'Some jokes are just not funny,' IU said abruptly, suddenly feeling a surge of anger towards Taeyang. 'I don't know whether it's because you are a playboy, but making fun of other people's feelings is certainly not right and it just disgusts me.' She shot at Taeyang, standing up from her seat.

'You know that wasn't what I meant,' Taeyang explained desperately, he did not expect IU to react like that and he quickly grabbed hold of her wrist before she could go on any further, 'Why can't you take my feelings seriously? How come you can't believe that I really like you? Why do you keep underestimating yourself?'

'Because I know that it isn't real, none of it is,' She replied, feeling her voice getting louder by the second, 'It just makes me feel like a fool, because I know I am not good enough for you, and never will be. It just makes no sense that you would like someone like me.'

'Okay,' Taeyang replied wryly, giving in to IU, 'So tell me why you aren't good enough for me. Tell me so that I could at least understand.'

IU shook her wrist violently, trying to escape from Taeyang's grasp. However, he was firm in his grip, and wasn't planning on letting go anytime soon. 'There are a thousand girls who are prettier than me, there are a thousand girls who are cleverer than me, there a thousand girls who are more popular than me, there are a thousand girls who would suit you better, over someone inferior like me.' She shouted, feeling humiliated and embarrassed. She felt stupid to have appeared weak in front of Taeyang, and felt angry that she could not even stop her own tears while constantly choking on them.

Taeyang stood up suddenly and replied, 'I am not good enough for you too. There are also a thousand guys out there who are better than me in so many ways, so why am I the one you like?'

IU looked up surprised, but before she could process how Taeyang knew about her feelings, he pulled her into another embrace, 'Are you really surprised? Or are you only acting surprised? Did you think you could keep your feelings as a secret when I can read you like an open book?' He replied cheekily. A smile found its way to his face, as he thought how it was the second time he was holding IU in his arms, silently wishing that many more chances for him to embrace her would come.

'How did you know?' IU mumbled silently. She was starting to get used to Taeyang's sudden hugs, but her heart still went into a frenzy and the butterflies in her stomach were fluttering like crazy, just like the first time when he hugged her.

'I could read minds,' Taeyang said jokingly, 'There was always a special smile and twinkle in your eyes when you were around me, and the rumours did not help much in covering up your feelings for me.'

'There were rumours? Since when? Does everyone know that I like you? I never even told a single soul before!' IU replied defensively.

'Had I really been so predictable that everyone knew my feelings for Taeyang, when I  wasn't quite sure of them myself? Is this why he confessed to me? Does he think that having a girl like me, developing feelings for him is hilarious? And probably all he wants is to show how much power he has over me, that I would naively accept his confession and return the same feelings for him, when everything is just a lie. He'll probably break up with me, just like the many other girls he had broken the hearts with, boasting to his friends that I was serious of the relationship, while he only treated it as a fling.' IU thought worriedly, what was happening made no sense, and it was confusing her badly. Thinking about it, Taeyang had been the only person who was kind to her from the first day of school. She felt that something was amiss, that there may be a bigger picture behind this sketch that she was made to believe.

Taeyang wrapped his arms around her, shutting out all the thoughts from her head, 'It doesn't matter that you are not good enough for me, and neither am I good enough for you. I know the person I want to be with is you, and I know you feel the same way too. So what exactly is it that is stopping us?'

As IU felt his warm touch, all her worries seemed to disappear. 'Perhaps all of this is really a lie, but maybe a little part of me wants to be deceived. Even if it means having my heart broken at the end of the day, if I could continue liking him, and seeing him being happy, then perhaps it is going to be worth it.' She thought helplessly, as a tired smile formed on her face.