“Hana~!”

Yuri gasped and pushed Hana away. “Oh my god run run run!!”

I stared at Hana as she sprinted down the hallway wondering what’s going on until a figure flashed past me. A wide grinning brother of hers was chasing after her with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Erm…What’s going on?” I asked.

Yuri chuckled and shook her head. “Hana made I bet with Sandeul oppa, saying he will never score 100% for his composition paper.”

“Oh.” I said and watched Sandeul grabbed his sister into his arm with ease. “Wait, does this means he got a perfect score?”

“Yup!” A voice chirped from behind. Baro and Gong Chan waved at us before laughing at Hana’s disgusted face when Sandeul started pecking her cheek.

“I’m guessing the bet is he gets to kiss her?” I asked.

Gong Chan held both of his hands up to me with a smile. “10 times!”

“Oh gosh…”

Hana was yelling for us for help while we pretended not to notice her. Yuri even started taking pictures with her hand phone.

Suddenly, I was tackled down into a hug.

"Baby!! Look at my scores!"

I turned around and saw Jin Young beaming at me. I held onto his arm to balance myself before asking, “What is it?”

He pushed a piece of paper into my face. “96%!”

I took the paper into my hand as he released me. "96%? Wow! Congrats oppa!"

He nodded like a child. "Ahh I'm so happy.” He said and hug me tightly again. “Now give oppa a kiss."

He puckered up his lips and leaned towards me.

"I.... Wait. Stop...Stop!!"

“Why..?” he whined with a pout.

“We’re in public.” I whispered. He let out a chuckle and tapped his cheek. I smiled and leaned in.

Just when I was about to kiss him, he turned his face and our lips met.

“That’s cheating.” I said. He swiped his thumb across my bottom lip.

“You owe me a real kiss later.” He winked.

-

“How was your project?”

I swallowed my water and nodded my head at Mrs. Kim. “It’s good, almost done.”

She smiled. “It must be really important, for you to even sleepover at your friend’s house for the whole weekend.”

“Eh…yeah.” I said. “I’ll be in my room.”

“Sure.”

I climbed up the stairs back into my room. So I ended up staying over at Hana’s house for 3days. When I found out my stepbrother has left the city to join my parents in Japan, I decided to come home.

I locked my door and put a chair under the doorknob. I know he’s not at home, but better be prepared than nothing.

My phone beep, indicating there’s a message. I flipped it open and saw a message from Jin Young.

Call me if you don’t want to be alone, I can come sleepover or something. =)

I smiled and replied that he should focus on his final project and I’ll be fine.

-

Another week passed. My stepmother was the only one who came back on Thursday night. I was told that my stepbrother will be staying in Japan for a while to help out in the business with my father. As much as I wanted to do a celebration dance, I had to look like as if I will miss his presence around in front of my stepmother.

Also, I discovered something interesting about myself.

“Oppa, I want pickles.”

Jin Young looked at me shockingly. “Er…Are you sure?”

“Hmm.”

He pointed at the menu towards the waiter as he writes it down.

“Anything else?” Jin Young asked.

“Oh! I want ice cream!”

He sighed. “It’s 3degrees my dear.”

I pouted. “But I feel like eating ice cream.”

He chuckled and flipped towards the dessert page. “Alright, but just one single scoop, okay?”

“Okay!”

I tapped my finger on my lips before pointing out the flavour I wanted.

The waiter nodded his head and repeated our order after that. He collected our menu before leaving.

“Sour sop flavour?” Jin Young asked. “What with you and sour things lately?”

“What is that?”

Jin Young open up his palm and started counting. “You’ve been munching on sour flavoured skittles, eating salt and vinegar flavoured chips when you usually go for original flavour. And now? Pickles? Really?”

I looked at him for a moment. “Now that you’ve mention….”

He smiled and ruffled my hair. “Did stress give you a different taste bud?”

Maybe it did. But after a few days, I started craving for something sweet. I have switched from sour flavoured skittles to chocolate bars.

“Stay low on the sugar, my dear.”

“It’s not sweet.”

Mrs. Kim raised her eyebrow and pointed at my cup. “You put in 5 table spoons of sugar, and you said your tea is not sweet?”

“5 spoons?” I asked. She sighed and took my cup.

She took a sip and squinted both of her eyes shut. “Oh gosh, I’m not letting you drinking this.”

From sour to sweet, I was actually thinking whether I would be craving for something bitter the week after.

But instead, I’ve been waking up with a bad headache every morning. I even felt tired for no reason and have been taking long naps in the afternoon.

Stress. Maybe because I have two assignments due in a week and I’m barely done with the both of them.

So I’m back to more sour cravings, even eating a whole lemon after lunch, shocking Mrs .Kim the most.

“How can you even eat that?!” She asked in disbelieved.

I also asked myself the same question every day, but it taste surprisingly good and refreshing. It keeps me awake in the afternoon.

Maybe all these silly cravings I’ve been having for the past weeks are bad for my body after all.

From the third week onwards, I came down with a cold, followed by a fever.

It took me three days to recover. But I wasn’t done suffering.

Instead, I woke up every morning finding myself running towards to bathroom.