“I----,” She stuttered, trying to find a right word, “I don’t know.” She said that as she examined Daehwi’s expression.

“Let me make it clear,” Woojin went towards the girl and put her into his embrace.

Aeri stunned with his action and let him hug her even if she knows this is wrong. But she could feel that her heart beat so fast right now; faster than when she tried to roller coaster for the first time.

Daehwi on the other side bit his lips and both of his hands closed into fist; seems like he’s going to punch Woojin right in the face anytime soon.

But before Daehwi could ever do anything, Aeri who realized that the guy she hates the most once, was hugging her without her permission, Aeri quickly pushed him away.

“Yah, Park Woojin! Lee Daehwi! Do I look that easy to both of you?” She said and rushed into her house.

Those two boys must be crazy. Am I a doll? How can they simply do that to me?

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

“You’re home.” Her mum greeted her when she saw her only daughter at the door. “Why do you look so pale?” She asked.

Aeri looked at her mum and formed a smile, “It’s nothing. I’m tired, I want to rest.” Aeri slowly make her way upstairs; one step and another one step. She feels really weak at the moment. Too many things happened in one day.

While she was deep in her own thought, she bumped into someone which automatically caused a sigh came out from .

“Oh, you’re home?” She just simply nodded; didn’t make an effort to look at the face who has been talking to her. “Are you okay?” The boy asked when there’s no respond from her. It’s so hard to see her in this state though. He thought.

“Yeah,” Aeri nodded again but this time she managed to pass a smile to her older brother, Jung Henry.

“You’re tired right? Go and take a rest,” He slowly patted his sister’s shoulders after seeing how bad her expression at the moment.

When she was about to twist the knob, her brother asked something that she never want to answer, “Do you see Daehwi when you’re on the way home? He was alone waiting for you at the playground.”

Aeri ignored Henry’s question and entered her room without answering it. She didn’t want to talk about him now. Daehwi is giving her a major headache now.

“She must be really stressed,” Henry shook his head.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

Today has been so long for her. Her brain couldn’t handle it anymore; neither her body. She is too weak to think about anything right now. She then slammed her body onto her bed and put her left hand on her forehead and the other on her stomach. She sighed.

First, Daehwi suddenly come to her house and said that he wanted to walk together to school. And then, she needs to be pair up with the guy she hates the most in the universe for an assignment; but the plot twist she dropped the hates after spending 3 ing hours with him. Lastly, the cute guy she met at the roof. She didn’t know why but she feels bad that she ditched the boy.

But wait, there’s something really weird about Park Woojin. He has been weird for the whole day. He never talks to her before but then he acted friendly like they have known each better for more than 10 years???

And she couldn’t lie that the boy managed to shook her heart a little bit. Wait, don’t tell me that I like him? Ew. That’s a total no???

Okay, let’s move on.

She took out her notebook that consist the ideas of their discussion just now. She flipped page by page and sometimes frowned to see a bad handwriting on her book; thinking that it’s probably Woojin’s. That’s when she saw something odd on particular page.

A heart?

She knows she would never do this. The thing that she hates the most is to have this kind of doodle on her notebook. So, the last time she has ever brought this journal out would be when she was with Woojin.

No way. Woojin wouldn’t do this, right? Would he? But why?

Talking about Woojin, he is weird today. Totally not being himself. He looked like a new person to Aeri. Park Woojin she knows isn’t today’s Park Woojin. Or it’s just she never really bother to know the boy so she felt he acted different today when he’s just the same.

And why I am thinking about him? Seriously? Jung Aeri? Don’t tell me that you fall for him. God.

“Whatever, you’re not going to get your work done if you keep thinking about him,” She grabbed her pencil and started to do her work.

Tomorrow is not for me, I guess.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

“There’s someone waiting for you,” Her mum shouted from downstairs.

“Okay, mum,” Aeri shouted; packing things into her bag.

It looks like Daehwi is here. She thought. And it looks like he was cool about yesterday. He wouldn’t be here if he’s still mad over yesterday’s issue right?

She smiled; trying to fill in her brain with some positive thought.

She was focusing on the stairs when she went downstairs that she didn’t see who was waiting for her, “Daehwi, I thought you’re mad…” She lifted up her head and it’s not Daehwi that she saw…

She gulped, “Woojin,” Her eyes widened, “What are you doing here? How did you---“ She was about to ask him how did he knows her house but then she remembered that yesterday wasn’t a dream

It’s real. She choked at the thought of Woojin actually hugged her yesterday, and again, her heart beat faster than usual. Her eyes was wandering around; trying so hard not to take a glance towards the boy who was standing at the door, waiting for her.

Woojin looked at her with a smile pasted on his face. You gotta be kidding right, boy?

“We need to go to school, Jung Aeri.” He said when he noticed the weird expression that was given by the girl.

Aeri slowly nodded and finally make a move.

They’re walking with each other by their side. At some moment, their hands will brush that making Aeri blush and put her hand together then make sure that there’s at least space between them.

Woojin cleared his throat before initiate the conversation, “About yesterday,” He couldn’t even continue his words but Aeri has both of her hands on her ears; showing that she refused to hear the next words.

He shook his head and smiled, “Cute,” He muttered under his breath.

“I’m serious when I hugged you yesterday. Just know that I never regret in doing that. I was really serious yesterday.” He knows Aeri will eventually hear it even if she closed her ears.

Aeri gulped. She heard that well. She really heard it; every single word that has been said by Woojin. She slowly turned her face towards Woojin who was walking beside her and brought her hands down. Her face right now totally saying, “What the are you talking about?”

She fastened her pace; leaving Woojin behind. Her brain isn’t going to work so hard in the early of morning. She sighed. Why are you making my life harder? I just want a peaceful life.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

On the other side, Daehwi is walking with his best friend, Bae Jinyoung but on the opposite direction. That’s why it’s hard for Aeri and him to go to school together. He moved last year so their house quite far; unlike before that they’re actually neighbor.

He made a lot of effort yesterday though. He sighed.

“Isn’t that Aeri and Woojin?” Jinyoung pointed out to a couple that was trying to cross the road right now.

Daehwi had his eyes fixed on the girl. Her expression doesn’t look good. He thought but then shoves it away. It has nothing to do with me. He assured himself.

“I thought you said that Aeri hates Woojin?” Jinyoung frowned as he said that.

Daehwi sighed, and gave the look, “You will never understand me,” to his friend.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

Aeri saw Daehwi was walking with Bae Jinyoung and automatically, she smiled. She decided to wave her hand high up in the air when she saw Daehwi’s eyes on her but he just rolled his eyes and ignore her.

She sighed. He was really mad about yesterday. She thought.

Aeri walked to her class with no smile on her face. All of these things totally make her lost interest in everything; include study. She used to be the most cheerful person in class and she never thought that it could change overnight just because of petty problems.

She sat on her seat and quickly put her head on the table and sighed. She will never ever get tired of sighing as it’s the only way for her to get those problems out of her mind; even if it is usually fail.

Suddenly she could feel someone was pulling the chair beside her and sit on it. Maybe it’s her deskmate, Park Jihoon. She thought. She didn’t even bother to lift her head up and look at him.

“Jihoon-ah, don’t talk to me for the whole day,” She gave a warning to him. Jihoon could be really mischievous sometimes and she thinks that she didn’t want to see it, only for today.

“Jihoon? I don’t see Jihoon here.” The boy answered.

Aeri gulped as soon as she heard the voice. How can she not recognize the voice that obviously has some Busan satoori left in his words? She slowly lifted her head up and looked at him.

Seriously?

“Are you okay, Aeri?” He concernedly asked when he saw her face.

Aeri sighed, “Just don’t talk to me, Woojin.” She said but more to whisper, Woojin almost couldn’t catch that.

“How can I ignore a cute girl like you? Especially when you’re not in a good mood?” He said, in hope that it could make her feel better but obviously it won’t.

She stared Woojin with blank expression. She’s totally being heartless right now. Everything could be say only by her face, no words needed to describe it.

She rolled her eyes, “You know that you’re being hella annoying at the moment right?” She stood up and leave the class.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

She walked around the school without any destination to go. She knows she shouldn’t be anywhere around the school right now other than in the class but she just feel like that she needs some fresh air. It’s not easy for her to handle Woojin especially when he changed his attitude towards her overnight.

And… it’s not easy when that change of him managed to shook her heart even a little bit.

She saw Daehwi for the 2^nd time today. When she was about to say hi to him, someone was running towards Daehwi. That… That’s… It’s her…

“Yah, who are you to care about that?” She muttered, alone; even if her heart aches for a moment.

She continued walking and without she realized, she’s already at her favourite place. The one and only rooftop. She was really contemplating on twisting the door knob. She really hopes that Donghyun would be here so it could make her feel better to see the boy’s smile. But she also didn’t want him to be there as she thought that he will make things even harder for her.

She was actually confused with herself. She didn’t know what she wants. She didn’t know who she likes. She didn’t even know what her heart trying to say. She’s hopeless.

She ended up opened the door and as expected, there’s no Donghyun for today. Well, he must be in class, what does she expect? However, somehow she feels glad that he wasn’t there. She could be alone at the very least.

She looked at the bench and smiled. She could remember clearly how yesterday she told everything to Donghyun about how she hates Woojin and today, she wished that she could tell Donghyun that she didn’t hate him anymore. He must be laughing at me if I ever told him that.

She took a sit and sighed. She swung her leg to the front and back; and sometimes she hummed to an unknown song. While her legs doing her jobs, and humming to sound; her mind wandered somewhere else.

There’s something has been in her mind since yesterday. That moment when Woojin said that he has always wanted to get close with her, he looks sincere in her eyes. He looks like he really wanted to be her friend. He is really… great in making chaos in someone’s heart.

As she was tired sitting on the bench, she stood up and went to the edge of the building. Wow, it’s so refreshing here. She expands her hand and put her feet on the fence. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. She never feels this free before. She feels like she could do anything here.

When she was about to scream, someone snapped her hand and pull her down.

“Yah, are you crazy?” He shouted, “Even if you’re stressed, you shouldn’t kill yourself.”

Again. She sighed. It’s him again.

She gave a death glare to the boy. “What the are you talking about? Do you think I want to have a suicide?” She really feels frustrated right now.

“You—“ He stuttered, “You’re not?”

“Am I stupid?” She rolled her eyes, “Just please stop talking to me Woojin. You’re really getting on my nerves.”

“Yah, it’s… it’s not like I want to be busybody or what,” He paused; hesitated to continue his word. “It’s just that, uh,”

“Just what?” She screamed right in his face.

“It’s because I like you stupid!” He said and quickly cupped his mouth. He didn’t say that. He didn’t say anything just now. He didn’t. . He did it.

He was really shaking at the moment. He is just ing confess to the girl and in the worst way ever he could do it. He turned his body around, trying to find a chance to run away. He walked away from the girl.

“Are you seriously going to leave me alone? After you drive my heart like crazy?” He kept walking, “Yah, Park Woojin!!!”

He startled when the girl shouted her full name. He stopped himself. He just wanted to hear more. Just keep talking, Jung Aeri. Keep talking.

“I don’t even know what the hell is wrong with me. I used to hate you the most in the world but how can that change overnight? How can I doesn’t have any hate left on you? I hate myself that I can’t afford to hate you now.” She hoped that the boy would turn around and looked at her with smile but he still stood there like a mannequin. “Fine. I am not going to say anything anymore.”

Woojin quickly make himself faced the girl as soon as she said that. He looked at her with a nervous expression. He didn’t know how to react with everything. He didn’t know how to accept the fact that he actually confessed to the girl. He actually confessed. For real.

“I----“ She stuttered, “I hate to admit this, but I like you too.” She muttered under her breath; wished that Woojin could hear that but the distance between them didn’t allow it to happen.

Woojin could feel that Aeri was saying something but he couldn’t get it, “What did you say?”

Aeri gave a glare to Woojin. Did he expect for me to repeat that ing embarrassing word? She looked at the boy for quite long till he felt awkward with the stare given by the girl. He thought that the girl really hates him by now before, “I like you too, Park Woojin!”

She said that. Jung Aeri just said that she likes Park Woojin. She just said that.

Woojin giggled. He found it funny how the girl could say it in abruptly way.

“Yah,” She blushed; trying to avoid the stare given by Woojin. Why he must looks so cute now with that smile and that snaggletooth?

I. Am. Not. Going. To. Look. At. Him. I. Am. Not Going. Okay, I give up…

“So, today is day-1?” Woojin raised his eyebrows and smirked.

Aeri shrugged, “Do whatever you want to do.”

Both of them smiled at each other and wished that time would stop so that they could enjoy the moment a little bit more but no.

Ringggggggg.

The bells rang.

Oh .

“You’re not going to skip another class right?” Woojin asked.

Aeri rolled her eyes and walked towards the boy. It’s the only way to go back to the class though. She couldn’t choose any other way.

“Well, say someone who always skip class.” I stick out my tongue to him while walking beside him.

And that’s when he grabbed her hand.