The warm sunlight slipped through the white curtains that were hanging at the windows. Blowing at the lacey curtains, the air conditioner at full blast was trying it's best to counter the summer sun that heated up the room but to no avail. Slowly, the room was bathed in a warm orange glow.

RING RING RING

Unwilling to open my eyes at this early hour, I turned towards the side table and lazily stretched out my hand to unlock my phone, in order to stop the annoying alarm.

8.30 AM... Why does time always pass so fast when my eyes are closed?  

​Ten minutes... Just give me another ten minutes...

​I turned away from the blinding sunlight that was streaming in through the white lacey curtains, and back into the previous position I was in. My hand landed on something soft... Something that dipped down and rose again as though it was a breathing valley. Curious as to what 'it' was, I opened my eyes slowly. 

Right before my eyes was the short-haired blonde that was also known as my room mate. The lady who dealt with my drunken habits all these while... The lady who was the reason I can end up in our bed comfortably the next morning, no matter where I was at the night before... The lady who will always be there whenever I gave a call...

Her waist was the mysterious location where my hand landed on. Unknowingly, I didn't pull back immediately like how I used to whenever the members and I are standing intimately unnecessarily. Instead, I left my hand on her, finding myself fairly comfortable in this situation. The heat in the room today was unusually warm despite the blowing air-conditioner. It was then I realised that I am tucked snugly in bed with the blanket pulled up to my shoulders all these while.

This is weird... I didn't kick off my blankets last night?

Instinctively, I glanced towards Hyejin who was asleep, facing me without any blanket on her.

​Oh my, I must have snatched the blanket from her last night. It must have been so cold under the blasting air-conditioner...

Pulling the blankets to cover her up, I can't help myself from staring at her. Without her thick eye make up, Hyejin merely looks like a typical high school graduate with innocence flowing from her instead of her usual alluring aura. A frown was visibly knitted in between her brows as her eyes remained tightly shut. Her thick lips pressed against each other, forming a thin line.

​What is she thinking about that she even frowns in her sleep?

​I must have been worrying her too much...

​Gently, my thumb rubbed circles in between her brows, trying to ease the frown away.

​Being the leader but acting like a selfish teenager...

​I should really stop drinking...

No...

I should really forget about my feelings...

If only I could...

​But I'll try to, since I've promised you...

​Reluctantly, I pull myself out of my sheets and headed towards the bathroom while thinking about the promise I have made to her the night before.

Flashback to last night...

"Unnie let's have a race. Whoever that touches the tree first wins." She said, pointing towards the lone tree sitting at the sidewalk about 500 metres away. As though she had an evil plan cooked up in her mind, Hyejin continued smiling cheekily. "And the winner gets to request something from the loser."

"Aren't you tired? We just finished a 4 kilometre run!" Unlike her who seemed fully energised after the forty minutes running session, I was still in the midst of my speed walking to cool my body down.

"The goal for today is to deplete your energy, 아주머니(Aunt)~!" Hyejin teased me about my age, trying to anger me into participating in the race.

Nah, that's not gonna work today. I am already very tired. Too tired to deal with you Hyejin-ah...

"Ahn Hyejin, you do know that out of the four of us I'm ranked higher than you in terms of running." I shook my head, giving her a decisive no as a reply.

"Technically, you wouldn't have won if I was wearing proper shoes like now. Besides, it's only half a second difference." Shrugging her shoulders, Hyejin replied nonchalantly. "Like you know... How can a youngster like me ever lose to an old granny like you, 할머님 (Grandma)~?"

What?! OLD GRANNY LIKE ME?!

Enough is enough AHN HYEJIN!

"Deal. I'm going to win anyways." I said while re-tying my ponytail, forgetting all about my fatigue body and getting ready for the upcoming race. "And for your information, it was a second difference."

"A second difference... I'll make that even more..." Muttering to herself, Hyejin squatted down on the floor beside me. With a smirk on her face, she looked up towards me as her fingers moved to pull my shoelaces apart.

"YA~! AHN HYEJIN!" Immediately, I crouched down to tie the laces.

Before I even tied them back nice and neatly, Hyejin started the countdown and ran off. "Ready, set... GO~!"

"YA~! AHN HYEJIN! That's cheating!" I found my lips arching upwards into a smile though I was screaming for her name, somewhat angry that she had stooped so low in order to win.

Once her palms touched the tree, she laid down to rest on the grass patch with her eyes closed. Panting heavily from the sprint, I too, laid down next to Hyejin.

"Unnie, how was your afternoon with Byulyi unnie at the dorm?" She spoke up after a long silence. "I'm sorry