Hosnap. So I log onto AFF and find out the database got owned over the weekend. It's okay, no big deal. Technology isn't flawless, so these things are bound to happen. I send my regards to other authors out there who lost their chapters as well. Thankfully, I type mine up elsewhere before posting them ^^. The next chapter won't be up any time soon because I'm going through second midterms and have a bunch of papers to write. Also, I'm moving T^T sigh, it's okay. I'll be able to update more often in the summer XD Anywho, here's the re-up!

            "I can't meet you after school today, Ella. My mom needs my help with groceries," Sandeul kissed the top of her head and ran off before she could say anything. 

            'Didn't he say that the other day?' she frowned, confused. The bell rang in the background, sending the students through a round of groans.

--

            "Ella~ I have a project to work on in another class. I'll see you tomorrow!" 

            "Wait-" she couldn't even finish her sentence before he turned the corner. Again, he ditched her again. Ever since the date in the library cafe, he had been acting weird. He wasn't even there for her when her sister had been picking on her. 

            'Did I do something wrong? Did I say something bad? Why is he always running off?' she started to question herself and their relationship. It wasn't even like they were a couple what with him running off any second they could spend together or not showing up at all. 

            "I guess it's just you and me then," she pulled out her umbrella and began making her way home. The rain poured down heavily, soaking her sneakers right through. 

            'Maybe I'll ask him what I did wrong tomorrow.'

--

            "I've got band practice today. Sorry!" he pecked her on the cheek and ran down the hall. Ella didn't bother calling after him. It was pointless if he wasn't going to give her a chance to say anything. She packed up her belongings and slowly headed home. Lost in her own little world of thought, Ella didn't notice the car approaching. She crossed the street, the honks of warning other cars were giving her unheard. In the blink of an eye, she was shoved forward onto the sidewalk. The sound of tires screeching to a stop and the sickening sound of metal crunching sent her through a wave of cold sweat. Images of her mother's lifeless body and the mutilated car made her weak in the knees. Before she could hit the ground, somebody caught her. A voice asked if she was okay, but it sounded muffled, like they were miles away. She plugged her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. Slowly, the deafness went away and she opened her eyes. Jin Young's worried expression hovered over hers.

            "Can you hear me, Ella? Are you okay?" he asked her again. She rubbed the dots of light out of her eyes and nodded her head slightly. The accident slowly began to get clearer as her vision began to clear up. 

            "Yeah, I'm okay," she took his outstretched hand and got up. A crowd had formed around them, peering down at the fallen pair. Ella looked past them to check on the driver. She pushed past the people and approached the man sitting on his front bumper. "Sir, are you okay? I'm sorry for being so reckless," she apologized and bowed down low. 

            "Oh, dear, it's okay. No one get hurt, that's all that matters. You might want to check on your friend though. I think I clipped his leg," he bowed at her before following the paramedic to the ambulance. Ella scrambled over to Jin Young and found him sitting on the curb like nothing was wrong. 

            "Are you okay? Do you want the paramedics to check your leg? Should I take a look? She knelt down and reached out for his foot. He grabbed her hand. 

            "It's okay. It’s not serious enough for the hospital or anything."

            "But, you lost a shoe," she frowned. Jin Young looked down and chuckled at the sight. He was, indeed, missing a shoe.

            "It fell off when I jumped off my bike." He pointed to the accident and there, low and behold, was his show lying next to his dinged up bike. "Come on, let's go somewhere quiet," he pulled her up and dragged her to a coffee shop, not before retrieving his shoe from the road. 

--

            The warm atmosphere of the cafe calmed Ella down from the near fatal accident. Steaming cups of hot chocolate were placed in front o the pair, spreading its sweet, comforting aroma. Ella glanced up at Jin Young who was checking his phone while casually sipping his frothy drink. 

            "Ah, hot!" he stuck out his scalded tongue. He fanned it to no avail. It grew redder by the second. Ella chortled at his pain and took a sip of her own drink. 

            "Ah! My tongue!" she stuck out her own and attempted to cool it down. Jin Young pointed at her and laughed. 

            "Karma!" the pair stopped and looked at each before bursting into another fit of giggles. The sight was one to see with Jin Young and Ella fanning their tongues, both ending up with the same fate. Their laughter died down and they sat back in their chairs, sighing with content.

            'He's not so bad. Aside from the fact that I'm his slave, he treats me well,' she thought, a light smile tugged at her lips. She didn't notice it before, but he had single lids. Curious, she reached out to touch them; momentarily forgetting that he was human.

            "What the heck! You can't poke a person’s eye like that!" he choked, clutching his throbbing, wet eye. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks from the sudden contact to his eye.

            "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she yelped and hastily pulled back her outstretched hand. "I didn't mean to do that!" she whispered, tapping her head at her stupid gesture. Jin Young laughed and ruffled her hair. 

            "No harm, no foul. Nothing but a few tears," he laughed. 

            'Why did I do that?' she thought, stealing a glance over at him. Her heart fluttered slightly as he took a sip of his drink. 'Heart, what are you doing? You shouldn't be doing that. Only for Deul oppa, at least,' she scolded herself. 

            "Wait, Jin Young sshi, shouldn’t you be at band practice. Sandeul oppa said he couldn't meet up with me because you guys had rehearsals or something?" Ella asked, thoroughly confused by this point. Jin young looked at her funny and shook his head. 

            "Um, we don't have practice today. The room was booked by another group. We have practice tomorrow though," he told her. 

            'What is Deul doing?' he thought. 

            "Oh, okay then," she mumbled, eyebrows furrowing with confusion. What was Deul hiding from her? "Anyway, thanks for saving my life earlier," she said as she bowed 90 degrees. "Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? The driver said he hit your leg," she asked, leaning over to heck his leg once again. He abruptly moved his leg away and pulled his pant leg down. 

            "It's fine. Nothing but a little ice can fix. The most I'll get is a bruise," he laughed. Ella's heart beat faster. 

            'I never noticed how warm his laugh was,' she thought, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. Cupping her red cheeks, she turned away and took a few breaths, trying to calm down her racing heart. 'Wake up, Ella. You're with Deul oppa,' she told herself. But a question lingered at the back of her mind, 'Why wasn't he here? And why was he making up excuses to avoid her?'

            “Anyway, it’s dark now. Walk me home,” Jin Young ordered and got up. He bee-lined out of the café and stood outside, waving for her to hurry up. Ella packed up her things and went up to the counter to pay for the drinks before following after him.

            “Thanks, again, for today,” she mumbled quietly, scared of speaking too loud in the dark, silent night.

            “It’s okay. As long as you’re okay,” he replied and let out an awkward cough. Ella’s heart fluttered yet again from the concern he was showing.

            ‘What’s this feeling?’ She followed behind him, drowning in a pool of unanswered thoughts.