Seeing how her façade changed in a split second after a confusing act that she did made Ha Neul asked her whether everything was fine or was it not. However, before she could respond, her mother was out with both hands filled with food packages. “Oh, Mrs. Lee, there’s no need for all these”, he flustered as he took it all from her mother’s hands. “Why not? Ji Eun said your fridge is always empty”, she explained. Ha Neul instantly shot Ji Eun a look and she smiled sheepishly at him. He thanked both of Ji Eun’s parents and bid all of them goodbye. “Text Ji Eun if you have arrived”, her mother managed to say before he drove off.

Ji Eun offered to clean up saying she will rest the whole tomorrow with them but her mother refused to be defeated, they helped each other in the kitchen. “He’s friends with Baekhyun, right?”, her mother asked, Ji Eun hummed in reply. “Why don’t I see him around anymore, Ji Eun-ah?” “He’s very busy now, ma”, she said simply. “Well, I like Ha Neul, he seemed really nice”, she said with a wink. She groaned begging her mother to stop teasing her. “So, when ha Neul told me you tried your first sip of alcohol, also telling me how you are when you’re drunk, does it mean that you two…”, Ji Eun was waiting for her mother to finish but she didn’t which made her looked at her mother and she was bumping her pointy fingers together.

Ji Eun gasped, disbelief, “Ma, no! We didn’t sleep together, just I slept at his house”, Her mother blew a huge breath of exhale in relief. “Thank god, I would have been really cross at you and very disappointed, Ji Eun-ah”, her mother expressed with her hands rubbing her chest. “Where did you sleep at his house?” “separate room”, Ji Eun innocently said. “But we kissed”, she squeaked, teasing her mother “You did what?!”, She defensively cried that she could explain as she saw her mother’s hand was ready to hit her bottom. “Ma, ma, I’m joking!”, “you have one minute to tell me the truth, young lady”, her mother gave her permission “Ma, I was drunk, we didn’t kiss, he laid down with me for a while because I was scared.”, she reasoned out, and my dream came back, she wanted to add but decided not to. Her mother put her hand down while Ji Eun hid her victory look. She continued washing the dishes but abruptly stopped because of the pain from her bottom. “Ma!”, she whined. “You better be careful and don’t get drunk around men. Thank god Ha Neul is such a good boy”, she remarked as she exited her way out of the kitchen. “You’re hinting something, I can tell!”, Ji Eun cried out to her mother.

She was on her bed, getting ready to sleep. She took her phone which was on her side and checked for any messaged, and there it was, Ha Neul.

I’m home. Thank your parents for me.

She smiled. The whole night she was in denial, trying to believe that he wasn’t Ha Neul but there wasn’t enough proof to think he wasn’t. She got up from bed, took a bottle of medicine with her and make her way downstairs, to the kitchen. She looked around the house, it kept on reminding her of her stupid decision of going for a night walk. This was one of the reasons why she insisted on moving, she needed to go out. She needed to forget the road she took every time she comes home. The same route that took her. She took one pill from the bottle and swallowed it with water before going to bed. This should get me to sleep and hopefully no dream.

***

            Ji Eun went back to her house during late evening, on Sunday, so she could prepare herself for work tomorrow. She had bid goodbye to her parents before she left and similar to Ha Neul, her mother had packed her two hands full of food for her to eat. As she was approaching her floor, there was someone sitting in front of her door. As she walked closer, she recognized the man, the man whom she was supposed to be dating, was at her door. Realizing her presence, Baekhyun stood up, calling Ji Eun, confirming her existence as it looked like he had been waiting for at least the entire night. He walked weakly to her as he collapsed right onto her shoulder. He reeked of alcohol, he was clearly still drunk. She struggled bringing the weak Baekhyun, dragging him who was leaning entirely to her into her apartment.

            “I miss you”, he spoke weakly. Ji Eun kept silent as she pushed him gently onto the couch and placed her food packages onto the table. She rushed to the kitchen, fixing water for Baekhyun who looked like he hasn’t been drinking with his chapped lips. She sat beside him on the couch and gave him the drink. He took