If you have read any of my other stories, you will be familiar with this format. If not, then just a quick clarification. Memories are in italics and they'll be separated from the present with a line. In a memory thoughts and spoken words will be in normal font, but in the present thoughts will be in italics.

A prologue of sorts:

When they’d met, he’d been just beginning his career. When they’d started dating, he’d been a rising star. When they’d moved in together he was at his peak.

You were 19 and pursuing your dreams. University marked the start of your independence. It was a time of new beginnings, new experiences.

It was there you met him.

He was 19 and living his dream. Infinite had just debuted and the first taste of success was heady. He went to university because he had to.

It was there he met you.

You walked into the classroom apprehensively. At the urging of your friend, you’d chosen to take music theory as one of your electives. Looking around, you decide to take a seat in the mostly empty front of the class. At least you would be able to save a seat for her. You put your head on top of your textbooks and watch the time tick by. Slowly, slowly, slowly, your eyes began to droop and within mere minutes you were asleep.

Feeling a sharp jab in your side, you startle awake, disoriented as you look for the person who’d done it. You look up and meet the gaze of a boy smirking as he watched you. Blinking slowly, your mind registered certain details. He was good looking, his chubby cheeks and short haircut paired gave him a childish air… You suddenly jerk up straight, finally registering the fact that this handsome guy was the one to wake you up. Embarrassed, your cheeks flush a deep red and you try to subtly swipe your mouth to remove any evidence of drool… If there was any of course.

However, your attempt did not go unnoticed by the boy, whose smirk just widened.

“I wouldn’t worry about drool, I’d be more worried about sounding like a dying pig,” he teased.

You stared back at him in horror. I don’t snore… Do I? As you continued to stare at the boy, he turned to look to the front of the room, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips. Slowly, you turn to face the front, your face red with embarrassment and your mind a wild cacophony of thoughts. What a way to make a first impression.

Woohyun still loved to tease you about that fateful first meeting, but you liked that you had met him that way. Seeing you when you were not at your best had allowed you to be comfortable with him.

It turned out that your friend had been assigned to a different class, so you were stuck in there by yourself. Well, not completely, you had your annoying seatmate to keep you company.

Woohyun was a whirlwind. He never arrived to class early and even then he never made a discreet entrance. There were days he missed class and he’d appear the next day, unrepentant and that grin permanently on his face. It boggled you that he could act like that. You, who was never late, who never missed a day unless she was really sick, couldn’t understand his actions.

Being his seatmate, he would bother you for notes or would ask you to tell him what he had missed. In the beginning, you offered your help without hesitation, but as it became a habit, you became more and more reluctant. Woohyun would pester you, following you from class to class and even resorted to serial texting when he’d obtained your number from a fellow classmate. You always ended up giving in, but it was a constant ritual for you both.

Unknowingly, the two of you became friends. Those notes would be exchanged over coffee and quick recaps on missed lessons were done when Woohyun escorted you to your bus stop.

Our friendship was so innocent. By the time we realized how close we had become, it felt like we had known each other forever. It was the best friendship you ever had and each second with him was a treasured memory locked up in a special corner of your heart.

You smiled at those precious memories of the beginning. I was so dense and ignorant back then.

The reason behind Woohyun’s many absences and lateness was revealed rather unexpectedly. You two had been ordering your lunch at a bistro when the cashier had suddenly asked Woohyun for his autograph. Surprised and curious, you watched as Woohyun flashily signed his name on a napkin.

After settling down in your seats, you asked, “What was that about?”

Feigning ignorance, Woohyun looked at you with innocent eyes. “What was what about?”

Sighing at him, you replied, “Why did that girl ask for an autograph?”

Woohyun took a bite of his sandwich and pretended to think about it. “Maybe she was a fan.”

You stared at him, annoyed at his purposeful obtuseness. “Why would she be your fan? It’s not like you’re a celebrity,” you said chuckling.

“You know, just because you don’t keep up with the latest music groups it doesn’t mean no one else does.”

“What? What does my taste in music have to do with this? Music groups? Are you trying to tell me that you’re in one?”

“Umm… Yeah, I am.” Woohyun said staring back at you with total sincerity on his face.

You spluttered a bit, unable to believe it. Woohyun? A celebrity? Recovering from your surprise, you started asking him questions.

Sighing, Woohyun put his food down and pulled out his phone to show you evidence. “We just debuted, so we are fairly unknown to the general public. I’m not really surprised you wouldn’t know about us.”

You took his phone and watched his group, Infinite, perform on one of the music shows. Nodding along, you looked up and smiled at him. “I like your music, it has a rather different sound that what I hear from other groups. It’s fresh.”

Woohyun beamed back at you, happy at your praise. “I knew you didn’t know about us. That was one of your charms that attracted me to you.”

You stared at him, surprised at this fact. The only question in your mind was, “Why?”

“Everyone else knew who I was and I couldn’t be sure if their friendship was real or if it was just as a result of my ‘fame’. From the first second we met, you had no pretense and I could trust you. It’s hard being a celebrity because you never know who your true friends are,” Woohyun explained. “I just hope nothing changes now that you know.”

You hadn’t replied, instead you had finished your meal and changed the subject.

When you met him the next day you were the same as you were before learning the truth, nothing had changed. You were still best friends, except now Woohyun trusted you implicitly.

That trust in you was still there, in fact it had only magnified as time passed. You smiled sadly. Too bad I am going to break it today. If only there was a way to do this without hurting you. I’m so sorry Woohyun.

I wanted to update today in celebration of Woohyun's birthday... And I made it with just 1 minute to spare.

I'm sorry for the long wait and it's such a short chapter too. I really struggled with writing this because I didn't know how to begin, I just wanted to start/continue where my drabble leaves off. Expect the chapters to be short though. I'm not going to add too much detail and I plan for this to be a short story, definately less than 10 chapters.

Comments or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.