Thank Yous

"Yes mom, I know," Y/N muttered and clicked on the lift button, her one hand holding on to her files and another holding takeout.

As soon as the lift arrived she got in hurriedly, some of the files dropping down in the process, "Mom, I'm gonna talk to you later." She hung up the phone and got in the lift, picking up the files. The door was about to close when she noticed one paper on the floor outside. As she was about to stop the lift, a hand came in between the doors. The person picked up the paper and got in. She muttered, "thank you," and moved her hand to take it from him, dropping her phone in process.

"You're clumsy," the guy said and picked it up. He pressed the button of his floor and asked, "Which floor?"

It took her a moment but then she recognized the voice. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly pressed the button and looked up at him, "Oh! You're the uncl- ahem, guy who helped me!" Her face flushed realizing how she almost called her an uncle. Unable to take the awkwardness anymore she continued, "I - I didn't get to thank you earlier that day, so thank you for the help."

He sighed, which almost sounded like he found her a bit annoying and said, "You're welcome."

She observed him for a bit longer. He wore glasses, looked a bit tired and a backpack hung loosely on his left shoulders. Suddenly, he turned and asked, "Do you need something?"

"Uh," she blushed, realizing that she has been staring at him for quite sometime and started stuttering, "May...I know your name?"

"Why?" he asked looking at her, his eyes momentarily went down taking in her weary appearance.

"Nothing, just a formal gesture to..uh...to know the neighbors. My mom told me to..." the volume of her voice slowly went down, "...get to know the neighbors."

His eyes went towards the buttons on the lift and back at her again when the lift opened. He walked out and said, "Lee Eunhyuk."

[ TIME SKIP ]

"....Is he handsome?"

"...Shut up," Y/N said, feeling embarrassed. She sipped on her coffee and said, "Anyways, I don't know if I should just offer him food as a thank you gift like mom said. He looked like he found me...irritating or something."

Her friend looked at her with a smirk and said, "You didn't deny it. He's handsome isn't he?!"

"That is not the point," Y/N flushed and said, "Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

"Yeah yeah, I get it. You only get to see him when you go to the lift. I think you should just ask him for dinner or something. How long has it been? Three weeks has passed, I think it's time you make a move."

"Won't he find it a bit weird? To...ask him for dinner as thank you gift after three whole weeks? And I am not making a move on him."

"It's weirder if you keep staring at him in the lift like you do like a creep. And yes, it's called making a move but whatever makes you sleep at night babe," her friend looked out of the cafe and noticed her boyfriend arriving with a bike, "and that's me. Call me when you get home. It's pretty late."

Y/N looked at the clock and waved her friend goodbye. She worked as a waitress in a cafe and it got late almost everyday. Closing the cafe, she walked towards the bus stop.

She sighed looking at the long path ahead of her after she got down the bus. She needed to walk towards her apartment now. Raising the volume of the song she was listening to she started walking faster when someone grabbed her arm.

Squealing, she looked up at the familiar face and asked, "Do you need something?" She watched his mouth move and quickly took off her earphones. "S-Sorry can you say it again?"

"Why do you wear your earphones when you go home so late babe?" Eunhyuk said, a fake smile plastered on his face.

The last word of his made her blush as she stuttered, "E-Excuse me?" She watched him look at her back and then brushed some of her hair to the back of her ears. As she was about to ask him about his motives, he started talking.

"Someone got out of the bus with you and was following you. I asked you the question for a reason. You're lucky I came here to buy some medicines," his tone changed back to normal.

"Uh...I didn't know," she blushed and looked at his hand still holding her arm. He quickly let it go and started walking towards their apartment building. She looked back and there was a man walking fast to the opposite side of the road.

She turned and jogged near Eunhyuk and said, "Thank you-"

"I'm tired of your thank yous," he stated and looked forward, his brows furrowing a little, "Don't wear earphones when you're walking back home at night."

"Sorry," Y/N muttered and then a brilliant idea came to her. She thanked her friend from the cafe in her mind and asked him, "Can I.... treat you to dinner as a thank you gesture?"

[ TIME SKIP ]

"Hi!"

"Stop following me," Eunhyuk sighed in annoyance.

"I am n-not following you," Y/N blushed and pressed the button of her floor. The door was about to shut when a hand came in between and a girl got in.

"Wow, you're still fixated on my brother? Don't you feel any shame?"

Y/N felt embarrassed and said, "And you're still skipping classes. So shame isn't really the subject you should touch on." She glanced at Eunhyuk from the reflection to observe his expression but it was hard to understand. Maybe he was pissed at her for telling this to his sister when...she was right. It would take a blind person to say that she wasn't hovering around the boy for the past few months, taking every chance she gets to irritate him a bit. Sure, he made it sound like he hated it but...he wasn't outright brutal about it like he always is, right? He didn't yet tell her to stop seriously. Besides, she didn't have any kind of expectation anyway. He looked like he hated the attention and won't be able to tolerate her more than he already is.

She got off on her floor and walked towards her apartment in exhaustion, loud music blaring from room 1510. Y/N groaned and rang the doorbell, waiting for her to answer. Soon enough the door opened and Yoon Jisu peeked out, a smile tugging on her lips. Y/N said, "Can you please tone it down today? I'm really tired but I still have to work on my assignments. I just need a nap. I'll inform you when you can raise the volume."

"Oh, okay! No problem! Just remember to inform me please," she said, her mouth reeking of cigarette odor.

Y/N smiled and went back in her apartment. She flopped down on her bed and went through her notifications. Tapping on the call button, she called her mother. And as expected, she was asking the obvious question.

"Why didn't you pick up the call?"

"I was busy mom. Besides, I've assignments to work on today."

"Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Okay, take care of yourself okay? So..we are having a get together the next week. Can you take a break or something and visit us? It's been....long since I've seen you."

Y/N cringed a bit at the comment. It wasn't exactly normal for them to be blunt about their feelings this way. She asked, "I can. Who are the guests?"

"It's relatives only."

Y/N stayed silent for a while. If relatives were coming then that meant....he would come too.

Hearing nothing but silence on the phone, her mother continued, "You know we can't just severe relations like that. No matter what he did."

"No mom, YOU can't. It's the matter of reputation for our family anyway right? Of course it doesn't matter what he did. Just remember, don't make me talk to him or his family. Cause I'll stop at nothing now. I don't care if it's too late."

"Why can't you think about your family for once?!"

"I did, didn't I? And look what it did to me," Y/N massaged her forehead and said, "Anyways, bye. I've got work to do."

Her mother stayed silent for some time and said, "Bye. We'll be waiting for you."

As she cut off the call, Y/N stared at the ceiling wondering what the little get together would turn out like for her. It would turn out fine...

...right?