“Hey,” Sam said as I kicked the snow off my feet. “Why are you so late?”

“I got caught up,” I rolled my eyes.

“Well, come in I have a question to ask you and then I have to run to work.”

I slipped off my shoes and followed him to his bedroom. His white shirt was untucked out of his recently pressed khaki pants.

He pulled two ties out of his closet—a red paisley and a blue polka dot. “Which should I wear today?” He held both up so proudly. Sam and his ties.

“I don’t know, which ever you feel like wearing.”

My phone buzzed. I’d never been up this early before, so I’ve always slept through the texting rush hour.

“The blue matches my socks, but the red compliments my loafers.”

He held both up to the full length mirror.

Already messages.

“Sam, if you weren’t so in love with Kimmy, I’d think you were gay.”

“Hey now,” he smiled, “just because you like clothes and care about your appearance doesn’t mean you’re gay.”

“I know,” I said, “but stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason.”

He sighed looking at the mirror like this was the hardest decision he’d had to make in a while.

“Just wear the blue one.”

“Plus, if I was gay, I would totally have gone after Hampton. He’s a good looking guy,” he said slipping the blue tie through his collar. 

I raised my eyebrows.

“That’s a fact, not an opinion.” He smiled big. He has nice teeth too. Never really noticed. 

I followed him to the kitchen and he took out his toast.

“So what did you need me here for?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s it.”

“What?”

“Helping me choose which tie.”

My heart dropped and I think my jaw did too. “You’re joking right?” 

“No…” he said buttering the toast nonchalantly.

Take deep breaths.

“Do you know the trouble I faced getting here at 6am? Not to mention the fact that I had to get up at 5??”
“No I don’t,” he said grabbing milk out of the fridge. 

He really doesn’t know.

“Ok, well, not all of us are as selfless as you are,” I sighed.

“I just wanted to see you,” he chugged. 

“You saw me yesterday.”

He shrugged and  the milk off his lips.

There was silence for a moment as he started eating. More messages.

“In the group chat?”

“Yeah,” I laughed. 

“How’s Kimmy these days?”

“What do mean how’s Kimmy?” I clicked on them and scrolled to the bottom.

“Aren’t you guys supposed to be trying this long-distance thing?”

“Yeah but you know. The time difference. It’s not easy.”

Kimmy:  he was super cute too

Hampton: really???

“Why aren’t I allowed in the group chat again?”

“It’s for girls only Sam. We’ve been over this. It’s mainly Kai screenshots from Sav anyway.”

“Hampton’s not a girl. He’s allowed.”

“Why do you care so much about Hampton?”

He sighed, mouth full of bread. “I miss the crew. I miss all of us chilling out together at Kimbap Angel at 2am and clubbing at Hongdae,”

“You never went clubbing with us…”

“Yeah, but you told me about it,” he winked, “and it’s almost like I was there.”

“You’re so…”

“funny?”

“No,” I laughed, “good.”

He finished his plate and put it in the sink.

“Well in case you’re wondering why I had a hard time getting here, I was cornered on the subway by a guy pretending to be a Kpop star asking for english lessons.”

He suddenly stopped washing.

“What did he look like?” he said coming over.

I showed him the selfie of Hansol <3. There’s me in the corner of the picture looking really pissed off. I can’t help but smile.

Sam snatched it from my hands. 

“He’s super not cute,” he scowled handing it back to me.
“Super not cute? Wow that may be the meanest thing I’ve heard you say about someone ever.”

I went over to fix his tie. For someone so concerned about his appearance, he is such a mess.

“It’s your eyes,” he said. “they’re mesmerizing.” I rolled them.

“That’s a fact. Not an opinion.”

“Not my witty humor?”
“You don’t find out that until later.”

“Please.”

He grabbed his Tommy Hilfigur “murse” on the door.

“Well you only care about that SHINee guy anyway right?”

My heart leapt. “They’re coming back next week! So I won’t see you as much.”

This time he rolled his eyes. “They’re not that great.”
“Don’t insult the demigods. You’ll face not only my wrath, but the goddess of all truth.”

He slipped on his shoes.

“That’s a fact. Not an opinion,” I said.

“Ok well I’m going to work now.”

He seriously is leaving. He truly called me out of bed at 5am to help him choose a tie.

“Well don’t mind me. I’ll just eat all of your food and get hair all over your couch and use all your cologne.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind. See you later.”

He closed the door waving.
“I wasn’t kidding,” I whispered and I went and raided his fridge.