One by one, five heads poked out of a far table. As soon as their eyes fell on the two people who were sitting at a corner table, smiles were drawn on their lips.

 

“I think today is the day,” Mino confidently said, rubbing his hands together.

 

“No, I think it’ll be three days from now. It’s just a week since then, right? Ugh, Hanbin, I have faith in you,” Bobby said, his small eyes narrowing further in frustration.

 

“Hanbin is actually so disappointing lately. Before she could make the girl say she loves him just within a week that’s why I betted on three days,” Jongup said, burying his face on his palms.

 

Zelo laughed at his friend’s failure. “Don’t worry, dude. You can always bet on Mino who always fails to make the girls say they love him. He always finds a way for the girl to lose interest in him.”

 

“YA! That’s not true. It’s just that every now and then, new games are being released and I can’t help but buy them. Eventually, I forget that I even had a girl we’re betting on,” Mino reasoned.

 

Jennie shook her head. “I’m sorry Mino but I think you’ll lose this time too,” she said. “It’s too soon today.”

 

“Oh, does that mean I’ll win?” Bobby interrupted.

 

Jennie shrugged. She was the brain of their group as she was the only girl and she could read every girl’s thoughts. “I don’t know for sure. Hayi is a little difficult to read. However, I guess you really chose the right girl, Bobby.”

 

“What do you mean, Jagi?” Zelo asked. Every pair of eyes was on her, anticipating her next words.

 

“I know I’m not allowed to bet because I’m a girl and this is just between you guys, but I bet, just for the sake of betting without any rewards if I win, Hanbin is gonna lose this time.”

 

The moment Jennie said those words the boys’ eyes went forward and tried to read Hanbin. Indeed, unlike usually, Hanbin was smiling and there seemed to be a sparkle in his eyes.

 

“Is he…smiling?” Jongup asked and then turned to his friends who also had that dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

 

Mino then shook his head frantically. “No, this is just an act he had put up. Ugh, kiss her already and let me win this time!”

 

“Yeah, you’re right. We’re just imagining things because of what Jennie told us. He’s not losing, right, guys?” Bobby seconded. “Sorry, Mino, I’ll win this time. They’re not gonna kiss. Look!”

 

Hearing this, Jennie could only roll her eyes. “As usual, they’re in denial.”

 

Suddenly, Mino laughed aloud but covered his mouth again. “Look, they’re about to kiss!”

 

All five pairs of eyes then returned to the couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayi was surprised when after she removed a leaf that got stuck on Hanbin’s hair, she felt his hands cupping her face as if to steady her. Their faces were already inches from each other. His eyes were on her lips and when her eyes flew to his lips, they were apart as if ready to kiss.

 

Hayi then giggled awkwardly and tilted her head to the side where she felt the light fanning of his breath on her cheek. “I need to go home.”

 

There was silence though. She tried to look at him who had his eyes casted down as he nodded understandably.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t—“

 

“Let’s go?” Hayi asked, standing up just to avoid the awkward atmosphere. “I’m going to the market to buy some fruits first for mom.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Hayi and Hanbin were a few feet from their house, they could already here some screaming from upstairs. Hayi looked at Hanbin in horror as if he had the answer. Hanbin was clueless, not knowing what to do. She gave the fruits to Hanbin and rushed inside.

 

The moment she arrived in her mother’s room, she was curled into a ball, holding on to her side as she screamed for help, screamed for her name and her elder sister’s.

 

“Mom, I’m here. Please stop, mom!” she cried hugging her mother who was in pain. She rubbed her back soothingly but it was unhelpful as her mother still screamed in pain. She wondered where her sister was. Her eyes flew to the bedside table but it was empty of the supposed painkillers she always took.

 

“Hayi, what’s happening?” it was Hanbin who appeared beside her, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

 

“Hanbin!” she called, her eyes b with tears. “Please search for a bottle of painkillers there.”

 

Frantically, Hanbin went and looked as what she said. But the bedside table was indeed empty, the drawer, and the side of the bed. Nothing. Defeated, he stared at Hayi who was already crying pool of tears.

 

Suddenly, the door to the room opened but even the slamming of the doors wasn’t heard as the room was filled with her mother’s screams.

 

“Get out of the way!” Chaerin swatted Hayi to the side. She almost fell if Hanbin wasn’t by her side to catch her.

 

Chaerin grabbed a glass of water and fed her with a tablet. The mother gripped on Chaerin’s arms, scratching her but she didn’t feel pain.

 

“Make it stop!” she screamed.

 

“Mom, you’ll feel less pain now, okay? Don’t make me inject sedatives.”

 

“Please, Chaerin-ah!!!”

 

Without another choice, Chaerin grabbed the sedative and injected it to her. After several subsided screams, her eyes closed and she slept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m sorry,” Hanbin said when they were alone in the living room.

 

Hayi looked at him. “What for?”

 

“For taking your time. If I hadn’t brought you to the café after we went to grocery, you would have been just in time with your mom,” Hanbin explained.

 

Hayi giggled and slapped his arms lightly. “You don’t need to apologize, idiot.”

 

“Your mom is so pitiful,” Hanbin said.

 

Hayi nodded. “Yes, she had been in pain for months now. Sometimes she refused to take painkillers and just wished to die. It’s actually really painful even just by hearing her screams every night,” she explained. “Actually this is the reason why I don’t really meet people, except for my two friends.”

 

“I’m really sorry,” Hanbin said again.

 

“It’s not your fault, okay,” Hayi said giggling, but tears still flowed.

 

“Don’t cry anymore,” Hanbin said, cupping her face and wiped the tears with her thumbs. There was sorrow in his eyes too, seeing her cry like that.

 

Suddenly, a thought came to mind. Would he see these same crying eyes after this was all over?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Hayi was getting her stuffs from her locker, a panicked Soohyun came running towards her.

 

“Are you and that Hanbin guy going out?” she asked immediately.

 

Hayi covered as her voice was loud. “Soohyun, don’t scream those words so easily. Someone might hear.”

 

Soohyun removed Hayi’s hands from . “So you’re really dating?!”

 

“No, of course not. We’re just friends.”

 

“You’ve been together for two weeks now. You have been neglecting me and Chanhyuk and I saw you two holding hands while you were walking home. And you aren’t dating?!”

 

“Soohyun, please,” Hayi said, shushing her. “We’re not dating. He’s just… straightforward and bold, I think.”

 

“Anyway, Hayi, I met some students who were Hanbin’s schoolmate when we’re in middle school. They said he’s a heartbreaker.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Hayi asked.

 

“Hey,” Hanbin appeared behind Soohyun. “What’s up?”

 

Soohyun shrunk back as she heard that particular voice. She slowly looked behind her and smiled awkwardly at him as he was looking down at her.

 

“He, he, he. Bye, Hayi. I’ll text you,” she said as she ran away.

 

“Why was she acting like that?” Hanbin asked.

 

They said he’s a heartbreaker, Hayi heard Soohyun’s words in her mind. She shook her head and faced Hanbin. “Nothing. Let’s go?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning, Hanbin pushed the doorbell on Hayi’s house. Instead of Hayi though, ready for school, it was Chaerin who answered the door.

 

“Oh, good morning, noona,” Hanbin greeted. “Has Hayi gone to school yet?”

 

“Hayi’s on her bed. She fell sick last night,” Chaerin said.

 

“Oh, can I… can I see her?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayi’s eyes opened slowly. Unlike last night, she was feeling better now. She felt the cool air from her oxygen mask but she was feeling thirsty. She was about to get up but she felt a weight on her other arm.

 

When she looked down, she almost jumped on her place. She removed the oxygen mask from . “Hanbin?” she lightly poked the guy whose head moved to the side so she was able to see the face. “Hanbin…”

 

Hanbin’s eyes fluttered open. He straightened up when he saw her awake now. “Oh, you’re awake. Do you need something? Something to drink? To eat?”

 

Hayi chuckled. “I’m thirsty.”

 

After a gulp of water, Hayi returned the glass to him. “Are you feeling alright now?”

 

Hayi nodded. “My chest isn’t tightening anymore,” she said. “Why are you here?”

 

“I found out you were sick, of course I had to come.”

 

“You ditched school,” Hayi said matter-of-factly.

 

He nodded. “Just like you did,” he said.

 

She frowned. “It doesn’t mean you’ll ditch school because I did. Besides, I have a valid reason.”

 

“From now on, I am your responsibility then. I’ll ditch school if you’re absent.”

 

“YAH! Don’t do that!”

 

“I don’t have any reasons to be at school anyway. I won’t even see you around.”

 

Hayi’s smile faded as she heard this. There were those unexplainable weird surges of emotions again. She looked away, towards her window. They said he’s a heartbreaker, she remembered the words of her friend and the surges of emotions faded.

 

What if it was true?

 

“Will you be at school tomorrow then? I hope you’ll get well soon,” he said.

 

“If that means you’ll be my responsibility, I will be there. I don’t want you ditching school too.”

 

Hanbin smiled goofily. “Get well then,” he said. “Here’s an apple. I bought it especially for you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning, Hanbin was on his way to their pastime place. He hadn’t been visiting it for week now since he started their bet.

 

“What’s up? I wanted to ditch school today but you just had to text us early in the morning,” Jongup complained.

 

Mino was dozing off on his seat, his game console on his hands unattended. Bobby’s eyes were drooping but tried to stay awake. Jennie had her head on Zelo’s shoulder as the latter rubbed her arm.

 

“Come on, wake up everyone, this is important,” Hanbin said, clapping his hands to wake everyone up.

 

Everyone jolted awake on their spots.

 

“This is about Hayi,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh, good, you’re here, Hayi,” Soohyun said as Hayi arrived that morning. “I need to bring you somewhere.”

 

“Hey, the bell is going to ring soon, let’s just wait here.”

 

“No, this is urgent,” her friend said as she pulled Hayi outside.

 

As they ran on the hallway, Hayi had her mind wandering off to where Hanbin was. He hadn’t appeared on her doorstep this morning.

 

“We’re here,” Soohyun said.

 

Hayi and Soohyun were standing in front of room with an old door.

 

“Hayi, I’m sorry to say this. But I learned something else about Hanbin,” Soohyun said.

 

“What are you talking about? Why are we here?”

 

Soohyun shushed her as they crouched near the door. After a while, they heard some mumblings inside so they scooted closer.

 

“But, really, Hanbin-ah, you’re really an expert here,” a guy’s deep voice was heard.

 

“I’m really impressed; you know, how he even got to be closed with someone like Hayi. She seems uptight and hard to approach you know. She has now obviously fell for you, dude,” another said.

 

“And I thought I’ll lose the bet,” another one said and then laughter filled the room.

 

Hearing those, Hayi’s heart felt like it was pricked with a million needles. Her chest tightened and there was a knot on her neck which was blocking the air she needed to breathe in. One thing she felt was the unexplainable and weird painful feeling in her heart.

 

“No…” she mumbled.

 

 

 

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thanks again for the poster, daragonlover110