Effie glanced at her watch again. It was seven o’clock in the evening. It's been two hours she spent time in Daejoon Park, the famous park in the city. She decided to skip the dance practice. Jungwoon, her manager, called her repeatedly. Asking her where she was. However, Effie did not answer it. She only said that she would go home at nine o’clock and said sorry to him to left the dance practice.

            Effie sighed heavily. She wanted to go home, but she's not ready for the questions of her friends who might asked about her absence. Have they got home? Her mind asked. Suddenly, Eli's face flashed in her mind. Effie yah, why are you still thinking about him?! her mind asked in annoyed. With heavy steps, she left the park. Without knowing where would she goes, her legs kept walking with her face down until someone standing in front of her, blocking her path.

            "Why were you skipping the practice dance on my last day?" he asked.

            Without lifting her face up, Effie have guessed who he was. The person whom she wanted to forget. "Because I wanted to," she said with her head still down.

            "Look at my face!" said him which made Effie shudder.

            Eventually, Effie lifted her face up and looked at him with a straight face that looked grim. "Because I wanted to, Eli oppa..." she repeated, then immediately left Eli.

            Eli pulled her hand, did not want she left him easily. He hadn’t done with her. He held her hand so tightly which made Effie winced in pain.

            "Oppa, my hand hurts..." said Effie while trying to release her hand.

            "I won’t let you go before you can be nice to me!" threatened Eli without loosening his grip.

            "Okay, okay... loose your grasp first and I will do what you want," promised her in desperately. And when Eli’s grip felt a bit slack, Effie looked at him in annoyed face. "What do you want? Why you’re here?"

            Eli paused to hear the questions that came out of her lips. His eyes continued to stare at Effie sharply. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Can we talk while we have dinner? I'm starving..."

 

***

 

            It was eight o’clock. Effie and Eli were eating their dinner at the roadside cafe that was located not too far from Daejoon Park. Both were silent from the moment they start eating. Busy with their own thoughts.

            "You didn’t know how I felt when you missed dance practice," said Eli, started the conversation between them while continuing to eat his noodles.

            Effie looked at him who was sitting in front of her. Waiting for him to continue his sentences. However, it seemed Eli was so busy to eat his dinner without knowing that he was being watched by Effie. "So, what did you feel??" asked Effie. She slowly spooning soup into .

            Eli stopped eating in a sudden movements. He looked at Effie who was drinking the hot soup cautiously. He smiled while looking at her. "Of course I was very sad," he admitted, surprising Effie. "You know, this is my last day to meet you. And found your absence in this afternoon, I was so angry, upset, and sad. I was hoping to meet you, but you didn’t come. But, well... just forget it! You'll never know exactly how I felt." Eli resumed eating.

            Effie stared at Eli who ate his noodle seriously. She could not believe what she had heard earlier. Really? Eli oppa could feel so? However, she did not dare to asked him. She continued to spend the hot soup.

            And they ate their dinner in silence.

 

***

 

            "We're here!" said Eli when the two of them arrived at the the gate of the apartment.

            "Yes... we're here," Effie repeated quietly and dispirited. "Thank you, oppa, because you accompanied me to go home and thanks for the dinner," said Effie as she bowed at Eli.

            " And thank you for spending the rest of my days with you, Hoon ah," Eli said as he bowed at her.

            Both of them were silent and they looked at each other. As if they did not want to leave each other.

            Finally, Eli said, "Really, I'm sad because today is the last day we could meet each other. I’m gonna miss you and the other girls. It’s nice to meet you guys, especially with you, Effie yah. It will be difficult if we want to meet each other again, because of my tight schedule. I will miss this moment..."

            "Please, stop, oppa..." cut Effie in a trembling voice. "It sounds pathetic to me."

            "I'm sorry, Hoon ah..."

            Effie shook her head slowly. She tried to look calm in front of him. "There's nothing to forgive, oppa. I'm fine. Really..."

            Eli realized that Effie was not just like she said. He grabbed her hand tightly. "Can I ask you something?"

            Effie looked at Eli with a puzzled look. "What is it?"

            "Can you not forget me? And in return, I will spend time with you someday. How's that?"

            Suddenly, Effie laughed.

            "What’s wrong?" asked Eli, frowned.

            "No, nothing," replied Effie. She stared at him with a big smile. "Without you ask, I won’t forget you, oppa. Although I wanted to, but I can’t," she admitted. "And I don’t need your promise. I know you are very busy with your job that I don’t know what is that. I'm afraid you will forget your promise."

            "But..."

            "No buts, oppa!" said Effie. "I hope you can understand my will. It's all right, oppa?"

            Eli looked at his hands which still grabbed Effie’s hand. He did not fully understand her mind. "All right. If you feel it is good for us..."

            "Us?"

            Eli face immediately flushed. Suddenly, he became embarrassed and let his hand away. As much as possible he tried to stay calm, but failed. He could not pretend it was never said before. He looked at Effie, then smiled awkwardly. "It's late at night. You better go inside your dorm," he said, changed the topic.

            Effie could only smile to see his attitude. Eli did not want to answer her question, and she would not force him. "Yes. I will. You should get home by now!"

            "I know," said Eli. "See you later, Hoon ah..."

 

***

 

-THE END-