5 July 2015...

"What?!" She exclaimed with the look of dread glued on her face. "We're having Tteokbokki again today?"

"OF COURSE! Tteokbokki is life Hyejin-ah~" I skipped happily, picturing the delicious spicy ricecakes topped with the never ending cheese.

"But we've been eating together for a month and all we have eaten are tteokbokki. At this rate, I think I'm starting to turn into a circle that is able to roll around just like you..." Hyejin stopped in her tracks, pouting as though she was rebelling against her leader.

"That sounds awesome!" Pinching her cheeks, I decided to go along with her sarcasm since it was turning out to be fun. "Our cutie maknae Hyejin rolling around with me sounds like a great idea to spend time together~"

"Unnie!" The frown between her brows knitted even closer.

"알았어 , 알았어 ~ (I know, I know~)"The joke was brought to a close for I had sensed that trouble was looming ahead. Flaunting my cutesy charms, I tried to cheer my little maknae up. "What do you want to eat then? I'll eat anything as long as I'm with you~"

"Really?" Immediately, her eyes brightened up.

"Actually nope~!" I shook my head teasingly at her. Somehow I enjoyed this side of Hyejin which she seldom show infront of the other members. "Just kidding~ I'll eat anything for you my beautiful lady~ All except for anything too spicy~ My goodness, I must have been hanging out with Byul so much that I have turned into a grease ball too..."

"I like that though... Even if those instances might be gone soon enough..." Hyejin mumbled under her breath.

"Huh?" I tried my hardest to decipher those words that came from but to no avail.

"Nothing!" Frantically, Hyejin shook her head as though she had realised the slip of her tongue. "I meant that grease balls actually make a pretty good lifetime partners."

Do you perhaps have someone you occcupying your heart?

No.... You can't... Please say no....

Eh... I should be happy if Hyejin has found another...

What is happening to me?"

"Does that mean you are going to get married to someone who is greasy? Like Byul?" I know that I had to feed this curiosity within me, those words left my mouth before I even knew.

What?!

Why are you even worried about that Kim Yongsun?!

"Nah..." Hyejin paused as she brought her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were filled with an unexplainable sorrow, a sorrow that I could not find the words to describe. "I would love that someone even if they are not good at expressing their love... So long as they love me too..." 

Those eyes... Hyejin-ah, you seem to already have someone in mind...

What is this feeling within me?

Why do I feel like a thousand needles are poking at my heart?

"I'm... Hungry..." While stuttering, I broke the eye contact we shared as it was too overwhelming for me at this moment. Not wanting to draw any suspicion from her, I quickly changed the subject. "Let's go get something to eat, what do you want?"

"Oh... Erm..." Hyejin's voice reflected her shock from the sudden situation as well. "Anything other than tteokbokki sounds good..."

"Chinese food then?" Tears were starting to well up in my eyes for a reason that is oblivious to myself. I started to walk ahead in order to hide the overwhelming feelings from Hyejin."Let's go."

Seriously, what are these tears for?

Why am I even crying?

Stop.

What's wrong with you Kim Yongsun?!

During dinner...

"Unnie, did I say something wrong just now? You've been all quiet..." We were halfway through wolfing down the blackbean noodles when Hyejin decided to speak up. Yes indeed, for the past 30 minutes we have sat in silence except for that moment when we ordered our food.

Shaking my head I looked up from my food to face Hyejin. I tried my very best to flash a smile for her so that the awkwardness between us would somehow disappear. Little did I know that I do not even have to try for the moment I saw her face, I burst out in fits of laughter.

"Aigo~ My maknae is eating like a little kid!" Wiping with my bare hands, I couldn't stop laughing at how someone who is turning 21 years old in less than 3 weeks is eating like a 3 year old. "Look at your mouth covered with black bean sauce all over! Aigo~ Why is my little maknae so cute~"

"I guess the noodles were too delicious or that I'm too worried about the kid leader infront of me to eat properly." Her words were fillled with sarcasm, but somehow those words touched me at the heart.

"Then I guess the kid leader will have to keep an eye on her little child every single minute then~" With my hands cleaned from the tissues, I pushed Hyejin's forehead with my index lightly. Teasingly, I continued to play along with her. "You better not complain about the attention I put on you then!"

​I don't know why...

​But I know that with you around, I will always end up having a good time. 

​On the way home...

​​I slid my hand into hers the moment we walked out of the chinese restaurant. With our hands held together, I pulled her in the opposite direction to the bus stop as I had made a sudden decision to walk home, since our dormitory was not far from the restaurant. I had half expected her to question over where we are heading but to my surprise, she was worried over something else.

"Unnie, why are you holding my hand?" With  agape, I could see her struggling to put those words together. "It's summer so my hands are not very cold and we are not in that kind of relationship..."

​"It's summer but a mother still has to hold on to her child, am I wrong?" Smiling at her surprised expression from my sudden gesture, I interrupted her train of thoughts. The truth is I just had the urge to hold on to her, I don't know why, but it seemed as though she would leave me any moment.

"Oh..." She calmed herself down and  finally started to close.

With that, we walked along the empty sidewalk with our hands holding on tightly. Even though the route home was silent, it was definitely a mess up in my head.

Hyejin was definitely talking with someone in mind earlier...

Should I ask?

No! What are you intending to find out Kim Yongsun? It's none of your business!

Who said so? I'm the leader, I should know!

Yes, as the caring and approachable leader I have the right to ask. 

​"Hyejin-ah..." I called out for her, b