Minhyuk stared worriedly at the empty spot at the table.  Minyoung never missed out on meals—even when she was sick, she still insisted on eating something.  Yukwon awkwardly sat next to him, also staring at the place where Minyoung sat a few minutes ago.

“Should we go check on her?” Yukwon asked.  “I don’t think she should’ve walked home by herself if she felt sick.”

“Minyoung is a strong person…” Minhyuk replied, also unsure.  Should I have gone with her?  What if something happened on the way back?

The two boys were startled when Taeil took a seat across from them.  He stared at both of their faces though his fake glasses and grinned.  “What are you two thinking about?  You’ve been sitting here for a while.”

“Minyoung didn’t feel well,” Minhyuk said.

Yukwon added, “She decided to skip the meal and go home.”

Taeil leaned back and sighed.  “Stop worrying about her like that.”  He stared around the nearly deserted restaurant with an air of amusement.  “Although, I have a feeling that she isn’t sick.”

“But she said—”

“Jaehyo was waiting outside.  Now he’s gone,” Taeil noted.

Minhyuk frowned.  “But Minyoung hates Jaehyo.”

“True.  She probably went out before he could come in.  I guess he followed her away from the restaurant, so who knows what they’re doing now?” Taeil replied.

“I should go and find her.” Minhyuk stood up.

“No,” Taeil replied, grabbing Minhyuk’s arm, “you shouldn’t.  Let her deal with it.”

“But—”

“Minhyuk, you know that what happened between Jaehyo and Minyoung wasn’t your fault, right?”

He sighed.  “But hyung, if I was around more…if I had picked up the phone that day, then she wouldn’t have felt so lonely.”

“You’re doing a great job, but she can handle this,” Taeil replied.  “Trust her.”

“I guess so…”

Yukwon didn’t dare interrupt their conversation, though he listened with great interest.  Taeil brought Yukwon out of his thoughts.

“Are you sleeping over at the twins’ apartment?” When Yukwon nodded, Taeil continued, “Then I’ll teach you how to sleep over at their apartment and survive.”

“Eh?”

Taeil grinned.  “First of all, Minhyuk has this weird habit of cutting food at night.  I swear that it’s his secret hobby.  Never bother him at night.”

Yukwon shifted a few centimeters away from Minhyuk, who was staring out the window.

“Second, Minyoung is a sleepwalker, but you’ll never know that she’s sleepwalking until she does something out of the ordinary.”

“Oh.”

“Just keep the door locked, Yukwon.  Of course, if you’re sleeping on the couch, then there isn’t anything you can do…” Taeil trailed off.

“What do you mean?”

“When Minyoung sleepwalks, she’s really obsessed with skinship.”

Yukwon reddened.  “Oh.”

“Third, never touch any of the food in that apartment.  Most of the food in that refrigerator is Minyoung’s, and you know how she gets when someone touches her food.”

“Hyungnim, why don’t you live with the twins?”

“Me?” Taeil laughed.  “I live right above this ramyun shop.  It was an attic, but I renovated it and everything.  It makes going to work easier.”

“Oh.” Yukwon nodded.

“And most importantly, never go into Minyoung’s room.”

“Why?”

Taeil shrugged.  “Her rules.  I don’t think even I’ve been in there before.”

“I haven’t either,” Minhyuk added quietly.

<:>

“Ahn Jaehyo, leave me alone already.  I’ve told you so many times already,” Minyoung exclaimed.

Jaehyo replied, “I won’t leave until you forgive me.”

Both stood in a plaza near Minyoung’s apartment complex; Minyoung didn’t want to go home because she didn’t want Jaehyo to know her apartment number.

“Please, Minyoung.”

“No.”

Jaehyo paused for a moment.  He decided that changing the topic would be his best chance of keeping Minyoung interested in him.  “Minyoung, I heard that you’re planning the big dance for our year.”

“Maybe.”

“Will you be my date to the dance?”

“The dance isn’t for another two weeks, Jaehyo.”

“Perfect timing, then.”

Minyoung sighed.  “I’m actually waiting for someone else to ask me.”

“Like who?  Kim Yukwon?” Jaehyo sneered.  “I heard that he’s been hanging out with you and Minhyuk.”

“So?  Why do you care?” Minyoung replied.  “Besides, you’re worse than Yukwon.”

“Do you like him?” Jaehyo asked.

Minyoung shrugged.

“Yukwon doesn’t fit your idea type,” Jaehyo said desperately.  “You always told me that you liked a guy smarter than you.”

“I changed it.”

Jaehyo shook his head.  “I won’t give up this easily.  You may have moved on, but I haven’t.  I’ll try my hardest to win you back.”

“Jaehyo—”

“I’ll see you later.” He his heels and stalked off.  Minyoung watched sadly as the boy she once loved stalked off into the crowd of people.  She could never feel the same way about him ever again.

Minyoung was never one to cry.  She was the youngest member in her family and didn’t want people constantly worrying about her.

But all of the confusion she felt because of both Jaehyo and Yukwon was overwhelming.  The emotions from the past two years—the pain, betrayal, and sadness—seemed to pour out of her at that time.  Accepting the fact that trying to stop crying would only make things worse, Minyoung let the tears run freely down her face.

<:>

“I’m worried,” Yukwon announced.  The two boys had reached the apartment, but Minyoung was nowhere in sight.

“Where could she be?” Minhyuk muttered.

“It couldn’t have taken her that long to come home, right?”

“I don’t know.” Minhyuk put his phone on the counter and ran to check Minyoung’s room. 

Of course Minyoung isn’t in the house.  Yukwon shook his head and stood by the door.  There was no use in taking off his shoes if Minyoung was missing.  He knew that Minhyuk would insist looking outside until he found his twin.

“She’s not there.”

“She couldn’t have gotten lost, could she?” Yukwon asked.

Minhyuk shook his head.  “Minyoung knows all of the shortcuts and hideouts in this district.”

“Then she’s probably hiding somewhere,” Yukwon suggested.

Minhyuk nodded.  “She told me that Jaehyo was following her but said not to worry.  I shouldn’t have believed her…I should’ve done something about Jaehyo.  It’s all my fault.”

Awkward silence ensued.  Both Minhyuk and Yukwon ran out of things to say, soon realizing that Minyoung kept the group together.

“I’ll go out to look for Minyoung,” Yukwon finally said. 

“I’ll go too.”

“No,” Yukwon replied.  “What if she comes back?”

“Good point.”

“If she shows up, text me, okay?  I’ll come back here.”

“Just a warning, but her emotions might be weird.”

“I’ll find her, Minhyuk.”

“Yukwon,” Minhyuk said seriously.  “As a good friend of mine, I trust that you’ll find her.”

Yukwon nodded and grabbed his jacket.  “It looks like it’s going to rain.  I’ll be back soon.”

He glanced back once at Minhyuk and noticed something different about him.  There was an air of acceptance coming from Minhyuk, and Yukwon wondered if he had gained Minhyuk’s approval.  Was it the fact that I volunteered to look for Minyoung that made him accept me?  Or was I already accepted, and Minhyuk never bothered to show it?

He ran down the hall and, deciding that the elevator was too slow for him, ran down what felt like a hundred flights of stairs.  Making his way past the people waiting in line for the elevator, Yukwon stopped right outside of the apartment complex.

If I were Minyoung, where would I go?  He stared left—the shopping district from where he and Minhyuk came from and where Minyoung most likely came from.  Then he stared right—the place where all of the street vendors sold their food.

Of course, he thought as he ran, she’d obviously be in the food district.  What was I thinking?  Sneaking a glance at his watch, he sighed.  Although Yukwon’s clock read two o’clock, the dark clouds made it look more like six. 

“Excuse me,” Yukwon saw a group of schoolgirls walking with bunches of shopping bags.  They were obviously interested in him, Yukwon noted, but he had no time to flirt when Minyoung was wandering the streets of Seoul.  “Have you seen a girl wearing a gray sweatshirt, jeans, and is about the height of my shoulder?”

“Oppa, are you an idol?” One girl squealed.

“Er…you didn’t answer my question…”

“Oppa, you are an idol, aren’t you?  Let me think…what group are you from?”

“No, I’m not an idol.  Have you seen a girl—?”

“Why are you looking for a girl?” another one asked.

Frustrated, Yukwon took off running again.  Note to self: never talk to middle school girls when you’re as good looking as I am.

He ran into a plaza—nearly deserted since most people were working.  He glanced around but decided that Minyoung was not there.  However, something did catch his eye.  Someone sat on a bench secretly hidden from the public eye with her head down.  Yukwon went over to check on the person.

“Excuse me, are you all right?” he asked quietly.  When the person raised her head, Yukwon felt his heartbeat increase.  “Minyoung…”

“Kim Yukwon?  What are you doing here?” She wiped her eyes, but he knew that she had been crying.

“I was looking for you.”

“Why?”

He took a seat next to her.  “Why are you crying?”

She looked away.  “Why are you here?”

“Stop answering my questions with more questions.”

“Why do you care?”

“Because…” Yukwon trailed off.  “Because when you feel upset, I feel upset, but when you cry…I don’t know what to do.”