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The cafeteria is full but no one else matters for the both of them. The very noisy and crowded place seems to be silent and abandoned for just the both of them. It's not a romantic place but the surroundings appear romantic enough for them. That's within their thoughts only by the way.

"Are you alone?" Jeonghan asks as they continue to follow the crowd in line.

Seunghee replies, "I'm waiting for a friend. One of the girls you saw at my apartment last night, Sorn. But I don't know what happened to her. She didn't send me a message either."

"So you're alone now. Can I join you for lunch then?"

She screams inside. This is their first lunch together in nine years! But all of that are for her heart only, she answers him calmly, "Sure. Why not?"

The awkwardness is still present between them though. After ordering their meals, they sit at a table across each other. Seunghee surely won't be able to concentrate on her food. She's ultimately happy, she lost her appetite. But she can't let him notice that. While Jeonghan coolly sits across her. He will make his way to her, slowly but surely.

They start eating their meals and Jeonghan took the initiative to start the conversation again.

"I'm amazed you only eat that little," noticing the half rice, half pork steak and half mixed veggies she ordered.

Seunghee giggles a little, "I'm trying to control my diet. I'm the one amazed at how full your plate is. You eat a lot for someone lean."

"This is just how it is when it comes to boys."

"Well, that's true. Sehun oppa eats like a horse once in a while."

"I remember him. He was the one who always fetch you back then, in our elementary days. I always wondered what your relationship with him was."

"He's my cousin. We're a little close since we grew up together."

"I see. And the girls you were with last night? Jun was there too."

"You know Jun?"

"He's my friend's hoobae. They went to the same high school. But he doesn't really know me. We haven't been introduced yet."

"Okay. Areum unnie, you know our classmate in Instrument 201 is Sehun oppa's girlfriend and Sorn, the girl I'm waiting for is Jun's classmate."

"I see. Anyway, are you free on Sunday? My birthday's coming up on Sunday. My friends are coming over for a little party. Well, if you have time you can come over with your friends, besides we're just a wall away. But oh, but I'm not obliging you. We've only just been neighbors since yesterday anyway," he says.

She knows it's gonna be his birthday on Sunday, and hers is six days later. But she conceals the fact that she knows about it.

"On Sunday? Okay, I'll tell them about it. We're just a wall away anyway."

Smiling at each other while eating, someone interrupts on them with a meal on his hands.

"Can I seat here? Seems like there's room for more people."

It's Jun, staring down sharply at Jeonghan and then smiles at Seunghee. Jeonghan only looks up at him, and Seunghee is kinda surprised.

"Jun!" she moves a bit to let him sit.

Jun sits beside her and Jeonghan just gapes at how they sit beside each other.

"Where's Sorn? She's the one I asked to come here," Seunghee asks.

"She sent me here instead. She said she had something to do for her next class and she hasn't paid her phone bills so she couldn't call you. She told me just to tell you," Jun answers giving Jeonghan a gaze again. "And you're with the neighbor already?"

Seunghee uneasily answers him, "Well, we kinda bumped into each other here so we sat together."

"Yeah, by the way, your sunbae Seungcheol tells you to stay still Jun," Jeonghan interjects.

"Seungcheol hyung? Ah, I remember now, you're one of those guys he's with recently. That's why you looked a little familiar," Jun states.

"Is that why you're staring cuttingly at me since yesterday?" Jeonghan inquires all of a sudden.

Seunghee is quite surprised. He has noticed a lot of things. Is it natural? She questions herself.

Jun can feel something from him. It's not right. He's becoming a real threat. "That's one of the reasons. The other, I think you have an idea as to what it is."

Jeonghan just smiles lopsidedly at him while Jun looks at him seriously.

Seunghee cannot catch up with their talk but she can feel the tension. Jun can't be this way infront of him. She has to tell him to stop acting conceited.

"Ah! What are you guys talking about? We better hurry, next period is coming up," she utters.

The boys oblige. But the pressure is still there. She really has to scold Jun later. He better stop doing this to Jeonghan or she will really get mad at him.

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"What are you doing?" Seunghee asks with an annoyed face.

Jeonghan has just left and Seunghee and Jun are staying at a school bench near her next class.

"What?" Jun immaturely sulks at her side.

"Ah! Stop with the childish act Jun! What were you doing with Jeonghan? It's my first day with him! You just had to interfere and set that mood with him. What am I gonna do with you?"

"I'm jealous with him alright. Noona, you can't blame me. I told you I'm not gonna give up on you. You like him yes, but he hasn't proven anything to you yet. We're not even sure if he likes you too. I'm not gonna back down just because he's there. I'll continue pursuing you till you chose me noona. I promise that."

Jun completely silences her. A part of her pities him and a part of her feels overwhelmed by his devotion. He's not a bad kid. Maybe if she hasn't met Jeonghan before, she can give Jun a chance to really prove himself. But that's impossible now.

"I told you Jun, I only have eyes for him. And I don't care if he doesn't feel the same way. It's better if you just stop. You'll just hurt yourself. And I don't want to hurt you even more."

"It's okay noona. I can handle this. I'll prove to you I'm better than him. Okay? Don't worry about me."

Seunghee can only smile at him. But if he really continues, she might just resort to crueler means for him to totally stop.

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Seunghee takes a stroll at the shopping district after school for a while. She deliberates on what to give Jeonghan for his birthday. He invited her, maybe it's not gonna be obvious if she gives him something right? Her thoughts keep arguing. And not being able to decide on it, she shall give it a look for a start.

She begins looking at men's clothes. But she doesn't really know his shirt size. She can't buy something he won't be able to wear. So she turns to men's accessories. But she doesn't really know his preference. She hasn't really seen him wear any. He did wear a cap once in a while but what type does he want? She can't tell. It's taking her so long, she doesn't know what to pick so she left that section. Finally, something caught her eyes. A bracelet. A silver bracelet. But isn't it too expensive? She sighs. What else can she give him? She has no idea. Defeated by being indecisive, she walks back home buying nothing.

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Still sighing, she paces up the stairs to the second floor of the apartment building. She wears a dismayed face as she steps on the second floor corridor. Then she hears someone talk.

"Did something happen? You look depressed."

She lifts her head up and meets the person she's depressing about. He is about to open his door, with the keys already at the keyhole. He stops halfway upon seeing her though. She forces a smile but she feels really helpless.

"Jeonghan-shi..."

"I saw you walking down the street but you looked really gloomy. And you didn't quite see me. Is there a problem?"

"Ah, nothing. It's okay Jeonghan-shi." she replies. She stands by her door now. She gets her keys in her pocket and inserts it in the keyhole. If you only know you're the reason for this, she mutters inside. "What kind of present would you want?" she murmurs.

"Excuse me?" he asks quite surprised.

She gets surprised herself. Did I say that out loud? She questions herself. She can't answer him. Her hands are turning cold.

"Present? For me?" he shows a poker face but deep inside he's rejoicing.

"Ah... well, you invited me for your birthday. I thought I might have to give you something in return," she nervously utters.

Jeonghan smiles sweetly at her. "It's okay. You don't have to buy me anything. Just be sure to come over on Sunday okay?"

She's relieved, he's not the assumptive type. But she really yells at herself inside. She can't be this careless infront him. What's the use of hiding her feelings all these years? She can't just give everything away instantly with a single mistake.

She smiles back at him, "Alright. See you later Jeonghan-shi."

Upon opening her door, she directly walks in. "See you later," she hears him say.

Left alone just outside his door. He can't stop smiling to himself. He looks at the calendar on his smartphone and spots the reminder on the 10th day of October. Just six days after his, it says, 'Her Birthday'. Then with a little push, he goes inside his abode. His smile plastered on his face.

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On her bed, Seunghee lays down on her stomach staring at her phone calendar. She sighs at it and tantrums a bit.

"Ahh!! I should really get something for him now that he knows. And I should invite him for my birthday too. Wish he's available on the 10th though."

She continues to stare at her phone, with a reminder on the 4th saying 'His Birthday'.

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To be continued...

(15.11.30)