Winter break passed by like it was in a hurry. Students were back at school grumbling that their holiday wasn’t enough. Back in the city, Woohyun was working at the office, the Park sisters were eating lunch, Jae Hee was studying, Jongup was at the practice room, dancing. How typical the day was for all of them. It could almost fool you into thinking that nothing had changed.

Almost.

Jae Hee looked around the library and sighed. She was the only one remaining. She closed her eyes and felt the silence. She then compared it to the noise when she went to B.A.P’s concert. Does Jongup get tired of hearing those? Was he getting enough sleep because of their schedule? Did he already eat? What was he doing right now?

Ah. This was the change. She was now thinking of a boy when she shouldn’t. More so, she was thinking of a boy that she shouldn’t even think about.

She stood up and fixed her things. Maybe she should just study harder in order not to think of anything else. Oh. She should also remember that that ‘anything else’ was Moon Jongup.

Jae Hee was walking home when she received a text message from her brother.

We ran out of milk, buy some before you come home.

--Woohyun Oppa

Jae Hee kicked a stone.

You should’ve told me earlier. It’s already late.

--Jae Hee

She kicked another stone, waiting for a reply.

Buy coffee too. And eggs.

--Woohyun Oppa

I might really hit my brother, she thought.

I’m feeling lazy. You should’ve told me earlier.

--Jae Hee

She stopped walking and leaned against a street light post, closing her eyes when her phone vibrated signaling a message from her brother.

You won’t argue.

--Woohyun Oppa

 Tired as she was, Jae Hee sighed because she also knew that she won’t argue. She turned around and ran towards the nearest grocery store thinking that she should hurry because it’s only a little time before her eyelids close because of her sleepiness.

She was looking at the variety of milk when she felt a presence beside her. She looked up and squinted to recognize who the looming figure was.  

Jongup smiled.

And suddenly, in spite of her sleepy state, Jongup’s face became clear. But instead of returning his smile, Jae Hee grabbed two cartons of milk and ran to the counter leaving a dumbfounded Jongup behind.

“We just saw Jae Hee ran out of the store, hyung.” Zelo informed Jongup. “Did you perhaps bump into her?”

“She ran away when she saw me.” Jongup confessed.

“Oooh. That hurts.” Daehyun whistled.

Jongup threw Daehyun a glare. And the rest of the boys laughed because it wasn’t really like the nice guy to do that. He must have really liked the girl. “Don’t rub salt on my wound hyung. It hurts enough without you telling me.”

Youngjae stuck his tongue out to Daehyun.

“But what are you going to do now?” Himchan asked. “Your first attempt failed.”

“I’m going to try harder.” Jongup reassured his hyung. But what he said wasn’t even enough to convince himself that he could do it. Because when Jae Hee ran away from him for the second time, it took him a lot of courage to step forward and go back to where his friends were.

-----------------

“What did you say?” Minhee stopped walking.

“I ran away when I saw him last night.”

Minhee rubbed her forehead. Could this friend of hers get any more foolish?

“Oh it’s Jongup!” Chanmin pointed ahead, trolling Jae Hee to see what would her reaction be.

Jae Hee covered her face with her hands and started walking backwards. But Minhee pulled her on the collar.

“You’re thinking of him all the time yet you hide your face when he’s around. Why did you run away when you saw him?” Chanmin asked.

Jae Hee dropped her hands, belatedly realizing that her friend just activated a mean streak in her system. “I was scared.”

Minhee’s eyes widened. “It’s Jongup.”

“Don’t joke Min.” Jae Hee slapped Minhee’s shoulder. “It’s not even funny.”

“I’m not joking.” Minhee said, fingers stoned pointing in a certain direction.

Jae Hee gulped. She looked at where Minhee was pointing and saw Jongup.

“Do you think he saw me?” Jae Hee whispered.

“I think he’s waiting for you.” Chanmin told her instead.

Jae Hee was about to step forward at the same time Jongup turned his head and met her eyes. She took a deep breath for courage, but she couldn’t seem to channel it.

She took a step backward. “Min, Cha, I’ll just be a coward this one last time. See you at home.” For the third time in her life that lacked a love-life, she ran away from the boy who might have been the one she was looking for.