naughty boy - kino + wooseok

TWO. universe eyes

When Mira walked into school that day, she actually felt... kind of excited. She genuinely had a fun time talking to Kino yesterday, and couldn't wait to have a conversation with him again. Mira didn't really have that many friends, so it was always a special event when she made a new one.

But as soon as she entered Mrs. Lim's AP ELAR class and read the board, her excitement drained like water down the sink.

GROUP PROJECTS DUE JUNE 29th

"Class, take your seats," Mrs. Lim said as she walked around the classroom, handing out the printed project instructions and rubric. "I'll be going through the directions." Once everyone was settled, she began. "Since our last unit is Shakespeare, the project is going to be about..." she paused, waiting for a response.

The class replied, "SHAKESPEARE."

"Very good. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets in his lifetime, so you will definitely find the right one for this assignment. You guys will be writing a sonnet in response to him, from his lover's perspective. This is a group project, with up to two people."

Half the class groaned, half the class sighed.

"You may choose your partner..." Some kids started to stand up, but Mrs. Lim shot them down with a single glare. "When I say so. On the day the project is due, you and your partner will recite from memory both the original sonnet and your response in front of the class. Do you guys have any questions?"

A kid in the front row raised his hand. "Are we going to have to say a love poem to another guy?"

Mrs. Lim looked over her glasses at him. "You're free to partner with anyone you like, even your crush if you want to."

"But that's gonna be hella awkward..."

"Language! And since you're in theatre, Mr. Lee, you won't have any problem with acting, so that shouldn't be one of your concerns. Any other questions?"

The class collectively shook their heads.

"You may now choose your partners."

Mira saw Kino glance over at her from across the room, then quickly dart his gaze to the table in front of him, clearly not expecting her to pick him. Well, she was going to show him. Mira walked over and sat next to him.

Kino looked up. "Who's your partner?"

"You."

He looked sort of confused. "Aren't you already partnered up?"

"I don't have many friends, remember? So I pick you."

The feelings that flashed on his face for the next five seconds ranged from confused to surprised to relieved before finally stopping at happy. Simply, pleasantly, happy. "Thanks," he said, a bit bashfully, smiling at the ground.

Mira grinned. "I guess we better start working." She pulled out her laptop. "First off, what sonnet are we doing?"

Kino leaned over her shoulder, trying to get a peek at the screen. "I feel we should do one not really that popular. Like, well-known, but not so famous that practically everyone's going to do that."

"So... Sonnet 116 off the list?"

They both laughed. Everyone knew that Sonnet 116 was Mrs. Lim's favorite sonnet, and she would obviously grade that one a bit less harsh than the rest. However, a large portion of the class would definitely choose to do it.