Hyein asks me to go home nearing the night, and she’ll take care of Jongin in the hospital. I leave with a heavy heart, and go home with a taxi.

     The next day, a Sunday, I come to the hospital and find Jongin alone in the room.

     “Hey, where’s Hyein unni?”

     “She went outside.” Jongin answers. He’s eating his breakfast and he looks way better than yesterday.

     “So what in the world happened to you?”

     Jongin smirks, and take a big bite of a sandwich. “Just a fever. I’m going to be released today.”

     “Good to hear.”

     Jongin continues eating, and I sit beside his bed. I eye his phone on the table, and I get reminded of all things I found out yesterday.

     “Did you… Perhaps… Just change your phone, or number?”

     Jongin looks at me flatly. “Nope. Been using the same things since a few years ago.”

     I’m ready to counter with a ‘but’, but I hesitate.

     “I know what you’re going to ask. Yeah, I only have those numbers on my phone. Less than ten contacts, I think?”

     “I thought you were lying when you said you don’t have any other friend.”

     “Well, I talk to my classmates, but only when needed. I don’t save their numbers. I don’t spend much time with them. I’m added to their group chat in messaging applications, but I mostly say nothing.” Jongin scratches the back of his head, and takes his phone. “They’re mostly boys, anyway. Engineering life.”

     I form a little smile. “So that’s it.”

     “Noona told you everything, didn’t she?” Jongin looks at his lap. “I think I vaguely heard it when I was sleeping.”

     “Yeah.” I confess. “I’m sorry.”

     “No need to be sorry, noona is just happy to know I have someone to be with. I’m sure she’s thankful to you.”

     I smile. The door creaks open, and Hyein appears. A man is behind her, and they enter the room. “Oh! Ahra! You came.”

     I think this is their father. I bow to them, and the man gives me a small smile.

     “Here, Jongin, Dad has come. Ahra, are you going to stay for lunch? I bought some food downstairs.”

     “I—“ before I could answer, Jongin grabs my wrist. I glance at him, but then I look back at his sister and father, and I softly let go of his hand. “I’m only stopping by for awhile. I need to go to school for something.”

     I don’t give Jongin any look after that, and I excuse myself to leave. I’m sorry, Jongin. Hyein told me the day before that Jongin and his father don’t communicate much despite being the only ones in their house, and I decided to leave because I think me being there would just make things awkward.

     I’ve readied myself in case Jongin would hate me, but a few moments later I receive a text.

You’re dead, Im Ahra.

     It’s safe to assume that he’d still talk to me after this.

-

     Because of some business I haven’t been able to get in touch with Jongin until the night, and I immediately call him when I get home.

     “Hey, Ahra. I’ll call you back in a bit, I’m driving.”

     “You’re just freaking discharged today, why are you driving at this ti—“

     Jongin hangs up, and I shake my head. A few minutes later, he calls back. “Now is fine, go outside.”

     “Why would I go outside?” I check my phone, and nothing’s wrong. “The signal reception is fine inside.”

     “Just get outside your house.”

     I know something is up, and I rush downstairs to get to my front door. Jongin’s car neatly parked in front of my house, but I’m not a bit amused.

     “You’re sick.” I mutter under my breath.

     “That has two meanings.”

     “For you, it’s both.” I approach him, and drag him inside. “It’s cold.”

     Jongin enters my house, and he can’t get his eyes off my family photos in my living room. “Is this your older brother?”

     “Yes.”

     “Where is he?”

     “He was married last year.”

     Jongin’s lips form an ‘o’ and he nods several times. My parents came out from the dining room, and they notice the guest. I’m ready to introduce Jongin to them, but Jongin runs to them first. “Hello. I’m Ahra’s friend, Kim Jongin. I’m sorry to trouble you at night.”

     My parents welcome him well, and I can see the sparks on my mother’s eyes. Hah. Typical.

     “And if you don’t mind, can I spend the night here?”

     The three of us look at him blankly, especially myself. It’s Dad who opens his mouth first. “Well, the guest room is unoccupied…”

     My parents ask me to show the room to Jongin, and I feel dizzy when I climb the stairs with him. Jongin squeals like a little kid and jumps onto the bed as soon as I open the door. I sit on a chair, and face his direction.

     “What happened?”

     Jongin moves around on the bed, looks at me, and takes off his jacket. “I’m bored.”

     “Hyein unni?”

     “She’s back to Incheon.”

     “Your father must be lonely at home…”

     Jongin sneers. “He’s also back to wherever he was at before noona told him I was hospitalized. He said office things, but—“ Jongin shrugs.

     “But you didn’t fight with him, right?”

     “No. Almost never. When I sense a fight coming up, I immediately go somewhere else.”

     I hug my legs, and put my head above my knees. “You can’t keep doing that, it just makes you talk less and less with your father.”

     “Is that why you left the room this morning?”

     I smile brightly at him. Jongin clicks his tongue. He lies down on bed, and puts his hands behind his head.

     “I wonder if I continued high school. I’d have chances to meet you again, wouldn’t we? At lunchtime, PE classes, or basically around school.”

     “But then I’d be so embarrassed. The moment we stood in front of each other, I cried minutes after. Not a very good memory to recall, if we were to meet again at school.”

     Jongin laughs. “Yeah, I could have teased you back then. And you’d be the type to get annoyed, but we’d continue doing that to each other.”

     I just slowly nod, secretly smiling.

     “Just what could have happened? Would we have been friends? Would we have been close? Would we still meet at the same university, had I not been homeschooled?”

     “Anything could happen.” I reply with a slow voice. “But essentially, you would… Have had more friends. Bonded together with them. You would’ve been so much happier.”

     Jongin doesn't respond, but then he sits back up. “Tell me how to play the guitar.”

     “Hmmm.” I take my guitar from my bedroom first, then go back to the guest room. I hand the guitar to Jongin, and look at the combination.

     “Then what?”

     “Okay, put your right hand here…” I put his hands on the guitar carefully. “And your left hand here…”

     Something isn’t right about his posture, so I think hard on how to correct it. In the end, I curl my fingers and walk to his back side.

     “I have no other choice.”

     I direct his position from behind, and I’m basically backhugging him. I’m sure my face gets red in the process, and I try to calm down first before I show my face again.

     “Okay. Done. So we’ll start from the C chord…”

     Jongin complies, but with much difficulty it even looks like he’s struggling. I patiently teach him the basic keys and , and after half an hour, we have a break (or, I give up).

     “Petition to enroll you in art classes. That way you can also make more friends.” I lie down beside him, and Jongin keeps playing with the guitar, laughing lightly.

     “I want to be taught by you first, at least for a few lessons first.”

     “Okay, okay.” I stand back up. “That ukulele you brought before wouldn’t feel too lonely later.”

     We keep talking for some more time, but midnight falls and I don’t want to be late for class tomorrow. Jongin doesn’t have classes for the next day, but he promises to take me to school in the morning.

     “Well then. Good night.” I walk to the door, but Jongin quickly stands up from the bed.

     “Come here first.” Jongin stretches out his arms. I look at him questionably. Jongin grins. “Please.”

     I sigh and walk back to him. He gives me a bear hug, and he refuses to let go of me.

     “Jongin, I need my beauty sleep.”

     “You don’t need even a minute of it.” Jongin holds me even tighter, and kisses the top of my head. “Good night.”

     The kiss startles me and I hurriedly exit the room without looking back after he releases me. I close my bedroom door, and smile from ear to ear.

     Ah, this guy.

-

     Jongin takes me to school, joins me for lunch, and drives me home again after classes. I see my father’s car still parked at our house when we arrive.

     “Huh? Isn’t he supposed to be working?” I eye the car when I get off Jongin’s car, and hurriedly get inside the house. I find Mom cooking in the kitchen. “Mom, where’s Dad?”

     “Working, of course, my dear.”

     “But his car—“

     “After Jongin took you to school, he got back here, and your father, who was getting ready for work, noticed Jongin’s car. Who would not be amazed by that car, anyway? He asked some questions, and somehow Jongin ended up taking him to his office.”

     I turn back and see Jongin entering the house, looking oblivious. “What?”

     “What are you, this family’s driver?” I shake my head, and Mom chuckles from the kitchen.

     Jongin laughs. “Oh, your father. I’m going to pick him up too this evening. It’s a bribe to let me stay tonight too.”

     I gape. “Whoah.”

     That night, after dinner, Jongin and I stay in the guest room again, with me on the chair and him rolling around on the bed, again. After an hour of some pointless talk, I decide to confess something to him.

     “That time, when we first met…” I start. “I thought I was the one who was always trying to level with you, because you seem difficult to befriend. Difficult to talk to, difficult to take actions on. Not because it’s hard or I’m being cautious, but simply because we didn’t match.”

     Jongin listens closely, without any change in his expression.

     “I thought I was the only one who was exhausted. But seeing you now… I belatedly realize… That you’re the one who’s doing all the effort.”

     Jongin puts away a pillow he’s holding on his lap. “We both are. Don’t worry.”

     “So… I’m sorry.”

     “Shush. No. Thank you.”

     I smile, and put my head down. I notice my guitar beside the bed. “Do you want to continue your guitar lesson?”

     “Oh, right.” Jongin takes the guitar, and puts it on the right position. “I’ve practiced when you’re in school.”

     “Really? Show me.”

     Jongin starts playing it, and—wait a minute. Is this the same Jongin who just learned the guitar last night? He continues to play a riveting guitar solo, and I put my palm on my forehead.

     “You fooled me. Not being able to play, my .” I stand up, and fold my arms. “Don’t tell me that you pretended to not being able to dance too.”

     Jongin laughs loudly. “About that, it’s the truth. I can’t dance.”

     I exhale, and sit back on the chair. “And you’re way better than me on playing. Great.”

     Jongin smiles, and he keeps holding the guitar. “Im Ahra, listen closely.”

     “What?”

     “Since you seem to really like this song…”

     Jongin fixes his position, and gets ready to play again. The intro of The Manual starts playing, and for some reason my heart starts to thump louder.

Give a warm hug in a soft and romantic way

Use it once a day, every day

     Jongin suddenly stops singing. “Done that yesterday. Today would be no exception.” he grins, and I return the smile.

When your eyes meet with her soft eyes, smile

And talk to her, “Hey, what’s up beauty?” to make her laugh

     “Hey, what’s up beauty?”

     I laugh, and he continues playing with a smile on his face.

Sometimes, leave with her without any plan

Another sky, another wind, let her breathe

     “Does the camping count?”

     I nod happily.

Sometimes, kiss her wildly

Just like the day when I fell in love with you with no reason

     Jongin stops playing the guitar. Silence fills the room. He puts the guitar on his side, gets off the bed, and approaches me on the chair. I look up to meet his eyes, and his calm eyes stop me from moving.

     Without any warnings, he bends down and his warm lips suddenly silence mine. My hands jolt to his shoulders because of the shock, but they stop there. I close my eyes, and I can clearly hear my heartbeats on my ears. I get lightheaded. What am I feeling in this darkness? The drum sounds inside my body? The heat on our united lips? His hands on my hair? My legs which seem like they’ve melted? Everything happens at once.

     We run out of breath and break the kiss. Jongin kneels in front of me, and we look at each other for awhile. He hangs his head down, and starts laughing slowly.

     “I was going to… Coolly go back and continue the song… But now I’m too embarrassed to do that.”

     I laugh too, and cover my mouth with my hands. I secretly press my lips together, and the warmth still lingers there.

     “Continue playing. Finish the song.” I insist. Jongin bursts into laughter again instead.

     “Seriously, I can’t. Hah.” he stands up, and sits on the bed in front of me. “But since we’re going to bed soon… This part, maybe.” he takes the guitar, and it.

     “I am so thankful.”

     I look at him in the eye, and nod. “Me too.”

     I stand up, and signal him to place away the guitar. I wrap him in a hug, and Jongin pats my back.

     “So you’ve mastered the manual of me, when will you work on learning the manual for getting more friends?” I demand.

     “Only if I do it with you.”

     I sigh, and smile on his shoulders. “Of course.”

***