Not him? What does she mean by that? Jiyoung thought.

“ Sorry miss, but what are you doing here?” he asked her.

She turned around and sat on the chair. She patted the space beside, inviting him to sit.

Jiyoung walked slowly and sat.

“ I live here,” she said.

“ What? How come? I don’t think this is a healthy place to live in,” he said, but her mind seemed far away, in the clouds.

“ I’m hungry, feed me,” she bluntly said and looked at Jiyoung.

“ Excuse me?” he asked.

“ Feed me. I’m hungry,” she explained, slowly. This insulted Jiyoung a bit, but I decided it was a waste of time to argue.

Suddenly, the kitchen door opened and someone entered. He was carrying plastic bags and placed them on the counter. He lit a lamp.

“ Dara-yah, I’m sorry I’m late,” he said. He turned around to face Dara and the stranger.

“ Dara, who is he?” he asked in an annoyed tone.

“ I don’t know either,” she said and walked to the counter. She rummaged through the plastic, looking for food to eat.

Donghae walked towards Jiyoung.

“ Who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked.

“ Uh, I’m sorry sir,” Jiyoung tried to think of a reason. “ I was just wandering about and...”

“ You shouldn’t be here,” Donghae said with a serious tone.

Dara walked back with pocky boxes in her arms.

“ Here you go,” she gave a box to Jiyoung and another to Donghae.

“ I’m sorry, but you must go now,” Donghae said dismissively.

“ Oh yes, right. I’m sorry for disturbing you,” Jiyoung gave a bow and looked at Dara before leaving.

He found out that his friends had already left him. He ran back to his house.

That night, he didn’t feel right. His thoughts kept on going back to the maiden in the haunted house.

Jiyoung woke up very early. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to go visit the girl in the house again.

He got ready and quickly ate his breakfast. He ran and stopped 10 meters from the house. He walked slowly, looking at the house, secretly hoping that he might see the girl.

Sadly, he didn’t.

He grumbled and ran again. He reached his University just in time before their prof came in.

Taeyang and his other buddies’ eyes widened. Seungri smacked onto Jiyoung and hugged him as if there was no tomorrow.

“ Oh, hyung! I thought you were dead,” Seungri said, rubbing his cheek on Jiyoungs shoulders.

The other guys looked at him with worried faces.

Jiyoung burst into laughter and patted the cute dongsaeng’s head.

The four of them exchanged glances.

“ You guys, really!” Seungri let go of Jiyoung and tilted his head to the side.

“ Last night was actually very interesting,” Jiyoung beamed at them.

“ He must’ve been possessed by a spirit,” Daesung whispered to Seunghyun while waiting in line for the food.

“ Pabo,” Seunghyun muttered and ignored him. Daesung pouted. Seunghyun’s hand landed on Daesung’s cheek, stinging it.

“ Stop that, it’s disgusting,” he said.

“ That hurt!” Daesung complained.

Classes finally ended and it was time for Jiyoung to go home. He got a little bit excited. First, he would drop his things in his house, then to  the convenience store to buy some pocky.

He looked at the different flavors of imported pocky in the store.

Strawberry or vanilla? What do girls like more? He debated.

Then he finally decided to just buy a box of every flavor,

At least Dara-ssi would have a variety to choose from. He thought happily.

He reached the house and there was pin-drop silence when he stepped into the living room.

“ Dara-ssi?” he called while looking inside the kitchen. He heard a meow. He turned around and saw the snow-white cat. It walked away and Jiyoung followed it.

The cad led him to the attic. Dara was sitting on a chair beside the window, looking out into space. The cat hopped onto her lap and she caressed its back with her slender fingers.

“ Dara-ssi?” Jiyoung called.

Dara turned around and saw Jiyoung.

“ Oh hello, stranger,” she gave him a smile. The smile made Jiyoung’s heart feel weird.

He walked closer and raised the plastic bag filled with pockys.

“ Want some?” he asked, returning the smile.

Dara was happy to see the variety of pockys Jiyoung brought. They opened all the boxes and tried experimenting with the different combination of flavors.

“ So what’s your name?” Dara asked, a pocky stick sticking out of her small mouth.

“ Jiyoung. Kwon Jiyoung,” he said.

“ Finally, I have a friend!” Dara said happily. “ You see, Donghae doesn’t like me going out or being friends with other people and stuff,”

“ Oh,” Jiyoung felt sorry for the girl. As much as he likes locking himself in his room and studying, Jiyoung could not imagine himself not going out. “ Where’s Donghae by the way?”

“ He has to work,” Dara said as a matter-of-factly.

After much talking and joking, Jiyoung discovered that this girl, despite the dark clothes she wore and the kind of house she lives in, was a very bubbly and animated person.

It felt like time passed by so quick that they didn’t notice the moon had taken its spot in the dark, starry sky.

“ Uwah Jiyoung-ssi, you’re a really silly person,” Dara remarked while chuckling.

“ Well you haven’t seen the rest yet,” Jiyoung mused.

The attic’s door suddenly opened and Donghae’s head popped up.

“ Dara, who’s that?”

“ O-oh,” Dara whispered.

Donghae’s eyes widened and saw Jiyoung.

He pulled himself up and stood between Dara and Jiyoung.

“ What did I tell you!?” Donghae asked sternly with his hands placed on his hips.

“ I don’t see anything wrong with what I’m doing,” Jiyoung said in a sure tone.

“ Donghae-yah, please don’t,” Dara said softly as she hugged Donghae from behind. Jiyoung felt a sting of jealousy, but kept quiet. What was his relationship with Dara?

“ Dara-yah...” Donghae’s scary voice suddenly softened, as if cold ice was melted.

They asked Jiyoung to stay on the kitchen while Dara and Donghae talked in the living room.

Jiyoung heard Dara defending him, while Donghae kept on reasoning. After 10 minutes, Donghae called Jiyoung to the living room.

“ What did you guys talk about?” Jiyoung asked and took the seat.

“ Jiyoung-ssi, listen carefully,” Donghae called. “ Look, I’m allowing you to be friends with Dara and come to our house because...” he gave a disbelieving look at Dara. The maiden looked back with an encouraging glance. “ because it makes Dara’s heart happy.” Donghae finished the sentence and went to the kitchen, stomping his feet on the way.

“ Whoa, thanks for saving me,” Jiyoung turned to smile at Dara.

“ Don’t worry, you’re my friend,” she pinched his nose and stood up.

Unknown to Dara that the pinch she gave sent an electric shock to Jiyoung’s heart. A pleasant one, that is.