When Jihye’s chemistry class was coming to an end, Hanbin peeked through the window and nodded to himself when he saw Jihye pack her things up.

“Jihye! Kim freaking Jihye!” Hanbin grabbed her arm and began walking down the halls to the cafeteria. “I left class early to catch you!”

She laughed and looked at him. “What? Kim Hanbin!” Jihye stopped and stared at him. Suddenly, a memory of them in middle school replayed in her head.

“Dude…isn’t it awesome that we both have the same last name? We won’t need to change a thing if we get married when we’re like 30!”

“As if! I’ll never marry you!”

“M-Me too! I was just saying!”

Jihye’s heart sunk as her oblivious soul mate continued to drag her along. Now that’s definitely never going to happen… Time won’t allow it. She held onto that memory and let it replay in her head over and over again, even though it made her sad. Even though it was a constant reminder that she was going to die sooner than her peers, Jihye relived the memory over and over again because one day, those memories in her head would eventually disappear.

Hanbin turned his head. “Aren’t you coming?” He pushed through the passing students and stood in front of her, acting like a protective shield in a herd full of angry elephants. “Jihye?”

She shook it off and nodded. “Ah yeah, yeah…I am…” Jihye walked in front of him and she hoped and hoped that he wouldn’t run up to her again. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Nothing is wrong. Don’t cry! The diagnosis was still fresh in her head and those four words from her doctor seemed to linger. It’s a brain aneurysm. Jihye furrowed her brows and ran her fingers through her locks. “Shut up,” she whispered.

“Huh?”

Jihye lifted her head to see a confused Hanbin.

“Jihye…” He grabbed her close to him and pulled her into the cafeteria.

They stood in line for food in silence. Jihye held a tray in her hands and absentmindedly scooped some dishes onto her plate. She sat at a random table and waited for her best friend.

“Jihye, what are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Hanbin picked the anchovies off her plate and onto his. “You hate anchovies and…” He pulled her tray away. “Bro! You’re allergic to eggs…” He switched their plates and looked at her. “And it’s unlike you to ignore my phone calls.”

“Why did you call me?”

Hanbin reached into his jacket pocket for a little pink bag. “I remembered that you broke your phone case and I happened to be in Hongdae. There was a lady selling them and they were the ones you liked. I texted and called, but you never answered. I didn’t know which one was blue and the lady said it was this.”

Jihye looked at him and smiled. “Aww….”

“Is this blue?”

She took the phone case out of its bag and chuckled. Its color—it was green. “Yeah, it is.”

Hanbin snapped his fingers in satisfaction. “Aw yeah!” He beamed. “Do you like it?”

Maybe green can be our blue. “I love it.”