INSOO

We made our way towards the restaurant, the three of us walked side by side with Eunji in the middle. Seyong had insisted on it, he still hadn't slept much, I'm not sure how he was functioning on that much sleep. I was hoping he'd go back to sleep last night but he hadn't, he just kind of laid there and muttered to himself. I managed  to get a few hours sleep between his conversations with himself, but eventually gave up and about eight this morning and decided to get up and slowly get ready for lunch.

I was right about Seyong wanting to come, well actually, I asked him if he wanted to come to lunch and he said no. That was until he found out Eunji was coming, then he insisted on going. I don't really understand why he's so worked up over this, I mean I understand that it was a horrible thing to dream but why would he dream it in the first place? From what I understand he stop Hymen before he actually didn't anything damaging.

"Should we look around while we wait for Ji?" Eunji asked.

"Sure," Seyong nodded.

"I'm just going to give her a call to see where she is,"

"Okay, we'll meet you inside,"

I pulled my phone out and dialed her number, when the phone just kept ringing I was a little worried she wasn't going to answer.

"Hey, I was going to message you," her voice filled the receiver as I was about to end the call.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I'm running a little late, I just have a meeting at the university. I should only be 20 minutes, you haven't left yet have you?"

"We're already here but we can just look around while we wait for you. Just message me when you're here and we'll come to the cafe,"

"Okay, I shouldn't be too long,"

"See you soon,"

SEYONG

"Where's Ji?" Eunji asked over her shoulder while looking through racks of clothes.

"She's going to be a little late,"

"We'll just have to look around until she get's here, unless you want to go and sit in the cafe until then," Eunji paused what she was doing to look at Insoo.

"Let's look around," Insoo shrugged.

We wondered around a small market, Eunji was busying herself searching through racks of clothes. She was pretty much back to normal this morning which was nice to see, though her outfit was making me uneasy. Well, technically it wasn't her outfit, it was the looks that the males around us were giving her. Do they not have anything better to do then objectify her?

"You'd look really good in this," Eunji stated with a serious face holding a 60's style floral dress up to Insoo.

"I just don't think I have the shoes to match," he sighed.

"I'm sure we could find some," she laughed.

"I don't know, I wouldn't want to out shine Jiyeon,"

"You're probably right," she nodded putting the dress back, he laughed and patted her head. She frowned at him and swatted his hand away.

Why was she so comfortable with him? He seemed to have no problem getting close to her or having her be comfortable around him. I don't know why it bothered me so much, they were friends and he was dating her sister, but why couldn't she be like that with me?

"What do you think?" she asked holding up a dark blue hooded jumper with a pink ribbon for the pull strings. She was looking directly at me but I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or not.

"Seyong?" she frowned.

"Oh, it looks good,"

"So you like it?" she tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah," I nodded. Why was she suddenly interested in my opinion?

"Good," she smiled draping it over her arm while she continued looking.

EUNJI

I looked at the jumper for a while, or at least it felt like a while. If I were a guy I'd wear it, or if I were dating the guy who owned it I would borrow it. I still hadn't thanked Seyong for helping me with the Ha Min situation, well I had, but maybe I should get him a thank you gift? I mean it's not like he fix a cabinet, he saved me from what could have been a very bad situation.

SEYONG

"Let's go get coffee," Eunji stated.

"We're going to have lunch soon?" Insoo frowned.

"It's just coffee," she shrugged.

"I have studying to do tonight," she added with a pout.

"I'll go with you," I offered.

"Okay," she nodded with a smile.

"Are you coming?" she turned to Insoo.

"No, I'm going to call Jiyeon and see where she is,"

"Okay, did you want something?"

"No, I'm okay,"

"Let's go then," she smiled up at me.

We walked out of the little store after she'd paid for her jumper and walked down the hall to find a coffee shop. It was nice just walking with her.

I'd been feeling extremely guilty lately, both because of the dream and because of the way I'd been treating her. I realized I hadn't even apologized for that.

"Here," she stopped handing me the bag with the jumper she'd just brought.

"What?" I frowned.

"I didn't thank you for the whole Ha Min situation, well I did but, I mean, technically I still owed you a shirt for the coffee thing and it's cold today so I figured a jumper," she rambled.

"So here,"

"Thanks," I hesitantly took the bag.

"But I'm wearing a jumper,"

"I didn't say you had to wear it now,"

"What I mean, is that I'm wearing a jumper, but you're not and it's cold so did you want to wear it?" It was my turn to ramble.

"Oh, ah, sure," she nodded, I pulled the jumper from the bag and handed it to her.

She slid the jumper over her head, it was too big for her, the sleeves ate her hands  and the bottom sat just above the hem of her shorts, if it were an longer it would look like she wasn't wearing pants.

"You'll probably have to wash it later, it's going to smell like perfume," she gave me a small smile.

"That's okay," I shrugged.

I don't think I would mind it smelling like her, she smelt like a mixture of pomegranate and cinnamon, both of which I enjoyed. We stood there staring at each other for what felt like hours, her cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she looked down at the sleeves of the jumper, she was fiddling with the hem avoiding my eyes.

"Let's go get you that coffee," I rubbed the back of my neck.

EUNJI

I felt excessively shy all of a sudden, maybe it was the fact he was staring at me. But why would his gaze make me shy?

Unless... no.

No, I'm just grateful for him saving me, and I'm clearly confusing that for the possibility of having feelings for him. I mean, why would I have any feelings for him? After everything he's done and said to me? I don't think his attractiveness and the fact he saved me one time makes up for that...does it?

JIYEON

I sighed getting out of the taxi at the shopping center, I'd just gone through everything with the doctor; foods to avoid, the different treatment methods, signs and symptoms of it possibly getting worse. He wanted to have me go in for the surgery but said that seeing as it is in the early stages that it wasn't necessary.

I really wanted to avoid the surgery option because that would mean I would have to tell Insoo, and if the medication worked then he would never have to know. I know how that sounds but you can't exactly pass the judgement unless you're in the same situation, it's not that easy a decision to make.

I messaged Insoo to see where he was and waited for him to message back. It took less than a minute. I slid my phone into my back pocket and made my way towards the cafe, they were all standing out the front waiting for me, Eunji was throwing away an empty cup of coffee as I reached them.

"Hey," she smiled at me as Insoo wrapped his arm around my waist,

"Let's go in," Insoo directed me into the small cafe.

SEYONG

Insoo sat us down at a round table next to the wall that was covered in vines and twinkling lights, there were small sections of plant pots full of white and purple flowers. Jiyeon sat next to Insoo, then Eunji sat next to her and I was between Eunji and Insoo.

"Share Tteokbokki with me?" Insoo winked at Jiyeon.

"I don't eat spicy food," she shook her head.

"Seriously?" he frowned.

"Why do you think I always cook?"

"But you've cooked it for me before,"

"I didn't eat it though,"

"Huh," Insoo frowned down at the menu,

"Why don't we just get something off the dessert menu?" Eunji stated.

"Why?"

"Because I don't feel like eating a whole meal and I really want that," she pointed at the tiramisu on the dessert page.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Insoo nodded.

"That jumpers a little big on you, where did you get it?" Jiyeon frowned at her sister,

"I bought it for Seyong,"

"Ahh, so one thing changes everything?" she muttered under her breath, I'm not sure Eunji heard her but I definitely did.

"Okay, so dessert then?" Eunji stated.

"I'll go order, what do you want?" I stated, obviously it was strange for me to offer but no one seemed to argue which I was happy about.

"Chocolate cake," Insoo close his menu.

"Vanilla ice cream," Jiyeon shrugged.

"And a tiramisu for you?" I turned to Eunji who nodded.

I went up and ordered out food, getting myself cookies and cream shaved ice and I may have accidentally ordered Jiyeon wasabi ice-cream instead of vanilla.

JIYEON

"I'm just going to go to the bathroom," Eunji smiled leaving the table.

"Was that necessary?" Insoo sighed.

"What?"

"He's beating himself up about something that never happened. And to be fair it's not like that one thing was opening a door for her,"

"I know," I sighed.

"I know he was an , but can you please try and be civil with him?"

"Okay," I nodded.

He was right and I didn't mean to make the comment earlier. At least not out loud. I did want to thank him for what he did for Eunji.

I waited for him to come back to the table, he sat down quietly keeping an eye on the bathroom doors. He really had assigned himself the role of guardian/bodyguard for her. All because of one dream? Then again from what I heard from Insoo it wasn't exactly an un-detailed dream.

"Sorry about earlier," I'd meant to say it but it came out as more of a reluctant mumble.

"Sorry?" he frowned.

"I ah, I wanted to thank you actually... for what you did for Eunji, if you hadn't...anyway thank you,"

SEYONG

The shock of her actually thanking me made me forget about the wasabi ice cream, until it was served in front of her. She'd already picked up her spoon as I remember.

"Wait," I said as she put the spoon in , I watched her expression change from content to what looked like she was going to be sick.

"What did you do?" Insoo frowned at me when he seen Jiyeon's face.

"I was mad at what she said earlier so I kind of...ordered her wasabi instead of vanilla. I completely forgot until now," I scratched the back of my head.

I didn't actually feel guilty until I seen the disappointment and disapproval on Eunji's face.

EUNJI

"Here Ji," I slid her plate towards me and swapped her scoop of the scoop of vanilla on my plate before sliding it back.

"I'm sorry," Seyong frowned.

"You heard her say she can't eat spicy earlier right?" I frowned at him. Hey I though he was getting better.

"I said I don't like spicy," Jiyeon stated, she's lying I know she said cant.

"We're even now?" she raised an eyebrow at Seyong who sunk into his chair a little. He nodded looking down at his food.

"Then it's fine," she nodded, but I could see the spice was already affecting her.
 

***
 

SEYONG

The rest of lunch had been a little awkward, Eunji was still kind of disappointed about my actions, or at least that's what it seemed like. Once we'd gotten home she made herself a cup of coffee and went up to her room to study.

The only time she came down was to make herself a fresh cup of coffee before heading back up there.

It was just after dinner when she came down, we were sitting at the kitchen table after eating. Everyone else had pretty much gone to bed or were just sitting in the lounge room. It was just myself, Jiyeon, and Eunji. Insoo had gone to shower.

She couldn't sit still, she was tapping her fingers across the table and her knee was bouncing. It didn't seem to faze Jiyeon who was flicking through a magazine, come to think of it that was strange for her too.

"What-are-you-reading?" the sentence came out of Eunji's mouth as one really long word.

"I'm looking though some of the advertising E.X.I.D do,"

"Are-you-still-deciding-if-you-want-to-sign-a-contract?"

"Mmm,"

"What-do-you-think?"

"They do a lot of different things so it's not like I'll be stuck in frilly girl clothes,"

"How do you understand what she's saying?" I frowned.

"What do you mean?" Jiyeon raised an eyebrow at me.

"She's speaking too fast to make out anything,"

"I've lived with it for so long I guess it's just second nature," Jiyeon shrugged turning back the the magazine.

"Hey Jiyeon, do you want to go for a walk? I'm bored," Insoo entered the room drying his hair with a towel.

"I don't really want to go out, why don't you talk to Eunji if you're so bored?"

"No offence but how would that help?"

"The fun part's figuring out what she said," I muttered.

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

"You-realize-I'm-right-here?" Eunji frowned,

"I have no idea what you're saying," I shook my head.

"What?" Insoo frowned.

"She said she's right here," Jiyeon turned the page.

"We-could-go-down-to-Han-River-and-run-around,"

"No,"Jiyeon shook her head.

"Why?" the first word she said that I understood.

"Because it's too late at night and you've got studying to do,"

"What does she want to do?" Insoo asked.

"Okay-mum- but-I've-finished-studying-and-now-I-have-a-whole-lot-of-energy,"

"She wants to go down to Han River and run around,"

"And how do you understand that?"

"It's not like she's speaking a different language, she's just speaking a little fast. It happens when she has a lot of studying to do and she drinks too much coffee,"

"So-can-we-go?"

"I still have no idea what you're saying,"

"Maybe you should use the energy and try to actually study?" Jiyeon looked at her sister,

"I-can't-stay-focused,"

"How much have you actually done?"

"I-just-have-to-go-through-the-notes-I've-made-before-the-tests-the-hard-part-is-done,"

"If those two want to take you down then fine," Jiyeon shrugged.

I gave Insoo a look, it was way too late at night to take her down to Han River.

INSOO

Seyong was pleading with me to say no, I considered it. Then I thought that maybe if we take her down there he'll see that she's fine and stop playing guardian? Then maybe he'll sleep more than an hour.

"Go put something warmer on," I stated.

"Are you getting back at me for what happened at lunch?" he waited for Eunji to leave the room before he spoke.

"Why would I do that?"

"I wouldn't worry too much, she'll pack up all of her books and get changed and then she crash and go to sleep. You wont even make it out of the house,"

SEYONG

Jiyeon was right, ten minutes later I went upstairs to see if she was ready and she was asleep across the bottom of her bed. She was still wearing my jumper, I'm not sure if she even remembered she had it on. Her hands had been eaten by the sleeve and she was using the hood as a pillow. I carefully lifted her bridal style to move her into her bed properly, as soon as I lifted her she moved. I froze thinking she'd woken up but she just nuzzled into my chest letting out a soft sigh.

INSOO

I went up to see what was taking them so long, he was gently placing her down in her bed. A small smile found its way to his face. I'm not sure if he realized it but she was changing him bit by bit, and his feelings for her were growing each day.