Jin had just changed into the proper basketball attire. He had kept a spare in the locker room because he knew he'd head to the basketball court often. Jin had always been attached to basketball. It was the only source of therapy for himself. Whenever he was angry, he'd shoot some hoops. Whenever he was upset, he'd shoot some hoops. Of course, whenever he was happy, he'd shoot some hoops. Shooting hoops was the only thing that helped to clear his mind. Basketball kept him sane.

Jin took hold of one of the basketballs from the storage room and dribbled it across the court. His pacing was quick. His eyes remained on the target. As though he was in a real match, Jin put in all of his energy and focus into that one activity. As he neared the net, he lifted himself off the floor without so much of a trouble and directed the ball towards the target. He waited for the moment in which he could soar in victory. Within seconds, the familiar sound was made as the ball went into the hoop. Jin closed his eyes and savored the moment of pride he had.

Picking the ball up from the floor, he continued to shoot more hoops without a single failed attempt. Well, he was the school's basketball captain for a reason. Eventually, he felt pain in his muscles and the feeling of fatigue was slowly washing over him. Taking that as a sign to stop, he headed for one of the benches in the basketball court and took his seat, placing the ball in between his feet. Sweat was already trickling down from his forehead as he panted. Jin felt calm, as though he was back to his normal self but he knew that wasn't true. Even so, he valued the time he had to feel normal.

"Hey hyung." Hearing the familiar voice, Jin opened his eyes to see Namjoon standing in front of him.

"Oh, hey," Jin answered as Namjoon sat next to him. "How'd you know I was here?"

"You weren't at the canteen so I thought you'd be here," Namjoon replied.

"Well, you thought right," Jin said as a moment of silence filled the air with both lost in their own thoughts.

"So, what's up?" Namjoon asked as the younger turned to look at Jin.

"What do you mean?" Jin asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"The only time you'd skip recess to shoot some hoops is when something's really bothering your mind, " Namjoon answered as Jin scoffed into a bitter smile with his gaze towards the floor. The younger knew him so well.

"I'm fine, really." The lie slipped so effortlessly through his lips. After all, he was used to it; used to pretending everything was fine.

"You think I'd buy that?" Namjoon asked. "Even you know it's a lie."

Jin kept his gaze on the floor, exhaling a sigh. Yeah, it is.

"Is this about Hyun Ji?" Jin snapped his head towards Namjoon upon hearing her name. Though he couldn't deny the fact that the argument between him and Hyun Ji was still etched into his brain, Hyun Ji was the least of his problems. Even so, he wanted to divert Namjoon's attention away from the real problem he was facing so he gave a slight nod.

"What's actually going on between the two of you? Do you like her?" Jin shook his head to the second question as he tried to string the proper answer in his mind.

"I don't like her, it's nothing like that. I just feel as though somehow, the two of us are connected to each other. As though we're alike even though we're two completely different people." Namjoon tilted his head slightly upon hearing Jin's answer.

"What gave you that thought?" Namjoon asked. Jin grew silent for a while. He knew that if he were to answer that question, he'd have to tell Namjoon everything about himself and he didn't want to do that. He wasn't ready. So instead of answering, he simply shrugged.

"You know, I tried talking to her a few times and she completely shunned me. It seems as though she's avoiding me, as though she's afraid of me but we barely even know each other. I just don't get it, I don't get her. She seems so troubled, so quiet. A little too quiet." Jin exhaled a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. Namjoon observed the older and smiled to himself, hiding that smile the moment Jin turned to look at him.

"You care about her, don't you?" Namjoon asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Jin didn't answer immediately but when he did, he said, "Yes. I do."

≈♦♦♦≈

Hyun Ji was heading for her next class when she bumped into a figure. Looking up, her eyes met another pair in recognition.

"Namjoon sunbae, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," Hyun Ji said, calling him by his real name instead of his nickname, Rapmon, causing him to smile.

"No, it's okay. It's partially my fault too," Namjoon replied. Slowly, silence filled the air as the two stared at each other. 

"I should head for class now," Hyun Ji said. Just as she was about to walk right by him, Namjoon stopped her, gaining a questioning look from her.

"You know Jin sunbae sincerely cares about you right?" Hyun Ji grew tense upon hearing his name. 

"Yeah," Hyun Ji muttered as her eyes darted towards the floor. She wanted to get out of that situation but Namjoon was the only person she couldn't avoid talking to. There was just something about him that prevented her from shutting him out, which was bad because she knew he was friends with Jin. Hyun Ji began to feel uncomfortable as she avoided all eye-contact with Namjoon.

"Then why don't you give him a chance?" Namjoon asked. "Everyone deserves one, right?"

Hyun Ji grew really silent as she registered his words into his mind. As much as Hyun Ji wanted to open up to people, to Jin, it was too risky for her to do it. If the outcome of it all only affected her, she would still be fine. But the outcome might affect her family and she didn't want that to happen. Opening up to people meant she had to tell them everything about her, simply because everything was connected in a way or two. Hyun Ji wasn't ready to take chances. She wasn't ready to let others into her bubble. Hyun Ji was afraid, afraid of what people would think of her, of her family. Hyun Ji shook her head and looked up to meet Rapmon's eyes.

"I can't, sunbae. I really can't." With that, she walked off to class without even waiting for his response.

≈♦♦♦≈

Hyun Ji headed for the living room in search of her mother. Upon finding her on the couch with a book in her hand, Hyun Ji approached her hesitantly. Plopping herself onto the space right next to her mother, Hyun Ji turned to face her and said, "Umma, can I talk to you?"

Tearing her eyes from the book, Mrs. Jung met the eyes of her daughter and said, "Of course, dear."

Placing her book down on the small table in front of the couch, Mrs. Jung gave all her attention to her daughter. It took a while for Hyun Ji to find the courage to bring up that particular topic but she figured that it had been bothering her for quite some time now. She didn't want it gnawing at her any longer. Meeting her mother's eyes, Hyun Ji spoke.

"Do you ever think of him?" There was a pause after Hyun Ji asked the question. She saw the change in her mother's expression and Hyun Ji could've sworn she saw a flash of darkness in her eyes for the slightest second. Not wanting to probe her mother about it, she shrugged it off.

"Of course, I do. He often comes across my mind, even when I least expect him to," her mother said, knowing fairly well who Hyun Ji was referring to.

"Then how do you do it?" Hyun Ji asked. Tilting her head, Mrs. Jung blinked and asked her what she meant.

"How do you walk around with a genuine smile on your face?" Hyun Ji asked. In no way was she intending to tell her mother off. She was simply curious.

"He left for a reason. He didn't leave to purposely abandon me or you. He did it because he wanted to help us. He wanted to help appa. Sure, I miss him but I know he'll return. He said he would," Mrs. Jung replied, observing her daughter.

"You miss him, don't you?" she asked, to which Hyun Ji nodded. Mrs. Jung pulled her daughter into her arms.

"He promised he'd contact us. It's been almost a year and we've yet to hear from him. Why isn't he keeping to his words?" Hyun Ji asked. She knew her mother was unable to answer but a small part of her wished her mother held the answers to her questions.

"I'm sure he'll call soon or maybe he'll send a letter. He's not doing this on purpose, you know that? He still cares about us. I'm sure he does and I'm really sure that he misses you the most," Mrs. Jung comforted her daughter. Hyun Ji had never brought up the topic of him but her mother guessed that that was because she couldn't bring herself to do so. Even so, all walls crack and her mother knew that she was bound to bring up that topic in which she did. 

Hyun Ji sat down at her study table and placed her sketchbook down. Flipping to a new page, she grabbed her pencil and started to draw. As usual, her hand had a mind of its own as it moved about the page. The pencil emphasized the details of the drawing with a darker shading. It didn't take long for Hyun Ji to complete her new artwork. Placing the pencil down, she brushed the excess pieces of lead that coated the drawing and took a look at her final masterpiece. 

It took her a while to register what she had drawn, into her mind but the moment she did, a feeling of nostalgia hit her with such great force. On the page was the drawing of Jung Gun Min, also known as her older brother. Hyun Ji felt her heart clenching as the memories of him flooded her mind. The two of them were so close. They were related by chance but best friends by choice. Gun Min knew everything about her and she knew everything about him.

Or at least, she thought she did. 

The day he walked out on her and Mrs. Jung, Hyun Ji realized that there were so many things she didn't know. Why was Gun Min's bedside table constantly locked and why did he prohibit her any access to it? Why did Gun Min borrow her photo album only to return it with lesser photos inside it? Why did Gun Min force her to wear a disguise whenever she went out?

Looking back at the times she spent with her brother, Hyun Ji realized that he, too, had secrets of his own that he kept from everyone, from her. She thought she knew him but she didn't. Nobody is able to know someone fully well for everyone has their own secrets. Secrets they won't ever tell anyone, be it because they are afraid it might bring pain to themselves or to others

≈♦♦♦≈

Later that night, Hyun Ji went for her usual night walk and headed to her usual bench. Sitting down, she let her thoughts wander about as she brushed her thumb against the engraving on her bracelet. Hyun Ji took a look at the sky above her and saw a moon that was accompanied by a lone star. That was it. Hyun Ji was unsure of how to interpret it but she hoped that that lone star wouldn't disappear. The lone moon needed company and so did she. 

Hyun Ji replayed the conversation she had with Namjoon earlier on. His words were constantly playing in her mind. She knew Jin meant well. She knew he cared but Hyun Ji was afraid of taking chances. Hyun Ji did feel bad though. She felt sorry for constantly shunning him away but an apology was one to require face-to-face confrontations. Hyun Ji feared confrontations because she knew she'd have to let her walls down and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Heaving a sigh, Hyun Ji looked down at her bracelet. Just then, a familiar voice was heard.

"Why are you sighing?" Hyun Ji's head snapped up as her eyes met another pair. Once again, the guy who introduced himself as Lee Howon sat next to her. Just like before, she hadn't heard him coming. 

Hyun Ji remained silent. If it had been any other day, she would've gotten up and headed home but that day was different. Just like the lone moon, she needed company. Even if it was a stranger. So instead of heading home, Hyun Ji stayed. She stayed for the sake of having someone by her side that night. 

"Were you having a bad day?" Howon asked, tilting his head to the side. As usual, Hyun Ji kept close though Howon could've sworn he saw her nod slightly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked to which the response he got was utter silence. Getting the message, he nodded.

"Alright then, if you don't want to talk about it then I won't pester you." Howon said and for once, Hyun Ji felt glad. He respected the boundary she had laid out and didn't try to trespass it. He didn't pester her. He didn't push her into telling him what was wrong. That was all she needed. For someone to be there, not for the sake of wanting to know what was going on, but for the sake of being by her side no matter how clueless that person was.

Howon tore his eyes away from hers as something else came into his view - the silver bracelet she had on. Howon saw that there was an engraving on the bracelet and with the help of the lamp post, which was shining its light on the two of them, Howon was able to make out the two words.

"That's a nice bracelet. The engraving is meaningful too," Howon said as he met her eyes once more with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Hyun Ji looked down at her bracelet and looked up with a small smile on her face.

"Thanks," she said although it wasn't only directed at his compliment. For a while, the two stared at each other with smiles on both faces, although one smile was bigger than the other, and the air around them held a comfortable silence.

"I have to go home now," Hyun Ji stated as she stood up. She couldn't deny the fact that throughout the time the two of them were together, she enjoyed his company. Even though he was the one doing all the talking while she simply listened, Hyun Ji couldn't help but to notice that even when she hadn't spoken a word to him, she still felt as though she was involved in the conversation somehow. It was as though he understood her silence. It was as though he understood her.

"Can I walk you home?" Howon asked.

"No, that's okay but thank you for asking," Hyun Ji replied. Even though she had slightly accepted his presence, that didn't mean she was comfortable enough to let him walk her home. To her, he was still a stranger even though she did find out a few things about him from their conversation earlier on. 

For a start, Howon was a student at Myeongdong High which was located quite far from Jeguk high, the school Hyun Ji was schooling at. Hyun Ji couldn't help but to find the name 'Myeongdong High' familiar even though it was her first time hearing it. Hyun Ji also found out that Howon was taking a dance course at his school and was currently working on a choreography for his assignment. Howon told her he was in his graduating year, which meant he was a year older than her. He then joked that she should call him by the term 'oppa' in which she laughed slightly and said, "Not a chance." 

"Hmm, alright then. I guess I'll see you soon," Howon grinned knowingly. Hyun Ji came to realize that his smiles were contagious because right when he did that, she too smiled. Without a proper exchange of goodbyes, Hyun Ji turned around and headed down the pathway that led to her house.

At one point, she turned back only to see that he was already gone.

A/N: And that is Chapter 7 for you :) I see Hyun Ji and Hoya moments haha, yes, I'm an evil author. So anyways, leave comments and let me know what you think of this chapter. Also, tomorrow is my last day of examinations, which means I'll be free after tomorrow yay! Actually no, I have a musical to work on. Ugh.

Till the next update :)

-RedGuitarist