Rank One (Park Sunghoon FF)

18

Boram insisted that she turn in Juna's essay for her, leading Juna to run back to the detention room to grab their stuff. However, she only found Boram's backpack and her belongings were yet to be seen.

What the heck? I'm sure Sunghoon set it down here...

With a fast-beating heart, Juna sprinted - or tried to with a barely functioning ankle - to the lounge where Boram just exited the room. The girl gasped and backed into the door, clutching her chest, leaving Juna confused. Why was she doing that?

"What's wrong? Did Mister Choi say anything?"

Boram shook her head, calming down a bit. "No. He wasn't here so I set it on the table."

"Do you know where my stuff is?" Juna started fidgeting with her fingers. All her important notes and books were in her backpack. If she had lost it...She didn't even want to think about what would happen.

Boram shook her head again. 

Great. "I'm going to go find Sunghoon. Maybe he has something to do with this."

Because who else could've taken her things? If Boram didn't do it, it surely had to be Park Sunghoon.

"I didn't see him take it. Your backpack was still there when he left."

Juna slapped a hand to her forehead, stressed out. Her hands fumbled their way to her pocket and pulled out her phone. She dialed Sunghoon's number only for him to immediately hang up.

"What the-"

She looked down when her phone buzzed.

Sunghoon: Come outside. Don't tell Boram.

Juna: Park Sunghoon! Did you take my stuff?

Sunghoon: Yeah. So hurry up before I throw it on the street.

Juna: Don't you dare! Are you at the front of the school?

There was no reply.

"So...what happened?" Boram was standing on her tip-toes trying to take a look at Juna's phone, but she pulled it away.

"Oh, I think maybe I just kicked my backpack under a desk and didn't notice." Juna faked a smile so that it would seem more convincing. If Sunghoon told her not to tell Boram, then it was best if she didn't.

"I'll come get it with you."

"No, no! It's fine!" Juna quickly waved her hands in front of her. "I'll just go get it real quick. See you tomorrow, Boram!"

The girl waved and beamed before running in the direction of the detention room, only to exit the school through its backdoors. 

By the time she got there, she was panting and holding onto her knees for support. Juna had never been athletic and that probably explained why she got injured so easily that morning.

As she was catching her breath, she felt the presence of someone really close beside her and shrieked, jumping to the side. But it was just Sunghoon. He was covering half of his face with his hand, attempting to hide his laughter.

Juna ran up to him and softly pushed him by his shoulder. "You scared me! Where's my backpack? You didn't touch anything, did you?" Juna gulped at her own words. She hoped he didn't. Because then he would find the journal that had all her operation plans and rules written in it. If he did find it, how would he even react? Angered? Disappointed? She didn't even want to know.

"It's here, don't worry." Sunghoon turned to show her that both her backpack and his were swung over his shoulder.

Juna hit his back before he turned around again. "You jerk! You really scared me! Do you even know how much important stuff is in there? You could've at least told me first!"

Sunghoon shrugged as if it wasn't his problem but then bent down to her height when he saw her pouting. "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?"

"Whatever. Apology not accepted. Now give me-"

"I want to spend my afternoon with you. Can you forgive me?" He asked softly. Juna's face relaxed a little and she stood there staring into his eyes. 

"What did you just say?"

"Remember what you said to me? That if I didn't want to go home one day, then we could hang out. And today's that day. I don't want to go home."

Juna stared at the boy in disbelief. Had she somehow made Park Sunghoon, the school's ice prince, interested in her? And she didn't even have to touch the plans that she made in her notebook. 

"Hm? So what do you say?" Sunghoon reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Juna's ear, making her face immediately heat up.

Juna's heart sped up but she decided to ignore it.

This is my chance. He's already interested in me so the operation shouldn't be too hard anymore. I just have to keep spending time with him until he eventually falls in love with me and then, boom, his rank will drop. Mission accomplished...right?

Juna put on a small, forced smile and grabbed his arm. "Come on, then. Let's go."

She ignored the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Why did it feel so wrong to be doing this?

Sunghoon's face relaxed and the corners of his plump lips lifted. "What would you like to do?"

"Ice skating. Let's go ice skating."

-

They walked together in silence. The rink wasn't far from the school so they decided they would walk instead of taking the bus. The cold wind blew against them, lifting Juna's hair off her shoulders and making her shiver. Before she could use the opportunity to ask Sunghoon for his jacket once again, he spoke up first.

"Why ice skating out of all things?" Sunghoon asked, looking at her as they continued walking along the sidewalk.

Juna answered without hesitation. "Because that's what you like to do."

Sunghoon looked away but Juna heard his low chuckle. He then turned back to her with a small grin. "So what about you? What do you like to do? We can do it next time."

"Study?"

"Oh, come on, something other than school-related things."

Juna suddenly stopped walking when an idea spawned in her head. She tugged on his sleeve so he would stop and look at her. "Sunghoon, will you come see me play piano?"

He bent down to her height again and tapped her nose gently. "Only if you come to my competition."

"Of course I will."

He smiled and stood up straight. "I'll send you the information later. So when's your contest?"

"In two weeks."

"I'll be there."

-

"Why does my heart hurt so much when doing this? He seems genuinely happy for the first time since I've seen him..."

Ahn Juna