Hongbin took a deep breath and shook out his arms.

"Don't worry, you got this," Ravi patted his friend on the shoulder, "She would be crazy to tell you no."

"Or she would just be thinking about the value of our friendship," Hongbin mumbled as he watched you place your books in your locker while talking to one of your friends.

"Well, you told her you would do this. Now you have to stick to your word," Ravi reminded him of the conversation that you and Hongbin had, all the way back in the fifth grade.

"Here," a ten year old Hongbin pushed a small weed flower in your face.

"What's this for?" you asked, carefully taking the uprooted plant from his hand.

"I'm making you my girlfriend," he said as-a-matter-of-factly, "I saw it on TV. If a guy gives a girl a flower, it makes her his girlfriend."

"Oppa! That's no way to confess!" you scoffed, "And this isn't even a flower!"

"It's close enough!" he yelled back.

You let out a frustrated sigh, "Ask me again in a few years, when we're in high school and with real flowers. We're way too young to be in a serious relationship anyways."

"Fine, in high school, I'll make you my girlfriend!" he proclaimed, puffing out his chest and raising his chin causing you to laugh and shake your head.

"Why did I tell her that I would do this?" he asked himself then turned to his friend, "I don't think I can do this."

"Yes you can! And you will," Ravi ordered.

"But this isn't elementary school anymore," Hongbin shook his head, "What if she really didn't like me that way and just said to ask her later so I would leave her alone?"

"What are you talking about?! That's ridiculous!" Ravi shook his head and made a shooing motion with his hand, "The bottom line is that you like her and you will never know if she likes you back unless you find out. So go ask her out on that date!"

Before Hongbin could retort, Ravi stuffed the bouquet of flowers in his hands and pushed him towards you. He turned around and gave his friend a pleading look.

"Go!" Ravi mouthed and pushed the air in front of him with his hands.

Hongbin internally groaned and turned back towards you as you waved goodbye to your friend.

He wiped his hands jeans and tightly gripped the bouquet of flowers in his hands as he hesitantly walked up to you.

"Umm, ______-ah," he called out softly.

You turned away from your locker and gave him a smile, "Hey, Hongbin. What's up?"

"Here!" he quickly pushed the flowers into your arms.

You stumbled backwards a little but clutched onto the flowers so they wouldn't fall to the ground.

"What are these for?" you asked as you observed the flowers curiously.

He looked down and scuffed his foot against the tile flooring, "You told me to ask you in high school, so I am."

You tilted your head to the side as you tried to figure out what he was talking about. Suddenly, your eyes widened in realization and your lips stretched in a smile.

"You remember?" you laughed.

He nodded his head, "How could I forget?" he smiled.

"Because it was, like, years ago! I almost forgot and I was the one that told you to ask me in high school!"

The two of you laughed, you in embarrassment and Hongbin in admiration of your cuteness.

"What do you say to dinner and a movie tomorrow night?" he asked.

 You watched him bite his lower lip, a nervous habit that you knew he had ever since he was a kid. You looked down at the bouquet of flowers in your arms and smiled a little when you noticed they were lilies, your favorite flower.

Hongbin knew you so well, more than your friends and probably even more than your own parents. You didn't answer his confession in elementary school because you thought he was just fooling around like he always did. Seeing him now, hands stuffed in his pockets and anxiety laced in his facial features, you were starting to wonder if he really was serious years ago. But, regardless of how he felt as a ten year old, you definitely knew how he felt now.

And you felt the same.

"So…?" he shifted his weight from foot to foot as he waited for your answer.

Hongbin internally chuckled at the irony of how he waited for years for this moment yet he couldn't even be patient enough to wait a few seconds for your answer.

"Sounds great," you smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness," he sighed in relief and engulfed you in a hug, "I don't think I would have been able to handle two rejections from you!"

"The first one wasn't a rejection!" you argued, "I was just making sure that your feelings were true."

"Well, they were," he said sincerely, looking into your eyes before pulling you back into his arms and carefully making sure not to crush your flowers.