In hopes of getting an A in your math test, you had made a deal with the smartest person you knew, Park Minhyuk a.k.a Rocky, the nerdy guy who lived next door.
You weren't really like those typical girls who'd disgustingly look at nerds in the same way as looking at a dog peeing on the wall. You respected everyone equally but as for this dude, you actually hated him. Not because he was a geek or because he was living next to you and makes weird noises at night, well maybe that could be a reason, but it was more of because you hated his guts and ironically, he bullies you.
And knowing that he will tutor you this evening, boy oh boy, it's going to be a horrible night for you.
"You're so stupid."
"No, I'm not! It's this subject's fault! Why are there even letters in math?!"
"Ugh . . . look, if you want to pass this test, just follow the damn formula!"
"Pssh! Of course I want to pass. Don't even try to question my grades!"
"I don't have to because I already know. You've had 75 in math for the past few semesters."
You sat there frozen, shocked because of what he had said.
"H-how'd you know that?" You blinked.
"Aish, you're really stupid. I just guessed . . . and I guess I was right." He smirked.
You had rolled your eyes almost a hundred times now since you came to his room. One condition of having him to tutor is that he will teach you inside his teritory.
Ironically though, who would've thought that a nerdy guy like him would be so interested in dancing? You saw posters of famous dance groups and even the ever popular Michael Jackson in his thriller pose.
"Can we just stop this already? My head's aching."
"Seriously, _______? You haven't even finished the multiple choice."
"My head hurts and my stomach needs food. You know how I am when that happens."
"Don't threaten me with your girl problems. I have made some research about organisms like you and I know your weaknesses."
"Oh, wow, now you're using scientific theory against me? How nerdy of you!"
"Excuse me, but it's called a fact. People like you hate being the center of attention. But inside, you want to be known. You step on others to let the people know who you are. But you're fake and you don't really have friends because you stab them in the back."
You held back the tears that were urging to roll down on your cheeks. You didn't know how to respond to his horrible conclusion about you without even knowing you better.
"If that's what you believe, then you're no different from me. Everyone thinks you're this loser nerd who can't fight or even lift a finger, but behind that sneaky mask, you're just like everybody else who only knows how to open their mouths when they want to say bad things about other people. Reality check, you're the faker one between us."
He glared at you and you returned it. It was beginning to be hotter besides having the cool breeze flow through the open window. No one knew how long the glaring contest went on but after that, you decided to get up and fix your things.
"I am never going to ask help from you ever again. I never even should've in the first place. Only if I knew this was going to happen." You snickered as you put the last notebok inside your bag.
"Maybe you shouldn't have because now I have to suffer knowing that you won't ever like me!"
Your hand was already hovering the doorknob when he shouted those words. You turned around and caught him clear his throat.
"You listen to me, Rocky boy." Walking closer to him, he stood up, wiping the invisible dirt off of his sides. He seemed terrible at pretending that he wasn't scared.
"Never ever in my whole life, will I ever like you. Not even in my next life." With your finger pointing on his chest, he caught your hand and placed it where his heart was.
"I'm sick of it. I'm sick of us fighting and I'm sick of myself pretending not to know how I really feel about you."
He licked his lips and looked down, not wanting you to see him cry.
"All those things I did to you, all the bad things that I said about you that weren't even true, my selfishness, my anger towards you, those were all just one of the few things I used to cover up the real feelings I have for you. I know this is all too hard to believe but, I've fallen for you, _______. It's cliche, I know but, I'm just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to forgive him."
He finally looked up and you saw the tears running down his puffy cheeks.
"Will you forgive me, _______? It's okay if you don't answer right now. I'll wait even if you and I grow old, even if you have another family, another man in your life. I will wait for the day that you will forgive me for my stupidness and when that finally happens, I will be the happiest on earth."
You continuously felt the thumping of his heart. It was pounding rather quicker than the normal rate of a person at rest.
Out of the blue, you hugged him. He was shocked and so were you. You couldn't just walk away with him getting heartbroken because of you. Sure, you didn't like him like the way he does for you, but you just can't let somebody like him live the rest of his life waiting for your answer. If you were in his position, you would know how he would feel, suffering.
"Rocky, I forgive you. But not because you said you love me, but because I saw your sincerity in apologizing for the mistakes you've done. It takes great courage for a person to say that they'd wait even forever for them to be forgiven and I'm so glad that you did that for me . . . even if we've been enemies for too long now."
"Well, do you want to start over again?"
"Sure." You smiled.
With that, he offered his hand and introduced himself.
"My name's Rocky."
You gladly accepted his hand and shook it.
"Hi, I'm _______."
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Notting Hilll reference! Hehehe . . .
