“Okay girl, spill it.” Minrin demanded as she takes a bite of the brownie at the screen. Kihyo trapped her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched her friend raising an eyebrow at her as she waits for her to speak. Minrin requested for a video chat since she’s too busy on studying.

“What?” Kihyo asked back as she opens a pack of potato chips.

“There’s something wrong with you tonight. Spill it.” She pointed at the screen towards Kihyo like a mother scolding her daughter. “I know you. Is this something related to the great Park Chanyeol.” She probed, putting an emphasis on saying his name.

Kihyo can only sigh and nodded at her best friend. She always tell her problems to Minrin, she’s really reliable when there’s something troubling her. She maybe too playful but she’s always turned into all seriousness when Kihyo talks about important subject.

Well, yes. Important subjects since Chanyeol already become important on her life. That’s how great he is that he just suddenly creeps into Kihyo’s life without her being aware that he can turns her world upside down.

“He confessed to me.” Kihyo whispered but still audible enough for Minrin to hear. She bends her head down to not see her best friend’s reaction, because she’s sure it’s either she is too surprised or have a teasing smile right now.

A long silence just resonated around the room, a minute already passed and Kihyo frowned at the lack of her best friend’s response. She lifted her head up to look at Minrin if she’s still at the other line and a smiling face greeted her. Minrin is too happy as she grins widely, that smile blazing through the screen. Kihyo can just roll her eyes.

“I am not surprised.” Minrin remarked and shrugged as she took a bite of another brownie. “And that is supposed to be a problem because?”

“I don’t think he likes me. I mean, maybe he was just mistaken.” Kihyo shakes her head and put the pack of chips beside the laptop she’s using. The girl on the screen shake her head and rub comforting circles on her temple as she ponders on what she just heard from her best friend.

“What are you talking about? He’s the one who already told you that he likes you Kihyo.” She speaks hastily in a loud voice, “It’s not you who knows what he feels. It’s Chanyeol’s body, it’s his own mind and heart. You cannot just tell him that he was mistaken!”

Kihyo bit her bottom lip, feeling so bad at herself after hearing her best friend’s words. She’s right, Kihyo is just trying to hide her feelings so she can’t get hurt at the end. Her self-protecting mechanism has gotten into her again.

It’s been a week since Chanyeol confessed to her and she’s been avoiding him since that night. The day after, she didn’t attend her shift at the harmony café. She feels too bad to leave Chanyeol all by himself but thankfully she got a text from Minseok that Minra will be back on working so she doesn’t need to worry. Her excuse was that she’ll need to study for an exam which is three weeks away from now. But she never study for an exam for three weeks, that’s too much studying and she never did that. She just used that excuse to avoid Chanyeol and now she feels like that meanest person in the world.

Chanyeol seems to sense her avoiding methods when he saw her at the locker area on their university. She just closed her locker before he suddenly popped up in front of her out of nowhere.

“Hey, what’s up?” he asked with a soft smile plastered on his face. Kihyo just inhaled deeply as she stares at him. He really looks handsome as he smiles brightly at her. Kihyo can feel a tug on her heartstrings and the heat started crawling up to her cheeks. She’s praying on her mind to not look so obvious because she really feels nervous at the moment.

“Good.” She murmured, her eyes still gazing on the man in front of her. “I mean, I’m.. good.” She stuttered and tears her gaze off from Chanyeol when she saw a frown appearing on his forehead.

“I need to go now. You know, exams.” She speaks hurriedly, her words almost unclear that makes Chanyeol frowned deeply. She never stuttered in front of him because he’s sure she’s comfortable with him already.

She was about to turned around when Chanyeol’s next words halted her steps.

“Are you avoiding me Kihyo?” he speaks softly but it feels loud on Kihyo’s ear because she notices a hint of hurt on his voice.

“Of course not.” She smiled at him, wishing that it doesn’t seemed a fake smile to him. He just sighed as he nodded at her.

“I believe you.” He said in all honesty that makes Kihyo feels disappointed at herself.

“Yeah. Thanks.” She murmured and strides away from Chanyeol. Her steps felt so heavy as she walk away from him because she can feel his gaze following her like its burning holes at the back of her head.

That was four days ago and she hadn’t saw him ever since. They used to eat lunch together before but the coward Kihyo just ruined everything. She can still hear that question from Chanyeol if she’s avoiding him. She can feel how hurt his voice is and its making her feels so crestfallen.

“Earth to Kihyo!” she jumped slightly at her seat when she heard Minrin yelled from the screen. She was glaring at her, “Stop thinking of Chanyeol for a moment.”

“I’m not, it’s just that…” she nit her bottom lip as she confessed her sin to her best friend. “I avoided him these past few days.” She whispered and her best friend just shake her head in disapproval.

“You’re hurting Chanyeol on what you’re doing.” She said. “You know Kihyo, I know you’re not used on a guy being close to you and adding the fact that Luhan confessed to you too before but the douchebag as he is quickly moved on to another girl for just a week. It’s a good thing that you didn’t become his girlfriend. From that experience, you’re just trying to protect yourself right now.” Minrin looks at her friend with concern visible on her orbs. “But do you this thing with Chanyeol is the same? For almost three months that you’ve been together, do you think he’ll decide that he doesn’t like you anymore soon?”

Kihyo stare blankly at the screen as she thinks of what her best friend just told her. She doesn’t know what to think anymore but she’s sure that Chanyeol isn’t the same with Luhan. She trusts him for the past three months. He didn’t do anything wrong to her and he even makes her days the complete opposite from before she met him. It just feels unreal that Chanyeol can make Kihyo look forward on the days to come since the day he approached her, that’s how great Park Chanyeol is.

“Should I give this a try?” she suddenly asked out of nowhere and that makes Minrin’s lips curved up into a smile. Kihyo’s asking this not to Minrin but more like to herself.

“You’re the only one who can answer that.” Minrin replied. “But does he make you happy?”

“Yes. He does.” Kihyo answered. Her mind wanders back throughout the times when Chanyeol just throw jokes at him whenever he saw her in a blank face.

“Does he make your heart beats faster?” Minrin asks again.

“Sometimes?” Kihyo whispered but Minrin raised her eyebrows at her. “Okay fine. Yes.” Kihyo answered again. Especially that time when he kissed her lips. Her heart didn’t just beats faster that time, she thought it’ll suddenly jumped out of , that’s how Chanyeol affects her so much.

“Okay. Last question. Does he always appear on your mind whenever you’re thinking of something?”

Kihyo heaved a deep sigh. She doesn’t need to think about this because she already knows the answer. “Always.” She muttered truthfully and Minrin smiled brightly at her, feeling so glad for her best friend finally experiencing the power of love.

“Oh girl, you’re in love. Chanyeol just stole your heart.” Minrin shakes her head and clasped her hands together and squeal happily. Kihyo covers her ears with her hands as she glared at Minrin. “I’m so happy for you. You have my support.” She flashed her bright smile at Kihyo that makes the latter chuckled.

“Thank you.” Kihyo muttered. She wants to see her friend’s surprised face since she doesn’t get shocked earlier when she told her about Chanyeol’s confession, maybe on this one Minrin will get speechless.

“Chanyeol kissed me.” Kihyo speak hastily. She giggled when Minrin gaped at her, mouth hanging open with surprise flashing into her orbs. She closes after a few seconds and leaned back on her chair as she look at Kihyo in a scrutinizing way.

“Smack only.” Minrin pointed at Kihyo in a warning manner. She just shakes her head and Minrin gaped at her again. Kihyo just loved her friend’s reaction.

“Oh no, with tongue?” she asked with a loud voice.

“Of course not!” Kihyo yelled back. If she can just throw a pillow at her best friend right now, she’ll do it.

“Well, Kyungsoo and I did much more than that.” Minrin said proudly. She was about to continue talking when Kihyo covered her ears.

“I don’t need the details. You can keep it to yourself.” Kihyo groaned. “Bye.” She quickly ended the video call because she’s sure Minrin will never stop talking, based on experience.

She leaned her body towards the headboard and set his laptop at the bedside table. Her gaze suddenly landed on the camera at the bedside table and took it. She looked at the pictures captured when they went out on a morning walk. There are a lot of pictures but when she already on the part where Chanyeol is taking the photos, she was greeted with her own pictures. Her camera is full of her own photos. Chanyeol had been capturing her the entire time the camera was on him whenever she wasn’t looking.

“You are really unbelievable, Park.” She whispered as her lips curved up into a small smile. She already thinks of what to reply to him. She can’t wait for tomorrow. She can’t wait to see Chanyeol.

“Should I wear a dress?” Kihyo whispered to herself as she checks her reflection on the mirror. The above the knee pink dress with a lace at the waist part was in front of her as she look if it’s going to suit her well.

Shaking her head, she put the pink dress back on the closet and sighed in defeat. “Too girly for me.” She mumbled and turned around to gaze at the mirror. She’s sure Chanyeol will later when she goes out in that dress.

Speaking of Park Chanyeol, she received a text from him that their ‘date’, as what he called it is really happening tonight. This day is special for Kihyo but she doesn’t know if Chanyeol had any idea about it. She thought that he’ll be pissed at her or maybe disappointed since she avoided him in an abovious way but Chanyeol, the resolute man that he is didn’t forget about this promised date with her. He always never failed to surprise Kihyo in a good way that makes her heart swells.

After a few minutes of thinking of what to wear, Kihyo decided to settle with what makes her comfortable, a pink oversized cashmere sweater and black pants since it’s starting to get colder outside during nights. September is the month when you started to think of counting days until Christmas and it also means winter is soon to come.

10 minutes before Chanyeol fetch Kihyo from her house. She doesn’t know what to say or how she’ll act around him since she hasn’t seen him for days. She just wished that she’ll be comfortable later, that she’ll treat Chanyeol as a friend like how she behave around him but it’s different this time since she knows that she feel something more than a friend for that giant.

A knock was heard from the door so she quickly strides towards it to open. Her mother was smiling brightly as she greets her ‘good evening’ which is rare because they already had some bonding time together, she even bought a cake for her and a gift, she never got to open it yet though.

“Yes mom?” she asked as she furrowed her brows when her mother checks her clothes starting from her white Nike shoes up to her face. She just wear a light makeup, the lightest shade of pink for her cheeks and a light red lip tint just for the reason that she’ll not look pale since it’s freaking cold outside.

“You didn’t tell me you have a date tonight?” her mother quirks an eyebrow and folded her arms in front of her chest as she waits for her daughter’s reply.

“Just a friendly date and you know…” she whispered. “You know, Chanyeol, neighbour.” She mumbled as she bit her lip and pointed at the window where Park’s house was located. Her mother just chuckled at Kihyo’s reaction and winked at her.

“Enjoy your special day Kihyo. Don’t do anything-“

“I know Mom!” Kihyo exclaimed before her mother continue what she was about to say.

“I already told him to bring you home at midnight. I am too kind for a time like that but it’s already 8 so…” her mother looked at her watched, “Just enjoy okay?”

“Yes mom. Thank you.” Her lips curved up when her mother caress her cheeks. She’s not really used to this kind of affection her mother is showing at the moment but maybe Kihyo noticed that she’s been trying to open up to her these last few months. They started to get closed than before and that really brings Kihyo happy and at ease.

“He’s already here?” Kihyo asked as she gazed down to check the time on her wrist watch. He’s ten minutes earlier. He only lives next door but he still get earlier tonight. Kihyo inhaled a deep breath when she feel her heart started to beat faster, maybe because of excitement to see the guy she avoided for few days, the stupid and coward girl that she was.

“Don’t be nervous now. Just a friendly date you said, right?” her mother teases her.

“Mom!” she whined and her mother just gave her a soft chuckle as a reply.

They descended down the stairs and she was Chanyeol sitting on the couch. His eyes are focused on his phone, he is typing down something so maybe he is texting someone. He is wearing a Tommy Hilfiger black shirt, it looks thin though for a low temperature outside. But what really catches her attention is his new hairstyle, he dyed his hair into blonde. If she thinks that Chanyeol is really handsome before then his looks just turned into perfection because he’s hairstyle really suits him this time. It makes him extra cute too.

Kihyo suddenly wanted to run her fingers through his fluffy hair and feel the softness of it. He is like a giant puppy at the moment with his lips pursed while he’s staring at his phone.

The guy finally felt Kihyo’s presence so he swiftly lifted up her gaze to meet hers. This sounds so cliché and dramatic but Kihyo feels that pounding of her heart again, like something is also trying to pull her heartstrings, well that someone is probably Chanyeol because his gaze is so warm and it makes her chest have this weird sensation going on.

Chanyeol’s face lit up when he stood up from the couch and hid his phone at the back of his pants pocket. He never tears his gaze off of her, like he’s trying to capture every curve of Kihyo’s