At the moment, I am here standing by Iseul’s car in the parking lot of her working place.

I made sure to be very clear about everything that we will be talking about later on that is why I printed out everything that I would need to point out about our relationship.

I am very persistent to make the two of us work again.

I arrived much earlier than the end of her shift so I’ve been here for almost an hour already.

But it’s alright, it’s better than late.

And finally,

The time has arrived that I see her coming out of the door together with some of her co-workers that I barely recognize but I know they were her co-workers because I am that smart. She had a bright smile as she waves a hand at them and they were all walking at a different direction from her. The moment she turned my way, that smile disappeared but good thing, it wasn’t necessarily replaced by a frown. She just gave me a very weird look as she walks my way. Our bodies eventually close its long gap. She arches as eyebrows as she arrived right across me.

“What brings you here?”

Wow. She actually changed her question this time.

But it pretty much means the same thing though.

And now that I realize—SHE CUT HER HAIR.

She cut her hair.

Oh my god—she cut her hair. I cannot believe this. She doesn’t know how serious this is.

She now has a very short hair that ends right on her shoulders. I cannot believe she cut her hair. “Oh, good grief. . .” I groan and look away while slapping my hands on the side of my pants. “What?” She grunts back so I turn to her once more still with my incredulous expression. “You changed your hair.” I point at her. “In fact, you’re right. What’s the matter, is it ugly?” She asks while opening her car door and throws her bag inside. “It’s better than before that’s why I don’t like it. . . I’m not used to it.” I answer while fiddling with my fingers.

She looks younger because of her hair.

Now it makes me look older.

This cannot be.

She gives me a scoff as she steps one foot into the car. “Yeah, things change.” She tells which reminded me of my main purpose of coming here. “Wait.” I call out before she could enter completely. I glance down to my bag to get the papers while constantly glancing at her. “I made. . . I made a list.” I speak and took them out. “I planned to speak to you regarding this but I’ve decided it was better if I type and print it out first.” I explain and try to give the papers to her but she puts her hands up in defense.

 What is it again?

“Kyungsoo, I’m very tired from work so let me at least arrive home? We can talk there if this is really a matter of life and death. Alright?” She casually tells. I do not like when she talks so casually, it makes me feel like she doesn’t have feelings for me and she’s not supposed to lose her feelings for me because I will not lose mine. I am that kind of person. Once you like me, you can never stop because I’m irresistible and so I do not accept her way of talking. I look down to the papers and clear my throat.

“I-I’m not quite sure if this is a matter of life and death for you but I think it is for me. I don’t want to die yet, Iseul.” I explain thoroughly while constantly giving her glances. “Then just follow along if you’re insisting, I really need to get home first.” She tells back before completely entering the car. As soon as I heard her engine, I ran to my car in panic so I could follow her.

I do not understand myself of why I need to rush when I know her address.

But let’s just say it’s the work of my adrenaline rush.

_ _ _

“Come in.”

I trail behind her as she went to her couch and threw her bag there. “May we talk now?” I ask from behind. “Do you want coffee?” She instead asks and starts walking to the kitchen. I skip fast to follow her inside and she was already heating the water. Why did she ask me still? “I don’t have a choice; you’re already preparing it.” I answer while blinking. She looks at me with her arched eyebrows and I quickly shake my head in defense. “I’m not trying to be sarcastic. It just came out like. . . a sarcastic remark but it isn’t. Really.” I explain.

But it doesn’t mean I was scared of her glare.

It’s just my instincts.

To be—well. . . not scared but you know. . . I don’t know and I don’t need to explain myself. You guys are just acquaintances of my future wife who badly need my point of view as well for pure entertainment.

Back to the topic of discussion.

“The water’s still heating up.” She tells and turns around to face me. Finally. “Now. May we talk about it—“I should change clothes first.” She cuts me off again and starts walking away. “Oops, excuse me.” Her body brushes against mine as she passes by the entrance frame of the kitchen. “Can’t you just change later?” I ask with my impatient tone. Why? Because I’m impatient. I may be perfect but it doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to lose patience especially when she seems to be doing this on purpose. “Whatever topic or that paper you have right now is, it won’t leave. I smell awful, I came from work.” She answers back before going to her room.

She is not likeable right now.

I do not like her assertiveness.

I want her to stop.

I glance at the kitchen and saw the water heater ready. She shouldn’t have changed first. This is entirely her fault.

So I walk to her door and knock three times. “Iseul.” I call and again. Knock three times. “Wait a sec!” She answers back and I hear rustling sounds from inside. “Iseul, the water is done. Do you suggest that I create the coffee or you want to make it for me instead because I’m a guest? I’m open with both. Uh—I’m not being sarcastic, alright?” I tell and knock again. I couldn’t hear anything this time. “Iseul?” I try calling out once more.

“Is changing putting a toll on your speaking competence? Or am I talking to myself right now?” I ask while gulping. Why isn’t she talking? Is it possible that the rustling sounds came from her and she fell somewhere and hit her head on a closet and lost her consciousness and she’s going to have a blood clot in her head which is more dangerous and—Oh good grief, I am worried.

“Iseul?” I call out for the nth time and start rubbing my hand on my throbbing chest. “Could you give me a signal that you’re still alive? If you don’t answer I will call 119 immediately alright? I don’t want you dead and also. . . if you’re dead right now I might be a prime suspect.” I speak but I know my voice has gone shaky now because I am very worried for a lot of reasons and two of those, I have told her just now. “N-no! I’m alright.” I finally hear her voice and my body literally leans on the door as I sigh in so much relief.

So that moment on, I go back to the kitchen.

I am relieved now. She is still alive and I won’t need to be under some murder cases.

I took the initiative to make coffee for the both of us.

The time came that she finally gets out and she’s now wearing her comfortable clothes. “I made you coffee even if you didn’t tell me to. I hope that is alright. You are always bitter an—I mean you like it bitter so I made it bitter enough.” I explain while giving her a hesitant glance. She walks my way and sat right across me on the table. I breathe out one last time before opening my mouth to speak. “May we talk—“Should I eat first?” She cuts me off the hundredth time—now this is sarcasm—while looking around.

“Are you doing this on purpose?” I ask the obvious and frown at her. She only grabs the mug of coffee and drank. She suddenly frowns and creates that disgusted face. “Eak! Why is this too bitter??” She exclaims. Since I am so tired of such bother, I stand up and move over the table to switch out mugs swiftly.

I then sat up again and spoke. “If you don’t mind, don’t add another task you have to do and let’s not talk about the bitter coffee, I’ll drink it instead. Please let me talk now. If I don’t talk now I don’t know when else, I would talk and it won’t be a good talk anymore when that happens.” I look straight into her eyes letting her see how frustrated at I am already. “Alright alright. Shoot it.” She finally says while leaning on her chair.

Finally, yet again.

So I pick my bag up from the floor to take the papers out again. Once they were all out, I place them flat on the table between us. “So what is that?” She asks while pointing at it. “Just recently, I called an acquaintance over for a little help. The one I was with the other day in the restaurant you work at. We didn’t go out in an intimate way, first and foremost.” I start with the basic information, of course. “So?” She asks and I cannot believe she just asked that with such casual tone. Did she not understand me? Why did she not understand me? I am such a nice and responsible boyfriend to inform her about such.

“So. . . please don’t be jealous.” I answer as a matter of fact. Does she not get such point at all? Why is she so unintelligent unlike I? But then, she only responded with a sudden laugh. Why did she laugh? Does she not understand me? Why did she not understand me? I give her a look and that made her stop laughing immediately. “Sorry—go on.” She tells while clearing . “You are not taking this seriously.” I muffle and my hea