Chaehwan stood in front of him, but her head was down. She didn’t know how to start the conversation of the topic that’s been bugging her. “I noticed that we’ve been hanging out a lot lately,” she began.

“And?” Kris urged her to continue.

“And we’ve had some intimate moments before we say goodbye to each other.”

Kris stood up straight and looked down at her, “What are you trying to say?”

Chaehwan swallowed hard and finally looked up at him, “What is our relationship with each other?”

Kris was taken aback by her sudden question. “What?”

“What is our relationship? Are we, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend?” Chaehwan asked. He remained quiet as he refused to look at her. She put a hand on his arm, “Kri-“

That was when he jerked his arm away from her, surprising her at his action as well as himself. “Mianhae,” he apologized. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath to finally answer. “I really don’t know Chaehwan ah.”

Her eyes widened, “You don’t know?”

He felt like he couldn’t breathe all of a sudden. “I-I have to go. I won’t be able to drive you home today.” He bowed his head and walked away.

Chaehwan watched his retreating back and then he was out of sight as he turned the corner. Chaehwan leaned her back against the wall and thought back to the moments before. She had flashbacks of their time together just hanging out as friends. Then there was that moment when Kris had pulled her close with their lips almost touching, but in the end, he kissed her cheek instead. Then the flashback of the moment that just happened came back to her. "I really don’t know Chaehwan ah."

You really don’t know Kris? If you didn’t know, why did you make me fall in love with you? Chaehwan closed her eyes as pain washed over her. She wasn’t much of a crier, but she sure did feel like crying at that very moment.

“Miss Park?” Chaehwan opened her eyes to see Mr. Yoon looking at her with concern. “Are you okay? Where is Kris?”

Chaehwan plastered on a smile and internally tried to calm her voice before speaking. “Everything is alright. Kris remembered that he had to be somewhere, so he left in a hurry.”

What she didn’t know was that Mr. Yoon had witnessed the whole scene as he was coming back from the restroom. He didn’t want to alarm her, so he followed along. “He must be a busy man. It’s nice that he has been visiting you a lot.” He motioned towards the office, “Should we eat more of the treats Kris got for us?” Trying to put the scene away from her mind for now, she nodded her head and followed him into the office.

~~~~~~~~

Kris was racing through the highway. He needed to get away from reality quickly. He needed to be comforted by the shelter of his sanctuary: his apartment. Finally at his apartment complex, he ran in and took the stairs. He couldn’t wait for the elevator as he felt like he was being suffocated by every passing second. After much struggle to punch in the correct passcode for his apartment, he finally managed to get in.

He rushed to his room and collapsed onto his bed. His breathing was still heavy as ever. He reached over to his bedside table where a pitcher of water and a glass cup sat. His hand shook as he poured the water into the cup. Out of frustration, Kris threw the glass cup aside, bursting into glass shards. He took off the cap off the pitcher and drank right out of it.

His breathing soon became even again. “What’s wrong with me?” Kris looked around his bedroom and could only picture Minyoung. He imagined her facing the window, where she would usually sit at when night fell, her fingers touching the cold surface as she touched the stars. He imagined his desk to be cluttered with her usual things: a book of her choice that she decided to read that week, her cell phone and her daily dose of her favorite white chocolate. Kris turned to his side, facing the empty spot next to him. He then imagined Minyoung sleeping next to him. His hand reached over to caress her light brown hair and then her cheek. She would always tilt her head towards his hand. His hand felt nothing and then Minyoung disappeared. Kris’s eyes watered as he couldn’t take it anymore. “MINYOUNG!!!!!!!”

~~~~~~~~~

As it is the start of the weekend, Chaehwan came straight from the school and sat in a tented area while drinking shot after shot of soju. It was her third bottle and she was almost finished with that one. Her eyes were slightly droopy, but she still managed to pour herself a drink. A few men entered the tented area to hang out. “Ahjumma! Two bottles of soju, three shot glasses and a set of small intestines please!” 

As they took their seats, one of the men looked around the tent. ‘I haven’t been in one of these in a while.’ He smiled and then saw a familiar figure. ‘Huh? Isn’t that Chaehwan?’ He watched as she drank continuously. His eyebrows furrowed in concern. He knew that she wasn’t much of a drinker, so why would she be drinking now? Then he saw Chaehwan slump forward onto the table as she knocked out and by instinct, he rushed to her side. He lifted her head up and began to lightly slap her cheek. “Yah. Chaehwan. Park Chaehwan! Wake up!”

~~~~~~~~

Chaehwan stirred awake as an annoying light was seeping through the window. Burying her face into the pillow, off the bat, she knew something was wrong. The pillow smelt of cologne and not of her usual fruity shampoo scent. Quickly sitting up, she touched her forehead as she felt the affects of the alcohol she consumed last night. "Ughh..." She then took a look around her. "Where am I?"

Just as she asked, the door to the bedroom she was in opened, revealing a familiar man. As he saw that she was awake, he smiled and walked over to her. "The first time I see you again in years and you're drunk." He chuckled and set a tray containing a small plate with two pills of aspirin and a glass of water onto the bedside table.

"J-Joonmyun oppa?" She stared at him in shock. "W-what? How?" Chaehwan looked around again. What am I doing at my ex boyfriend's apartment?!

Joonmyun sat down on the side of the bed and began to feel Chaehwan's face, causing her to blush at the sudden skinship. "Your fever went down. That's good." He then held out the medicine and the glass of water to Chaehwan, "Take this. It'll help take away the remaining remnants of your hangover." 

Chaehwan nodded her head and took the medicine. "Komaowo." As she set the glass back onto the table, Joonmyun headed to his closet and began to look through it for clothes she could use for the time being as he would wash her alcohol reeked clothes. He informed that breakfast was ready and to come out when she was done changing. After changing, she began to look around his bedroom. She reminisced about the past and smiled. Chaehwan then looked around his desk area and saw a couple of plaques on his wall. "He became a doctor after all." she smiled proudly as he had achieved his dream, just like herself.

Walking out, more memories flooded back. She shook her head and made her way to the kitchen where Joonmyun was already spreading butter over his piece of toast. As she sat down, he speaks."Mind telling me what made you drink so much last night?"

She stared downwards, but answered, "It's kind of personal." Chaehwan reached for a piece of toast and slowly nibbled on it.

"It's about a man, isn't it?" he proclaimed. When Chaehwan remains quiet, Joonmyun began to investigate more. "Is it your boyfriend? Did you two fight?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." she proclaimed. As Joonmyun was going to question more, Chaehwan cut him off, "That's what he said. He doesn't acknowledge me as his girlfriend."

Joonmyun watched her quietly. Once he saw her eyes begin to glisten with sadness, a pang of guilt hit him. He changed the subject, "I see that you have become a teacher." he motioned his head towards the living room where her purse and her students' paperwork sat on the coffee table. 

Chaehwan smiled, "Yeah. Volunteering during high school helped out a lot" She genuinely looked at him, "Thanks to you for helping me out too during that time."

"No problem." he replied.

"By the plaques on your walls, I'm guessing you're a doctor now, right?"

Joonmyun laughed, "You're right. Dr. Kim here at your service. Come by Seoul General Hospital if you have an emergency."

Chaehwan smiled, "I'll take you on that offer." They laughed. As it became quiet again, she began, "So, have you been seeing anyone recently?"

He shook his head, "Aniyo. When I became a doctor, I didn't have much time for dating."

"When was your last relationship?" Chaehwan asked, getting another piece of toast.

Joonmyun looked at her, "With you..." Chaehwan stopped and looked up at him, "I haven't dated anyone besides you." You are the only girl I ever loved Chaehwan ah. You still are.

Same goes for you too Joonmyun oppa. Does that mean something? But then there's still Kris. With this whole ordeal still needing to be discussed, what can I do? Joonmyun and Chaehwan continued to stare at each other in silence.