“Jiwoo, do you mind taking the trash out?” Jimin yells from the bottom of the stairs. 

Thinking that morning will bring relief to how I was feeling yesterday was too high of an expectation. I mean, I should have known. I kept telling myself that today was Sunday fun day – a day to make up for the disastrous one from yesterday but, I am still waiting for the ‘fun’ part. 

Not patiently.

But, I was waiting since I had no other choice.

Pushing myself up from my bed, I wearily walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Even though I said I wouldn’t leave my bed until my demands were met – in the end, taking out the trash was the reason to drag me out.

“Thanks, Jiwoo.” With a clear glass of water in her hands, Jimin left the kitchen to probably go back to finishing up her paperwork. Geez, Jimin really never rests or did she enjoy keeping busy like that?

While clutching the heavy trash bag, I walked out the front door and down the path to the trashcan sitting on the other side of the fence, sighing after each tiring step I took. Upon tossing the bag into the tall plastic can, I wish it were just as easy to toss away the memories of yesterday. Brushing off my hands, I was about to go back in when a group coming down the street stole my attention.

Well, isn’t that a familiar face in the crowd. 

Yunhyeong really knows how to choose a lovely group of people to interact with and it seems it was another group of people who was looking for me. No matter where I am, trouble seems to always find its way back to me. How they found me was still questionable but I’m sure it wasn’t that hard. I’m just glad my sisters didn’t have a chance to witness this.

“Her?” The boy in the front eyed me up and down – an action that would have made anyone uncomfortable so why did he do it in the first place? “This is Hanbin’s girl?”

Great, this was about the very person that I didn’t want to hear about for a while. I looked toward Yunhyeong, who now appeared like he didn’t willingly come along with them. “Did Hanbin do something to you guys?” I asked – that doesn’t mean I didn’t know the answer to my own question. Which was most likely, ‘yes’.

“Why? Will you take care of it?” A smug expression appeared upon his facial features. 

Who the hell makes an assumption like that? Like. Really.

And besides, regardless of what I want, Hanbin will force me to. “I was going to tell you where to find him.” So before Hanbin can do that, I need to make my move first. 

The boy looked at me, amused. “I really didn’t expect this.” My eyes darted behind him to see Yunhyeong. He suddenly mouthed something but I was forced to look away when the boy in front of me started again. “I thought you were going to be a little…tougher.”

My lips pressed together and I shook my head slowly. The last word you would ever describe me is 'tough' and I was going to be truthful about it. There are some truths you can push but being tough isn’t one I can back up. I had no talent for it.

“You’re not really someone who fits to date a punk like Hanbin.” He bluntly adds.

Honestly – “I’ll take that as a compliment.” 

At my words, he laughed. “What’s your name?”

Not gonna happen. “…It’s not that memorable.” Again, I noticed Yunhyeong’s expression once more. His brow would crinkle at each word I said. Was I missing something?

“That wasn’t my question.” Despite keeping a carefree tone, I noticed the change in his mannerisms. 

This might be just a guess but this boy doesn’t seem like the many other people Hanbin always found trouble with. Which isn’t a good thing…it just means that avoiding this kind of trouble will be much harder.

“Hyung, you don’t have to scare her.” Yunhyeong chuckles, yet I could still sense how nervous he was. Not a good sign. “She’s cool.”

At Yunhyeong’s words, the boy backed off a bit and a smile returned to his lips. “Why don’t you tell Hanbin that I’m looking for him?”

“Who should I refer to, when I do?” I gave him a pressed smile. If he told me he was a high schooler, I wouldn’t believe it. Is this another case of looking older than you really are (like the monster from yesterday)? 

“Zico.” 

How nice. A street name. A legit one, the more I thought about it. “Got it.” Making me cringe further, he reached out and patted my head. It seems like Hanbin wasn’t the only one with the weird habit. Though if I had to pick, I would still rather have the tyrant’s hand touching my head instead.

Not by much, but there was still a slight preference.

Zico was the first one to walk away when his group started to follow after him. Yunhyeong, who finally had a chance to break away from it, appeared in front of me, surprising me. “Stay away from them.” With those four words, Yunhyeong hurried along so that they couldn’t catch on to what he just did. 

And I was totally going to consider his words. I wasn’t even going to question it.

***

Sunday fun day wasn’t too fun but dreadful Monday came anyway – that also meant I was taking the crowded transportation once again in the early morning. Ignoring the subtle pushing and shoving from the people passing through the aisle, I held onto the standing bar, waiting for the moment my stop would come and at the same time, also fearing the moment when Mino would appear.

Maybe, he didn’t feel like taking the bus today.

Yeah. Let’s hope.

I watched the upcoming bus stop and when the boy was nowhere to be seen, I silently thanked the heavens – because as if God heard my prayers, Mino was nowhere in sight. So the entire way to school was pleasant to say the least (well the standard wasn’t that high to begin with). Walking into the building, I made my way down the hallway. But as soon as my sights fell on my locker…and who was standing beside it, I quickly made a U-turn. 

The thought of talking to Bobby so early in the morning didn’t quite appeal to me. My next steps were forced to stop when someone emerged in my path – 

“Is this a joke?” Big just loves seeing my face in the morning – though I wish I could say the same about her.

“Did I tell you a joke?” I casually asked back in response. Was she bored since she can’t use her time to hide my shoes anymore? 

“You’re really dating Kim Hanbin?” Her face told me how much in disbelief she was. I guess she finally got over her shock with the weekend – ‘cause that was some old news. Last week news to be more specific. And how many times was I going to have to answer that question? Why do I have to answer it when I was still so upset with him? “You already know the answer.” I replied in a manner that didn’t require me to utter the specific words. 

“…You’re a masochist, aren’t you?”

What? I looked back at her. “Like someone who likes pain?” W