Jisoo was one of those who woke up the earliest before dawn. She was actually a light sleeper, who could wake up by only hearing a little sound. Although in fact she also couldn't sleep well last night, because some of the kids were snoring. She woke up to hear a slight move by Soojung. The girl told her to go to sleep again because she was just about to go to the toilet. But because Jisoo could not sleep anymore, she decided to get up, took care of her bedding, wore her coat and sat on the terrace.
The sky was still dark, it was still five o'clock in the morning. She stretched her joints while removing the drowsy scars on her facial veins. The morning breeze was very cold, it really helped her quickly return to freshness.
When the other kids had started to wake up, Soojung invited her to go to the garden to pick some vegetables (the villagers had given them permission to freely take the vegetables they needed for meals beforehand) so they could make fresh kimchi and other side-dishes. Their menu was simple that morning, but maybe because they had their meal together it felt much better even though only with fried eggs and fish with various fresh kimchis. About two hours later they were finally ready, a pick-up truck picked them up to take them down the mountain.
The high school was located in the middle of the city. Jongin told them that ninety percent of these high schoolers continued their studies to universities spread throughout the Korean mainland. Up to twenty-five percent of them were accepted at the universities in Seoul. The students in this high school had the potential to excel when compared to the average achievers in Seoul, which was why he chose this school to visit.
They arrived at school when the students were still studying their first subject, and there was still an hour until their event in the hall would begin. Without them knowing, the teachers had made plans beforehand; they are asked to go to class and helped students with their lessons. Actually this was really unplanned, some of them did not prepare additional materias other than what would be presented in the hall. But since the teachers assured them this would be an interesting experience for students because they were about to be taught by students from the top university in Seoul, even throughout Korea, while promising to accompany them during the class, Jongin and Soojung finally put them into ten different classes.
Lucky for Jisoo, she entered the junior class who were studying mathematics. Feeling that this was one of her specialties, she made a question and answer session for materials that the students still found difficult and tried to explain as best she could to them. She was relieved because at least, according to the students, her explanation was easy to understand.
After all the troubles, everyone gathered in the hall at ten o'clock. The principal opened their program while introducing who they were. It was interesting to see the enthusiasm of the students, let alone see how in an hour the boys seemed to have their own fan club, and of course Lisa had the biggest crowd among the girls.
One by one and in pairs, they took turns giving presentation according to their respective fields of study. At least each team was given a maximum of fifteen minutes, until finally it was Jisoo and Sehun’s to give their material together.
It was much better than what Jisoo had in mind. Compared to her, Sehun was more flexible delivering his material, as usual. He was not the best in his class, but when he knew what he was about to say, he would not stop talking enthusiastically. And maybe because the feedback given by the students was quite festive, Sehun was even more excited. He even made jokes and threw some fun facts trivias in the middle of his presentation. Jisoo knew Sehun really enjoyed the awwing and squealing that the girls called out when he spoke.
And compared to Sehun, she was a little more serious. The atmosphere of the auditorium was calmer when she delivered her material. Actually Jisoo wanted to look even more enthusiastic just like him, but after all she was not the cheerful Lisa nor the fun Sehun. So when her turn began, Jisoo tried to revive the atmosphere in her own way. She listened to them.
If Sehun talked more about how buildings or world architecture are established, Jisoo told them about her experience and shared them her drawing techniques. She played them a two minute time-lapse video she once made when she was drawing sketches, then she gave tips for those who were interested in drawing, as well as in making proportions, outsmarting light balance, choosing the right drawing tools for certain sketches, and many others. She showed them her combat equipment which must always be in her bag. Although the reaction she got was not as enthusiastic as when Sehun delivered, Jisoo was quite satisfied to see many of them were interested in her material. Some kids even spoke up, telling her about their favorite drawing and their desire to make it not just a hobby. She was very happy to be able to listen, especially when the guys helped her answer the students' questions by encouraging others.
"Noona, which one is better? Being an architect or engineer?" asked one of the students in QnAs session.
Jisoo stayed quiet for a moment to think about the best answer. She once had this argument a year ago with Sehun, when they were talking about who had the most important role in architectural world. Sehun always said his department required higher skills because it dealt with more numbers and counting, and without that skill a building could not stand upright. In the other hand, she argued that all those things Sehun had mentioned would never do any good without a structured design. To think about it again, it was really an insignificant argument, but somehow she couldn't help but laugh for that memories.
"It's actually just like what Oh Sehun has told you guys earlier," she began. "Technically speaking, an architect and an engineer work in the same expertise. Some even say that their roles and responsibilities are oftenly overlap, I mean, there are numbers of time when we take the same classes and study the same materials. I can't tell you if one carrier is better than the other because when you talk about it, all arguments are subjective. But what I can tell you is, this industry is still one of the highest-paying jobs in any part of the world." 
The comment itself was enough to make a roar of laughter inside the hall, including the teachers who were also there. The voices of the students who commented on each other and thumbed up sounded like a buzzing bee, and they just fell into silent again when Sehun added his comment.
"Architecture and engineering are one of the most directing departments to potential career. I mean, when you study in medschool you will definitely become a doctor, or if you study in an education department, chances are that you will become an educator. The same thing applies to this department." He explained, "So when you have the potential to study at an architecture or engineering school, I don't think it's necessary to think about which one is better. But it's better to think about what you like more, or what makes you more comfortable.
I personally think that between architect and engineer, both of them need each other. The architect works to develop the creative designs for buildings or structures, while the engineer makes sure that they are safe and functional. Jisoo's potential job is like a torch, you know what it is, how it looks and how it works. While my potential job is the battery for the torch when you want to use it to light the darkness. It's a mutualism. In this case, Jisoo and I are inseparable."
Sehun ended his speech with a 'whoa' choir from the audience, as if there was another meaning of his last sentence. Some of the kids started the chants telling them to date, which was then followed by the whole audience. She was really embarrassed that she couldn't raise her head, especially when Baekhyun suddenly said,
"Too late, Guys, they broke up already."
Jisoo never had the urge to shove a microphone into somebody's throat this bad. 
*
Their activities ended at lunch hour. The guys took time to play basketball with the senior team before they finally said goodbye and returned to the village. 
They helped the residents complete their delayed harvest, the boys were spread to help the residents clean or repair something while the girls helped each other to cook dinner for the villagers. The plan was that night they would have dinner together as a goodbye because it was the last night before they returned to Seoul.
Like in a reality show where you really prepared your own food from scratch, they literally did it there. The locals took some of them to the river to catch fish with nets - they got five large fish in the river area where the flow was heavy and quite deep. Jisoo used to think that only Kim Byung Man could do things like catching fish with spears and others; it turned out that this village had over a dozen more reliable Kim Byung Mans.
Jisoo took some pictures and sent them to Yoonseok, as she had promised him earlier. These were the things she never did before, and she was glad to be there to experience it. She even thanked Soojung for that perfect weekend getaway.
Meanwhile, Sehun acted as if he had resigned with all the taunts that Baekhyun and his friends were cruelly throwing at him after a brief incident in the middle of his presentation. Even since then, he looked like no longer trying to stay away or pretending to be ignorant like before. In fact, it seemed that he was actually letting the distance between them filled by easy stages.
Then the next thing, he sat next to her at dinner.
Even though there were no words shared, nor their initiative to start the conversation, at least Sehun didn't consider her as non-exist when they were in the same conversation.
Jisoo talked more with Lisa who sat next to her another side, or with the grandmothers in front of her. The interactions between them two were no more than "Let me have more kimchi, Jisoo," said Sehun, or "Can you pass me that?". That, or when Jisoo laughed and apologized when she accidentally spilled the soy sauce on his hand when their hands touched.
But the question is, was that all for the night?
No. There was more.
It was one in the morning, almost an hour after the dinner finished. She was just getting ready to sleep when she passed the kitchen and found a familiar wallet. It belonged to grandma Geunseok, she was sure. She remembered seeing her carrying it everywhere she went earlier. She took it to Soojung, hoping that she knew what to do with the wallet, since the phone inside kept ringing and she thought grandma must need it. But Lisa was in the bathroom at the time, while Soojung looked like she was in a serious conversation at the back of the house with Jongin, and she didn't want to disturb. Everyone seemed occupied with their own activities so Jisoo decided to bring it back by herself. She knew where her house was anyway, and it wasn't really far from here.
She put on her coat and was putting on her shoes when a voice made her almost jump for surprise.
"Where are you going?" Sehun appeared from behind the corridor, he seemed like he just came out of the bathroom seeing his wet hair and towel covering his shoulder.
"Uh, Grandma Geunseok left her wallet. Her phone keeps ringing, I guess she's looking for it."
"And you're taking it back, like, now?"
"Yeah, it's nearby. It won't take long." Jisoo finished tightening her shoelace and ready to leave right away, but Sehun stopped her.
"Wait, I'll go with you. Stay there, I'll be back." 
"No, you don't---" Jisoo called, "Have to."
But it's too late. Sehun had left to the sleeping hall when she tried to stopped him. It's actually nothing big even if she had to leave by herself, plus, she knew the way very well. Besides, the village chief said earlier that this place had zero percentage of criminal action so she had nothing to worry.
"I can just leave by myself, you know. It's fine." she said when Sehun appeared some minutes later. 
"And risk the possibility some boars or bears attack you on the way?" He put a bennie covering his half-wet hair then put on his shoes, "I'll be the first suspect if something happens to you. People will think I hurt you for revenge."
That was harsh, and Jisoo had no idea what to say. She was stunned for a second and even froze by the remark. It was when Sehun said something again she realized the boy had passed through her and called her by the doorway.
“I was joking, alright? Don’t be so tensed up.”
It was like about a second later Jisoo finally snapped out of it. “Ha-ha. That’s not funny though.” She snorted and followed him out.
One reason about Jisoo’s reluctance in leaving with him was because she knew it’s going to be awkward. The silence engulfed them like a tight embrace, and the cold air didn’t make it better. The night breeze was strong, enough to make the hair strands on the side of her head was blown kicking her face. Jisoo brushed her hair back behind her ear repeatedly, but because the wind kept blown it over, she finally let it play her hair while keeping her hands warm inside her coat’s pocket.
“You should’ve tuck your hair in your coat, that would be more convenient.” Sehun said a moment later. He pulled his hand back to his pocket as Jisoo jerked her head for the sudden touch.
If it wasn’t for the cold air, Jisoo might have felt the blush on her cheeks because the gesture was awfully familiar. Back in their day, the Sehun brushed her hair with his fingers gesture was one of her favorites.
But in fact today, without Sehun probably noticing, Jisoo deliberately let her hair loose like that to have a limited peripheral on her visual. It was so she couldn't see him easily even from the corner of her eye. But because Sehun did what he did, Jisoo then tucked her hair into the collar of her coat.
The atmosphere back to the quietness, leaving the only sound heard was from the wind hissing like a snake. Jisoo was thinking of something to say, because the awkwardness started to irk her. The walk to grandma Geunseok’s house would take another twenty minutes, and if they wanted to spend an hour ahead, there had to be something to dissolve this silence.
“You know I was---” she said in the end, only to have her words on halt because at the same time Sehun also said something.
“There’s something---”
Then he chuckled. And that made her smile too.
“Let me start this, before the awkwardness eats us alive.”
Jisoo nodded on Sehun’s remark, just because she didn’t really have any point on arguing with him. But it was another minute of silence before Sehun said what he had in mind,
“I think I owe you an apology.”
Jisoo turned her head to see Sehun had his eyes on his shoes when he uttered his words. Then he turned to meet her eyes, elaborating what he had to say while Jisoo still in silence.
“I shouldn’t have said what I said to you the other day.” he spoke again, “It was mean. I’m sorry.”
She recalled the day of the incident at the parking lot. It was weeks ago but felt just like yesterday. She called to mind that repulsive glare Sehun shot her, she still even could feel the acidic taste of her mouth as she threw up her guts in devastation after that.
His words were terribly mean, that's true. They were so mean that Jisoo felt it completely traumatized her that time. To think about it again, that was the worst of Sehun she had ever met for the three years she knew him. Ruthless was never on his dictionary no matter how bad the situation was. Howsoever for some reasons, even with all the pain she felt, she couldn't hate him. She perceived his exasperation.
“It’s okay---” she replied almost a minute later, but Sehun cut her before she could finish her words.
“Of course it’s not. Jongdae was right, the thing that happened to us is not your fault. It’s not fair to treat you like you’re the bad guy where I’ve been tormenting you all this time…”
“You made it up to me.” Jisoo interrupted, and she had to. She couldn't let Sehun blame himself, because after all what happened to them was nobody's fault. Even all those things he had done to her, she didn’t blame anyone. And the blaming will never stop if nobody had the willing to end this, so she had to.
Jisoo halted her walk then turned to him. “You came to my dad’s funeral, remember? You paid your respect, and for me, that’s more than enough.” She said.
Though it was quite scandalous and irrefutably deranged me.
“The self-blaming needs to end, Sehun. Me blaming myself, you blaming yourself, let’s just end this. I hate us now. We should’ve done better.”
“Can we…” Sehun was about to say something when at the same time Jisoo’s phone rang inside her pocket.
Jisoo didn’t need to check who the caller was, because there was only one person who possibly would call her in the middle of the night. Feeling that it wasn’t the right time to talk to Yeonseok, Jisoo fished out her phone, put it on silence mode and tucked it back to her jeans’ pocket.
“You won’t take that call?”
“It’s not important.” Jisoo answer him before she moved on walking. Yeonseok could wait, she probably would call him when they got back to the lodging, or even saved the conversation when she’s home. But her phone kept vibrating, and Sehun seemed to notice or even guess who the caller might be, because right then he took her phone from her jeans himself and gave it to her.
“You should take the call, he might be worried. I’ll leave you here so you can talk to him.”
Sehun turned to walk leaving her with a vibrating phone in her hand. And so he is quite far away, she swiped her phone screen to take the call and put it on her ear,
“Yes?”
“Oh, you’re still awake? I was giving it a chance to call and hung up if you don’t pick it up.” She heard his quite surprise tone at the other side, and gave him a chuckle for that.
“You’ll wake me up either way, I didn’t put my phone on silence.”
For a moment, there was silence as she waited for him to response. She heard some voices like he was trying to put off his clothes or something, but before she could ask, Yeonseok asked her.
“How come you’re still awake almost two in the morning?”
“We just finished the wrapped up dinner an hour ago, we had it with the villagers because, you know, it’s our last day today---Are you in the hospital right now? I thought you were going fishing.” She asked back as she heard someone at the other side call him by the name Doctor Yoo.
“Yeah, well, I was. But then this emergency call came up and we got to head back to the city hence here I am, trying to have my sane back after an eight-hour surgery.” she heard him yawned, he must be really tired. “You’re coming back tomorrow, right? Whew, I can’t wait to see you.”
Jisoo raised her eyebrow, as she thought she heard it wrong, “Sorry?”
“I kind of miss you. The bed is too big without you, and the house feels cold, I think I’m going to crash the attending lounge’s couch tonight.”
“You said you’re used to live alone.” she blurted as she turned a moment to see Sehun leaning on the bridge railing about fifteen meters ahead, and she looked away when their eyes met.
“Yeah, then I got married and everything changes.”
For some reason, it made her laugh. Yeonseok was not that type to express his feelings openly, at least he wasn't so before. He was the type of person who showed his affection with action, like the things he had done so far. So Jisoo was a little surprised to hear the confession from his mouth, somehow it sounded rather funny.
“Whatever makes you sleep at night, then.”
They ended their conversation with two or three more sentences. Yeonseok volunteered to pick her up at the drop point tomorrow, which Jisoo refused because Jongdae would be there to pick her and Lisa up. They planned to hang out for lunch before driving her home, so he promised to go home early so they could have dinner together.
Jisoo then proceeded to approached Sehun, who now stood upright seeing Jisoo had finished the phone call. With two hands in his jeans pocket, the boy welcomed her with two raised eyebrows so they could move on going to grandma Geunseok’s house.
Silence regained control of them for a while at the umpteenth time. Sehun hummed softly as he played catch the falling leaves blown off by the breeze, while Jisoo looked the other way around because she didn’t know what to say.
“I watched him on the news the other day.”
Jisoo jerked her head around. She remembered Yeonseok told her about this. When the news broke that the First Lady was treated for leukemia, Yeonseok happened to be her team doctor. He was on TV a lot for several days, even coming to some news programs to be the expert guest speaker.
“He seemed like a decent guy. He treats you good, doesn’t he?”
Jisoo nodded to that. She didn't need to explain anything about Yeonseok, if Sehun thought so then that's how it was. But at the same time she was not sure if it’s just the hallucination, because it seemed like she heard him murmuring something like "he promised me that,". But because the wind blew and shook the branches and leaves, Jisoo thought maybe she had heard wrong.
"Let's have a clean slate. I don't know if we can be friends again, but at least let's not be awkward when each other is around." Sehun said after the breeze calm enough to let his voice could be heard enough.
"Will that be okay?"
Sehun shrugged, "We're letting us go, I have to try."
Jisoo bit her lower lip, it’s not that she didn't want to do it. But she really wasn’t really convinced this would work. She knew how Sehun had been, she recalled he once said that he was that type who would end it once and for all if he had to end something. As he used to quit smoking, or when he stopped talking to his exes because it wasn't worth the effort. Plus Sehun always said (seeing how his previous romantic relationships always were) that between them, he was the one who loved her more. Jisoo was worried, because she wasn't sure Sehun could actually do it.
"What if you can't?"
For a moment Sehun was silent, as if he was thinking about what he had to do as a consequence or what he had to say. Grandma Geunsok's house is in sight, and this was like a sign that this initiation needed to be a done deal before they reached the gate of the house.
And right in front of grandma Geunseok's house, Jisoo put her hand on the wooden board gate to push it open when Sehun finally answered her question.
"If I can't do it, I'm going to leave."
*