"Oh...I'm late." I said to Mark who is already sitting across the table. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay, I just arrived like 10 minutes ago anyway. It's not that long." He said, giving reassuring smile. 

I put my bag on the chair in front of him. "I'm going to order the drinks, what do you want?" I asked him.

"Oh, let me go order them. You sit. What do you want?" 

Whether he wants to impress me or he is indeed a gentleman, I wished he wouldn't be so nice to me. I didn't want to argue over thing like this, so I just tell my order. "Caramel Frappucino."

5 minutes later he came back with two drinks on a tray. He placed my drink in front of me. "My treat."

I just smile, but rather than a sincere 'thank you smile', it is a smile that's mixed with worry because honestly, it is bothersome for me when someone is being so nice to me. "Thanks."

"So, Caramel Frapuccino is your favourite?" He asked.

"Yes." I nodded, and then shrugged. "Why?"

"It's cute."

I gave a judging look. "Stop flirting with me already."

"No, I mean, well, most girls would order Iced Tea or black coffee, because they want to avoid the calories, you know. But a pretty girl like you likes Caramel Frappucino."

"I'm sure there are a lot of girls love Caramel Frappucino. Nevermind, shall we start then?"

We both our laptop and begin discussing things. 20 minutes later, the word 'Mom' showed on Mark's phone screen and he picked up the phone.

I just continued to do the research about the writer and didn't even mind to eavesdrop him.

"Jaeun, can we do the assignment in my house?"

"Hm? Why?"

"My parents are at their friends' house, they will be home at night and today's my maid's day off. My mom ordered a new TV yesterday, it is about to arrive now, so I need to be home now to pay it."

"Oh...Really?" I was thinking to postpone to another day, but there's no day I am free again until the deadline. "Alright then, let's continue at your house."

 

 

 

 

I was walking towards the bus stop because I thought we were going to ride the bus but then Mark me pulled my arm.

“My car is there.” He pointed at the other side. 

“Uh? How can you drive a car?” We both are 17 year old, 18 is the minimum age to take car license.

“Ah, shh. My house is near here. My motor broke down recently, so I drove the car.” 

I squirted at him. “If anything happens to me, you take the responsibility.”

“Of course I will take the responsibility, but nothing will happen, I promise.” 

I raised my left eyebrow. When I arrived at the car, he quickly open the car door for me. “Ah seriously Mark Lee, stop doing this kind of things.”

“Why? Because your heart flutters?” He laughed.

I widen my eyes, disbelief of what I just heard. "Wow, you are full of yourself."

He laughed again.

 

 

 

 

By the time we arrived at his house, a delivery lorry is already there. The workers carried the TV into his parents’ room and Mark paid it. 

“That’s one expensive TV.” I said to him, then I looked around the house. “I guess you are very rich.” 

He shrugged. “Ah, it's nothing much. Let’s do the assignment in my room.”

“Why can’t we do it at the living room?” 

“I want to show you things, so you can get to know me more.”

“But I don’t want to get to know you more.” I said nonchalantly and then I glanced at him. Upon seeing his reaction, I laughed. “Just kidding.”

“So, you got a playful side too?” He poked my cheek.

I chuckled and then turned to serious face. “Yah, you are not allowed to touch me.”

Suddenly he came closer to me. He levelled his face at the same level as mine. “Did I make your heart flutters again?”

I pushed him and hit his arm. “No, you make me digusted.” 

“Ouch, that hurts.” He caressed his arm. “The pain you gave when we played dodgeball hasn’t relieved yet you know?”

“You want to get hit again? Ah seriously, let’s start doing the assignment already.” 

We entered his room. His room is unbelieveable tidy, and it’s so big. There’s guitar, piano keyboard, ukelele, TV, his shelves are filled with music albums, movie and tv shows DVDs, and books. 

“So, you are this kind of person?”

“What is it?”

I shrugged. "Nevermind." I examined the DVDs section. “Seriously, you have these? Full House, To The Beautiful You, Boys Over Flowers, Secret Garden..” I paused. “High School Musical, La La Land, The Faults in Our Stars, you seriously watch these?” I looked at him with disbelief face. 

“Yeah, why?”

“Wow, unbelievable.” I shook my head. “Those are so cheesy. You are the first boy I know that watch that kind of stuffs.” 

“As if you ever talk to boys.” He said. 

I looked at him with a poker face that yell ‘do-you-want-to-die-?’

“They are fun though, you don’t watch them?”

“I watched some of them. But I can’t stand them.”

“Maybe because you already set in your mind that they are before you eventually watch them.” 

“Maybe it's true.” I shrugged.

"You should watch them again with a positive mindset. I will lend some to you." He offered.

"No, thanks." I moved on to music albums section. “Wow, you practically have every music album.” 

Mark reached an album, titled I Met You When I Was 18 by Lauv. He took out the CD in the album and played it. 

“Why you play that album?” I asked. 

“Because it might be relatable to us now.” 

“Aye, stop with that already. Ok now let’s start doing our assignment.” I sat at the floor at the corner of his bed.

We almost finished the powerpoint for presentation when I started to get uncomfortable with Mark kept staring at my face. “When are you going to stop staring at my face?” I asked him while my eyes still glued to my laptop screen. 

“Oh sorry.” Mark was flustered but then he continued, “Well... I think I will never stop.”

I blushed but I tried so hard to hide it. “Are you usually this flirty?”

“I’m just being honest.” 

“Gosh, I’m not gonna date anyone until I graduated from school okay?”

Mark didn’t respond, so I just continued typing to do the powerpoint. A minute later, he spoke. “Let’s play darts.”

“What? No. I need to finish this quickly and go home.” 

“Just leave it.  I will do the rest. It’s just throwing darts anyway."

“What for though? Why must we play darts?”

“Just for fun.” Mark grinned. “I want to spend time with you a bit doing that kind of thing. I don’t know when will I get the chance to be with you like this again.” 

I examined his face for a while, I can see he was sincere saying that. “Okay, I’m so good at throwing darts anyway.”

“You are good at it? Let’s make a bet then.” Mark suddenly smirked.

“What?”

“If you lose, you have to kiss me for 3 seconds. On the lips.”

I hit his arm. “Yah! Why it has to be kiss?”

“You know it, I like you.”

“No way I’m going to kiss you. You are so ridiculous, I’m not goNNA play.” 

“Why? You afraid that you will fall for me later?” He smirked. 

“No! Alright then, if you lose, don’t flirt with me again.” 

We began to play, and Mark unexpectedly good at it. I started to feel anxious, if I lose, that would be my first kiss. But at the same time, I knew that I already started to develop feeling for him which I wish it could go away. 

I threw my last throw and then it was official that I lost. 

“I guess you are not that good throwing darts, or perhaps I’m too good.” Mark said and laughed. 

“Well I guess indeed it is because I’m not good at it.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Anyway, I’m going to close my eyes now.” 

“No......Ah seriously, can you change the bet.” 

“No, I’ve been waiting for it.”

I smacked his head. “Yah!” Then, I hit his arm. 

“I will take the hits just for a kiss.”

“You are crazy, seriously.” 

Mark already closed his eyes. I was thinking about escaping but then I saw how beautiful his face was and he was a nice guy anyway. 

“Fine.” I said. 

A smile formed across his face. 

I slowly leaned my face closer to his. I closed my eyes and leaned my face closer again until our lips met. My heart skipped a beat when my lips touched his. It then beat so fast as our lips continued to touch. Our lips were only touching, I didn’t even move my lips and Mark didn’t move his either.

When I felt like it was already 3 seconds, I pulled my face away but then Mark leaned his face and our lips locked again. He kissed me slowly, I was about to push him but his lips felt so soft against mine. While at it, he put his right hand on my left cheek and caressed it. My heart skipped a beat again. The kiss was honestly irresistible, the desire to kiss him back was exploding, I ended up kiss him back. 

I had no idea how long was the kiss, when the realisation that I literally was kissing someone finally came, I pushed him harshly. “Yah, why did you kiss me ?” 

“How can I not kiss the girl that I liked when her lips are literally against mine already?”

“Urgh, you already planned to do that right when you made the bet? Gosh, I’m going home.” I quickly packed my stuffs. 

“Wait. I will send you home.” 

“No thanks. You don’t even have car driving license.” 

“But-“

“No.”

He grabbed my arm. “I will send you home. Please.” 

If there’s something I’m extremely bad at, it’s arguing. I gave in. “Fine.”

Until we reached my neighbourhood, I stopped him. “My dad is home. Just stop here, he can’t see me with a guy.”

“Your dad is that strict?” 

I nodded and open the car door.

“Ok then, take care. By the way, house is quite far from the school.”

“As if I don’t know that.” I walked away. 

“Oh also, you are unexpectedly a good kisser or did I make you kiss good?.”

I quickly turned around. “Oh shut up Mark Lee!!!!!!!”

He laughed. 

I turned around back and fasten my steps, afraid that somebody might hear it and find out it was me.