Meanwhile at the same day, he was walking home alone after he got her message. He eagerly want to know what she’s been doing that she can’t walking home with him. Seriously he won’t mind if she ask him to wait for her until she finish whatsoever that she needs to do. Just ask and he’ll certainly say yes. Why? Don’t ask. He has no idea the reason is, he just really like spending time with her and deeply down in his heart even he’ll not admit it he waiting the morning just want to pick her up, waiting the lunch just want to eat with her though he needs to wake up early preparing the lunchbox but he feel worth for it every time he watch her eating happily and waiting the last bell rang to walking home together with her.

Without he realised it, he keep staring at his handphone for almost 20 minutes, waiting if she would reply his message or whether he should ask her what she’s doing right now and with who or  when she’ll going home but he quickyly rub it off since he had no right to ask her so many questions even she’s his friend. Plus, he doesn’t  want  her to think, he such a nuisance for interfere to much in her life whereas he is barely have right to do it. So, he just let it be whatever excuse that she want to use. Till he got home, he heard someone calling for him.

“Amber…Amber…” He walked out from his house and  look at his neighbour.

“Oh, Kim umma,”

“Amber, you just got home?”

“Yes, Kim umma. Why did you call me?”

“Can you help me? Just a small one Amber,”

“Certainly, Kim umma. Anything for you,” He said it with a smile on his face.

“Oh, that so sweet of you, honey. Can you send this to Mrs. Gil, the house is 23F tomorrow morning? I know you usually didn’t use that road walking to school but I’ve got no choice since Mrs. Gil wasn’t at home today, I’ve some errand tomorrrow and  Taeng is sleeping over at his friend’s house. So, you’re my last choice, ” Kim umma ask him half plead while showing her hand gesture to Mrs. Gil’s house.

“It’s ok, Kim umma. I still can use that road to go to school. Should I just leave it there?”

“Yes, you can just leave it in the mailbox. I’ll text her tonight and thanks once again, Amber,” Kim umma thanked him. At the same time, giving him the small box that neatly wrapped for Mrs. Gil .

“You’re most welcome, Kim umma.” He smile at her and take the box. He keep the box in his house and get ready to work. Looks like, he can’t pick up the ice princess tomorrow since Mrs. Gil’s house is other way round from her house.

At the convenience store, he keep looking at his watch, thinking whether she’s home yet  and take a look at his handphone, whether there’s new message or not.

“Amber,” He look at Hyoyeon that calling for him.

“Call her,” He give her a questioning look after he heard what she said.

“I know you been thinking about her. You keep looking at the watch and phone, what’s more? Obviously, that ice princess,” Hyoyeon said sarcastically.

“I don’t want to be called a nuisance, noona. Mostly with the thing that she can said ‘it’s non of your business’. I’m  just her friend not her boyfriend,” He sighed.

“Use your brain. Find an excuse, Amber,”

“What do you mean, noona?” He doesn’t understand what Hyoyeon try to tell him. Hyoyeon facepalm herself in disbelief.

“Urrgh…I don’t know. Tell  her, you’re sick, your pet dying, you lost your mind. An excuse, Amber. Any excuse to call her. Therefore, you can find a way to ask her whatsoever that you want to ask,” Hyoyeon said in more emphasize tone. He suddenly thinking and grinning widely. He can use that, he can call by using the excuse that he can’t pick her up tomorrow and at the same time he can try to ask her about something else. He jumped on Hyoyeon and hug her happily.

“Thank you, noona! Thank you! You’re genius,” He smiling widely.

“Yeah..yeah.. I know.” Hyoyeon said it in expressionless but still have a little emotion.

After he got home, he went for a quick shower then taking out his handphone from his sweater’s pocket and dialing a number. After a couple of ringing, the other line answer it.

“Hello,” She greet him.

“Hey, Krystal. Are you home yet?” He ask her.

“Yes, a few hours ago. You?”

“Just got home and showered,” He answered her but he can sensed something in her voice.

“Krys, are you ok?”

“Yes, just a slight cough. Maybe lack of water,” She answered him. Then, he heard her small cough.

“You better take a rest, Krys,”

“Yes, I think so too. By the way, why are you calling me?”

“Oh, yeah about that, I’m just wanna tell you that I can’t pick you up tomorrow, I’ve to help Kim umma,”

“It’s ok. I can go to school by myself. No worries. Nothing else?”

“Errm….yeah, I guess that’s it. Take care, Krys. Good night,” A couple minutes ago, he certainly want to ask more but now, he canceled it since he think she needs a better rest. Maybe he’ll ask her later. He thought.

“Good night, Amber.” She hang up the call. Then, he close his eyes to call off the day. She let out a small cough again but more this time. She feel a little weak. Maybe because of the cool nights after a long walk and the cry. She pull her blanket covering all of her body, leaving only her face that can be seen. Hopefully, she’ll get better tomorrow.

The next morning, he leave his house to Mrs. Gil’s house with the small box from Kim umma. He enter the school but keep wondering whether she’s here yet or not. So, he send her a message just to make sure she’s fine.

To : ice princess

R u here? In school?

From : stupid llama

He put his handphone in his blazer’s pocket and wait for her reply. In the class, he take a sneak peek at his handphone a couples of time to check a new message but nothing appeared. He start to feel worried but quickly rub it off. Maybe she’s already in the class. He maked his own assumption to stop him from thinking the worst. The bell rang, lunchtime came, he wait for her at the usual place. He keep waiting till the bell rang again, lunchtime end. He send her another message.

To : ice princess

Y didn’t u come?

I waited for u.

R u ok?

From : stupid llama

He sigh. Where the hell she is? Feeling of worried, concern and anger, it’s all mixed up in him. More and more speculations been made by his brain. Did she make it to school? Did something happened? Did she been stalked again? All of this, certainly didn’t help him calming his feeling. He going to wait for her after the class.      

He went to her class as soon as the bell rang but when he reach there, his eyes wandering around her class but there’s no single sign of her. She can’t be leaving this early, right? He thought. But luck was on his side today, he saw her friend that just coming out from the class.

“Seohyun!” He called her. Seohyun turn toward him.

“Oh, Amber. You’re still not going home yet?”

“Um..no. Not yet. I come because….” Before he could finish his words, Seohyun cut him.

“Krystal?” Seohyun while raised one of her brows. He gave her a dorky smile.

“Well, yeah. She didn’t came during lunch or reply my text. Do you know why or where she is?”

“She didn’t come to school today,” Seohyun answered him.

“What?! Why?” He asked her again in more emphasized tone.

“Calm down, Amber. She text me early this morning. She said she can’t make it to school today because she doesn’t feel so good,”

“Why she didn’t tell me or at least reply my text?”

“Maybe she’s sleeping and didn’t aware of it because I’m trying to call her too but no answer,”

“Oh, ok. Thanks Seohyun,”He want to dash out from  the school but before he could leave, Seohyun called him back.

“Amber…wait!” He turn toward her.

“Can you please give this to Krystal?” Seohyun ask him while handed him a package full of medicine and herbal drinks. He keep looking at her.

“You’ll visit her, right?”

“Yes, of course,” He answered it without hesitant.

“Well, give this to her even I don’t think she will use it. I would love to pay her a visit but can’t make it today, so can you?”

“Yeah, why not,” He take the package from her.

“Thanks and Amber, please be patient.” Seohyun said her last word and leave him dumbfounded.

He walked faster than usual to her house. His patience is quite thinner after what Seohyun said. He doesn’t know what he feels right now. It’s promiscuously. And it becomes more and more, mostly when he knocked on her door, no replies. His mind keeps making assumption and worst scenario while his hand keep knocking her door louder.

KNOCK! KNOCK!  KNOCK!