“Hey, everyone!” Jessica yelled as she greeted all her friends. With Jay on her arm, she felt like this was going to be the good old times when they all used to hang out together without everything getting in the way. Everyone greeted them back warmly. It was a gathering to reminisce old times, organised because Yoona was in Korea after four long years in a different country. It was also to celebrate Seohyun coming back from the States after finishing her studies. It was going to be like good old times, the way things used to be and the way Jessica liked them to be. It was a private room so no one would disturb them.

Everyone was settled in their own little spaces with a clear separation of the genders – girls on the left and guys on the right. Seeing this, Jessica felt a little reluctant to release her hand from Jay’s grasp. But she told herself that she wasn’t going to lose him forever. She took her hand away and headed over to the girls who all gave her hugs as soon as she came in.

“Hey, Seohyun’s back!” Yuri shouted which led to a cheer coming out of each of them.

 “You know Seohyun – you’re different now,” Yoona added thoughtfully. To this Seohyun looked down and blushed a little. She didn’t think she had been that obvious.

“Yeah Seohyun, you’re different,” Jessica agreed with her friend. “But I think it’s been years. Maybe that’s why you’ve changed – in a good way of course.”

“No way, she totally has a boyfriend,” Yoona insisted.

“Nah, she’s just grown up.”

“I swear she has a boyfriend.”

Seohyun looked down, “Unnies… I actually do have a boyfriend.” Hearing this, all the girls squealed. The only one who didn’t was Suzy.

An explosion of questions erupted, which deafened Seohyun’s ears, making it impossible for her to concentrate. “Well,” she raised her voice and immediately all of her friends silenced themselves, “his name is Yonghwa and I met him in the States. He was studying the arts as well. He’s a guitarist and we’ve been dating for about four months.” Hearing this, all the girls squealed once more.

“I can’t believe you got a boyfriend, Seohyun!” Jessica exclaimed.

Suzy, this whole time, had been feeling uncomfortable. She had never been surrounded by this many girls before. She had never been good with getting along with girls. As a child, she found it so much easier to get along with guys, like she did with Seung Gi as a child and then with Myungsoo later- She shook her head. She shouldn’t be thinking of him. He was a part of her life that was best left buried. He was the reason why she failed, why she couldn’t afford to lose this time round. She had to blend in. She had to look like she wanted to fit in even when they all excluded her. She plastered a fake smile to her face. It was best for all her true emotions to remain on the inside. “How did you get a boyfriend?” She bit her tongue when she realised what she had said and how wrong it had come out. She had never been good at talking to girls.

Seohyun looked at her in shock, “Umm… he asked me out,” she replied dumbfounded.

Jessica couldn’t pass up the opportunity, “Of course, he liked her first instead of her pining after him.” Everyone nodded, thinking that it was merely Jessica’s assumption but Suzy knew that it was so much more – it was a dig at her. She was unwelcome here but she would not give up. She could not make all her sacrifices for naught.

“Well,” Suzy started, braving a brace smile on her face, “it could’ve been the other way around, like me and Taecyeon.” At this, everyone looked around uncomfortably as some looked between Suzy and Jessica and a bit of a stop at Yoona as well.

“Of course,” Jessica said knowingly, “it’ll last forever.” Suzy’s eyes narrowed. The older girl was being sarcastic. She was trying to make Suzy feel as though she didn’t belong here. Suzy was prepared to prove her wrong.

“Yes, I heard a few days ago that you moved out of your apartment with your boyfriend.” She saw Jessica’s jaw immediately clench. That little bit of satisfaction that flowed through her veins made her feel more confident about herself.

Everyone turned to look at Jessica questioningly. “Yes,” she started, “we fought and I moved out but it’s okay now. I’ve moved back in,”

“Why did you move out?” Hyoyeon asked, concern laced through her voice.

Jessica smiled gracefully at her friend, “Oh, it’s not important now because we’ve made up now.” To everyone else, she was stating the truth. To Suzy, it was another dig at her. It was Jessica belittling Suzy, thinking that her relationship with Taecyeon wouldn’t work because they would never be able to overcome any obstacle. But what Jessica didn’t know was that Suzy was never planning on overcoming any obstacle. She was planning on ending the relationship a long time before they had to overcome any obstacles.  

“Of course that’s our Jessica!” one of the girls yelled and the rest of them soon followed in applause. Suzy, aware that Jessica was never going to accept her, was aware that the rest might be more accepting. She still needed to look like she was enjoying this time. She still needed to blend in with them and let them accept her. She applauded as well.

The subject was quickly changed by Tiffany to Yoona on the subject of her son. Questions came about on Taehyun’s whereabouts and wellbeing, all of which Yoona answered accordingly which ensured everyone that her son was safe and well in kindergarten, probably playing with Mason, Yuri’s son. Everyone was smitten with Taehyun who was adorable for a little boy his age.

“Yoona, is it hard being a mother?” Jessica asked.

“Why do you want to know, Sica?” Sooyoung snickered as she wiggled her eyebrows. Everyone laughed as Jessica bowed her head, embarrassed.

Yoona thought for a while before coming up with a short answer, “It was hard and tiring… but I think Taehyun’s been raised up good.”

“Yes, some people aren’t raised properly and then create chaos.” Jessica turned to look at Suzy, intending for Suzy to catch the hidden meaning behind her words. “Their parents are only to blame.” Suzy’s fists immediately clenched. She couldn’t say that. She could say stuff about her but how dare she say stuff about her parents! Her parents were respectable and they raised their daughter very well. She immediately stood up. The urge to run up and slap the across the face was overwhelming but that would not help her plans at all. The urge to do so was so powerful and it would be so satisfying if she did so. But she had to think of her plans. She could no longer be the irrational little girl who constantly acted on her emotions. She had to be strong. She felt tears forming. She could see that everyone was looking at her through her blurred vision. In a flurry of movements, she raced out of the room.

Seeing everything happen before his eyes, Taecyeon watched as the scenes unfolded before him. He saw everything as it happened but his heart didn’t tell him to run after her. His mind and his conscience made an obligation for him to check on her and make sure that she was okay, be the caring boyfriend that he was supposed to be. But he was not fast enough. He was about to stand up only to see someone else had beaten him to it. He watched as Seung Gi, looking worried, ran out after Suzy.

As she watched her fiancé run after someone else’s girlfriend, Yoona could not stop the uneasiness that sat at the pit of her stomach. She quickly stood up and caught Seung Gi’s elbow as he passed her. Without even thinking, without any further thought, he pushed her off him and continued on his way out. She could not stop the confusion and the odd feeling of betrayal clawing its way into her heart and making a home there. But she was not going to come to any conclusions, not until she talked to him but Yoona had a feeling that he wouldn’t give her straight answers.

Yoona put her handbag down onto the table. She looked around the apartment to see if there was sign of any recent human activity. Her shoulders dropped when she saw that everything that was here this morning had been left that way. Taehyun’s crayons were left on the table no