People always told me that true beauty lies within, but I think the outside is quite important too!
I mean in a sense to attract people at first...
People who have nothing but a nice cover ARE attractive, I won’t tell you otherwise, but once you discover there’s nothing in it... Well, then you have just wasted some valuable time!
But how do you single out that person who has a nice outside AND a nice inside?
There is one obvious solution... go after every person whose outside you like and discover their inside...
There is only one obstacle... You need to have a lot, really a LOT, of confidence and you shouldn’t be torn apart when you’re turned down by a guy... or seventeen...
And that, that is just my problem... I am in no circumstances confident to ask a guy on a date... and I think I would die if a guy I liked would turn me down...
Maybe because that would mean I have to leave my comfort zone to ask him first...

As I was thinking about this on my way to school... This time I was on time to catch the bus...
I saw a black, highly polished, scooter with a design of neon, blue flames. It was passing the bus.
That was a very familiar scooter! He’ll be at school today too!
I sighed, maybe I had the chance to speak to him today...
I know it is kind of pathetic, but yesterday, when I laid on my bed, I kept on composing conversations between him and me... I wanted to know his name very badly...
Since I had no name and "blabla" sounded somewhat lame, I gave him a surrogate name, it’s Max...
Why Max, some might want to know... Well, he’s like maximum hotness, my maximum height and he has the maximum coolness, more would be lethal for me…
So when I mention "Max", I’ll be referring to the perfect stranger, with his handsome face!

When I walked through the main entrance of our university I saw that I was walking just a few meters behind Max.
What I saw then was even more pathetic than my imaginary conversations...
Some girls were almost literally drooling over the sight of Max passing by. He didn’t really look at them, and if he did, he would merely shake his head, having a this-popularity-of-mine smile on his face and start looking for his friends again...

‘Hey, were you looking for me?’ I heard a voice next to me. I quickly stopped gazing at Max, to look at the face to whom the voice belonged. To find HeeChul standing next to me, a smile of at least 7 cm wide plastered on his face.
I was glad HeeChul hadn’t seen I was gazing at Max before. Having no other reason to be staring so intense into space, I thought it was better to say I was indeed looking for HeeChul.
HeeChul started laughing, the controllable kind of laugh that confident people have.
‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ HeeChul asked...
That was the second awkward encounter I had with HeeChul in 2 days, since I have known him...
Because I didn’t want to offend his way of behaving towards me, I answered him...
‘No, I don’t have a boyfriend.’
‘Then, do you want one?’ HeeChul stayed in his asking-awkward-questions mode.
‘What?’ I asked, not thinking I could even seriously answer at all...
‘I said... Do you...’
‘Yes, I heard it, but why are you asking?’ I interrupted...
‘Just because...’ He said.
I waited for him to finish his sentence, but as there was almost a minute passed in silence, I figured his answer was to be complete with just two words... Fine, he makes me answer honestly while he almost doesn’t answer at all!
‘I’m going to class now...’ I said, wishing to get away from him. He was being really awkward...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HeeChul’s POV:

Crap! What should I do?
I’m not at all that crazy about DaMae...
She’s nice to hang out with, but that’s all... She’s not my type...
GINA! I’ll kill you once I’ve proven myself to be straight!
What was I thinking?
To make DaMae fall for my charm, I need to give her the impression that I love her...
I can’t lie to her!
...but, if I don’t get her to fall for my charm, I’d lose my reputation...
This whole thing would be as a testimony to my gayness... which isn’t even there...
So should I continue this nonsense and save me a lot of awkward moments?

*FLASHBACK*
‘Hello, with Gina...’

‘Hi, HeeChul here!’

‘Chul! Why do you call?’

‘You don’t like it? I’ll hang up!’

‘No, it’s fine by me, but isn’t it a bit girly to end a conversation that lasted an hour, to call again after 10 minutes? Well, I had always known you to be a bit gay anyway...’

‘Wait! What did you say? You think I’m gay?’

‘Well...’

‘Well, I’m not! I just haven’t found myself a nice girlfriend!’

‘You know, you don’t need a girlfriend to prove you’re straight...’

‘Right, I should just kiss a girl I don’t know, huh?’

‘No, that would be too easy... gays can kiss a girl too, you know...’

‘Hmm... So what do you suggest I’d do?’

‘Make DaMae fall for you...! If you succeed, I’ll be certain you possess the charm of a straight guy...’

‘Easy, by the end of the week, she’ll be rolling on my hand!’

‘Don’t be too sure... I think she doesn’t fall for someone that quickly... She doesn’t seem the dramatic type to me...’

‘Wanna bet?’

‘Right, baby! I’ll help you and give you a month instead of a week! Haha!’

‘Deal! And don’t say baby to me! If I win... you’ll never talk about my feminine side again, and you won’t suggest it to others...’

‘OK, but if I win... You know you’ll be wearing a pink dress at the school dance this year and you WILL be attending the dance! I’ll pick you up then!’

‘It’s a deal, but I won’t be losing this!’
*END FLASHBACK*

AISH! PINK!
I might have a feminine side, but I don’t like a pink dress...
At least not to wear myself!
DaMae should fall for me... quickly too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Let me walk you to class!’ HeeChul got hold of my arm.
‘Erm... I can get myself there...’ I uttered...
‘No, I insist! What class do you have?’ HeeChul smiled broadly again...
‘Just physics... I’m off to my locker first...’
‘Yea, me too! I’m going with you!’
This guy was weird! Did he have a crush on me or something?

When I opened my locker HeeChul duck in to get my bag for me...
‘What are you doing? What is it with you lately? Are you always like this?’ I asked somewhat irritated with him.
‘Do you always ask this many questions?’ HeeChul replied.
Strange, I thought I heard a light irritation in his voice too...
‘Well, not if there’s no reason...’ I said, mentally kicking myself for answering his questions when he didn’t answer any of mine...

I closed my locker, since HeeChul wouldn’t want to give me my stuff back.
When I turned I saw HeeChul was walking away...
‘Hey come back!’ I yelled at him.
He turned and stood there, as if posing...
My bag over his shoulder and his hands in his pockets, smiling a flirting smile...
Who is this guy? I asked myself...
‘Ya, will you give me my bag now?’
I ran to him to try and grab it from his shoulder.
But then I tripped, falling against his chest...
He caught me and I felt his strong arms around me... I started to blush...
We must look like a couple in a passionate position... He hung over me hugging me around my shoulders... In a quick glance I could see Gina turning and walking away...
I could have sworn she looked angry, but not at me, at HeeChul...
What was going on between these people?

‘Well, you do like me!’ He teased. ‘You even fell for me!’
I pushed HeeChul away... Not harsh, just gently...
I couldn’t hurt him... He still was a friend, but if he kept on making me feel awkward, I should try to avoid him...
‘I need to hurry now... Bye!’ I quickly said without looking him in the eyes.
Then I walked off...

Fingers crossed... Don’t let him be waiting after class!

___________~END OF CHAPTER 4~__________