“Should I send it?” Aeri contemplated over her message draft.

Annyeonggg ^-^ How was school? Did I miss anything?  Aeri read it over and over again.

“Aeri! Dinner!” Woohyun called.

“Coming!” She yelled still looking at the phone in her hand.

“Aeri. Dinner.” L knocked and stood at the entrance of her room. 

"Aeri?" He called again when she didn't respond.

"Huh? I'll be there in a second." She quickly pressed the send button.

“I got a call from your teacher…” Woohyun said as she sat down at the table.

“What did you do this time?” L teased.

“Nothing! I swear!” Aeri defended. “At least I don’t think so…” She bit on her chopstick.

“You don’t think so?” Woohyun raised his eyebrow.

Aeri thought back to the incident with Yena.

The teacher had mentioned that he’d call her guardian, but she didn’t think he’d actually do it.

With Yena at school, she could never have a day of peace at school. 

“We’re just playing with you. Your class is going on a field trip tomorrow and you teacher insists that you attend.” Woohyun said.

“Thank goodness.” Aeri said under her breath.

“What was that?” L asked.

“Oh…A field trip? That’s random.” Aeri reached for some meat.

“I think he said it was for biology?”

“Oh right, he mentioned it a few weeks ago.” Aeri remembered.

“You better wear something warm. I don’t want you to get sick...again.” L warned.

“Okay.” Aeri said. 

“And pack your bag before you go to bed.” L continued.

“Okay.." She said again. 

“You’ll need a first aid kit, bug repellent, heat packs, an umbrella…I’ll pack your bag with you after dinner. I don’t trust you doing it alone.” L finished.

“Okay a-ppa.” She said with a straight face.

“She just called you appa.” Woohyun choked on his food and burst out laughing.

“O-ppa.” L said in a stern voice.

“A-ppa.” She stuck out her tongue.

~

Hoya got out of the shower and walked straight towards his bed.

“I wonder how she’s doing.” He grabbed his phone.

He opened up his contact list and clicked on Aeri’s name, debating whether or not he should call her.

Hoya felt guilty for breaking his promise but after what happened with Hyunsik, he couldn’t get himself to go back to her apartment.

The fight between him and Hyunsik, made Hoya realize how much their friendship meant to him.

He had lost Dongwoo and he couldn’t afford to lose Hyunsik, not for a girl.

Even if that girl was Aeri.

“Lee Howon. You can’t do this. You can’t give up friendship for a girl. You were fine before she came into your life so you’ll be fine without her. Just pretend she doesn’t exist. Ignore her presence…at least until everything settles down.” He said to himself.

As he put down his phone, the screen .

One new message.

It was from Aeri.

Annyeonggg ^-^ How was school? Did I miss anything?  

He smiled at the message.