Author’s POV (At the parking lot outside ABC Steak House)

When it was time to return to their dorm, they realised they had a problem. Eun Gyeol came with Jae Hee in his motorbike, but now they had four people.

“It’s not safe for the ladies to return to the dorm on their own at this time of the day. Eun Gyeol, you bring Krystal back using your bike, while I take a cab with Sulli. Any objections?” Jae Hee suggested.

“That’s very considerate of you. Jae Hee. As long as Eun Gyeol is ok…”

“Of course, it’s my pleasure. Hee hee hee.”

“Be careful riding. Make sure my Soo Jung return to the dorm in one piece.”

“That’s true. I know Krystal is beautiful but please pay more attention to the front of the road. You almost swerved off the path and hit the lamppost on our way here,” Jae Hee shuddered at the thought.

“Hey do not judge my skill based one isolated incident. I am normally a careful rider.”

“All right, all right, if this goes on we can camp here tonight. And Jae Hee, take good care of my Ssul. Ssul see you at the dorm later.”

“Jjungie. I am going to miss you for the next half an hour,” Sulli pouted as she pulled Krystal into an embrace.

“Jjungieeeeeee… I am going to MIIIIIIIIIIISS you for the next HAAAAAAAAAAlf an hour,” Jae Hee parodied the hug in a high pitched voice, using Eun Gyeol as Krystal. “You might as well kiss her already, like this.”

Without a warning, Jae Hee kissed Eun Gyeol’s cheek, leaving a stunned Eun Gyeol grinning like an idiot.

Jae Hee’s POV (At the taxi stand)

“Are you a gay?” Sulli questioned me.

“If hugging and kissing someone of the same gender equals being gay, then aren’t you one as well?” I questioned back.

“I only hug. I did not kissed Krystal, not in public at least,” Sulli softened her voice when saying the last phrase. But I heard her anyway.

“Just because you do it behind closed door doesn’t mean you don’t do it,” her hypocrisy never ceased to amaze me.

“Yah! Quit making it sound so erse. Besides it is normal for girls to be intimate with each other.”

“What’s with the double standard? Do you happen to be homophobic?”

“Nope. I have nothing against them. I am merely surprised you are one, or should I since you actually looked like that…” Sulli eyed me up and down scornfully.

“Wait a minute. Since when am I homoual? And what about the way I loo… Look Out!” An approaching car sped over a big puddle of water, resulting in a huge splash in our direction. Without thinking, I turned and hugged Sulli tightly so as to shield her from the wave.

Sulli’s POV

“Ahh!” I yelped, from the sudden impact.

Flashback…
“Hahaha… Rabbit Teeth, you are stuck,” the group of children living in the same orphanage were aiming their water pistols at me.

“Stop it. Please…” tears welled up in my eyes as I leaned helplessly against the wall that blocked all means of escape. Streams of water rained at me mercilessly as I cried harder. Just then he appeared, like he always would. Shoving some of the bullies aside, he made his way towards me. With his back facing the kids, he held me tightly to protect my body from the projectiles of water.

Present…
“Are you all right?” staring at Jae Hee who got drenched in my place made me guilty.

Flashback…
“Are you all right?” I asked, feeling guilty about my vulnerability. Luckily, the water pistols were small and soon ran out of water. The kids had no choice but to give up and leave the scene.

Present…
“It’s ok. This is nothing. I am a guy afterall,” Jae Hee muttered, still holding on to me.

Flashback…
“It’s ok. This is nothing. I am a guy,” he flashed his toothy grin.

Present…
Déjà vu smothered me as I remained in Jae Hee’s embrace. Jae Hee’s suddenly serious expression seemed to say that he was reminded of something too. For a while, neither of us attempted to change our positions.

“Are you the ones who called for the cab service?” the taxi driver, who had finally arrived, broke us out of our trance.

Krystal’s POV (15 minutes or so later…)

“Earth to Eun Gyeol! Eun Gyeol come back to Earth!” I waved my hand frantically in front of Eun Gyeol’s face.

“Wha.. What?! Ah I am back. Sorry sorry. Whe… where are the rest?” Eun Gyeol stuttered.

“They had made their way to the taxi stand a while ago. So are you ready to bring me back?” I pointed at the motorbike.

“Ah. Yes. Here’s the helmet.” Soon we took off to the road.

“So is Jae Hee the one who got you hot and bothered, to the point where you almost hit the lamppost?” I asked from behind.

“Oh you can tell?” He sounded embarrassed.

“I’m not surprised. He’s a beauty, almost like a girl, perhaps that’s why you are attracted to him. Are you sure he’s not one in disguise?”

“Unfort…. I mean yes, I AM 200% sure he is not a girl cross dressing as a dude. My classmates and I have seen him topless.”

I chuckled at Eun Gyeol’s slip of the tongue. As you can see, Eun Gyeol and I had confided in each other during our online chatting sessions. No matter how close I was to Sulli, this was one issue I could never share with her. On the other hand, Eun Gyeol was going through the same crisis, hence on some level he could empathise with my problem and not laugh at me. In return I lent him a listening ear whenever he needed one.

“As for you, it’s Sulli, isn’t it?” Eun Gyeol asked.

“How do you know? She was the opposite of a tomboy.”

“It’s not about how she looks. It’s about how YOU look at her. During our dinner just now, your attention was on her most of the time.”

“Am I that obvious?” I sighed. Even when surrounded by two cute guys, I could not take my eyes off Sulli. I was one hopeless case.

“Yes you are. But it’s ok. I understand. I find it hard to give up on Jae Hee within such a short period of time as well. But we shall help and support each other. Krystal Hwaiting!” Eun Gyeol removed one hand from the handlebar and clenched his fist to display the “Hwaiting” sign. In doing so, he went slightly off balance with his other hand.

“Yah, be careful!”

“Sorry sorry!” Eun Gyeol apologised.

You are right, Eun Gyeol, I thought to myself. You too, hwaiting!