The sound of the bell rang through the halls and everyone started to pack all their stuff. I left the class and went to my locker, trying to find the papers Mr. Kim had asked me to hand Kibum. I heard the students walking with their group of friends already planning what they're gonna do for the senior ball.

It was only one more week till the big event. 

Entering the student affairs office, I made my way to the seat adjacent to Kibum's. He had a pen on his hand and a pile of papers in front of him. He was currently busy reading and signing some papers. 

"Hey." I greeted him. "How's everything going? Mr. Kim told me to hand these papers to you."

"Hi." He stopped writing and leaned forward on the table. He tiredly groaned. "God, when will these paperworks end?!"

I narrowed my brows at him. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm so tired. I didn't even get enough sleep last night." Kibum stretched and walked towards the window. He looked outside and gazed at the sky, it was blue and the sky was warm. "The senior ball is in a week." He then turned around and sat in front of my seat.

"How many times will I tell you... to not push yourself too much?" I spoke in a warm tone. I looked over the papers and and slowly read them. "You can always ask help from your members. Those papers are stuff that your secretary and other members can do."

"I just wanted to help them lessen the work..."

"I know. I know you're always like that, Mr. President." I replied with a slight smile. "I'm so proud to have a friend like you." 

Kibum folded his left arm on top of his working table and rested his head on it. He sullenly looked at my eyes. 

"Why?" I asked, tilting my head. 

"I couldn't even ask you to be my date. I'll be busy during the event and I'll probably---"

"Don't fuss about that. I'm not even sure if I'm going."

"Why?" 

"You know those are not my stuff."

I watch him sigh and raise his eyebrows as he stretched forward towards me a bit. "Hey, if... if Baekhyun asks you to go, will you?" 

"Why is he suddenly included here?" I nervously stuttered.

"---Will you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Will you?" Kibum shook his head and released a frustrated sigh. "It has been two months, Eunji, since that guy and I started to court you."

"And?"

"H-have you made your choice?"

I think I already did. "Kibum..."

"If... what if both of us ask you to be our date, who will you pick?"

"But you said you can't." I said in a small voice. 

"Disregarding that, Eunji."

Silence. 

I stared blankly at him. "Do you really want to know?" My voice faltered.

He closed his eyes and and ran his hand down his face, taking a deep breath and holding it in for a moment before releasing it slowly. Panic and pain were clearly visible in his eyes. "No. I don't." He said finally, but it was clear that he wanted to say the otherwise. "Please keep it to yourself for now, okay? Please?"

"I---" I was suddenly engulfed in a warm hug. His forehead rested on my shoulders. "Kibum? Hey--"

"Just a hug, please? Kibummie needs a power hug."

"But---"

"Come on, don't you miss your bestfriend's hug?"

I chuckled silently. "... are you sure this is just-a-best-friend hug?" 

Kibum was taken aback, flustered as he looked away. "Well... I'm not sure." He muttered.

I grinned at him. "Being sneaky, are we?" I smiled as I stood up. "I'm going to my next class, Kibum. Don't work too hard, okay?" 

><

"Eunji." 

"Hmm?" I hummed in an answer, moving my head to his direction but never taking my eyes off my book. We were in the library, me trying to study for a quiz and Baekhyun, well, trying to annoy me.

"Nothing." Baekhyun leaned forward and placed his right elbow on the table while playing with my pen, facing me. "Eunji."

"Yes?" I stopped for a moment to regard him, then continued reading.

I heard Baekhyun giggle. "Nothing." He leaned further more into the table, his hands playing with the pen over his head. He smiled while he rested his cheek on his arm on the table. "Eunji."

"Geez, Bacon!" I finally looked at him and raised my eyebrows. I met his eyes. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to say your name."

My face immediately turned pink. "Stop it and shut up. I have to study. Why don't you just study too?"

Baekhyun nodded, his head resting atop his hands. He started swaying his body left and right with a grin, definitely pleased with my reaction. "Eunji!"

"Ya!" I silently shrieked, accidentally letting go of my book. It dropped on the ground. I placed my free hand on my chest. "Don't just call my name like that!" It's too cute. I picked my book from the ground.

"Then..." Baekhyun grinned. "Eunji." He said with a deep voice.

I was shocked with the sudden deepness of his voice that I dropped my pen on the ground and Baekhyun lazily pushed back his chair and crawled under the table looking for the pen. "Eunji... Eunji..."

"Baek, I swear I'm this close to punching your face."

"You'll punch this cute and adorable face?"

"Yes, you're adorable and cute but I might just do it if you'll continue to piss me---" Dang, why did I say that? 

"Ow!"

I laughed at the table that had suddenly bumped up. "Babo, you okay? Did you got the pen?"

Baekhyun emerged from the table with a red face. "I got it." He sat beside me again and scratched his head while pouting. A few seconds later he was back to his default goofy face.  "So... you think I'm cute?"

"No, you're annoying."

"And adorable?" A cheeky smile escaped from his lips.

"---and annoying." I smiled and patted his head. I gently fixed his hair that were disheveled. "Does it hurt?" 

Did he just blush? 

"I--I think I was hurt somewhere else."

"Where?"

"A-ah, geez." Baekhyun bowed his head then lifted it up again. He promptly looked at my eyes, then immediately looked away again. "Right here..." He slowly brought his hand holding the pen over his cheek.

"How in the world were you hurt on your cheek? You only bumped the top of your head, you idiot."

"I don't know?" He heartedly laughed while guiding my hands into his cheeks. "It hurts..."

I blushed crazily as I tried to yank my hands back. I was overwhelmed by the rush of nerves that suddenly invaded my body.

Why? Why do I feel nervous yet still comfortable whenever he's around? Why do I hate it when girls come close to him? I want him to only look at me, I want him all for myself. What scares me is that, I've felt all of these before and the last time I've had these kind of feelings, I ended up getting hurt. Very hurt. 

But what do I do? I like him. A lot. I may even be in love with him but I don't know. Maybe more than what I felt for Kibum but I don't know. Maybe not. Maybe yes.

What's getting me frustrated is that I know that I am in denial of what this feeling may be. Yes, I know I'm in denial. The truth is, I’m afraid to let myself actually fall a hundred percent in love because I don’t want to deal with the heartbreak again. It's just too much for me and I'm not ready to take the risk. What if Baekhyun realizes that I'm not good enough for him? What if he finds another Arisa? Someone prettier, someone---  

"H-hey, quit it." I released my hands from his gentle grip. 

"Eunji."

I cleared my throat and went back to the book I was holding before. "I have to study. Hey, you study too! Just because you're smart doesn't mean---"

Baekhyun grabbed my wrist, stopping me from moving. "Are you going to the senior ball?"

I froze on the spot and just blinked. "I don't know." I started. "I might not."

"Why?"

"I don't think I fit those kind of events."

"What are you saying?" Baekhyun's brow furrowed in confusion, his head cocked to one side. 

"Dresses don't suit me. I look horrible in heels and gowns. It's just not my thing..." I explained quickly and shrugged. "You? Are you going?"

"It depends."

"Depends on what?"

"You." He answered with a soft voice.

"Hey, if you want to go, then go. I'm not stopping you."

I noticed something in his eyes I couldn't identify what. 

"Did... did Kibum asked you already?"

"Ask what?"

Baekhyun looked down and fiddled with the pen that was still on his hand. "You know... to be his date..."

"I don't think he can." 

He didn't seem to understand why as he leaned closer to me. "Huh?"

I chuckled. "His group is the one working for the senior ball. So... he'll be pretty much busy."

Baekhyun immediately looked up, making our eyes meet. He failed to conceal his grin. He looked so relieved. "So you're not going to be his... date?"

"No."       

"Really?"

"Really."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

"Promise?" He cooed again. "Eunji? Eunji?" 

"Ugh, you little--- you're so annoying."

The grin on his face stretched from ear to ear. He let out a breathy laugh and gave my hand a tight squeeze. "I know!"

I rolled my eyes. "Good for you." 

The bell rang again signalling the end of my break. 

"Hey, Bacon, I need to go." I grabbed my things and was about to leave when I hear a book fall on the ground. I turned and saw Baekhyun, again getting on his knee to pick it up. I crouched down to help him. "Ey... why am I so clumsy today?"

"No, I got it." He said as he handed me the book. "Goodluck on your quiz."

"Thanks." I started to walk away when I heard him call me.

"Eunji!"

"What?"

"Don't forget the derivation and integration formulas. That's the most important!"

I playfully scoffed at him. "I know, Mr. Smarty Pants!" I was about to take a step when he called me again.

"And Eunji!"

"Ya, are you going to go Eunji Eunji all day?!" 

Looking at Baekhyun, I noticed a shade of pink forming on his cheeks. 

"See you later!" 

I nodded. 

Walking through the halls on the way to my Calculus class, I saw a piece of yellow paper hanging out of my book. I pulled it out as soon as I stopped in front of my desk and opened it.

My heart pumped rapidly by the second.

Eunji,

Be my date? Please? Pretty please?  

PS. I want you to know that everytime I see you, I become breathless and speechless. There is not one day that I don't think you're beautiful, even when you come to school with a what you consider a bad hair day, you're still a pure beauty in my eyes.

A smile on my face grew and with one quick movement I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialled a number. I put the phone close to my ear and muttered, "What the hell, Baekhyun. That's so greasy." while waiting for the other line to answer. An idiotic smile is clearly visible on my face. 

"Eunji!"

My sister's voice rang happily in my ear. 

Maybe I can trust myself. I cannot stay in a bubble for the fear of being hurt, right? Getting hurt is a part of life. "Bomi! Are you busy tomorrow?"

"Not at all. Why?"

That moment, I've decided to give him a chance and to trust myself. I grinned impishly. "Can you help me pick up a dress for the senior ball?"

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A/N: Guys, sorry for the late update! School is starting really soon so things have been quite hectic. Don't worry, I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I can! Thank you for the upvotes and comments, readers! It really encourages me a lot. :)