Baekhyun put his cigarette back to his lips and zipped up his jeans, then he didn’t forget to flush before leaving the bathroom. He opened the door. He and the person who was waiting outside jumped a little on their feet when they faced each other.

“Park,” he called her name. The cigarette moved following his lips.

He noticed Eunbin’s eyes went directly to his mouth, but he doubted she was thinking what he hoped for.

Eunbin nodded to behind his shoulders. “Need to use the bathroom.”

“Right, right.”

He stepped away. The door was closed shut immediately.

Eunbin didn’t seem surprised when she opened the door to find Baekhyun was waiting.

He started, “I get the feeling you’re avoiding me, Park. Do you mind telling me why?”

Instead of answering him, Eunbin’s eyes travelled from his mouth, left hand, and right hand.

Baekhyun urged on, “I thought we’re in a good place now.”

“That’s only because we were in front of our parents. Now that we’re far away from them, we can live our own without the need to be back in each other’s lives.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” he muttered, lowering his gaze.

Eunbin flicked her eyes at him. Realizing her stare, Baehyun looked up to meet with her gaze. Bad idea. He gulped. He thought the look she had on right now was the look how much she wanted to strangle him.

But he was just telling the truth.

“Well, I mind!”

Eunbin did wanted to strangle someone. But she wanted to strangle herself more for reacting to Baekhyun’s words just now. But to strangle him was more appealing as it would be like getting rid a bug off her life.

Too bad that would be a crime and Eunbin had no intention to be a criminal.

She crossed her arms and finally broke the silence between them first. “Look. I think I’m just that person who can’t be friends with their exes. I don’t like you anymore,” the lie came out so easily as it had been what Eunbin said to herself for the past years to make herself believe it. “But I still can’t. I can try for our parents, but that’s it.” She shrugged.

Baekhyun felt like there was sand on his tongue that it was a little difficult for him to reply, “We were best friends before that. Close enough like family too.”

“But it doesn’t erase the fact that we were together before.”

In some point, she felt a little disappointed how easily he could say that as if they dated were not a pretty big deal. Swallowing the lump in , Eunbin stared straight at the man before her.

She said with a determination shone in her tone and eyes, “I really hope we can keep our distance. I mean it, Baekhyun.”

After that party, Baekhyun never talked to Eunbin anymore. He couldn’t not see her when she was working at the restaurant his boss loved to go. But they never talked outside from ordering menu. He never tried to approach her or give her a ride home too.

To be honest, he was a little bit pissed with the young woman, hence why he happily complied with her request.

This lasted for a month.

Baekhyun was already so sure that once again, they would stop talking. The only difference was it was Eunbin who cut ties with him. This rejection felt so foreign inside of him. Byun Baekhyun never got rejected. Everyone welcomed him with open arms and was nice towards him. Even he had a little hard time adjusting with university life, he managed.

Now that he finally got treated this way, especially from a certain Park Eunbin, he was angry and sad at the same time.

. Was this what Eunbin had to go through that time when it was him who ignored her?

Karma was really a .

Two weeks later, his mother called him to let him know that she had sent a few boxes of her cooking for her. She also made extra for Eunbin. Baekhyun was already scratching his head when he knew about this and wondered how he should give it to Eunbin without her throwing it back to his face.

“There’s also a book Eunbin has asked her mother to send. But I thought to just send it together with your food. You have to give it back to her quick, okay? She really needs that.”

I would, if only she doesn’t painstakingly keep avoiding me, Baekhyun thought.

Three days later, he received a big package. Without the need to look who it was from, he could already know that it was from his mother from the flowery feminine box. He shook his head then started to tear the tape.

A book which was out of place from the plastic boxes filled with variants food caught his eyes. He absentmindedly flipped through it. It was a book filled with accountant stuffs that Baekhyun didn’t understand a bit. He guessed that she needed it for her class, so he should immediately give it to her. Putting it aside, he started to move the plastic boxes to his fridge.

When he was done, he sat on the couch and stared at his phone on the coffee table. He ran his tongue across his teeth. There was a really low chance Eunbin would pick up his phone call. It would hurt lesser if she would just let it ring until the end. But when Baekhyun thought she would directly tap ‘reject’, his chest squeezed uncomfortably.

After a couple of thoughts, he finally picked up his phone and dialed her number. After the fourth ring, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Baekhyun was already ready to end the call and opted to send a message, wishing Eunbin would at least read it than immediately deleted it.

But then, a tentative woman’s voice came out from his speaker.

“Hello?”

He stumbled with his phone before putting it back on his ear. “Park! Hey!” he exclaimed.

“Umm…”

Baekhyun said first, “Your book is with me.”

Eunbin sighed at the other end. “I know. Um, can you send it to my address using express delivery?”

He leaned back on his sofa, feeling a little disappointed. He was hoping they could at least meet and let him hand her personally. He was silent for a moment before a light bulb . He smiled to himself.

“Baekhyun?”

“I don’t have anything to pack your stuff. And I’ve been super busy lately that I just don’t have the time,” he said and made sure that faux guilt drip out from his words so Eunbin could hear it.

“W-well, you can just bring it with you when you come to the restaurant,” she tried again.

He was full-on grinning right now, “Can’t. Mrs. Kwon has left for Osaka for a week, so I won’t be going there for a while.” Carefully, he asked, “While you’re in urgent needing this book, right?”

Eunbin didn’t answer him, but her silence was an answer enough.

“Shall we meet? Or do you want to come here to get it?”

There was no way Baekhyun would offer to go to her place. It would just end up with Eunbin slamming the door at his face. He would have no room to make longer conversation with her.

It took a really long time for Eunbin to make her decision, but Baekhyun didn’t push her. He waited patiently. Seven minutes later, Baekhyun knew because he was eyeing his digital clock while waiting, she said she would come to his place instead. That surprised him, he was sure she would choose to meet outside instead.

No matter. At least he succeeded to make Eunbin come to see him.

“Fantastic. I’ll text you my address.”

Three days before Baekhyun’s phone call, Eunbin’s mother called her and told her that her book would be with Baekhyun as his mother was going to send food for his son, so they thought they could just slip in her book without the need to spend more fees.

Which meant she needed to see Byun Baekhyun for taking her book.

She whined, “Mom! Are you serious?! Why did you do that?!”

Her mother sounded confused, “Why do you sound upset? It’s just Baekhyun. Are you guys fighting again?”

Eunbin took a deep breath before slowly letting it out to calm herself down. She dropped her forehead on her fingers. “No, no. It’s just…” I’m trying to cut off him from my life. But if you keep doing this, it’s going to be difficult!

“Do you know how far away he lives from me?” Eunbin tried another approach to blame her mother.

Her mother laughed, “Baekhyun is a gentleman. I’m sure he won’t mind you asking him to come to you.”

She rolled her eyes, “That’s my book. How can I let him come to me instead?”

“His mother made extra food for you too. He still has to come to you.”

For Pete’s sake.

So, Eunbin really wasn’t surprised when Baekhyun’s name popped up in her phone screen three days later. Honestly, it was compelling to just press the red button. But she needed that book. She had gone through a lot of bookstores in Seoul for that particular book, and they all didn’t have it. She finally found one at her hometown’s bookstore, but then she just had to leave it home.

For you grade, Park Eunbin.

But Baekhyun had to be annoying and had all these excuses, making her to have no choice to come to him instead for her book. She thought the best choice would be her going to his apartment so she could directly leave after she had her book.

Not wanting to drag this any longer, Eunbin decided to immediately go to his place tonight after she was done with her part-time. She always left early on Tuesday, so it wouldn’t be too late.

She carefully knocked on the door with the number Baekhyun’s gave her. It didn’t take long for him to answer the door and she was hit by fresh masculine scent. She took in his clean shirt and the slightly damp at his hair’s end. He had to have just gotten out of the shower.

His face instantly brightened up with an equal bright smile, showing off his teeth and all.

“Park, hey,” he greeted.

For a split second, he ran his eyes over herself. Eunbin suddenly felt embarrassed. Unlike Baekhyun who was looking dashing and fresh, she was the complete opposite. She was sweaty and tired from just finishing her shift at the restaurant.

“Come in,” he offered.

Eunbin shook her head, “I just need my book. It’s getting late, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun put his hands in his sweatpants’ pockets, then leaned his side against the doorway. “Well, your book is in my room. I need to take it first. Plus, my mother had prepared a few boxes of food for you too. I need to put them in a bag because I didn’t have time to do that before you arrive,” he said.

She gulped, “That’s okay. I can wait outside. I don’t mind.”

He frowned and gave her a funny look. “I do. Just come in and sit for a while,” he coaxed, his voice was soft.

Eunbin sighed and scratched her forehead, “No, thank you. Can you just take my stuffs now?”

Baekhyun shook his head and leaned heavier on his side. He had no intention to move at all. “Unless you come in, I won’t go anywhere.”

She gaped at him. Was he serious? She was already tired enough, and he had to play this silly game with her?

“Baekhyun!”

“I only ask you to come in and sit, Park. Not sleep or stayover. My dear, will you just chill?” His tone had changed dangerously. Forgotten his light and warm voice, it dropped an octave lower and his gaze was deep.

Knowing that she had pissed Baekhyun, Eunbin went silent. After calming down her raging heartbeat, she met his eyes and slowly nodded. Instantly, his gaze softened up and he moved a bit so that there was space for her to slip in. Eunbin was careful so that her side wouldn’t brush him. She heard the door was close behind her and soon she looked up to find Baekhyun was already by her side. He nodded his head inside, motioning her to follow him in.

Unknowingly, her eyes swept over the small apartment. There were only two rooms and she guessed the bigger lead to his bedroom while the other, which was smaller, was the bathroom. It was smaller than her shared-apartment with Soojung, but it was perfect for a single man. For a man, Baekhyun’s place was even considered clean. Eunbin inwardly snorted, this was totally different from his room back home. Maybe he had picked up cleaner habit. To her left, Eunbin found TV, couch, and coffee table—the living room. And behind the couch, it was directly the kitchen. She spotted some dirty dishes in the sink. Either the man had been super busy as he said so he didn’t have the time to do it or Baekhyun was still the same who hated to do dishes.

Suddenly, Baekhyun chuckled next to her. “What do you think? Do I pass your inspection?” he teased, staring down at Eunbin.

She could feel her cheek go warm. Then she cleared and replied, “Well, it’s cleaner than I thought.”

Baekhyun immediately caught onto him and glared at her, but there wasn’t any malice in it. He knew she was hinting the difference with his room back home. Just for a split second, he noticed the growing small smile playing on Eunbin’s face. It made Baekhyun’s own smile grew wider, but before he could appreciate her beauty, she had already cooled down her expression when she noticed he was staring.

He lightly snorted, “Glad that I pass.” He pointed at his couch, “Take a seat while I prepare your things.” Without waiting for her response, he already disappeared into his room.

When he came out, Eunbin’s book and a cloth bag were in his hands. He sauntered to the kitchen and opened his fridge, taking out the plastic containers which were meant to give Eunbin. All along, Eunbin had been watching