VALENTINE’S DAY
Daebak Elementary
5th Grade, Classroom No.1

MINSEUL

Must I always have to be the responsible one? It’s such a burden to be standing here in front of my classmates, trying not to be the most hated one in class. Really to be the class president and make sure everyone behaves. Especially that annoying boy Sehun who cannot sit still like he always has to go to the bathroom.

Anyway, to the task at hand… “Ummm, so…” I clear my throat, trying to remember our teacher’s orders. “Seonsaengnim will be out for a bit, and she told us to do this first because it’s Valentine’s Day.” I can already hear the combination of squeals and groans – count me in among the groaning ones – from the class. Really, what is it about this day and all the lovey-dovey stuff? So gross.

I raise my voice. “Quiet everyone. So I’ll be handing these heart cut-outs and just write your messages or whatever you want to do with them. Seonsaengnim will distribute them at the end of the day.”

I distributed the hearts one by one until I come across my friend, Yujin, who accepts the heart with a pleading look. “Minseul! Can’t we give them ourselves?” She looks meaningfully to the other side of the room. I don’t have to watch her gaze to know who she was talking about. Yujin has a massive crush on Luhan ever since third grade.

I can hear a slight scoff to her side and I saw Chen staring at me innocently. Hmmm, maybe I just imagined the scoff. I handed him a heart cut-out as well before replying to Yujin, “Hmmm, I’m not sure. But I’ll ask our teacher when she gets back.”

“Weee! Please do, Minseul! Thanks!” She takes out all her nice coloring pens and starts decorating her heart cut-out.

“Must we really do this?”

I smile at Hanbyul’s bored face. She must really hate this like I do. There she is, just looking outside the window with her chin planted on her hand. As if she can’t wait for the entire day to be over.

“C’mon Hanbyul, it’s just one heart.” I handed the heart to her. When she didn’t accept it, I inserted it between her elbow and her desk. “Seonsaengnim might scold me if you don’t submit anything.”

“But I don’t have anyone to give it to.”

Don’t we all? “Hmmm…just give it to anyone Hanbyul. It’s just an activity. Or hey, why not one of those guys.” I point to her sketchbook, where she made awesome drawings of the bishounen we watch on TV. “I’m sure you have a lot to say to them, hihi.”

She smirks and did not move an inch to get the heart under her elbow. Oh well, I still have a couple of hours to nag her about it later.

Almost half of the class got their hearts until I get to Dae In’s seat. She grabbed my hand as soon as I was within reach.

“Minseul!” She whispers, “Can I have more than one?”

“Uh, more than one heart? Wow, I know you’re friendly, but more than one heart—”

“C’mon Minseul be a friend!”

“That’s your problem, Dae In. You have too many friends. Are you worried that some will get hurt if they don’t get a heart from you?” I smirked when she nodded. I look at the remaining hearts and only manage to spare two. “Fine, you get two more. Sheesh, Dae In.” She flashes a grateful smile.

I shake my head before spotting Kyungsoo staring at us. I smiled at him as I handed the heart. “Here you go, Kyungsoo.”

“Um, thanks.” He mumbles before bowing his head low and staring at the heart cut-out.

“Errrrr…yeah. Enjoy.” Oh well, that’s Kyungsoo for you. Model student. He’s one of my favourite classmates. You want to know why? Because he’s quiet. He’s well-behaved.

Unlike that little fella. The kid who can’t stay still for two minutes. “Sehun.” I handed the heart to him before sitting beside him. The biggest thing that in being the class president is getting saddled with the most rowdy student in class.

“Minseul.” He squeaked, trying to catch my attention.

“What?”

“I have a question—”

“No Sehun. You cannot go to the bathroom again. You’ve been there three times for the past hour!” Honestly, how many glasses of milk does he drink in a day?

“That’s not what I was going to ask!”

“If it’s not that, then it’s not important. You’re too noisy, we have to do this hearts thing.” Hmmm…what to do with this heart cut-out…

“Minseul—”

“Quiet, I’m thinking. Please behave just once, Sehun. I don’t want our teacher to scold me, all right?” Well that got him to finally shut up.

“Okay…” He twisted his lips before smiling mischievously.

“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it. I’m watching you.” I know that look. Oh Sehun is up to no good.

“Really? You’re going to watch me? Like all the time?”

“Yes.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “All the time so start writing and behave.”

Geez. Why am I stuck with him?