During the summer you, Jaejoong, Yunho, Changmin, and Yooeun would often get together, even if there weren’t club activities. Everyone would take turns with inviting the other club members over. It was during July when the five of you met at Jaejoong’s house and you noticed your mother in his kitchen. You and Yunho shared a glance. “Umma, why are you here?” She playfully looked offended.

“I can visit friends if I want!” You and Yunho just brushed off what she said. You guys were going to play on Jaejoong’s Xbox on the second floor. You and Changmin were racing cars on a racetrack when you heard a squeal from the kitchen. You turned your head down the stairs, wondering what all the commotion was about. You turned back to the screen and realized Changmin had lapped you and taken first place.

You pouted. “Changmin, you know no mercy.”

Push

You were in Jaejoong’s room working on a project. You needed to go outside and observe the moon cycle, but the October wind was blowing strongly and it was chilly. You stayed curled up in a blanket Jaejoong had lent you. Yooeun was sitting across the room from you, also wrapped in a blanket. Jaejoong had left to get you both some drinks. It was just you three alone in the house. Mrs. Kim had some business to attend to.

When Jaejoong entered with the drinks you decided to ask him. “Does your mother like her new job? She seems much happier than before.” His mother had needed to get a job to keep up with the family finances. Luckily she had been fully qualified for working as an accountant at some company. She was smiling more often and she seemed to brighten up. Something must have been going well.

Jaejoong took a sip of his drink. “I’m not sure. She doesn’t really talk about it much.” You just nodded and looked out the window. The moon was a light yellow. Full and mesmerizing. Tonight’s work was easy. Just draw a circle. You sighed. You were practically done with all your other work, but you didn’t want to leave the comfort of the blanket. You were pondering on getting up, or just staying over.

Sleeping at Jae’s house overnight hadn’t really been a problem with your parents. They trusted Jaejoong not to do anything to you. You trusted yourself not to do anything to him. You shook your head, ‘what are you thinking about?’ With your head cleared you could smell the aroma of spices wafting up to the second floor. Your head perked up. “What is that I smell?” Jaejoong smiled. He knew you were cold. He knew you were hungry but you didn’t want to get up. He had made dinner for you. You and Yooeun.

“I thought you both would like to stay for dinner. I made pumpkin curry. It’s ready now so we should go down and eat it.” You made a silent cheer. Wrapping the blanket around you tighter, you followed Jaejoong and Yooeun down.

You talked about school things. How you absolutely hated your English teacher, she was always making rude comments in English. You happened to be good at English and would always comment back. Yooeun and Jaejoong laughed at your impression of the teacher. You smiled. Jaejoong was laughing naturally, still covering his mouth, but he wasn’t holding back. You dared to silently wish again. You wished for things to continue peacefully.

You and Yooeun were helping to clear the table while Jaejoong was putting away the leftovers. Everyone heard the lock click on the door. Jaejoong’s mother had come home. Jae smiled as the door creaked open. He put down the container he was holding and went to the door. “Welcome back –Umma… Who is this?” Next to his mother was a tall man with the most ridiculous hair you had ever seen. He had his hand in her hand. She was flushed red, embarrassed to be caught with him by you kids.

The man quickly whispered soft words of goodbye into her ears and kissed her neck before he left. She giggled and closed the door behind him. She stood there in a daze before turning back to Jaejoong, Yooeun, and you. She blushed more. “Well, there is no point in hiding it. I started dating again. I have been seeing that man since the summer. His name is Park Yoochun.”

Jaejoong stared at her in disbelief. His father had only died eight months earlier. His mother had forgotten about him and started dating just four months later. You were as shocked as he was. You knew Mrs. Kim had been deeply in love with her husband. How could she have just forgotten about him like he was just a past boyfriend? You wanted to say something, something witty like when you would talk back to you English teacher. ‘Is your love that immature?’ Something that would poke her for her inconsiderateness.

She bowed her head to you and Yooeun and went to her room. The three of you just watched her go. Your anger and disappointment was boiling in you. You couldn’t even imagine what Jaejoong was feeling. “How could she date someone when she hasn’t even been a widow for a year? That is so y.” You nodded while thinking.

You didn’t think that. You hadn’t said that out loud. You turned to Yooeun; she was shaking her head angrily. Jaejoong was thankful for her anger. He liked that someone was saying things like that, even if it wasn’t really nice. He liked when Yooeun cared about what was going on around him.