▲ Wipe Your Eyes - Maroon 5

“I’m home!” Gureum yells out and places all her things at her desk. She calls out once more when she doesn’t get any response.

She walks towards her room’s bathroom and checks the knob. She jiggles it and it’s locked. She glues her entire body to the door and her ear is flat on the wall. She hears drops of water cascading. Somebody’s showering. She knocks three times and says “Soo, are you inside?”

“Yes, I am. Can’t I get some privacy while showering?”

Gureum hears the boy’s voice and she giggles. “Just asking, man. Anyway, I’m already home. I brought jajangmyeon. Your own share is on your desk.”

She walks away and goes to her desk. Her part of the room. She fixes her things, organizing them in a very systematic manner. After all, Mr. Do might go ballistic again saying that ‘You’re a girl and you’re so disorganized!’ She sees Kyungsoo giving her a sermon again and she laughs to herself.

Her cheeks heat up with the memory of him but she manages to cool down. They share a room and during school days, they practically live together. And of course, Kyungsoo would go on and saying that she smiles because of him. It’s a fact though but Gureum won’t deny the other reality that her boyfriend, Woori is the main source of her smiles now.

She sits down on her bed and grabs her phone which she has placed on the bedside table earlier. She touches the screen and it lights up. As expected, she sees a pop-up that notifies her of a message from Woori. She smiles as she reads through the text message.

[FROM WOORI: Hey, darling. How are you? Have you eaten already? If not, do you want to grab some dinner with me? :D Waiting for your reply. Kkkk.]

Gurem thinks for a few seconds before replying with a ‘yes’. She’s quite concerned that Kyungsoo might eat dinner alone that night but then she’s pretty sure that Kyungsoo might have a date with Minah that night. She wants to ask but the boy is still taking his time in the shower.

The moment she lies down to rest is the moment Kyungsoo gets out of the shower. The bathroom door clicks and Gureum knows Kyungsoo is finally done with using the bathroom. He is wearing a pair of black sweatshirt and sweatpants. He rummages his fingers through his hair for a few times before drying it again with a small towel. He walks towards his own bed and sits down on it.

“Woori and I are getting dinner. Do you want to come?” Gureum asks. She looks at him but she keeps her back facing Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo pureses his lips which Gureum does not see. “Nah. You lovebirds go on a date. Minah and I might catch a movie or something.”

Gureum nods her head but does not speak to respond. Kyungsoo knows her answer already. She closes her eyes and drifts away for an hour.

When Gureum wakes up, Kyungsoo is already gone. She picks up her bath towel hanging by her desk chair and sees a yellow sticky note Kyungsoo has left glued