“Library again…what fun.” Suri said to her classmate as they walked to the direction of the university library.

“So you won’t come with us then?” Suri can just shake her head.

“I’m really sorry.” Her classmate just shrugged and left. Maybe they are used to her. She barely spends time with her friends, but they can understand perfectly her situation. She should be studying real hard to get a good grade and maintain her status as President’s Lister. If not, it’s going to be goodbye Korea. And she doesn’t want that to happen.

The room was practically full except for one seat. She took it and opened her laptop. Simultaneously, several e-mails went in.

“Like seriously?” Suri muttered under her breath. Three essays, four topics for feature article, one editorial topic. And then there is the take home chemistry quiz.

“Problem?” Suri’s eyes went wide as she stared at her screen. She slowly turned her head and saw a smiling guy who made her heart beat extra fast.

“S-sunbae…” she stammered. Of all time, why did he choose to appear now? Now she can’t focus.

“Why?” he frowned a little, maybe because she stammered.

“Eo?” Suri asked.

“We’ve known each other for nearly five years now and you still call me sunbae? Am I not your friend?” Suri smiled awkwardly.

“I’m more comfortable calling you sunbae.” She said quietly and scratched her head.

“So what do you treat me as?” He crossed his arms.

“A…caring sunbae?” He frowned more and just left after an ‘aish!’ that caught the attention of the librarian. Suri bowed deeply to apologize.

“What is with him? What, should is say ‘Yah, Kim Jaejoong, I like you.’? Psh.” Suri just continued sorting out the things that she was to do.

Like what Jaejoong said, they’ve know each other for five years. Since she entered the university in the first year of middle school, she had already admired him. He was the president of the literary club. He is very intelligent, handsome and very polite every girl wants to be his girl. He was greatly admired by nearly the whole school, and he should be.

Suri realized she liked him two years ago when they were attending a Literary Conference. It was a very sudden realization. You know the movie-kind of realizing that you like someone? Jaejoong was standing under a canopy of cherry blossom, taking photos of it as the sunlight pass through the spaces between the leaves. Suri called him and he turned, the light, the canopy of bright pink flowers, the random blossoms raining down, Kim Jaejoong at his most glorious self with his dazzling smile. And that was it. Suri managed to tell him to stay as he was and she snapped several shots of him. The pictures are hidden under her bed.

But since that day, she started feeling awkward around him. It is awkward because he still the same caring, humorous sunbae she knew, but now her feelings are different. What’s even worse is that she started feeling jealous when he talks with very pretty university girls and she always feel like blushing when she catches him looking at her. It is really starting to feel very uncomfortable.

 Suri can clearly remember how she held back her tears when Jaejoong told her that he likes a girl. He even described her to Suri. All the while, Suri feels like a hand was constricting her heart, harder and harder at every adjective he drops, at every word that differentiate her from the girl he liked. Even his plan of courting her, he said to her and it makes the pain worse. She can barely sleep that night, tears flowing from her eyes. It was very idiotic of her to think that the ethereal Kim Jaejoong would ever like her. So she distanced herself a bit more. She restricted herself to a sunbae-hoobae relationship.

“Yah, we have a meeting.” Suri nearly jumped from her seat when someone tapped her shoulder. It’s Changmin.

“Now? I have many things to do.” She whined.

“Aish, ppali! It looks like President Kim is not at his best moods.” Changmin chuckled.

“Sunbae?” Suri asked.

“Who else? Come, now.” She sighed in resignation. Changmin helped her with her laptop and they ran to the office.

“LATE!” Suri winced when her sunbae screamed.

“Ah, hyung, sorry. This girl is slow in running.” Changmin bowed deeply. Suri elbowed him.

“I’m very sorry.” Suri bowed 90 degrees and sat beside Seohyun.

“Jae oppa is very scary.” Seohyun whispered.

“He is.” Suri agreed, keeping her head bowed. Times like this, she can’t bear looking at Jaejoong straight in his face.

“Okay. Everyone’s here. I have to tell you that the International Literary Conference was moved to this tomorrow. Therefore, you have to pack your bags immediately so we can go to Jeju-do. The President already approved the excuse letters and you can come home immediately after this meeting. Well be staying there for a whole week, but the conference is only for three days, so you can either choose to spend the rest in the island, or come home. It is your choice. Anyway, the expense is paid by the university.” Jaejoong said. The room erupted in excited conversation, unanimously agreeing that they will definitely spend the rest of the days in the island.

“Quiet, please. You have to be here at six thirty. Our plane will leave at seven pm so we have to maximize the travel time to Gimpo airport, understand? If you were left by the bus, make a way to arrive at Jeju by tomorrow morning at 8.” Jaejoong looked around for reactions and his eyes caught a bowed Suri, carefully taking notes of what he’s saying. He got more annoyed that she is not looking at him.

“Adjourned.” The students stood up and went out. Jaejoong caught Suri’s arm on her way out, startling the girl.

“Wait.” Suri stood still.

“Aish, I’m not going to punish you for being late.” Jaejoong sighed. Suri looked at him.

“Then, why?” Suri asked.

“On our stay in Jeju, I would like you to be my assistant.” Jaejoong stated.

“But…” How can she stay away from him?

“No buts, Suri.” Jaejoong coldly stated.

“Fine. I’m leaving now, sunbae.” All Suri heard last was Jaejoong’s harsh exhale of breath. She rushed home to pack the clothes she would need. Gladly, she already folded what she planned to bring and all she needed to do is to throw it in her bag. She brought along her toiletries, extra laptop batteries, notepads, pens and other miscellaneous. Suri’s phone rang.

“Oh! Kyuhyun oppa!” Suri greeted the caller.

“Suri-yah. You’re going to Jeju-do, too?” his cheerful voice asked.

“Yes! Are you, too?” Suri asked excitedly.

“Of course! So, we’ll see each other, then?” Kyuhyun asked.

“Sure! I kinda missed you.” Suri chuckled. Kyuhyun is her childhood best friend who moved to US last year to study.

“You like me?” Kyuhyun joked.

“In your dreams, oppa!” Kyuhyun and Suri laughed.

“Oh, just call later. I still have to get to school.” Suri ended the call and walked to the bus stop.

"Is everybody here, now?" Jaejoong scanned the group. He nodded. They boarded the bus to Gimpo.

"What will you do for the last days?" Changmin asked Suri.

"I'm going to meet Kyuhyun oppa." Suri said. Seohyun looked at them excitedly.

"Kyuhyun oppa is here?" Seohyun beamed.

"Yeah and were going to spend the last days together." Suri stuck her tongue to Seohyun.

"Yah~ I wanna see him, too." Seohyun did her cute face that Suri ans Changmin faked throwing up.

"Nope, he's mine." Suri laughed so hard when Seouhyun's face turned sour. Suri knows that Seohyun liked Kyuhyun.

Jaejoong's fist clenched hard as he listened to his hoobaes' conversation. So she has a boyfriend, huh?

They arrived at the airport just in time to board their plane to Jeju.

"Suri, you'll sit beside me." Jaejoong said coldly and grabbed Suri's bag from her hand. Before Suri can say no, Jaejoong is already boarding the plane.

"Why is he like that?" Suri wondered. Changmin and Seohyun just shrugged. Their president sure is acting weird around Suri.

They sat on their respective seats. Suri just ignored her sunbae who is looking the other direction. He was in a fairly good mood in the library, but why is he in a foul one now?