Jiyeon’s POV:

Today was the university’s foundation day. And you know what that means?

A day off. Booya!

Well actually, I should’ve been in school since our department kinda have a booth to take care of. But I told them I was sick so I had to stay home. HAHA! Besides I wasn’t really in the mood to go since Yoona will not be there. She went to visit her parents in Daejeon.

And since Hongki went for a beach gig in Danwon with his band mates, I was left alone in the house taking care of Minsoo. Speaking of Minsoo, he actually said his first word last night! But the thing is, he said ‘appa’. Of course, the jerk bragged about it. Saying Minsoo loves him more and all that . Tch.

Well, anyway at lunch, while feeding Minsoo, I suddenly got a call from the dean of the medical department. In which I almost dropped the phone when he informed about the first interview they were commencing in order for me to enter med school. My interview will start at 12:30 and it was already 11:50 on my watch.

Panicking, I went for a quick change dialing the nursery’s phone number.

I almost threw myself out of the window when the answering machine responded my call. And you know what it said? That the nursery was close for the day because of some emergency whatsoever!!! OH GHAD LET ME DIE!

Freaking out, I dialed Yoona’s number but halted as soon as I remembered that she was two hours away from Seoul! So basically, that left me without anyone to call!

Tell me about having only one friend.

After strapping Minsoo in front of me, I locked the door and hauled a cab. Inside, I didn’t know what got into me when I dialed his number.

“Hey, what’s up?” Hongki answered on the other line.

“Uhmm nothing much, just want to check on you. Where exactly are right now?” I asked wishing for a miracle that he wasn’t in the Danwon yet. He can turn back right?

But my hope was lost when he responded, “Backstage, we’re about to perform. Why? Is there a problem?”

“Oh,” I let out a halfhearted laugh. “No, there’s no problem. Okay then, good luck on your performance.”

“Okaaaayyyy,” he said hesitantly. “Are sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah! Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know, you sound antsy,” he said sounding bit worried. He’s worried?

“No I’m not, I’m okay.”

“A—alright then, they’re calling us now. See ya later?”

“Yeah, later,” I sighed ending the call. I shrunk back in my seat with my mind empty of solutions.

my life.

As I sat in front of the panel of doctors, deans and professors, it finally dawned on me how my life was a one big mess. I should’ve known better that babies and interviews are never meant to be together in one room. Because well, it only means disaster.

“Shhh, shhh Minsoo. Stop crying please,” I begged the little disaster in my arm desperately. He swatted the bottle of milk away as he wailed with his oh so piercing cry. I bowed apologetically at the panel of professionals--mind you PROFESSIONALS!--sitting silently in front of me, “I’m so sorry, he doesn’t seem to stop crying.”

AND KILL ME NOW! I never realized how much I wanted the world to end here and then, until now.

“I’m sorry but is he your son?” one of the male doctors asked, his voice void of emotions.

“No, no, she’s my late sister’s son,” I responded with my head hanging low.

“Well you see, her sister perished in a car accident along with her husband not a long time ago. And their son was left to her care and the father’s brother,” one of my professors, Mr. Song, explained for me.

“Oh I’m sorry about your lost,” the same doctor said.

“Don’t you have anyone to give him to just for this day? This is an interview you know that,” the strict looking woman beside the latter asked me.

Shamefully I nodded, “Yes, I’m really sorry for this, unfortunately I don’t have anyone to entrust him to. He’s not usually like this I’m sorry. And I wasn’t really expecting that y—“

“Jiyeon,” my head automatically rose up hearing Dean Jung’s voice. I cringed.

“Yes sir?”

“Since we still have other students to interview, find someone to entrust him to. We’ll meet you again at two,” he said emotionless as he folded his arms.

Oh ghad, is this for real?! OMG! OMG! OMG!

Relieved, I stood up and bowed ninety degrees at each one of them with Minsoo dangling in front of my body, “Yes, I will sir! I’m really sorry about this inconvenient. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s alright you could go and be reminded that we’re only giving you a second chance because you’re the first candidate for medical school in our list. Go now,” the first doctor to spoke said.

“Yes, sir! Thank you, thank you very much!” I bowed one last time and got my out of the room.

I was sitting on one of the benches near the café I was working in in front of the university, wallowing about my whole existence. Have I done something wrong to the universe for him to throw me a bunch of misfortunes in one day? I’ve tried begging for my classmates, whom I’ve stumbled upon inside the campus, to take care of Minsoo for a little while--BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO TAKE A PITY ON ME! huhu. All thanks to my non-existent convincing skills.

So here I am twenty minutes away from two o’clock, looking at my future drifting away. I sighed looking over at Minsoo seated beside me while calmly on his pacifier.

“Hey noona,” I heard a familiar voice call from a far. I turned my head to the speaker just in time to see Junhong riding his skateboard towards where I was seated like an angel descending from heaven.

“ZELO!” I stood up excitedly regaining the hope in humanity I’ve lost so far. As soon as he stopped and collected his board from the ground, I lunged at him enveloping him into a hug. “Oh ghad! I’m soooo glad I saw you!”

When I broke free from him, his eyes were blinking fast, surprise evident on his face.

“Oh I’m sorry. I got carried away,” I bit my lower lip embarrassed.

Almost abruptly, he was shaking his head from side-to-side, “No! No! That’s alright! It’s cool! No need to apologize.”

Relaxing a little, I finally noticed a change on his appearance, “What happened to your hair?”

This time he smiled meekly touching his frizzy gray hair, “Well my sister wanted to test her new curlers and it was unfortunate I was there. Does it look weird?”

I laughed, “No not really. It looks cute.”

“Really?” his eyes brighten up.

“Yeah, but do stick with straight.”

“Yeah, I will,” he smiled.

“Are you not working today?” I asked hoping he was free or that he’ll be willing to help with my predicament.

“Yeah, I was just here to get some stuff I forgot yesterday. Why’d you ask, noona?”

“Uhmmm… I kinda have a favor to ask, only if you don’t mind though.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Well, I’m in a lot of misfortune today and that’s why I’m so thankful I saw you. Anyway, this is my nephew, Minsoo,” I gestured at the little disaster sitting on the bench with his pacifier. “I’m taking care of him as his guardian. It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later. Uhmmm…so I have this really important interview with a panel of doctors waiting for me like…right now. But I don’t have anyone to leave Minsoo as of the time being and then I saw you. Soooo… I’m begging you Zelo, please take care of him for me! It’ll only take an hour I promise!”

Clasping my palms together, I tried to figure out what’s behind his blank expression. He was silent for a few seconds as if processing what he just heard. It made my heart sank to the bottom of the sea for some reason.

Just as I was going to step back and wallow about my existence again, he said, “Why not? I’ve worked as a babysitter before.”

“Really?” I blinked brightening up again.

“Of course, besides you’ve been a good noona to me, unless you’re planning on testing your new hair curlers or any hair products on me.”

I giggled. I really like this kid, “Of course not. I promise.”

“Good, I’ll wait for you here then,” he smiled and sat beside Minsoo.

“Remind me to treat you snack or something later,” I told him before leaning in to kiss Minsoo on the forehead.

“No, it’s okay noona. Just happy I can help you.”

I clicked my tongue at him, “I insist and you can’t do anything about it. By the way, if Minsoo needs anything it’s all in the diaper bag. Take care of him alright? I’ll be back in an hour! And thank you Zelo I owe you!”

“No problem. Goodluck noona,” he smiled waving as I jogged back to the campus happy to have met an angel in the form of boy with a skateboard.

After eating in an American fast food chain, talking and laughing about random things, Zelo walked Minsoo and me home. Earlier he was insisting on carrying Minsoo but I didn’t allow him to. I couldn’t let him do the one thing I could actually do. But it made me feel guilty for some reason when his face sunk like a sad puppy. At the moment, I just wanted to throw Minsoo at him like fine you can have him forever just please don’t make that face because it feels like your squeezing my heart.

But, thank god, I managed to hold on to my pride.

I don’t know how this kid do it but he has that effect on people, like he can make you feel guilty even if you know you are doing the right thing. I don’t know, maybe it’s because he looks so cute and innocent like if you hurt him in any way possible, God will cast you down to hell mercilessly.

Anyway when we finally reached our house’s front lawn, I turned to Zelo and said genuinely, “I’m here. Thanks for saving my day and thanks for walking me home!”

“No problem and thanks for the treat too, noona,” he smiled that timid smile of him, and scratched the back of his frizzy gray hair.

“Anyway if you need anything or help in the future, just call me. Alright?”

“Eh?” Zelo said a bit surprised. “That’s okay you don’t h—“

BLAG!

Simultaneously, Zelo and I turned our heads to the direction of the porch. Hongki was standing there with an unreadable expression, which is weird because the guy is just so damn expressive. Like you can see when he is happy, sad, being a jerk, drunk, sarcastic, guilty, being honest etcetera. So what caused that expression of him?

He walked up to us without a word. He then turned to me, hauled up Minsoo from the carrier bag, snatched the diaper bag from Zelo and then walked back to the house.

Zelo and I exchanged bewildered looks.

At the door, Hongki looked over his shoulder, “Aren’t you coming? …Jiyeon?”

Wait… what? Did he just call me by my name? Wow, That’s like the first time ever since? Is the world I know coming to an apocalypse?

Stupidly I pointed at myself and asked, “Me?”

“Yeah, or is his name Jiyeon too?” he looked over at Zelo.

“I better go,” Zelo finally spoke. He was staring at Hongki, but for a brief moment there, I thought I saw something in their eyes as if they were talking telepathically or something. But in the end, Zelo broke the staring contest and then turned to me. “See you at work, noona.”

Bewildered I just nodded, “Yes, thanks again Zelo and take care on your way.”

He waved and smiled before jogging to the direction where we came from.

Inside, Hongki finally broke away from being expressionless and grimaced, “Who’s that kid? Your boyfriend?”

“What?” I looked at him strangely. “Now you’re being ridiculous. He’s just a coworker, a dongsaeng. And what’s with the attitude towards him?”

“Oh I don’t know maybe because I went home earlier than I should’ve been because you sounded different when you called earlier only to find out you were out with a giant poodle. How can he even grow like that, it’s ridiculous?!”

“Ya! His name is Zelo!”

“Does it look like I care about his name right now?”

“You should, because he helped me today. Without him, me being in med school wouldn’t even be possible right now,” I pointed out frowning. And what’s with him? First, he acts coldly in front of Zelo and now he’s insulting him. And why does he even care that I was out with a friend?

Hongki softened after what I’ve said, “So today was the first unannounced interview for your med school and you made him babysit Minsoo for a while?”

“Yeah,” I answered without removing the frown on my face.

“Couldn’t you just have called the nursery?”

“I did but they were closed for the day.”

“What about Yoona?”

“She’s visiting her parents.”

“Other friends?”

“I only have one friend,” I glared at him emphasizing the word ‘one’.

He sighed, “Alright, I’m sorry I acted that way with your poodle friend.”

“Zelo.”

“Yeah, yeah whatever—and I’m sorry too I wasn’t here to help you.”

Seeing the honesty in his eyes made me forgive him instantly, “That’s okay. It’s the thought that counts.” Yeah he has that effect on me.

I smiled at him. He smirked.

“Hey, anyway, you called me by my name earlier. Is the world ending or what?” I nudged him playfully.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, “Just—just make me some ramyun, geek, I’m hungry.” Before I could respond, he pushed me so hard I thought I was gonna ram my face all over the floor if it wasn’t for the post I held onto.

“Ya! Make them yourself, you jerk!”

P.S. Ohohohohoho~~~ someone's jelly jelly~~ xDDDDD

anyway for those who are not fan of BAP, this is Zelo when he was 15 (he's now 17 or 18) if you follow BAP, you could actually relate to what i have written about Zelo's effect on people :D he's cute like that, but i still love our honghong~ more than him of course (because if haven't noticed yet hongki is my ultimate bias xD)

P.P.S. Please check out my long lost old story too "How to get a Rockstar Boyfriend" which i am now going to finish after a year of leaving it because i thought i already deactivated my old acc keke

COMMENTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED <333