I exhale every time my left foot hits the ground. I'm on my sixth mile and I can go for another six. These morning runs have been a godsend. It's "normal," I see other people in the park doing it. My mother doesn't hyperventilate when I yell that I'm going for one as I make my way out the door. Most of all it helps clear my head.

The agonizing guilt that keeps me awake keeps me running and the longer I run, the better I feel. I don't know if attempting to live life normally will make me feel better. People were always saying that moving on, living life is what Jiwon and Rose would want. I hated when I was told that. How would anyone know what they would want if they were no longer here to tell them? All I want is to see my friends and when I run I do. I see Jiwon laughing, Rose smiling with every step that hits the ground. The images of them flash through my mind and I can feel myself smile with every breath I release.

Left foot, Jiwon, right foot Rose and it goes on like this repeatedly. I see a flash of Jisoo in my mind and stumble a bit. I catch myself and keep the momentum going. I shake my head as I try to figure out where the thought of Jisoo came from. Its true I haven't heard from her for a few days. I don't know if I miss her per say, how do you miss an acquaintance? I don't like how things were left the other day at the mall. I'm used to direct orders, what's said is meant and what's meant is said. This silent emotional conversation thing is a skill I lost after leaving high school. I didn't want to have any form of emotional conversation silent or not and that's why I left. People kept asking me how I felt, if I was doing better and I never had an answer because I felt nothing. All I felt was numb and once that subsided all I felt was guilt, regret, and anger towards myself. So in order to get other people to stop worrying about me, to see something in me other than death I ran.

I go around the bend and another flash of Jisoo crosses in front of my eyes. I stumble again this time losing balance. I throw my hands out to steady myself from falling completely. As I push myself up I'm met with a wet nose sniffing me excitedly. I giggle and push the furry face away from mine.

"Dalgom!"

The familiar voice makes me smile and I'm surprised at the gesture. This so-called Dalgom goes around my legs and gets acquainted with me.

"Hey now..." I shriek in surprise as I move away from Jisoo's dog. She jogs towards us and grabs his collar.

"Dalgom no." She corrects him and he drops his jaw letting his tongue hang out. I just laugh as he dismisses Jisoo's rebuke. "Sorry about that, he usually doesn't run off like that."

Dalgom sits obediently next to his master and looks up at me. She pats him on his neck and ruffles his fur.

"I guess you both like sneaking up on people." I offer with a weak laugh, not really sure as to where to take this conversation.

She breathes out a single laugh and rubs the back of her neck nervously. She mumbles out something that sounds like a 'yeah well'. We stand there momentarily looking everywhere but each other. At least I thought she wasn't looking at me until I hear her say, "Nice tats"

I look down at my torso and see the work I had done while I was away. My dog tags and its chains that go up my ribcage. I see Jisoo's eyes dance over my body and I blush a bit.

"So you're in the..." She leaves the question open waiting for me to fill in the answer. When I say army her eyebrows pop up once and she nods impressed.

She touches my shoulder softly and I'm a bit embarrassed because of how sweaty I am. She's examining my tattoo that I got right after Lucas was born. I was underage at the time but my mom and dad both agreed to let me get it. It's his baby footprints with his name under it in cursive. She smiles softly. I just my lips and look down at the ground. I notice my laces are untied and that explains my stumble that got Dalgom's attention in the first place. I bend down to tie them and I hear Jisoo breathe out a "wow". I forget about that one sometimes.

My top is only my sports bra so of course she'd see it. A pair of angel wings that rests high on my back. The center of the wings is in the shape of a heart with Jiwon and Rose's name, and the dates that I met them both. I'm still on the ground as she takes in the artwork and I feel awkward not knowing when it's a good time to stand up. I'm staring Dalgom in the face and his breath is getting to me. He's a sweet Lab but his breath isn't so I groan as push myself and Jisoo steps back.

"When'd you join?" She asks as I stand.

"2009." I reply as I start to jog in place again. I can feel my body starting to cool down and I still want to run a couple more miles.

"Wow that's like right out of... Oh my god you're bleeding!" I glance down at my hand to see that I am in fact bleeding. It's just a scrape though, no big deal.

"Oh my God, do you need like a band-aid or some gauze or a towel to-"

"No." I chuckle at her. "It's just a scratch its okay." I shrug it off but I know that Jisoo's not going to let this go so easily.

"No, I have a first aid kit in my car, I could patch that right up."

I glance down at the small scrape on the palm of my hand. "Jisoo it's really not a-"

"Come on Lisa!" I look up from my hand to see Jisoo already halfway to the parking lot. When did she even start walking away? Dalgom barks, almost as if he's telling me to come too. How can I say no to that? When I reach Jisoo's car she's already waiting for me with her first aid kit. "Sit." She instructs pointing to her back seat. Dalgom and I look at each other and I clear my throat to grab Jisoo's attention. She's preoccupied with finding the right sized band aid. She looks up for a second.

"Me or the dog?" She tuts, says it again and Doc and I both listen. "Jisoo this really isn't necessary." I shake my head at how ridiculous she's acting over a cut.

"Shhh." She tells me as she pulls out some rubbing alcohol wipes. "This may burn a bit." I doubt it. I haven't felt a single thing in four years, I'm sure a little...

"Ow." I look down at my hand, examining it.

Pain...

"I'm sorry." Jisoo says, blowing on my hand. The cool air feels good against the burning alcohol. I notice her eyes slowly making their way up to mine. When we lock eyes I immediately feel guilty. I don't know where it comes from or why exactly I'm feeling it, but I do.

"I should go." I stand up from the seat.

"Oh okay." She turns to grab a bandage for the kit. "Just let me..." She trails off, placing the bandage over my scrape. "All done."

"Thanks." I give her a weak smile, side stepping past her and Dalgom. "I guess I'll see you around then."

"Or I could just call you later." She suggest with a shrug.

"Sure." I nod. She gives me a small smile as Dalgom closes the gap between us, standing on his back legs, waiting for a proper goodbye I suppose.

"Bye Dalgom, I'll see you soon." I tell him, rubbing his fur; making sure to get behind his ears.

"Wow, he really likes you." Jisoo chuckles at her dog before chiding him for jumping on me.

"So later then?..."

"Yeah." She gives me another smile and a small wave. I return the smile before turning and running back into the park.

"Hey mom." I greet my mother as I enter the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Hey honey. How was your run?" She asks as she unpacks some groceries.

"Good." I step around her, reaching into the fridge to grab my water. "Where's dad?" I contort my head to look around the wall into the living room. Its Sunday, normally he'd be watching whatever game is on the television. At least that's how he used to be, I'm not so sure anymore.

"He was called into work, he'll be home in a bit. Maybe the two of you could catch a game on the TV." My mom throws out. I smile and nod. Sounds good. I miss the one on one time my dad and I used to have every week. Watching a game or throwing a ball around. Speaking of that...

"Is Luke still asleep?" I ask, twisting the cap back onto my bottle.

"He's out back I think. He told me about the mall the other day and your friend...Jisoo, I believe he said. Was there something that you wanted to-"

"She's just a friend mom, I promise." I reply quickly, not wanting to really discuss this anymore. I know what my mothers getting at. "I'm gonna go say hey to Luke." I say as I'm already leaving the kitchen. I walk out into the backyard to see Lucas playing on his swing set. "Hey bud, what you doing?"

"Just hanging around." He answers as I take a seat on the swing next to him.

"Sounds fun." I push back, lifting my feet up from the ground to swing with him. "You wanna go to the movies with me in a bit? Cloudy with a chance of-"

"Yeah!" He shouts before I can even finish my sentence. "I'll go get dressed now." He hops off the swing and runs into the house. I chuckle at the cuteness that is my little brother.

"You should tell him you know." My mom says, peeking her head out of the kitchen window. "He's only going to be more hurt the longer you wait." 

"I will." I nod, getting up from the swing.

"I promised that I'd allow you to tell him, but Lisa it's not fair to him for you to-"

"I know mom." I cut her off. "I'm gonna tell him, I promise." I say firmly, hoping she'll just drop it.

"Okay." She says and pulls herself back inside the window. I sigh relief before heading upstairs to shower and get dressed.

"Fancy seeing you here." A familiar voice says from behind me.

I turn to see none other than Jisoo.

"Twice in one day, I'm starting to think you're stalking me." I smile at the blonde.

"Green Lake is not really the biggest place on earth." She counters.

"You realize that you didn't deny it right?" I rebuttal, quirking a brow.

"Hey Jisoo." Luke smiles up at her.

"Oh hey Luke, I didn't even see you down there buddy."

"I'm pretty small." He shrugs. "But dad says I'll grow strong and tall soon enough." He smiles at her then turns to me. "Can I have some popcorn Lisa?"

I smile down at him, sometimes his adorable ways are too much.

"Sure bud, here's a twenty." He grabs the twenty and jets off to the snack counter.

"How old is he?" Jisoo thumbs in Luke's direction.

"Seven." I answer quickly, sporting the same amazed look as Jisoo. The things that come out of that little boys' mouth sometimes.

"He's awesome." She chuckles lightly, turning back to face me.

We stare at each other briefly before I ask, "So what movie are you seeing?"

"Cloudy two." She answers. I glance over at Luke, watching as he gets popcorn, candy and an Icee. He's gonna need help carrying that.

"We are too actually."

"Oh cool." She nods. "My brother and I would come to the movies every Sunday to see a movie." She adds, dropping her head to look at her feet like they're the most interesting things on earth right now.

"Did you wanna sit with us or..." I trail off, I'm not sure what's happening. I feel some sort of something when it comes to this near stranger, something I cant explain. Something that draws me towards her, makes me want to say things that if it were anyone else I wouldn't say them.

"Yeah." Her head pops up. "If you wanted me to I wouldn't want to impose or anything on you and Luke's time."

"It's okay. I don't think he'll mind." I turn to look at him just as he's running towards me; empty handed.

"Can I have twenty more dollars." He asks, holding his hand out.

"Jeez bud, what'd you order?" I ask my brother as I take out my wallet.

"Two large popcorn's, some candy and three Icee's." He replies quickly, taking the money from my hand.

"Why do you need all that, Luke?"

"Not for me silly." He smiles, turning to look at Jisoo. "I got Jisoo some stuff too." He says then runs off.

I chuckle and shake my head at my brother. "I guess you don't really have a choice now, do you?"

"Guess not." She mimics my earlier actions, before we both head over to help Luke with the snacks.

We make our way into the theater and quickly grab seats. The previews having already started I have to squint to find a decent set of seats. Luke spots three seats together in the crowded theater and we make our way towards them. He decides to take the last of the seats and beckons Jisoo to sit in the middle. I am a little taken aback by his insistence, also a little jealous but I brush it off. She looks at me as if she's asking permission to take a spot that otherwise would have been mine and I easily grant it. All three of us easily focus our attention onto the oversized screen and enjoy the flashing images in front of us.

Two and half hours later we file out of the theater with the rest of the children and parents. Lucas repeatedly reenacts a particular scene from the movie and Jisoo and I laugh. Even if it had been the fourth time he's done it since we left our seats.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you guys."

"Anytime." Luke says with a shrug and smiles. I ruffle his hair, pulling him close to me. He easily falls into my embrace, glancing up at Jisoo.

"What he said." I nod my head towards my little brother, then mentally berate myself. A seven year old is smoother than me.

Jisoo giggles and glides her fingers through her brown hair.

"I'll take you up on that." She tells the both of us. Her eyes lock with mine. "How about I treat you guys to lunch?"

"I've got plans but you and Lisa could go."

I look down horrified at my little brother. Did he just set me up? Before I can react Jisoo jumps in.

"Sounds good, I'll text you later and we can set something up?" I can only nod. "Cool, see you guys later."

We both say bye and watch Jisoo leave. I nudge my brother forward. "What plans do you have brat?"

"Mark is coming over to play games." Mark must be one of his little friends. I just grunt standing corrected, feeling silly for assuming that a seven-year-old can't have plans. "Also you don't keep a girl like Jisoo waiting so I figured you can take my spot for lunch."

"Oh really?" I press as Luke informs me on the art of how to treat a woman. He clearly knows better than I.

"Mhm, that's why I let her sit in the middle so she wouldn't have to choose which one of us to sit next to and make one of us feel bad." I stop dumbfounded. Is this really happening?

"So you like Jisoo bud?"

He blushes, "Yeah, what's there not to like?" He pops up his shoulders once before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the exit.