That night, Sarang wanted to vent out all her embarrassment to Ahreum and Bori, but upon entering the large room she saw them sitting on far ends from each other. Ahreum was reading a novel with a scowl while Bori was tapping vigorously on her phone. The tension between them was palbable.

"You guys, something embarrassing happened to me today," Sarang tried to life up the atmosphere. She sat next to Ahreum, who put her book down to face Sarang. "Hey, Bori! Are you listening? Something embarrassing happened."

"Yeah, i am listening," the giel replied without facing them. "Go on!"

"It is really embarrassing so you have to  come here to listen -"

"Leave it Sarang," Ahreum interupted. "If she doesn't want to listen then let it be."

Sarang could almost see a dark aura rising from Bori. 

"As much as i want to hear what my best friend has to say, my desire to not see your face rises above it." 

Sarang moved away a little when she saw Ahreum's face growing red with anger. She picked up her novel (Sarang felt pity on the book) and started flipping the pages roughly. 

"Oh, Sarang you are back?" 

"How did it go..." Chaekyung trailed off when she noticed the thick tension (and the dark auras emitting from the two girls). 

Chaekyung and Jieun looked in between Bori and Ahreum and then to Sarang, silently asking her what was the problem.

Sarang shrugged. 

 

 

The next morning Sarang had expected her two friends to go back normal. But it wasn't that case. Both of them avoided each other like plague and even if circumstances did allow them to be together, their dark energies repelled from each other like two like poles. 

It didn't help that both of them were in different groups too. Every once in a while Jieun whould look towards their group in concern before going back to her own work. Even Chaekyung would glance at Ahreum and then to Sarang as if asking her to help.

Tsk. Sarang was distressed over it herself. She was frustrated over Ahreum's unusual spaced out form. Ahreum didn't even when Baekhyun helped her or when Luhan hit her on the head for being too clumsy (Chaekyung did it on her behalf though). 

Sarang believed it would pass.

 

 

But it didn't.

 

 

Next day they were the same.

 

On their fourth day of stay, however, things started happening.

Some villagers had come to see them work, to know well the children here doing. They were quite impressed and went away in praises of students from East Wing High. Mrs. Song even promised dinner after she called it for the day.

 

Smack.

"Ouch!"

Luhan quirked an eyebrow in disbelief. "I hit you with a paper roll." He said as he sat beside Sarang under the tree shade. 

Sarang tsked. "It hurt."

Ignoring her statement, he asked. "What are you doing here alone?"

"I want to watch the sun set." 

"It's four. Are you going to wait for two more hours?" 

Sarang nodded before letting out a dejected sigh. 

Hugging her knees, she watched the beautiful scene ahead of her. She remembered how Ahreum was laughing in this same spot two days ago and Bori complaining like she usually does.

Luhan noticed the helpless look in her eyes and it pinched him deep somewhere. Helplessness was a feeling he was never fond of and it didn't suit the girl sitting next to him.

"This village is beautiful," Sarang mumbled. "It's calming here. The cicadas, the view of fields and the mountains."

"Hn. Probably the reason why they send us here."

Chirp chirp chirp.

"What are you doing here?“ Sarang asked when it finally clicked that he was here.

"To give you this."

Luhan gave her the paper with which he had previously smaked her. 

"Festival? They have a festival?" She looked at Luhan.

"One of the villagers who came to us gave it to me," he said as he stood up and dusted off his pant. "You should take your friends there." 

"W-wait...you noticed?" 

Luhan looked down at her. "Yeah. You make it obvious." 

"What? Me?" Asked the girl.

"Yes, You. I am going."

Her lips curved up to a smile.

He didn't have to save her from a fall to make her heart do a double flip that day. He just had to give her a small pamphlet that told her he cared enough to give it to her. 

It made her really happy. 

 

 

 

The festival starts from today and it was going to last three days. Sarang had somehow managed to make both her friends agree. Well, it took a heartbreaking bargain. Sarang agreed to give Ahreum her favorite band's album (it was limited edition) and to Bori, Sarang agreed to buy her a Bungou Stray dog action figure (bye bye to her pocket money). Also, if it weren't for Jieun and Chaekyung help, who asked for Bori and Ahreum to help them in the kitchen, they wouldn't have agreed. 

However, making them come was half the trouble though. 

 

....

 

....

 

 

"I would be happy if any of talk you know."

 

....

 

 

....

 

 

"I really love talking to air~ Tell me something about yourself air. How are you doing?"

"That was lame," both her friends chorused. It made Sarang happy from inside. 

"I know. That's why i need you to speak. What exactly happened between you two?"

That made both of them grunt. 

"Ask that to the topper standing to your right," Bori hissed.

"Tsk. What do i hear? Wasn't it you who started it?"

"Wait wai-" Sarang attempt to calm them down was futile. Bori had pushed her backwards so she could face Ahreum. The anger in her face scared Sarang. Actually, both of them scared her right now. She wished either Jieun or Chaekyung was here.

"I didn't "start" anything Ahreum," Bori growled while air quoting. "It was already there when i entered the scene." 

"Who told you TO EVEN ENTER!" 

 

 

Wait, what were they talking about?

 

 

"What are you guys talking about?" 

But her words were simply ignored.

 

"Ask yourself that." Bori screamed. 

 

"Why shold I be asking myself questions that i should be asking to you?!!" 

 

"There you go being the smart girl that you are. Do you know anything out of books?" 

"I don't," Ahreum scoffed. "Why don't you teach me?You seem to be knowing everything?"

"Can you guys tell me what is going on? Why are you fighting?" 

"She," Bori screamed, pointing at Ahreum. "Ask her selfish ." 

With that the girl left leaving Sarang jaw dropped. Did she just...? Bori just.... She was about to open to console Ahreum when the latter suddenly raised her palm.

"Don't," Ahreum whispered with a tone that scared Sarang. "Go."

"But i can't lea-"

"Just go before i say something i may regret later." 

That pained Sarang. She was uncertain if the cause was because of being driven away by someone she cared for or because her friends were keeping things from her. 

One last look at Ahreum whose expression was hidden by the silhoutte of the trees before Sarang left.

 

 

 

 

 

Hide and seek. 

"Count till ten, okay?"

 

It was everyone's favorite at some point in time.

"Don't open your eyes till then."

 

It gave many people memories to cherish.

"Mom...?  Mom?" 

 

 

"...mom...."

 

 

 

Luhan rattled awake. His heart was pounding at the speed of light and he could feel beads of sweat on his foreword. Sitting up on his bed, he looked around the dark room. Everyone had fallen asleep, he could even hear loud snores from them. Looking at his left, he saw Sehun sound asleep too. 

Sigh. For a minute he had forgotten that he was not in his room. 

Standing up from the mat, he headed out the room. 

He needed water. 

 

Upon switching the light on, the first sight that greeted Luhan was Sarang. 

The latter was hugging her knees. Her face was hidden in her knees for him to see. Luhan stalled...it was awkward for him to even breath in fear that she may notice. Of course, she might have already noticed when he switched on the light. 

He stared at her for what he guessed would be a minute. Her stillness made him wonder if she was sleeping. Should he be waking her up? It took him another good minute to decide whether to go or stay. Just when he was about to turn back to leave, Sarang called him. 

"Luhan? Is that you?" 

His eyes travelled downwards to her.

Pitiful.

It was the first word he thought of when he saw her face. Her eyes were bloodshot. Some strands of her hair were sticking to her forehead and her voice sounded hoarse. It sent a "ba-dum" through his chest and it wasn't a nice feeling. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

She hid her face in her knees again before responding. "I came here for water, but i ended up dozing off."

 

"Oh."

 

 

....

 

 

....

 

 

....

 

 

 

"Should i turn off the lights?"

This made her laugh.

"You really at human communication. Do you know that?" she said with the same hoarse voice. 

"Yeah." 

Another long minutes of silence. The awkwardness was stressing him out. He wasn't sure if he should be going or staying. But even if he was going to stay, he had nothing comforting to say to her. 

 

"Luhan."

The way she called his name crept him out. For some reason he didn't like the sound of it. 

He didn't reply, but Sarang knew he was listening. 

"What would you do if someone important to you is hurting, but you have no remedy for it?" 

 

....

 

....

 

....

 

"I don't know," Luhan replied honestly. "I am sorry i don't have anything intelligent to say." 

He saw Sarang shake her head. Her face still not in sight. 

"It's okay," her voice came muffled. "I would have hated it anyway. When you leave, please turn off the lights." 

 

Judging by the tone of her voice Sarang was on the verge of breakdown. Being a sensible guy that he is, he said "Hn." 

Another last look at the girl before he switched the lights off. 

 

 

Sarang sniffed and sobbed thinking that no one was in the kitchen. Perhabs, that was the reason why she almost screamed in fright when she felt a presence near her. 

 

"Brother! You scared me!" 

 

Luhan scoffed. "You are an easy prey. Not my fault." 

 

Sarang huffed. "Why are you here? I thought you went to your room." 

 

"I thought i was going too." 

 

That was all Luhan answered. 

 

Another wave of silence hit them. 

 

"If it helps," Sarang could literally hear the awkwardness in his voice as he began his statement. "I can listen." 

If it were a normal conversation, she would have . But this was not. This wasn't a normal conversation. 

Therefore, she was surprised when she said, "Ahreum and Bori... i don't know what happened between them."

 

...

 

"And it hurts me to know that neither of them will tell me," Sarang sobbed. "I am...." her tears made it hard for her to speak. The load on her chest and throat became heavy. 

 

....

 

Her tears came flowed out like waterfalls. 

 

....

 

 

They were her family. She felt thrown away and useless. Unable to do anything. Heck, sh didn't even know what the problem was.

 

....

 

"Do you want water?"

 

Sarang nodded.

"Ye-yes, please," she said in between her hiccups.

 

 

 

 

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to a friend of mine and to all people who, at some point, felt as sad as Sarang. A good friendship is bond that is hard to create. Getting hurt is inevitable.

To that friend, i am sorry i put you through what Sarang is going through hehe. Sorry!