The smell of antiseptics greeted Yong Haneul's nostrils. Having difficulty in opening her lids, she opted to feel around the space beside her and smiled a little when a hand held her right one. 

Forcing her lids open, she closed them yet again when she was met with blinding white lights. She wasn't dead, she's sure of it. Or is she?

Eyes still closed, she forced her self to sit up and her companion fuzzed over her behaviour. "Haneul-ah, be careful your bruises are bad. They aren't healed completely yet."

Hearing her voice, the young girl immediately lost her smile. She tried opening her eyes and she succeeded this time, looking at the teacher in her twenty's.

"How are you feeling?" Han Seonsaeng-nim asked kindly.

"Hurting," she deadpanned. The older chuckled as she admired the girl on the bed. "By the way," Haneul started. "For how long was I out?"

Sunhee shrugged. "I don't know, maybe for two days?"

Two days? She was out for two freaking days? Then that means–

"Where's Cha Seonsaeng-nim?!" She exclaimed, quickly scrambling off to her feet, rushing for the door, the last she heard was the teacher's calls before she completely got out of the room.

What she witnessed made tears brim at the side of her eyes.

He's here. He's still here. She thought she was going to lose him too just like how she lost Minha.

Both Hakyeon and Mr Yong turned their body when they heard ruckus coning inside the room. The two males' eyes widened the moment they came face to face with her. 

Thinking that Mr Yong was bullying the student teacher again, Haneul screamed, "don't you dare bully him or I'm not going home!"

Huh?

Hakyeon, Mr Yong, as well as Han Sunhee paused at the young girl's outburst. Soon, laughter erupted at the hall and all Haneul could do was puff her cheeks in embarrassment.

--

A farewell party was prepared for the student teacher and everyone took part in it. It was Kam Ye Sun Middle School's thank you gift for the great help offered by the Student Teacher. 

Soon, the time when he needs to travel back to Seoul arrived because of Christamas. The last day of his stay in Daegu he decided to spend it with Haneul. The two walked alongside each other on their way to the train station with no one dared talking. 

"Haneul-ah," it was Hakyeon who broke the silence first. "Why did you do it?" He asked silently. 

Her decision to leave the group wasn't a secret to him anymore, not when Han Sunhee told him and her father what happened. 

"Well," she started. "I just want to stop, that's it. Because I want to be with you." She looked up at him to show him a sincere smile. "I'd rather be with you, than be with a bunch of people that I don't love." She concluded as Hakyeon nodded in understanding.

"How did Han Sunhee saw you though?" 

"Well, she said that an old friend told her that I'm beaten black and blue. So yeah, I guess I need to thank that friend," looking up at the sky, she can't help but utter a silent prayer that she and Nara could be friends again. 

After all, it was Kim Nara who told Han Seonsaeng-nim about her state. She doesn't even know if the other girl received the same medical treatment as she did. 

"So, I'll be going now, okay?" Hakyeon's voice brought her back to reality and she whipped her head towards him, her eyes wide. 

Are we there yet?

He chuckled then went to pat her head. "I was just kidding. You look like you were deep in thought so I thought, why not bring her back?"

She responded with a 'tsked' swiping his hand away from her crown. She walked ahead of him, "don't make those kind of jokes," she complained. "It's not even funny," she added in an undertone. 

"Yah, Yong Haneul! I was just kidding!"

--

Haneul didn't cry when they both said their goodbyes because he promised he'd see her again. But three weeks later since he left, Haneul found herself pulling on her hair frustratingly. 

"Do I look like a joke to him?!" She asked Mari one afternoon as she was tasked to bring back the cleaning tools to class 2A. 

Mari's answer was a shrug of her shoulders and Haneul scoffed at her. "You're helpful, really. Thanks," she muttered sarcastically.

"You're welcome," the latter answered nonchalantly and Haneul's eyes widened. "Yah!" Mari looked at her, "want a piece of me?!"

Mari just 'tsked' and Haneul's jaw clenched. "That's it! I'm not eating lunch with you!" She hollered walking away from her. 

When she was far enough, Mari had her head shaking at the way Haneul was reacting. "What a kid," she smiled. 

--

"Haneul! Haneul!" ChaRin screamed one morning, pushing Class 2B's doors forcefully. 

Haneul lifted her head from the table to look at the excited girl who welcomed herself inside their room. "Mari and I will visit her mother this afternoon, want to come with us?" 

Haneul's eyes widened. "Was she awake already?!"

ChaRin answered with an excited nod and a huge smile on her face and Haneul found herself grinning too.

"Let's go visit her!"

--

After the visit with Mari's mother, Yong Haneul walked down the familiar streets of their neighborhood alone. She couldn't help but remember him at times like this, especially when she reached the alleyway where she first saw him. 

She misses him. But what could she do? It's not like she could go to Seoul to visit him in school. Minors aren't allowed to travel alone on their own right?

Soon, she reached the splitting road near her house, where she and Hakyeon usually part ways. Puffing her cheeks, she pulled on the straps of her back bag tightly, keeping her tears at bay. 

No, she wouldn't cry.

"Haneul-ah!" Her eyes widened. Was she that in love with him that she's starting to hear things?!

He didn't even told her that he loves her too!

"Yah, I squeezed this date to my hectic schedule and yet you're ignoring me?" She shook her head lightly to shoo the incredulous sounds she's hearing.

"Yah, Yong Haneul!"

All thoughts of incredulity and going crazy went out the window when he turned her around by grasping her left shoulder with his right hand and holding her hand with his left one. 

She came face to face with the person she misses the most and she found herself tearing up. "Why are you crying?" He asked in a rattle. She sniffed twice before throwing herself at him, hugging him tight. 

"I missed you," her voice came out muffled and Hakyeon smiled at her behaviour, caressing the back of her head. "Me too."

--

The pair visited the usual place they go to whenever they meet each other. They also visited the playground where they first get involved with each other officially because of Minha. Soon, they played inside the arcade where they spent their very first date. 

Not long, it was time for the older to go home, and Haneul was the one responsible to bring him to the nearest bus stop. She wanted to complain about how short their date is but she couldn't bring herself to.

Not when he was holding her hand, keeping her warm every time. Not when he had his fingers tangled with hers as they stroll the streets of Daegu. 

Not when it was the first time he held her hand tightly, as if he was afraid of letting her go. 

"I'll be going," Hakyeon mumbled as he finally let go of her hand. Haneul tried her very best not to get disappointment with the loss of contact. Instead, she closed then opened her hands simultaneously as she stared at his hands longingly. 

For sure a long time will pass by for them to experience this kind of moments again. 

When Hakyeon spotted a bus approaching, he turned his back on her as to not let nervousness get the best of him. 

"Oh, a bus' arriving. Hail it!" Haneul exclaimed as she waited for the bus to be near enough to be hailed. 

"I..." She looked at the back of his head when he spoke. "I'm sorry?"

"Just– just listen, okay?" 

She nodded but frowned when she realised he can't see her. "Okay..."

"I was never used of gaining attention from people around me. Heck, I even get awkward whenever people look at me." He sighed. "So, when you first came to me, telling me you want to marry me, I thought that you're seriously retarded." The girl frowned at this, but she let him continue nevertheless. 

"The thing is, I was uncomfortable with you always following around, wherever I go. But I just ended up one day that I was searching for you. Comparing my life without you and my life with you in it. And I realized it wasn't the same anymore." Another sigh. On the other hand, Haneul just gulped at his outburst.

"I was scared of what I was feeling, because heck, I've never felt this way. This is a first. But then what made me surprised was the fact that I was more scared when you started avoiding me. When you don't made for me at the gates or outside the faculty room anymore. So, I guess..."

Finally, the bus stopped in front of him, and Hakyeon seemed to have gone back to his senses. "I-I'll be going!" He announced before jumping on the first step of the bus and the bus started moving again, leaving Haneul who was about to grab him at the back of his shirt.

Just a while ago...

Just awhile back...

It was like he was confessing to her, so why cower away when she wasn't planning to reject him anyway?

At the bus, Hakyeon was mentally cursing his self. He had it planned all along. Heck he even perfected what he will tell her in front of the mirror so why was he wuzzing out again?

He sent Haneul a quick look and he felt guilty when he saw how disappointed she looked, her hand in mid air.  He heaved a deep sigh.

The bus isn't far enough still, so if he could be fast, he could still catch up. 

Quickly turning around he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Yong Haneul!!!"

Haneul whipped her head at the disappearing, a huge frown on her face. Cha Hakyeon was waving at her, all smiles. 

"Be my girlfriend, will you?!"

Her eyes turned to the size of saucers. "Yes..." She mumbled, eyes shaking. 

"What?!" He asked, a frown starting to appear on his face. 

"Yes," she repeated a little bit louder this time. Realizing that he still can't hear her, Haneul started running alongside the car shouting, "Yes!" She screamed with all her might not minding the cold night air. 

He must have heard her finally because he smiled a smile so grateful and so genuine after only to shout again, this time resting both his hands on his head, assuming a heart's shape.

"I love you! Yong Haneul!"

Tonight, Yong Haneul and Cha Hakyeon became a couple officially. 

-📗-

A/N: a million thanks to you guys who supported this story until the very end. 

I know I'm not the best author (heck I'm even far from the good ones) but I want to send my sincerest gratitude to those people to took their time reading this story of mine. Hehe~

Thank you for believing in me and my story, thank you for being patient with me even if I don't reply to your comments ( you guys know that I want to reply with the comments, but I can't right?) You guys still stayed. 

Just wanna say you guys slayyyy, big time XD

I CAN NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH SO HERE'S THE CATCH:

See you soon in the sequel!!!

P.s. yes, there will be a sequel. It's my gift to you guys! Muah~

P.P.S I'll be posting it once it's out!