.  However, Yeo Dan oppa seemed like his was thinking for a moment then soon spoke with a slight grimace.

  “Not sure, but they say the seniors will gonna have some extra self-studying session after school.”


  “Ah, really?” I uttered. Maybe I wasn’t yet used to the fact that Yeo Dan oppa had turned into a senior now. I just sighed in my thoughts, ‘It’s ain’t that easy to go on a date with a senior.’


  Since this was also my first time being in a relationship, I couldn’t figure out how long we should stay together to avoid getting enough to each other and have less lingering feelings.

  Then when our eyes met, I quickly nodded. Anyway, I didn’t want to pressure a senior who couldn’t go out with me because of the after school self-studying session after school.

  “All right. Just text me how things will go after school then,” I replied. After a moment of hesitation, I added, “Don’t mind. I have other friends you know.”


  Speaking that way, I still wondered how he was feeling my words, so I walked on eggshells. Yeo Dan oppa, however, didn’t show that much of a change in his facial expression.

  Just looking a little blue, he responded with downcast eyes, “Okay.”


  I dithered for a second then uttered, “Yeah, I’m really fine, so don’t care about it.”


  The moment when Yeo Dan oppa nodded again, Yeo Ryung, who had been unusually dragging her feet, dashed out of the door, which made us stop our conversation right at the point.

  If Yeo Dan oppa and I both wanted, we could, of course, further our conversation regarding that topic. However, I felt sorry to keep talking about some dating issue only with him in front of her, which oppa would also think the same way.

  But something kept troubling my mind……

  Though I was talking to Yeo Ryung as we always did, I couldn’t stop observing his countenance while looking sideways. As usual, he mostly stayed quiet while walking beside us, but once in a while, he nodded to imply that he was paying attention.

  Turning my head away from him again, I pressed the pit of my stomach for no reason then murmured in a low voice, “What’s wrong with me……?”


  During the morning on the mock exam day, it was right to memorize more math formula and vocabularies; however, I didn’t feel doing those things. Probably the dreadful result of the latest mock exam I had taken in cram school strengthened my mental immunity.

  In other words, I kind of took my minds off my concerns. Thinking to that extent, I hit my head with the tip of my pencil.

  “Ay ay ay, what the heck I’m talking about? I can’t just take my minds off……”


  Besides, this mock exam would divide us into upper and lower levels in which we would be assigned to either honor or general classes in Math and English. That was why our homeroom teacher had emphasized us before to take more care of it than usual.

  Having those thoughts in mind, I forced myself to open the vocabulary book, but still, I wasn’t able to concentrate. Within a few minutes, I just closed my book again and turned my head to look around the classroom.

  Half of the kids were studying; the rest was just hanging around. Yoon Jung In and Kim Hye Hill came into view. I nodded at them, who were absorbed in their last-minute study. However, I just slightly grinned at Yi Ruda and Ban Hwee Hyul, burying their faces in their arms and taking a nap.

  ‘In my point of view, those two boys look indeed the same in their true colors……’ I thought. The only difference between them was that Yi Ruda tried to ask for others help as much as possible if the situation could be resolved by that act, whereas Ban Hwee Hyul seemed to have almost an obsession to refuse other’s helping hands.

  The last time I turned my head, Kim Hye Woo, who was repeatedly pounding the portable video game while sticking out and biting his tongue, and Lee Mina, kibitzing beside him, came into my sight.

  Getting up from my seat, I walked closer to them. When I stretched out my hand and tapped Mina’s elbow, she turned to look at me.

  “Huh? Why?” she asked.

  “Mina, can you give me some advice?”


  She replied cheerfully, “Of course. About what? What is it?”


  I pulled Mina all the way to the back seat where there were the least kids in the classroom. Since the space was close to the cleaning facilities, the odor from the mop was slightly disturbing; however, except Ban Hwee Hyul, who was deeply in a nap, no one was here.

  While I was carefully choosing the right words to articulate my concerns, Mina dropped her question first.

  “Is it related to your boyfriend?”


  I screamed in a low voice, “Eek, how did you know that?”


  “Well, you only brought me here without taking Kim Hye Woo, so what else can it be?” she replied. Giggling shortly, she pointed at the back of Yoon Jung In’s head with her chin.

  “But not sure if I may be helpful. You know a guy like him is who I’m dating with, so these days, I’m also confused if my standard make sense or not.”


  “Uh, yeah……” I replied hesitantly.

  She added, “But if you’re still fine, let me know what you’re worried about, so what is it?”


  Taking a deep breath, I confessed the things in the morning and the conversation I had with Yeo Dan oppa. Probably I explained almost everything to her in detail.

  ‘Hold on, is this the reason why nothing has been entering my mind? Because I’ve been spending all my memory and concentration remembering these stuffs……?’ Rambling such things in my head, I just sneered at my ridiculous behavior.

  Lee Mina became lost in thought while furrowing her brows.

  “Hmm……” she sighed.

  I uttered, “Something’s just lingering in mind, but I have no idea what it is. You know he can’t come out of school since he’s a senior having an extra self-studying session after taking the mock exam. No one can help that……”


  Putting down her hand from rubbing her chin, Mina raised her forefinger and dropped a question.

  “Maybe it was the problem after that, huh?”


  “After that?”


  “The part that he just replied, ‘Okay,’ without any more words after you said you have other friends to hang out with……”


  I asked, “What’s wrong with it?”