Gongchan's POV~

Since the discussion with Myungsoo hyung about Jisu's situation, I couldn't really look at her the same anymore. I couldn't tell if she was bottling up her emotions and was just pretending to be happy. I mean she was her same old self the next day, but it was hard for me to be "normal" around her like Jinyoung and them. They acted as if it was not a big deal, but of course it was, they just didn't want to make it a bigger deal by being concerned. 

Today I decided to give more attention to Jisu instead of just turning away like I would usually do because of my shy personality.

I had gone to school early to see Jisu as she always arrives to school at 6:30 in the morning. I met her in front of the classroom exactly at that time and she greeted me with a bright smile. "Good morning!" 

"G-g-good morning," I stuttered with a forced smile. She giggled and entered the classroom as I followed behind. 

"Why are you here so early?" she asked, taking her textbooks out. 

"Well-"

"Oppa!" I heard girls' shout in the classroom. I tensed up and stared down at the floor while a round of girls crowed the both of us. 

"I told you not to come early, didn't I?" Jisu snickered. "Because this would happen."

"B-but, I-"

"Oppa! You're here early!" a female student exclaimed. "Did you come to see me?!"

"No! He came to see me!"

"Yeah right! It's me he wanted to see!"

"No one wants to see any of you," I heard Jinyoung say. He gently pushed through the crowd and made his way to us with a smile. "Morning guys~!"

"Morning!" Jisu smiled with a peace sign. 

"M-m-morning," I stuttered again. Jinyoung wrapped his right arm around my shoulders and poked my cheeks. 

"Aigoo~ you're so cute," he cooed then turned to the group of girls. "Sorry ladies, but he's all mine."

The girls mumbled and muttered, maybe even cursed, but they left me alone...so much for my plan of giving Jisu my attention. 

Jinyoung released me and sat on top of his desk, swinging his legs. 

"You're here early," he said to me. "You're never here early."

"I know, but...," I trailed off and glanced at Jisu, who was busy working on her homework. I turned to look at Jinyoung again and shrugged. "I woke up early so decided to come to school early."

He snickered and shook his head in disbelief. 

"What a total lie," he said and looked at Jisu. "You're still worried, aren't you?"

I widened my eyes and looked at Jisu to see if she heard, but luckily she didn't. 

"Don't worry about her, Gongchan," he said with a warm smile. "She's fine...she's going to be fine."

I looked at him as he gave me an assuring nod, then I turned to look at Jisu who was now doodling on her homework. I felt his hands gently squeeze my shoulders. 

"She's got a prince watching over her too," he softly said before getting off his desk. "I'm getting something to eat before class starts, wanna come?"

"No thanks," I said and he walked out of the classroom. With just a few minutes before first period began, I continued to stand by Jisu's side just staring. She didn't seem bothered by it, but then again she probably didn't even notice that I was still standing besides her. 

Just then the bell rung and I took my seat as students ran to their rooms. 

"Maybe it is best to leave things the way it is and continue how things were," I whispered, watching the back of Jisu as she and Jinyoung were messing around. I couldn't help, but silently snicker at the two. 

School was done for the day and I headed out the school gates when I heard fast footsteps coming towards me. I slowed my pace down and looked behind me, but it was only a female student catching up to her friends. 

I wasn't disappointed that it wasn't Jisu, but I was expecting it to be her. 

I continued to walk home when I heard fast footsteps approach me, but I didn't bother to slow down. 

"Oppa!" I heard her voice. I immediately stopped and turned around, having her bump right into my chest. Luckily we didn't fall down, but her head did hit my chest pretty hard. She backed away and gasped. I rubbed my chest and glanced at her. 

"I-I'm sooooo sorry!" she shouted, shocked. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay," I softly said. "It wasn't a hard head bump."

She rubbed the back of her neck and felt sorry. I couldn't help, but feel sorry that she was feeling sorry. 

"Uh, do you want to...walk together?" I asked which caught her attention. 

"Walk together?! You and I?! Really?!" she exclaimed. "But we never walk together! You're always running away from me!"

I scratched the back of my head and shrugged. "Maybe I don't feel like running today. We should hurry though, Myungsoo hyung is probably waiting for you."

"Then should we run?" she asked. I honestly didn't feel like running, but she had already ran past me. "Hurry oppa!"

I hesitated at first, but I ran anyways. Having longer legs, I was able to catch up to her and probably outrun her, but I slowed my pace down to run alongside her. 

"This is the most exercise I've done today," she said; she was heavily breathing. I snickered and ruffled her hair, taking the both of us by surprise but she smiled making me smile in return. 

"You know, dribbling a basketball in one place is good enough to be called exercising," I said to cheer her up. She laughed, I actually made her laugh. At this rate, I couldn't tell if my heart was racing because of me running or because of her.

We both headed to a store first to buy cold drinks and ice cream then headed to the apartment building, which was only a few blocks away. 

"Are we going to do this every day now?" she asked looking up at me. 

"Don't know," I responded because I didn't know the answer myself. We entered the apartment building and walked into the elevator. We both pressed our levels and silently stood there. 

"Is oppa still afraid of me?" she asked to break the silence. 

"Me?" I asked as she nodded. "I was never really afraid of you. You should already know that I have a shy personality. I can't talk to girls well."

"You seem to be doing fine with me now," she said, tilting her head to the side. "Maybe you'll be able to talk to the other girls in and out of our class."

"I don't think so," I said. "I still feel uncomfortable around you and talking to you."

She smiled and the elevator made a "ding" sound; it was my level. The door slid open and I walked out. 

"See you tomorrow," I said turning back to her. 

"You too," she waved and the door closed on us. I stood there for a second longer then turned around and walked down the hallway to my apartment door. 

I entered and was greeted by my dog, Jolie, and my mom. 

"How was your day at school today?" my mom asked as she was wiping the kitchen counters clean. 

"It was good," I replied and grabbed an apple out of the fruit tray, then took a big bite out of it. "I walked with her today...well, actually we both ran home."

My mom stopped wiping and looked at me with shocked eyes. 

"The girl who keeps chasing after you?" she asked as I nodded. She smiled widely and her eyes became brighter. "That's great! That's progress!"

"Progress?" I snickered. "I don't know if it's progress, I was nervous the whole time."

She came towards me and hugged me. 

"Aigoo~ you were just nervous because it was a girl," she cooed. I chuckled and gently pushed her aside. "Will you continue to walk with her?"

"It depends on how I'm feeling," I answered, taking another bite into the apple. "But it was nice coming home with her. It's better running with her than away from her."

"Of course it is," my mom nudged me. I smiled and continued to eat my apple to its core before heading into my room with Jolie. I laid in bed while Jolie curled up at the end of my bed. 

"Jolie, do you really think it's progress? I mean, I did talk to her like a normal person would, right? And I didn't stutter as much either. I even smiled at her and I made her laugh," I said while staring up at the ceiling. "But why is she the only one I can approach? Why is she the only one I want to give my attention to? Is it because I pity her and her lifestyle? Can you tell me, Jolie?"

Her answer was only a groan as she shifted her position. I deeply exhaled and stared out the window next to my bed. 

"Why did my heart race then? Was it really because of me running, or was it because I was so close to her that I didn't know what to do?"

Even now, my heart continued to race.