“Ouch !” Hae Won moaned as Seung Ho hit her forehead with the pencil. She rubbed the spot where he hit it carefully.

“Ya, what are you looking at ? The exam is getting closer ! Concentrate !” Seung Ho scolded the girl.

“I’m sorry,” Hae Won whispered and faced her text book again. She couldn’t tell the truth that Seung Ho was pretty distracting that afternoon. He looked fresh with the deep v-neck tshirt he’s wearing that time and the soap scent came out from his hair. The bangs covered half part of his eyes while he’s scolding Hae Won how to slove the Algebra.

Hae Won noticed that Seung Ho looked so much happier than before. He quited his job as an , finally found a job as a dance teacher at the kindergarten nearby. He taught little kids to dance and sometimes had a small performance for them with the local dance group. Hae Won watched it once when Seung Ho showed off his b-boying skills to the kids. He taught them a simple moves they could follow and he did the job 2-3 times a week. The payment was not much, but Hae Won never saw Seung Ho happier than that time when he danced with those little fellas. Sometimes Seung Ho took second or third jobs for the money, since he told Hae Won that he wanted to go to art college. He’d been busy taking night course and sometimes he didn’t have enough time to sleep.

They had spent quality times together, although it’s not as often as before. Hae Won was also busy studying for the final exam because she wanted to graduate from high school that year. After the sudden kiss at the school gate a week ago, the teachers suddenly cared more about Hae Won.

Once, Chul Moo High’s principal called Hae Won to his office the day after the incident.

“What a shame,” the headmaster started. “Teenagers make me embarrassed nowadays. They have no basic manners anymore, just like the old days.”

“What do you mean, Sir ?” Hae Won crossed her arms behind her back. The headmaster’s face hardened.

“What you did with Yang Seung Ho...in front of our gate yesterday, Ms. Kim,” he quickly added.”Don’t you dare telling me that you forget about it.”

Hiding her happiness for herself, Hae Won replied calmly, “Of course not, Sir.”

The headmaster threw a long sigh. “What should I do...what should I do...Should I call your parents and tell them about it ? I bet they haven’t known about this unless the parents committe already held a meeting yesterday...”

Hae Won dropped her jaw. Her parents. What if they knew that she started a relationship with her own step-brother ?  “Sir, please !! Please, don’t tell my parents !”

“Because it’s shameful, isn’t it ?” the middle-aged man behind the desk continued. He cleaned up his sleeves, looking more snooty than before. “Kim Hae Won...you are quite known as dilligent student. Because of one person, you’ve ruined your own reputatiion in this school. What your parents gonna say if they know their daughter is suddenly too lazy to study ?”

“I know my grades are lower these days,” Hae Won said. “I got your point, Sir. If I don’t study hard, my parents will notice my low grade and they’ll complain to school about it, then they’ll find about me and Seung Ho—”

“I’m not standing on your side, Ms. Kim, just so you know,” the headmaster cut off. “Your relationship with Yang Seung Ho is...still unacceptable in society. He’s your step brother-although you’re not blood-related—but our society is still holding on our culture and their old standards of what good or not. I’m afraid, if you’re not wise enough, you’ll find yourself falling into the deepest dark whole. And nobody can help you. Falling in love is something you can’t endure. Young people like you deserve to fall in love. But the thing is, can you handle the temptation ?”

“I,I don’t understand what you mean, Sir,” Hae Won was totally confused.

“Yang Seung Ho is no longer a high school student, Ms. Kim,” the headmaster continued. “He’s part of the society now and you may say that he’s a young adult now. He’s a free man.”

Hae Won still didn’t get the point.

The old man rolled his eyes, “He could ask you to do something both of you too early to do together.”

Hae Won frowned.

The principal sat on the closest chair. “Ms. Kim, I have a daughter. She’s a year younger than you. She has lots of friends and she does hang out with them often. I always worried about her friendship with the opposite . I tried to remind her that she better do it when she’s ready, when she’s mature enough to decide the right time.”

“Oh...” Hae Won mumbled. “Sir...I get what you mean...This is so embarrasssing to hear it from you.”

“Don’t you think I’m embarrassed to ?!” His voice suddenly rose. The headmaster exhaled, “Kim Hae Won, you and the kids in this high school are my children too. I have responsibility to take care of your education until your graduation day. Youngster’s interactions nowadays are not the same as my era, you need to be more mature and wise in everything. There are some examples of people who decided to leave and give up studying, no offense, but the kids who are still willing for better future, I’ll make sure they’ll graduate safely and wisely.”

Hae Won nodded her head in agreement. She completely understood what the headmaster was trying to say. She realized that Seung Ho was a free young man now. Although he had made out with several girls—and Hae Won saw them with her own eyes—since his high school time, Hae Won thanked the principal for remind her about the posibbility of stepping the next level in her relationship with Seung Ho. She should be aware of it.

“Kim Hae Won, I know you are a good student. So don’t do something stupid, okay ? Study hard and pass the exam. If you don’t, your parents’ number is on my speed dial,” the headmaster threatened as he took Hae Won to the door.

“Yes, Sir, I promise I’ll study hard,” Hae Won promised.

“Now, go back to class.”

*

“Stop staring at me and do your homework !” Seung Ho hit Hae Won’s head once again. “Don’t make me finish it for you !”

“It hurts !! Stop hitting me,” She almost hit him back but resisted to do that.

“You’re this close to finish high school ! Study hard !!” Seung Ho rose his voice. He saw Hae Won only replied with murmur. Seeing her pouting in cuteness, only made Seung Ho wanted to more. “Why...my charm is unbeatable, isn’t it ?”

Hae Won almost popped out her eyeballs for hearing and watching the aegyo Seung Ho just showed. She lifted her fist ready to punch the guy, but Seung Ho already ran to the kitchen to make them hot drinks. “You want to die, don’t you ?!” Hae Won shoutted and chased him.

- - -

i think it's not a really good chapter T.T

i'm sorry