Minhyuk POV:

"Haha, you're cute." Those words have been on repeat in my head since I left her house yesterday. Though the back of my mind knew very well that she was only being sarcastic, her words still left me hanging. Taking a tin box out of my backpack, I place it on my desk and open the box. Inside were photos of all the places I traveled in the past three years: Japan, Thialand, Malaysia, Philippines, Germany, China, and the United States. I knew she'd appreciate photos of the USA the most. I take these photos and lay them on my desk.

Waiting for her text message felt like forever, so to keep my mind busy, I start to clean around my room. Although it was fairly clean, I hated feeling impatient so I knew this was the best method to keep me occupied. As I clean I spot the journal again, remembering that the journal had a pocket on the back of the book. I take it out and flip over to the pocket. Inside, there were notes that Kina would write to me and stick them in my school lockers over the years. Taking one of the notes, the first one was written back in middle school:

Yo Minhyuk oppa! So there's a rumor that Jung Yunje likes you. Be careful, I heard she's crazy for a pretty girl... kekekeke

The funny part of that note? She was right, and this note saved me from a possible humilation towards the last year in middle school. That would've been bad. I took out another note from the pocket. This time, it was one written in high school.

Oppa, what the hell is love? I don't think it's real anymore...mom and dad are fighting again...I might come over soon..again. Sorry. :(

This note was written a few months before her parents filed for a divorce. After that, she's been bitter about the thought of love and has buried herself in books ever since. Unfortunately for me, my honest feelings for her hasn't changed, but I knew it was best to keep it silent until she was willing to handle such truth. The last thing I wanted to deal with was immediate rejection.

Three years later, however, it seems that my feelings for her hasn't budged.

Before I took out another note, the doorbell rang. 

"Coming!" I shout. Placing the notebook on the ground, I get up and walk towards the door. I peered through the peep hole and see only a purple hat. Kina was shorter than the location of the peep hole. I open the door and greet the short girl. "Hey Kina." I say. She grins back and walks inside the house. Taking off her shoes and walking towards the living room, she looks around the room and sighs,

"Ahh~ just like old times..." she mumbles, and plops herself on the couch and brings her knees to her chest to hug herself.

I chuckle as I close the door behind her, "Do you want anything?" I ask her.

She looks back at me and nods her head, "Yeah. Do you have some hot chocolate? I was chilly out there." she says. I prepare the hot chocolate and boil the hot water on the stove top.

"Says the girl who threw snowballs at my window yesterday." I joke.

"That's because it was fresh snow. I had to tell someone!" she protests.

I laugh as I pour the hot water in the mugs, "I was only kidding! Take a joke when you can." I say stirring the hot chocolate in her mug and hand it to her.

"Thank you oppa." she says and takes a tiny sip of the hot chocolate.

"You're welcome." I say while holding on to my mug not taking a sip just yet. I quietly watch her as she drinks her hot chocolate little by little. She'll never know...I thought sadly and forced myself to avert my eyes to the window. I must've spaced out because she suddenly says, 

"Oppa!" 

Her voice startles me, and made me spill some of my hot chocolate on my hand, "AH!" I scream from the hot liquid scalding my hand for a bit. She quickly jumps from where she sat and runs towards me. "Oppa are you okay?" she asks.

I nod my head and manage to laugh, "Yeah, I'm fine... it's just a slight burn, nothing bad." I try to assure her. Kina, on the other hand, took it very seriously and grabs my hand to drag me to the kitchen, "Yah, what are you-" before I could finish my sentence, she turns on the faucet and shoves my hand on the running water.

"You need to treat a burn immediately, even if it's a minor one!" she says sternly, but I didn't hear anything because all my attention was focused to her hand grabbing on to my wrist. When she turned off the water, she pats my hand to dry it off. The inflammation of my hand reduced greatly and the pain subsided, "There you go. You should feel a little better now. Sorry for startling you." she let's go of my hand and casually walks back to the living room, leaving me standing alone in the kitchen. 

Maybe I need to wait a little longer for her to understand...