“Impossible.”

 

“Possible.”

 

“Impossible!” Yunho shook his head, a small frown etched onto his face. “There is no way – “

 

“Is that a challenge?”

 

My friend raised an eyebrow daringly, leaning towards me on the bench. I didn’t back down from my firm position and he sighed, obviously already trying to weaken me. “What are my limits?”

 

I bit my bottom lip, a small smile playing on the corner of my lips. “You have one week. No limits. Loser is slave to the other for a week.”

 

As if contemplating the thought, Yunho’s head twitched the side just so and he smirked. “Should I buy you a collar? In pink, with jewels and sparkles.”

 

“Buy what you want. It’ll be you that’s wearing it.”

 

 

For about the fifteenth time now, Yunho had deigned to shower me in complaints of my not being girly enough. Or well, girly at all, really.

 

What can I say? Girliness has never shared its appeals with me.

 

It’s not that I’m a tomboy, really, I just never really saw the big deal in trying to look like a model, in things pink and sparkly, and pretty hearts and stars just weren’t my type of cup.

 

Although I must admit, on the inside, maybe there was a part of me that sort of liked cute things, like the plushies and keychains hidden in my closet. And maybe there was something inside of me that liked the glittering romantic stuff, even if all of that was encrypted by riddles and puzzles no one bothered trying to solve.

 

I’d never admit this out loud though, and especially not when such a big challenge was at hand.

 

No, I had to win this. Jung Yunho was going to be my slave in a week.

 

Jung Yunho, in all his dark haired, creamy skinned, plushie holding splendor – plushie holding?

 

Day 1:

 

“What in the name of hell is that?” I asked incredulously as Yunho ran into my classroom, barely sitting down next to me before the bell rang, holding a rather large bag filled with stuffed toys of nearly every sort. All of which struck a rather unfavorable chord inside of me.

 

Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be as easy as I thought it’d be.

 

“They’re for you! Do you like them?” Yunho said excitedly, plopping the bag down on my desk and making a blue, fluffy bunny hop out of the bag and drop in front of me, arms splayed, legs askew, head tilted, and ears drooping in the most adorable position chance could probably decide to screw me over with.

 

Slave for a week, I reminded myself. Yunho will be your slave for a week.

 

I crossed my arms and scoffed, turning away from the bunny staring at me with those big, adorable eyes… “They’re so… “ I wrinkled my nose and turned to Yunho with what I hoped was a bit of a disgusted expression. “Furry.”

 

I could see Yunho’s shoulders drop dejectedly. Opening my mouth, I was about to tell him not to be upset, when he suddenly shot up with a wide smile. “Carry them around all day!”

 

“What?” Was all I could muster behind scrambled thoughts of worry, dislike, and fear.

 

“Then as you keep looking at them, you’ll realize they’re cute!” He mumbled a few incoherent words after this and I frowned.

 

“Again, what?”

 

“Ah – you’ll start to notice how cute they are.” Yunho said awkwardly, rubbing his neck as the tips of his ears started to redden slightly.

 

“No, the – “ When he looked slightly terrified at the prospect of my upcoming question, I waved my hand nonchalantly. “Nevermind. Do I really have to carry this around all day?” I poked the bag, a revolted expression donning my features again. The bag was so pink. That, for sure, I didn’t like.

 

I couldn’t say the same about the inhabitants of the hot pink bag.

 

 

Day 2:

 

Laying down on a bench during lunch, I was almost asleep, until I caught a strange whiff and frowned. I felt something tickle my nose and I opened my eyes to see Yunho standing in front of me, all smiles, glittering eyes, gleaming teeth, and…flowers?

 

“There isn’t a girl out there that doesn’t like flowers.” He announced firmly, his grin only growing as he held the plastic wrapped bouquet of flowers in front of me, shaking it a little to make sure it was grabbing my attention. And how could it not?

 

“Yunho…” I muttered, rubbing my neck irritatingly. It had always taken effort for me to fall asleep and Yunho just had to come and wake me right when I was about to fall asleep.

 

Then I sneezed and frowned. “Hey, are there carnations in those flowers?”

 

He looked at me hopefully, turning the bouquet first towards him and then back at me. “You like carnations?”

 

I leaned back and grabbed at my backpack and books, sneezing again. “No, I’m al – ahchoo! I’m allergic to them!” I exclaimed and ran off, covering my face as I sneezed again and again, leaving behind a slightly confused Yunho.

 

Now that was an easy way to get out of that one… only five more days to go.

 

Day 3:

“I have homework.” I sulked, crossing my arms and sinking down in my seat.

 

“So do I, but we can work on it while we do this.” Was Yunho’s simple reply, his eyes never straying from the road we were driving on. A road I didn’t even recognize.

 

He had pulled me straight out of my last class when the bell rang and all but kicked me into his car and started driving off to who-knows-where.

 

“Where are we going, anyway?”

 

“Don’t girls like surprises?”

 

I huffed. “Not when it takes away their homework time.”

 

A low, sweet laugh sounded next to me and I turned to Yunho, an eyebrow raised as if I was daring him to explain why he was laughing at me. “When faced with a situation like this, I don’t think most girls think about homework.”

 

I had no answer to that.

 

The surprise turned out to be a café Yunho had discovered, and three drinks he had yet to try.

 

Naturally, they were decorated rather girly, all decked out in strawberries, cream, chocolate, and crackers.

 

The decoration could have been better, but they tasted amazing.

 

Not that I’d ever admit that to Yunho.

 

Day 5:

I wonder if I should’ve given Yunho some limits.

 

It seemed like he was just trying everything that popped into his head.

 

I was carted off again yesterday in an attempt to wrestle me into some frilly dresses. The plan backfired and I now had some pretty interesting photos of Yunho.

 

And today, I sat on a lace trimmed pink blanket, watching Yunho’s attempts at aegyo.

 

Let’s emphasize attempts.

 

“That makes you look like a monkey or something.” I pointed out, one corner of my lips curling up in a mischievous smirk.

 

He facepalmed, getting off his knees and dropping onto his tush next to me. “First a fish, then a potato, then a clown, then a monkey? I can never win, can I?”

 

“No, and that’s why you’ll be my slave for a week.” Well actually, I only said those things to make it sound like I didn’t think Yunho was cute. Which he was.

 

A new, determined expression settled on Yunho’s face after that comment and he whirled to me, a rather humorous ferocity in his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

 

Day 6:

Another thing I’d never admit.

 

All the lovey dovey stuff I liked fell hand in hand with idols and characters designed perfectly for the role.

 

And maybe Yunho suspected this, or was really that desperate, but I had somehow been forced into watching romance.

 

Oh yes, that was my Saturday. Holed up in Yunho’s house, watching romantic dramas and animes designed to make the watcher pray to all the sky above for a love as sweet and impossibly beautiful as the ones on the screen – okay I’m exaggerating.

 

And I’d never admit that I had a real thing for Kim Jaejoong, the leading male actor of a drama on Heaven and mailmen.

 

Yunho might’ve noticed though, when I bit my lip just to keep my face still as I watched the tear-jerking, closing scenes.

 

If he noticed, he didn’t say anything, because I hadn’t lost yet. I still had time. One more day… If I could just last that one day…

 

Day 7:

The school day was almost over now, and it was time for Yunho’s last try. If he didn’t succeed, he’d be doomed to a week of torturous book carrying and pointless driving around.

 

If he did…well, I didn’t know what would happen to me.

 

Not like it mattered. I would never let that happen.

 

But…where was Yunho? I’d barely seen him today, only in our classes, and he hadn’t said a thing about the challenge. Had he given up already?

 

When lunchtime came, I was getting a little anxious. Surely, the strong, determined Yunho wouldn’t give up so easily, would he?

 

I sat down in my classrooms, choosing to finish my meal there than outside in the blazing sun. As I neared the end of my sandwich, a familiar voice sounded behind me. I stood up, balling the used plastic in my hand as I slowly made my way over to the half open door just barely keeping the room from becoming stuffy.

 

“-going to confess?” That, I knew, was one of Yunho’s friends. He wasn’t exactly unpopular.

 

“Well, I was planning on it, but I’m not sure if I have the courage.” Now that, was Yunho’s voice. A strange feeling gripped at my heart and I crumpled the plastic tighter in my hands. Yunho was going to confess to someone?

 

“It’s Boa, isn’t it?” One of the other boys snickered. “I knew there was something between you two!”

 

Well that was strange. Was my heart supposed to hurt this much? I shook my head, trying to clear my head. No, I was happy for them…

 

“What about that girl, then? Kwanghee?” The first guy asked.

 

“That boyish girl? What about her? She’s too boyish for Yunho’s taste.”

 

So my being boyish…kept Yunho from liking me. He complained about me not being girly because he didn’t like it.

 

For the first time in years, I felt tears spring to my eyes and I dropped the remainders of my lunch into the trash can at the end of the room. So he was avoiding me because he was going to confess to Boa (who was perfectly beautiful and girly).

 

I my own short hair, cut to a boyish length for convenience. I looked down at my clothes, at the wrinkled dress shirt and plain black jeans I wore to keep things simple and mindless.

 

Compared to Boa… I was boyish. I wasn’t girly enough to even have a chance with the guy I didn’t realized I’d loved.

 

 

When the last bell rang, I bolted out of class, ready to run straight home and bury myself in my (still boyishly simple) pillow and blankets. Sleeping the afternoon through seemed nice. Yunho could start his slavery the next day.

 

But apparently, the entire world was against me today. The moment I stepped foot outside the room, something black closed over my eyes and stayed over it. It felt soft, like fabric, unlike the work roughened hands that closed over my wrists and pinned them behind my back.

 

“What the hell!?” I shouted, trying to wriggle out of the person’s grip. But no sounds answered me, only a small push in the small of my back.

 

And now I was being kidnapped. Great.

 

It felt like I had been led around in circles, really. Around a building, up some stairs, down some stairs, around two more buildings and up a ramp. Were they trying to confuse me by leading me in circles around my own school?

 

“Here she is.” One of the voices finally said. I was shocked to recognize it as the voice of Yunho’s friend from earlier.

 

So they were out to get me. Even more great.

 

When the hands around my wrist loosened, I quickly pulled away from the person holding me and ran forward, trying to get as far away from these crazy people as I could.

 

I forgot the blindfold.

 

“Careful!” An all-too-familiar voice said, gently grabbing my arms and embracing me to keep from blindly tripping over my own shoelaces.

 

Yunho was in on this.

 

“Get off of me.” I growled and pushed him away before reaching up to undo my blindfold and – wow, that was a lot of posters. “What the…”

 

Looking around the classroom, I gawked at each and every one poster covered in photos and words…of me.

 

“What is this?” I asked softly, too in awe for any other response.

 

“I admit, I set you up.” Yunho said awkwardly and I whirled around, eyes narrowing.

 

“What?”

 

“I wanted to make you feel something… so that this would have a bigger impact. Although I think I just ended up making you upset. I’m sorry, so… what do you think?”

 

I didn’t know what to say, what to think, what to do. All around me were sweet endearments and familiar, memory jolting photos of our times together…

 

“Say something, girl.”

 

“Cute.”

 

Oops.

 

Yunho seemed to realize it then too, that I had officially lost. He beamed, a really big smile and strode over to me, pulling me into a tight hug. “I won, I won, I won! You are girly, after all!”

 

That earned him a nice hard slap upside the head.

 

“I am not. It’s just…sorta cute. That you put effort into doing all this.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?” A small smirk grew on his face and he pulled away from me, looking down. “You’re my slave now.”

 

I could only scoff. “Fine. What do you want, Master?”

 

His answer was simple. “For you to be mine. I like you, Kim Kwanghee.”

 

 

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