Hyosung lay down on DooJoon’s bed, watching him reading a book on the other side of the bed. It was just a small distance but it felt so far. It was just another day when they would spend some times together in his place after school.

As for Hyosung, it was just another day for her to tense over her own emotion. She stared at DooJoon’s side, wondering if he would take a chance over their tension. There were only the two of them inside which made her to keep asking herself if they would kiss or not. Well, there, she said it. She wanted them to kiss.

It wasn’t for ual meaning or something erted—not something dirty. By her thought, a kiss was an option to change their status quo in their so called “relationship”.

Just as she finished that thought, DooJoon suddenly scooted closer to her. His eyes glued on her, making her heart to beat faster. With the way he stared her, she couldn’t help but to ask herself if she had say her thoughts loud.

Even when her head was full with impossible thoughts, he got closer to her.

“Hyosung-ah,” He called her as he finally set himself on the left side of her head.

He looked down at her eyes, aligning their heads so that she could stare at his lips. Hyosung thought her heart was going to burst out when he kept lowering his head.

“There’s a paper scratch on your hair,” DooJoon quietly mumbled.

And just like that, he went back to where he sat to read what he had left. Hyosung watched this silently. It was embarrassing to think he would kiss her and instead he just did something ordinary—not even close to being intimate even though her heart was obviously out of her body by now.

When did she begin to have this unwanted awareness?

Night came very quickly—at least that was what she thought. Her house was a little bit far from DooJoon’s neighborhood which made DooJoon to always take her home. She didn’t know if that was really okay for him to accompany her back. And she always voiced this out loud.

“DooJoon, I can go home just fine by myself,” Hyosung said loudly as he was already a few steps in front of her.

It was the beginning of fall and the wind was a little bit strong. She had to tighten her coat around her. On their right, the wind had made the river to catch after each other. Some big waves were after the small ones, the other just splashed directly on the bridge’s wall. Sometimes, she got a few small splashes of water on her skin.

“I’m just going to the convince store,” DooJoon replied with a nonchalant expression.

This kind of conversation always happened whenever she was about to go home. He would answer her opinion by giving out excuses. But whatever his excuses were, he always took her home. By saying that the trip had only given her small chances to get good memories, no one would say that was a lie. They barely talked during the walk and he always tried to avoid her.

Hyosung watched DooJoon’s back as she slowly absorbed into memory of what happened to him.

Last year, they went to a shrine together. They were bored and he wanted to get some fresh air, away from home for a few minutes—or hours. She took no time to ask him to go to a shrine—she had tried to find one that would be near their place. Of course, he agreed.

They prayed together in the shrine. When they were done, she took an amulet. This made her to be left behind. DooJoon couldn’t stop nagging as he watched her trying to figure out how to get out from the crowd.

“So slow!” He said, clicking his tongue as she ran to catch up.

She laughed as she got closer. DooJoon shook his head as he continued fanning himself. It wasn’t really hot but DooJoon somehow had sweats running down his face and neck. When she was finally beside him, she stuck out her palm, showing him the amulet she had picked up.

‘Disease recovery’ was written on the amulet. DooJoon stared on the amulet with amusement.

“Here, this is for your mother,” Hyosung said.

DooJoon stood frigid as he kept staring on the amulet. Hyosung knew he probably was reminded of his mother’s condition.

“DooJoon? Come on, let’s go home quickly,” She called him.

It was enough to wake him up. He smiled as he took the amulet away from her.

“Thank you so much,” He told her with an expression she would never forget.

Unfortunately, not long after that, his mother passed away. She went to the funeral with her parents; they knew his mother and they wanted to give their last respect to her. Hyosung’s face was wet with tears but she tried hard to stop them from coming more. If she could cry this much, she was sure DooJoon would have more. But he didn’t. He stood in front of her mother’s photo with a cold expression. No tears, no sorrow.

His back moved further and a bitter feeling got into her. She hated the fact that they were just friends. The wind was getting stronger, messing around with their hair. That was when DooJoon turned his back to stop.

“So slow!” He called.

Hyosung chuckled as she ran to approach him.

‘What can I do to stop this friendzone?’ She thought

Little did they know; two boys had been watching them ever since Hyosung was left behind due being deep in her thought. One of the boys had tried to maintain himself on his bicycle as he matched his step with the other boy. The other one, stood next to him, had half of his juice as his eyes glued to Hyosung’s figure with an uneasy feeling.

“Those are DooJoon and Hyosung, isn’t it?” The boy on the bicycle asked.

When the boy who walked beside him didn’t answer, he continued, “They’re really close, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” His friend mumbled, “Surely very close.” His eyes had never drifted away from the two peers.

“Let’s get going, Junhyung!”

Hyosung was excited to go to DooJoon’s place. She had brought two latest series of their favorite comic books. With the thought of DooJoon’s gratitude towards her act, Hyosung rushed to his apartment.

What happened next wasn’t her favorite. She regretted this unplanned visit. Her legs busily moved back and forth, waiting for the door to be opened. It wasn’t like she hadn’t rung the bell—oh; she did, five times already.

‘Maybe he’s not home?’ She thought.

With a sigh, she turned her body to leave. Just then, the door suddenly burst open in hurry.

Hyosung’s jaw couldn’t gap wider upon seeing the man in front of her. DooJoon’s tanned upper body was shown very clearly. If her muscle was tense for the surprise, DooJoon’s was definitely because of the physical trainings he had been. Her eyes couldn’t help but to move to his head. He clearly had been showering as water still dripped from his hair.

“Hey. I just got back from the club’s activities, I was having a shower,” He stated.

“O…Oh? Is that so? I should be going then!” Hyosung embarrassedly muttered.

“Huh? Why? You don’t want to come in?” He asked—which sounded more like an invitation for her.

Maybe something would be different today. So, she accepted the ‘invitation’. Her legs already memorized the place very well. In no time, they were already in his room. She pulled out the books she had brought and he handed her the video game she had been addicted to lately. They were gulped in silence ever since Hyosung accepted the invitation.

‘Maybe he would talk to me after this,’ Hyosung thought as she started her first round.

Her head was dizzy with anticipation and her heart just wouldn’t want to calm down despite her desperate attempt to stop it from beating too hard. And just like that, time flew over their heads.

‘Of course. Why would today be different?’ She asked herself bitterly.

“Hey,” DooJoon suddenly called, surprising her and her thumping heart.

Hyosung put away the video game as it had run out of live—as if mocking her for her silly thought early. Quickly, she turned her body and faced him.

“You’re going to come to our match against Kita High, right?” DooJoon asked, his left hand supported his head as he tilted it to look at her.

“Of course. What if it’ll go to Penalty Kick mode? Aren’t you nervous, DooJoon?”

She wouldn’t forget to watch the match as DooJoon had always talked about the match for the last weeks. Even the match had a special place on her calendar—marked as DooJoon’s day. Just like usual.

He took her by surprise when he suddenly pinched her forehead lightly. A small smile spread on his face.

“I’m fine,” DooJoon stated.

Hyosung sat back, rubbing her forehead. She had been an idiot—and her heart had driven her crazy. It kept thumping faster and faster, she even worried she would have a heart attack at this point.

DooJoon watched her with amusement from the other side while she was rambling about the pinch he had planted. Hyosung’s eyes accidentally darted on his vibrating phone—it won’t stop buzzing.

“DooJoon, someone is calling,” Hyosung remarked, pointing to the buzzing phone.

He frowned when he picked it up. Even with the speaker turned off, Hyosung could hear the voice on the other side.

     
“Yah, DooJoon! Where are you at now?! Didn’t they tell you about bowling after practice?”

Hyosung recognized the owner of the voice—Kikwang. DooJoon’s close friend from the soccer club.

“Ah… Is that so? I forgot,” DooJoon replied.

“What, what, what? Are you busy right now? Oh! You have a date with your girlfriend, aren’t you?” Kikwang bombarded the elder, not letting him to answer.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” DooJoon answered calmly.

‘So, he already had plans,’ Hyosung thought bitterly.

Hyosung’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment from thinking what she had done. She probably got in his way. ‘Should have rejected the invitation earlier’ her heart whispered in the same ashamed mood.

Hysoung quickly got up. She refused to face him as the embarrassment still wrapped her face until she could feel the warmth spreading inside her.

She quickly spoke to him as she walked to the door, “So, when you’re finished with the book—“

However, she was unable to complete her sentence as DooJoon quickly reached for wrist. He held the phone close to his ear as his eyes and hands were focusing on her. Hyosung lost herself right at that moment. Her mind was hazed.

He had tried to stop her from going. And she couldn’t hold it back. She wanted him to stop thinking of her only as a friend. She wanted to change their situation.

“Hey DooJoon sunbaenim! It’s Hyuna. Where are you? Everyone’s waiting for you,” And Hyosung still could hear the other girl’s voice from where she stood.

Hyosung’s heart thumped hard again. It won’t stop which made her head to be clouded. She couldn’t think straight anymore. All she heard was DooJoon’s “I’m sorry…” as she turned her body to face him. And his eyes. His eyes were the last thing she could remember when she finally lost it completely.

She moved forward, closing the space between them. It was a desperate kiss from her as she let the warmth of her lips to lie on his cold lips. Her hand left hand leaned on his chest, trying to balance herself.

“….What?” Hyuna’s voice somehow made its way to Hyosung’s head—waking her up from what she was doing.

She pulled herself from him, feeling more embarrassed with her existent even more as she watched his shocked face. He had been speechless and she had lost her voice.

The silence was broken by Hyuna’s annoyed call from the other side of the phone. Her continuous ‘Hello’ slapped them up.

Hyosung realized she had tried to convey her feelings to him through that kiss but he seemed to be uncomfortable—not understanding even—of what she had done. Even her heart was amazed by what happened. It stopped beating for a few seconds—too fascinated by her courage.

“What….” DooJoon mumbled—his face flushed.

Just then, her heart whispered of what she actually had done. Never ever once she was that ashamed of her existence in the world. Hyosung quickly bowed to DooJoon and stormed off with faint ‘I’m sorry’ trailed behind.

She tried to stop herself from embarrassing herself by staying longer in that place. So now, she let her head to take over. Thankfully, she had chosen to wear sandals instead of shoes that day. Her head had probably better ideas of what damage she had done to herself and their friendship—and even her one sided love—as it kept ignoring the pain on her chest. Or how it made her quickly stormed out from the apartment and almost slammed someone to the wall. Or her brain made her to ignore DooJoon’s call on her.

As she ran away, tears kept bugging to come out. ‘What an idiot!’ her brain shouted at her.

Kikwang, still on his , looked at where Hyosung ran off and the opened apartment door. His tired brain tried to grasp an explanation for what had just happened.

But it was no use. So Kikwang forced himself to get up and walk inside.

“Hey DooJoon, Hyosung just bumped into me with such a force! Did something happen?” Kikwang shouted as he walked into the apartment.

DooJoon had sit unmoved on the apartment’s ally—probably tried to run after Hyosung—although Kikwang was sure enough he couldn’t do that properly with the way he was. DooJoon’s face was red while his fingers clapped on his lips.

Kikwang understood quickly.

“Did you make a move on Hyosung? Is that why she escaped? What a loser!” Kikwang laughed, kicking the other playfully.

“That’s not what happened!” DooJoon exclaimed, trying to block Kikwang’s kicks with his arms.

His