Niel's POV

7.45 AM   "Here, this month's living budget", L.Joe-hyung gave me an envelope filled with his wages. I took it and look inside. Of course it could only afford us daily meals. "I have some more from the gigs", I said. "Keep it, I'll do more over time for the rest of our rent", said L.Joe-hyung. "Hyung, I'll look for part time or something, we can't do it like this", I said. "How about auditions and your shows? You can't just, sir, I'll work today, but not tomorrow... I'll come when I had time", he said,  pouring hot water to a cup of instant ramyeon. I laughed at his impersonation. He sit beside me waiting for the ramyeon to be cooked. He looked at me closely. "It's alright, I'll work harder, if it wasn't your gigs money we won't be able to rent this place anyway", said L.Joe-hyung. "But hyung, your overtime became too much", I said. "Yeah? massage me, I'm tired", he said, pointing at his own back. I sneered at him and he just looked at me with intense glare. "How about this?", I squeezed his back hard. "Yah yah! It hurts!", he threw a pillow at me. Lucky it's not the ramyeon.   "Nielie! make sure you're home early this evening", said L.Joe-hyung while putting a big spoon of ramyeon into his mouth. "Hum? why was that?", I said as I drink my milk. "Yah... you don't remember?", he slapped my back so hard. Ah is he taking revenge of my back massage before? we're looking at each other and giggling. "No... what? your birthday? it's still by the end of this month isn't it?!", I said. "You really don't remember?", he scoffs and lean back at the couch. I can feel goosebumps as he stared at me from behind.   "Hyung... I don't remember. I'm sorry", I tickled him to make the situation more relaxed. He's been such a mystery for these past few days, I don't know what he's upset about. He grabbed my arms, I screamed as I'm scared about what will he do next. You know, he was no.1 fighter at Area 53 not for nothing. But against all odds, he released my arm just like that. What is this? this is so weird. I know I should be happy instead, but this is all too wrong.   We're both looking at each other, leaving some awkward silence between the two of us. "You really don't remember?", L.Joe-hyung put his ramyeon back to the table, lifting his feet and watching the window. He doesn't have the intention to look at my face. I turn my head to the kitchen in front of me. Suddenly all those empty dishes racks seem very sad. "It's the first day when we met. At that game center", said L.Joe-hyung, with a faint smile raised from his lips. I can't tell if it was sadness or happiness, or both feelings combined together. I just don't like it. This guilty feeling again....   I sighed and put my head beside him, try to make him look at me. "Hyung, sometimes I don't even remember my own birthday, how could I remember the exact date of our first meeting?", I said to him. He still doesn't want to look at me. He keep looking outside the window. "Is it fall like this when we first met? it's all blurry memories... but I remember this hand that grabbed me rudely that day", I laughed and interlocked his hand with mine. He closed his eyes and looking down. "How could I expect you to remember such thing, I'm so stupid... ", he chuckled. "Hyung... don't do this. It's weird to see you blaming yourself, you can slapped my head or punch me if you want, just like you usually did", I said. "Huh? no... but I think it's me...", he said as he released his hand from my grip. He pulled his hoodie, hide his face in it and lied his head on his knees.   I'm back looking at the kitchen, sound of footsteps outside occasionally break our silence. I was thinking about what might make L.Joe-hyung seems so upset lately. Is it about the work? or, those unanswered phone calls... ah maybe that's it. But, I'm done explaining it every time he mad at me about the same thing. I put my phone in silent mode. I didn't hear, I didn't hold my mobile all the time. And that's the only reason, I didn't lie or something. Ah, or is it two days ago when I went to Sungyeol-hyung's place instead of accompanying him to walk alongside the river. But I told him the truth before I go, and he agreed. It's not like I did something behind his back.   I looked at the clock, it's 8AM. He will have his shift at 9AM today. His head slowly emerges from his hoodie, he look at me closely. "Just go home early today, okay?", he said, try to pull a smile on his face. "Okay...", I replied unsurely. He then stood up, went to the bedroom to change and go to work. We're too busy to talk to each other in weekdays, we only have time in the morning like this. How could this little time spent on some unspeakable emotions.   L.Joe-hyung finished his ramyeon before he goes. He looked at me once again as he put on his sneakers. "Go home early, just after the sunset, okay?", he said. "Yes, hyung!", I said with cheerful smile, try to keep it light. "Pinky promise?", he walked towards me, offering his pinky finger. We haven't done this quite awhile. I linked our pinkies. "Promise", I said. "Alright", he smiled and walked away.   I let my body fall on the couch and close my eyes. I have to perform at 4PM today though, at a chic new bar downtown. It's quite a big deal to be booked there, it's Sungyeol-hyung that introduced me to its manager, I'm very blessed to have a hyung like him. I think I could make it, a gig will last about an hour then I will go back here immediately.   I walk aimlessly to the bedroom, I jumped onto the bed and feel how nice it is to sleep on a wide space. I actually did this a lot when L.Joe-hyung is away. I'm such a passive-aggressive person for doing this as some kind of revenge. L.Joe-hyung used to tell me that he slept on the road a lot when he was younger. What the most interesting thing is, he never told me that in sad manner, he just lightly told me his stories, shared his experiences, no matter how pitiful it was... He was such a strong person. Far stronger than me. To think how he was crying that time, watched me left him in captive is still aching, even now. He broke those walls around him to put his trust on me just to find I betrayed him at the end. I feel like I shattered his one true self, that one pure heart...   I look at the polaroids we took together couple months ago at my birthday in Woohyun-hyung's cafe, L.Joe-hyung loves taking pictures of ourselves, he hung them on a string just beside the bed, did he always look at these pictures before he's gone to sleep... I picked the photo when he deliberately put a cake on my face... hahaha... he looked so happy beside me who was pouting at him. Oh I miss this time when we're messing around together.   I took a walk to go to Woohyun-hyung's cafe. I saw a red convertible car passing by. I smile to myself. I miss that time too... listening L.Joe-hyung's mumbles on his sleep, eating ramyeon in the morning, and just driving away. What a colorful place this city is, sometimes I miss the gloomy atmosphere back in Area 53, those old buildings that overpower our hopes for the future, that's exactly what makes our young notions stood up. Now in this place where all those notions blended in together, we lost our own colors.   2.30 PM   "Yo, you have audition again today?", Woohyun-hyung patted my back. "Ah, hyung... no, I will have a gig at the Verve", I said. "Verve? that hip new place... alright... you're a big deal now", said Woohyun-hyung with sarcastic laugh. "Nah... it's because Sungyeol-hyung", I said. "It's must be that Myungsoo... they're friends, huh?", said Woohyun-hyung. "Yeah, Myungsoo-hyung, he's the manager", I said. "No, Niel... he's the owner. He's a rich kid. Sungyeol and him went to the same highschool, and they're friends since then", he said. "Ah, really... Myungsoo-hyung told me himself that he is the manager", I said. "That humble kid... we're lucky his place is not situated around here, otherwise we'll go bankrupt", said Woohyun-hyung in cool manner. "Hahaha... no, people like this cafe, everyone is regular, right? I love this cafe, L.Joe-hyung loves this cafe...", I said. "L.Joe... where is he?", said Woohyun-hyung suddenly noticed that we're not coming in pack. "He's working, hyung... it's weekday, weekday..", I said, pointing out the obvious fact that people seem keep missing out. "Oh yes, hey, did you both have some kind of trouble these days? it's been quite awhile you don't perform together", said Woohyun-hyung. "Sometimes he need to work extra hours, or I have other things to do. It's not like we're fighting or something...", I said.   "Is that so", Woohyun-hyung look at me suspiciously, he got all the right to feel suspicious though. I like to keep our matters private, if that possible. These hyungs had been great friends of ours, not that I don't appreciate them, but isn't keeping our relationship close for us only making it more special.   "Nielie!", a childish voice yelled my name from behind. "Yaaah... a big breakout star is ready for today?", he said with that big grin of his. "What big star... hyung, you're overreact", I said. "I heard from Myungsoo there will be some important people coming for tonight performance", he said. "Whoa, that could be your opportunity, Niel~", said Woohyun-hyung. "Really? are you making this up? you set a joke for me?", I said. "No. Do I look like someone who would pull such prank?", he said. To be honest, you are, hyung. That cheeky attitude is so hard to be trusted.   "Hyung, I will accompany Niel to the Verve this evening, it's alright, isn't it?", said Sungyeol-hyung to Woohyun-hyung. "Yeah, sure... just make sure L.Joe doesn't see you together", said Woohyun-hyung mischievously. "Huh? hyung, what do you mean?", I said. "Don't