Ji Eun woke up with a smile the next morning.After her father’s death,she never felt so comfortable and happy waking up in the broken,shabby house in her hard bed.But this morning was entirely different.She woke up minutes even before her alarm rang and she even made her bed which she normally just threw the blanket over her pillows.

She took the clutch and placed it under her arm before walking towards the toilet to ready herself for school.The cold water that she usually complain about was even refreshing to her that day and she even clipped her hair with a ladybug hairpin after the bath.Everyone who knows her daily routine would definitely find her different or even accuse her as mad if they see her in this state.

After making sure she looked great that day,she trudged out towards the kitchen to have her breakfast.Breakfast that day was bean paste soup with soy sauce tofu and rice.”Morning omma.Morning,kiddo!!”,she ruffled Ji Sung’s hair with a giddy grin.Ji Sung moved his head away from her with a frown.”Did you ate something wrong?Like hyperactive pill?”,Ji Sung snorted.”Sungie,don’t be rude to your sister”,Mrs.Lee chided.Normally,Ji Eun would have fought back but instead she just scooped some rice into her bowl while humming on a random tune.

“Something good happen?”,Mrs.Lee placed the piping hot soup on the table with a smile.”Nothing”,she hummed.Mrs.Lee didn’t question any further.She was happy if her children are.”Breakfast today was delicious,omma!I will head to school now.Bye,omma”,she snuck a wet kiss on her mother’s cheek.”Bye kiddo!!”,she kissed the top of Ji Sung’s head before he could duck.“Omma!!!!”,Ji Sung screamed as he wiped her saliva away.

--

Usually,Ji Eun would just head to the bus station directly where she will meet Woohyun without planning beforehead.But today ,she just felt like walking with him to the bus station.She purposely hang around in front of their houses as though she wasn’t waiting for him.She didn’t want to make it obvious.

She kicked the dirt on the ground with her hands clasped behind her.Time passed by but Woohyun still wasn’t coming out from his house.*Maybe he had already went to the bus station?*,she perked up at her thoughts.She glanced at the watch around her wrist and realised she will be late if she don’t go to the bus station soon.Reluctantly,she headed to the bus station,hoping he would be there.

At the corner before she would turn into the road that would lead to the bus station,she straightened her uniform and raked her fingers through her hair to make sure she still look good.She turned into the corner with a bright smile and readied her hand to wave enthusiastically at Woohyun.As she strolled towards the bus station,the smile on her lips slowly faded.There wasn’t any sign of Woohyun there except for a few kids she didn’t even recognize.

She would have call Woohyun but remember he didn’t have a handphone.She sat on the bench with a disappointed sigh,her heart still half hoping he would appear in front of her with his big glasses and warm smile.The bus came faster than she expected and she boarded the bus with her constantly looking backwards in hope that she would see Woohyun running towards the bus and said he was late.Of course,he didn’t.With a dejected face,she sat at the back of the bus and rested her head on the bus window.

--

In school,she was feeling more miserable than before.As expected,Woohyun wasn’t in the school either.Having no Woohyun in the school made her realised she was alone.The feeling of being alone overwhelmed her and she felt so timid and small that day.

The confident and arrogant Ji Eun seemed to have disappear as she walked into the school with her head lowered.Everyone had their companions and friends with them even the nerds she had once teased and made fun of.She headed towards her locker with a blank expression and pulled the door open weakly.

“Hey,Ji Eun!!”,Woohyun’s voice suddenly bombarded her ears.She spun around so quickly that she hit her nose right on the edge of the locker.Her nose grew red but she was still smiling,thinking Woohyun had came.Her smile disappeared when she realised it was all just her imagination.Woohyun was never there.She imagined that he was.*,what’s wrong with me?I even imagine his voice!*,she shook her head.

“Lee Ji Eun.Don’t be so stupid!Get hold of yourself!”,she lightly scolded herself.She mumbled a few incoherent words to scold herself more before locking her locker.As soon she stepped forward to head to her class,she stopped.Her eyes darted towards the group of boys that was coming towards her from the opposite direction.The BAP boys.Soomi and her friends were with them as well.

Jongup who was chatting with Zelo noticed Ji Eun and quickly cut their conversation before running towards her.”Hey,are your legs okay?”,Jongup eyed her crutch with a smile.”It doesn’t hurt anymore,right?”,Zelo appeared behind Jongup’s shoulders with a worried frown.”Hmm,it doesn’t.Thanks for asking,guys”,Ji Eun gave them a genuine smile.The boys blinked in surprise at her sincere,angelic smile but didn’t say anything.

“Oppa”,Ji Eun heard Soomi calling Daehyun behind Jongup and Zelo.Ji Eun tilted her head a bit to the side to see Daehyun staring at her direction blankly.Daehyun seemed to come back to his senses when he realised Ji Eun was staring back as well.”Dae Oppa?”,Soomi called,this time having her arms around Daehyun.Ji Eun expected her heart would twitch in jealousy but instead,her heart remained still.She was feeling nothing.

“Where’s your friend?”,Zelo looked behind her,searching for Woohyun.Ji Eun bit her lips to supress the empty feeling that was building in her again.At the thought of Woohyun,her mood plunged and her face fell.”He is not here.I got to go now.See you guys later”,she smiled weakly and moved away from them.Ji Eun didn’t even spare a glance at Daehyun as she walked pass him.

--

“Finally”,Ji Eun sighed as she stood up from her seat.Students were already rushing towards the gate and there were chatters and laughter between them.Ji Eun pushed herself out from the sea of students with much difficulties and was now walking towards the bus stop.

She had a very hard time in school today because of Woohyun.She couldn’t stop worrying about him and couldn’t get rid of Woohyun out from her mind.If it isn’t for today,she won’t even know that Woohyun brings a lot of impact in her life.She didn’t even know he was that important to her.

The first thing she did after getting off from the stop in her neighbourhood,she ran towards Woohyun’s house.She knocked on the wooden door multiple times without giving the person inside a chance to respond before opening.The doorknob slightly twitched and the door flung open after.

“Ji Eun?”,Woohyun’s voice sounded very sick.”Why aren’t you in school today?”,Ji Eun mumbled,her eyes fixed on the guy standing in front of her.”Sorry,I was sick”,Woohyun coughed.His nose was red from too much of sneezing and his voice was hoarse,an obvious sign he wasn’t feeling well.”It’s so cold”,Woohyun shivered even though the sun was hot and shining so brightly.

Woohyun was about to let out another sneeze when Ji Eun suddenly threw her crutch away and lunged herself on him,wrapping her arms around his neck.”You idiot,I missed you so much”,she murmured as she inhaled his comforting scent that made her calm down instantly.