"Read my essay for me. Tell me how good it is." Kai handed me a stack of papers as he leaned back into his chair.

 

I put my pen down and looked at the stack with little interest. "Are you trying to make me fall asleep? I don't want to read about Urban Agriculture when I have my own things to write."

 

Kai propped up his ankle on his knee and took a sip from his iced coffee. "C'mon, Yejin, just read it. My writing's exciting."

 

"It's a known fact that the human race has changed significantly. We've gone from monkey to cavemen to the species we now know. Blah blah blah... We have made lives easier for ourselves at the risk of everything else on Earth. This ease leads to laziness and it seems like we're slowly turning back to our primate days." I flipped through the pages and yawned. "Where's the exciting part?"

 

Kai gave me a glare and took the papers out of my hands while I pretended to fall asleep. "You just don't know how to recognize A+ material." He ruffled my hair despite my attempt to duck away. "Your grade is only a few points under mine, though. You'll catch up."

 

I leaned back on my own chair, imitating Kai, and tapped my pen against my knee. "The school year's nearly over and I can't grade grub like you do."

 

Putting down his drink, he wiped the condensation on my knee and mumbled a word of disgust in the process before putting his elbow on my shoulder. "I don't grade grub. I'm just good."

 

"Right. You should try asking what the rest of the student body thinks of you. We know you don't talk to all the teachers after class for nothing." I couldn't make eye contact with him being so close so I did the only thing I thought was normal. I stared intensely at my hands, finding great interest in my knuckles.

 

"My teachers and I are close. Maybe I'm asking them for their numbers, who knows? Tomorrow, I might get married to Ms. Kang and she'd have to get her name changed to Ms. Kim," he joked.

 

I felt a tug on my hair and turned to find Kai pulling a piece of dust from a strand. He looked so concentrated until he was done his job and then he looked back at me. This time I couldn't hide the blush.

 

"Hey." He looked up and took his elbow off my shoulder. I turned towards the door and saw Kai's sister and brother walking towards our table.

 

"Hello, my lovely lovebirds." Jonghee kissed both our cheeks and took a seat. Kai and I both rolled our eyes. Neither of us objected since we were so used to his sister trying to set us up. She knew of my crush on Kai but she said I hid it well from him.

 

Kai's brother, Jongsuk, took a seat as well and waved over a young waitress. She took his order and then timidly turned to Kai, asking if he wanted a free refill. He rejected her offer politely while Jonghee looked on with distaste.

 

"She didn't even bother asking me if I wanted anything to order." Jonghee muttered as she fished for her notes from her bag and the waitress was out of earshot. "These girls are going to run into a wall if they keep fawning over you, Kai."

 

Jongsuk feigned a look of pain. "Hey, maybe she was too busy checking me out to ask for your order!" That earned a small slap from his sister and I tried not to laugh. "What was that for?"

 

Jonghee rolled her eyes. "Nobody would check you out. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?"

 

"I don't get it. How come you two kids have so much luck with the opposite gender and then there's me," Jongsuk complained. "I do all the right things like buying gifts for the girl, tutoring her, being there to comfort her and has that gotten me anywhere? Nope." Jongsuk sulked in his seat. He was the big brother and the nicest. He knew how to take care of people, especially girls, but that never got him a girlfriend. I pitied him. He was a nice guy but girls just didn't seem to go after him.

 

"It's because the good-looking gene skipped you." Jonghee didn't even bother to try and comfort her brother. She was right, in a way.

 

The Kim family had a lot going for them. Brains, money, good looks. Even though Kai and Jonghee had exceptional features, Jongsuk wasn't bad either. He just paid less attention to his looks and more into his efforts when wooing a girl. Kai, being the youngest, had a lot less responsibilities and was the most rebellious out of the three though that didn't mean much. He still stuck to his studies and he still carried the family name well. It was only his way with girls that was slightly less conservative.

 

"People say Kai and I look exactly the same. How come he gets a ton more girls than I do? He's got Yejin, who else does he need?" Jongsuk whined and ignored my glare. Stop bringing me into this. I was positive Jonghee told him about my crush and he knew how to tease me with it.

 

"Trust me, just sweet talk them," Kai said with a wave of his hand. "And be cocky. Be really cocky."

 

I nearly snorted. "You're kidding, right?"

 

"I don't know, maybe that's just me. I'm naturally cocky," he said with a sly grin. He took another sip of his drink and leaned back into his seat again. "You should try it sometime, Sukkie."

 

"Ahh, maybe I should try that. Yejin, do you like that about Kai?" Jongsuk turned to me and gave me the same mischievous grin his brother had. "Do you like his sweet talk and cockiness?"

 

All three pairs of eyes were on me. What did they want me to say? Was this my moment of confession where I just pour my heart out for Kai? "No, I want to kick him in the face for it."

 

Kai poked my cheek with his finger. "Good thing I never sweet talk you then, huh?"

 

The waitress came with an iced tea and muffin for Jongsuk and then directed her attention to Kai. "Are you sure you don't want a refill, sir? They're free." Her long lashes were batting wildly as she waited for a reply.

 

"No thanks," Kai dismissed her with his hand still on my shoulder.

 

Jongsuk ripped a piece of his muffin and popped it into his mouth before continuing his interrogation. "Really? You don't sweet talk Yejin? So all the compliments you've given her are out of the humbleness of your heart?"

 

Kai took his arm off my shoulder and I looked to his sister for help. What was Jongsuk doing? Did he know about all the times that I've gushed about Kai? I decided to challenge him. Jongsuk shouldn't have known anything. "What compliments?" I said through gritted teeth. Jonghee wasn't planning to stay on my side either. In fact, she looked like she was ready to gang up on Kai and I with her older brother.

 

Jongsuk waved his hand around and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Sometimes my lil' brother isn't so suave. Don't you remember the times when he blurts out the fact that you're pretty? Or how he calls you his ideal girl? Or when he gets jealous whenever you're being friendly with other guys? Hmm?"

 

I couldn't see Kai's reaction but my ears were getting uncomfortably hot. "No, I don't...I don't remember." I tried to meet Jongsuk's eyes but anybody could tell I was blatantly lying. I never forgot anything that happened between Kai and I. As cheesy as it sounds, I've treasured the moments I shared with him.

 

I pulled my chair closer to the table and focused on getting back to work. I had an essay and three worksheets due by the end of the week and I wasn't going to let Kai and his siblings keep me from my homework.

 

"It's nothing special," Kai piped up. "That's how I talk to all girls."

 

I could feel Kai's brother and sister laying their eyes on me and trying to gauge my reaction. I wasn't going to give in. I pushed away the thoughts that were clawing at me and focused on my essay. Jane Goodall. Chimpanzees. Tanzania.

 

My cup of iced coffee suddenly disappeared from its position beside my hand and I looked over my shoulder to see Kai sipping on it.

 

"What?" He asked innocently. He continued sipping while he batted his lashes at me.

 

"That's my drink," I said matter-of-factly. "You could've gotten a refill." I said the last part loud enough for the waitress to hear. She didn't miss her opportunity and raced towards our table.

 

Kai shrugged. "You weren't going to finish it. I'm just trying to help."

 

"Did you guys want a refill? I thought I heard somebody call for a refill." The waitress was back with her perky voice and she looked at Kai expectantly. Her hand was ready to grab his empty cup before Kai opened his mouth.

 

"Don't worry about it. My girlfriend let me have her's."

 

The waitress left with a small nod and I gaped at the notes in front of me. What did he just say?

 

I glanced up at Jongsuk and Jonghee but they were both trying not to burst out in laughter. I guess I was on my own in this.

 

"What was that for?" I sneered at the dark haired boy relaxing in his chair behind me like he had done nothing wrong.

 

Kai nudged my foot with his own. "Lighten up. It was just a joke to get her to go away."

 

"You guys are too cute." Jongsuk shook his head and chewed on his muffin as he watched the two of us. He was clearly amused which made me even more mad.

 

Jonghee let out a sigh and opened her notebook. "I'm sure they can get a ton more of those cute moments if they just confessed their feelings to people they liked. Find a boyfriend or girlfriend but no..." she trailed off and sighed again dramatically.

 

I gripped my pen harder, trying not to blow up and cause a scene. I just need to concentrate on this essay and then I can leave to go seethe by myself.

 

"Nah, none of those heart breaks anymore. Just flirt and move on." Kai sat up and placed my half-empty cup beside me. "I learned if you flirt too much and get into a relationship, things can turn bad."

 

"No , Sherlock. Did you just learn that now?" Jongsuk scoffed.

 

His sister put down her pen and narrowed her eyes at Kai. "You've gone through heartbreak? What happened? Did a girl's nails scratch your beloved car by accident?"

 

Kai rolled his eyes and looked over my shoulder at my essay. "I've never gone through heart breaks. I mean I broke hearts."

 

"Haha, that's my bro." Jongsuk and Kai exchanged a fist pump. "At least you're kind enough to spare the hearts of future girlfriends."

 

"I'm not kind enough to keep them from my bed, though." Kai and Jongsuk shared the same laugh and joined together in a sort of chorus.

 

"Gross," I mumbled under my breath.

 

Kai noticed my remark and nudged me. "But it's fun, right, Yejin?"

 

He's joking, right? "Right," I replied uncomfortably.

 

I shrugged away from Kai and closed my books. It was getting stuffy in the coffee shop anyway.

 

"Where are you going?" Jonghee stood up with me.

 

I glanced nervously at the table, trying to come up with an excuse. "I remembered I left some notes back home that I need for my essay. I should go home and work on my homework there. I don't want to disturb you guys from your work either."

 

"Aww, but we just got here." Jonghee sighed but let me go anyway. She pulled me into a hug and whispered, "Don't worry about Kai; he's just as nervous as you right now" Yeah, as nervous as me because his siblings are trying to set him up even though he's not interested in a relationship.

 

I walked around the table to give a goodbye hug to Jongsuk, too. Then I turned to face Kai who didn't even stand up to bid me goodbye.

 

"See you later, Kai." I nodded awkwardly.

 

"Remember, my party's next Saturday. You still have to go buy that dress. You promised to let me pay for it."

 

"Yeah, I won't break my promise." Kai's birthday was next Saturday and at first I wasn't planning on going since it was formal and I had to buy a nice dress but Kai had made me promise that I would let him pay for it. Nothing I could do about it now.

 

"See ya, Yejin." Kai gave me a pat on my forearm and I waved goodbye to the three of them again before walking out of the coffee shop.

 

So Kai doesn't want a relationship. So he isn't looking for a girlfriend. Then I won't pursue him. I won't say anything. He will never be able to confirm my crush for him because I will get over him.

 

But he still has his siblings to confirm for him. They practically confessed for me today. If he didn't understand where they were going with their antics, then he didn't deserve his grade in school. Anybody could see that he wasn't just my friend anymore. How could I have possibly ever believed Jonghee when she told me that I hid my feelings well?

 

I shook my head to clear it. I knew I had to get over Kai. And I knew just how to do it.