Sweet Bites

Chapter 03: No Longer Strangers

...

A low groan escaped Seoyeon's lips as she awoke in her own room, still feeling weak and disoriented. Confusion clouded her mind. The last thing she remembered was being locked in the storage room with him. How had she gotten home? Who had brought her here? A flurry of questions raced through her mind as she pieced together the missing moments of her unconsciousness.

"I guess that pervert is celebrating right now after he saw m—" she muttered, her words cut short by the opening of her door. Aira entered, carrying a tray of food.

"Goodness, Seoyeon! I thought you'd never wake up!" Aira exclaimed, placing the food on the nightstand before sitting beside her, concern etched on her face.

"Aira, w-what happened?" Seoyeon asked, her voice weak. Aira's shocked expression spoke volumes.

"Dude, I should be asking you that! What happened?"

Seoyeon replayed the events in her mind, walking to class with Aira. She still couldn't believe Aira's serious account of what had happened. Where was He? Was he absent? Why was she even thinking about him? She tried to dismiss the thoughts, but they clung to her.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she noticed the dark circles under Aira's eyes—her friend had clearly sacrificed sleep to care for her.

Reaching their lockers, Seoyeon nibbled on her lip, wondering about their first-period class. "Hey, Rara, what's our first class?" she asked.

"Huh? You don't know?" Aira chuckled, checking her phone. "It's IED."

"What does that mean?" Seoyeon asked, completely clueless. Aira shrugged. "We'll find out."

The classroom was a biology lab—skeletons, mannequins, microscopes, and test tubes.

"Okay… so, I guess our subject is science…" Seoyeon trailed off, noticing Aira asleep beside the window. "Right, I'm talking to myself," she muttered, shaking her head before sitting beside her friend. "Having a great day in your dreamland without me? Nah-uh, might as well join you." A loud snore was her response.

She was about to nap when the sudden influx of students startled her. They were visibly terrified, their faces pale and drawn. Seoyeon frowned, equally confused. Aira, now awake, shared her bewilderment.

"Don't ask me, I don't know," Seoyeon murmured. The click of heels announced the arrival of a striking woman in her mid-thirties, dressed in a vibrant red outfit. Her presence silenced the room. The students' fear was palpable. But Seoyeon found nothing intimidating about her.

The woman, after a graceful entrance, placed a black folder on her desk, adjusted her glasses, and addressed them.

"Good morning," she said, her gaze settling on Seoyeon and Aira. "New students, I see." She raised an eyebrow, her expression serious. They nodded, smiling, and were directed to introduce themselves.

"Annyeonghaseyeo, my name is Eun, Seoyeon." Seoyeon began, smiling shyly. Aira followed, "Hi, my name is Dae, Aira. It's nice to meet you all, and please take good care of us." Some students offered welcoming smiles, but the underlying fear persisted.

"Good," the teacher clapped, startling them. "It's good to have you. I'm Rea Hyun, your IED teacher. You can call me Mrs. Hyun. Please take your seats." They bowed slightly before returning.

"Let's begin," Mrs. Hyun said, her expression serious. "I know you're unfamiliar with this subject, as it's new this semester." She wrote IED on the board: Intercourse Education, or s*x Education. Gasps rippled through the room. "Surprised? As expected. My actual major is Math, but the principal assigned this. I expect cooperation. Teenage pregnancy rates are rising, and this is—" Her words were interrupted by a panting figure rushing in. Seoyeon's blood ran cold.

It was him. She couldn't believe they were in the same class.

"Mr. Kim Johan, you're five minutes late," Mrs. Hyun said sternly. He apologized, taking a seat behind Seoyeon. She felt a prickle of unease as she sensed his gaze on her. Mrs. Hyun continued her lesson, instructing them to draw names for a partner activity. Aira's name was called first. Seoyeon waited, her anxiety growing. The second-to-last student called Aira's name. Then, it was Johan's turn.

"Eun, Seoyeon." he said, his voice laced with curiosity. The way he spoke her name sent a strange shiver down her spine. Aira gave her a sympathetic smile. Seoyeon turned to see Johan staring at her intently, his expression revealing his displeasure at the pairing. And she felt the same.

.....

Seoyeon practically dragged Aira out of the classroom the moment the bell rang. "Hey, hey, slow down, I'm not a cheetah!" Aira protested, struggling to keep up as Seoyeon raced toward the cafeteria. "I didn't even get my partner's number," Aira muttered, pouting.

Seoyeon slowed near the cafeteria, turning to her friend. "I'm sorry, I just needed to get out of there, and you know why." Aira frowned, understanding Seoyeon's discomfort during class, sitting beside Johan, who'd spent the entire time staring intently at her, ignoring the lesson.

Seoyeon had wanted to punch him, but his help the previous day had tempered her anger—for now. She still hated him.

After lunch and their remaining morning classes, Aira found her partner waiting for her on a bench, happily engrossed in a history book. Seoyeon, relieved that Aira's partner was kind and unlike Johan.

Waving goodbye, Seoyeon started walking toward the school gate. The memory of the previous day flashed through her mind.

(Flashback)

"What? He did that for me? Really?" Seoyeon asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, he brought you home and called me," Aira confirmed, lying down beside her. "And if my eyes didn't deceive me, he was sitting on the edge of your bed, looking worried when I arrived." She yawned.

Seoyeon stared at her lap, a whirlwind of questions filling her mind.

*End Flashback*

"Aish, stop thinking about him," Seoyeon muttered, kicking pebbles as she walked. She spotted a necklace with a small star pendant, bending to pick it up. A shout cut her off.

"LOOK OUT!"

Before she could react, her body slammed into the ground, pain shooting through her back and left ankle.

"What the hell was that?!" she gasped.

"s**t, Seoyeon, are you okay?"

That voice. Johan.

She opened her eyes to see him kneeling beside her, concern etched on his face. She slapped his hands away.

"Don't touch me," she muttered, trying to stand but collapsing again. "Ah!"

"Does it hurt?" His eyes focused on her ankle. "Let me see." He gently examined it. She should push him away, but his sudden gentleness surprised her. He had a soft side.

"We need to massage this," he explained, his touch surprisingly gentle as he began to soothe the aching ankle. Lost in thoughts, she stared at him, trying to understand him. She was speechless.

He didn't look so bad. His concerned frown, his monolid eyes, his straight nose, his full lips, his sharp jawline… She was captivated.

"Does it feel better?" His voice broke through her thoughts. He lifted his head, their eyes meeting.

"I… it feels better now," she whispered, averting her gaze. The pain had lessened, thanks to him. She stood, pulling down her skirt, dusting herself off. She was about to thank him when she noticed him looking at her legs before quickly looking away.

Aish, this pervert. She rolled her eyes, starting to limp home. She noticed his broken bicycle nearby. He just crashed into her.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked, following her.

"Going home, pervert." she muttered.

"Let me help you," he suprisingly offered, reaching for her hand. She pulled away. "You can't walk properly." She ignored him, the pain in her ankle worsening.

"Leave me al—" He stopped her, his expression serious.

"Seoyeon," he said, his voice different this time. "Please."

Her eyes widened at the word 'please'. Why did he seem to care so much? She couldn't handle it.

"Okay." she said, surprising herself.

He smiled, bending a knee. "Get on."

"What?"

"My back. Get on my back." He seemed to read her mind.

Piggyback?

"I'm serious. Now, get on." He tied his jacket around her waist, his cologne filling her senses, his breath warm on her neck. Their eyes met again. She gasped as he lifted her effortlessly.

"Relax, I won't drop you." he said, sensing her tension.

She relaxed, looking at his side profile.

"I'm sorry." he apologized.

"Tsk. As you should. " she mumbled with sassiness, rolling her eyes. He chuckled, turning slightly, their faces almost touching.

"Yah, don't ever do that again!" she's flustered.

"I'm sorry, I really mean it, Seoyeon. For everything. Will you forgive me?" he mean it.

"I still hate you. So no." she retorted. He chuckled. "What's so funny?"

"You're not that easy. We look like a couple from a K-drama, don't we? Piggybacking… romantic, right?" he defines and Seoyeon just noticed. He's right.

"You're right, it does," she agreed, glancing at him. "But with you, it's not." His smirk vanished while Seoyeon's lips curved up into smirk, feeling proud she just killed his mood.

"Ouch, that hurts. Do I not fit your type?" he asked, a playful tone in his voice. He's fast to attack.

"Pervert isn't my type," she tells him, squealing as he started to run. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"We have to catch the bus, idiot."

"What did you just call me?!" she exclaimed, suprisingly laughing at their current situation. He laughed back.

"Yah, carry me properly, and don't drop me!" she warned, clinging to him for dear life.