“No kidding, he was really scary. He looked really strange,” Haru described Tao to Minzy, her eyes widen in horror. “He’s got this creepy smile on his face, and he was checking out my all the time.”

“But why he wants to meet the EXO’s?” Minzy asked, curiously.

“I don’t know,” Haru said, shoving the french fries into , “He said he wants to see how good they are.”

The girls were sitting in a round table in the cafe, waiting for their next class. The professor informed that he will be running late, so most of the students were not there yet.

“Parish defeated us once last year, when Kris was the captain. I’ll hate them if they did it again.” Minzy complained.
”Well, Kris was injured at the time, if he was not, Parish won’t stand a chance.” Haru defended. “I hope Sehun is good enough to win the championship title.”

Minzy smiled, “Maybe we should ditch our afternoon Chemistry class to see him practicing,” she suggested, “You’ve never seen him playing right?” Minzy suggested coyly.

Haru huffed a laugh, “There is absolutely no way I’m skipping Chemistry to see that guy!”

“Which guy are you talking about?” a voice startled them. Both of the girls turn to see Krystal with a big red bowed-hairband on her beautiful wavy brown hair.

“Mind if I join the conversation?” she asked politely, but before neither of them answer, she casually took the spot beside Minzy.

“Yes of course,” Minzy replied awkwardly. Haru eyed Minzy, both curious and uncomfortable at the sudden company.

“Let me get straight to the topic,” Krystal said, “I’m here to talk to you.” She pointed at Haru. “Your name?”

“Haru,”

“Right, Haru, I just want to ask a few questions,” Krystal asked seriously.

“Shoot.”

“What’s with you and Sehun?” She asked directly. “I was being told that he now spends a lot of time in the library talking to you.” Her voice sounded displeased but she maintained a cool stance.

“We had to work together, for the end year paper work, he is the head of the athele’s club and I’m charge of filing those papers.” Haru answered honestly.

Krystal was observing her intently, “So nothing else? Nothing at all?”

“The real reason he’s spending so much time, is because he wants to get it done quick. So he doesn’t have to see me for the entire week. He also told Lay that he wanted to swap partners, so I think that answered your question.”

Krystal flashed a brief smile. “I know about him, but I want to confirm it with you.”

“Haru likes someone else,” Minzy interrupted. Haru shooed Minzy but Krystal suddenly turned to her side to face Minzy with a raised brow, “Who?” she asked.

“Senior.” Minzy answered briefly.

Krystal grinned and looked pleased, she leaned forward towards the table. “I just had to ask, I hope I don’t offend you. It’s just that I’ve been hearing that Sehun always spends his time in the library with you.” She paused, “He’s never done that with any girls, so I just had to-”

“Don’t worry, Haru thinks he’s an idiot.” Minzy snapped.

Haru gaped slightly. Expecting Krystal to lash out for calling Sehun an idiot, but Haru was shocked when Krystal laughed out loudly.

“Yes, keep thinking he’s an idiot,” she said, holding her thumbs up.

She rose from her seat, “Nice meeting you.” She said to Haru and she briefly turned to Minzy, “And you.” she said.

Before leaving, she shot a look at the french fries, “Don’t eat that, its not good for your skin,” she said unexpectedly.

Haru felt as if her mind lost connectivity with the surroundings, “What just happened?” she asked Minzy.

“Such an airhead.” Minzy answered angrily. She shoved several fries in , “What does she care what we eat.” she mocked.

Haru looked at Minzy questioningly.

“Sehun is a person. She treats him like he’s some kind of object,” Minzy said quietly. “We don’t own anyone, and we cannot control a person’s feelings. Although I feel bad for her for liking him so much, I am also equally pissed that she just refuse to see the truth.”

“And what is that?” Haru asked.

“He doesn’t like her, its obvious."

//

Haru was punching holes in the paper, when Sehun entered the library. She lifted her head and smiled at him brightly when he sat across her, “You’re here early.” she said.

He nodded but he looked sullen. He started checking the papers without saying anything. Haru eyed him occasionally, but he made no contact with her at all.

“You’re angry today.” She said slowly.

She was gauging for his response, but he gave none. Defeated, she sighed and continued punching holes to the papers.

“You met the guy from Parish yesterday,” he said out of no where.

“Zi Tao?” Haru asked, “Yes, and he’s really strange.”

Sehun lifted his head up doubtedly, “What?”

“He’s got this creepy smile on his face, and he looked scary.” Haru answered, “I was even talking to Minzy about him this morning.”

”What he said to you?” Sehun asked nonchalantly, without bringing up the deal he said yesterday.

Haru looked deep in thought, “He said he wants to go out with me, if he wins the competition,” She mumbled.

Sehun felt anger is creeping through his veins, “What did you say?” he asked, clenching his knuckles hard under the table.

“Why would I go out with him?” Haru asked, in disbelief. “I’m not an idiot.”

“Have you spoken to him before?”

“No.”

“So he just asked you out like that, even that was his first time seeing you.”

“I told you, he’s strange.”

Sehun felt a pang of relief, to know that she is unlike some girls who succumb to baseless flirtation.

“I think he likes you at first sight, shouldn’t you be happy? Most girls would.” He teased.

“Most girls are idiots and no one likes me at first sight.” She admitted. Sehun laughed out loud, and a few girls in the library stared at them for making noise.

“You sure do know well about yourself,” he joked.

“Shut up. Well, I personally vouched for you, so make sure you win this competition.” Haru said offhandedly.

“So why don’t you come and support me?” Sehun asked, “Instead of coming only to see Kris, why don’t you come for me too?”

“You’ll have a lot of girls supporting you, so don’t worry.” Haru smiled. She then passed the bunch of papers beside her to him.

“The girls like me because I’m a basketball player. If I am not, I don’t think they’ll even spare me a look. I am nothing and I’ll be no one.”

Haru stopped punching the papers and raised her brows, “Is that what you think of yourself?” she asked, “That you are nothing more than a basketball player?”, she paused, “You are so much more, you know. You matter to someone. You are a important part of someone’s life.”

Sehun looked her directly and felt a knot in his stomach. How can a bunch of words made him feel significant. He wanted to say something but he kept hearing what she said in his mind.

I do matter.

“What happened to your confidence level? You’re Oh Sehun, remember?” she asked, looking at him. A faint smile formed at her lips.

Sehun was at lost for words a while, “My supreme self confidence might show my lack of confidence too,”

“So, it’s like, you can climb tall mountains, but you can’t look down because you’re afraid of heights?,” She paused a while, “Something like that?”

“What?” Sehun chortled, “What are you saying?”

“Human psychology,” she laughed. Her eyes shrink when she laughs, and she doesn’t cover like most girls do.

“This is getting bad,” Sehun said, “Now I’m starting to enjoy your company.”

Haru stopped laughing to see Sehun, checking the papers, with a smile on his face. His face looked astonishingly handsome, and his cheekbones were like they were sculptured, and his jawline looked as if they were carved.

“You do look good when you smile,” She said seriously. “Now I get why girls like you. You don’t look bad.”

Sehun felt heat rushing to his cheeks. Before he could say anything, Haru adjusted herself on the seat, and casually retie her hair in a ponytail.

“You never talk about yourself,” he blurted out. Haru raised her brows, “Myself?” she halted, “Nothing interesting, anyway.”

“Let’s get to know each other, I dare you.” He challenged.

“Hmm, let’s see.” she said, “What do you want to know?”

“Your after college life.”

‘I work part time in several places.”

“You work?” Sehun asked, shocked.

“Yes, for a few years actually.” She answered, tapping her fingers on the table.

“And you work as?”

“I work in a convenience store.”

“Where and when?”

Haru laughed and motioned stop, “Enough about me, talk about you,” she said.

Sehun didn’t want to reveal much about his family. He didn’t want to tell her that he is the only son of Oh Kim, the chairman of Zeus company. He didn’t want to tell her that his father owned probably half of Korea.

He was afraid that she might not talk to him as how she does now, if she know truly who he is.

“I was born here. And my father works for this mediocre company. I don’t work but I play basketball, sometimes.” He chuckled. “My mother- ” he paused hesistantly.

“I’m sorry,” she said with a concern.

“No, don’t be. She is technically alive, just not living with us.” He said, abashedly.

Haru looked at his eyes through his long lashes. He looked shaken although he pretended as if it didn’t bother him.

“She ran off with another guy, when I was like 12 years old. I guess she didn’t care when she left. It’s embarrassing really.”

”I’m sure there’s more to it. You can’t blame her.” Haru speak up.

Sehun lifted his head and his eyes glared with anger, “So you think its fine? A woman abandoning her family, her husband and her kid, for another man because she was in love?” he asked.

“She took the chance.” Haru said quietly.

“What?”

“It was the moment for her, and she took it. She doesn’t want to live her life in regrets. You cannot blame her, Sehun.”

Sehun felt like his head was hit by a hammer. He recalled what his mother said to him before she left.

“I’m sorry, Sehun.”

His mother’s voice echoed probably a hundred times, before he rose from his seat and head for the exit without saying another word.