I step out the tailor store – already plugged in my earphone since I step out of the store, just listening to the music. The dresses were on my arm, folded. Suddenly, I got a message from my stepmom, Madam Lee.

Are you still in town? Buy some chicken on your way home.

I sighed. Sighing for the million times today and proceed to find a restaurant to buy some chicken. Madam Lee is a huge eater along with her daughters. All of them are also a huge spender which I reeked and hate about. Luckily, I brought my earphone... I could die out of bored if I didn’t bring it. So, I just listen to my music until I finally arrived at the infamous Kim’s Chicken restaurant shop. The restaurant sells lots of delicious chicken, various cooking; fried, grilled, smoked and etc. The shop often or frequently will have a lot of customers and not to mention a lot of fangirls. One of the EXO boys is the son to the restaurant’s owner—the reason behind all of the young school girls that came to the restaurant.

I entered the shop and went to the counter to ordered 4 sets of chicken, and of course, one set was for me. I paid the food and sat on one of the chairs at a table to wait for it. I played some games while waiting for my order. There were not many people inside the restaurant because it was already late in the evening. I put my earphone and phone inside my bag and turned to look outside, the sky already turning dark. After 15 minutes of waiting, my order being called and I took it – then proceed to go back home. It was dark outside and cold. I did not even bring my sweater with me...hmmm my luck.

As I was about to start my journey back, someone called my name from behind me. I turned and widen my eyes. He was the delivery boy; he was on the delivery motorcycle and he also wear the restaurant’s logo cap. I certainly did not get surprised by a delivery boy but because of the boy. Like seriously, Why, do I keep on meeting them.

“Do you want a ride?” he said.

“Huh?” blurred all of a sudden.

“I said, do you wanna ride? You’re Jaera, right?” he repeated.

“How did you know my name?” I asked back.

“Don’t know, but maybe because your name always pops at the top list in each of every exam. And besides, I had once partnered up with your sister Serri on a project so I went over to your house and we saw each other, remember?” he said, and

Wait, is that a smirk?

“Ah... right.. Sorry I forgot”

“Well, do you wanna ride? I’m going to your neighbourhood. Need to meet someone there. On my way, I can take you to your house”

“I don’t think—I don’t want to burden you”

“Nonsense, you’re not. C’mon”

After five minutes of him insisting – he keep on saying the dresses are heavy and the chicken will be cold once I’ve arrived home and so I went on the bike with him. In less than 7 minutes we’ve arrived at my house. I also did ask on the way on why he use his family business motorcycle when he was already finished with his work duties, he just answered that he likes to be low profile – not wanting the attention. Hmmm

I got out off from his bike and went to take the food I’ve ordered that he put it inside the food bag at the end of the bike.

“Thank you, hmm?”

“Jongin. Kim Jongin” he introduced himself.

“Oh, Thanks Jongin-ssi”

“You’re welcome Jaera-ssi” He smiled making myself smile back to him. I walked towards the door and as I was about to open the door, I heard the sound of his bike droving somewhere else.

The house was loud as Madam Lee was laughing her head out from the movie, she watched in front of her. Sera and Serri were in the kitchen bickering about whatever they got mad about. I sighed. I went towards the couch Madam Lee sat and I put the food on the table in front of the television. She paused her laugh and stared at me for a second before she turned back to the television. I took my part of food with me. I went to kitchen, both of them suddenly stared at me in the midst of their fight and I hand over the dresses to them.

“I will be in my room” I stated to them without even looking at them and went up to my room, locked it and sighed once more. Today was really a busy day for me. I think I’ve lost a few pounds from the walk I had today. I laughed. I put the chicken on my study table and went up to the bathroom to clean myself up. While I was showering, I suddenly thought about the things happened today.

“Wow, I can’t believe I’ve met five EXO members today. Unbelievable.” I shook my head and chuckled. But out of the things happen today, I really could not forget my encounter with that handsome man earlier. I sighed in idiotic frustration. “And I didn’t even get to ask his name or what school he went or whatever his age or Urghhhh, what is happening to me” I stomped my feet lightly like a kid who lost her candy.

After the shower I went to eat my food along with the drinks I bought earlier today and then I went to bed. While drifting off to sleep, the guy from earlier suddenly came inside my mind and I smiled in my sleep.

 

∞

 

I woke up early at 7 in the morning, made breakfast and did the chores—finished it in less than an hour. The house was still quiet—the two stepsisters and stepmom usually would still be sleeping in till midday.

Tonight, will be the senior prom and it will be held at a ballroom hotel—which the hotel is actually owned by the family of one of the EXO boys that I don’t recognize. There’s two of them that I absolutely don’t remember their faces. There’s one that I think I remember his name—Sehyun? Sehun?, maybe – and the other one it slipped my mind a lot of time something like Chanhun or Chanhee? Well I don’t know, it is not like I must remember his face and name right? The whole group have 9 members so it’s not a sin to not know them like that’s a lot of members for me to remember – Even I, don’t remember all of my classmates’ name. I am the well-known quiet and nerdy girl while minding their own world. I prefer to be alone; it is easier and calming. I have few friends but none of them go my school—for example, Bomi, she’s not a student in my school but I love to be with her whenever I can when I’m out.

So, the clock showed the time: 8.30 am. and what should I do now? Madam Lee and the twins are still sleeping and I’ve finished all my chores. “I think I will go out” I nod to myself and head out outside with my bag over my shoulder, wearing my light pink long sleeved shirt along with my denim blue jacket, tightly held around my waist. My neighbourhood is quiet which is expected because it is still morning. There are a few people who were jogging here and there.

I decided to go to town again for whatever reason I’m feeling right now. I don’t know where I want to go right now but my heart tells me to go out.

“Maybe I can see that guy again” I smiled to myself, remembering the guy from yesterday that I bumped. Last night was wonderful, I dreamed of him. I dreamed about him wearing a tuxedo, standing tall and handsome near a fountain looking up at the moon. The moonlight shone upon him that made him looked so ethereal in the night. It was a short dream about him but nonetheless it made me smile like an idiot when I woke up. Even right now.

 I slapped myself lightly. “Aigoo Jaera-ah, stop being an idiot” I laughed at myself.

I was aimlessly walking—I was so full of myself being an idiotic fangirl about a guy that I just bumped and stared for like 2 minutes that I have accidentally took the wrong route. The route that I took have a lot of trees and it led to the forest. It is a forest of the end of the neighbourhood. I sighed but nevertheless the trees intrigued me. There is a small path walk that lead towards the inside of the forest. Being the fearless Jaera that I am, I walked inside.

“It’s not like I have anywhere to go so...”

The forest was very clean and not so scary like other scary forest from movies. I think the neighbours already cleaned up this place. I walked aimlessly and the time showed 9 in the morning. The forest was calming, I think I have found a new place to be. I saw a few animals running around doing whatever they have to do. The forest was rather huge in my opinion because I had walked far from the entrance and yet I couldn’t see the edge or the end of this forest. I wandered off until I saw a pond in the distance. I went near to the pond and saw a deer drinking water from it. I shorten my distance with the deer but not to close as I don’t want to scare him. The deer looked up at me after sensing my presence, the dear was big. He looked at me and I looked back at him. I put out my hand to make it clear that I am no harm to him – Slowly getting close to him without scaring him. He sensed that I am not a danger that he let me pet him in the head.

“Aww you’re so cute, you know that” I smiled widely. “You’re a Him right?” Judging from the deer’s big anthers that he must be a male. He nudged my head like he was saying ‘yes’, I chuckled. I gently touch his neck and his body “Wow I can’t believe I’m touching a deer”. The deer was a bit taller than me. He kept bowing his head to rub it on my face softly—like a cat meowing and purring at its owner.

“He likes you”

The sudden voice made me jumped and I looked around. The deer was a bit surprised too. But I see no one.

“Look up”

The voice spoke again, it is a man’s voice. I titled my head up and found a man—a guy up on a tree. He was sitting on the thicker part of the branch of the tree, a bag on his lap and a camera in hand. I just stared up at him, wondering what the hell is he doing up on the tree with a camera. He was looking at me and a smile plastered on his face.

 “What? Never seen a man on a tree before. Take a picture, it’ll last longer” he playfully teased me as I kept on staring at him without blinking. His statement made me blinked and looked back down at the deer and petting him on the head—I pinked. I heard sounds from him and after a few seconds he climbed down from the tree. He walked to me and I stared at him. He was taller than me but he was just the average tall side of a man, wearing jeans, light yellow t-shirt underneath a dark brown jacket. He put out his hand.

“Hello, my name is Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun” he introduced himself. I snapped out of my reverie and shook hands with him.

“Jaera, Jung Jaera” I smiled lightly and he smiled back. “Jaera-ssi. Yeah, I know you.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, you’re that straight A student in class 5A, right”

“Ah, ah ne...” I bowed a little and a bit embarrassed that people know me because of my grades. I looked back at the deer, not wanting to show my pinked cheeks at him. The deer loves my touches, that made me smile.

“He likes you. I often come here and sit on that tree whenever I have the free time. This deer always comes here, I tried to touch him but he looks like he doesn’t like me. He kept on running away from me.” he talked and sighed while pouting as he looked at the deer. I laughed silently. He stared at me, surprised look on his face. “What?”

“Ani... it’s just that you looked so sad like a kid who lost her teddy bear” I laughed. He chuckled "that’s some way to describe it huh”

“Here, Pet him. He’s nice” I motion my hand for him to pet the deer who suddenly looks alarming at Baekhyun. “Don’t worry, He’s not dangerous” I said softly to the deer. Upon hearing it, the deer walked closer to Baekhyun who suddenly surprised at the act of the deer but nonetheless he slowly put out his hand and land on the head of the deer. A big smile crept up on his face. “Waa I finally got to touch a deer. Never in my life that I would be touching a wild animal” he kept on petting and touching the deer while talking to himself. I just smiled watching him. Suddenly I had a thought as I stared at him.

“You seem familiar Baekhyun. Have we actually met at school before?” I asked. He quickly turned back his sight at me and raised his brows.

“No, I think we never met” he said while looking me. I furrowed my eyebrows while still staring at him then an idea hit me. Seriously, is he one of them?

“Ahh...! you’re one of the EXO members, right?”. He looked surprised too but laughed

“Ahh yes..waa you know us?”

“Of course I know you guys, you guys are so popular” I stated the fact “But not all of you that I recognize and know. The ones that I know is Minseok and Jumnyeon because both of them are the same class as me. Some of them I just heard their names and some that I met while some I haven’t even met.” I explained while shrugging my shoulder. He just nodded at me, hands still in contact with the deer. Silent embrace us and the calm atmosphere really calms my heart even though I’m with a guy that I just met.

“So...are you here alone or...?” I ask him. He stared at me and replied

“Ah, most of the time I’m alone but sometimes I brought a friend along. He said that he’s coming today but an hour past and not a merely sight of him so I’m guessing he’s not coming” He explained while checking his surrounding, sensing whether or not his friend will come. I just nod at him while staring back at the deer. The deer suddenly made a sound and stomped his feet a little—making both of us surprised. The deer suddenly bowed his head at us and went away into the forest. “Maybe his mother called him??” I asked in wonder, Baekhyun cluelessly nod as well. Both of us stared at the path that the deer had took off.

 

∞

 

“So, the prom’s tonight.” he suddenly asked

“Yeah...” I sadly answered, he looked at me

“What?”

I stared at him “What, what?”

“Why