I had just finished cleaning my locker when Luhan offered to help me carry the bags of sweet nothings that some of my schoolmates left. It’s weird how I managed to garner this much attention in this school when I wasn’t even trying to be liked. I just acted as to who I am. So, it’s no wonder how hard it is still for me to get used to it. It’s like the spotlight was on me, and I was some sort of star, not someone who used to be the main target of bullying.

“It’s 4 paper bags today.” Luhan uttered out as he counted the bags he was holding and the two that I had in my hands.

“And there’s still that bouquet of lilacs this morning.” I sighed as I remembered the new delivery of lilacs this morning for me. It was for the nth time it was sent to me and yet that certain ‘secret admirer’ never showed himself. I was only glad that Jongin decided to cut his own delivery of flowers since I pleaded him not to. Well, not that I find it a burden. It just looked unnecessary. Plus, my room’s already suffering from the aftermath of the stack of letters and whatnots that I was too nice not to throw away.

Luhan chuckled and chewed on a candy he fished out from one of the bags. “If you are that stressed over it, why don’t you just burn those letters or else not accept them at all?” He suggested but I just helplessly shook my head.

“Should I?” I’ve been thinking about what should I do about those stack of letters that were already in my room, but I just can’t force myself to throw them away or burn them. It would be too rude. And I would basically just look heartless. But then, if the deliveries continue to happen I feel like I wouldn’t even fit in my own room, much worse, my comfy bed would have to be thrown away to give space for those letters.

“Lock your locker from now on and ask Gaeun-ssi not to receive those flowers anymore.” Luhan uttered out exasperatedly as he gazed at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him as I felt how cruel he was to tell me to do that. “But isn’t that too much?”

“But haven’t you had too much of them already?” He spats back. I looked away as I felt too taken aback by how accurate he stated what I was feeling at the moment.

“They should understand that you can only tolerate this much. And besides, your boyfriend wouldn’t probably like to know that you are keeping your admirers’ gifts.” He added another point, making me release a groan of frustration as I trudged faster to my room.

The more I try to be nice, the more my liberty was being cut off from me. One, they just keep on mindlessly sending me stuff since I showed them how I didn’t mind it all in the past. Two, my room’s been in such a mess just because I decided to keep all their gifts in boxes in my room. Three, the worst part of it is being stalked by creeps, being watched almost 24/7, and finding out that you lost some stuff in your bag because someone felt the need to have something I own to make himself feel contented. The nerve of that guy to rob my whole pencil case. Whoever he is, I’ve hid from him carefully the new one I bought…just in case, you know?

“Oh, look how worse this is from what I expected.” Luhan gawked at the pile of boxes at the side of my room where I already removed some of my stuff just to give space to the bundles of previous letters and whatnots.

“I know.” I sighed as I sauntered to the middle of my room and placed the new batch of gifts on the floor before flopping myself in bed.

I shifted on my side and watched how Luhan picked up the paper bags I left on the floor and placed them inside the open box that was bound to get packed with more stuff soon. “What do you plan on doing with these boxes?” He asked curiously as he peeks back at me with a raised brow.

I slowly sat up and pouted as I gazed at him with a down casted look, “I don’t know, maybe bring them home for now while I’m debating whether what to do with them?” I told him mindlessly.

He suddenly picked up a sealed box and looked at me again. “Get up and let’s put your idea to action since that’s as far as the best solution I can agree to. I’m going to help you today, but next time you better make it clear with those people how-you’re-not-accepting-anything-anymore.” He uttered out with a stern voice before moving out of my room.

I tiredly got up from bed and picked up a sealed box too. I followed him going down to the ground floor and then exiting the dorms to the parking lot. He unlocked his car’s trunk and set the box inside, allowing me to do the same. We did a few more moving until the boxes somehow managed to fit inside the trunk, and inside at the back seat. I occupied the passenger’s seat while Luhan was tasked to drive.

“Glad we don’t have to go back anymore for more, because I’m not going to be willing to go back for you.” I pouted as he said that without even hesitating to do so.

“Arasso.” I muttered in defeat as the engine roared to life and his car sped off going to my house.

The trip was as usual long, almost an hour at max. We managed to shift topics from the gifts to the upcoming trip to the mountains which will be held next week. According to him it was an annual trip that the school do for 3 days and 2 nights in the mountains to let the kids familiarize themselves with mother nature. I wasn’t really ecstatic about the trip, but the newness of it to me, made it sound very much appealing since I haven’t joined annual trips my previous school had which were all spent overseas—luxury trips at their best.

“We usually go in batches. Like freshmen go to the trip for three days straight and then come home to give way for other years. We’re just so lucky that we’re to go first this year.” Luhan said animatedly as excitement was obvious in his eyes.

I chuckled at the way how his dark orbs twinkled as his lips twitched up. “You sure are excited for this trip huh?” I asked him as I spared him a glance.

His smile grew wider as he stared back at me and nodded. “Since it’s one of those trips where we can just chill and relax with our friends, I’m most definitely looking forward to it.” He uttered out and trained his eyes back to the road.

“Would we really enjoy that trip for real?” I asked, a bit relieved that we have this kind of event in school—one that Seoul High would never submit to since rich kids would never let themselves go camping in the mountains. They’d probably die out there if they even did so.

“Of course. Especially the second night in the mountains since it’s spent for stargazing and other stuff. In fact we’re allowed to do anything we want as long as we don’t go too far from the camp site.” He informs me with profound enthusiasm in the way he speaks.

I smiled at the thought of 3 blissful days in the mountain with my friends. How I wish the days in the mountains would come sooner so we could already chill. But look how we still have 5 days left before that happens. to be a student—but at least, weekends would mean going back home and spending two days with my family and Jongin.

We reached home in time with the sun setting down. I got down from his car and Luhan did the same and helped me in carrying the boxes inside. Mom was a bit surprised that I was back home with a lot of boxes to stuff my bare room with. She asked me what it was all about, but I only told her a brief summary of what had become of me in school. At first, even dad nor my siblings couldn’t believe it, but all our attentions shifted to mom when she cracked down to a giggling mess as she jabbered about her being the same kind of catch as me in high school.

“No wonder our Nana is very popular. She’s grown up as a beautiful lady to even catch hundreds of handsome guys’ eyes just like her mom.” Mom uttered out giddily as she clapped her hands at the sides of her face and stared at me adoringly.

Mimi guffawed on her seat as she heard our mother blurt that out like she was someone still in her teen years to even be proud with how she managed to make boys fall head over heels for her. “Mom… you wouldn’t want to make dad too jealous, right?” She uttered out as she continues to laugh as she side glanced at dad who only scoffed at my mom’s playfulness.

“Well, he doesn’t even have to be jealous since this pretty woman married him and turned everybody else down.” She chirps as she gazed lovingly at dad and kissed his cheek.

“Ew.” Us, children, will never again want a repeat of how mom is right now. I swear. Her sweetness sometimes makes the three of us cringe.

I cleared my throat when I noticed Luhan awkwardly chuckling by the doorway, and informed my parents that we should be going now since we actually just came by to drop my boxes. Mom offered for us to stay for a while to eat dinner, but we actually still needed to go back early in the dorms since tons of home works awaits us, that I just declined the offer for him and told mom how we’re just going to drop by some other time again and spend more time with them.

“If you insist on going, then please be careful.” Mom says with a sullen expression on her face as she was too reluctant to let us go.

“Please take care of our daughter, Luhan.” Dad says as he places a hand on Luhan’s shoulder.

“Of course Mr. Kim. She’s safe with me.” Luhan beams reassuringly, making dad contently smile with his answer.

We got out of the house with my family shortly saying their goodbyes and wishes for us. Luhan quickly got to the driver’s side of the door and I made my way to the passenger’s side at my own pace. I was already about to get in when someone suddenly called me from the house across. I momentarily left the car door ajar to gaze at the person who asked for my attention, and surprisingly there was Jae In waving excitedly at me.

“What brings you here at this hour during a weekday?” She asked me.

I smiled and told her honestly how I just dropped by to bring home some excess boxes that crowded my dorm room. “Is that so? Well, do you want to come in? We’re just about to have dinner, and I feel like Jongin would be really pleased to see you right now.” She asked again, her lips twitched up to an adorable smile.

I hesitated as I looked back at Luhan, who was actually waiting for me to get in his car, and then trailed my eyes back to Jae In who was waiting for an answer from me. “Well, I’m with my friend here—“

“Why don’t you invite him to come too? I’m sure no one would mind two of you joining us.” She uttered out as if she knew what I was about to say.

I sighed as I nodded and smiled in defeat. I guess, turning down this offer wouldn’t be nice. I opened the car door a little and peeked at Luhan who stared back at me questioningly, “Come down. We’re invited at the Kim Residence for dinner… You don’t mind it, right?” I asked with furrowed eyebrows, and he only wordlessly nodded.

He came down from his side of the car and locked the whole thing down with a click on his remote key. He followed after me as I walked towards Jae In who brightly greeted Luhan with a smile. “You have such a cute friend right here Kim Nana.” She snickered as she glanced at Luhan and then at me, eyeing us meaningfully as we both shied away.

“Thanks.” I responded while trying to avoid her eyes.

“Are you in the same grade?” She asked while strutting through their garden as we went in.

I nodded as I walked beside her, trying to catch up with her long strides. “He’s my classmate and best friend.” I uttered out honestly.

She nodded in understanding and smiled. “I see.”

We got inside their house; several maids were by