|Chapter Ten|

He couldn't find her; he looked in the club rooms, in the library, he couldn't find her. So when that warning bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, Jong-in wasn't just disappointed but extremely furious. He didn't want to wait until their after school session just to get to her. He already knew she was going to be in a bad mood, and that she was reckless, so if she had done something stupid, she could've gotten hurt and nobody would've been around to help.
But then, he figured he was just over-reacting. Mone was smart, he tired to convince himself, she wouldn't get hurt.

He let out a huff, scanning his eyes across the courtyard perimeter one last time before letting out an incorrigible shout of agitation. Aish, jincha. What was it about this girl that had him going out of his way for her so much? He shook his head, patting his temples a couple of times, as if it would help him reach his right state of mind. 

He couldn't focus in class at all. His mind was just on Mone, how he would act around her, what he should say -- it was obvious to other people that there was definitely something going on between the two of them. Chanyeol saw it: Jong-in would've never gave in that easily to apologize to someone. Chen noticed it: Jong-in wouldn't even bother to go out of his way to go to a girl that he knew would be stood up. Baekhyun realized it too: Jong-in definitely had some kind of feelings for this girl.
But everytime he was questioned about it -- "She's my tutor; she's done a lot for me, so I'm just trying to do a favor for her in return." Jong-in would deny it and come up with a lame excuse, using their student/tutor relationship as a pedestal.

Typical of someone who had a crush on a girl, his peers figured.

Jong-in expected Mone to come to their tutoring session upset and crying... but she came, ready to start the lesson, beginning her lecture immediately. She didn't even look at him, just gave him packets to work on and helped him along the way. She didn't look tired, or frustrated -- her appearance now was more diffident than anything else, and Jong-in was confused. He narrowed his eyes on her.
They had half an hour left with each other, and last night didn't come into conversation once. It was as if nothing happened, as if they never got into an argument, as if she never tackled him into a desperate, crying hug. 

It irked Jong-in.

Mone was in the middle of further explaining the rules of English grammar, and all that while, Jong-in was just staring at her, letting her information slip out his other ear without letting the instructions process. His grades have improved immensely; what he had before was as if they were somebody's else's grade. With just his sessions alongside Mone, his grade went from a low D to what is now a low B.

"Yah, don't you think you should be thanking me?" he interrupted spontaneously. He glared at her now, feeling impatient and agitated that she hasn't mentioned his doings for her at all.
She scoffed, which caused him to grit his teeth with irritation. "Mwoh? Thank you? Chongmahl?"

She shook her head, but Jong-in kept his mouth shut, waiting for her words. He looked at her, different emotions swelling his heart. He didn't know what to say, so he figured he might as well keep his trap shut. 

She let out a shaky breath, staring at her student with disbelief; he couldn't even count how many times she's just shaken her head at him right now. "For once.. Jong-in shii," she muttered menacingly. "Just once, can you just drop the jackass act, and just listen?"
"Jackass? What I did for you last night still consider me-"
"I'm not asking you to treat me like your special princess or anything --" she interjected. Mone didn't know what she was saying, but the words kept pouring out of like a typhoon.. as well as her tears. "Just let me do my job, so we can get this over with and finally get to stop meeting every freakin' day," she whispered.

There was a long moment of silence. No matter how much Jong-in objected to this delusional picture in her head, he didn't want to say anything. He kept his lips sealed, despite the urge to want to scream at her, despite the itching in his throat to scoff in her face.

"I appreciate what you did for me, but it was just a pity act; anyone would figure that-"
"It wasn't like that, Mone."
"Just let me do my job so we can finally get out of each other's way," she finalized. She looked at him, eyebrows knitted slightly with scorn. "Isn't that what you want?"

"I never said that," Jong-in argued, confident. He felt his chest heave up and down as he took deep breaths, in attempt to stabilize his swirling thoughts.

He clenched his fists, hearing Mone's bitter laugh sound under her breath. "Don't play mind games with me right now, Jong-in shii."
Jong-in shook his head. "That wasn't my intention, Mone-ah."
"Then can you just tell me straight out what you want to say, please?" Mone bit her lip. It was a bad day enough.

It seemed to her as if the day would never end. She just wanted to go home, take a nice long bath to wash away the public humiliation, and the only thing standing in way of her ability to do that was her task to tutor Jong-in. He had caused enough of a scene on her part today, and not only that, but more people from his department were spreading unruly rumours about her. Things were being said about her, and she was the center of attention and the center of cruel gossip. She didn't want any more part of it. She came to this prestigious school to further her studies, to improve her test-taking abilities -- she didn't want part of the crap she was going through as of current.

Jong-in debated with himself whether he should say what was on his mind right now or not. He was conflicted with his own emotions, and now Mone's. It was double the amount of trouble he was usually pulled into when it involved Mone, and it made his head spin. But he couldn't hold it in, so what came out of his mouth nexxt was out of his mind's control. He was speaking, but he wasn't thinking, and for all he cared... he actually didn't.

"Maybe I like spending time with you -- even if it is only an hour per day that I actually get to see you. Maybe I like spending time with you. Maybe I liked hearing you nag at me to study. Maybe I like hearing you drone on and on about the stupid English grammar rules. Maybe I like to see what lesson plan you have in store for me each time we meet up. Maybe I like the way you scrunch up your nose whenever you get annoyed with me. I like the way I can make you smile sometimes, I like the way I can make you glare at me by just saying one thing. I like being confused over you, I like going out of my way to do things for you, I like knowing that you're worth it; I like the fact that you're not a fangirl and that you're actually real and-"

He cut himself off, his lips apprehensively. He looked at Mone, who had her eyes wide, blinking up curiously at him. He liked the way she did that too, every time she was confused or caught up in her own dilemmas.

"Maybe.. maybe I like you, Mone," Jong-in sighed. He leaned back in his chair, unable to collect enough energy to shoot her a snarky smirk. "Is that straight out enough for you?"

To Mone, it was more than enough.