“For homework, find out as much as you can about your partner and you will have to submit them the day after tomorrow,” our English teacher said.

He has assigned a new partner for us and turned out V was my partner. I sighed, already feeling awkward about working with him.

V came over to me and slid into the chair beside me. I opened my notebook to a clean page, wanting to get over this as soon as I can.

“What is your real name?” I asked. He looked at me as the corners of his mouth tilted up.

“So?” I repeated.

“Kim Taehyung,” he answered and leaned back in his seat.

“What’s your hobby?”

“Photography… of a girl who is having a hard time to choose between Seoul National University and Kyung Hee University,” he said.

I stared at him in disbelief. How did he know?

He hooked his fingers under the seat of my chair, dragging me closer to him. “Why are you single?” he asked.

“Can you ask me something normal?”

“Try me.”

“Well, what do you know about me?”

“You play piano. And you are scared of driving.” He gave me his boxy smile, as if mocking me. How did he know? Who was he? Did he talk to Jina about me?

The hair at the nape of my neck stood. As the bell rang, he scribbled his phone number on my left palm.

“I won’t call!” I called out as he made his way to the door.

Later, at night

I spent the night alone as my mom was at her workplace. I knew I had told V that I wouldn’t call, but this was about my grade. So I picked up my smartphone and dialled his number although I secretly hoped it would go straight into voicemail.

V answered the call. “I thought you weren’t going to call me.”

“Well, we still have to finish our homework.”

“Too bad I’m busy right now.”

I heard noise on his end, like he was in a very crowded place. “Where are you?” I asked.

“The only game arcade in the town,” he answered before he hung up on me. What the heck! 

I went to the living room and took my notebook. Although I hated driving at night, he left me with no choices. It was a 30-minute drive to the arcade. After I locked the car, I headed inside the arcade trying to spot V in the crowd.

Cigar smoke filled the room. This was not a normal game arcade for kids. It was more like an arcade for adults. I noticed V at one of the baseball rings.

“V,” I called out.

V’s mouth formed a smile as I got closer. “Answer my questions and I’m out of here,” I said, returning his smile. His smile itself is contagious, I can’t help but smile. “I figure you like to