Hongbin stared at the ceiling for quite some time, racking his brains to know how he could possibly look for the girl he bumped on earlier, to give her notebook back.

He sighed when he found no solution to his problem. Quickly closing and opening his eyes, Hongbin stood up to search for the notebook he tossed somewhere earlier. 

He found it on his bedside table and the guy layed on his stomach this time, turning the pages of the notebook to search for the owner's information.

He sighed yet again when he didn't see anything sort to be considered her contact information. He only saw paragraphs after paragraphs of some places, he guess, due to the country names that followed after some peculiar names. 

Diplomat Hotel

I learned that the place was inhabited by Irish teachers and nuns from the earlier days, and was now known as haunted. Late last night, I decided to visit the place as I thought I could experience what the locals were saying. 

Unfortunately, the place was closed. (-.-)

I visited again today, but it wasn't creepy nor near frightening at all, the only frightening about the place was the crooked light post from yesterday evening. Inside, it was like any other abandoned place, but I adored the mini chapel beside the hotel. 

Hongbin found himself smiling at the notes he read.

SM Baguio

He frowned at this, SM? The entertainment?

Oooh, they also have SM here. But nope, it's not the entertainment agency. 

Yet again, Hongbin found himself smiling, wider this time when he read that part. 

It's a mall \(^o^)/. The interesting thing was, unlike the usual malls in town, it was open on the second floor, letting the fog inside. The streets were busy, pedestrians are quite fashionable and I found myself admiring the beauty of the place. 

Off to the strawberry farm  very sleepy. I got excited over the fact that they have a night market as well. Just having to stroll around the aisles and looking at the good stuffs being sold just made me contented. Anyways, enough about the rendezvous last night, I'm off to picking my strawberries, I better keep myself wide awake hmp!

Oh. My. God. They said it isn't the time for the fruit season yet. Nooo, my strawberries!!!

Hongbin started feeling the sleepiness kicking in. At this, he decided to close the notebook and then a ridiculous thought came to him. His eyes widened. 

He pried into her privacy.

He pried into someone's privacy! 

How could he?!

Immediately coming back to his senses, the 26 - year old guy reached for his drawers and placed the book inside carefully, eyes still wide with incredulity. 

He, Lee Hongbin was never taught of prying into someone's business by his grandmother when he was still a child so how could he actually do that now that he's already a grown man?

Oh my god, I deserve to perish. 

Hongbin quickly shook his head from side to side to go back to his senses because he was seriously going crazy, all because of a tiny thing called he mistook as his delivery checklist. 

--

Hongbin's work ended early that day as he was assigned to serve in the opening shift. He sighed, still trying to wipe the sleepiness off his soul. Unfortunately, he didn't get an ounce of sleep because of what he realised  last night. 

Every once in a while, he got scolded by the owner and the guy never wished for the ground to eat him alive more than earlier. His body became clumsier than usual, and he had difficulty in taking orders from the customers, earning him customers' complain and proper scolding from the cafe owner. He sighed, he really wasn't himself today.

He yawned, trying his best to keep his eyes open as he pushed on his bicycle. He grimaced when he looked at his bike. It was such a pity he couldn't ride the thing, because he was afraid hed get his self killed if he drive with a sleepy head. 

So much for wanting to perish, he mocked his self. 

He kept walking silently on the side of the road to not disturb the pedestrians on the street. He was successful in doing so because he was at the main road but when he reached the more crowded part of the city, this is when he faced obstacles. 

Apparently, he reached the city plaza where people often dine, shop and simply stroll. At this, the guy at his mid twenties found difficulty squeezing his self in, not to mention he was bringing a huge bicycle with him. 

He huffed when he paused to let a pregnant lady to pass by but then the people next to her, and the next persons took turns in passing by him, not giving a damn whether he was standing their for how many hours already. 

For the first time in years, Hongbin found his self getting annoyed for being a good person. 

Were you good? You just stuck your nose to where it doesn't belong last night.

Soon, he was out of the crowdy place with much difficulty and he heaved a huge sigh of relief when he saw the familiar stalls of flower shops greeting him. He smiled brightly just like the old times. 

He's near his house. 

He stopped walking though when he noticed three figures going out of one of the flower shopd. He doesn't know, but he felt weird looking at their backs. They screamed danger. 

The three figures turned their heads from side to side, seemingly looking at the signage on top of each shops. They seemed lost. The guy thought. 

Being the curious guy that he is, and knowing full well that he is very much familiar around this side of the town, Hongbin went to approach the three.

He raised his brows when the only girl turned her head towards him, her eyes quickly widening as if she recognized him. Hongbin frowned. He didn't like the way her eyes widened. It was as if...

She was...

Mad at him?

At this, Hongbin halt on his tracks. His eyes turned to the size of saucers when the girl pointed at him, her two companions quickly snapping their heads towards his direction. Only then he realized that the two males she was with were actually officers. 

"That's him!" 

Everything happened too fast. Hongbin started turning on his heels as fast as he can when the three started charging towards him. He was at loss, he didn't know what was happening, but obviously it wasn't good base from how the female reacted when she saw him and learning that she was with police officers. 

Just what did he do?! He never once charged too much fees when he delivered orders so why was see acting strange? Is she a customer? But he never once saw her, this would be the first time...

Ever.

Hongbin hissed when he realised he was running while pushing his bicycle. He opted to stop and just get things over with, teling the group off but then...

"Yah!!!! You come back here, you thief!!!"

Hearing her shouting at him made adrenaline rush through his veins, quickly straddling his bike, Hingbin pedaled away, faster than he ever did all his life in hopes of losing the incredulous girl and the authorities who chased after him.

Are they kidding me?! Me? A thief?! He thought incredulously. 

He pedaled and pedaled until he could no longer hear the shouting of the girl. Unlike earlier, this time, he took courage of looking behind him and sighed when he saw no traces of the group who was chasing him like a mad man. 

Soon, he slowed down his limbs, his bike slowing down as well. Still looking behind, he sighed loudly out of relief. He lost them finally. The feeling of relief turned to confusion when he noticed some locals mouthing something to him. A young man pointed at his front and he could only frown. 

Huh?

"In front of you!" Another one shouted and this made Hongbin face the front, only to have his eyes widening in an instant.

A few seconds passed and a crooked bicycle landed on the floor as Lee Hongbin flew in the air. 

He groaned, clutching his stomach. Apparently, he hit the side post as he was busy looking behind him, he didn't notice that he started pedalling towards the side too much. He rolled on his stomach still gasping for air. He winced in pain when he felt his right hand—his dominated hand– aching too much when he propped it on the ground to keep himself up. 

"Is he okay?" 

"Oh my god."

"That's a nasty fall."

"Are you okay?"

Hongbin dropped his body on the ground in embarrassment. 

--

"He deserves serious scolding."

"Calm down. Who knows his shift might have been extended—"

"Still, he should've contacted me about it. He never did this before."

"Love, calm down."

Hongbin grimaced hearing his mother's angry voice when he reached the huge pot on the left side of the shop. He knew he messed up this time but who could blame him? His phone was ruined after the fall. 

The son decided to bring his self to the nearest hospital to have his wound healed earlier. Turned out he broke his bones on his right arm and the doctor suggested into getting his arm casted. He wanted to refuse but he can't actually act all tough and mighty with a limping arm, can he?

He went against the idea of proceeding home immediately and decided to hang out on the hospital's cafeteria to clear his mind of the questions that ran through his mind. Also, he decided to bring his bicycle to the repair shop nearby.

Hongbin heaved another deep sigh before finally showing his figure to his parents, his mother's raged eyes the first thing he saw. He looked down in embarrassment.

Quickly seeing him, Mrs Lee stood up to shout at him but worry immediately replaced her fury when she saw the state he's in. All the thoughts of scolding her only child flew out the window. 

"Hongbin-ah!" She exclaimed, dropping the phone she was holding tightly to run towards her son. Mr Lee's eyes turned wide seeing the cast on his right arm.

"My poor child," his mother reached for his jaw and studied his face that had a few scratches on his right cheek, and then his arm that was casted, ending in right hand that was swelling. "What happened to you?" 

He smiled uneasily before he heard his father speak, "he must have wounds on his body too." 

At this, Mrs Lee looked up at her son, quickly turning him around to shift his shirt up, earning her a complain from the youngest but she didn't care. 

"Ah, mom. You're emba—"

"Omo." Quickly letting go of his shirt, his mother started crying as she covered with her hands. "What happened?" She questioned, her voice muffled by her hands when Hongbin looked at her guiltily.

"I'm sorry."  answered. 

"Did you get into a fight?" She asked worriedly, turning him back again to study the wound that lay on the right side of his back. Hongbin craned his neck to look at her worried stricken face.

"Mom. Customers might visit," he complained. At this, Mrs Lee looked at him. "Why? Can't I check on my son? If they don't want to see a worried mother they can change shops." She answered him sternly. "Mom," Hongbin sighed. 

"Did you get into a fight?" Mr Lee asked Hongbin and the guy just looked down, before shaking his head. 

"What happened?" His mother coaxed. At this, the son felt his face burning hot. 

"I hit a post on my way home..."

"What?!"

--

Several days later, Hongbin finally decided to visit a printing press to finally have the photo he snapped few days back printed and be the first entry in his freedom wall. 

He skipped down the stairs excited of his plans. Soon, he reached the bottom of the stairs, he frowned when he noticed the surroundings very quiet. Were his parents in the shop again?

He proceeded to the shop only to have his eyes bulging in their sockets when he saw the girl who was chasing him two days ago at their doorstep, police officers on both sides.

Crap, he's dead.

True enough, both his parents were at the shop, their eyes directed at the visitors. Soon, both looked at him in question when they realised the girl was looking behind them.

He saw her opening as she started lifting her hand towards him. 

She'll be pointing at me, he thought when the memory of their last rendezvous came to mind. 

Without thinking Much, or must be because of the adrenaline kicking in, Hongbin quickly jumped off the stairs and ran towards the unknown girl at their doorstep, pulling her out with his free hand of the flower shop when she started mouthing the word 'thie–'

The two police officers and the parents of Lee family stood frozen on their spot, looking at each other awkwardly.

"Its nice to see you."

"Its nice to see you too."

--

Hongbin ran as far away from their house as possible. He didn't like how Mrs Lee fussed over him when she learned he hurt his self, he can't afford having her worried again for thinking that her son actually violated someone. 

When he felt yanking from behind him, he scanned his surroundings before finally letting go of the stranger's wrist when he learned that  he was far from the neighbor's stares and his house already.

He turned around to look at the girl, confused and a little bit annoyed. "Why do you keep on chasing after me?"  The girl only glared at him, rubbing her wrist with her other hand. Hongbin's gaze directed towards her wrist.

Did I held onto it too tight?

"I'm sorry." He uttered. 

"Why did you chase after me anyway? Running around the city screaming that I'm a thief." Suddenly, a funny thought came into him when he realised something. 

"Are you the notebook owner?!" He asked incredulously. All thoughts of being mad flew out the window and his faced turned apologetic. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to exchange your notebook with me. We bumped into each other during the film festival, unfortunately we share the same design so I guess I mistook your notebook to be my delivery checklist. I plan on giving it back to you but I can't see anything that could serve as a contact for you." He started, pausing when a frown slowly made its way on her face. Not only that, she seemed as if she was trying her best to keep on pace with his talking. 

Was I saying something weird?

But he continued anyway. "But for the record, I'm not a thief. I'm actually waiting for someone to call the shop, telling me or my mom that he or she is the owner of the notebook, but nobody did. So I thought of surrendering it to the police station near Venice Biennale but then–"

Hongbin stopped when she let out some words that made him confused this time. 

"I'm sorry. But can you speak... A little bit slowly?" She started. "I could only make out the words 'I'm sorry', 'thief,' 'city,' 'notebook' and 'police station.' I can't quite understand the rest very well, I'm sorry."

Hongbin was bewildered. Two days ago, she was running after him, calling him a thief and now she's telling him to speak slowly so calmly, as if they were friends. 

Heck, even Wonshik couldn't ask a favor from him that easily. 

He studied her figure from head to toe. She looked achingly familiar, he knew he had seen her somewhere already. But that's not the matter right now. She looked Asian just like him. His brows raised when he though of something. 

"Uh... Annyeonghaseyo?" He asked, quite unsure. When recognition washed over her face, Hongbin finally smiled brightly at her. 

"You're Korean." He concluded. The girl just gawked at him, cheeks quickly reddening, causing her to turn away. Hongbin thought she was repulsed by the idea of him acting like a friend towards her. Well, who wouldn't? When you stole something from her. 

At this, Hongbin's desire to clear his name came rushing back. 

"As I was saying," the guy started, making the girl look up at him. "I'm not a thief." The girl nodded once, "the thing was, we bumped at each other on the event, right?" The girl nodded again.

So, she was really the notebook girl.

"I wanted to give your notebook back, but you never left anything sort of a contact on your notebook so I didn't get to reach you in any way. So just know that I didn't steal anything from you." He ended. Soon, her head started lowering and Hongbin's eyes rounded when she spoke the next sentence from her. 

"I never thought of you as a thief." She looked up at him with determined eyes. "At first!" Hongbin nodded vigorously. She looked around her. "Its true I considered the idea of being robbed but I never once thought of someone who would actually steal that notebook. No one would profit from that, actually." She turned to him again, glaring. Hongbin finally frowned, if not, why glare at me?!

"I asked the help of the police so I can locate the flower shop and ask if some worker accidentally switched with my notebook, but then," she paused, now quirking one brow at him. "I saw you." He nodded again. "And then you all of a sudden ran away!" She hollered. "And that's when I started thinking you actually stole it. Considering the way you reacted seeing the two police officers with me!"

The guy then scoffed. "How do you expect me to react when somebody started pointing her hands towards me with rage filled eyes, huh?! And also, the police officers were holding guns, shouldn't I be afraid for my life?!" He argued. 

All of a sudden, embarrassment filled his system when the memory of two days ago came back haunting him.

"That's him!" 

Everything happened too fast. Hongbin started turning on his heels as fast as he can when the three started charging towards him. He was at loss, he didn't know what was happening, but obviously it wasn't good basing from how the female reacted when she saw him and learning that she was with police officers. 

Thinking back, he was actually at fault, acting defensive when all she ever said was 'that's him!' He want nothing more than to bang his head on the nearest wall. 

At that moment, Lee Hongbin wished for the ground to crack up and swallow him whole.

"What's your name?" 

Hongbin refused to look at her in embarrassment. He kept his gaze on the ground behind her. 

"Yah," she craned her neck to catch his gaze, and when she did she smiled at him warmly. "I'm Jihye. Kwon Jihye." Hongbin looked away. 

At this, Jihye frowned. Was he mad? Well, who wouldn't, when you acted like a ?

"I'm sorry. I know we didn't start off the right way. I'm at fault here, so if you refuse to give me your name, I'll understand." She concluded. 

Hongbin quickly whipped his head towards her. She raised her brows in question. "Hongbin!" He exclaimed. "I'm Lee Hongbin." He repeated. 

She smiled at him warmly, yet again. "Its nice to meet you, Lee Hongbin."

Hearing his explanation earlier, Kwon Jihye realised that she was actually worried for nothing. 

--

The conversation between the two Asians has long ended and Kwon Jihye found herself walking down the streets of Venice alone yet again, admiring the city's beauty. 

She looked up at the orange sky for a while, before closing her lids to feel the breeze hitting her face, letting her hair flew just a little. For a few moments, she let herself feel again, even if it's just for short seconds, she let herself loose. Her walk has long stopped and she just stood still, a serene smile making its way into her face. 

She opened her eyes again after a few seconds then studied the locals walking pass her. All seemed so full of life, in contrast to her. She smiled timidly, she might have visited almost all countries around the globe, jumping from one place to another, still she couldn't get herself to actually move on. 

From him. 

Ever since he left her. 

He left her without a proper reason to give her. He left her without even telling her his real agenda. 

And then, the next month she saw him. 

With another girl.

With a new woman to please, and to love. 

And Kwon Jihye just couldn't accept it. 

Not when they were planning to get married. 

They said crying would lessen the pain, so if ever you're in pain, it's okay to cry. But Kwon Jihye didn't, not this time. 

Three years after their break-up, Kwon Jihye didn't cry. Not because she has moved on, but because she can't. 

Because even if she wants to, even if she desperately wants to cry and scream in hopes of lessening the pain, she couldn't.

Her eyes never agreed with her mind, and her heart. 

Before, she cried when all she ever wanted was to never show him her weak side when he let out the words she dreaded hearing. 

Right now, she never cried when all she ever wanted was to break down and shout, to lessen the pain. 

This time, all she ever accomplished wasn't healing, but only suffering. 

Kwon Jihye is suffering silently. 

At this realization, the blogger started walking on her path again. 

--

A few weeks passed and the two never once crossed paths again. True enough, one month isn't enough for the blogger to satisfy her curiosity towards the place and so she decided to extend her stay at Venice.

Earlier that day, she had a talk with the embassy and settled things about her extended stay at the city. The talk and agreement lasted for hours and so by the time the meeting ended, Kwon Jihye ended up craving for sweets. 

The female found herself entering the first-ever cafe she visited the moment she landed at the city. The chimes sounded just like before and she sniffed the familiar smell of coffee that met her nostrils the moment she pushed the door open. 

She smiled when she noticed the surroundings. They weren't packed today, she thought. She craned her neck then smiled gleefully when she found the spot during her first visit to be empty. 

Trotting towards the seat, her blooming smile has stopped midway when she spotted a waiter coming from behind the counter. She also paused on her tracks, ogling at the guy who also stopped his actions, a tray of food on his right hand. 

So he recovered finally.

"Kwon Jihye-ssi?" Hongbin asked, a smile finding its way on his handsome face. 

This time, Everything became clear to her. So that's why he looked so familiar.

Right now, with him wearing black slacks and a white plain polo shirt, partnered with a black apron, Kwon Jihye realised that he was the handsome server whom she found curiosity before. 

"Lee... Hong bin." She uttered. 

-🌵-

A/N: Uwu. So the misunderstanding was already clear (yehes!!) But questions still linger, did Kwon Jihye finally got her notebook back? Did Hongbin finally had his photo printed? What happened to the police officers? And, who was Kwon Jihye's man? Read on to know, haha.

Also, also, Parallel was released today (Sept 19, but I' didn't get to listen to it yet huhu) and some said that (they accidentally) uploaded the MV but was shut down immediately. 

I didn't get to watch it yet (T.T) I won't get mad don't worry, because I know it was supposed to be a live Fantasia (though I can't help but feel disappointment, damn myself for being a sleepy head)

Anyways, it's getting cold in here in my country because of the storm and my allergic rhinitis started attacking again (don't mind me) so take care everyone. 

Please do leave me comments and suggestions, criticisms, and support. I'll accept them all ( √*3*)√