You don't really understand him. If, in the past, he confessed his hatred for you, only to now denounce his words, then what is he, exactly? What does he view you as? Who are you to him? And most of all, what does he think of you at this very moment?

You want to ask him. You want to throw away all the inhibitions that constrain your words and forget about embarrassment, humiliation, and dignity. The thing is, you're not sure if you have a right to intrude on his lack of hospitality. He's still a stranger to you, although considering how things have gone, he's a stranger you're comfortable enough to argue with. But when the  subject turns to something deeper, something that can't be touched by surface words, then you lose your mettle. You feel fine vocally challenging his views. But vocally challenging his motives? That's different.

But curiosity is a strong factor.

These conversations go on for the next few weeks. On certain days, you go to the clock shop after school and endure a tight silence that Jungwook doesn't bother to break. Last Tuesday, Daehyun helped you pay your landlady the money you owe her. It was a little sad to see your money go, money you had earned yourself, but you have to admit it's nice, too, to own a bit of responsibility. Daehyun often asks you how you are liking your job, but you always answer him with vague replies. There's only so much you can say about a long, uneventful day, and you don't want him to worry about you if you were to tell him that Jungwook quietly pesters you by glowering at you every chance he gets. You don't want to bother Daehyun with those petty things. You don't want to be a burden, and he's already done so much for you. Asking him to assist you is like confirming that you haven't learned anything and are incapable of handling things on your own. You'd rather show him, as much as you can, that you've taken his suggestions to heart.

Although it's hard to achieve that when Jungwook is unwilling to cooperate.

Every time a customer comes in, he turns on his salesman charm and assists them in any way he can. He's so helpful that he contradicts the image he always displays in front of you: a brooding young man whose opinions of you are fickle. As a result, you end up not having to do anything, and yet you still get a paycheck by the end of the week. He won't let you help a single customer, and you're left feeling as if you haven't earned your money's worth.

Maybe most people would be content to do nothing and still earn money, but you can't feel like that. Not when, just beneath his exterior, Jungwook exudes a challenging aura. He dares you to test him, to broach a topic he can't avoid, to ask the inevitable question. And yet, even after all these weeks, now turned to months, you still can't bring yourself to obey his unspoken requests.

During this time, you've received a total of four notes, including the first two you had come across. You've kept them in your backpack, right in the front pocket. In a way, you've gone back to those quotes as a reference. While you still don't completely comprehend their purpose or meaning, finding one in your locker has become a welcoming surprise. Whoever it is, is obviously trying to tell you something, something he's incapable or afraid of doing face to face And it makes you feel treasured, in a way, that someone has taken the time to compile these quotes for you, maybe in a hope that one day, you'll entirely understand their definition. They are encouraging, in their complicated make-up. And you like them. 

The third note, which you had discovered right before you had gone to work, had said: "You can always wish for what you don't have, but always respect what you do have." When you had seen this, you had been slightly insulted. Whoever writes these notes must have a low opinion of you to assume that you don't appreciate what little you have right now ... although you have to admit, you're not content. And maybe that is the intent of the mysterious writer, to convey information that will tamper with your pride. The fourth note, this quote written on a ripped off piece of notebook paper, hadn't said anything fancy. It simply said "Smile." Smile. That was it. When you had read it, you had been surprised at how short the message is. 

But when you saw it, you knew it had to be Daehyun.

It's got to be. He's the only one who constantly stresses that you should smile. He's the only one you could think of that would drop cheesy notes in your locker. Although there is one thing that doesn't match up; Daehyun has always been bold in telling you what he thinks. Perhaps he just decided to venture into a new avenue of communication. Nonetheless, you don't doubt that it's him, and armed with this assumption, you approach him after school.

"Daehyun!" you call, and he slows down his pace as you catch up to him. He steps outside, the bright sun immediately shining on his golden head. The breeze toys with a few strands of his hair, making it sway in the wind in a haphazard manner. He absently reaches over to pat his hair down. "Daehyun," you repeat, trying to gather up the courage to ask him. "I got a question."

"What's up?" He asks you as he shoves his hands into the pocket of his blazer. 

You need to confirm this. You need to. "I ... " you fish around in your backpack and, finally finding the notes, pull it out with a flourish. "Did you write these?"

He stares at the notes, and you try to watch his face for a hint, but the confusion on his features only fuels the confusion you start to feel. "What's that?"

"I ... notes," you stammer. "You wrote these, didn't you?"

He peers closely at the pieces of paper in your hand, as if they're the most complicated problem he's ever had to solve. "Where'd you get those?"

"In my locker," you say, bewildered. "Did you not write them? I thou - "

"I've never seen those before."

You nervously laugh. "What? You're not ... kidding, are you?"

He raises his brows. "No. Why?"

Why? Because ... because, you realize now, a part of you had wanted it to be Daehyun. Because that means he cares for you, more than you could have imagined. You couldn't have predicted what your actions would be if it weren't him. Right now, you just don't know what to do. You feel awkward, and a little deflated. No, not a little; a lot.

"I gotta go to work ... " you say, drifting a way. You're disappointed. If not Daehyun, then who?

"Are you alright?" Daehyun calls after you, extremely befuddled. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'm fine. I gotta go," you say, your voice not very convincing, and rush to the clock shop. In a sense, you're late. But you just need a reason to escape.

The bells tingle to chime your presence, and Jungwook doesn't bother to look up from the counter. "You're late," he comments, his attention still fixated on the book in front of him. You shrug off your backpack and are about to sit down when Jungwook asks, "What's that?"

You blink at him, disoriented. "What?"

"That," he says, staring at the notes in your hand. Oh. You had forgotten they were there.

"Nothing," you say, reaching over to shove them into your backpack, but before you can do so, Jungwook reaches over and pulls them out of your hand. "Hey!" You complain, not pleased that he's taken the liberty of grabbing them from you. You watch him and can't help but squirm as he unfolds the notes and reads them. For some reason, it feels like he's reading a diary entry of yours. It feels so ... intruding. "Give those back," you say, but you can't make a move to take them from him. He finishes reading the notes and just stares at them, as if he can't believe what he's just read. It makes you blush. Those had become a part of you. It's like he's exploiting your secrets.

"These are notes," he comments, his eyes blank and ... surprised? Why surprised?

"I know. Give them back," you say, reaching over to take them. Before your fingers can snag the notes, however, he grabs your wrist and turns to you with a dark gaze that pins you to the spot and makes your heart leap in your throat.

"You still have them."

You in a breath. "What?"

"These notes. I thought you threw them away." Happiness flickers in his eyes as he searches your face for answers. "I wrote these."