The first two weeks of school for CL was intense. On the second day of classes she was supposed to read 3-4 chapters and obtain all that information by the next class session. On top of that she already had three 5-6 page papers that had to be turned in the following week.

CL knew that college would be hard and she tried her very best to be disciplined. Well, as disciplined as she could be.Kim Hyun Joong was always there. When she wanted to read the chapters in between classes Kim Hyun Joong would want to read them together. During her breaks at work CL would take her homework out to do and Kim Hyun Joong would bring his homework over as well to study with her.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like his company but he always distracted her. As they read and did their homework together he would ask questions that would somehow lead to another topic and to another topic to where they were far from talking about the readings or homework. Gratefully CL had one class that helped ease the tension and stress she was feeling and it was her ceramics class.

Today they would be working on the wheel making pottery.“I’m so excited,” CL said to Kim Hyun Joong as they walked to their ceramics class.

“Yeah…me too,” Kim Hyun Joong said trying to sound excited.

She laughed understanding that Kim Hyun Joong hated getting dirty. After the teacher allowed them to pick one of the wheels CL was the first one to jump up and run over to the wheel she had been eying since she walked into class. Kim Hyun Joong on the other hand forced himself up from his seat and slowly walked over to the wheel next to CL’s.

CL looked up at Kim Hyun Joong noticing he had not sit down yet, “What’s wrong?”

He just shook his head saying, “Oh nothing.”

She grinned and patted the seat next to her, “Come on and have a seat already. It won’t bite you I promise.” Kim Hyun Joong looked down to the chair and dusted it off with his hand before slowly sitting down. CL smiled, “Good job! I’m so excited! Oh look he’s bringing out the clay!”

Kim Hyun Joong had a look of disgust when the teacher had put a piece of clay onto his wheel. But CL on the other hand was so happy to have the clay sitting on her wheel that her hands dug right into the clay. As the teacher sat in front of the class demonstrating how to work the clay on the wheel the class followed along imitating their teacher.

After showing the class everything they needed to know he started to walk around. CL’s work caught his eye and he walked over to her, “Wow you’re a fast learner CL keep up the great work.” The teacher then looked over to Kim Hyun Joong noticing he had not touched the clay at all. “Kim Hyun Joong why haven’t you started on your pottery yet,” the teacher asked.

“Umm…I…I got lost as you were demonstrating how to do it,” Kim Hyun Joong lied.

The teacher wanted to help Kim Hyun Joong but he had to go check on the other students and then an idea came to him. “I know what, CL…” the teacher said getting CL’s attention.

“Yes,” CL said looking up to the teacher.

“Can you please help Kim Hyun Joong with his pottery,” the teacher asked.

She nodded her head saying, “Alright.”

“Thank you,” the teacher said before walking off to see if anyone else needed help.

CL stopped her wheel and got up to look at Kim Hyun Joong, “What happened? How come you didn’t start on your pottery?”

Kim Hyun Joong sat folding his arms, “CL you know I don’t like getting dirty.”

She laughed, “Wow you’re so different from the guys I’ve known. They all liked to get down and dirty.”So she likes dirty men? That’s disgusting, Kim Hyun Joong thought. CL sighed knowing what Kim Hyun Joong was thinking, “No, it’s not what you’re thinking. What I meat was, guys usually like to get their hands dirty. I would expect a girl not wanting to get her hands dirty, but a guy?” CL paused to shake her head, “Sorry I don’t mean to offend you. It’s just different.”

He sighed to himself knowing that he’d have to get his hands dirty to get on CL’s ideal guy list. Why can’t she be like the other girls I’ve dated, Kim Hyun Joong thought. He then rolled up his sleeves, “Well I guess I’ll just have to get my hands dirty for you.” CL smiled as she started up his wheel. She laughed as she watched Kim Hyun Joong struggle centering his clay on the wheel. “Stupid…clay…stay…on,” Kim Hyun Joong said trying to get the clay to stay in the center. After a couple attempts to do it himself he looked to CL, “Could you help me?”

CL smiled and nodded her head as she walked behind him. She took Kim Hyun Joong’s arms and positioned them in a stance so it would be easier for him to set the clay. Then she gave him instructions as she guided his hands on the clay. After he got his clay centered CL reached over him showing him how to work the clay.

As she was doing so Kim Hyun Joong put his hands on top of CL’s hands trying to get the motion down. When CL noticed he was starting to get a hang of it she tried to move her hands away, but he kept her hands in place. She looked to him and he looked back at her. CL started to feel awkward realizing that her hands were wrapped around him and he was holding her hands.

As CL stood looking into his eyes he started leaning closer to her. He gave her a mischievous smile and was only a breath away until they heard their teacher, “Alright class it’s time to clean up now. Please make sure you wipe up your wheel.”

CL quickly moved back and cleared , “Umm…I got to clean up my wheel.”

Kim Hyun Joong smiled to himself as he watched CL nervously clean her wheel off.I ’m already making her nervous and I didn’t even kiss her yet, Kim Hyun Joong thought.

After they had cleaned up CL walked out of the classroom feeling a little nervous for what almost happened in their ceramics class. At first they walked in silence and CL didn’t know what to say. But then she wanted to clarify what he was trying to do, “Kim Hyun Joong?”

“Yeah,” he said as they walked.

“Umm…what was that in class,” CL asked.

“What was what,” he said acting like he didn’t know what she was asking.

CL shrugged her shoulders, “Were…were you trying to kiss me?”

Kim Hyun Joong stopped in his tracks to look at CL, “What if I was?”

CL became tongue tied. She cleared saying, “Well...if you were trying to kiss me, why would you do that?”

Kim Hyun Joong sighed, “Is it wrong to try and kiss the girl you like?”

She started to blush, “You…you like me?”

Kim Hyun Joong smiled at her, “Why else would I get my hands dirty. I’m trying my best to show you that I like you.”

CL couldn’t believe all that she was hearing and didn’t know how to react to his confession. “I don’t know what to say. No one’s ever told me that they liked me,” CL said honestly.

“You mean no one’s ever told you how beautiful you are? Have you ever dated CL, “Kim Hyun Joong asked.

She went a darker shade of red shaking her head, “No I’ve never dated before.”

Kim Hyun Joong stepped closer to CL, “Well how about we go catch a movie or something this weekend?”

OMG is he asking me out on a date, CL thought. “Umm…” CL said unsure if she should because of all the homework she had.

He picked up her hands, “I promise it’s going to be fun!”

CL looked to Kim Hyun Joong, “I don’t know. We have a lot of homework.”

He nodded his head, “How about we study extra hard this week so that we’ll have time this weekend to go out?”

CL looked at the now pleading eyes of Kim Hyun Joong and she smiled, “Okay.”

Kim Hyun Joong gave her a huge grateful smile, “GREAT!”

They started walking again and CL noticed that he kept holding her hand. “Umm Kim Hyun Joong you can let go of my hand now,” CL said

.He released her hand, “I’m sorry, it’s just that our hands fit so perfectly together that I didn’t notice I was still holding your hand.”

CL gave him a shy smile and nodded her head as they walked to THE café. He’s such a sweetie, CL thought.

Damn I’m just too good, Kim Hyun Joong thought as they were about to walk into THE café.

CL was surprised how focused Kim Hyun Joong was during their studies. He didn’t waste any time between classes either. They both were able to finish this weeks and the following week homework Friday night!

“Wow I’ve never studied that hard in my entire life,” Kim Hyun Joong said as he stretched in his chair.

CL put her pencil down nodding her head, “That was really intense studying we did.”

He laid his head onto the table with both his hands on either sides of his face, “I’m so brain dead right now.”

CL smiled and she patted his right hand, “Well you have this weekend to relax and recuperate. Give your mind a rest.”

As CL was trying to remove her hand from his, he grabbed onto her wrist. What in the world, CL thought as he kept his head onto the table and still held her wrist. Suddenly Kim Hyun Joong intertwined his fingers with hers and set their hands onto the table. CL was speechless; she didn’t know what to do because this had never happened before. She felt a little awkward and she took her free hand to her now struggling hand to free it. But then Kim Hyun Joong’s other hand took CL’s free hand and intertwined his fingers with that hand. He did all this with his head still lying on the table. What is going on, CL thought to herself.

CL then sighed in defeat not knowing what else to do but sit there with him holding her hands. “CL,” he finally said after minutes of silence.

“Yes,” she said.

Kim Hyun Joong placed his chin onto the table and looked at her, “Thank you.”

She was confused at what he was thanking her for, “Hmm? What are you thanking me for?”

He smiled and squeezed her hands that he kept holding onto, “For pushing me to study and…and for being so beautiful.”

CL blushed and looked away for his bluntness. Kim Hyun Joong smirked watching her turn red. “I…umm…” CL didn’t know what to say.

He rose his head so that he was sitting up and watched CL fidget in her chair. Kim Hyun Joong gave her another hand squeeze, “Now we can relax. Now we can go on that date of ours remember?”

CL blushed even more, “Well…I…”

“You…” Kim Hyun Joong asked trying to make her say what was on her mind.

CL finally looked Kim Hyun Joong in the eyes, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?! What do you mean by that,” Kim Hyun Joong asked faking disappointment.

CL shrugged her shoulders, “I’ve never been on a date before.”

Kim Hyun Joong sighed and brought CL’s hands closer to him, “You’re over thinking things. Just think of it as we’re going out as friends to hang out or something.”

CL gave him a half smile, “I don’t know.”

“Aww…CL don’t be like that! Remember you promised we could go out if we finished all of our homework.” Kim Hyun Joong stopped and pointed to his homework, “We finished this week’s AND next week’s homework! Meaning that’s 2 dates for me,” he smiled to himself.

“WHAT?! How did it come out to TWO dates,” CL asked.

Kim Hyun Joong laughed, “It’s basic math CL. One week’s of homework done equals one date!”

“You know I have work,” CL said.

Kim Hyun Joong countered her by, “You know I know your boss right?” CL became tongue tied; she didn’t have any excuses left for her. “Plus, I’m not letting go of your hands unless you agree to our simple math equation,” Kim Hyun Joong said giving her hands a squeeze to remind her that he still held her hands. Huh? OUR math equation, CL thought. Hmm…this isn’t working. Time for plan B, Kim Hyun Joong thought. He suddenly released her hands and looked away, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in a tight spot. I…I just like you too much and I just wished you’d give me a chance is all.” CL saw how sad he looked and started to feel guilty.“I’ll see you later CL. Thanks for helping me study,” Kim Hyun Joong said gathering his things and getting up to leave.

“Wait,” CL said as he turned his back to her so he could leave.

He stood facing the other way and smirked to himself. “What CL? We’re done studying, what else is there to talk about,” Kim Hyun Joong said sadly.

CL sighed, “I’ll…I’ll go out with you tomorrow.”

Kim Hyun Joong shook his head still facing away from CL, “No I don’t need no pity date. That’s alright CL. Goodbye.” Kim Hyun Joong started walking away and CL got up to chase after him.

She grabbed his right arm to stay him, “Kim Hyun Joong I’m sorry. It’s not a pity date. I really do want to go out with you.” Kim Hyun Joong slowly looked to CL and he saw that she meant what she said. Gotcha, Kim Hyun Joong thought. He didn’t say anything and so CL took the initiative, “What do you wanna do tomorrow?”

He then gave her a half smile, “I don’t know, how about we go catch a movie or something?”

CL smiled at him, “Okay that sounds to me!” Kim Hyun Joong now understood how to get CL to do what he wanted. He was going to make her his in no time!