11 days until the first test

”What is wrong with me?” I asked Alice and Lime. We’d just left the library after a failed attempt at studying and were currently talking about my last endeavour in the cafeteria while at my dad’s restaurant. “Tell me what’s wrong with me!”

“I don’t even think a therapist could answer that question”, Alice joked. When she saw the look on my face she stopped. “I’m kidding.” I turned to the plates that were placed in front of us. Alice had finished her meal and so had I, but Lime had not touched hers.

“Aren’t you going to eat that?” I asked.

“It’s not for me”, she looked around the mall. ”It’s for Se Hun.” Alice and I exchange looks before bombing Lime with questions about Se Hun and her.

“So did he ask you on a date?” Alice asked. Lime blushed.

“Not yet”, she said. ”But I think he will soon. Yesterday, after school was over he asked me if he could take me home.”

“He did?” I asked and pretended like I didn’t know when Se Hun had already told me about it during a skype call between Tao and I. He had come over at Tao’s house pretty late to work on a song and somehow we ended up talking about his interest in Lime the whole night.

“Yeah”, Lime enthusiastically answered. “So we chatted until we got in front of my house and he bent over and he kissed my cheek then he said bye.” I wanted to squeal at the cuteness but restricted myself.

“That’s so cute”, Alice said. “I wish things would be like that between Tao and me. We barely talk to each other.” I understood exactly how Alice was feeling as it was like that with me and Kai. But at least Tao liked her when I knew Kai hated me.

“You shouldn’t be worried about that”, I said to Alice. “Trust me. The time for you guys will come.”

“How are you so sure?”, Alice asked. ”Did he tell you anything?”

“No”, I said. “And even if he did, I wouldn’t tell you.” She sighed and I squeezed her hand softly to comfort her. 

”They’re here,” Lime barked. Tao and Se Hun entered my father’s restaurant at the same time.

“Hi guys”, Se Hun hugged Alice and me and he kissed Lime on the cheek. Alice and I exchange looks and I noticed Lime’s usually pale skin was gaining some colour. Se Hun sat down between Alice and Lime. Tao who had been answering a call from afar approached us. He hugged Lime, kissed me on the cheek and waved at Alice. Yes... He actually waved to the girl he liked as a greeting. I saw how uncomfortable Alice looked when Tao sat down between her and I. I had to talk to Tao about this.

“Oppa”, I called. “Can you help me in the kitchen?” I pulled him up with me and the two of us left for the empty kitchen. My father had left us alone in the restaurant after preparing dinner for us and gone for an errand.

“What do you need help with?” He asked. Without thinking, I stepped on his shoe. Tao groaned in pain. ”Ouch! Why did you do that?”

“How can you just wave to Alice?” I asked.

”What’s wrong with waving?”

“You know sh…” I stopped myself as I couldn’t tell him she liked him. That would be unfair to Alice. “Just be more human and hug her next time or something.”

“But wouldn’t that be weird?” He asked. “I mean we are really awkward with each other.” I shook my head. Either Tao oppa was really slow or I was misunderstand the entire situation which was impossible since he’d once drunkenly told me how much he wanted to kiss her.

”Just do what I say”, I looked at him. ”Okay?” He nodded and pouted at the same time while massaging his foot. Feeling bad, I gave him a quick hug and apologised.

5 days left until the first test

All the school books I owned where currently opened in front of me. I had started with Geography but got bored and had continued to my chemistry book. Unfortunately all I saw where riddles I couldn’t comprehend just like mathematics. I closed those books and took a look at my English book. All boredom left my body and I instantly felt better, more confident. I was good at English.

An hour later, I had put the english book aside and was playing with my pen instead. There was five days left until the first part of the test and I had not really learned much. I was wide aware I would never make it into the top 20 if I kept going like this. What I was doing wasn’t helping me in anyway, at all. I needed a better wa-

“How is it going?” Mrs. Kim entered my room with a food tray in her hand. I looked at her feeling hopeless inside. “I brought some snacks. I thought you could take a break from studying and relax a bit. You’ve been working so hard these past two weeks.”

I sat next to her on the bed and took one of the sandwiches she had made.

“This is really delicious, Mrs. Kim”, I said. Everything she cooked tasted like art.

“Call me Tae Ri”, she said. I nodded while stuffing my mouth with the amazing toast. ”Why don’t you ask Kai to help you study?” I almost choked on the food when she mentioned Kai’s name. She quickly pat my back and handed me water.

“I couldn’t”, I said after calming down. “He is too busy studying for the test.” It was true. Ever since the test was announced, I kept seeing less and less of Kai. Usually he was always in his room or in the living room but lately he stayed outside until late hours. I always wondered if he was at school or maybe studying with his cool friends.

“Jong In studying?” Mrs. Kim started laughing. ”I’ve never seen my son study for any test ever since he started school.” I laughed thinking she was joking.

“Really?” I asked when I realised she wasn’t. ”He doesn’t study?”

“No”, Tae Ri continued. “He never studies, he never goes out, and he never had a girlfriend.”  My eyes widened.

“Kai has never had a girlfriend?” I asked. There was just no way. How could someone like him never have had a girlfriend before? I mean every girl in school liked him.

“I know he is very popular among the ladies”, Tae Ri said. “But he doesn’t like them and he never will.” Was there something Tae Ri knew about Kai that I didn’t? Did it maybe have to do with why he was so… cold?

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because you are my future daughter in law,” Tae Ri’s answer almost made me turn tomato red. She smiled brightly.

“Kai doesn’t like me,” I embarrassedly answered. 

“How do you know that?” Tae Ri asked.

”I confessed to him”, I explained. Strangely I felt extremely comfortable discussing my crush with my crush’s mom. ”About two months ago, before we moved in here and he … humiliated me in front of everyone.” Tae Ri closed here eyes and sighed. She sounded disappointed.

”I’m sorry he did such things to you”, she said. I embarrassedly looked down at my nails. “Don’t worry, that jerk will get a taste of his own medicine.” Tae Ri stood up with a determined look on her face different than I’d ever seen before. As she left the room, I fell back on my bed and closed my eyes.

D-day of the first test.

“I’m so anxious”, I said. All students who had participated in part A of the test where currently sitting in the foyer. Few where talking but most all had the same look of defeat on their faces.

“It’s going to be okay”, Alice comforted me. “Even if you don’t get on the top 20 you’ll have to do better than you did last year.” I nodded when teacher Boa entered the foyer. Silence immediately followed as she stood tall in the middle of the room. 

”The results are in”, she said. Immediately everyone got their phones out and thus the nerves started. I nervously open the app and clicked on the link in the menu that corresponded to the first part of the test.

There it was right in front of me, the results that would determine if I had proven Kai wrong. The new page consisted of two buttons:  my rank, my grade. I nervously chose my rank and was presented with the result in big and bold blue numbers: ’124’. My heart sank when I realised that I had aimed to high. How and why did I think I could rank in the top 20 when grade 2 and 3 consisted of 160 students in total? This was just great!

“You actually scored better than you did last year”, Lime gave me a pat on the shoulder which only me angrier. I had once again made a fool out of myself and let him win.

Feeling a need to hit something, I quickly turned towards the door. I needed to leave this place before another scene would take place.

As I was walking, I felt someone pull my uniform from behind and I came to a halt as the person spun me around. I was currently face to to face with Kai. Of course it wouldn’t be another infamous and deja-vu scenario without him evilly smirking.

“You lost”, he said. “I guess it’s time for your punishment, right?” I sighed knowing I couldn’t get away with this. I could hear the students losing interest in their phones.

“Fine,” I replied wanting to remove myself from this entire thing. ”What do you want me to do?”  Kai’s smirk turned into a smile. A smile so evil yet so beautiful. It was that smile that had gotten me to the point where I was.

”Meet me in gym hall at 4.45 sharp,” he said. I wither him leave not knowing what to expect at all.

D-day of the first test - 4.47pm

Standing in the gym hall in front of Kai, I regretted ever making a deal with him. I don’t know where he got it from but Kai was holding a gigantic bear costume. He had thrown the costume at me as soon as I was close enough to him.

“Aat 5 o’clock sharp”, he began. “I want you to put on this costume and come to the A studying room. You will provide entertainment for 3 minutes in the form of dancing and singing to the three bears song in front of everyone.” Say what?

”Are you joking?”
”Once you’ve finished you will provide service for each student in the goal of aiding them have an easier time with their studies. You will fetch them beverages and run errands that can be run within the school.” I scoffed not knowing what else to do. Did he think I was his servant? Well then again I did tell him I would do anything if I lost. ”Did you understand or do I have to repeat myself?” 

”Got it,” I unwillingly answered.

”Then go ahead.” He stood there with his arms folded and his eyes on me and I just looked back at him not knowing what to do. Kai nodded towards the costume, indicating he wanted me to wear it. I took a deep breath and swallowed my pride. Kai had seen nothing yet.  Just because he always got seem to seize the chance to humiliate me he thought he can do anything to me right? I’ll get him at home. 

D-day of the first test - 5.01pm

I was now standing inside of the A class’s studying room where not only the A classes had gathered, but the entire school had. Apparently word had spread about my punishment and now everyone wanted to witness it. Some students had even stayed after ending school earlier just for this occasion. Teacher Boa was no exception either. She was currently standing far back in the room with a straight posture and an unreadable face expression. Right next to her, Kai was sitting with his head hidden behind a book.  Why would he ask me to do something like this if he was not going to watch me? He was such a jerk!

“Put the music on”, Kai asked. Music started playing from the corner of the room and I couldn’t help but start. After all if there was one thing I was good at it was performing and if I was going to perform, I would do it properly. 

As soon as I started singing and dancing though, the room laughed. Everyone except besides Kai who wasn't even looking. By the time I hit two minutes I felt my positivity slowly fade but I kept my head up high and got over with the song. I was welcomed by whistles and wishes of encores.

“I’ll be going kids”, Boa left the room. “You guys out there should leave if you don’t want to find yourself studying in your respective studying room.” 

The hallway was soon emptied and I had to carry on with my punishment. For the next two hours I found myself going back and forth between rooms in the building, students etc… The longer time was going, the angrier I got. I ended up sneaking behind Kai and pretended I was hitting him really hard just to let some of my anger out.

“I can hear you”, Kai said. I kicked his chair and quickly ran away from him.