3 – REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY

Writer’s POV

“Actually, I… I…” Hyukjae pauses. “I-I…” Hyukjae continues again.

He tries to say that Donghae better doesn’t mess with the girl he is in love with. However, it seems like Hyukjae can’t make it.

“I’ll support you no matter what!” Finally, only this sentence comes out from Hyukjae’s mouth.

“I know it Hyukkie. Kekeke. I know it. Thanks!” Donghae replies to him when Hyukjae excuses himself.

“I need to go the restroom. Tell the professor that I’m already present. Ok?!” Then Hyukjae goes outside the class. Donghae nods as the response.

Once he reaches the restroom, he enters the empty toilet room and leans his back against the toilet room’s door. He hardly breathes. He held his breath before when he was about to tell Donghae about the girl he is in love with.

“Stupid! Why can’t you just say it to him Lee Hyukjae? Is it really that hard? Loser!” He thinks.

“What if Hae is really targeting her? What if Yoona is the next girl Hae’s going to play with?!” He thinks again.

Just thinking about Yoona’s name is enough to make Hyukjae blushed. He blushes even more when he thinks that he can probably save Yoona from Donghae.

“Shouldn’t I protect her from Hae? But Hae is my best friend right?” He thinks and thinks but he still can’t choose and decide which side he is. He then receives a text message from Donghae.

Lee Donghae:
The professor is already here.
Class starts Hyukkie.
Hurry up!

He decides to come out and then comes back to the class trying to look as normal as possible like nothing happened.

Jessica’s POV

“Reverse psychology, in short, is the method you can use to make people behave the way you want them to by doing the opposite thing. For example, you want your friend to take something from you. With the reverse psychology method, you will say to your friend that your friend can’t have it instead of saying that your friend may have it. Do you guys understand?”

Professor Song asks the class.

“Neh!” I can hear some students shout as the reaction to answer the question.

It’s so damn boring class for me actually. I don’t know why did I take this course in the first place? If only professor Jang is not sick, I’ll be gladly in his class. He’s one of my father’s close relatives and sure he’ll have no problems if I sleep in his class.

This professor Song is someone new for me. However, why should I be afraid? Besides, her class is an absolute boring class.

“The concept of reverse psychology is based on the nature of human’s reactance…”

I can hear that professor Song explains about the theory once again but I really can’t help it. My eyes are too tired when it comes to lectures. I always choose the latest row of the seats so maybe the professors won’t ever catch me sleeping. Slowly, I close my eyes peacefully, sleeping with my head on the table.

I don’t remember how long I have slept but something wakes me up.

“Jessica-sshi!”

Someone is constantly calling my name. Aishhh… it’s so annoying that I decide to cover my ears. However, I wonder why the sound is getting louder and louder and all of the sudden, it seems like the source of the sound is standing beside me.

“Jessica-sshi! If you’re not interested in my class, then maybe some fresh air will help you gaining your consciousness.” I open my eyes just to find out that this quite pretty proffesor is challenging me.

“Did you hear me before?!” She asks me again.

Aishhh, she is really persistent. I can’t take it anymore. I arrange my belongings, including my book, pen, and mobile phone. I put them together in my bag and then I take my bag. I stand up and stare at her. I know everyone in this class is staring at us.

“Don’t worry professor, I hear it clearly and indeed… I need some fresh air.”

Then I walk from this very back corner of the classroom to the front side, heading to the door. Before really exiting the class, I selfishly speak again.

“Ah… and don’t worry professor, I’m going out with my own concern, not because of your order so I won’t tell my father about it. Your job is safe.”

I coldly say that and walk out and close the door again.

Writer’s POV

“What an attitude?” Donghae murmurs.

“Eh? Did you just say something?” Hyukjae asks Donghae.

“No, nothing, I just wonder how selfish that Jessica Jung is. She is absolutely not my type.” Donghae explains to Hyukjae.

“Yah… come on Hae, what is your type then? As what I can remember, you dated everyone similar to Jessica Jung!” Hyukjae replies and then realizes that he must eliminate Jessica for being the Donghae’s potential target.

“Yes, I did but she will be the last option for me. I think I can’t be-”

Before finishing his sentence, Donghae is cut by his professor.

“Donghae-sshi, Hyukjae-sshi, keep silent and stay there or continue your chatting outside my class.”

“We’re sorry professor. We’ll keep silent for sure.” Donghae replies, smiling, to show off his good look as Hyukjae blushes in embarrassment. Hyukjae can’t lift his head for seconds. Instead, he looks at the floor until he feels that everyone is not staring at them anymore.

Seconds change into minutes faster when actually you pay attention to the course materials as finally the professor just dismissed the class.

Hyukjae looks around and he notices that Choi Siwon is also in this class. That famous actor is majoring Psychology after all. Hyukjae then remembers that their professor have given them their very first assignment in this semester. The assignment is reviewing a paper about reverse psychology. The assignment should be done by the group of two students and should be sent to the professor one day before the next week class.

“Hae-ah, wanna be my partner again?” Hyukaje asks his best friend.

Every time there is a group assignment, Donghae will always choose Hyukjae as his partner and vice versa. However, the benefit only be obtained by Donghae. If you are in the same group with Donghae then it means working alone actually.

However, Hyukjae never complains. He knows that Donghae doesn’t like studying and he willingly makes the assignment done by himself. He likes studying and maybe not so many people know that he has the highest cumulative GPA among the Business and Management students of his batch.

“Hyukkie, I really want to but this time…” Donghae stops as he sees Yoona approaching Hyukjae from the other side.

“Hyukjae-sunbae.” Yoona calls Hyukjae causing the latter to blush to even just hear Yoona’s voice. It’s like a dream comes true.

“N-neh…?” Hyukjae manages to answer. Donghae can only grin seeing how shy his best friend is.

“I wonder if you already have a partner for the assignment. If you don’t mind, I would like to be your partner.” Yoona shyly and politely asks her sunbae.

Hyukjae can’t help but to blush even further. He is so freaking happy right now that the girl in his dream asking him to make the assignment together. Of course he’ll say yes but then he remembers about Donghae. His joy suddenly disappears. Donghae needs him and that means he will turn down Yoona’s offer which is like one in a million chance.

“I-I’m s-sorry, a-actually…” Hyukjae can’t finish his sentence when Yoona interrupts.

“I know it sunbae, you have your partner already. I’m sorry.” Yoona is about to leave when Hyukjae blurts out something.

“No I haven’t any! Sure, you can be my partner.” There he goes completely forgetting Donghae. He blushes again after realizing what he just said to Yoona.

“Really?” Yoona tries to reassure and Hyukjae blushingly nods.

“Thanks sunbae. I’m looking forward to it.” Yoona flies back to her seat and arranges her things after saying that, while Hyukjae is trapped between happiness, embarrassment, and guilty.

He slowly turns his head to face Donghae.

“Hae-ah… I’m sorry. I-I just… can’t reject her.” Hyukjae is still stubborn and doesn’t tell Donghae that he actually likes Yoona.

On the other side, Donghae is used to see the blushing Hyukjae so he doesn’t really notice that this one is actually a different case.

“It’s ok. It’s ok with me Hyukkie. I can look for another partner. Don’t worry about me ok?! Besides, it’s a good thing actually.” Donghae replies to Hyukjae.

“What do you mean?” Hyukjae demands an explanation.

“This way, you really can help me to get her Hyukjae.” Donghae answers.

“To get her? Who?”

Hyukjae asks and then Donghae turns his eyes to where Yoona is. The girl is walking towards the door and Donghae’s eyes are following her. Hyukjae then realizes what Donghae means.

“Yoona? So, she is your target now?”

Hyukjae asks again and Donghae nods.

“Shhhh! Don’t be so loud Hyukkie!” Then Donghae continues. “Lately, innocent and pure girls are interesting for me, Hyukkie. That’s why, she will be the perfect target, won’t she?” Donghae proceeds to explain his reason on targeting Yoona. That makes Hyukjae frowning actually.

However, Hyukjae can’t do anything. It’s too late now. He regrets that he doesn’t tell Donghae earlier about how he really feels.

Donghae and Hyukjae then walk together heading to the cafeteria. On their way, Donghae says something again.

“By the way, don’t you realize that actually this Yoona just applied the reverse psychology method to steal you from me?”

“Really? How so?” Hyukjae doesn’t get what Donghae means.

“Didn’t she say something like she knew that you already had a partner while in contrast she actually wished that you would say you had no one?” Donghae tries to explain and Hyukjae finally understands.

Hyukjae can’t believe that Yoona is indeed really that smart. He had ever heard about that but because they are from different batch, he never deeply thinks about it before.

“That girl is surely something neh Hyukkie?” Donghae talks again.

“Neh, she is.” Hyukjae replies. “Reverse psychology…” Hyukjae says to himself.

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