middle at the flight of stairs to her classroom’s floor, downshifting all the time, as she slowed her own steps. Heedless but at the same time aware on how there were no longer students outside their classrooms. 

Right on its cue.

The loud ringing of the school bell rang throughout the school.

Still.

She remained fixed to where she stands.

“I can’t do this.” Jennie lowly groaned, resolute that the thought of coming to class was far more daunting than being caught late by one of the disciplinary officers.

She buried her face with her hands, hiding herself from embarrassment as the memory crashes back to her. That the more she tries to repress it, back to the recesses of her mind, the more it poses back up and enliven that day.

Back to the day she spent a night at Lisa’s house. 

Back to their kiss.

“She…”

Turning around, Jennie flung her arms to the walls and defeatedly rested her forehead to it. Her eyes darkening into complete disheartenment as she finishes in a faltered voice.

“…didn’t kiss me back.”

She tightly closed her eyes, acquiescing that she couldn’t control her mind as it hurtles back into a tangle of mess.  She ruminated her own words, over and over, but it only adds affliction to her already wounded heart.

She didn’t kiss me back.

She didn’t kiss me back.

She didn’t…kiss me back.

Jennie could clearly recall it.

That instant guilt that hit her, as the seconds drags on, yet still, she receives no response from Lisa.

Jennie immediately pulls away from her, darting her eyes away, terrified to spare a look back. She stood and veered to the door but pauses. She swallowed that hard lump that formed in before explaining that she’ll sleep at the living room.

Hearing no response, Jennie nodded, her eyes still avoiding contact to the person who’s the sole responsible of her madly beating heart.

It was their last conversation.

When morning came, Jennie thanked and bid goodbye to Lisa’s Mom and hailed a cab back to her apartment.

It’s been two days since.

Wretched, Jennie somewhat affirmed that she’s willing to give up her own heritage just for this day not to come.

That it was a rejection she didn’t know how to conform to.

She must’ve hated the kiss.

But I apologized to her in advance. It’s just that! She’s…so beautiful back then that I couldn’t help but kiss her.

She’s weirded out now.

Gosh. Is she going to imprison me? For forcing a kiss?

What am I even doing?

This is it for me.

I should pack a bag and just live in a cabin and just fish for all eternity.

No. Should I go to an island, perhaps? Hawaii sounds nice.

Heck. I don’t wanna live in this planet anymore.

I should go buy a spacecraft and fly to –

“Sup? You frozen now, Queen?”

Jennie blinked back, her train of thoughts coming into a complete halt as she saw Bobby below her, a few steps back to where she stands.

Breathing heavily, Bobby planted both of his hands into his knees, posing that he must’ve ran all the way from the entrance gates to try and avoid being called out as late in the morning class.

It was too late now, as the morning bell signaled the start of their class with its loud ringing minutes ago. 

Conscious of it all, Jennie sullenly turns to him and replies.

“What will you do, if you kissed someone but they didn’t kiss you back?”

Bobby shrugged both of his shoulders. “I don’t know. Never happened to me. They would always kiss me back.” He winked at Jennie. “Right?”

Jennie smacked his left arm with a hand.

“Answer me.”

“Ouch. Okay. Okay. Let me think.” Bobby nursed his chin, brows furrowing in speculation. “I guess it’s just mean that they didn’t like you back? But whew…” He whistled low. “That must’ve hurt a lot?”

It hurts like hell.

Jennie didn’t utter a reply as she merely nods.

“It’s okay cupcake!” He threw an arm at her and recklessly ruins her hair with the other. “But I guess it depends on the person. Maybe they have a reason or perhaps they were surprised by it.”

“I guess.” Jennie breathe out unenthusiastically, lethargic on voicing out her disapproval on how her hair was now messed up by this riotous man.

“What did he say? After the kiss?” He asked, releasing his hold from her.

Jennie looked down and mumbles.

“She…didn’t say anything.”

“She?” He looked up for a minute, somewhat confused. “Seungwan…is in Canada, right?”

“It’s Lisa.” Jennie replied.

The name itself made her heart thrum back a faster pace.

“The ‘Genius-Blonde-Hottie?'”

“Is that what you call her?”

Bobby just tilts his head at a side.

“It’s true.”

Jennie bit her bottom lip and obliges.

“Can’t argue with that one.”

“You’re screwed. You got the hots for her all right.” Bobby shakes his head in amusement. “Nways, It’s not a total rejection. She didn’t say anything yet.”

He raised Jennie’s chin with a finger to meet her eyes.

“You still got a chance.”

He resumes his walk but soon stops. He turned to her once more and cheerily utters back.

“And heck. Just give her that smile of yours and she’ll be wooed instantly. Trust me, I know.”

His smile caught up to hers.

She trekked the remaining steps.

Unknowingly bearing a smile of her own.

They were already starting the exam when Jennie entered the classroom. Glancing around, Jennie noticed the silence that weighs around the room. It’s heavy vibe clearly imparting that it’s one of those unannounced examination.

Dara looked up from her papers and soon noticed her late arrival. Standing at the doorway, Jennie immediately bows at her teacher and mouthed a silent apology. Dara eyed her for a few seconds, bearing that it was rare for her to be even late for their class. Jennie didn’t dare to meet her teacher’s eyes and just fell to Dara’s scrutiny.

“Please take your paper Ms. Kim.” Dara addressed to her in a clear tone.

Somewhat intimidated, Jennie took it as a cue to approach her teacher, accepting the paper handed out to her. She bows to her teacher once more before ambling towards her own seat.

I forgot that there might be an exam.

Jennie felt how the nerves was starting to get to her. She could feel her heart hammering on how she’s wholly unprepared at this situation, snared on how she’s turning into someone who’s irresponsible in their own studies.

And I haven’t studied a single thing about this lesson.

Jennie placed her bag to the side of her chair and took her seat, deliberately restraining herself from looking to her left. Back to her blonde classmate who she happens to be in love with.

She couldn’t afford to be befuddled in this situation.

She placed the paper down to her desk, opting to calm herself first. She took out her pen and took a deep breath.

Relax. This might be a recap test or an advanced one that you’ve already studied. You got this one.

Just relax.

She tries to.

But she couldn’t.

Unaware of how hard she’s gripping her own pen, Jennie felt how it came loose from her hand and springs to the floor with a loud thud. Evidently louder than the classroom’s quiet atmosphere.

Her classmates paid no attention to the noise as they simply continue on answering their test papers. Dara looked up from her desk. Jennie made eyed contact with her teacher and bows in apology once more before bending back to retrieve her pen.

Only for her hand to be brushed back by another.

Jennie raised her look and was met by the blonde who’s been settling within her mind for the past 48 hours.

“Here.” Lisa whispered, handing out the pen back to her with eyes full of concern.

“Thanks.” Jennie whispered back with a hardened expression, all steely looking despite the heavy paced beating of her heart.

All too sure that it’s not about the exam.

“You’re always welcome.” Lisa winked at her and gave Jennie’s hand a gentle squeeze. Lisa then returns to her own desk and started answering her own paper.

Nope. There’s absolutely no flirting going around here, not right in the middle of an examination.  

Jennie too, tries to placidly reel back.

She heaves an exhale and flipped her own paper.

She just wished for her mind to stop replaying the wink of the century and start answering the test questions.

Because really.

What a way to start an exam.

“Hey there.”

Jennie felt herself automatically turn upon hearing Lisa’s voice, lapsing on the need to balance her tray of food, but still managing to save the bowl of salad that she’ll have for lunch.

“Oh my gosh.” Jennie blurted out as a blush covers her face at her own blunder. As now, coming face to face with Lisa, she couldn’t understand as to why she’s nodding excessively as she gives out a reply. “Hey! Hi!”

This one would be definitely buried to her list of embarrassing moments.

Lisa just smiled at her. “You okay now?”

“I’m good!” Jennie exclaimed with a vigor she didn’t knew she has. “Never been better!

“I see. That’s a relief.” Lisa nodded back, giving out a shy expression.

Jennie was aware of it, on how she’s looking at this side of Lisa, all too dumbstruck.

She’s…so cute.

Why is she so cute?

It took Jennie a minute to process that this was a conversation, and that she needed to give out a response. Her mind has that high odds of being infirm whenever she’s around with Lisa. That this is one of those moments she just wished her brain would listen to her and saved herself from further embarrassment.

How’s the kiss?

“How’s the exam?” Jennie strenuously corrected, her pitch higher than normal, upbraiding herself for the initial question that came into her mind.

“It was fine, I guess?”

“Yeah. Fine.” Jennie nodded back excessively. Again. “Totally good! Yeah.”

Jennie just wished she could place a cover to by then, knowingly failing to maintain this small talk.

Lisa raised both of her brows, as if sensing something but didn’t say anything about it. She glanced back to her own table and says.

“I’ll see you back in class then.”

Jennie just gave her a nod, saving herself from any further blunders. She releases a heavy breath and got back to her own table.

“What took you so long? Did something happened?” Jisoo asked before taking a big bite at her sandwich.

“Nothing much.” Jennie sighed.

She slides her lunch tray at the side before crossing her arms against the table and defeatedly rest her head to it.

She closed her eyes before completing the sentence on her own.

Oh, it’s just me embarrassing myself in front of the ‘Genius-Blonde-Hottie’

“Unnie?”

Jennie turns to the voice and came face to face with Chaeyoung.

“Yeah?” Jennie absentmindedly responded.

“Could you move over? That’s my locker.” Chaeyoung said with a controlled giggle.

That explains how she’s been pulling the handle of the locker for almost the hundredth time, but the locker still won’t budge.

She was close to kicking it open, that or she could just burn the lock with the blowtorch Jisoo had hidden at the Student Council room.

“Right. My bad.” Jennie masked herself with nonchalance and moved over to the next locker with a sidestep. She wonders then that she could easily compete to the record on ‘How to Embarrass Yourself in just One Day’, knowing for sure she’ll win a platinum plaque on that one.

“You good?” Chaeyoung asked her, shutting her own locker with a hand, now holding music sheets with her other hand.

“I am.” Jennie replied. Noting the sheets, she asked. “Music club?”

Chaeyoung nodded.

“I need to memorize this piece for the upcoming concert so I kinda finished in advance the work for the Student Council. Will probably have a meeting for the upcoming events with the officers, maybe next week or so. How about you? You’re not skipping on your club activities, are you?”

“Yah! That’s mean!” Jennie playfully pushed the younger’s shoulder. “We did. We just got a quick meeting. We decided it’s best if we get to study on our own. You know, for the contest.” Jennie swivels the lock to its password’s pattern, and with a click, tells her she finally managed to get to the correct one this time.

She pulls out her books, both Science and Mathematics, and expertly balanced it with an arm while still searching for the notes her Club Advisor had given them for the contest. It was out of question of course, she’ll definitely pull an all-nighter for the coming weeks to review for the competition and to study still for the upcoming examinations.  

Chaeyoung rested her shoulders against her locker and gave Jennie a waggle of her brows.