(082717 I edited the first chapter at the end part hehe)

~~~~~~~~

"I know this is so sudden but can you help me? I think I sprained my ankle." She asked, her pained expression turning to an embarassed smile. The boy didn't hesitate, and immediately went over to her, placed her arm around his shoulder, and lifted her up. The girl pointed her finger towards the stones, and the guy slowly assisted her to get closer.

She placed her stone carefully, and closed her eyes to wish and rant for a short while, since she's feeling like a burden to the guy beside her.

After her routine, they sat beside each other on the grass, and stayed awkward for the moment.

"I'm Eunseo. You?" The girl introduced herself, while staring at the gradient orange-ish color of the sky. The sun would set soon, she thought.

"Woojin. Park Woojin. Uh.. Nice to meet you, I guess?" The boy introduced back, with a slightly long chuckle that rung a bell inside of the girl's ears. She turned her head to his direction, and saw the guy wearing an awkward-as-it-can-ever-be smile, which Eunseo would surely not forget, even after a few years. Snaggletooth. She noticed.

"Um?" Woojin tried to break the silence, after he introduced himself because Eunseo just kind of stared at him, with a neutral expression. It was just then that the girl realized she was being rude, so she coughed to clear .

"So, you're the one who made that?" She asked, pertaining to the smaller but growing layers of stones.

"Oh, that? Mhm. It's not as grand as yours, but, yeah." Woojin answered, which earned a nod from the girl sitting beside him. "So I guess, you've been going here for a long time?" He asked, trying to break the silence surfacing, once again. The girl stayed silent for a while, even though she knew Woojin was waiting for an answer. This would be the first time someone tried befriending her. But, she immediately shook that thought off. Maybe he's just trying to be nice.

But we won't really see each other aside from going here, right? Might as well try to.

"I've been going here almost everyday. The place isn't mine but being here feels like home. I feel better when I'm here. And yes, I have been visiting here for a long time." Eunseo finally replied, trying to ignore the fact that she lowkey gave Woojin a cold shoulder, and silent treatment. First impressions last. Sigh.

They talked more for a while although, Woojin was the noisier one between them. Woojin asked random or weird questions that Eunseo can't help but stare at him with disbelief at times, making Woojin flash his shyness, and a slight smile showing his snaggletooth.

Eunseo felt brighter than a normal day, thanks to Woojin's humorous side. Woojin tried to joke in every topic they were talking about, and honestly, he felt nervous to joke around because he didn't know the girl's humor, and what she finds funny or not funny. But he made her laugh, that's what mattered.

Soon, she realized that she needed to go home because it was getting dark. But then, she remembered her sprained ankle, and mentally cursed herself for being ever so stupid. How am I supposed to go home, now?

Woojin didn't fail to notice her grim expression, and understood what she was worried about.

"I can help you go down, and give you a bike ride, if you'd like me to. I can't leave you limping around." He offered to her but immediately regretted doing so after he noticed that her expression kind of changed towards the negative side. It was just then he realized they weren't close enough to do that, and it was natural for her to refuse.

But she didn't.

"I'd agree to that but.. Wouldn't you get home, late then?" She asked, before shifting her gaze from her feet to Woojin's eyes. Sparkling. She described his eyes in her mind.

The guy thought for a while but, decided to help her, especially now, that they knew each other, and that they might even see each other more often.

He was fine if he would go home late, actually. Not like he was eager to go home. So, he assisted her down the hill, and let her lean against the railings, so he can unlock the bike's chain lock.

They went to the city, afterwards. There were no words exchanged, but they both felt happier than usual. The night breeze blew the awkwardness away, and they felt a little close to each other even if it was just Day One of meeting each other, and who knows if they'll meet each other for the second time? Maybe it's a friend that everyone needs. She thought, as her clutch to Woojin's shirt tightened, tugging his shirt down by a little.

Woojin felt it, but didn't inquire further. Although he wanted to deny, he can't. He felt warm from the simple action she did to him. He felt like for a moment, he mattered. Someone needed him. And that someone might want to be friends with him. Hopefully.

After they reached the city, Eunseo told him that she'll get off at the nearest subway station, which they spotted easily.

"Do you want fishcakes?" She asked, as she carefully got off the bike.

"What for?" Woojin asked casually, while balancing the bike.

"Labor work." She replied, which made the guy scoff at her, jokingly. "Wow. I'm offended, Woojin-ssi." She huffed back, sarcastically.

Woojin noticed the formality in the way she called his name, and was slightly stunned for no reason, at all. He wasn't offended, but he just realized they weren't close, yet. So much for having fishcakes together.

"I'll have to decline, I'm sorry. Maybe next time?" Woojin had to reject because he worried about sending the girl home too late, and that they aren't really close, too, in the first place.

If there will be a next time the both of them thought.

"Sure. Thanks." She said, and smiled at him, as he turned over his bike, ready to go home. He noticed how her smile looked pretty, and that if he was given a chance to, he would like to tell her to smile more. But that would be creepy, so he just stepped on the pedal of his bike, and his wheels started rolling.

"Woojin-ssi! See you, soon!" She exclaimed, waving her right arm towards his direction, making him stop from pedalling and turn his face to her direction. The boy cannot stop himself from smiling widely, because Eunseo looked like a child who was waving a farewell to her bestfriend, when in fact she isn't a child, and they weren't bestfriends.

Soon, I hope. I can call you best friend. Soon. He thought, as he waved back at her, and she finally went down the stairs of the subway station. So did Woojin ride his bike to go home. To the place he lives, rather. It wasn't home for him, afterall.

Eunseo's smile disappeared as soon as she took the last step of the stairs down to the subway station (which took her a lot of effort to pass through because of her ankle), as she felt her cellphone vibrate in her back pocket.

She didn't answer the call she received, and just went on to ride the subway. She doesn't ride the subway much. But, it was the only place she could tell Woojin to drop her off. She didn't want to call home for someone to fetch her.

But nonetheless, she knew how to get home through the subway, and in the end, she got home, safely. Just late for half an hour past the curfew.

I'm dead. Anyway. She thought.

"Where have you been?" An old man asked her, as soon as she switched from shoes to slippers. The house felt as cold the cold breeze she felt during her bike ride with Woojin, even though she knew the heater was on. The house was always cold, no matter how hard she try to deny.

"Don't be too hard on her, at least she got home. Some stud..." A woman of only a few years older than her, butted in, to which Eunseo didn't even bother to hear out, because everything that comes out from the said lady's lips was nonsense to her. She just walked passed through them, and the two didn't even notice she was gone, already.

Eunseo stared at the door of her room, and remembered how she would knock on that door, just to check on her, from time to time, even if it wasn't necessary.

She tried knocking, although she knew there won't be anyone inside there. Not anymore. Still, she opened the door, and smiled to herself as memories flooded in her senses.

I miss you.