t h r e e ;

Tae Eun never asked for his full name.

He didn’t offer, and she didn’t pester.

To her, he’s only known as Jun – her Junnie.

The boy who has many hidden secrets. The boy, who is weird, yet cares in more way than he should. The boy who keeps telling her that she should stay away from him, but he’s the one who keeps coming back.

Tae Eun did ask why; once or twice.

His answer still remained the same – the less you know, the better.

Tae Eun never probed into his private matters anymore after that.

She was easily content with his presence in her life, and dared not ask for anything more. She was pleased with his frequent visits to the florist shop every night, where he would accompany her until she’s done locking things up.

On a few occasions when Se Mi would stay behind too, Dong Jun would awkwardly say hi to her and then telling Tae Eun that he would just wait for her at the bus stop, not far from the florist shop.

Se Mi had wondered about the two’s relationship and when she asked, Tae Eun’s answer was simple – “he’s just a stalker who worries about me too much”.

Hearing that, Se Mi stopped inquiring totally.

Tae Eun was never the type to be nosy about other people’s affair, unless they want to tell her about it. Hence, she never asked about Dong Jun’s job – or what he does during those other times when they didn’t meet.

But one night, on that particular night – everything had to be laid out in the open, much to his unwillingness.

Just like any other night, he would walk her home. Usually, it was Tae Eun who does most of the talking, and he would be a patient listener.

She would rant out to him about the difficult customers she had to handle, and how she loved it when new fresh flowers were delivered to the shop. She’ll go on explaining about the different types of flowers to him, even though she knew he’s not in the least interested in them.

Yet, Dong Jun never complained.

But that night, she decided to talk about her sickly grandfather.

And somehow, that made Dong Jun listened intently to what she had to say.

“I’m worried about harabeoji,” she admitted in a sad voice, while she played with the strap of her small sling bag. “It’s been days, but he’s still not getting better and I don’t know what else I should do.”

“Have you taken him to the doctor?” he asked quietly.

“No,” she replied in a small voice, gaze fixed on the ground ahead of her. “He refused to, no matter how many times I’ve persuaded him. Harabeoji can be really stubborn.”

He let out a scoff. “I see where you get that trait from.”

“Hey!” she protested. “Since when I am stubborn?”

“You’re still friends with me.”

“You’re the one who keeps finding me,” she said pointedly.

He was about to say something else, but then decided against it.

“You’re right.”

“So, tell me...” her tone was teasing now. “...you like me, don’t you?”

He turned his head to the right and shot her a bewildered look. “I do not!”

“You are so weird,” she stated, stretching out the last word. “How exactly did we become buddies?”

Dong Jun snorted. “You tell me.”

“You know,” she started to say. “The more I think about it, the more I believe that you and I – “

“Shh,” he suddenly cuts her off and froze in his tracks. Next to him, Tae Eun did the same, and peered over at him curiously.

“What is it?”

Dong Jun pressed a finger against his lips and glanced over his shoulder briefly. Tae Eun was about to turn around too, but he quickly stepped in front of her, and blocked her view.

“Junnie...what is it?”

He didn’t answer her. Instead, soft cussing sounds escaped his lips as he saw the figures approaching them. Even in the far distance, even in the street-lamps’ dim light – he could easily tell who they were.

From the way they were casually sauntering, with hands shoved inside their pockets, making low whistling sounds – it could only mean one thing.

Trouble.

Without wasting a second more, Dong Jun grabbed Tae Eun’s hand hastily and started pulling her along.

“Come on,” he told her. “We have to run.”

“But why?” she asked, breaking into a sprint next to him and casting another look behind.

“Don’t look! Just keep on running and do not look back!”

That was only the first run, out of the many escapes she had to do with him. Because being with Kim Dong Jun, means being in the long run with him.