"Can you turn off your phone?"

"And why?"

"You're tiring yourself waiting."

POUTING THE WORD "Fine." is what Seoyeon ended up doing. Not that she was expecting something, but still she felt disappointed as she shoved back the thin material in her slingbag. One-sided crush can hurt, but the thought of losing both crush and momentum at the same time is excruciating. It's just that Min Yoonki is perfect for her idealized character.

Min Yoonki.

A quite gentleman is how Seoyeon see him until recently. She remembered him not dealing with negativity during highschool. The picture of him eating alone in a cafeteria while listening to his favorite headphone stays vivid in her mind. What makes him a gentleman? No matter how sad his eyes were, he would still greet and smile at you once you called his name. How tiring it is to pretend to be okay for so long? Yoonki knows. I wonder what happened to him.

"Do you think he's too busy? What if he changed his phone number?" Seoyeon halted her footsteps and faced the latter beside her, stopping him from walking as well. She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer. "Tell me, is it because I spammed him messages earlier? Aigoo. Am I The Annoying Seoyeon now?" The moment she pulled her hair made her realized that she's overthinking again. Ah! I'm aging again!

Jeongguk closed his eyes, rolled it, and sighed all at once before taking his face mask off and patting the elder's head in return. He spoke calmly. "He could've have texted you if he's busy. You can't do anything if he changed his phone number. Stop messaging him because that doesn't only make you The Annoying Seoyeon, but also The Crazy and Desperate Seoyeon. Alright?" He flashed an annoyed smile, putting the face mask in his pocket, as he started to walk again.

"Crazy and desperate? What! You brat!" Seoyeon let out a muffled scoffed. She sneered before sprinting and locking the younger's head in her arms. "Are you annoyed, ha? Is Guk annoyed at me, ha? Ha?"

"Yes, you are really, really annoying!" Jeongguk was trying to pull her arm off him, but there is a manlier soul inside of her. He almost had no match. "If I were him, I would block your number!"

"Take that back!"

"No."

"Then suit yourself!"

"Let go, noona!"

"No."

"N-noona!"

Jeongguk thanked the supernatural being above when her ringtone rang in all of sudden. He rested his hands on his both thighs, as he chases his breath. He fixed his torso and glared at the elder whose tongue is sticking out whilst she fished for her phone. "I hope that he'll never notice your messages nor answer your calls." He eished for the nth time, placing his hands in his pocket as he begun to make footsteps again, leaving the elder behind. However, the sudden sweet and gentle voice of Seoyeon pulled him back to his place.

"Yes, good evening. This is Seoyeon."

"It's okay, I understand. You don't have to apologize and I'm glad you can remember me."

"Well, I am going to write a book and the protagonist is a young policeman. I contacted you for I'm hoping you can help me in writing. You suit the character really well, that's why. One meeting is enough."

"Yes, yes. We can meet on Saturday night."

"Okay, I'll wait for your call then."

"Thank you. Take care. Bye."

Seoyeon flipped her hair in a sassy way as she turned off the thin material and placed it back to its designated place. "I hope that he'll never notice your messages nor answer your calls, you say? Guess what?" She pointed herself with her index finger and mouthed so silently. "He called me. He called me." The elder begun to move her arms and legs weirdly, dancing nonchalantly. "He called me. Min Yoonki called me."

"You suit the character really well? Cringe. What kind of a compliment is that?" Jeongguk, on the other hand, stood straight as he crossed his arms. The look of annoyance in his face is doubled. The young lad felt so defeated. He let out a fake cough. "What did he say?"

Seoyeon laughed in victory as she lifted her hand, gesturing him to come closer, and so he did. She leaned her mouth towards his ear and whispered softly. "Secret." She begun to walk with happy feet afterwards, escaping.

Jeongguk eished for the nth time, staring at the elder's back. It is funny how they can act childish despite the tiring reality ahead. I should have wrote it earlier, he thought. I wish we can stay like this forever. He can't help it but smile at the thought.

"I hope there will be a storm on Saturday!" The young lad kidded as he jogged on his way, catching up with the elder's pace. All was going well until something clicked on his mind. "Saturday?"Jeongguk said abruptly, wide-eyed. He jogged faster to get himself in front of her, proceeding to walk backwards. "You promised to teach me English on that same night! That's my only day off!"

"There are plenty of Saturdays— Yah!" The couple of friends almost tripped when the younger accidentally stepped on a road hamp. Seoyeon's quick thinking made her swung her arms and grabbed Jeongguk by his waist, putting all her weight on her feet to save him from falling. The young lady slightly winced in pain as her chin hits the young man's upper chest. "You almost fell, stupid!" Her rant was almost inaudible because of their position. She believed that the hurried movement is the cause of the pounding in her chest, otherwise Seoyeon would not rest her head on his torso.

Jeongguk, on the other hand, felt his blood rushing to his cheeks. He instinctively breathed in her sweet scent as her hair brushes his chin. It could be the scent of her perfume, powder, or shampoo but nevertheless he appreciates how lovely the scent is. He was at it again until he finally realized how awkward their position is. "L-let me go now. Thanks."

"Ah, yes."

Seoyeon did what she's told. She brushed strands of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear as she backed away from the latter. Soon, her throat felt dry, resulting her to cough. "I see." She coughed the second time.

"You see what?"

"Are you sure that you're doing your part time job?" Seoyeon narrowed her eyes, eyeing the young man in suspicion. "Without skipping an hour."

"Yes— well, exept today, why?"

"Then where . . ." Seoyeon was hesitant to say it, but proceeded because of the depth of her curiosity. "do you get your time for gym?"

"Ah . . . what?" Jeongguk could not decipher her words at first, but then he suddenly moved his chest out and shoulders back. "What is gym? I am born this way." He said with a smug on his face. He felt so proud, but really, different kinds of part time jobs and proper diet are all what it takes to maintain the muscles of his body.

"Wah." She scoffed, hands over mouth, quite amused by his confidence. "Yeah, yeah. Love yourself." She mockingly nods her head. The way she look at it, she's thankful to have somebody like him, otherwise she would miss this kind of lighthearted moments. However, no one was prepared for what comes next. The eye smile that was once on her face suddenly fades away as she averted her gaze and looked over his shoulder. "She's here." The young lady uttered under her breath.

By the tone of her voice, Jeongguk instantly guessed who it was. He turned his torso and knew he was right. It's his mother who is waiting in front of his gate with her heels on hand, indicating that she has been standing there for a long time.

Seoyeon moved onto Jeongguk side, bending her body to greet the old lady with respect. His mother greeted back with a warm smile.

Seoyeon nudges the younger beside her and calmly spoke. "Talk to her, Guk. I'll be going." She didn't waited for an answer and just patted his back before stepping on her heels and walked away.

What a long day, Jeongguk thought.

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"I brought you some food. Consume it before dinner tomorrow, okay?" His mother said with softened voice. The old lady lifted her arm and opened the fridge with the tip of her elbow so that she could put the pile of lunch boxes inside. Yet she paused for a moment, thinking how she's going to put it one by one without spilling the others. She was about to place all of it on the floor first when Jeongguk went to help her.

"You should have gone home early and not waited for me." Jeongguk muttered, putting one lunch box and another in an organized way.

A slow smile spread over her mouth at the sight of her son. He never changed, he is still the lovable and gentleman kid of Busan. "Do you remember back then . . . when you always look for a banana milk in my groceries?" Soft chuckles escaped from her mouth whilst reminiscing. "I should have bought a pack. I forgot." Her smile slowly disappears, realizing that it was better to keep it to herself. But the latter kept quiet anyway.

He closed the fridge once they're done. Jeongguk found it difficult but he managed to look directly at her mother's eyes. He would be lying to himself if he denies that he missed her advises, her lullabies, her dishes and many other things. He simply missed her being a mother, but things are not the same anymore. His gaze lasted for a matter seconds before he lowered his eyes. "Thank you for the food. It's late, I'll go fetch a taxi for you." He immediately turned his torso for he can't still accept the sight of his mother. He wants to, but it's hard to.

But before he could walk away, the old lady got a hold of his arm, halting his footsteps. "It's been two months since the last time I saw you. Can we talk longer?" Her mother flashes her warm smile once again, in hopes of getting a chance to stay with his son tonight.

The young lad lifted his hand and released his arm from his mother's grip as gently as possible. "It's okay." He faced his mother and finally maintain their eye contact. "I don't think I have something to tell you." He tried so hard not to be harsh on her and he knew that he failed, but not as much as she failed being a mother.

His words broke her heart but she cannot blame— she can never blame him for that. "But I have." Again, she smiled. "Just listen to me." Her voice became softer, it became breathy towards the end as she refrain herself from being emotional. "Please."

Remain calm, Jeongguk.

"Do you think . . ." His eyes turned cold as he stood straight, maintaining his posture and staring at her in disbelief. "it's that easy for me to listen?"

"Your father knew about it."

"And you waited for his funeral to tell me?"

"We talked before the accident. W-we were about to file divorce but you are still a student."

"It's b-been two years, Mrs. Kim!" He didn't mean to raise his voice, he was sorry deep inside, but what's done is done. "Look at me now, a graduating student. Without father . . . without you!" Jeongguk paused, wiping his palm on his face as he cooled himself down.

For two years, he remained in the house that's filled with happy memories that tormented him little by little. He remained lonely. He endured it for so long, and that might be the reason why he finds it unfair for him to accept the Kim's family just like that. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Kim. I forgot that you're still paying for the bills of this house. But don't worry I'll pay you soon." His voice was sardonic, but his eyes shows sadness and disappointment. This is wrong, so wrong to mock a mother, but Jeongguk can't contain himself anymore.

For a few seconds they gazed silently into one another's eyes that are both sad and grieving. Kim averted her gaze, blinking and holding back her tears. "I never waited for your father's death. I never did." Said she, feeling discouraged about the thought of getting close to her son again. "I never wanted to bring my man to his funeral. I only wanted to be truthful to you as soon as possible."

"You should have continued to fool me and waited for years to pass. Pretend that you just met that guy and marry him. That should have been more acceptable." Like his mother, Jeongguk felt lost. "You shouldn't have brought him there to pay respect, because from the very first day of your cheating, he showed how impolite he is already."

"Son, please." His mother begged. "Forgive your mother."

I want to, but it's hard to.

"Please, go home. I'll fetch a cab for you."

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Jeongguk never realized how dusty his bedroom ceiling has become, not until he found himself staring at it for thirty minutes straight. It was past eleven o'clock in the evening already, an hour after the heated conversation with his mother, and the poor lad can't catch sleepiness. Was he too much earlier? Should he apologize? Is accepting them the right thing to do? The said questions made him more confused than the mathematics in his course. Funny. If only he loved writing as much as Seoyeon does, then he could have written his life on a book.

The young lad lifted his elbow and covered his eyes with his arm, hoping he can sleep soon. Yet he kept sighing in disappointment, thinking that he disappointed his father for acting like that. Maybe he's still not matured enough to understand everything.

How to be matured enough?

In the midst of overthinking, a phone ring took his attention. He lied sideways and stretched out his arm as he reached for his phone that was laying still at the bedroom table. The caller was his angry noona. Quickly, he sat with crossed legs, answering his phone right away.

"Noona!" His eyes twinkled with mirth. Even though he couldn't see her, he was happy to hear her voice. "Why are you still awake?" That was a rhetorical question.

"I have something to ask. What do you call someone with no body and no nose?"

"A ghost?"

"Nobody knows! Okay, good night!"

"What?"

And the phone call ended, just like that.

Sometimes Jeongguk wonders if Seoyeon is really older than him. But nevertheless, he can sleep tonight thanks to her.

But before he could close his eyes.

Ting!

From: Yoon Jia
Are you still awake?
11:14 pm

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GUYS! I UPDATED ON 02/29/20!

IT'S LEAP YEAR!

Okay, thank you for reading! Love lots!