"Hey, Vix!" 

 

Vix wrinkled her nose and looked away from her best friends at the sound of the cheerful voice. She looked up to see Yukwon standing in front of her, blocking the sunlight from her eyes and almost making him look like he was glowing. "Oh. Yukwon." She tried to keep herself calm.

 

"That's all I get?" He laughed. She shrugged, only broadening his smile.

 

Don't smile. She thought to herself. Why are you smiling? That looks painful.

 

He held out his hand to her, nodding his head slightly. She stared at it for a moment before rummaging through her backpack for her notebook and holding it out to him. Yukwon gaped at her. "No, that's - " He started, but stopped when she blinked innocently at him. He sighed and took the notebook from her hand and shifting it to his free hand. "Come on." He smiled at my friends. "I hope you don't mind me taking her." 

 

So natural of her friends to simply smile and wave as some guy they didn't even know took her hand in his, pulled her to her feet, and away. 

 

She tried to tug her hand back from his grip, but he only tightened his hold and walked faster, pulling them through the throngs of people and up a set of stairs.

 

"Yukwon!" She said indignantly when he finally stopped in a hallway that was always empty during lunchtime, but looked around every corner as if he were afraid they'd be seen. "What was - ah!" She widened her eyes and made a sound halfway between a gasp and a squeak when he tugged on her arm and pushed her against a wall. "Yukwon!" She gaped at him, too surprised to notice the awkwardness of their position.

 

"Vix." He said, his voice low and husky as he leaned in close to her. "Do you like me?"

 

Then, she noticed the position.

 

She kneed him.

 

"Vix!" He groaned, holding his stomach with one hand - the other still holding hers against the wall - and dropping his head on her shoulder. "What was that for?"

 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? What was that for? What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I don't." Her tone was indignant, sarcastic, impassive. 

 

After a moment of silence, he turned his head and looked at her. "Really?"

 

"Yes, you weirdo. Now will you get off of me?" She tried pushing him off with her free hand, but he only put more of his weight on her and smiled at her. "And wipe that nasty smile off of your face."

 

Vix was surprised to see him obey her last command. He stopped smiling and looked at her with a serious expression. "Then, Vix Park." He lifted his head off of her shoulder and leaned back a little. "You saw past my smile, didn't you? Don't act ignorant. I can see it in your eyes."

 

Vix was even more surprised with that comment. "I - wh - "

 

"You've been staring at me these days. And," His cheeks turned faintly pink and an embarrassed - adorable - smile appeared on his face. "I've been watching you too. You smile and laugh the same way I do, but instead of smiling to hide your emotions, you look perpetually angry." 

 

She kneed him again.

 

"Really?!" He groaned, finally letting go of her hand and turning away from her as he held his stomach. "Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He said when she looked ready to knee him again. "It wasn't supposed to be offensive!" And he looked like he meant it. Vix sighed and walked over to pat him on the back. "Look..." He said when he straightened up. "If you keep what you see a secret, I'll do the same."

 

"I don't care if it's a secret." Vix said, her expression impassive again as she tried to walk away again. 

 

She did, in fact, care a little or she wouldn't have to put on the act. It was her first year after all, and she couldn't let it be spoiled. 

 

However, admitting that would be giving him a weakness to prey on.

 

"No, wait!" Yukwon caught her by the waist and wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him. "I want to ask for some favors..."

 

Vix turned around to face him, her eyes dark. "Let me go." 

 

He looked up at her, his eyes wide and pleading, like that of a desperate puppy. It scared her. "Please?" When she didn't crack, he pulled out his trump card. 

 

Yukwon pouted.

 

Now, who could resist Yukwon when he was doing aegyo?

 

Even though she didn't like him, she certainly wasn't impervious to the adorable acts he did.

 

She sighed. "What do you want?" 

 

His pout was replaced with a smirk, knowing he'd won the small fight. "Other ones will come later, but for today, I have two. One, to keep all of this a secret. If anyone at all saw us together, you were helping me with homework and I can't focus when it's too loud." 

 

Vix nodded slowly. 

 

"Second, stay with me. I want to sleep, so stay with me."

 

Vix didn't know what to say to that, except - a moment later, "Get off of me and go lay down." 

 

He smiled, a real smile - however small - and went to lay down in front of the wall, adding a cute little spring to his step. She watched him for a moment before laughing and dropping her backpack on the floor and sitting down next to it, a distance aways from Yukown.

 

Which, apparently, was not what he wanted.

 

"Nuh uh." Yukwon said, propping himself up on his elbows and patting the ground next to his head. "Over here." Vix glared at him, but didn't protest. She sat down where he pointed and dragged her backpack to lean on the wall next to her, pulling out her phone and earbuds. She'd only plugged in the earbuds when she felt a weight settle on her lap and looked down, eyes widening when she saw Yukwon making himself comfortable on her lap. 

 

"Y-yah." She said, flicking the back of his head. 

 

He groaned and rubbed his head before squirming around a little more as he went about making himself more comfortable. "It's not comfortable to sleep flat on the ground, and I have notebooks in my backpack. Let me sleep here."

 

Vix bit her lip, busying herself with unlocking her phone as she tried not to blush. "Must you really?"

 

"Please?" 

 

There was that aegyo again.

 

"...Fine." She just couldn't win.

 

Yukwon turned so he was laying flat on his back, his head in her lap facing up and looking up at her. He smiled, another genuine smile. "Thank you."

 

Her jacket was dropped over his face as she grumbled at him to just go to sleep.

 

 

 

"Yukwon!"

 

The dark haired boy turned around, blinking his eyes curiously and tilting his head. The glint in his eyes was brighter today, Vix noticed. Had his nap on her lap been as good as he said it was?

 

"My notebook." She replied snarkily, raising an eyebrow and holding her hand out. 

 

"Ah..." Yukwon said, reaching into his backpack and pulling out the notebook he had taken from her but forgotten to give back after he'd woken up. "Here." He stood up and placed it in her hands, a bright - to other people - smile on his face. Vix nodded her thanks and turned away, but Yukwon caught her wrist under the desk, stopping her. "Thanks for today. I didn't get as much as I'd hoped, so let's work together again, okay?"

 

There were so many ways to take that, Vix would have been unsure of what he was saying if she hadn't observed him enough to know his meaning. 

 

"Yeah."