Where am I? I look around only to find myself back in the neighbourhood I used to live. Even though this area is where I grow up, I don’t know why but it feels strange to be back here. Where are the people? Why is it so quiet? Hello, Mrs Yong? Mrs Yoon? I call out my neighbours but there are no responses. Curiously, I venture further. Is this how my neighbourhood is like when everyone decides to stay indoors at night? If I know how eerie it will be like, I’m never going to stay late anymore. Walking alone in the middle of the night, with only the sound of cricket and the wind brushing against the bare skin is something a girl should not be doing. But who am I afraid of? Or maybe, what am I afraid of?

Besides not having anyone on the street, every house is not lighted. Carelessly, I walk until I notice the only house that has its lights on. Wait? Isn’t that? Yes, Aunt’s house, my house, our house.

I unlatch the gate’s lock and walk in. The garden; I miss it so much. I walk up the small steps to the front door. Slowly, I turn the knob and push it open. I search for Aunt, but she’s not around. Despite the lights that are switched on, there is no one; just an empty house.

Suddenly, I notice a shadow flashes past the window. Wait, is there someone outside?

I quickly make my way out the front door, onto the porch and look around the garden. Yet, there is no one. However, I notice a piece of paper just in the middle of the garden. I walk towards it and pick it up.

“Seek the sun, for it shines as the brightest Star.”

Seriously this phrase, again?

I scrunch the piece of paper and squeeze it in my palm until I notice something oddly related to the note. Just beside where the piece of paper has been lying is the bed of sunflowers that I used to plant.

Sun? Sunflowers? Eh?

*********

Lyorin squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to the light from the Sun that penetrated in to her room. “Who the hell opened the windows?” She mumbled before hearing a “Good Morning!” call from someone. She sat up and saw Luhan sitting by the edge of her bed. “What time is it?” She yawned and asked.

“It’s already noon, my princess.” Luhan teased. Disgusted by the nickname, she threw a pillow at him but unfortunately it landed elsewhere and not his pretty face. She sighed and plopped back to her comfortable bed. It was useless going against a guy; especially with powers. “Hey Lyorin, don’t go back to sleep!” He tugged the covers. “I need to ask you something. Come on, wake up or I’ll yank you off the bed. I mean it.”

Lyorin ignored and covered her face with the pillow. When she felt hands trying to grab her; that was when she realised Luhan meant his words. She quickly sat up and whined, “Okay okay! I’m up! What do you want?”

Luhan sat on the bed, moving closer towards her. “Hmm, your school party is next week right?” Lyorin nodded. “You’re allowed to bring a date right?” Lyorin nodded again. “So, who are you bringing?”

“Yoona.” Lyorin answered flatly.

“Yah!” Luhan playfully slapped her cheek. “Be serious. Your date has to be a guy right?” Lyorin nodded.

“But if there is no date, it’s still fine.” Lyorin said, with an uninterested expression. Hearing her words, Luhan sighed. Lyorin studied his face and somehow managed to grasp his real intention. “Why? Are you asking me to ask Yoona to ask you so that you don’t have to ask instead?” She said it all in a breath.

Luhan laughed at her candidness and ruffled her hair. “Is she bringing anyone?”

“Me.”

“Lyorin, I’m serious. Is she going with another –“

“Guy? No, she’s not. Oppa, I’m not going to ask her for you. Ask her yourself.” Lyorin said.

Luhan looked rather dejected. “But it’s your school party and I’m not from your school. Help me, please.” He gave her the signature doe-ful eyes. Lyorin hated when he does that.

“What am I supposed to do? Ask her to ask you? It’s going to be weird.”

Luhan shook his head, “Aish, must I tell you what to do? First, you ask her who she’s going with. Hopefully she’s not going with some other guy, or I swear I’ll hunt him down.” Lyorin chuckled and continued listening. “Then, if she’s not going with some other guy. Ask her if she has any plans to go with anyone. If she says no, then you suggest to her saying, you should try asking Luhan oppa because he’s a nice guy, a real gentleman –“

“Get to the main point please.” Lyorin interrupted his little bubble.

“That was the main point!” Luhan retorted. Lyorin threw him the pillow, but once again he used his powers and the pillow landed on the floor instead of his face. “Pillow fights later, princess. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, you need to give her the hints that I’m free on that day and more than willing to be her date. Do you get me so far?” Seeing no response, he asked her again. “Lyorin, you have to help me okay?” This time he sounded really serious. Lyorin looked at his eyes and realised how badly he wanted this to happen.

“Okay, I’ll help you.” Lyorin finally agreed.

“Really?! THANK YOU!” Luhan stood up and pumped his fists up in the air. “Do you know how much I love you, silly girl?” He confessed while pinching her cheeks. Lyorin scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out.

“Yea yea. You love me only when you need something from me.” Lyorin said.

 Luhan poked her forehead. “I really love you okay? Maybe not as much as I love Yoona though.” He teased and laughed. His confession was supposed to hurt Lyorin a little, but she was not upset at all. In fact, she was glad Luhan said that he loved Yoona more than herself. With that, she trusted him even more and had finally approved their relationship somehow.

“Oppa, I have something to say. That was really cute of you to teach me in details on how to go about asking Yoona for you but –“ Lyorin snickered. “Actually, Yoona had told me that she was going to ask you. So, I already know who she wants to go with. And –“

“YAH! All this while, you already know that she is going to ask me? Here I am worrying for no reason. Kim Lyorin!” Luhan shot her an angry look but Lyorin kept laughing and rolling on her bed, like a buffalo (lmao).

“HAHAHA! You should look at your face!” Lyorin kept laughing. Even though he got cheated in a way, Luhan had a smile on his face. Eventually Lyorin stopped and said to him in a serious tone. “Luhan oppa, I’m glad you treasure Yoona so much. She’s my one and only best friend whom I cherish just like a sister. Seeing your persistency is enough for me to see how sincere you are.”

“Thank you Lyorin for giving me this chance. I won’t disappoint you.” Luhan said it while her cheeks tenderly like a big brother.

Lyorin could not help but smiled. “Okay enough of this mushy-ness. I’m going back to sleep. Please close the door when you leave the room.” She faked a yawn and pulled the covers.

Luhan got up and walked towards the door. However while walking, he used his powers and mischievously pulled the curtains so that the sunlight penetrated even more and then pulled the blanket away. Lyorin yelled at him to stop but Luhan could only laugh. “Don’t go back to sleep. It’s almost lunch.” He said it coolly and exited the room. Lyorin watched him helplessly and gave up on the idea of going back to sleep. With a heavy sigh, she lazily got up on her feet.

To be continued...