Jongdae thought that he could not hold his hunger anymore. So he walked over to the mini mart besides the cafeteria to buy something that could hold his hunger for a few more minutes until she shows up. He went to the bread section and picked a packet of cheese bread. Then suddenly he thought that she might be so hungry too since they still need to queue up along the long line of students before they can finally get their lunch. So he took another packet of cheese bread and walked away.

                Then he took a box of chocolate milk from the fridge and walked to the counter to pay. He thought it’ll be sweeter if they share the drinks together so he took two straws and paid. He glanced at his watch as he walked out of the mini mart. It was 12.53 pm. He had waited her for almost an hour. Jongdae sighed and sat on a bench just outside the mini mart.

                He opened a packet of the cheese bread and pinched it a little and put it into his mouth. Everything taste good when you’re hungry right? Jongdae munched it slowly and swallowed it haevenly before he grabbed another bite. Feeling his throat too dry, he opened the chocolate milk and drank it slowly so that he could live some for her.

                When Jongdae was just about to take another sip of the drink, he saw her walking towards him with a worried expression. Jongdae stood up, smiled and waved at her. But she didn’t smile or wave back at him, instead, she ran towards him, knocked the box of chocolate milk his hand until it fell on the ground and hugged him tightly on his waist.

                Jongdae startled. But he did not ask her anything. He knew she must be worried about him that’s why she acted that way. So he wrapped his arm around her back and waited for her to speak first.

                “What have I done?” she spoke under his arms.

                She wasn’t crying or sobbing but her voice sounded so guilty and upset.

                “Hey, it’s okay.”

                Jongdae tried to soothe her. He did not want her to feel guilty just because she made him waited for too long at the cafeteria.

                “No. It’s not. I’m an awful human being. And I know that.” She continued to blame herself.

                “You’re not. Trust me. Although I just know you but still, I believe that you a wonderful person.”

                “How should I apologize?”

                She still buried her face on his chest, so Jongdae patted her head slowly and ran his finger along her long straight hair.

                “You don’t need to apologize. I understand.” He smiled.

                “I know you will, but he won’t. He’s different than you.”

                Suddenly the smile on Jongdae’s face disappeared.

                He? Is she talking about…..Minki?

                “He’s already upset about his late father and now I’m just adding up his problem. I’m a worst friend.” She continued.

                She is still worrying about Minki and did not even bother about me that had waited her for almost an hour here?

                “What should I do Jongdae? How am I going to help him?”

                She doesn’t feel sorry towards me at all? Not even a bit?

                “Will you help me?”

                She lifted her face and looked at him. Waiting for his reply. Jongdae stared at her. He felt hurt.

                “Of course.”

                But he reacted the opposite of what ‘hurt’ supposed to mean.

                Jongdae didn’t know how long he could hold the feeling but after he decided to accept her into his life yesterday, he knew he should bear all the consequences. Both good and bad. So he kept his disappointment about what happened that day and buried it deep inside so he won’t remember it anymore. Little did he knows that he was starting to doubt himself whether she was a suitable person to replace his late girlfriend in his heart.

************************