YOUNGMIN'S POV

The thing about the hobbit is that she can’t seem to have a weakness.

I mean, on our first break when we went to the cafeteria, I saw her holding a tray with a glass of juice and some bread there. I squeezed myself between her and the new girl and acted as if I was reaching for a tray, but purposely knocked her tray. The juice, which apparently was strawberry, spilled on her uniform.

She just looked at me and didn’t even act as if she was furious. She just picked up the tray and went out of the cafeteria. I saw other students pointing at her and laughing but she just ignored them.

So public humiliation does not affect her.

Or so I thought.

On the next day, we were supposed to be on the gym. So we needed to change our uniform. I saw the hobbit running in the gym with her gym uniform and gave me a look that resembles a pirate. I think she wants to scare me. Hah.

I became busy helping my twin to do some basic exercise.

“Ah. Hyung, I can’t do it. I can’t reach my toe. My body is for an old man.” Kwangmin complained.

“Stop complaining and just do it!” I said. Kwangmin never likes exercise.

“Na Young, can you help me with my stretching?” Kwangmin asked someone.

I was not interested to see who my twin is talking to, but then I heard her.

“Sure.” The hobbit, or rather, Na Young said and went to Kwangmin and gently pushed Kwangmin’s back so my twin can reach his toe.

Since when did they become friends?

“Kwangmin, let me help you.” I said and glared at the hobbit.

“Oh thank you, hyung. I thought you were busy stretching.” Kwangmin said.

I saw Na Young raised her eyebrow and then walked out.

“So… You and Na Young. Are you guys friends now?” I asked my twin. Careful of the tone I used, my twin might think that I care.

“Ah, yes. I talked to her yesterday. I saw her running from the cafeteria. She spilled some juice on her uniform. She didn’t have an extra uniform so I lend her my blazer. Why hyung?” Kwangmin asked. I haven’t told Kwangmin about my revenge plan.

“Oh, nothing. She seemed like a clumsy person. Always spilling drinks. Wasn’t she the one who spilled your frap on my blazer?” I said

“Yes, hyung. But it was an accident. You can’t take that against her.” Kwangmin said

Hah! If only you knew. I haven’t even showed you what she did to my blazer. And what’s up with her calling me Pissed-Pants?

“Ok, if you say so. Hey don’t be late later. I want to go home early.” I said to Kwangmin.

Kwangmin and I shared a car. My twin didn’t like driving so it was me who always drive the car. So we always come home together.

“About that, I need to study in the library later. I may be late. But you can go home. I will just ask Old Nan to fetch me later.” Kwangmin said.

I shrugged and concentrated on my stretching.

NA YOUNG’S POV

I slipped inside the boy’s locker room when our PE teacher wasn’t looking. I carefully read the locker doors and found Youngmin’s.

You are so gonna get it pissed-pants! I thought.

My plan is to slip a bottle of a seriously offensive smell of perfume in his locker so that when he changed into our uniform, he will smell like hell! Hah!

I can’t fully open the locker so I just open the bottle and spill it on the small opening of the locker. I almost gagged at the smell. But I poured the whole bottle inside. Ugh.

I need to get out of here now.

I was about to step out when I heard footsteps. I immediately fell flat on my stomach and squeeze myself under the lockers, there’s a wide space there, enough to fit and probably hide me. Then the intruder came to view, or at least, his shoes.

OMG! Yougnmin’s shoes! I mean, he’s the only one that has gold and black Nike shoes. And predictably, he went on his locker.

“What the -”

He probably smelled his locker. I can’t help but smile. Victory is sweet. But then I was unlucky remember? My nose decided that it was itching and before I can stop myself, I sneezed.

“Hey!” I heard Youngmin said. And he dropped on his stomach and I saw him facing me. Then he grabbed my arm and dragged me out in the open.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded

“I was planking.” I said. 

Hey that was the only excuse that I can think of.

“In the boy’s locker room?” he asked and then saw the bottle that I was holding.

He tried to grab it but I tried to hide it and well, my body is not well-coordinated so when I was about to fall I grabbed Youngmin’s arms to break my fall but then I think he wasn’t expecting me to grab him so he lost his balance and he fell on top of me.

Eww, so much closeness, he was literally on top of me. I began to feel his weight on me. Hey he’s heavy! I was about to stand up but I bumped my head into his and I immediately felt the ache.

“Ouch! What are you doing?” I asked.

“Whoah!” I heard someone said.

I didn’t know that the class ended and I saw our entire male population classmate by the door. I saw their shocked faces. I mean, why are they so shocked?

Then I remembered that I’m still flat on my back and Youngmin is still on top of me and I figured it wasn’t such a good sight.

“What are you doing?” Kwangmin came into view and broke the silence.

Youngmin stood up and grabbed my arm rather brusquely.

“We were planking.” Youngmin said

 “On top of each other?” Kwangmin said. Our classmates sniggered.

“Never mind.” Youngmin said then looked at me. He squinted his eyes then shook his head. Without a word, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the locker room.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He didn’t answer me and I tried to pull my arm free but then his grip is strong. And what’s that stabbing pain in my right palm? I looked at my hand and saw broken shards of the bottled perfume I used a while ago. My hand is bleeding.

“Ok. We need to stop.” Youngmin said so I stopped.

I looked at him blankly and he glared at me.

“I mean, we need to stop this war.” He said

“Oh, I thought you meant we need to stop walking.” I said.

Is he offering a truce?

“I’m sorry that I spilled your juice yesterday.” He said.

“Oh that was on purpose?” I said feigning innocence.

Hell, that was the reason why I sneaked in to the locker room to get even.

“As if you didn’t know.” He said as if reading my mind. “Where’s the bottle?” he asked

“I don’t have it. I left it in the locker.” I said but I hid my right hand.

He grabbed it and saw my hand is bleeding.

“You’re hurt.” He suddenly said.

“It’s not hurting.” I said and I tried to hide it again. I put on a brave face.

“If we’re gonna have a truce, I am all for it. You leave me alone. And I will leave you alone.” I said and before he could say anything I walked out.

author's note

Too Close For Comfort by McFly