Anxiety

Han Sung squeeze his eyes shut. He can't tell the truth about the phone call from Yeon Hee. Because that girl demanding to not tell anyone, include Ji An. Looks like it's no big deal, but still it's a secret.

-Flashback

He felt something vibrating in his pocket. He took out his cellphone and saw Yeon Hee's name appear.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Han Sung. Where are you?" Yeon Hee's voice sounded rushed.

"I'm with DS, to be precise at Gi Hoon's house." He deliberately mentioned his friend's name so that the girl wouldn't complain about why she wasn't invited to hang out.

But it turned out that Yeon Hee didn't care and she asked Han Sung to go somewhere place, away from his friends because she heard their laughter.

"Speak up." Han Sung continued when he was on the balcony.

"Previously I apologized, but I will not apologize directly ..."

Han Sung sighed for a moment to hear Yeon Hee's always convoluted words.

"... but I hope you want to help me, Han Sung. And please ... please don't tell the other boys and Ji An. I don't want to hear her nagging. So, help me?"

"What is that?" He replied shortly. He had a bad feeling just because of the word 'help me'.

"Be my boyfriend."

"...."

"Han Sung? Hello? Did the call go off?"

"Why me?"

"Oh, still on. Because I really need your help."

"Enlighten me."

"Look ..." Yeon Hee sighing. "I'm not asking you to be a real boyfriend. Just a fake. Help me so I can get away from the freaking Jiseob—"

"I don't want to deal with the problems of your love life. Why should you involve me?"

"Oh, my goodness! I don't know who else to ask for help if not you. I've already broke up with that crazy Jiseob and that guy still doesn't want to accept the decision. At least I have to get a new boyfriend so that the guy believes I move on from him."

He massage his temple. "I don't know if I can help you, Yeon Hee."

"Help me just this once. Please, Han Sung. After that guy doesn't stalk me anymore, our business is finished. Okay? Okay?"

"I'll think about that. Talk later."

-End of Flashback

♡♡♡

Han Sung sat stunned in his chair. He didn't even hear Ji An's babble about how Gi Hoon nagged her, because she kept making mistakes while recording.

"... somehow my vocal cords didn't work properly yesterday. This could be the effect of the unhealthy Vampire's lair."

He nodded. Ji An didn't continue her babbling anymore because their homeroom teacher entered the classroom just to tell that Yeon Hee was absent, and then left again.

Han Sung didn't really care at first, but the next two days Yeon Hee still hasn't came to school. Ji An started babbling again because Yeon Hee only replied to her message saying that she had a bad cold, told Ji An to not come to her house because she didn't want to spread the disease.

Till when they had lunch in the cafeteria, Han Sung got a message from Yeon Hee asking him to come to her house after school. Alone.

"I'm only gone for one hour and I'm going straight to the shop." Han Sung said when he parted ways with Ji An at the school gate.

"You still didn't say where to go." Ji An grumbled.

He didn't reply but just waved as he walked away.

After arriving in front of Yeon Hee's house, he rang the bell. The fence opens automatically. He went in and closed the fence again.

"Come in." Yeon Hee said softly when she opened the front door.

Han Sung didn't see the face of his friend who was hiding behind the door. It was only when the door closed that he realized Yeon Hee's condition.

The girl's left eye was bruised up to her temple, but the bruise looked faded. And the side of her side lips were torn.

"What happen to you?"

She gulped. "It's because of my ex ... on Monday he was waiting for me at the end of the road." Her voice trembled. "He pulled me into an alley and did this to my face ...."

Her tears broke and she immediately hugged Han Sung, who didn't react.

"I'm scared ..." Yeon Hee cried on the boy's shoulder. "That guy must be waiting for me every morning."

♡♡♡

"Hmm ..." Ji An narrowed her eyes at the clock hanging on the wall that showed nearly 8 pm. "It's not even one hour anymore ..."

"Are you waiting for someone?" Kim Jiwon, the longest running employee in the bakery, nudged her arm lightly.

"No one, sis."

"Tch... Don't lie. I know you're waiting for Han Sung, right? "

What's up with people these days. Do they have the power to read Ji An's mind?

"Well, he said he only left for one hour. And until the shop was about to close he still didn't come."

"Maybe he swapped his day off and already at home?" Jiwon tilt her head.

Ji An shrugged. Her parents didn't say anything about that. But it was true like Jiwon said. When she got home, Han Sung came out of the kitchen and go to the stairs.

"So you actually swapped your day off?"

He only glanced back and continued go up the stairs.

"What's wrong with the long faced, Alien? Did you lost your plushie?" Ji An wanted to joke so Han Sung would respond.

But the boy only said, "Good night." And enter the room.

"What's up with him lately?" Ji An pouted. She entered her room too and closed the door a little hard, well not on purpose.

♡♡♡

Usually Ji An is always with Han Sung when she goes to school. But she didn't know where the boy were this morning, and that happen too till the next day. Her mom just said Han Sung needed to go early to take care of things.

"Yo! Lee Ji An!" Jo Min embraced her shoulder as they passed the school gate. "You look much small walking alone like this."

Ji An fake a laugh. "Just so you know, you're much smaller too, Jo Min."

"That's a fact." Jun Gook spat out from behind.

Ji An glanced back and saw 5 DS members walking together. ['Why do they have to go together in line? Now they look like Idols.']

"It's unusual. Why Han Sung didn't come with you?" asked Hee Seok who chose to join her and Jo Min.

"That's what I'm going to ask for these two days. I thought he was with you guys."

"Han Sung never wanted to go to school with us." Jo Min grumbled suddenly. "I think he prefers to go with you because he fear of you getting lost."

"Tch. I'm not an elementary student." Even so, Ji An felt something blooming in her chest. Just hope her cheeks doesn't blush.

Jun Gook pulls Jo Min to a race to class, with a bet for those loser to treating lunch. All of them run run run—except for one.

"I almost finished your melody beat. Come to the studio."

"You know I can't often go to your place except Sundays. But this week, I can't. Mom needs me at the shop."

"..."

Ji An turned and looked at Gi Hoon's side-profile. ['Look at that white skin, like an egg white foam. His cheeks are slightly thicker, they look like buns ... Why am I thinking about food?'] Guess she was hungry because she didn't have breakfast.

"Then i'm gonna stop by your shop on Sunday."

Case closed. It's not that complicated to decide something.

"Okay."

"I heard there's free iced coffee and cake for the cafe opening upstairs? Make sure I get one."

Ji An was promoting the small cafe that her dad built on the 2nd floor bakery in the class. Hearing Gi Hoon mention it, it seems the boy didn't sleep at all the time. Who doesn't refuse free foods. But, the promo ended two days ago. Well, nevermind...

"Sure."

When they got to class, Gi Hoon headed straight to his chair, while Ji An paused at the door when she realized Yeon Hee was back at school. The girl is wearing a mouth mask and looks serious talking to Han Sung. Ji An tries to put the oddity aside from her heart.

"Hwang Yeon Hee!" Ji An shrieked. She hugged the girl. "You're finally back in!"

"Hey, hey, slowly. I'm still not fully recovered. Don't get too close ... my cough is still there. ” Yeon Hee gently pushed her shoulder.

"No wonder you're wearing a mask. Hey ... what's with your eyes?" Ji An noticed a fading blue-yellow color.

"Ah... this ...." Yeon Hee smoothed her loose hair to cover the bruises. "I sneezed loudly and accidentally hit the stair post."

Ji An immediately touch her own left temple. "Ouch ... I've felt that way ..."

"Oh yeah, when you sneezed hard and hit a power pole on the way back home? Hahaha I remember it!"

"Stop your stupid laugh, gurl~" But Ji An laughed too.

The first lesson bell rang. She immediately sat down in her chair. Somehow she felt awkward because her seatmate didn't make a sound.

Han Sung just quietly took out his books and focused on the lesson.

[Did I do something wrong? No..no .. There's nothing wrong between us .. No .. after school that day his attitude was a bit strange,']

When the history teacher at the front class drowned reading his book, Ji An stared fully at Han Sung. She gasped quietly.

"What happen with your lips?" She whispered.

Her hand just rose to touch the side of Han Sung's swollen lips, but he stopped her hand quickly.

"Later." Without turning around, Han Sung put Ji An's hand on the table and didn't respond anymore.

A little annoyed, Ji An turned her gaze back to the front of class. She caught Yeon Hee's movement, who looked back and immediately returned to the front at the same time.

From a distance, Min Gi Hoon also saw them. Feeling strange when he saw Han Sung's hand on Ji An's.

♡♡♡

"Enjoy and be careful on your way. Thank you~" exclaimed Ji An cheerfully after handing the cake box to the customer and bowing briefly.

She followed the customer away until her gaze stopped at a boy who had just entered the shop. She waved her hand and told the boy to go straight upstairs.

This bakery provides a cafe area with a homey feel. Part of the room includes a table and chairs with a minimalist design, and a small part near the balcony provides a seating area in the form of a comfortable bean bag and a short table.

With this cafe, their bakery gets more enthusiasm from regular and new customers. With the increasing number of customers, Ji An's dad wanted to open another bakery branch.

"Was that your boyfriend?"

She laugh with sarcasm tone. "This warm-blooded me won't get along with that cold-blooded boy, sis."

"What does that mean?" Jiwon rolled her eyes.

"Nevermind." Ji An smiled forcefully, making her lips look like a straight line.

She picked up a medium plastic cup and with skillfully making iced coffee. After that she cut a slice of lemon cake and placed it on a small plate. All of that she put in a small tray and brought it upstairs.

It didn't take her long to find the boy among the other customer. She put the tray on the short table with a little voice to wake the boy who was lying relaxed on the bean bag.

"Isn't it better for you to sleep at home than bother coming here just to sleep, Min Gi Hoon?"

The boy took something from his jacket pocket and shoved it to Ji An. "Listen it." After that he took his sip of iced coffee and closing his eyes again.

Ji An untied the earphone coiled around the black iPod and put it on her ears. After pressing the button on the music player, Ji An was stunned for some minutes.

She chants a little when her voice appears in the music she is listening to.

"Hey, Min Gi Hoon." she said softly.

"Hm? Why? You didn't like it?" He open his eyes and saw Ji An's blooming smile.

"I LOVE IT! No wonder you're the genius Sui—oops!" Ji An took a gazed around her and whispered. "No wonder you're the so-called genius producer." She gave two thumbs up.

Gi Hoon feel something strange again. He took his iced coffee, sip it until it can down his temperature. Ji An didn't notice it.

"I'll send you the file through email. Then you can start write the lyrics. After you finish i'm gonna insert my rap there and then send it to my company—"

"Hol' up!" Ji An squealed in tiny. "You really serious want to make this song release? My... my song?"

Gi Hoon nodded. "Yes. Your debut."

"That's easy?"

"Thanks to me." He smirk proudly.

"No! I mean..Not yet. I'm not ready to debut." Ji An blinked. "I have another intention for my career and it's become a MUS."

"You mean painting with that silly black marker?"

"It's an eyeliner!" She snapped. "And don't insult my speciality. You didn't even say sorry to me yet."

"And why should I?"

"Don't tell me that you forgot about that?"

"Whaaat?" He make a lazy sound and start to eat the lemon cake.

"On the first day of the festival." Ji An groaned. "You refused and said my make-up was silly on the stairs. And this is the second time you've said the silly word about my—"

"Oohhh, i thought she was another girl. It was you, huh?" Gi Hoon chuckled and take a big spoon of cake into his mouth.

Ji An pulled the cake's plate. "No free cake anymore for you."

"Okay. Okay." He put the spoon down and he pinched Ji An's squishy left cheek. "I'm sorry. Now, give me back my—"

"Kiss." said someone behind them. And Gi Hoon said the same thing unconciously.

"Kiss." Gi Hoon realized the word go out wrong. "Huh?"

Ji An raised her eyebrow in shock. They turn their head in unison and saw the bakery's owner wife, smiling wide.

"Mom ...."

-------♡

Boom~~ haha how come Gi Hoon unconciously said the same word as Ji An's mom said.

Keep support me

-Autumn Notes