Hanbyul's POV~

Winter season was over, the snow was slowly disappearing and the weather was finally starting to warm up. And to add on top of that, today was a weekend to rest from the never-ending studies and preparations for college. 

I laid in bed with my earphones in my ears letting the sun's light hit against my skin. I honestly felt myself burning, but I still didn't move from my comfy position. I skimmed through a magazine and munched on some chocolate pepero sticks. By the time I finished eating 3 boxes of pepero and skimming through 2 magazines, Zelo walked into my room soon laying besides me. 

"What do you want?" I asked without a care of his presence. 

"I'm bored and because I'm bored, I want to bother you," he said with puffed cheeks. I sat up and looked for another magazine to read. 

"Why don't you go play with your friends?" I asked. "Or go skateboard since the snow has cleared up a bit."

"Bothering you is much more fun than those things," he exhaled and kicked my legs with his. I was used to his leg kicking so it didn't irritate me as much as it did before. 

"Don't tell me you're grounded again," I sighed, flipping to the next page of my magazine. He stopped kicking me and immediately sat up. 

"I don't get why my parents are grounding me! They can't blame me for my bad grades!" he ranted while shaking his shoulders like a child. I set my magazine aside and pinched his cheeks. 

"Then who is to blame for your bad grades?" I asked; that shut him up. "There's no one else to blame but yourself."

He scrunched his face and pushed my hands aside, rubbing his red cheeks. 

"I can't help it that school's boring," he muttered. I snickered and ruffled his hair. 

"Well, you're just gonna have to it up," I said and looked out the bedroom window at the weather. "It looks nice out today. Wanna go out?"

He looked at me in disbelief. "Did you not hear me earlier? I'm grounded!"

"Oh, that's right," I teased and stood up. "Looks like you're gonna be stuck home alone doing nothing."

I walked to the door when he stood up and grabbed my wrist. 

"Where are you going?" he asked with round eyes. "Are you really going to leave me home alone?"

"Of course I am. You act as if you've never been home alone before," I said, nicely pushing him away. I walked out my bedroom to have him follow me out. 

"I know I've been home alone before, but I don't want to be home alone today," he said with a bit of fear in his voice. 

I got to the front door and put on my shoes, but then he blocked my way. 

"Zelo-ah, who's the idiot who watched all those horror movies last night?" I asked with my arms crossed and my hip popped to the side. He cleared his throat and avoided my eyes. 

"M-me...," he mumbled. I deeply exhaled and shook my head. 

"You'll be fine home alone. It's daylight for goodness sake," I said and walked passed him to the door. "Besides, Yongguk oppa will be home in a bit."

"He's working overtime," Zelo said. "Umma and appa are out on their little date and won't be home until later tonight and of course, halmeoni is still in Busan with your parents. Not only that, but knowing you, you won't come home until the sun sets."

I looked at him like I gave a care in the world and just walked out of the house. I shut the door behind me and I could hear Zelo whining. Honestly, I wanted to leave but then again I didn't want to get in trouble if something did happen to him, so I went back in the house and grabbed his shoes, throwing it to him. 

"Let's go," I said straight up as his face brightened and he quickly put on his sneakers. 

We both walked in our neighborhood until we hit the main road where all the shops were and began window shopping since we are jobless and moneyless. 

"Noona, I'm hungry. Lets go get something to eat," Zelo whined while rubbing his stomach. 

"We have no money," I said, looking at a dress displayed in a shop. 

"Where's your weekly allowance?" he asked. 

"Used it all," I replied. He groaned and slouched his shoulders as we continued to walk down the street. 

"But I'm so hungry~~~" he complained. 

"Then go back home and cook yourself some ramen with your ghost friends," I said shooing him off. 

"Don't make that joke ever again," he snapped and went back to being a child. "Noona~~ buy me something to eat~~"

I rolled my eyes and saw a hotteok stall just down the street. I wanted to avoid it, but Zelo had already seen it. 

"Oh~ hotteok!!! Let's go!" he exclaimed and dragged me by the elbow. We reached the stall in seconds and he began salivating as he watched the owner cook a new batch. "It looks so good~!"

"I don't have any money to buy you one," I said and walked away when he grabbed my wrist. He was trying so hard to have me get him one, but I guess telling him we were broke wasn't enough.

"But noona-"

"Zelo," I firmly said his name. "You have no money, I don't have any either and you can't expect the man to give you a free-"

"Here young man, take this," the elderly male owner said, holding a fresh hotteok to Zelo. He widened his eyes and thanked the man. I on the other side was flustered. "Here's one for you too, miss."

"B-but-"

"While you two were having your little dispute, a young man besides you had paid for them," the man said focusing back to his work. I blinked and looked behind me to see a young man walking away. 

"A-ah, thank you ahjussi," I said to the owner and grabbed Zelo's hand, dragging him with me to run after the guy. "Excuse me! Sir!"

The man stopped walking and turned around. Once I saw his face, I stopped running and just stared at this guy, not just any guy, but Youngjae.

"Oppa," I softly said as he smiled at me. 

"Is there something wrong?" he asked. I shook my head and walked up to him. 

"I just wanted to say thanks for the hotteok," I said and elbowed Zelo for him to thank Youngjae too. 

"Oh yeah, thanks," Zelo said already devouring it. 

"No problem," Youngjae replied. "It was the only way I could think of to have the two of you to stop bickering. For a sec, you guys looked a bit helpless."

I snickered and whispered to him, "How are things with Daehyun?"

He looked at me and sighed. "Nothing has changed, really. But it's fine, I've gotten used to it."

I looked at him with pity. "How can you be fine with it? He was your best friend, your only friend."

"But I have you now, don't I?" he asked with a faint smile. "I also have Luhan as a friend, that's enough for me. I'd be fine without any friends too."

"But Dae-"

"We can't force Daehyun to do things he doesn't want to do," Youngjae said cutting me off. "We can't choose who he should and shouldn't be friends with."

"He's got a point, shortie," Zelo said. I forgot that he was with us and listening to our conversation. "Also, if it doesn't bother Youngjae hyung then it shouldn't bother you and stop getting into peoples' business."

"Says the one who's getting into ours," I muttered with a glare. I turned my attention back to Youngjae and smiled. "I guess Zelo's right; I won't let it bother me. Besides, you'll always have me and Luhan."

He nodded with a gentle smile. "Well, I gotta get going. I have a tutoring session today with some kids in my neighborhood."

"Maybe you could tutor him," I said pointing to Zelo. 

"Speak for yourself," he muttered and slapped my hand away as Youngjae chuckled. 

"I really envy you, Hanbyul," Youngjae smiled. "You get along with everyone."

"Not everyone," I sheepishly smiled. "Just certain people."

"Even still," he said, then looked at his watch. "Well, I really do have to get going. I'll see you at school, you too Zelo."

"Bye," Zelo and I both chorused with a goodbye wave.

"You should do something about those two. Not just those two, but the three, Luhan," Zelo suddenly said watching Youngjae disappear from our sight. I looked up at him with an, "are-you-serious" face. 

"Really? You're the one who told me to forget everything," I scoffed as we both walked back home. 

"I know, but I was only trying to back Youngjae hyung up," he said, sticking his hands in his front pants pocket. "Don't you think it's time they make up? I mean, they have different stories, yet they're so similar in their own ways."

"Yeah, but you said-"

"Who cares what I said," he snorted. "You're older than me, you should know better than to obey a kid. It's annoying when Daehyun hyung is watching them (Luhan and Youngjae) from afar too, he can't stay as a hidden guardian for life."

"Knowing Daehyun, he can," I snickered. "But I'll see what I can do for them. I honestly don't think they need my help anyways."

"Yeah, considering that you're partially the reason this all started," Zelo said making me glare at him. 

"As if I asked for this," I muttered and then sighed. "Oh the life of being in between them and being their only friend."

"Their friend?" Zelo scoffed. "To Daehyun and Luhan, you're more than a friend. The only person you can label yourself as their friend is Youngjae hyung."

"Well look at you, acting all smart," I mumbled as he smiled, proudly. I knew myself that I wasn't just a friend to Daehyun and Luhan; I'm not that dense. But their friendship is more important than their love interest (as well as mine), so we'll have to see each other as just friends.