ONE

My eyes are focused on the envelope lying on my counter. By now I’ve pushed it from the left side to the right side for over a hundred times, and I’ve placed it in every direction physically possible. I’m not really sure what’s keeping me from opening the letter, I already know what it’s holding. I place both my hands on the side of the counter and push my body up while sighing. Next, my hand slowly slithers across the tablet towards the paper, but before reaching it, my phone goes off. I smile before answering, it’s a thing I’ve been told to do so long ago, and still, after so many years, I’m still doing it.

“Yes?” I turn myself around so I’m leaning my back against the counter. It’s a good thing. At least like that I’m not continuously looking at the letter.

“Top – Top – Top!” There’s a short silence after that and I’m counting in my head. Three. Two. One.

“Hyung! Top-hyung!” His voice is overflowing with excitement like always.

“Yes, Seungri,” I say. I want to ask him for the reason he’s calling, but I immediately hear a voice in the background rising up to join the conversation.

“And GD! I’m here too! Seungri put him on speaker.” I hear some rustling.

“Hyung, you’re on speaker!” I nod even though I know they can’t see it.

“Yes, I heard. What’s wrong?” In the meantime I walk towards a special fridge I bought for holding wine. My eyes scan the name tags and I pick one bottle out. I unscrew the bottle as I wait for them to continue, but by now they’re bickering about who gets to sit closest to the phone.

“Yah Seungri-ah! I’m the oldest!” This is followed by a short shriek and a loud thump. There’s nothing about it that’s worrisome, so I slowly pour a glass before lowering myself on my couch.

“Hyung?” It’s Jiyong’s voice.

“What just happened?” I don’t know why I’m asking it, I don’t really want to know.

“Let’s just say Victory,” he says the name mockingly and I hear Seungri protesting. Then I hear another shriek and it’s quiet again.

“Isn’t that victorious right now.” The smirk is very obvious in his speech and I chuckle.

“He got you Seungri?”

“He’s on my lap,” is the answer. He sighs, but everyone’d know he actually likes it.

“So why are you calling?” I lean backwards in order to sit more comfortably. There’s a short hesitation before I receive an answer.

“Suppose you got the letter?” Jiyong says. I move the glass in my hand in circles and sigh before taking a sip.

“Yes, it arrived last week.”

“Opened it yet?” I shake my head. He can’t see it, but I’m sure he already knew the answer before asking it.

“But you’re going, right?” It’s not as much of a question as it is a statement. Even if I’d say I don’t want to go, he’d drag me there himself.

“Of course,” I answer. I hear Seungri whispering ‘told you so’.

“You have a date?” The youngest asks, and again it’s silent for a moment. This is pure awkwardne