What happened half an hour ago still bothers me. I did not run after Hanbin as I was deeply rooted to the floor. It was confusing—it still is; his action. I do not know why he was there, for how long, and why he acted the way he acted. I only reacted when I realised how cold it was as the temperature has dropped to almost zero degree. I made way to my room, took a hot shower and now here I am, on my bed, as the scene earlier keeps playing in mind.

Kim Hanbin.

He really is a mystery in an already mysterious world.

I wonder if he is already asleep, or if he is wide awake as I am. I wonder if he is actually as confused as I am. I stare at the thin wall that separates us, and I wonder if I called him out, would he hear me? There are many questions that I want to ask him. We do not talk a lot, but I realised that he leaves me too many questions. He is home early, which is so unlike him, but honestly, what is so ‘like’ him? I figured I really do not know him at all.

Deciding that it is still early for me to sleep, I get up from the bed and make my way to the balcony. The snow has started falling again, making a huge contrast with the night sky. Just as I place my arms on the railing, a voice startles me.

“Can’t sleep?”

I look to my left and he is there, standing with his eyes plasters to the falling snow. I forgot to mention that our rooms are connected by the balcony, and I seem to forget that we share a balcony due to the fact that he was not there all the nights before when I was. The sliding door of his room is slightly open, and I could see the side of his bed from where I stand. He looks at me then, probably wonders why I am quiet. He raises an eyebrow, and I shrug.

“It’s still too early for me, I guess. How about you?”

“Can’t sleep either.”

“Hmm.”

Silence fills the air. It is not awkward, and another thing with Hanbin that I noticed is that, silence is never awkward with him. Just like how silence is between me and Jiwon. It is as if I have known him long before I came here. It is nice. The silence is not as dead as the sleeping neighbourhood. I look at him through the corner or my eye. He’s only wearing a sleeveless shirt with a pair of shorts, unlike me who is all bundled up from head to toe. It is freezing!

“Aren’t you cold?” I ask, remembering how cold his hands were earlier.

“No, not really. I can tell that you are though.”

“Hanbin,” I call out his name before the silence could come creeping in again. He mutters a soft ‘hmm’, indicating that he is listening. “What was that earlier?”

“What was what earlier?” he asks, finally shifting his eyes to me. He moves closer that our arms start to brush against one another. I automatically look up due to our height difference, but that is not long until I look forward again. I finally notice how my heartbeat drastically changes from normal to a fast rhythm. I clear my throat, trying to regain my composure.

“You know, earlier. When you suddenly stomped towards me and—“

“Hayi,” he cuts me off, before continuing again. “What’s your relationship with Jiwon? Are you guys, like, together or something?”

At that question, my eyes turn wide before I shake my head. “We’re friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Why are you asking such question? We’re just good friends.”

Hanbin is silent for a while before a chuckle escapes his lips. He smiles, a dimple forming at the side of his face. I am dumbfounded then, because I really do not know what that chuckle and smile mean, and I really do not know how to react to that smile—to that beautiful smile. I raise my eyebrow, questioning him through my eyes. He shrugs.

“It’s nothing. I thought you two are together.”

“We’re not. Now that I have answered your question, will you answer mine?”

“What was your question again?”

“Why did you stomp towards me earlier? And acted that way…”

“Acted what way?”

“That way!” I answer in frustration. “That way. You came, acting all weird with the fists and all, and then you left without even answering my question.”

“I don’t remember doing that. Do you have any proof?” he teasingly asks with a smirk plastered on his lips.

I scoff in disbelief. “Do you really not remember? I—“

“Well, I was angry,” he cuts me off once again.

“Angry of what?”

“That,” he stops as he places his index finger under my chin before lifting my face up. He is very close that I can see my reflection in his eyes. And then it makes me wonder how I actually looked like in his eyes. Not that it matters, but I could not help wondering anyway. He smiles, before continuin