Silence means Yes

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Hey, guys. Sorry for making you wait for a long time. Thanks for those who didn't get tired of sending me a message asking for an update. Thanks guys, you are really my motivation.

@mongji23

Ji Hyo and Gary are walking along the street. Ji Hyo feels relieved when she received the text from her aunt telling her to just take the bus for something came up in the company.

She missed walking in the streets leading to her home. It isnlike extending the time when she has to spend in front of her aunt.

"I'm really glad i get to walk with you today. ", Gary says.

She smiles at him. She has been grateful at him these days. He had been helping her in the Music Club, and thanks to him, the other members are treating her well. He's also good at cheering her up whenever she's upset.
It's quite strange actually. All he does is play his music, and listening to it just makes her feel better. Like she's listening to a mother's lullaby, soothing and comforting.

"Me, too, Oppa. You seem to be my happy pill. ", she says.

"Really? ", he asks, his eyes widening as if he couldn't believe it. His expression makes her laugh. "Why? Why are you laughing? ", he asks innocently, making her laugh even more.

Gary is an oppa to her, but sometimes, he acts more oblivious than her.

"Why~?", he whines jokingly.

"Nothing, Oppa.", she says.

"But Ji Hyo-ah, seriously, I've been wanting to talk to you. ", he says, now in a more serious tone.

Her laughter dies down because of the sudden change of Gary's aura. Glancing at his serious, manly expression in the face makes something inside her stomach flutter. And that feeling seems to send a signal up to her chest and head that it's gonna be something strange.

"What is it, Oppa? ", she asks.

"Ji Hyo-ah.. ", he starts, stopping and facing her direction that it makes her do the same.

This time, the look in his eyes is making her want to run away. Subconsciously, she knows what it's gonna be about. But her mind seems to be denying it.

"..i know you've been noticed that I've been a little attentive to you lately. ", he starts, his eyes meeting hers to confirm it.

All she does is nod as she desperately racks her brain for a possible thing to do on what is about to happen. But then she is also busy trying to decipher how does she really feel about this.

She knows this day would come, she just did not know it would be this soon.

"And i might be rushing, but I'm really not good at keeping feelings to myself so i really want to tell you this.. "

No. She wants to say. But then there is also a part of her brain that is curious to hear it.

"I like you, Ji Hyo-ah."

Suddenly, she feels this confusing, unfamiliar feeling in her stomach tgat she doesn't know how to react to.

All her life she dedicated her time with studying that she did not have time entertaining boys. It was all some gross disturbance for her.

But now she regretted having to experience these kind of things.

Most girls her age would have known already how to deal with these kind of situations, considering that they'd alreadt experience it a couple of times at least.

But there she is, standing and staring blankly at Kang Gary, wracking her brains of some possible response.

And for the very first time, her brain fails her.

She has no idea what to do that she just stands tgere, frozen and panicking inside.

Good thing that Gary seems to have sense her uneasiness, coz he speaks again.

"You don't have to answer me, Ji Hyo-ah. I just wanted you to know. And I'm hoping that you'd let me prove this to you. ", Gary says, sounding as sincere as ever that ut even struck Ji Hyo strange.

Then he meets her gaze, and she swears she can effortlessly see the pureness in them.

"I hope this affects nothing in our friendship, Ji Hyo-ah."

Of course it does. She knows it can. It is either their friendship will be elevated or be destroyed, depending on how she takes this in. But she wants to do neither of them. She neither wants to take a step closer nor take a step back.

She's confused, and all she wants is for their friendship to remain just exactly as it is.

"Oppa-- "

"Noona---! "

They both jerk their heads to the direction of the voice, just in time to see someone being dragged the opposite direction as them.

She immediately recognizes the tall figure of Kwang Soo being dragged by someone bulky and undeniably Jong Kook.

Kwang Soo tries to turn back to their direction but is defenseless against Jong Kook who never released him until they are out of sight.

"Did they see us? ", she asks Gary,  worried about what they could have thought upon seeing them alone together.

"Obviously. ", Gary answers without hesitation, still staring at the alley where their two friends disappeared. Then he looks at her in wonder. "Are you worried about what Jong Kook hyung might think? "

Somehow, a part of her wants to nod in agreement. But then another one mentally smacks that stupid part of her.

Why does she care about what that guy would think? He's insensitive. Not to mention that he seems to be getting back in good terms with Eun Hye, the girl who had a part in ruining her clean reputation in the school.

She knows he has the right to befriend anyone he wants, but somehow, as a friend, she kind of expected him to take his side. But then she has to remind herself that the girl has a past with him, she probably is his first love.

The lame saying of 'first love never dies' might be true.

So she shakes her head to answer Gary's question. "It's not only Jong Kook hyung, but also the rest of our friends. "

"Oh.. ", he just answers, but she immediately feels guilty as she sees the sad look in his eyes.

"Oppa, it's not that you're not someone isn't worth bragging. You're actually cool, and you're so kind and caring.. "

"Ji Hyo-ah.. ", Gary butts in, his eyes looking straight at hers again.

"Uh? ", she asks, her chest going fast again as he notices the perserverance in his eyes.

"Did your heart ever flutter because of me? "

With that question, her heart flutters. And her brain goes blank again, and all she can do is stare at him like an idiot, feeling certainly unsure about anything.

A few seconds of silence and Gary smiles, as if he finds Ji Hyo's reactions funny.

"You're cute, Ji Hyo-ah. ", he says in a low chuckle. "Your silence, I'll take that as a yes? "

She opens her mouth to say anything, but then what would she say? Yes? No? She ends up saying nothing again.

Gary nods. "Okay. At least, I know I'm not totally a loser. ", he says and goes back to walking.

She follows a second later, being as confused as ever.

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