Thanks to sieves-aim, here is our song for today's chapter! <3

“I never knew you were close to Kris,” said Jessica.

I was bringing in my bags into the girls’ dorm when I accidentally tripped on my own pair of feet. The bags went down, along with myself.

Jessica didn’t seem to have even noticed.

I sat up, rubbing my knees. “I, uh, I’d been hanging with him for a while now,” I told her.

Sooyoung saw me and ran to help. I picked up my bags, and Yoona marched from behind, taking them from my hands and hurrying into the living room to put my things. I gave them my thanks and went to pick up the other things. Moving back into the dorm wasn’t easy. Not like last time when I only had one backpack on my shoulder. More things had been gained ever since I had my own apartment. More clothes. More stuff. I was still working, though I had less shifts to cover now that more people had signed up.

“So,” I said, “you don’t really have to worry about all this stuff. I’ll clean it out once I get back home.”

Yoona, who was carrying a box of clothes, almost tripped. “What?” She looked at me, and so did everyone in the room.

“You’re leaving?” Hyoyeon asked as her eyes grew wide. Even Seohyun stared and completely stopped whatever she was doing.

I mustered a smile after receiving the awkward reaction. “Yeah, I should get back. I’ve…actually got the tickets already.” I pulled out a white envelope from the bag I was holding and held it up in my hand.

Jessica didn’t look too surprised, but she said, “And you didn’t bother to say anything?”

I shrank back. “I— I needed to get it before they were sold out. I can’t afford to miss another flight.”

“Another flight?” She frowned. “Had you— Had you already bought them before?”

I said nothing, and could only nod. I didn’t understand it. The room turned cold, and not from the Sica Affect that was coming off.

Jessica exhaled, then asked, “When’s your flight?”

I swallowed before answering. “Next week.”

More things dropped to the floor. Yoona was staring at my things that she was carrying, and all of a sudden she found out that all those would be gone within a few days.

Nobody said a thing.

Jessica could only say short words. “Okay, then.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I returned to the couch. It was ten at night. The girls had already drifted to slumberland, but I was still there, still in reality. My eyes were glued to the ceiling as I started to play out different scenarios in my head, ones that had been recorded into my mind since the beginning.

Only three days away till I was back home safe in the comfort of my beautiful bed with flat-screen TV. Come to think of it, the thought actually brought a smile to my face.

Home.

Yeah, I can’t deny that I hadn’t been homesick at some point.

And how long had it been since I last talked to Dad? Or heard Mom’s voice? After all that, pretty much my hasty escape to Seoul was just me, being a spoiled brat. I wasn’t going to cover myself up with pretty roses. It was the truth. Maybe if I had just talked to my parents—get a little understanding done, you know? Maybe I wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble.

But then again, things had already passed. There’re reasons for this, aren’t there? If I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t have come close to Jessica and crash down the wall that had been between us for years. I wouldn’t have known anything about any of the girls, Yoona, Seohyun, Yuri. After all, I got to see Krystal. That had to be the best part I could think of.

And as painful as it is, if I hadn’t come here I wouldn’t have actually known anything in Kyuhyun’s mind. And then I would just be wandering and lost, still waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

I had my foot stuck in a drain, for goodness sakes, and lost my watch. How much bad luck could you get in a day?

But I knew not all of it was rotten and threatening. Everything was good. Everything had happened because it needed to. Everything—

“Meow~”

“Oh, hey, baby.” I grinned and my side to see Dragon standing beside the couch, his eyes sparkling as the moonlight from outside the window beamed inside the dark living room.

I slowly picked Dragon up and laid him on my stomach. His purrs were loud in the silence of the night, and I caressed his soft, fluffy head.

“If I hadn’t have come here I wouldn’t have met you, right?” I said, and he tilted his head up and meowed.

I smiled as he settled himself in the middle and curled up into a tiny little softball. I was so thankful that the girls let him in. Jessica wasn’t too keen on it, but one good look at those wide, round eyes she gave in.

And then I thought about it. “None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t left California,” I said. “I wouldn’t be here right now,” I played with Dragon’s whiskers and he shook his head. “And Kris wouldn’t have brought you to me.”

I automatically sat up, Dragon rolling away, landing on the edge of the couch.

“That’s right,” I said. “I hadn’t told him I was leaving. And Kyuhyun, too. And— Oh gosh, I hadn’t said a word about it to Krystal. I mean, even Jessica just found out!” I bit my nails and stared at Dragon. He cocked his head to the side. “Tell me,” I said. “Krystal’s not going to be angry. Right?”

He purred.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I woke up early the next day to the sound of my alarm clock. Quickly, I shut it off before it would wake the entire dorm. When I sat up, Dragon was curled up beside me. I looked around. It was quiet. No one had woken up yet.

Quickly, I rushed to the bathroom, pulled on a sweater and jeans, and hopped out of the dorm, my phone pressed against my ear. It was ringing till I reached the elevator.

I heard Krystal’s morning voice on the other end.

“Hello?” she said.

“Did I wake you?” I asked, but it was already too obvious.

“Unnie? What—”

“I need to see you,” I said.

By the time I reached the café it was already ten. I stood at the door, waiting. It had passed fifteen minutes. Where was she?

“OUT OF THE WAY!”

The loud shout surprised me, and looking up I caught a glimpse of something rushing my way. And before I could listen to the command, I was already tossed across the pavement with a bang.

My head whirled. “Ow.”

“E-heh. Sorry.”

I turned around, lifted myself from the ground, and blinked. “Henry!” I beamed.

“And good morning to you, too,” he said with a big grin.

“Please don’t tell me,” I said, and I stared down at the unicycle lying on the ground, just like he was. He pursed his lips childishly, and I laughed. “Seriously,” I said. “I thought you’re done with anything on wheels. Unicycle? What about skatebo