Psychology time and Jaehyu came in late. She’s wearing a hoodie, tattered jeans and a face mask. Her hair was covering her face. As much as I want to talk to her already something is off with her today. It is a lot more different than the past few days.

“May I remind you that in a few weeks will be having our midterms week already so might as well work on your midterm output and don’t forget that your observation should be written. I prefer if you could just past a notebook for that. Go to your partners now.”

By that everyone stood up. I got up and went to Jaehyu but she pulled her hoodie up to her head and rest her head at the table facing the window. I think she doesn’t want to talk to me but it’s not the right time to  back down. I pull my chair closer to her. I poked her shoulder.

“Hey”

I got no response to her.

“Jaehyu?”

Still no response

“Are you sick?”

Then she passed me ‘my’ notebook

I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well today. Maybe we can talk some other time.

Then she cleared and coughed. It seems forced. I look at her back. Makes me wonder that maybe she’s just making an excuse.

“Your cough is fake, you know that right?”

A playful smile played in my lips while I raised an eyebrow at her.

“My throat hurts. I have tonsillitis.”

She faced me still with her faced mask covering . My smile died down and replaced a worried face as I heard her hoarse voice.

“Oh. I… “

I was lost for words. She grabbed the notebook and write something. I fished out my phone from my pocket and texted Mom asking about tonsillitis. After a minute a already received a reply. I read Mom’s text with an ending question ‘Are you sick, dear?’ I quickly typed in a text that I’m fine and I’m just asking for a friend. I saw Jaehyu resting her head again at the table. I grabbed her  by the shoulders and made her faced me which caused her to be surprised. I quickly checked her temperature using my hand.

“You don’t have any fever though.”

I said and she just stares at me with wide eyes that made me looks at her and I unconsciously smiled at her. I notice that her eyes are quite puffy.

“Avoid cold drinks and foods first and even sweet foods so that it won’t worsen your pain. It is better if you could buy an  anti bacterial syrup. It’s like a mouth wash. I forgot the name of that medicine but I’ll ask my mom again.”

After I texted Mom, I notice Jaehyu looking at me. I can definitely play that game. I stare right back at her and tilted my head at the side holding back a smile. She quickly looked looked away and put her head back again at the table. I saw the notebook and read it again.

Our time is running so might as well use it. If you don’t mind, maybe you can talk this time and I’ll listen. I’ll talk next time.

I poke her on her shoulder then she faced me.

“Okay, I’ll talk.”

I said and it took half minute before she nod her head. I pulled my chair closer to her. I placed my arms on the table. I bit my lips… a habit of mine.

“Uhm… where do I start?” I asked as she waits for me.

“I’ll just talk about my family. So, I’m the youngest among my siblings and I am also the only boy.”

Behind her mask, I know I have picked her interest. So I continued.

“My eldest sister is already married and she also have a son. My other sister still lives with us since she doesn’t have any boyfriend to move in with.” I joked and I think she smiled.

“Even though she can move out already on her own. She’s too lazy and also she wants to make my life miserable. Her hobby is to annoy me but.. She’s sweet most of the times to the point it irks me.” I chuckled.

“My dad is a doctor and my mom is a nurse.”

“Really?”

She asked with a cracked voice.

“Yeah. No need for you to talk if it hurts. Just write it down.” I passed her the notebook.

“Anyway, perfect match, right? But I swear living with parents who both works in the medical field is difficult. They work by shift so sometimes my Dad works at morning while Mom works at the evening. They had difficult times in balancing their work and their responsibilities with us. Most especially the past years that both of them worked so hard to feed us and to save our family to bankruptcy.”

I took interest in Jongin’s story.

“I mean every family has their own struggles right?”

He asked me and I just nod my head lightly. His family seems lovable. I wrote down my question and hand it to him.

“Are you close with you family?” He read my question out loud.

“Yes. Yes, I am close with my family. I know I may not be type to show my feelings but I really love my family and I love how close we are because not family is very close to each other.”

And I nod again. He’s right and also not everyone has a family. I bit my tongue to hold my feelings back because I found myself envying him. How blessed he is to be with his family. I grab the notebook to write again to distract myself. I wrote down…

You are very blessed to have a family like that.

I handed it to him again then he smiled again and looked at me. The smile that gives me warm feeling inside.

“I am.”

I wrote down again.

Tell me more about your family.

Even though I am envious of him still I found myself being relaxed by his stories. Ever since I always imagined myself experience those things too. Having a protective parents and a sibling as well. He started telling stories about his family. I found myself observing his every move. The way he bit his lips when he tries to remember a small detail about his story. The way the corner of his lips turns upward into a boyish grin when he tells an embarrassing story and his eyes… the most mesmerizing part of his face. I don’t know what got to me but I ended up looking through his eyes until he caught me.

I think my heart stopped beating because he stared at me as well. The bell rang indicating the class ended.

“Don’t”

I woke up at my daze and I should apologize for staring at him but I am still out of my trance.

“H-huh?”

“Don’t look at me like that.”

I gulped because I said t