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Next morning,

 

Zelo hung his head low and sighed for the nth time. His hair was a total mess. Depression was evident in his face. His eyes were puffy because he stayed up awake all night. He probably couldn’t sleep after what happened. *I lost to Chanyeol hyung.* He thought as he remembered what happened last night.

 

FLASHBACK

 

Chanyeol smiled as he walked over to Zelo after winning the game. The basketball was in his left hand and he offered his right hand to Zelo for a handshake.

 

Zelo wiped away his sweat before finally shaking his hand. They placed a rule that if anyone of them scores the first five, he’ll be the winner. And Chanyeol won. Zelo couldn’t argue because everything was fair and square. And also, he made a promise. And as a man, he should keep it.

 

“So this means I won right?” Chanyeol asked as he withdrew his hand from Zelo’s.

 

Zelo sighed. “Sadly, yes.” He answered with a pout.

 

Chanyeol happily smiled and ruffled his hair like he always does. “Thank you.”

 

Zelo gave me a confused look. “Why are you still kind to me? Shouldn’t we be rivals?” He asked him.

 

“You’re my brother. Why would we be rivals?” Chanyeol asked him.

 

Zelo stared at him. “But we both like Jinhee right?”

 

“If you lost this game and if we kept on fighting, and most importantly, IF you will lose Jinhee, wouldn’t you be very sad? It’s better to lose something than everything right? So let’s not fight.” Chanyeol told him. “And don’t worry that applies to me too. Even if I won this game and IF Jinhee chose me, but if I lost my brother, I wouldn’t be happy.”

 

Zelo just nodded. “That’s right.”

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

*But still, I lost. And now I couldn’t keep calm because he’s going to confess to Jinhee.* Zelo thought as he placed his head on his table. *I should’ve said no to the basketball game.*

 

Jonghyun poked his head and made Zelo face him. “Are you going to die huh?”

 

Zelo just ignored him. He’s not in the mood for jokes right now.

 

Sungjae heard the word ‘die’ and immediately went to them. “He’s going to die? Really?” He asked with excitement.

 

Zelo turned to him with a glare. Then he strangled Sungjae. “Yes I’m going to die now. But I’ll kill you first!”

 

“Ahhhh! Jonghyun do something! He’ll kill me for real!” Sungjae exclaimed as he held Jonghyun’s arm, begging for help.

 

Jonghyun ignored them and just opened his book. “Why am I stuck with these idiots?” he mumbled as he shook his head.

 

---

 

At Jinhee’s classroom,

 

Jinhee didn’t do anything other than to stare at her phone. She was waiting for Zelo to reply to her messages. Since yesterday, he haven’t talked to her yet. Jinhee sends him numerous texts but he hasn’t replied to her yet. Not even once. And he’s also refusing to answer her calls. *Is he still mad?* Jinhee thought as she stared on her wallpaper which was Zelo.

 

*Maybe he’s still mad at me.* She thought as she jutted her lower lip out.

 

Jinhee slipped her phone inside her pocket and tried to focus.

 

“Are you okay?” She heard Chanyeol ask.

 

Jinhee lightly nodded with a weak smile.

 

“You sure?” Chanyeol asked worriedly. He had been watching her for some time now and he knew she had a problem.

 

Suddenly, the teacher went inside the room.

 

It was the strict Language teacher who always checks their books. As a part of her daily routine, she starts her class by checking if her students brought their Language books.

 

“Did you bring your books? If you did not, stand up and get out.” She strictly announced as she eyed the students.

 

Everyone became quiet and no one dared to stand up.

 

Chanyeol opened his bag and was about to bring out his book. But then, he felt Jinhee suddenly stand up.

 

“Park Jinhee, you didn’t bring your book?” The teacher asked her.

 

Jinhee shook her head as she avoided the teacher’s gaze.

 

“Get out.” The teacher said as she pointed to the door.

 

And without saying another word, Jinhee walked out of the class like it was nothing to her.

 

“Anyone else who didn’t bring their book?”

 

Without thinking twice, Chanyeol closed his bag and stood up. “I’m sorry Ma’am. I left my book at home.” He lied.

 

“You know my rules. Even if you’re a good student you’re not exempted from it.” The teacher told him.

 

Chanyeol just nodded and walked out of the room.

 

Outside the room, he saw Jinhee leaning on the wall while checking her phone. Chanyeol walked towards her. “Jinhee.” He called her with a smile.

 

Jinhee turned to him. Confusion was evident in her face. “Why are you here?”

 

“I just wanted to join you here that’s why I’m here.” Chanyeol said as he grinned.

 

Jinhee made a face at him. “Like I would believe you.” She mumbled. “Now that I think of it, I should’ve brought some food before going out here. It’s boring.”

 

“Do you want to go to the cafeteria? I’ll go with you if you want.” Chanyeol offered.

 

Jinhee shook her head. “It’s so far. I’m not in the mood for walking right now.” She reasoned out.

 

Chanyeol just smiled as he nodded. “Okay.”

 

Jinhee unlocked her phone to see if there are new messages. But there’s none. Jinhee sighed. *Why can’t he send me a single text?! What’s so hard about tying or sending me a single smiley or even dot?* She thought as she frowned.

 

“Is it about Zelo?”

 

Jinhee nodded. “He’s mad at me because I’m stupid.”

 

“Is it because of me?” Chanyeol guessed.

 

“Yes. But I didn’t really know that the two of you or siblings. And he never told me anything about it so I’m just so curious about it. And I forgot the fact that he was adopted. In the end, he was hurt. That’s what happened.” Jinhee explained.

 

“No matter what you should never compare him with me.” 

 

“But I was just---“

 

“I think he was hurt because you said I’m more handsome than him.” Chanyeol concluded.

 

“I just agreed with Appa. That’s just it.” Jinhee reasoned out.

 

“So that means I’m really that good looking?” Chanyeol asked her with a big grin.

 

Jinhee made a face at him. “Tch. If you don’t have anything else to say just go inside.” She mumbled.

 

“I have something to say.” Chanyeol said.

 

“Since you listened to me, I’ll listen to you too. What is it?” Jinhee asked him.

 

“Do you…uh ..remember the girl that I’m talking about?” Chanyeol asked her as he felt his heart started to race. He was nervous.

 

Jinhee nodded happily. “Yes. Why? Did you tell her already?”

 

“I plan to tell her.” Chanyeol answered. “Today.”

 

Jinhee’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really? Can I tag along? I want to see how she looks like!”

 

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile. He felt the nervousness in his heart lessened for a bit.  “Of course you can. If you’re not there, I won’t be able to tell her.”

 

“I’m that important? Why do you need someone to cheer you on? Should I bring pompoms?” Jinhee joked.

 

“No need. You already----“

 

“What class is she from?” Jinhee cut him off.

 

Chanyeol eyed her. “She’s from our class.”

 

Jinhee’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really? Who is it? Minji? Hyojin? Eunjoo?” She asked him.

 

Chanyeol turned to her. “It’s Park Jinhee.” He told her with sincerity.

 

Jinhee frowned at him. “I won’t fall for your tricks again. I learned my lesson when we were at the field trip and you kept on pranking me.” Jinhee mumbled.

 

“It’s really you!” Chanyeol insisted. When he’s serious that’s when Jinhee’s not believing him. Great. just great.

 

“Just who is it?” She asked.

 

“It’s you! I love you!” He told her.

 

Jinhee eyed him. “Are you serious?” She just couldn’’t believe anything that’s coming out from Chanyeol’s mouth that easily. This guys is fond of his pranks.

 

“I’m serious. It’s really you. You’re the girl that I’ve been talking about.” Chanyeol explained.

 

Jinhee frowned. “I’m Zelo’s girlfriend. Are you sure it’s me? Isn’t it just someone who has the same name as me?” She asked.

 

*Why is she so stubborn?* Chanyeol sighed and finally thought of something. He took out Jinhee’s picture from his pocket and gave it to her.

 

Jinhee looked at it. “Is this me?” She asked him.

 

“It’s you. I accidentally took that picture when a kid bumped to me. That’s when I first met you. And that afternoon, while I was walking around Seoul, I saw you again. And you gave me a boxed lunch. Do you remember that?” Chanyeol asked her.

 

Jinhee thought about it. And finally she remembered. Those were the times wherein Zelo was mad at her. And he refused to accept the boxed lunch that she really worked hard for. So that was why Jinhee was so mad and just gave it out to a random guy. “That was you?” Jinhee asked him.

 

Chanyeol nodded. “That was the second time I met you. The third time was.. when I brought you to the hospital when I saw you unconscious on the road.” Chanyeol said.

 

“That’s also you?!” Jinhee asked in disbelief.

 

“Yes. And then I’ve looking for you but I couldn’t find you everywhere. I was already losing hope but you suddenly showed up while I was introducing myself during the first day of classes. And if you’re thinking why I still like you even though you’re my brother’s girlfriend, I didn’t really know that we liked the same girl and you never told me you had a boyfriend. I tried to avoid you remember? But what can I do when you’re the one telling me not to give up right? So here it is. I’m still not going to give up until tomorrow.”

 

Jinhee’s brows pinched together in confusion. “Tomorrow?”

 

“I already talked to Junhong about it. He knew that I like you and we agreed on one thing. Tomorrow, you’ll have to meet one of us at exactly 3:00. I’ll be waiting at the Park and Zelo will be waiting at the Bus Stop.”

 

“What? But that’s far from my house.” Jinhee whined.

 

“That’s the point. So you’ll have to go to the person that you’ll be picking. It’s either me or him.” Chanyeol explained. “If you go to me, then we’ll start dating. And if you go to him, I promise that I won’t get in the way and let the two of you be happy.

 

Jinhee shook her head. “I don’t think this----“

 

“I know I’m being very self-centered about this but who knows right? You might just go to me instead of him. I just can’t help but hope. But it’s not like I’m telling you to go to me. I want you to think about this carefully.” Chanyeol said as he stared at her eyes and spoke. “And I don’t know if you feel it but, I really like you. Really. I really like you. Words are not enough for me to express it but I really do. I hope you believe me.” Chanyeol shyly mumbled as his cheeks turned pink.

 

“I have something to---“

 

“If you have something to say, tell me afterwards. Just think about what I told you. And we’ll be waiting for you tomorrow. I’ll go now. Think about it okay?” Chanyeol asked as he walked away.

 

Jinhee eyed him. *After making me so confused he’ll just walk away like nothing happened?* Jinhee thought in disbelief.

 

Suddenly Chanyeol looked back to her and made a heart sign. “I.. love you okay?” He shyly told her before running away in embarrassment.

 

Jinhee couldn’t help but smile. She never thought that Chanyeol would do that.

 

“Now I really need to think about this.” Jinhee mumbled problematically as she sighed.

 

 

 

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