Heeyoung heard a knock on her door. She usually woke up by the sound of her alarm, but it's weird that she hadn't heard it yet. Then her door cracked open.

"Heeyoung-ah, are you going to school today?" her mom was already sitting beside Heeyoung's bed.

Heeyoung mumbled something, wanting to answer her mom, but nothing came out. She could feel her eyes burnt hot as she struggled to open her heavy eyes. "It's already 9," her mom told her. Normally she would jerk up straight and rushed towards her morning routine when she was late, but she even barely managed to open her eyes. "Are you okay?" asked her mom. "Oh my God." Her mom gasped as she had a check on her forehead. "You had a fever."

Heeyoung felt her consciousness come and go. She closed her eyes again. Her whole face was burning. Her head was really hurt. "You don't have to go to school today, you're late though. I'll call a doctor and I'll stay at home for today."

Heeyoung was feeling all weak. "I-It's okay, Mom. Y-you c-can get me s-some m-medicine and leave for w-work. I'll be s-sleeping all d-day, though."

"No way. Someone should be watching over you. You know your health condition is different," her mom insisted. Heeyoung's body was weaker than other people at her age. She was about to ask her mom to call Niel over when she realized it wasn't the same as before. Niel wasn't there to take care of her like he used to be. She could feel her teardrops falling. Her mom wiped her tears immediately. "It's okay, darling. Don't worry."

******

Minsoo arrived at the classroom, unconciously scanning the whole room, but he didn't see any signs of Heeyoung's presence.

Maybe she was late, Minsoo tried to calm his mind. The lesson soon started. Minsoo couldn't focus at anything. It's his umpteenth time stealing a glance at Heeyoung's desk. She wasn't there. She didn't come today, to be exact. He felt something landed on his head. The teacher just threw a chalk onto him.

"Bang Minsoo-ssi, can you focus on my lesson? Or you'd like to leave the class instead? You go then."

Minsoo snapped himself back. "Y-yes I can, Sir," he lied. Was she that mad at me until she didn't want to come today? Was she avoiding me? Oh God, what should I do?! You're totally screwed, Minsoo. Minsoo's mind messed up, covered by regrets.

******

Heeyoung still hadn't sent any texts to me, L.Joe sighed. He walked slower to the class. His mind was wandering here and there.

"Good morning L.Joe." A voice startled him. He raised up his head and reflexively smiled, but his smile was gone in a sudden.

"Oh, good morning Soojin," replied him coldly. He walked by her and went to his seat, leaving the girl disappointed.

Damn. I think that was Heeyoung. He took out his notebook and started doodling. He was too immersed until he didn't realize that Heeyoung hadn't been there yet. The lesson then started and that's when he realized Heeyoung wasn't there. She's never been late to class before. L.Joe caught Minsoo stealing a glance for times at Heeyoung's desk. But his sight is unusual. He seems...worried. L.Joe had been keeping his eyes on Minsoo when the teacher threw a chalk onto Minsoo's head.

Even Mr. Kim noticed Minsoo wasn't focusing on the lesson. He was startled as well. Stop it, L.Joe. You're overthinking again.

******

L.Joe was sitting at the canteen during the break, wondering whether he should text Heeyoung or not. He really wanted to know what happened with her, but he still couldn't forget Heeyoung's excitement when she talked about Changjo which he hated. It had been driving him crazy just to think about it.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" it's Minsoo. He appeared from nowhere and already took a seat in front of L.Joe.

L.Joe was shocked. He rarely talked with him before. "Go on."

Minsoo seemed hesitating. "Do you happen to know why Heeyoung isn't coming today?"

L.Joe gulped. "I don't."

"Really? You're lying to me, aren't you?" Minsoo asked L.Joe in disbelief. L.Joe shook his head. "Aren't you two close?" he asked again.

"Yeah, but we haven't contacted each other since yesterday," told L.Joe. "Is this the reason why you keep stealing glances at her desk during the lesson?"

Minsoo was the one startled now. "W-what? You saw me?"

"I saw you clearly. You seem so…different. What happened?" So it's true that you're worrying about her, eh? L.Joe thought.

Minsoo went silent. "I-I have something to do with her."

"I think your relationship with her wasn't that good, was that?" L.Joe threw the bait. Minsoo's head hung low. "So what is it?"

"N-no, it's nothing. Really," Minsoo lied. L.Joe was staring at him, waiting for him to give up and give him the real answer instead. "Well, Mr. Kim gave me a project to do with her. It needs to get done in 2 weeks. I'm worried if the time given would be wasted."

But it seems more than a project, L.Joe thought as he stared at Minsoo. But somehow he understood Minsoo's feeling. "Do you need her number?"

"Uh, not now I think. She would be mad at me if I contacted her without her knowing. Thanks for the offer by the way." Minsoo forced a smile.

"Okay then. And you're welcome. I'm just trying to help you out."

The school bell rang. "We should get back to class." L.Joe nodded at him. "Oh, and I want you to promise me. Please don't tell Heeyoung about this."

******

Heeyoung apparently had been sleeping for the day. Although she felt better, her consciousness had continuously come and gone. She couldn't think of anything else than sleeping, resting her busy mind for a while.

Her mom had been extra busy that day. She walked here and there, did the chores, checked on Heeyoung, and even did her works on her laptop. Heeyoung was gathering her consciousness when she thought she heard the door bell rang and the sound of her mom's steps fading.

"Good evening, Mrs. Park."

"Ah.. You must be Heeyoung's friend," she concluded as she looked at the uniform worn by the person standing before the door.

"Yes, Mrs. Park. I'm L.Joe." He smiled widely. "Is Heeyoung home?"

"Yes, come on in." She opened the door wider for him, but then she stopped. "By the way, she had a fever since the morning. I hope you don't talk about anything that would bother her mind now." L.Joe nodded. "And do you mind to watch over her for a while? I'm going out to buy her extra meds."

"It's okay, leave it all to me. Take your time." He showed his eyesmile.

Heeyoung's mom led the way to Heeyoung's room. She knocked her door carefully before having a peek inside. "Heeyoung-ah, your friend came to visit."

Heeyoung opened her eyes a bit. "Who? Ricky?" she guessed randomly.

"It's L.Joe," answered her mom. L.Joe grinned, appearing from Heeyoung's mom's back.

"Ah, it's you." Heeyoung smiled weakly at him.

"So while L.Joe is here, I'm going out to buy some meds, okay?" Heeyoung nodded and gave him signs to come in.

"Are you feeling better now?" L.Joe asked as he touched Heeyoung's forehead gently.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you any news today. It's already hard to regain my consciousness this morning. I spent the whole day sleeping." L.Joe nodded at her explanation. "How was school?"

L.Joe remembered his talk with Minsoo, his worried looks, and his wish for L.Joe not to tell anything to Heeyoung. "Not much, boring as usual."

"Ah! I just remember I promised to tell you what happened yesterday. I'm sorry I forgot. I arrived late at home and went straight to bed."

L.Joe felt relieved. She still remember it. "It's okay. I thought you were too busy talking to that Changjo," he scoffed.

Heeyoung didn't expect L.Joe's words. "Ya! It's not like I'm really dating him!" her face was flushed.

"Liar," he joked. Somehow Heeyoung saw his seriousness there.

"Whatever!" Heeyoung pouted. "Do you want to hear about what happened yesterday or not? Before I changed my mind to keep it to myself only."

I already knew, though. What's left now is to match your story with Minsoo's version. "Yes, please."

Heeyoung told him about the project Mr. Kim gave, how Minsoo and her were dying to reject it. "Mr. Kim threatened us both. It's a sticky situation for us. Then we went to discuss the project, that's why I came home late." She cut the I-was-crying-because-of-Minsoo part off.

L.Joe a bit shocked to realize the fact that Minsoo didn't lie to him. "But I thought your relationship with him wasn't that good," he asked the same thing as he asked to Minsoo.

"Yeah, but what else can we do? He needs the grades and I was threatened by Mr. Kim. I'm trying to be professional despite all the personal matters."

L.Joe just nodded. "So, how's Changjo?" he asked between his curiosity and his jealousy.

"Shut up. I don't wanna talk about it." Heeyoung closed her eyes. "I'd rather go back to sleep."

L.Joe chuckled, "Why? Did you just realize that you love someone else?" he again, hoping she would say that she actually loved him or something like that. But on the other side, L.Joe's words hit Heeyoung straight. Did you just realize that you love someone else? The question was echoing in her mind. Heeyoung was staying silent. "I'm right, aren't I?" he insisted.

"Ya! What's wrong with you? It's me who had a fever not you," Heeyoung was annoyed as his questions started bothering her mind. She wasn't sure about that too honestly.

L.Joe laughed at Heeyoung's annoyed face. "Go back to sleep."

"And you, go back to hell," she scoffed before she closed her eyes again. Heeyoung really fell asleep. Her condition made it easier for her to fall asleep deeply.

L.Joe had been staring at her. Not for a long time, he could hear Heeyoung's mom arrived home already. She had a peek inside and saw her daughter sleeping. "You can leave now if you want to," she mouthed. L.Joe smiled and nodded at her before she closed the door again.

L.Joe leaned himself closer to Heeyoung. He her cheek gently as he stared at her face again. He left a light peck on Heeyoung's lips before he left.

******

Minsoo ruffled his hair in frustration again for the umpteenth time. "Damn these all!" he shouted his heart out. "Mr. Kim was right. I can't do this by myself," Minsoo had been working on the papers. Well, it's more like he had been trying because he hadn't had any piece of paper done.

"I can't do anything right. All I can do is letting Heeyoung down." He buried his face onto his palms. Then he's the one who mad at everything. He was mad at all the uncertain things about Heeyoung. He hated to feel guilty all the time. I deserve these all. She's right. You're a total jerk, Minsoo. Now she's really mad at you and she doesn't want to see you again all her life and you have nobody to help you and moreover she wants you die. Minsoo was getting scared by his own mind. He felt his palms turning wet. Oh good, Minsoo. Now you're a crybaby. He hurriedly wiped his tears. "What's this. I've never cried in my hard times. And now I'm crying because of hard times given by…the girl I love," he sighed. "Whom now hates me to death."

He stared blankly, flashing back all the moments he had with Heeyoung. None of them were good ones. I can't be like this all the time. Wake up, Minsoo. He told himself again. He took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind before he started doing his best on the papers again.

******

It's already midnight when Heeyoung woke up. Her mom had told her not to go to school on the next day to have more rest at home. Having a staring contest with her ceiling had been a daily routine for her nowadays. She just had so many things in her mind and she didn't have Niel anymore. Oh my, how's that kid now. She realized she had forgotten him for a while. And then she's feeling guilty for it.

Then another thing came to her mind. It's the dream she just had, a dream of L.Joe kissing her lips. It's weird. Somehow it felt real. She touched her own lips. It's impossible, Heeyoung-ah. He's your bestfriend. He wouldn't kiss you on the lips.

Did you just realize that you love someone else? L.Joe's question was haunting her mind. She sighed. She had never fallen in love before. She didn't really know how exactly it felt like.

Ah, the project. I've wasted a day and tomorrow will be wasted again. Minsoo.. How has he been doing without me? She clenched her eyes, not wanting to think about Minsoo but he kept bothering her mind. Her hatred on him couldn't be decreased yet. That ungrateful jerk.

Changjo. That guy is really sincere. Just why we have to go to different school so that I can't meet him everyday. I met that ungrateful jerk instead, she sighed again. Should I confess to him? Heeyoung opened her eyes, shocked by her own thoughts. No way. She closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

******

L.Joe couldn't think straight on his way back home from Heeyoung's place, smiling to himself all along. It’s the achievement he got from stealing Heeyoung’s first kiss. But then his smile was gone in a sudden. Don't be so proud, L.Joe. Changjo might have it first.

"Damn it," he mumbled. And you're such a coward, kissing her when she's in a deep sleep. She didn't even know you kiss her. His thoughts keep bothering his mind. He shrugged. "Whatever. I've kissed her."