The tall, shadowed pines were stretching up like arrows into the patchy sky. We could see the small stars in glimpses through tree breaks. Joo-seo's friend was exposing her pale beauty in the placid forest.
My feelings were riveted on Joo-seo's "lunar" character. His silence was noisy and expressive.

All I could do was stare at him through the little light the moon provided.
"Are you done checking me out, you little perv?" He turned his head towards me and raised his right eyebrow.
His sentence made me shiver. A heat beat down on my body." Wh... what I'm not! I was looking at the moon, idiot! Your huge damn head was blocking my view."
I overreacted.
"I... let's go home, I'm tired."
I stood up and walked quickly. Joo-seo laughed out loud.
His arm wrapped around my torso, pinning me to his body, and he whispered in my ear, "I know how you feel little murderer."

I escaped his grip, the warmth of his whisper still working on the back of my neck.
"Dude! Stop getting on my nerves, or I will burn you like I did to your adoptive parents and your sister's feelings."
I moved away from him. My brisk steps became staggering as heavy breaths left my lungs.
I violently covered my face with my hands , then stopped walking.
"Are you tired, or is it my charm that weakens you?" He said when he finally reached me.
I tried to change the subject and hide what i'm sensing .
"What's going to happen to Soo-jin now? Why aren't you with her?"

"Her grandparents are taking care of her. It's hard to say if they'll be able to last more than three more years."

"It may sound exaggerated, but I'm so proud of myself." I put my left hand over my heart.

"Proud to have reduced a child's life to ashes?"

"I seem cruel that way... I love myself."

"I don't know whether to thank you for relieving me of a heavy burden and making me heir to a huge fortune, or to keep my distance away from you, little girl."

Our steps froze as I reached under my bedroom window.
"But where will you sleep tonight?" I said in a whisper.
"Umm... you could do me a second favour. Can you host me for the night, dear murderer ?"