Jonghyun's POV

I’m surprised to find that the light to Junghye’s room is still on when I arrive home at the dead of night. What was she doing at this time?

There’s no response when I knock gently on the door, so I quietly push it open, glad to see it’s unlocked.

Junghye’s sitting on the computer chair but her head’s resting on her arms which are lying crossed on the desk. The computer monitor blinks brightly, in front of her and a word document is open.

She must have fallen asleep doing her work.

I quietly walk across the room to where she is. Her eyes are closed and strands of her cover her face. I feel my lips tugging into a smile, she looks so much younger when she’s sleep.

Leaning down, I hook one of my arms underneath her knees, and the other behind her shoulders, gently pulling her back.

She stirs slightly, but relaxes in my arms as I lift her up and carry her to her bed.

Her eyes sleepily opens when I rest her on the bed, and pull her blanket over her, ‘Jonghyun?’ she mumbles, voice laced with sleep.

I smile and whisper, ‘hey, go to sleep now, it’s really late.’

She huddles in the blanket and smiles back, ‘Thanks,’ and drifts back to sleep.

Turning around, I go back to the computer, ready to shut it down when glancing at the word document, I see my name.

What’s my name doing there? Curious, I lean closer and read some the title of the document

‘ T.S Eliot essay—Kim Jonghyun’

What? Why did Junghye put my name? When did we even get this assignment? Opening up her other documents, I saw that there was another one with a similar title

‘T.S Eliot essay --Park Junghye’

I frown. No way… had Junghye been doing my assignments?!

Jung Hye's POV

The next morning I slap my alarm clock down as I blearily wake up. Hmmm? Since when did I get back to bed last night? I thought I was doing the essay in front of the computer.... then I remember Jonghyun's dark silhouette carrying me back to bed and I blush furiously.

Jonghyun is already up by the time I'm out of the room. I raise my eyebrow at him as he groggily stands in front of the fridge, looking for breakfast. Usually it's me pulling him out of bed. This must be the first time since he'd started his jobs that he woke up earlier than I did.

"Sup," he greets casually but his eyes light up when he sees me. "I'm fixing breakfast, how do you feel about eggs?"

Jonghyun continues to act weird for the rest of the day. By weird, I mean he is actually awake for all his classes. Although he is still on the verge of sleeping and sometimes at the corner of my eye I can catch him almost drowsing off, but in a second he snaps awake again with a curse and continues writing down class notes.

Once the bell rings and everyone up and packs up to leave for school, I stop Jonghyun before he even gets up from his seat.

"Hey. Don't worry about staying up for class, I'll take notes for you." and smile what is hopefully a reassuring smile.

Jonghyun hesitates, as if he is considering my suggestion but then shakes his head. "Jung Hye, stop doing my homework for me."

Oh my God! I scream mentally. I've been found out! How? I didn't tell anyone but Yoo Mi, and I made Yoo Mi swear to never mention it to Jonghyun!

"But you can't even do it yourself-" I stop talking once I realised what I said. So I brace myself for Jonghyun's egotistical rant about how I'm doubting his superhuman qualities.

Instead, surprisingly, he looks down as if he is ashamed of himself. "I know, but it's not your place to worry." he mumbles.

"How can I not want to help you, when you're a walking zombie day and night?"

It must have came out meaner than I thought because Jonghyun visibly flinches. "It's my business, not yours."

And that struck a chord in me. I feel the anger in me rising up. "Can't you let me worry about you for once?"

"Think about it Jung Hye. You need to study. You need to go to university. The more time you're spending on me, the more opportunities I'm taking from you. Do you understand?" Jonghyun looks at me with pleading eyes.

"No."

"Jung Hye-"

"I don't think you understand. As long as we're together, I will never leave you alone. Got that?" I say in what I think is my most assertive voice.

Jonghyun, instead of softening up from my very cheesy words and declaring his ultimate love for me, stiffens. Right. Not the reaction I was hoping for.

Creeeeak. Jonghyun stands up from his seat and slings his bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to the hospital now." He says with a tone of finality.

He leaves me with tears prickling my eyes, so pissed and angry and alone in the classroom that I don't even bother following him.