Narrator POV 

“This is definitely the last time I’m following you anywhere,” Kihyun felt onto the couch exhausted, “You scared the living daylights out of me.”

“I’m a patient right now squirrel, be nice to me,” clearly, Ara had already recovered from her panic attack. 

“Why do you call me a squirrel too?!” Kihyun groaned. 

Her ears perked up, “Who else does?” 

“Wonhoe,” Kihyun rolled his eyes.

“Oh…”

They fell into silence.

Kihyun cleared his throat, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“What’s her name?”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Kihyun sprang up, “Yah!”

“What?” Ara gave him a blank face, “I said you can ask, never said I’ll answer.”

“Right now, I’m cursing you to never get a boyfriend in this lifetime,” Kihyun shot back.

“What a waste of a curse,” Ara rolled her eyes it is bound to happen anyways.

“Then I guess she’ll just skip the dating phase and directly get a husband,” a cheerful voice came out from the kitchen. Moments later a petite figure emerged holding a mug in her hands.

“Your tea,” she handed it to Ara.

“Thanks Hyorin,” Ara was staring at Kihyun as she emphasized her friend’s name. She then watched the brunet silently mouth the name before a goofy smile appeared on his face.

“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?” Hyorin took a seat beside Ara on the couch.

“Nah it’s just a onetime thing,” I hope. Ara smiled, “Thankfully you came on time. Otherwise I probably would have died, this squirrel doesn’t know anything.”

Kihyun’s cheeks flushed bright red making Ara decide that she had found his official nickname.

“No problem,” not noticing the tomato on the side, Hyorin nudged Ara playfully, “… after all I am a med student.”

Chuckling, Ara suddenly remembered why Hyorin was here in the first place, “Kihyun leave, I need to pass med.”

Kihyun smirked, “What if I want you to fail?”

Ara gasped dramatically, “I am sure Hyorin does NOT appreciate such an UNRULY non-gentleman like guy.”

Coughing, Kihyun’s eyes begged her to stop, “Okay, okay, I’m gone.”

“Bye!” Ara waved enthusiastically and out of politeness Hyorin also bid him goodbye.

Once he was gone Hyorin turned to Ara, “What was that?”

“Oh just one more thing I can about,” Ara laughed and shook her head.

“Is he a friend?” Hyorin asked genuinely curious because frankly she didn’t know Ara had contact with other males except for Shownu and her step brother.

“Something like that,” Ara got up from the couch, “Just let me grab my books from my room and we can get started.” She dashed up the stairs, grabbed what she needed and came out only to pause in front of the closed door across from her room.

Hyungwon, instantly all those terrible things she had said came back.

“You never gave a about what happened to me before.”

But he did. He did give a . He gave a during the thunderstorm, he gave a at the wedding, and he gave enough to buy bubbles. That’s more than any other guy had given her (except for Shownu of course). What have you done Im Ara? 

After the car accident she had been a wreck. She was confused, frustrated, peeved, and she chose to take all of it out on Hyungwon… the person that deserved it the least. God he must hate her right now.

It’s better that way. A small voice told her, you were getting too attached to him anyways. Take this chance to back off.

“Ara?” Hyorin’s voice flowed up the stairs.

“C-Coming,” Ara gathered her thoughts and composed herself before heading back down.

“What should we work on first?” she sprawled her textbooks out, “I have two projects, three assignments over due, and…”

Hyorin used one arm and swiped all the books away clearing the table, “We’re going to focus on fixing you first.”

“Me?” Ara appeared surprised, “I’m fine.”

“No you’re not,” Hyorin squared her shoulders, “What caused the panic attack? The car accident?”

“Hyorin…”

“Answer my question,” Hyorin demanded.

Ara had never seen Hyorin so serious before. The girl was usually always smiling and laughing it was suddenly weird to see her straight face.

“I don’t think it was the accident,” Hyorin admitted, “Because frankly you looked better in jail than you do now… no offense.”

Ara sighed, why was it that her classmate could see through her so easily but people more close to her like Hyungwon, Kihyun, and Wonho couldn’t detect a thing? Was she really that good of an actress? Or maybe she just needed more girl friends.

Taking Ara’s hand in hers, Hyorin comforted the broken girl, “Sometimes it will feel better if you tell someone.”

“I…” Ara swallowed, “I got a call from a friend… a very close knitted friend. She is… I care a lot about her.”

Nodding, Hyorin encouraged Ara to go on.

“My friend… her parents aren’t together. She lives with her mom. Her mother… remarried