I stood there, at my door, my mouth open and just stared. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What on earth was she doing here?

  “Can I come in?” Hara carefully asked. I nodded a bit. She handed over my black umbrella. “I guess you forgot this outside.”

  I tried to answer “Yes, thanks” but all that came out from my mouth was unclear mumbling.

  Hara started wandering around. She carefully looked at each picture. I felt something. I guess it wasn’t a wonder; she was pretty and flawless, like a doll, and we had been together for a year and half.

  “You still have this”, Hara said, standing in front of her rose. “I thought you would have thrown it away by now.”

  I supposed she didn’t mean it but those words made me feel bad, ashamed. She might have noticed that, since she sounded lightly sorry as she spoke:

  “I was wondering... Just wondering... If it might be possible for me to stay over tonight. In the guest room, of course. I saw a hotel on the other side of the street, though, so I can go there I guess, but I was just wondering...Since i have something to talk to you about. But I just thought... I understand if you don‘t want me to...”

  A sudden image popped in my head about the hotel and it’s customers.

  “Yeah...” I started slowly. “It might be better for you to stay here. The guest room is behind the stairs - well, you know where - and if you need something, just come -”

  “I know, Hyukjae”, she said.

  “Right”, I said, embarrassed. “Well I guess I’ll just go then.” I started walking upstairs.

  “Hyukjae”, she stopped me.

  I turned around: “Yes?”

  “Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

  I looked at her smiling face and didn’t know why, but something had changed.

  I now saw them.

  I woke up next morning feeling dizzy. The events of previous night were extremely unclear in my head and after thinking about them for a while I came to the conclusion that I had been dreaming. Definitely! Dreaming. I mean, why would she be here? I hit my head hard on the wall to punish myself for even thinking about her.

  But as I walked downstairs and to the kitchen my punishment was proven to be useless. Hara was standing in front of the stove cooking for me. Nice smell of kimchi floated to my nose.

 “Oh, you woke up”, Hara said after turning around. “I made breakfast.”

  I sat down looking a bit scared, staring at the serving in front of me. It looked good but somehow I felt guilty about eating it.

  “It’s not poisoned”, she said. She had already started eating her food. I slowly started eating but tons of thoughts and questions were running through my head so I couldn’t concentrate.

  “Why did you come?” I finally asked. Hara seemed like she had been expecting that. “You said you needed to talk to me about something. What is it?"

  She stopped eating and looked at me with a serious face.

  “I’m getting married.”

  I dropped my spoon on the floor. I bent down to pick it up.

  “It’s Junhyung.”

  I hit my head on the corner of the table. I got up rubbing my head and stared at her in disbelief. Out of all the people it was him. Why him? Why did it have to be my best friend from high school?

  “I would like to know what you think about it”, Hara said, again very carefully. But I wasn’t able to say anything. “I know you’re probably really shocked but I need to know.”

  When I remained silent she sighed.

  “Right”, she started. “I guess this was too sudden.” She took her plate to the sink, removed the pink apron she was wearing and grabbed her purse. “Meet me tonight in Juan’Cole at ten, okay?”

  I nodded a bit. She sighed again, this time even louder and left the room. I heard the front door close. I didn’t know where she was going and honestly, I didn’t even care. I felt like the Hara I had once known and loved was gone. It made me sad.

  My heart had been pierced by her deadly thorns.

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Finally I could update. I'm so sorry for the wait.

I see I have over 300 views and new comments :) Thank you so much!!

Not telling what happened to Gyuri... mianhe, but you'll have to wait a bit more :D

I wrote a lot during my trip so I can now promise to update every day at least for the rest of the week.

Thank you for reading!! <3