~~~~~~

 

I hated to admit but Jimin really really did help me a lot. Right after the day I told him about Lia's missing, he checked on me whether I was okay or not. That was nice of him but it annoyed me sometimes. Nonetheless, I liked it. Jimin did not ask me a lot about Lia though. Sometimes he played innocent as if I did not tell him the story at all. To my surprise, he was good at keeping secret.

 

That fact though, made me wondered about Jimin more. Jimin was not stupid but absolutely stupid in a way. He could joke like an idiot but solve the problem at the same time without getting anyone suspicious. His ideas sometimes sounded stupid but genius.

 

The longer Lia was not by my side the more I moved towards Jimin. I even shared my secrets, which I've never done with him. I shall feel shy when I shared my secret with people who was not Lia but now whenever I looked at him, the words just slipped from my lips.

 

My smile made its own way to my lips when the fresh memories kicked in my head just like today. I was smiling like an idiot while checking out our new arrived stuff. I knew I looked stupid but I did not care. You could call me stupid for all I cared.

 

"Stop it, Thira. You're scaring me. You look mentally unstable..." Jin commented and I playfully smacked his arm, smile still plastered on my face.

 

"Is it wrong for me to be happy?" I raised one of my eyebrows at him.

 

"It's not wrong but please don't act like this around me."

 

"Want to eat together later? At usual place?"

 

"With Jimin again? Nevermind, forget it..."

 

"Why not? It'll be fun!"

 

"I've been seeing him for years, Thira. And I know all his lame jokes."

 

"I know Lia for years also but I've never get bored with her!" From my spot, I could hear Jin said 'girls are like that...' and I kicked his legs.

 

"Aww, change your habit, Thira!"

 

"Are you going to change your girlfriend if you're bored with her?" Jin stopped checking and thought for a while and said 'probably' oh-so-softly-and-quietly. And I kicked his legs twice.

 

"Stop it! I'm joking!" I glared at him, silently warning him in unspoken language and called him 'playboy' over and over again. As the result, Jin shoved me aside and walked back to his spot, which the counter. I pouted.

 

Guess I'm all alone again...

 

I looked at my watch and sighed. Today, we did not get many buyers and the mall looked quieter than usual. Suddenly, my phone vibrated and I pulled it out from my pocket; just to see a message from a friend. This friend kept sending me texts about homework and assigment, perhaps thinking that I could not take care of myself since Lia was not with me.

 

Haishh...

 

"What with that long sigh?"

 

I jumped on my spot. "Ayyy, you shocked me!"

 

"Sorry. I just want to say that Jimin won't be here today. He got to do something."

 

"Oh. Okay." I just replied shortly with a smile. I did not what to do more. Mr. Namjoon just stood there as if he was waiting for me to say something more or was he going to say something? "Umm, guess I can go home early today! Jimin and I planned to eat together but since he's not here... yeah... plan canceled..." I added purposely.

 

"You guys seem close lately."

 

"Yeah..."

 

"Okay, work hard. Bye..."

 

"Bye..." My 'bye' did not seem to reach his ears though, he just walked away without a second glance or hands waving. Really unlike his older brother, Jin.

 

 

~~~~~~

 

 

Few hours later, I found myself in a bookstore. A junk bookstore. Why? Because my friend texted me saying; 'we have to find a book. An english book titled 'The Waiting Rose Castle'. Bring the book next week.'

 

I rubbed my eyes. Gosh, I'm sleepy!

 

How am I going to find it in this (giant) junk bookstore?! I gripped my bag tightly as I looked about me to find the said book. He said the cover was red colour and the tiltle was white and black in colour. Somehow, the describe of the book's cover reminded me of blood.

 

"Red, red, red... find it! Ahhh!" What was that?! My eyes were wide opened and I looked at the thing at my legs. Wait, it was not a thing... I looked closer and realized that thing was a human. Man...

 

"DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO WALK WISELY?! ARE YOU BLIND? ARE YOU IN HURRY OR WHAT?!"

 

"I-I'm sorry!"

 

"You stepped on my hand with your boots! Is your sorry going to erase the pain?!"

 

"I'm sorry! Let me bring you to the clinic!"

 

"I don't want to g-"

 

"Excuse me, please behave yourself or I shall kick you out..." the owner suddenly said, making me jumped on my spot. When did he even come here?

 

"Sorry uncle..." the guys said. After the owner went away, he looked at me with sharp eyes. "You come with me..." He led me to outside of the Junk bookstore and sighed.

 

"I'm sorry for stepping on your hand..."

 

"What's your name?"

 

"Thira"

 

"I forgive you but please don't do this again, even to other people! What book where you looking for? Is that more impostant?"

 

"I was looking for a book titled 'The Waiting Rose Castle' for already two hours...  so when I found it, I became excited. I just want to go home now. Why were you sitting there? People would crash on to you."

 

"Only new people would do that and I believe you're one of them. Forget this and forgive me also for shouting at you. I was so in to my reading and when people distrub me, I get angry easily. Let me help you to find your book." We went in to the junk bookstore again and I noticed something. The owner of the junk bookstore was smiling oh-so-creepily towards me. I shivered before following the guy again.

 

"Hey, is this the book you were looking for?"

 

"Huh?"

 

"Dumb."

 

"Hey! Watch your language!"

 

"Whatever. Here, take it."

 

"Thank you so much!" I said and straight go home. Honestly, I had no time to waste since I had to do plot about this novel and tell my whole literature class about it. Just hope that I would not get sleepy tonight.

 

 

~~~~~~

 

I yawned loudly. Minyoung was sleeping quietly across the room with her back facing me.

 

Pft, why am I still awake and not sleeping just like her? Oh yeah, because I'm doing my assigment.

 

I just had to finish it today since I never like to postpone it and the fact that Lia would not be reminding me also made me wanted to finish it as soon as possible. But!!!! Suddenly my phone vibrated, signaling me there was a message came in. I opened it and my eyes grew wider than usual. The text was from... Mr. Namjoon?

 

Mr. Namjoon????

 

I blinked my eyes.

 

From: Mr. Namjoon

Text: Thira, sleep early tonight and don't push yourself to stay awake. You might be sleepy for tomorrow.

 

Whaaatttttt? Mr. Namjoon texted me? Me? At this hour? What happened? Did something bad happen? Wait... I thought, perhaps, Jin used his brother's phone. Who knows? Aish, I got a weird feeling about this. Was this text supposed to be good or bad? He concerned about me? Or did he mad at me? Maybe because... I would always tired after classes and I did not do the work properly?

 

I decided to ignore those weird feelings and took the advice; to sleep early.

 

 

A/N 1298 words! aayyyy!!!! finally two chapters update! i check the last time I update was 30 january I guess huhu, hope enjoy! Does my friend read this story? i don't know. They never talk about this to me... Hmm.

I don't even know whether are they my true friend or what... Guess, we just kpop/fanfics buddies... Who knows... EXO blalala I can't remember yr name! Anyway, I'm not talking 'bout you