*this chapter will contain issues that might affect some readers*

“I— well,” Ken shook his head and tried to create the perfect sentence on his head, “Well, the last time I saw her was when she left my house and i was about to call her so that we can go home together, but—“ and once he felt like he found it, “but then I saw her walking away with a not so happy face so I figured that she just need some times alone” he  carefully mouthed it out.

“Okay,” Ravi nodded, “and what is actually  hongbin's role in this story?” and asked back.

Ken sighed and took another moment to answer it, “She bumped into Hongbin, I mean— Hongbin was the last person to talk to her“

Eunju rose and tilted her head to the side, “,”

The guys were surprised by Eunju, as she seemed to be the person who got effected the most by it.

“I know that he’ll mess up, but I don't know that It’ll be this fast,” She closed her eyes and shook her head, “In any case, we better find her now”.

Three years ago

“I like you, Areum, I really do”.

To her, it felt like the world had kept their eyes on her, as she was trapped within silence.

“I actually don't want to rush, but, after this evening, I feel like we had our first date already” Hongbin continued, “But that's just how I see it, how about you?”

Areum blinked her eyes when she realized that he addressed a daring question. “m— me?”

He smiled, and nodded.

“Awkward,” Areum gave him the short-honest answer, “you’re weird”

Carefully, he grabbed her hand and pulled her outside so that she could stand on the same floor as he. “It will be more awkward if your parents hear this conversation,” He let go of her hand, and closed the door behind her. “Wait, are you cold?” Once the night breeze pricked his skin, he immediately thought of her as he took off his coat, and put it on her shoulder. 

“Yes, I’m cold— so— I’m going to get inside my house and warm myself, see you—“

“Tomorrow, see you tomorrow,” Hongbin spread his hand to stop her from touching the door knob, “But only after you answer my question”.

She looked around, “Ehm? What question?” at the small space that Hongbin gave to her.

“Should I ask you again?” Hongbin shook his head and smirked, “Well, after this evening, I feel like we had our first—“

“Okay! Okay! okay! I get it!!” Areum who was always hiding his face from him as she faced the door, turned around and place her hands on his mouth to stop him from making more noises, “You were asking about my opinion right??”

By her actions that he thought were incredibly cute, he couldn't help but to grin and winked.

“Then, of course! it does seems like we had our first date already!"

Hyuk looked at the caller ID on his phone, as it kept ringing for more than ten times at that time. Hyung I love you but I really am not in the mood for you—

Three knocks on the door broke his thought, “Excuse me, Sanghyuk-ssi, someone called for you” and he could hear the voice of one of his helpers.

He got up and opened the door, as he found the phone in her hand, “For me?”. He reconfirmed before he picked it up.

The woman nodded and let him took over the phone.

“Yobo—“

“Sanghyuk!!”. 

He chuckled after he heard the high pitched voice of his; “Jaehwan Hyung, I ‘m not in the mood—“

“Its Areum!” Ken Cut again, “She hadn't returned…”

The phone dropped as the boy who was holding it made his way in and grabbed his phone, “What did you just say?! Hyung! its almost twelve, don’t joke with me!”

“I’m not! We’ve looked for her for more than two hours now, but she’s nowhere to be found!”

Hyuk closed his eyes and fisted, just before he made his way out of the house, “Argh! You should've told me earlier!”.

“Hyuk! Hyuk! Wait—“ Ken yelled over the phone right before his brother hung up, “I— I think I know a place where you can find her,”

“Leave me alone”

“No way,” In refuse of what she told him, he sat himself next to her, on the ground. “Not when you decided to leave the house without taking your brother with you”.

Areum looked up, and turned her face on him “Leo!”. Then, she saw his no-kidding face, she immediately blushed in embarrassment, “Thats not what I— Well, I mean, I just want to have some time alone for the night and— yeah…”

“And where are you planning to stay?”. 

A very good question from him made her speechless and shook her head, “That I don't know…”

She was quiet for the next five minutes, Living up to her words of wanting to have some time alone, as she ignored the guy next to her. If any of them made their time of checked on the time, they would know that it was late, very late for staying in an open park with nothing but a thin dress and a shirt. 

“How do you find me?”. With a hiss, she broke the silence.

“I don't know,” he muttered, and he was being completely honest. He had no idea on how could on earth he led his feet to the ground where they sat on. As long as he could remember, there was no attachment between the place, her and him, beside the fact that the park was near his cousin’s old house. “And I don't even know why you’re here”

“This place is the only escape that I could think of,” Areum looked up to the sky and gazed at the stars, “I found this place just yesterday, when I went out with Ken”.

“I thought ken going to find me here but—“

“Do you want Ken to find you?” Leo gulped and lowered his tone, “Instead of me?”

“No,” She shook her head, “actually, I don't want any of you to find me”

He let a relief sigh out of his mouth, “So can I call you my girlfriend?”.

“Eh?” Areum jerked back against the door, “No— I mean— You— I think you get it wrong!!” and waved her hands, “I mean— as I said— I feel like this evening, it was like a date! you— you know, the way you treated me and stuff— I— I’ve watched lots of drama and as I recalled, those things weren't the normal thing to do as friend to friend, you know— so—“

“Ah, I see,” Hongbin nodded and ‘pouted’, “That's why you kept saying ‘awkward’. So you were fully aware of it”

“Of course I am! I’m not dumb!”.

At that moment, Hongbin could feel his cheek turning red and warm, knowing that his plan were all busted out since the beginning. “So you actually know that I like you?”.

Areum shook her head “I don’t" and looked away. “Well, To be honest, I feel more like a joke--“

“What?!” in result of squeaking his voice, His throat almost jumped out of his mouth, “Why?!”

“Why do you keep teasing me? why do you keep bothering me? you’re smart, you’re cool, you’re nice, you’re kind, you’re popular, you’re almost perfect, but why would you act all chummy with me? Those questions just kept popping in my head whenever you came around” She faked a smile and leaned on the door, “And then after this evening, after the little time we spent together, I came up with a conclusion of; Oh, maybe this almost perfect guy couldn't find his almost perfect girlfriend and so he just randomly pick a girl who doesn't care about herself being an image of how he should treat his almost perfect girlfriend and—“

“Stop it,” Hongbin firmed his word and stopping her from making more noises.

She then continued, “And when you said that you want to be a part of my world—“ but her words were cut by her own lips that twitched into a smile, “I hate myself for letting those thoughts gone in a mere of seconds”.

His pout and sadness turned into a little ray of happiness as he finished to proceed her words. “So can I call you my girlfriend?”

Crossing her arm and sighed, “No,” she was sure of her answer. “And don't ask me why—“

“I won’t,” He nodded and took a step back. “for whatever your reason is, I’ll try to comprehend. But then, I want you to know that I didn't fall for you for no reason”.

“Don’t say those kind of things, its weird…”

“Weird enough to make you curious?” it was easy for him to notice the blush that she tried to hide,  “Well, too bad that I’m only going to say it to my future girlfriend” as he leaned in front for a kiss, on her cheek. “I’ll be more chummy from now on,” After the little peck, he quickly jumped out of the porch and bowed at her “see you tomorrow!” to excuse himself, with a smug grin of happiness. 

Areum watched him walking away from her house with a jumpy foot. “Idiot,” She muttered as she finally opened the door and get inside of her house. “Oh, really, how much do I hate myself for not be able to stay quiet?!“

“Areum? is that you?” A voice cut her mutter, “Can you help me in the kitchen?”

“Yes mom!”

So Ken Hyung took her to this place too, huh?. Hyuk got out of his cab and ran inside the park. Noona! Where are you?. He didn't even care about the old house of his that he passed as he made his way towards his worry.

And after some quiet run, Hyuk could finally see her settling on the ground, “Noona…” Next to one of his hyung.

“But I’m glad that you’re the one who found me” Areum closed her eyes to stop it from producing more tears “Cause then at least you’ll be quite and its kinda the same as having some time alone with myself”.

And in truth, i want to be the reverse.

“Hongbin sent me a picture of something that was a part of my life, some years ago” Without her realizing it, she already had her eyes and mouth open “And then I was shocked, I— I didn't see that coming so I dropped my phone and that was the start of Lee Areum losing her phone”.

Leo wanted to ask more questions that had been bothering him, but then, he remembered the reason why she glad to have him next to her.

“It was only a picture of a high school building in Busan, a place where I got to educate myself for some years,” She breathed in first, before continuing her words; “Oh, I learned so many things back then…”

“Were you avoiding me?” Hongbin sat himself on the empty seat next to Areum “Cause really, even at lunch, I couldn't find you!” on the bench next to the court. Like any other day, it was late already, almost six pm and almost everyone has left the school building.

“No, I didn’t,” She was stunned and got up, as if it was a reflect. “And what are you doing here?”

Hongbin eyed at the ball next to him, which she didn’t pick up. “Ah, are you conscious of me?” He chuckled, and pass the ball to her, “That's okay, I can pretend that I didn't see your cute blushing face—“

“Hongbin,” Areum raised her tones and let the ball hit her arm, “Please, shut up”

“Okay, okay, if that's what you want,” He raised his hands and gave up, “By the way, how's your essay?”

She picked up the ball and brought it into the middle so that she could start to dribble and do her evening routine. “Ah, well, I didn't get to continue it last night…”

“Was it really that hard?” Hongbin chuckled and followed her from behind, “You know, you can always write something about a boy, a one annoying and good looking boy who’s fall in love with you—“

“Seriously, what do you want?” She stopped with her back still facing him.

“Isn't it obvious?” He moved around so that he could face her, “I want your time, I want your attention”

Areum looked away to avoid his gaze, “What are you? A baby?”

“Oh,”. A smug grin was written on his face, “And I want you to call me baby”

Her feet froze, right before she managed to jump and shot a three point, “Excuse me?”

“No, go on, just ignore me and play alone,” Hongbin waved his hands, “I bet it's more fun than having a one on one game with Dong Hongbin—“.

In a second, his fusses were stopped by the ball that she threw back at him, “If it's going to be a one on one, then you better shut your mouth and just shot the ball”.

Like yesterday or any other day, He always had a butterfly on his stomach when he got to win the arguments; “With my pleasure”.

“Are you even human?” Hongbin threw himself to the ground so that he could pant freely.

Not so different from him, Areum also rest herself and took the time to breath. a one hour of constant game was indeed too much for both of them, “Well of course I am, do I have any other options?”

“I don't know, an angel, maybe?”

Areum threw her towel at him to cover his smirk, “Oops, I already used that to wash my stinky armpit”

Hongbin got up and sat himself, “that was the first time I heard that from a girl…” And used the towel to wash his face, “And you lied, you smells like heaven”

“Ewkh!!! ert!!” She made a disgustful face and took off her shoes, “Get that towel off your face!” and threw it at him.

“Hahahahahahaha” He let out a loud laugh, “I was just kidding, I'm 90%  gentleman so no worries,”

“90% gentleman and 10% , I suppose?”

“No,” he shook his head and rolled himself so that he could lay next to her, “10% of a pure boy in love” and gave her a mischievous smile and gaze. “Oh god, I think I need to be more creative…”

As if she didn't give a damn car about it, Areum immediately got up and grab her bag “Bye” and made her walk back home. “Oh, Thank god its friday—“

“Ya,” In a flash, Hongbin grabbed her hand and just so he could let it go again, “It's dark already, let this gentleman walk you home”.

Areum didn't even turn around, and continued to walk “No thanks, Bye” faster than before, or should be said as she ran her way back home.

“What is wrong with walking her home?”

****

“Ah, excuse me but—“ Areum let hang up without continuing her voice as she stared at the figure in front of her. “You…”

“Morning!” Hongbin popped out from behind the bouquets of sunflower on his hands, “uh, it's only nine and you already took a shower!”

“It's only nine and you have started to annoy me!” She stepped outside and closed the door behind her, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

He shrugged, “Isn't it obvious? I miss you” and handed the flower.

“Oh god,” Areum gulped and shook her head, before returning the bouquet, “Leave, now!”

He didn't see that coming. He didn't see that she would actually force him to hold on to the flower that he sincerely gave to her, “Why?” and for that, he felt his heart ache.

“Okay, now Let me walk you home,” In  one hand, she grabbed him by the wrist, led him to leave her porch, and eventually her house, “Do not ever come to my house like this”

“What? Not with a bouquet of flower? Not with me looking neat and more handsome than the usual?” In his mind, He let her to drag him away as long as they got to hold hands. “How am I supposed to be your boyfriend if I can't do such things?” 

They were walking far enough, a couple blocks away from her house when she decided to drop his hands, “Hongbin—“

“Hold me again! I like to feel your warm hand,” He grabbed her hand and held it tightly, “And or your info, I’m not planning to let go of this” and grinned. “How's your essay?”

“My essay? Well, I got to add another hundred— wait, wait, we always end up to talk longer whenever you ask about my essay!” Areum tried to pull her hands out of his grip, but his fingers were too strong to be resisted, “Ya! Let go of me!”

“Hahaha, you finally notice it,” He shook his head, then let her fall and sat on the ground as he opened his fist, “Now I’m dying to read your essay! Let's go back to your house and—“

“NO!”

Hongbin froze and looked at her eyes that were glaring at him. “Okay, maybe next time…”

“There's no next time, hongbin” She sighed and got up, “You really need to stop—“

“Really? Are we going to have this conversation again?” He scoffed, “how many time should I say that I’m not planning to stop nor give up?”

In frustration, she ruffled her hair. “Ya!! You’re making me crazy!!” She stomped on the ground and just shook her head, as Hongbin started to reach her nerves, “Just drop the act—“

“What act?” He quickly got a hold on her hands, and stopped her from hurting her scalp, “Look at me in the eyes and you’ll see that I’m not playing, I’m being serious…” In result, She did the exact thing that he told her. and for a moment, they calmly had their eyes on each other. “Now— ya! ya! Why are you crying?!?!” Hongbin was confused when he saw the tears that suddenly came out of her eyes and slowly fall to wash her cheek, “Hey! Are you okay??” And in an instant, he pulled her into his arm and hug her, tightly.

There was no sound of sobbing, but he could feel his shirt getting soaked from the tears as he let her bury her face on his chest. Gently, he moved his right hand to pat her head, and made an attempt to comfort her. 

“Are you okay?” He repeated, “tell me… what did I do wrong?” 

Areum answered him with silence, a long silence as she stayed longer in his arms.

“Well, if its only a hug, then you should've asked!” Hongbin tightened his arm and tried to not laugh, “You don't have to cry— Awch!!”

After she stomped her feet onto him and made him jump in pain, “Get lost,” Areum managed to stand alone. “For real”

“And that's impossible,” While crouched down and rubbing his feet, he talked back, “For real. Now, would you kindly explain it to me? Are you okay and what did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong, I guess...”. Hongbin tilted his head up and looked at the girl who was looking away but still failed at hiding her blushing cheeks that were oddly combined with her tears. “I just feel like crying, thats all”

Hongbin got up and stood next to her, “Then you may continue it here” so that he could easily placed her head on his shoulder, “But Only here”

*****

“Yes!!” After weeks of struggles, Areum could finally print the 5000 words of her essay, and handed it to the teacher.  “Bye bye remedial class! ahahaha—“ Her chuckled was stopped by the presence of one boy who suddenly sat himself behind her chair, right after everyone left the class. “Hongbin—“

“Im getting tired of you asking ‘what are you doing’ or what ‘the hell are you doing’ to me” He pouted, and leaned on the desk, “And I’m mad at you”

“W— why?” 

“Cause you didn't even let me read your essay”

Areum turned her seat so that she could face him properly, “But that's none of your business, what's the use of it anyway? Its not like you’re my teacher or anything”

“Objection, I did teach you on most of the part” He raised his hands and then rested it on the table, “And how is it not my business when the girl in front of me wrote about an emotion that I currently feel towards her?”.

She got up, and backed away from him. “You’re weird…”

“Another word to say that you’re blushing and I made your heart skip a beat,” Nonchalantly, he spoke. “Will it be a crime if I break into her office so that I can take a look at your paper?”

Just like what he said, she was indeed blushing and her heart skips many beats. “Y— yes, you might get suspended, y— you know…”

From resting on the desk, Hongbin shoved his back so that he could recline in the chair, “But I just want to know what my alias and how many paragraphs in your paper that consist of me…”

“Well, actually, I didn't put any of it so…“

“Wow..” Hongbin shook his head and closed his eyes, “Now I really am mad…”

“Eh?” Areum sat on the front desk, four desks away from him, “Why would you? I did nothing wrong—”

“I’m mad at myself,” Hongbin quickly got up and walked out of the class, “Guess I'm still not that important to you, huh?” 

****

“I'm not lying… I really don't have his phone number” For the tenth time, Areum must repeated the same answer of one question that started to annoyed her more than the presence of the boy himself, “And really, it's not that hard. I mean just go talk to him if you want to talk to him, he’s chill”

“Tsk,” The three girls in front of her changed their mimics into something that were more real, “Ya, Are you going to tricked us? Do you really think that you can fool us so that we’ll look like a dumb people who just throw ourselves at him??” a mimic of jealousy.

‘why would you throw yourself at him… He’ll come to you anyway…’

“Hey! Answer me—“

“Uuu! what did you guys talking about? Sounds fun!” 

Every eye beside Areum’s immediately shifted at the boy who joined the conversation; “Ah, Hongbin oppa~”

‘oppa? he’s three months younger than you’

“We were talking about your phone number and a way of how to build a conversation with you” Areum shrugged at excuse herself, “Oh, right, I’m leaving first, bye”.

“You really can't lie, don't you?” Hongbin appeared from behind of a pillar and stopped the girl from exiting the building, “That was bold but…”

“Well, you were asking about what we were talking about, so…” She shrugged, and took a little ‘detour’ so that she could pass him. “And I think you really need to give them your phone number… they keep calling me a liar for that stupid reason”

“I just did,”

“You did?”

Hongbin nodded and followed her out, “But don't worry, I won't reply to them or anything”

“And how is that become one of my business?” 

“Well, I’m just telling you, ” he shrugged, “So that you won't get a wrong idea”

“A wrong idea of what?” She scoffed and fasten her steps,

“The only girl that I’ll ever look at”.

****

“ you,” A hand was placed on her shoulder and easily pinned her against the wall, “Do you really think that you’ll get to be with him? With that pretend-to-be-innocent attitude of yours?!”.

Areum looked away from the angry girl in front of her and just tried to keep silent.

“, you’re wasting my time” She clucked and release her fist, once she heard the bell rang. “I don't need to get my hands dirty with your sweat” With her own cockiness, she let the other two, friends of her washed her nail and took out her phone, “Not when I have this picture of you—“

“Anything but that,” Areum swung her hand and made her drop the phone, as it followed by the sounds of the screen cracking in result of being stomped by her feet. “Anything,”

Hongbin was only a foot away from reaching her, but then; “Lee Areum please come to the principal office now” the voice that came out of the speaker was ahead of him, as it made Areum got up from her seat and left her desk.

But the fact that they did exchanged stares when she passed by him in front of the door, but didn't say a word, “Hey? Whats—“ made him worry and so he  was left with a new concept of confusion, “What's going on?”.

“Oh please,” Areum sighed at the first person that she saw right after she left the principal office, “I’m not in the mood for your anecdotes—“

Hongbin stood in front of her and blocked her way out of the situation “No, really, what happened?”.

“Well, I crushed someone’s phone” She shrugged, and slid away from his reach.

“Why would you do that??” and Like always, Hongbin followed her from behind and kept up with her, “I mean—“

Areum stopped and sighed. “I want to have a peaceful lunch so I beg you, please, get lost”

“Yeah, I heard that Areum crushed her phone into pieces!”

“I know right! Just who do you think she is? Like really, just because she’s close with hongbin it doesn't mean that she could stomp on people’s phone!”

“Close? please, I think it's obvious that Hongbin is only messing around with her—“

Hongbin dropped his tray on the table, “Hmm, today’s menu is perfect” and stole everyone’s attention, “Please, enjoy your meal,”. Before he sat on the empty seat next to Areum, he made sure to look around and gave everyone his fakest smile.

“tsk,” Areum stole a glance at the boy who about to sit next to her, and quickly got up to avoid any other drama.

“Wait,” But then His hand was faster than her will, “You’re not done eating”

“I’m not hungry—“

“Yes you are,” Hongbin pulled her into her seat and showed her the lunchbox which she only got to take a spoon of it, “And I’m sorry, for everything that—“

“Its not your fault for being born almost perfect” She pursed her lips and nodded, “But i think you better go now while you still have a chance”

“A chance? A chance for what?”

BLINK. BLINK. BLINK.

Suddenly, everyone’s phone rang at the same time.

Areum looked around in her fear, as she tried to find a person on one of the cafeteria tables. In one sight, she could finally lend her eyes on the girl that she met in the bathroom earlier. ‘sorry, too late’ The girl mouthed to her.

“Eh?” Hongbin looked away from his phone to her eyes, “You have a tattoo?”.

Areum let out another sigh, “For a reason, I promised to myself that the only boy, guy, man, that I will ever love is going to be my little brother Lee Kyunggi”.

"But then, There was this guy,” Areum nodded, then shook her head, “Well, he’s annoying, and a cheeseball, like, can you imagine a person who’s noisier and louder and like to stick his nose on everything more than me?”

Leo tried to follow her with a smile and a heartache as he knew where the conversation will lead.

“But that annoying guy meant everything to me,”

“I can't lie, but I'm pretty good at hiding things, and I enjoy it, it makes you feel stronger and cool… but then he just couldn't stop knocking at my door which I locked with all my might and eventually… He got to be what he said” She lay back and gazed at the stars that she could see from the holes of the leaves above her, “That he got to be a part of my world”

Tears started to flood from her eyes as everyone was also starting to put their glares on her. 

“Is her family is a mafia?”

“I thought she was just an average kid, not a rebel or someone who tried to be cool, but ended up fail miserably thanks to that lame tattoo! hahahaha”

“I won't pay for billion won to have that tattoo on any part of my body! ahahha”

"Argh, attention "

“Ya… does her parents even care about her?”

The whispers started to become louder and eventually, it became a real talk amongst people.

“By judging others, we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are, Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Hongbin’s voice was loud and clear, “Just saying, cause I think you people really need to read more books, and leave my girlfriend alone” and it made everyone had their eyes on him.

Areum saw the opportunity, and quickly ran herself out of the room. 

***

As she excluded herself from all the talks, she could hear the steps that belonged to her only friend, “Hongbin, Why did you have to do that?”

“I’m sorry— its just that— well— I know its uncomfortable for you, and i’m really sorry—”

“You know you can just leave your out of the trouble”. She was sitting on the empty bench, and he was standing some steps away from her. “You can just shut your mouth and let me handle them—“

“But that's impossible,” Hongbin shook his head, “by any chance, if you’re going to get hurt, then I want you to share your pain with me—“

“Bull,” She muttered, “I bet that was the exact thing that he said to her…” and rolled her eyes.

Hongbin moved closer to her until he got to stand in front of her.“No, I meant it,” with his lips that levelled her ears, he whispered. “And really, it's only a tattoo—“

“Only huh?” her frown changed into a chuckle, “Yeah, That ONLY tattoo will stain my skin till I die, how beautiful is it? right? its art! its badass, its— its—“ and that chuckle turned into tears. “Its only random numbers that labelled my skin, that marked who I am, and I should be happy right? Instead of hating it, I should be proud of it, right?”

He wrapped his hands around her, and let her cry in his arms.

“Last night, I got to ask him a question,”

“Him?” Hongbin mumbled,

“My dad, he was drunk and so I saw the opportunity to ask him; ‘dad, what does this number on my sides mean?’ “ She slightly rolled the right side of her uniform until a little series of number were inked on the side of her waist.

‘Areum…’

“And he nonchalantly answered it with such disgusting looks; ‘Oh, that's just the date where I think I banged your mom’ ”

Hongbin slowly released his hands, and let her stand by herself.

“They’re just a high school sweetheart” Areum fisted, “But then there’s me. And so I wonder, am I really not a mistake? Was my father right? Saying things about who need a paper when you can just love your partner with all your heart? Was he telling the truth? Or was he just being pity on me? How about my mom? Does she really like the idea of giving her surname to me? Does she think that it will be better if I got to be a choi instead of a lee? Does she really giving up her life, her family, leaving her parents, just so she could live with my dad? Was it my fault?”

“I hate the fact that my dad was the only man that I got to see, the only man that I got to learn, that I got to know, that I got to set as a prejudice to judge an entire clan of male and even most of people in general” She continued, “Because of that drunk guy who sits on the couch and just give no about anything, I only want to use my house as a place to sit and getting free food, as I selfishly only want to love and to be loved by my helpless mom” Areum looked up at the boy above her face, “You see, none of that is your problem, but why— why would I blurted it out to you?? For years, I’ve been trying to live normally and not being attached to people as I know, soon or later, they’ll know how messed up I am and then they’re going to leave me, or stay out of pity, just like that old man, but— but why do I feel like crying in front of you?”

Hongbin didn't and couldn't say a word,

 "And I'm confused, why would you care? or wanting to care? Why are you different?,”

A subtle smile left his mouth, “Perhaps you started to see things differently?” 

“Well, that's a possibility, but then you— hongbin, Are you going to leave me or stay out of pity?” 

“How does it has anything to do with hongbin messing up?” Ravi looked around the now-closed coffee shop and found no sign of Areum.

“Wait? You don't know?” And his partner in the search, Eunju, also joined him. “Oh, of course you don't know, even Hakyeon doesn't know about it”

Ravi shook his head and rest his feet. “About what?”

“About Areum and Hongbin relationship, ”  Eunju sat next to him and sighed, “That occurred before his accident”

“So, before Kyunggi, I used to love that annoying guy with all my heart” She tilted her head to the side, and looked at Leo who was still sitting next to her,  

“And he remained as a dream, as something surreal,”

Still, Leo stuck with his plan of being a good listener.

“But then.. I’m afraid that hiding things and projecting things that I want is starting to become a habit, like... I just want to believe in things that I want to believe in” Areum pursed her lips, “Until I totally forget about the reality that I live in, and the fact that he himself is the reality ”

“None of the above,” Hongbin held her hands, and carefully placed it on his cheek, “I will stay simply because I want you to be happy, for real and forever”

(?)