Chapter 3

Lin sighed leaning her head on the side door of the car while looking out the window waiting for the seemingly endless row of trees to be replaced by the view of skyscrapers. She then looked down at the rather worn out yarn bracelet encircling her wrist. She caress the bracelet with her thumb feeling its texture. The dark colors of blue, green, and purple - their favorite colors! - of the yarn were braided beautifully into one bracelet. It's the bracelet that symbolized their friendship that supposed to last forever. They were still physically together, but it didn't feel the same somehow. Lin missed her two best friends who happened to be her own brother and sister-in-law. She missed the time they were all still living under the same roof before the two moved out. She missed sleeping late at night spending the time sharing stories with Yeojin.

But most of all, she missed that time before the other two were married. It wasn't that she disagreed with their marriage. She was beyond happy actually when she heard she would have her best friend as an in-law. Yet, she couldn't help but to notice the growing coldness from her brother when their dad announced it. And from that point, the friendship of the three was slowly broken. Even now, she was the only one wearing the bracelet. Sure she and Yeojin remained best friends, but it didn't feel right without her brother in it.

She wished she could turn back time to when they thought they had the whole world as long as they were together. She wished they never grew up. She wished that at least Yeojin never met that guy. Yifan did grow cold when he was about to get married; however, she noticed that he started growing distant, especially toward Yeojin, when Yeojin met that guy. Now, Lin could only sighed at her thoughts.

She smiled looking at the picture she was holding with both hands. It was a picture of her and the tall guy she was in love with smiling next to each other; their cheeks pressed against one another and his arms hung around her neck. Her mind then traveled back to the time she first saw him.

She walked slowly at the campus park taking a deep breath of the fresh air. She enjoyed the warm colors of the dying leaves, that contrasted the somewhat cold wind, and the crisp crackling sound of the leaves she stepped on along her way. Finally, she found herself an empty bench with the small lake as the view. She sat down and opened her textbook to study it before the next class started. It was easy for her to concentrate on her text book with a serene view like this. But then, something caught the corner of her eyes and stopped her from reading.

There at the side of the lake she saw a tall figure standing while tapping his feet. He looked down at something he was holding on his right palm. A minute later he walked away from the lake. But then a few seconds later, he turned around walking back to his previous post. He seemed to be mumbling something as his right hand curled into a ball. The next thing she knew, something entered the water with a plop sound and the guy walked away. Seeing him leave, she couldn't help but to feel curious. Then again, it wasn't like she could ask him. She shrugged off her curiosity and went back to her reading.

The next day, she went to the campus park again bringing a cup of coffee along with her. She sat on the same bench and took a sip of the coffee before almost spitting it out because she was shocked seeing a head suddenly popped out of the water of the lake and disappeared into it shortly after. The person came out again, stood up, and looked down while his hand moved as if trying to part the water to get a better view of whatever was under the water. It wasn't long before she realized it was the guy from the previous day.

"What is he doing there?" She wondered and was feeling slightly worried. She saw him walking back and forth in the water with eyes that are still glued on the water and with one hand ruffling his hair. He suddenly stopped and dived back into the water afterwards. It just hit her that he must be looking for whatever he threw yesterday. She started standing up when he didn't come out.

"Oh my! Did he drown? Is he dead?" She worried as she walked faster towards the lake. A few seconds later he popped out of the water and swam toward the edge. She stopped in her step and a surge of relief ran down her body. The guy finally reached the edge and crawled out of the lake. He slowly sat down and looked at his palm. He brought that hand close to his chest as he looked up the sky with closed eyes and sighed still panting. He chuckled to himself afterwards.

/He's crazy!/
She thought as she shook her head, but she found herself walking closer to him.

"Are you okay?" She finally asked surprising the guy who fliched before he turned his head and tilted it up to look at her. He didn't say anything for a while and just stared at her.

"Y-yeah! I'm okay."

"What were you doing?" She asked as she seated herself down beside him on the grass.

"J-just...ssswimming," he stuttered and looked away. He looked back at his palm before quickly curling his hand into a ball again, but she was able to catch a glimpse of what made him dive into the lake. It seemed like an ordinary yarn bracelet.

"Was it that special to make you jump into the water?" She asked again and he looked at her with knitted brows. "I saw you threw something away yesterday. So I assume you were swimming to find what you threw away." She giggled a little.

"Yeah. It's important." The guy didn't know why he was still sitting there. He has found what he was looking for. He should've just walked away. But there was something about the girl and her smile that made him stay.

He stood up and soon she followed. They awkwardly started walking side by side when his body then started to shiver as he slowly feel the autumn breeze hitting his body through his soaked clothes. The girl chuckled at how he was shivering and gave him her jacket which has the name of their university embroidered on it.

"Here wear this," she put her university jacket around his shoulders.

"No no no. It's o-"

"Just wear it until you're inside the building." She smiled making her eyes formed crescents. Their awkward walk then continued. "I'm Areum, by the way. Lee Areum." She extended her hand to him with a smile. "Yifan. Wu Yifan." He took her hand and smiled back to her as they walked together.

Areum giggled remembering it as she caressed the picture of them. Thinking about it made her feel butterflies in he stomach until she shook her head and lightly hit her forehead to snap herself to reality.

"No no no. What are you thinking, Lee Areum?" She kept on shaking her head. It must be because of Kris' visit yesterday. "I should not think of him that way anymore. No! Not with his status," she sighed, "not with my status." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. She let out her breath and took one last look at the photo before slipping it between random pages of her notebook.

Suddenly she heard the doorbell and the sound of the door being opened and closed. She knew it couldn't be her employee because two of them were at the back in the kitchen preparing for today while another one had told her he would be late.

"Sorry! We're not opened yet! We will be in 30 minutes if you want to wait," she shouted without looking up. She was sitting behind the cashier counter writing something on her notebook before finally closing it and gathered a pile of money neatly and put it in an envelope.

"But what if I want to meet the owner?" The familiar voice that greeted her ears made her lift up her head. Her jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened when she saw the person.

"You're here!" She immediately stood up out of surprise. "Aren't you supposed to come the day after tomorrow?"

The students of Jaesan Highschool went through the eight hours of school as usual. When the clock 4 o'clock, the bell rang and soon students poured out off class clustering in the hallway.

"Homework is seriously piling up!" Sunhee exclaimed trailing with a tired tone at the end as she opened her locker.

"At least you don't need to have extra private lessons twice a week," Yeojin patted her friend's back.

"You're right, Eonni!" Lin joined as she leaned sideways on the locker beside Yeojin's. "Remind me later not to marry someone from a chaebol family." Her statement made her sister-in-law chuckle.

"Let's go to the mall to relieve our stress for a while!" Lin suddenly straightened her slouching back, that seemed to be carrying the heavy load of assignments before, and suggested this as she clapped her hands.

"That's a great idea!" Sunhee agreed her eyes now glinted with excitement. "What do you think, Jin?"

"Sure! Why not!" Yeojin grinned too.

"Ya MVP!" A slightly deep calm voice called. He didn't call her name, yet Yeojin knew it was her who was being called. The three looked to the direction of the caller and found Sehun standing not far away with his usual cold look. He was obviously glaring at Yeojin while pointing his watch before burying his hands into his pockets. Yeojin gasped a bit remembering the meeting he told yesterday. She bit down her lower lip and nodded to him with an annoyed look. She then turned to look at her friends and pouted.

"Sorry, girls. Hanging out gonna have to be postponed."

"Why?" The other two asked. "And what's with him calling you MVP?" Curious Sunhee asked her.

"Long story. But right now I have to attend the committee meeting for that event I told you. I'll meet you tomorr-" Sehun, being impatient, suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her away from her friends. Yeojin was surprised as she thought he had gone to the office first.

"Ya! You don't need to drag me like this!" She struggled to be let go, but he kept on dragging her by her arm.

"I don't like waiting," he simply answered without turning to look at her.

Yeojin looked back at her friend over her shoulder. "Bye!" She quickly waved and let herself be dragged by the President.

"Tch. He might still act cold," Sunhee squinted her eyes looking at the pair walking farther, "but I can feel it all over my body that he's treating Yeojin differently somehow. I mean... He doesn't usually drag someone or call someone other than with their real names. Right, Lin?" She glanced to Lin standing beside her and noticed the younger girl pursing her lips into firm line while her eyes are glued to the said pair. Sunhee just remembered that Lin might actually had a little crush on Sehun. Her eyes wavered and looked everywhere while she mentally slapped herself for saying words that might actually made the girl jealous.

"T-th-then again," she stuttered trying to form another sentence, "it may be just my feeling. He might act like that to snap some senses into her because Yeojin's not part of the student council and she's new to all this." She slowly glanced back at Lin whose eyes are slowly looking down. "Eyy~ don't be jealous," she teased and nudged her.

"J-jeaous? No, I'm not, Eonni!" Lin lightly slapped Sunhee's arm.

"Aigoo...you said no, but it's written all over your face," Sunhee lowly mumbled under her breath.

Yeojin was so determined to prove herself worthy to be in the committee yesterday, but now that she sat among the other student council members, she felt like she wanted to dig a hole and hide there. It wasn't that she wasn't confident; it was just that she hated the cold judging stare that were sent her way by others as Sehun was leading the meeting.

"So, that's basically what the event will be like over all. Now, anyone wants to ask more questions or give suggestions?" Sehun ended his presentation which was interrupted every then and now with questions along the way. He took a seat on one of the chairs around the round table.

A member raised her hand and Sehun permitted her to speak. "This may sound rude, but why is she here?" She cockily asked pointing and glaring at Yeojin who slowly hunched her shoulders. She pursed her lips and glanced at Sehun.

"Well...," Sehun started, "if you have been listening to me, you will know that she's here because she's the PIC for the track and field competition," Sehun answered calmly with evident icy coldness at every drop of his words.

"Sorry, I need to rephrase my question," the previous member retorted. "Why is she chosen as one of the PIC? She's not part of the council. I know we can appoint anyone besides the council members to be the PIC, but as far as I know she never participated as a committee in any events the school held before. What if she's not able to manage it well? Let's just replace her." Yeojin was seriously fuming inside. She wanted to stand up and pull that member's hair out of fury. But she couldn't because she had no right to. Plus, her words weren't entirely untrue. Right then, she could only wait for the cold President to answer.

"You're right about that," Sehun pointed at the member and she smirked triumphantly. "Actually I don't believe in her abilities too." Sehun glanced at Yeojin who silently scoffed at him. "But!" He continued, "we don't have anymore time to find someone else to replace her and kicking her out will only lead to the coach pestering us. So now... Who wants to be her assistant?" Yeojin slowly straightened her back surprised by his statement. She thought he would kick her out of the committee right away. The others started to murmur and looked at each other.

"No one?" Sehun clasped his hands putting them on the table. "Okay then!" He turned to look at Yeojin. "Yeojin-ssi," he paused and she thought right then that this time he was going to kick her out for real. She slowly hung her head down. "I'll be your assistant." His words made her lift her head up immediately. Her eyes widened in disbelief and their eyes locked for a moment. The others started whispering in disbelief.

Am I dreaming? Did he just said that he will be my assistant?
She couldn't take her eyes off his as she tried to look for any sign of deceit.

"Sehun-ssi - I mean - President," one of the members called and he turned to him. "You shouldn't do it. You're the President you shouldn't be an assistant," he objected.

Sehun scoffed at 's statement. "So you want to be one?" The guy didn't answer and only closed his mouth tight. "It's not like I'm being a maid." Sehun coldly remarked. "None of you wanted to do it, so of course I have to. And even if one of you wanted to, I won't permit it - to be honest - because you all will be busied by your own assigned responsibilities. But I didn't have much specific responsibility besides helping you find sponsors and overseeing your works to make sure the event go smoothly. Plus, being an assistant will only be a mere simple job for me, so it won't interrupt my other responsibilities."

With that, the other members could only sighed. They didn't say anything else. They knew that even if they wanted to say something, it wouldn't change the President's decision. Since there were no more questions, he dismissed the meeting, and everyone started to walk out of the room. Yeojin stayed behind to have a word with Sehun.

"Are you sure you're okay with being my assistant?" They both stood up and she finally asked him once they were left alone. He smirked at her question and crossed his arms.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" She nodded feeling assured. "Don't get too excited. I'm doing this because I don't trust you. Also," he leaned forward and bended down a bit so that his eyes are on the same level as hers, "just because I'm your assistant doesn't mean you get to order me around. I will still be the one who drives you," He ended it with a cold smirk and Yeojin could only blink at the close distance between their faces. Suddenly she felt it hard to breathe as her heartbeat picked up its pace. She finally stepped back and gasped for air as if the close distance earlier was suffocating her.

"By the way," he extended one of his hand with his palm facing upward, "give me your phone."

"W-what for?" She asked surprised. Her heartbeat had not slowed down.

"Just give me," he rolled his eyes and extended his hand again. She quickly fished her phone out of the pocket of her blazer and put it on Sehun's palm. Soon his thumbs danced on the screen tapping something. He then brought the phone to his ear where it stayed for a few seconds.

"Here," he handed back the phone. "That's my number. Save it! I may need to call you since we're going to work together. Now, go!" He dismissed - or more accurately shooed - her. She slightly bowed and turned around on her heels.

She grumbled and scoffed along the hallway at how he dismissed her and how he said he didn't trust her. Once she was outside the building, she looked at her phone and the number recently called.

"Hmm~ what should I save his number as?" She tapped her chin with a finger as she walked towards the gate. "Aha!" She snapped her fingers and immediately typed the name. ICE BLOCK 2. She chuckled to herself. "Yes! You're an ice block like him!" She stuck out her tongue at her phone whose screen flashed his name.

Then, it just hit her. All awhile during the meeting, she felt uncomfortable with the cold judging stares casted on her. But somehow she felt like Sehun was the only who didn't make her feel that way. She felt...safe when she looked at him. Safe from the judging look of the others. It's as if he emitted warmth in the midst of the cold air. It's odd since he himself was - as she said - an ice block. Suddenly, Yeojin was reminded of the image of him riding off with his bike the other day and a grin appeared on her face.

"Then again, i think i understand what Lin meant by cool coldness." She giggled to herself thinking of Sehun. "Wait. What am i thinking!" She shut her eyes tight and shook her head to shake off his image. She then repeatedly hit her head while walking out of the gate.

It was already 5.30 when she arrived at her house. She sighed feeling tired of the long day she had to go through. She went to her bedroom and took off her blazer when she remembered something. Her wedding ring! She fumbled searching in the pockets of her blazer, but didn't find anything. She opened the bag and poured out the things inside it on her bed, but she still couldn't find it.

"Oh no! Did I drop it at school?" She didn't think anymore and immediately bolted out of her house, running with all her might to the school.

Shortly after she left, a car came and rounded the house surrounded by high walls and went to the back entering the garage. Kris stepped out of the car and walked to the front door. From outside, he was surprised to see no lights being inside the house. He opened the door and the house felt empty. Lights and the aircon were still turned off. He looked at his watch. 5.38. Shouldn't she be home already?

"Ya!" He called her. He didn't want to call her by her name - actually he never did since the day they got married. He entered the bedroom when he heard no reply. He saw her blazer and some of her stuffs scattered messily on the bed. Huh? She's here? He walked to the bathroom thinking she was in there.

"Ya! Are you in there?" He knocked on the door, but there was no reply. "Ya!" He knocked again and still there was no reply. Oh no! Did she faint in there?

"Yeojin," the name finally tumbled out of his mouth, "I'm coming in!" No reply. Oh god! Did she really faint? He placed his hand on the door knob ready to put force on it when the door opened easily without him putting too much force. His eyes widened when he found the bathroom empty. He then scoffed at himself. Why are you worrying too much about her, Wu Yifan! She's probably out to get something - god knows what!

"Oh please, sir! I really need to find something! I think I left it inside the school," Yeojin pleaded the security to open the gate.

"Okay... Okay... But please don't take too long. I don't want to be responsible if anything happen to you." Yeojin nodded and the gate was opened.

Kris came out of the room wearing plain white t-shirt and shorts and a towel hung on his neck. He walked to a corner near the bedroom where there was a table for him to work. He seated himself on the black leather chair and looked at the clock hung on the wall. 6.15. She's still not here? A tinge of worry seemed to crept on him, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Stop worrying, Yifan! She's not a little girl anymore! He told himself. He then took out his laptop and opened it.

6.52. "It has been more than an hour! This is so not like her." Kris then hit his head when he heard his own words. "Don't think too much Yifan!" He shook his head and took a deep breath. He turned his attention back to his laptop after he let out his breath. But then, the sky outside caught his attention. The clouds were darker than they normally would be. Is it rainy season already? The tinge of worry started to poke his heart again and this time he couldn't shake the feeling off.

He suddenly stood up abruptly. "Oh sh- it's going to be serious if it rain!"

He quickly dialed his sister's number. He paced back and forth for several minutes when he heard Lin's breath on the other line picking up the phone.

"YA!" He shouted and Lin had to pull away the phone from her ear afraid that the yell will make her eardrum explode.

"Gege, what's with the yel-"

"I got no time! Do you know where Yeojin is?"

"Yeojin eonni? Shouldn't she be home right now?"

"She's not here. Do you know where she might went to?" Kris tapped his foot on the floor.

"Ooh~ are you worrying about her?" She giggled.

"Ya! I've got no time. Do you know or not?"

"Araso. Araso. I don't know. All I know is that she had a meeting after school with the - omo! Did Sehun do something to her?" Lin unintentionally spoke out her mind and Kris' eyebrows twitched at the name. "Ey no way! He's not that type of-"

"Who's Sehun?"

"He's a cold guy at the school, the Pre-"

A guy? Kris questioned in his mind and ended the call before his sister finished her sentence.

He quickly went to the bedroom to take out his jacket and then grabbed his car keys that he left on the coffee table in the living room. He then walked to the front door when the door suddenly opened.

Yeojin came in looking down while sighing deeply. She stopped in her step as she felt a figure standing in front of her. Her eyes traveled from the person's feet up to finally meet his eyes. She tilted her head as their eyes locked. She blinked a few times as he stared at her unblinking.

"Ya!" He finally bellowed. "Where were you?!"

"I was-"

"Shouldn't you be home at least by 5.30? W-wha-what were you thinking?! There could be a lot of punk- were you with-" Kris momentarily paused as Yeojin only knitted her brows making her forehead wrinkled. Why do you care, Yifan? "Shouldn'ta wife be home before her husband is? Shouldn't you prepare dinner or something?" He continued to rant making Yeojin chuckled dryly.

Does he think I'm his maid?
Yeojin thought.

"Shouldn't a wife do that? Shouldn't a wife-"

"I WAS LOOKING FOR MY WEDDING RING, OKAY?" She finally let it out when she was fed up with his rant on what a wife should do as if he was already a good husband. "There! I've said it!" She walked away from him toward the bedroom leaving Kris standing there trying to digest her words.

"What? You were looking for the wedding ring?" He asked and she stopped in her steps.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah," she sighed turning to face him who was just staring at her with a gaze so sharp she felt it could rip apart her heart. "I went back to the school because I thought I dropped it there-"

"You came home late just because of that stupid ring?" He raised his voice and Yeojin's heart somehow shattered hearing him calling the wedding ring stupid. Their marriage wasn't something she love either, but she didn't know why she felt hurt by that word. She could rant back at him, but before she could, he was already continuing. "Ya! What were you thinking?! What if it really rain and you- you- you-," he pointed his finger at her but then look away. "Wait. You brought the ring to school?" He glared back at her. "Why would you- ...school? - are you crazy?" Yeojin only sighed hearing his endless rant.

"It's because I felt like I - ah! It's no use explaining it to you. You won't understand. I'm tired right now. I'll try to find the ring again tomorrow," she walked away from Kris and entered the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

"Ya! I'm not done yet!" He shouted. "Ugh!" He ruffled his hair and sank to the couch throwing the car keys back on the coffee table. That girl! Ugh! I shouldn't have worried. It was a waste of energy! Why did I worry in the first place anyway?!