Brown, red, yellow, and orange leaves crunched under your feet as the crisp, cool air blew through your hair.
Fall was making its appearance. This time of the year was undeniably the most beautiful time of the year. Everything was just perfect.
The heat of the Summer was unfelt.
The frost of the Winter was yet to arrive.
The pollen produced by Spring flowers wasn't alerting allergies.
Fall is just perfect.
"Whatcha thinking about, weirdo," Lisa said, deterring you from your thoughts.
"Nothing much."
"Come on. Tell me what's on your mind this fine morning."
"I can't stand you," you said, trying to hold back a smile.
"But you still love me though. Now tell me what's going on in that head!"
"I was just thinking about the Fall Festival."
"Oh, man! I have to pick a date for this year!"
"Why don't you do what you do every year?"
"What might that be," she smiled knowingly.
"Your usual. You know how you ask the most random person at the most random time. Usually, it being someone that no one expects it to be."
"Oh right!"
"Who do you have your sights on?"
"Wait. I think..."
She stopped walking in order to search for something in her bookbag.
"Aha! I found it!"
"Why do you have a random jar in your bookbag?"
"For this very occasion."
"What is the paper inside?"
"Well, I asked 5 of our other friends to write down 3 names on 3 different pieces of paper a while back. I was going to get you to pick 3 pieces out, and then I would pick from the three that you chose."
"Did you want to do it now before science?"
"How much time do we have before class starts?"
"I think around 15 minutes."
"Yeah. Quite honestly I'm nervous for the candidates this year."
"Why," you questioned, picking out the first name.
"I guess because it's my last year. I know that our friends have put some really good names in here this year."
"Gotcha," you said, drawing the last name. "Here you go."
Lisa carefully examined the folded papers before closing her eyes and reaching for one.
"Who is it?"
As Lisa opened the paper, a look of disbelief was written all over her face.
"It's um..."
"Who?"
"Um..."
"Lisa, who is it?!"
"Pa-"
"Come on!"
"It's Ms. Park."
"What now?"
"You heard me, l/n."
"You mean like...Ms. Park."
"Roseanne Park Chaeyoung. Park. Chaeyoung. Our science teacher."
"That is just hilarious," you said, bursting out into laughter.
"Laugh out loud," Lisa deadpanned.
"You have to admit that it is pretty ironic."
"How is that exactly?"
"You guys constantly argue in class."
"I still don't find it funny."
"You guys would be cute together."
"Are we normalizing teacher-student relationships now?"
"Jennie and I w-"
"Say it! Y/n, finish that sentence!"
"It slipped."
"Are you fudging the English teacher?!"
"Never say fudging in that situation...ever again."
"You're not denying it!"
"No! I am not fudging the English teacher."
"You should."
"Cut it out!"
"What? You guys would make a cute couple."
"I will not be made into a clown."
"How so?"
"I will not be the person that goes back to the person that cheated on them."
"Can I let you in on a little something?"
"Sure."
"The other day I went to go ask her boyfriend a question the other morning before class."
"Okay."
"He was on the phone. He said something along the lines of how she didn't deserve his gratitude. That they had a fight and she told him that he had all but brainwashed her into cheating on you. He said that she was ungrateful. I don't know, but it was weird."
"That's...interesting. That's not exactly what she told me. She told me that she thought that she wasn't good enough for me. I don't remember her mentioning Kai saying anything to her."
"Maybe she felt so bad that she took the whole blow, but my thing is...she is now cheating again with her feelings for you."
"How-"
"Y/n, I watch how she interacts with you. I see all! Be careful though."
"I told you I don't want her."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't!"
"You really do, y/n."
"Cut it out!"
"Fine. I'm sticking with my theory that you'll be together by the end of the school year."
"Sur-"
The sound of someone clearing their throat behind you caused you both to whip around.
Kai.
"How are you two today," he said. "Y/n, do you mind if I talk to you in my classroom for a bit?"
"I have a class to attend this morning," you scoffed.
"Don't worry, y/n. I just need a few seconds of your time."
--------------
As you entered the quiet classroom, Kai slammed the door.
"Never again do I need to hear her name come out of your mouth!"
"Can I go to my class now," you said, unphased.
"You think this is a joke! I will assure you that it isn't one, y/n. I'm sick of you!"
"Okay."
"It isn't funny!"
"I don't recall laughing. Kai, why am I here? For you to say basically nothing? I mean...I really don't get it."
"You really don't think I that I don't know what these Saturday tutoring sessions are about?!"
"Well you just..."
"You are trying to steal her back from me! It won't work!"
"Steal? So you were the one who intentionally lured her away from me to begin with? She didn't just leave me on her own?"
"She left you. I had nothing to do with that."
"Why did she leave me for you? I could never really answer that question."
"Probably because I was just better than you."
"She felt like she wasn't good enough for me, but she went to you. You were a good looking person, you had good grades, and you were popular. If she was so insecure, why leave me for you? I always wondered why that didn't make sense to me, Kai."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"You got in her head. You know, you were always so very good at manipulating people."
"She had control of her own actions, and I didn't do anything to anyone. She was the one who decided to cheat!"
"See that's the thing I didn't take into account before. Of course, she was in control of her own actions, but that doesn't mean that coercion won't go a long way. Why, Kai?"
"You too?! I am not the bad guy here," he said, slamming his fists on a desk.
"Even if you didn't coerce her, you would still be a bad guy. Let me ask you a question Kai. What happened to her face and her wrist?"
"Why are you asking? You shouldn't be concerned with her."
"The thing is that I have come up with a few theories. I think you did those things to her Kai."
"Shut up!"
"I think you hit her. I think you were the one that hurt her, Kai."
Anger ran through your body.
"Shut up!"
Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, you slammed him against the whiteboard behind him.
"There were many things I let slide, Kai. Too many things if you ask me. Of all of those things I let slide, this will not be one of them. You will not lay your hands on her again! Do you understand me?"
"Y/n, let him go. He's not worth risking getting into trouble with Dean Kingsley."
Jennie and Lisa stood in the doorway watching the scene unfold.
You released him before accompanying Lisa on her way to science.
"Shall we," she said.
"We shall."