| E a t i n g t o g e t h e r |
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It was already the beginning of our third school year together. Vacation had ended and our schedules were slightly different from each other. Eunhyuk didn’t have the extra classes you could choose between, because his sport was growing more important and he had exemption to train with his team. Leeteuk was taking art classes and the history of art. I took philosophy and joined the school newspaper at the same time. I realized I liked writing a lot and it became my passion.
Every day we walked home together with the three of us in exception of Eunhyuk who often had late practice. We were still tutoring him; school was getting harder for him as soccer was taking more of his time.

“Guys!” Eunhyuk ran into us. “Let’s go out eat somewhere, my treat.”

We looked at him in surprise.

“…I scored twice today!” Eunhyuk puffed out his chest proudly.

“You had a game today? Why didn’t you tell us?!” I almost yelled at him.

“Oh no… it was just a practice. Don’t worry.” Eunhyuk said.

“Two goals in a practice match. Woooow.” Leeteuk pulled a sarcastic face and then burst in a high-pitch giggle.

“Yah! Wait until the match!” Eunhyuk hit him. “Besides, it’s Friday and I want to do something with my best friends…” Eunhyuk smiled and hugged us in a tight embrace.

“Okay, I’ll call the maid.” I said when Leeteuk was already reaching for his phone to call his parents.

“Mom… why are you… crying?” Leeteuk asked. His face fell.

I stopped typing numbers in my phone and looked at Leeteuk in worry.

“What do you mean nothing mom? You’re crying…Why are you crying?” Leeteuk was always really straightforward when others had problems.

He walked out of the hallway behind a corner and gestured us to stay where we were because he needed privacy.

“Oh!” Eunhyuk let out as if he knew what was going on with his mother but then he said “What’s wrong with them?”

“I have no idea, she’s usually a happy person… maybe it’s just a small thing.” I reassured him. He nodded, dropping the issue.

“Eunhyuk, when is your match?” I asked.

“Next Friday!” He said while moving his legs as if there was a soccer ball between them.

“You really have to go though, women bring luck in sports, when your girlfriend is there you always win…”

When Eunhyuk said the word girlfriend it just meant ‘friend’ and ‘girl’, a girl who is his friend, because he had a lot of them.

“Of course I’ll be there with Leeteuk.”

“Where do you wanna go eat?” Eunhyuk stopped making soccer movements.

“I wanna go to that pizza place!” I said. Eunhyuk grimaced.

“Where we ate for the first time together? To be honest, I didn’t really like the food. I just didn’t tell you because I didn’t know you.”

“What the heck…” I hit him, he started laughing out loud.

When Leeteuk was back we walked out of school, but it all took half an hour because Eunhyuk was constantly called by other people in school he knew. It had become routine for us.
It occurred to me that Leeteuk hadn’t said a thing since the conversation with his mother on the phone. It started to worry me a little, he only answered when we asked a question.
On our way to the restaurant – which I decided to be a Japanese one in the end - Eunhyuk kept on talking about the upcoming championship. He was all into it and I just kept on nodding. Sometimes I couldn’t completely catch up with him, but I was happy he had found something he loved that much.
During dinner Leeteuk started to loosen up a little but he wasn’t happy, that was as clear as ice, because if Leeteuk was happy you could always easily read it from his face.

“Na-Young, what do you think about that waiter?” Eunhyuk blurted out, he was pointing at a guy who looked approximately eighteen years old.

“What?” I looked at him confused.

“Obviously, he’s into you…” Eunhyuk rolled his eyes.

“Stop talking like that!” I retorted back and looked at my plate, hiding the flush. “Since when have we become like that?!”

“Sorry, just… the way he stares at you....” Eunhyuk giggled quietly. “Like he’s hungry…rawr!” Eunhyuk made a really weird noise.

I kicked his foot under the table. “Shut up! Eunhyuk, you’re scaring me…” I said. He never said such things.

Back then I realized that he was changing. He was growing up and he suffered from his hormones. Or maybe it was just something he picked up from the “cooler” groups in school that he was hanging with. Sometimes I wondered, even after knowing him for so long, why he loved spending time with us more than them.

“Eunhyuk please stop it!” Leeteuk who sat next to him hit him lightly on the shoulder. I was glad to see a smile appear on Leeteuk’s face, even if it meant I had to be embarrassed for it.

“Sorry…” Eunhyuk let out and continued eating quietly.

“Your desserts… ladies first!” The waiter announced, he winked at me and I felt extremely uncomfortable of what Eunhyuk just said half an hour ago. I looked up at Eunhyuk, he had smug face. Then I looked at Leeteuk who gave me worried stares. At least he understood my feelings.

“Oh!” Eunhyuk let out when the waiter was gone. “…why is your chocolate on top in a heart shape and ours stars…?” Eunhyuk asked and burst out in laughter. I was hoping he wouldn’t mention it.

“Are you expecting me to answer that?” I muttered and rolled my eyes.

“It doesn’t matter, Na-Young… Just go there and ask for his phone number…” Eunhyuk couldn’t seem to drop the subject; it was too funny for him.

“Yah! Eunhyuk…” Leeteuk grabbed a little jar with salt from the table. “Stop it now or I’m pouring this all over your ice-cream…”

“Okay, okay… I’ll really stop now.” Eunhyuk cleared his throat.

Even though his jokes were kind of funny and entertaining I wished that he hadn’t changed, I didn’t like this side of him and that night he started to irritate me for the first time. But I knew I needed to accept these things. The people closest to you are often the ones you don’t bear much from because you expect a lot. That’s how fights and arguments between siblings arise, because you expect them to be on the same line, so you can’t handle it if it’s not like that.

When we had finished eating Leeteuk and I waited in the hall while Eunhyuk paid the bill. He came back still sipping on the plastic cup of soda.

Suddenly the waiter reappeared out of nowhere. “Allow me to lead you the way out…” Apparently something was really funny for Eunhyuk because he spat out his lemonade against the back of my leather jacket while following me out of the restaurant.

“Yah! You idiot!” I yelled.

“Um, I think I have to run now…” Eunhyuk smiled cheekily and ran away.

Leeteuk couldn’t hold it any longer and laughed his high pitched voice. “Don’t go after him; just let him run for awhile…” He said.

I started laughing “Okay…”

As soon as it was quiet I could see Leeteuk’s smile disappearing again. There was something wrong and I was absolutely positive about it now, but I was afraid to ask.

When Eunhyuk had returned to normal, Leeteuk said he wanted to go home. Neither of us dared to ask why but just accepted it.

“Okay, I’ll just walk Na-Young home, or should we ask the waiter to bring you?” Eunhyuk emphasised the word waiter and grinned mischievously.

I sighed. “Oh, please cut it now! Leeteuk call us when you’re home okay?”

The sky was already dark, it was October and thus getting darker earlier. After we had said our goodbyes to Leeteuk, we started walking to my house.
I wanted to talk about more serious things with Eunhyuk.

“Do you…” We started both at the same time.

“You go first.” Eunhyuk said.

“Do you think there’s something wrong with Leeteuk’s mother? He seemed so upset.” I asked.

“I wanted to ask the same thing! I tried to get him laughing about my jokes with that waiter but it didn’t work…” Eunhyuk laughed quietly.

That’s when I couldn’t take it any longer and smacked him. “Aw…” Eunhyuk grabbed his head, the spot where I hit him.

“Are you going to tease me with it forever?! Jerk.” I started walking ahead of him trying to get away.

“Relax, is it that bad?! You’re probably never going to see him again.” He caught up to my place. He seemed to drop the subject but then he quickly added: “Unless you want to eat there again…”

I smacked him again.

“Geez, okay sorry. I’ll stop now…really.” He said, putting his arm around my shoulder.

“How many times have you said that?” I glared at him.

“A lot, but I mean it now…” He smiled.

“Fine…” I put my arm around his waist, holding onto his shirt.

I saw the limelight of the one bright corner that led to my street and knew we were almost there. We walked past a group of guys hanging around a bench. They looked at us when we walked their direction.
We didn’t give them attention but suddenly one guy whistled at us.

“Lovebirds, when are we going to get married?” He said while other guys started to laugh disapprovingly.
We ignored them and just continued walking.

“Can I borrow your girlfriend for a minute?” Another guy said and again there was a wave of roaring laughter.

That’s when Eunhyuk lost control and let go of me. He walked up to them. “Guys are we looking for problems or something?!” Eunhyuk balled his hands into tight fists.

“Eunhyuk no…” I tried to stop him, but the tallest guy stepped up and hit Eunhyuk in the face causing him to fall on the ground immediately. More guys circled around Eunhyuk and kicked his legs.
I started to scream but got interrupted by a tall guy who grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth with his elbow joint. I wanted to bite but I was too afraid of him.

After a few seconds they stopped when the biggest guy said the police might come soon because it’s a residential district. They all ran off.

“Eunhyuk!” I rushed to his place and knelt beside him. He groaned. His nose was bleeding on one side.

“Help me; I can’t get up, my leg…” Eunhyuk grabbed at his leg in panic.

I took his arm and pulled him on his feet. Eunhyuk was leaning on my shoulders so I had to drag him to my house. Suddenly he told me to stop. He wiped his nose with a hand kerchief and assured me he wanted to walk by himself, afraid of showing his vulnerable side to the maid.
I sighed. He and his pride were incomprehensible. But when we arrived and the maid saw Eunhyuk’s condition she didn’t hesitate a second and offered him to sleep for the night.
Leeteuk hadn’t called. That really started to worry me.