Three sharp knocks could be heard at the door of Jae Hwa's dorm.

      His eyes shot open, staring up to the ceiling as he lay in the same position he fell into hours before. His body felt as if he had been asleep for a thousand years. He heard the knocks again, this time, his suspicion of it being Thomas vanished. He had no idea who it could be-- Looking at his watch, he saw that it was just past 11 o'clock-especially at this time of night. He didn't have many visitors himself, and seeing as how Thomas wasn't here, it must be someone looking for him.

     Dragging himself to the door, he twisted the knob just as the person on the other side raised their fist.

     " Thomas isn't here-" Blinking his eyes rapidly, Jae Hwa first thought he was hallucinating.

    Relief passed over him, then happiness, and finally anger.

    " Hi James." Lisa's voice was small as she stood before Jae Hwa's expressionless face. His eyes travelled from her head, to her toes, and back to her eyes. A pain shot through his temples, while a wave of embarrassment washed over her.

    He was silent, not giving her any verbal reply. He spoke with his body as she watched the muscles in his face contract to form a small sneer.

    James? I'm sorry, there is no James here.

     " You're probably cussing me out right now, aren't you?" She grimaced as he refused to speak in English.

    I should be. In fact, I have no idea why I haven't yet. Aish....

   Gripping the edge of the door, Jae Hwa struggled to do what his mind said, which was close it in her face, and with what his heart pleaded. It wanted him to get rid of the irritation she had caused, and to just be glad that she was here now. That she was safe and healthy.

    "Can I come in? Please?" Looking to her left, she watched as some guys walked out of their own dorm towards her. She felt them checking her out, and Jae Hwa quickly pulled her in by the elbow, witnessing the same thing.

    Before she had realized where she was, the door had been shut behind her, and Jae Hwa stood at an awkward distance from her.

    Should he get to the point and start asking questions? Or should she be the first to speak?

       "Where have you been?" Well, it seemed that his mouth moved faster than his mind.

    " I-Well I was just..." His question was abrupt, but not surprising. This was a different side to Jae Hwa. She had known him for weeks now,and this was the first time that she hadn't seen the soft spoken guy she was used to. Before her now was someone who looked guarded, and on the offense.

    " Is it that hard to say?" He didn't want to hear her skirt around the question. How hard could it be to tell someone who you've become close to where you disappeared to for three days?

    " I had to go on a trip. It was with my parents, and I had forgotten to tell you about it."

    His mental lie detector looked for any hiccups in her statement. It made sense to him, he guessed. She looked truthful...

     " Is that all?" His shoulders sank as he released some of his tension.

    " Yes, it is. I promise. It had been scheduled months ago, and I kind of forgot about it until the day I had to go..." Lisa peered up at Jae Hwa through her eyelashes. What she said was the truth.

   Her parents had arranged a trip for them a long time in advanced. Though she hadn't naturally forgotten that it was coming up, she had managed to use Jae Hwa, school, and dance as blockers of the dreadful thing.

    It was a trip for six to her father's summer house. Lisa's stomach churned through the initial meeting between her and a man that was nearly ten years her senior.  His name was Marcus, and she had known him since she was a little girl. He was the attractive older guy who innocently flirted with her for fun. Now that all of that was replaced with a deal between their parents, which helped to suck all of the good natured fun out of the brother sister relationship they once had.

      " You're a lot older now, Lisa. You can handle this kind of change you hear me? I need you to act like a woman. That's how your mama and I have raised you to be. You're not a child anymore."

   "You're sick." Folding her arms over her chest, Lisa whispered underneath her breath. Her the eyes she inherited from her father shot to the rearview mirror.

    " Watch yourself now." He cautioned.

   His eyes demanded her attention.

   "Yes. Sir." She spoke softly, yet harsh.

       Shaking her head, Lisa wanted to rid herself of the awkward touches and chaste kisses to the cheek she had received from Marcus as he tried his best to make her comfortable with him. He had always found Lisa to be a charming young girl, and couldn't help but to see her as a woman now. The only problem, which he mistook for her being young and innocent, was that she was appalled at the prospect of them developing into something more.

   Standing here with Jae Hwa, she didn't feel as grimy as she had before.

   " Did you enjoy your trip?" He had watched the emotions that had swam across her face as her thoughts captured her. Now that he had simmered down, he was eager to hear from her.

     " It wasn't a pleasure trip, trust me on that." Raising her eyebrows, Lisa clasped her hands in front of her as she rocked on her heels. There was an undertone to what she said, that Jae Hwa wanted to question, but as soon as he caught it, she had sprung back to life.

    " Did you miss me? I know you missed me? What would you do without me..." She laughed as she walked past him, checking out his room. Pointing her fingers between the two beds, she sat on the one she guessed was his.

    " So what's up?" She sucked on her bottom lip as her eyes brightened up once again.

     For some reason, Jae Hwa wasn't satisfied with how she was acting. He had fretted over her being gone for days. He had felt so many things that he shouldn't have for someone he hasn't known for very long. He cared for her.

    Seeing her swinging her legs and smiling like nothing had been done struck a nerve with him.

    Did she care for him?

    Don't you think this is too much?

    " Look, if you want to hold a conversation, you might think to do it in a language we both know." Rolling her eyes playfully, Lisa gave him a coy smirk." Otherwise it's pointless."

   She had picked up a knickknack he kept beside his bed, toying with it as he seethed before her. He took the object from her hand, and threw it on the ground.

    " I was worried about you, you know." His jaw was clenched as he controlled himself. Lisa wore an awkward smile.

   " I don't know what for...." Standing to her feet, she laughed nervously. " Come on, it was just a couple of days..."

   " You haven't even said sorry. You make yourself a part of my life; even invite me into a little piece of yours, only to push me away suddenly. Don't I deserve a little more respect than that?"

    " Respect? When have I ever disrespected you? Look, I told you it was something that was already planned. I don't have to apologize for that."

   " So it's okay to just dump me anywhere you please? You don't just leave people in the cold like that."

   " What do you mean? I-" Lisa's defense faltered as she remembered leaving him at the church on his own. They had gone so far from where he was used to and...

    " Okay, so that was dumb on my part, and I didn't mean to just leave you hanging like that."

    " I don't think you get it..."

    "What? That you're being bitchy with me because I left you at the church?" Throwing her hands to her side, Lisa's voice raised.

      " It's more than that!"

    " How!"

    " You weren't thinking of me! You weren't thinking of me when you just left like that. You weren't thinking of me when you stayed gone for three days, all the while the only thing on my mind was you! Even though I was the one who was deserted, I could only think about you being okay. I could only think about the fact that I couldn't find you anywhere. All that I could think about was you, Lisa! Have I not earned some kind of room in your thoughts yet?"

      " You say that like you're my boyfriend."

      Why? "Is that the only time I'm allowed to care for you?"

    " I'm just saying..."

   This time, it was his turn to take a seat on the bed. His face was buried into his hands as he rubbed at his eyes. He had expressed the way he felt for her, and received nothing more than a stale reply. Gripping the hair at his edges, he took a deep breath. Maybe it had been a mistake saying what he had. Obviously, he had confused the joy of finding a friend in a strange place with the joy of finding his first love.

     He felt like a fool now.

       " James...James." Tapping his shoulder, Lisa's heart began to feel pain as she watched him sit still as a rock.

     "Leave."

     " What?" Swallowing hard, she was hesitant to move.

    " Leave. Go. Now." His voice was leveled. Much more stable than how he felt.

   " But can't we just talk-" Jae Hwa's eyes cut to Lisa's, leaving no room for argument. On shaky legs, she walked away from him with tears in her eyes.