“Stop poking me.” She said as Jongup startled her with a poke on her cheeks awhile ago. Time had flown so fast that it has been six months since they first met. Jongup had grabbed every opportunity to befriend her although most of the time, he would only end up waiting for her to finish studying at the library.

“Yah! Aren’t you hungry? Let’s eat dinner on our way home.” He suggested while his eyes twinkled with excitement.

“Can’t.” She replied flatly without looking up at him.

He sighed. He badly wanted to eat dinner with her at that newly opened restaurant near the school. He understands that examination week is fast approaching and it was Jieun that he was talking about. He knew that she’d been studying nonstop. It was nearly 6:00 in the evening already and they were still inside the library.

“Jieun?”

“Hmm?”

“It’s almost 6:00 aren’t we supposed to go home already?” asked Jongup with a confused look. He had been used to accompanying her home since his house was just a few blocks away from her’s. And they usually leave the university at 5:30 since Jieun explained that she needed to cook dinner for her brother and father.

She rolled up her sleeve then looked at her wristwatch. Her eyes went big and started gathering her stuffs.

“Thanks for reminding me.” She smiled and hurriedly rushed towards the door then stopped abruptly when she remembered that she was supposed to go home with Jongup.

 “Sorry for that. Err, would you like to eat dinner at our house? You know for…” She trailed off and continued “declining your offer awhile ago and my father would be happy to have you around. So?”

“Abeoji? Junhong?” She called out as soon as she and Jongup were inside her house. Just as she was about to go to the garden, her father showed up.

“Jieun-ah, you’re quite late today. Oh. Hello there Jongup.” Her father smiled and bumps his fist with Jongup’s.

“Good evening Mr. Han” Jongup greeted with a bow.

“Polite as usual. C’mon, drop that and let’s start the match.” Mr. Han laughed and motioned him to sit down.

“I could have beaten you if only my daughter cheered up for me and not for you.” Her father said with a teasing smile.

“Appa, that was for spitting out an embarrassing thing about me the last time you and Jongup played.” She answered.

“Okay okay, I know I shouldn’t have done that. Lesson learned.”

“That wasn’t that bad Jieun-ah.” Jongup said and smiled sincerely. She knew that he was sincere about it, but for others that don’t know him, it would sound like he was making fun of her but of course she knew Jongup better than that.

“I want to play chess with him too Abeoji.” Her brother Junhong blurted suddenly. His face even looked so serious.

“Of course you can play chess with your Jongup hyung but before that finish your food first okay?” Jieun answered him.

“But noona, I’m full already.” Her brother complained. She looked at Jongup and said “Would it be fine if you stay a little longer?”

“Of course.” Jongup said and gave her a reassuring smile.

Jieun was left alone as the three sprang towards the living room. She could tell why her father was excited about it. Her father is good in playing chess but her younger brother is much better at it. If she could rate her brother, he would be equal to Jongup. She first cleaned the table and joined the three in the living room.

A little before 8:00 the match was finished and no one won the game. Apparently her father’s knee accidentally bumped the table that made the chess board and the pieces moved. Though both Jongup and her brother were disappointed, they were forced to play next time as Jieun reminded Jongup that it was getting late already. Her father apologized to Jongup and her brother then reminded Jongup that he should really come back.

“Abeoji, I will be back in awhile.” Jieun called out as she headed towards the gate with Jongup.

“Han Jieun, you’re not supposed to accompany me home. May I remind you that I’m actually a boy?” He chuckled and opened the gate.

“I’m not going to accompany you home mister. I’ll be up to here.” She said as they were outside the gate already.

A strong wind suddenly blew and made Jieun’s hair covered a little part of her face. Jongup moved closer to her, their faces were almost just inches away. Her heart suddenly thumped a million times faster than normal and felt butterflies ringing in her stomach. She couldn’t understand herself.

“You look better with this.” Jongup said as he tied her hair. He let out a sigh then looked at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know I should just keep this to myself but I can’t hold it in any longer. “

She looked at him and their eyes met. Every corner of his face reminded her of the first time they met, the first time she felt being cared of, and the life she has now. She never felt the loneliness again. She felt whole for the first time.

“I love you Han Jieun.”

On a cold evening night, Jieun knew that those words would change her life. 

I apologize for the slow updates. I've been really busy with school =w=
Tell me what you think about it :)