Your eyes scanned the bookshelves, looking for a particular novel you wanted to buy. Since your previously planned trip to the bookstore was canceled, you decided to go visit the bookstore after school, that day. Alone.

You didn’t even bother telling Howon. You wanted to tell him but you decided not to when you saw him… engaging in some lip-locking session with Ms. Go in a semi-secluded area in the back of the school building; he probably wouldn’t notice if you were gone.

You sighed when you couldn’t find the book. One of your classmates had recommended it to you and after reading a brief summary of the book on the internet, you decided that you had to have it. You furrowed your eyebrows, turning to leave that aisle to find the book somewhere else when you felt a hand grip your shoulder.

You whirled around in shock and your eyes widened. A familiar face stared at you with equally wide eyes.

You blinked once. Twice. “Woohyun?”

--

“You told me you were coming next week!” You said as you leaned forwards to take a sip of your Americano.

Woohyun grinned, his eyes crinkling in delight. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” He leaned back, looking at you from head to toe, as he waved his hands around, gesturing at you. “Look at how much you’ve grown!”

You shook your head, smiling. You had been attending painting classes a few years ago, and Woohyun was your teacher. He was attending high school at the time and he taught those classes as a part-time job. The two of you grew close and became close friends, getting along well despite Woohyun being a few years older than you. The classes had to stop, however, when Woohyun moved to the United States two years ago. Both of you still kept in contact with each other, though, and remained friends.

“Well, you totally surprised me earlier.” You chuckled as you stirred your coffee.

“I did, didn't I? I was actually planning to go to your house this evening, you know. But you’re here now, so why wait until this evening?” He said, still grinning, flashing his pearly whites at you. “By the way, you’re coming to the exhibition, right?”

“Of course I am. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” you replied. In those two years Woohyun spent in the United States, he became quite well-known for his art works, and he was currently holding exhibitions around the world. Exhibitions of his drawings, his paintings, his art works. The exhibition was going to be held in Seoul and you were planning to visit it. That was why you knew Woohyun was coming to Korea. He told you that he was going to arrive in Korea just a few days before the exhibition. Evidently, he had lied and arrived even earlier than you expected.

“That’s great. Hey, do you want to hang out next week?” He asked as he took a bite of the cheesecake he ordered earlier.

“Sure! How long are you staying?” You asked. Your eyes focused on his brown hair, styled with gel. You had known for a while that he dyed his previously black hair to brown from the photos he sent you a few months ago, but seeing it in real life made you marvel at how much it suited him.

“I was planning to stay for a month, actually. Korea is actually the last stop of the exhibition,” he explained. You nodded in understanding.

“I know, I read it in your website. I heard you’re going to put some of your drawings up for auction.”

“Yeah. The auction is going to be on the next day after the last day of the exhibition. It’s for charity. You want to buy one?” He questioned, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.

“Psh, I’m broke.” You rolled your eyes.

Woohyun leaned forwards, grinning widely, reaching out to poke your cheek. “Come anyways. I have something for you.”

You batted his hand away, chuckling. “Okay, okay.”

--

 As you approached your house, you noticed a familiar figure pacing back and forth. “Hey, Howon. What are you doing out here?” You furrowed your eyebrows. He was looking anxious, and even from afar you had noticed that he was clenching the hem of his shirt, a definite sign that he was stressing over something. Why was he out here? He could just come in, if he was waiting for you. Howon was already like a second child to your parents, after all.

“You— Why did you just come back at this hour?” He questioned, throwing his arms around you. You stiffened as Howon tightened his embrace briefly, inhaling deeply through his nose as if reassuring himself that you were there, solid, in his arms. You glanced at your watch briefly. It was half past seven. You and Woohyun might have gotten a bit carried away. Then, he pulled back. “Why didn’t you pick up your phone?”

“Sorry… my phone died.”

“Your parents told me you were coming home late, but still.” He sighed, the concern fading away from his eyes, relief taking its place. “Why did you tell your parents but didn’t tell me? You could text me, at least.” He frowned.

“Uh,” you looked away uncomfortably, “I guess I forgot. Sorry. I was about to tell you I was going to the bookstore after school, though, but—”

“You went without me?”

“—you were kind of in the middle of... something with Ms. Go so I didn’t want to interrupt, I guess.”

“Oh.” His eyes widened in realization, cheeks warming up slightly. “You… you wouldn’t be interrupting anything. Uh, just—just tell me next time and don’t make me worry to death.” Just when you thought that was the end of his questions, he asked, “Why were you with a guy?” He narrowed his eyes.

“What? What guy—”

“You were in the coffee shop with a guy,” Howon emphasized.

“Oh, that. He’s Woohyun. Remember? The one I told you about?” You tilted your head, as Howon frowned. His eyes drifted upwards in thought.

“Woohyun… your friend? The artist?”

You nodded. “You were so obsessed with one of his paintings, remember? The one with the tiger—”

Howon made a face, interrupting you, “I know. But why were you with him? I thought—I thought he lived in the States!”

You shrugged, “I met him in the bookstore earlier. I knew he was coming because of his art exhibition but it turns out that he arrived a week earlier than I expected.” Then you realized something. “And, hey, were you stalking me? How did you know I was with Woohyun?”

Howon rolled his eyes. “No, I wasn’t. I was accompanying Heeju to the mall. She wanted to buy a present for her mom. We walked by and we saw you.”

Oh. Go Heeju. Of course. “Oh.”

“Anyways, just remember, don’t forget to tell me next time you’re coming home late or something. Now, let’s go, I’m hungry and your mom is making her famous fried rice.” He grinned, his arm slung over your shoulder as he dragged you into your own house.