Weeks passed after Jazz Academy lost to Seoul Fine Arts. Niel wasn't too happy about it. You were on a lunch date with him on a fine Saturday day, but Niel's mood wasn't too...perky, like his usual cocky self. It was weird, through the weeks that passed, Niel was...tolerable. You got used to him and he wasn't all that bad.

"I can't believe we didn't win." He munched on his pasta and groaned. He suddenly smiled,"At least we beat Exo. That's good enough for me."

"Shut up." you snapped at him. 

Niel stopped eating,"What's wrong with you? You're so fiesty today, not that it's bad. What happened? Get your heart broken?" Niel laughed and wrapped some pasta around his fork. 

You stayed silent and just ate your food. Niel glanced at you since you were too silent. He was expecting you to snap at him again saying that would never happen. 

"Wait, did you guys really...break up?" Niel slowly said. 

"We didn't break up!" you quickly stated. You blinked and looked down at your food. I don't even know. I say we're not, but Lay probably thinks so. That idiot. He hasn't contacted me yet.

"What about that whole,'I won't let anyone take you away' blah blah blah ? Why'd he give up so quickly?!" Niel snarled at the last sentence. 

You eyed him,"Why do you care so suddenly about us?"

Niel cleared his throat and bitterly smiled,"Nothing. I'm just disappointed. Then fun was over too quickly." 

You narrowed your eyes at him suspiciously and continued eating. That was weird. 

"Anyway, we have to look at some wedding plans or something after this." Niel brought up. He stuck his tongue out,"Weddings are so complicated."

"Do we? I didn't know..." you mumbled.

Niel saw you sad expression and poked your arm with a sly grin,"Wanna run away?"

"Huh?" you tilted your head.

Lay was at his work cleaning some tables. A few girls sitting a few tables away were giggling and smiling at him. Lay tiredly sighed. That always happened. Girls coming and going at his work place. He tried his best to be polite to them, but he was getting irritated by each passing second. 

"Lay, it's your break." His manager spoke. 

Lay nodded and went to clean up the rest of the table and placed the dirty dishes in the kitchen. Lay rested his hands at the edges of the sink. He took a deep breath. 

"Hey, Lay, some couple is outside right now looking for you." Lay's coworker, Yoorim, smiled at him shyly. 

"Thanks, Yoorim." Lay smiled back and walked passed her. He spotted Luhan and Sumin sitting at a table in the corner. 

Luhan and Sumin both waved him over. Luhan grinned,"Hurry up man. I heard it was your break." 

"Hi, Lay." Sumin sadly smiled at him. 

Lay nodded at her,"Hey. So, what do you guys want?"

Luhan scoffed at him,"What, we can visit our dear friend at work?"

Lay scowled,"I know why you guys are here. I'm not stupid."

This time it was Sumin who scoffed,"I'm pretty convinced you're stupid." 

"Sumin." Luhan elbowed her lightly. She ignored him and her smile was long gone and she was now glaring at Lay,"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking, Sumin. It's not as easy as you think! This isn't a some kdrama or something. There's no way I can go against her family. I'm a poor Chinese boy with a single, widow mother." Lay exasperated. 

"Look, everyone knows it won't be easy,"Sumin pouted,"but, that doesn't mean you just give up. You have to try." Sumin was on the verge of crying,"Lay, she's my best friend. I know her inside and out. How could you hurt her? And to do it in a cruel way without even fighting for her once! Do you even love her?"

Lay winced. I do love her. Always.

Luhan wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, rubbing her arm. He then looked towards his best friend and smiled. He started to speak Mandarin,"You idiot, making my girl cry right in front of me. You sure know how t make girls cry, don't you. First, Jina. Second, Sumin. Why are you being like this, Yixing? This isn't you, someone who gives up without trying his hardest. When did you become so weak?"

"Weak?" Lay chuckled,"Jina called me a coward that night. I am. Honestly, I really don't know what I'm doing. I was so overwhelmed. So many bad things just kept happening to me so quickly. Jina disappearing, seeing her getting kissed by Niel, finding out she's engaged to him, Niel holding Jina like she's his and not mine, and losing the competition...I just lost it!" Lay covered his face with both of his hands,"I am a coward. I-I don't want to lose her, b-but what can I do? I don't know what to do! How can I save us, when I don't even know where to start!"

"Why don't you start by apologizing to Jina." Luhan suggested with an encouraging smile. "You don't have to do anything big like become a billionare overnight. Maybe talking about it with her grandfather? I'm sure her grandma would be on your side. Ask for her help. There's nothing wrong with asking for help, Yixing. If you don't ask, you don't recieve." 

"When did you become so...deep?" Lay snickered at his best friend. 

"It's part of my charms." Luhan shrugged. 

"Thanks, Lu Han." Lay smiled.

Luhan grinned back,"No problem, you're my best friend. You should apologize to Sumin too. She's been crying about this whole thing to me."

"Yah, are you guys talking about me? I heard my name." Sumin sobbed and glared at the two boys, who just laughed. 

so you see, my lovely pokers, lay was just overthinking and was mind ed. 

I guess all these problems were thrown at him, it was just too much to handle.

I mean, his girlfriend just disappeared, then he spots her getting kissed by his worst enemy, then all of a sudden Jina is engaged to freaking Niel, then he sees the small interactions between Jina and Niel, and to end it all, they 'lost' to Teen Top at the competition. 

No bueno for Lay. Shoot, I'd feel like giving up too. 

Well, I updated for today. Yasssssss.

Who's gonna stay up tongiht?

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE NEW YEAR~!!

SARANGHAE MY LOVELY READERS <3

omg look at them guns man. unf