Cherries and Chocolates

He ran after her. Kevin searched for in the corridors and in front of the class.
“Perhaps she is downstairs.” He thought and ran downstairs. He again looked for her a bit.
“Ahhh….. Where did that girl go?” He asked himself. He became fatigued, so, he sat on a nearby bench. The bench was embedded in the wall, with walls on both ends of the bench instead of handles.
He was so annoyed that he started cursing her in his mind. He felt someone’s presence beside him.
To his extreme surprise, he saw Noah sitting on the other edge of the bench, resting on the wall. He stared at her but it looked like she was unaware of his existence near her.
“Hey, kawai?”
Noah startled and let out a small voice from her mouth in surprise.
“Whacha doing here baby?” He asked while smiling brightly.
She said nothing. Her eyes were fixated on his lips with frightened looks in her eyes.
“I am talking to you, kawai?
She stood up and turned around but Kevin grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit on the bench again.
“Why are you doing this? Am I a monster? Are you scared of me? Haaannn???? Oh comeon, kissing a girl ain’t a crime. You understand?”
“P-p-lease let go o-of my hand.”She stuttered in a soft usual voice of hers. She was looking at her lap and closed fist.
He smirked at her and grabbed her hand even tightly. She saw her smirk.
“You’ll r-regret it, please… it’s for your safety let me go.” She said while fixing her hair behind her ear. She didn’t know when his lips met hers and it turned into a kiss. Her brows rose in astonishment and her eyes protruded out. She tried to say something but the pressure of his lips stopped her. She tried to disengage her hand, but his grip was too strong for a weak girl like her. His touch vanished after a few seconds. It was a quick kiss, but for her, it wasn’t.
“How was it?” He smiled mischievously. “When you first said that kisses don’t happen in reality, I thought you were lying. But today, I saw your expression, so I believe you now.” He smiled. “That’s why I wanted to show you that it isn’t a thing to be afraid of.” He let out some courageous words but her expression of fear and shock didn’t change. She placed her fingers on her lips.
“Ah… don’t misunderstand me… it’s a friendly kiss. We do that in Korea. Annyeonngggggg….” He waved childishly and got up. As soon as he turned around, he felt her hand grabbing the edge of his shirt. He looked back in surprise. “You want mo….” He got interrupted by her.
“Don’t ever do that again, Kevin-ssi… I’ll pray for you. We should stop being friends. It’s better for your healthy life.” She removed her grip on his shirt and gave him a fearful look again. This time it seemed to be a ‘never show me your face again’ type look. Kevin nodded and walked away.
This day, she took slow walks on the silent road and then after wandering around, reached her apartment. Somebody knocked at the door. She bit her lips in frustration and went to open the door.
“Annyahaseyo….” It was some old lady. She entered the room without permission and sat on a couch. She was holding a basket.
“Ahjumma… you should not enter here. It’s dangerous for your health.”
She laughed. “So the doctor that came a few days ago was right…”
“Did unnie told you about my condition?”
“Ne… she told it to everyone living in this building. Look girl, I’ve just 2 months left. I have blood cancer. You don’t need to worry about me. Here, I brought you cherries.” She handed her the basket.
“Gamsahabnida… I’ll try them for sure.” She placed the basket on the table and sat beside ahjumma’s legs on the floor and rested her head on the seat of the couch. The old lady caressed her hair.
“Ahjumma? Do you live alone?”
“Ne…”
“Where are your children?”
“They live in the Gangnam district.”
“Oh…”
“And what about your pa---“
“They died.” Noah closed her eyes.
Next day in University
All the members of the group gathered to decide their assignment work, except Noah. Tia, Hana, Byunghun, Kevin and Shinwoo, all assembled at the cafeteria.
“I wonder where that girl is.” Tia said.
“Yeah…. I think she is quite strange.” Hana raised her brows in disgust. “And besides she was your decision, Tia.”
“I regret it now.” Tia said.
“Come on girls, give her a chance.” Shinwoo said. “these girls!”
Kevin and Byunghun remained quite.
“Tia have you ever noticed, her accent is a bit weird too.” Hana said.
“Well that’s because she’s from Sweden.” Kevin bragged.
“How do you know?” Tia asked.
Byunghun glared at him. “How did he know?”
“Annyahaseo” Noah bowed. “I am sorry.”
“Don’t feel sorry, you’re not late. We just came earlier.” Byunghun said while looking at Tia and Hana.
“Yeah… I never noticed, Byunghun is right.” Shinwoo smiled and pointed towards the vacant seat beside him. Both Byunghun and Kevin felt irritated but could do nothing.
“I should have sat on that seat, that damn Shinwoo.” Kevin thought.
Byunghun just made a disappointed look and Noah took a brief look at Byunghun who was sitting just in front of her. Her eyes moved a little sideways to look at Kevin who was beside Byunghun. Kevin was staring excitingly somewhere. Noah followed his stare. Kevin was staring at Hana’s slightly exposed chest. Noah moved her head away in embarrassment.
“Let’s start our work.” Tia said.
“Yeah…” Kevin smiled and looked at Noah. Their eyes met, but Noah turned her eyes slowly towards the papers in front of her on the table.
“Sweeeeett…” Kevin thought and smirked at Noah.
Byunghun saw Kevin doing that. He frowned at him while he was not paying attention. “Do they know each other?” Byunghun thought.

Noah came home at evening. “Today was a busy day.” She said to Jessica on her cell.
“Hmm good but be careful to cover your mouth and don’t let them touch your things.”
“Ne…. ummm unnie?”
“What?”
“Uhhh… you told me kisses happen only in movies, they aren’t real?”
“Well… they are real but” She sighed. “They aren’t for you. I hope you understand. Visit me tomorrow. I’ve decided to change your medications.”
“hmm…” She nodded and hung up.
“People like you are unacceptable to the society, don’t you understand?????” Jessica’s words ran through her mind once again.
“If I tell her about the kiss, she won’t let me go to the university.” She sighed again. The cherries gained her attention. She took one and tasted it. “Ummmm…. It’s sweet.” She took another and then another. Her cell rang.
“Yoboseo?”
“Its Byunghun.”
“Ohhhh….” Her heartbeat raced. “H-how are you?”
“I am good. I didn’t know you ranked 3rd in the entrance exam.”
“Uh… yeah.” She smiled.
“Noah?”
“Ne….”
“You know that Kevin guy, sitting beside me?”
“Kevin-ssi?”
“Yeah… he’s not a good guy. So stay away from him.”
There was a silence.
“Noah? You okay?” He asked worriedly.
“y-yeah… I’ll be careful.”
“Lets talk about our work.”
“Hmm…”

Kevin was at a bar drinking with his friends.
“Being 18 is bliss.” Kevin said. The friends laughed. “I am going to present another term.”
“What?” They asked.
“The girl I told you guys about….”
“So?”Hyunwoo asked.
“I am gonna make her fall for me.”
“Impossible. This time you can’t win just with looks.” Hyunwoo said.
“Leave that to me. But if I win you guys will treat me at Lotte Hotel.”
“Are you outta your mind?” A friend said.
“You guys are 7. Can’t you treat one guy?”
“What if you fail?” Hyunwoo asked.
“That’s not possible, but I’ll treat you then. But that’s never gonna happen!” He pointed his finger at Hyunwoo and drank another glass of alcohol.

Notes