We arrived at the party in time. Joohyun was roaming around in her glittery, pink, butterfly-looking dress while greeting guests and accepting gifts. The crowd ranged from people from school to her father’s colleagues that I was embarrassed when I forgot to bring Joohyun one. I was empty handed, that when she approached the three of us and the two boys handed her bags of presents, I was flustered, even though I kept a straight face.

Joohyun might have actually seen right through me that she tried saving me by saying, “I am already happy you made it Mijoo. You look really pretty. Let’s hangout later, okay? I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to take a picture with you!” The compliment was too uncalled for, I blushed.

Jongin teased me about getting red right after she left that I didn’t notice it when Sehun left our side. The next time I saw him, he was already with Joohyun again. It was rather expected, though. He liked her, so what was he going to do than tail her like an obsessive stalker?

I had shut Sehun off from my mind and vision the entire time we were in Joohyun’s villa. He was only making my head ache in too much annoyance whenever I saw him.

Jongin alone was a rather nice company. He held my hand tightly the entire time we were circling the salon where the party was held while searching for the boys and from time to time he looked back at me asking whether I was fine or whether I was hungry or thirsty. I shook my head to all his questions, but deep inside it warmed me to be cared for like that.

Because the last time a male had ever taken care of me sincerely it was when I still had my father some months ago. Now, I suppose, I only had Jongin.

Maybe, sometimes, Sehun also cared. But not so much. He probably only understood me due to our similar circumstances, but he probably already had too much in his plate he hadn’t thought so much about me.

Why did it even seem like it would matter to me whether he cared or not? He had Joohyun to take care of than the daughter of another divorcee.

We sat in a table with the rest when we found them. Joonmyeon was wearing a white tux to the party, his hair styled all brushed up, which made him look good despite his specs still on. Chanyeol was trying out the 80s look with his tucked in dress shirt and black bow tie. Baekhyun was all good in his pink button down and eye-liner donned eyes. They were all looking like damn flower boys I felt too out of place being the only girl in a simple yellow dress. Why an average girl like me got the chance to sit down with four prince-looking guys? Tell me what I did good in my past life?!

The weight of the party—all the singing, dancing, booze and socializing going around us—had done a good portion in draining most of my energy at the third hour. By then, we had all already eaten, had gone dancing to fast beat songs I had refused to, and had seen Chanyeol moving around multiple of occasions trying to woo girls that easily swooned to his charm. Joonmyeon was on our side most of the time except whenever his father, who was also in the party, would call him to introduce him to some businessmen. Baekhyun was the only one who remained stuck to my side whenever Jongin was being asked by a couple of girls to dance with them in the middle of the room. I was not going to complain about it though. Baek was great company while Jongin couldn’t refuse the queue of requests—he was too nice to turn them down.

I would have really liked Baek for his calm façade and sound judgement if he didn’t just open his mouth before I was ready to stand up and search for a comfort room to pee in.

“What do you think of Jongin?” He asked, that playful smile adorning his face as he rested his chin on his palm. His tone was teasing that I could not help but feel flabbergasted.

I was hesitant to answer because I did not understand the need to ask me the question. “He’s really nice and handsome,” I told him with a soft voice. I didn’t really want him to hear the last part because I was afraid he’d think something else.

However, meeting my expectations, he grinned like a cat and said, “Does that mean you like him?” I blushed. I did not miss the meaning to his words.

I looked down, clenching my fists on the fabric of the sundress. “I like him. He’s a really nice friend.”

Baekhyun cackled, making me look up at him in wonder. “Poor Jongin,” he mused, looking at something in the distance.

I followed his gaze as I asked, “what do you mean?”, and noticed he was looking at Jongin, who was dancing with another girl from school and was in fact looking back at us.

He smiled when he noticed I was watching him. That made a smile grow on my lips. He was just too adorable, easy to like.

“That boy has hearts in his eyes right now,” he said, sighing loudly.

The expression he had made me wonder that I looked back at his bittersweet figure and then at Jongin who was still smiling at me. I continued to watch them intently, trying to discern the meaning behind Baekhyun’s words and Jongin’s smile, but I was not able to find out about it because I had to really go to the bathroom to pee.

Reaching the bathroom after endless moments of going around to find it, I entered a huge room bigger than three bedrooms combined. There were eight cubicles inside, five sinks adorned with the color gold, a blower was attached to the wall at the far right, three dryers was lined up in between mirrors, and the scent of lavender filled the room. If you would ask me about it, I would say I could pick this as my bedroom in this house when I fall asleep. It was just too elegant it hurt my eyes.

It was empty when I got in. But while I was doing my business, it was when I came to overhear what I probably was not supposed to. It came as a surprise, though, that I remained rooted in my spot though I became filled with anger.

The sound of loud cackling filled the entire bathroom. If I was right with my deduction skills, four or five girls had invaded the pristine space and tainted it with their horribleness.

“Geez, parties like Joohyun’s really make me happy.” The girl laughed in an unlady-like manner. “Lots of hot boys attend her birthday each year.”

“Yeah. We get to meet rich and cute boys that the school doesn’t have.” Someone squealed it almost turned me deaf.

“Don’t we have them? God, if you don’t call Kim Jongin hot or Oh Sehun a demi-god, I don’t know anymore how you define the kind of boys you’re looking for! Maybe they’re already in the other life!”

The banter continued on as palettes of makeup hit marble. They must be doing a touch up of their plastic faces.

“Anyway, you think Joohyun would introduce us again to one of her friends? The last time she did, I was able to make out with a really hot guy in her party.”

“Seriously? But didn’t you tell me that one was no good because he apparently had his girlfriend lurking around in the party too?” The gang chuckled.

“Ay! Shut up! It was a really horrible mistake! And if you come to think of it, I suppose Joohyun did it on purpose to play a joke on me.”

Someone snorted. “Yeah. That goody-goody two shoes. She probably has that awful side to her too like everyone else.”

“You think she has it? But isn’t Joohyun really nice?”

One of them laughed mockingly as if to prove the other wrong. “I’m sure she isn’t as perfect as the boys think. Look at Sehun for example. Is it not a secret he liked her since sixth grade? He has been following her like a good trained dog until now because Joohyun’s giving him false hope. She does that to all the guys that tries to swoon her you know. But sooner or later, I’m sure she will drop Sehun too like all those guys.”

I did not understand myself why I got so mad at the mention of Sehun. Of these people thinking he was that dumb to follow Joohyun around without reason. But more than that, I was disappointed at the reality of how hypocritical these caked-up , two- faced idiots were even though they were standing right at Bae Joohyun’s tiled bathroom.

Out of wits end, I got out of the bathroom cubicle I was in, revealing myself. Of course, they were all startled when they saw me, especially with livid eyes. I could not take the sight of these fakes even stepping foot at Joohyun’s house with the kind of prejudice they had. I was not a hero of justice, but suddenly I wanted to, for once, speak up for somebody who I finally came to understand.

“If you have nothing else to say to the master of this house, why don’t you get out of her bathroom, kill some fun with whoever you could pick on the dance floor and make out with them somewhere else! You are all so disgusting!”

The anger in my voice reverberated through walls, giving emphasis to how strongly I was feeling. They were all shocked, scared even, to see me burst out like that. I had been a quiet fellow for the past three months in school, keeping my opinions to myself, that probably they never saw that coming.

In their haste to get away from my wrath, they even dropped some of their paraphernalia as they escaped. I was worried of the after effect of what I did to them later on, but I never felt so good more than that moment after such a long time. I didn’t think it was that nice to explode for once, spat out the truth at y people who would scurry away from you in fear.

I fell down to the floor in a heap of laughter. “You’re crazy, Han Mijoo. You’re crazy! You would have never dared do that in Seoul.” It was true, though. I was not this brave. That I did not understand where the bravado came from.

I had been laughing to myself for no reason that I did not hear one of the cubicles opening, but suddenly someone I was least expecting was actually standing in front of me with a wistful smile on her lips.

“Was it nerve-racking to do something crazy for once?” Joohyun asked me, that sweet smile adorning her face as she extended her hand to me.

I blinked back, slowly trying to figure out whether I was really seeing her. “Have you been in here since…?”

Joohyun smiled wider, however it never reached her eyes. “Yes. And I heard everything.” She said it as if she had been used to the backstabbing these girls were so skilled on.

I sighed, not accepting the hand she offered as I stood up, almost stumbling back down due to the heels I were wearing. Stupid shoes! “If I were you, I would have kicked them out of the house right that instant.”

She hopped onto a dry counter by the sink and shrugged. “But you already did it for me.”

“So, you’re just going to sit back while hearing them badmouth you like that if I was not here?” I leaned back on the counter, resting my palm on the cold marble.

She shrugged. “I can’t ruin the party just because of two-faced es. My father would be disappointed if I created a commotion.”

The language she used made me look at her in surprise. Joohyun was always polite. She never cursed at anyone. But I guess, it was just right to say all of us, at a point, had our other sides hidden. Hers was well kept. And truthf