I came home late at night. I carefully opened the door and closed it very slowly to make it unheard. I tip toed but then the light is suddenly on. Dad is by the wall, crossing his hands and starring at me with his frown upside down.

I exhaled and faked a smile. “Hi, dad.” I greeted him in the most awkward way ever.

He cleared his throat and watched me from head to toe.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“Painting… uhm, the assignment. I got an assignment and I had to paint together with my partner so…”

“Name the partner.”

I locked my lips together and my heart rate started increase as my dad is starring at me with ‘that’ look. He is suspecting me. I’m afraid he figure out already. “Chae? I’m talking to you, look at me.” He almost yelled.

Now I’m ing scared. I hesitantly looked at my dad and tried hard not to look nervous but I think I failed because my hands are shaking.

“You don’t know who my partner is, dad.”

“But sure she got a name right?”

“Her name is not important.”

“It’s her, right? It’s Park Sandara.”

“What? No.”

“Yes it’s her. I just saw her leaving a minute ago. She sent you home.”

Now I can’t argue anymore. Dad has seen it. “It’s just an assignment, dad. Trust me, I have asked my professor to get me another partner but he insisted so…”

“Go upstairs now, get some sleep. It’s late already. We’d talk tomorrow.” Dad said as he sat down on the couch with his head ducked. He seems so upset.

“I’m sorry, dad… It won’t happen again.” I said and rushed upstairs.

I slumped onto my bed and looked up at the ceiling. My mind is travelling back to hours ago, when I was with Dara. When I was painting her with my nervous hand and eyes and the she gave to me even just by a stare. That was the first time I’ve ever felt like that. It was strange and my mind can’t stop repeating what happened earlier today.

“Have you seen a girl before?” she suddenly came up with question, distracting me from getting hold onto myself. I lost my focus and all I could see in front of my eyes is her body, leaning comfortably on the bed and her dazzling eyes starring at me, along with that quirky smile.

I scoffed, “Yes… uhm, my mom, and my cousin, when I was little. We went to public bath.”

She giggled and I assumed she is mocking at me. “Not that I mean… like, a girlfriend, or a friend…”

“I never dated a girl before.” I replied quickly.

She smirked, “Okay… so I’m the first girl you’ve ever seen?”

I just nodded my head like a little puppy and still looking away from her. I kept searching for something to look at, like the arms of the chair, the wooden floor, the pink curtain or anything I could see, just not that body.

“Do I make you nervous?” she suddenly asked again and this time I almost couldn’t catch my breath.

I wonder why she likes to tease me and why she always finds perfect time and way to tempt me, to make me nervous, to make me question my insanity.

“Uhm… a little bit.” I said.

“Chaerin look at me please.” She said.

I finally looked up at her and found her smiling at me and I think I could see a slight dimple on her cheek. “If you want to paint me well, you should look at my body, feel it.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because… I… I’m nervous.”

“Do you want to touch it?”

“Sorry?” my eyes are suddenly widened and I feel hot all over my body especially my ears. I think they’re getting red.

She laughed and rolled herself to get up. She looked outside the window through the curtain. “I think my dad is home. Gosh, I think he wants to see me…. In one minute, there’s gonna be a knock on the door downstairs.”

She turned around and then suddenly there’s a knock, good guess.

She walked toward me, still , and then she walked circling me to see the sketch I made on the canvas. She is standing right behind me, her tummy is slightly touching my nape. I get goosebumps as she leaned forward to look closer at the drawing. I guess she did it by purpose, to tease me.

I turned my head to the side and our lips almost touched. She smiled, “It’s great. Beautiful. I know you’re going to be a great painter.” She muttered and pecked on my lips in a flash. It was so quick I couldn’t even feel it. I wanted it to last longer but she already walked away from me, bending down to grab her clothes and put them on right in front of me.

I gulped and let go of a big relieved sigh after she is already dressed. She tilted her head, “What’s with the sigh?”

“Nothing. I’m just glad you like the sketch.”

She gave me a big warming smile. “Let’s go downstairs. Let’s see my head daddy.” She pulled my hand.

“It’s already late, I have to go home.” I said after noticing it’s already time for dinner.

She squeezed my hand tight, “Please stay for dinner, just for dinner. I’m sure my dad is going to ask me join him for dinner and if I have a dinner with him alone, there’s gonna be a big war event so I need you to accompany me so my dad won’t start a conversation that would lead to us picking fight.”

She gave me puppy eyes and it’s hard for me to say no.

The time I said yes and