>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

They stare into each other's eyes for a moment just like that. Both unable to process what is actually happening. But with bodily instincts, they both turn away from each other instantly.

Seunghee puts her hands on her chest to slow down the thumping of her heart. She's going crazy now. Did he just try to kiss me? His face was so close and I could even smell his minty breath. And... he was so close!! What the heck is happening??!! Seunghee, get a hold of yourself! She screams inside.

Jeonghan on the other hand is scolding himself. What did you do? You dimwit! Can't you wait? Can't you control yourself? You can scare her away! Get this fixed before she walks away from you!

He turns around and calls her, with his relaxed tone, "Seunghee-shi. I'm sorry, did I scare you? I was just looking at the bracelet. But I guess I was a little too close to you," he fabricates wishing she believes him. Wish she buys this!

Seunghee clears her mind off for a second and faces him. She doesn't want him to think that she's getting afraid of him. It won't be beneficial on her part.

"Oh yeah. It's okay. I was just surprised. It's nothing. I'm alright."

"Thank goodness. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. Well, let's call it a night Jeonghan-shi. Hope you like my gift," she says forcing an awkward smile on her face.

Jeonghan obliges and replies, "I like it. Thank you for this Seunghee-shi and good night."

"Good night."

Seunghee enters her apartment hurriedly. It's too obvious that she's shaken of what happened.

Jeonghan sighs after she left and bumps his head on the wall. "What an idiot you are Jeonghan!"

From there, he continues to blame himself for the bummer he has done all night long.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

"HE WHAT??" Areum and Sorn say in harmony.

"Keep it down...." Seunghee whispers to them avoiding the glances from the people around.

These girls are at the center. Last night, Seunghee asked Areum and Sorn to be with her on this sunny Saturday morning. And there they are, having sundae at their favorite restaurant.

"He actually did what?!" Areum repeats.

"You heard me. From the looks of it, he definitely tried to kiss me! Even though he denied it afterwards," Seunghee says kinda hoping he didn't.

"And he said he was just looking at the bracelet? Just exactly how near was his wrist to your face?" Areum continues.

"Like this?" Seunghee demonstrates it. And it's a little too far to be close enough to her face.

"That's too far!" Areum exclaims.

"He's definitely not aiming for the bracelet unnie," Sorn agrees.

"I know. But what do I do if he insists he's not? I think I'll just brush it away like it never happened," Seunghee looks down a bit.

The girls just look at each other.

"It's not over Seunghee. With what he's acting, there's definitely hope for both of you," Areum assures her.

"Yeah, it's almost coming to light unnie. What he feels for you. He's surely thinking about you somehow," Sorn seconds.

Seunghee wants to believe them. But without concrete proof nor a word of verification from him, she's only just clinging to imaginary hope and she doesn't want to bet on it.

"I really wish I could believe you guys. But it'll just put me in agony again. I'm just glad he's near me now. We can talk, have some time together, sing with each other... I think that's more than enough for me to be content with."

Areum and Sorn just listen to her quietly.

"These stuffs that happened, these trivial stuffs, I think they only happened by chance. Like the circumstances only needed them to and not for any other reason. It's... easier for me to think this way. Because if I hope and only get hurt in the end, I don't think I'll be able to take it."

Areum goes to her side and put her arms around her shoulders. "You can really be stubborn sometimes. But alright, if that's what will make you feel better."

Sorn just smiles sympathetically at her and reaches for her hand.

"But I really believe there's hope for both of you. Just let me have this Seunghee," Areum says.

Seunghee only smiles at her. "Alright."

"Aside from that, why don't we eat this sundae now? It's actually melting," Sorn utters.

"Yeah," Seunghee and Areum replies with a laugh.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Around that week, Jun is walking along the campus field with only one thought in his mind, Seunghee. His so called 'suspension' is taking too long and he's getting impatient. He wants to talk to her again, be with her again and just return to normal with his relationship with her. And somehow, he's starting to accept the fact that she's not gonna reserve a place for him in her life. Though he fights it so hard and still clings to the string of hope he has left. But then he sees Jeonghan, Jisoo and Seungcheol hanging around the field. He makes sure Seungcheol doesn't see him. That sunbae of his is a real bully, until now he never stops mistreating him, though to a tolerable level. Then his eyes sticks to the person he envies the most, Jeonghan. Jun just can't take the sight of him. But the thing is, he doesn't hate him. He can't find it in his heart to hate the kind of guy that he is. He's far from being a bully like Seungcheol and a little cooler than Jisoo. If he met him in a different time and place, he may have treated him as senior he'd rather respect. But things can't be like that now. He still wants Seunghee in his life, whether or not he tramples on him or anyone else.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Jeonghan decides not see Seunghee for a few days to stabilize the incident he has caused the other night. But he really wants to tell her the truth about it, it's just that his cowardliness is keeping him from doing it. He plans to tell her very soon though. If only he will not make anymore mistake.

But today, he walks up to her again, wishing she has in some ways forgotten about his blunder. It's also the day they perform the songs infront of class.

He waits for Seunghee to arrive at the room, he's standing at the corridor, leaning on the porch holding his hand phone. He's nervous a bit, until he finally sees her. He greets her right away.

"Hi Seunghee-shi!" he says displaying his ever wonderful smile at her.

Seunghee feels relieved seeing him. She misses him. She didn't see him for a few days after the incident. She was worried he might not really have wanted it to happen, so she decided to really just treat it like it never happened. She smiles at him sweetly too.

"Hi Jeonghan-shi. I'm looking forward to your song today."

Jeonghan is thankful too, she's not acting aloof. "I'm watching out for yours too. Oh by the way, it's a bit later than what I've told you but I have the pie my mom baked today. Can we eat it at your place tonight?"

"Yah, sure. No problem with that. I can't wait to eat your mom's pie again."

"You're gonna love it."

And they enter the room together.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

"Eojjeorago eotteoke jiweonaerago
Geu manheun chu-eok naege namgyeonoko ga
Eojjeorago eotteoke saragarago
Nareul honja beoryeodugo ga
Neoman barabodeon yeojayeonneunde
Sarang bakken moreugo san babonde
Eotteokhae nareul tteonagamyeon nareul beorimyeon
Nameun nae sarang da eotteokharago
Dashineun saranghaji anke apeuji anke
Jebal nae gaseumdo gajyeoga
Eojjeojago eotteoke doraseoryeogo
Geutorok neoreul gipi saranghaenneunji
Eojjeojago eotteoke ijeonaeryeogo
Nareul jeonbu da ju-eonneunji
Naegen majimagin namjayeonneunde
Geuraeseo deo on gaseum da sseun nande
Eotteokhae nareul tteonagamyeon nareul beorimyeon
Nameun nae sarang da eotteokharago
Dashineun saranghaji anke apeuji anke
Jebal nae gaseumdo gajyeoga
Nuguboda nal jal aljanha
Eolmana babonjido aljanha
Sarangman baeweoseo inneun geon mollaseo
Muteokttaego neoman gidaril nareul
Eotteokhae bogoshipeojimyeon geuriweojimyeon
Neoreul inneun beop gareuchyeo jugoga
Charari nareul tteonaryeomyeon jeongmal garyeomyeon
Apeun geuri-umdo deryeoga
Jebal nae nunmuldo deryeoga"

She sings the song with heartfelt interpretation. Every listener can feel the feelings she wants to convey to them, accompanied by her perfect piano skills. Oh Seunghee is definitely one of the most promising students of that year level. It's become very clear to them now. And Jeonghan can't be any more proud. If he can only tell world how he loves this girl now, but that announcement can wait.

Jeonghan's turn comes too quickly after the series of song numbers from his classmates. Jisoo and Sorn have performed well and Seungcheol did his rap quite smoothly. And so he begins his part.

"jechokhajin marayo amu maldo junbi mot-hetjyo
geude gateun sarangeun choeumira pyohyoni jom sotun gojyo
nado geude motji anke jogeuphan-gol geude majo nochyo borilkka bwa
hajiman sodulji aneulleyo geuderamyon gidaril su itjyo
That's more than a word feel my love
mallon modu dameul su opjyo
saranghandaneun geu mallo desin hagin siro
There are so many feelings inside of me
That's more than a word feel my love
geujo mameuro manjyobwayo
yongwonirado geude wa hamkke itgopeun nal (yongwontorok geude wa)"

Jeonghan is looking straight at Seunghee. It makes her feel self-conscious somehow. Is he singing to me? But the song is... no, it can't be. He's just trying to let me hear this song. She brushes all her confusions away and concentrates on critically judging the song.

Jeonghan smiles at her reluctance to accept the fact that he's really singing to her. It's written all over her face. Just what is wrong with this girl? Can't she figure it out by now? He sighs inside and continues to finish his song.

"Than a word feel my love
geujo mameuro manjyobwayo
yongwonirado geude wa hamkke itgopeun nal (yongwontorok geude wa)
idero geude wa hamkke itgopeun nal"

After the song, the class gives Jeonghan an applause worth a stadium. He's really a hit. Everyone loves his composition. They were all ears on him from beginning to end.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

"That was really good. Congratulations," Seunghee tells Jeonghan while they are walking home together. Their friends have gone out of their ways too to their own homes.

"Your song is perfect though. Prof graded it as A+. No one gets any higher than that," he replies.

"It's luck. I haven't really been on the mood lately. But thank goodness that song came out of me."

"Luck is not a plus when talking about talents. It's pure talent Seunghee-shi."

"Ah, stop embarrassing me. But I love your song. It's nice."

"Thanks for that."

They are infront of their doors now, awaiting one another to get inside.

"I'll give you a knock later. For the pie."

"Yeah. Sure."

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Seunghee hurries inside her apartment. She scrams here and there to tidy up her living room. Throwing away unnecessary things on her couch, music space and dining area. She's a neat freak and her room is neat enough but it still seems lacking for her. There is not a clean place clean enough for her. She's distressing on what's wrong when she hears her doorbell.

She sighs and lets it go. Maybe she's just being paranoid. She opens her door welcoming Jeonghan with a smile.

"Come in!" she says.

Jeonghan with a container on his hands enter the room right away. "Hope you like this."

"From the smell of it, I bet I will."

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Jeonghan and Seunghee settle at the dining area for the desert. While eating it, he's silently observing her place. Trying to find something interesting.

"Checking out my place?" she asks noticing him glancing around.

"Ah, sorry for being rude," he says.

"It's okay."

"The piano is new."

"Yeah, I just bought it when I got this room. It's a hassle to bring the piano at home so I got one."

"You okay alone here?"

"Yeah, I'm getting used to it."

"Don't you hear some things at night? Like eerie stuffs or creaking sounds?"

"Are you trying to scare me?"

Jeonghan laughs at her. "Just trying to make you laugh."

"Well, it's not funny."

She rolls her eyes at him and he apologizes again.

"Sorry. You don't seem scared of these stuffs like how I remember in middle school. You were the only girl who didn't scream when we watched a horror film."

"You recall a lot of things. That movie just didn't scare me cuz I already saw it."

"So that's why! I thought you were fierce back then. Well, just not infront of a bug."

The mention of a bug makes her cringe. Unexpectedly, something gets her attention. A small dark thing is stuck at the kitchen. And Seunghee's eyes widen when she finds out what the black thing really is. Jeonghan notices her and wonders.

"What's the problem?"

"There's a bug at the sink!!!" Seunghee screams.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

To be continued...

(16.01.25)