When Kim Dong-Hyub came back to his class, someone told him there was a girl looking for him.  Looked like they did not bother to find the name.  He shook his head at them.  ‘Idiots!’

A girl?  He did not know any girls here who would look for him.  Those he knew them, would call him.  Hmmm.

Kim Dong-Hyub shrugged it off.  He was busy.  He had been too distracted and was running behind schedule and everyone was getting upset with him.  He had to spend more time on this project.

Kim Dong-Hyub had tried calling Han Tae-sun but Han Tae-sun had not picked up the calls nor had he returned them.  Kim Dong-Hyub knew he needed to back off.  His rationality had come back to him after his chat with Colin.  He had done some thinking and realized he was being extremely selfish and acting too emotionally.  He had stopped calling.  His last text to Han Tae-sun was ‘whenever you are ready’.  He had let it go.  It was the only way something could happen between them. 

If Han Tae-sun needed time, he would give him that time and space.  He believed with certainty they would be back together soon.  He knew he had acted like an idiot.  He would simply have to be patient. 

So, he focused on the movie and his classes. 

….

Han Tae-sun read the last text he got from Kim Dong-Hyub.  “Whenever you are ready”.  He was relieved.  Finally, Kim Dong-Hyub was getting the message that he needed space.  Though he missed him, he felt less suffocated. 

Pil-suk had kept asking him if he was okay.  He was snappy there for few days.  Today he did not snap.  “Why do you keep asking?”

“How come you don’t seem to be telling me anything these days?  We used to talk so much about everything” Pil-suk asked.

“That was long ago Pil-sukkie.  We were both young then.  I am a big boy now” Han Tae-sun said even as he laughed at her fondly.  “If something big happens, you will be the first to know”.

“Tae-sunah, I already know something big has happened.  I just don’t know what it is.  I don’t know why you just don’t tell me anything” She pouted at him.  He should know she knew him very well and he could not lie to her.

“Talk to me.  I am really curious.” She begged him.  He was looking very unapproachable for few days but today, he was looking easier.  She better grab a chance before his mood changed again.

“Argh.  You are so annoying!” Han Tae-sun said trying to pull his arm from her.  She had been shaking it and pouting at him like a little girl.  ‘What did she think, we are 15 again?’

Plus, he had an image around school.  He could not be all cutsy with her like this.  It made him laugh in his head.  He was surprised he could still laugh.  He tried to hide that bursting laughter and just swatted her hand away.  “Stop it” hoping he was communicating enough irritation.  “I will tell you.  Can you just stop behaving like that?  You are embarrassing me” he said softly.

Pil-suk happily let him go.  It had worked with him in the past.  Whining like a little girl.  He always said it annoyed him, he always stopped himself from laughing and always gave her whatever she needed.  It always worked like a charm. 

“So tell me”. 

Han Tae-sun sighed.  He scratched his head.  Looked around the classroom.

 Lee Pil-suk was bursting with curiosity.  “Aaaa… You are killing me.  Out with it already!” She said impatiently.

“Kim Dong-Hyub and I are going out.”

Pil-suk jumped.  Hit him hard on his chest.  “This was not big enough news for you tell me?”  She was really upset. 

“I am sorry okay?  It’s not been very easy.  I did not want to talk about it” She looked really upset.  She refused to talk.

“Stop it.”  He looked at annoyed.  “It was not easy to talk about.  So, I did not”. 

When she did not say anything else, “I am sorry ya…” he begged.  “When I am confused about something, I find it difficult to talk about it.”

“I am beginning to stop enjoying this conversation now.” He finally said.

Pil-suk was still hurt but she did not know when she would get another chance. 

“Okay.  Whatever”

“Why was it difficult?” she asked.

“You are not letting this one go?” Han Tae-sun asked her unbelievably.  “I already told you the big news.  Now you want to know my feelings?” 

“You said, it was difficult.  Is it easy now?  Should we have a double date then?”

Han Tae-sun could not help but laugh.  He gave her an inch and she wanted to take the mile. 

“We are not there yet.”

“So, where are you?” she insisted. 

“Jesus woman!.  We are currently not talking.  There, you are happy?” Han Tae-sun said. 

“What?  Why are you confusing me?  You just said you were going out”

“He was crowding me.  I needed to breathe.  Now, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.  And yes, we are going out but not just now.  If this is confusing, figure it out in your own time.  Can we get back to work now?”  It had been a while since he had spoken to her about his personal life.  He felt very awkward.  After Oska, there was really no personal life to talk about.  He could not possibly tell her about his life. 

Pil-suk knew she had reached her limit.  She backed off.  Some of it made sense.  Some of it did not.  All that mattered was, Han Tae-sun had found someone he was interested in.  That was big news and a great development.  It also looked like Kim Dong-Hyub was giving him more than Han Tae-sun could take.  Hopefully the guy was not a psycho.  She needed to find out if the Kim Dong-Hyub was a psycho. 

‘Ah… a project!”  She clapped in her head delightfully.  Han Tae-sun watched her expressions change.  From pout to what looked to be utter delight.  He was slightly concerned about what she would be up to now but he had work to do and she had taken too much of his time already.  ‘She gets all silly sometimes.’

…..

“Kim Dong-Hyub, a girl called Lee Pil-suk came looking for you.  It was the same girl from other day” his classmate told him.

For second there, Kim Dong-Hyub drew a blank.  Lee Pil-suk?  Then it hit him.  Han Tae-sun’s friend.  His heart immediately started racing.  ‘Why was she looking for him? Does Han Tae-sun know?  Should I ask him?  Did something happen to him?’  It completely confused him and made him anxious. 

He called Collin.  “I hate to ask you this and I will always owe you this favor.  But you must do something for me.”  He actually hated involving Colin.  Colin would think he was some kind of stalker.  So, he needed to explain before he asked him for the favor.  “What is it?”

“Han Tae-sun’s friend is a girl called Lee Pil-suk.  He hangs out with her all the time.  When I was not here, she had come looking for me.  I have missed her couple of times.  I don’t know how to reach her but I am curious why she was looking for me.  I wonder if something happened to Han Tae-sun. I don’t want to come there.  I don’t want Han Tae-sun to misunderstand.  So, can you see if Han Tae-sun is okay? And give that girl my phone number?”

“You are really kidding me right?” Colin sounded flabbergasted.  ‘What is their friendship coming to?’

“How can I randomly approach her man?” He asked.

“Okay okay, Sorry.  Can you at least find out of Han Tae-sun is in school and looks okay?” Kim Dong-Hyub begged.

‘This is ridiculous’ Colin thought.  What had become of once an easy guy with great personality.  Is this what love did to people?  Kim Dong-Hyub had looked he was doing fine.  He was finally putting the required time on the movie, they had started coming along nicely and here was again acting like a nervous wreck!

“May be I can just peak” Colin thought.  “I will just peak.  But that is all.  Don’t call me hundred times to check.  You are making me feel ridiculous.  I hope you fall out of love very soon.”  He cursed him.

“I will wait for your call” Kim Dong-Hyub said. 

Colin shook his head as he disconnected.  He also laughed.  This was the craziest thing he had had to do for a friend.  Spy on a guy!  ‘This is almost funny’ he thought.

Colin knew generally where Han Tae-sun hung around.  After Kim Dong-Hyub had told him about their relationship, Colin had looked at Han Tae-sun with new curiosity to see if there were any redeeming qualities about him.  He always had the same ‘ off’ expression.  Whatever did Kim Dong-Hyub see in this guy?  He was good looking for sure.  He had learnt he was also a model.  But his personality just ..  ‘To each their own’ Colin thought.

They were in the same department though not the same classes.  It was easy to pass each other in the hallways.  He thought once Han Tae-sun had tried a slight nod.  Colin could not believe it so, he had ignored it.  Colin found him in a classroom talking with a girl, looking perfectly fine.  Was that the girl who was looking for Kim Dong-Hyub?  He wondered why.  Come to think of it, Kim Dong-Hyub needed a girl to do all this weird stuff for him.  Spying, carrying notes, and sharing his feelings.  May be it is a good solution to actually give the girl Kim Dong-Hyub’s number.  After all, she had come looking for him.  He was just passing the message.  He did not want to do with Han Tae-sun there.  He would find her later. 

He called Kim Dong-Hyub as he walked back.  “He looked perfectly fine to me.  Now, don’t ask me to do this ever again.”

“What was he doing?” Kim Dong-Hyub asked.

‘Good Lord!’  Colin disconnected the phone. 

…..

Kim Dong-Hyub cursed at Colin when he disconnected.  But was happy to hear Han Tae-sun looked okay.  So, why was his Lee Pil-suk trying to find him?  He will know soon he thought.  He will find a way connect with her.  His team was already calling him for something.  He went back to his project.

…..

When Pil-suk was in the classroom with Han Tae-sun, Han Tae-sun’s had his back to the door.  She noticed a guy carrying the guitar had just peaked inside and directly looked at them and then had just left.  ‘That was weird.’  Why did that guy look familiar? 

…..

‘Hang on!’  Was that Kim Dong-Hyub’s friend?  A bulb just flashed in Pil-suk’s head.  Was Kim Dong-Hyub stalking Han Tae-sun through his friend?  ‘Oh my god’

Just when she thought she was about to freak out, it occurred to her she had been trying to reach Kim Dong-Hyub anyway.  I need to find the guitar guy and get his number. 

Now that she saw the face, it would be easy.  He was not around.  Argh!  So annoying!

So, when she met up Han Tae-sun later, she asked very casually, “Hey, do you know the name of Kim Dong-Hyub’s friend?  The guy that carries the guitar?”

Han Tae-sun looked at her. “What are you up to? And how do you know they are friends?”

“I am up to nothing.  Gosh!” She whined.  “I was just curious.  Whenever you decide to go out again, I am sure we are all going to be introduced to each other right?  I just wanted to know his name that is all.  Jeez!”

“Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Hmph.  Why are you so difficult?”

“His name is Collin”.  He was suspicious of what she was up to.  He could not put a finger on it.  She had never really done anything that had hurt him in the past.  He did not think she would start now.  ‘Whatever this is, probably harmless”.  “Don’t embarrass me” is all he said.

‘Collin.  Western name.  Interesting.’  She would ask some girls.  ‘The guy looked cute.  I am sure girls will know, especially with that name. ‘

Her hunch turned out right.  Looked like he was quite popular.  ‘This is what happens when you have a boyfriend.  You just don’t pay attention.’

She did not think Collin would stalk for Kim Dong-Hyub.  ‘Ha!  I crack myself up’ as she raised a fist at herself for thinking bad things.  ‘It was all because of Han Tae-sun. He is so negative!’

One of the girls told her where she can normally find Colin, so, she ran.

She was very happy to find him.  She patted herself on her sleuthing skills.  ‘This project is really fun!  I am going to get them together, solve all their problems and get them to marry and have them adopt two cute babies.  I am going to name them myself”.  Her thoughts were all over the place and she was completely delighted with herself.  Everything looked pretty and great and she almost wanted to hug Colin from pure delight.

“Hey!! Collin” Colin looked up to an over enthusiastic girl in front of him.  She seemed to be bursting with something and for a second he thought she was a fan.  And then she looked familiar and he deflated that it was that girl Lee Pil-suk, Kim Dong-Hyub had talked about.

‘Argh’ he thought.  How can a Korean girl feel so comfortable to approach a complete stranger and give him such greetings were beyond him.  But, he had lived in the US and these things did not affect him.  He was used to the politeness of the girls here and was just surprised. 

“Hello”, he was much more polite.  “Lee Pil-suk right?”

She giggled.  ‘What the hell is this?’ Colin thought.  ‘How exactly Han Tae-sun and this girl were friends again?’  

There was something very contagious about her cheerfulness.  He could not stop a beginning of a smile. 

“You know my name already!  That means Kim Dong-Hyub must have told you.  I saw you earlier.  You came to our classroom.  Did Kim Dong-Hyub ask you to check on Han Tae-sun?  Is your friend a good guy?” 

Colin burst into laughter.  This was all so out there for him that all he could do was find amusement in the situation.  He was already shaking his head about Kim Dong-Hyub earlier and now this girl.  This was just too funny. 

“My friend is a good guy” he told this Lee Pil-suk even as he laughed heartily. 

Pil-suk was not entirely sure why this guy was so amused.  ‘He is harmless though.  He is really cute too.  I have a boyfriend.”

“Sorry, I laughed like that” Colin said.  “I have been having an interesting day that is all”.  “I am not laughing at you though” He added in case she misunderstood.

“Kim Dong-Hyub told me you have been looking for him.  He did not know how to reach you so he asked me if I knew since we are in the same department.  Do you want his number?” Colin continued.  Laughing like that had probably confused the girl.  She had no idea what was going on in his head.

Lee Pil-suk looked even more delighted if that was even possible.  She nodded her head.  “Can you?”

So, he gave it to her.

She then suddenly looked awkward.  “Hmmm..  Please don’t misunderstand if I ask you a question”

“You know their situation?”

“That they are going out?  Yes” Colin said.  He felt safe sharing that because it looked like she already knew.  She would not be randomly looking for Kim Dong-Hyub if she did not know what was going on.

“Is Kim Dong-Hyub, like, hmmm…like, normal?” Lee Pil-suk asked.  She was not really sure if she could come out and ask if he was a psycho. 

Colin had no idea what she was asking him.  She looked concerned. 

“He is as normal as the next guy.  But I don’t really know what you are asking me” 

“Hmmm… So, Hmmm..  How much do you know?” Lee Pil-suk asked.

Colin was starting to get a little impatient.  “He is my friend and I am sorry, this is not comfortable for me.  I gave you his number.  Why don’t you guys talk?”

“I am so sorry”.  She bowed.  “I will talk to him, thank you”.  She bowed.  He noticed she bowed at least 4 times before she left.

It just made him laugh again.

‘oh, this is so crazy’

…..