“Krystal, is Sehun still not coming tonight?” Jessica asked her once she came home at six.

She didn’t waste her time to no good and hence, decided to read at their study room.  If Sehun won’t come, she should still review and show that she isn’t dependent to him.

“Tomorrow, I’ll ask Sehun’s address from Tiffany so we can visit him in their house.”

That enlightened her feelings.  “Really, unnie?” she beamed.

“Of course, Sissy.  So enough with that sad face, it’ll only make you ugly.  Smile now, ‘Stal.”

“And I know she’ll smile more if she finds out that I’m here, Noona.”

Krystal turned her head immediately to the person at the door.  Her entire face lit up.  “Sehun!” she rushed towards him and threw herself mindlessly into his arms.

The three of them were surprised.  Out of embarrassment, she distanced herself from him.  Heat bloomed across her cheeks—so does he.  An awkward atmosphere covered the place.

“I’ll go ask the maids to bring you snacks,” Jessica blurted out after a beat of silence.  “What do you guys want?”

“Oreo cheesecake, please?”

“How about you, Sehun?”

“Same, Noona.”

When Jessica left, the room was filled with silence again but Krystal could hear her heart thumping wildly.  Relief and happiness were slowly filling in her chest, replacing weariness.

“Did you read your lessons when I wasn’t here?” he asked without looking at her.

“Uh-huh… why were you absent?”

He seemed hesitant, but he still replied nevertheless.  “I was sick…and only got better this afternoon—”

“WHAT?” she interjected.  “If you’re not feeling well, you should’ve just stayed at home and get more rest.”

“But I’m fine now—”  He was shocked when suddenly, Krystal pulled her close and stuck her forehead to his.  This is how her mom checks her body temperature.  “You don’t have fever anymore,” she said afterwards, “and yet your face is really red.”

He cleared his throat and diverted his gaze on the books sprawled on the study table.  He must hide his blushing face.  Goodness—this isn’t right.  Kai would get mad at him.  His heart was beating fast too—that he had to hold his chest to calm it down.

“I was really worried,” she said, pouting.  He faced her and he couldn’t help but smile genuinely.  “You care for me now, huh?”

“Kidding!” she grinned and laughed causing Sehun’s jaw to drop.  “I wasn’t worried about you but to myself instead because no one would be teaching me.  I can’t let the free Disneyland tickets to slip away from my hands.”

Liar!  She was keeping her true feelings.  She can’t show that she has already fallen to his charms.  In short, she’s crushing on him now.  She doesn’t know when it all started.  Maybe when he was missing because absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Meanwhile, Sehun squeezed his jaw shut.  He almost believed her when in fact she was trolling him again.  It irked him.  “Aish!  You are so—” he yelled out of frustration.

“So what?”

“SOO-JUNG!”

“Soojung?” she asked in an amused tone.

“Jung—as in a snobbish, cold-hearted girl and ‘so’ with two O’s to make it more intense, Soojung.”

She chuckled at his pet name for her.  “Aryt!  You can call me that if it’ll make you happier, Sehun-ssi.”

“Just Sehun.”

“Okay…Sehun.”

They shook hands as a sign of truce or will it be more than friendship because they can’t deny the warmth and sparks they felt while holding each other’s palm.

∞

The next day

Donghae and Jessica, with Kyuhyun tagging along as usual, were in a high class restaurant to meet a business partner.  It was supposed to be just the two of them but that would be plain awkward after what happened in Jeju.  Kyuhyun was of real help in stopping the sulking mood.

“Why did we come here 30 minutes before the time?” Donghae complained.

“Because it’s wrong to make the other party wait,” Jessica replied nonchalantly, “especially when you’re the one who needs something from them.”

“She’s right, Hyung,” Kyuhyun supported her.

Donghae scowled at them.

“Jessica-unnie!”

The three of them glanced at Yoona.  She greeted Jessica and Donghae but not Kyuhyun.  Jessica noticed that she changed—her eyes lost its sparkle.

“I was supposed to meet a friend here but I was stood up.  I saw you, guys, when I was about to leave.  How about you?”

“We’re here for a meeting,” J