“Damn, insomnia!” He huffed under his breath while he ruffled his hair. “Oh man!”

Despite of being in Korea for quite some time now, still there are days that sleep avoids him.

He decided to go for a walk. His feet dragged him to their university building. His feet dragged him to their university building. He decided to practice for the upcoming concerto. He passed to one of the dance studios while walking to the music studio. But something catches his attention, rather someone. He just watched that someone dance her heart out with such passion.

“Who is she?”

After the song finished, she just lay there in the middle of the dance studio and let the song fill the room, closing her eyes while she listens to her own heartbeat that seems to join the beat of the music. Eventually, she slowly fell asleep. Then, suddenly her phone rang. She jolted back from her almost slumber. “What now? … Oh, it’s Vic …. Hello, Vi… ”

“AMBER! Where are you? What are you doing? It’s 2 in the morning.” “Sorry. I can’t sleep so I decided to go to the dance studio. I am going back to the dorm now.” “You better be.” “Ye…” Then she noticed that there’s someone looking through the windows.

“Amber? Amber!” “Yeah, yeah…I’m going. I’m going, Mom.” She gathered up her things in her backpack and left in a hurry that she didn’t even notice that she left her cap behind.

He noticed Amber was coming his way, so he hid himself as much as he could. “That was close,” still catching a glimpse of the girl.

“Huh?  She said to herself, as she heard something down the hall. “Gosh Amber! You need to get a hold of yourself. You need really to get some sleep.”

He watched carefully at the corner of his eye, if the coast was clear. “Who is that girl?” He asked himself again. He decided to finally go to the music room. Suddenly, he noticed a red cap lying on the floor of the dance studio. “Oh. I guess this is hers.” He decided to keep hold onto it. “Just in case, I’ll see her again.” He hoped. Just by thinking of it, his heart skipped a beat. 

There, he sat in front of the piano, gently touching the ivory keys. But he kept thinking about the girl. He never knew someone like her. He kept repeating her dance moves over and over again. His eyes felt heavier and heavier – finally he had fallen asleep. He didn’t even notice that he was holding her black cap.

-x-

At the her dorm

Vic heard the door opened. “Finally, I go back to sleep now. Kids nowadays.” “Sorry. Have a good night sleep, Mom”, grinning. “Hey!”  Vic gave her a sharp look. “Peace! That’s the last one, I promise.” She was too tired that she ended up sleeping on the couch.

-x-

The next morning

“Amber? Amber… Wake up Amber!” pushing her off the sofa. “Hey! I am up already! For goodness sake!” Amber said groggily.

“Hey! Insomniac Sleeping Beauty, we are going to be late for class.” Vic said while putting a piece of toast in .

While changing, Amber noticed that her favorite cap is missing. “Vic-unnie, have you seen my cap?” “Which one?” “The red one with a big ‘A’ on it.” “No, I have not seen it.” “Crap. Where did I leave it?”

“Maybe it is all under your messy pile of clothes. Let us look for it later. Come on, move it, or we’re going to be late for class again.”

Amber just stuck her tongue out.

-x-

He woke up to the loud banging at the door. “Henry?”

He finally noticed that he is holding her cap all night. He smiled as she ran thru his mind.

His friend opened the door. “There you are, Henry.” “Geez, Dude! We have been looking all over for you.” “Move it, Man, you are late for class.” Shoving to him his violin case and pushing him out the room.

He shoved the cap in his bag and head to class.

-x-

Later that night

He had been busy all day at orchestra practice, with deadlines of music compositions drilling holes in his head. So he decided stay at the music room late. At the back of his mind, he hopes that he sees her again tonight. So he decided to see if she was in the dance studio. And there she was, dancing to a hip-hop beat. Just like the other day, after dancing, she laid on the floor, letting the music fill the room.

“How could she sleep with such loud music?” He was talking to himself, “and yet she looked so peaceful when she sleeps.” He turned his  attention back to the myterious, beautiful girl. “Oh. Where did she go?” She wasn’t anymore lying there.

“Who are you? Why are you here?” she said all of a sudden. She was standing right behind him just a few feet away. “So you are the one looking thru the window last night.” “I….I’m j-jus-t,” he stuttered. “Just what? Stalker” He just stood there. “What? You’re just what?” “Sorry. I came back to give this back.” He looked at her with worried pleading eyes. 

“Oh my. My cap. You found it!” Her eyes are twinkling with joy. “Actually you left it last night. I just…” “So you stole it. You’re not only stalker; you’re a thief too.” She looked at him with piercing eyes while pouting. “No.” He insisted he didn’t steal her cap. “And you’re a liar too.” She raised an eyebrow.

“I took it because maybe someone might throw it away or something.” Sweat forming in his forehead. “Wow! What a lame excuse!” he thought to himself still not looking away from her. Suddenly, she just burst out laughing. “You’re funny when you’re nervous and stuttering,” saying it this time in English.

“Whoa! You speak English.” “Oh! You know how to speak in English too. It is so difficult to speak in Korean, and yet all along you know how to speak in English.” “Sorry” Looking down at his shoes. “Hey! I am just playing with you. Actually I am grateful that you have given back my cap.”

“No pro…” then he suddenly froze from where he is standing. She hugged him. “You don’t how important this cap means to me. Thank you so much.” He smiled. Then she let go. They felt the room got warmer. They bought look away blushing, especially Amber. “What just happened?” she thought to herself. “What do you actually do here?” desperately changing the topic.

“I’m a Music major. I actually play the violin.” “Wow! Impressive. So you’re a violinist. I thought you’re here just to stalk girls.” She said with a serious face. “...." "I’m kidding! Dude, you’re way too serious.” grinning why playfully hitting him in the arm.

“Actually, I can’t fall asleep lately so I came here to practice but ended up accidently seeing you dance last night,” putting his hand around his neck, nervous. “Oh so, you are also sleep deprived. "Hey, I got an idea,” she said while grinning. “What?” “Since you got see me dance, I should her you play the violin.” She looked at him straight in the eyes. “Yeah, sure. It will be my pleasure.” He sounded a bit more excited.

-x-

At the Music studio

“Cool!” That is all that she said upon seeing the sound proof studio in the University. “Is this you are the first time going here?” “Yes. I always at the dance studio.” Picking up the violin, he started playing. Amber, wide-eyed, “Wow! You’re really a great violinist.” “Thanks.”

“You seemed busy.” She said upon seeing the stack of music sheet on his table. “But still, you came out of your way, just to give back my cap,” smiling at him, patting his back. “Thank you.” “No problem,” in response. “Why is the cap so important to her?” he asked himself. She noticed the CD player. “May I?” “Sure.”

She started rapping. “Wow!” He thought to himself while listening to her. “Wow! You are a great rapper.” She tried to hide her blush, “You listen to rap songs.” “Yeah, but the songs I really like to listen to are like this one. I hope you know this song.” then started playing, and singing as well. Then she joined him. “You can play the piano too. Impressive, violin boy,” smiling at him. He smiled back. “You can sing and rap… Wait, what did you just called me?”

“Huh? Nothing.” “No, I heard something.” “What? I didn’t call you anything, Chipmunk,” she exclaimed. “There it is again.” “Hey! Stop calling names,” he said it while pouting. “Oh god! Why is he so cute?” She thought and tried to hide her blush from him. “She’s really pretty.” He just smiled seeing hide her blush.

After a while, Amber just listen to him play the violin, once in a while, the piano. She finds it soothing to listen to. She ended up sleeping on the sofa of the studio.

Then her cellphone beeped. “Huh? Oh, her cell is beeping.” “Hey, your phone….” He trailed off, amazed by her sleeping figure. He noticed that something on the display screen, “Oh,” smiling. “Her name is Amber Josephine Liu.” “Huh? What? What time is it?”

“It’s around 2 am.” “Oh crap! Really? Crap! I need to go home.” “Actually, you phone beeped” “Really? Oh no! Probably it’s my roommate texting me. Now, I really need to go.” She gathered her things and rushed to the door.

“Hey, wait up, I’ll walk you home.” He packed his violin in its case, and picked some of his music sheets and followed her to the EXIT.

-x-

Walking to her dorm…

“Hey.”

“What?”

“I never asked you about your cap.”

“What about it?”

“It must be important because you won’t hug someone you just met like that.” His face turning red.

“Sorry if you feel uncomfortable.”

“No. I‘m just sayin’ I am glad you didn’t get mad upon knowing that I kept your cap.”

“This cap was given to me by sister before going here.”

“You don’t have family here too?”

“Yeah. Huh? What do you mean ‘too’? Where are you from?” She asked looking at him curiously.

“Canada. You?”

“L.A”

“That is why you don’t know how to Korean well.”

“Canada huh. You must love maple syrup.” She joked.

“We should have pancakes some other time.” He offered. She smiled. “Oh, where here.”

Both of them seemed disappointed.

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

She was entering her building, when suddenly she turned around and shouted. “Goodnight Violin Boy!”

“Hey, my name is not Violin boy, it’s Henry.” He shouted back.

“Goodnight, Henry!”

“Goodnight. Go inside before you catch a cold.”

“Nice hanging out with you, Amber Josephine Liu.” He shouted with all his might and winked at her.

"Henry." The name of her new friend. Smiling as she went inside.

-x-

She just realized it later in her room that he called her full name. “What the…How did he know my name?”

“Finally you’re home.” Vic exclaimed. “I have been texting you. Didn’t you receive it?”

She then looked at her phone, and there it was.

~1 text message: From: Vic

“Amber Josephine Liu, if you don’t come home this instant..~

“That sneaky chipmunk”