Page 58 of XOXO

“And now?” I ask.

“I’m not running anymore.”

With the hand that isn’t holding my seat, he lifts my face to his and kisses me.

At first, it’s a close-mouthed kiss, soft and sweet. But then he leans forward, and I feel my ball cap tip off my head as my lips part beneath his. I would collapse, weak-kneed, if I wasn’t already sitting. He runs his hand through my hair, as I wrap onearm around his neck, holding him close.

I don’t know how long we kiss in that park, with the city below us and the stars up above.

I don’t know what this will mean for us going forward. Will we ever have a moment like this again? But none of that matters. I push it all to the back of my mind. Because tonight, the world is ours.

Twenty-Four

The next day is Monday. I wake earlier than usual, rolling over in my bed to look across the room. Sori’s already gone for her morning workout. She’d been asleep when I returned last night, otherwise I’d have asked her to wake me up. I’m not a huge fan of exercise any time before eight a.m., but I need an outlet for all the adrenaline coursing through my body. I hurry up and change into my uniform, waiting in the long line for the bathroom to wash and examine my face in the mirror. Do I look like a girl who’d been thoroughly kissed the night before? I glance around at the other girls, but no one is paying me any attention, too busy pulling out their hair rollers and catching up on what they did over the weekend.

Homeroom is much of the same. The teacher takes attendance and then leaves for a faculty meeting. Jaewoo isn’t in class but he told me he wouldn’t be. Last night, we’d caught a taxi to the academy, and though we hardly spoke to each other, our faces turned toward opposite windows, we held hands theentire way. He’d had the taxi driver drop me off at the back of my dorm, not leaving until I was safely inside, before heading to his own dorm.

I spend homeroom chatting with Sori about our weekends. I want to tell her about what happened with Jaewoo but not in a place where others might hear. I haven’t told her before now because I wanted to respect Jaewoo’s wish to keep whatever we had a secret, but now things are getting more serious, and I’d love a friend to talk to, especially Sori, who understands what it’s like not only to be an idol but to date one.

Instead, I hold up her pink Kakao Friends mirror for her while she applies eyeliner and lip gloss.

“This is my morning workout,” I joke.

“Stop shaking. Keep it straight.”

Nothing can bring down my mood, not even Jina, who tries to take my head off in dodgeball.

At lunch, Sori joins Angela, Gi Taek, and me at our usual table. Neither Angela nor Gi Taek comments on this new development.

“You can sit next to me,” Angela says, pulling out a chair for Sori, who sits primly at the edge.

“Why is the lunch line so long today?” I ask when I notice the line stretching out the door.

“They’re serving macarons!” Angela exclaims. “It’s the most popular meal item at SAA. The kitchen only gives one per tray. I’ve known people who’ve purchased two meals just so they could eat two.”

As if to demonstrate, Sori picks up the tiny pink confectionfrom her tray, placing it delicately between her lips. She bites down, chewing slowly, swallows, then sighs.

“You should do commercials for SAA,” I say.

“She has,” Gi Taek and Angela say at the same time.

“Is this seat taken?” Nathaniel pulls out the chair on Angela’s other side.

There’s similar movement beside me. I turn and gape. “I thought you said you weren’t coming to school today?”

Jaewoo takes a seat. “Change of plans.”

Last night we didn’t exactly discuss what that kiss—kisses—would mean for our... relationship. We’re no longerjustfriends—though it seems clear without saying that, whatever it is, we’ll keep it to ourselves for a while longer.

Though I already know I’m going to be so bad at this. My face is turning red with just the thought of his kisses.

“Did you cut the line?” Sori asks suddenly.

Like all of us, Nathaniel and Jaewoo have trays with the coveted pastry.

“It pays to be nice to the lunch ladies, Sori-yah,” Nathaniel says. Seeing as how last time they were in this lunchroom together they got into a huge argument, they’re acting fairly civil. Sori rolls her eyes, while Nathaniel plucks the macaron from his tray and stuffs the whole thing in his mouth.

When he catches me looking, he says, “What? I have four older sisters. When I was growing up, if I left the good stuff for the end, it was stolen right off my plate! I’d never get to enjoy it.”

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