It was science class again and everyone was sitting with their respective partners which was decided yesterday. As Hyeri was walking towards her seat beside Hoon, Ms Hana suddenly called her. ‘That’s a first’. Lately people have started to open their eyes and see her. It’s like she took off her invisible cloak or something.

‘Hyeri-ah, would you mind switching partners?’

‘Eh? Why?’ Hyeri looked puzzled. It had only been one day after the partners were arranged.

‘Hyeri-ah.. its Songjung. He wants to be your partner.’ Hyeri was taken by surprised at the statement.

‘What?!’ she nearly raised her voice. Luckily she managed to control herself.

‘Listen first. Hyeri-ah. Mrs. Lee has decided this because Songjung says that you’re the only girl that isn’t crazy about him. She also thinks that ChanMi is distracting her son and well, . . dragging him down. And besides, your science grades is excellent and I’m sure you’ll get along well with him. So, will you exchange partners?’ Ms Hana seemed like she was begging her to be Songjung’s partner. Hyeri wanted to reject it without a second thought but her teacher suddenly looked so desperate as she looks at her with teary eyes hoping for her to agree. Hyeri sighed.

‘Fine.’ Ms Hana gave Hyeri a big bear hug and kept thanking her. Hyeri rolled her eyes.

‘What’s wrong with her today?. It’s as if her life was on the line’ she mumbled.

‘Now, I just need to tell ChanMi and Hoon.’

‘What about Songjung?’

‘Oh, he’s the one that wanted you to be his partner so of course he already knows.’

Hyeri’s eyes widen at that statement. Then she recalled the fact that ChanMi is one of his fangirls who just can’t get enough of him and that she couldn’t care less about who her partner is. ‘Oh, so that’s why’ she muttered to herself.

Hyeri then went to an empty seat while waiting for her new partner. She saw Ms. Hana talking to Hoon and ChanMi. Their reactions were quite similar. Disappointed. ChanMi broke down into tears and caused quite a scene in the class. All her friends were trying to comfort her. Hyeri never knew how dramatic the girls in her class are. On the other hand, Hoon walked unwillingly to his seat. 'Why is this average looking guy disappointed? He looked as if he just got rejected by his lover. Weird' she thought. It then occurred that Hyeri was the best student in science so why wouldn’t he feel sad.

After some dramatic scenes, the class finally began. Songjung was now officially Hyeri’s science lab partner and sat beside her. She could feel and sense quite a lot of stares and glares all which seems to be possessed by hatred and envy. It was the first time since she was born that she was being observed or watched. It’s all because of him.

However, Hyeri decided to be indifferent and ignore it. ‘It’s not worth my time’ she thought.

‘Now, everyone try to solve these questions. You may discuss with your partners’ Ms Hana instructed the class.

Hyeri began solving the problems. Within five minutes she was done. ‘It wasn’t that hard and besides we just learnt it,’ she spoke to herself as she glance at her classmates who we’re anxiously answering as if it was the year-end questions. Ms. Hana who was doing the rounds to check on her class’s progress saw Hyeri  who started to sketch.

‘Hyeri-ah, if you have that much time to sketch why don’t you help Songjung.’she suggested while helping another student with the calculations.

Hyeri flinched at the sound of her name. Suddenly, all eyes were on her. Most of them bearing hatred. She could hear some of their whispers ‘ Yah, look at her. She doesn’t deserve to be his partner’ ‘I’d be so miserable to have such an arrogant partner’ ‘She’s so full of herself. That’s why she doesn’t have friends’

All of those words seems to go right through her ears. Unaware, tears started to well at her eyes. ‘What are they saying? Are they criticizing me?’ 

‘How do you do this problem?’ on spur of moment a soft kind voice asked her. She quickly turned her head towards the voice. She saw Songjung. He looked really confused. He then repeated ‘Hyeri-ah, can you help me? I have no idea how to do this problem’ he said with a gentler tone this time. Hyeri was taken back. She continued to stare at Songjung wondering if she had heard him right. Songjung lifted his head to match his eyes with hers.

‘Wow~ you have such beautiful eyes. It looks so moist and teary,’ he complimented while digging in his pocket in search of something. He then took out a blue cotton handkerchief and gave it to Hyeri.

‘Here, why don’t you wipe your face. It looks as if you are crying.’

‘H-huh? Oh, o-okay..’ she stuttered before grabbing the handkerchief.

‘So, as I was saying before. How do I do this?’ he gestured towards the paper lying on the table. Hyeri finally got hold of reality. She quickly cleared and started explaining to Songjung about the calculations needed.

The class soon came to an end. It was break time. Hyeri swiftly got up from her seat and exited the lab without any trouble. ‘Phew! I definitely thought some of the girls might bring me to the back of the school and threaten me or something’ she mumbled.

As she was walking. A figure suddenly approached her. She can sense the presence and tried to walk faster but a hand rested on her shoulders. She spun around anxiously only to find Hoon panting and puffing.

‘Oh? Hoon? Yah! You scared me to death!’ she said bitterly and coldly. She then sighed in relief.

‘Sorry. Huh . . I was . .. huh .. gonna … huh …’ he couldn’t finish his sentence after practically running down the hallway to catch up with Hyeri.

‘Hoon-ah.. Are you okay? I’m sorry I got mad just now. I was just a little bit self-conscious just now.’

‘It’s okay. I’m better now. I just wanted to ask you if you wanna eat together?’ he then flashed a wide smile. Hyeri was dumbfounded. ‘Did he just ask me to spend break time with him?’ ‘Is this some sort of trap?’ ‘Are the girls hiring him to keep me away from Songjung?’ All sorts of questions flooded her head.

Before she knew it, she was already walking with him towards the cafeteria. She had decided to take the offer considering her safety. She just had a huge feeling that the girls are gonna attack her like in those mangas that she read.. On the way to the cafeteria she told Hoon about it. How she is being very wary about any sudden movements around her ever since Science class was over although she is very confident that it was far from reality.

‘You’re so funny. Those things don’t usually happen you know. Unless the girls are all crazy’ he assured her followed by small giggles.

‘Yah, you never know right? What if that happens?’

‘If that happens then I’ll be right here, beside you’

Hyeri’s heart skipped a beat. She was completely blown away. Those lines were lines that the main lead would say to his girl.

‘If I’m not around then you should just stand your ground’ he continued without realizing that Hyeri’s face was starting to get pink. She quickly calmed herself. She knew Hoon would laugh at her for blushing at those simple lines.

‘We should hurry up and get a move on. Or else all the good stuff will be gone’ she tries to get out of the awkward moment and they both continued walking to wards the cafeteria.