CHALLENGE

"Those girls have something to do with this. They must've submitted my entry to Miss Kang. Did they feel guilty?"

Heiran stood in front of the section Miss Kang mentioned last day. This is where those girls come from. If it is them who submitted her work back to Miss Kang, she should be somehow thankful to them.

"They are absent."

She looked back and saw Young Jae standing behind her. They? What does he mean? Does he know something? Those were the questions filling up Heiran's head. Young Jae leaned his back on the wall and slipped his hands in his side pockets.

"Lee Ah Reum and Kim Chaeyoung?", he repeated himself and Heiran nodded.

"How did you know I want to talk to them?"

"Ruel."

"You are now friends with him?"

Young Jae chuckled before he looked at the attire Heiran is wearing. So it suits her, she looks pretty. If there is something good stalking someone's Facebook account would do, then maybe it's this. You would be able to know someone's preference and style.

"You called Dongyul and after knowing it's me, you ended the call."

"It's not you who I need so what else can I say?"

"If I never intervened, you'll lose your position Miss Choi."

He raised his thick left eyebrow and looked at her with his intimidating looks. His eyes are so blue, as if they're the clear skies or the ocean of Bahamas. "I never seen him this handsome before.", Heiran thought to herself and she looked away in embarrassment.

"What do you mean you intervened?"

"I called the girls and took your drafts from them. But I also told them not to give Chung Ae a clue that I already gave your entry to Miss Kang."

"But those weren't revised. They were being proofread yes, but it wasn't finalized."

"I rewrote it."

"Why would you bother? Chung Ae will hate you because of this."

"She can be unfair so why can't I?"

Young Jae is laughing with the way Heiran is behaving right now. She seemed so guilty and embarrassed that he helped her again. If you were to ask Young Jae why is he doing this? Well he isn't sure either. When he looks at Heiran, there is this feeling of softness inside him. Along with it is a feeling of responsibility as if he doesn't want her to cry; as if he wants to protect her and be there by her side.

"Oh and your clothes suit you."

"My clothes? What does that mean? Did you buy these for me?"

"It seems like you are accepting someone's help. But when it comes to me helping you, why are you hesitant? You wore those clothes because you thought it's Ruel who bought those?"

"There's no reason in helping me."

"Really? What if I never freed my schedule up for that interview?"

"There is no point in crying over spilled milk Mr. Jung."

"So why are you crying because I helped you?"

"I'm scared that you'll ask me something in return."

Heiran lowered her head and the mood suddenly turned melancholic. They met at the time they aren't open to meeting new faces. Heiran was being forbidden to have new friends and Young Jae's sucked up with his relationship with Chung Ae that he knows if he'll get attached to someone, Chung Ae will make that girl's life a living hell.

"It's because of Chung Ae isn't it?"

"There is still a tension between us and you are trying to oppose your own girl friend."

"If she is my girl friend, I already broke up with her a long time ago. Get my point? She's not my girl friend. Would you call me and Dongyul a couple just because we're childhood friends?"

"You just want to hear me saying thank you?"

"Shut up. I want you to see me as a person who can evaluate right from wrong."

"A lot of people know what's right from wrong, including Chung Ae but it doesn't mean you should be involved in someone else's issues."

"You dragged me into this, both of you. Chung Ae made me her prey and you made me your puppet when you took my phone and the book that I was reading. If we're both victims, why can't we help each other?"

"How can I help you then?"

"I can't play with Dongyul because he's busy with his training. Since you are a basketball player, we can have a one on one match."

"I don't play anymore."

"I won't mess up with you once you won over me."

"I can't."

"It'll be at my house. No one will see you except me."

Heiran's heart started beating faster than usual. After a long time of playing hide and seek with her former teammates, she can now play again without anyone knowing it. Sounds pretty catchy and exciting, her bones are igniting. Oh how she misses the game, the fun, the thrill and the adrenaline rush.

"I have no time."

"You have my number. You can call me anytime."

"Fine. Just stop insisting too much."

"See you then."

And he winked before he entered his room. "Is that all he wants? A one on one match with me?", Heiran asked herself before she also left the place. She should go back to her class so she won't miss any discussion. While she is leaving, Young Jae is just looking at her; smiling out from ear to ear. "I will keep you closer to me Heiran. It's not Chung Ae who can stop me from being friends with you.", he chuckled and sat down on his seat.