It was 1:05 in the morning, but IU remained lying in bed, eyes widely open and the feelings of sleep seemingly forgetting her. Her thoughts of Yixing fleetingly disregarded as was replaced by Luhan’s playful face.

What did he do?

 “He kissed my forehead,” she mumbled to herself. Unconsciously her hand traveled up to her forehead, lightly touching the part where his lips were. She felt her cheeks getting warm as her thoughts shifted back to what happened earlier. Suddenly, memories of him and her came flooding in, in an instant. How he endlessly, how he keeps flirting with her, and how he becomes uncomfortably close sometimes. Finally she took notice of these little things.

Does he even like me?

She’s be lying if she tells herself that she haven’t thought of this possibility, but knowing his playful and joking nature, she quickly shelved the idea and told herself Luhan was being his normal self.

But the kiss…?

His unpredicted deed that evening brought her doubts again. That kiss just messed her up again, to another level. Her mind was swirling, and she honestly doesn’t know how to perceive that, or how to even react towards it.

She took a deep breath. “You’re just overanalyzing things again,” she said exasperatingly to herself. “I’m sure he doesn’t even see me that way.. I’m just a friend to him,” she whispered to herself as she succumbed herself into slumber.

Then Monday came and IU’s hunch was right. Luhan treated him normally, like the past days he had. He acted so normal as if nothing even happened, as if that kiss didn’t even happened. What surprised her though was she didn’t know whether she’d feel happy or hurt about it. Happy since they could still act like the usual, but hurt since she felt like she wasted the whole weekend being bothered about it. And that one guy who’ve done it seemed unaffected, or rather treats the matter as if it was unimportant. Nonetheless, IU just let it go, telling herself that she was pathetic enough to be troubled by it in the first place.

Later that day, she just got back from throwing the garbage, when suddenly she heard someone calling out her name. She stopped in her tracks and scanned her surroundings. Seeing no one, she stepped a little further.

“Hey, wait up,” someone yelled, making IU glanced up. Just like before, her heart sprinted with the sight of Yixing coming down from the hall, and approaching her. Ever since last time, she already has promised herself to avoid the man, but seeing him now, she failed defenseless. Her promise was replaced by feelings of how much she had missed him from the past week.

“Hey,” she greeted him, a little flushed.

“Where are you going?”

“To our room, I have to get by backpack,” she replied.

“Oh,” he briefly replied. “I’ll walk you there then,” he said, and without waiting for an answer he walked forward, with IU following him closely behind. It only took them a minute or two, and sudden IU found herself wishing that her room was 5-10 minutes away, just so she could have more chance. Though they never even talked, it still gave her happiness for this rare chance.

She entered their room, and expecting for him to leave, she was surprised to see him there leaning on the doorframe. Examining his nervous looked, IU asked, “Is there something wrong?”

Yixing shook his head in answer. “None but.. can I ask you a favor?”

“What?”

“Can you come with me?”

IU’s eyes shot up, but Yixing didn’t seem to notice, and continued to explain. “It’s my grandmother’s birthday this weekend, and I have a hard time picking her a gift so.. I was hoping you’d come and help me?”

IU didn’t answer. She was too astounded to answer. After suffering and loving him from afar, never, never in her dreams did she dream for this to happen.

HER.

HIM.

ALONE WITH EACH OTHER.

… LIKE A DATE.

“I mean you can also reject me if you have plans?” He said, this tone a little to dejected.

IU shook her head eagerly. “I don’t have,” she said and IU sensed a smile almost forming on his face. “Let’s go then,” he said.

IU skipped happily towards him, getting excited for what the afternoon will give them.

Later that day, they went to the large shopping area in the city, quietly searching for good shops to choose for his gift. They were walking along the street, constantly being pushed together, since the crowd was a little too much for them, and frankly IU didn’t want to get lost. Often, she’d feel Yixing’s hands intertwined with hers. She knows that it was a way for them not to get separated from each other, but instead she couldn’t help but feel giddy about his warm hands. Those slightly callous warm hands that pretty much held her heart.

“Don’t you have practice today?” She asked, as she tried to stray her dangerous mind away from the delusion she was temporarily having.

He shook his head in answer, “I asked coach to give me a break today,” he answered amidst the loudness of the crowd.

“Have you got any ideas of what to get your grandmother?” She asked, when she was already beside him. His hand was still on hers, and IU felt ecstatic about it.

“Honestly none,” he replied.

“Really?”

He smiled embarrassingly.

 “That’s okay,” she said. “What does she like anyways?”

Yixing didn’t answer immediately, and IU drinks in the amazing sight she was seeing. Furrowed eyebrows, serious expression, and lips slightly pouting.. Yixing looked perfect in his eyes. “Ah,” he said br