Oddly, I woke up early in the morning and didn’t feel like my usual groggy-hippo self. I got ready for school with a much more upbeat attitude than normal, and I even had time for a second helping of toast: jackpot.

The reason I was acting this way after the heated discussion with my father last night, well, I didn’t know it. But, I felt happy this morning, and I didn’t want anything to spoil it.

As I neared the exit to the building, I slowed down to peer through the glass. There was no one there. Before I was consciously aware of making the decision, I slowed down even further until the pace I was walking at was actually embarrassingly slow. If anyone had been around, they would have thought I either had something wrong with me, or that I was sneaking around the building to creep on someone - not that they would be totally wrong.

Reaching for the door I opened it and stepped out in a very similar manner to my previous creep-mode. I looked around just to make sure there was no one waiting for me. There wasn’t. But I didn’t leave like I had assumed I would. Instead, I stood there. I waited there for fifteen minutes, turning my head towards the door with every sound that came from it, earning me a lot of strange looks from the other occupants of the building. Pursing my lips, I looked up at the vast building. Maybe he had gone ahead. Hoiking my bag up, I turned and headed to school alone. I don’t know why it bothered me so much; but it did.

Arriving in class, I was surprised to see only Baekhyun at our desk.

“Is he not here?” I asked, trying to sound casual as I took off my jacket and sorted my bag out.

Baekhyun shook his head. “No, he has something to do.”

Remembering yesterday, I recalled that Sehun wasn’t supposed to be in but he had been. Did he perhaps have to miss school today because of yesterday?

“What’s he doing?”

Turning towards me, Baekhyun seemed to appraise me for a moment before shaking his head again. “If he hasn’t told you, then I shouldn’t.” He then did the action of pretending to lock his lips and throw away the key. I wanted to roll my eyes so badly.

Lunch came around quickly today; maybe because of my larger breakfast. I headed to the bathroom quickly before we ate. When exiting the cubicle, I came face-to-face with a very angry looking Kim Yunseo who was fixing her make-up in the mirror. Her gaze hardened as soon as she saw me. Averting my eyes, I headed to the only free sink in the corner.

I could almost feel her looking at me as I hurriedly splashed my hands with water before applying the soap.

“You know,” she began loudly. Clearly this was a conversation not just meant for her nearest and dearest. “I really think it’s great that our Sehun is taking the time to show the new student around.” I don't think you could really call me 'new' anymore, but all the same I knew she was talking about me.

There were several giggles at this, and more than a few glances in my direction.

“The pity he must feel for her to do that… It really does make me thankful that he likes me not out of pity.”

I wanted to raise an eyebrow at this statement. If he really liked her, wouldn’t he have accepted her confession? Maybe I was too new to this whole confession thing to understand properly.

Making to leave behind the line of girls, my foot caught on something and I stumbled forwards, falling hard onto my knees.

A shrill laughter filled the toilets. I think every girl in there, with the exception of myself, was either laughing or on the cusp of.

My cheeks felt hot as I pushed myself back to my feet.

“Watch yourself, Mira,” a shrill, laughter-filled voice called to me. It was no mystery how I had fallen; she had tripped me.

When school ended, I began walking home quickly so as to avoid any confrontation with a certain female. Baekhyun was suddenly at my side however, and began chatting away. When I asked him why he was walking this way, he told me that he had to deliver something to the post office which just happened to be this way. Although I guessed that there was a post office closer to his own home, I was a little nervous about meeting Kim Yunseo again so gladly accepted his company.

We chatted the whole way back, namely about his cousins who had been asking after Sehun. The younger boy, he told me, was asking for the ‘Pretty Noona’. And, although I agreed to help him babysit again next time, I really had no intention of doing so at all.

Once my building was within sight, I got ready to say goodbye to Baekhyun. 

“I can’t believe you live so close to Sehun,” Baekhyun piped up suddenly. An altogether more suggestive expression crossed his face then. “Maybe it’s fate, huh?”

All I could do was roll my eyes.

Baekhyun ignored this, almost like he had a filter for negativity. ”I think I’m going to check on Sehun whilst I’m here.”

I shrugged. Seeing as Baekhyun knew he wasn’t going to be in school today, I couldn’t see a reason why he would need to check on him since the matter clearly wasn’t health-related. At least, I didn’t think it was.

The elevator came to a stop on Sehun’s floor and Baekhyun stepped out. He noticed I wasn’t with him. “Aren’t you coming?” he asked, looking a little confused.

Hesitantly, I stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway. I didn’t really want to come if I was being honest, but I felt almost obliged to at least seem concerned.

Boldly knocking on Sehun’s door, Baekhyun called through it, “Sehun! Sehunnie!”

There was no reply from the other side of the door. 

“Maybe he’s not here…” Baekhyun trailed off, looking thoughtful. 

I was about to excuse myself, when he suddenly pulled out his phone. I noticed that it was vibrating.

“Speak of the devil…” he smiled at me as he answered. “Sehun? Where are you? Aren’t you home yet?”

I quietly listened, trying to hear what Sehun was saying at the other end of the phone.

“Was everything fine today?”

All I could hear was the occasional noise from the other end of the phone, but not any actual words. 

“Oh, I see. That’s good at least.” Baekhyun then looked at me and smiled again. “Mira missed you a lot.” 

Even though it wasn’t true, my face felt hotter instantly. I started hitting Baekhyun, causing him to laugh – not the desired effect!

“Yeah, she’s here…” Baekhyun replied to the phone, easily fending me off with one hand. “Oh, were you counting on me walking her home then?”

I stopped struggling then and just watched Baekhyun. 

“Can I come too?”  He pouted at whatever it was. “Fine, I’ll tell her. Bye.”

Stashing his phone away, he turned towards me and said, “Well, Miss, you certainly do work quickly. Sehun wants you meet him at the main French restaurant on the avenue between school and the bus station. Okay?” He winked at me when he said the last part. "Come on, I'm to you he said."

I frowned. Was this what he had meant yesterday by ‘let’s eat together’? Because there was nothing I couldn’t stand more than going to restaurants.

“I’m not going to meet him, I have other plans already.”

This time, it was Baekhyun’s turn to frown. “You’re not going to meet him?”

I shook my head. ‘Nope. He should have asked me before now if he wanted to eat in a restaurant. Then I could have said no to him in person.”

 Baekhyun puffed out his lips a little and made a disappointed look. 

“What’s wrong with you?” I demanded.

He innocently shrugged. “It’s nothing… I’ve just never heard of him initiating a date with a girl. And for this to be the result…”

I turned and walked away, not really listening to what he was saying anymore. "It wouldn’t be a date anyway!” I called back over my shoulder as I got in the lift.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter