Sanghee was wondering.

When she was a kid, her teachers always tell her to 'Think before you act!" Because regret always comes late.

She asked her teachers back: “What if it comes on time? What if I know what I’m doing now is wrong and I shouldn’t do this?”

Her teachers answered, “That’s not regret, dear. It called realization.” 

Regret is something that you gain through experience.

And much to her fascination, it keeps on coming late, no matter how many times she had experienced it. Regret always got here after she met a , whether it was good or bad, and shortly after regret, she will meet and end and forced to make a new beginning. It was a familiar pattern, and she had so much experienced about regret. She learned it the hard way.

But tonight, she meets a new wonder.

Sanghee saw Himchan offered his hand to her as he introduced himself to her. She looked at his hands and decided that his face is more interesting compared to his hand. She saw him smiled and her hand automatically shook his. She saw him smiled and her lips automatically told him her name. My, what a traitorous body.

She saw him smiled wider and out of nowhere, she remembered the first scene outside this building. She remembered how she regretted coming here. How she had this strong urge to ran away and go back home as soon as possible. She remembered how she battling with herself before she decided to take the first step and enter the building.

Could someone feel regret before doing it? But that's exactly what she felt tonight.

"Stop frowning. You’ll get wrinkles.”

“How come I didn’t remember anything about you at all?”

“Hey, didn’t you hear me? I said let’s start this over. And I meant it.”

“Can’t you just tell me why?”

“Nah. It’d like it better if you figure it out on your own.”

She feels bad. She feels bad towards him. She feels like he really knows her and she knows that being forgotten is . But there’s something in his smile that makes her worries disappear.

“Ya, stop frowning! Come on, let’s enjoy the night!”

He grabs her hand and leads her to the dance floor.

And her regret disappears. No, he makes her forget that she had regret coming here. She even feels grateful to her friends for making her coming here.

They dance. They dance together. There’s something in him that makes her cannot tear her eyes away from him. Boys with tall body usually don’t look that good when they’re dancing. And Himchan just has this great reflex. She never knows that a guy can have this effect on her. His moves made her dizzy and all-hyped up and going wild and wanting for more. She’s lost again.

She bumps into someone. It supposed to be a normal bump. People tend to bump each other when they’re on the dance floor. But, it’s not a normal one.

“Sanghee-ya, stop dancing. You’ll make yourself dizzy. You drank too much already.”

She looks up. A boy—no, a man—standing too close in front of her.

“But I’m not dizzy, Seunghyun.”

“Yes, you are. Come on.”

He drags her, leaving Himchan feels more dejected than being forgotten.

She looks back, stealing one last look to the poor boy.

He mouths some words. The lights are too dim for her to understand his lips’ movement. All she can see is how pink his lips are and how it looks good on his face. Augh, looks like she really had drank too much.

He noticed that she can’t read his lips. He shows her a gesture, telling her that he’s going to call her later.

She leaps mentally, squealing loudly in her mind. She replies his gesture with a smile, and then turns her body to face Seunghyun who is doing his best to drag her out the dance floor. She thanks God for making the lights are dim for she cannot hold her full grin.

Just when she reaches her table that she realizes something. He didn’t have her phone number. She mentally slaps herself. Augh!

The night ends when one of her friends decides to throw everything she had put inside her stomach out. She takes a quick glance, her eyes is sweeping the whole room, trying to find a certain man that had entered her mind without a permit.

No luck. She sighs.

With one curse word, she steps out the building. She is busy putting her jacket on when a hand taps her shoulders. That hand belongs to Seunghyun.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

“No, you don’t have to.” I don’t want to repeat history. “No, I’ll go home with—“

“With me.” A voice answers them. Two heads turn to the voice direction. It belongs to Himchan. “I’ll take her home. I’ll take you home.”

Without waiting for reactions, he grabs her hand and takes her with him.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want to take me home?”

“Ah, I just need a reason to ask your phone number. I just realized that I didn’t have your number.”

“Well, you can just simply ask for it.”

“Not now. I need to gather my courage first. I’ll ask you later.” He smiles. “So, which direction is your house?”

“Is it easier to ask for my address than my phone number?”

“Both are nerve-wrecking. But you’re worth the stress. Which way?”

He’s unbelievable.

Bright street lights and empty roads accompany them while they’re walking together to her house.

“Why walking? It’s quite far.”

“I need to spend a lot of time with you.”

Long slows stride beside quick small steps.

“So, you’re a performer?”

“Yeah, it’s been two years already.”

“So, when we met, you’re not a performer yet?”

“Yes. I have to make you notice me. So I decide to be a performer.”

“Ya, stop those horrible lines. You’re starting to scare me.”

“I sounded like a creepy stalker, didn’t I?”

“Yes, a crazy one that might kidnap me one day and keep me locked in a basement for the rest of his life.”

“Ah, you just gave me a wonderful idea.”

“Stop joking! It’s a horrible thing! I don’t what it to happen to anyone in this world, especially me.”

“Don’t worry. I will do it only to you. And I’ll lock you in my room. Feed you properly and let you shop online.”

Stomachs flip. Hands begin to sweat. Hearts quicken its pace.

“How have you been these two years?”

“Fine. My life is great. Well, sometimes I feel lonely at nights but beside that, my life is great.”

It’s funny how she can be so open to this handsome stranger.

“Well, that’s good to hear. I’m happy you have a great life.”

“What about you? How does it feel to be a performer?”

“It’s a great feeling! I love music and it makes me happy whenever I hear or do it. So I started to make my own music, do a lot of brainstorming, finding my own personal taste and felt good about myself. When my first piece was completed, I was so proud of myself.”

“You should be. That was a great performance you did back then.”

“You watched it?”

“Of course. It’s brightened everyone’s mood!”

He smiles. “You know, being a performer is great enough for me. I can make my music. I can do my music. I can show people my music. That’s all I ever need. But the best part of being a performer is when I got appreciation from people who heard my music. Oh my God, that is the best feeling!”

“Well, I’m glad you have a great time for these two years.” She smiles.

“Actually, no. I didn’t have a great time these two years.”

“Hmm, why is that?”

“Because …” He blows his breath out, hoping that instead of air, courage will enter his lungs. “Because you’re not there—“

“We’re here!” She stops her steps.

He stops his steps. And his words too.

“What did you just say Himchan-ssi?”

He sulks inside. It seems that beside a lot of courage, he needs a good timing too.

“Nothing. You should get going. It’s late.”

“Thank you for taking me home. Good night, Himchan-sshi.”

“Good night, Sanghee-sshi.”

She turns her body. He doesn’t turn his eyes from her.

“Can I have your phone number?”

She giggles and faces him.

“It took you that long to gather courage?”

“Yes, it did.”

“Okay then. You can have my phone number.”

“Wow! Thanks! I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“No need to rush. Just have a good rest tonight.”

Morning comes and a huge amount of sun rays hit her face, force her to wake up from her sleep. Sanghee looks at her table clock and grumbles. It’s too early! She went to bed very late last night. Himchan kept on standing in front of her house, even after she entered her room. She peeked from her window, and he was there. She changed her clothes and then peeked from her window again. He was still there. She cleaned herself peeked from her window. He was there. She opened her window and told him to go home. He told her to go to sleep.

“What are you doing there?”

“I’m waiting for my friend’s call. Just go to sleep. Don’t mind me here. He’ll call me soon.”

She frowned and closed the window. She prepared herself to go to sleep. She peeked again and he still was there, staring at her window. Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly turned off her lamp. Still peeking, she saw him stared at her window for a good two minutes before turned back and walked away.

What a night.

And she isn’t ready to wake up now!

She tries to close her eyes but the memory from last night keeps on repeating inside her mind. Frustrated with her repetitive thoughts, she gets up from her bed, takes her phone with her and goes out from her room.

No calls or texts. Well, it’s still to early Sanghee-ya, she scolds herself. And stop waiting for his call! Don’t put your hope to high. With heavy steps, she enters the kitchen.

Her mother is making breakfast and she can smell the coffee her father brews. Well, nothing beats a breakfast and coffee and a newspaper. She just needs a newspaper.

She wears her slippers and opens the front doors. She goes to her mailbox and finds her favorite newspaper stuffed there.

And a man is sitting under her mailbox.

“Himchan-sshi?”

“Morning!” He stands up.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, it’s tomorrow now.”

“So?”

“So …” Instead of answering her, he pulls out his phone and his finger moves across the screen.

Her phone rings. She checks it. It is him, calling her. She looks at him. He doesn’t look at her.

Confused, she answers the call.

“I know I’m supposed to call you, but I can’t help myself coming here.”

He sighs.

 “I owe you an apology. I lied last night.”

She feels her heart drops a little. He lied? Which part? No! Please! I like you already! Don’t take back your words!

“We never really met. I meet you at the first time you meet Yongguk. I was whining for him to go home. He was already wasted. So were you. Yongguk introduced me to you, but I guess you were too tipsy to register our meetings.”

W-what?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie. I just too excited to see you after all these years that I’d do everything I can to make you talk to me.”

Her mind is blank now.

“I want to do things right with you.”

He looks at her. She looks at him.

“So, will you come and watch me again tonight?”