IU ended the call with an apology and a goodnight. This was actually her first time to answer an unknown number. It was never in her character to accept calls from strangers but her instinct told her otherwise for this particular call. She actually hesitated after 3 rings but decided to pick it up after the 5^th ring.

“It should be him, right?” IU thought to herself. “Who else could it be? I want it to be him. If it’s him than that means he got my message and is thinking of me, so he probably misses me too right?” All these thoughts were running in IU’s head. She was tossing and turning on her bed trying to sleep but she could not.

“AHHHHH!” Grabbing her hair and stomping her heels on the bed. “She was even screaming in her head now. How could she have the courage earlier to even do that? She pre-planned her gift a week before their debut. She wanted him to remember her, as she was constantly remembering him lately. But it was supposed to be a discreet transaction that she did not have to hand it herself! Her Manager Oppa refused to cooperate by giving it to his stylist friend who was conveniently BEAST’s stylist, to hand it over to Gikwang directly. But noooooo…. Oppa did not want to be involved in my “fangirling”, if he only knew it was more than fangirling! She had to sneak out of her Mother’s house, take a cab going to the studio, show her face to the surprised guard, and cover it with a beany to hand over the gift to Gikwang! But then, it was fun sneaking out and in a place. She felt like an undercover agent in a love mission!”

“Ji eun ah” Mrs. Lee said knocking on IU’s bedroom door. “Are you alright?”

“Omma!” IU was surprised “Sorry Omma. I was just doing some push ups on bed.”

“Ah okay….” Mrs. Lee said, as she headed back to her room.

“I am officially a crazy person!” IU whispered to herself. Counting to a hundred she finally slept.

________ ^ _________

The next day…

“Noona, good morning!” Choi Junhong said while lifting his fork off the pancake he was eating.

IU stared back at him and said “Yah! What the hell are you doing eating here? Are you taking advantage of my Omma’s kindness?” Sitting on the chair across him, IU took a huge bite of her pancake.

“Uhm…I was invited to eat here. It was for free, how could I reject the offer, and besides…” Choi Junhong continued, “Yah Noona! What happened to your face? Looks like someone punched both of your eyes! Did not get much any sleep hmmmm?”

Grabbing her daughter’s face with both of her hands, Mrs. Lee inspected the state of IU’s face. “Oh my daughter, what did you do? You have a photo shoot and a video shoot today?” Rummaging to her stuff, Mrs. Lee was looking for her make-up kit for a concealer. “Ji eun ah, this concealer does wonders for my wrinkles please put it on your face.”

“Omma please am fine. The make-up artist will make sure I’ll look beautiful for the shoot.” IU rejecting her mother’s offer, and placing the concealer back to its container.

“Noona, Is it possible that I can come to your shoot?” Choi Junhong stood leaning forward to look closer at IU, “I want to see how beautiful you can get with a face like that”, holding unto IU’s chin lifting it for his inspection.

Slapping that hand away, “YAH! Junhong, why do you always mock noona?” IU stood slamming both of her palms on the table and looking straight at Junhong who at twelve years of age was already taller than IU. “You eat free meals here and this is how you treat Noona?”

With lazy eyes, Junhong stared back at IU shrugging his shoulders “Where else will I eat my meals? Appa is hardly home to take care of me.” Picking up his backpack, he looked over at Mrs. Lee and grabbed her face to kiss her cheeks. “Thank you Ajumma! I will always love your cooking and hospitality.” Smiling and giving Mrs. Lee a wink he said his goodbye, well before he gave his “mehrong” to IU.

IU with fist clenched looked back at him with frustration. “Aigyo! What am I going to do with that kid? Omma you should stop being too nice to him.”

“Ji eun ah, you know I can’t do that… he does not have a mother.” Mrs. Lee defended.

“Well I don’t have a father either, at least he does!” IU retorted back.

Patting IU’s head “His father is not usually home this is the best we could do for him, his probably very lonely.”

“Araso Omma. I have to go soon. Thank you for breakfast.” IU stepping out of the kitchen told her mother.

Stepping out of the house was another thing, this means she would be going back to the dorm and work on her new album until late wee hours. Sighing, she rode the van her manager was driving and looked back at the apartment building they were staying in. There she could see Junhong on his skateboard all alone in his sad world, ignoring the other kids who were playing around him.

Looking at Manager oppa, IU suddenly got an idea “Manager oppa, can I bring a friend today to the shoot?”

“Boh? What for and who?” Manager Oppa said

“My little dong saeng who need cheering up?” Batting her eyelashes, IU pouted at Manger Oppa “Please?”

Slightly hesitating “With that face….how could I say no?” Manager oppa responded.

“Then please stop the car now.” Lowering the car window IU shouted “Choi Junhong! Noona is nice enough to bring you out for fun. Come now before I change my mind!!”

Looking up at IU with a fully lighted face Choi Junhong ran towards the car. Getting in the car he hugged IU. “Noona! You won’t regret this”, blushing he looked away and sat next to IU “I always wanted to see you doing your work, most especially to hear you sing beautifully.”

Patting Choi Junhong’s head, IU wondered to herself “Although this boy is always out to annoy me, he does have a cute side that I just find adorable.” Squeezing his cheeks together and smiling at each other they both laughed happily.

A little while after, holding his cheeks Junhong smiled to himself, glancing at IU his breathing started slowing down and yet his heart beat a little faster, he wondered "What is this feeling?" 

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A word from ALANYA: 

HEY ALL! Thank you for those who subscribe and is reading this first fanfic I made! This chapter was short and dedicated to all ZELO fans.