Smiling all the way up to my ears, I swung the box full of cupcakes in time as I walked towards the elevator. It had been almost ten months since I started working and I rarely came home early in the afternoon during weekdays, plus I had food with me. I smiled at my reflection on the aluminum doors and anticipated Jihyuk’s reaction at my surprise. She had probably just got home from work. Skipping to our apartment, I opened the door and made little noise as possible. The living room was empty and so was the dining area and the kitchen. I figured she might be in the room while checking papers or doing her lesson plan.

“Take my shirt off,” I heard a soft voice in Hyukjae’s bedroom. I smirked to myself and thought about how he must have brought a girl home. Opening the door to my bedroom, I found scattered books on the bed and an uncapped pen, but no Jihyuk anywhere. She was not in the bathroom either. I opened the door and heard a female voice again. “Take that off, too,” the woman said. “Yes, my shorts!”

I didn’t mean to be rude, but they were just too loud to ignore. Just when I thought it was over, a loud groan erupted from inside, and it seemed to be coming from the woman. “Come on, Hyuk,” the woman said. I pressed my ear against the closed door. “Don’t be such a tease,” she scolded. The voice sounded awfully familiar. “Just take my clothes off, you idiot!” And then I was sure that the woman was Jihyuk. My Jihyuk. Before my mind could process that information, “Be quick or else that stupid bastard will catch us,” she said again.

In a combination of anger, self-pity, and the feeling of being betrayed, I had let the box of delicacies fall from my grip. I guess this is it for me, after all. Everybody leaves, no one stays. The pain was burning me at the edges, like I was alive and set on fire. And I guess I could have taken the pain better if it weren’t for the fact that Jihyuk cheated on me with my best friend. I guess that’s the worst part. The questions flooded in my mind. How long has this been going on? Does this mean anything or is it just ? What does he have that I don’t? Out of all other men, why Hyukjae? And out of all other women, why Jihyuk?

My feet had a mind of their own. Before I could register what was happening, I stormed into the room and was shocked at what I witnessed. Hyukjae was lying on the bed and his tongue was sticking out. And Jihyuk was, well, standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips and tears on the corners of her eyes like she was about to cry. She rubbed at her eyes as soon as she saw me. Unlike what I expected, she was fully clothed. And angry. And crying. Thank God… “See?” she cried, storming to my side as she pointed at Hyuk. “He’s wearing my clothes without permission and he won’t take them off!”

Jihyuk was clinging to my arm. “Make him take it off! I don’t want my clothes to smell bad.” As she spoke, Hyukjae still stuck his tongue out, mocking her. “And see? He’s such a tease, and…Hyuk! Just take them off, especially my shorts for heavens’ sake.”

And I stood there, wide-eyed and confused, like a total idiot that I am. In the end, I snapped out of my trance and said, “Take it off, Hyukjae. Stop messing with her.” Jihyuk clapped her hands and smiled victoriously. As she collected the clothes she claimed, I scurried to the door and remembered the food I had bought. I squatted down by the door to inspect. Even though I have let the box fall down the floor, the cupcakes were packed together tightly and so luckily, the frosting hadn’t scattered all over the place.

“Why are you here?” Jihyuk suddenly said, ducking down to level with my face. “Are you catching frogs?” she added with a smile. Now she was happy to have her clothes back.

I handed her the box. “For you.”

“For me?” She seemed surprised. “Thank you.” Her grin grew bigger before she kissed me on the lips. “Why are you home so early?” Jihyuk’s voice became unclear by the last word as she strode to the bedroom and threw the clothes in the laundry basket. Then she sat by the couch and opened the box.

Sitting beside her, I watched as she admired the food on her lap. Sometimes I think she cares for food more than me. Life is a really funny thing. She fed me some and I chewed while fumbling for the remote. The chocolate melted in my mouth. “I have a party to attend on Saturday next week,” I said, lowering the volume.

“And you’re telling me because…?” She the frosting off her fingers. Jihyuk could not have cared less. She looked as uninterested as ever.

“I want you to come with me,” I said, whipping my head to turn to her direction and see her expression.

She laughed. “What kind of party is it? A children’s party?” She kicked her feet up the sofa and hugged them close to her chest. “Whatever it is, I’m not going.”

“Right,” I rolled my eyes. “But if Hyukjae was to invite you, you won’t even have second thoughts…”

“So that’s what this is about?”

“No!” I exclaimed. But she just shrugged and resumed eating. I reflected back on my previous thoughts of her cheating on me with my best friend in our own house, and immediately felt guilty. “Why won’t you want to go with me? It’s just a party for some anniversary or something. I don’t want to be alone in there.”

“What, you’re suddenly a loner now?” she teased with a snicker.

I rolled my eyes and dropped the conversation altogether. I knew this was going nowhere. She was unpredictable and hard to talk to, but I couldn’t sleep without her in my bed. I sighed, thinking this conversation was postponed until the next time, and then I remembered what I had in my pocket. Fishing it out, I presented it in front of her eyes.

She stared at the container. Her eyebrows were knit in confusion. “Minivor?”

I nodded. “I got it from one of the doctors at the hospital. She said you have to take a pill everyday for three weeks straight and you shouldn’t forget one. Only one dosage a day after breakfast. After the three weeks, I think she’ll give you a different pill. I don’t know. I don’t specialize in that kind of stuff.”

“What do I need medicine for? I’m not sick,” she defended with full.

I put the container in her palm and let her keep it. “These are contraceptives,” I said. I felt her hand freeze. “Birth control pills.” She looked at me questioningly, but didn’t say anything, so I continued. “Look, we’re not ready for it yet. I’m just starting out in my career and you just got back to teaching again. We’re not even settled yet. And besides, having Hyukjae living with me is troublesome enough. I can’t tolerate having to take care of a child. It’s like keeping a pet. You have to feed them, clothe them, take care of them, and all of that. Not to mention, they cry. You may be used to them in school, but I’m not. Look what happened when you asked me to come to your class. It was a disaster. For now, I’m contented like this. Aren’t you?”

She stared straight at me, almost unblinking, while listening attentively. Her face was indescribable, like a mixture of all emotions in just one pretty face. I could tell she was confused at the suddenness of everything, but it was better to say it now than later. Better safe than sorry. After a while, maybe she had realized I just asked her a question, she responded with a nod. She put down her half-eaten cupcake and shuffled to the bedroom, dragging her feet under her. She didn’t close the door, so I followed her to check what she was up to. It was just six in the evening and she was lying in bed with the blanket draped around her. Jihyuk stayed like that for the rest of the night.