'Hello?' He repeated, when he couldn't hear anyone from the other end. 

He found the number familiar when it lit up on his phone, but couldn't remember immediately where it came from. 

Until a name popped up in his mind. 

'Are you okay?' He asked, starting to get worried as he found himself grabbing his sweater off the chair. 

Silence. 

'Are you there?' 

'Bingsu.' It really is her. 'Can sunbae- ... I'm sorry for calling. I'm really sorry.' 

And the line went dead.

Are you insane?? It's 10.30pm and not only are you calling someone whom you don't know, and you're asking him to come out?

Sunbae answered the phone. He doesn't know anything. Leo was the one who started it! 

Why did you even follow him in the first place, you could have just ignored him and then you would just stay as strangers!

What were you even thinki-

You looked down at the phone in your hands as it rang again. W-Why is he calling back?

'H-Hello?'

'We can meet at the cafe in 20 minutes if you want.' 

'I-It's okay, you don't have to-'

'See you.'

You bit onto your lips as you fiddled with your phone. Now what do I do?

There weren't much people in the cafe at such an ungodly hour to begin with, seeing that the next day was any other weekday, which meant that people had to turn in early to prepare for school and work. 

And you just had to drag him out of his house when he probably was about to sleep. 

It was easy to spot him with his tall frame, as he sat at the table by the corner, staring at his hands without any expression visible on his face. 

Only when you sat down, did he lift his head to look at you.

'You really didn't have to-'

'Are you okay?' That was when you realized. Every single time he spoke to you. It started with that question. 

'Sunbae, do you want to get anything?' 

'Latte.'

He knew that something was wrong the moment you called him. And when you appeared with your face looking so down. And when you didn't answer his question. Why would you call him, when you had Hakyeon around. And the latter would definitely have not agreed to you going out to meet him. 

If the above mentioned wasn't enough to persuade him that you weren't well, he became certain when he saw you heading back to the table with a huge bowl of bingsu and a mug on the tray. 

The both of you remained silent as you dug into your bingsu, not before placing a spoon before him, in case he would want to have some, but you doubted it. 

She'll fall sick if she eats this now. And the weather isn't exactly towards the warm side. 

But he didn't know what to say to you either, or the things to say to make you feel better. 

'You're not okay.'

He watched as you still did not look up at him, as you continuously shoved the shaved ice into your mouth. 

'Yoon Jieun?'

No response. 

'Jieun-ah.' You finally stopped when he held onto your hand gently, taking the spoon out of your grip. But your eyes remained fixated on the table as you did not dare to look up at the person before you. You knew that you probably should explain to him, or at least say something, having asked him out when he didn't even know you. Moreover, the conversation you had just the previous day wasn't with him. 

'I had a bad day in school.' You mumbled, watching the bits of ice melt. 'The teacher asked why my results plummeted again.' 

He had a feeling this wasn't the first time. 

'I'm dumb.'

'No you're not.'

'She said to stop wasting time with the band when I'm not even permanent, and that I should just spend the time studying. But I did study. I studied a lot. I even missed some practices to study.'

'But you do a great job at it. When Minhwan isn't there.' 

You finally looked up at him. He watched me before?

'It'll worsen if you get stressed out. Both your studies and your playing.'

One thing in common with the both of them. You couldn't read their faces. But then, you never saw Taekwoon smiling. 

'You'll fall sick if you finish that now.' He said as he pushed his cup towards you, shifting the bowl towards the side. 

'I'll fall sick if I take something cold and hot at the same time.' You smiled when you saw him frowning at you.

'Drink.'

'You really didn't have to walk me back.' But as expected, he simply remained silent as he stared at you. 'Sunbae, I'm really sorry to keep you up until so late.' Who were you even kidding. It was already past 12. If he was going to fall asleep during lessons the next day, it was going to be your fault. And you didn't like to burden others.

Yet you still always do. 

'It's okay.'

'I'll see you around then?'

He gave a slight nod, but did not turn away. 'Don't get too cooped up over what others say.'

'Mm.'

You thought that was it, but he still stood rooted before you, before glancing at his watch, and looking up at you. 'Yoon Jieun. Happy birthday.'

And with that, he left. 

He wanted to ask you how you got his number. And where was Hakyeon that you called him. But it wasn't the right time. 

He thought back to the note he found the other day alond with your phone in his drawer.

It's him, isn't it? He's not actually trying to do something to her right? 

Taekwoon lifted his sleeves as he looked at the fading wounds. 

Only then did he realize that that wasn't any new ones for quite some time already. Even though he knew that Leo came out. 

Great job. Now how are you going to face sunbae? He must be thinking what's wrong with you, a girl whom he doesn't even know, calling him out in the middle of the night. You're supposed to tell this to Hakyeon oppa! Not some dude whom you don't even know much about!

What were you even thinking? So what if it wasn't Taekwoon, but Leo? Why did you even?

You didn't realize how tired you were, until you were under your sheets, all ready to sleep. 

But how did he know that it's my birthday?

And how did he get those cuts on his hands?

A thump on the ground woke him up, and in his half awake state, he found his hand hanging of the bed with his phone on the ground.

Unlocking his phone, he was faced with the exact same conversation from the night before, without a reply from you. 

22:45 Jiji, are you still awake? 

22:53 Do you want to go grab some snacks with me? 

Maybe she was already asleep. Of course she was. It was already so late. 

His ringtone broke his train of thoughts, but it wasn't who he wanted it to be. 

'Mm?'

'Are we going with Plan A today?'

'Don't. Something bad happened yesterday.'

'Oh, then we'll just do a small surprise then.'

'Yeah.'

'Luckily I called you, or else she'll never forgive us. By the way, Seunghyun said that he saw Jieun last night.'

'Last night?'

'At about 11? At some cafe opposite school eating bingsu. You were at home right?'

'Yeah?'

'That means it isn't her then. Why would she be out and eating that at such a horrendous timing?'

But that sounds exactly like what she would do. 'Was that person alone?'

'I'm not sure. But since you were at home, that means it wasn't Jieun right?'

'Um yeah. Of course.'

Everyone around you treated you as a princess that day, getting your lunch for you, and the members even prepared a cake and decorated the practice studio with balloons. 

Which was a total change from their original plan, which was to make you cry by faking an argument among themselves. And to think about it, how dumb must it have been.

And Hakyeon followed you everywhere, taking your gifts for you, and mentally noting if any of the names signed off were familiar.

He was itching to ask you where you were the previous night, but he went against it.

Moreover, if you didn't reply his messages, you were probably asleep. Which meant that you were at home. Or so he thought. 

'Jiji.'

'Hmm?'

'Do you want to go get bingsu?' You turned to him as he placed down your things by your table, as you hung your bag by your chair. 

'Bingsu?'

'It's been some time since we've gotten it, right? I thought you like it a lot?'

'Can we get something else today instead?' 

And that was enough to make him doubt himself. Before he quickly shook of the thought. She's probably in a mood for other food today. You don't have to think too much about it. 

Looking at your timetable, it was one of your breaks which didn't coincide with Hakyeon or Seyoung, and you had to spend it alone again. 

You were about to head to the library, like what you did usually, but a place popped up in your mind instead, and you soon found yourself walking in the opposite direction.

It's the correct way right? What if I lose my way? 

What if some teacher asks me what I'm doing around here?

But when you successfully found your way to the bench, without bumping into a single person, you settled down happily, relieved. 

Unexpectedly, it was a good spot for studying. It was silent, sheltered, and there was just the right amount of wind. The tranquility that you needed. 

And you were shocked out of your wits when you looked up to find someone seated opposite you, staring at you.

'H-How long have you been here?'

'20 minutes.'

And I didn't notice a single thing?

'Continue doing your work. I don't want to disturb you.' 

You eyed him strangely as he took another bite from his sandwich, before turning back to your assignments. 

But you didn't manage to write another word until you looked up at him again. 

'Thank you.' 

'For?' 

'The sticks, wasn't it you?' 

The pair of sticks that you found in your locker was the only thing that you received that day which didn't have any name signed off, just a simple 'Yoon Jieun, Happy Birthday.' And the only person that you could think of was the person before you. Plus, the fact that it was found in your locker seemed like something he would do, with your phone and notebook taken by him the previous times. 

'No?'

'Really?' You asked, as you took it out from your bag and showed it to him, but Leo just looked at it strangely.

'It was your birthday? When?'

[A/N] Update! I feel like I skipped a lot of parts in this chapter though urghhh Dx

This chapter is kind of rushed and shorter, but I hope that it is still okay nonetheless! I'll try to look through and edit it soon 'cos I really feel as though this chapter was quite empty, (and might be kinda disappointing) and I was trying to update this asap hehehe. I'll try to make the following updates better!

And as usual, thank you so much for all the comments and subscribes!! (and even upvotes omg <3)

Thank you!

<3