Reserved [Book V]

Three Birds

Zitao agreed to give Areum a day free of him and it was logical that if Zitao wasn't around, Kyungsoo could be.

Areum waited. She stood by the bulletin with her piece of poetry posted, hoping that the boy would come soon in a cozy sweater and warm smile that would melt her worries away. She needed it badly for day was promised Zitao-less, but the nightly rush hour at the subway was still at her tail like planned.

That challenge really got her thinking. Why was she agreeing to this? Why was she doing this to herself? Comfort zones weren't called comfort zones for nothing, and Areum had long drawn the boundaries of her zone to school, home, her new bedroom – she exchanged with Hakyeon – and no place else.

For a short time, her contemplating of the things happening in her life got her preoccupied, but it didn't last for as long as she wanted to. Soon, her feet and spirit got worn-out from waiting for the charming boy to arrive and she left their usual spot; surprisingly, feeling her heart wasn't as heavy as expected of Kyungsoo's absence.

Areum left and treaded the stairs deep in thought. Not thoughts of Kyungsoo – at least, not anymore – but of a tall, raven-haired boy who had straight stares and soft touches. She was daydreaming and it was Areum's nature to daydream especially during her poem-writing days, but daydreams were never of Zitao, never of his eyes and skin and scent and voice. It had never been him, because on their early days she wanted him to disappear, and now look at her allow the images and bittersweet seconds with him flash freely in her head.

The ground floor had a long hallway and amidst her brain flying with the clouds, she thought of circling behind the stairs to reach the other side of the building. Areum walked mindlessly, for the first time ever since she reached college, did not give a damn if anyone's looking or what everybody thought of her.

That was until Areum's eyes landed on that dreaded group of girls and their evil leader.

Areum didn't like her own body system when she's any place where Nam Gyu-ri was around. It was as if her defense was automatically activated and she quickly opened the door of an empty room to hide herself from the girl. She wasn't near enough to hear a conversation, but the distance gave her a perfect view of the group.

Areum peeked with one eye while keeping her whole body concealed behind the door. Gyuri was talking to someone who was being covered by a number of her subjects and Areum waited for at least one of them to move away.

The small girl's expression never changed even in normal conversations; it was plainly blank and cold. But just as Areum changed her angle and stepped to the side a tad bit, her hands turned just as cold as Nam Gyu-ri's face.

It was Kyungsoo. Gyuri was talking to Kyungsoo.

Was she seeing this for real or was her head still up in the clouds? Maybe her eyesight was unreliable, but her shock was all over the place and her voicing out of thoughts was as quick as her defenses around the North leader.

"Kyungsoo?"

A tall girl turned. Areum hid and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. There was a great deal in getting caught by the most influential fraternity in campus, especially when you look like you're eavesdropping or spying on them. Areum was in that exact case and she needed an escape plan.

In the middle of thinking was silence, immediately broken by careful footsteps turning louder after each one. Areum could hear her heartbeat in her ears, hands trembling greatly. She wasn't even aware if she was still breathing or not, and with that mistake of leaning against the door, someone spotted her and yelled.