Jongin walks home slowly, his heavy footsteps could be heard due to the lonely neighbourhood. Even though it’s only 8.15 p.m. it seems like  many people are already inside to gather with their people, or maybe some of them are having little adventure out there. He doesn’t know. He could only wonder why the world seems like it’s shutting himself off at the moment. But again, is that the real question? Is it the world, or is it himself?
 

He looks at his breath that fogs up right under his nose before it dissipates into the thin yet cold air. Just, what is he feeling now? Is it a crush? It is like? Is it love? Is it confusion or is it loneliness? Is this what Soojung feels like all these times? The feeling of wanting to do what his heart wants to do, and yet he doesn’t know what exactly his heart wants to do. The utter confusion. The feeling of wanting to make the first step, and yet doesn’t know with which foot he should begin with. He sighs in frustration.
 

He walks into his house, saying ‘I’m home’ when he hears the usual voice of the news reporter coming from the living room. He makes his way upstairs immediately and goes straight to his room. What he’s feeling makes him tired. It’s draining his energy. He sits on the edge of his bed and thinks.
 

“What has this Naeun girl done to me?” he asks himself in a whisper. Sure, she’s beautiful, with or without make-up, and he’ll always choose the latter if you might ask. She speaks out her mind too, but that’s okay. She’s whiner, but he thinks he’s okay hearing it all the time. She loves photography more than anything, but that’s her thing and he won’t stop her. And even though he only knows her since two months ago, he could tell that she’s both introvert and extrovert, but he’s okay with her being either way. She’s just complicated, but he’s okay with that too.
 

But why does he find himself doesn’t mind over the fact that she could be as complicated as a woman could be? And why does he let himself to be affected by a girl that he barely knows? And why does it seem like he’s okay with it despite how tiring his feelings get him?
 

“What is this feeling again?” he sighs as he runs his fingers through his hair frustratingly. “This is insane.” He then gets up from his bed and goes downstairs and walks to the door.
 

“Where are you going? You just got home,” his mom asks just when he’s about to reach for the doorknob.
 

Jongin flashes her a smile. “I need to get some air. Don’t worry, I won’t be out too long,”
 

He should be going to the Italian restaurant and curse the girl for making his world turn upside down — he should be doing that, but somehow, he ends up buying 4 boxes of fried chickens and eating alone at the small park in the neighbourhood. The time’s ticking and by the time he’s checking his watch, it’s already 10 in the evening. “This is pathetic I feel like crying,” Jongin says to himself before he reaches for another piece of chicken. “I’ll make sure you pay for this, Son Naeun,” he says before he pops the chicken into his mouth.
 

“It’s really you,” an awfully familiar voice says, startling him and he turns his head to the side and chokes on the chicken he’s chewing. Naeun gasps as she immediately rushes to him and gently pats him on the back. She then carefully holds the bottle and places it on his lips, and he gratefully sips the water down. He coughs a little after that, eyes are teary. She sighs. “Be a little more careful, will you?”
 

Jongin rolls his eyes at her words. Why would you care? He reaches for another piece of chicken and eats it, literally ignoring her presence. But he couldn’t ignore the sound of her breathing though. The way she breathes, so calm and steady, a way in which makes him wonder how could one breathe ever so beautifully like the way she does. He shakes his head, as he mentally asks himself to get his sense together. He takes a glance towards her who’s sitting beside him, the only thing that parts them away is the boxes. She has her head face up to the black sky, eyes close, her lips slightly part and he could see the thin fog that forms whenever she exhales. He could feel himself shivering before he clears out his thoughts and speaks to her, “Why are you here?”
 

Naeun opens her eyes upon hearing the question as she takes a glance towards him too. Their eyes meet for a moment there before Jongin decides to break it and averts his gaze to the playground in front of them instead. She shrugs, tilting her head a bit to the left as she answers, “I don’t know. I just walked... and I don’t know, ended up here,”
 

“That’s nonsense,” Jongin replies, not accepting her illogical answer. “You’re ridiculous,”
 

Naeun sighs in frustration. “Okay, seriously, Kim Jongin, what exactly have I done to you that makes you hate me that much?!” her voice is loud that Jongin has to reach out and covers to lower down the voice.
 

“Are you planning to wake the whole residence up?” Jongin hisses as he pulls his hands back. “You’re so noisy, I swear to God,”
 

“As if you’re not,” she retorts back. “You’re so noisy and loud! You’re mean too! I thought we could be friends but then you had to touch about my make-up, and then when I thought you’re plain mean and there’s no good quality in you, you gave me the pony,” she breathes heavily but it’s now or never. She doesn’t like him, but the fact that she’s not in a good term with people makes her dislike herself even more. “And then you’re back to a meanie again and indirectly said I wasn’t worth for a date! God, you’re so frustrating! So can you—“
 

“How was your date?” Jongin cuts her off with a question that’s definitely catches her off guard.
 

She scoffs but decides to answer it nicely this time even though she’s kind of mad because he seems to be ignoring her rant back there. “It was, uh, well let’s just say it didn’t end up very nicely but oh well, it’s not the end of the world to have this one messed up,” she shrugs.
 

Jongin couldn’t deny that he was somehow, happy, with the fact her date didn’t end up well. Clearing his throat as he puts on a sympathetic face, he then asks, “What happened?”
 

“I ate a lot just now,” Naeun says. “And apparently he couldn’t accept that,”
 

Jongin couldn’t hide his shock. “He dumped you because you ate a lot?” he sends her a disbelief look. “Wow, that’s stupid!”
 

“More like I dumped him,” Naeun corrects him ever so proudly with a smirk. “And yeah, that’s stupid! I mean, why would you make the amount of food intake as a factor you wouldn’t date someone, right? But I don’t care. It’s his loss. Not mine,”
 

“I’m so proud of you,” Jongin sincerely says.
 

Naeun scoffs. “Why would you be?”
 

Jongin seems to be taken aback by that question, but eventually manages to maintain his cool. “I know right? Why would I be?”
 

“Now you’re back to being a jerk,”
 

“Just go, will you?”
 

“No, I’m staying,”
 

“Then endure it already! I’m a jerk, so?”
 

“Just eat if you don’t have anything nice to say,”
 

“I’m going to!”
 

And then silence. Naeun lands her eyes on Jongin’s back as he slightly leans forward as he eats the chicken. She suddenly remembers what Soojung said earlier that day, and her reply. That Jongin likes her, and she knows. But, seriously, looking at them now, how could she be so sure about it? She didn’t even hesitate when Soojung asked her, and now she’s doubting herself. She has never been wrong in concluding. It’s not like she cares or anything, but to have people, someone, a guy, to like you, isn’t that wonderful? But she never wishes for a confusing boy. And Jongin is one hell of a confusing person. The first time she laid her eyes on him, she thought he’d make a great friend, that he’s funny and cheerful. But all he shows is his annoying sides. But, somehow, Naeun couldn’t say it’s unbearable, though. The fact that she stays there still says it all.
 

And so she decides to go for it.
 

“Say, Jongin, do you like me?”
 

She expects he would choke on his chicken and she has to give him water once again, but he handles it well. She notices that his hand stops but that’s only for a while. He wipes his hands at his pants before he turns to look at her.
 

“Why do you ask me that?”
 

“Because I want to know,”
 

“Why would you want to know?”
 

“So that I won’t be confused no more,”
 

“I’m confusing you?”
 

She gives him a look. “Well, what do you expect?” she sarcastically asks.
 

“Why does my feeling matter to you anyway?” he raises his eyebrow.
 

“Oh trust me, I’m doing this for me,” she confirms.
 

“And why is that?”
 

She heaves a sigh, trying to calm herself down. “Okay, Jongin, look. I think you like me. And I have been wondering about it for a quite some time.” She stops for a moment to let what she has just said sink in for the clueless boy. “But I want to hear it from you, you know? The confirmation. So th