-Ok, so…you have spelled this wrong, and the verb would be better written here, but for the rest…it’s perfect! Good job Minhyuk-shi! – she said, turning her head to smile at me.

I answered with a tense smile.

How it had all ended up like this?, I wondered, observing how she rambled around my notes, it definitely wasn’t a good idea, spending time with her like that, was I bipolar? I know I wanted to spend time with her, to have a place in her heart, but, spending time with her, like this, alone, it was too much, I had thought more about…I don’t know, being surrounded by all the boys.

-So! What should we do now? – she asked, smiling cheerfully at me.

-Ermm…I…don’t…I don’t know – I answered, startled, as I had been spacing out for quite a long time.

She furrowed her brows in deep thought, her nose scrunching, I bit my lip, supressing a smile, and laced my hands together, as I suddenly felt the impulse to touch those cute little wrinkles, she looked like a puppy.

-Ah! I know! I’ll teach you pronunciation! That way I won’t be the only one talking with British accent! I’m sick of Peniel laughing at me…

I chuckled a little bit, just a bit, it would be rude if I didn’t, so it was fine.

I wasn’t wrong, spending time with her was extremely enjoyable, was it like that to everyone? Or was it because she was trying extra hard out of pity? It’s not as if I hadn’t noticed.

-OK! Let’s get started…. – she said, pulling her sleeves up, as if about to get into some hard work.

-Oh! Ha In-ah, hyung! You’re here! We were looking for you! – Sungjae appeared from behind the door, happily smiling.

-Sungjae-ah! Sorry! I should have told you where we were! Were you worried?? – she asked, happily greeting her boyfriend.

-Well, a bit, you could have been killing each other! – he said, pursing his lips.

I fisted my hands, I didn’t like what he said, wasn’t it enough having taken away from me the girl I loved? Did he have to remind me how badly I had treated her?

-Yah! Yook Sungjae! Don’t you say such things! We talked things through and its fine! – she said, standing.

-Oh really? – Sungjae asked, eyeing me suspiciously over her head, he smiled, and then looked back at her – then what were you doing?

-I’m teaching him English! – she answered happily – it’s nice teaching again!

-Again? – Sungjae asked, surprised, I raised my eyebrows, surprised as well – you were a teacher?

-Well…a teacher…not exactly, but I used to help some children with their homework, I told you, remember?

Sungjae gave her a puzzled look, trying hard to remember.

-Ah yeah! That’s true! Then hyung is your next first grade kid?

-Shouldn’t you be treating your hyung with more respect? – she wondered.

Sungjae just shrugged.

-Mianeyo hyung – he voiced.

-Uh? What? – I acted – sorry, I wasn’t really paying attention to you.

-Well! – she said – if you’re done we’ve got a lesson to continue.

She started pushing Sungjae away from the room.

-Wait, wait! – he protested – I want to learn too!

He tried to sit next to me, but Ha In grabbed his arm and started dragging him out of the room, once again.

-No way! I don’t want you to laugh at me when I speak English! You’re even worse than Peniel!

-But I also need to learn! – he whined.

-Well then, you ask your hyung to teach you! – she pushed him outside and closed the door sticking her tongue at him.

I just watched everything quietly, and gave her a puzzled look when she looked back at me.

-Aish! That guy, he’s worse than a child sometimes… - she went back to her place half jumping – well Minhyuk-shi! Where were we then?

-You don’t have to do this – I answered quietly.

-What? – now she was the one confused.

-Acting this happy, trying to cheer me up, kicking your boyfriend out of the room – I paused – you really don’t have to do all that out of pity.

-What are you talking about? – she asked – I’m not doing that! I just…

-You don’t have to do anything else because you’re sorry, I am not angry at you – I interrupted.

-I’m not doing it because of that! – she yelled.

I stared at her wide eyed, as she took a deep breath.

-Listen – she started – I’ve seen how you act around your dongsaengs, the way you care about them, and how you have fun with them…I….I just want to be part of that…I….

-You want to be my friend? – I asked flabbergasted.

She nodded, avoiding my gaze again.

I felt so many things at the same time that for a second I was unable to move.

On one hand I was happy, truly happy, the fact that she wanted to be close to me, that she wanted me to be her oppa, more or less, on the other, I was devastated, was I officially being friend zoned? I didn’t know if it could be applied to this situation, all I knew was that she wasn’t able to see me that way, and it burned my insides.

But I had also this weird feeling in my chest…I didn