“Dance competition?” Hoya almost chocked on his food as he heard Dongwoo said it.

 

Dongwoo nodded and handed the pamphlet to him. “I saw it on the school board,” he said while munching his bread.

 

Hoya grinned. “I’ve been longing to do this kind of things,” he examined the details more and frowned. “The school? We’re entering a school activity?”

 

“We get special merit for it. Even certificates if we win,” Dongwoo happily said. “It could help us with our resume.”

 

Hoya smacked his forehead. “But it’s a school activity. You know, everyone will be there!”

 

“What are you so worked out about? It’s not as bad as you think. Besides, it’s during school festival,” Dongwoo happily mentioned it.

 

“Ani, Hyung,” Hoya looked at his hyung whose looking at him with his innocent eyes. “Aish, fine. I’ll think about it,” he finally said and Dongwoo cheered. The thing that worries Hoya was his dad. During school festival, his family will definitely be there and he didn’t want to be caught up in a difficult position if his dad came plus they might cause a scene; arguing about the whole dancing is such a waste of time.

 

The Class President stood in front of the class with a grin. “I’ve thought on what to do,” he began. EunHee raised her head and stared ahead. ‘Ah, the school festival is coming soon,’ she thought.

 

“Aish, Jongmin ah. Everytime you suggest something, it’ll be a disaster. Let’s get someone else to suggest?” one of them speak out and others joined in.

 

“Café! Café!”

 

“Haunted house!”

 

“Beauty Pageant!”

 

“Shut up!” the president yelled. “I came out with a pretty good idea this time and I promise you it won’t turn out to be a disaster,” he grinned.

 

“Aish, he’s grinning again.”

 

“We’ll be combining our forces with the other class and we’ll be doing-” he paused, trying to look at the eagerness of his classmates. “A play!” he screamed and the suddenly, all of the class protest.

 

In the mist of controlling his classroom, Myungsoo appeared at the frame door and walked in, Minyoung looked away as she sees him and EunHee blinked. “We’ll be in you care,” he said and the girls screamed in joy.

 

“Omo, class president! You’re jjang!” one of the girls said and the president flattered with their comments. Then, Myungsoo’s classmates went in and the class became a little bit out of control but what caught their attention is when they are trying to decide on the story they’re going to act.

 

“Romeo and Juliet?”

 

“Let’s do it modern style,” some of them said and they agreed.

 

“And so, it’s definite that Myungsoo will be Romeo,” the president said as he wrote Myungsoo’s name on the blackboard.

 

“Yah! I didn’t say any-“ the class cheered.

 

“Let’s see. Juliet-“ The class president had his eyes wondered around the room and he smiled as his eyes were on EunHee. “Park EunHee!”

 

“Me?” she pointed at herself and the boys cheered but she could clearly see the girls were giving her death stares. “I don’t want too,” she answered.

 

“Wae?”

 

She nervously smiled. “I’m bad at acting.”

 

Then, someone scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hyejin beamed.

 

Myungsoo glared at her as he heard her but she didn’t stop her words.

 

“I think she’s the best actor among all of us. Look at how she deceive us,” Hyejin continued and the girl’s agreed in union, some whispered while casting a look at EunHee.

 

But, EunHee smiled. “I’m really bad at it. Why don’t you guys pick someone else,” she stood up and was about to walk away when Hyejin stop her step.

 

“Quit pretending you’re all that, EunHee!” she spat.

 

“Just because he thinks you’re special, doesn’t mean you can make fun of all of us.”

 

Those words kept ringing her in her head, and she knew she hated those words. She began to look away, feeling uneasy. She was about to leave again when Hyejin caught a grip of her arm.  “Where do you think you’re going?” Hyejin yelled at her.

 

“Stop it, you guys,” the class president said.

 

Hyejin snorted. “Do you feel good? Everyone is on your side. What they didn’t realize is that you’re making fun of all of us.”

 

“Stop-“

 

“But in reality, you’re just pathetic-“

 

“S-stop-“

 

“He never like you EunHee. He lied.”

 

“Enough!” EunHee yelled as she cupped her ears. Didn’t want to hear anything that could bring those memories back. A tear rolled down her cheek and she shut her eyes as flashes of the past kept crawling into her vision.  “I-I don’t want to hear anything,” she bit.

 

Minyoung was about to help her but Myungsoo beat her at it. “You’ve gone too far, Hyejin,” Myungsoo said sternly.

 

“Her knight in shining armor. I know about your history with Minyoung,” she said as she darted at look at Minyoung whom flinched at her stare. “Yah, Park EunHee. You steal him away from her didn’t you?”

 

“I said, enough!” EunHee screamed and she ran away from the whole situation.

 

“EunHee-ah!” Myungsoo called out to her.

 

“Go ahead. I bet she has some more drama in her,” Hyejin said and went back to her friends, satisfied with how EunHee reacted. Her research paid off. Now she knows EunHee’s weakness, she’s never going to let her walking around happily again.

 

 EunHee ran as fast as she could, her tears overflowing. She needed to get to that place. She needed to calm herself. She reached the library and walked quietly, trying to not get a lot of attention. She fasten her pace as she pass by the shelves. Right at the end of the room, she found her usual corner where no one knows.

 

The books on the back of the library are collection of old books and students seldom come there to read. Knowing this, she made it her own place. Whenever she feels uneasy about something, she’ll secretly hide there and cried by herself. Telling that everything is fine.

 

EunHee sat on the floor and she cupped , avoiding a loud sob coming from her.

 

“Just because he thinks you’re special, doesn’t mean you can make fun of all of us.”

 

She cupped her ears tight. “S-stop it,” she stammered as the moment flash in her mind. “I said stop it,” she yelled and held her eyes shut tightly.

 

She felt someone touching her shoulder, she quickly slap it away. “Get away from me!” she screamed.

 

“EunHee-ah, it’s me. Myungsoo,” he said with a low voice as he tried to calm her.

 

“Leave me alone!” she said as she tried to run away from him.

 

Myungsoo quickly hug her tightly, trying his best to wear her off. “I’m sorry,” he said.

 

“Let go!” she yelled in his arms and hit him as hard as she can.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry,” he whispered to her. He knew it all along. He knew that EunHee was having trouble coping and she would sometimes go berserk if she remembers anything from the past. She tried hard to get over it and she managed a little. But Hyejin kept pushing her and now that Woohyun appeared, the situation got worst.

 

EunHee cried in Myungsoo’s arms as she realized that she’d calm down. “I’m scared,” she sobbed.

 

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry,” he said weakly.

 

She shook her head, denying his words.

 

“I promise you. I’ll protect you till the end.”

 

Hearing their conversation, Minyoung leaned against the shelves quietly as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

 

Hoya paced back and forth in front of EunHee’s house. He didn’t know why he had a bad feeling when she didn’t appear at the park earlier. Had something bad happen to her? Or is it just his paranoid self making him walk all the way here. He scratched his head in frustration. “What are you going to say when you see her?” he talked to himself. “I didn’t see you at school, are you okay?” he bit his lips and shook his head. “Hey! I was just passing by,” he smiled by himself.

 

Seeing the handsome young man talking by himself, EunHee’s mom couldn’t hold her laughter. Hearing her chuckles, Hoya sprang to look at her and blushed madly. “I was a-“ he tried to search for a reason but he couldn’t come up with any.

 

“Are you a friend of EunHee?” she asked.

 

Hoya hesitated for a bit but he nodded. “You could say that,” he grinned awkwardly.

 

“Well, come on in. I just got back from buying stuffs to make dinner,” she smiled at him. Hoya shook his head.

 

“Thanks but I’ll be on my way-“

 

“I’ll leave the door open, just in case,” she said and walked in.

 

Hoya sighed. It will be rude not to accept the invitation but he knew it would be a good excuse to see EunHee. “Excuse my intrusion,” he entered the house and seeing that, EunHee’s mom giggled.

 

“What is he doing here?” Sunggyu asked in annoyance.

 

“Oh? You know him?” she asked.

 

“He got something to do with EunHee,” Sunggyu said lazily while changing the channels on the television.

 

“Her boyfriend?”

 

“No!” Hoya yelled in disagreement.

 

“Not yet, I bet,” Sunggyu answered casually and that made Hoya glared at him.

 

EunHee’s mom giggled. “Boys, behave. I’m going to make dinner,” she said and Hoya wanted to help her but she stopped him. “Eunhee is not feeling well today. She’s in her room. Why don’t you go and check on her,” she whispered and made her way to the kitchen.

 

Hoya scratched his head; didn’t know whether it’s okay for him to check on her. He glanced at the uninterested Sunggyu.

 

“I didn’t hear anything,” Sunggyu said; trying to tell him that he’s okay if he went to check on EunHee. Besides, he was worried about her as well and she wouldn’t talk to him. But he knew she will when it comes to Hoya. Myungsoo came home with EunHee and she does look devastated and so does Myungsoo. When he asked them questions, EunHee ignored him and went straight to her room and Myungsoo bowed then made his way to his house.

 

Hoya knocked on her door and after waiting for a while, he lost patience and turned the knob. “Excuse-“

 

“I told you to leave me alone,” she said with a blanket covering her face.

 

“Even me?” he asked and once EunHee heard his voice, she threw her pillow at him.

 

“Get out!”

 

Hoya managed to catch the pillow although he didn’t see that coming.

 

“I look horrible, so get out,” she muttered under the blanket.

 

Hoya laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ve seen worst,” he said and sat on her bed; looking around her room. “I didn’t get to see your room when I was here. It’s neat,” he said and kept examining.

 

EunHee quickly got up and cover his eyes with her hand.

 

“What? EunHee –ah-“

 

“Don’t just barge in someone’s room-“

 

“I’ve knocked!”

 

“I didn’t hear you!”

 

He tried to shove her hand away, “Not my problem!”

 

“It’s my room!”

 

“I said I’ve knocked!” he grabbed her wrist but then he fell on top of her lap. He looked up and blinked while EunHee looked down at him in bewilderment. He quickly sat up. “S-sorry for that,” he said.

 

EunHee faked a cough and sat; facing her back to him. “What are you here, anyway?” she hugged her knees.

 

“I was thinking on entering the dance competition,” he started.

 

She looked at him. “You?”

 

“What’s with that look?” he frowned.

 

She looked away again, “I don’t know you dance,” she mumbled.

 

“I-I dance sometimes.”

 

“Come to think of it, I did saw someone dancing in the school’s dance room,” she said. “It was you?”

 

“I guess?”

 

“I thought it’s you. But I wasn’t sure,” she chuckled. “You’re pretty good at it,” she smiled.

 

“You think so?”

 

“Totally.”

 

He sighed. “My dad hates it, though.”

 

She glanced back at him.

 

“He said it’s a waste of time,” he stared at the floor for no reason.

 

It was the first time she saw him in that state. He looks so, vulnerable. Like he would break any time. Lee Howon had always given her the strong impression about himself. The guy who see right through her. But now, she felt different.

 

“He must be disappointed to have a son like me,” he muttered under his breath.

 

EunHee reached her hand out, trying to comfort him but she held back in. She didn’t know what words that she could utter that would comfort him. So she sat there, staring at his back.

 

He took a deep breath and put on a smile. “How was your day? Didn’t see you at school,” he changed the topic.

 

She smiled. “It was fine.”

 

“I heard Hyejin’s bothering you again.”

 

“She’s just telling the truth.”

 

“On which part? Woohyun or Myungsoo?” he looked at her.

 

“What’s with you? I had a bad day already,” she pouted and looked away from him again.

 

There was a long silent between the two of them.

 

“Did you cry?” he finally asked.

 

“I was filled with tears, thank you for asking,” she said sternly.

 

Another silent moment.

 

“Things will get harder now that she knows your past,” he said.

 

“I know.”

 

“Although I might not know anything about your history but I hope that you’ll stay strong,” he placed his hand on her head. “It’s fine to cry sometimes. But don’t shove other people away just because you’re having a hard time. It’s best to share them rather than facing it alone.”

 

She guessed she understand what he’s trying to say to her. She used to do it actually. She admits it. Shoving people who cared about her and pretended to be fine with everything when in the inside she was hurting. She looked down but nodded in the end. “Araso,” she bit.

 

He grinned. “Good.”

 

“Dinner’s ready,” Sunggyu swung the door casually but as he examined the sight in front of him, he frowned in suspicion.

 

Both of them were sitting on the bed. Hoya was facing her and EunHee’s face seemed a little bit flustered. “Did I make a wrong decision on making you coming to her room so casually?” Sunggyu asked as he walked towards them.

 

At first, Hoya frowned since he didn’t understand anything. But when he looked at the blushing EunHee and how they were sitting on the bed facing each other. That could give a whole new explanation. “An-aniya,” he said and fumbled away from her.

 

“Is he a good kisser?” Sunggyu asked EunHee.

 

“What?” she frowned.

 

“Hyung!”

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