The band practiced during the weekends, sacrificing their loafing hours, and getting back to study on Sunday evenings. On weekdays, they continued the group study at Mi Nam's house, and it was no problem for Aunt Mi Ja.

The day for the interschool showdown would be Friday of this week, so the band practiced double time. They, however, also needed to do well in class so that they will stay in the same section until graduation next year.

******

Thursday afternoon.

"Guys, the principal and the whole school trusts us," Tae Kyung said to his bandmates. "Let's make them proud."

"We shall!" Jeremy shouted happily.

"By the way, let's not also forget the group study tonight," Mi Nam reminded them. "Let's not lose momentum just because we will be having a competition tomorrow."

All of his bandmates nodded.

*****

Shin Woo went to the jetty to look at the sunset, and was also hoping he'd get to see Mi Nyu there. And how right he was! He saw her sitting on the wooden blocks situated to the right of the lamp post.

"Mi Nyu-ya," he called out as he got near.

She looked at him and motioned him to sit down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Watching the sunset," she said as she looked at him. "And you?"

"Trying to calm down for tomorrow," he replied.

He got her hand and squeezed it tight.

"Will you grant me my wish?" he asked her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Will you...cheer for us tomorrow?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "Of course, I will cheer for you. I will watch the showdown."

She felt the warmth of his hand, but she felt a bit guilty for not talking with him this past few weeks after the "kissing" incident.

"I have one wish for you," she told him.

"And that is?" he asked.

"I wish that you will watch the sunset with me tomorrow after the showdown," she said.

He smiled at her and promised. They got silent again as they watched the sea birds flying all the way home. She felt his hand squeeze hers tight, and a lump started forming in . How can she make him understand?

"Shin Woo-hyung, I am sorry I cannot be your girlfriend," she told him, trying to hold back her tears.

"If your reason is Tae Kyung, I cannot do anything," he sadly said. "If it is anthing else, I will understand."

She felt he was torturing her with his words and his sweetness.

"Shin Woo-hyung, I am sorry, but I have a very weird question," she told him. "I hope you will not mind, and I hope you will listen."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Is it possible for friends to be like lovers even if they are not lovers at all?" she asked.

He smiled at her question.

"Some people are like that, being more than friends but less than lovers," he explained. "There is such a thing as that. Wae?"

Mi Nyu nodded, but Shin Woo could guess what was in her mind.

"Do you want us to be more than friends, but less than lovers?" he asked.

"I hope it is not absurd to even say yes..." she said.

He heaved a sigh of regret and looked at the sunset again.

"The feelings we have are just puppy love, I guess. It is not really love, just like," he said. "This situation of being more than friends but less than lovers is only a burden because we never really love each other. Also, it would only bring us sadness once we find the one we truly love, or the one who truly loves us."

"So, does that mean, you don't want to settle for my idea?" she asked.

"Ne, I don't want to," he sadly told her. "I was not pressuring you to have me as your namja, but since you were hesitant, I took it as a rejection."

"Shin Woo-hyung," she said as tears fall down her tears.

"I have been formally rejected twice, and all I could do is just to accept it and be a friend to you instead," he said. "Until such time that I will confess to you the third time with the hope that you will give me a positive answer."

Mi Nyu thought. "What can I do? I simply like him--or love him, but I am not ready to--to have him as my namja...."

"It's just friendship for us now," Shin Woo told her. "I will not let you choose between me being a friend or me being your namja. There will  be nothing in between."

When he meant 'nothing in between', he meant he did not want them to act more than friends but less than lovers. (Though it feels sweet to be in that situation!)

Mi Nyu shed her tears as she grabbed Shin Woo by his collar and gave him a kiss, but he did not reciprocate it. When she parted, the sun had set, and all she could see was the glow of his face from the lamp post.

"Friends... don't kiss each other," Shin Woo told her.

He was in shock that she kissed him first, and he felt giddy inside that she did. But with his belief of 'nothing in between', he thought that 'kissing friends' is a wrong idea.

"I don't care," she said as she shed more tears.

She gave him a tight hug as she let her tears fall. He wanted to really give in and give this 'something in between' thing a try. Was it worth it to give in to temptation?

Of course, he was tempted. He hugged her back.