JIYONG’S POV

While I thought I was having such an amazing morning, an unexpected accident just had to happen to my own, innocent being. 

I paced slowly back and forth by the side of the road—feeling the queasy adrenaline rushing through my veins as I scavenged to find my prized possession of a motorbike with too much frustration building inside of my chest. I sighed in exasperation, wondering what my mom and sister would have to say if they found out about me wrecking the bike for the second time in just a matter of months. 

“What am I going to say to them?” I pondered to myself in a low-pitched voice—feeling the tropical wind gushing through my rough skin as the smell of nature overcome my senses. As the wetness from the rain trickled its way down from my clothes, I ruffled my hair harshly.

They can’t blame me, though. It wasn’t my fault that terrible accidents occurred often throughout my whole entire life without a warning. I never asked to be stepped on by life and neither does my bike.

Turning my head to the other side of the road, I eventually had spotted my bike, clenching my teeth in fear at the sight of it being completely wrecked and broken. I breathed heavily as I tried to make my way to it, mesmerizing the forest’s atmospheric sounds as I sped up my pacing right across the road. 

It’s a good thing that there is not a single presence of a car to be shown on the road yet because it’s literally 6:09 am in the morning. I honestly wouldn’t want them to look at me being in this type of mess that I’ve just went through moments ago because I would feel utterly humiliated.

Why am I out this early? Well, I have work to attend to and I’m sure that I’m going to be late again. I really am not worried about that right now even though I’m fully aware that my boss would be extremely displeased about my tardiness. 

As I reached my bike, I bent down to touch the broken material of the body-kit and shut my eyes in silence to calm my frustration without a word. I wouldn’t want to know how much would it cost to fix this wreckage. Memories of the first wreckage emerged in my brain instantly and all I want to do right now is get my bike to the repair shop near my house and get back home to fix some of my scratches on my under-arm from the sliding as well.

I gritted my teeth at the pain coming from my elbow and suddenly felt guilt wash over me when the name “Kim Joonmyun” or by his nickname “Suho” popped up in my mind at that very second. 

We were college buddies and throughout our 4 years of friendship, he had been extremely supportive and understanding of what I had been through. Though occasionally I feel bad for asking his help but not in my entire life had he rejected my favors. As much as I feel guilty on asking him for assistance again at this minute, I really don’t have a choice. He’s my one and only true friend and I really hope he understands for another time again for me.

I took out my phone from my pocket and held it tightly in my hand, being silent as I dialed his number wordlessly.

“Aye, chingu. What’s up?” Suho answered my call in a cheery voice.

“Hey, I kind of... um, have a not-so-small kind of problem right now...” I trailed off, turning my head to look at my wrecked motorbike and tried my best not to sound annoyed at this moment. The least I can do for him is to speak in a calmed tone even though my situation is putting me in a lot of stress right now. 

“I wrecked the bike... again.” I chuckled sarcastically.

“Mwoh? Yah! Kwon Jiyong! Isn’t this going to be the second time in a year already?” Suho asked in disbelief and I cleared my throat in response. 

Humiliation gushed through my cheeks, considering the fact that I never asked anything to make Suho feel a burden towards me in this type of way. He had helped me through a lot of mess that I’ve been through in my life and I feel disappointed in myself for disappointing him. He’s more like a brother to me than just an only best friend.

Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead, feeling the heat taking over my body as I tried my best to calm myself down without sounding like I’m in too much trouble. 

“I’m sorry. It was an accident.” I muttered, hiding my annoyance from my tone of voice. “It was raining about five minutes ago and my bike slipped at the edge of a four-way road in this good-for-nothing forest. It’s a good thing nothing happened to me... just a few scratches on my elbow though... but my bike is honestly not in a shape for it to stand nor be ridden on.” I said, beating around the bush as I explained to him what had happened earlier. 

I feel like right now, not joking.

I could hear Suho sighing from the other end of the line. Our conversation had suddenly became silent as he and I decided not say a word for a good 15 seconds before he unquestionably spoke up.

“Jiyong. Be careful next time. Your mom and sister is probably worried about you.” He exhorts and I nodded as if he could see me through the phone. Snorting at the idea of my mom and sister being understanding of my situation, this isn’t the first time that I wrecked the bike. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get some beating from them.  “Where are you right now?”

After telling him about my whereabouts, he ended the call immediately after bidding farewell. I exhaled in exhaustion, watching an unspecified amount of cars passing by on the road right beside me. Seems like everyone is in a rush at this hour and nobody seemed to really care when they saw me over here by the road, alone in the wilderness with my not-so-go