“Hey Li Hua, get your sorry up. The sun’s already out.”

I opened my eyes cautiously, only to find a familiar face leaning abnormally close. Lay.

“Well,” I muttered, “my sorry refuses to listen to you. Go away and let me sleep.”

“Luhan and Krystal are already outside, enjoying themselves,” Lay mentions, tilting his head. “So we should too, so we don’t feel left out.”

Luhan. Once I hear his name, I can only wince. What I faced was harsh rejection, and no one likes harsh rejection. I still didn’t even understand why I was being ignored. That night was perfect, well it was to me. Sure we might have had a couple drinks too many, but that didn’t change how I might of possibly felt. Now there was nothing, and the only thing I wanted to do was sit around glumly. Too bad Lay didn’t think it was the proper cure.

He lets out a sigh, as if understanding my current predicament. “If it’s about Luhan, you need to get over it.”

“Why? Why should I.” Lay’s words sting, and I snuggle closer toward my legs, hoping to grasp some warmth.

“Because he already has.”

The truth hurts, but I know it’s true. We sit in silence and he pats my back a couple of times before offering his hand.

“Get up. Let’s have some fun. We found some leftover bread this morning, you can have that.”

“Is it stale?”

“When is it ever not stale?”

“Great,” I mutter, grabbing Lay’s hand to support myself. “Give me that anyways.”

We both pace towards our living headquarters, currently a makeshift enclosed area made out of a wrecked house. It feels kind of like home. The kitchen is still intact, although the appliances don’t work. It’s a pastel yellow that covers the walls, and I bite my lip as Lay hands me the hard chunk of what was supposed to be bread.

“So today,” Lay continues, “I was thinking we could hang out and just relax. We’ve already found enough food to last us a couple more weeks and I’m honestly sick of finding those creepy hints.”

“So what do you recommend?” I question, shoving the piece of bread into my mouth, chewing.

“Maybe a day out, you know, watching the beautiful landscape?” Lay jokes, sending me a wink.

“Gross,” I laugh, whacking him on his head. “Let’s not.”

“I found a new house today,” Lay suggests. “I haven’t shown anyone yet, but I think you might like it.”

“Why is that?”

“There’s working appliances.”

“Done. Count me in.”

“Don’t tell Luhan or Krystal though, it will be our special place or something,” Lay nods, grasping my hand and walking outside.

Lay and I stumbled through the debris that still lay out on the streets, falling over every and now and then.

“Stop grabbing my hand, Li hua. You make me fall every time with you,” Lay chuckled, helping us get up from the dirty ground.

“What can I do?” I responded, blinking innocently before harshly tugging on his palm once again, tripping us both.

“Well you can start off my stop reaching for my hand,” he remarked, skipping over a cluster of metal.

“Why? Don’t you like it when I hold your hand?” I smirked lightly, tugging on his hand once more.

Lay had been right, I just needed some fresh air, and then I was back to being me once again.

“That’s true,” he commented, “Then I guess you won’t mind if I just hold your hand the whole time then.”

I smiled, and Lay held out his hand, and I gladly took it for support and warmth. We interlaced fingers and headed towards the house Lay had been talking about.

“There,” he pointed, still grasping my hand. The house is a cream color and it sits perfectly next to a patch of dishieveld trees.

“It’s cute,” I commented, my eyes gazing happily toward the building.

I notice Lay’s stare on my face, and turn towards him.

“What?” I ask, laughing.

“Not as cute as you.” he flashes me a silly grin and I whack him. “Just kidding,” he mutters.

“Don’t lie,” I raise my head arrogantly. “You know you love me,” I teased, nudging him.

“Come on, lets go,” Lay said, ignoring me, cheeks tinted.

--

“So tell me a little about yourself,” I demanded, as Lay and I sat next to a warm fireplace that was still working inside the small house.

“I’ve already told you some things about myself though,” Lay remarked. “Tell me about you.”

“Okay, well, I was born in a middle class family, with one mother, one father, and one brother. I was moderately popular in school, and I loved to write--I still do. Let’s see...I love kpop and abs! Infinite is my favorite group, then it’s SHINee and Super Junior and--”

“I’m fascinated,” Lay interrupted, yawning.

I frowned at him. “Fine, you speak now,”

“I’m 21 years old, and my name is Lay,” He winked, laying down next to the fireplace.

“I already knew that!” I insisted, laying down beside him.

“I used to have a sister, and several girlfriends,” He continued, pausing to check my reaction. I kept my face neutral, gesturing him to go on.

“My sister didn’t, uh, make it...” Lay trailed off, I interlocked our fingers together, bringing them up to my lips and kissing his hand.

“What about your several girlfriends?” I asked instead, hoping to lighten the mood.

“Oh, I got bored of them,” Lay replied, cracking a smile. I smiled back, his cheeks, before snuggling closer and falling asleep.

“,” I muttered.

“I’m your favorite ,” Lay grins, pinching my nose gently.

-------

“We’re back!” Lay calls out.

The sound of a door opening appears and a figure steps out. Luhan. His hair is tousled in different directions, and his eyes are wary. Once he catches sight of us, he grimaces.

“Oh,” he remarks, leaning against a wall, gaze avoiding mine.

“You don’t sound too happy,” Lay comments.

“Of course not,” Luhan mumbles.

“Maybe you should lighten up,” I suggest.

Luhan turns to me sharply, his face marked with no emotion.

“Maybe you two should stop holding hands.”

I let go of Lay’s hands, and walked past Luhan, up the stairs.

“Happy now?” Lay muttered before heading upstairs as well.

“Yeah. You bet I am.” Luhan turned around to face Lay.

“I don’t get why you even care,” Lay calls out. “You’re the one who slept with her and broke her ing heart.”