|Chapter Seventeen|

It baffled Dani to see Mone and Jong-in arriving to school together, both exiting his car, and hand-in-hand. She narrowed her eyes on them, clenching her jaw and fists angrily. Buya? She glowered enviously at them, glued to her spot by the stairs near the school entrance, watching them sit down together in the empty courtyard. She examined Mone, especially, with much jealousy and contempt; Dani watched Mone lean her head against Jong-in's shoulder, getting flustered the second he laid a kiss on Mone's temple. She threw down her bag, having enough of the sappy love scene, and readied herself to walk over there, when a rough hand pulled her back, making her almost stumble.

"Yah, Dani-ah.. can't you see the couple is trying to spend some alone time together?"

The unfamiliar, deep voice rung through her ears, striking fear into her; as she turned to look back, the man's deep brown optics glared down at her, forcing her to shrink back with intimidation. Immediately, a few more unfamiliar men walked out of the school entrance, coolly shoving their hands into the pockets of their trousers. "It's not nice to , Dani-shii," another remarked with a witty smile.
"Especially since the ordeal you caused for them, don't you think you've caused enough trouble?"
The voices and accusations were coming from all directions as the eleven elder boys looked down on her with disappointment. "Ahh, eottoke," muttered the one with the deepest voice. "She's so obsessed with Kai she doesn't even bother to take note of who his friends are."

Chanyeol grinned down at her. "Annyeong haseyo," he sang lightly.
Tao piped up. "Yah.. you're still so young; how can you already be so devious?" Kris could only smile at this, cocking his head expectantly towards Dani, who found herself even more flustered. These are Kai-oppa's friends?

"You shouldn't be so scared," Lu Han stated calmly, sending a handsome smile her way. "We just came here to let you know how much they like each other before you go off and try to ruin it again," he explained, nudging his head into the direction of Mone and Jong-in. Dani caught a glimpse at them. They really were too busy smiling and laughing amongst each other to even notice that the EXO kingka's had Dani completely cornered.
"You really made Kai-hyung sad by setting Mone off on him like that," SeHun chirped.
"He even drove all the way to her house to apologize," Baekhyun explained. "Not only that, but you should know how far he lives from her. The drive from Seoul to Daegu isn't fun."
"You should think twice before you let your jealousy overwhelm you, Dani-shii," Lay smiled warmly.

SuHo patted her shoulder a couple of time to reassure her that they weren't people to be scared of and stared back at his small group. "Kaja.. we should go brush up or practice or something." He urged them back into the school and turned back to look at Dani, a small smile twinkling in his eyes. "Annyeong, Dani-shii!"

Dani looked after them incredulously as they disappeared into the educational building one by one, filing after one another. She huffed to herself, scoffing at her stupidity. "As if I'm going to listen to a bunch of old guys like you," she sneered rudely to herself.

"I think you should, though.. they mean well... don't you think, Mone-ah?"

Dani whirled her head to her side to find Jong-in smiling, Mone's hand in his grip.  "K-Kai oppa!"
Mone smiled gently. "You should listen to your elders, Dani-shii," Mone remarked wisely. She cocked her brows at Dani, daring her to speak up against her in front of Jong-in.
Jong-in slyly smirked, watching Dani immaturely fume. What made Dani's blood boil most was the way Mone said her name so casually, as if they were friends. She turned to face Jong-in, blinking innocently. "But.. Kai-oppa... I.. You promised me you'd be there for me forever."
Jong-in's smirk formed into a small, gentle smile. "That doesn't mean I have to do it as your boyfriend," he calmly stated.

"But you were mine first!" Dani whined.

"I'm not an object, dongsaeng," he whispered.

"Don't call me that!" Dani ferociously shrieked. "I don't want to be just your dongsaeng! I want to be your jagiya, your yeobo! I don't want to be your little sister!" she objected, running frustrated hands through her hair.
Jong-in narrowed his eyes on Dani, glaring at her immaturity. "Yah," he called to her rudely, voice stern. "Do you think just because you were raised getting everything you want, that it will always continue to be that way? You should be grateful for what you have. You need to learn that just because you want it doesn't mean you get to have it," Jong-in lectured wisely. 
"Andwae!" Dani screeched back at him.

"Dani-shii," Mone whispered. "Calm down-"
"Don't tell me what to do, you man-stealing-"
"Don't talk to her like that," Jong-in growled.

He pulled Mone closer to his body, staring at Dani pitifully. "You really need to learn that not everything you want will be yours," he repeated in a soft murmur. "Listen to your oppa: don't chase after me anymore, Dani. You're about to debut; the only thing you should be chasing is that dream of yours."
"Kai-oppa-"
"You claim to love your oppa so much, but you can't even call him by his real name?" Mone muttered. 

Jong-in shook his head. "Kaja, Mone."

He glanced at the mess Dani was pitifully, before calling out to her, "Get yourself together and wake up, Dani. You're my dongsaeng, and I'm your oppa. My friends are your oppa's and unnie. You should learn to respect us, araseo? And don't forget to your T-ARA unnie's as well. Good luck with your debut."

And he disappeared into the educational building, leaving Dani teary-eyed and furious. Aish, eottoke?

"You promised to come to the showcase tonight, okay? I'll be at your house around 5 or so, so don't forget," Jong-in murmured cheerfully. He leaned against the shut door of the studio room, standing with Mone on their lonesome in the empty corridor. Mone nodded, patting his chest lightly. "I'm not gonna miss out on the show.. this is your big break," she whispered.
He leaned down to kiss her, smiling. "Goh mah woh, Mone." Mone, who happily obliged to his gentle touch, could only grin in return. She was the first to pull away, hearing the warning bell. "I have to get to class," she whispered.

Jong-in in a breath and pulled Mone closer to him, preventing her from going anywhere. "The people from my department aren't bothering you anymore, are they?"
Mone shook her head happily. "I don't think they would dare," she giggled girlishly.
"Good," Jong-in whispered. He kissed her nose playfully, letting her scurry off to class. However he called after her shortly, "Don't forget to be ready by 5 o' clock!"

But she had already disappeared around the corner. He only smiled, deciding to yell even louder, just to ensure that she hears him: "OKAY! BYE, MONE... OKAY, SEE YOU AT 5? LOVE YOU, TOO!"

"Yah," SuHo mumbled, pulling open the door, causing Jong-in to stumble slightyl. "Are you done with your love fest? We have to practice."
"Ah, ah.. no need to be jealous, hyung-"
"Yah!"

"Mian!"

Jong-in smirked, appearing up at Mone's doorstep, a single flower in hand. He played with the bow he wrapped around the stem, patiently waiting after he pressed the door bell two or three times.
Mone was the one to answer, and might Jong-in add, she looked absolutely gorgeous. "Annyeong," she greeted innocently. She tried to walk past Jong-in to get to his car, but he stopped her by putting his hand up. "Omo," he breathed, taking in her sight. Her billowy floral-print dress swayed gently with the cool breeze that came by, and she even had a little make-up on. She decided to go with contact lenses today, and Jong-in realized that he never really notice how brown her eyes were because of how her glasses always hindered in his way.
"Oppa.."
"Ah," Jong-in smiled, snapping out of his daze. He held up a flower. "For you."
"What for?" she giggled, shutting the door behind her after yelling a quick 'see you later' to Myung Dae and her parents.

"A thank you present?" Jong-in smirked playfully.
Mone walked alongside him as they trekked to his car casually. "What do you have to say thank you for?" she laughed breahtlessly.
"Mm.. how about thank you for being my good luck charm tonight?" he tried.

Jong-in himself slipped into the car, letting the engine roar to life. "Did you hear me call after you today?" he inquired, cocking his head to look at her.
Mone instantly blushed, biting down on her lip.
Jong-in took that as a definite yes. "You know I mean it, right?"

Mone blinked innocently up at Jong-in. "What did you even say?" she whispered, challenging him. Jong-in smirked at this, letting his hands leave the sterring wheel as he changed the gear back from reverse to park. He scanned the windshield, just to make sure the Mone's family members weren't peeking at them through the curtains; when he figured the coast was clear, he immediately had his hands cupping each side of her soft face, and his lips on hers. "Mm," he hummed, kissing her lightly. "Mone-ah," he whispered into her lips. "I.. saranghae."