Johnny was about to storm forward in the direction of the mysterious male hugging Hyemi when the man pulled away and he could have a peek at his face. Johnny’s body eased as he let out a sigh. “I almost had a heart attack.” 

Haechan grabbed Johnny’s bag, giving it to him, as he started walking towards the girls. Johnny quickly followed behind but Jaehyun was still rooted to the ground, eyebrows furrowed and a strange feeling building up in his stomach.

“Yah!” Johnny quickened his pace. “Song Shiwoo!”

“Yah? Song Shiwoo? It’s Shiwoo hyung for you, you brat!” he scoffed and crossed his arms, studying the arriving two. “Haechan, Johnny, long time no see.” he smiled at them and turned to Hyemi again, brushing her hair out of her face. “You’re even more beautiful.”

“You look great!” Johnny cooed. “You bulked up, geez!” he grabbed the elder’s arm and inspected his muscles in awe. 

“Oppa,” Nari called. “When did you finish your military service? I thought you still have a few months to go.”

“No, I got into the marine corps so I finished already.” he flashed a handsome smile. 

“Hi Jaehyun.” Nari greeted him when he finally arrived. He merely nodded as he scrutinized the man’s arm around Hyemi’s shoulders. 

Jaehyun had to admit that the man in front of him was handsome, to say the least. He was tall, like really tall, had broad shoulders, all in all he had an impressive physique, Hyemi looked like a fragile flower next to him. He had dark, piercing eyes and he raised his bushy eyebrows at Jaehyun, his lips stretched to a mocking side smile. His bad-boy-like features gave him a hot edge to his attractiveness.

“Hi, I’m Song Shiwoo.” 

Jaehyun’s eyes flashed dangerously. He tried to hide his true emotions as he answered. “Jung Jaehyun.”

“He’s our sunbae.” Nari enlightened him then turned to Shiwoo. “Jaehyun is our friend, anyway, are you continuing your semester?”

Shiwoo hummed. 

“That means you’ll be graduating with us, right?” Haechan asked. 

“Yeah.”

“I still don’t understand why didn’t you just graduated back then with the others and went to the army like any other normal person would do.” 

“Nari, sweetheart.” he shifted his attention towards the red-haired girl. “You know after what had happened, I thought I should do something else. Clear my mind.” he held her hand and gave it a small but affectionate squeeze, while his other arm still held Hyemi. 

Hyemi’s body tensed under his arm. Shiwoo noticed the sudden change in her demeanor and pulled her closer. Jaehyun still didn’t quite understand who this man was and why was he hugging Hyemi so casually. The most important question though… Why doesn’t she flinch and panic? Usually when men approach her, she would freak out, try to back away and leave, but she seems quite comfortable with him. 

“What’s your next class princess? I have Quality Management.”

“Really?” she looked up at him and flashed a smile. “Me too.” Hyemi was glad, since none of her friends attended the said class and she didn’t want to fake her smile for an hour while Suji talks about her recent visit at the nail salon, like last week. Thankfully with Shiwoo, she would kind of feel more at ease.

Jaehyun gritted his teeth as his grasp tightened around the strap of his bag. She seemed too happy and as selfish as it sounds, he didn’t like that. He didn’t like that a stranger made her smile like that. Yes, probably Shiwoo was no stranger for her, but still. 

“Then, we’ll head out first.” Shiwoo announced with a flirty grin. He winked at Hyemi, causing the girl to laugh. “Do you guys wanna have dinner together later? Let’s celebrate that your Shiwoo oppa is back.” he wiggled his eyebrows at Nari then Hyemi. 

All nodded then they bid goodbye. Shiwoo guided Hyemi towards the building while Haechan and Nari headed to another direction. Jaehyun watched how Shiwoo’s hand caressed the small of her back, how he boped her nose as he said something and Hyemi laughed again. 

“Aren’t you coming?”

He turned and saw that Johnny was already walking away. He quickly ran to him. “Who’s that guy?”

“Who? Shiwoo?” 

Jaehyun nodded and gulped nervously.

“He was my brother’s friend.”

That actually made sense, Jaehyun thought, but what bothered him was that Hyemi seemed too close and too comfortable with him. When Simon’s other friend had made and appearance, she seemed nervous, but right now, she’s all giggly.

“Aren’t your brotherly instincts kicking in?”

“Why?” Johnny peeked at his friend with a cheeky smirk. “You’re jealous?”

“I’m not.” he huffed. “It’s just…” he paused and rephrased his thoughts. “It’s weird seeing her being all comfortable with a man, beside you and Haechan. Like, he’s basically flirting with her and she doesn’t even care. You don’t even care!” he added.

Johnny let out a chuckle. “Shiwoo flirts with everyone, he’s even worse than Haechan. Don’t mind him. Hyemi is safe with him.”

“I mean.” his ears turned pink and he cleared his throat. “It’s not like I have a word in what she’s doing or whom she’s seeing.”

Johnny hid his smile and cleared his throat. “Yeah, it’s not like you’re his boyfriend anyway.” he winked at the blushing Jaehyun then walked away.

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Hyemi asked nervously.

Simon looked up from his book and furrowed his eyebrows. “What exactly?”

“You weren’t even listening, right?” she huffed and crossed her arms.

Hiding his smile, he put away the book and stood up, stepping closer to the girl. “He isn’t like that.” he said as he caressed her face gently.

“But he’s flirting with me!” she shot up and jerked Simon’s hand away.

“He doesn’t mean it, it’s just how he is.” he shrugged.

“I don’t care Simon, that’s not an excuse. I feel uncomfortable when I’m alone with him.”

“Why would you be alone with him?”

“It happens sometimes. Like last time. I was walking to class and he ran after me. And he did it again. He told me flirty remarks, he smirked and was sizing me up. He was about to touch my hair but we ran into Taeil oppa. I tell you he’s doing it on purpose because he knows I don’t like it.” 

“No, Mimi.” he said softly. “He’s just a bit overly excited and touchy with people.”

Seeing her worried expression, he let out a sigh. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll talk to him, okay? I call Shiwoo and tell him to stop bothering you.”

Hyemi adjusted the beanie on his head. “Thank you. How are you by the way?”

Simon smiled weakly. “I’m fine.”

“You look great Hyemi. This pink hair really suits you. You’re damn pretty, girl.” Upon seeing her rolling her eyes, he elaborated. “I didn’t mean it in a wrong way, you know.”

“Thank you. It was a lot of hard work and therapy.” 

Shiwoo snorted at her remark. “I bet. I bet even your therapist needed therapy after you.” 

The girl let out a chuckle. “That was a good one.”

He took out his phone to check his messages when he heard her soft voice again.

“It’s hard looking at you, you know?” she had her head hang low. “You are part of his past. You awake memories I try to push to the back of my mind because the tiniest things have the ability to intensify the pain.”

“Yoooo Hyemi! What’s up beautiful?” Shiwoo shamelessly threw his arm around her neck and pulled her closer to him. 

She fidgeted, annoyed. Shiwoo was way too touchy and flirty. She knew that’s how he was with everyone, but it still didn’t change the fact that she hated how he acted.

“Didn’t Simon talk to you?” she asked angrily as she tried to break free.

“He did and might I say I’m heartbroken?” he faked a gasp. 

“You’re so annoying. Do you wanna die, Song Shiwoo?” she finally escaped from his arms and started walking to her first class, Shiwoo closely following behind.

“Hey, okay, sorry!”

Hyemi stopped and turned back to face him.

“How is he?” he asked, referring to Simon.

“He’s…” she paused. She wanted to say fine, but Simon was far from fine. “He’s holding up.”

“Do you think I can visit him?”

Despite being an annoying, childish, stupid jerk, in Hyemi’s opinion, Shiwoo was a good friend to Simon. After finding out his condition, surprisingly Shiwoo was the most devastated. As he later revealed, his mother had died from cancer so Simon being sick reminded him of his sorrow. 

“Of course.” she nodded with a faint smile. “He’d like that. Wanna come with me after classes? I finish at 2.”

“Cool, I wait for you at the cafeteria.”

With a wink he turned tail and walked away. 

As her heart constricts from the memories, she snapped back into reality. Her eyes travelled to Shiwoo’s hand on hers. 

“Should I not speak to you then? Would it be easier for you?” his question was honest, leaving the cocky tone behind.

She flashed a small smile and shook her head. “No. I can’t shut out my friends just because they remind me of him.”

“Friends, huh?” he cocked his eyebrows and the smirk reappeared on his face. “I’d have never thought that one day you’d consider me your friend.”

“Shut up.” she leaned back in her seat. “You’re a jerk but you were a good friend.” she continued with closed eyes. “To Simon and to me too.”

“Right, I’m a precious cinnamonroll, aren’t I?”

“You cocky bastard.” she rolled her eyes again. “I met Moon Taeil a few months ago.”

“Oh. How is good ol’ MoonTae?” 

“Aren’t you guys keeping in touch?”

“Nah. We were friends because of Simon. I talk to his sister tho, but him and I, nah, we aren’t really compatible.” he shook his hand dismissively.

“I guess so.” she stifled a giggle, Shiwoo snorting at the same time.

“Yah! I know you fancied Moon Taeil over me!” he locked her in a headlock and ruffled her hair, ignoring her screams that she fancied basically anyone over him.

“Hyemi! You’re collecting all the handsome ones?”

They stopped bickering and studied the girl who stopped in front of them. Suji flashed a beautiful smile. “Sunbae, I didn’t know you were coming back.”

Shiwoo leaned forward and rested his head on his hands as he answered with a flirty lilt to his voice. “Yeah it was a sudden decision. I should go and look around campus a bit later, wanna show me around?”

Suji shot a confident look at Hyemi then turned to the man. “Sure, I find you after class. Bye.”

After she left, Shiwoo leaned back in his seat, shifting closer to Hyemi. “What a sneaky . Should I make her fall in love with me then dump her?” 

Hyemi shook her head in disbelief but deep inside she was smiling. Shiwoo was always on her side. “You’re seriously the worst.” 

“Oh yeah? Yet you’re talking to me but not your lovely Taeil oppa.” he pointed out, Hyemi letting out a snort.

“Not my choice. Taeil oppa graduated in time.” she winked and Shiwoo was speechless. Kang Hyemi hasn’t lost her charm, that was damn sure.

It’s been 2 weeks already. Two freaking long weeks since the funeral. Hyemi was sitting on the rooftop of Hanyang University’s Business Building. It was 8 in the evening and she was just sitting there, back against the railing while looking up the starless sky. Slowly, she stood up and leaned on the railing, staring down. A few students were leaving the campus, but other than that, the place was quiet, empty and dark. Just like how she felt inside. 

That day, she hadn’t gone to her classes. Again. She just couldn’t sit there, couldn’t concentrate and she didn’t even want to. Letting out a sigh she leaned over the railing and let her arms fall, the fresh spring breeze blowing through her fingers.

She liked being alone. That way, she didn’t have to talk or think. She didn’t have to listen to the comforting words, or see the people pitying her. She was already fed up with that. She also tried to avoid her friends because she couldn’t bear their sorrow. Selfish, isn’t it? 

“Students aren’t allowed to come here.”

She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. The steps behind her were closing the distance, as the man walked to her and mimicked her position, looking deep in her eyes.

“I’m not here to jump off.” she snorted.

Shiwoo smiled softly at the girl. “I know. We all know, that’s why your friends haven’t searched for you here.”

“How did you know I’m here then?”

“Sixth sense.” he winked, Hyemi rolling her eyes. “I thought you probably gonna come here, doing some angsty drama scene, looking up the sky while a teardrop strolls down your face.”

“You’re such an awful, annoying jerk.” she scoffed and pushed herself up then sat down in her previous position.

He let out a chuckle and sat next to her. “I know. I’m just here so you have company.”

“I’m here because I don’t want company.”

“As the proud holder of the annoying friend title, I choose to ignore that fact. Your friends are looking for you everywhere.”

Hyemi shut her eyes close and heaved a sigh. She really didn’t want to deal with Song Shiwoo right now. He was irritating, overly friendly, too flirty, a douchebag and just a pain in the to summarize.  

“I applied for my mandatory military service. I’m leaving this June.”

She hummed. “How so? You won’t graduate?”

“Not yet.” he leaned back and looked up the sky. “I think I need some time, it’s just too hard for me too.”

“Well, good for you. I don’t have this option to escape.”

Shiwoo smiled and put his hand on the top of her head, making her freeze as he patted her. “You know, you don’t have to hold in everything.”

“What do you mean?” 

“I know you don’t really like me, but can I put my two cents in?”

Hyemi scrunched her nose. It wasn’t like anything or anyone could stop Song Shiwoo to speak his mind ever. He was still patting her head as he started.

“Talking from experience, you can hold in your emotions for a considerably long time, however it’s not the smartest idea to repress all emotions. Of course you can’t allow them to dictate your life. You can’t allow your sadness taking everything from you. If you hold in and hide everything, you will break at some point and I don’t want you to break Hyemi, and Simon too, didn’t want you to break.”

“So? Should I make a fuss? Should I go around crying and shouting?” she challenged.

Shiwoo stopped patting her head and waited for her to look at him. When she turned her head, he locked eyes with her. “Actually, yes.”

“I’m just…tired.” she answered nonchalantly.

It was quiet for a moment. Hyemi fidgeted and averted her gaze. 

“I thought you don’t mind making a fuss.” he shot her a side glance and Hyemi snorted.

“Is this about the Soyi case?”

“Yeah.” he snickered and poked her side. “You little, violent dip.”

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