CHAPTER XXXIII

**YERIN**

Gangneung is definitely not what I expected. It turns out to be more than what I had in mind. The atmosphere of the city was calmer. The breeze was cooler. The sights are more breathtaking. And the entire place is much quieter. Peaceful is what the city is. All the more, it makes me want to leave Seoul and make a life here instead. What’s worthy of being noted is the fact that it’s even nighttime as I make my judgments on the city. What more when the sun is out, and the place comes to life? I’m sure I’ll have more reasons to fall in love with the place.

“We have five rooms in total and there’s thirteen of us which means each room will be occupied by either two or three people,” Jin-oppa informed us as we made our way inside his family’s vacation house. The said place is perched on top of a hill which gives us a better view of the city below as well as the sea and had it not been nearing midnight, I would have gladly stayed out to take sight of the water that seems to glisten in the moonlight. It’s not everyday that I get to look at the sea in that manner.

“Boys and girls aren’t allowed to share room just to be safe,” Namjoon-oppa added and we all laughed. Of course, we know that. Even Jungkook who can’t get enough of his girlfriend already made plans with Taehyung and Jimin about sharing a room.

“Unnie, let’s share a room!” SinB automatically exclaimed as she linked her arms with mine. I didn’t even notice her come up from behind me.

“Sure,” I responded before grinning at her. I actually had the idea of asking her to be my roommate anyway.

“Can I join you?”

We both turned to see Umji, shyly staring at us, waiting for our reply. She probably is the most reserved one in the group. In fact, she’s so innocent and fragile that it makes me wonder how such a cutie like her ended up hanging out with a bunch of blabbermouth and idiots.

“Of course,” SinB answered with much enthusiasm. From what I know, they have been classmates ever since grade school so it’s safe to assume that they are already close to each other. I also don’t mind having Umji around. She balances SinB quite well with the both of them having pretty much contrasting personalities. SinB is like that fresh squeeze of lemon you get in a lemonade that gives you energy while Umji is that amount of sugar that stabilizes the sour flavor as she gives her touch of sweetness.

“We’ll have so much fun. I already have an idea on what we’re going to do tonight!” SinB grabbed Umji and linked her other arm to her so that she has now taken hold of both of us.

“I actually just want to sleep,” Umji said gently but was overpowered by SinB’s voice as she began to tell us everything in her plans.

“We could also invite Yuju, Eunha, and Sowon-unnie. The more the merrier is what they say after all.”

I leaned forward to peek at Umji and as if planned on purpose, she too did the same and we held eye contact.

“We’re doomed,” is what my expression says while Umji’s is clearly shouting, “Tell me about it.”

“I already called up a takeout food chain for us if ever you guys are interested in eating a late-night dinner. I’m sure the chips and crackers didn’t fill your stomachs up,” Namjoon-oppa informed us the second time around and we all nodded in agreement to him. We’re all famished actually. Everyone agreed not to stop for dinner but when ten, almost eleven, came, we regretted coming up with that decision, but it was already too late as no food establishment we passed by had been open. Hence, it’s good news to hear Namjoon-oppa got the initiative to order us takeout. He sure is the most responsible one in the group. It makes me think that I really wouldn’t mind having him around. He’s a lot more reasonable to talk to than idiots like Jimin and Jungkook who only knows how to annoy people.

“I’m going to my room first. Call me when the food gets here,” Yoongi-oppa said with his usual bored face. Does he ever have any reaction other than that? Because I’m starting to think that he had plastic surgery for his face to remain that way.

“His room?” I asked the person closest to me which happens to be SinB who still has her arms wrapped around mine.

“He likes his personal space.”

I gave a knowing nod. I don’t even need to question that further. One statement says it all. Plus, judging by the way Yoongi-oppa seems to be so cold, I think it’s only sensible for him to have his own room.

“Yoongi-oppa also doesn’t like having a roommate. He hates noise,” Umji added as we all had our eyes follow the said boy while he makes his way upstairs, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Who’s up for a round of yutnori?” Jin-oppa said as he scanned our faces while holding his hand up.

~~~~~

“The board obviously favors you!” Sowon-unnie complained, pointing an accusing finger at her boyfriend who stood smugly as he yet again won another round of yutnori, beating even Jungkook whom everyone says was born lucky.

“Of course. Who wouldn’t favor such a handsome man like me?” he said, giving us a flying kiss. His girlfriend, despite being well…his girlfriend, gave a disgusted look while we could only facepalm ourselves in our head. I don’t know where Jin-oppa got all his confidence from but let me tell you. He’s not one bit hesitant to use it.

Sowon-unnie threw her arms over her chest and stood on one foot. “This . You always seem to win,” she said.

Taking notice of how his girlfriend was now sulking, Jin-oppa took the initiative to stop teasing her and encage her in her arms instead.

I almost swooned at their sudden sweetness. I had not expected such a turn of events and from the way Sowon-unnie reacted to his embrace, I could tell they aren’t new to such display of affection.

“Get a room, you two,” Jungkook said, disrupting the romantic mood. I would have laughed, seeing how he got bitter watching Sowon-unnie and Jin-oppa when he, himself, had his arm wrapped protectively around Yuna’s waist while they shared a single-seater couch.

SinB was the one brave enough to point the same thought I had to Jungkook which made both Yuna and him turn beet red. However, neither bothered to move to another couch.

I laughed alongside the others but stopped as soon as my eyes took notice of Eunha who was quietly sitting cross-legged by the corner. She wasn’t laughing but she had a smile on her face. It’s not hard to see the way it didn’t reach her eyes though. Seeing her like that, the thought of how hard she must be trying to hide her true feelings crossed my mind.

I stood from sitting on the floor, ready to approach her when I heard Taehyung call my name as he, too, got himself up from being seated on the couch.

“We’ll be out to get some fresh air,” he said, before looking at me, “I want to talk about something.”

**JUNGKOOK**

I felt my face stiffened as I watched Taehyung-hyung and Yerin-noona make their way out the door. When I heard what hyung had to say, something about having a talk, my mind began to alert itself and I immediately thought about Irene-noona. What if hyung found out? What if he heard the news? I know that is unlikely to happen since he rarely surfs the internet or watch television. During his spare times, he just immerses himself with his games but still, unlikely doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. What if he found out by accident?

“I want to eavesdrop for some reason,” Yuna said, stealing the words right from my mouth.

I turned to her and nodded. “Should we?”

“I don’t think we should. I mean I respect their privacy but…ughhh! The curiosity is killing me,” she whispered, in a frustrated tone which made her voice sound louder than it should have been.

An amused chuckle escaped my lips, not because I find her statement funny but because for some reason, I find myself falling for her adorable reaction- the way she cutely ruffled her hair and the way she pouted which made me want to lean in and kiss her right this instance.

“Stop being so adorable,” I warned. She stared at me with that sudden look of surprise. She wasn’t expecting such a reply as can be seen by how her cheeks flushed and shut close.

I pulled her in closer to me as if our proximity as we share this single-person couch wasn’t enough. The smell of her shampoo somehow sent me into a short trance as I inhaled, and I thought to myself how this girl could affect me in ways people have never done before.

“Strawberry?” I asked. She looked up and blinked, not quite getting my question. “Your shampoo, I mean.”

“Ah,” she said as she nodded her head, “Yeah. It’s the one you said you liked.”

I smiled. I never thought she took that to mind when I told her about my favorite shampoo scent way back when I accompanied her in grocery shopping.

“I do remember saying that,” I said as I leaned in closer to her face, no longer trying to hold myself back, “But do you know what flavor I like more?”

She giggled. “What?”

“Your peach-flavored lip balm,” I said in the most seductive way I can before I quickly gave her lips a peck. I was certain she already expected such a thing to happen because as soon as I moved away to stare at her, she has that huge grin on her face, almost reaching from ear to ear.

“That came unannounced,” she told me, still bearing the same expression, “I could have prepared myself.”

“I thought you already knew I steal kisses every now and then?”

She didn’t reply but pushed me away instead as she chuckled. She might have thought the others have witnessed our little display of affection when actually, I don’t even think the others care enough to look at what we’re doing. They’ve gotten so used to us being a couple that they probably already knew we were bound to act lovey-dovey at times. And by at times, I really mean most of the time since I definitely cannot resist staying away from my girlfriend even just for a second.

I decided to look around to confirm my thought when I my eyes caught a glimpse of Eunha. She was sitting by herself in the corner which was weird since she usually sits with Yuna and I during every gathering our group has. Well, it could be understandable if she prefers to join the others though. It’s not like we’re requiring her to sit with us all the time. That would have been it. I would have stopped staring but when I noticed the look she had on her face, something disturbing came to my mind that I decided to nudge Yuna who got engrossed with her phone the minute she settled back in the couch.

“Is there something wrong with Eunha these days?” I asked.

At the mention of her best friend, as if on reflex, Yuna swiftly dragged herself up from slouching on the couch and turned to take a look at her best friend.

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“She’s-” I stopped mid-sentence when, upon following Yuna’s gaze toward Eunha, the latter stared right back at us as if on cue. “frowning a while ago,” I wanted to add but Eunha was already giving us a sincere smile as I thought to myself. Gone was the sadness I saw in her seconds ago and I asked myself if I have just been imagining things.

“She’s what?” Yuna pried after winking at her best friend who merely winked back before returning her attention to the others playing another round of yutnori.

 “Nothing,” I answered, shaking my head, “It’s nothing.”

Yuna shrugged before returning to distract herself with her phone. I, on the other hand, casted another glance at Eunha. There’s something in me telling me that what I saw was real. Eunha did look troubled. My eyes didn’t deceive me, and I just know I have to confirm it for myself.

**YERIN**

I walked a step behind Taehyung toward the grassy slope, a few good feet away from the house. At first, I thought Taehyung was to settle in the veranda, where some wooden beach chaise lounge lay. However, the atmosphere there must have not been enough for him as he soon gazed around before deciding to go a little down the hill, toward an area where a lone tree stood. Somehow, as I stared at the scene, I could only be reminded of those crappy romantic movies where lovers meet, and I almost felt myself squeal but of course, that wasn’t the case for Taehyung and me which brings me to think. He said he wanted to talk. About what, exactly? I can’t remember anything important that we need to discuss.

“Have you ever wondered what being a star feels like?” Taehyung asked, staring up at the sky. I looked down at him. He was already sitting on the ground with his one leg stretched and the other folded as he balanced himself with both arms a little behind him.

I remained standing and did the same. I gazed at the stars, trying to decipher how he came to ask such a question out of the blue. “Not until you said it. Why?”

“Don’t you think they’re lonely?”

I gloomed.

“How can you say that?” I asked as I finally decided to join Taehyung on the ground, sitting cross-legged before returning to look at the stars once more, “How can they be lonely when there are millions of them up there?”

Taehyung released a breath beside me. I removed my eyes from the sky and looked at him and it turns out he, too, did the same so that we found ourselves staring at each other. I would have averted my gaze right away but with the way Taehyung’s eyes looked, I felt like I’m drawn, like there’s something in him that’s pulling me to remain staring and so I did.

“You’re right,” he began, “There are millions or even billions of stars out there, but have you ever thought about their reality?”

My eyebrows scrunched and the way I held my silence was enough for Taehyung to understand his cue to continue.

He broke eye contact as he looked at the sky again.