"Don't try too hard to impress her, Min Hyukkie," Yong Hwa advised his friend. "Just be yourself."

"But... but... I want to connect to books just so I can be with her," Min Hyuk rationalized.

"You can connect with her through books if you like, but don't overdo it," Jong Hyun said, finally speaking in full English. "You might have something that will catch her attention."

"Like what?" Min Hyuk asked. "I am not a good student, unlike all of you, unlike Hong Ki."

"Study hard to impress her," Hong Ki advised. 

"And stop playing too much Xbox One games with me," Jong Hyun said.

"And stop riding your skates all day long," Shin Hye warned him.

"And don't leave me alone during reporting," Jung Shin pouted.

Yong Hwa and Shin Hye admonished Jung Shin for his dependent ways. Yeah, he should learn to stand on his own. But while his friends were busy advising Jung Shin, Min Hyuk was thinking of how he could connect with Erika more.

****

Erika was passing by Hongdae when she met Min Hyuk, who was watching an indie band holding a guerilla concert.

"Annyeonghaseyo?" she greeted him cheerfully.

He was flustered that he greeted her in stutters. To make up for his epic fail, he invited her to watch the concert.

"Do bands here in Korea hold guerilla concerts?" she asked. "I had never encountered one in Canada... Uhm, maybe there are some, but I may not have witnessed such."

"Yeah, there are guerilla concerts held sometimes, and a lot of them are held here in Hongdae," he explained.

The band, which consisted of Hongik University (Hongik Daehakgyo aka Hongdae) students had three members: a guitarist, a drummer, and a keyboadist. The two of them, along with the crowd, watched the band performance. They also shared their hobbies, and Min Hyuk found out that there's more to Erika than just books. Erika also studied guitar, while he studied drums under his father's guidance.

"Shall we try to play?" Min Hyuk asked her.

This time, it was Erika who was flustered. Though she was musically inclined, she was less of a singer.

"Geokjeongmaseyo... I mean, don't worry," Min Hyuk said to her. "I will sing."

Finally, when the band finished, Min Hyuk held his hand high and called their attention.

"Jeogiyo," he announced. "M...my friend and I want to play music."

The Hongdae students nodded and allowed them, and the crowd clapped. Erika grabbed the electric guitar anxiously, while Min Hyuk took his seat for the drums and grabbed the mike stand so he could sing. Min Hyuk announced that they will play Dan Seal's "One Friend," and Erika looked at him.

"'One Friend'?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yes," he said with a wink.

Erika nodded. She knew the song and had played it too. And so, the two of them began to play music, with Erika strumming the guitar with a pick, and Min Hyuk hitting the drums. Min Hyuk sang for the crowd, and Erika smiled. 

Wow...

Min Hyuk had such a kind voice even though he was a bad skater boy.

"Amazing..." she thought with a smile.

After their stint, the crowd clapped and handed them money.

"Eh?" Min Hyuk asked. Then, he turned to the Hongdae students, "Take the money."

"Ah... gamsahamnida," they replied.

Min Hyuk and Erika left the premises and strolled around. Finally, their talks went far than books that Erika had read, and Min Hyuk had eased a bit. Just as Yong Hwa advised him, he should be himself.

And because he tried to be himself, Erika kinda had a liking for him, being a bit opposite to her.

"Why! I think I will get to enjoy my one-month stay here in Korea!" she mused.

~~~~