20.

“I think we really should head back.”

However Ga Eul’s steps fail to advance as the guy appears out of sudden, purposely coming in her way. Her eyes fall to the leg that is extending right in front of her, then trails up until both pair of their brown orbs meet each other. One brow of Jongdae’s raises up, giving a look of displeased and mocking to the former. “So avoiding me would be the best solution?”

“I told you it was a misunderstanding…!” Ga Eul rolls her eyes as she pushes the guy away and quickens her pace, her high ponytail swings left and right while she stomps forward, adding the distance between them.

And the latter is aware that by acting like this, he is actually exposing how he truly feels about Ga Eul yet he could not care more on that. All he knows now, at that moment, he wants her to see – that she is hurting him all over again. Jongdae is upset as he expects this – whatever kind of bond that he has with her – would grow slowly, as they are visibly drawing closer to each other before but suddenly, everything seems to fall apart.

One moment he saw her rosy cheeks and brown eyes twinkling as she stole glances at him, but the next day he saw her coming out from his friend’s house, suspiciously.

His heart isn’t a toy, is it?

Ga Eul’s ears catches the sound of Jongdae’s move from the back – catching up with her – until he appears again, one hand in pocket while the other holds up, asking her to stop. “If it is truly a misunderstanding, why can’t you explain anything?”

“Why should I explain anything to you?”

Reality check.

With that one question, Ga Eul got the latter biting back his tongue before she continues to walk away again. To be honest, though she gets irritated by Jongdae’s constant provocations, she is actually punching herself in her mind. For some reason she feels really bad making it turn out this way. Especially after seeing the instant change in the other’s face as soon as hearing what she asked just now.

Surprising someone should be good, Jongdae’s birthday should be a happy day.

But why it has to be this way?

Meanwhile Jongdae could not say anything in return as that one question from the former just now slaps him the reality. Even his walk halts, trying to swallow everything in. Ga Eul is right, she never owes him an explanation. It’s her life, her decision so who is him to question that? He does not have the rights in her life, and he should have realized that from the start.

“In some way, you actually do.”

Upon that, Jongdae tears his gaze away from the ground to the person whose eyes are on him, as she turns around to face him. Out of the blue, the lady who is a few steps in front of him speaks, as if she could read what’s inside his mind. “You deserves an explanation for that. But really, trust me.” Jongdae finds himself drowning into those sincere eyes whose lips are slowly parting as she reassures, “There’s nothing going on between me and your friend. This could explain itself later.”

“I’m sorry,” Jongdae whispers underneath his breath, his lips pursing together as his gaze keeps straying from directly meeting the lady’s eyes. “That was so fool of me to suddenly hover you, right?”

“Yeah it really was.”

The way she throws an unexpected and cheeky answer leads him to immediately lift his gaze – dissatisfied the said statement – however again, he is caught by surprise when Ga Eul suddenly snatches his hand and clasping theirs together.

“You are a fool for prying me like that without telling me how you actually feel about me. Be clear, Mr. Kim Jongdae.” Her eyes are staring at the point where they are connected right at the moment for a few seconds before she checks out the guy’s perplexed expression with an unwavering gaze. “I don’t know what’s going on in your mind all this while but seriously, I could’ve died waiting for you making the first step,” she comments then bring their clutched hand up to their eye level. “So count this as our first one. Voluntarily, not accidental or out of a needed situation.”

Jongdae could almost hear his own heartbeat, like it is thumping against his chest as his widened eyes sticks to the lady who looks unbelievably dazzling in her black Adidas tracksuits. Right on the moment, all he could think was how their skin are touching each other, and how those hands of theirs naturally fits each other. Also just as what Ga Eul told just now, this time it is intentional and not driven by any spontaneous instinct.

His mouth is still shut close as Ga Eul beams beautifully and boldly demands, “But I’m not confessing anything okay. You should do it first, whenever you’re ready. I’ll wait.”

“Do I really have to…?”

“Tell me why