“You slept with Daehyun?!” Jongup gasped.

“Hush!”  I squealed, latching my hand over Jongup’s mouth. A couple of my classmates eyed us suspiciously and I felt myself flush in embarrassment. “We didn’t sleep together! I just fell asleep on his shoulder, that’s it.”

Jongup nodded slowly, but I could tell that he still wasn’t convinced. Why did he have to make me falling asleep on Daehyun’s shoulder sound so sordid? Propping my head up on my hands, I mindlessly tuned out the teacher as she began another one of her boring lectures. I thought that Jongup of all people would’ve understood what had happened between me and Daehyun, but he completely took it the wrong way. I was beginning to regret telling him about my problems with Daehyun, when I felt a subtle poke on my shoulder.

“_____, can I ask you something?” Jongup whispered sheepishly.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “What?”

Jongup’s eyes turned downcast and he tensed up as he stared down at his shoes. “Is it true that you and Daehyun kissed?” The dejection in his voice was unmistakable.

“Me and Daehyun kiss? Yeah right!” I snorted. “It was just an accident.”

Jongup, not knowing whether to believe me or not, tossed around the idea of me and Daehyun’s kiss just being ‘accidental’ in his head.  Appearing to at last believe me, Jongup’s face cleared and he turned back in his seat to face the front of the classroom.

I spun around as well, facing the clueless teacher, but I still couldn’t pay any attention to her. Tapping my pencil against my head, I tried making sense of Jongup’s odd behavior. He didn’t seem like the type to become jealous or bitter towards someone, but whenever I mentioned Daehyun around him, his eyes grew steely and his face instantly hardened. Did Jongup have something against Daehyun that I was unaware of?

I continued allowing myself to drift farther and farther along into my thoughts, until I was at last freed by the bell.

“Are you busy after school today?” Jongup politely asked as we both exited class together.

I pondered for a moment. “No, I don’t think so.”

Jongup began playing with the book he was carrying in his hands. “Well, can you meet me at my dance practice after school? I-I have to ask you something,” he stuttered, barely managing to get the words out.

Giggling at Jongup's typical shy and embarrassed attitude, I gave him an assured smile. “Sure, I’d love to."

“Great!” Jongup beamed, the apples of his cheeks popping out against his chiseled face. “We practice in Room 127, and I’ll make sure to leave the door open. Oops, I better get to class!” he noted as he checked his watch. “Don’t be late now!” he added as he spun around and clambered down the hallway, rushing to his next class.