Changjo was sleeping before he was awaken by a few knocks on his door. “Come in!” he half shouted, knowing that the bellboy had already arrived back.

The young bellboy went into his room using the master key again with some paper bags in his hands. “Here are the things you requested.” The bellboy wasn’t in his uniform anymore, he’s wearing his casual outfit instead. Changjo peeked inside those paper bags he brought, scanning what’s inside. “And this is the best ointment to heal your bruises, it could do in 12 hours. Well, at least that’s what the pharmacist said.” The bellboy shrugged after passing the small box to Changjo.

“Thanks a lot.” Changjo tried his best to smile with his hurt face to ease the bellboy’s nervousness. “Oh before I forgot, here’s the excess money.” The bellboy handed over a thick pile of cash to him which got rejected.

“No, just take it.” Changjo’s respond confused him.

“B-but… this is too much for a tip, sir,” he stuttered, his hand which was holding the money started trembling.

“That’s for your resting time which got spent to do me a favor.” Changjo smiled slightly.

“T-thank you, sir. Is there anything else I could help you?” the awkward bellboy rubbed the back of his neck.

“That’s all, I thank you once again,” answered Changjo.

“My pleasure to help you. Just tell me if you need anything else. I wish you a speedy recovery.” The bellboy bowed and went out after Changjo replied him with a nod.

The bellboy couldn’t stop feeling worried for Changjo since he accompanied him to his room in the midnight. That’s why he volunteered himself to deliver the breakfast when he knew there’s an order from his room. He politely asked Changjo if he’s okay, but he took Changjo’s nods as the unsure ones. In the end, he left him his number just in case he needed help.

His instinct was right. Changjo called him later after he delivered his breakfast. Changjo’s decision made him asking for the bellboy’s help. Changjo asked him to buy some clothes and medicines for him later when his shift ended, so that the bellboy could go out freely from the hotel. Changjo couldn’t stand the bellboy’s curious gazes on him. Changjo told him that he broke into a fight in a bar, not wanting the bellboy to think that he’s one of those high class gangster or maybe a young mafia. The innocent bellboy sighed in relief, he smiled widely before dashing off with a pile of cash Changjo gave him.

Changjo bit his lip as he tried to get up from his bed. It took him a lot of efforts to walk to the bathroom. The cold shower did its best on cooling his mind down. Staring at the mirror, he was thinking again. He wasn’t ready to face Jiyoon again. He wasn’t really trying to be heroic or whatever she assumed him to be. He was just saving the girl he loved. The girl he’s willing to protect in all his life no matter if she’s his or not. Knowing the fact that the girl had already seen him as the guy with such a big thirst in being honored, on being someone he’s not, smashed him to the smallest crumble.

Changjo had done showering, feeling the clean sheet of his new clothes the bellboy had bought for him. He sat on the couch after treating his bruises with the ointment. He was then having his lunch, which was also bought by the bellboy, in silence with his empty stares on the ivory carpet. Not caring about gaining some weight, he went straight to bed. He just tucked his body into the blanket when his phone rang. It’s Ricky again, calling him that time. He silenced it and went to sleep, leaving his best friend’s call unanswered.

******

Jiyoon had been silent and kept spacing out during their ‘outing’. Chunji noticed it well since he really didn’t have more important things to do than stealing glances at her. “Ya, Jiyoon-ah.” He put his hand on her thigh as he sat down beside her on the bench outside the game centre, waiting for the rest who were having fun inside. Jiyoon raised her head to see him. “What’s wrong?” asked him.

“Nothing, Oppa.” Jiyoon faked a smile.

“You’re not good at lying.” Chunji stared at her seriously. “Tell me,” he demanded.

The girl sighed for being caught red handed. She leaned her head on his shoulder, startling him. His soul was flown away from his body as he blushed.

The mega flirt side of him moved his arms to circle his arm around her shoulder and her hair lovingly. The girl herself didn’t protest for it. “What’s wrong, dear?” he asked again, softly that time.

Jiyoon stayed silent before the good answer popped in her mind. “I just don’t feel well.”

Chunji reflexively touched her forehead. “It’s slightly hotter. Have you taken the meds?”

Jiyoon shook her head. “Maybe later when we got back to the dorm.”

“Should I tell the boys to come back earlier?” Chunji was still her hair.

“Don’t, they’re having fun right now. I’m okay,” told her.

Chunji sighed, “If that’s what you want.” He leaned his back on the bench. “You should rest while waiting for them.” He slowly pulled her closer to him, positioning her to sleep on his shoulder.

“Don’t you want to play with them?” Jiyoon felt guilty to indirectly force him to accompany her there.

“Nah, I’ve had enough. Now sleep.” He patted her head. The crowds were lullabies to her. Her unwell condition made her fell asleep in a split second. In Chunji’s hug.

Chunji couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Jiyoon’s peaceful face soothed himself somehow. He even thought he could stare at her 24/7. Her innocent look brought a smile to his face once in a while. His hand couldn’t hide his affection on her, her shoulder length brunette hair lovingly.

Meanwhile to his unknown, his dongsaengs started gossiping on him. Ricky was searching for Jiyoon when he saw her with his flirty hyung outside the place, sitting side by side with the girl’s head leaning on the guy’s shoulder. He gasped, his hand was rushing to get a grasp on Niel who was still playing a game beside him. “Ya! Ya! Look at them!!” Ricky exclaimed with his gaze still pinned on the couple. Niel nagged a bit before following Ricky’s gaze.

“Just confess to her for God sake! I’m fed up by those scenes!” Niel commented later, receiving an affirmative nod from Ricky.

Chunji tried to act normally as his friends were approaching. CAP pretended to take it as a normal scene while Niel and Ricky were holding back their giggles behind the hyungs. L.Joe couldn’t hide his happiness for Chunji, grinning widely all along towards him. “You’re done?” asked Chunji, sad for having to end the skinship. Getting a nod from CAP, Chunji turned to wake the sleeping beauty up.

“Look at his disappointed face, hyung,” Ricky whispered to Niel, sneakily pointing at Chunji.

“His romantic moments have to end.” The two were then giggling on their own.

“Ya, what are you giggling at?” L.Joe glanced at his back suddenly, catching the flustered faces of the gossip guys.

“None of your business, shorty,” Niel bravely made fun of his hyung. Knowing well how L.Joe would response, he swiftly shifted to hide himself behind CAP. L.Joe growled as he tried to smack Niel’s head.

Their fight went on even though the flock had started walking. Jiyoon didn’t realize she had been clinging on Chunji’s arm since didn’t know when. Her blank gaze was staring down on her feet, trying to make her mind up. The unawake senses of her made it harder to differentiate between her dream and her real life. Or to be exact, her nightmare she just had. She glanced around, scanning her friends’ faces. Finding out the main object of her nightmare wasn’t there, she sighed in relief. It’s just a dream.

“Ricky-ah, do you know where’s Changjo at?” Jiyoon was staring blankly at her dinner when CAP’s words stung her ears. She choked at the mention of Changjo’s name.

“Ya, careful.” Chunji passed her drink, his other hand was rubbing her back.

“He didn’t reply my text,” said Ricky.

His name traumatized her a lot. Their relationship had never been good from the start. As time went by, it’s just got worse. To add, the mention of his name made her remembered the nightmare she just had.

She was walking down the same exact alley which leads to the hostel. The sequence was just precisely like what happened earlier that day until she argued with Changjo. Although she didn’t want to remember what happened after in her dream, the scene kept appearing. Teasing her sanity to feel it as real as possible.

Changjo was glaring at her, with that exact glare. She glared back at him in anger, with that exact anger she felt at that moment. But suddenly his stiff expression turned softer, in defeat. The fiery gaze of him was gone, leaving the emptiness inside his sharp eyes. Those eyes she avoided the most were looking at her. His gaze screamed out his frustration. Jiyoon had no idea whether it’s really him or not. She didn’t see that Changjo she used to see. It clearly wasn’t him.

That dejected look of him surprised her. The staring contest was still going. Although the pity started creeping on her, the helpless anger of her didn’t want the fire in her eyes to blow out that soon. She’s not going to budge that easy for him whom had stomped on her pride.

A teardrop fell from his right eye, followed by other drops later. Those teary eyes were still looking at her, hopeful. Her face tautened. She could feel his warm rapid breath the tender skin of her face as he leaned his head closer. His move forced her to take a step backward, but his hands were faster. He embraced her face, preventing her from moving. He moved closer until their forehead met. He closed his eyes as he her cheeks with both his thumbs gently.

The girl was stuck on her feet. She couldn’t believe that the guy sticking to her was Changjo. She kept telling herself it wasn’t him. If it really was him, he must have gone insane enough to do it. The on her cheeks stopped, but not forever. They soon replaced by Changjo’s soft kiss on her cheek. Her heart didn’t race faster like how it should have. It stopped.

Nothing could be heard than their nervous breath. The quiet alley made it seemed way too intense to them. Changjo’s kiss trailed down from her cheek to her lips, pressing his lips on hers, causing the girl to turn frozen head to toe. It didn’t take long for him to get drown in the kiss. He’s savoring every second he spent, but he really didn’t even expect her to kiss him back.

Neither did her. She kissed him back. I kissed him back. Lovingly. I kissed him back lovingly.

The last phrase kept echoing in her mind. She couldn’t imagine if Chunji didn’t wake her up. She probably would’ve cried in her sleep. Just to think about Changjo already gave her creeps. But then she had a dream about him, face to face with her without any gap between. To be added, he kissed her. And she kissed back. I kissed him back lovingly.

Nightmares usually considered as dreams with awful ghosts or bad things in them. A kiss wasn’t a bad thing. A kiss wouldn’t kill either. But to her, the kisser was worse than the most awful ghosts that ever existed. Again, it already crept her up just to hear his name. But then she was kissed by him in an embrace. To doubled up the burden, I kissed him back lovingly.

Thinking about it over and over could bring her tears. She felt like her first kiss was already stolen by that devil. She knew it’s just a dream, but it really felt really really real that it scared her. He stole her first kiss. But I kissed him back lovingly.

“Jiyoon-ah,” Chunji’s voice startled her, “finish your dinner.”

Jiyoon looked down on her meal. She had just taken one mouthful of it before CAP mentioning Changjo’s name and she spaced out since then. “I don’t feel like eating.” The urge to puke came up as the kissing scene flashed in her mind again.

“Ya, but you’re not fit right now. You should eat,” told Chunji. The others were watching as they had finished with their meal. “Or do you want to eat something else?”

Jiyoon shook her head slowly at Chunji’s question. “I really don’t feel like eating, Oppa. I feel sick,” Jiyoon whined.

“She’s not pregnant, is she?” Niel’s nosy side whispered to Ricky. The shocked cutie slapped his thigh to reply.

“But if you don’t eat it would be worse.” Chunji insisted to force her eat. “Chunji’s right, Jiyoon-ah,” CAP added. L.Joe was watching the scene silently.

“Just three more spoons, okay? Just to make sure your stomach isn’t empty.” Chunji persuaded. Jiyoon stared at her meal, hesitating. “Don’t look at the full bowl, it would make you sick.” Chunji took the bowl and scooped a spoonful of rice. “Let me feed you instead.” The girl opened half hearted.

The rest were watching seriously yet awkwardly. The couple’s interaction made them felt left out, separated in another world although they’re sitting at the same table. “Get it done.” Chunji slided the bowl to Ricky after finished feeding Jiyoon. Ricky did what he was told, dragging Niel along to help him getting it done.

Jiyoon was lying on her bed that night, ready to sleep after Chunji gave her some meds. She was relieved to see Changjo’s empty bed as they arrived. The wrinkling bedsheet didn’t change since the last time they saw. He hasn’t been back yet.

But it was different to the remaining guys. They started worrying about him. They hadn’t seen him after they scattered to bed the night before. He didn’t reply their texts nor calls. “Did we do anything wrong?” Niel questioned. Teen Top, minus Changjo, were sitting in circle, discussing. Jiyoon started eavesdropping their talk from her bed.

“I didn’t!” L.Joe claimed right away. “Me neither.” CAP shrugged. “I don’t think any of us did,” Ricky trailed off.

“He really didn’t answer your texts and calls?” Chunji asked the ones who had contacted Changjo; CAP and Ricky.

“Nope,” said CAP, agreed by Ricky’s nod.

“This time is different, isn’t it?” L.Joe said his opinion. Somehow L.Joe’s words gave her chills.

“We didn’t even have any arguments with him before he vanished, right?” CAP made sure. The rest shook their heads hopelessly.

“Then if we didn’t do anything wrong, why should he mad at us?” asked Niel in disbelief.

“Are you sure it’s because of us?” L.Joe asked back.

“It’s just his mood swings, I told you,” Chunji scoffed.

“His family again, maybe?” Ricky hesitated.

“Did he tell you anything about his family recently?” CAP interrogated.

“No, he didn’t but… If it wasn’t us nor his family, who else could it be?”

Jiyoon sighed at Ricky’s unanswered question, Me.