I didn’t even notice how the rainy season already started, since I was so busy over the past weeks dealing with new pranks from the students. I wasn’t aware at all, not until the warm, humid air already turned into the chilly wind that now usually ruins my locks whenever I walk going to the bus stop going to school.

“Mom, I’m leaving!” I told mom as I was by the foyer putting my shoes on.

“Wait!” I heard her say. She ran going to the foyer from the kitchen with a huge lunch box in one hand. I stared at her curiously why she has to make me such large portion of lunch when she knows I’m not that good with food. I only eat a little since I easily get full.

“This.” She breathed in. “Share this lunch with Kai.”

“MWO?!” I asked in disbelief.

She bobbed her head and sighed. I think she didn’t expect that reaction from me since all she knows is that I’m friends with Kai, so I waited for her to speak before I react again and piss her off.

“His mother is out for a business trip in London, since Mr. Kim is still sick. She asked me to look after Kai. I don’t want to disappoint her, so you better help. Kai only has us for now.” Mom explained, and I totally understood she was just trying to help them, but hello? Do I even have a say on this? To think that Kai and I are known to be in very bad terms in school, how would I just simply come to their table in the cafeteria and tell him that my mom wants him to share lunch with me without having the rest of the students think ill of it?!

I fiddled with my fingers as I think of a good excuse, “Mom, well, you know Kai—uhm… he’s really picky with food so why don’t you just—“

“I made sure that everything in here,” She tapped the plastic container where she supposedly placed our shared lunch in, “is something Kai will eat.”

I gaped at her in disbelief. “But how?!”

“I asked his mom beforehand.” She smiled smugly and shrugged. Feeling satisfied, she handed me the lunch box and held my shoulders as she spun me around to face the front door.

“Did you bring your umbrella?” She asked me, and all I could do was nod and sigh as I was not pleased at all with the things she was asking of me.

“Good.”

I rolled my eyes since I couldn’t see what was the point of taking care of a brat from next door when he can actually take care of himself. Kai’s big enough to get his lunch done, so why did mom even bother cook for him?

“And oh,” Mom suddenly says, so I turned around to face her. She fumbled in her wallet and took out some bills to give to me, and I stared at her in surprise. Why was she giving me so much?

“Don’t be surprised. I’m just thinking if you need extra cash since Kai will be joining you on the way to school and in going home.” She answered my silent question, and my eyes widened at her in disbelief. Heol~ tell me this isn’t happening.

Mom only scrunched her brows at me, and placed the bills in my hand before forcibly closing them so I’d get a hold of it. “You should treat him with that money, alright? Or else, you’re really dead.” She threatened.

I was appalled, not because she was making me do impossible things, but because she thinks of Kai more than her own child. H-how can my mom worry about a neighboring kid, and yet not worry so much for her youngest daughter like that?

I shook my head in disapproval. Why can’t things just go my way?

“I’m going then.” I told her nonchalantly as I opened the front door.

She nodded and smiled a little for me as she waved her hand goodbye. I waved back to her and winked at her to a little bit, and I heard mom chuckle heartily at me.

“Be nice to Kai, okay?” She asked me with a calm tone as she crossed her arms.

I nodded to her even if it wouldn’t be the case for us. “I’ll try.”

I went out of the house, making sure to close the door lightly so mom wouldn’t think I was already on protest about her well thought idea of getting me stuck with Kai for who knows how long. I went out of our gate, only to get my morning ruined further, as I saw Kai leaning on the concrete that walls the house. He peered at me when he heard me close the gate, and detached himself from the wall when I turned around instantly without even waiting for him.

“Why didn’t you just ride your luxurious car to school? Don’t you think it’s too much already that you are fooling my mom for thinking that you’re such a nice kid?” I asked him with an exasperated tone as I heard his footsteps moving behind me.

I heard him release a loud sigh. “I didn’t have my car since the last two weeks. Do you think I even want to be stuck with you? I’m just trying to be polite to your mom, so don’t get me wrong.” He told me with a tinge of bitterness in his tone. I guess he really doesn’t want this either. Maybe, we both just don’t have any choice.

I abruptly turned around, surprising Kai and myself, since our faces were too close for our own liking. A blush instantly formed on my cheeks, and I knew that I have to turn back to hide it, but Kai held my arm to stop me from doing so. His dark brown orbs wandered over my face, and I was getting overly-conscious that he was doing that at broad daylight, so I tried to pull my arm away from his grip, but he held it tightly, making me stop and scrunch my face in pain.

“Kai.” I called, almost pleadingly, to stop him from doing that.

Kai seemed like he was in a daze back there, since he only let my arm go when I called him. He looked a bit flustered, and I don’t know why, but he suddenly started leading the walk, making it hard for me to catch up since he was doing long strides with his extremely long legs.

“Hey, wait!” I called after him as I tried to catch up with difficulty.

He looked back at me, and when he saw that I was behind by a lot, he suddenly walked back towards my direction. I started to slow down, until I happen to cease in place as I was filled with confusion, since I don’t get why he has to walk back to me. This time I was the one to feel dazed, that I couldn’t even react properly when he held my hand and dragged me behind him. His steps where careful and I knew he was trying to match my steps because his’ suddenly became shorter and slower. I was extremely flustered because the feeling of his hand against mine didn’t feel so bad at all. In fact, I hate it how I actually liked it.

The bus ride was a little awkward since we both have to stand in the middle of the seats because it was already so crowded around us. It was so packed that we couldn’t help but get pushed by the other passengers. I even almost stumbled down, but Kai pulled me close to him and protected me with his arms. We were so close to each other that I even have to place my hands against his chest just so I could create a little space between us. It was really dragging, but I didn’t know why I didn’t find it a bad thing. It was just awkward.

When we got down across from the school, Kai still had my hand in his as he pulled me through the crowd. It never left mine even if we were crossing the street, that I was starting to get used to it. But the moment we reached the other side, his hand slowly slipped away from mine. He started to walk away, without looking back, and I was left standing outside the gates of Seoul High staring at my palm as I wondered whether all that really happened.

Did he really hold my hand?

Classes were the same, so I was bored. But whenever I come back to the memories of this morning, I would be reminded of the butterflies that haven’t left my stomach yet. Why is it like that? Is it because I’m hungry? Probably… since I didn’t eat breakfast this morning. But at the same time, I also feel like it keeps coming because of something else. Is it Kai?

I shook my head for getting my brain tangled up with thoughts about Kai when I shouldn’t be thinking about him. The bell rang and it told me that I should hurry up to the cafeteria to tell him about the lunch that mom made. I knew that he was eyeing it this morning, and I think he knows about the lunch but I don’t know if he was going to actually accept, or eat it even. I rushed in the corridors, almost stumbling down at every stride, but I kept up with my pace and managed to come in the huge cafeteria without so much trouble. I searched for the popular kids’ table, and there was Kai. He was smiling whilst talking to his friends. I encouraged myself to go to their spot, but I was too shy to even let that happen.

Maybe, this is too impossible of a task. Mom can just smack me on the head for not being able to share lunch with him. It’s better, anyway. How can I even go to their table and tell Kai about it without getting intimidated by his other jerk friends, or by Soojung, or just by his girlfriend, Seulgi?

“Aish!” I scratched my head in annoyance, and sighed. I feel so troubled that I couldn’t decide whether to get in or just get away.

I was so focused with my own dilemma, that I realized it too late how Kai was staring at my direction with a confused look. He was just looking at me, waiting for my next move, that I panicked and turned around in a haste and ran for my life.

I ended up going to the field again. Like the usual, my feet instinctively brought me here. My safe haven whenever it’s a break, since no one comes around often around this hour. I sat on