When I arrived here, especially in my new class, almost everyone had warned me about a certain person. Though I don’t think it was necessary, everyone was already wary of his presence and he looked like he didn’t really care one bit.

“Don’t be fooled by how he looks like, actually doesn’t he look scary,” a classmate whispered to me once as I stole a glance at the said person who sat quietly on his chair, napping on his desk, headphones on. My eyebrows furrowed both at curiosity and wonder, the guy looked harmless, I had told them and they had laughed at me – quietly so Daehyun could not hear.

“Just beware of him, unless you want to spend your first week in the hospital,” another classmate had warned me. Although I don’t really one hundred percent believe everything they told me, I still shivered. It must be in the way they had said it.

But it had been two months since then and despite how everyone had been telling me to beware of the devil’s spawn or the monster, or the devil himself all I had done was actually be aware of Jung Daehyun’s presence. And that kiss. That kiss in the infirmary just told me that that was what I had been doing actually. What am I going to do tomorrow? What should I do? Wait, why am I the one worried, I didn’t steal someone’s kiss?!

“Yes, Jongup?” Himchan’s voice that was sort of like in a sing song burst my thought bubble. I jerked my head up and met eyes with him. He tilted his head slightly to the left, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for whatever I was going to say. I blinked twice or three times. I hadn’t had any clue that while I was thinking my brains out until they’d emit smoke I was wandering off towards the Disciplinary Committee office. “So?” he supplied.

“Ummm,” I started while my gaze run around the room except at said person. “Is there a possibility that you’d allow me not to come on morning duty tomorrow?” I asked as innocently as I could, trying to do the cute puppy eyes, which I think is useless considering I have small, probably slit-like eyes.

“Why?” he probed as he leans against the table, elbows propped over the varnished wood and his chin resting on his palm, a smile plastered on his face.

Sometimes, despite how much I idolize Kim Himchan when he smiles like that, I’d feel a shiver running down the course of my body and it’s nothing near the good way. Sometimes, I believe he should be the one holding the title of Devil’s spawn.

“I think I’m going to be sick tomorrow,” I said.

“Really?” he asked, clearly amused at my all too obvious lie.

I shrugged, well it’s pretty certain I won’t get the time-out from morning duties. “Yeah,” I continued nonchalantly. “I think I’m going to have a very, very painful headache tonight that I would wake up late tomorrow.” Himchan laughed.

He stood up and leaned further just enough for his outstretched arm to reach my shoulder. He pat me firmly twice as he laughed. “Well, you know my answer,” he said finally.

“It was a good try,” I mumbled. He don’t need to prolong the agony and just say it straight.

“No need to sulk Jongup,” he said. I felt his index finger and thumb on my left cheek, pinching it softly. I glared at him or I hope I did. I’m not really good with being bad, people think it was still cute. “Has Daehyun been mean to you? I hope not, I mean you to make such a great pair.”

My heart made a sudden somersault. “W-we just started today,” I argued and mentally took note that I should go bang my head somewhere for stuttering like that.

Suddenly Himchan stared at me, narrowing his eyes as if studying my face, as if trying to read my mind. I just hope I wasn’t blushing. Himchan easily catches on things, so I’ve heard. “What?” I asked, sounding annoyed. Himchan straightened and plopped back to his chair. He shakes his head with his eyes closed as if he was either satisfied with whatever he’s seen or he was musing about it.

“Nothing,” he said casually. “Anyway, see you tomorrow,” he says with finality.

*~*~*

“Morning,” Daehyun greeted. He was sitting crouched in front of the school gate and gave me a small salute. ! Did he see me flinch just now, more importantly, did he see me coming and retreating for how many times, I can’t count already.

“G-g-good m-morning,” I replied but what the heck am I stuttering for?! I walked pass him and stood there, with my back against his. Jongup, settle down, the guy doesn’t bat an eyelash for what he did yesterday and you’re probably almost as red as the stop light I told myself while we wait and while I wish that someone, anyone would come through this gates soon.

“Want gum?” Daehyun asked he looked behind him, and up at me, offering his pack of gum. It had been, what, ten minutes already.

I shook my head intensely. “We’re not supposed to be eating gum at school,” I told him.

Daehyun languidly stands up, using his knees as leverage while at it and slowly his eyes met mine as an eyebrow cocked up arrogantly annoying. “No one is around yet and it’s not like class has started.”

“It’s still not allowed,” I puffed my cheeks as I glowered at him.

Daehyun snorts as he slips the pack of gum inside his coat’s pocket. “Suit yourself, let’s see whose mouth is going to be stinky after not talking for hours,” he says and looks away. I was thankful that he did, because I could feel my ears beginning to feel warm and when he said those words my eyes darted immediately to his lips – parting every now and then as he chews his gum. I had to gulp an invisible lump because for a minute as I drag my wary eyes off those plump, healthy lips, I thought they were attractive – sensually attractive.

“Are you a pushover or what?” I tense when I heard Daehyun but can’t see him through the pile of handouts I’ve been carrying. Suddenly, the weight lightened and Daehyun’s annoyed expression greeted me. I looked away. I wanted to tell him to go away and mind his own business but my tongue won’t move. He sighed audibly, I don’t know why he’s annoyed. I know he was and probably it’s because I was a pushover as he says it. I maybe am, but I like helping others, I like being useful and it’s not like no one else was available.

“So to the classroom,” he says. I bobbed my head up and hummed in agreement before looking on the floor again and moving towards our classroom with him following my suit. It was awkward and it wasn’t the only awkward moment that we had.

For three days and I don’t understand why, maybe Daehyun really is just a good person or maybe this is his way of apologizing about the kiss? I’d rather have a verbal excuse than this way, my heart and my mind can’t keep up with the mental stress! I can act calm, I can act like I’ve forgotten about it during morning duties, after all Daehyun is pretty busy glaring daggers at anyone and sometimes I’ve often imagined that he was like one of those rabid, mad dogs with foams on their mouths. The thought would sometimes make me giggle that Daehyun would snap at me because I was too kind to the offenders or to everyone in particular.

I wanted to tell him it was his fault, but then again, why didn’t I told him about it? Also why did I even associate him with a mad dog?

*~*~*

“Daehyun,” the teacher called. Silence. She glanced up from the frame of her glasses. “Jung Daehyun,” she called a pitch higher this time. Silence once more. I wasn’t sitting up front but I could see her lips moving, probably something insulting towards Daehyun – slacker, delinquent? I’m not too sure but that’s what everyone says. Why couldn’t they see that Daehyun’s a pretty good guy? And why does Daehyun act so rude to everyone anyway? And once again, why am I worried about him, it is definitely not my place.

I glanced behind me, to Daehyun’s chair, it wasn’t specifically empty. His things were still there. I sighed as I focused my eyes on the board and watched the teacher scribble. Although I do think it was weird that the teacher was doing a roll-call when it was already afternoon but cutting classes was not a good idea, never was it a good thing.

After that period, I excused myself and immediately started looking for him. Starting at the infirmary and for the first time in my life I was reluctant to get in. But I was disappointed, Daehyun was not inside. I couldn’t search for him in many places, the next period was about to start.

“Ummm,” I muttered when I noticed Zelo. Zelo stopped and turned his head slightly, he was already a few feet behind me, we kind of walked pass each other. “Where’s Daehyun?” I asked as casually as I could. “Home,” he replied without a bat of his eyelashes.

“Oh,” I said, a little too disappointed even for myself I think.

“Don’t worry about it, he does that often,” Zelo says with a grin, trying to cheer me up.

“I hope he doesn’t, it’s not going to do well on his transcript. Anyway, thanks,” I said and made my exit. But as I hear Zelo’s feet moving farther and farther away I my heels and jog up to him.

Spontaneous or not, I wanted to do it. Daehyun isn’t all that bad, I don’t think he is all that bad.

“Are you serious?” Zelo asked, his eyes wide from surprise. I nodded. “No,” he says.

“Please,” I pleaded. He looked at me, stared at me probably wondering what the heck I was doing and finally just after the class bell rung he sighed and finally gave in.

“Whatever, I’ll give you our address later, so come swing by my class,” he said he was still looking at me suspiciously. There’s nothing wrong with it. I just, I really just want to be Daehyun’s friend. Because Daehyun is an amazing person, because Daehyun has been so kind to me even if he’d slightly spat insulting words at me while he’s at it but he still helps me.

Those are good enough reasons to be friends, right?