Narrative P.O.V

“Ji Eun, can you come here for a second?” Mr. Choi waved his finger at Ji Eun.
“Yes?” Ji Eun approached Mr. Choi in the empty classroom after the bell rung for second period.
“You have connection with Hongki, right?” he asked straightforwardly as he sat at his desk.
She nodded in response and looked at the clock, thinking to herself, she would be late if she doesn’t leave soon.
He gestured his hand at a chair in front of him, “don’t worry, I’ll write you a late slip.”
“How do you know Hongki?” Ji Eun questioned, while seating herself down in the chair.
“He used to go to this school,” Mr. Choi replies.
“How did you know we had a connection?” Ji Eun shot another question at him.
“I saw you with him,” he answered truthfully though there was more to admit than just that.
“Anyways, do you think you can make him come back to school?” Mr. Choi smiled impishly as if he was hiding some sort of truth.
“Hmm? Waeyo? Why?” Ji Eun looked at him dazed. “He seems like he doesn’t like the school grounds though…”
“That’s because he was suspended, but now the school is welcoming him back…” Mr. Choi answered but Ji Eun still seemed confused.
“If he was suspended why would he want to come back? Or more importantly… Why would the school want him back?” Ji Eun asked curiously.
Mr. Choi sighed, “Well, let’s put it this way… There’s some unsettled business we need to finish with him…” he drew a faint smile and wrote on a slip of paper. “Here is your late slip,” he handed Ji Eun over the note and said one last thing, “just try to convince him to come back, okay?”

Ji Eun got up and looked at him muddled as she nodded. But she was confident that Hongki wouldn’t come back to school. Especially if it meant staying close to Ji Eun all day long…

~~~~Meanwhile

Hongki walked down the aisle of the supermarket, doing his usual routines with restocking and cashier work. His phone rang and he proceeded to look at the caller ID, which read, ‘motherer.’ He immediately muted the call and put it back into his pocket, while sighing to himself.
“When will Ji Eun come?” Manager Yeon asked Hongki from behind his shoulder.
“Can we just not hire her?” Hongki gritted his teeth.
“Why? Wouldn’t you like your girlfriends accompany?” Manager Yeon chortled.
“Look, she is not-”
“Alright, alright. Sheesh,” Manager Yeon backed away.
“Why do you want to hire her so badly, anyways?” Hongki glared at him.
“Having insignificant co-workers is a bit tough, don’t you think?”
Hongki just shrugged.
“Hyuna is sick and now all the work is put onto you…” Manager Yeon cleared his throat and continued, “it would be good to have another employee here… Plus she’s cute and pretty. I think the customers would love her,” he persuaded.  
“Cute and pretty? More like plain annoying!” Hongki denied his statement.
“She’s annoying? But that isn’t even relevant… So you think she’s cute and pretty right?” Manager Yeon twisted his words.
“Hell no!” Hongki pushed Manager Yeon out of his way.
“Oh look at that rascal; he’s blushing as hard as a tomato!” Manager Yeon laughed to himself.

************

“Annyeong, Unnie!” Ji Eun greeted Gyuri in the cafeteria.
“Annyeong,” Gyuri smiled at Ji Eun.
Jessica, who just stood next to Gyuri seemed intimidated and continued to avert her eyes away from Ji Eun’s.
“Can-”
“No you cannot have lunch with us!” Jessica cut Ji Eun off and stormed out of the cafeteria with Gyuri.
Ji Eun batted her eyes and stood there utterly confused.

“Yah, Ji Eun!” Mir hugged Ji Eun from behind.
“Oh, you startled me,” Ji Eun accepted Mir’s hug.
“Wah! What happened to your head?” Youngmin pointed at the bandage on her forehead.
“Oh I just got into a sticky situation; it’s no biggie…” Ji Eun assured them.
“Does it hurt?” Mir asked.
“Are you okay?” Youngmin looked at Ji Eun worriedly.
“I’m okay, I’m okay! Don’t need to worry about it.” Ji Eun was pleased to have such caring friends, it made her more content then she already was.

“So are you ready for the elections, Ji Eun?” Youngmin tugged on her arm, reminding Ji Eun about the upcoming ceremony.
Ji Eun shook her head, “I’m not that good with public speaking…”
“Don’t worry. You’ll do great!” Mir smiles brightly.
“If you get too nervous, just distract them with your cuteness,” Youngmin snickered.
She laughed timorously while shaking her head, denying his comment.
“Hwaiting!” Youngmin gave her a thumbs up.
“You’re going to shine brightly tomorrow! I know it!” Mir encouraged enthusiastically.
“Thank you, guys,” says Ji Eun, admiring their appreciation.  

```After school has finally finished, Ji Eun quickly went back home…

“I saw Ji Eun with Hongki again…” Youngmin heard a familiar girl tone while he paced down the nearby coffee shop with Mir.
“Hey… Did you hear that just now?” Youngmin gives a serious look to Mir.  
“This time they weren’t alone… L. Joe and his mobs were there too!” Mir heard her voice distinctively this time. Youngmin and Mir followed her voice, which was not too far away, as they approached closer to her, peering over the corner of the coffee shop.
“It’s Jessica…” Youngmin whispered to Mir.
“She’s setting herself into a sticky situation… Does she not know who Hongki is? Everyone knows him. He was on the news so many times…” She sighed. “Who would want to be around that cursed boy? Aish,” Jessica bellowed. “I wonder what will happen to her, when they find out…” Jessica swallowed hard.
“! Ji Eun… They are after Ji Eun now!”  Youngmin thought in his head.

~~~~~~

“So, are you going to call her?” Manager Yeon raised his brow at Hongki.
“If you want to hire her so badly, then why don’t you call her yourself,” Hongki insisted as he turned around and continued with his lunch break.
Manager Yeon looked up at Hongki who was eating out of a lunch box, “This is the first time I have seen you eating in such a long time… Wait, since when did you have time to prepare a lunch box?”
Manager Yeon took a closer look at his food, but Hongki tried to hide it behind his arms, “go away,” he said.
“Aww! There’s cute little heart shapes everywhere!” Manager Yeon giggled, “So, your girlfriend made that for you, am I right?”
“SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!” Hongki threw a fit and packed away his lunch. “Damn you, for ruining my appetite,” he said taciturnly while he got out of his seat and walked away.    
“I wonder how that girl of his, Ji Eun, copes with his rudeness…” Manager Yeon thought to himself, “but then again… It’s pretty cute when Hongki blushes…” he grinned. “Oh, how lovely it is when it comes to teenage romance,” Manager Yeon imitated a erted laugh.

Manager Yeon looked back at the table and realized Hongki had left his phone, “Hongki-”
“Hmm… On a second thought this makes it easier to get in contact with Ji Eun,” he took his phone and looked at the history of his calls. Many of them were missed calls from, ‘motherer.’
“This boy has such a foul mouth,” Manager Yeon shook his head in disappointment.
He took a look at his contacts instead and all of them had weird nicknames, making it harder to find Ji Eun’s number. He came across the name, ‘The annoying little girl,’ “this can’t possibly be Ji Eun’s number… Could it?” He his chin.
“What are you doing with my phone?” Hongki said from behind.

“Hongki!!” Ji Eun’s voice was heard from a short distance, making both of them turn around.
“Ah! Ji Eun!” Manager Yeon ran to her and hugged her tightly.
“What the hell?” Hongki looked at Manager Yeon oddly.
“Guess what? You’re automatically hired!” Manager Yeon shook Ji Eun’s hand.
“Really!? But I didn’t even do anything yet…” Ji Eun sounded surprised.
“You’re a erted old man,” Hongki flicked Manager Yeon’s forehead. “It isn’t fair to just hire her on the spot!”
“Well I am the manager, I can do whatever I please. Plus, she’s just so darn adorable!” he smiled cunningly to Hongki.
Hongki gritted his teeth and gave a cold stare at Ji Eun, making Ji Eun tremor.

Hongki’s phone rang and he immediately picked it up, “what is it Ssam D?” he asked with an unpleasing tone.
“Your mother is here. What do I do?” Ssam D whispered anxiously into the speaker of his phone.
“Wait; don’t tell me she just heard what you said…” Hongki gulped.
“No, I am in the bathroom right now… She’s standing out the door and ringing the doorbell like crazy,” Ssam D sounded nervous.
“Just tell her, you haven’t seen me for a 4 months…” Hongki replied.
“4 months?” Ssam D questioned.
“Whatever works…  Just make sure she doesn’t find me!” Hongki hung up the phone and clenched it into his fist; worried that his mother would eventually find him.

“Is there something wrong, Hongki?” Ji Eun’s gentle voice somehow put Hongki’s mind at ease.
He replied with a short, “yeah.”
“See! Look at the way your expression softens up every time you look at her!” Manager Yeon said as if he had read Hongki’s heart.
“What are you talking about?” Hongki punched Manager Yeon’s shoulder.
Ji Eun looked at them completely acquitted as they continued to quarrel.

Ji Eun grabbed Hongki’s wrist, “Oppa… Oh sorry I mean Hongki-”
“What? You aren’t allowed to say oppa?” Manager Yeon cut her off.
Hongki looks down at his shoes and mumbled, “you know I don’t like it when people call me ‘oppa’”
“Yeah but you let Hyuna-” Hongki cupped Manager Yeon’s mouth to shut him up. Hongki turned around and grabbed Ji Eun’s hand, dragging her down to aisle 3.

“Why do you want to work here?” Hongki asked while he reorganized the shelf.
“I need job experience… All I’ve been doing was volunteering, and then this opportunity came up,” Ji Eun answered.
“Couldn’t you have looked at a different workplace?” Hongki frowned.
“Well... I wanted to work with you…” Ji Eun trailed off timidly.
Hongki’s face flushed red again, and this time he can feel himself heating up.
“Are you okay? You seem to be getting really warm,” Ji Eun touched his cheek with the back of her hand. Hongki locked his eyes with Ji Eun’s, whose face was dangerously close to his. His pupils quavered as he stared into Ji Eun. His body shivered at the touch of her cold hand and his heart paced as fast as galloping horses.
“I’m fine,” Hongki shoved her away and turned around, blinking uncontrollably fast, thinking to himself why he was reacting this way.

“Why would you want to even work with me, in the first place?” Hongki couldn’t hold in his curiosity.
“Because. I like oppa, “Ji Eun smiled. “Oh, sorry for calling you oppa again…”
“It’s okay,” Hongki muttered. “I like oppa…” those three words seemed surreal to Hongki. The word ‘like,’ was so rare to him, hence no one had never truly liked him, maybe as an acquaintance, but nothing more to that. -Yup, even Gyuri, who was his ex.
Hongki felt a small tug on his arm, “can I help?” Ji Eun offered.
“It’s okay, there’s not much to do here anyways,” Hongki finished rearranging the last shelf.

“There’s no service here…” Ji Eun pouted.
“It’s almost dinner time; so no one really comes around during this time. Usually it’s in the afternoon or later at night when there’s more service.”
Manager Yeon looked at helpless Hongki and sighed. “Hey, why don’t we just close early today? There’s not much to do and no one seems to come here during this time…”
“No, what if-” Hongki was stopped by Manager Yeon , “Hongki it’s alright. I have an important errand to run anyways…” he placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned closely to Hongki’s ear.
“I know you are eager to have alone time with her,” Manager Yeon whispered in Hongki’s ear and by nudging onto Hongki’s shoulder with his own.
“What? No!” Hongki denied and propelled him away.
“You guys can go home early tonight!” Manager Yeon pushed the two of them out of the store.
“Yah!” Hongki shouted and tried to go back in.
“Here!” Manager Yeon threw his belongs at him before locking the supermarket door.
“Aish!” Hongki mouthed out swear words at Manager Yeon, but he only replied immaturely by sticking out his tongue, “Have fun~” Manager Yeon mouthed out.

“I swear he is so immature sometimes…” Hongki sighed and walked down the streets, while breathing in the night filled air. Ji Eun walked behind Hongki quietly trying to not tick off him more than he already was.   
Hongki stopped in his spot, causing Ji Eun to crash her head against Hongki’s back. “Can you walk in front of me? I can’t keep you out of trouble if I can’t see you…” Hongki turned around to face Ji Eun.
“Oh did I hurt you?” Hongki lifted her chin with his fingers.
“No, its okay…” she said while she was rubbing her wounded forehead. She looked up at Hongki, and both of them locked eyes again, making each other blush awkwardly. He quickly let go of her chin and turned around trying to hide his embarrassment.
“Let’s just hurry home,” Hongki murmured.
“Are you cold oppa?” She walked next to Hongki. “Here, I knitted this for you,” Ji Eun wrapped a scarf around his neck.
“You knitted this?” Hongki felt the soft black material between his fingers.
She nodded, “yeah, after the first night you saved me…” she hid her reddened face behind the collar of her jacket.
Hongki ruffled her hair, not so sure on how else to thank her, since he wasn’t used to receiving consideration from others. “Thanks…” he mumbled shyly, while they continued to walk.

“Aww, look at the adorable couple,” a familiar voice alerted Hongki.
“L. Joe?” Hongki glanced at the man in front of him.
“So you ing told the police, eh? Now I have another personal record thanks to you!” L. Joe threw a fist at Hongki, but he managed to dodge it.
“I didn’t tell them! Are you that stupid? There’s ing security camera’s everywhere! No they will find out sooner or later…”  Hongki pushed L. Joe away from him. Ji Eun hid behind Hongki in fear and clutched onto the back of Hongki’s jacket.
“Let’s go,” Hongki spat on L. Joe and grabbed Ji Eun off his back, taking her hand and holding it firmly.

L. Joe chittered in annoyance and couldn’t stand it any longer as he blurted out loud, “By the way, Gyuri never loved you! She always loved me!” L. Joe raged out of nowhere.
Hongki turned around and bellowed in reply, “and probably the last woman that would ever love you!”

“Are you okay?” Ji Eun looked at Hongki’s scrunched up face, while they continued walking down the dark alley.
Hongki gripped harder and harder onto Ji Eun’s hand unknowingly, as he was drawn into his own anxiety. “Ahh,” Ji Eun squirmed in pain.
“Oh sorry,” Hongki let go of her hand.
“No, it’s okay… If it makes you feel better, you can continue to hold my hand… “Ji Eun grabbed onto his hand again, entwining her fingers with his.
“No it’s okay, I’m fine…” Hongki tried to untangle his fingers from hers.
“But I’m scared…” Ji Eun bit the bottom of her lip.
Hongki sighed, “Of what?”
Ji Eun just looks at Hongki with worry in her eyes, and without hesitation he sighs with a capitulating expression on his face.

Hongki felt Ji Eun’s fingers skulking back into position between his fingers. Hongki couldn’t keep a straight face, and the corners of his lips curled up irrepressibly, forming into a slight grin. Hongki tried to hide his smile but it was harder than he had predicted. His heart started pacing like hurtling horses again. He exhaled long breaths trying his best to reduce the speed, but it didn’t seem to work, and every split second, whenever his eyes made contact with hers, the pace stimulated again.  His palms became damp, but she didn’t seem to mind.
She snuggled closer to Hongki, trying to share each other’s warmth while they both walked around during the cold night. The touch of Ji Eun’s body leaning against Hongki made his face fluster in redness as heat flared his body and the continuous symptoms repeated like a cycle. “Why am I reacting this way?” Hongki questioned himself endlessly.

~~