Jooyeon stared at the bouquet of white lilies and placed her own beside it. She found a bouquet of white lilies on her oppa’s death anniversary last year too. Jooyeon knew it wasn’t from other relatives and she had a feeling she knew who it was but she refused to accept it. People who had left in her life should not return, she thought.

As usual, she spent the whole day beside her oppa’s grave and told him stories about her everyday life. It had to end soon when the first drop of heaven’s water hit her and she promised that she’ll visit again soon.

The rain grew heavier every passing minute and Jooyeon had to take refuge in a nearby village. Jooyeon’s oppa was buried in the graveyard somewhere near rural areas. She knew this little town on the border point during her previous visits and went into a restaurant.

After ordering a hot steamy ramyun, she saw someone that she unexpected to see; more rather someone she hope to avoid.

[Jooyeon P.O.V.]

‘Why is he here?’ I thought as I watched him entered the shop. Drips of water hung on the tips of his hair fell onto the floor, deepening the hue as he took off his jacket.

His eyes gazed uninterestedly across the room to look for empty table in the packed coven and it stopped when he saw me. I ignored him and pretended to not know him.

Even though I’m not looking at Jaejoong right now, I could hear his footsteps as he stride towards my table and sat down.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, staring him with ogre eyes.
“Fancy meeting you here, Egiya” he ignored me and proceeded making his order from a waitress; she winked at him before she scurried away.

“Fancy my ” I muttered under my breath.
“Yeh? Not a coincidence?” Jaejoong asked “ahhh! I knew you liked me; that’s why you stalked me all the way here” he snapped his fingers.

“The hell I wanna stalk you! I’d rather hang myself dead than being near you. And why are you sitting at my table?” I screeched.

“Egiya, you’re causing a scene. Besides there’s no empty table and since I knew you there’s no harm in sharing a table” he winked at me. The waitress before came and placed two ramyun on our table; glared at me before leaving. Aishh... he and his fans.

“Egiya~ Stop daydreaming and ea-“
“Stop calling me Egiya” I glowered. He stared at me silently and I started to eat my ramyun. There was only the sound of the crowd along with the slurping sound as both of us ate in silence.

As soon as I paid the owner, I left the restaurant, covering my head with both of my palm. Rain drenched my body and I was shaking like a shivering puppy by the time I arrive the town’s only house rental rooms.

“a-a-aishh...” my teeth chattered as I went up to the receptionist.
“One room please” I said between my teeth.
“Two single beds or one double bed?” she inquired. Huh? The receptionist was staring past me and I turned around.

“Yah! Why’d you followed me here?” I whispered furiously at Jaejoong.
“What? This is the only place I could stay” he replied nonchalantly and shook his head like a dog, he too, drenched in the rain.

“One room with a single bed” I informed the receptionist. She took a key from the drawer and handed it to me.

“Room 013, 2nd floor”
“Kamsahamnida” I replied and speed-walked to the stairs.

---

“This place is like the dumps” I breathed out and scanned the small room and the toilet. I stared distastefully at the green stuff growing beside the toilet bowl, which I swear was moving, and the state of the tattered looking bed.

I sat on it and I fell into a nightmare. Cockroaches scrambled out from below and I yelped, jumping onto the bed. That movement caused more cockroaches to appear.

Silent and still like a statue, I prayed that they would go away as the tears stung at the corner of my eyes. I’m scared of cockroaches, like scared of them less. Closed my eyes and counted to hundred. When I opened them, I saw most of the cockroaches ran into the crack between the walls. Except for ONE.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted a can of insect spray on the desk. Well, they think by putting that spray can could help to cover their reputation? =.= nonetheless, I took that spray with trembling hands.

I can’t sleep with a cockroach creeping around! I got down from the bed, praying as I did so none would come out again, and inched closer to that ONE cockroach. I raised my arms and aim, which is hard for I was shaking like a leaf.

Pssst~ssss~sssstt....

If cockroaches have eyes and lips I bet this cockroach is staring at me with evil eyes and a smirk because the spray can is EMPTY!

There was a scrunching sound and the next time I know I was yelling at the top of my lungs, running around the room. The cockroach flew towards me. I could see its body contract and expand in rhythmical breathing as it flapped its insect wings, the antenna sending out menacing waves.

“KYAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Buzzzz... buzz.....

“OMO!! KYAAAAAA!!!”

“Yah! Jung Jooyeon gwaenchanayo? Why are you screaming?” I heard Jaejoong’s voice and his frantic knock. Save me from this evil cockroach! T^T

Oh. My. Gosh. THE COCKROACH IS HEADING TOWARDS MY FACE!

My hand felt the floor around me for something to throw. I touched the spray can I dropped earlier and threw it.

Bang!

“OUCH!”

Jaejoong stood in front of me with a red bump on his forehead. If it wasn’t for the cockroach I’ll be laughing my off right now.

“This is what I get for being concerned over you?” Jaejoong rubbed his forehead and picked the can from the floor.

“Where is it?” my voice sounded hoarse.

“Where’s what?” he looked at me confusedly. At the same moment I felt something crawling on my head. I froze; I bet my eyes might pop out any seconds now.

“KYAAAAAA!!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!!!” I ran to Jaejoong, grabbed his shirt and shook him hysterically.

In that moment of panic and hysteria, he finally managed to squash it after 30 minutes which also meant I endured hell for the same amount of time, longer.

[Third P.O.V.]

“Egiya~ it’s gone” Jaejoong told her since Jooyeon sat tightly like a ball in a corner and shut her eyes.

“You can get up now or else there’ll be others crawling there” he chuckled.

“OH MY....AAHHHHHH!!!” Jooyeon jumped from her spot and accidentally head butted Jaejoong. He fell onto the floor and she stared at him wordlessly. Jooyeon averted her gaze from him as she tried to hold in the tears.

“Is your head made out from rock? Aishh... So painful” he muttered to himself. “Yah! First you threw that spray can and now you...” his voice trailed off when Jaejoong saw big fat tears coursing down Jooyeon’s pale face.

“I’m not crying” she wiped her tears away, sniffing. Jaejoong stayed silent where he was, not daring to say anything. Instead he hugged her and patted her head to calm her down.

Watching her fear of cockroaches was somewhat amusing but guilt flooded his conscience as nostalgic memory intruded his head. He was after all the one who caused Jooyeon’s fear.

After Jooyeon calmed down, she refused to stay in the room longer than necessary fearing that the cockroach would come to take his revenge. In the end, she and Jaejoong stayed in his car for the night.

Only the sound of rain pelting against the car filled in the awkward silence between them.

‘I wouldn’t be in this situation if it’s wasn’t for that evil cockroach’ Jooyeon pretended to sleep. Jaejoong shifted uncomfortably on his side, facing the door on his side.

Jooyeon took a peek at Jaejoong, feeling a little bit grateful that he was there. ‘But it was his fault for my first encounter with the evil pest’ Jooyeon thought in irritation.

She remembered that Jaejoong brought her to an abandoned house when they were little, telling her that they were playing ‘the exploration of courage’ where they have to explore the house before sunset.

Of course she clung tightly onto Jaejoong while he told her scary stories that happened in the house, making loud noises that made her jump every so often. Because it was an old house, the floorboards were weakened by termites and Jooyeon’s foot broke into the floorboard. At that moment of shock, hundreds of cockroaches crawled out of the hole and onto Jooyeon’s leg.

Jooyeon shuddered at the memory as she drifted off to dream land.

Their ‘game’ ended after Jaejoong helped her and he guided her to the backyard of the house but Jooyeon was still crying. Night has already come. He tried to stop her cry, saying that if she continued to cry the fireflies wouldn’t come out. When Jooyeon wiped away her tears and opened her eyes, Jaejoong opened his hands and bright fireflies flew.

‘Pretty fireflies’ Jooyeon smiled in her sleep.

===================================

Two students approached Seoul High, one was a tall guy and the other was a girl. The front courtyard was empty as students are in class right now for the first class of the day.

“So this is it?” the girl asked. He nodded. As they continued walking past the gate into the building, someone on a bike breezed in, late for his class.

Eottohke! Eottohke! I’m late! YAH!! GET OUT OF THE WAY!” Minhwan screeched as he almost ran into the girl.

The guy pulled her out of the way as Minhwan braked, flew into the air and landed on top of the guy.

OOF!!

The girl rolled her eyes and pulled her friend up.

“Try to protect me huh? Can’t even protect yourself” she muttered. As the guy dusted himself, she turned to Minhwan and held out her hand.

“You’re a student here? Can you show us to the office?” she smiled.

Minhwan looked at the hand and up to where the limb attached to. The sun shone radiantly behind her. He nodded numbly as he gawked at the goddess before him.