Jiyeon POV

“Jiyeon-ah~ come here,” that deep voice called out my name sweetly making me feel sick.

I dare not to move, as I stood frozen behind the bush shaking as the footsteps came closer. Please help me god, please don’t let me get caught.

“If you don’t come out,” the voice turned dead cold shocking me. My fear only grew bigger. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I saw a flashlight shown making me cover my face.

I don’t know how long I stood like this. I saw the sun come out but I was still unable to move. I finally felt safe after I heard some voices that didn’t sound like that night’s voices or that person’s voice. It was silent with only the birds chriping. “Mom?” I whimpered. “Mom!” I started to cry loudly.

“Boo,” That face suddenly popped into my face.

“AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” I screamed waking up again.

“Jiyeon!” mom rushed to my room as I was in cold sweat.

“Mom,” I looked over at her and hugged her as I shook uncontrollably.

“Shhh, shhh,” my mom patted my back to soothe me down. “It’s alright okay? Mom is here and I’ll never let you get hurt okay?” my mom told me.

Unable to speak, I held her tight as a tear escaped from my eyes. After a while, my breathing finally was even and normal again.

“Mom, can I stay home with you today?” I asked her.

“Yes,” my mom smiled at me calmly. “It would be too mean of me if I send off my daughter looking like this.” My mom told me.

+++

I went on the computer and searched that person’s name. Since the dreams have been coming back, I knew it was a bad omen for sure.

“None.” I looked at the screen in shock. “He came out.” I started to feel goose bumps rising on my skin.

From now on, I have to be careful and protect mom well. She can’t get hurt, even if I do; my mom has to be alright.

+++

“Jiyeon, you’re alright right?” IU hugged me tightly.

“Yes, sorry for worrying you two.” I told her and Luna who was heading towards me with a lunch box.

“I made some porridge for you personally because you were sick.” Luna told me.

“Aw~” I let go of IU and crushed Luna. “You’re the best! I wasn’t even that sick and you made me porridge?!” I asked her.

“Yah you two face! If I knew you were going to be like this, I would have brought some ginseng or something for Jiyeon!” IU shouted at Luna.

“So what? You un-thoughtful person, I wonder how we became friends.” Luna stuck her tongue out at IU.

I laughed them as they began a childish fight over the porridge. IU ended up stealing the porridge and eating it instead. Luna then got angry and smacked IU many times before forgiving IU.

After school ended I went to Myungsoo. “Hey, I finished the rest of the project already. Just write down your speech part and I send it to me. I’ll take a look at it so I know what we would say for our presentation tomorrow.” I told him.

He nodded and turned around to leave. Myungsoo grabbed my wrist surprising me. I felt my heart race increase intensely.

“W-What?” I stuttered. He took the palm of my hand and move is fingers like he was writing something. I pulled my hand away at the ticklish feeling. “Sorry, I’m a really ticklish person.” I told him.

He gave me a slight smile and took my palm again. He then wrote on again as I forced myself to not pull away. ‘Sorry’ I felt him saying that.

I turned and looked at him seeing his sincerity. “Let’s go home together then.” I told him.

Myungsoo POV

I smiled as Jiyeon talked on the bus excitedly about something. I couldn’t even hear her because I was so focused on looking at her beautiful smile. There was just something so enchanting about her that I could help but be captured by. I wonder if she knew she made me feel this way. Is that why she’s sticking around me?

“Our stop!” Jiyeon pushed me lightly backwards making me realized that we’re already here. We got off the bus and she turned around to face me. “So I’ll consider us friends then. No disagreeing!” she pointed at me and gave me a cute serious face.

I nodded and watched her leave after waving to me. I again secretly followed her. I guess being her friend is alright as long as I don’t get too close to her.

+++

“Ey Myungsoo,” grandma laughed as we were eating breakfast I in the morning today.

“Yes?” I looked at her weirdly. I gave grandpa a look to see if he knew but he shook his head at me. “What is it grandma?” I asked her once more.

“Nothing, I just notice my grandson’s face became much brighter. I know it’s because of that beautiful child right?” grandma asked me.

“Ani, grandma!” I grew embarrassed for some reason. “Why are you acting like this to me?” I shook my head furiously. “It’s definitely not like that!” I told her sternly.

“Seeing our grandson deny like this, I think you’re right this time.” Grandpa told grandma.

“See? I knew something was off when you saw her that time. I bet bringing her home has made you two made up huh?” grandma tried to tease me.

“It’s really not like that grandma.” I tried to convince her.

“I haven’t seen this girl yet but judging on how your grandma is praising her so much, I’m sure she’s a great girl.” Grandpa said.

“I’m done,” I quickly finished my food. “Have a good day grandma and grandpa. I’m leaving to go to school.” I told them.

“Wow, I never seen my grandson in such a hurry to leave,” grandma laughed.

“An—forget it, goodbye.” I bowed to them and put on my show before rushing off to the bus stop.

+++

“So since you won’t speak, I’ll help you say your part for you at our project.” Jiyeon looked at my speech part I wrote down.

I nodded and watched her face that turned serious looking at the papers. She looks pretty for some reason. I stared at her unable to look away from her.

We arrived at school and soon it was time for us to introduce our artwork. Jiyeon looked nervous, as she was taking deep breathes in and out. I felt bad and wanted to help her but I didn’t know how to help her.

“Hello,” Jiyeon greeted Mr. Ha as we got to the front of the room. I present our project to the front of the class and listened as Jiyeon spoke about it.

I became mesmerized by her voice as she spoke smoothly about our artwork. How does she do this when I can see her shaking and nervousness? It’s like she’s shining or something because I can only see her.

“Great job you two. I can see a lot of work put into this.” Mr. Ha said.

“Thank you,” Jiyeon bowed and I handed our artwork to Mr. Ha.

“Next,” Mr. Ha checked us off the list of and the next group came to the front as we headed back to our seats.

“Did it sound alright?” Jiyeon asked me was we sat down. I nodded to her and she took a deep breath. “I was so nervous I didn’t even know what I was saying. Thank god it sounds alright.” She held her chest making me smiled at her cuteness.

Jiyeon POV
 

“Jiyeon, can you grocery shopping for me? I put the list out next to the front table.” Mom shouted in the kitchen.

“Yes!” I answered and set my homework down.

While walking around the supermarket and looking for the ingredients, I felt this strange sense. I turned around and saw no one.

“Is it just my imagination?” I sighed with a frown in my face.

I quickly headed to an insolated area inside a market to make sure it was nothing and sighed in relief realizing maybe I was really just paranoid.

“Nothing,” I smiled at my silly self and turned around bumping into someone I didn’t expected to see. “AHH!—” I accidentally screamed and covered my mouth quickly.

…

“Yah Myungsoo! You scared me!” I smacked his arms when I came back to my senses. He let out a laugh surprising me at hearing his voice again. “Aigoo, whatever,” I shook my head and left the area.

He came next to me and grabbed my basket for me. “Yah! If you want to help just say so! Stop scaring me out of nowhere!” I hit his arm and tried to pull my basket away from him.

We ended up grocery shopping for one another more than for ourselves. After we were done, we walked back to my house slowly. Even though he didn’t talk we enjoyed on another’s company for than I expected. I told him lame jokes that he would laugh at for me. We’ll tickle one another and he’ll write on my palm to tell me things from time to time.

“Aw~ to bad I reached home,” I stopped at my apartment. “Thanks for hanging out with me today Myungsoo!” I took my bags from his arms to mines.

He gave me a small salute making me smiled at his gentleness. “Anyways, go home safely okay?” I told him.

He nodded and watched me enter the apartment. He watched me until I got into the elevator and the door closed. I reached my floor and quickly went to look out the window to make sure he left. After not seeing him anymore, I went to mom and my house.

“Mom? I’m home!” I shouted and received no reply.

My phone made buzzed and I took a look at it. I received a text from an unknown number: “Surprise! I’m back!” I read what it said.

“Huh?” I looked at it confused. It’s probably just a wrong number. It’s not my birthday or any special occasion for me.