It was a chilly February morning and the halls of KQ High buzzed with chatter from its excited students. Talks about the upcoming Valentine’s Day festival were the main topic amongst the student’s conversations and everyone panicked about who their date would be. Those who didn’t have a date would probably be made fun of. 

 

“Oh my gosh! Jung Wooyoung and Choi San are here!” A junior girl with long blonde hair squealed to her group of friends. “They’re so dreamy!” “Who do you think they’ll ask to the carnival?” 

 

Kim Areum, a recently transferred senior, pulled her history textbook out of her locker and swung her green backpack over her shoulder. She didn’t pay mind to the squawking of the other students around her. She really didn’t understand why they were so obsessed over two high school seniors. Areum closed her locker shut before heading towards her classroom. She could hear the shrill fangirls approaching and before she could move out of the way, someone had bumped into her. The books in her arms fell to the cement ground with a loud thud. Before she could bend down to retrieve her belongings a figure beat her to it. “Thanks.” She said and met eyes with the most popular male at her new school. 

 

“Sorry about that.” It was none other than Wooyoung. She did have to admit, he was stunning. He had dark brown hair that was always styled perfectly. He had beautiful glowing skin, thick eyebrows and a mole underneath his left eye that just added to his masculine beauty. He placed the books in Areum’s arms and winked before leaving to catch up with his friends. 

 

Areum shrugged off the encounter and straightened the blazer of her black and gray uniform. She continued her way to her first period along with other students and was about to enter the room when a group of girls cut her off. “Excuse us, new girl.” Soomin, the queenka of KQ, sneered with a sarcastic smile. Her posse snickered and gave Areum looks as they passed by. Areum shook her head and sighed. She didn’t find them the least bit intimidating and did her best to pay no attention to them. 

 

Areum took her seat in the back near the windows. The first bell rang, announcing that anyone not in their designated classrooms would be considered tardy. Areum opened her notebook and in neat penmanship she jotted down the date at the top of the page. Teacher Lim entered the room and set her books down on the podium with an audible thump. “Alright class, today we will begin with a pop quiz.” She stated loudly, earning groans from the students. The second bell rang just as two students ran in. They comically ran into each in the process causing the class to erupt into laughter. “San and Wooyoung. I’m so glad you could join us. Take your seats, immediately.” Teacher Lim nodded to the empty seats in front of Areum. 

 

“It won’t happen again Teacher Lim.” Wooyoung promised and blew her a kiss. Students stifled their giggles as she gave Wooyoung a disapproving shake of the head. 

 

San sat directly in front of Areum. He gave her a nod as he came to his desk. Areum returned the gesture and turned her attention back to the front. Teacher Lim gave instructions on what the pop quiz would focus on and set a forty-minute timer. 

 

“San-ah, do you have a pencil I can borrow?” Wooyoung whispered to his best friend of eleven years. San shook his head. Wooyoung cursed and glanced back at Areum. “Pssst.” Areum stopped writing and looked up. Wooyoung was looking right at her. She turned her head back over her shoulder but realized there was nobody behind her. Wooyoung chuckled. “Yes you, new girl. Do you have a pencil I can use?” 

 

Areum reached into her backpack and pulled out a red mechanical pencil. She held it out to him. “It’s Areum.” She said. 

 

“Thanks new girl.” Wooyoung took the pencil and gave her another wink before turning back around in his seat. 

Whatever. Areum rolled her eyes and returned her focus back to her notebook, finishing her paragraph.

______

It was Tuesday evening. Three days until the festival Friday night. 

 

Wooyoung entered the coffee shop and scanned the vicinity for his friends. He spotted his tallest friend, Mingi, waving him over. He raised a hand and strode over to the booth they sat at. Wooyoung greeted them and sat next to Yeosang. “We were just talking about you.” Mingi said with a slight mischievous look in his eyes. 

 

“All good things I’m sure.” Wooyoung raised an eyebrow. 

 

San chuckled, bringing his drink up to his lips. “Cocky bastard.” Yeosang held back a laugh and shook his head. 

 

“Are you going to take Soomin as your date to the Valentine’s Day festival?” Mingi asked. 

 

Wooyoung had thought about it. He was one-hundred percent sure she was waiting on him to ask her. As he was considered the kingka of the school and she was the queenka people always paired them together. Wooyoung had thought about it but he wasn’t interested in her like that. “Nah, she’s too clingy and she’s not my type.” Wooyoung coolly shrugged his shoulders and leaned back into his seat. 

 

The bells above the shop’s door jingled, causing Mingi to look up. KQ’s new girl had walked in and he thought of a bright idea. Mingi snapped his fingers, catching the attention of his three other friends. “How about you ask the new girl?” Mingi nodded towards the line of customers. 

 

At once, three pairs of eyes shifted their gaze to a girl in jeans and a light blue sweater. Her hair was tied into a slightly messy bun, thin tendrils of her hair loosely framed her face. She slid her white phone into her back pocket and looked up to study the menu in front of her. 

 

“I bet he doesn’t even know her name.” Yeosang commented and smugly took a swig of his tea. 

 

“Kim Areum.” San said, a blank expression on his face. Mingi, Wooyoung and Yeosang all paused and looked at him. “She sits behind us in all of our classes.” San gave Wooyoung a ‘duh’ look. 

 

Wooyoung snuck another glance at Areum. “She is cute.” A smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

 

“I don’t think she has any friends since she transferred last month. It’ll be a warm KQ welcome.” Mingi sing-songed. 

 

“Please, I don’t even think she cares about Wooyoung. I’ve never seen her in the crowd of his fangirls.” Yeosang teased. 

 

San clucked his tongue. “She’s a smart girl.” He smirked when Wooyoung flipped him off. 

 

“I bet Wooyoung can make her fall for him.” Mingi declared, boosting Wooyoung’s ego. Both San and Yeosang rolled their eyes. “You guys don’t think so? Wooyoung, I dare you to ask the new girl to the festival and make her your girlfriend.” 

 

Not one to back down from a dare, Wooyoung accepted wordlessly. He got up from the table and straightened his jacket. He checked his hair in the reflection of the window and spun around. Areum had just ordered at the counter and was reaching into her bag for her wallet. Wooyoung was one step ahead of her and handed the worker money. 

 

“Oh no, you don’t have to-” Areum stopped in surprise. What was her school’s heartthrob doing in the same coffee shop as her and why did he just pay for her?  

 

Wooyoung looked her up and down. “Areum, right?” A charming smile played on his perfectly shaped lips. 

 

“Wooyoung.” She pointed at him. “You didn’t have to pay for me. I have money.” 

 

“Well such a pretty girl like you shouldn’t have to pay for herself.” Wooyoung flirted. 

 

Stunned by his comment, Areum closed and looked up at him. She felt slightly at a loss for words. She never had a guy flirt with her so straightforwardly before. The worker came back with her order of macarons and handed them to her. Areum thanked the girl with a smile and bow of the head. She looked back at Wooyoung. “I’ll pay you back.” She told him. 

 

“You can pay me back by being my date to the Valentine’s Day festival this Friday.” Wooyoung took a step forward and touched Areum’s elbow. He gave her a sultry wink. 

 

Put off by his cockiness, Areum took a step back. “No thanks. I’ll pay you back at school tomorrow.” 

 

Wooyoung’s face fell. He could hear Mingi cackling in the background but ignored him. “What?” He whispered in disbelief. This was the first time he’d ever been rejected and he was shocked. 

 

“We don’t know each other. But thank you for the invitation.” Areum plainly said. She gently waved the box of macarons with a polite smile. “Thanks again. See you at school.” 

 

Wooyoung stood there with a dumbfounded expression as he watched Areum leave. What the heck had just happened? Had he really been turned down? The Jung Wooyoung had really been declined by a girl. He walked back over to the booth his friends sat at and sunk into his seat. 

 

“I like her.” San chortled. Mingi and Yeosang joined in the laughter as well. 

 

Wooyoung looked back and watched Areum wait at the crosswalk. She looked both ways before safely making her way across the street. He became intrigued and raised an eyebrow. He rested his chin in his palm and drummed his fingers against his jaw. 

______

The next day during lunch Wooyoung had a surprise for Areum. After her gym class, Areum was given a note by one of her classmates. Curiously, she took the folded piece of paper and read it by her locker. 

 

Meet me in the cafeteria. -Wooyoung 

 

She wondered what it was that he wanted. Then she remembered he had paid for her desserts yesterday. Areum changed back into her uniform and grabbed her backpack. Done, she left the girl’s locker room and made her way to the cafeteria. She searched for Wooyoung but didn’t see him. 

 

“Hi Areum.” Mingi said behind her, slightly startling her. He walked over to an empty table and held a hand out. “Please, come sit.” 

 

Warily, she walked over and looked up at the tall male. “Where’s Wooyoung?” She slid her backpack off and slowly sat down. 

 

Mingi grinned. “You’ll see.” He clapped his hands together and loud music started playing. San, Yeosang and Wooyoung appeared out of nowhere and stood up on separate tables. Mingi joined them and they began to dance in sync. Students cheered loudly as the four of them danced powerfully. Girls squealed and fangirled as if they were at a kpop concert. 

 

Areum’s eyes widened when Wooyoung met her gaze and continued to dance while holding her stare. Her jaw dropped a bit, impressed. The music came to an end and the four students posed coolly. All students clapped and whistled relentlessly. Wooyoung remained on top of the table and was given a mic by a random sophomore student. “Kim Areum, will you be my date to the Valentine’s Day festival?” He said into the mic. 

 

“Ooooooh!” Everyone in the cafeteria began buzzing with talk. 

 

Hating attention like this, Areum wanted to disappear. She caught Soomin’s death glares and wished a black hole would consume her right then and there. What had gotten into Jung Wooyoung? The students egged on the situation, waiting for her response. Areum stormed up to the table Wooyoung stood on. He squatted down, balancing himself on the balls of his feet. “If I say yes will you please stop all of this?” Areum said through gritted teeth. 

 

Wooyoung knew she gave in and he smirked. “Carry on everyone. Nothing to see here.” He winked at her. Areum spun on her heel, grabbed her bag and hastily made her way out of the cafeteria. “She said yes!” Wooyoung hollered into the mic, eliciting another round of cheers from the students. Most girls cried in protest.

 

The bell signaling lunch was over rang. Areum and other classmates made their way to their desks before the strict math teacher could say anything to them. She saw a banana and a bottle of Yakult on her desk. There was a blue sticky note left too. 

 

I didn’t see you eat. -Wooyoung

 

Areum softened at the simple yet kind words. She looked up and coincidentally met eyes with Wooyoung. He gave her a model-worthy smile as he strode to his desk with San. He took his seat and snuck one last glance at Areum. She suddenly felt her cheeks heat up and she avoided his eye contact with a clearing of . Cute. Wooyoung chuckled to himself and turned his attention to the front. 

______

It was finally Friday. Classes had ended an hour early to allow the school enough time to set up before the evening’s carnival. 

 

That night at around 7PM Wooyoung, San, Yeosang and Mingi stood at the front of the school. They wore casual clothes and looked as handsome as ever. Girls from different grades shyly greeted them and complimented them as they walked by. Some even gave them boxes of chocolates and shouted their love confessions. 

 

“As if they all haven’t already stuffed our lockers with candies and love notes.” Yeosang complained. 

 

“So you’re not going to want that box of chocolates?” Mingi questioned. Yeosang scoffed and pushed the heart-shaped box into his friend’s hands. San and Wooyoung laughed. “Do you think Areum will show up?” Mingi looked at Wooyoung. 

 

Wooyoung stopped laughing and checked his silver watch. He’d die of embarrassment if she stood him up. Especially after the stunt he pulled on Wednesday in the cafeteria. Before he could say anything, San tapped his shoulder and pointed over his shoulder. Wooyoung followed San’s finger and spotted Areum walking towards them. She wore a white cable-knit dress, black knee high boots and a thigh-length red suede coat. Her hair was styled into neatly loose curls and they bounced with each step she took. Wooyoung swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. She looked absolutely stunning. She came to a stop in front him and he noticed the shimmer on her eyelids and the gloss on her lips. 

 

“Hey. Did you wait long?” Areum asked. 

 

Wooyoung wordlessly shook his head before clearing his throat. “No, we just got here too.” He stepped to the side and motioned to his friends. “You already know San. This is Yeosang and Mingi.” 

 

Areum waved with a kind smile. “Hi.” The three of them nodded their heads in acknowledgment. 

 

“Let’s head on in!” Mingi said excitedly. They all followed after the six-foot tall male towards the school’s soccer field. 

 

Wooyoung stood next to Areum while they waited in line. He glanced down at her once more before moving forward. He held two fingers out to the teacher working the admissions booth. This time Areum was faster than him. She held out the correct amount of money and thanked the teacher. She took the plastic wristbands and followed after Wooyoung’s friends. “Hey, why did you pay?” 

 

Areum handed him a bracelet. “Payback.” Wooyoung gave her a look of confusion. “You paid for my macarons the other day. I was just paying you back.” She added. 

 

Wooyoung’s lips curled into a smile. “I see.” He chuckled and helped Areum with her wristband. 

 

The five of them strolled through the different attractions. Everything around them was decked out with Valentine’s Day decorations. Along with fair games there were also arcade games. A few rides were also a couple yards from them. Mingi chose the first game to play which was ring-toss. Areum stood to the left of them and watched them make fun of each other while they tossed the red plastic rings. 

 

“Your turn.” Yeosang handed her five rings. 

 

Areum came around the post and stood next to Wooyoung. She tossed the first ring and it landed in the two-hundred points section. Impressed the boys all looked at each other. Areum tossed the rest of the rings and ended up with one-thousand points. She won a large stuffed animal of her choosing. The worker pointed out which ones she could choose from and she contemplated. 

 

“Pick the Corgi! It looks like Wooyoung!” Mingi hollered. 

 

Areum gave him a funny look but laughed. While he and Wooyoung bickered, she glanced between the said animal and the pink frog. She finally decided and told the worker, “I’ll take the dog, please.” The young male nodded and used a step stool to bring it down. He handed it over to Areum and she held it with both arms. She turned to face the guys and they became quiet. “What? It’s cute.” She shrugged and headed down the pathway towards the other games. 

 

A small smile played on Wooyoung’s mouth at Areum’s words. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans and pursued after her, motioning with his head for the other three to follow as well. They stopped by different food stands and waited for Mingi as he ordered a too-big cotton candy. It was red in color with edible glitter sprinkled all over it. “Want some?” Mingi held out the sweet treat in front of Areum. 

 

“No thanks.” Areum declined with a polite smile. 

 

Mingi didn’t back down. He brought it closer to her face and waved it. “It’s really good!” He bribed in a goofy song. 

 

“She said no, dude.” Wooyoung pushed his friend’s hand away. Mingi frowned and walked ahead. Areum looked up at Wooyoung, slightly touched by his action. He turned his head and met her eyes. “Sorry about Mingi.” 

 

Areum shook her head. “I don’t mind. He’s funny.” She chuckled. 

 

“He’s funny looking.” Wooyoung muttered. 

 

“What?” Areum paused and tilted her head to the side. 

 

“Nothing! Come on.” Wooyoung guided her to where the rest of the guys were stopped at. 

Mingi and Yeosang were on their designated starting marks on the Dance Dance Revolution arcade game. Yeosang chose a song and they began. Both were impressive dancers but Mingi won in the end. He gave a bow and put his hands on his hips. “Who’s next? Areum?” He challenged with a smug look on his face. 

 

Areum thanked herself for not wearing boots with heels. Without a word she placed her purse and coat over the railing and stepped up. “Ohhh!” The four of them hooted. Intrigued, Wooyoung’s right eyebrow twitched upwards. Mingi chose a random girl group song and rotated his neck. He was taken aback by Areum’s sharp moves as soon as the game began. He tried his best to keep up but couldn’t believe how good Areum was. 

 

“Game over! Player two wins.” The game announced. 

 

Areum rolled up her sleeves and caught her breath. “Good game.” She held out a fist to Mingi. Stunned, Mingi clumsily bumped his knuckles against hers and stepped down. Areum turned around and leaned against the railing. “So who’s next?” She looked right at Wooyoung with a twinkle in her eye. 

 

Not one to back down, Wooyoung smirked and came around to occupy the spot Mingi had. “You practiced that dance in your room in front of your mirror?” Wooyoung playfully teased. 

 

Areum feigned a gasp and put a hand over her chest. “How’d you know what my after school activity was?” Her sarcastic response was refreshing and he found it attractive. 

 

Wooyoung gave a low chuckle and motioned to the game. “The loser gets to choose the song.” He implied. 

 

“Then you should choose the song, right?” Areum retorted, her competitive side coming out. Wooyoung’s friends roared with laughter behind her at her comment. Wooyoung smirked and chose a male group’s song. The game counted them down and they began. Wooyoung was confident in his winning as he hit every move perfectly. He glanced at Areum who had a serious look of concentration on her face. Her moves were also very clean. The song came to an end and they waited in anticipation to see who won. Wooyoung’s face fell when the game declared Areum the winner by one point. She held a hand out to him. “Good job.” 

 

Wooyoung slipped his hand into hers and pulled her to him. She bumped into his chest and leaned her head back in surprise. “This isn’t over. We will rematch and I will win.” There was a glint of mischief in his warm, brown eyes. His eyes roamed over her face and they lingered over her lips for a little bit more than they should have. Areum’s cheeks flushed and she cleared . She yanked her hand out of his grasp and curled her hair behind her ear. San stepped up between them. “Go easy on her.” Wooyoung patted his shoulder and shot a wink at Areum. 

 

San intimidated her the most. She gulped and gave a friendly smile. She let him choose the song and he clicked the ‘random song’ button. They were given HALA HALA by ATEEZ and Areum’s eyes widened. The corner of San’s mouth turned upwards into a smirk. He had this round in the bag and Areum knew it. She still gave it her best and in the end lost by a couple hundred points. Areum congratulated San wholeheartedly. “You did great.” He held his hand out for a high-five. Areum grinned and lightly slapped his palm. “Mingi, Yeosang let’s go find some games to play and give these two some time alone.” San pointed his index fingers at Wooyoung and Areum. Both Yeosang and Mingi took the hint. They bid farewell for now and took off with San. 

 

Areum put her coat on and pulled her hair out of the back. Wooyoung held her purse out for her. She thanked him and rocked back on the heels of her shoes. “So what do you want to do?” She asked, feeling a bit shy. 

 

Wooyoung glanced around and shrugged. “We can do whatever you’d like to do.” He said with a charming smile. 

 

“Come try the Swan Lake ride!” A student nearby hollered to her friends. 

 

Wooyoung looked down at Areum. “Should we ride that?” He jabbed his thumb behind him. 

 

“Sure.” Areum agreed and they walked towards the line. 

 

Their turn came and Wooyoung held the little door open for her. Areum climbed into the bird shaped cart and sat down. Wooyoung brushed against her as he took his seat next to her. The door clicked closed and they moved forward. They came to a dark tunnel with sweet, violin music playing around them. Suddenly animated fireworks went off above them. Amazed, Areum’s cherry lips stretched into a wide smile. Wooyoung watched as the different colored lights painted over Areum. They illuminated different features of her face and he became enthralled. He felt something tickling in his abdomen and smiled softly. After that ride they decided to try out every other ride as well. They were able to share some of their backgrounds with one another and found out they shared some things in common too. 

 

A couple of hours had passed since Wooyoung’s friends had parted with them. Starting to grow hungry and tired, Areum and Wooyoung stood by a photo booth. He messaged his friends on his phone and waited for a response. “Should we take some pictures while we wait?” Wooyoung pointed at the contraption behind Areum. 

 

She looked back at the photo booth and smiled. “Okay.” She pushed the curtain aside and stepped in. There were a few Valentine’s props in there and she grabbed a large hat with a feathered rim. Wooyoung grabbed heart-shaped glasses and put money into the slot. He chose a simple background and hit the yellow button. The screen started counting down from five and Wooyoung crossed his arms over his chest, posing coolly. They did two silly poses first. At the next one Wooyoung threw his arm around Areum’s shoulder, taking her by surprise. He gently grabbed her hand and had her do a peace sign with her fingers. There was a flash as the camera took their photo. Face feeling hot, Areum pressed her cold hands against her cheeks and looked anywhere but Wooyoung. In the last photo, Mingi, San and Yeosang suddenly popped into the booth. Areum let out a squeal and covered her face. Wooyoung pushed Mingi off of her with his leg. 

 

The machine spit out two photo strips. Yeosang grabbed them and chuckled. “Cute.” He stood up and handed them to Wooyoung. He thought so too. Wooyoung handed Areum her copy and placed his in the inside pocket of his jacket. Blushing slightly, she carefully placed the photo in her purse. 

 

“So who’s up for pizza?” Mingi asked. Everyone agreed and headed towards the exit. 

 

Areum was engrossed in a conversation with Mingi and Yeosang as they walked and didn’t notice the person walking towards her. A body rammed into hers rather harshly. Areum stepped back and lifted her eyes to see Soomin and her group of friends. “Oops, my bad.” Soomin pouted and batted her lashes. Areum felt something warm on her thigh and looked down. There was a big coffee stain on her dress. She knew that it was no accident as Soomin tried to play it off. “Don’t worry. That dress is so last year anyway.” Soomin laughed and tossed her long hair back. 

 

“That’s funny considering I got it from your closet.” Areum said. Soomin closed and glared at her. Areum looked at Soomin from head to toe before walking past her without another word. Mingi laughed loudly and followed after Areum. San and Yeosang both smirked and wordlessly went around the girls. A low chuckle emitted from the back of Wooyoung’s throat. He felt proud. He patted Soomin’s shoulder and strode after his friends and Areum. 

 

Less than twenty minutes later the five of them arrived at a pizza restaurant near their school. They sat at a large, square table and waited on their food. They conversed about different topics and complemented Areum on her scuffle with Soomin. Their server brought over their extra-large pizza after what seemed like forever. Hungrily, they all grabbed a slice and began to dig in. 

 

“Well you two are perfect for each other.” San chortled. Everyone looked up. 

 

Both Wooyoung and Areum stopped picking the bell peppers off their pizza slices. They looked at one another and then at everyone else. They shared a hearty laugh and continued to eat. Areum was about to take a bite when Wooyoung’s slender fingers reached out. “You missed one.” He peeled off the hidden pepper and put it on his napkin. 

 

“Thanks.” Areum felt her cheeks flush again. She shyly bit her bottom lip and looked away. Wooyoung found her reaction adorable and hesitantly tore his gaze off her in order to let her eat in peace. 

 

After killing the entire pizza, they split up. Areum waved goodbye to San, Yeosang and Mingi. She wished them a good weekend and watched them walk in the direction of the school. Wooyoung stood by Areum with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “So which way to your house?” He whistled. 

 

Areum laughed and pointed. They caught a bus and in about fifteen minutes they arrived in her neighborhood. They made their way up the slope side by side. “I had fun tonight.” She said, sincerely. 

 

Wooyoung was very happy to hear her say that. “I’m glad you came out with us...me.” Areum mirrored his smile. 

 

Much too soon, they stopped in front of a brown house with a mustard painted door. “Well this is me. Thanks for taking me home, Wooyoung.” Areum said and dug into her purse for her house keys. She looked up and her eyes rounded. “What are you doing?” 

 

Wooyoung’s eyes flew open and he unpuckered his lips. He straightened up and cleared his throat. He gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. “Have a good night.” 

 

“You too.” She whispered, trying to stifle a giggle. 

 

Wooyoung watched as she singled out the key she needed to enter her house and brought it up to the knob. “Do you want to go to the movies with me tomorrow?” He blurted. 

 

Areum paused and slowly turned around. He was looking at her expectantly. A soft smile took over her lips and she nodded. “How’s noon sound?” 

 

“Perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Wooyoung brightened and waved. 

 

She giggled to herself as she watched him walk down the road. Areum entered her home with a wide grin. She kicked her shoes off and hurried up to her room. Tonight had been a good night. 

______

It had been a few weeks since the Valentine’s festival and their movie date. Wooyoung and Areum spent a lot of time together and would usually go on a date every weekend. Last Saturday they played laser tag against San, Yeosang and Mingi. The days were starting to become slightly warmer as they began the month of March. 

 

Whistling a tune, Wooyoung made his way towards the front of the school. He passed by the library and spotted a familiar figure. Areum sat in the school’s library with books sprawled out in front of her. She worked hard to finish her homework and was so deep in concentration that she hadn’t noticed his presence. He snuck up behind her and peered over her shoulder. “I’ve been looking for you.” He whispered. 

 

Startled, Areum jumped with a loud gasp. She put a hand over her racing heart and looked up at Wooyoung. “You scared me!” Her eyebrows furrowed in the center and her lips formed into a pout. 

 

“I'm sorry.” Wooyoung chuckled. “I messaged you and you didn’t respond.” He lightly tapped her phone. 

 

Areum held up her phone. “I ran out of battery.” Wooyoung clucked his tongue and shook his head mocking disappointment. She playfully pushed him with her shoulder. “Oh, stop it. I just need to finish this last one and I'm done.” She said. 

 

“The answer is in chapter thirteen.” Wooyoung nodded towards the textbook. Areum shifted her gaze up to Wooyoung as he flipped through the pages. His side profile was also just as devastatingly handsome. She studied his sharp jaw line and prominent nose. The earrings on his ear sparkled brightly in the fluorescent lighting above them. She could smell his cologne and felt butterflies in her stomach. “If you’re done checking me out, your answer is right here.” Wooyoung suddenly said and turned his head. 

 

Their faces were inches from each other and Areum could feel his minty breath on her lips. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears and a faint blush painted her cheeks. Wooyoung lowered his eyes to and he leaned in a bit closer. He really wanted to taste her lips. He was centimeters away when Areum quickly moved her head and looked at the paragraph Wooyoung’s finger was pointing to. “Oh look at that! You’re right. There’s the answer!” She laughed awkwardly and brought the textbook closer to her. 

 

Wooyoung let out a breathy laugh. He couldn’t even be mad. He shook his head with an amused expression and watched her finish the last of her work. Once done, he helped Areum pack up her belongings. The two of them exited the library and walked down the steps. Wooyoung looked down at her swinging hand and went for it. He slid his hand into her and intertwined his fingers with hers. “Is this okay?” He asked, his heart drumming in his chest as he waited for her answer. 

 

Areum paused briefly before looking up at him and nodding. She tried her best to play it cool as they continued their way towards the front gates of the school. She snuck a glance down at their locked hands and fought back the huge grin threatening to split . 

 

“Wooyoung oppa.” A snooty voice called out behind them. 

 

He knew exactly whose voice that belonged to and an irritated sigh escaped Wooyoung’s lips as he turned around. Areum quickly let go of his hand and stepped to the side. Taken aback, Wooyoung looked at Areum with a muddled expression. She avoided his gaze and looked up at Soomin descending the concrete steps. 

 

“Hi oppa. New girl.” Soomin made a face of distaste when she looked at Areum. 

 

Wooyoung raised an eyebrow in annoyance. “We’re in the same grade, Soomin. I’m not your oppa.” 

 

She disregarded his comment and glanced between the pair in front of her. “So I guess the rumors are true? You two are an item. I have to say I am quite disappointed in you Jung Wooyoung. I thought you had better taste.” Soomin said the last part looking directly into Areum’s eyes. Soomin smirked, knowing she had finally gotten to her. “Anyways, have a good rest of your day.” She feigned cheeriness and strode past them. 

 

“She is so annoying. Don’t listen to her-” Wooyoung stopped when he saw Areum was no longer standing next to him. She was walking towards the bus stop down the street and he ran after her. “Areum, wait!” 

 

She stopped and turned around to face him. “It’s fine, Wooyoung. Let’s just drop it.” 

 

“Drop what?” Wooyoung asked and threw his arms around Areum, catching her in an embrace. “Seriously, don’t listen to Soomin. Ok? She’s just jealous.” Areum softened at his attempt to make her feel better. She had to admit it was working. She savored the feeling of his strong arms around her for a few seconds more before he reluctantly let go of her. Wooyoung smiled down at her and took hold of her hand once more. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and tugged her along. Areum felt her heart hum in happiness as she looked up at him and gladly let him lead her down the sidewalk. 

______

The following week Areum and Wooyoung were in her room. She sat at her desk while Wooyoung laid on her bed. Infatuated, he blatantly stared at her. He liked how her forehead creased in the center as she concentrated. He liked her long dark lashes and the way her lips jutted out when she seemed to be frustrated with whatever she was working on. 

 

“You’re going to burn a hole in my face if you keep staring at me like that.” Areum said without looking up. 

 

Wooyoung playfully rolled his eyes and sat up, using the stuffed Corgi she had won at the Valentine’s fair to prop him up. “I’ll stop staring if you come hangout with me.” He patted the empty spot next to him. 

 

Areum held a finger up. “I am almost finished.” 

 

“It’s Saturday night. Come on.” Wooyoung whined childishly. 

 

She looked up from her homework and gave Wooyoung a look. He didn’t give up and gave her his best puppy-dog eyes. Areum sighed exasperatedly and stood up. She walked over to her bed and kicked her slippers off. She sat next to Wooyoung and his mouth curled into a happy smile. “You’re such a baby.” She giggled. 

 

“Take that back!” Wooyoung demanded. 

 

Areum shook her head. “No! You’re probably the biggest baby I’ve ever met.” She joked. 

 

Wooyoung scoffed and quickly got on his knees. “I said take that back!” He growled playfully. Areum shook her head again and squealed when Wooyoung began tickling her sides. She pleaded for mercy. Her eyes had turned into crescents due to her laughing. Wooyoung admired her from above and his hands slowed down. Her giggles rang in his ears and he felt his heart race as his eyes swept over her face. He planted his palms on either side of Areum’s head and he gazed down at her. Areum’s laughter came to a stop and she looked up at Wooyoung. He was looking down at her with such intensity that it made her nervous, in a good way. He lowered his head and when she didn’t move in the opposite direction he inched closer to her. Their breaths mixed in the middle. Wooyoung’s eyes flickered to her plump lips and he went for it. Areum closed her eyes, waiting for Wooyoung to press his mouth against hers. Before he could though the shrill ringing of a cell phone ruined the mood. 

 

Areum opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. “It’s your phone, Wooyoung.” She said, feeling slightly embarrassed. 

 

“Damn it.” Wooyoung cursed and angrily reached into his pocket. He pulled out his phone and answered the call. “What do you want?!” 

 

Areum covered in order to stifle her giggles. She thought he looked cute all fired up. He ran a hand through his hair and ended the call after muttering a few more curse words. “Everything okay?” She asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. 

 

Wooyoung looked at Areum and softened. “Yeah, it was just Mingi. He’s having a party tonight while his parents are out of town.” 

 

“We should go.” Areum casually said, hugging her knees to her body. 

 

Surprised, Wooyoung raised an eyebrow. “Really?” 

 

Areum shrugged her shoulders. “Why not? It is Saturday night.” She repeated his words from earlier. 

 

“Okay. We’ll go.” Wooyoung agreed. He waited in her living room while she changed clothes. He sent a text message to his group chat with San, Yeosang and Mingi. He heard a door close and looked up. Areum was walking towards him and she looked good. She had switched her leggings with light colored jeans and her sweater for a black mock-neck top that ended right at her belly button. The curve of her waist and exposed skin made his breath hitch. “Put on a sweater.” He mumbled. 

 

Areum’s facial expression turned into one of confusion at his behavior. “I have a jacket right here, dad.” She held out her arm. 

 

Wooyoung nodded in approval and cleared his throat. His phone buzzed with a new message. “You ready to go?” Areum nodded and headed to the front door. He followed after her and waited for her to lock the door. Areum spun around and bumped into Wooyoung’s chest. “You look good. Really good.” He murmured, his eyes flickering to her abdomen for a brief second. 

 

“I’m changing.” Areum turned to go but was stopped by Wooyoung grabbing hold of her hand. 

 

She looked up and met his eyes. “I’ll stop. I promise to be good.” He said and she could tell he really meant it. 

 

Areum gave in. “Okay.” She allowed him to lead her down the sidewalk towards the bus stop. 

 

Wooyoung abruptly stopped walking, causing Areum to look up at him with a confused look. She blinked her eyes up at him, waiting for him to say something. He gently reached out and cupped her chin. “You look pretty today.” He said without breaking eye contact with her. “I mean, you always look pretty.” He added. 

 

Areum’s cheeks reddened. She suddenly felt shy with the urge to hide. “Thanks.” She whispered and kicked the pebbles at her feet. 

 

“Come on.” Wooyoung wrapped his arm around her shoulder and laughed at her endearing reaction. 

 

They arrived at Mingi’s house and the party was in full swing. Music blasted through the speakers and most of their entire senior class was in attendance. Wooyoung saw San in the kitchen with Yeosang and went up to them. He greeted them with their signature handshake and a bump of the shoulder. They raised their drinks, acknowledging Areum. She waved back with a smile. “Where’s Mingi?” Wooyoung asked. 

 

“Somewhere playing a good host.” Yeosang shrugged casually. 

 

Mingi entered the kitchen and brightened. “You guys made it!” He said in a loud voice and raised his arms up in the air. He grabbed two cups and poured some liquid into them. He handed one to Areum and one to Wooyoung. “Have a drink!” 

 

“What is it?” Wooyoung asked, bringing the cup up to his nose to take a whiff. 

 

“I have no idea! There’s a ton of alcohol in it though. I’ve had like five though and I feel fine. ” Mingi laughed and hiccuped before leaving the kitchen. 

 

Wooyoung took a cautious sip and made a face of disgust. “ing hell.” He shook his head and took the red cup away from Areum. San and Yeosang laughed. 

 

“Here.” San handed Wooyoung a beer and gave Areum a can of orange soda. 

 

“I want a beer too.” Areum pouted. The three of them all whipped their heads in her direction and raised their eyebrows in surprise. “I’m just kidding.” She laughed and opened her drink. 

 

The four of them headed to the backyard. There were groups of people scattered about playing drinking games or just socializing. Many people greeted Wooyoung, San and Yeosang as they walked by. They spotted Mingi playing beer pong with a few other classmates and they could easily tell that he was quite tipsy. Areum laughed at Mingi’s joke and stood off to the side to watch them play. 

 

“Yo, let’s play! Yeosang, come be on my team!” Mingi waved him over. 

 

San and Wooyoung were on the same team. They stood at the opposite end of the table and arranged the cups into a triangle. They tossed a coin to see who would go first and San started the game. He made the plastic ball into one of the cups and Wooyoung gave him a high five. It was Yeosang’s turn and he bounced the ball off the table, it landed in the very first cup and he pumped his fist. 

 

“My turn!” Mingi shouted. He grabbed the ping pong ball and stood up straight. He closed one eye and practiced his throw. The other three guys complained that he was taking forever. He put his hands out in defense. “Alright, alright. Areum, will you do me the honors?” Mingi held the ball out in his palm. 

 

Areum hopped off the counter she was sitting on and came up to Mingi. Not knowing what he wanted she just put her hand over the ball and Mingi placed his other hand over hers. He nodded his head and thanked her. Areum chuckled at Mingi’s weird behavior and watched him throw the ball. It landed inside one of the cups on the opposite end and got excited. “Hell yeah! Areum is my good luck charm. I call dibs.” Mingi threw an arm around her and roughly tugged her to his side. 

 

“Hey! Get your filthy hands off of her!” Wooyoung strode over and pried Mingi off her. “She’s a girl, Mingi. Don’t roughhouse with her.” He protectively hovered over Areum and looked down at her. He curled a tendril of her hair behind her left ear. 

 

Areum smiled, touched. “I’m fine.” She thought it was cute how protective Wooyoung was of her. 

 

The game continued and ended with Wooyoung and San winning. Yeosang bickered with Mingi about their loss and blamed it on Mingi’s drunken state. A senior in Mingi’s homeroom invited them to play Truth or Dare. They were all seated in a circle and they took turns giving each other wild dares or tough questions. It was Mingi’s turn and he spun the glass bottle on the table. It slowed down and came to a stop in front of Areum. “Truth or dare?” 

 

“Dare.” Areum said. 

 

Mingi put his hands together in front of him and looked at her. “I dare you to...strip your clothes off and jump in the pool.” He pointed to the glowing water behind them. Everyone hooted and hollered. 

 

“This motherfu-” Wooyoung shot out of his seat, lunging for Mingi but was pulled back. Areum caught Wooyoung’s jacket in time, saving Mingi from an early death. She told him to take it easy and made him sit back down. “Give her an appropriate dare, you fool!” He chucked a basketball at Mingi. 

 

Mingi caught the ball and laughed. “Okay, jeez! Tough crowd.  Areum, I dare you to kiss Wooyoung.” 

 

“Oooooh!” 

 

Areum’s eyes rounded and she grew a bit panicky. She and Wooyoung hadn’t even shared their first kiss in private and she surely didn’t want it to be in front of so many people. She looked around at everyone. They were waiting for her to either decline the dare or actually do it. Not wanting to be lame, Areum turned her head to look down at Wooyoung. A part of him really wanted her to plant a kiss on him but he knew she wasn’t ready, especially in front of their classmates. She saw him slightly shake his head, letting her know she didn’t have to go through with the dare. Areum squared her shoulders and grabbed Wooyoung’s face. She tilted his head back and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Wooyoung felt his heartbeat quicken and a smile played on his lips. 

 

“Oh come on! I meant on the lips!” Mingi complained. 

 

Yeosang hit him upside the head. “Nobody wants to see them shove their tongues down each other’s throat.” 

 

Mingi gave Yeosang a look and scoffed. “Speak for yourself.” He said, causing everyone to erupt into laughter. 

 

Wooyoung glanced up at Areum who was sitting on the arm of the couch and tried to hide his wide grin. She avoided his eyes and looked around. Wooyoung chuckled to himself and hooked his pinky finger with hers. Areum blushed and bit her bottom lip. For the next hour or so they kept playing the game and at one point Mingi had dared Wooyoung to chug an entire beer in ten seconds. They shared hearty laughs and funny moments too. 

 

Areum excused herself to use the restroom. She headed to the one Mingi told her use upstairs. She washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. She fixed her hair and smiled when she liked how it looked. Areum turned the lights off and opened the door. She made her way downstairs and someone called her name. She paused and looked back. Soomin made her way to Areum and stopped at the step above her. She bent to Areum’s ear and whispered a secret. Areum’s heart sank and she gripped the railing. She looked up at Soomin, waiting for her to cackle and say that she was only messing with her. But she didn’t. 

 

“It’s up to you if you don’t believe me. I heard it through the grapevine and I’m just passing along the message.” Soomin said and pretended to be interested in her manicured nails. 

 

Areum’s breath caught in and her hands tightened into fists at her sides. She really hoped that the rumor was not true. She hastily made her way to the backyard and could hear Wooyoung’s laugh as she neared them. Wooyoung saw Areum approaching them and noticed Soomin close behind her. His eyebrows furrowed and he hoped Soomin hadn’t messed with Areum while they were inside the house. Areum met eyes with Soomin and she nodded her head in the direction of Wooyoung as if saying ‘ask him yourself.’ 

 

Areum came to a stop near Wooyoung but didn’t sit down. He grabbed Areum’s wrist, catching her attention. “Did something happen with Soomin?” He asked, worried. 

 

“No. Everything is fine.” Areum said curtly. Wooyoung was taken aback by the change in her tone of voice and made a mental note to make sure to check in with her later. 

 

San slid the glass bottle over to Areum. “Your turn.” 

 

Areum stepped up to the table and gave the empty bottle a spin. To her luck, it slowed down to a stop in front of Wooyoung. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. “Truth or dare?” She didn’t take her eyes off the table as she waited for his response. 

 

“Uhm, truth?” He said, unsure where things were suddenly going. 

 

She swallowed the lump in and leaned her clammy hands on the table in front of her. Areum took in a breath and turned to meet his stare. “Were you dared into asking me out?” 

 

Wooyoung froze and his blood ran cold. Everyone became quiet. San cursed. Wooyoung opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Areum’s heart broke. Wooyoung’s reaction gave her the answer. Areum spun on her heel and ran inside. “Areum, wait!” Wooyoung shot up from the couch and pursued her. He caught up to her outside the front door. 

 

“Don’t touch me!” Areum cried out when she felt a hand grip her wrist. Tears brimmed her eyes but she refused to let them fall. 

 

Wooyoung felt his heart shatter when he saw her tears. “Please let me explain.” He begged. 

 

“Was I part of a bet?” She asked again. 

 

“Yes.” Wooyoung lowered his head in shame. “But only at first! I have real feelings for you, Areum. I like you a lot.” 

 

Areum stepped back and shook her head. “Don’t ever talk to me again.” She turned her back to him and ran off. 

 

Wooyoung wanted to go after her but didn’t have the courage. Distressed, he ran his hands through his hair and exhaled a shaky breath. “.” How had he managed to mess things up so badly? 

______

Sunday morning Areum rolled around in her bed until her eyes fluttered open. A ray of sun peeked through her curtains and painted her face golden. She grabbed her phone to check the time and saw what date it was. It was White Day. She remembered the plans she had made with Wooyoung for this day and draped her arm over her eyes. She sniffled as tears left her eyes. Her cell phone vibrated with an incoming call. Areum sat up and turned her phone over. She saw Wooyoung’s picture on the screen and declined the call. He called again and Areum’s bottom lip quivered. She let the call go to voicemail and laid down on her side, pulling the covers over her. She watched as her phone lit up with each of his calls. Her eyes closed and without realizing it, she had fallen asleep. 

 

When Areum woke up again it was well past noon. She to her back and stared up at the ceiling. After a few minutes, she pushed the blankets off and climbed out of her bed. She grabbed a change of clothes and went into her bathroom. Areum took a warm shower to comfort her, brushed her teeth and combed her hair. She blankly stared at herself in the mirror and let out a sigh as her mind wandered to Wooyoung. Areum left the bathroom and came back to her room. She picked her phone up off her dresser and it lit up. 

 

She had seven missed calls, one voicemail and two unread messages. All were from Wooyoung. She listened to the voicemail first and sobbed at the sound of his voice. He sounded like he’d been crying as he begged for her to call him back and allow him to explain. Tears blurred her vision as she opened the text messages. 

 

Please call me back. 

 

I’m outside your house. Please come out, Areum. I’ll wait for you. 

 

Areum really wanted to message him back but withheld from doing so. She didn’t even want to risk leaving her room. Areum shut her phone off and crawled back into her bed. For the next few hours she focused on her unfinished homework. 

 

Ugh, my neck feels tight. Areum straightened her back and stretched her arms above her head. She tossed her pencil aside and noticed that the sun was beginning to set. She looked at her bedside table and read the time. On cue, her stomach growled. She realized she hadn’t eaten anything all day and made her way to the kitchen. After rejecting all of the options in the fridge, she decided to call for pizza. Thirty minutes later the doorbell rang. She walked over to the door, opened it and paid the delivery guy. 

 

“Somebody left that on your porch.” He pointed to a vase of beautiful red roses. 

 

Areum picked up the flowers and brown gift bag. She held the flowers up to her nose and inhaled the wonderful scent. A smile curled her lips upwards. She saw her name written on a small white envelope and opened it. 

 

Happy White Day, beautiful. Love, Wooyoung 

 

Areum took in a deep breath. She glanced at the gift bag and reached into it. She pulled out a black box with a silver bow neatly wrapped around it. She untied the ribbon and lifted the top. A gold bracelet with little red roses wrapped around it shined before her. She carefully took it out of the box and cradled it in her hands. “Oh, Wooyoung.” Areum whispered as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. 

______

It was Monday morning. 

 

Areum stood at the front of the school and dreaded entering. She heaved a sigh and grasped the straps of her backpack. She lifted her chin upwards and made her way to her locker. Areum grabbed the books she needed and slammed the door shut. She entered her classroom and sat at her desk. The first and second bell rang. San and Wooyoung were nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Areum sat back in her seat. The rest of the morning dragged on at a snail's pace. 

 

Lunch had finally come. Areum finished her food and headed towards the library. “Areum!” She froze and didn’t dare turn around. She knew exactly who had called her name and she was definitely not ready to face him. 

 

“Areum, please.” Wooyoung said softly with a strain. 

 

She stayed frozen to her spot and closed her eyes. “I thought I told you to not talk to me.” Areum tried her best to sound angry but the wavering of her voice betrayed her. 

 

“I’m in love with you, Areum!” Wooyoung blurted out. The cafeteria went silent at his sudden outburst. Areum slowly turned around to face him. She noticed the dark circles around his eyes and his slightly disheveled hair. “It all started with a dumb dare that I shouldn’t even have taken seriously. But the more I got to know you the more I fell for you and now I can’t get you out of my head. You’re all I think about.” 

 

Areum felt herself soften at his words. Her eyes misted over with tears and she walked up to him. She looked up at him and pushed him by the shoulders. “I hate you.” She whispered. 

 

Wooyoung caught her wrists before she could push him again. He brushed his lips over her knuckles and held them to his chest. He stepped closer to Areum, closing the gap between them and pressed his forehead against hers. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, baby. I swear I didn’t mean to. Please forgive me. I’ll apologize until I run out of breath.” He murmured numerous apologies. 

 

Areum sniffled and moved her gaze onto Wooyoung’s mouth. She could feel his breath against her lips. Her heart hummed in her rib cage and she melted at the sight of him so up close. His eyes were tightly shut and his eyebrows furrowed in the center. She got on her tippy-toes and gently pressed her lips against his. 

 

Wooyoung’s eyes flew open and he stared down at her in surprise. “Do you forgive me?” He asked, hopeful. Areum chewed on her lower lip with a pause before she gave a small nod. Wooyoung felt elated and his heart raced dangerously in his chest. He delicately cupped her face and captured in a proper kiss. The students erupted into cheers and applause. 

 

“Jung Wooyoung! Kim Areum! No public displays of affection on school grounds!” The principal shouted with his hands on his hips. 

 

The couple broke the kiss and Areum hid behind Wooyoung’s lean figure. Wooyoung saw the principal turning around and pulled Areum in front of him. Now that he had a taste of her lips, he wanted to keep kissing her. He lowered his face to hers and connected his lips to hers. The way they perfectly molded together sent him over the moon. 

 

“Wooyoung, you can kiss your girlfriend after school off campus!” The principal bellowed. 

 

Areum pushed away from Wooyoung and glanced in the direction of the principal. She felt a bit of embarrassment and scrunched up her nose. “Who’s girlfriend did he say I was?” She joked and looked up at Wooyoung. 

 

Wooyoung chuckled. “Mine.” A bright smile up his face as he the back of her head lovingly. 

 

She felt butterflies flutter in her tummy at his simple, yet meaningful, response. Wooyoung s his arms around her waist and brought her close to him. “Wooyoung, no. We’re going to get in trouble!” She squealed and tried to pry herself out of his arms. 

“I don’t care.” Wooyoung smirked and peppered her face with kisses. Areum burst into giggles and wriggled against him. Wooyoung’s eyes traveled over every inch of Areum’s face and he felt his heart swell up with happiness. He gave her lips one last peck and pulled her into a warm embrace. I’ve fallen hard for you, Kim Areum.