Chapter 6

Reminder that English is not my native language, I translated this using my own knowledge of English and the use of translation tools, if you find any errors please let me know.

I am in trouble; I am in a lot of trouble.

It was no longer a professor, but the leaders of the university who called me to attention, my grades are at rock bottom, and they have made it clear to me that one more month like this and I will be expelled.

The problem is, even if I want to, I can't get the grades I need to be able to stay in college. I would have to basically sink into studies to the point of almost no sleep to achieve even a grade that would allow me to extend this guarantee they just gave me.

I would have no time for anything, I would be in constant stress, I... I can't do that.

I lean my back against a tree as I start to hyperventilate.

What am I going to do?

"Ji-A?" I heard a male voice ask in confusion.

I looked up to observe a guy I could recognize as the one I had seen already a week or so ago in that restaurant, the one also named Mi-Noo, wait how does he know my name?

"Y-yes?" I replied in confusion as I hurriedly wiped away the tears that were starting to come out of my eyes.

The boy's face seemed to light up when he heard me, I could see how he restrained himself from jumping on me, which worried me quite a bit.

He seemed to notice my confusion "It's me, Mi-Noo Don't you recognize me?" Hearing that, my brain short-circuited.

He is Mi-Noo... My Mi-Noo, the one I always knew since childhood. I took a good look at him, as before I knew how to see Mi-Noo's facial features even though these were more chiseled and looked healthier, I would have been able to convince myself that they are related, siblings even, if he didn't come from confirming that indeed if he is Mi-Noo.

Then there's his body, he's taller by a few inches, but taller, true he was always taller than me, but now it's something that's more noticeable. Likewise, his physique is more athletic and the clothes he wears are not baggy like before.

"Mi-Noo?" I asked still not quite believing it.

"The same, surprised?" He asked with a smile "Ji-A where have you been? I've been looking for you since I got here, it's been two months now."

Two months... He's been here for two months already and only now I find out that he's here.

I... It's true that I've lost contact and since I've been with Choi I've also lost contact with my parents, knowing them they would have informed me that Mi-Noo would be around.

"I... I've been busy" I said not truly knowing what to answer.

"I notice that" Mi-Noo uttered, clearly not convinced by what I just told him "Do you have free time now?" he asked.

I nodded "Yes I won't have classes until the afternoon".

"Come with me, let's talk somewhere quieter" I nodded at his request and started to follow him.

He had changed, more than I could have imagined, it wasn't just physically, it was also mentally, Mi-Noo had always been introverted even with me, although it was less than with the others.

Now he seems almost another person, after walking for a while we arrived at a cafe I had never seen before, it looks very modest and quiet.

We both walk in and sit down; we order simple coffee.

"Being honest with you Ji-A... Our first meeting, after a year of no contact, I expected it to be... Better and I would like to make it better, but I can't decently ignore what your teachers kept telling me when I asked them about you" He knows, I immediately started to get nervous.

Why didn't anyone inform me that he was looking for me? It's true that in these two months I have attended about three classes only, but some teacher or acquaintance should have told me.

"Ji-A I have been told that you have a disturbing number of absences, that if that continues, you will be kicked out of the university. You understand that as your friend I am concerned to know that, but even more I am concerned to know why you have all those absences, are you in trouble?" from his tone of voice I can tell he is genuinely concerned, he is not throwing the absences in my face he is just confused and worried.

Still, what does he care? He stays away from me for a whole year and now out of nowhere he comes trying to act concerned, the one who cares about what happens to me and how I feel.

"I don't have any problems and you shouldn't care about that" I said with irritation, Mi-Noo always had this mania of telling me those things, not to go out so much partying, to be careful who I frequent as if he thinks he's my father.

Mi-Noo raised an eyebrow at my answer, far from withdrawing as he did before when I talked to him, this way he just looked tired "That part of you hasn't changed from what I see, look Ji-A I care about you, as a friend, something is going on that is risking your professional project and I just want to be of help" He said, his voice sounded calm.

"Everything is fine" I said.

He let out a sigh "It's okay, if that's what you say" He took out a piece of paper and started to quickly write down a number "This is my phone number, I told Sae-hyun to give it to you a while ago, I guess she never got around to it" He said that and just drank his coffee got up and left.

What was that? Since when Mi-Noo not insisted on me, since when did he not back down and apologize to me for making me mad, since when did he just dump me.

And Sae-Hyun knew he was already here why didn't she warn me or give me his number like he asked?

Who is this Mi-Noo and what did he do with mine.

POV Mi-Noo

Ji-A had gotten used to taking it out on me, usually by getting angry and badmouthing me or outright yelling at me, it's true that she always apologized as soon as the anger got the better of her and I didn't make any effort to take that behavior away from her.

But it's not something I'm willing to put up with again, it worries me, I want to help her, and I'm really terrified of the idea of her being taken out of the university, but if she doesn't want to tell me and use me as a retaliation, then I'd better stay away, my studies and Sae-Hyun stress me out enough.

Because that's another thing, after that kiss a week ago Sae-Hyun hasn't talked to me again, she still goes to classes and sometimes I see her from afar, everything became awkward, she doesn't talk to me anymore, she averts her eyes when I look at her, I haven't had the courage to confront her about her current attitude, but it's something I should do.

Whether she got bored with me like she said she might or something else, I just prefer not to have to deal with that kind of stress when I must attend classes and complete college work.

I stopped and grabbed my phone looking through my contacts for my parents' number, I contacted them for Ji-A's parents' number.

I must take a weight off my shoulders one by one and the easiest one to do now is Ji-A's, although I would have preferred her to tell me what's going on before I warn them, I am obliged to inform her parents about her absences hoping they will make her reconsider or get information out of her... If they manage to contact her.