♪ falling in love

It was a breezy February evening when Aejin was checking her marks online at the library. The whole time she was waiting for the page to load after she had signed in with her student ID, she felt anxiety consume her entire body. The semester was coming to an end soon and if she didn’t pass with at least a C in every course she was currently enrolled in, she was screwed. Nibbling on her bottom lip, her fingers impatiently drummed against the desk as the grades finally appeared.

Scanning the letters which were lined up in a single column, printed just besides the class and professor, Aejin found herself holding her breath. They weren’t her best scores but she could live with B’s and C’s for the time being. Silently thanking the heavens, Aejin let out an alleviated sigh. She might have dropped from having straight A’s but as long as she was still passing, she was sufficed. Then her watch beeped and she realized that it was time for her to head to work. Logging off of everything, Aejin quickly gathered her belongings.

A yawn suddenly escaped her lips as she tiredly rubbed her eyes and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Will it be busy again?” She pondered as she began to depart towards the elevator. The floor she was located on was pretty vacant and quiet, making her all the drowsier. Then the elevator arrived and as the doors slid open, she hopped in. While the elevator was making its way to the lobby, it stopped at the third floor. Aejin knew the delay meant more passengers would be boarding and she moved to a corner. Her head was hung low as her gaze fixated on the patternless floor.

“Omo, is that you Aejin?” A familiar voice questioned, startling the dazed woman. She glanced up and her eyes rounded in shock at the figure before her.

“J-Joonmyun-sshi?” She stammered. It had been a week since she and Minwoo had went over to his house for dinner and after that night, she had tried avoiding him as best as possible. Her feelings were all so jumbled up; she didn’t know how to deal with him and being his friend. One part of her didn’t want anything to do with him while the other craved his presence. She wasn’t sure what it was, perhaps the loneliness was finally getting to her.

“Whoa,” Suho gaped. “We haven’t seen each other for over a week and you’re already going back to using formalities with me?” He moved his hand to his chest, resting it over his heart, with his brows kissing at the center and for a second, Aejin thought he was really offended. Her lip fell ajar, ready to explain herself but then he smiled handsomely at her. Aejin felt her words get trap in . She then stared at him as if she had just seen a famous idol and was starstruck. “I’m only kidding.” He chuckled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“Kidding?” Aejin repeated as though it was a foreign word she had never heard before.

“Geurae. I know how you are with your honorifics but it’s seriously okay if you just called me Joonmyun or even Suho if you want.” He offered as he stepped in, allowing the doors to unite behind him.

“Suho?” Aejin tilted her head to the side and recalled how Miyoung and some of his friends had referred to him by that name. She never understood why but she assumed it was a nickname used only by those who were intimate to him.

“It means guardian.” He informed. “When I was younger I would often take in stray dogs that had no one to go to and find them homes once I got them healthy again. I think I catered to so many dogs that the people in my neighborhood decided to give me that nickname.”

Aejin didn’t look at Suho as he spoke but she was listening to every word that escaped his mouth with much caution. She nodded her head to display her interest but before she could say anything els