After the meal, Jongin sees me off, and waits until the taxi arrives.

               "Thanks so much for today." I say as I open the car door.

               "Yeah." he answers shortly. "Let me know when you reach home."

               "Alright." I say rather reluctantly.

               "You're last seen with me, I'll be a main suspect if something happens."

               I roll my eyes. "Okay, I get it."

               I can see Jongin smirking for a second. "Go safely, Sir." he says to the driver. The car starts moving, and I lean back with a sigh. It's still hurting, but now much more tolerable because of everything Jongin did.

               Some time after I arrive home, I stare at my phone for a few seconds. Should I text Jongin? Maybe I should. I decide to send a short one, going with "I'm home."

               Not long after a reply comes, but I ignore it until I finish unpacking. He texted back something just as short.

Don't die.

               I chuckle, and throw my phone to the bed. He's funny.

*

               I continue texting with Woong the senior until school break ends, and when the semester starts we sometimes meet up for meals. Yesterday he waited until my class ended just to walk me to the bus stop. Despite my state of being fluttery, Sehee doesn’t look as excited.

               “Ah, that returning student? During school break I happened to hang out with him, and he just gave me a bad impression.” Sehee folds her arms one day before class. “He curses, and talks smack of other people.”

               “He never curses when he’s with me though.”

               “Of course.” she scoffs. “I don’t know, Dana, I just feel somehow icky about him.”

               “Who else was there? Maybe they were his close friends, comfortable with each other.”

               “Most of us met him for the first time. I mean, I know we’re his juniors, but still.” she shrugs. “Oh, what about Kim Jongin?”

               The crease on my forehead goes deeper. “What does it have to do with him?”

               “A few days ago, we met at admin, right? And… I don’t know, I just could sense something between you two.”

               My lips part. “What ‘something’? We just nodded to each other.”

               “I heard he asked something about your health! Did something happen again?”

               Right. Jongin and his untimely question… Sehee caught that. I don’t really update anything to Sehee about Jongin, so she basically knows nothing about all that happened since ski resort. “We - no, we’re fine. Haven’t I told you? We’re good now, I’ve apologized. Why are you suddenly asking about him?”

               “Oh, you did? When? Is it that time when you visited him with Soonyoung?”

               “Yeah.” I lied. “Then nothing. Just the night classes, and done.”

               “Seriously, I prefer him much better over that senior for you.”

               “Please, it will not happen. Go for him if you want.”

               “Can I?” Sehee’s eyes twinkle. “Nah, he’s hot but he looks indifferent. I think he’s totally not affectionate, no empathy.”

               “That’s not true.” that comes out from me without thinking. Sehee looks surprised. “I mean - he’s - he’s so-so. Just okay.”

               “Anyway, what are you doing after class?”

               “I’m going to visit my grandfather.”

               “How is he now?”

               “He’s fine. I think he’s going to be discharged soon.”

               I quietly exhale. Grandpa has been in the hospital for a few days because of headaches. It’s quite far from school, and I already get tired thinking of the long commute. And frankly Grandpa’s condition doesn’t look that bad, a few times a year he spends some time there because of his old age but it’s always nothing serious. Mom always forces me to visit as often as I can.

               “Hello Grandpa.” I try to put on a nice smile as I enter the hospital room. Grandpa is currently alone, munching on some fruit while watching TV. He lights up as soon as he sees me.

               “Dana!” he raises both of his hands. “It’s good to see you. Oh my, are you from school? You must be exhausted.”

               I just let out a small laugh. “Where’s Grandma?”

               “She just left with your uncle to get some stuff from home.”

               “Oh…” I awkwardly sit on the chair next to the bed. At least someone is always here when I come, now it’s a bit dry to be alone with Grandpa. “How’s your condition?”

               “I feel healthy. But the doctor won’t let me go home because of - what’s that - some kind of test result.”

               “Ah…”

               The talk discontinues, and later it’s Grandpa who asks questions first. Some time later other people came, and I found the right timing to leave. Today’s work is done.

*

               “Dana, my friends are throwing a welcome party for me tonight. Will you come?” Woong excitedly tells me during lunch a few days later.

               “Welcome party? Whoa.” I laugh. “But it’s your friends though…”

               “There will be juniors too! I invited some.” Woong convinces me. “There’ll be meat and drinks. You love meat.” Woong throws me his signature dimpled smile, and it’s hard to resist.

               “Okay.” I nod, and Woong grins widely.

               As usual, Mom sends a message to ask me to go to the hospital again at night but I answer that I have something to attend to. I will just go the next morning since it’ll be Saturday. The last time I visited, Grandpa looked better and the doctor gave hints of him coming home soon so I’m not worried.

               At night, I come to the restaurant with Woong and the others are already waiting. They shout out cheers when we arrive, and I shyly just tail behind Woong. Everyone leads us to the center seats. There are more or less ten other people, and most of them are guys.

               “What is this, he just got back and this brat already got a girlfriend!” someone sneers. The others laugh, and Woong stiffly turns to me.

               “No, no, we’re not. Yet.”

               “But soon, right?”

               They explode with cheers again, and I can feel my face redden. Woong offers me a glass of water, and fans me with his hands. The night goes on without one second of silence, and I notice my phone is running low on battery. I come to the counter to charge it, and leave it with the cashier. While I’m on it, I decide to stop by the toilet as well.

               The small toilet is located just next to the back alley of the restaurant and I can hear people talking through the ventilation. I can even smell cigarettes from here.

               “Hey, did you see the girl Woong brought?”

               I was about to go back, but I guess I’ll stay for a while. Sounds like Woong's friends.

               “Joo something? She’s okay.”

               “Quite different from the type that jerk likes, right? He said he liked petite girls.”

               “He just got out of the military, he’ll take everything.” someone quickly replies, and laughter erupts.

               “Poor girl.”

               “Tomorrow aren’t you all going to Ulsan?”

               “Yeah, Woong’s driving.”

               I furrow my brows. Earlier he said he’d be staying home with his parents tomorrow. Probably his plans changed. The smell of the smoke is getting too strong, and I’m coming out from the toilet.

               I passed by the counter, and the cashier stopped me. “Miss, your phone keeps lighting up.”

               My heart sinks, as if it already knows it’s not a good sign. I rush to the counter and reach out my hand. “Please give it to me.”

               I get a grip of my phone, and turn on the screen. There’s a bunch of notifications, and the top one is tens of missed calls from my parents.