Ever since Boa was young, she disliked the idea of being inferior to man. She disliked the idea of not being able to take care of herself, and being forced to depend on a man. Boa decided long ago that she was going to fall into the catagory of 'weak and powerless', she wasn't going to be that little girl who waited to be rescued, but perhaps she was just being stupid. Perhaps Boa wasn't trying hard enough to escape that stereotypical girl. Perhaps she was living in a delusion. Perhaps she was really just weak and helpless like every other girl, which was why Prince Charming was always there when she never wanted him to be. Life never turned out how she planned it.

 

"Boa." His voice, husky and soft, so tender towards her pitiful form. Was it from pity, or actual care and worry? Boa wasn't sure, she didn't even know if anyone would really feel so emotions towards her. Boa was known for not needing help, known for being able to do things by herself, so nobody worried and cared that much for her. Friends and family stopped giving her in the lovely sweetness they once did, since she was no longer that little girl who everyone loved. Boa had become that person who would run errands for other people from request, since she had become the one that people would depend on. And through that, it seemed that Boa had forgotten how to ask others for help.

 

She turned, sitting on the hard floor. With one hand, Boa held her other wrist. It hurt, it stung, but not so unbearably that Boa's eyes teared up. She would never cry, not in front of someone younger of all people. Especially Cho Kyuhyun, the student who continuously bothered her. Though Boa was a student teacher, observing from the side and assisting when needed, it seemed that Kyuhyun saw her as nothing more than the girl next door. Students weren't meant to worry about their teachers, but Kyuhyun was different.

 

A sigh escaped Boa's lips. It was always him, wasn't it? It was always Kyuhyun who was there, always watching her from the corner of his eye to make sure she wasn't going to get hurt. Although it was somewhat 'nice', Boa didn't like the feeling of being cared for. Or maybe she just wasn't used to it. Boa couldn't help but glare, unable to stand up for some reason. She had fallen over, tripped over the very top of the stairs. Boa was thinking about her university courses, her up and coming exams. Thus, due to the distraction, she had fallen over, and like any other person, placed her hand out to stop a forceful impact. Boa didn't think she would sprain her wrist so easily.

 

Kyuhyun stood in front of her, crouching down with a first-aid kit in his hand. He didn't really smile though, gazing at Boa softly. The way his eyes stared made her feel warm on the inside, but in that uncomfortable way so that Boa wanted it to stop. She wasn't used to it. Boa really didn't need him to be there.

 

"I can do it myself." Boa mumbled as Kyuhyun took out a bandage strip, wrapping it around her sprained wrist. She wasn't able to find the strength to stand up or push him away, simply sitting there.

 

"You could, but it's much easier if someone else does it for you. It'll be neater." Kyuhyun replied, voice quiet and calm. There was so much reason in his voice, in a way which Boa found hard to reject. She was still going to try though.

 

With a strange emotion, one unfamiliar and dangerous towards her heart, Boa shook her head. She wasn't willing, "I'm sure that I'll be fine."

 

Kyuhyun looked up at her with those words, a challenging and  amused expression on his face. To that, Boa felt intimidated, since no one usually gave her such a look. Kyuhyun continued to wrap Boa's wrist, "I doubt it."

 

Boa quickly shot her eyes up, as if it were some sort of challenge. Kyuhyun's words caused Boa to feel strange on the inside, and she wasn't sure what it meant. Boa glared, "Why? What are you trying to imply?"

 

"Nothing." Kyuhyun replied in a rather oblivious way, but it was clear he knew of Boa's annoyance. Whether or not though Kyuhyun was plannin to evoke such an emotion from Boa was completely unknown. She simply glared.

 

"What do you mean 'nothing'? Why do you doubt-" Boa was cut off as Kyuhyun looked up at her, causing her heart to knot once again.

 

"I'm just worried about you."

That sentence, again, was as unfamiliar to Boa as the sort of childish kindness she was receiving. And it sounded so tender, that Boa couldn't help but feel grateful for his care. In a light murmur, she replied softly, "...Thanks."

To this, the simple word, a smile look place on Kyuhyun's lips, a sort of smile she hardly ever saw on him. Boa wondered if she was the reason he didn't smile often, but did not want to think about it completely. Kyuyun then suddenly unwrapped the neat bandage, causing the other to look strangely. He said, "Boa, I forgot to put the ointment."

Boa nodded, rolling her eyes in a somewhat irked way, "You always forget the 'Noona' part."

Kyuhyun looked back up at Boa, to which she felt somewhat tense. He replied, "I didn't forget, I just decided to leave it out."

This confused Boa.

"Why?"

"Because I really don't think that 'age' is really that big of a deal. I don't understand the point." Kyuhyun said simply, as he had taken the lid off the tube of ointment and then applying it to Boa's wrist. The ointment would numb the pain slightly, to which he hoped Boa would feel better.

Though, Boa wasn't concerned with her wrist at the moment.

She really couldn't understand Kyuhyun's words, why he had said what he had. Boa had grown knowing that age and gender were equivalent to how a person was treated, thus, making her confused. Boa asked, "What do you mean? Age is important."

Kyuhyun looked up at her once again, and his eyes, his dark orbs, Boa felt as if he were seeing into the deepest depths of her soul. Honestly, for the first time in a while, she felt vulnerable. Kyuhyun asked her simply, "How so?"

That question made Boa tense, as she thought. There were many reasons in her head, but were they proper reasons, or did she create her own boundaries? Her head began to hurt."I just..." Boa snatched her wrist away in frustration, " Let me do it myself."

 

He couldn't help but stare. Kyuhyun always knew Boa was odd when it came to age, but he really didn't understand why she viewed it with so much importance. Age was simply a measure of time, which is a person's own perspective. Kyuhyun asked, "Why are you so ashamed to require help from someone younger than you? Why do you think it matters so much? Age is not what makes a person, age doesn't give someone superiority over anyone else. It's your personality, Boa, it's who you are that makes you superior. It's the experience you have, the knowledge. It's just you." 

 

Though the words were warm, Boa felt sick. She didn't know why, and her head began to pound. Boa shook her head as she looked down, "Can you just go away? I've read all the stories of those young girls who are rescued. They're all weak, pathetic and useless. Why would I want to be like that? Why would I want to become so pathetic?"

Kyuhyun went silent as he listened to Boa's words. Perhaps he had gained some understanding. "Is this what it's about? Gender? The girls who are rescued in stories, or the girls who are waiting for someone, they aren't pathetic. They're not weak or useless for waiting, wanting to be rescued. It's natural, isn't it? Everybody wants to be saved, everybody wants to have that one person to think they're special. Why is that so bad? Besides, some girls don't even wait for don't even wait to be helped, yet they are." 

He placed his hand out, brushing a loose strand of Boa's hair behind her ears.
 

"Why do you think I watch you?"

From that, the light touch, the words, Boa began to feel heated. Her cheeks turned to a bright red, and a light sweat was felt.

Still though, Boa didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to let go of her attitude and demeanor that had grown for so long. She whispered softly, "...I don't.... want help."

Kyuhyun stared at her, as if he had lost his patience with the conversation. His eyes were stern and strict, but voice was ever so gentle, just lke how he normally spoke to Boa. "You're going to get it anyway, so don't bother saying that."

Boa had not really been in a situation such as this, so she couldn't help but ask, "Do you like me?"

A silence.

Kyuhyun stared at her, in a somewhat confused way. His eyes were playfully amused, to which, she simply looked down as he bandaged her wrist finally and sighes, "It's more than that. Believe me. And it's because you're strong, and beautiful, and definitely not pathetic in any way."

Those words really affected Boa, because age and gender had been everything to her. Because she was a woman, hardly anybody called her 'strong', whether or not they were referring to her mental or physical state. And even the word 'beautiful' was of extravagance, something she hardly ever heard because she did not 'act like a girl'. And she had been called names, 'pathetic' was one of them, many times, because of simple things from the way she dressed to who she behaved. It was odd.

A little smile was playing on Kyuhyun' s lips as he added slowly, "And the fact that you're older than me doesn't bother me a single bit."

Boa wasn't sure what to do, and could only say this:

"Relationships between students and teachers are not allowed!"

Kyuhyun stared at her once again, still amused by her words. Carefully, he pulled Boa close, "That's only if we get caught."

Kiss.


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This fic has been waiting to be posted since forever~ How was it?~ ^^