*HYUNGJUN'S POV*

Hangover.

 

I put both of my hands on my head as if it would lessen the wrath of alcohol I'm experiencing right now. The moment I turned to my right & faced the window, sunlight immediately seeped through my eyes and effectively made me more awake.

"Goddamned morning, indeed." I pulled the blanket aside and turned my back from the window as I slide my legs down the floor. I was about to walk towards the door when I noticed a hand under the blanket.

That must be Kyujong hyung. He must've went home earlier than expected, we thought he'll still be in Jeonju until this afternoon before heading back. I shrugged.

I pull my door open when I noticed the tiny clicking sound it made. I glanced back to my bed where a lump of blanket is covering Kyujong hyung and shrugged again for the second time. It must be Kyujong's work since I rarely lock my room's door anyway.

What welcomed me outside my room is a mess. Jungmin and Hyunjoong hyung are both on the couch with their faces buried in their hands, probably facing the same fate as I do. Youngsaeng hyung on the other hand is cooking, but I know for a fact he's suffering like us seeing as to how he leans his free hand on the kitchen counter as he cooks our breakfast.

"Ahhhh I won't drink ever again." I snickered after hearing those words came from Hyunjoong hyung.

"Me too." Jungmin replied.

There was a comfortable silence until it was broken by Youngsaeng hyung.

"Don't you dare pull a 'Me three', maknae~ya. I'm already appalled hearing two lies just after waking up. Everybody, eat!" He called us.

We were about to eat when I remembered something.

"By the way, what time did you guys and Kyujong came home last night?" I asked.

"Probably we stayed at the noraebang for an hour or two? We didn't notice Kyu coming home though? Well, we're probably asleep when he did as I can't remember anything about him getting home." Jungmin said as he took a bite of his hotdog.


"Ahh, maknae, I remember _____~ah coming here last night before we left for the noraebang, so how's the talk with _____~ah?" Jungmin asked me back.

I tilted my head and tried to wake up my totally drunk memory cells after what Jungmin said. A few moments after, it all dawned to me what Jungmin was talking about and I can't help but made my brows furrow into deep confusion.

"Well, I remember her scolding me because our neighbors are complaining over our rowdiness..." I scratch my head trying to remember.

"Ahh so that's it? I thought there's more to it..." Hyunjoong hyung hinted with a teasing voice.

Youngsaeng and Jungmin just smirked and I can't help but turn red and almost choke over what Hyunjoong really meant to say.

"Aish, bunch of erts..." I tried to stop smiling but to no avail. I've been trying to hint on _____~ah about how I truly feel about her but that girl is so... I don't know, probably too career-oriented? She's too naive when it comes to love-related things. But then again, I still like her despite that.

Youngsaeng hyung was rumbling and trying to separate Hyunjoong hyung and Jungminnie from each other as they are arguing over the bacons left when we heard a loud thud from my room.

"Aigoo, Kyujongie." Jungmin shook his head in disapproval and shouted when he saw the last piece of bacon inside Hyunjoong's mouth which automatically formed a triumphant smile.

"Kyujongie, let's eat!" Youngsaeng hyung called out when we heard another loud thump coming from my room.

"Yah, was he also drunk when he went home?" Hyunjoong hyung joked.

All of us were about to continue eating when we heard another noise coming from my room.

 

"Andwae~~"

 

We all froze.

The voice was followed by muffled sobs.

As our instincts finally kicked in, we run towards my room's door. Upon landing my hand on the knob, I felt myself stiffen as some of my lost memories from last night flashed in my head, but it was all too fast and somehow blurred therefore I was left more confused than ever. Hyunjoong hyung noticed me spacing out so he took the initiative to twist the knob open with both our hands on it and the first thing I noticed was a figure of a woman whose body is now fully covered by my blanket, crying. Since she's facing the window, we can't see her face, therefore Jungmin initiatively took a step deeper into my room (which we followed) when we noticed something's wrong with my bed sheets.

There are crimson spots on it.

Could it be... Blood?

Hyunjoong hyung, Youngsaeng hyung and Jungmin gaped at me.

As I tried to think of it, the only thing I remember was the shouting match I had with _____~ah, courtesy of the alcohol circulating in my body that time, but after that...

No. It can't be...

"Oh my goodness, oh my soul." Jungmin said as he covered his lips which is forming a huge 'O' right now after he went nearer to her and got a good look at her. My other hyungs' reaction are no better as they finally saw who it was.

 

I ran pass them and knelt in front of her. My worst suspicion was confirmed when I put my fingers on the woman's chin and pulled her head up to face me.

"_____~ah." I breathed.

A small bruise was formed on her right cheek, tears run down her face like waterfalls, she's hugging her knees toward her chest, her fingers are trembling as she holds onto the blanket to cover her and her eyes are exhibiting a mixture of fear and hatred...

Because of me.

All the memories gushed into my mind when I took a good look at her. This was all my doing. I was about to get drowned into thinking when I felt her move her head away from my hand.

"Don't touch me." That effectively made me stood up and back off a few steps away from her, but her rage still reaches up to my new spot.

Youngsaeng hyung and Jungmin both went outside the room meanwhile Hyunjoong hyung picked up the scattered clothes; her clothes. Youngsaeng hyung returned with morning-after pills and a glass of water which he gave _____~ah to drink. There was an awkward silence for about 10 minutes when we heard Jungmin shout.

"It's all done!"

I don't know what they're up to but Youngsaeng hyung whispered something to her. It made her think and slowly nodded in answer. She pulled herself up as Youngsaeng hyung offered his hand when she immediately plopped back the floor. She winced and put her free hand against her mid-region.

"_____~ah!" I tried to catch her but it was too fast, good thing Youngsaeng hyung is near enough to catch her.

I was knocked back to reality when the room suddenly became quiet as everyone left me. The last thing I saw was the retreating figure of Youngsaeng hyung carrying _____~ah out of my room, bridal style, with her hands clinging on the back of his neck.

Somewhere inside of me churned in guilt and anger seeing her this weak, and the fact that it was me who caused her to become as such worsen how I feel right now.

 

"Hyung, where is she?" I weakly asked Hyunjoong.

 

"Youngsaeng and Jungmin prepared her a hot bubble bath. It would somehow lessen her pain." He answered.

 

Jungmin and Youngsaeng hyung resurfaced together and went for me and Hyunjoong hyung. They sat on the couch facing us.

 

"What's your plan?" Jungmin interrogated.

 

"I don't know... I mean, of course I'm going to apologize but--"

 

"That won't simply do." Hyunjoong hyung cut me.

 

"Give her some space, that would help her clear her mind and give you time to think of what to do to appease her." Youngsaeng hyung suggested.

 

Jungmin just eyed me seriously.

 

"You messed up big time, and it would be worse once Kyujong heard of this."

 

We all look at him in horror.

 

Kyujong is like a protective big brother over _____~ah. They were childhood friends and both grew up in Jeonju. Her family used to be one of the richest in their place that Kyujong's eomma even used to work for them. But when a murder took place which took her parents' lives, she decided to move here in Seoul together with Kyujong, to try their luck. Ever since, they've been inseparable and protective of one another.

 

People around them always thought that they are in a relationship with each other but for some unexplainable reasons, their feelings for each other never exceeded into something more than friendship.

 

Which leads us back to the same problem: Kyujong hyung will be so furious once he hears about this.

 

We all turned our heads facing the direction towards the comfort room when we heard its door creaked open. We saw _____ figure coming out, she's wearing the same clothes she wore last night.

 

"_____~ah..." I wasn't able to stop myself and was glued on the spot the moment I reach to her and held onto her wrist. I can hear the others groan in disappointment.

 

"I... _____~ah... You see..." I keep on stuttering while I look down... 

 

"I'm sorry... I did so wrong... I'm not asking you to forgive me but... Let me at least apologize... for the and..."

 

I noticed how her hands turned into a ball of fist as she shrugged it away from my grasp. I heard the couches screeched against our floorings as the others stood up.

 

"_____~ah?" The moment I looked at her eyes, fresh hot tears are silently running on it again, but her eyes are furiously glaring at me.

 

"That's not simply , Hyungjun. That's basically !"

 

She knocked me by her shoulder as she passed by me. I took the close distance as an opportunity and lightly grab her right arm, just enough for her not to move any further.

 

"I like you. I know I did so wrong last night but I also wanted you to know that it's not simply because I was drunk, well maybe it drove me to do so but that's not purely it. My liking for you must have run over me last night." 

 

"Hyungjun~ah..." I heard and looked back at Youngsaeng hyung, he shook his head.

 

I don't know what prompted me to confess, but there's no backing out.

 

Her stare somehow soften but the anger is still there. She shrugged her arms away from my grasp and just stormed out of our unit. Jungmin followed her and left us all dumbstrucked.

 

"What the heck was that for?" Hyunjoong hyung spat.

 

"I don't know." I walked towards them and sat on the couch, my elbows rest on my knees as I plopped my face on my hands.

 

"I ed up so big this time." I groaned.

 

*END OF POV*

 

You felt someone running towards you and immediately jumped when you felt whoever's hands those are grabbing your shoulders.

 

"Don't touch m--" you turned around to see who it was and surprised to see that it was Jungmin.

 

"Can you really go home alone?" he asked you concernly.

 

"My unit is just two floors below yours so yes I can manage." The answer itself isn't bad, but the way you delivered it probably hurt Jungmin.

 

"Are you also mad at me? At Hyunjoong and Youngsaeng hyungs?" He queried.

 

"N--no, of course not. I... I just wanted to be alone, Jungmin~ah." You sighed.

 

He brushed the locks of hair covering your face and cupped it. You were surprised by his actions and therefore kept looking everywhere else aside from his face.

 

"You heard what our stupid dongsaeng said. I know it wouldn't justify everything that he did, but at least try to see how he really is. How much of a person he is instead of judging him due to one mistake that he really is sorry for."

 

That being said, Jungmin's hands left your face and instead pushed you towards the elevator. He walked you until your unit's door and you were about to close it as you bid farewell to him when he stopped you from closing it.

 

"Please think about what I said. Again, in behalf of Hyungjun, I'm sorry." He said as he close your door himself.

 

***

 

*KYUJONG'S POV*

 

Eunah came back with me on my way to Seoul since she's planning to attend one of her close friend's birthday celebration. I've decided to let my sister stay with ____~ah instead of bringing her to our unit so that she can move comfortably. But since _____~ah haven't been picking all my calls earlier, asking for her permission on the spot would be only way for us.

 

I used her unit's spare key she gave me and enter her unit with Eunah discreetly.

 

We're planning to give her a surprise attack but we were the ones who got surprised.

 

She's aimlessly looking at the window right in front of her with her bloodshot eyes. Her body is covered with thick fluffy blanket and it looks to me like there's something on her cheek, like a bruise.

 

"Unnie?" Eunah's voice made her look at our direction and hugged her knees closer to her chest. We both run near her and Eunah comforted her with a warm hug.

 

"What happened?!" I demanded. She just shook her head and leaned her face closer to Eunah's neck.

 

Eunah signalled me to just leave and mouthed "I'll talk to her."

 

Thinking that it must be best for her to have a heart-to-heart talk with another girl, I let them be and dragged myself to our unit. Our unit was a total mess when I entered. I guessed quite enough when I saw bottles of soju along the doorway.

 

"I'm ba--" I was surprised how they all jumped in surprised upon seeing me when I perfectly told them that I'll be back this evening.

 

They all looked at me warily as if something's wrong with me. Well, there's indeed something that I'm worrying about right now and it must've been obvious through my face.

 

"Hyung," I looked at Hyunjoong. "Eunah's with me and she'll be staying at _____'s unit."

 

I noticed how they shift on their seats uncomfortably.

 

"Umm, so... Where's Eunah then?" Jungmin inquired.

 

"She's in _____'s unit. I have her spare key, remember?" They all looked at me in horror.

 

What the heck?

 

"Ok, I don't know if I should ask you guys this, but what happened to _____? She looks devastated when we entered her unit." I concernly ask. I know she's not close to my friends as how she is to me but I also know for a fact that they care for her, especially the maknae in our unit, Hyungjun.

 

But to my surprise, Hyungjun was silent and his head stoop low; trying to avoid my question, I guess?

 

"What? You don't know anything?" I tried pushing but no one answered.

 

"Kyu." It was Youngsaeng. I gave him a questioning look.

 

"Please calm yourself first, what you are about to hear is definitely not something you'll gonna like." He continued.

 

My jaw clenched upon hearing this. The guys looked at Youngsaeng with fear mirrored in their eyes.

 

"Saeng, are you sure?" Hyunjoong asked.

 

"He deserves to know. And you," he looked at Hyungjun "have no choice than to face the consequences of your actions." Hyungjun just nodded his head before looking at me cautiously.

 

"Hyung... Kyujong hyung..." Hyungjun started stuttering "I... _____~ah... Something happened between us... I... I did it against her... I was so drunk last night and hurt her..." Tears started seeping through his slightly turning red eyes.

 

If not for Jungmin who immediately got a hold of me, in three strides I could've been right in front of Hyungjun and punched him hard.

 

"Who the heck do you think you are, Hyungjun, touching a woman like that?! Touching _____ like that of all people?!" I moved against Jungmin's hold and walked towards Hyungjun's spot when our unit door opened.

 

"Kyu!"

 

"_____~ah! What are you doing here? Eunah! Send her back to her unit!" I noticed how my own sister trembled over my reaction but I have no time to worry about that.

 

"Hyungjun apologized, Kyu! This is basically the reason why I didn't told you anything!" 

 

"I can't believe you can do that to someone whom I treat as my own sister, Hyungjun." I accusingly laid my finger on the maknae before pulling both Eunah and _____ behind me.

 

*END OF POV*

 

Days after that heated argument between Kyujong and Hyungjun, Kyujong continues to stay at your unit, even after Eunah went back to Jeonju. While you don't find the setup uncomfortable, the fact that Kyujong is distancing himself from his friends because of you is making you guiltier as it drags on.

 

Yesterday was the day you are supposed to have your monthly period and thanks God you did, the morning-after pills Youngsaeng gave you worked its wonders and now you're spared from the possibility of being pregnant after what happened between you and Hyungjun.

 

Kyujong told you not to wait for him as he's about to go for an out-of-town meeting and will be out for several days. He told you that he's planning to send Eunah back but was dismayed when he learnt that Eunah is in Busan for some excursion. You assured Kyujong that everything will be fine and that you'll have to get use without him around so that you can pull yourself together. Once in a while, you'll be able to see the others whenever you go in and out of your unit and casually greet them, except for Hyungjun.

 

*HYUNGJUN'S POV*

 

I've heard from Youngsaeng hyung that Kyujong  left for some out-of-town work and won't be back for days. I know she ain't ready yet but I just wanted  to take this opportunity to check on her at least from afar.

 

The elevator sign says that its heading towards her unit's level when I suddenly felt bad with what I'm about to do, afraid that she might get uncomfortable when she sees me anywhere near her. The elevator door opened when I mentally decided not to go through with it when few ahjummas called me out. I was not sure at first if it was me but I was alone inside the elevator so I reluctantly moved towards their direction.

 

"Sorry to bother you, but we're so worried with the unit owner of #200" The ahjumma nearest me said.

 

#200, _____~ah?

 

"We've been calling out for the young lady but she isn't answering. From our unit's window, we're smelling burnt cooking and we're afraid it's coming from her unit." The other one hurriedly said. For some reason, a tingling smell has been filling their floor level and it simply confirmed what these ahjummas are talking about. I asked them to back off as I try to knock off the unit's door.

 

It took me three tries before the door gave in. I ran towards her kitchen and saw the dish she was cooking that was left unattended which I immediately turn off, good thing it hadn't resulted into a huge fire yet.

 

But where's _____?

 

I knocked carefully on her comfort room but there's no answer, I opened it but she wasn't there. I went towards her bedroom and twisted its door's knob open. I hurriedly ran on her bed's right side as I saw her laying there unconcious. I sat down and laid her head on my lap to try to wake her up, but no luck.

 

I ran out leaving all the ahjummas gaping on me as I carry _____~ah in my arms. I hurried and ask for a cab to send us to the nearest hospital.

 

"Hyung."

 

"What happened?" Hyunjoong hyung inquired.

 

"I don't know, I didn't do anything!" I put my hands up in defeat. They just sighed. "I mean, well, some ahjummas asked for my help cause they thought they could smell some burning food and true enough, she-" I looked back at _____. "left her cooking unattended, but I found her unconcious herself."

 

"Heard that?" I noticed Youngsaeng hyung talking on his phone and trying to configure something in it.

 

"Neh." Kyujong hyung?! "Just look after her for me, I can't really leave this place at the moment... I... Hyungjun~ah, komawo."

 

I can't help but sigh in ease upon hearing that.

 

"Please, if anything dangerous happen or whatsoever, just contact me. Even I can't be there, I want to know everything... Jjunnie~ah... We'll talk the moment I went back there."

 

"Yes, Kyujongie." The call ended.

 

It was almost half an hour after the call when we're told that the doctor has her medical results and were taken aback to hear that the doctor who was introduced to us is an OB-Gyne.

 

"So, are you guys her brothers? Family related? Or perhaps her friends?"

 

"Uhh, yes. Friends." Jungmin awkwardly answered.

 

"Well, it was good that you brought her here but may I know how did you find out about her?"

 

I repeat what happened back in her unit.

 

"You see, women suffer different level of pain whenever they have menstruation, in her case, her body collapsed because of too much blood loss and probably stress and the pain itself so therefore made her unconcious. It would be better if someone could look after her since its like her first time experiencing this kind of menstrual reaction."

 

"So, she's not pregnant then?" Hyunjoong hyung confirmed.

 

"No. As I told you, she got hers probably yesterday or the day before that. For now, I'm recommending her to stay here so she can replenish all the energy she lost." The doctor said before leaving the room.

 

The hyungs decided to let me take care of _____ until she's awake in order to have the opportunity to also talk to her of our unclosed issues. Its already 11pm on my watch when I lay my head on my arms which is on her bedside as my eyes are on the verge of dropping low when I heard a soft voice.

 

"Kyu?"

 

I look up and saw her hand almost touching my hair. She was slightly surprised and pulled her hand back on her side.

 

"I... I'm sorry, did I woke you up?" It almost sounds like a whisper to me when she said those, I shook my head. "What are we doing here? What happened?"

 

"You collapsed. Your neighbors asked for help when they smelt burnt food so I knocked off to your unit and saw you laying there unconcious." I swear I notice how the color in her face left her gradually.

 

"Did I burn my unit?! Did anyone get hurt?" She weakly tried to sit up but I push her back on to the bed.

 

"No, but you don't know how shock I was when I saw you unconcious like that." I sound like a whining boy panicking over my mom leaving me. "It was because of your menstruation, according to the doctor." She look down and was flushed. She might've not expected to hear those from me.

 

"Yah, you might be embarrassed about it or anything but I'm not letting you go on alone like that." I warned her. "Who knows it might get worse! I'm taking care of you from now on." Her eyes are so wide it would've look so comical if I'm just not in the mood of lecturing her right now.

 

"Hyungjun, you don't need to. Kyujongie---"

 

"Is in an out-of-town trip right now. Besides, I got his permission already."

 

Her lips formed a big "O".

 

"So you got to talk to him, decently?" I nodded. "Hyungjun~ah, I'm sorry if Kyujong treated you like that because of me. I admit I don't like what happened between us that night... But, I don't want it to split you guys apart, as well." She hung her head low in guilt.

 

"Yah, how can you be the one who's saying sorry right now when I should be the one saying those? Again, I'm so sorry about what happened that night and by doing this, I wanted to at least slowly redeem myself and regain your trust, I know it won't be the same but at least let me start by doing so." She nodded her head slowly and smiled at me sincerely. "Now sleep." 

 

*END OF POV*

 

***

 

 

*_____'s POV*

 

 

"Hyungjun~ah, what are you doing?" Its been months ever since that day, Hyungjun and I had arranged all our differences and decided to start over. Kyujong forgave him as well but nonetheless he'll always be skeptical whenever we are together.

 

He keeps on insisting on bringing me to and off from work almost everyday and bring me to places such as where we are now.

 

"Lotte World? What are you up to now, Hyungjun?"

 

"Nahh, just wanted to feel like a kid once in a while. Let's go!"

 

The day ended leaving us tired but happy. Its been years since I last do such childish stuffs and with Hyungjun, I must admit, it is better. After we left Lotte World, Hyungjun drove to a nearby cafe before we finally ended up at Han River.

 

"What are we doing here?"

 

"Nothing. After all those noise, I want some peace." He softly smiled. I opened the car door and went out to take a deep breath with my arms stretched wide.

 

"Winter's coming." I said.

 

"You felt it too?" It took him quite long to get out of the car as he brought out a coat and the coffees we bought. He immediately put the coat over me and gave my coffee.

 

"Hyungjun~ah, according to the news, tonight might be the first snow of the year." I noticed him look back at me.

 

"Really? Then today must be a great day." He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. I look back towards the river and sip from my coffee as well before sighing.

 

"I want to try us."

 

"What? What do you mean?" He put down his coffee on his car's hood.

 

"I know what you're doing. I've been hearing alot from Kyujong... and Jungmin too, to be honest."

 

"So... You. I. Us?"

 

"We started off on the wrong foot though, but all these months that you took care of me even though I don't see the point, I would have to admit I long for someone who would take care of me like that..." I continued gazing towards the river, not wanting to see his reaction now.

 

It took me so long to forgive Hyungjun but not to love him. Although at first, I thought he was still doing those out of pity or guilt, but somewhere inside me is fluttering with happiness whenever I'm with him. I must sound crazy to other people if they learn that I actually had these feelings with someone who did such thing on me, but to begin with, Hyungjun is a friend. Someone whom I used to have fun with, to eat with, to bond with, and as we fixed our differences, isn't it time to move on and try to see what's in it for our future?

 

"_____~ah..."

 

"Mmm?" I look back at him, I saw how he close our gap and he's now cupping my face.

 

"You're right, we started off wrong and I want you to know that I'll make use of my lifetime to correct myself and to make you happy... I'm sorry, _____~ah... and I love you. Let me make up tho--"

 

Seriously, this guy never really knows when to stop his mouth from babbling.

 

I kissed him.

 

"Instead of saying those promises, just do it." I smiled at him.

 

"I can't really believe this." He cupped my face and gave me a decent kiss.

 

"I'm sorry. Thank you. I love you." Hyungjun said as he earnestly looked at me. Snow started falling as well!

 

"I love you too, Hyungjun... Oppa?"

 

Hyungjun ran around the car like someone who scored a winning goal in FIFA Championship as he stretched his arms straight and shouts at his heart's content. Meanwhile I'm smiling goofily thinking how will I be able to take good care of this childish guy.

 

"Umm... One thing, oppa?" That effectively stopped him from shouting and running further, he faced me immediately. "Know how to control your liquor intake."

 

The kid literally pulled a pout on his lips. "But jagiya..." He really just have to emphasize the last word.

 

"Wae? Shiro? (Why? You don't want to?)" I pretended to be mad at him and cross my arms over my chest.

 

"Aniya! Aniya! Everything for you, jagiya!"