Recently I’d been showing up late for classes not because I wanted to but because I was seriously embarrassed after our kiss. You know how it’s like… Anyway, apparently Leeteuk had the same feelings as me because he (sort of) ignored me until May the twenty-fifth. Every Biology class was cancelled, luckily, so I didn’t have to speak to him.

That day it was Math for first period.

“Kim Taeyeon! You have been late for so many days already; it’s very out of your usual, normal character. Go sit next to Mr. Park. Hurry up and get your textbook out and flip to page 56.”

“But…” I tried to explain my situation.

“No buts! Sit down, or you will see me after class.” She had said. I didn’t want to get into any trouble or get anything down on my record so I obliged reluctantly.

Kim Taeyeon!

Leeteuk scribbled on his notebook and poked at me to peek over.

What? I scribbled back, onto my own notebook, tearing out the sheet of paper. Why are you ignoring me? He replied. Why are you ignoring me? I asked him back, double underlining the word ‘you’.

You better speak with me after class. I knew better than anyone else that he meant what he said. I nodded, and sighed, beginning to work on the exercise. Algebra was so boring. Honestly, math was a piece of cake for me. I was good with every subject except Korean History. I was a straight A student – apart from History, but Leeteuk was an honors’ student. He and I took all advanced placement classes. It was a simple reason why both of us did so well. We always studied together, and when we did, we didn’t fool around. But on the other hand, we also had a ‘life’ balance, and often went out to socialize with other people so we wouldn’t be deemed as nerds.

Because Leeteuk was so handsome, many girls chased after him, and they’d already gotten used to me sticking around him so they didn’t really care. Also, because of this, I was ‘popular’, if you’d like to put it that way, with him.

He hasn’t changed though. From when we were like five until now, he hasn’t change a bit. Not because of the popularity, not because of the age difference from before – nothing. Then again I missed the times where we could just hang out every day, because of school now we barely had time to meet up…

“Kim Taeyeon? Dreaming again?” Ms. Jung called. “Seems to be, huh? Listen in class or you’ll be solving the next question.”

“Yes Ms. Jung…” I could feel Leeteuk’s sidelong glance at me, and I looked down solemnly.

The rest of the class passed uneventfully, luckily she didn’t call me again. She dismissed us early for lunch. I was about to get out of the classroom when Ms. Jung said, “Taeyeon?” “Hmm?” I replied, looking back. “Please pay attention next time.” I nodded and trudged out of class while she collected the papers from our desks.

I almost forgot about meeting Leeteuk until I felt someone tug on my arm hard and pull me across the hallway. I could tell by the firm grip that it was Leeteuk. He dragged me upstairs to the school rooftop. He sat on a bench facing the whole of Seoul – our school was like seven floors high – and patted on the seat next to him. I sat down crossing and uncrossing my legs uncomfortably.

“I thought you said I didn’t need to be sorry… Look, I’m sorry I took away your first kiss when you totally didn’t expect it –”

“No, it’s not your fault, really. It’s my fault okay? My fault for not being able to accept you as more than a best friend… because you know that I haven’t had a boyfriend before and… well I’m just not used to it… Forgive me, Jungsu…” I muttered in a barely audible voice.

“Of course. Of course I do. Well, what do we do now? Do you think we should… or continue to be as friends?” He asked. It was funny how we were able to talk so freely about this. I bet more than half of you wouldn’t be able to even begin talking about it. “Why should I answer that? What do you think?” I said, as I got up and moved towards the railings, letting the gentle breeze caress my cheeks and play with my hair. Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe out.

“I think…” Leeteuk came up to me, and hugged me from behind, “that we should be more than friends.” I could feel the smile in his voice as he said so. Those words… I never expected it to come out of his mouth. His arms wrapping around me made my heart skip a beat, made the butterflies in my stomach tingle around. “And by that what do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean that you, Kim Taeyeon, are now my girlfriend.” And he turned me around, and kissed me again. This time it was softer, like a persuasion of some sort. He wasn’t afraid of me rejecting him… “Who told you, Mr. Complacent, that you can proclaim me as your new girlfriend?” I asked when we broke apart. “Something right there.” He pointed at my heart, and smiled.

His arms enclosed me, trapping my waist between them, our faces close, but not too close. He was like a cage, that protected me from the outside world, a barrier, that stopped me from being free, but somehow, I felt strangely secure in his arms. Like I was a little bird that needed protection. It was different. It was different from many other people I’d hugged before. I mean, I always knew that Leeteuk had been special to me, but not in this way, a way I had never really expected coming.