~~~~~~

I could not focus at all. My grip on my phone was tight as hell. My body was much tensed as I waited for a call. A call from Lia. Actually I received plenty of call today but none of it was from Lia. I mostly received calls and texts from Minyoung saying that she did not hear any news from that latter. The other calls and texts were from Jin, of course. That guy would not stop bothering me with his stupid questions.

I groaned. Lia did not take the classes.  Almost all the classes that we had today, she did not come. Now was our last class for today and I really hoped that she would come. But she did not. I took the bus alone today and a guy with a creepy smile looking at me in a weird way did not make me any happy.

I walked myself or my legs walked me, I did not know and I just did not want to care anymore. I thought I walked with my eyes closed. I forced myself walked in to the shopping mall where I worked. Of course Jin would as me where Lia was, but I could not answer since even I did not know the answer. He could not blame me that Lia ran away, right?

I saw Jimin arranging those bracelets and I smiled at the sight before me. Even though I smiled, I still could not figure my feeling. Of course I felt happy seeing Jimin was here since I did not talk to him since ages except yesterday. I had to the truth; I missed him. But at the same time, I missed Lia. I felt like I lost my other half. Lia and I has been friends since… I could not remember but I was sure it has been long time already.

Suddenly I felt someone patted my shoulder and I looked at the person. Somehow, my smiled dropped. This person was not the person that I wanted to see right now. Not that I hated, it just, I hoped to see Lia smiling at me.

“Hey, are you okay? Why are you standing here? You are blocking the door… anything is wrong?” Jimin asked me. No, everything is wrong! I don’t feel like myself!

“I’m fine… Jimin, can we go eat together later? I want spend my time with you. Do you know that I missed you?” I playfully said at him and he chuckled cutely. Oh, I missed that smile also! But that could not make me smile sincerely.

“Okay! I’ll wait for you at the bus stop later! Don’t be late or I’ll make you regret it~~~!” Jimin said, still chuckling like a little kid. I shoved him away and walked to the counter and met Jin. I smile at him but I thought I failed at that. Jin sensed a sad aura and looked at me with worried eyes.

“Are you okay?” Jin asked me, how many times did I receive that question today?!

“I’m okay. Why?”

“Nothing, where’s Lia?”

“She went somewhere…”

“Where? The toilet? Okay… go start your work, Thira!” I faked happy hums as I walked away but as soon I was nowhere in Jin’s sight, I felt tears were threatening to fall off my eyes. I took tissues from my pocket and wiped it away. I went to the corner of the shop so no one would see me and took out my phone. I called Lia’s number but it went straight to the voicemail. I checked those texts from Minyoung, none of them saying that Lia went to the apartment.

I groaned. I was about to give up when something clicked in my head. I called Lia’s mother phone, hoping that she would pick up and my hope came true. Soon, I heard the voice that I did not hear for ages. “Hello…” Oh, the voice was almost same as Lia’s. But the different was Lia’s voice was softer and more vocal than her mother.

“Hello aunty. This is me, Thira…”

“Oh yes. I remember you. Why you didn’t call me earlier? Are you that busy there? Or did you forget about me already? Did Lia threat you okay?” She me with a sad tone and I could feel she was pouting.

“Lia threats me just fine. But aunty, is Lia in your place? I didn’t see her today since morning…” I quickly asked her since I did not want to make the call longer that it was supposed to be. Taking to Lia’s family members would always make me forget about the real reason why I walked to them in the first place since they always changed the topic when you did not even realize it.

“Nope. She is not here… why? Did she run away?! I know this would happen! I told her not to buy those book yet she ignore me! Seems like she doesn’t have money to pay!”

“No aunty. She didn’t buy any book instead she borrows books from the library… anyhow, is she really not in your place?”

“Really. She is not in here. Even if she comes here, she will tell you first, right? Maybe she has to do something and she doesn’t want you to know it. Who knows? Thira, don’t you want to come here? This house is almost empty right now. I miss your little sister also. My goodness, she’s so cute! Right, how old is she now? Hey, you should come here and sleep over! It’s going to be great just like old times! Bring your mother! We are going to cook together!”

“I want to go aunty but I’m busy. I’ll come to your place if I can. Bye aunty!” I ended the conversation quickly. That woman was just same with Lia but much more cheerful. I kept my phone and started to do my work. Today, we did not have a lot of customers and I did not want to know why.

I tried to focus on my work. Damn, it was harder than I thought. Now, I knew that Lia was not in her parents’ house, where could she be? She was not in those classes that we always took together. She did not go to the library either. I checked the visitors’ name countless time already and none of it was her name.

“Something is wrong. What is it?” Jimin asked me out of the blue, making me startled. Jimin smiled at me.

“I am just thinking about later. What food we are going to eat? Who will pay it? Where? Yeah, that… I am just thinking about that…” I answered. I felt proud of myself since I did not make mistake that could make Jimin curious. I continued my work but when I realized the corner of his lips, I mentally cursed.

He smirked. Jimin smirked.

“Why are you thinking about that? First, we just order whatever we want. Then, maybe, just maybe I’ll pay it but we’ll see it and decide later. Where? We can eat anywhere. See? What is there that you should be thinking?” Jimin said, still smirking and playfully smacking me. I started to regret for saying that. Even though I was just lying but I felt I failed at that. “Are you probably…” Jimin said again and I looked at him in curious. Oh no. His smirk darkened. “… you probably scared because Lia is not going, right?”

Gosh. He was half correct and half wrong. I am scared but not because Lia will never join us. It was because I did not see her today. I blinked my eyes and sighed. I shall play along so that Jimin would not suspect anything. “Sort of…” I mumbled beneath my breath my turned away but I could see that Jimin laughed hard at me from the corner of my eyes. His left arm was placed on his stomach as if his stomach would explode soon

“Hah! You scared of me! Thira is scared of me~~ ME~~! I am a guy and you should scare of me. I can beat the hell out of you just in two minutes. You—” I ran away from him before I could hear more. I decided to arrange bracelets at the other corner of the shop and hummed a song that I did not even know that I had memorized it. Or I thought it was just a melody that I created.

I did not smile even when I walked out of the shopping mall. I waited for Jimin and as if he could hear my pray, he ran towards me right after he saw me. As he ran, I could not stop myself from thinking. Jimin looked so much a boy and I wondered if he could even be strong enough to give a punch. His style also showed me that he was a playful guy who would not take things seriously. He was not the type of guy that I liked but somehow, I liked him.

“Sorry for being late…” Jimin said as he tried to catch his breath. Why did he run towards me when I was standing here still?

Stupid guy.

A/N : 1540.. yay, two chapters in a day.... last time i update was on 29 december 2014....... have fun!