She was sure it was Jongin's voice. Seulgi could recognize it from any other after hearing it for years.

"Seulgi", he suddenly shouted seeing that the small girl wasn't planning to stop.

Although she didn't have any intention to stop, Seulgi's body answered to his call on its own with a shiver. It had been so long since she heard his voice say her my name that a wave of nostalgia hit her as soon and made her heart clench. She clearly wasn't used to it anymore and it was a shame, but that was just another example of their routine: their relationship had come to this point. Strangers.

Seulgi turned around without really thinking it through when she heard Jongin's footsteps getting closer to her and took a deep breath before saying:

"Sorry, I thought you were talking to the walls," she sarcastically smiled.

Jongin rolled his eyesbut changed his expression just as soon. He didn't want to play her game. He wasn't here to fight or to ignore her as usual. Jongin's face relaxed and became softer which made Seulgi feel a bit bad since her last remark was the first thing she said to him that wasn't scripted after three years. And it had to be sarcastic.

"I... Hm... I mean," Jongin clumsily started

Seulgi tried to remain expressionless but was too shocked to hear his low and velvety voice so near her. He was talking to her and there were no cameras around, no one to force him to talk. Jongin was genuinely engaging in a conversation with Seulgi after avoiding her constantly for years. She couldn't truly believe this was happening.

Jongin suddenly looked at her after a few seconds of sighs and unsure thoughts and she could read surprise in his eyes.

"You're blond…" he said surprised himself by his statement.

"Well, yeah. It's been a week," Seulgi blurted out awkwardly. Of all things to talk about, that's what he decided to say? Seulgi internally sighed.

"It must have hurt."

"A bit," Seulgi lied. "But I don't think you called me just to talk about my scalp."

"No, indeed," Jongin chuckled.

The corners of his lips turned upward and a subtle laugh escaped his lips before he really started laughing out of embarrassment.

Even if she didn't wan't to admit it, seeing a smile on his face because of her made Seulgi's heart flutter. It wasn't just her heart skipping a few beats, it was pumping in her ribcage as if she was returning from a jogging. It scared her to see that just this much from him could make her react like that. That was definitely not the reaction of someone who had fallen out of love and moved on from a broken relationship.

Jongin quickly regained his placid and perfectly calm composure before looking at the floor once again without noticing the slight frown on Seulgi's face. She was overthinking on her own.

Why won't you look at me?

"I wanted to congratulate you for your first win," he said after a short pause.

Seulgi let out the breath she didn't know she was holding since he laughed and bit the side of her cheek to not show any emotion on her face. After realizing there wasn't any answer coming from her, Jongin looked up to see the disappointment in Seulgi's eyes. She couldn't help it, she expected more than she should once again.

"That's it?" Seulgi asked with obvious disinterest.

"Yes."

"Then thank you," she said, returning on her steps.

"Wait, Seulgi," Jongin said with a sigh before following her. "Aren't you overreacting?"

"Am I really?" Seulgi frowned. "You just congratulated me and I said thank you, why is that overreacting? I asked if that's all you wanted to talk about and you said yes. So I'm leaving."

"That's right you're leaving," Jongin pointed out. "You're not even making the effort to converse."

"You said that was it. I don't even know why we're having this conversation," Seulgi fumed. "Nevermind that, I don't even know why you're talking to me, that's new. We never talk, that's our thing, right? Since the moment you ignored me, I understood it was over and—"

"Oh please don't pretend you know everything," Jongin scowled before walking in front of her to stop her from leaving. "You don't know anything."

"Then why won't you make me understand?" Seulgi spat back. "Is it so hard? Would it kill you to explain to me what I did to deserve such treatment? Why can't we be like we used to be Jongin? Since when is it like this?" she said as her anger died down. Seulgi wasn't so mad anymore, her anger was only replaced with sorrow. She had realized a long time ago that the bad feelings just took different times to appear but were never replaced with nice ones.

"You already know the answer," Jongin almost whispered, now avoiding her gaze.

And again.

Seulgi hardly swallowed the lump that formed in .

He was right, she already knew the answer but something inside her just wanted to pretend it never happened. Seulgi wanted so bad to forget that mistake and everything that came with it. But it was crystal clear in her mind, as if everything happened yesterday. The memories wouldn't leave her even when she wanted them to. She remembered how those feelings felt like a curse when she cried all those nights and yet they were still there.

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