The next day, at Woonie’s urging, I tried my best to carry out the romantic charade by pretending that nothing was wrong. Junhyung followed my lead, but I guess we weren’t convincing. Soon the halls were buzzing with rumors that we were on the verge of a break up. As the week wore on, I noticed that conversations came to a halt whenever I entered a room and a hundreds of eyes seemed to follow Junhyung and me whenever we are together. Even when the gang met at lunchtime, our conversations, once lively, were now strained.

   At the final day of our “arrangement” arrived. The miracle I had prayed for all week hadn’t happened. When I got to school, I saw Kikwang in the hallway.

“Yah, Yoseob. Are you okay?” Kikwang asked me as he came up beside me.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” I lied.

“Oh, Junhyung ought to be having a field day. Instead, he’s going around the school looking like he’s ready to punch somebody out.”

“Not somebody. Just me.” I sighed.

“Since you bought it up, I might as well tell you that I’ve been asked by the gang-well, drafted, really- to ask if you and Junhyung are having some sort of trouble. We’re all worried about you two, and we want to help.”

I tried to smile. “Thanks, Kikwang, but I can take care of myself, and so can Junhyung.”

“That’s exactly what I thought you’d say. Only you were a lot more polite than I would have been if everybody was poking their noses into my business.”

“Well, now it’s my turn to be nosy,” I said. “Kikwang, why don’t you forget about me and Junhyung and concentrate on Hyunseung? He’s hoping you’ll ask him to the dance, and I don’t think you ought to disappoint him.”

The look on Kikwang’s face was beyond words. “You wouldn’t joke about a thing like this, would you?”

“Of course not! Hyunseung told me so his self last Friday night. The two of you are my friends and I want you to be happy. Look at it this way,” I added, unable to keep the sadness out of my voice. “At least some of us would enjoy the dance.”

Kikwang put his arms around me and gave me a big hug. “Thanks, Yoseob. Junhyung had better be good to you, because if he isn’t, I’ll-I’ll come to think of it. I don’t know what I’ll do. Kick him in the shins, maybe or bite him on the ankle. But you just say the word, and I’ll think of something.”

“Just let me know how it works out with you and Hyunseung, okay?”

“You bet!” Kikwang released me and walked away, whistling as he went.

“Aren’t you being a little premature?” Junhyung growled behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of his voice. “The day’s not over yet, you know. Technically, we’re still a couple.”

“I’m practicing,” I said coldly.

“I hope you don’t have your heart set on Kikwang, although I’ll admit he is an improvement over Jinwoon.”

“Well, he’s a vast improvement over you!” I snapped.

“So why didn’t you give him the honor of rescuing you from Joon?” Junhyung said, scowling.

“I barely knew him then,” I pointed out. “And if I had to do it over again, I probably would go out with Joon. He couldn’t possibly be any worse than you.”

“Come on, Yoseob, I thought we were through with all this. I thought we were starting to be friends.”

“Well, you were wrong,” I said around the lump in my throat. “Meet the greatest actor in the world! I didn’t like you six weeks ago, and I didn’t like you now!”

Junhyung’s face turned an alarming shade of crimson, just as it had the first time I had ever seen him. “For crying out loud, what is wrong with you? Sometimes I’m not sure which you need most- a good spanking or a good kiss!”

“Is that so? Well, it would take a bigger man than you to do either one!”

I tried to make a dramatic exit, but Junhyung grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to face him. For one crazy moment I thought he was going to carry out his threat to kiss me, and I knew there was nothing in the world that I wanted more. But he didn’t.

“Look, Yoseob,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what’s going in here, but you and I have got to talk, and we can’t do it here. I’m taking you to the bonfire tonight. Be ready at seven.”

Junhyung let me go and stalked off without another word. Halfway down the hall he paused and kicked the trash can with enough force to send it to the ceiling.

Some time later, Dongwoon found me still standing in the middle of the hall, starting in the direction Junhyung had disappeared.

His voice brought me out of my trance. “Hyung, what’s the matter?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, a little dazed. “but I think I have a date with Junhyung!”

Hi people. I think this would be the 3rd to the last update. And the ending of this is really soon. Soon as in tomorrow? :) Hope you like it. And thank you for those who commented. :)) I really appreciate it. :) 

Saranghae. <3