“Yes, I understand. I swear nothing happened to her… Of course! Believe me… I didn’t do anything.”

Chaerin struggles to open her eyes upon hearing a familiar voice. Seems like the owner is irritated of something… or rather someone he is conversing with. Her head is throbbing in pain while her body seems burning. She gently cups her forehead and realize that there’s a wet cloth on it, reminding her about her current situation.

‘Where am I? And who’s that person? He sounds like someone I know…’

“…I know! Look, it’s not like I am liking the situation because you know I hate to be in a mess! Aigoo… I know! Yeah, hopefully she will be awake by now and—“

‘Jiyong?’ Chaerin bites her lower lip upon remembering what happened. She looks around, hoping that she’s just imagining things but when she spotted a familiar cap on the wall, she curses instantly. ‘Seems like I am in somebody else’s place right now…’

“She will be out of here before you know it. Come on! Do I have to explain things all over again?” There, Jiyong’s voice echoes in the house all over again and this time, Chaerin knows what he is talking about.

‘He wanted me out. Am I being a nuisance now? Oh my, I’m sorry… Is he talking to his girlfriend? Maybe that Cupcake girl misunderstand things? But wait, how did she found out about it?’ she tries to get up despite of not feeling well, thinking that the more she stays in Jiyong’s place, the more she jeopardizes his relationship with his girlfriend.

‘Sorry Jiyong…’ she said, before almost falling on the ground when the nausea hits her again. She tightly grips on the nearby chair and shuts her eyes, hoping the pain will go away.

“No, don’t bother to come here…” Jiyong hisses, and that’s when she realizes that he’s attending to a phone call.

Slowly, Chaerin tries to walk and that’s when she spotted her things folded neatly on the couch. ‘Hey, that’s my skirt….’ Seeing her uniform sitting proudly there alarms her poor soul. Seems like her blood rushes out of her body as she glances at her ‘clothes’.

‘Whose T-Shirt is this???’ she bites her finger in nervousness when a voice echoes around again. ‘Aigoo, is it Jiyong’s???’

“Aish! Do I have to explain things all over again?” Jiyong curses and Chaerin knows that he’s starting to get mad. It is still raining hard outside but the urge to go home is getting bigger and bigger for her.

After a few attempts, she successfully reaches the door and gently twists its knob. There, she sees the distress Jiyong talking to his phone, and by the way he looks, it’s clear that he’s denying everything to the receiver.

“No…I—“he glances at her, and his eyes immediately widens upon seeing Chaerin. “Where you there all along?”

She weakly shakes her head and groans when her head throbs again. “No, I just got up…”

“You should have stay there for a while…” he reprimands while putting his phone down.

He, then, rushes towards her side and tries to help her but she refuses. “I want to go home…”

Jiyong shakes his head in disagreement. “You can’t. It’s raining hard outside, can’t you tell?”

“Mom will be mad at me…” there, she uses her ‘My-Parents-are-damn-strict-they-will-bury-me-alive’ card again.

“She won’t. Well, I guess we just have to phone her and tell her that—“

“Jiyong please?!” she half-shouted when her head pounds for the nth time. “I don’t want to stay here, I don’t want to burden you… Just let me go. I can take a cab… or better...”

“You’re really stubborn, you know? Fine. Suit yourself. I will call for a cab then.” With that, he left her alone and goes outside, obviously annoyed.

 ‘Why do I feel like it was my fault?’ she sighs again.

Chaerin fidgeted on the couch while glancing at the front door. It’s been an hour but Jiyong hasn’t back yet. The rain still pours heavily outside and remembering that Jiyong didn’t get an umbrella to shed himself worries her. ‘Was he still looking for a cab?’

She wanted to go after him but her head is still aching, leaving her no option but to wait. Finally, after few more minutes of worrying, Jiyong arrives, soaking wet from head to toe. His face turns pale and she could only guess that he went through the rain again because of her.

“Did you…”

“You can go now. Your cab is waiting outside.” He coldly said, avoiding her gaze.

Chaerin bites her lip, trying to stop the whimper upon hearing his dead tone. Her condition isn’t helping her emotional state that crying in front of him becomes as tempting as strawberry shake. “Ar...Are you mad at me?”

“Just go.” He said with the same fervor.

“B..but…” she tried to protest.

“Now!” he growls, making her flinch in fright. Couldn’t take it anymore, she started crying out loud like a kid, making Jiyong gawks at her in pure shock.

“H…Hey! Don’t cry!” he started panicking when she still do so.

“B..But...*sniff*... you...shou…*sniff* ...shouted at me…” she trying to say while breathing unevenly.

Jiyong feels bad on her reaction and was about to comfort her when a car honks outside, making him curse out loud. Bad decision for Chaerin thought he’s cursing her instead, leading the poor girl to wail louder. “It’s not you! I swear!”

The car impatiently honks again, so Jiyong went outside to tell the driver to go away. Chaerin keeps crying on the living room, whether it’s because he shouted at her or just because he’s treating her coldly now after what she just heard a while ago, that she isn’t sure anymore. When he’s back inside, his raging face could tell that he just had an argument with the driver. ‘Urgh! It’s my fault again!!!’ Chaerin blames herself.

“Could you please stop that? It’s giving me a headache as well!” he complains.

“S..Sorry…” she sniffs, trying to tone down her cries.

“For what?” he asks, looking so tired with all the drama.

“For this… for getting you into trouble. For causing you this mess…” she sobs harder, remembering what she just heard a while ago.

Jiyong looks confuse with her words but as if finally comprehending the reason why she’s bawling her heart’s out, “You… you were listening with my phone conversation a while ago, don’t you?” he asked, or more like, stated it clearly.

Chaetin bows her head in shame. “I...I am sorry. Your voice was too loud that it woke me up. And besides, I understand it. I know you are a busy person but here I am, adding to your stress. I should go home now…” she mumbles, wiping her tears.

Jiyong shakes his head in disappointment. “Of course you don’t understand! Are you always like this?”

“No! For I am not nosy!” she defended immediately. “It wasn’t my intention to listen, it was just—“

“I am not talking about you listening to me, what I was saying was you assuming things that fast.” He breathes in and out as harshly as he could.

“I am not assuming anything!” she defended. “You’re just too easy to judge.”

“Then why do you want to go home right away? It’s because you thought I wanted to kick you out when you heard me talking about ‘mess in my house’ right?” he challenges.

She blushes. “I am not!”

Jiyong raises his eye brow, “Then care to tell me why?”

“It’s because… because…” she looks around for an answer, all along sniffing because of her break down a while ago. ‘Come on Chaerin! Think faster!’

“So?” Jiyong beams at her.

“It’s because I am so hungry! And you didn’t even offer me a food!” she ‘complains’.

It’s now Jiyong’s turn to blush hard.

“I..I was… That was.. Aigoo… D..Did I… Did I starve you?” he asks in embarrassment. Chaerin is taking aback to see her ultimate crush blushing in front of her just because of his failure to offer her foods. She was too lost in her own world that the poor girl just keep on nodding while staring at the rambling Kwon.

“Aigoo, that’s too embarrassing! Ah wait, I will