A/N: Hey guys! This update has been long overdue and honestly, I wasn't supposed to post this until next weel, but I didn’t want to prolong it and make you wait further. I wrote this chapter around three weeks ago and I just didn't have the time to make the necessary revisions. Real life happened and it got in the way of everything. As I left this story untouched for a while, I admit that I somehow lost my momentum. I do have some reservations about how this chapter turned out and I can't say that I'm completely happy with the results. Nonetheless, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it didn't turn out as lame as I find it. I hope you guys enjoy this. :)

Pacing back and forth just a few feet away from the entrance of Seoul station, I checked my phone anxiously for any messages. Nada. I was about to put my phone back in my bag when the time flashed on the screen. 7:05am. No wonder. The days flew by way too abruptly for my liking and the next thing I knew, the much dreaded Saturday had finally turned up. Here I was waiting for my partner and as embarrassing as it may be, I got to our meeting place twenty minutes before the time we had agreed on. As much as I was sincerely looking forward to meeting the kids and getting started on the workshop, I still hadn’t entirely stomached the fact that I would be working with him. I would be lying if I said that I hadn’t thought of ways to get out of this because in the past few days, my brain was automatically plotting schemes that were beyond preposterous. Should I call in sick? Nah, that would just be prolonging the agony. Should I plead to Professor Shin to be assigned a new partner? That would be borderline immature and diva-ish. And the one that tops my list: Should I drop out for good? Hell no. I worked so hard to get into this university and given that I was just a couple of semesters shy of my final year, I didn’t think I would ever have the heart to discard all my hard work. Besides, we already spent the last few days working our butts off preparing for this, albeit individually. It would be such a shame to put all our efforts to waste. So nope, I hated to break it to myself, but there was just no way out of it.

I drank what was left of the coffee that I bought from one of the nearby cafes before I tossed the empty cup in the garbage bin. What on earth was I thinking that I ended up getting here earlier than I intended to? As we were assigned to a community in Anyang, a city in Gyeonggi-do, Bum suggested that we take the train because driving there would be unreasonably time-consuming, plus we would surely attract unwanted attention if we brought a car. To my relief, the station was nearly deserted granted that it was a Saturday and bizarrely early for people to be out and about. The last thing that I wanted was to draw a crowd while being spotted with the person whom I was rumored to be dating and become the object of prying eyes when I was inching my way up to the industry with my back-to-back projects. Rumors my foot. Well, it wasn’t as if the public knew.

I thought it was a smart move on my part to dress simply. Sporting a pair of denims with a casual navy blue coat and black sneakers, I didn’t look a day past eighteen even though I was already in my mid-20s. I silently prayed that there wouldn’t be any glitches on the way.

Bored out of my wits, I took out my phone once more and looked through my photos. I was so engrossed into it that I failed to notice how I was blocking the way when a small group rushed past me, causing me to accidentally collide into one of them.

“Oops. Sorry, miss," said a female voice.

Covering half of my face with my long hair, I responded timidly, “Gwenchanayo.” However, the group was nowhere to be seen. Phew. That was close.

I brought my attention back to my phone. 7:17am. Just a few minutes left. Relax, So Eun, Manhee’s voice from our phone conversation the previous night filled my head. Do what you do best. Think of it as nothing but work. Keep it professional.

“Hello, beautiful miss. May I have your autograph?”

Oh dear. Busted.

Startled, I almost dropped my phone from my hand. I took a step back and carelessly stepped on the foot of the newcomer.

“Omo! I’m so so-“ I muttered nervously before I was greeted with a howl of laughter.

I looked up and found Bum shaking his head as he laughed his heart out.

“Bum-ah, you seriously scared me,” I said earnestly.

“I’m sorry, So Eun-ah. It’s just that you looked way too serious. Did I keep you waiting for too long? I thought I’d get here before you, but I didn’t expect you’d show up earlier. Mianhae,” he asked softly as he apologized after his laughter died down.

I managed to smile placidly. “No. Don’t worry about it. We should get going.” I my heel while he followed. When he finally caught up, I checked him out from the corner of my vision and took notice of how he was dressed. He paired his dark jeans with a black letterman jacket and black Chuck Taylors. He may have put on a laidback ensemble, yet he looked as if he came out from the pages of a magazine. How could life be so unfair?

The train arrived once we purchased our tickets. When we hopped on, Bum was about to take the seat right next to the door, yet I requested that we take the seats on the last row.

He gave me a confused look until realization dawned on him. “Oh right. You might end up being harassed if your league of fan boys spots you. Sorry I didn’t think of that,” he uttered with faint amusement in his tone.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Nah, I just don’t want people to think…you know…” came my best attempt at an explanation.

He took a look at my face before chuckling. “Do you think people will still make a big deal out of it? As far as I know, the LTE couple is making headlines lately,” he remarked casually.

I didn’t want it to get to me and I knew that he didn’t mean any harm, yet I couldn’t help being stung by his words. Had it always been that easy for him to move on that he could just shrug the entire thing off as if it never mattered? Everyone moves on at their own pace and it just so happened that he did it in leaps and bounds, while here I was, moving at a snail’s pace. He was able to find love, after all. It may not have lasted that long between them, yet I still felt scarred. Although in hindsight, who was I to complain? I brought it all upon myself.

“It’s just pure business,” came my straightforward response.

He grinned, yet remained silent.

Upon examining the interiors of the train, I felt at ease when I discovered that it was nearly vacant. The only passengers, excluding us, were an elderly couple, a middle-aged woman who carried a toddler, and an inebriated man who couldn’t seem to tell the difference between day and night.

“Want one?” I turned and found him holding out a box of Pepero.

I recalled how I surprised Jae Rim oppa with a basket of Pepero during the most recent episode of our stint to commemorate what we called Pepero Day. The occasion is like a rip-off of Valentine’s Day, though the purpose is to exchange peperos as a sign of affection for loved ones. Could he have received it from someone else? Not that it was any of my business, yet I couldn’t help but wonder because as far as I knew, he was the type who shied away from sweets.

Out of courtesy, I got a piece from the pack. “Thanks,” I muttered. “Are you into sweets now?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. “Sang Hee got a truckload on Pepero Day. I think the supply she received can last an entire year,” he exaggerated. “I was rushing earlier and found the boxes on the kitchen counter so I just grabbed a couple just in case we got hungry.”

“I see. I thought your taste has changed,” I joked, just before I realized the double context.

“Nah. I’m still pretty much the same. But it’s