The next day it felt like everyone was watching me as I walked through the courtyard.

*You’re being paranoid Myeongji; no one here knows anything about you getting married; let alone that you exist. Just get to your class…* I was running late as it was. If I had known it would take him two hours to get ready I would’ve gotten up earlier. In the back of my mind I began to wonder whether he always took so long or if he just enjoyed wasting my time. As we walked to the bus stop he had talked almost constantly. After I didn’t respond, he finally fell silent. We parted ways as we approached the school gates.

My mind continued to wander as I took my usual seat next to my best friend, Daye. She and I had been friends since middle school. She had always been there for me when I needed her.

“Hey, you okay there? Did something happen yesterday?” Daye turned to me with a concerned look on her face.

“Wh-Why do you ask?!” I blurted, unconsciously clutching at the ring hanging from its chain; hidden just under my uniform.

*How did she find out? Did she read my mind?* We had always been close, but this was scary.

“It’s just that I tried to call you yesterday and you didn’t answer. I was a little worried… You always answer. And then you come in today with that look on your face like someone just spit in your morning cereal…,” she only seemed to grow more concerned.

“Oh…,” that scared me witless, “everything is fine. I was just busy yesterday. Sorry, I should’ve called you back.” I felt bad about not telling Daye right away about the marriage, but I had already decided to wait for the right time to tell her. The whole situation had come out of nowhere, and I still didn’t believe it myself.

“You sure you’re okay…?” I nodded quickly. She was about to say something else when she was cut off by a collection of excited high pitched screams coming from the hallway.

*Well, good morning to you too…* Daye looked as though she felt much the same way. Half a second later Lee Byunghun waltzed through the doorway. Of course.

*No. He didn’t….* He smiled as he spotted me*He changed classes What was with this guy?*

“You didn’t save me a seat? Ouch,” Byunghun said, clutching at his apparently broken heart.

“Where you expecting me to…?” my tone was indifferent, completely opposite of what was going on in my mind as I noticed the twinge of gold on his left hand. Daye watched us with a confused expression.

*He’s actually wearing the ring?!? Okay, Okay… Just pretend like you don’t see it. No one else will notice it. Probably.*

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” he asked as he noticed Daye staring him down from behind me.

“This is Lee Byunghun, he’s a bit of a pain,” I introduced, little to his amusement. He stood there for a moment before turning to the scrawny looking boy with brownish hair sitting in the desk next to mine.

“Why don’t you go sit somewhere else? I’d like to sit here,” my jaw dropped as the boy scrambled out of his desk and moved across the room. The poor guy looked as though he had seen a ghost. No doubt, he had heard a few of those rumors about Byunghun. There were a few that said he was in some kind of gang. Which I seriously doubted.

“Did he just do that?” I turned to Daye who shared my shocked expression.

“I- I think he might have,” she barely managed to say.

“How else was I supposed to get my seat?” he said as if he had no other choice.

“You could’ve tried asking instead of just telling him to move like that,” I threw back in indignation.

“I did ask. I just added the last part to make sure he knew not to come back,” he shrugged with an unreadable look on his face. I just sighed and faced forward as the teacher entered the room. From the corner of my eye, I could see Byunghun was still looking at me. I wish he would stop. It was a bit unnerving.

* Ugh, this guy is so irritating… Might as well take notes. That’ll help keep my mind off of him* I pulled out my notebook and began the endless scrawl. When I took notes it was like I was in my own little world. Every had to be perfect, every word perfectly shaped. My flow was broken by the flop of a folded paper on my desk. I looked up to see a neatly creased note with my name on the front. My curiosity got the best of me as I carefully unwound the page. Honestly, I don’t know what I expected.

“Why aren’t you wearing your ring?” I drew in a heavy sigh as I remembered the jerk sitting next to me. I scratched back an answer quickly. Longing to go back to my life of peace and quiet.

“I am. You just can’t see it.” I tossed the note back as the teacher turned his back to us. Byunghun seemed amused that I was actually playing along. As he read the note his eyebrows drew together. A few minutes later the note plunked back down on my desk.

“I’m being serious.” Did he think I was messing with him? I might be sarcastic but I liked to think that when it came down to it I was a very straight forward person. I wrote back, choosing my words carefully.

“So am I. I’m wearing it on a chain. I’d really rather you do the same. I don’t want everyone asking questions.” I handed it back. It seemed like I got it back in no time.

“You sound like you’re embarrassed of me.” That one almost made me laugh. Since when had he cared about that?

“Not of you. My family doesn’t really want anyone to know about this…Can you just do this one thing. Please, Byunghun.” I waited a moment then placed the paper on his desk.

“I told you yesterday, call me L.Joe. And fine, but then what are we going to tell people? Don’t you think our friends are bound to notice something’s up? Oh, I know! We’ll just tell them that we’re dating.” My jaw set. That was the last thing I wanted, but he was right for once. There was no way Daye wouldn’t notice. And there was no way I could run away from the truth of the matter forever. I was stuck next to him. For better or worse.

“Fine, but please don’t make a big deal about it.” He smiled as he read my response. This was going to be trouble, I could feel it in bones.