It was Tuesday afternoon at Gyerim High School and the bell had rung signaling the end of classes. Song Ji Ah, a not-so-attractive round-eyed girl with long brown hair tied into a ponytail, was being dragged to the girls' room by her too-cheerful goddess-like friend, Irene, who always looks like she just came out of a magazine no matter the situation (even when she needs to relieve herself urgently). 

"Hurry up, please," whined Irene. 

"Oh, just go ahead, I'll be right behind," Ji Ah reassured, and Irene went running ahead, not minding the admiring stares she was getting from a few boys next to their class. They were whispering how prettily she ran and how excited they were to be able to hug her on tomorrow's event. 

"I hope I win the Kiss Crown this year so I could kiss Irene in front of the whole school," one boy sighed dreamily. 

Ji Ah who happened to overhear paused from her tracks, turned around, and gave the boy a piercing look. "Don't even think about it," she threatened, before turning back to the washroom's direction and bumping into another boy whom she did not get to see. Ji Ah was too irritated she did not bother to look up and just bowed in apology before stumping her way to the washroom.​​

Boys​​​​​ and their p*rverted heads, she thought angrily. 

"What's with the frowning? Did something happen?" Irene asked, seeing her friend's annoyed face as she left her cubicle to wash her hands. Ji Ah had her back on the sink, her arms crossed over her chest. She had her eyebrows knitted together and it was something she rarely does.

"The next cubicle is free. Do you need to poop, too?" 

Ji Ah almost cracked. All of a sudden, she was not angry anymore. Irene may look like a goddess, but her bluntness says otherwise. 

"No," Ji Ah shook her head. "Just overheard some conversation about kissing someone tomorrow," she said, omitting the part that that someone was Irene. But the latter caught on. 

"Must have been me since you looked like you were about to kill someone," she said nonchalantly, reaching behind Ji Ah towards the tissue dispenser.

"Trust me, I'm going to be safe from that," she smiled, throwing the used tissue paper in the trash bin and dragging Ji Ah out yet again. Ji Ah rolled her eyes at her friend's positiveness. If there was anyone who would get kissed, it was probably Irene who attracts most men in the campus and it was getting Ji Ah so worried and so worked up.,

Seriously, why did it have to be the Twentieth year? If it wasn't for the school tradition, she wouldn't have to worry about her friend's safety.

"How are you so sure?" Ji Ah asked. Irene grinned. 

"Let's go to the e-bulletin and I'll tell you why," she smiled.,

Yearly, it was a tradition at Gyerim High to give each other hugs on the School Foundation Day. It was not a bad thing at all, Ji Ah agrees, but it sure was a hassle. On their first year at Gyerim last year, Ji Ah and Irene first experienced the tradition, and Irene was flocked by so many boys (and girls) Ji Ah had to hide with her in the abandoned school gym for an hour, until the Hug Time was over.

And with this year being the twentieth, it means someone would be voted Kiss King or Queen and be granted an opportunity to kiss one person whomever they want. 

Surelythat would be bad for Irene. 

But contrary to it, she was quite confident of not getting kissed. And Ji Ah could not help but feel even more worried. She needed to find a way to convince Irene not to come to school tomorrow. She could fake an illness, or better yet, pretend she had a magazine photoshoot. That much would work since she was working part-time as a model.

Well, nothing would happen if she does not try. Here goes, she sighed. 

Ji Ah put on the cutest act she could think of and tried to convince Irene with an aegyo. She wiggled, pouted, winked, then wiggled some more all while telling her friend not to come to school to avoid any untoward incidents tomorrow. She was cursing herself inside since she knew acting cute never suited her. 

Irene only laughed before pointing at something. Ji Ah noticed they made it to the main building without her knowing and looked towards the bulletin which her friend was pointing. There, Ji Ah saw the poll entitled Kiss Crown Contenders. Surprisingly, Irene was on the number one spot with most votes. 

Irene smiled. "See? I told you it is going to be alright."

Ji Ah squealed in relief and hugged Irene. People must be curious of whom she'll kiss, and Ji Ah knew exactly what was going on in Irene's head. She would just kiss Ji Ah and say she loves her best friend more than any boy in the campus.

"I never knew!" Ji Ah laughed, amazed, taking both of her friend's hands in hers.

"Congratulations, Irene," someone interrupted.

Both girls turned to where the voice came from, and saw a boy's silhouette. Ji Ah could not make out his face since the sun was setting behind his back. When he was near enough, she recognized his carefully styled dark brown hair and mesmerizing brown eyes. 

This was another god-like creature in the campus and his name was Lee Taemin.​​

Unlike​​​​​ other boys, Taemin was good to Irene and he never showed the same look in their eyes whenever he approached her, so Ji Ah had always respected him out of all the seniors at school. Also, Irene and Taemin were both models in the same agency and they had been friends since last year. Somehow, Ji Ah was comfortable of him even when Taemin was too good-looking.

"Sunbae!" Irene bowed. Ji Ah bowed as well and Taemin bowed back to both in acknowledgement. "And congratulations to you, too. You're second to me on the poll." 

Ji Ah who did not notice, turned back to the bulletin out of curiosity. Sure enough, Taemin's name was on the second spot. Like Irene, Ji Ah congratulated him  with a smile and Taemin gave her a sweet smile in return. Then, clearing his throat, he told both of them to head home before the sun could fully set on the horizon. They bowed to each other and both girls walked to the huge oak front doors with Irene a few steps ahead.​​​

Before​​​​ Ji Ah could get pass the threshold, Taemin called. 

"You should smile often like that," he said and turned his back. 

Ji Ah paused, confused. ​​

"Oh​​​​​h, I really like him." Irene said out of nowhere. Ji Ah's eyes almost bulged out as she looked at her friend, shocked. She never knew Irene felt that way. Did she have a crush on Taemin? How come she never noticed? 

Reading Ji Ah's thoughts, Irene shook her head and said,"Oh, please, I don't like him that way."

"For a moment, I thought you had a crush on him. So I was thinking, why not kiss him instead of me?" 

Irene laughed so hard, she fell on her knees, clutching her stomach. She waited for it to die down before standing up and facing Ji Ah again, still holding a laugh.

There must have been a mistake, Ji Ah thought. She did not say anything funny but there her friend was, almost rolling on the ground for something she said. It was supposed to be serious.

"Forget it, Ji Ah," she said between giggles.

"Someday, you will understand." Irene said and patted her shoulders.

"Come. For now, let's go home." 

The next day, worried that Irene might get flocked again, Ji Ah went so early to school she was already walking towards Building B where their first class would be, even before the sun had completely risen. Smiling to herself, Ji Ah stopped in her tracks and checked her bag. Last night, she had prepared so many things in case of emergency: pepper spray, a stunner, and a box of baby powder (for whatever purpose it may serve). ​​

She​​​​​ even thought of barracading her friend's seat so no one would be able to come near her. But that would be too inconvenient for Irene and the teachers would think she was overreacting.,

Well she was overreacting, Ji Ah admits. But she wouldn't risk her friend's safety even if just for an hour. It was lucky, really, that the Hug event does not last the whole day.

"Good morning, Ji Ah. Why are you so early today?" 

Ji Ah turned, and it was Lee Taemin.​​ Somehow, she kept seeing him these days.

Smiling, Ji Ah bowed to Taemin. And crazily, the latter smiled back a blinding smile Ji Ah was sure he came out of a toothpaste commercial. But his smile made her self-concious. Was there something funny on her? Her hair, maybe? Then she realized by the look on his eyes, that he was waiting for an answer to his question. 

"Uhm, just preparing for later. How about you, Sunbae?" she said.

"Well, some girls could be persistent, I thought coming to school early should help me avoid crossing their paths today," he told her honestly. Ji Ah could not help but sympathize. How could she not when it was what Irene was going through? Except that Irene does not even bother coming early to school like Taemin does to avoid disasters.

Irene was too carefree. Or careless.  

While swimming in her thoughts, Ji Ah did not see Taemin take a step towards her. Suddenly, she was pulled tight to his embrace. It was too sudden she forgot how to breathe and she was too surprised she did not know what to do — should she keep her arms to herself? Should she hug him back? What do people do in such awkward situations? ​​

Finally​​​​​, Taemin pulled back and smiled at Ji Ah's dumbfounded expression. 

"Thought I should hug you now instead of later. You know, I might not be around for hug hour," he said before turning towards the building next to them, and waved. Ji Ah waved back absentmindedly, still unable to recover from his sudden attack. Lucky, Taemin did not look back. She must be red all over as she felt her cheeks burning so much. 

He should have asked and she could have prepared herself, Ji Ah thought.

She would not say no to a hug, but maybe if he did ask her, Ji Ah thought she might have said no out of shyness. 

"Maybe that's why he just hugged me out of the blue, to spare me the embarassment," she murmured to herself. After all, he was a good friend to Irene. And any friend of Irene's is a friend of her as well.,

Nodding, Ji Ah went to the main building instead, to check the poll results before she settles herself for class. There, she saw the crown already placed on Irene's picture with Kiss Queen written underneath on the school's e-bulletin. ​​

Irene​​​​​ had won. 

But there was another picture next to Irene's with a crown, too. Ji Ah stepped closer and saw to her surprise that this year, there would be King and Queen, which explains the two crowns. 

Who was the King?​​

Looking​​​​​ up again, she sighed in relief. It was Taemin who was crowned as Kiss King. Irene would be safe.

"Oh, thank God~"

Now, Ji Ah was 100% sure of Irene's safety. With a triumphant grin on her face, she marched back to Building B and waited for the day to start. ​​

Sure​​​​​ enough, classes went by fast. The day was almost ending and everybody was anxious of the bell for Hug Time that was due any minute. Ms. Kim, their Math teacher, stopped trying to make her students solve the last equation on the board. They were all so distracted she decided to just go with the flow. It was a happy day, after all.

"Okay, let us end the class here for today," she announced, before saying in a mocking tune, "You all look like you're so ready to hug your seatmates any time now." 

The tension was lifted and they all laughed at her remark. She smiled. "I'm sorry but, you're gonna have to hug me first before you go running around hugging others in the campus, okay?"

As if on cue, the bell rang twice. It was hug time. Without wasting another minute, girls and boys clamored to fix their appearances. Before going to their hug targets, they all went for a group hug with Ms. Kim. A few of the girls even gave her a peck on the cheeks. She was so loved by her students. Then, soon after, the whole class were hugging each other.  

This year's Hug Time, was not bad at all, Ji Ah thought. She managed to hug most of her classmates. Even Irene was safely being embraced by her admirers this year. She wasn't squeezed tight by the boy named Song Minho either who was such a huge fan, he kept coming for more. 

Ji Ah could hear Irene giggling, saying he should give chances to others. 

"Hey, Kim Ji Ah!" someone chirped.

 Ji Ah turned at the sound of her name. She knew the voice so well she instantly opened her arms to welcome him. It was Kim Jonghyun, her beloved older brother, who was a year ahead of her. Hearing him, most girls in class turned to stare dreamily as he went to hug his younger sister.

"Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!" she chuckled, as they circled in place in a tight hug, jumping up and down like kids. Then, like the sweet brother he had always been, Jonghyun gave Ji Ah a soft kiss on her cheek, making some girls squeel in jealousy. Then, a moment later, Jonghyun's friends came into view. The girls did not bother hiding their squeals anymore when Choi Minho and Key came into the room, hugging Ji Ah in turn. 

"Where's Irene?" Minho asked, concerned. He couldn't see Irene in the vicinity. And remembering how Ji Ah and Irene had to hide last year, they were all worried they had to come and check. 

"I'm over here, Minho Sunbae!" Irene waved from a sea of boys and girls. Minho jogged towards her, helped disperse Irene's overly excited group of huggers and saved her. Irene hugged him gratefully before they joined the others.

Irene went to hug Key, too, and laughed when Jonghyun refused to hug her because Ji Ah might get taken by others. Ji Ah was still safely in Jonghyun's arms who refused to share his sister.

"Now I see where you got your posessiveness of me, Ji Ah," Irene giggled. Ji Ah could not help but laugh along. It was true she shared that quality with her brother. 

"But seriously, oppa, you're gonna have to let go of her! I'm gonna have to kiss her later." Irene said. Jonghyun playfully blocked Irene from Ji Ah and said, "No way! Ji Ah, is mine! Back off!" 

They all laughed. Then, a shimmering sound was heard in the intercom, followed by an announcement from the student council, who was also a friend of Jonghyun's, Lee Jinki, also known as Onew. 

"Gyerim High, may I have your attention, please," Onew said. "It is now time to announce the winner of this year's Kiss Crown. And to spice things up, as the second decade of this celebration, we are crowning two students - a King and a Queen."

Even though it was no secret, the students clapped and whistled in excitement. 

"May we all proceed to the stage in front of the school field for the crowning." 

As soon as the shimerring sound faded from the intercom, the whole school assembled at the field in only five minutes. The stage was already decorated and Onew was standing there, holding a mic in his hands. As soon as the students were settled, he cleared his throat for their attention.

"This year," he said, pacing for effect, with one hand in his pocket. He looked dashing in his student council uniform girls had trouble hiding their delight. "As the twentieth year of Gyerim, we are crowning two students as Kiss King and Queen."

"Now, you all know what that title meant, am I right?"A

A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd. Onew smiled and nodded, acknowledging their enthusiasm, before raising a hand and the place went silent. 

"One kiss on the cheek, whomever the Queen and King likes," he continued and the school went wild again. 

"Of course, ladies first. For this year's Kiss Queen, may I call on Ms. Kim for the crowning, please." 

Ms. Kim went on stage with the Queen's sash and bouquet of flowers. Then, Onew shouted Irene's name and the latter walked up the stage to claim her prizes. Once the crown was placed on her head, Irene was urged to go to the crowd and search for someone she wanted to give the kiss to. Song Minho almost stood up to volunteer, but Irene went straight to the tenth row where Ji Ah was sitting by the aisle. She leaned over and kissed her friend on the cheek. Everyone could hear the crowd's disappointment. It was no fun, Song Minho should have been the one ("You could still kiss me!" he shouted over the crowd and the students laughed so hard.) Irene explained that a friend's love is all that she wants for now and not romantic love.

"Moving on," Onew said as soon as Irene had sat beside Ji Ah. "Let's call on Mr. Ahn for the crowning of today's Kiss King! Sir, please come on stage."

Mr. Ahn, the school principal who was a thin and balding man went up the stage with a sash and a bouquet of flowers just like Ms. Kim. But instead of letting Onew announce the winner, he passed the flowers and sash to the boy and took the mic himself. He read Taemin's name as the first ever Kiss King (a girl won the Kiss Crown ten years ago) but Taemin did not appear to take his title in three minutes. Scattered whispers could be heard like snakes hissing. 

He was nowhere in the field. 

Hope of knowing who holds Taemin's fancy started to melt for the girls. And just as they thought they had to pass the crown to the third place (who happened to be Song Minho who was so ready to give the kiss to Irene, with Ji Ah sending glares at him) Taemin came into view, not in his uniform but in a gray suit. The girls squealed as Irene clicked her fingers, remembering something.

"Right! I forgot he had a photoshoot!" Irene gasped. "I was supposed to tell you!"

"Me?" Ji Ah said, mentally asking why she had to know about that part. Then, seeing Song Minho's name next to Taemin's, Ji Ah understood why she had to. Who knows what Minho might do to Irene if he was given the crown! 

With a new wave of disgust, Ji Ah resumed in sending dagger-stares his way.

While Ji Ah and Song Minho were having a glaring contest, Taemin got to the stage. Mr. Ahn hurriedly placed the crown on his head. Before Onew could tell him the kissing rules, Taemin was out of the stage again, walking down the aisle as girls screamed for him, scanning the crowd for someone. 

Sick of Song Minho's face, Ji Ah turned to face the stage again. In that fleeting moment, she had locked eyes with Taemin who seemed to have found what he was looking for. He paused in his tracks, holding Ji Ah's gaze. The latter felt shy and turned her eyes away. Even from afar, Taemin's eyes were just so gorgeous it was hard to hold his gaze for long without blushing.

"Kim Ji Ah."

Ji Ah looked up instinctively, her eyes meeting Taemin's yet again. Before she could process what was happening, Taemin's lips were already pressed on hers, his right hand snaking its way to her nape, holding her in place. 

There was a mad pounding in Ji Ah's chest and a loud buzzing in her ears. Or was that the crowd? She was unsure. She couldn't hear anything aside from her frantic heart. Her eyes seemed to have been fixed open, she couldn't even bring herself to blink.

What a shock! There she was again, surprised by another attack, and she didn't know what to do!

And as if that wasn't enough, she felt Taemin lift her from her chair, deepening the kiss. She could feel him supporting her weight because she did not have any strength to stand. Was this even legal? How long has this kiss been going on? Will the ground please swallow her after he releases his grip? 

Oh, God, what am I to do? Ji Ah, thought.