Once Changjo parked the car, Hana and he stepped out while you sat there, staring at your school which was lively with music and people of both Woolim High and Top High. You were feeling nervous for the first time.

  Hana knocked on the window, causing you to jump. “C’mon. Changjo needs to lock the door and the dance already started.”

  You nodded your head slowly and stepped out, nearly tripping on the heels Sungjong had given you. You dislike shoes because you would always-

  “AH! I TRIPPED!” You yelled as you fell on your knees.

  Hana helped you up and made a nervous laugh. “Ah, the typical Belle. I thought you had changed ever since you found out L. Joe liked you.”

  You dropped your head. Yeah, you were acting less like yourself ever since that day, but that didn’t change you completely. You laughed with her and let her hold you while you walked to the school.

  All of you handed your tickets and showed your school ID before going in. It wasn’t like the stuff you saw in movies, but it was close. Banners were hung along the ceiling, music was being played in the gym, the cafeteria was filled with food, and people roamed the hallways.

  You looked around and found Teen Top in a group just outside the gym without L. Joe. You avoided them as Hana and Changjo headed towards them. You spotted Infinite by the cafeteria and waved at them. You didn’t know most of the people, but you definitely knew Sungjong and Myungsoo.

  Just when you we about to head towards them, you saw the food in the background. “Food!” You rushed inside the cafeteria without looking at them and immediately took a plate to get some snacks. While everyone was actually dancing and talking while eating, you sat at a table alone, watching everyone.

  You were chewing on cupcakes when you noticed L. Joe getting snacks. He must’ve not noticed you because he didn’t look at you one bit until he had to look for a seat. He still didn’t recognize you because he went up to you and asked, “Is anyone sitting here?”

  You shook your head without looking at him.

  He sat down and sighed. “Hah… While everyone is having fun, I’m just here eating…” He took a chip. Crunch. “I wonder when Belle would get here…” He thought out loud.

  You felt your heart skip a beat, but you didn’t say anything. You stared at him, cheeks flaring.

  L. Joe looked longingly to the crowd. When he thought he had spotted you, his eyes sparkled and he straightened up, but when he figured it was someone else, he slouched and heaved a sigh. Soon, he realized you were staring at him and turned. For a moment, he stared at you indifferently. Then, “WAH! BELLE! I-IT’S YOU!”

  You blinked at him and smiled. “Heh. It is.” You dropped your gaze and bit your lip. *Am I really that unrecognizable?*

  “Uh. I-I didn’t recognize you,” he said, slightly in thought. *Wow. She’s really pretty today.* “I-I mean, it’s n-not a bad thing, but… You just… I just couldn’t… I…” He was lost for words, too embarrassed to even make a complete sentence.

  “Well, Flower Boy did help me.”

  “Sungjong?”

  You nodded.

  He grinned. “Well, I’m glad he did or else if you did your makeup, you would look like a witch and I would say, ‘It’s not Halloween, you know? You’re way too early for that!’” He chuckled to himself.

  You pouted and stuck your tongue out. “Meanie! L. Joe, you’re an idiot!”

  “I’m always, to you…” He muttered. “Anyways, I’m going to dance.” He stood up, ready to leave, but you took his arm.

  When he stared at you, you pulled away and said quickly, “CanIhaveyourchips? I’mhungry?”

  You weren’t sure if he got it because you spoke too fast and it came in a slur.

  “Uhm, sure.”

  “Okay! You can go now.”

  He looked at you weirdly before leaving.

  *Aish! What is wrong with me?* You took a chip and ate it. *Hmph! Why should I care about that Purple Dinosaur’s opinion!* You puffed your cheeks as you ate another chip. *Eating really does taste better if you share with a friend…* You thought randomly.

  Just then you found Myungsoo heading towards you. He sat beside you and sighed. “Well, as you see he’s shy. Don’t worry tonight just started. How about we go ahead and dance.” He stood and held out a hand.

  You stared at it and to the food. You weren’t done, and you really wanted to finish it. “Uhm.”

  He grinned. “You’re going to get fat if you eat too much or diabetes because of all that sweet on your plate.”

  You pouted. “Ok…” You reluctantly stood up and took his hand.

  He led you to the gym, holding your hand firmly. When he spotted Inifinite, he winked at them to start the plan. They nodded and tried to find Teen Top.

  At the dance floor, you looked around and saw people dancing together whether they’re in the same school of not. The song was meant for a slow dance which made you nervous because you have never slowed dance before.

  Myungsoo must have felt it because he took on of your hands and guided it to his shoulder. The other, he held. His free hand went around your waist and he started stepping to the side, forward, and backward.

  “Don’t be nervous. I’ll guide you.” He said with a smile on his face.

 You nodded and looked down at your feet.

  He didn’t do anything because he knew someone that should. He looked around and spotted Infinite talking to Teen Top and they all nodded as they heard the plan. They all looked for L. Joe, going their separate ways. The person who spotted L. Joe first was to take him to the restroom and just distract him for a moment until he got annoyed and go back to the gym. And during that time, Myungsoo would dance for a bit with you until he felt it was the right time to tell you he would get a quick drink. Hopefully, just hopefully L. Joe would spot you and ask you to dance. That was the plan at least.

  Just when Sungyeol was about to head towards L. Joe, L. Joe spotted you with Myungsoo.

  The moment you finally had the courage to look up, your eyes met with L. Joe. You turned pale and it seemed like you two were the only ones in the room, gazing at each other from a distance, a barrier in between you, preventing you two to get any closer.

  “You okay?” Myungsoo’s voice brought you back.

  You tore your gaze away from L. Joe to Myungsoo and nodded. “Yeah…”

  He turned his head and saw L. Joe staring, but when they made eye contact, L. Joe had an annoyed expression and looked away. Myungsoo smirked. *I guess it’s time for plan B.* “How about you ask him for a dance?”

  “Heh?” Your eyes widened.

  “Ask!” He nudged you.

  “I-”

  “Don’t be shy just like him!” This time, he pushed you towards him.

 L. Joe was now in his own world, looking up at the ceiling for a distraction. He didn’t want to think too much about what he saw earlier, so looking at the ceiling was enough. *I never noticed how high our gym ceilings are…*

  “Uhm…” You started when you were next to him.

  L. Joe turned to look at you.

  You bit your lip as your eyes trailed.

  He blinked.

  “Uh…” You fiddled with your fingers.

  L. Joe was getting impatient, but he didn’t say anything.

  You turned around and found Myungsoo talking with his friends.

  “What is it-”

  “L. Joe PABO!” You yelled and ran away.

  He stood there, shocked of what you said, processing what you just said.

  You ran passed everyone you knew and sat at the same table where you had your snack. Your food was gone now because the teachers wanted everything cleaned. You felt your heart speeding and your whole body burning. *L. Joe pabo! Pabo! Pabo! PABO!* You then felt your stomach feeling strange and thought you were hungry.

  Just when you stood up, you heard L. Joe calling to you just a few feet away.

  “Who are you calling an idiot, you airheaded girl?”

  You glared at him and pouted.

  He stomped towards you and took your hand. “I’m not an idiot. You just don’t understand me! And I don’t understand you!”

  You avoided his eyes and kept pouting.

  “Aish! Why don’t you realize I get easily jealous?” He finally confessed since he had enough of the nonsense. “Why can’t you understand that every time you call me an idiot, I just get so mad, but I don’t hold it against you like others? Why can’t you understand that I’m not a bad person?”

  “You just make me mad with your purple hair…” You muttered.

  “Huh?” *That’s it?*

  “It doesn’t look good on you!” You jerked away from his grip and continued talking. “And! And your face is so annoying to look at! Every time I look at you, it looks like you’re going to kill me! You need to smile more! Oh, and you’re so short! You almost the same height as me! Hmph!” You crossed your arms over your chest and rolled your eyes.

  He was about to yell at you more, but he took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. I’ll be nicer to you. Are you happy?”

  You continued to pout.

  “Aish… Okay. How about we start all over, again?”

  “Again? I don’t want to start over! I want to continue!”

  “Okay.” L. Joe paused. “D-do you want to dance with me?” His face was as red as a tomato when he said it and he couldn’t even look at you.

  “Mmm… Okay…”

  He gently took your hand and you felt a tiny spark. You tried to ignore it, but his grip was comforting. You smiled lightly to yourself, not realizing he was looking at you.

  *She’s smiling.* L. Joe felt his heart skipping a beat. *She smiled.* Suddenly he, too, felt himself smiling.

  Once at the dance floor, it was once again a slow dance. This time, you knew what to do so you did what Myungsoo did to you. This time you were looking up at L. Joe. For the second time, he was calm around you and it felt strange. You were so used to his yelling and screaming, but this wasn’t so bad.

  L. Joe rested his forehead on yours and closed his eyes.

  You just stared at him, stiffening a bit.

 “I like you, Belle.”

  You in a breath, causing him to stand up straight in confusion.

  L. Joe was afraid that he made a mistake of saying it right then and there.

  You crinkled your nose. “I…”

  His eyes widened.

  “Really, really…”

  He bit his lips, afraid of what you said.

  “Hate your confession!”

  “Huh?” This just caused his heart to shatter.

  “You were too quiet over the music! So I barely understood you!”

  His eye twitched. *Typical Belle… Of course she could hear because she’s an airhead anyways.*

  “But…” You bit your lip and played with your fingers. “I like you, too.”

  His heart was put back together and his eyes sparkled. “What? I didn’t hear you over the noise!”

  You glared at him and shoved his head. “Pabo…”

  “But a Pabo that you love!”

  You rolled your eyes and smiled.

  He took you into a hug. “Isn’t our love like a recipe?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It took so many emotions, traits, and physical appearance to confess our love right?”

  “That doesn’t make sense! A recipe is for food and we’re not food!”

  “Aish… Just think of it metaphorically.”

  “Meta- what?”

  “Meta- Never mind. Just be quiet and let’s dance.”

  “But I want to know what you said!” You said.

  “Nono. It’s okay. Don’t ruin this moment.” L. Joe kissed your forehead.

  You were surprised for a moment. “But-”

  “Do you want me to kiss you on the lips so you will shut up?” He provoked.

  “No! EW! You’re going to give me cooties!”

  “Aish! That’s such child’s play! I don’t have cooties!”

  “You never know! AH! Get away from me!” You ran away from his puckered lips and turned back to see if he was actually chasing you. When you found out he wasn’t, you stood there as a smile crept on your face.

  L. Joe smiled back. *Just because she’s the idiot here, doesn’t mean I can’t love her right? I mean, at least every day won’t be boring, right?* “Yah! Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Ah! Don’t get near me! You have cooties!” You ran out of the gym. *L. Joe. No. Purple Dinosaur is so annoying! Hmph!*