“So why are you here?”

“Is that how you greet your best friend, Kai?”

He raised a brow and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

I chuckled and looked at him. “Why? Can’t I visit my best friend?”

“No seriously. Its 2:00 in the morning and you are here, drinking alcohol like it is water, in my house which is by the way 3-hour drive from the hospital you’re working at.”

I shrugged. “I just missed you.”

“Bull.” He spat.

I laughed and then curled my lips into a frown. “Ouch. I’m hurt man, I was just being honest.” Faking a hurt expression.

He gave me a slight push and laughed with me.

After the laughter died, I smiled bitterly and reached for the piece of paper inside the pocket of my jacket. It’s glossy and smells like vanilla. Two bold names are engraved in front of it. I tossed the card to Kai.

His eyes widen at what he read.

“Seohyun’s getting married?” he asked with surprise in his tone.

I nodded and swallowed the sudden lump on my throat. The very image of my ex-girlfriend smiling at me suddenly invaded my mind but I immediately shook it away.

“Imagine my surprise when I received that this morning.” I gave a forced humorless bitter laugh.

“I can’t believe that she would invite me to her engagement.”

“Well, the two of you agreed to be friends after your break up right? Maybe that’s the reason.”

I scowled.

“She’s the only one who agreed to that.” I hissed. “I don’t want to be friends with her. I don’t want to be just friend.” Emphasizing my words.

Just Friend.

A label that I cannot bear to accept. She’s the only one who said that we’ll just remain friends. Damn! I don’t want that! I want to be her boyfriend. I don’t want to break up with her and now all I receive is a piece of goddamn invitation to her engagement party?! What does she expects me to do? March to her party with gift on my hands and congratulate her and her future husband? Saying that bull I’m-so-happy-for-you line even though I feel anything but that? No thanks. I might just punch her pain-in-the- fiancé in the face until he won’t be able to say ‘I do’. She chose that bastard because I can’t give what she wants. She left me because she thinks she means nothing to me just because I don’t want to get married yet. Total load of .

She should be the one to understand me the most. To support my dreams and goals yet she left me in the air because I can’t put some damn ring on her finger.

What’s wrong with waiting a few more years? I told her I’m going to marry her just not now. But the woman can’t wait for an ambitious bastard like me even after giving her a promise necklace.

“So this is the reason why you’re drinking?” taking me out from my bitter memories.

“Not exactly.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m celebrating.”

Kai snorted. “Yeah? For what?”

“Well my friend, my stay in Daego Hospital is finally coming to an end this next Friday. Meaning I only have to wait for one week.” I grinned.

“Alright! After 6 months finally you got what you’ve been waiting for. Well, how about your grandfather? Won’t he do something to prevent this?”

“He won’t… or rather can’t. He is still in Japan for business trip.” I grinned. I asked his secretary – who is so easily seduced for information – for his schedule and she said that the old man won’t be here until next month.

“I hope so Sehun. You know how crazy your grandfather is. I still don’t understand why he keeps on pushing you, even going to the extent of asking his friend – which is by the way the president of your hospital – to throw you to a small hospital in province just for you to get married when your older brother isn’t even married yet! He should be the first one to get married instead of you.”

“It is because my brother is working for him.” I said as if it explains everything. “My brother chose to obey old man and follow the path my grandfather set for us while I on the other hand chose to break free and follow my own dream. I chose to do what I wanted for myself. I defy him. And now he’s having his pay back. He is doing everything in his power to control my life again.” I glared at my glass thinking it was the old manipulating devil.

“You know, after all this time that he kept a close eye to you, I wonder why he isn’t afraid to put you away from his side after what happened 10 years ago. Isn’t he scared for your safety?”

I gripped my shot glass after I heard my friend. Memories of the past nightmares came crashing on my mind. “He isn’t because I’m sure that his men are always