"Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly, and without expectation - We don't love to be loved; we love to love."

- Leo F. Buscaglia 

CHAPTER 7

“Be my friend. Im Yoona.” a voice spoke from behind her. She turned back.

A boy, a bit taller than she is, offered his hand. She gave him a questioning look. “Don’t you remember me? Donghae from class C.”

The name did ring a bell. She was searching his face until she remembered where she heard that name. He was the boy who offered her the umbrella.

She raised her brows. She had forgotten about that umbrella. “What do you want?”

“Be my friend” he answered, his smile unwavering.

“No.”

“If you won’t then I’ll beg” to her surprise, Donghae knelt down and bowed, his nose touching the ground. He raised his head and shouted at the top of his lungs “to the entire god’s of Mt. Olympus, Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hades, etc. Please grant my ultimate request, let this girl before me accept my deepest, most heartfelt offer.” He then bowed again. All of the people who witnessed laughed.

“Hey! Get up! You’re embarrassing me!” but Donghae wouldn’t budge.

“Woman gifted with undeniable beauty, please accept my offer!” the entire crowd laughed and chanted “accept it”

Yoona was blushing from head to toe because of embarrassment. “What are you doing? Get up!”

“Woman gifted with undeniable---“

“OKAY! OKAY! OKAY! Just stop!”

“Really?” the boy’s eyes literally sparkled “thank you!” and to everyone’s amusement he bowed again.

“You’re crazy” she uttered, shook her head, and smiled.....

“Yoona-shii?” Siwon looked at her, frowning.

She did not look at Siwon. Her eyes were b with tears. She tried hard to wipe it off without the other person noticing.

“Are you okay?” the concern was obvious in his voice.

“No.”

“What?”

“No. request denied.” She answered with finality.

“Wow. You didn’t even consider my proposal.” disappointment masked his tone.

She did not respond.

He sighed. “Can’t you be my friend even for three months?” he half-heartedly asked.

“That’s too long.” She answered in monotone.

He looked at her abruptly. “What....” then he shook his head and chuckled. This girl makes me crazy.

“A month perhaps?” he can’t believe he is actually bargaining about friendship with this girl. She is so unlike any person, girl or boy, he had met. She did not answer.

“We’re almost there. It’s the house next to that bungalow.” She pointed.

He stomped at the breaks outside a two-story house. The house was modest, and is set between a clean lawn. Siwon and Yoona both stepped out of the car.

Siwon tried to aid her, but she again brushed it off. “I’m fine. I don’t feel dizzy anymore.” As if to prove her point, she walked towards the door of the house, unsupported. Siwon followed her. She rang the doorbell.

A plump woman, in her early forties, opened the door. She was surprised to see her niece accompanied by someone, much less a boy, a handsome boy at that.

“Who is this young fellow here?” she asked.

“Good afternoon madam, I’m Siwon, her schoolmate. The school doctor asked me to bring her home due to events that had happened earlier.” he said cooly.

The woman, whom Siwon perceived as Yoona’s aunt, looked at Yoona. “What happened dear?”

“Aunt, let me in first”

“Oh, yes...” she opened the door. Yoona immediately went inside. “Come in, Siwon---“

“He won’t be here much longer; he has some matters to attend to. Don’t you?” She icily asked.

“Hey Yoona, you’re being rude.” Her aunt interjected.

“No worries madam, I do have some matters to attend to.” he smiled sweetly at the lady. He does have some business to attend to. He almost forgot. His mother had called earlier; she apparently wants to have a date with her son.

“Okay, be careful.” The kind lady waved him goodbye.

He was walking towards his car when someone called him. “Hey!”

He turned around. It was Yoona.

“Choi Siwon, a month would be enough.” She then went quickly inside.

He felt so elevated when she mentioned his name. A strange feeling occurred within him, but he did not dare name it. A month of friendship. What a strange princess. He shook his head.  He was smiling from ear to ear.

It seemed so shallow, yet his heart was filled with joy.

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“I don’t like crowded places.” Yoona protested.

“But you need to eat, in order for you to take that medicine.” Siwon reasoned out. The two of them are standing a foot away from the entrance of the school canteen. It’s lunch break, and the place is bursting with students.

“I don’t need to take any medicine, I’m more than fine now.” She answered, uncaring.

Siwon had sorted her out earlier, eager to commence the deal they had made. He asked her to eat lunch with him, yet she flatly declined. A series of dispute issued from between them, before she became evasive again and resolved to be the cold person that she was.

She agreed to the deal, so she had to bear with it. It would soon be over anyways.

“Yes. You do need it, especially when I discovered that you left your medicine in my car yesterday.” He looked at her straight to her eyes.

She stared back, hard. “I don’t need it”

“Yes you do”

“No I don’t”

“Yes you do”

“Even though I agreed with your proposition, you still don’t have the right to intervene with my affairs. We are friends for a month only.” She knew she had gone too far, but she couldn’t take the words back.

Siwon did not respond. He looked down and smiled timidly. She could tell he was rather hurt. Bravo Yoona, you actually hurt the person who has been nothing but nice to you. She thought.

“Let’s eat, I’m starving.” He gently tapped her shoulders, signalling her to go in first. She didn’t protest this time.

“Go make yourself comfortable. I’ll just go get some food at the counter.” He smiled, and then walked away.

She sat next to the glass wall overlooking the whole school ground. It was the only spot she could find that were occupied with less people. She scanned the crowd and found what she was unconsciously looking for.

Siwon was at the counter, pointing his fingers at some random food he wanted to have in his tray. When he was about to leave, a girl approached him. She wants him to join them. She thought, base on the girl’s shy expression. But Siwon politely declined. The girl was obviously disappointed.

Siwon searched the entire room. When he located her, he walked towards her, and took the opposite seat. He placed the tray in between them and started to shove her good number of food.

Upon directing her gaze at random places, she discovered that students, both genders, are glancing and staring at Siwon. The girls were the bold ones, as they keep on looking at Siwon’s face and physique, as if he was the most fascinating creature alive.

“You’re famous.” Yoona stated matter-of-factly.

He looked up. “What?”

“Every student present in this canteen are either glancing or staring at you.” She callously said.

He chuckled. “They are probably waiting for me to choke up...”

Yoona didn’t respond. An uncomfortable silence clouded them.

Yoona looked straight at Siwon. “Look...I’m sorry, about earlier.”

Siwon was so surprised, he dropped his fork. He fixed his stare upon her, eyebrows raised.

“Why do you look so surprised?” she asked.

He chuckled.” It’s just that...well...with that cold manner you have; I didn’t expect you to apologize.” He bluntly said.

“That’s pretty straightforward.”

“Just an honest opinion.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, no harm done whatsoever.”  Siwon grinned.

Yoona did not respond, she ate her food slowly.Why the heck did I apologize?  She asked herself.

Siwon was watching the girl opposite him with regard. She slowly ate the food he so meticulously chose. He watched as she took her spoon and swallow whatever is inside it. He realized, as he continued to survey Yoona, that he liked being with her.

Upon such realization, a feeling he couldn’t yet identify, went through his heart.