He took a night ride to Han River, along where the skateboarders usually go to. He drove along the road taking glances outside. It was already night time and the people walking around would be less than what they were at day. He parked his car near the grassy picnic area, right across the street where it leads to the river bed side, near the bridge. He walked over, shooting glances at everywhere, trying to find Chahye. There were people at the benches but they were too many for Dean to single Chahye out.

He lifted his hood to his face to avoid being recognized. As he walked, he saw a woman standing near the street light and stopped to look. She had long hair and was wearing glasses. "Definitely not Chahye," he said. He walked further down the road where no other people were except him. He could look for Chahye here all night and he wouldn't even find her. The river is too long.

The sound of the peaceful river lured Dean towards the river bed. As he stood there, watching the lights from the other side of the river and listening to the car honks coming from afar, he decided this was exactly the best spot to relax and think. "Maybe Chahye was here," he thought.

He brought out his phone and dialed her number, hoping that she's already home. "Why didn't I think of this earlier though?" he thought. After a few rings, Chahye answered.
"What do you need?" she said in a grumpy tone he has never heard from her before.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"Why don't you ever answer my questions straight, Kwon Hyuk?" said Chahye over the line. 
Dean's heart raced when he heard her call him by his real name. He tried to hide his feelings when he talked again. He needs to bring the message that he's worried for he, ignoring her irritated tone. "Where are you?! I've been looking for you."

"I'm right behind you."

Dean almost dropped his phone when he heard it. He turned around and a finger touched his cheek. It was Chahye, her phone still up on her ear and no emotion painted on her face. She brought her hand up and took his hood down.

"I... I didn't notice you... Why?" he asked.
"Because you were too busy swooning at how I called you Kwon Hyuk. You're too obvious sometimes, Dean," she said walking past him.
"How... How did you..." he asked as he followed her, bewildered at her sudden appearance. 
"I saw your car roll in at the parking area. I was sitting on one of the benches. I even saw you check out that girl with glasses," said Chahye.
Dean opened his mouth in surprise. She was following him. Then an idea hit his head. He stopped walking and called her. She looked around with still no emotion. "Jealous that I was checking someone else out?" he said with a playful smirk.

Chahye's mouth opened slightly and her eyes opened wide. She pursed her lips together then quickly turned around walking away. "Knew it," said Dean smiling to himself. He followed her up to the shore where she stood still with her arms crossed. "Did I say the truth, ami?" asked Dean as he was only a meter away still with a smile on his face. 

"Whatever, Dean," she said trying to relax herself when she realized she was blushing. He mentioned something that she never thought was real. When she saw how he looked at the girl near the streetlight, she felt as though she was betrayed and her heart tugged hard. That's why she kept on following him, to confront him. But he called her and she immediately knew she wasn't supposed to feel that way. The guy's a jerk. Was she really jealous? What exactly does it feel like to be jealous?

As Chahye stood there, Dean walked over to her left side and swung an arm around her shoulders. Just before she could turn her head to look at him, Dean quickly left a kiss on her cheek, shocking Chahye who quickly froze. "That's for kissing me the other day on my cheek," he said in her ear. But Chahye didn't seem to hear it. Dean let her go and stepped forward. "Why don't we sit down?" he asked. But Chahye just stood there as though she was stoned. He faced her and saw that she didn't have focus. He waved a hand in front of her. "Jin Chahye, are you all right?" he asked.

Chahye felt her heart beat too fast and she couldn't breathe. A sudden blackness visited her sight and she felt her arms go up.

Dean caught her before she could fall, holding onto her arms. "Chahye! Are you all right?! What happened to you?!" he asked frantically while trying to keep her up.

Chahye held onto him tight and blinked multiple times. She could hear him and her breathing started to become stable. She should really tell him to stop getting too close to her. She looked up at him and her heart melted as she saw the worry in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just... I think I'm just tired. I'm sorry," she said, not telling him the truth.
"Have you had dinner yet? You look really pale right now," said Dean.
"I... I'm fine. Don't worry," she said, taking her arms away from him, still feeling her heart beat too fast.
"Chahye... You always make me worry," said Dean in a very gentle voice.

She saw the worry in his eyes but she looked away quickly. She couldn't think straight and she knew it was because of him. And she felt bad for making him feel that way.

"Do you want to stay here for a while?" asked Dean when he knew Chahye wouldn't talk.
"I've been here for hours already, Dean. I already had enough," said Chahye.
"Then let's go to my car," smiled Dean taking his arm out for her to take.

Chahye took it as she still felt a bit dizzy. They walked slow back up to the road, away from the river bed. Dean hummed a song Chahye wasn't familiar to, along with the cool breeze.

"Still cold for a spring night, huh?" said Dean. Chahye just hummed. "Hyoseob told me you go here when you're mad, to relax," he said in case she was wondering.
"No need to tell me. Hyoseob texted me that you might come here," she said.
"Oh. That was fast. I didn't tell them I'd go here," he said.
"Hyoseob tells me things," said Chahye.
"I  also already know that Hyuk was your ex-boyfriend," said Dean looking down on her.
"I know. You met Daejung. He was probably going to tell you anyway," she said.
"I'm surprised you two broke up. You seem... perfect for each other," he said sincerely.
"Not everything is made to be perfect, Dean. You can only make things good," she said.
"Have you?" asked Dean stopping in his tracks.
Chahye stopped as well and let his arm go. "I'm still trying, Dean. I'm trying to make things good. And I wanted to start with Daejung, my family. But it's just too hard," she said.
"Why were you so mad at Daejung anyway?" he asked.

Chahye walked forward, onto the road. Dean stood there on the grass, the land a bit lower than her. She faced him and they were eye-level. She sighed when she once again saw the worry in his eyes. He never failed to show her that he cared.

"I told you, right? We don't have parents anymore," she started. "He went to his... I mean, our relatives in Incheon. I went to Jiho and his family. Since then, all I ever wanted to happen is to have Daejung in my life. For us to live together," she said.

Dean was looking at her and he knew she was finding it hard to tell him this story. But he kept quiet. She was starting to open up to him and he just lets her. He understood that she doesn't have enough friends that understand her. If all of his effort would only come down to them being good friends, he guessed he would be satisfied with that. All he wants right now is for Chaye to know that she could trust him.

"I tried to make him feel that I could be someone who can take care of him, support him. It's hard because I don't earn enough money and I still go to the university. But I'm trying my best," Chahye continued. "Last Monday, I told him to come home early. I cooked for him. I wanted us to talk over dinner about the things we did that day. Just like how other families do it. But he went home late and I was already asleep. I did the same thing the next day and he still went home late."

Dean noticed how her voice was starting to crack. He reached for her right hand and held it with both of his.

"I was trying my best and it doesn't even seem to matter to him, Dean. All I wanted was to become closer to him. And it hurt. I didn't show him that I was hurt. I always thought I needed to show him that I was strong enough to take care of him. But I'm not, Dean. I'm not strong."

Chahye started crying as she bowed her head. Dean lifted a hand and pushed the hair from her face to the back of her ear, caressing her cheeks.

"I just want him to know that I love him and I'll do everything to support him, no matter what it is," said Chahye. She lifted her head and looked at Dean, her eyes red from crying. "Can... Can you hug me, Dean?" she asked.

Dean didn't answer and instead pulled her head to his chest, hugging her tight.

Chahye didn't cry and just buried her face into his shirt. She was surprised as he hugged her. She didn't know why she asked that. She never asked anyone for a hug. But she knew that was all that she needs at the moment. She tried to hug him back but something was pulling her back. She has always felt regretful that Dean cared for her but she couldn't bring herself to do the same thing to him.

"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome, ami," answered Dean.

~

They stayed inside Dean's car, neither of them speaking. They both just looked outside, watching the peaceful river and the sparkling lights from the buildings across.

"I never saw the Han River like this at night. Peaceful. Quiet. Beautiful," said Dean.
"That's why I stay here at this time. It's a wonderful sight," said Chahye.
Dean looked at her and smiled as he saw her lips form into a faint smile. He also saw the exhaustion in her eyes. "You need to get some rest, Chahye. I'll take you home," he said.
"I don't want to go home yet," she answered.
"Chahye, I still need to work on something in the studio. I need to drop you off. And you need to get some sleep. You've been crying too much," he said.
"Drop me off at Hyoseob's," she said.
"What?! Hyoseob's?! I'm not taking you there," said Dean raising his voice.
Chahye looked at him and rolled her eyes at him. "Please, Kwon Hyuk. Me and Hyoseob are like siblings, sleeping in each other's beds. We even have clothes at each other's houses. So please... Take me there," she said.
"But... Can't you just stay at Zico's place?" he asked.
"They'll tell Daejung I'm there. I don't want to see him," said Chahye looking back out of the window.
"What about Hyuk's place?!" said Dean as he started the engine.
"Do you really want me to stay with Hyuk?! My ex-boyfriend?!" teased Chahye as she raised an eyebrow at him.
Dean froze as he held on to steering wheel. Hyuk and Chahye together in one room. "No... That's not good," he said in a low voice.
"I knew you'd say that," smiled Chahye.
"Then go stay in my place," decided Dean.
"WHAT?! NO. I'm not gonna stay there," answered Chahye.
"What?! I'm not gonna be there. I have to stay in the studio tonight," he said.
"No. I don't trust you," blurted Chahye. "Bring me to Hyoseob," she said sternly, crossing her arms in front of her.

Dean felt his heart twist. "I don't trust you." It rang in his head and it hurt. After making her feel that he's willing to become a shoulder for her, she still doesn't trust him. "Okay. I'll bring you to Hyoseob hyung's," he said as he drove their way out of the parking lot. Chahye has once again been succesful at annoying him.

They both didn't talk on their way to Crush's house. And as Dean parked his car in front of the complex, Chahye reached for his hand.

"I'm sorry, Dean," she said.
"For what?" he asked not looking at her.
"For saying that I don't trust you. I know I hurt you. I'm sorry," she said.
Dean finally looked at her and saw it again, her caring eyes. The same eyes that always show him her kindness. "You don't have to," he said.
"I appreciate you being a friend, Dean. But... Please don't... Please don't feel bad when I don't share everything with you. I... It's just really hard for me, okay? I'm sorry," she said.
Dean held her hand as well. "I understand, Chahye. Don't worry," he smiled, although he was starting to doubt if he realy understood her.
"I was wondering, Dean," said Chahye as she pulled her hand away from his. "Are you free tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? From 9am to 2pm. Yeah. Why?" he said.
"I was wondering if you could come with me. I need to buy something and... And I know you'll pick which is the perfect one," smiled Chahye.

 = _ = _ = _ =

I wonder what she's planning to buy...