“Yah! Jung Yoonmi!” Hyejin shouted as she slammed her palm on the desk, feeling annoyed and dissatisfied at Yoonmi for ignoring her. She paid no attention to the other students who stared and glared at her. One of them admonished her for making so much noise in the library and only then did Hyejin apologize half-heartedly, her gaze still fixed on Yoonmi.  She had been talking to Yoonmi for fifteen minutes before she finally realized that Yoonmi wasn't even paying attention to her. Yoonmi was too busy contemplating over something else. Just what the hell could it be?

 “Ye-Yes?” Yoonmi was taken aback by Hyejin's sudden act. She blinked in confusion.

“Where have you been?” Hyejin asked as she folded her arms, still feeling greatly annoyed.

“Where? What do you mean by that? I’m was right here in front of you all this time.”

“Oh yeah, right! So you must have heard what I’ve been talking about for the past fifteen minutes then!”

Yoonmi paused and glanced at Hyejin guiltily before she dropped her head downwards. Truthfully, she wasn't paying attention to Hyejin at all from the very start. Her mind was too preoccupied with something else. Something that she didn’t think she should tell Hyejin.

“You must be talking about our latest assignment?” Yoonmi guessEd randomly as Hyejin shook her head in disapproval.

“No, I was talking about how Christmas is coming up. I knew it. There must be something bothering you. You’ve been like this since our first lesson this morning. Tell me, what is it? Is it about your twin? Again?”

Yoonmi smiled bitterly. She really had been thinking about Eunmi this whole time. After she had dinner with Eunmi a few days ago, she didn’t really talk to twin as much as she usually would. Obviously, she wasn’t mad at Eunmi, it was just... That every time she looked at Eunmi’s bright face, her mind would automatically rewind every single word that Eunmi said; about how happy she was in welcoming the first snow of the year, how happy she was while thinking about Christmas. But Yoonmi? Thinking about winter, snow and Christmas only made her recall the unpleasant bloody tragedy.

They haven’t celebrated Christmas for almost three years; only because Eunmi accepted and tolerated the fact that Yoonmi didn't have the will to celebrate the season.

“It’s getting late. We should leave now.” It wasn’t that late, but Yoonmi tried to change the subject as she hurriedly tidied up her belongings and books and Hyejin followed, although she was disappointed with Yoonmi's answer. Unwillingly, they walked out of the library without talking, as if their mouths were sealed shut. As they passed by the Music Room,Yoonmi stopped suddenly without Hyejin realising that she did so and waslked ahead without Yoonmi by her side. It was only when Hyejin was a few steps ahead was when she realised that Yoonmi was not with her. She turned back instantly and saw that Yoonmi was staring at the Music Room as if something interesting was going to happen. Surprised, Hyejin raised her brows. "Yoonmi-ah"

After she heard that her name was called, she hastened her steps toward Hyejin. They continued walking, and left the area. “Hyejin-ah, may I ask you something?”

“Uh, sure!”

“The Music room... Is it still usable?” Hyejin must have known something about the Music Room, Yoonmi thought.

“No, er…. Well… technically yes! But since ther new Music Room was built, that room was left empty for almost six months. No one uses that room anymore, but,you know what I’ve heard from our senior? It was on a gloomy day when they just finished their cheerleading practice, when they walked pass the Music Room and they heard that the piano was being played beautifully from that room but when they tried to enter the room, it was locked from inside. They broke into the room but they found no one inside… And the piano looked so dusty, as if it hasn't been touched by anybody for quite a long time…So they assumed that the room was-”

“Haunted?” Yoonmi cut in as Hyejin nodded. Yoonmi pouted her lips, and thought hard about the truth of that ridiculous story. She got goose bumps after she heard the story but somehow, still she couldn’t believe it. A ghost? That can't be right. It wasn't even locked when she looked at it earlier, and how could a ghost played the piano so beautifully? The melody that she heard before still lingered in her mind. If only she could hear it again. Even just once more.

“Why? You’ve heard it too?” Hyejin grabbed Yoonmi’s shoulder curiously but Yoonmi shook her head in response, and tried to  hide the truth. When they arrived at the main gate of the university, they split up and went their separate ways. As always, Yoonmi  hurriedly headed home. She didn’t want Eunmi to arrive earlier than her because she knew that if that happened, Eunmi might cook by herself again and she didn’t want that to happen ever again. Enough is enough.

 As she hurriedly walked along the snowy sidewalk, she felt uneasy for some reason. It was spontaneous, and it wasn't because of the not-so-creepy-or-even-scary-ghost story that Hyejin told her earlier and it echoed in her ears as if the teller of the story was there with her.

“That ghost story isn't true. It can't be… What if that piano ghost is actually following me home right now? It can’t be…” Yoonmi mumbled to herself as walked faster. Unfortunately, the uninvited feeling didn't subside easily and it was getting worse. She stopped in her tracks, glanced to the left and right wildly before she started running away as fast as she could. She ran until she hid herself behind a Christmas tree that was displayed near the sidewalk, and thought that she couldn’t be seen by anyone or maybe the ‘ghost’. She tried to calm herself when someone, or some guy suddenly showed up out of nowhere near where she was hiding. She knew it; it wasn’t a ghost, but a stalker! And she didn't know what was worse. Her face was getting paler as the guy came closer toward her. He panted, breathing heavily.

“Why did you run away?” He spoke, and didn't realised the change of Yoonmi’s expression. He was too busy trying to breathe properly; it had been awhile since he exercised and today unexpectedly he did it, unintentionally. As he still tried to recover from his tiredness, Yoonmi who saw  it as an opportunity, tried to escape from the stranger desperately.When he realised that Yoonmi tried to run away agin, he immediately grabbed her wrist with a tight grip.

“Let me go, you ert!” Yoonmi yelled and smacked his head with her book with all her might. Surprised, he let go of her hand an he fell to the ground, and touched his aching head before he glared at Yoonmi in irritation.

“I’m not a ert! I’m here to return this to you…” He desperately explained himself when he saw Yoonmi was going to smack his head again. In a flash of light, he pulled out a notebook from his shoulder bag as he handed it to Yoonmi and she stared at him, cluelessly. She bent forward slightly and took a closer look at the book that he showed her.

"That's my notebook..." She said and glaced at the boy on the floor who seemed like he was still struggling from the pain. After hearing that her voice softened, he looked up. He met her eyes and was amazed, they were the same eyes that he remembered. They were the lovely, yet sorrowful eyes from the photo, but now they were right in front of him. Yoonmi averted her eyes from his gaze as she felt uncomfortable from sharing eye contact with someone she didn't know, let alone a stranger. She squatted beside him and took her notebook from him with hesitant hands before she put it in her bag.

"A-Are... Are you alright?" She stammed, concerned. He nooded before a sincere smile formed on his face, he didn't feel any pain when his eyes met hers. He couldn't hide what he was feeling and eyed her from head to toe with a smile on his handsome face.

“Suho.” He said as he reached out his hand and offered a handshake but Yoonmi didn't return it. She looked clueless and confused most, with a slight bit of awkwardness. “Suho… My name is Suho.” He repeated. This time, Yoonmi returned the handshake.

Awkward - that was what they felt tat the time. Yoonmi didn't know exactly what to say, still guilty and embarrassed from her actions earlier on. She shouldn't hit people, she knew that bit it was too late. What's done has been done. Se secretly took a quick glace at Suho who brushed the dirt from his clothes and she furrowed her brows cursiouslt. Who was he?

“Er... Um... I’m sorry.” She apologised.

“Huh? Oh! No, no, it’s alright! It’s not like you broke my neck or anything- I’m sorry but, your name?” Suho answered brightly and tried to show that he was fine. He felt bad though, after he realised that Yoonmi's face looked sadder than before. He thought that she must be feeling guilty.

"Yoonmi... Jung Yoonmi." She introduced herself hesitantly and still didn't look into Suho's eyes. They both stood up stiffly on the side of the sidewalk. Suho grinned after he finally found out what her name was. He had wondered about it for a few days now.

“I’m sorry if I scared you. I tried to approach you before, but you’re always in hurry… So I followed you.” Suho spoke and tried to get her attention. It was true. He had waited for her near the front gate of the university a little over three hours ago to return the ntoebook to her, but when he saw her, he coudln't even get close to her. It wasn't just today. He had waited for her yesterday, at the same place. But unfortunately, she didn't show up. That's what dissapointed him and today, when he finally managed to meet her, like always, she hurriedly went home and left Suho no choice but to follow her. Since he wasn't a student of that university, it made his plan that much more difficult. It wasn't like he could just carelessly enter the university as he pleased. He might have been chased away for being an intruder.

Yoonmi was greatful to have her notebook back. The notebook that she had been looking fore lately, and now its back in her possession. Although she was curious. How did Suho manage to obtain her notebook? She had never met him before and she was sure of that. But she did remamber that she had bumped into someone a few days ago and that must have been the time where she had lost her notebook and she was one hundred percent sure that it wasn't Suho who had bumped into her.

"You're not the one that I bumped into, though..."

Yoonmi murmured loud enough so that Suho could hear her. He traised his brows when he heard that. “No, I wasn't the one who bumped into you, unfortunately.” He sighed.

“His skin was a bit darker…” Yoonmi continued to recall the guy and she could still remember him clearly. She wasn't that ignorant and didn't forget to notice his characteristics. Suho was confident that Yoonmi was describing Jongin.

‘His skin was a bit darker…that’s mean she’s trying to say that I’m fairer than Jongin…and that is a positive compliment…with no doubt!’ He repeated what Yoonmi said in his heart, couldn’t help himself, and grinned from ear to ear and made his own conclusion that Yoonmi was praising him unintentionally even though Yoonmi has no intention to praise him. He was too excited about the fact that he had finally met Yoonmi to realise that he was not the one who was being praised by her.

“And he was a bit taller too…" Yoonmi continued.

Suho coughed awkwardly. He knew that Jongin was taller than him and he hated that.

‘Is she trying to say that I’m short? And unfortunately, that's not positive compliment…’ He sighed, and out his dissatisfaction and disappointment.

“Well, let’s skip that part! You know what? Believe me, you’re in luck because it was me who returned the book to you, not him.” Suho replied and cleared his throat since it was dry.

Yoonmi blinked in a daze. Even though she was confused with that Suho said, she nodded before she tried to walk in the direction of her house but her stopped her. She got her notebook, she introduced herself and even apologised, so why did he need another reason to stay?

"Hey, wait up!" He said. Yoonmi froze. She waited for Suho to continue. It seemed like he tried to say something but it was clear that he doubted to say it out or not. “No matter what had happened to your life in the past… You should stop hating this lovely season, already. Move on.”

Yoonmi was slightly surprised when she heard that because Suho knew barely anything about her. She turned and faced Suho directly and her expression changed. She was furious. She knew it. He read everything that she had written in the notebook and made the assumption after hearing what he said. “You have no right to say that to me! Don't judge me. You couln't be able to handle half of the things that I've had to deal with. There's a reason I do the things I do, there's a reason why I am who I am.” Yoonmi replied coldly and she inhaled deeply, and tried her best to control her anger. “Thank you for returning the notebook, I hope we won’t meet each other again in the future…” Without turning back anymore, she left him immediately. After he saw how upset she was, Suho realized he just said something that he shouldn’t. He cursed himself mentally as his eyes were still fixed to her retreating figure. What had happened to her past? He was still curious about what had changed her into such a sorrowful and cold person.

“No matter what it is, I’ll make sure that you’ll change your mind. Mark my word, Jung Yoonmi-ssi!” Suho shouted toward Yoonmi who already left him. Even if Yoonmi didn’t look back; he knew that Yoonmi heard what he said. Or at least, he hoped so.

As Yoonmi’s figure vanished from his sight, he also made his move and headed toward his house as his mind couldn’t stop thinking about Yoonmi.

‘You couldn't be able to handle hald of the things that I've had to deal with. There's a reason I do the things I do, there's a reason why I am who I am.’

"What happened to you, exactly? Just what the hell could it be?!" He muttered and made a deal with himself that he'd fulfill what he had just promised before, even though his good intentions might have been misinterpretated by Yoonmi. He was ready for that, as long as he could swim deeper into her heart.