“Eri, we've arrived” Jaehwan said shaking Eri’s body slightly to wake her up.

 

She stretched her arms upwards and went out of the bus with Jaehwan. It was still 5pm so Jaehwan decided to eat dinner with her at the closest restaurant.

 

“I have five missed calls from Hakyeon” Eri informed as she checks her cell phone.

 

“What does he wants?”

 

Eri shrugged. She dialed Hakyeon’s number back but her call was rejected. It was weird considering that Hakyeon never rejects any of her calls.

 

“He’s not picking up my call”

 

“Maybe he’s busy. Ah yes – we’ll take set number 5” Jaehwan said, handing the menu back to the waitress.

 

“I don’t feel good”

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I don’t know”

 

“Are you worried about Hakyeon hyung? If he has something to tell you, he’ll call you back. Don’t worry Eri. He’s fine”

 

“Maybe you’re right. Let’s just eat”

 

They went back home later after that and Hakyeon still hasn’t called her back. He turned his phone off and Eri couldn’t get in touch with him. Jaehwan had to keep on telling her that they’ll see him tomorrow at work but Eri was worried sick that she couldn’t sleep that night.

 

The next morning, Eri found out that her intuition was right after all. The moment they stepped into the cafe’s area, they saw everything being turned upside down. The tables were broken and the chairs thrown everywhere. Eri and Jaehwan quickly went inside without wasting any more time. Someone had smashed all the windows and doors. They called out for Hakyeon but there was no answer.

 

“I’m here~”

 

The voice came from Hakyeon’s office. Eri being the first one to enter was shocked to see Hakyeon on the floor; his back leaning against the wall.

 

“Hakyeon-ah!!” yelled Eri rushing towards him. “Are you okay? Who did this to you?”

 

Hakyeon’s face was bruised to some extent. He tried moving but stopped when he realized that his wrist was broken. Jaehwan helped him sit on a couch.

 

“I’m fine. Don’t worry”

 

“You expect me to believe that? Your face is a mess right now Cha Hakyeon!” Eri said; her eyes twinkling.

 

“Dont cry. I can't give you the old pat-you-in-the-back-everything-is-going-to-be-alright treatment now. I don't have the energy ”

 

Eri frowned at him as she wiped her barely existent tears with her finger.

 

“Who did this to you hyung?” Jaehwan asked carefully.

 

“Some thugs” Hakyeon murmured. He wasn’t looking straight at any of them.

 

“You know I can tell if you’re lying or not Hakyeon. Just spit it out” Eri said.

 

Hakyeon gave himself some time to think over it. Should he tell her what happened? Or should he just continue lying? This is the perfect time to get rid of him.

 

“It was Jung Taekwoon”

 

Eri and Jaehwan were speechless.

 

“No it can’t be. He won’t do this to you! He’s not that kind of person!”

 

“You asked for the truth and that’s the truth. I’m going back home now. Jaehwan-ah, please call a cab for me”

 

“Don’t you dare move another step Lee Jaehwan” Eri threatened. “Cha Hakyeon, I won’t let you leave until you start telling what really happened”

 

“I told you already” Hakyeon muttered weakly.

 

“You’re just putting the blame to Taekwoon! We’ve been friends for 13 years Hakyeon – I know if you’re hiding something!”

 

“I can’t tell you”

 

“Why not?”

 

“It’s just – I can’t okay?!”

 

Jaehwan seemed to realize something. Whoever did this to Hakyeon must have some connection with Eri. The way Hakyeon was hiding something was as if he was trying to protect her. If Eri knows, she probably would’ve blamed herself again.

 

“Eri, can we leave this matter for tomorrow? Hakyeon hyung is injured right now. He should go to the hospital” Jaehwan suggested softly.

 

Before Eri could protest even more, she was disturbed by a phone call. Eri scowled at Hakyeon, pointing a finger at him threateningly as she made her way out from the office.

 

“I’m not finished with you yet”

 

Eri pulled her cell phone from her bag and had to spend a few moments grunting furiously when she saw the name on the screen.

 

“What do you want?! I told you to stop calling!”

 

“What happened to the café?” Sanghyuk asked. His voice sounded genuinely worried. “Are – are you okay?”

 

His concerned voice seemed to have softened her heart a little bit.

 

“I’m okay and I don’t know what happened”

 

“Is Hakyeon hyung okay?”

 

“Wait – what?”

 

“I saw him yesterday with your boyfriend. After he left, I went and talk to him. He was still fine when I left the café”

 

Eri’s hand was shaking slightly. She could feel goosebumps all over her body. How is this possible?

 

“Who are you?”

 

Sanghyuk’s voice died on the other line. He seemed to be really shocked to find out that he had spilled the beans to her. He gathered back his senses and remains calm.

 

“I’m – Sanghyuk”

 

“How do you know Hakyeon? How do you know that I work here?”

 

Sanghyuk seemed to be at lost and without wanting to reveal anything more, he hung up on her. Eri turned the phone off angrily. It was obvious that Sanghyuk was talking as though he was a close friend. That’s why he accidentally let slip that he met Hakyeon. What is his real identity? What does he wants with her?

 

Hakyeon didn’t want to go the hospital since he claimed that his injury wasn’t that serious. He took a flexible gel-filled ice pack and plop it on his cheek. Jaehwan was ordered to clean up the café with Eri while he rest. He was doing it on purpose to keep Eri away from him as possible. Jaehwan caught Hakyeon looking at the trash bin quite a few times already. He didn’t understand why Hakyeon looked so sad. Eri was going to throw away the trash when Hakyeon stopped her.

 

“Eri-yah, just put it down for a second. I’ll throw it for you”

 

“Why?”

 

He didn’t want to get into another argument with her so he said, “Fine. Just put the flowers on the table for me”

 

“Flower?” Eri pulled the same bouquet of blue roses out of the trash can. “These flowers?”

 

“Yes. Put it carefully on the table”

 

Eri threw it on the table and it dropped on the floor by accident.

 

“YAH! I TOLD YOU TO BE CAREFUL!!” shouted Hakyeon angrily.

 

Jaehwan and Eri were taken aback with Hakyeon’s sudden outburst. Jaehwan put the flowers back on the table carefully.

 

“We will not throw away the flowers from now on. You will not – and NEVER – cause any damage to them – especially you Eri”

 

“Why me”

 

“Go back to work. Ahh – it hurts” Hakyeon complained; rubbing his cheek softly.

 

Eri assumed that it has got to do with her mysterious caller. She wanted to ask Hakyeon about him but he was not in his best condition so she figures it was best to wait.

 

There was still work to be done in the café. The chairs and tables needed to be thrown away. Hakyeon rejected the idea of making a police report. He didn’t say why. He just thought that it was troublesome. Hakyeon was being really weird that day. He ordered Eri and Jaehwan to take care of him in his house for the night. He made it obvious enough that he didn’t want them to go back home. Without wanting to make him feel upset, the two agreed to sleep at his house. Eri waited for half an hour for Hakyeon to fall asleep before she hurried to the living room where Jaehwan was sleeping.

 

“He’s asleep already. I have no idea why he wants me to sleep in his room. Such a ert”

 

Jaehwan who was watching the TV giggled. “He’s like a kid sometimes doesn’t he? Maybe he likes you”

 

Eri laughed. “Me? No chance. We’re like brothers”

 

Jaehwan’s ears turned slightly red. “Re – really? So you have no feelings for him? And neither is he?”

 

“I think so. He never show it if he has that kind of feelings for me. I would notice – ” Eri made a shocked expression. “ – or not”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I just remember that I in things like these. Hakyeon told me that I’m quite insensible with people’s real feelings for me. That’s why I don’t have many friends before I met him. It’s true you know – what he said about me. He was the first one to notice that Hongbin liked me but I refused to believe him since – well, I was afraid it turns out the opposite” Eri said.

 

“He’s right” Jaehwan muttered softly.

 

“Do you like me though?” Eri asked out of nowhere.

 

Jaehwan was certain that the weather wasn’t that hot that night but her question seemed to have boil things up.

 

“Uh - I – I –uh – I – no I – do -  of course I like you!”

 

“Really?”

 

“I – I mean – as – as friends”

 

Jaehwan wanted to give himself a great punch on the face at that time.

 

“So do you think Hakyeon likes me – you know, in that way?”

 

“It’s weird but I can’t tell. I really can’t”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Maybe you can ask him yourself?”

 

Eri grinned. “You’re really cute”

 

Jaehwan felt like vomiting. His stomach didn’t feel that good especially when Eri kept smiling at him. Out of the blue, she was attacked with a flying pillow full on her face.

 

“Yang Eri, I told you to stay in the room didn’t I?! I need someone to get me water when I’m thirsty and because of you, I have to go by myself!”

 

As she throw the pillow back with a hateful expression, she shouted a series of violent swear words at him. Hakyeon managed to block it with his hand which caused it to fly towards Jaehwan’s head instead.

 

“Hakyeon-ah, by any chance – did you ever like me?

 

Hakyeon made a loud disgruntling noise as though he just stepped on a dog’s poop. “Kill me instead”

 

“See?” Eri said brightly to Jaehwan. “This is a concrete example of why we two will never ever work out”

 

They had a great time spending the night together. Hakyeon couldn’t went back to sleep so he came up with an idea to watch horror movies. They had fun teasing Jaehwan who surprisingly was scared of ghosts. After a few hours later,  they fall asleep next to each other; Jaehwan's head was lolling to the side on Hakyeon's shoulder. 

 

They had a great time spending the night together. Hakyeon couldn’t went back to sleep so he came up with an idea to watch horror movies. They had fun teasing Jaehwan who surprisingly was scared of ghosts. After a few hours later, they fall asleep next to each other; Jaehwan's head lolling to the side on Hakyeon's shoulder. Eri who didn’t feel tired at all stayed up late with the intention of searching her best friend’s bedroom. She checked every corner of the room, under the bed, even the smallest drawer in the cabinet, the bathroom, the kitchen; everywhere but there was nothing about Hakyeon’s mysterious attacker and relationship with Sanghyuk, her stranger caller. She wanted to know so badly what has been going on between the two.

 

As though reading her mind, her cell phone vibrates. It was him.

 

 

“What is your real identity?” Eri began.

 

 

“Where are you right now?” he asked weakly. He sounded really tired on the other line.

 

 

“Answer the f***ing question!”

 

 

“Please don’t do this to me”

 

 

“You’re the one who keeps on sending us those roses aren’t you?”

 

 

“Eri – please. Listen to me”

 

 

“What do you want from me?!”

 

 

“Eri, I…”

 

 

Sanghyuk’s breathing began to sound really loud. He was panting hard as though gasping for air to breathe. The thud sound on the other line seemed to indicate that he was falling to the ground; probably crouching on his knees since Eri could still hear his voice.

 

 

“Are you okay? YAH, answer me! Hello?! Hello?” Eri yelled beginning to fear for his safety.

 

 

She plopped the phone on her ear concentrating on her attempt to listen carefully since she could only hear faint sounds.

 

 

“HELLO?! ARE YOU OKAY?!”

 

 

Someone grabbed her phone from the back forcefully. It was Hakyeon with a very serious expression on his face. It was rare to see him acting grim like this.

 

 

“Hello? Where are you right now?” Hakyeon said, his expression still stiffened up.

 

 

Eri snatched the phone back from Hakyeon angrily. “How did you know him?”

 

 

“Eri-ya, now is not the time to discuss this. He needs help. I don’t think he eats his meds tonight”

 

 

“WHO IS HIM?!!” Eri yelled waving the phone at Hakyeon’s face. He tried grabbing it but Eri was much too fast for him.

 

 

“Eri please! He’s sick!”

 

 

Although she was still glowering with anger at him, Eri wanted to help Sanghyuk regardlessly. “Hello? Please say something. Are you okay?”

 

 

Fortunately, Sanghyuk though still feeling weak responded back.  “Ye – yes – I’m okay now”

 

 

“You’re sure? You don’t sound alright”

 

 

“I’m – okay. I need to – rest for a while. I’ll – I’ll call you later” he said helplessly before ending the call.

 

 

Eri turned to Hakyeon furiously. “There. He said he’s okay”

 

 

Hakyeon breathed in relief. “Thank goodness”

 

 

“Who is he?”

 

 

“I don’t know who you’re talking about” Hakyeon snapped when Eri pulled him back with force. “Get off me! I’m injured remember?!”

 

 

“Does he have anything to do with the assault?”

 

 

“No he doesn’t!” Hakyeon implied as though angry at Eri for accusing “Look, I’ve been sleeping in the office in this condition since 7pm yesterday till this morning. I need a proper rest now”

 

Hakyeon stormed off to his bedroom; shutting the door violently behind him. Eri wanted to go after him but Jaehwan pulled her back. It seemed that he was woken by the loud argument.

 

“Leave him alone Eri” said Jaehwan gently.

 

“I need to know”

 

“I know but give him time. He has his own reason for doing this”

 

Eri shoved his hand away and proceed to the couch. She wrapped herself in a blanket and turned away so that she won’t have to face Jaehwan. There was a loud thunder signaling that it was going to rain heavily that night. Jaehwan laid his back on the other couch; gazing at Eri closely until he was sure that she had fall asleep. He went near her, crouching on the floor as his fingers ran on her hair gently enough not to disturb her. The innocence showed on her sleeping face, the serene dreams blocking out the dangers of the reality. Her soft breathing making the world, his world seems to stand still. A smiled etched on his face unconsciously. His gaze never leaving Eri as his eyelids began to close; slowly fading into darkness.

 

That tree again… someone wearing a blue scarf… his Mother was crying again… the white room… the mirror…

 

“Jaehwan-ah…”

 

“Please…”

 

“Listen to me”

 

“Let me in”

 

“Jaehwan-ah”

 

“Don’t do this”

 

“Jaehwan-ah…”

 

 

“You know I love you…”

 

To be continued…