CNU stood still as the lift doors slid open, he waited a while and looked towards Ah In who wasn’t moving either.

“Ah….after you..” Ah In spoke, holding the door open.

CNU bowed as he stepped out of the lift, he had seen far too many people today for his comfort, all he wanted to do now was get back to his room and have some peace and quiet.

CNU finally reached the door of his apartment as he jammed his key into the keyhole, Ah In was about to take out his keys too when he stopped and looked towards CNU wondering if he should as him if he knew the girl from before.

“Jeogi….” Ah In started, breaking the awkward silence between them.

CNU had opened his door and was about to go in already, he peeked out the corner of his eye at Ah In.

“Me?” he spoke softly, pointing to himself.

“Ah..ye, there’s only you and me here..” Ah In laughed, looking around.

He stopped laughing after there wasn’t any reaction from CNU.

“The girl….who was with you just now..”

“Juniel ssi?”

“Juniel…” Ah In mumbled to himself, trying to recall something.

“Yeah her, how do you know her? Are you guys friends?” he asked.

CNU sighed.

“I really shouldn’t have gone out today.”

“No….I just met her on the way back from buying groceries, she lives in the apartment opposite mine.” CNU explained.

“Ah….” Ah In replied, nodding to himself.

“If you don’t have anymore questions, I’m going in now.” CNU said quickly as he disappeared inside his apartment and closed the door shut.

“Oh…that was fast.” Ah In said to himself as he went into his apartment as well.

“Juniel…”

That was the first time he actually kinda had a conversation with his neughbor next door.

CNU took a deep breath as he rested his back against his door, he looked around his room feeling relived and comforted that he was back here and not outside in that world that seemed so big and scary to him.

With all these groceries he won’t need to go out again for the next few months, or so he thought…

FNC Entertainment Recording Studio Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Jonghyun sat at his dressing table as the stylists worked on his hair and makeup, he picked up his handphone from the table and glanced at it. He had been trying to contact Juniel since yesterday night but she wasn’t picking up her phone.

“Jonghyun hyung, you should have a look at this.” Minhyuk said, walking over and placing his Galaxy Note (10.1) in front of Jonghyun.

“What is it?” Jonghyun asked, picking up the Galaxy Note and scrolling through it.

There were pictures of Juniel and him yesterday at the pasta restaurant and the title read: “Lover’s Quarrel?” and an article below it, during the short time that it was posted up netizens had already flooded the comments.

“Both of them should make an official statement as to where their relationship is at the moment! They shoudn’t keep fans in the dark!”

“How could Juniel embarrassing oppa openly by shouting at him in public? She’s a disgrace!”

“If they aren’t dating, why were they quarreling? The rumours must be true.”

“Juniel is totally destroying oppa’s image! I hate her!”

“Does Juniel have no sense of shame?! Hanging out her dirty laundry for everyone to see?!”

Jonghyun shook his head as he locked the screen and placed it back on the table, he had seen more than enough.

Back at the apartments, Ah In was in his room busy sketching a Manhwa picture of Juniel. There were stacks of Manhwa all over his apartment and on the shelves, there was also drawings pasted all over the walls and his table were filled with boxes of colored markers and pencils. There was a tall glass cabinet at the corner filled with figurines from popular Japanese Animes like One Piece and Gundam inside.

You could tell from one look it was the apartment of a Manhwa artist.

Ah In bit the side of his lip as he colored Juniel’s hair an orangey brown. Just as he finished coloring the last bit of her hair, his phone rang.

“Ye..*bujangnim..” Ah in answered the call, it was the manager of the Manhwa publishing company he worked at.

“Ye…Ah In ssi…have you seen the ratings for the Manhwa you’re writing now?? It’s terrible, the ratings are going down each day!”

“Aishh…Sajangnim…you know with the internet nowadays..no one wants to buy Manhwa to read anymore..everythings online! It isn’t that my storyline isn’t good.”

Ah In switched on his computer, looking on the internet for the ratings of his Manhwa.

“I don’t care, your baby isn’t making enough money now. I hear Flower Boy or Romance Manhwa’s are the “in” thing now…why don’t you prepare a template of that for me?”

“Sajangnim!! You know I only write Action and Fighting Manhwa!! I don’t do those girly ..”

“Ah In ssi! I hate to break it to you but you can’t just do what you want….you have to do what makes the most money.”

“Aisshh…”

“Yah…how dare you “aisshh” at your manager!?”

“Ye Ye…sajangnim…”

“Give me the storyline and drawings as soon as you can.”

“Ye.”

Ah In sighed as he looked towards the drawing of Juniel.

“Romance Manhwa huh…” he mumbled to himself.

While browsing his computer, Ah In came across of the articles about Juniel and Jonghyun. The memory of where he had seen Juniel before was slowly coming back to him…

He rummaged through a box under his table and pulled out a book, it was a middle school yearbook. Ah In quickly flipped through the pages to the page of his middle school class.

“Juniel…Juniel…” he mumbled to himself as he slid his index finger through the list of names below the picture.

“Ah!” he exclaimed as he pointed towards a girl in the picture, she had long black hair with bangs.

“Choi Jun hee…I found you!” he smirked.

Meanwhile at Juniel’s apartment.

Juniel pulled out the tray of cupcakes from the oven with her pink polka dot oven mittens and placed it on the kitchen top.

She smiled at her masterpiece as she pulled out her icing bag and started to ice the golden brown cupcakes with mint green icing, she was about to sprinkle colorful heartshaped sprinkles over the muffins when her phone rang.

“Who could that be?” Juniel mumbled as she pulled her phone out of her apron pocket.

Jonghyun was calling her again, he had been trying to call since last night but Juniel didn’t want to answer his calls…she didn’t feel like talking to him.

Juniel frowned as she rejected the call and put her phone back in her apron pocket, returning back to decorating her cupcakes.

Jonghyun had just finished recording with his band and was now on his way out of the building, since Juniel wasn’t answering his calls he decided to send her a message.

“Jun hee ya…why aren’t you answering my calls? Have you seen the reports online? I’m going over to your place now…we need to talk..”

“Oppa!” Hye Jeong’s voice echoed through the corridor as Jonghyun clicked the “send” button.

Jonghyun raised his head from his phone as Hye Jeong approached, wearing a deep frown on her face.

“Oppa…did you see the news?? They say Juniel and you are dating…what’s that all about!?”

“Hye Jeong ah…”

“This won’t do…you’re too close with Juniel, Oppa you told me she’s just like a sister to you!”

“She is! Hye Jeong ah, you shouldn’t get so worked up and calm down.”

“Then clear up all these rumours! What am I to you? In the eyes of the media…I’m not even in the picture when it comes to you…Oppa..show me how much I mean to you..” Hye Jeong finished as she turned and walked away, leaving a frustrated Jonghyun standing in the corridor.

Back at the apartments.

Juniel stood at the door of Ah In’s apartment, holding a basket of cupcakes. She dusted her dress as she lifted her fist, knocking lightly on the door.

Ah In opened the door, surprised to see Juniel standing there.

“Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Juniel…I just moved in. Please take care of me neighbor!” Juniel smiled as she handed Ah In a cupcake.

“Oh!” Ah In said, finally finding his voice.

Juniel frowned at him, wondering what he was trying to say.

“Yesterday….handphone..” he stuttered.

“Ahhhh….” Juniel replied, vaguely remembering his face.

“You picked up my handphone for me.” She smiled.

“Ah…ye…” Ah In smiled, taking the cupcake from her hand.

“Thanks for this.” He said, lifting the cupcake up.

“No problem.” Juniel replied.

“I’m Ah In…Yoo Ah In…” he introduced.

“Nice to meet you.” Juniel replied.

Juniel looked to the left, she knew who was staying in that apartment…and she couldn’t help being interested in that person. He seemed different from other people she had met before…and she was determined to make friends with him.

Juniel walked over to the door, knocking hard on it.

“Juniel ssi….don’t bother, the guy living in there…he won’t open the door for anyone.” Ah In advised, taking a bite out of his cupcake.

“Does he not come out often?” Juniel asked, continuing to knock on the door repeatedly this time.

“Mmmm, in fact yesterday was the first time I’ve seen him outside of his apartment…in weeks…maybe even a month..”

“He’ll open the door.” Juniel insisted, now resorting to jamming the doorbell.

Ah In smirked as he continued eating his cupcake, he didn’t think CNU was going to open the door.

CNU paced back and forth in front of his front door, he had already checked the peep hole and realized it was Juniel…the girl who moved in opposite him.

The sound of the doorbell was now ringing in CNU’s ears, he clasped his ears with his palms and squatted down on the floor with his back against the wall.

“What do you want??”

“Just go away and leave me alone please!!”

“Jeogi!! Shin Woo ssi….it’s me Juniel, your neighbor from the opposite building! I baked some cupcakes, would you like some??” Juniel shouted from outside.

CNU slowly opened his shut eyes as he lowered his hands from his ears.

“Shin Woo ssi…open the door!” she called again.

“All right….I’ll just open the door and take the cupcake from her….that’s it…nothing more…Shin Dongwoo…you can do this…”

CNU thought as he slowly rose from the ground.

“You’re not giving up are you?” Ah In asked, leaning against the fram of his door as he watched the scene in front of him.

“He knows me….he’s going to open up.” Juniel replied determinedly.

Just then, the door squeaked open.

Juniel and Ah In widened their eyes as they looked towards the door. CNU had opened just a crack in the door and was peeking out from inside, he was wearing a knitted beanie and a sweater with jeans.

“He opened the door…” Ah In mumbled with his mouth full of cake open.

“Good Morning!” Juniel exclaimed as she handed CNU a cupcake.

“Shin Woo ssi…I baked this cupcakes this morning, we’re gonna be neighbors for a while so…please take care of me!” she grinned.

“Thank you.” CNU spoke softly as he took the cupcake.

“Ahhh…I’m hungry…” Juniel started, trying to start a conversation.

“Shin Woo ssi, have you eaten? Do you want to go get some food? I just got back from Japan…maybe you could show me some good places to eat around here.”

“She didn’t even ask me that….” Ah In mumbled with a jealous look on his face.

“I…I’ve eaten.” CNU quickly replied.

“If there isn’t anything else….I’ll go in now.” He finished.

He was about to close the door when Juniel jammed her foot in between the gap before he could close it fully.

“Jakk! Jakkaman!!” Juniel screamed as the door smashed against her ankle.

“Ahhhhhh!” she winced in pain as she retracted her foot from the door and tumbled onto the floor.

“Are you okay!?” CNU, suddenly concerned had left the safety of his apartment and was supporting Juniel with his arms.

“Juniel ssi, are you okay?” Ah In also came running over.

CNU and Ah In caught each others eyes and stared at each other for a moment before helping Juniel up.

“Ahh…I’m fine..” Juniel said, grabbing onto CNU’s arm for support.

“At least I got you out of your apartment.” Juniel grinned at CNU.

CNU blinked as he looked shyly at the floor.

“Wait here.” He told Juniel as he disappeared into the apartment again.

A few seconds later CNU appeared with a bottle of ointment.

“Here, you can apply this on your ankle to it won’t swell too much.” He said.

“Gomawo!” Juniel thanked, smiling at him.

“Do you guys…know each other?” Ah In finally couldn’t curb his curiosity anymore.

“We’re friends!”

“No we don’t…” Juniel and CNU said together.

“Yah….bear head boy…why are you being like this? We’re friends aren’t we?” Juniel said, curling her arm around CNU’s elbow.

Ah In stared at the both of them curiously.

“Ah…Juniel ssi….why don’t you go back to your apartment to rest, your ankle’s hurt.” CNU suggested quickly, pushing Juniel’s hand away from his.

“Rest well..” he said, as he quickly disappeared into his apartment and closed the door behind him.

CNU pulled off his beanie as he ran his hand through his hair, it was only the second day that Juniel moved in and she was already making him talk more than he was used to.

“Friends…” he mumbled to himself as he placed the cupcake on his table.

It had been such a long time since someone had called him that.