His schedule was quite non-existent these days, after all, they just finished the last performance for their latest comeback. It was the long awaited rest, the ever needed sleep, the breather, he’s finally at peace.

Or so he thought. The day somehow seemed longer, oh so much longer than usual.

With nothing else to do, the youngsters asked, “Hyung, you wanna go somewhere? The mall? Anywhere? Anywhere at all?”. “ I don’t think he’s in the mood but I sure am.”, Mark replied for the miraculously unruly Jackson.

Just like that, he was left alone in the dorm, left to think, to really contemplate about his thoughts. Lying on the couch, flat on his back with his arms behind his head, he stared at the ceiling absently. Right there and then he saw the protagonist of his inmost thoughts, the main lead, the only character, the girl who kept him awake for the past few nights, OG, HEO YOUNG JI. He kept seeing her nowadays, at least, in his imagination.

It hit him, it him hard like someone threw a brick at his face. He’s been missing her so much. 

With their comebacks wrapped, meeting her was pretty much out of the question. It’s not like they don’t text, they do, as evidenced by his and her giggling every so often everytime they check their hand phones. They call each other too, Mark would testify anytime, albeit rather groggily being unable to sleep because of their late night bickering (JS: Is it so hard to wear proper clothes? How can you perform like that? YJ: What’s it to you? You nag worse than my mom. JS: YAH.).

“Arggghhhhhhhh”, he let out an inaudible roar. This keeping the distance sh*t of hers is something he regretted agreeing to. It’s been like two days and he’s worrying like a super protective grandma. The last thing she said is still etched on his mind, “The next time we’ll meet should be by a coincidence, if ever we’ll meet.” she paused, smile, then continued, “Anyway two weeks isn’t too long, right?”. She tapped his shoulder as she said goodbye, .

“It is. It so is. Two weeks?”Jackson answered belatedly, angrily. He closed his eyes and tried to contain the frustration, failing miserably in the process. He ruffled his hair and stood up. “TWO WEEKS? IT’S BEEN LIKE WHAT? TWO DAYS? AND I FEEL LIKE I’M LOSING MY MIND. I FEEL LIKE PULLING OFF SOME CRAZY STUNT JUST TO SEE YOU. TWO WEEKS? IM SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN ALL THIS EMOTIONS FOR TWO WEEKS? HAHAHA HA HA HA.” He laughed like a deranged madman, and then sat back down deflated. “I shouldn’t call, right?” The whining kid tried to reach his phone with his right hand, but his left hand stopped him (or was that his pride). With an air of finality he declared, “Aisshhh I really need air.”

Jackson took a bath that was nearer to a shower than an actual bath. Put on a black sweatshirt, black jaggerpants, and ofcourse, a black cap to match the hip-hop funeral look. After brushing his teeth he set out, with a teeny tiny voice in his head wishing for THE Coincidence.

He already had a destination in mind. With crossed fingers and a thumping heart, he entered the supermarket, not to buy anything but to retrace her steps, to at least try and relive their memories.

“What was I thinking?  Why would she be here?” The rapper breathed a disappointed sigh. The road they trudged, the pedestrian lane where that girl walked oddly (only stepping on the white lines), he went there too, with no luck of seeing even a glimpse of Kara’s maknae.  His eyes darted toward a familiar looking convenience store, “Oh, isn’t that were she bought cheese?”. He entered and bought cheese, the same kind she did, hid them in the pocket of his winter coat, the same way she did. But very unlike her, without a single skip in his step or a joyful smile in his face, he walked towards the patbingsoo shop slowly and timidly and opened the door carefully while assessing his self, Wahh jinjja, Since when did I become so pitiful, so desperate?.

His eyes open wide, the fencer gaped. He stared at her the same way she stared at him, both of them in shock, not knowing exactly what to say or do. Heo Youngji laughed her infamous silent laugh while Jackson tried to slap himself awake, seemingly unable to believe that somehow THE Coincidence actually happened; glad, happy, words in the dictionary aren’t enough to express the warmth that has presided over him.

Finally, he gathered his thoughts enough to be able to sit down, still unable to take his gaze off of that girl. “Wow.”, he uttered as he took her in bit by bit. Her ponytail, her bare face, the shirt she’s wearing (Really, this girl, who wears thin clothes on winter?, she’ll catch a cold at this rate.), the fact that she’s not wearing heels (thankfully), the fact that she’s so radiant, and pliant and so so warm (and hot at the same time). The fact that she’s so natural and un-idol-like. The fact that she seemed like the Youngji he knows, simple, kind , beautiful without trying to. The fact that she’s actually here in front of him, smiling and as perplexed as he is with the situation. She really is wonderful, he thought.

“Wow? Hmm. That’s quite elaborate.” She chuckled, replying sarcastically. The waiter served the patbingsoo and Jackson lost the timing to retort. Instead, he took out the cheese and slid it towards Youngji. They both realized how absurd the situation is, and how weird (and perfectly amazing) the reversal of their roles is.

“My peace offering…” Jackson spoke first.

“But…We didn’t fight, did we?” They kept on pausing while talking, perhaps, anxiously trying to test the water.

“Then…” He hid the cheese and presented it again as if nothing happened. His tone serious, his eyes staring directly into hers, “The price I have to pay”.

“For what?”

“Well,” he paused contemplating, “The no-dating clause is self-imposed so… this is for breaking that no-good keeping the distance agreement of yours.”

The rapper took her hand in his, totally satisfied; he whispered “how pretty”, more to himself than to the blushing (and frozen) girl in front of him.

With one tug, his lips are on hers, with his right arm supporting her back and at the same time keeping her close. She didn’t kiss him back immediately but the moment she did the thorns in Jackson’s heart were all forgotten, the worries gone, the uncertainties washed away. This is his cloud nine, this is nirvana, he’s sure because if this isn’t it, if it isn’t being with Youngji then what else is there? There is none, he’s doubtless.

A/N: it's not really done yet. i'll probably edit this or add another chapter, only if anyone would want to read it and if time permits me.