Eric and Solar walk home together after eating dinner.

It's weird to explain.

The two aren't dating. They're just friends.

But… it's feels wrong to say that so simply.

It looks like a date.
They're walking together as if they just came from a date.
They look at each other as if they were dating.

What even constitutes this situation for it not to be a date? Verbal assurance?

To be honest, Solar wants to consider it a date, but does Eric? She doesn't know.

Will she ever know?

Her apartment and his apartment are separated by a concrete sidewalk. Despite the fact that hers is further away, he takes the time to at least walk her to the entrance of her building.

Eric was telling a story about his friend, Jackson Wang. Solar listens intently, smiling and giggling, even though the story’s not exactly interesting. She's trying and hopefully he sees her efforts.

She thinks she's a fool. Who really cares about the basketball game he watched and about Jackson making incorrect references? Obviously Eric did, but she's really pushing herself to be interested.

She wouldn't do it for anyone else

and it's sad

because they aren't even dating.

She'll never admit it to herself, but nowadays she basically forces herself to look so interested: laughing at things he laughs at, widening her eyes to the point where her forehead gets wrinkles, outbursting phrases like “really?” “No way!” and “oh my gosh!” even though what he said wasn't that exciting.
To any normal person, she would just be a great listener, but these reactions are almost… out of character. She thought it was good at first; she wasn't one to express herself and now she was doing so. Now, it seems… pointless.

At this point in their relationship, whatever it may be, sentiments started feeling… exaggerated which is why she hates the feelings she has for him.

--

You know, things started out nice. A year ago, they met at a club meeting. She learned he went to her rival high school. She didn't want to speak to him because of that, but he tagged along. Despite the stereotype that guys in his school were usually arrogant, independent, and superficial, he didn't come out that way. Two hours into the meeting, Solar decided to give him a chance. 

Later that night, she learned that he currently lives in the building across from hers. They walked home together for the first time.

I promise you she didn’t have feelings for him at that time, but all she could think have was how he seemed… different.

The next time they contacted each other was a month later. They would say hi to each other and nothing more. Honestly, Solar was a rather shy person; even in high school she wouldn't dare talk to boys unless it was for a school project. Being in university made her feel more social. Saying hi and having conversation meant something to her: stepping out of her shell and appreciating the risk she took.

The school quarter passes. Once in a blue moon, they actually had decent conversations. He'd talk about home, but she didn't really give a care. Home was boring to her. Home was where her family and friends were, but it's was nothing more. It wasn't a place where you could take nice pictures. It wasn't a place to explore. It wasn't a place to hang out. Home meant something to her, but not the same way it meant to others, not the same way it meant to him.

--

A friend by the name of Henry approached Solar. He asked a very peculiar question.

“Where do you live?”

“I live in Seoul.” Solar said vaguely. Seoul is so big, but it was a general area people would understand. She never talked about her hometown because no one knew where it was.

“No. like live live.” Henry pressed on.

Solar was confused, but gave a straight answer. “Jung-gu?” She wondered if Henry knew of her hometown. 

“Okay.” Henry nodded his head. She thought it was over. “But like live live live live?” Henry repeated.

Solar was thoroughly confused.

Is he asking for my street address? “Pil-dong?” She finally said.

Then out of nowhere, Eric came out, shoving another guy out of the way. “Really? I live there too!”

Solar was even more confused and surprised, but there was one clear thing on her mind. Why did he ask Henry to ask me that?

I guess it isn't really normal to ask for one’s address since they don't know each other well (as she and Henry did since they had two classes together), but it still came out of the left field. Nonetheless, it wouldn't be weird considering this was a time they were getting to know each other.

“I live by the park!” Eric began rambling and repeating. Solar was still too in shock to comprehend things. Knowing it was a big neighborhood, he tried to clear things up. “I live by the new park.”

Everything was still going above her head. She tried to catch up. “I love going there!” She responded, trying to keep up with him. “I actually live near the old park.”

He began stumbling on his words, speaking too fast.

“Can I have your number?” were the only words that she finally understood. Her heart started fluttering. She thought he would talk about home or acquaintances in common. “Maybe we could carpool or something?” He awkwardly adds in.

They reluctantly exchanged contact information.

--

Sadly, for another month, nothing happened. No contact. No carpooling. They rarely even saw each other.

Oddly enough, that moment stuck with Solar. She couldn't stop thinking about how he weirdly reacted and how things strangely escalated to him asking for her number.
The few times she saw him, she felt cautious about what she said. Once, she saw him getting water and she told him that it looked like he was working out. She noticed the smile on his face. It was then she realized she may have been flirting with him.

She then felt self-conscious. Why was she acting so carelessly in front of him? Wait. Why does she care?

--

Of course, other potential love interests appeared, but things always went back to Eric.

The quarter was nearly ending and she badly wished she could talk to him. It was then that she noticed that a crush was developing.

--

When the new year started, they realized they had a class together. Calculus. Everyday. 9-10.

“Do you have any class soon?” Eric would ask.

Solar knew what was coming. “No.” she smiles. “You?”

“Not until 12.” He looked at his watch.

Then nothing.

I guess I thought wrong. She thought to herself. Solar went to check her phone. A text from Wheein showed up.

“You want to grab lunch?” Eric finally asked. He sounded a little awkward, but also hopeful.

Forgetting Wheein's text, Solar gave one look at her phone and put it on sleep. “Sure.” She smiled. “Where's your next class?”

Eric smiled back, as if happy she said yes… or happy about food. “It's in Science North, but we can eat anywhere on campus. I'll make sure to get there on time wherever we eat. Don't worry about it.”

Solar smiled and nodded. They both began to walk to the university union.

This is when feelings really solidified, yet caused a flurry of confusion.

Every day at lunch together, they would eat and just spend time together.

Just the two of them.

Sometimes, they'd talk about their class. Sometimes, they'd talk about home. (Especially about the food places where they planned to eat at during breaks. Eric loved trying new food.)
Solar talked about her roommates: Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa.
Eric talked about not being able to find a group that he could call his close friends.
Some conversations were light hearted. Some were deep and personal, yet they were vulnerable to each other and only each other.

Solar knew. She had a crush on Eric, but did he like her too?

One time, while they were eating lunch, they fought over an opinion. Things escalated from joking to serious anger. They almost started yelling. Once things died down, Solar was giving him some sort of silent treatment. Still, after days passed, Eric asked her if they were still going to eat together and stayed by her side.

Was that a sign?

 --

Outside lunch “dates”, Eric put the effort of finding time to study together even though both of them were busy with clubs and school and work.

In the middle of the quarter, Solar was sick and in bed. Hero Eric always made sure to send his notes to her right after their class.

And… it almost seemed like he would play dumb in class, just so then Solar could tutor him. He was a smart kid, had above average grades. Meanwhile, Solar was just cruising along, trying to just pass classes.

--

In the end of their