Yi Jung and Ga Eul were living in a constant bliss after that day. But it was not the same for Mandy. Final exams were now in less than a month and she was worried sick.

“What if I don’t pass the exams?” Mandy nervously said one day to Ji Hoo as he dropped her off at her apartment.

“Do you need any help?” Ji Hoo asked her “I can help you if you like” he offered

“Yes! That’s a great idea! Let’s study together” she suggested

“Ok, if it helps you” he said and Mandy hugged him

“Komowo” she said

“Koi gal ni” he said in return and both laughed.

“So when can we start?” she asked

“Whenever you want to” he replied

“Ok, then let’s go up to my apartment” she said and got out of the car

“You want to start now?” he asked

“There’s no better time than the present” she said “Do you have something else?” she asked

“No, ok, let’s go” he said and parked the car and followed her up to her apartment.

“Do you want something to eat before we start? I’m having some leftover rice” Mandy asked as she led him to her room

“No, I’m good” he said and settled into the desk chair

“Ok” she said and shrugged and vanished into the kitchen.

She returned after a minute, empty-handed.

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” Ji Hoo asked

“It’s getting heated in the microwave” she said and opened her closet. She took something out and vanished into her bathroom.

“Nice pajamas” Ji Hoo commented when she came out wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

“They are comfy” she said in a defensive tone. “I love jeans but I can’t wear them all day long” Mandy said and again vanished into the kitchen.

This time she reappeared with her rice and a spoon. She put the food storing box on her bed and untied her hair from the ponytail and made them into a bun. She poked a bun stick through it and settled onto her bed. Then she looked at Ji Hoo, who was smirking at her.

“What are you looking at?” she asked him

“Nothing, let me bring another chair” he said and got up from his seat

“Why do you need another chair?”

“Where will you sit?”

“On the bed”

“And how are we supposed to study together when you sit at the bed and I’m here”

“You shift the desk here” she said

“Are you going to study or sleep?”

“I don’t feel comfortable on the chair for too long, my legs get cold.” She complained

“Fine” he said and shifted the desk so that it was attached to the foot of the bed.

“Great, now we’ll start in just a minute, let me just throw this box in the sink first” she said as she got up and went to the kitchen.

“Are you done now?” Ji Hoo asked in an amused tone

“Yes” she answered and settled on the bed, opposite him on the desk.

“Where do you want to start?” Ji Hoo asked as he looked through all the books

“I don’t know, let’s start date-wise”

They studied everyday for about three hours in the evening and then Ji Hoo left after having dinner each day.

“Let’s stop here for now” Ji Hoo suggested when he saw that Mandy was getting tired. They had been on the same routine for two weeks now and only 10 more days were left till the exams.

“Ok” Mandy gave out a sigh and fell back on the bed and stretched her body.

“What do you want to eat?” she asked him, still sprawled out on her bed.

“What’s left over?”

“Nothing, I have to start from scratch” Mandy said

“Let’s order takeout then” Ji Hoo suggested

“No, no junk food till the exams get finished; greasy food blocks the brain” Mandy said

“You know that’s not true”

“I know, I’m just trying to control my diet; I want to reduce a bit”

“You are not fat”

“Aww, aren’t you the sweetest guy ever? So I’m going to reward you with your favorite dish” she said

“Dal!” Ji Hoo said in excitement

“Yes babu, dal; but you have to help me up first, I fell dead” she said extending a hand up in the air.

Ji Hoo stood up from his seat and helped her sit up straight.

“Are you ok?” Ji Hoo looked at her when she didn’t get up from the bed with the usual bounce she had in her step.

“Yeah, I’m fine” she said and took her ipad with her to the kitchen, like she usually did when she cooked. She liked to sing along to music when she cooked, made her fell less lonely in the empty apartment. Now it had become a habit.

She put on her ‘Dinner’ playlist as she had named the list with slow dance songs.

Fly me to the moon

And let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like

On Jupiter and Mars

She sang along to the Diana Krall song as she cooked the meal but didn’t dance around like she usually did.

Ji Hoo as always watched her work as he sat down at the little coffee table, but was a little worried about why she was down today.

All the work was done within half an hour and they ate a simple meal of dal and chapattis with cabbage kimchi.

“What’s eating you up?” Ji Hoo asked as they ate in silence

“Nothing”

“You are not a good liar, so if you don’t want to talk about it then say so, but don’t lie”

“I’m just a little tired that’s all” she said and Ji Hoo didn’t push it further

“You know that you can talk about anything with me right? I’m always there to help you”

“I know, but it’s nothing”

Ji Hoo had to find out what was bothering her. He had to come up with a plan fast.

They finished dinner in the next 10 minutes. The ipad was still blearing out the ‘Dinner’ playlist. He had heard the songs in this list so many times over the past two weeks that he had memorized the whole playlist. When the prelude music for the next song started, he recognized it as one of Mandy’s favorite songs and had an idea.

She had just dropped the dirty dishes into the sink and turned around when the song started. Ji Hoo stood in front of her and extended his hand.

“What now?” she asked in a tired voice

Ji Hoo didn’t say anything but just extended his hand further. Mandy sighed and put her hand in his and Ji Hoo lightly pulled her towards him as Frank Sinatra sang in the background.

Those fingers in my hair

That sly come-hither stare

That strips my conscience bare

It’s witchcraft

And I’ve got no defense for it

The heat is too intense for it

What good would common sense for it do?

‘cause it’s witchcraft

Wicked witchcraft

And although I know

It’s strictly taboo

When you arouse a need in me

My heart says “Yes indeed” in me

“Proceed with what you’re leadin’ me to”

It’s such an ancient pitch

But one that I wouldn’t switch

‘cause there is no nicer witch than you

Ji Hoo and Mandy slow danced to it and Mandy gently rested her head on his shoulder.

“So you wanna talk now?” Ji Hoo asked her as the next song started.

“It’s really nothing, just exam tension”

“It’s something more; what is it?”

“I am just afraid”

“Of what? Failing the exams?”

“No not the exams, but everyone else”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s such a big responsibility; becoming a doctor, being in-charge of people’s lives. What if I fail?”

“Why did you want to become a doctor?”

“I never had any particular interest in any field of study; so then I thought that I should become a doctor, because then at least I would be able to contribute to the world in some way”

“What were your plans after graduation?” Ji Hoo asked

“I would first join mum’s NGO, and then maybe move onto MSF”

“MSF?”

“Doctors Without Borders”

“But now you’d rather become a photographer” Ji Hoo stated

Mandy suddenly looked up at him. “How did you know?” she asked.

“I just know” he said and Mandy again rested her head on his shoulder.

“So why don’t you change your profession?” Ji Hoo suggested

“No, I am not a quitter; I am going to see this through”

“You can always keep up photography as a hobby then”

“That’s what I was thinking”

They continued dancing and the next song that came up was Lost in Place by Gram Rabbit. It was the same song that had been playing during the night of the F4 dinner party Mandy had hosted. It was the same song that was playing when Ji Hoo and Mandy had had a ‘moment’ before the doorbell had ringed.

The close distance between the two had reduced even more.

“Mandy?”

“Hmmn”

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Uh huh”

“When you were told to sing about our relationship, as if we were lovers; why did you choose that song?”

“It fit the situation”

“How?”

“Why are you asking after such a long time?”

“Just curious”

“You know the lyrics fitted well with our setting; you know, before you met me, I was alright but things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life” she explained, humming to the song lightly

“Oh” Ji Hoo said and didn’t talk further

When the playlist ended, the music stopped playing, but the two kept on dancing.

“I feel sort of silly that we are still dancing” Mandy said lightly

“Hmmn, but this is good”

“I know, who knew slow dancing could be such a great de-stressor” Mandy giggled lightly and broke their position.

“Uh, um yeah, de-stressor” and he said sadly and started to head for the door.

“You know we should do this more often” Mandy said when she saw him out the door.

“Um, uh, yeah, sure” Ji Hoo said

“Ok, bye” Mandy said

Ji Hoo didn’t reply back and just walked towards the elevator without turning back.

‘I don’t like her; I can’t like her. She is going back in a few weeks’ he kept repeating to himself on the ride back home.