THE PRESENT

He smirked before walking off with the money in his hand. *This is only 200 000 won, but the satisfaction is worth 2 billion! DID YOU SEE HER DEPRESSED EXPRESSION? MUAHAHAHAHA!*

Minjung glared at his back tearfully. "That jerk." she muttered.

She sighed to herself. *Now how am I going to pay for the books?*

------------------------------------------------


Key smirked as he walked into school with the rest of SHINee. The hoards of girls were crowding round them as usual, but Key didn't even bother to count how many confessions he got.

"Key Oppa actually I've loved you for a lon-" a girl tried saying.

"I'm kind of busy." Key waved her off. "Later." He stalked off, his eyes darting around.

"Woah yeobo I know you aren't going to accept her, but at least let her say her confession right?" Jonghyun raised his brows as he caught up with Key.

Key's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's too time consuming." Key rolled his eyes. "I must find her."

Confusion flashed in the dinohead's eyes. "Who?"

"Nerd girl of course." Key smirked as his eyes searched the crowd. "I want to see her angry expression after I took her money. It's the best. You should see it too yeobo."

Jonghyun frowned. "You're such a sadist!" He scoffed.

Key shrugged. "That's me!" he frowned slightly as his sharp eyes scanned the crowd. *Where is she?*



"Mr Lee you didn't mark Han Minjung's name." Key pointed out at the start of the class.

"Han Minjung haksaeng isn't coming today." Mr Lee notified.

Key frowned. "Why?"

"Personal reasons." Mr Lee cut off Key's questions. "Open your textbooks to page 245, we'll do differentiation today."

Key glanced at Minjung's empty seat and he furrowed his brows. *Why isn't she here today?* He shook his head. *Maybe she just got too pissed off with me so she decided not to come.* he concluded.

However, the thought that it was something more nagged incessantly in his mind. He couldn't concentrate on the lesson and he bit his lips till they were slightly swollen.

"Wow hyung you look like you just made out with a girl!" Minho raised his brows. "Your lips are so swollen!"

"He was biting them all the way." Onew piped up. "You don't know how irritating it is to be sitting next to him."

"Why were you so restless hyung?" Taemin asked curiously. "Were you worried for Minjung noona?"

"NO WAY!" Key snapped, irritated. "Why would I be worried? I was just smirking cause maybe she got too pissed with me and decided to transfer schools. That would be awesome."

"I don't think that's a possible reason." Taemin frowned. "Why don't you ask Sujin? She's friends with Minjung noona."

"Why would I want to ask her!" Key rolled his eyes. He saw Sujin walking past and he frowned. *Crap. Should I ask?*

Jonghyun understood his yeobo's expression and decided to be a nice dinohead for once. "I'll ask if you don't want to." Key heaved a soft sigh in silence.

"Hey Sujin sshi." Jonghyun stopped her. "Do you know why Minjung isn't here today?"

Sujin blinked in surprise at their interest. "She's working overtime at the bookstore." Key frowned when he heard that. *What for?"

"She needs to earn money for her assessment books." Sujin explained. "And she doesn't want to ask from her aunty cause she's scared she'll be a burden."

"Thank you." Jonghyun nodded and went back to Key with raised brows. "See what your evil deeds resulted in?" he asked. "Do something about it diva."

Key bit his already swollen lips and frowned. *. It's all because of me.*



Key found out the location of the bookstore Minjung's working at from Sujin and he arrived there immediately after school

It was a small one, but nevertheless popular because of it's rich supply of good books.

Key peeked in from outside and saw Minjung working at the counter as the cashier. She was smiling to the customers that came one after another, in an endless line, wrapping books after another.

She took a book and began wrapping it, when her finger grazed one of the pages. She retracted her hand in pain and winced. *Oww not another paper cut.*

The manager of the store came to her with a small band aid. "Be careful Minjung ah." she advised. "You've been working from this morning, you must be tired. Why not take a rest?"

Minjung stuck the band air on her cut and smiled. "It's okay unnie. I can manage." she assured before continuing with her job.

Key winced he saw the numerous band aids all around her fingers. She was in this state because of him. Because of his childish prank.

*Maybe..* Key lowered his gaze. *Maybe.. I was wrong after all.*