fourteen;
"Junhong-ah, I thought you wanted me to teach you?" Hanna reprimanded. Junhong and Hanna were in the library, studying for Chemistry.
"Let's eat dinner!" Junhong beamed. It was a little past six in the evening and Junhong felt restless after seven hours in school. On top of that, having to continue to study after school definitely exploded his brain.
"Why'd you ask me to help you when you're not even serious," Hanna spoke to herself, sighing.
"I'm sorry," Junhong apologized, smiling. "I'll treat you to dinner!"
"Nevermind," she replied. "I have plans."
-
Day 30,
"No," Changkyun smiled sadly, "today's the last day."
A moment of silence followed as Hanna registered Changkyun's words into her brain. Then she laughed, "that's good for you right? That means you'll be able to focus on your own stuff."
The boy frowned. He was genuinely sad about the ending of their tutoring but Hanna thought otherwise. He smiled, nonetheless. "Yeah, I guess so."
Hanna shrugged, "well, thank you for the great thirty days then! You've helped me a lot." She smiled, smacking the older's arm.
The atmosphere was awkward. This wasn't what Changkyun expected the outcome to be. "But, if you need my help you can always call me!"
Hanna nodded. "Sure."
More awkward silence followed and the both of them couldn't handle it. Hanna was too sad to the point where she started tearing up. She looked down, too embarrassed to show him her teary-eyed face. Having nothing else to say, she bid him goodbye. "I'll go in now. See you tomorrow, Changkyun."
The boy bent down to look at her. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm not!" the girl denied defensively. Changkyun chuckled. "You're too obvious."
Hanna looked up at the smiley older and her tears fell. "Ah," she almost cursed.
"No cursing!" Changkyun wiped her tears away. Hanna felt awkward but thanked him anyway.
Changing the topic, she moved away from his hands. "Oh right! About your friend, when are you going to text him?"
"Why do you keep asking?" Changkyun asked, annoyed at the possibility that she's asking for a chance with his friend.
"You asked me for help and I'm just helping!" she replied, raising her voice. Changkyun clicked his tongue, "it's late at night and you're raising your voice."
"You caused me to do that," Hanna pushed him away playfully, pretending to start a fight. They laughed.
"About that friend," Changkyun sighed in anxiety after they've calmed down from laughing. "How would you feel if it was me?"
"You?" Hanna pointed at him. She laughed, although she didn't really want to. She had to look happy for him. "Who's the girl?"
She didn't act like it, but she probably gained feelings for him. After thirty days, she'd developed feelings for him and she depended on him a lot.
She was shocked, definitely. To say that was an understatement. Of all people, Changkyun? Changkyun, the smartass? She was surprised, but she had to act as if she was okay with it. She laughed pathetically at herself, to think she had a chance with him.
She didn't want to know who the lucky girl was, but her curiosity would kill her if she didn't. It would be funny if she started sobbing when he answers her question, right? What answer would she give him if he asked why she was crying?
Changkyun hummed, unsure whether to confess now or just give it up and leave.
"You?" Changkyun answered which sounded more like a question. Not wanting to hear any reply, he continued, "yes, you. I'm leaving now, see you tomorrow!"
He immediately left the place while Hanna stood still, more surprised than she already was.
-
"You're here?"
Hanna smiled as soon as she heard his voice. "Changkyun-ah!"
He sat across her in the café, two plates of cake and two cups of coffee displayed on their table.
"How was tutoring with Junhong?" Changkyun asked, slicing one side of his cake into a smaller piece. He placed it in his mouth and started chewing.
She grunted, "he's just playing around. But, I can still help him."
"By the way, isn't it supposed to be time for dinner? Why are we meeting at a café?" Hanna questioned the guy in front of her.
Changkyun laughed, slicing one more piece of the cake to eat. "Isn't it more romantic?" he winked as he looked at her face blush.
Hanna rolled her eyes while smiling, her cheeks heating up. "Whatever."
"Okay fine. Let's go and eat a light dinner after this," he smiled as well.
-
Day 30,
"Hanna," her father called out as she stepped foot in the house. She hummed as a response, indicating her presence.
"Remember your mother's event that she mentioned? Have you invited a friend?" Her father inquired once Hanna walked up to him. He was sitting on the sofa in the living room, casually watching television. He was waiting for the dinner to be ready.
Looking away, she denied. "I haven't thought of a friend I'm going with, but yes, I remember the event."
"It's in two days," Mr. Jeong informed.
Hanna's eyes bulged, "and you didn't tell me earlier?" She huffed in exasperation. Of all things, she hated rushing.
"Your dress' ready, anyway," her father shrugged. Her step-mother notified them that the food is ready.
-
After dinner, she went to her bedroom straight away, not caring about the stares burning on her back coming from her parents. Falling onto her bed, she sighed in relief. It was a heck of a day.
First of all, the fact that it was her last tutor session with Changkyun made her feel miserable inside. She'll admit, she couldn't imagine studying, especially with a nerd like him, for her final examinations. It was hard to believe. And it was harder to believe the fact that she actually enjoyed most of her sessions with him. So, to say that it was the last day, it was difficult to lie and say she's not upset about it.
Secondly, her step-mother's event that's been long forgotten suddenly popped out of nowhere today. How was that possible? Hanna thought that since her family didn't talk about it anymore after that day, the topic would subside and wouldn't revive anymore. Guess she was wrong about it. Now she had to think of someone to go with. Great.
Thirdly, when Junhong texted her, she didn't expect anything else but tutoring. She had nothing against him, but thinking about it makes her dread having the sessions with him. Why did she even allow herself to tutor him anyway? It's not as if she's the best student for that. Moreover, the fact that Junhong does nothing but play around makes her frustrated. Why would he ask for tutoring when he doesn't even seem to give a single damn about his studies?
Lastly, after finding out that Changkyun, her own tutor, the person she admires, likes someone, she couldn't stop thinking about who it could possibly be. She badly wanted to find out who it was yet he couldn't answer her properly. She was so curious to the point whereby if she could have a dollar for every second she thought about who it was, she'd have already earned five thousand dollars easily. What's startling though, was when he confessed abruptly and immediately left. How should she react to that?
With her phone in her right hand, she contemplated whether to text him or not. She thought that even if she did, would he actually reply her? He's probably so embarrassed he wouldn't give a single damn if he's being swallowed six feet underground right now. If he meant what he said.
Risking it, Hanna sat up straight from her bed and went to her messaging app.
Recipient: Changkyun
hey, about the thi|
what was th|
if you're gonna confess, don't run awa|
are you ser|
She erased every single message, cringing more often than the last. She shook her head repeatedly while groaning. "What am I supposed to say?"
Her phone rang amidst her whining. She stood up immediately, panicking upon seeing the caller ID. 'Changkyun', it read.
She went to her window, lip biting and face scrunched up. Picking up the phone, she coolly answered, "hello?"
"Hanna..." Changkyun started awkwardly. Even though they were far from each other, the awkward atmosphere around them hasn't disappeared. "About what I said before I left..."
She hummed, letting him know she was listening. She didn't know what to say about it anyway. "Can you just forget it? Seeing this awkward position we're in, I think it's better to not care about it anymore," Changkyun chuckled, though it sounded fake and awkward.
Hanna was disappointed. She didn't want to forget it.
She might dislike having feelings like this, especially since her father married another woman after her mother. She hated it.
But, she wondered why she enjoyed the feeling of being with him, the feeling of security whenever she's with him, the feeling of enjoyment with him. It was her first time feeling that way.
She liked him too. "Hanna?" Changkyun's voice was heard over the phone. Hanna's thoughts blew off of her mind, and she was back to being speechless.
She deliberated within herself if she should tell him what she just realized over the phone or when they meet at school the next morning.
She hummed once more, unsure what to say. The awkwardness was still there. "Forget it, okay?" Changkyun pleaded. "I'm gonna hang up now..."
"Wait!" her right hand gestured a stop sign while the other was holding her phone up to her ear. It's as if he could see her gesture.
"Do you have anything else to say?" Changkyun questioned.
She stammered, "the thing is, I don't think I can forget what you said."
Changkyun frowned. It was imaginable, Hanna expected it. "Why not?"
Hanna sighed. How should she say it?
"The person I like confessed to me, how can I forget about that?" Hanna scowled. She went back to her bed, sitting down on it.
"What?" Changkyun expressed. "Wait, what did you say again?"
"I'm not repeating anything!" embarrassed, answered she.
Changkyun laughed out loud. "Are you joking around? Stop lying! You're making me laugh."
"You can still laugh?" Hanna closed her eyes, disappointed. "I like you! Does that sound like a joke?"
He laughed once more, unable to hide his excitement. "You mean it, right?"
"Ah, if you don't believe me, fine. I'm hanging up!" she replied, sounding annoyed though she was melting inside. She took her phone from her ear and immediately cut the phone call.
A message was received a few seconds later. 'I believe you! This is such a great day :)'
Hanna smiled. "It's a weird day, I must say."
She replied him with a, 'Whatever'.
Since that message, her phone was bombarded with calls from that same person. She couldn't resist not answering after three calls, anyway.
-
"Changkyun-ah," Hanna started halfway through their dinner. "Are you free on tomorrow?"
Changkyun thought, "Friday's my performance. Why?"
She frowned. "Nothing."
"C'mon, tell me!" he frowned as well. The two had a frowning contest somehow, before she gave up and laughed. "Fine."
"My parents want me to invite someone for this event on Friday... I don't have many friends so," Hanna shrugged.
The older sighed, "too bad I won't be able to be there."
"It's okay! I'll just tell them I don't have friends," Hanna snorted. Her phone beeped, indicating that she has received a text message.
She excused herself for the message. Checking it, she realized it was Junhong. He was asking for another tutor session the next day, and that he was apologetic about not being serious. He also stated that he had something important to tell her.
"Why does he keep asking to meet you," Changkyun commented, obviously jealous. Hanna chuckled.