Now it wasn’t hand-picked flowers. It wasn’t seeing surprise chocolates in my desk either. No, now, it was flowers AND chocolates.

                The following Friday morning, I opened my locker to find a beautiful red rose sitting on top of my books. There was a small gold box beside it and inside there were about three or four chocolates. At first I was really touched, wondering who could’ve given this to me. Even though I was dating Minho, the thought of something giving me gifts despite that fact touched my heart.

                That is, until I figured out that it was Taemin’s doing.

                I slammed my locker and headed off to first period. I found Taemin sitting nonchalantly at his desk, reading a book, until I slammed the rose and chocolate onto his desk.

                He looked up and smiled. “Someone got up on the wrong bed I see.”

                “Did you give me these?” I spat at him.

                Taemin’s smile grew wider. “You already know the answer.”

                “Is this how you’re going to win me back? With gifts and briberies?”

                “It’s not a bribe. And I’ve done this before. Why are you complaining now?”

                “Because I don’t want you to waste your money on me,” I said truthfully.

                “Soojung, I want to. Seriously.”

                “If this is all to make me like you it’s not going to work. I have a boyfriend. You’re just wasting your time, Taemin.”

                Taemin took the rose and chocolates and put them in my hands. “We’ll see, Soojung. We’ll see what happens.”

                Next week I found a pink rose and a small bag of jellybeans. The week after that I found a white tulip and a jar of gummy bears. After that I found a purple violet and a chocolate candy bar.

                By the 6^th week that this was happening, I was really starting to get annoyed. He just wasn’t going to stop.

                That weekend the whole school was invited to this girl named Luna’s birthday party. She was inviting everyone, and it was all over school.

                That evening I decided to wear a sleek black party dress. It was embezzled with sequins, was strapless, went above my knees, and had a big white bow wrapped around the waistline. I curled my hair and did my makeup.

                Yeah, it was Luna’s party, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stand out ;)

                I got a ride from a friend and I was supposed to meet Minho there. But he texted me something about errands for his mom and traffic and stuff so he’ll come later.

                The party was in full swing once I got there. People were already drunk, dancing and laughing like maniacs.

                “Woo! Soojung you look hot tonight,” I heard a couple of guys say as I passed him.

                I flashed them a smile. “Thanks.”

                I went over to the kitchen and grabbed myself a beer. I was scanning the crowd when I heard a voice in my ear.

                “You know, this just makes me like you even more.”

                I jumped up a bit in surprise and I heard a voice laughing behind me.

                “Not funny,” I said to Taemin.

                “Your fault for dressing up like that.”

                “I wanted to. I do this for every party.”

                “Hmmm…should’ve moved here sooner than.” Taemin smirked.

                “Since when did you get so flirty?” I asked.

                “Since when did you get so ty?”

                I stomped my foot. “I am not ty!”

                He randomly put his arm over my shoulder and moved his other hand across the crowd. “Look at that, princess. Every other girl’s either wearing a skirt or jeans. But look at you, dressed up so fancily.”

                I shook his arm off of my shoulder. “Can you just shut up?”

                “I would. If you weren’t dressed like that.”

                “Why do you care so much?”

                “I wouldn’t want my girl to be hit on by scumbags. You’re practically asking for it.”

                I took a step forward towards him. “I AM NOT your girl.”

                Taemin smiled again. “We’ll see about that.”

                “Oh, god,” I groaned. “So do you drink?”

                Taemin shrugged. “Every once in a while.”

                “Oh really?”

                “Yup. I see you drink too. Never expected that you’d grow up to be this way Soojung.”

                “Likewise,” I said, finishing my can of beer. “Hm, done already? Can you get me another beer?”

                “Um, are you sure?”

                “Yes, I’m sure.”

                “Ok then.” Taemin hesitantly got me another can of beer from the cooler. “Here you go.”

                “Thanks.” I popped it open and drunk it down my throat. It burned for a while but it felt good.

                “So where’s Minho?” Taemin asked.

                “He’s going to come later cuz he has to run errands for his mom and .” I felt myself getting drunk but I chose to ignore it.

                “Oh, I see. That means there’s an open window, am I right?”

                I shrugged. “I guess.” Unknowingly, I had finished my second can of beer. , I needed another one.

                I turned to Taemin. “Get me another one.” I threw the can onto the floor.

                “Soojung, stop. Seriously, you’re asking for a third can,” Taemin said.

                I glared at him. “I don’t care! Just get me one!”

                See? This is what happens when I’m drunk.

                “Ok, ok.” Taemin handed me another one and I drank it. Mmmm…good…

                “So are you just gonna stand here and drink throughout this whole party?” Taemin asked me.

                I gulped down the beer before saying. “Nope. I’m gonna go dance.”

                “Ok then.”

                So the two of us headed straight towards the dancing crowd. The music was turned up high and it was getting stuffy but I didn’t notice all of this until much later.

                “Woo! Look, it’s Soojung!” A guy whistled at me.

                I flashed him a smile and started dancing, my hips swinging to the beat. I looked around and realized that Taemin was no where to be found. He was gone.

                Even if I was completely drunk, I should’ve been happy about this fact. But that feeling erupted inside my heart again and I felt like I needed him. I felt incomplete. I haven’t felt this way in years…

                Suddenly, I felt someone put their hands on my waist. Thinking it was Taemin, I turned around but only to find some other guy. A guy I didn’t even know.

                He smirked at me.  “Hello there.”

                “Get off.” I tried to pull his hands off of my waist but he just clung on tighter.

                “Aw, babe, don’t be like that,” the guy cooed, playing with a few strands of my hair.

                Oh, my god, I seriously needed to get out of here.

                “I said get off,” I snapped, trying to pry myself out from his grasp.

                “Playing hard to get huh?” he whispered in my ear. His hands started roaming around my stomach and hips, and I could feel his breath on my neck. I seriously wanted to barf. If I wasn’t this drunk then I’d definitely have the strength to slap him.

                “What the , just let go of me you bastard.” Now I resorted to foul language.

                “Go somewhere with me,” the guy said. “C’mon, Minho doesn’t need to know.” then his hands started roaming around my chest area.

                “I said get-“

                But before I could finish my sentence I suddenly felt the guy being lifted off of me.

                “She told you to get off.” It was Taemin.

                “Who are you?” the guy asked.

                “None of your business. Now off.”

                The guy scoffed. “What if I don’t want to?”

                “Then I’m just going to have to do this.” And then Taemin punched him. Square in the face.

                This scene was so familiar. I couldn’t quite place it, until it came to me: the night of the promotion dance, when Taemin and Dongho were fighting.

                Except for this time, I wasn’t trying to stop him. Not at all. Because the guy was asking for it and Taemin was giving it to him.

                “Dude, what the was that for?!” the guy cried.

                Taemin cocked his head to the side. “You were asking for it man. No bastard touches Soojung like that. No one.” He turned to me, and I saw a flash of adoration in his eyes. “Are you okay?” Taemin asked me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

                And suddenly, I wasn’t. In fact, I started feeling something come up my throat. I clutched my stomach.

                “Where’s…the bathroom?” I asked.

                “Oh, .” Realizing what was coming, Taemin hurriedly grabbed my hand and led me towards the bathroom.

                There, I don’t know how long I barfed before I stopped. But I did know that Taemin had been there beside me the whole time, patting my back, making sure I was okay.

                “Do you want me to take you home?” he asked me softly, his hand still on my . I let it stay there, because for some reason, I liked it.

                “N-No.” I panicked. “My parents can’t see me like this.”

                “Then where can you go?”

                Whenever something like this happens, Minho usually takes me to his place and I’d spend the night there.

                But right now, I didn’t want to spend the night at Minho’s. I knew, deep down in my heart, that I wanted to spend time with someone else. Even though, I knew it was absurd of me to think this way about him, I just couldn’t help it.

                “Can I…” I hesitated to ask him but I had no other choice. “…stay at your place? Just for the night?”

                Taemin seemed shocked at my sudden question. I was shocked myself because the way things were going before, spending the night at Taemin’s would be the last thing I’d do. But he let it pass and nodded. “Okay. Let’s get you cleaned up first.”

                “So this is where you’re staying?”

                “Temporarily, yes. At least, until college starts.”

                “Where’s your uncle?”

                “Out of town for the weekend.”

                “Ah, I see.”

                Taemin the lights of his uncle’s apartment. It was unexpectedly clean, and smelled like fresh laundry. I was still feeling dizzy from the party fiasco and had fallen asleep on the ride here.

                “You can sleep in my room since there’s only two in this whole apartment. I’ll sleep in my uncle’s room.”

                I nodded. “Okay.”

                Clutching my purse in my hands, I followed Taemin into his room. It was really small, only big enough for only a twin sized bed and a dresser. But for some reason, it seemed like just what I needed at the moment.

                Taemin went over to his closet and pulled out an oversized T-shirt and a pair of pajama shorts. “Hopefully, these will fit you,” Taemin said, handing them to me.

                “Thanks.” I paused. “A lot. I mean, seriously, now I feel like such a jerk from the way I’ve been acting towards you.”

                “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re falling for me already,” Taemin said with a smile. That smile.

                “Now don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m not that easy.”

                Taemin chuckled. “Sure you aren’t.”

                Ignoring this, I went into the bathroom, got changed, brushed my teeth, and slipped under the warm covers. Taemin came in and turned off the light.

                “Goodnight Soojung,” he said.

                “Goodnight Taemin,” I replied, already closing my eyes.

                Taemin closed the door but before letting it fully shut behind him, he suddenly went back inside and gave me a soft peck on the forehead.

                I flinched. And suddenly, I felt my entire body growing insanely hot. My cheeks were turning bright red and it seemed as if I couldn’t breathe for a moment. I could practically hear Taemin’s smile as he finally went out of his room and shut the door behind him.

                I was still in a daze. How the hell was I supposed to sleep now after what he just did to me?! If this is how I react to Taemin giving me a simple peck on the forehead, imagine how I’d be if he were to ever give me a real kiss on the lips.