When we dare to want something, we give about a hundred reasons why we need to have it.  And then we start to give a play by play in our heads on how we should go about fulfilling our task to attain it.  It’s like when we want to see someone.  We give about a thousand silliest excuses and create about another thousand foolish scenarios just to be able to lay eyes on them even for just a fleeting moment for no apparent reason, when all we really have to say from the beginning was, “I want to see you.  I want to be with you.”

“Hello!” Junho cheerily said flashing his most charming smile with his eyes turning to a downward crescent moon shape.  “Ah !  That’s not it.”  He shakes his head as he rubs the back of his neck while he rocked back and forth on his feet.  “Hello.” he said once again now in serious tone.  Junho kept on practicing different ways of saying hello, over and over in various ways, waving his hand, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans, twirling around and doing a myriad of things, but he just can’t get it right.  “Ahhh what am I doing?” he shouted in frustration as he tugged on his hair in exasperation.

You struggled to open the front door to your building, both hands occupied with grocery bags.  You had your headphones on listening to the blaring sound of your favorite song while the world just fades away around you.  Riding the elevator up to your floor you sing along loudly to the music in your ears.  You weren’t exactly in tune, you never were anyway, being almost tone deaf and all, but being alone you couldn’t care less singing at the top of your lungs.

The elevator opened with a ‘ding’ and immediately Junho’s heart stopped beating for a stomach dropping second seeing you get off.  You were so absorbed in your music that you didn’t even notice him standing frozen in the corner.  You continued to belt out off-key as you started to your door making Junho smile watching you while he slowly approached you from behind.  “Hello.” he muttered, but his voice was drowned out by the music in your ears.

He looks at the floor and then back at you, shaking his head with a gleeful smile on his lips.  “Hi!”  He took the earphone off your ear.  You turned in surprise, your eyes widened and your jaw dropped open as you jumped back at the sight of Junho’s smiling face.  His sudden appearance made you drop a variety of fruits, packets and cartons on the floor.

“Are you alright?”  Junho started to pick up your groceries one after another, shoving them back on the bags.  “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Every muscle in your torso tightened as you fought the urge to shriek and pinch yourself in disbelief.  And the realization that he heard you sing made you feel the tips of your ears turning red in embarrassment.

Junho got up looking around the floor for the remnants of what was your grocery.  “Did I miss anything?”

You cocked your head as you wet your lips.  “Uhm.  My heart.  I think I dropped it a while ago when you scared me half to death.”  You said with a hint of derision in your tone.

“Don’t worry I shoved it in one these bags along with the oranges and pears.”

“Thanks.” You finally smiled.  You backed up a step to look at your door and then back at Junho who was holding on to your groceries like he was waiting for something.  You ran your hand through your hair making your fringes fall over one eye.  “Ahhh…correct me if I’m wrong, though I don’t think I am…I believe you’re on the wrong floor.  You live one floor down.”

Junho took a deep breath and slowly blew it out making his cheeks puff.  “Yeah, I know.  I just…”  He scratched his head as he scrambled over how to explain him being at her floor.  He wasn’t able to rehearse that part of the conversation.  The most he got is ‘hello’.  Now he regrets not being able to think of a reason first before he showed up in front of her door.  “Ahhh….well, I was in the middle of writing a song in my room.  I compose songs too.  Did you know?  Well, you might have heard a few of them, but didn’t realize it was mine.  Do you watch TV dramas?  I made a couple of soundtracks already.  Anyway, I…ahhh…Did you get any wontons?”  Junho looked through the bags.

You pinch your eyebrows together in confusion as you tried to decipher his words.  You believe there might be a clue out there on the reason he’s in front of your door.  You held your hand to your forehead as you looked at him examining your groceries.  “So, you were writing some TV drama soundtrack and then you wanted fried wantons, so you came to my door?”

Junho blinked several times as if to show confusion himself.  “Yes!  Or no?  I mean, that wasn’t it.  I was in my room … and then… well…I heard this banging noise from above my room and so…naturally I assumed…you know…”  Junho paused to organize his thoughts as he bit his lower lip.  “What the hell am I saying to her?”  He thought to himself fighting the urge to punch himself in the face or cut his tongue out.

“That’s not possible I’ve been out all day.”

“I…I know.  Maybe a pet?  Do you have a pet?”

“I don’t own one.”  You shook your head.

“A friend?  Oh!  Oh!  I know…maybe you have a ghost in your place that comes out whenever you’re asleep or out of the apartment.”  His eyes widened in excitement as he pulled at his shirt and then smoothed it down his chest.

“I think you watch too much horror flicks.  Or it could be a burglar.”  Your fear beginning to settle in at the thought.  The both of you looked at each other in stunned silence as you adjusted to the thought of having an unwelcomed guest in your home going through your stuff.  You shook your head and took a deep breath before facing your door and then back again at Junho to retrieve your grocery bags.  You reached for the handles of the bags, but grabbed his hand by mistake and upon realizing it, you let go immediately like it was hot coal.

“I’ll help you take it in.  And if it is indeed a burglar…it’s best to have a man check the place with you.”  He confidently said.

“Thank you.”  You mouthed the words and turned around so your back was to him.

Junho winced as soon as you he saw that you weren’t looking at his direction.  “I am so going to hell for this.”  He thought to himself as his he clenched his jaw, feeling guilty with his lies.  And because he couldn’t punch himself in the face with his hands full, he had an irresistible urge to hit his head hard against the wall.

You entered your apartment along with Junho, searching the area carefully, but there was no one and nothing out of place.  You shrugged your shoulders as you eyed Junho on the other side of the room.  He stood by the kitchen counter to where the grocery bags are while you drummed your fingernails on the table trying to think of what or who it was Junho heard from his room.  “Nothing.  No one.” you muttered under your breath.  “What could it be?  I mean it was loud enough to be heard from your room.”

“Aren’t you glad it’s nothing?”

You started to pace back and forth, your hands resting on your waist as your brows furrowed in bafflement.  “Not really.  Now I’m all curious as to what it is.”

“So, where does this go?” Junho caught your attention as he holds up the flour.

“What are you doing?”

Junho carefully dispensed the groceries.  Putting away the fruits and vegetables to one side, the dry goods on the other along with a few bottles.  “I’m helping.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.  This way, you’ll feel embarrassed and offer me a meal.”  He grins widely with his cheeks squishing up and his eyes disappearing into a line.  It was all too cute the way he said it that you could not help but blush in such a bright shade of pink.  “And if it’s a really good meal then I might even stay here with you for a while and keep watch for any ghost that might appear.”

“Nah, I think I’ll survive the pseudo ghost in my apartment.”  You chuckled as you reached for the milk to store in the fridge.  “Besides, I’m not that good in the kitchen…as evidenced by my pots all over the floor and on my foot incident.”

Junho came from behind you, leaning a little closer, putting a hand over your back as he places a jar of Maraschino cherries on the fridge.  Feeling his touch, your breathing stopped for a moment as every vein and tendon in your body stood out making you grip on the fridge tightly.

Junho noticed your nervousness and chuckled deep within his chest.  “I don’t care.  I think I would like anything you would make.”

“Are you like this to everyone?” You narrowed your eyes at him as you turned your head to look at his face inches away from yours.

“Like what?”

“Like a flirt.”

“You think I’m flirting with you?”

“Are you?”

“Maybe.  I’m not entirely sure yet.”  Junho laughed as he backed away.  “So are you feeding me?”

“Something spicy?”

“I could even eat a rock as long as you hand it to me in a plate.”

“I could arrange that.” You smirked at him as you watched him busily organizing your grocery.