People walked through the pavement, pass the rows of store. Yeonwoo continued to stare down of the second floor window of the café. She sipped on the iced mocha in front of her.

“Excuse me”

                She turned around.  A man in his mid-40 displayed his smile to her.

 

 

 

 

“Ms. Yeonwoo, what is it that you want to meet?” Mr. Jung asked. Yeonwoo cleared before continue her speech. “Actually I’m really curious about the current tenant”

“He’s quite mysterious. I don’t know why I keep getting mysterious people as my tenant” he chuckled but she didn’t give any reaction to him. He cleared his throat. “Well the thing is the new tenant is still a student and he lives there alone”

“Student?” “Yea. He’ll be at the unit for hours but never spend the night there” “That’s weird” “Maybe he uses that place to study” “Yea maybe. But ahjussi, can I get his number?” “Why?” “Well…” her pupil went around, trying to look for an answer.

“Oh! You want to talk to him about getting Yuchan’s things again” he suggested. “Yes! You’re right. I want to fix some time to meet him there”

“Okay okay” Mr. Jung quickly took out his phone and gave her the number.

“And this” he pushed an envelope to her. “The rent that you pay. I’m sorry for troubling you”

“Nah, it’s okay. I understand” she smiled and took the envelope.

“Ahjussi” she called. Mr. Jung turned to her again.

 

 

“Do you by any chance know any secret passage in the apartment?” “Secret passage?” “Yea. Just asking because I notice some of Yuchan’s things are missing the last time I visit. And the passcode of the unit. I’m the only who knows it. I thought maybe someone got into the unit from another way besides the door” “Oh I see. As long as I own the land for years, no. There no such thing as secret passageway. Maybe I should increase the security there”

“I see. Thank you” Yeonwoo ran her eyes out the window again, thinking.

*             *             *

                Yeonwoo was walking up the paved road. It was night. Her mind went to a page of Yuchan’s journal she just read again before head out.

**********************************

5 October 2006

CHIP won’t even say anything encouraging! I was drawing in the living room. He just came and just say… I really don’t want to remember each of his words. It just makes me hate him more. He said something that really dispirited me. About my drawing. He put my interest down without thinking how I’ll feel. I’ll show him that my hobby is not what he said. I’ll prove it to him.

********************************************************

“But he can’t hate those boys just because of that” she sighed. “I know his limit. Maybe he heard that million times that it reaches his limit. I think I should blame myself for not trying to ask about his concern. How my ignorance can change someone into worse?”

“But CHIP? Looks like I have crack those codename in his journal”

 

“Hey guys~!” Yeonwoo appeared at the rooftop house. The boys who were already loitering at the yard of the rooftop unit. agape in amazement.

                Fairy light decorated the yard along with little colourful lantern that gave off comfortable vibe.

“Yeonwoo-yah~!” Sehyoon waved her over. “Yeah food!!!” Junhee got up and ran to Yeonwoo. “Welcome to our new fort!” Donghun displayed his greatest smile, his dimple can be seen.

“Let’s eat!” Yeonwoo joined them.

                They grilled some meat. Junhee had bursted the huge bag of chip that the chips scattered around the place. Donghun shouted at him for making a mess but he was mocked by Junhee that received laughter from others.  Yeonwoo ran up to Junhee to help him clean between her laughter. *These dorks never grow up. How can anyone even hates them?* Yuchan’s face came into her mind that she paused and her grip loosen. The broom in her grip fell onto the floor.

“You okay, Yeonwoo?” Junhee looked at her. She was spacing out. He helped pick up the broom. She mustered a smile and took the broom. “Nae. Sorry I just-“

                Junhee gave a her a few pat on her shoulder without a word before continue to clean up. *Right* she nodded to herself. *I shouldn’t think about him often*

               

               

                Sehyoon walked up to Donghun who was grilling the meat. “Here” held out a piece of cooked meat to Donghun’s mouth. He opened his mouth and ate it. “Woah! Really delicious!” Donghun exclaimed. “I knew I’m good at grilling meat”

“Tsk” Sehyoon snickered. “Stop being full of yourself”

                Glass shatter made everybody turned to the source of sound at the same time. Sehyoon dropped the paper plate aside and ran towards the sound. He skidded to a stop as he saw Yeonwoo was bending over pile of garbage. She looked up. A glimpse of smile appeared on her face as she stood straight.

“What you doing?”

“I must have startled you. Sorry” she continued to smile sheepishly. “I just clean this place a bit. The terrible look really got on my nerve”

“Tsk” he chuckled. “Yuchan is definitely right. You sure are one perfectionist”

                She smirked but her eyes sadden. Sehyoon avoided her eyes and cleared his throat. “Sorry. I’m just scared that you might have scar like this person I know” he whispered. “Hey” he called. She turned to him and saw his hand that was holding out to her, waiting for her to accept.

“Let’s go” he mustered a smile. Her lips curled into a smile. “Let’s”

*             *             *

                Yeonwoo was enjoy the cake along with others. She was playing with Lego she bought that morning. Junhee was watching her. “Why do you even play with this things? It’s so childish. Grow up, Yeonwoo”

                She looked up to him with widened eyes. Sehyoon sensed the atmosphere.

“Yah” he chuckled a nervous laugh, eyes on Junhee who was busy eating, not sensing the atmosphere at all, before turned to Yeonwoo who seem to be shocked. “Junhee is just joking, Yeonwoo-yah. You’re lucky, Donghun isn’t here or he’ll be furious at you”

“I just speak my mind. Is that wrong?” Junhee blurted out.

                Yeonwoo’s mind recalled Yuchan’s journal, the page he wrote about his interest being put down. *So Junhee is CHIP?* She chuckled to lighten the atmosphere. “I see your point, Junhee. I mean it’s good to express your thought clearly so other people can easily understand you”

“See? She understands me” Junhee gave Sehyoon a smirk.

                Donghun walked up to them. A covered box was put in front of Yeonwoo.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Woah!” Donghun had his eyes on the Lego near her. “Are these yours?”

“Yea. They look interesting so I bought them on my way here” she replied.

“Donghun always loves Lego. You should look at his collection in his room” Sehyoon said.

“Unfortunately all of them were in the fire. So I’m positive not even one of my collection survive” Donghun sighed. He patted on the box he bought as he sat. “But we managed to safe some stuff” He looked up to her. “It’s Yuchan’s”

                Yeonwoo put her plates aside. He pushed the box to her. The boys were silent, watching as she placed her hand on the cover.

*What if the moment I open this box, I learnt more bad things about Yuchan? I don’t want to. But he’s the person that I love and I think I should know the real him. But what if the real him…what if I hate the real him?* she bit her lips. *If he’s wrong, I should correct him. That how it should be. Why am I even think about leaving someone hurt like him? I’m so cruel*

                Her grip on the cover tighten. *And I need to find more clue if I want to save these guys*

                The cover was removed. Her hand cupped as she faced down, crying. Her other hand was holding onto a picture of the boys. Yuchan stood at the end of the line with a huge smile stretched on his lips. His hand posing with a V sign.

                Sehyoon patted her back as they let her composed herself again. She chuckled. “I’m sorry I know I should get used to the fact but” she wiped her tears. “It still hurt so much”

“All of you look so young in this picture” she tried to light up the mood. “Yah, we’re still young” Junhee laughed. “Maybe just a little bit younger than ourselves now”

“We used to play around and really make commotion in the neighbourhood that many fierce elderly chase us away with brooms” Donghun laughed. “I’m really sorry to our neighbour back then” Sehyeon smirked.

                She took out a vacuum flask that was black as it caught in fire. “Yuchan used this everyday”

“Yea. He liked to bring your mushroom soup from your house” Donghun voiced. “If not mushroom soup, he would drink warm milk in his room”

“How can he be so small although he drinks milk often?” Yeonwoo chuckled but her hand wiped her tears.

 

                She continued to dig into the stuff. Yeonwoo took out a small steel box. She opened it and took out the earphone in it. She smiled at the thought of how she and Yuchan used to share the earphone whenever they were riding the bus to college together.

-Flashback-

                Yuchan pressed on the button on the mp3 in his grip. Yeonwoo whose gaze at the houses the bus they rode passed by turned to him. Yuchan gave her a small smile. She replied his smile. “You sure like to listen to radio more than listening to your favourite songs in the playlist”

“You know what” he took her hand. “I really want to be a radio DJ. I want people to be happy by listening to radio. Just like how I feel. I want to comfort people through their busy and hard day”

                Yeonwoo placed her other hand on his. “I really believe you can make it, Yuchan. I’ll always support you in everything you do”

“Thanks, Yeonwoo” he smiled. She replied his smile and leaned her head on his shoulder. Yuchan caressed her head with love.

-End of flashback-

“I really miss him” Yeonwoo voiced to herself.

                She sighed as her hand moved to keep the stuff into the box again. Junhee came and sat across her. She was staring at the picture of the boys. Her finger went to Yuchan’s wrist. She smudged the picture.

“Why do you do that?” Junhee asked. “This” she showed him the scratches on Yuchan’s arm. “Something must have scratches this area” she sighed.

                Junhee stared at her. “Yeonwoo-yah, you never about it?” “About what?”

                He pointed to the scratches. “Yuchan have these scars for a long time”

“Scar? Why? What happen? How can that get there?”

He shrugged. “All of us had tried asking him about it. But he would always avoid to answer or just remain silent. So we don’t dare to bring that up again”

“I’m just guessing” Sehyeon joined them. “Maybe he tried to take his own life”

“But why would he?” “He seems a bit depressed lately. I thought to talk to him about it but I’m scared that I disturb him and he’ll be more stressed. So I thought to give him some time. I was looking for him on the day when our house was on fire. But” he sighed.

                Donghun patted Sehyeon on his back to comfort him. “Thing happen. We should let he rest in peace now”  

*They sure love Yuchan a lot* she thought. *But Yuchan is the only who didn’t see it. All he cares is his selfish grudge* Yeonwoo looked away. *But from his perspective, I see why he end up hating these boys. All of them just need more understanding of each other and respect each other personality*