Listen to Pinocchio (Danger) by f(x) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qksc3PtceEI

“Who was that?”

Aiden sighed and ran to Zico, the latter chuckling. “Things never gonna change,” the store keeper muttered. Aiden, who was about to say something, furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

Hero, whose question had gone unanswered, continued staring at the back of the girl, her scent left wavering at the door. He felt amused and wondered if his instincts were pranking him. Could his instincts ever fool him? Or could he have gone crazy with all this Boneta drama?

“Yah,” Hero said, his voice harsh. Zico and Aiden stopped squabbling and looked over to their hyung. Hero nodded at the door and said, “How well do you know that Yoona girl?”

Aiden widened his eyes. “Hyung, don’t tell me you… possibly…”

Hero clicked his tongue and shook his head in irritation. “Will you just answer my question? And no, I’m not interested in your girlfriend.”

Aiden narrowed his eyes and hung his head. “Hyung, she’s not my—“

“Will you answer his damn question?” Zico muttered. Aiden gave him a look and sighed. “Yoona’s father saved dad’s when that woman filed that ual harrassment case against him. One day when I was running errands….”

“What about the other girl?”

Aiden blinked. “Which other girl?”

“The one who bought the whole Nell collection?” Zico interrupted and continued. “That’s Saya, new in town. Boa’s god-daughter, her parents died in a car-crash this summer.”

Aiden raised his eyebrows. “Woah Zico, never knew you could read people so we—”

Zico raised his phone. “She’s all over the college chat.The box has been beeping ever since she breathed into Verdelann.”

“Oh.” Aiden blinked and looked away. He raised his head, curiosity on his face. “Wait, so what is Yoona doing with her?”

“Yoochun is busy with his father,” Zico drawled on in a non-interested tone. “So Saya is going to help her out with Forbidden Fruit. And no,” he added when Aiden opened his mouth. “THAT, I overheard from their conversation. Hey, everytime she walks into this store to listen to music, you stroll in and chase her away.”

Aiden pointed at himself. “Me? I chase her away?”

Zico nodded. “Right Hyung? Hyung?”

But Hero wasn’t there.

                                               *********************************

Hero couldn’t put his finger on it, but that Saya girl, he had definitely felt her aura somewhere before. The fact that neither Zico nor Aiden had caught it was surprising or maybe with age, his senses had heightened even more.

“But that’s not the point,” Hero muttered to himself, closing his eyes and letting the heat of the sun rest on his face. The park was a bend around the main square and sitting on the bench, Hero could see Key’s antique shop at the corner, Junhyung’s flower shop opposite it and right next to that the Forbidden Fruit. Unconsciously, he had followed her there.

“I’m just curious,” Hero justified and smiled when Hoya grumpily walked out of the coffee shop, his hyung’s caramel macchiato in his hand.

“This is the first time someone has ordered from a park,” Hoya muttered. Hero knew that had he not been old, Hoya would have been the most fearsome of the gang. He still was. But a man in an apron was as scary as a dead fly.

“So have you shifted to stalking now?” Hoya asked, removing the apron and resting next to his friend. Hero paused before taking a sip. He chapped his lips and nodded in appreciation. He turned to compliment Hoya’s coffee-making skills but was frozen by the signature glare.

“Do I have to talk about it? And how did you know?” Hero stared ahead at the window. He could see the girl being guided by the chirpy Yoona, who had only recently sneaked away from Zico’s music store.

“Is Aiden blind by the way?” Hero said, trying to change the topic. “Doesn’t he notice how Yoona’s aura changes around him?”

Hoya shrugged. “He probably mistakes it for anger. Wouldn’t doubt that if I were him, right? Now back to the point. Why are you stalking the new girl in town?”

Hero chuckled. “I should join the college chat sometime, all of you are up-to-date.”

Hoya waved his hand. “A thousand and seventy years is way too old.” He stopped speaking when Hero’s face changed. He stared at at the new girl, something flickering in his sharp memories.

“You think….” Hero murmured to himself. Hoya looked at Saya, then at Hero.

“Want me to introduce you to her?” he offered. Hero narrowed his eyes, mocking at his friend’s poor joke.

(Five minutes later)

“You’re the barista from next door!” Saya exclaimed and bowed. “Thank you for the americano!”

Hoya shifted his feet. Suddenly from behind him, an eerie figure stood out. Yoona stopped humming to herself and blinked at the man.

“He-he-hero?”

Hoya gave a small smile. “This is my friend Hero. Hero, this is Saya.”

The two persons stared at each other. Yoona glared at Hoya while the latter stayed oblivious to the reason for the irritation. What, he mouthed while Yoona lightly threw the duster on the floor. Troll, Yoona mouthed back and walked back inside the storeroom.

Meanwhile Saya and Hero were right where they had been left. Facing each other, lost somewhere.