Joon woke up with a start, feeling that the air was pretty frigid. Getting up from the couch, he walked over to the thermostat and saw that it was stuck. He lightly tapped it with his fist, but the dial wouldn't budge. 

Knowing that the temperature couldn't be changed for the time being, he walked over to Jiyeon's blankets closet near the guest bathroom and pulled out another thicker blanket. He was just about to lie back down when he remembered Jiyeon got cold really easily.

Picking up the folded blanket, he walked over to her bedroom, and knocked on the door lightly. When there was no answer, he slowly opened the door, and saw Jiyeon was still sleeping, but in fetal position with the thin blanket she had.

Quietly, he walked inside and unfolded the thick blanket, and draped it over her all the way to her shoulders, leaving a little space so it wouldn't bother her neck.

Suddenly, she stirred in her sleep, and Joon froze. She opened her eyes, looking a little hazy. "Joon oppa?" She called out, surprised. Joon smiled down at her sheepishly, and decided to sit down at the whicker chair beside the bed. 

"Um, I thought you'd be cold. The thermostat's broken so I brought you another blanket." He explained. Jiyeon was touched by the gesture and sat up in her bed more, awake now. 

"So what happened the other night oppa?" She asked, rubbing the warm knitted material of the blanket between her thumb and pointer finger. Joon sighed, lowering his head, which concerned Jiyeon as she saw this.

"I was a mess Jiyeonie. And to top it all off, Hyuna broke up with me on the phone." He explained, with a small laugh.

Jiyeon's eyes softened with sympathy. "Oppa. I'm sorry." She told him, her voice gentle.

"Drunkenly and with another guy in the background too." He added. Jiyeon frowned at this, angry at Hyuna's ways at hurting her best friend.

"Figures." Jiyeon said, and then caught herself, looking up at Joon with alarm. But he just smiled, shaking his head.

"It's okay. It's pretty obvious what kind of person she is right?" He replied back, rubbing the side of his face. 

"Oppa..come here." Jiyeon called to him, and Joon glanced over to see her arms outstretched. 

He walked over and she gave him a warm embrace.  

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "You know I'm not too upset about it though right?" He asked her.

Jiyeon pulled back a little, and looked up at him. "You're not?" She asked, surprised. He shook his head.

"It took some time, but eventually I figured out Hyuna didn't have my best interests at heart. I guess I was just sticking around, hoping she'd change." He explained, as Jiyeon slowly nodded in understanding.

She outstretched her hand to him, and he took it, feeling her cold fingers, clasping around the back of his own slightly warmer hand. She gave his hand a small squeeze, to reassure him things would be okay.

Joon smile back, feeling all the anxiety that Hyuna had put him through, wash away. As he sat there, holding his best friend's hand, he couldn't help but notice her long lashes framing her cat shaped eyes. Her fair skin cast a glow, as the moonlight from her bedroom window shone down on her. Subconsciously his eyes glanced at her light pink lips.

Jiyeon looked at Joon head on, but became alarmed when she could tell he was looking at her so intently. She loosened her grasp on his hand, but he held on firmly, and suddenly lurched forward as Jiyeon held her breath just staring at him, until his face centimeters away from her own, her eyes reflexively starting to close.

At the last second, he pulled back, and she opened her eyes staring at him blankly. He gave her a small half smile, and she wondered what he was thinking, giving her hand one quick squeeze, he let go, and started to leave the room.

"Good night Jiyeonie" He called out to her, as Jiyeon sat there, completely flabbergasted.

Her best friend had almost kissed her and she had almost let him.

She sighed and flopped down on her bed to try and go back to sleep.

-

   The next morning they acted like nothing out of the ordinary happened, as they ate breakfast normally, and walked to school together arm in arm.

Nearing the gates, they were both surprised to see Hyuna near the entrance looking impatient, as she tapped her foot on the ground. Seeing them, her eyes narrowed.

Jiyeon quickly unlinked her arm from Joon's, as he glanced at her. She looked at him with apprehension. His eyes however were calm and confident. He stepped forward, as Hyuna did the same, stomping towards them.

"What the heck is going on? You didn't pick me up from my house oppa." Hyuna said with a whine, and pointedly glanced at Jiyeon, who decided to just stare at her dead on.  Hyuna cleared .

But Joon spoke first. He took a step back away from her, surprising her. "You break up with me Hyuna. Remember?" He tried to remind her.

Hyuna's eyebrows furrowed at this."What?!" She spat out.

"Woah. She must've been really drunk then." Jiyeon muttered and Hyuna glared daggers at her. Jiyeon just looked at her blankly, unfazed.

Turning back to Joon, Hyuna bit her lips. "Oppa, I was a little bit tipsy I admit, but I didn't mean to say whatever I did." She told him, trying to take his arm, but he shrugged her off.

"There was another guy with you Hyuna." He also reminded her. And Hyuna looked surprised. She rubbed the back of her head, casually trying to wipe away her   awkward situation.

"But, you're ending it with us then? when I didn't mean to?" She asked him, challenging him almost. Joon sighed. 

"Look Hyuna, I'm sorry, but your partying ways and choice of beverage aren't how I remember you. But then again, I guess I had a fake image of you that I remember, before you left me at my sister's wedding." He added, as Hyuna squirmed.

Her eyes grew into slits suddenly. "Fine. but good luck with your rebound girl." She spat out, and started to turn around when she felt Joon grab her arm.

His eyes were blazing with anger, and she was so surprised. 

With each word he spoke, she could hear how upset he was. "Listen to me. Kim Hyuna. Jiyeon is not and will never be a rebound girl. She's my best friend and has a hell of alot more class and dignity than I can say for you." He roared as Hyuna shrugged away from his grip, and hurriedly ran off.

Jiyeon stood at the side of this whole conversation shell shocked. Joon glanced back at her, and she blinked, and walked a few steps to catch up with him.

"Oppa. wasn't that a bit harsh?" she asked. Joon shook his head. "You know what she was implying come on." he told her, and offered his arm again. she hesitantly took it and they walked through the gates onto campus grounds.

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Isabel Santos Copyright 2012

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