The end of her two not-long-enough weeks’ holiday signifies the start of a new semester, a very important one at that. It’s that time when students sweat blood and tears in preparation for their college entrance exams and for teachers to go the extra mile to help them, Kyungsoo (unfortunately) included.

Thankfully she’s much more experienced than she was years previously when she was still a rookie and if it wasn’t for her lack of school uniform, she’d be thought of as another student. It also helps that her students this year are mostly well behaved and are very diligent, so she doesn’t really need to suffer much other than the extra few hours at school.

After the first few days of her coming home later than usual, her roommates stop asking where she was and eventually learn to act their age and order take away, instead of whining for food as soon as she steps into the apartment.

She could tell them that she doesn’t actually mind cooking as long as they don’t mind the wait but then again it’s not very often that she can savour the attention whenever she arrives home with here have some food; you don’t want to lose that baby fat, noona and get some sleep after this. It’s really nice and she’s crazy if she doesn’t enjoy it while she can.

The first Friday of the new semester however, Baekhyun comes over to her class not a minute after she lets her students out, smiling widely and eyes twinkling with excitement, and Kyungsoo foresees trouble.

“Hello Kyungsoo,” she sing songs, much too cheerful even for the start of the weekend, “How are you this wonderful evening?”

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, the look Baekhyun has clearly screams I need a favour and there’s no one else but you. Kyungsoo wistfully regrets not letting her students out ten minutes earlier.

“Oh why, I’m very well, thank you,” she returns, deciding to indulge Baekhyun first, “How about you?”

“I’m fine too,” Baekhyun chuckles, again much too cheery for Kyungsoo’s taste, “Say Kyungsoo, do you have any plans for tonight?”

To be frank, she doesn’t have anything to do other than going back home, eat whatever food the guys decide to get tonight and maybe watch something on TV before going to sleep. Yes, her weekends have always been unexciting, she regretfully admits.

But Baekhyun doesn't really need to know the details does she? So Kyungsoo just shakes her head and Baekhyun’s smile widens.

“In that case, do you want to go clubbing with me?”

‘No’ was already at the tip of her tongue but didn’t she just complain about her unexciting weekend, she reasons, so before she can change her mind she quickly says ‘yes’ instead.

Cue a high-pitched squeal from Baekhyun, who immediately latches on to Kyungsoo, pulling her out the class, blabbering on and on about how she’s been waiting for the weekend. Meanwhile Kyungsoo holds herself back from making snarky comments along the line it’s only been a week, didn’t you party everyday during the holidays anyway?

A couple of hours later finds them in the newest club in town, it’s always the new one, much too crowded and too loud for Kyungsoo’s liking but what did she expect so she tries to enjoy herself despite suffocating in the tight dress Baekhyun had forced her to wear.

The latter had refused to let Kyungsoo go back to her place to change first, offering to lend her her dress instead since her place is closer anyway. Kyungsoo regrets not insisting harder because she thinks her s are going to pop out any time now and don’t even let her start on the numerous ogling she’s had to endure.

But after a couple of drinks that once more involves Baekhyun’s persuasion, which is a much too nice way of saying forcing it down , Kyungsoo finds herself relaxing a bit, rocking her body slightly in tune with the music, though still in her seat at their booth. She soon learns to block out any male’s advances too because she’s not there to flirt, even if her dress says otherwise.

It’ll take another few more drinks for her to fully let go however and actually go and bust her non-existent moves at the dance floor but she learnt her lesson and won’t even let Baekhyun get near her with more glasses in hand. It’s good enough that she’s there and enjoying herself, there is absolutely no need for her to interact with anybody else, much less grinding on anyone.

It’s been almost twenty minutes since she last sees Baekhyun, who said she’s just going to go to the ladies’ room and Kyungsoo is starting to worry. Not for Baekhyun though, she’s a big girl and a feisty one at that, Kyungsoo is too but if possible she doesn’t want to have to protect herself, so being left alone for a long period of time gets her anxious.

And she’s right to feel that way because not long after, she feels the seat next to her sink a little as someone takes the spot, and when she turns around to face the newcomer, the blood in her face rushes out.

“Of all places, I would have never expected to see you here,” the person says, voice loud enough for her to be able to hear it over the annoying music.

She winces because urgh she hates that voice, “Well, I’m not the same person anymore.”

The man chuckles, Kyungsoo barely resisting herself from punching his face, “How about that eh? Not so innocent anymore are we?”

“What do you want Hyunsik?” she snarls, gripping the edge of her seat because she really needs to throw that punch, “Leave me alone.”

Kyungsoo should’ve known that he wouldn’t oblige as easily, not with a weak request like that, after all she’s known him for more than three years, regretfully she might add, as he all but scoots closer to her.

“Come on Soo, I just want to catch up with you.”

She rolls her eyes, who does he think he is being amiable and all, “There’s nothing to catch up on. Just go back to that .”

He then laughs heartily, head thrown back and Kyungsoo’s blood boils even more, “Are you jealous?”

 “As if,” she scoffs and for good measure, adds, “Not in a million years.”

He quietens then, and Kyungsoo rejoices, she’ll be left alone again! but his expression turns serious when he speaks, “Listen Soo, I’m really sorry for what happened. I’d turn back time if I could and we could go back to where we were-“

“Stop,” she cuts in, she has heard the same flimsy excuse over six months ago and she doesn’t want an encore, “I don’t want to hear it. Just let it go. I’ve moved on.”

It’s the truth. She really has moved on. Hyunsik is just another one of those names in her past that even if she wants to erase it, she can’t. It’s just a memory now. He’s out of her life the moment she saw him with another woman that fateful night.

She’s content with what’s going on right now. Happier than she had been even when they were still together, living with her current roommates.

That thought breaks her out of her reverie, realising that she hasn’t told any of her roommates about her whereabouts, not that she has to ask permission but just in case she gets kidnapped or something, so she scrambles for her purse, the existence of her phone forgotten ever since Baekhyun whisked her away. Hyunsik is thankfully long gone.

There are a total of seven messages and three missed calls when she finally found it. She chuckles because that’s the most notifications she’s had, since ever. She decides to check the calls log first and is pleasantly surprised to see that they’re all from Jongin and all are in twenty minutes interval. She giggles in glee, happy that she might have made him worry. Meanie, but let her bask in happiness yeah.

She checks her messages next, and this time she’s not surprised to see five of them are from Jongin, the other two each from her other roommates. Kris had texted with a short and unfeeling yo where you at? And Sehun’s text is similar albeit longer, Noona, where are you?? We bought ddeokbokki, can I finish it?

 Jongin on the other hand assaults her with multiple questions and she braces herself as she scrolls down the screen.

From: Jongin

22:32  Soo, where are you??

22:50  Are you still at work? When will you be back? Sehun is going to eat all the food if you’re not here soon.

22:53  Do you want any of us to come pick you up? It’s getting late.

23:16  KYUNGSOO!!! ｏ( ><)o

23:30  Fine, do whatever you want. I’m not responsible for anything if your parents come over when we find your corpse dumped in an alley somewhere.

Kyungsoo laughs out loud at the last message, her heart swelling and she’s scared it’ll break through her ribs because Jongin seems to be really worried and she giggles again imagining him pacing around the living room, phone in hand, volume set at its maximum.

Deciding that it’s been long enough since his first text, Kyungsoo types out a reply, hoping that it’ll calm the man down.

To: Jongin

00:57  Hey. Sorry, I just checked my phone. I’m at a club with Baekhyun now. Don’t wait up for me ( *＾ワ＾*）

She’s sure she only just pressed send a few seconds ago when she feels her phone vibrates with another text from Jongin.

From: Jongin

00:57  wht. its l8. which club

Now that she thinks about it, Kyungsoo doesn’t actually know the answer to that. She’d ask Baekhyun but she still isn’t back yet from wherever she is. Kyungsoo is actually beginning to worry; it’s been too long since she left.

Forgetting that Jongin is waiting for her reply, she wouldn’t know what to say anyway, she finally leaves the safety of the secluded booth in search for her friend. Thankfully it doesn’t take her long, although not without some not so accidental brushes from a few guys, for her to spot Baekhyun on the dance floor.

She doesn’t have time to feel second hand embarrassment for her friend’s weird dance moves as she braves herself through the crowd, approaching the latter.

“Unnie!” she screams when she’s close enough, grabbing her arm, “Let’s go home.”

When the red-faced Baekhyun turns to her, Kyungsoo can’t even imagine how much she had to drink, she shrieks, “Kyungsoo! Let’s dance!”

Despite the drunkenness, Baekhyun is still strong enough to be able to pull Kyungsoo further into the dance floor if that’s even possible because she’s sure she walked miles and miles earlier to get to where they are.

It could be the drinks she had, or the frustration from seeing Hyunsik again, or even the excitement from Jongin worrying over her but she thinks it’s a mixture of all of them that she finds herself dancing along with Baekhyun. Maybe they both look extremely stupid seeing that no guy approaches them but Kyungsoo doesn’t care. She’s finally having fun.

The thought of going back home is all but forgotten until about an hour later when they’re both exhausted and finally remembers that they’re teachers and they should set an example. Though hopefully none of their students are there to see anyway.

Kyungsoo being the more sober of the two, drags Baekhyun out of the club and thankfully manages to hail a cab easily. They stop at Baekhyun’s place first, who refuses Kyungsoo’s offer to walk her up to her apartment, before finally going back to hers.

She checks her phone again while she is in the taxi; there are three new messages and one more missed call. She doesn’t need to see who it’s from however, knowing very well the answer to it.

Unlocking the door to the apartment, she tiptoes in, making sure her keys don’t clank together and heads straight towards her bedroom. What she doesn’t expect, maybe just a little bit, however is Jongin standing in the middle of the living room, arms crossed on his chest, glaring at her. Suddenly she feels like a teenage girl being caught by her dad sneaking into the house, which is only partly true.

“Kyungsoo,” he starts, voice grave as he looks at her slowly from head to toe, “why didn’t you reply to my texts?”

She chuckles, totally unaware of Jongin’s darkening expression in her hazy state, “Sorry. I was occupied.”

“Did you know we were worried sick? You could have called us earlier!”

At the still serious tone Jongin uses, Kyungsoo’s mind clears up a bit as she looks at him, “I said I’m sorry. I just forgot, okay. And didn’t I text you back that I was at the club and not to wait up for me?”

“But that doesn’t mean that you’re safe and we still worried,” he hisses, arms now falling on his sides but his hands are fisted.

At the mention of the yet another ‘we,’ Kyungsoo can’t help but notice that it’s really just Jongin there and her other two roommates are nowhere to be found, so she asks, raising her voice, “Who is this ‘we’ you’re talking about? Where’s Sehunnie and Kris oppa?”

“They’ve gone to sleep,” he snaps and Kyungsoo unconsciously steps back in shock.

In the six months that they’ve lived together, she has never seen Jongin this angry and all of the sudden, she feels defensive. Why is he getting angry anyway? She’s an adult for heaven’s sake!

“Why are you so mad? It isn’t the first time I come home this late after going clubbing,” she says matter-of-factly, “And besides, who are you to get so protective?”

It’s harsh, she knows it the moment it leaves but she is mad at him and when she’s furious, whatever is on her tongue isn’t filtered and she doesn’t hold back. All the pent up frustration she has for the past weeks that’s been building up surfaces.

He admitted she’s just a friend didn’t he and isn’t he interested in Luhan? But yet he has also been extra sweet to her and Kyungsoo never misses the shy glances he sent towards her. She’s very confused and Jongin being angry at her for no reason doesn’t help her situation at all.

“Why do you care Jongin? I didn't give a damn when you guys were hardly ever home last week!” she screams again, “So why can’t I go and enjoy myself even for a night?”

Jongin then has the decency to look surprised at her outburst, as if he didn’t start everything, “That’s different! We’re just next door!”

She feels tears threatening to fall from her eyes and she curses herself for being so emotionally weak. It hurts to hear herself lie to Jongin, because hell, she did care when they were next door. She cared so much it hurt.

“Whatever Jongin,” she sobs, turning around towards her room because the longer she stays there, the more hurtful words will leave . And the last thing she wants to do is hurt him despite everything.

When in the privacy of her room, she finally lets the tears fall freely as she jumps on her bed, uncaring that her white sheet is going to be make-up stained.

She’s irritated with Jongin, he has the right to be worried as a roommate and friend, but did he have to be so angry? She said she’s sorry and she replied to his text at least, didn’t she?

But more than that, she’s furious with herself. For lashing out at Jongin, for saying she didn’t care, as if she isn’t grateful that he worries over her. He might not know it, but by holding her heart, he can easily crush it as well. And unwillingly Kyungsoo herself has helped him squeeze his hold on it.

When the tears finally dry out, physically and mentally exhausted by then, Kyungsoo checks her phone once more. She might as well get it over and done with and check what Jongin actually said in his texts.

From: Jongin

02:10  Kyungsoo, where exactly are you? Are you okay?

02:23  Are you drunk? Tell me where you are and I’ll go pick you up, Kris gave me his car keys already.

02:43  call me back please (>人<)

She swears by the time she falls asleep, every fibre in her pillow are soaked.