" Maybe, someone just addresses himself with that last name to put a prank on us?"

Sunghoon replied confidently and continue eating his food while avoiding Jay's gaze on him.

-

   After the bell rang, Aera sighed as she needs to go to the detention room along with Jay and Sunghoon. Realizing she needed to be with those popular and perfect men from her class made her felt more anxious and nervous as it will be awkward since they never got along well.

Jay and Sunghoon slowly knocked on the door and went into the detention room. Aera just acted like she didn't see them and just went to her seat, taking out her books to finish her homework.

Sunghoon can't help but took a glance at her as she was having a hard time answering some questions. He took a glance at Jay who was reading a comic and went towards Aera, asking her if she is okay.

" I can help you."

Aera shook her head,
" It's okay. I don't want to burden you."

Sunghoon ignored her words and sat next to her, looking at her works carefully. He smiled, gently took the pen from Aera, and taught her to take by step,

" I never know there is another way to solve this." Aera was amazed making Sunghoon chuckled. He gave the pen to Aera, told her to answer the next question by using his method. Aera chuckled too, she focused on the books with a grin without realizing Sunghoon was just staring at her while smiling like an idiot.

" Ouch."

Sunghoon suddenly groaned in pain when Aera accidentally hit his wound with the pen. She quickly put her things away and leaned closer to Sunghoon anxiously.

" I'm sorry. I did-"

" It's okay," Sunghoon replied.

" Wait here. I will take the medicine." Aera said and walked out of the room fastly.

Jay looked at Sunghoon with a smirk,
" I can tell it by your action towards her," Jay muttered to Sunghoon while toying with his fingers. Sunghoon confused and just shook his head,

" She is my classmate and I am the class pre-"

" I never saw you smiling like an idiot to another girl from our class," Jay spoke again.

" You get the wrong idea. Stop it." Sunghoon faked a laughed as he felt nervous when Jay caught him.

" When did you learn to write those cringe flirty words? I don't believe you-"

" It's not me, Jay." Sunghoon cut him off and was surprised when a teacher came into the room.

" Sunghoon, can you help me? It will take only 10 minutes."

Deeply in Sunghoon's heart, he wanted to stay in the detention room for Aera because she already told him to wait but he felt guilty when the teacher hopes for his help right now. Sunghoon sighed, decided to help the teacher real quick before Aera arrived at the detention room again.

He stood up and followed the teacher, leaving Jay alone.

-

" I'm sorry for late." Aera arrived at the room and confused when Sunghoon was not there anymore and only found Jay who was sleeping peacefully.

She noticed that his bag was still there, so she decided to stay with Jay while waiting for Sunghoon to come with medical ailments
on her hands.

" Ouch." Jay groaned in pain and cursed at himself as it was hurting him so much. Aera looked at him anxiously and patted his shoulder,

" Are you okay?"

" Yeah, just go away."

Jay groaned again and this time, Aera can't help but grabbed a chair, sitting in front of him while putting the medical oil on the cotton.

" Jay, let me treat you."

Jay shook his head.
" I'm okay."

Aera sat closer to him and gently titled his head to make him look at her. She knew what she did was wrong- but she can't see him in that way. She wanted to help him although she was still scared and nervous to be with him.

Jay just looked at her blankly, which didn't stop her from touching him making Aera felt more nervous as her heart was beating fast.
She put the medicine on his wound by tapping the cotton gently while avoiding his gaze on her.

" It will be better soon," Aera muttered to him softly and continue, put the medicine. Jay was stunned by her sudden action and just fixed his eyes on her pure visual. Just by looking at her in a close way, he realized that Aera was more beautiful than other girls he met. They were classmates for a year but he was too dumb to realize it now.

Jay quickly shook his head to stop from thinking in that way and held her hand tightly,
stopped her from touching him but they end up froze again, knowing he just held her hand tightly as a couple did.

At the same time, Sunghoon suddenly went into the room and was surprised when he saw the scene. He bit his lips as he realized his best friend was just holding his crush. He took a deep breath, controlled himself from showing his dark side to both of them. Deeply in his heart, he wanted to scold Jay badly and put Aera away from him but he can't do that since both of them were precious to him. He was hurting again and this time he decided to put that feeling away.

He pretended like he didn't see anything and grabbed his bag before walking out of the room without taking a glance at Jay.

Jay cleared his throat and slowly let go of Aera's hand. He then grabbed his bag too, ran towards Sunghoon without saying thank you to Aera for helping him while Aera was just watching them in silence.

-

" Stop right there."

Sunghoon ignored Jay and still walking through the hallway.

" Why are you so angry? You said she is just your class-"

" I'm not angry. I'm just losing my mood." Sunghoon replied coldly.

" Is it because of Aera and I?"

" No, Jay."

" Why don't you just admit it?"

" No. Jay."

" You are the one who is writing the letter to Aera, right?"

" Jay, I told you! It's not me!"

Jay was startled as it was the first time Sunghoon was raising his voice to him after being a friend for 4 years. Jay lost his words, just fixed his eyes on Sunghoon was sighing heavily and clenching his fist to control his feeling again.
Sunghoon shut his eyes,
left the place fastly.

••

The next day, Aera was coming to the school as usual. Walked through the hallway while listening to music by her earphone and suddenly stopped when Jay was walking in front of her. She faced his back, trying to find another way to escape as she was still embarrassed after what happened with him yesterday.

She looked around the place and was about to take a step away but instantly, a guy pushed her hardly causing her accidentally bumped into Jay on his back again.

She was about to fall on the ground but Jay quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his embrace causing the situation to become awkward to them. Jay looked at Aera nervously and cleared his throat.

" Stop playing around." He said to the group of men angrily, still holding Aera in his embrace.

The guy laughed with his friends,
" Both of you are already dating! stop hiding it!" They said and teased both of them.

" Do you want me to punch you?" Jay asked them seriously, took a step toward them causing them to run away while still teasing Jay and Aera.

" Are .. you ... okay?" Jay slowly let go of Aera and held her shoulder to make her looked at him.

Aera shyly nodded,
" I'm sorry..."

" It's not your fault. That bastard did it." Jay said awkwardly.

Aera hummed as a response, felt like her heart was about to explode when he tucked her into his embrace.

" Let's go to our class..." Jay changed the topic and both of them were walking together to their classroom silently.

As they arrived at the classroom, their steps immediately stopped when Sunghoon came out from the classroom. Sunghoon looked at Aera and Jay and lowered his gaze, sighed slowly before mind his own business again.

" Jay, thank you for helping me."

" It's okay. You helped me yesterday and now I repay your kindness."

" I felt like I was burden you a lot."

" It's not your fault..."

" But, Jay-"

" It's okay, Aera. I wanted to apologize for treating you badly. I don't know you well, so I mistake you as a sasaeng of mine."

Jay cleared his throat,
" Let's be friends... from now on."

" Befriend?"

" Yes... let's be a friends.."

" I'm -"

Sunghoon clenched his fist and ran towards Jay angrily,

" Why are you doing this to me?"

Aera was surprised as Sunghoon suddenly acted differently.

" Doing what?" Jay asked Sunghoon seriously.

" You know my true fee-"

" You said it was wrong." Jay cut Sunghoon off.

" What are you doing just now, Park Sunghoon?" Jay asked Sunghoon blankly while Aera was still confused.

She looked at Sunghoon anxiously and Sunghoon lowered his gaze, cursed at himself for being too obvious.

" Don't you think your action is wrong?"

" People will mistake both of you as a couple for sure and all of my efforts to stop the rumor will be useless if both of you are still doing this."

Sunghoon changed the topic.

" Please? Please just stay apart from each other..." Sunghoon said sadly and locked his eyes on Aera.

" Especially you, Aera."

" I don't like to see you with him.."

He paused.

" You will be in trouble."

" I don't want you to get punished by teacher..."

Sunghoon brushed his hair out of his face and sighed again as he felt embarrassed of his action.

He then took a glance at Aera for the last time before walking into the classroom again.

" What happened to him, Jay..?"

Jay shook his head,

" I don't know."

" He is trying hard to control his feeling right now." Jay continued.

" What feeling?"

Jay looked at Aera ,

" I don't know."