My mood had developed from sleepless to exhausted. Oh, how I loved my neighbor.

I was surprised I could sustain keeping up on my two feet. And I still had to cram my brain for any details for the up-coming Chem test. It was on my way to class when I was suddenly stopped by a running and always chirpy Ahlee. She came strolling over, her short black hair swinging back and forth. Her hand she held behind her back, excitement so big it was almost hitting me right in the face that I had to take a step back.

For a long second after she approached me fiddling in my locker for a science textbook. She opened her closed eyes and beamed, “Guess.”

I sighed and monotoned. “You have detention.”

“I have detention!” she shouted a little too hyper. There was still a sting from where her high-pitched cry had reached my ear drums. Nevertheless, it wasn’t like I was not used to her behavior. She only acted this way when she had an interest in someone.

“Who’s it this time...” I could really care less right this second. At the moment, I was busy flipping through pages in order to get some information. Don’t get me wrong, Ahlee was one of the closest people to me, but I was close enough to her to know that she had numerous love-interest in guys since I’ve met her. Not that I had a problem--I just didn’t have time to remember the name of guy number 1,000. 

A pen between my teeth, and two heavy books in my arms, I walked forward as the bell rung. “Ahlee, can we --uh-- save this conversation for study hall? I have gotta--“

Then, she pouted. I stopped, turning with a ‘really?-that again?’ face. What did she think she was doing? I hate when she does that. “Skip,” she said simply and when I kept walking she added, “Come on! I thought you hated taking tests?”

I turned and began walking backwards. “People has to graduate sometime!” I called out to her with a smirk, but it faultered as my back slammed right into a soft wall. Somehow, my body had already reacted to him. I knew who it was and didn’t even have to turn around to even reassure myself.

Annoyed with the world and with Jongin, I scurried right past him without a word. That’s when he his heels and started walking right next to me making me sigh.

“What are you doing?”

I could hear no sign of teasing just yet. “We have class,” he murmured low.

Putting on my dead-pan expression, I allowed myself to crane my neck to glance at him. No smirk still.

“I really had no freaking clue, neighbor.” A flicker of amusement crossed his deep eyes, but it was overlooked when he turned to look somewhere else.

A group of asians with intruments on their backs-- others holding cases-- and such traveled down the hallway, a few waving or nodding his way. The five boys and two other girls were practically in a tight-knit circle. Since I had little interest in at the moment, I didn’t analyze it further. Though, one of the girl’s blew him a kiss but the closest he came to acknowledging it was turning his head and whispering to me, “You look tired.”

It wouldn’t be a crime to murder someone in the middle of a school right?

“Look, neighbor,” I didn’t know how to stress that word more. “We have a test in o—”

My sentence was cut short as the bell rung again. The late bell. And when it did, my teachers door had closed right in my face. The test went to forty percent of my grade therefore fricking up my altogether average. In a haze of rage and thoughts, I could make out the figure of Jongin beside me.

As if he could read it on my face, Jongin took my hand into his. “Maybe you should take this time to rest,” he brushed his finger over my eye and I’m shocked I did not bite it. “Your eyes look a little puffy.”