Shin pulls his bike on the way back home. He stops by kyuwon’s house gate, hesistant to come over. Will it be alright to see her now? Or wait a little longer? He wants to be with her again, but what if she’s still not ready? Several encounters for the last three days convinced him she’s still not fully comfortable to get close to him.

It’s a definite square one.

Thus he decided to goes straight to his house at last. He realise, not only he’s tired after surrounded by all the festive mood at school, he also doesn’t know what can he says to her.

When he gets home, much to his surprise, harabeoji was there to had diner. The old man welcome him in a cheerful way. Honestly speaking that makes Shin freaking out. That scary grandpa of Lee Kyuwon turned into a bubbly old man. It doesn’t feel okay.

Come to think of it again, this is the first time they meet each other again. After the incident, Shin expecting harabeoji to be more strict and unfriendly at him. But he’s not. Harabeoji doesn’t look anything closer to holding back anger or about to get angry at all.

“My grand daughter hasn’t back yet it seems.” He says.

“Shin, you’re not came back together?” Shin’s mum asks.

Shin shook his head.

“Come here. Accompany me to eat. I’m so hungry but you kids didn’t came any sooner.” Harabeoji wave his hand asks Shin to sit next to him.

Shin obeyed with a frown on his face. As he sits, he asks, “Did you hurt anywhere, harabeoji?”

“Hm?” Harabeoji looks confuse. “I’m not sick.”

“I see.” Shin grinning foolishly. Indeed foolish to ask the one in question how on earth they are not anything like usual. Harabeoji might be change after the incident Kyuwon ran away. But to see the change this real, Shin still find it hard to believe. This old man not the easlyly irritated person he used to be.

And… to top it of, Junghyun jokes around comfortably with harabeoji. Who the hell is this guy? A drastic change like this is the scariest.

***

Kyuwon makes a noisy sounds when she unlocks the gate to her house. She calls harabeoji to greet him. But he doesn’t answer. She saw the light in his room was off. Kyuwon takes off her shoes and climb the house. She walks to harabeoji’s room right away to find the room was empty.

“Where is he?” Kyuwon mumble to herself. She shove her bag and fish out her phone. The call connected in an instance, and picked up immediately. “Harabeoji, where are you?”

“Oh, Kyuwon-ah. You’re home?”

“Why aren’t you in the house? It’s dark outside. Your eyesight not that good to wandering around alone, harabeoji.”

He chuckles. “I’m not going too far. Come here. The family next door invited us for a diner. Have you had your dinner yet?”

Kyuwon doesn’t speak a word. The family next door… was it Shin’s family?

“I’m eating first. I’m too hungry to wait for you. How could you let an old man waiting in starvation.”

The phone call disconnected with Kyuwon still feeling uneasy. She doesn’t know if Shin has arrived home or not. Even when he’s not around, imagine seeing his mother and sister makes her feels embarassed already. Shee have causing trouble for everyone with Shin also involved. There’s no way his family doesn’t know anything about it. At least they should grasp a little knowledge and came with an incomplete conclusion.

Kyuwon sits on the edge of her high floor, let her feet hanging to the ground. Reluctant to go. But this might be the chance to fix the mess she made. She can’t runaway forever. She learnt from her mistakes, running away from trouble only causing more trouble.

She stand up straight. She have to face him.

***

“Shin-ah,” Mum staring at the front door, “why does Kyuwon not coming yet?”

Shin looks up to his mum, then automaticaly staring at the door.

“Maybe she had her diner already.” Junghyun says while picks up another bowl of rice.

“You’re a good eater. That’s nice, kid.” Harabeoji compliments her.

But Junghyun sulks. “I’m not a kid, harabeoji. I’m already eighteen.”

Harabeoji laughs and continue eating.

Mum looks at Shin. “Why don’t you pick her up, Shin-ah? Maybe the bell broken again. And she’s waiting there without knowing.”

“Even though we have fixed it yesterday?” Junghyun hiss in disbelief.

“Who knows.” Mum pat the daughter head to remind her not being loud while eating. “Come on. Check her out, Shin.”

Shin release a long sighs. It will be tiring facing her. But he can’t let her wait in case the bell really broken again. Though he thought she co