Ji Hyo gulped. She was in math class, and her desk mate Jong Kook had been staring at her for the past half hour. It was making her go crazy. Neither of them had said a word since the start of class, which was strange since the two were on good terms and usually chatting.

Ji Hyo was about to snap into two when Jong Kook finally spoke.

“Hey. Wanna go to prom with me?” He spoke those words casually, as if it were a request for a pen, or as if he had not been staring at her for the past half an hour.

Ji Hyo’s heart began pounding hard when he dropped that bomb on her. Prom? Her? Prom was taking place literally the next day and Jong Kook was asking her now? Ji Hyo didn’t even understand why Jong Kook would ask her in the first place. She thought he saw her as nothing more than a friend, a desk mate he chatted to because math class was boring.

Besides that, Ji Hyo had assumed that Jong Kook already had a date. She’d seen him around, getting asked out by several girls. Some even came up to him during math class. She’d seen him reject all those girls that asked during math class though. But she’d thought nothing of it, because who expected to get accepted as a prom date if you asked during math class?

“You’re talking to me? Why? Don’t you have a date already?” Jong Kook smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah. I’m talking to you. And no, I don’t have a date.” Ji Hyo found this a surprise. Her eyes and mouth all dropped open in shock. The visual made Jong Kook chuckle.

“Really? The great Kim Jong Kook who all the guys claimed would get hooked up with a date first still doesn’t have a date the day before prom?” Ji Hyo’s voice dripped with derision, and Jong Kook simpered, pretending not to look affected.

“It’s not that no one asked me. I rejected them all and realized too late that I don’t have a date. And it would be too awkward to ask someone I’d already rejected. Also, I don’t want to show up to prom alone. Not interested in the teasing that comes with it.” Ji Hyo sniggered. But it was all a front to mask the fact that she was sort of and kinda attracted to her math class desk mate. Well, it was a known fact that he was the most attractive male student in their year- all the girls unanimously agreed on that. And Ji Hyo did not think differently. “So… Are you coming with me or not? Do you have a date already? I wouldn’t know since I saw you reject all the guys that asked you to prom in math class.”

Jong Kook gritted his teeth and cracked his knuckles in anticipation as Ji Hyo blanked out and went deep into her thoughts. Come to think of it, many boys had also asked her but she had rejected them without a second thought. Oops. So she was also dateless the day before prom.

“I guess I’m like you. I’m also an idiot who rejected everyone who asked me.” Ji Hyo said with a shrug.

“Are you trying to say I’m an idiot too?” Jong Kook side-eyed Ji Hyo who playfully stuck her tongue out at him. He sighed. “Anyway, do you want to go to prom with me or not?”

Ji Hyo still didn’t answer. “I don’t understand though. Why are you asking me? What about the other girls? Like… Yoon Eun Hye?” Jong Kook had actually never said a word about Yoon Eun Hye to Ji Hyo. But she had heard rumors and stuff. She just thought Jong Kook was better off with someone prettier.

Jong Kook huffed. “Really? You too?” He helped Eun Hye up one time during gym class and rumors started spreading. He was getting annoyed by them. “I didn’t ask her. I think she’s going with someone else anyway. Don’t talk about other girls. I’m asking you. Will you go to prom with me?”

Jong Kook felt like he was getting roasted slowly on an open fire. Asking Ji Hyo once was already embarrassing enough. He was having difficulty keeping up the pretense that he was just asking Ji Hyo because she was convenient but rather because he really, really wanted to go to prom with her. He was on the verge of begging.

“It’s not that. Just- you have a reputation amongst the other girls as the best looking guy in our year… So… you’d look bad if you went with me instead of someone else proper. You know, someone pretty enough for you.” Ji Hyo gulped. Revealing that Jong Kook was thought as the most attractive male student was like the equivalent of revealing government secrets. She couldn’t believe herself. Jong Kook huffed and the sound made her look up.

“Are you ing kidding me? You think you’re not pretty enough to be my prom date? Seriously- ok, since you were so nice to tell me the girls’ secret, I’ll tell you the guys’ secret. You- are the most attractive girl in our school year, got it? Yoon Eun Hye, whatever girl you have in mind, they are all dirt when compared to you. Song Ji Hyo- you are ing hot, you hear me? Any guy would have you in a second.” Jong Kook didn’t realize that he had gotten way too close and way too honest with Ji Hyo during his angry rant about how she was much, much more attractive than she thought she was. He was only inches away from her and Ji Hyo swallowed hard from the tension. Her heart was beating like crazy and her insides had turned to goo. Was this a dream?

Jong Kook’s fingers reached up and were the sides of her hair. This made Ji Hyo feel like she was about to have a heart attack. “So- will you just please go to prom with me already?” Jong Kook let go of her hair and cleared his throat, looking away. It seemed he had gotten carried away with talking and had touched her hair subconsciously.

Ji Hyo averted her gaze as she was absolutely sure her cheeks were blushing red. “Ok. I’ll go with you. I mean- we can’t show up alone… Since we’re apparently the most attractive guy and girl in our school year.”

She could’ve sworn Jong Kook heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I’ll meet you outside the school auditorium at 7?” Ji Hyo nodded. That was where the prom was to be held.

The bell rang for their next class and Jong Kook and Ji Hyo began packing. Jong Kook zipped his bag up before turning to Ji Hyo once more. “Wear something pretty, ok? As pretty as your face.” Jong Kook blurted out hurriedly. When he had fi