I’m climbing the stairs to attend the night class the following week with no strength on my legs. I stop, and grab the hand rail. How am I going to face Jongin today?

                Unexpectedly, there are only three students tonight. Jongin doesn’t come.

                “Do you know where Kim Jongin is, Joo Dana?” Professor Han asks before he starts the session.

                “No, Sir.” I answer.

                “Well, I’m afraid you should try to reach him because in the next class I plan to discuss each team project’s progress until now. You should write down your research findings and difficulties so far. The two of you should be present. Relay this to him, okay?”

                I swallow, and nod. Where the hell is he, anyway? Why would he miss class?

                The next day, I scan the people in the cafeteria, hoping to find Jongin. But he isn’t seen. I tap my phone screen uneasily, and turn to Sehee. “Hey… Do you know Kim Jongin’s number? Or any contact info of him?”

                Sehee frowns. “What? You don’t?”

                “Yeah, I don’t.” I massage my neck. “He wasn’t present yesterday, and Professor Han wants us both in class tonight.”

                “Hm… I’ll think of someone I know in International Studies… Oh, wait, I have a high school junior there! I’ll message him.”

                Apparently the person is on the other end of the cafeteria, and he personally comes to our table. “Sunbae! Hello! What happened?”

                The junior is a cheerful kid with small eyes, who approached us by literally hopping. “Dana, this is Kwon Soonyoung. Here, sit—“ Sehee lets Soonyoung take a seat on an empty chair next to her after he bowed to me, and he curiously looks at us. “Do you know your senior, Kim Jongin?”

                “Oh, yes, why is it?”

                “My friend here is looking for him. Is he in school now?”

                “He hasn’t been seen since yesterday. We actually plan to play soccer this evening, but he hasn’t replied to my messages.”

                “Oh, you seem pretty close to him?” Sehee raises her eyebrows.

                “You can say that. I’ll try calling him.” Soonyoung takes out his phone and dials a number, but looks like the other end doesn’t pick up. “His phone is inactive. I think I’ll just go visit his house for a bit, checking on him. It’s very close to the main gate.”

                I silently process the information. From what I know, the Kim family resides quite far away from here… Did they move?

                “He lives in a studio apartment alone, I sometimes go there with the other students.” Soonyoung says that out of the blue, as if he could hear my thoughts.

                If I tag along with Soonyoung, I could directly meet Jongin and finish the task Professor Han gives us, then I can come to the night class with ease. Should I just do that?

                The next thing I know, I’m walking with Soonyoung, exiting the main gate.

                “Noona, aren’t you the one who was with Jongin hyung that time? You were the one who saved him, right?” Soonyoung breaks the silence.

                “Um… Yeah.”

                “He told me himself! He said he might have been hurt badly, if not for you.”

                “Oh…” I drag my word. Soonyoung leads me to cross the road, and stop in front of a building. I notice that it’s right across the clinic where I met him that time.

                “I should try calling him again…” Soonyoung reaches for his pocket.

                “Um, can you give me his number? I’ll try calling too.”

                “Sure.” Soonyoung shows his phone screen, and after inputting Jongin’s number, I dial it with a weird feeling. There’s a dialing tone… It’s through. But he’s not picking up. He must have saved my number, right?

                “I think his phone is on... But he’s not answering.”

                “Really?” Soonyoung dials the number too, and after five seconds, his eyes widen. “Oh, hyung! I’m in front of your house with someone. Oh, okay.”

                I turn to see Soonyoung, dumbfounded. What, did he not accept my call on purpose, seeing it was me who called? How could he answer Soonyoung’s call that quickly?

                Soonyoung didn’t notice my expression, and put his phone back. “He said to just go inside.”

                I go up the stairs with Soonyoung, my head is full with ‘How dare he didn’t answer my call after asking for my number?’. I try to calm myself down as we arrive in front of Jongin’s door, and Soonyoung rings the bell. I get tense suddenly. “Soonyoung, you promise to accompany me until the end, right?”

                Soonyoung laughs at the same time the password machine beeps from the inside. “Yes, noona.”

                The door opens, and there’s a tall figure wrapped in a thick blue blanket, with lips as pale as his skin. I blink twice and Soonyoung gets taken aback, saying a loud ‘oh my’. “Are you okay?”

                Jongin has his eyes on me, and he pushes back his messy hair. “What are you doing here?”

                “You haven’t replied to my messages, so I’m worried… And Dana noona here said she had something to talk with you.”

                I have my eyes on the floor, and see Soonyoung’s sneakers and Jongin’s bare feet. I hear Jongin coughing loudly, and he turns around. “Come in.”

                I follow the two men inside, and look around the tiny apartment. In the small living room, Jongin throws himself to the sofa, and rolls himself up in the blanket. “Soonyoung, help me. Go get Dana something to drink.”

                Soonyoung heads to the refrigerator, but I stop him. “No need to. Seeing that you’re unwell, I’ll make this fast.” I explain what Professor Han demanded last night. “I think I should just say that you’re sick, and write what I’ve done. I’ll add something from your part before class.”

                Jongin coughs again, and shakes his head. “I can do that much. Let’s do that.”

                I furrow my brows. In this condition? Whatever. Soonyoung looks like he could feel the tension between us, and he awkwardly stands near the sofa. “Well, if you insist.” I mutter.

                “Soonyoung, can you get my laptop from the bedroom?” Jongin says, and Soonyoung dashes away.

                Jongin brings his all to sit up, and reaches for the laptop Soonyoung brought. “So how should we write it?”

                We move on to work, and Soonyoung turns to the kitchen to accept a call. Jongin can still speak his thoughts well, but his cough is in a worrying state. Seeing that Soonyoung pretty much understands this place, should I ask him to look for cough syrup?

                Soonyoung appears back and I already open my mouth when he suddenly kneels in front of me. “Noona, I’m so sorry, but I have a quiz that’s just been pushed earlier, it’s in ten minutes. It’s okay, right? You can surely go back alone, right? Then, I’ll excuse myself. I’ll come back.”

                My mouth opens wider as Soonyoung grabs his bag and runs to the door. He disappears, and I blankly stare at the door, unable to turn my head to face Jongin.