“Oppa, we’ve been talking for too long. Let’s hang up.”

“Why?”

Even though we’re on the phone, I can just imagine Jin Young pouting on the other side.

“You’re phone bill will be high.”

He chuckled. “Nah it won’t be.”

“But you’ve been calling me almost every day.”

“I just feel like talking to someone.”

I sighed. No matter how many times I try to get him to hang up, he always gives me reasons.

“Well, I have a song to compose and some assignments to complete. I’ll see you in school on Monday okay?”

He sighed. “You’re always studying.”

“I’m not a genius like you.”

He laughed. “Should I help you then?”

“Aren’t you out with your friends?”

“I’m home.”

I looked up from my script and put the pencil down. “I thought you said you’re out? Wait, is someone honking?”

“Mia Mia, always so alert. I haven’t gone into the house yet.”

“Oh, okay. Well, go in then. Sorry for, erm, taking your time.”

He sighed. “There’s nothing to apologize about. Besides, it’s worth talking to you. Don’t you think?”

I played with a strain of my hair as a hummed a reply. Thank goodness we’re on the phone, or else he’ll know I’m grinning like a complete fool right now.

“Good night oppa.”

“So soon?” he whined. “Are you sure you’re alright? I mean-”

“I’m fine. I’m used to it. Don’t worry about me.”

“Are you really sure?”

“Oppa, I think you asked me this question more than a hundred times today.”

He laughed. “Alright, just want to make sure. Finish up you’re homework today so we can talk all day tomorrow.”

I sighed.

“Goodbye oppa.”

“Goodbye, Mia.”

I hung up and put my phone down, staring at my messy table scattered with all my music scores. As I go through the song I composed, something caught my attention.

“I did not write this.”

I took the paper and looked closely. I don’t remember writing this part, and this is not my writing style. I looked down and saw some scribbles at the bottom corner of the paper.

Since you’re taking a nap, I composed a small part for you. No harm helping right? – Jin Young

I smiled. Jin Young. He must have done this when I was taking a nap in the library.

Jin Young is sweet. Everything about him is so sweet. He was constantly texting me when I was having lunch with my family and he called after I told him I’ve reached home. He wanted to stay with me actually but I refused to let him come in.

I couldn’t help but to giggle as I think about him.

-

I was lying on my stomach on my bed reading some notes until I heard a knock.

That’s weird, are my parents’ home yet?

“Come in.” I said, typing something into my laptop.

The knock came again.

I looked up at my door. “It’s not lock.”

No one opened the door. The knock came again.

But this time, it sounded different. Instead of a normal knock, it sounded like the person was trying to ‘knock’ a song.

“Mrs. Kim, is that you?” I said and hopped off my bed, to only find myself screaming when I saw something unexpected.

The knock wasn’t from my bedroom door; it was from my balcony’s.

“What the hell?” I said and pulled open the glass door.

“You looked like you’ve just saw a ghost, miss.”

I hit him on his arm. “Well yeah! You scared the hell out of me!”

He laughed. “Sorry.”

“Do. Not. Do. This. Again.” I hit him on his arm every time I said a word. He managed to catch my hand and pulled me into a hug. He rested his head on my shoulder and rub my back up and down.

“I said I was sorry.”

A hug. How thoughtful.

“Hmm..your heart is beating so fast. Are you still scared? No, is your heart always like this when you see me?”

I pushed him away. “Jung Jin Young!”

He put his hands in surrender. “Wow! This is the first time you said my full name.”

I shook my head and closed the door. “Wait, how did you come in?”

“Secret.”

“Yeah yeah.” I said as I pointed outside. “She let you in didn’t you?”

Jin Young pressed his face against the glass door and squint his eyes. “Damn.”

I laughed. Why did Mrs. Kim let him in? I never told her about Jin Young. What did he say to her?

“At first I thought she was your stepmother. But she was too nice.”

I nodded. “She is.”

He smiled, eyes still looking outside. “Thank goodness you still have her.”

“Mmhmm.”

That’s true, thank goodness I have her. Even though she’s just our servant, she treats me way better than my stepmother.

Wait. This isn’t the time to think about Mrs. Kim. What is Jin Young doing here?

“Yah.” I said, closing the curtain, forcing him to look at me. “What are you doing here again?”

He pouted. “You said I can come anytime.”

“Well I… but you have to call me first.”

“I did.”

“You did?” I went over to my study table and check my phone.

No missed calls or messages.

“No you didn’t.” I said, holding up my phone to his face.

“Weren’t we on the phone just now?”

We were? Oh, that one?

“That doesn’t count.”

He shrugged. “Since I’m already here, let’s not talk about it.”

“Hey…”

He laughed and slump on my bed, looking at my laptop. He chuckled as he looks around.

“You’re so messy.”

 “Shut up.”

 I quickly went over to my bed and gathered my notes, but he held my hand.

“I didn’t say it’s bad.

I looked up at him. He was smiling. Why is he always smiling? Doesn’t he know my blood is constantly boiling inside of me when he smiles?

My thoughts were broke off when he put his hand on my cheek. “You look tired.”

“I-I’m fine.” I stuttered. I took his hand away and cleared my stuffs from bed.

Jin Young happily wrapped himself under my blanket and snuggled on my pillow. “You have an awesome bed.”

“Hey, hey!” I slap his arm. “Get up! Can you please tell me why you are here again? You can’t keep coming like this.”

He looked up from the blanket and pouted. “You don’t want me to come?”

“Eh? No, I don’t mean that.” I sat on my bed next to him. “But I just don’t want you to keep coming like this.”

“You don’t like me?”

“What? No, of course not. I like you.”

His pout turned into a grin. “You like me?”

“Yes, I lik-”

Oh my god.

He pushed himself up from my bed, causing me to back off a little.

“Do you like me?” he asked again.

I nodded.

“You’re not answering me.”

“I did. I nod.”

“I only understand words.”

I gulped. No way am I saying that.

He leaned forward until our faces were merely inches away.

“Do you like me?” he whispered. I melted at that voice.

“Y-yes.”

He shook his head. “You have to answer in proper sentences.”

I sighed. This is going nowhere.

“Fine. I l-like, erm, you. Happy?”

He smiled. “Say it again.”

I looked down on my hands and whispered, not sure whether did he heard it.

He held my chin and forced me to look up at him. “I can’t hear you.”

As I looked into his eyes, those words just came out from my mouth.

“I like you.”

I looked away and pretend to play with my sweater. My face was heating up and I can seriously imagine myself looking like a freaking tomato right now.

He chuckled and started grinning, looking down on my blanket then up to me. I don’t even know should I quickly send him home or pretend like nothing happen.

Until he pushed my fringe away and pressed his lips on my forehead, fingers sliding down my face and stopped at my chin. He then put a hand over my cheek and kissed my right eye, then the left.

“O-oppa.” I shivered when he kiss the tip of my nose.

He pulled away when he realized what he was doing. He let go his hand and looked down. “S-sorry.”

I could still feel his soft lips on the spots he kissed. Even though I was a little disappointed that he stopped, I was scared at the same time.

He let out a small laugh and run his fingers up his hair, leaving it in a messy state. “I always screw things up, don’t I?” he said.

“W-what? No, you didn’t do anything.”

He looked up at me. He’s eyes, they looked hurt.

“I came because I want to make sure you’re really alright and not just telling me you’re fine. But instead I came here to scare you, twice.”

“Oppa.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine. It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing?” he whispered.

“Yes, it’s nothing.”

Oh my god. I did not just say that.

He laughed, a sad laughed. “Yeah, of course. It’s nothing.”

No…it’s something to me.

“Oppa..”

He pulled off the blankets and stood up. “I should get going.”

I grabbed his arm and pull him back causing him to turned around and face me. Neither of us spoke as we just stare at each other, until I hug him.

I was expecting him to hug me back, but he didn’t. Instead, he patted my back and pushed me away.

“I should go before your parents come home.”

“Oppa.” I choked, holding on to his arm. He ruffled my hair and took my hands away, gentle letting it fall to my sides.

“I’ll see you in school, okay?”

He walked towards my balcony and opened the curtain. Before he could even open the glass door, I hug him from the back.

“Mia?”

I leaned my head against his shoulder and wrap my arms around his waist.

“Mia, are you okay?”

I tighten my grip around his waist, practically squeezing him.

He held my hand from the front. “Mia.” He called my name again.

“Hmm?”

“Wait, are you crying?”

Was I crying? Well, there were tears in my eyes. Does that count? I buried my face in his back. “No.”

“Mia. Let go.”

“No.”

“I mean, let go so I can see you.”

“No.”

He tried to break free but I held him tighter and buried my face in his back.

“Mia, what’s wrong? Are you mad at me?”

I shook my head, knowing that he can feel me.

“Did you stepmother said something again?”

“No.”

“So, what’s the matter?”

What’s the matter? Let’s see. I like you so much so I lied about having no step siblings. I let you kiss me and then I pushed you away, making it looked like it’s your fault but it’s actually mine. Part of me wants to be with you but part of me is scared that you will leave me if I do.

While I was busy mentally talking to myself, Jin Young manage to pull my hands of and turned around. He cupped my face and searched for my eyes.

“Mia, tell me. What’s wrong? Hmm?” he wiped my tears with his thumbs and caressed my cheek with the back of his hand.

“Is it me? I’m sorry about earlier. I’m really sorry.”

I put my hands on top of his and shook my head.

“If it isn’t me, then what it-” he stopped talking when there were sound coming from the front.

He released his hand from my cheek and looked outside. “Your parents are home.”

I know I should be panicking, but I was feeling calm all of a sudden.

“Mia.” He turned to me. “I’ll leave from the back door like the last time I came.” He cupped my face and smiled. “I’ll call you, okay? Don’t cry.”

I held his hands and looked up at him. “Don’t go.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t go.”

He eyes rounded in surprised. “Your parents are-”

“Stay.”

“What? I can’t.”

“My parent’s room is on the second floor, mine is on the third. They never come to my room.”

He looked at me as if I’m crazy. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Please?” I begged, tears started forming in my eyes. Jin Young panicked and started shaking his head.

“Don’t cry. It hurts seeing you cry.”

I grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer to me and hug him.

“Then stay with me.”