Jay didn't seem to care. Why was I not surprised? While Jessica kept sending him obvious glances, flipping her hair and/or playing with it, batting her eyelashes, and even smiling at him, Jay just remained bored as always as the Barbie Princess convulsed in her corner.

“Barbie number one is in need of a crash cart over there,” Minji mumbled as she slid into the bench next to us in our usual cafeteria table. She immediately crossed her arms on the table and dipped her head to sleep.

“Oi, Minji-ah, lunch first before sleep,” Seulong said, suddenly materializing from behind Minji and knocking her on the head.

I turned towards Taec, he was in a foul mood since the day after the party, and it seemed as if it was still the same today. “Taec, are you okay?” I asked. It was futile sensing his I-don't-want-to-talk mood, but it was worth a try anyway. Taec had always been there for me, and now it was my turn to be there for him.

Or...maybe I should learn to read the atmosphere?

I felt a tap to my foot and I glance up, not sure where it came from, I look at Junho who sat across me, but he was busy with his book, Minji was asleep, Taec was unresponsive...which only meant one thing. I cast a side-ways glance at Jay, and yes. It was him.

He sent me a curious glare, tilting his head slightly towards Taec. Was it bad I knew exactly what he meant? I replied with a slight shrug, and he answered to this with a raise of an eyebrow. What happened? he asked. What's wrong with Taec?

Well. It looks like I don't have a real way out of this. I was curious. Why was the disinterested Bad B-boy suddenly interested in Taec? Of what benefit to him was knowing why Taec was such in a bad mood?

Sometimes I hate my curiosity.

It's exactly the reason why I found myself covertly texting Jay in the middle of Music class after lunch. Imagine finding a number scribbled on your desk as soon as you get back. A message that says, tell me does not help either. Why I knew it was him, don't even ask. Please. I implore you.

Why I even messaged him in the first place, I didn't know either. I plead temporary insanity induced by one Jay Park.

Taec's a little off because the Barbies were being mean to him when he tried to talk to Ms. Perfection at Min and Fei's party.

I ignored the expletives in his reply and focused on the words that actually meant things...Why does he even like her? She's not all that. Bet I can find him a girlfriend.

Please don't.

Please. Jay, what are you even thinking-and-or-planning? Do you even have your head on straight? This had chaos written all over it, and I can't let that happen. I faced him directly, determined to send him an evil glare a phone can't get across. Yah Park Jaebeom, look here!

And he did, and I'm thinking maybe it wasn't such a good idea. As soon as he felt I was looking at him, he took his time turning towards me, and when his face was in full view, he cocked his head to the side a little bit, and winked at me. He actually had the nerve to wink at me! He must have realized how much that action affected me because right now I wanted to rip off that smug smirk on his face. I wanted to tear off his lips with my bare hands, how dare he...

My phone vibrated in my hands, and I dreaded reading the new message that just arrived.

Or maybe you need a boyfriend yourself.

I wanted to hurl my phone at him, but it vibrated again before I could even attempt to.

No texting in my class.

Ian.

I was so dead. My eyes flew up to meet his as he sat behind his table. We were supposed to be deciding on a class project, but...you can see where this has brought us. Lowering my head, I sent a sideways glare at an incredibly smug Jay Park relaxing on his chair. This was preposterous, and completely unfair on my part.

That, and I cannot believe I got caught. I was definitely never going to hear the end of this tonight- or not. My parents were home tonight, or at least one of them, I think, not sure which one, which meant Ian was staying over at his place....Well, well, well, looks like things are looking up quite a bit. Until I heard Ian call my name.

“Meet me in my office after class today,” he said. Well, there's never an appropriate answer for that. Unfortunately.

There were three issues that I needed to get straightened out today. One, Jay and Jessica. Two, Jay and Taec. And Three, Ian. None of which were getting any elucidated as the day went on. It didn't help that I had to write two thousand words with Ms. Amihan today. She had asked us to work on a synopsis on a working plot we would like to further develop. Just randomly write down ideas that we could formulate into something we were willing to write in the future. She talked about how a well-developed plot, or at least a well-inspired plot inevitably writes itself. I still did not understand what she meant.

It's only May and I'm already at a loss for understanding.

“Mind explaining yourself?” Ian asked, standing up from his chair and putting on the screen on the little viewing window on his door. We were in his office, and well...let's just say the only other times I was here, it did not involve being reprimanded for any misdeeds in class.

I stared at the records and books he had stacked in the room. How exactly was I supposed to explain myself? Did Ian know it was Jay I had been texting? What if he knew?! I avoided the firm gaze I knew Ian was giving me right now. I had no answers to give him, whatever sliver of an excuse I managed to pull out of my brain seemed more and more ridiculous the more I rehearsed it in my head.

“Your choice. Tell me what happened, hand me your phone, or I will take it from you,” he said it to be threatening, but why was it very...teasing.

Because I was caught off guard, my eyes flew to his, and it still surprised me that he was actually smiling. He didn't appear to be disappointed or angry at all, instead, he was amused. “What,” I asked.

“Was it Jay?”

“Ian-” I caught myself stopping and scanning the perimeter, I really can't be heard calling my homeroom adviser by his first name. “Eh, it was...but it was about Taec, and he-”

I was cut off by the palm of his hand. “Forget it. I can't drive you to your house today, so I'll see you tomorrow okay? Call me when you get home.”

I nodded at him, taking that as my cue to leave. I open the door gingerly, lingering by the doorway for a moment before closing it behind me and heading back to the library. Something was bothering me immensely. I knew Ian, and I could tell he had a lot more that he wanted to say. Why he didn't just tell me, I didn't really know, and I wanted to understand.

I found Jay leaning against the wall a few rooms down Ian's office. Was he waiting for me?

“Did you get into a lot of trouble?” he asked, his voice strangely soft...almost...genuinely concerned.

I shook my head. “Just a warning.”

What exactly was Jay Park doing here? I refused to simply accept the fact that he somehow felt responsible for this. Besides, his presence was making this very complicated for my brain to process. Now was not a good time at all for me to deal with him.

“Look Jay, I'm not-”

“Will you help with my Korean?”

That was it? Was that another ulterior motive? I shook my head and walked past him. I had to do my homework with Taec today, and Taec was being utterly mercurial, Minji and Junho didn't seem to care, and Jay was this selfish bastard who I can't really care about at the moment.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Shut up Jay. Oh great. Guess who came walking down the corridors. Jessica and her team of plastic Barbies sashayed over to, well, Jay, and I quickened my pace not really wanting to hear any of their conversations...not even their voices. Especially not their voices. I don't care if Jessica and Tiffany were Voice majors, I did not want to hear them sing OR talk.

But I never really get what I want. Not really.

“Hey Jay, want to come over tonight?”

Seriously Jessica? Seriously? Someone please tear my ears off now, please, before Ice Princess has them freezing over and falling out on their own. Someone make my eardrums explode. I cannot hear another word of this...ugh.

“Or maybe some dinner?”

Please make the nails-on-the-chalkboardness stop.

“I'm kinda busy.” I heard Jay reply. I was already rounding the corner and beginning to not care anymore when I heard footsteps behind me and a warm hand on my elbow.

I yank my arm away but before I could tell Jay off, (how I knew it was him I don't know, I just do, okay?) he had already spoken first.

“Yo, what's wrong with you? Are you sure everything's okay?”

“Yes,” I hissed. “Just...” instead of an actual word, a frustrated groan escaped my lips, and I stomped away from him.

“You're acting like my ex-girlfriend. If you're mad at me give me a fist to the face, scream at me, not...this.”

Excuse me?! How dare Park Jaebeom accuse me of acting like a...a disgruntled girlfriend, his no less! I spun on my heel to face him and give him that fist to his face like he wanted, but why Jay. Why are you looking so smug like that?!

“What is your problem?!” I lunged at him, not really knowing what I was going to do once I got a hold of him, but as soon as I propelled myself forward, I felt an arm around my waist and another on my arm restraining me.

“Calm down.”

It was Junho. And he was speaking into my ear.

“What did you do this time Jay?” he asked, his voice a lot deeper and commanding than I was used to hearing.

“Hey, I didn't do anything!” Jay replied, raising his hands in mock surrender.

I could tell Junho didn't believe him, how I knew this without looking at Junho? Well, his grip around me tightened somewhat, and while I was aware of how this looked from afar...it wasn't such a bad place to be...

Unfortunately, Junho noticed this as well and let me go. “Are you okay? What did he do?”

I shot Jay a vindictive glare, and he gulped visibly sensing my unvoiced threat. “Nothing. Just not a good day for me.”

Jay sighed in relief and jogged towards us as Junho pulled me away by the sleeve of my school blazer. Did Junho come looking for me too? Wait, too?

“Junho, what are you doing here?” I asked.

“Looking for you,” he replied flatly.

Me?

“Obviously Minji can't talk to Taec, and Seulong has been trying for an hour now. You're the last hope.”

Oh...Taec. I felt a lump form on my throat and sink all the way down to my stomach. Right. Junho came looking for me because of Taec.

“What happened?” Jay asked.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Junho replied sharply.

“Hey, I'm just as concerned.”

Wait...what? What did Jay just say?

I reached out for the back of Junho's white dress-shirt and tugged at him to make him stop or catch his attention at least. He turned his head slightly towards me, still pulling me towards the library where we would often stay after classes. “What happened?” I asked.

“She was in the library too, and it's the same old story with her friends.”

Oh. Her. “Where is he?”

Junho paused for a moment- it was going to be an awkward answer for sure. “Well, he's in the boy's room, but you need to talk to him.”

Fantastic.