“I swear you are the most annoying person on Earth.” Sungyeol groaned at the boy on his left. He rolled his eyes, covered his face with his brightly colored scarf while he walked down the hallway hoping that no one would notice him. “Hurry up, would you?”

“Why don’t you shut up? Your abnormally screechy voice would attract more attention, dufus.” The person beside him, named Nam Woohyun, snapped as he led the way towards a black van waiting just outside. “Now, get your long legs inside and shut the hell up.”

Sungyeol glared but immediately got in to take off his scarf and shades to breathe. Woohyun followed as soon as he loaded their baggage on the back. No one said a word as the latter closed the van and sat back but each of them took a deep breath then stared out the window, knowing full well that it’s tinted.

“You’re not telling Sungjong that you’re back?” Woohyun asked when the silence stretched to a whole five minutes, “I don’t think he’d take it well if he finds out through the news instead that you’re back here in Korea.”

“Yeah, he won’t.” Sungyeol agreed but didn’t say anything else.

Woohyun sighed and gave up. He’s been working as Sungyeol’s manager since a year ago when the tall boy made his first debut as an actor in Japan so he was probably the closest thing to a friend that he got. Neither of them had met Sungjong in the span of that year but Sungjong’s impatience is not new to Woohyun since he was usually the audience when Sungyeol’s younger brother goes into a rampage through the phone calls they have once a week.

“If he gets mad…” Woohyun warned the unmoving boy beside him, “I am so not taking any responsibility for anything. I’m telling him that it was your choice no to tell anyone and that you’ve accepted the proposal of this drama for a month already without his knowledge.”

Sungyeol didn’t answer and Woohyun was worried but he knew better than to probe. It’s been two years since they first met and although Sungyeol is all smiles and laughter, the boy was hiding something from him. It was emotional problems and he knew this without being told. Was it because of his parents? Being away from his only family? A love he had to leave behind? Woohyun knew he won’t be getting any answer if he asked anyway.

“Go sleep, I’ll wake you up when we get to your apartment. I know you haven’t slept due to last minute packing,” Woohyun told him and soon enough, the other boy was asleep on his seat.

One day, Woohyun hopes that he would be a friend enough for Sungyeol to open up to him.

*     *     *

Sungyeol plopped down on his bed and rolled on it.

“Don’t play games and sleep, alright?” Woohyun told him from the doorway of his room, “You have an 8AM interview tomorrow so I’ll get someone to pick you up at 5AM sharp. Don’t even think of playing out tonight and just rest.”

“Yes, Mom!” Sungyeol answered that earned him a glare, “I’m not a kid, Woohyun. Now leave the room and lock the door.”

“I’ll trust that you’re mature enough to not create a scandal the night you just got back.” Woohyun warned him one last time before closing the door and later, the sound of the front door locked as well.

As soon as he knew he was alone, Sungyeol dropped all the pretence of his good mood and lied on the bed silently. He took a deep breath before smiling bitterly—he was finally back in Korea after three years of disappearance. The first thing he wanted to do was to go home and see Sungjong to bombard him with questions about what happened while he was gone.

“Stupid Lee Sungyeol,” he told himself with a scoff, “There’s only one person’s history that you want to know…”

It was Kim Myungsoo’s.

*     *     *

“Su