I want to ditch classes, really. What happened yesterday was so embarrassing. How can I face my friends now? I have no dignity left to show to my classmates. If I attend school today, I’m sure they’ll talk about me, about yesterday. Aish! I really hate attention. But after that kiss, I’m sure the whole campus already know me.

“Jung Ae-sshi, go out now,” Jungsoo said.

“I don’t want!” I answered.

“But you have to attend classes today. You have a long test in Biology later, right? Let's go. We’re going to be late.”

“I really don’t want! I’ll just ask for a make-up test. Go to school alone, okay?”

“… Look. Mianhae. I know what I did was wrong. But I have no choice but to do that.”

“Shut up! Aish. That was really embarrassing.”

“Fine. If you don’t want to go out, the deal will continue. I hope you still remember that.”

The deal? “I don’t care! I won’t go to school this week!”

“Fine. But you have to be my girlfriend for a month. Remember that if you fell in love with me, our relationship will no longer be a joke. So if you want to stick with Kyuhyun, you have to tell yourself not to like me,” he paused for a while. “You didn’t complain so I assume you understood me. I’ll change some rules later, araso? I’ll go now. Annyeong,” then he left.

He’ll change some rules? Why? Is he going to change them into harder ones? Aish! He really wants to make fun of me. This is crazy! But what can I do? Nothing. And that kiss proved me that. That kiss. He kissed me in front of my friends, of the people there at the cafeteria. That guy. He took my first kiss away. Damn that Jungsoo!

“I thought you’re absent. Leeteuk told me that you’re not attending classes this week,” Soo Young said.

I shook my head. “I can’t miss the long test today. It’ll be troublesome to take make-up tests. It’ll ruin my schedule.”

She flashed a wide smile. That was weird.

“What’s with that smile?”

Then she moved closer. “Tell me. How was it?”

“What?”

“He’s your first kiss, right? How was it?”

Ugh. “Aish! Stop it.”

“Tell me. I’m really curious. You’re the last person in the group that experienced her first kiss. So what?”

I thought for awhile. “It wasn’t bad.”

“You liked it?”

Do I like it? “As I’ve said, it wasn’t bad. It was my first so I kind of like it.”

She slapped my arm. “You’re so lucky, do you know that?”

I smiled. “Really?” Wait. Why am I smiling? “Yah! Stop talking about nonsense.”

She nodded. “Araso. But you know what? We’re all shocked when he did that. I immediately looked at Kyuhyun. He looked hurt.” Hurt? He’s affected? “But still, what he did was romantic.”

I looked down. I want to talk to Kyuhyun. “He’s hurt. But why?” I whispered.

And Soo Young heard it. “He likes you. We’ve told you that before, right?”

I shook my head. “Aniyo. That’s impossible.”

She sighed. “He likes you, Jung Ae. I just don’t know why he hasn’t confessed yet.”

I really need to talk to him. “Araso. I’ll think about it later.”

She nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

After the lunch break, I went to my locker to get some things. I was about to open it when someone shut it close. I looked at that person and saw a furious Taeyeon. This is bad.

“Wae?” I said.

“Yah! Leave Leeteuk alone!” she said.

“What?”

“You’re not the girl for him so leave him alone. He’s mine, understood? Back off.”

Whoah! That was strong. “What if I don’t?”

“Then you’re dead meat.”

Really? “I won’t leave him with someone like you. And besides, he’s not yours anymore.”

She’s pissed off now. “Yah!” then she slapped me. My left cheek hit the open locker beside mine. Ouch! “If you still want to live peacefully, stop your fantasies. He will never like you. Put that in your head,” then she left.

I stood there for a moment. Aish! I shouldn’t have said that. But that’s the only way for her to stop, for me to help Jungsoo. Wait. Why am I helping him in the first place? Aaah! I don’t want to think about that now. Stress is coming back again.

“Yah!”

I turned around. It’s Jungsoo. “Ne?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m getting some things.”

Then he saw something on my face and went closer to me. “What happened?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. Wae?” I lied.

He touched my left cheek. I flinched. “Sorry.”

“It’s nothing. It’s just a scratch.”

“Aniyo,” he grabbed my hand. “Kaja.”

“Where?”

“Treat your wound first before going back to your room. You don’t want that to be infected, do you?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Let's go,” then he dragged me to the clinic.

The school nurse immediately worked on my wound. She put bandage on it and said that we can now go back to our class. But Jungsoo insisted that we can skip it just for today. So we went to the school’s garden and sat on the bench. We’re a meter apart so I feel comfortable.

“Mianhae,” he said after a moment of silence.

I just looked down. “It’s my fault. I pissed her off that’s why she slapped me.”

“It’s my fault from the very start.”

I slowly nodded. “You’re right. But at least you admitted it.”

“Oh, by the way. I’ll change the rules now.”

“Go ahead.”

“We only have 22 days left. You shouldn’t fall in love with me or else.”

“Or else what?”

“You will have to marry me before graduation.”

I looked up at him, shocked. What the heck?! “M-M-Marry you?!”

He nodded. “Ne. And that’s final.”

“W-Wait. I haven’t agreed yet. Of course you should know my part first, whether I agree or not.”

“Aniyo. I’m the only one who can change the rules. And it is my choice if I’ll consult you or not.”

“What?!”

“That’s all,” then he stood up. “I’ll go back now,” and left me.