Those Boys Gave Me 18 Roses

PROLOGUE

CLENCHING THE RED ROSE IN HER RIGHT HAND, Song Jin Hee closed her eyes tight while facing her classmate. Nervousness, conflicted and confusion invaded her system as she was trying to get an answer for him.

What now?

She bit her lower lip as she was internally pressuring herself to get the right answer for him. But then, she let go a surprised gasp when she felt a strong arm wrapping her shoulders. Her eyes settled at the owner of the said arm.

What is he doing here?

"Our class president is tired, Min Seok-ah. She badly needs a rest so don't interrogate and stress her that way," the guy beside her turned his gaze at her. "Do you, class pres?"

"Umm... y-yes?" she muttered absent-mindedly.

"You really that exhausted, class pres? You can stay in the School Council Office's private room if you want," her classmate named Min Seok offered.

"She can stay in the clinic, Min Seok-ah. There are so many people in that office and it's not good for her. The presence of the people inside the office will suffocate her," the guy beside her said in such bluntness.

"B-Baek Hyeon-ah..." Jin Hee muttered, almost out of breath.

What are you doing?!

"I felt something weird here. Is there something between you two?" Min Seok asked.

Baek Hyeon tightened his hold on her shoulder which made her more nervous, coldness flaunting on his face which is really opposite to how he handled her. His hand is warm. "Why? Does it concern you?"

"Do you have an issue with me, Yoon Baek Hyeon? You seem so rude," now, it's Min Seok's turn to be cold.

"Nothing, really. Unless you did something to make me feel so irritated and made me rude towards you," he answered, colder than earlier.

"Jin Hee-ssi?" she could hear the authoritative, calm voice of Cheon Ha Neul, their student council president. She could also hear their classmate's voice from the distance. There, she realized that they were surrounded by their male classmates. She could see how Soo Pyo plugged out his headphones and stare at her, how Jeong Suk stopped talking to his flings over the phone just to pay his attention to them—to her, how Woo Shin stared at them in awe, how Joo Hyuk and Eun Jae stopped at their childish bickering and stared at them in legit curiosity with the what-the-hell-is-happening-here look on their faces, how Sang Woo, her ever supportive class treasurer, looked like he's ready to barge in and wants to pull her out of the conversation, how Jung Soo's adorable big eyes looked at her like questioning her, how Suk Hwan wanted to ask her but can't so he just couldn't help but watch the scene before him, how Dae Woong watched them while Eui Chul is shaking his arm a little, how Han Sol looked at her, questioning her with his eyes, how Tae Yang stopped playing his guitar just to watch what's happening to them right now, how Ryuuji looked like he's also ready to barge in even if he's not really fond of minding people's business and how Ryeo Wook stared at her... only at her.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Chan Yeol blurted out for them as if they shared a single brain cell in the situation, breaking the pregnant silence between them.

Oh, great.

Jin Hee seemed to notice that the two boys were not paying attention to Ha Neul, Chan Yeol and the others and she couldn't help but alternating her gaze to the two, Min Seok to Baek Hyeon then Baek Hyeon to Min Seok. Min Seok was clenching his jaw, trying to figure out what was with Baek Hyeon's attitude towards him while Baek Hyeon was just staring blankly at him.

Jin Hee sensed the tension between the two of them and it screamed trouble.

She hastily freed herself from Baek Hyeon's hold as she pushed the two boys when she felt that they were about to grab collars.

"Wait, wait. Don't be like that to each other. I'm okay. Hehe. Min Seok-ah, Baek Hyeon-ah, enough. I'm okay. I really am, promise. Please calm down, you two."

They both looked at her. "You sure?"

She nodded, trying to convince her with her wide smile. "I'm really okay! Promise!"

"Uh, guys, you calm down now. We still have classes," Suk Hwan, who was standing next to Ha Neul shouted at them.

"We're not going. Class pres is not feeling well," Min Seok held her hand as he smiled at her. "Let's go, class pres. Stay in the School Council office. Is it okay, Ha Neul-ah?"

"What? I don't think—"

"E-Eh?" Jin Hee was so confused as she let Min Seok pull her but they both stopped when Baek Hyeon pulled her towards him, staring with his piercing eyes at Min Seok.

"She'll stay... with me," authority is dripping on Baek Hyeon's voice as he gripped on Jin Hee's smooth, small hand.

"Let go, Yoon Baek Hyeon."

"I won't. You're the one who must let go of her."

"What's wrong with you, Yoon?"

"There's nothing wrong with me, Moon Min Seok. There's something wrong with you. So, let her go because she's going with me."

"No, I won't. I will not do it."

Jin Hee looked at the two boys in vice versa as they kept on pulling her like she was a tug-of-war game and their other classmates watched them, feeling the tension between the three of them.

Little did she know, that the tension was on those eighteen boys around her... trying to win her and never wanting to let go.