Gwiboon waited for Jinki coming out from the lab that evening. The older boy was in this sciene club things and Gwiboon knew his schedule by her heart. She waited leaning on the wall with her arms folded. Usually she doesn’t like waiting but waiting Jinki is an exception. Although she never told that to Jinki. Right at 5 pm Gwiboon saw some students one by one leaving the lab, and Gwiboon knew Jinki was going to be the last to come out. So she waited until there’s no students left but Jinki.

She peeked up through the door and saw Jinki was putting up his stuff back to his bag. He looked tired, Gwiboon noticed it by the visible dark circle around his eyes. And he looked skinnier than the last time she saw him. But when Jinki looked up and found Gwiboon there at the door, his smile still as bright as the last time Gwiboon saw it.

“Gwi...” he called softly, “come here...”

Slowly the girl came in approaching him with sly smile, trying hard not to let Jinki see how happy she was seeing Jinki now after weeks. But Jinki seemed impatient as he walked to her almost ran and hugged her tightly, enveloping Gwiboon's lithe body on his own.

“I miss you” he said.

Gwiboon pushed him away, slightly embarrassed, “Y-yahh...” she whined, “I can’t breathe stupid”

There went again, that stupid sly grin of Jinki as he looked at her.

“exam is over, you don’t know how happy i’m right now seeing you” he said to her.

Gwiboon looked away, finding a way to sit on the desk, trying hard not stuttering, “y-yeah... no more exam until next year”

“I was gonna call you for cheese cake and coffee” his tired look on his face before was gone. He took a sit on the desk too across her.

“yeah..uhm, we can do that later” Gwiboon responded, “actually i wanna ask you about something.”

“Yeah..?”

“Mmm... about the prom”

“what about that?”

“who will you ask to go with you?”

Gwiboon didn’t expect Jinki to look at her back in disbelief. Then Jinki sent her the odd frown for few seconds. “What do you mean who will i ask to go to prom?” Jinki confused, “Of course i’ll go with you, why do you even ask?”

If only she didn’t remember about Taeyeon, she would smile in happiness right now.

“No, Jinki. You can’t go with me” she said.

The older boy laughed at her, “what are you talking about, Gwi... “

“I’m not joking. You can’t go with me. I can’t go with you to prom” she cut him.

“Gwi, that’s impossible. Have you forgotten when you said you want to go to the prom every year with me? You even have me promised”

“But i don’t wanna go to prom this year”

“What?” he frowned again, “Gwiboon, this is not you”

“Yes it is. I... I...” Jinki waited her to say, “I.... join this trip to Macau this week end so i can’t attend the prom”

Jinki’s face crestfallen as she said that. He kept looking at her as if searching for the truth.

“Okay then” the boy nodded, certainly not very happy with the news, “I won’t go to the prom either”

“What? NO!” Gwiboon shrieked as she stood up, causing Jinki to look at her in more confused. “No Jinki you can’t not attend the prom. You have to go”

“I won’t go if i'm not going to go with you” he said back, lifting his body up as they now stood face to face.

There was silence for few good seconds as the two looked at each other. Jinki was annoyed, why Gwiboon wants him to go if she herself can’t go?

Gwiboon wanted to cry as she looked at his eyes, not sure if it’s because she’s happy knowing that Jinki was persistent to go to prom with her or because she remembered Taeyeon.

“Jinki please... for this one time I beg you to go to prom without me” she pleaded, “please...”

“Why you don’t wanna go to prom with me?” there was hurt seen on Jinki’s face.

“Because i want Taeyeon to go with you”

Jinki couldn’t believe what Gwiboon had asked to him. Knowing that Gwiboon wouldn’t want to go to prom with him was already painful for him to hear and now she wanted him to go with her best girl-friend?

“Gwiboon what is wrong with you?”

“She doesn’t have partner to go to prom, nobody asks her, “Gwiboon lied, “But she really really wants to go. It’s going to be her first time coming to prom. I just think that if you ask her to go, you will have made her dream come true”

Jinki looked away, frustrated, “why don’t you ask Jong to ask her?”

“he has his own partner already” she reasoned, “Jinki please..please do this for Taeyeon, for me...”

“Why do you care, Gwiboon? Are you doing this because you feel pity for her?”

“No, Jinki, No!” Gwiboon defensed, “i’m doing this because i want her to be happy. You just don’t know what has she been through”

“No. I won’t ask her” Jinki felt enough as he grabbed his bag, heading to the door.

Gwiboon immediately ran and stopped him from leaving, “Please Jinki, please...” she begged again, “I’ll do everything you ask but please do this for me”

Jinki stopped finally and let out a heavy sigh. He turned around to face Gwiboon who was about to cry. Jinki had to hold himself not to hug her everytime he saw Gwiboon looked vulnerable like this.

“okay, I’ll ask her to go to prom with me” he said eventually. He just didn’t know how breaking Gwiboon’s heart upon hearing this coming from Jinki’s lips. “only in one condition”

Gwiboon widened her eyes, looking at him, “what?”

“You said you would do anything for me as long as i do this for you”

Gwiboon felt like drowning in his eyes, he looked at her with this intense gaze that Gwiboon just wanted to squeal.

“you will say yes to whatever i ask you”

Gwiboon furrowed her brows, “and what is it?”

“later. I’ll ask you later. But remember, you have to say yes to that request”

She thought about it for awhile, but then as she remembered Taeyeon and her will to make her happy. She nodded.

“Promise?” Jinki raised his pinky finger, now smiling at her. Gwiboon couldn’t help but smiled back as she linked her pinky finger to his, making promise.

---

Taeyeon hugged Gwiboon as she found her in library on the next day.

“He asked me to go” Taeyeon almost screamed, “he just asked me to go and i said yes!!”

Gwiboon should be happy, she should. But it was still hard for her to remember how she couldn’t go to Prom this year with Jinki. Gwiboon faked her smile as she hugged her again.

“Thank you Gwiboon, thank you so much” she said. They smiled to each other and Taeyeon squeezed her hand, telling her that she couldn’t believe it. But then a wave of concern washing through Taeyeon face as she noticed something.

“Did Jinki... “ she asked carefully, “You didn’t force him to ask me, did you?”

Gwiboon widened her eyes, “What? NO!” she panicked, “Even before i asked him, he told me himself that he wants to go with you”

“Does he?” There was hope in Taeyeon’s eyes.

“Yes, he...” Gwiboon searched for words, “he said you are pretty and kind and he talked a lot about you”

Taeyeon’s eyes brightened as she was told so. He hugged Gwiboon again, “i’m happy you are helping to set up us.”

Gwiboon hugged Taeyeon back tightly as she tried so hard not to cry on her shoulder.

---

Gwiboon lied when she said she would be in a trip during the prom. She actually went to Jeju with her mom, staying in the same place where she and Jinki spent their last summer together. She turned off her phone, didn’t want to receive any text messages or calling from Jinki nor Taeyeon. That night was Taeyeon’s night, she let the girl feeling like a princess, which where she would be picked up by the prince. Gwiboon told Jinki that he has to treat her nice, Jinki has to make her feel like princess. And Jinki with a heavy heart obeyed her. It’s not like Jinki disliked Taeyeon. Jinki liked making friend with her. But it was just upsetting him that he couldn’t go with Gwiboon that night.

Gwiboon sat on the sand at the same beach where she and Jinki counted the star last summer. She remembered they both laying there on the sand, feeling happy as Jinki nervously reaching her hand. It was nice feeling and Gwiboon wanted that to happen again. But at the same time she was upset because Jinki didn’t say something that she expected to hear that night. Instead he just told her his usual silly jokes all night long until Jonghyun came out from nowhere, telling them that the parents were looking for them.

Gwiboon looked up to the sky and watched stars were winking at her. She tried to count, but then she realized it’s getting hard as she’s counting them alone.

---

Jinki entered the hall with Taeyeon holding on his arm. She looked exceptionally beautiful, with the hair bun tied behind her head, blue dress satin wrapped up nicely around her body. All eyes were watching them, most of them gasping and whispering as to wonder who’s the girl that Jinki goes with.

Taeyeon never felt this happy in her entire life. She never once came to Prom party. And it’s just overwhelming knowing that her first prom, she went with her crush.  Jinki looked handsome that night, and he treated her nice asking her to dance, asking her drink, and making her comfortable. She felt as if Jinki made every girl in the hall jealous on her.

It was a time when Taeyeon said she wants to dance again so they went to the dance ball, she wrapped her arms around his neck and Jinki held on her waist, moving slowly following the rythm of the song.

“Thanks for asking me to go with you” Taeyeon whispered, looking at his eyes.

Jinki smiled at nodded at her. Taeyeon carefully leaned her head above his shoulder. It was very close that Taeyeon couldn’t control her heart beat. If only she could see Jinki’s face went to muse as he let her and looked at the floor with blank.

They didn’t say a word while dancing and somehow it made Taeyeon uncomfortable. Is Jinki getting bored?

“Too bad Gwiboon cannot come” Taeyeon initially spoke. And she could sense Jinki alerted on Gwiboon’s name mentioned.

“hmm...” but it was his respond.

“Gwiboon thinks you are like his brother” she suddenly said to him, pulling away so that she could see his eyes. “She told me once about her feeling towards you”

Taeyeon just didn’t think Jinki would be interested in this topic as he stopped moving and looked at her, searching for more.

“she... she thinks so?”  he repeated, “she told you that i’m just like a brother to her?”

Taeyeon slowly frowned as she sensed something that was not as she expected. But Taeyeon had no time to answer him again as the head of prom comitteee walked up to the stage and took student’s attention.

“Now It’s time, the moment you have waited....”

Jinki couldn’t focus on the announcement as his thought was on Gwiboon. He tried to picture of flashback on his mind, All of the dates, the moment they had spent together, all those sharing moments, those times when Gwiboon was possesive towards him... These times they had been through together, for her it’s just a brother-sister kind of feeling?

“The King and The Queen Prom of the year.... Congratulation Lee Jinki and Lee Taeyeon!!”

---

Gwiboon went to school the next day only to find people were talking about the prom.

“I can’t believe they would choose her”

“Aren’t they cute together?”

“She looked beautiful though, don’t you guys think so?”

Gwiboon walked forward, looking around as she wondered what was happening during the prom, until she stopped in front of the school board and saw the picture of Jinki and Taeyeon together, ‘prom king and queen of the year’ it said. it was still clear in Gwiboon mind the memory of her and Jinki’s picture together as prom king and queen last year on the same board she was looking right now. It was too much now that she had to see another girl was next to Jinki and not her anymore. This was the last prom for Jinki and knowing that the queen wasn’t Gwiboon just made her even more sadder.

Gwiboon walked mindlessly. She refused to turn her phone on since last night and both Taeyeon or Jinki probably didn’t know that she’s already here now. In few more weeks, it’s going to be summer and school year was over. Thinking that next year Jinki wasn’t be at the same school as her anymore made her glum. How was she going to get through the days without him? It would be empty. The thought of Jinki and Taeyeon together didn’t help her to feel better either.

She sat under the oak tree in the field behind the building school, soon she covered her face with both of her hands and cried. She hadn’t cried for days and now she just let it out. She looked fragile sitting alone there.

A ball rolling to her and stopped right next to her waist. She stopped her crying and turned her head, finding the ball next to her. She took it and looked up, a little bit surprised when she saw Minho was there looking at her not very far from her place.

Minho was her classmate, a football freak that happened to also play in school football team and one of Jinki’s partner. Gwiboon was not really close to him, but she noticed that minho talked to Jinki alot in the team. There were times when Gwiboon watched the football match to support Jinki, she saw them making a solid team as striker and middlefier. Jinki assisted the ball a lot for Minho to score.

“why are you crying there? give me the ball” the tall boy asked her. But Gwiboon refused to move, just stayed sitting under the tree, looking away as she squeezed the ball in her hands.

Minho let a heavy sigh and without even asked first, taking a sit next to her.

“does it have anything to do with Jinki hyung?”

Gwiboon gasped as she gazed at him, “how dare you...”

“It must be hard for you, right? To see another girl is standing next to Jinki and not you” the tall boy chuckled, looking straight at some students playing football from a far.

Gwiboon thought this tall guy is being impolite. The truth was, he might be close to Jinki and still he’s not close to her. She even didn’t remember how many times she had spoken to him this year, probably never. And now she’s sitting next to her, acting as if he knew her problem and the whole story. It was kinda annoying but weirdly, Gwiboon didn’t shoo him nor she wanted to leave.

“you know nothing about us” Gwiboon muttered.

The other smirked, “I probably know more than you and Jinki hyung do”

She scoffed, doubting him. At the same time she felt like she didn’t want to talk anything right now.

“If you like him, tell him” Minho spoke after long silence. “don’t push him to like someone else”

Gwiboon wanted to deny, but she knew who’s right. “It’s not that simple, Minsuk..”

Minho wanted to cut and corrected the way she spelled his name. But he was lost speechless as he saw Gwiboon dropped her face softly on her knees, shaking as Minho later noticed that the girl was crying again.

There was nothing Minho could do. He’s not close to her. She’s just a bestfriend of his sunbae in the team. But he couldn’t stand watching the girl crying. Awkwardly he patted Gwiboon’s back and it was just making her crying louder. He’s panic and was about to ask for help when Gwiboon tugged her shirt and just let her head crashed on his chest.

There was nothing that her classmate could do, but let her crying there on his arm.

If only they both could see a pair of eyes were looking at them from a far, hurt and betrayed. He just couldn’t get it. All of other boys at school, it must be him, his own partner in the team.

---

“I’m going to confess to Jinki oppa tomorrow on his graduation day” Taeyeon told her that day when they were eating ice cream in Gwiboon’s favorite place.

“oh.. yeah...” she responded, “t-that’s good Taeyeon-ah”

“I just cannot be the girl who wait for the boys to confess. Beside, Jinki oppa is kinda dense”

Gwiboon chuckled inside at her comment, “yeah... he is” she said with a sad face though.

Taeyeon told her the plan. She wasn’t sure if Jinki would accept her confession but she thought she had to tell him anyway. It’s just uncomfortable for Taeyeon to keep her feeling for too long. And it just struck right on Gwiboon’s chest as Taeyeon told her so. No, Gwiboon wasn’t that brave enough to tell Jinki about her feeling but instead let someone else confess to Jinki. But this time though, Gwiboon felt like she had no right to ruin that another girl’s confession.

“Gwiboon...” Taeyeon held her hands as if she knew what’s on Gwiboon’s mind. Seriously, Gwiboon was being quiet a lot these days, drowning herself in her own mind and it somehow worried Taeyeon. “do you have anything that you’ve never told me before?”

“what?”

“like... i don’t know, i feel like you don’t really like the idea of me and Jinki oppa”

“What? No.. no” Gwiboon forced a laugh, “what are you talking about... of course i like seeing you two together. Don’t you see your picture with Jinki as King and Queen prom this year? You two look compatible together. I’m so happy for you”

Taeyeon slowly smiled again, “thanks Gwiboon. But seriously, if you have anything on your mind about this...”

“Shut up, girl...” she cut her, “go get Jinki tomorrow, okay?”

Gwiboon winked at her and back finishing her ice cream, not even dare to look at Taeyeon. Afraid that Taeyeon would see lies in her eyes.

---

“Gwiboon, it’s your brother graduation, please smile a bit” Mrs. Kim hissed when they were taking a family picture outside the school building. Gwiboon nudged at her brother’s rip successfully, making Jonghyun show a derp face as the result as the picture came up.

“you !” Jonghyun scolded her, which was replied by a mocking face of Gwiboon

“Congratulation!!!” Jinki’s parents came, giving a proud pat on Jonghyun’s back. Both familes congrulated each others as Jinki and Jonghyun hugged and laughed reminding each other that they were no longer a senior high school student.

Jinki turned and saw Gwiboon, who was behind Jonghyun and being quiet again. Jonghyun suddenly excused himself to grab for drink while parents were busy having another bussines conversation.

Gwiboon rolled her eyes when Jinki just smiled at her, and without words Gwiboon leaned on to hug him, “congratulation” she whispered.

“Thanks”

Gwiboon was beautiful that day, with her one piece white dress and pin on her brown hair. Jinki wanted to squeze her and hug her tightly.

“Graduate as the 2nd best student. Not bad, huh?”

Jinki blushed while giggling, “yeah... it was hard though”

“Jonghyun tried hard too but he ends up as 2nd worst best student. There’s a different of brain level, you have to know that”

They laughed, enjoying it as Gwiboon kept insulting her brother.

But the joy stopped as Gwiboon saw Taeyeon’s figure behind Jinki. the boy noticed her and turned her body, smiling as he greeted Taeyeon. Gwiboon watched as she hugged Jinki and congratulated him. Her eyes were soft and loving and Gwiboon couldn’t bare to watch any longer as Jinki didn’t let go of her hands while talking to her.

Without a sound, Gwiboon leaving them two together. She knew where this would lead. Taeyeon would confess and Gwiboon decided she wouldn’t be there to witness.

---

Gwiboon was worried, Taeyeon hadn’t called or sent her messages for two days after the graduation. Gwiboon started to think all the possibility reasons, from ‘maybe she’s too happy that she’s forget to tell Gwiboon about the confession’ to ‘maybe she is busy making out with Jinki’ (this one made her frustrated though) or ‘Did Jinki reject her and now she’s locking up herself  and crying in her room?”. It got her wondering. She didn’t dare to ask Taeyeon, too afraid to get the news that they are officialy dating. But this ‘no news yet’ got her thought torn, expecting things which she shouldn’t expect. Her selfish side wanted that Jinki indeed reject her, but her soft one couldn’t bare the thought of breaking Taeyeon. She had gone through a lot. She deserved love from Jinki.

She brushed off the thought and just like that she dialed Taeyeon’s number. It took her few calls until taeyeon finally picked it up.

“Taeyeon...”

“hmmm...” her voice indicated that she’s tired.

“are you okay there?”

There was silence for a moment

“i guess so...”

“Taeyeon what happened? Did Jinki....? What did he say?” Gwiboon tried not to sound like she’s eager to know.

She heard a low chuckle from Taeyeon. “He doesn’t like me back. He said sorry”

“WHAT??”

“It’s okay, Gwiboon. It’s his right to reject, really. I just need to cry for days over this heart break and i’ll move on” she bitterly laughed.

“NO... Taeyeon, Jinki is your first crush”

“I know...” Taeyeon softly cut, “but i guess not all love stories ends up like disney, right?”

“Taeyeon you don’t derseve this...” Gwiboon told her.

“Gwi...please” she begged and sounded like crying, “I’m fine, really”

But Gwiboon knew, when a woman said ‘i’m fine’ it means ‘she’s not fine at all’

Taeyeon ended up the call, telling her that she needed to be alone for a while. Gwiboon knew this was out of her hand. But she couldn’t let Taeyeon sad. It’s the first time after the bullying thing from Jessica she heard Taeyeon sounded sad and miserable, but this might be worst.

---

Gwiboon ran to Jinki’s house on the next morning, knocking on the door loudly knowing Mr. and Mrs. Lee had just left the house. It would be impolite if Jinki’s parent saw Gwiboon’s came angry like this. She knew Jinki was at home alone. His bicycle in the garage told her so. After knocked for several times, then there he was, opening the door, Lee Jinki who looked fresh in wet hair, white tight shirt, indicating that he’s just done showering. He was hot, messy and just irresistible. If only Gwiboon didn’t remember her intention coming here, she would probably stuttering at his look right now. He was surprised to see Gwiboon was in front of his house, looking irritated yet bothered as her puffed cheeks burning in angry.

“How dare you!! You can’t reject Taeyeon!” she yelled. “She confessed to you and you dumb her? After you asked her to prom? I told you to treat her nice!!”

Jinki leaned back, not hoping Gwiboon would be angry at him.

“Don’t you know what have you done, Jinki? She’s upset there. And it’s because of you, you jerk!! Why are you so mean!!” Gwiboon pushed him inside and hit his arm vigorously. Jinki tried to stop her, holding on her but she’s so persistent and kept hitting him.

“Gwiboon stop!” he yelled back.

But the girl didn’t listen, “No! You deserve this!!”

“STOP!” Jinki held her strong and pushed her againts the wall. Gwiboon gasped at his strong grasp and it shocked her, Jinki never pushed her hard. She looked at his eyes and there she saw Jinki’s eyes burn in anger. It was scary, and Gwiboon shivered at the thought of him being angry like this.

“Why you keep pushing me to her? Why can’t i reject at her confession?” he looked at her sharply, still holding her there not letting her go.

“because i care for her” she tried to hide her fear, almost yelling. “i want her to be happy. I love her”

“then you don’t care about me, do you?” Jinki said, “you don’t care if i’m going to be happy or not with her”

Gwiboon was silent as she looked at him. She didn’t think this woulb be coming from him.

“All these times i’ve been holding it, Gwiboon.. “ he softened his tone in whisper, “i’ve been holding this too long. It hurts and it hurts me more knowing that you push me to someone else. Because i thought you knew this all along”

“w-what do you mean?” she looked up at him expectantly yet scared.

“Don’t you see?” Jinki whispered as he leaned on to her, and slowly his face was getting close to hers. “i’ve been falling in love with you”

Gwiboon felt a pair of lips brushed gently to hers, and she closed her eyes. She never been kissed before, so it felt strange. But it was innocent and soft and everything Gwiboon wanted as the first kiss would be. A grasp on her arm weakened and Jinki cupped her neck as he intensified the kiss. He coaxed her lips with his teeth to gape and gently he slide his tounge inside, tasting her. Gwiboon learned this and kissed him back, giving the same treatment to his lips as she automatically gripped his back. She was shaking in his arms as he kissed her good. Had Jinki kissed the girl before? Gwiboon moaned softly as he pushed her against the wall, abusing her lips with his owns. Gwiboon could sense how desperate Jinki through the kiss, but her mind was blowing because his lips and his touch were doing something that made her weak there.

But the sound of gasp stopped their kissing as they pulled away and turned to look aside, completely didn’t expect to see Taeyeon was standing there at the door, covering with her hands, eyes glistened and tears treated to fall.

“Taeyeon... this is...”  Gwiboon whispered,

But the young girl shook her head, immediately excused herself and Gwiboon saw her running away.

Gwiboon had never felt this bad before, and she felt like she had hurt Taeyeon more than anyone could have done.