Jiyoon woke up from her nap, glancing around the empty room from her bed. The boys were still out. She threw herself back, yawning. She checked her phone for the umpteenth time that day, still no trace of messages nor missed calls from her dad. To be honest she’s happy that her dad hadn’t gone mad at her yet, but on the other side she started worrying why there’s no such a contact from him. Again, she’s thinking whether she should be the one contacting him, at least just to know how he’d been doing. But thinking the probability of being caught ‘running away’, she shrugged the thought off.

She was sitting on her bed then, leaning her back on the wall, aimlessly glancing around the empty room once again. She grabbed her phone and decided to play a game on it.

Later, the door opened. Jiyoon knew the boys must have been back. But it seemed way too quiet if they barged into the room at once like what they usually did. She paused her game and had a look. It was Chunji, walking further inside all alone with his gaze down on his feet.

Seeing the unwanted person, Jiyoon was back on playing the game. The guy soon appeared in front of her, half climbed to her bed, standing on the middle stairs’ step, looking at her hesitantly.

“Jiyoon-ah.” He started off. But the girl didn’t bother to answer nor even just to glance at him, she continued with her game instead. “Kim Jiyoon.” He called her by her full name.

Jiyoon threw her phone beside her. “What now? What else do you want?” she looked back at him then.

The guy inhaled deeply. “I want to apologize.”

“Apologize?” she hissed. “I don’t think ‘apologize’ exists in your life’s dictionary,” she scoffed, giving an early mental breakdown to the guy.

Chunji sighed, “Fine, I admit it’s kinda late to apologize, but I really do wanna apologize.”

“Then just go. I’ll take your apology if you just vanish from my sight now,” Jiyoon replied coldly.

“I want to give this for you.” Chunji ignored her words completely, he showed his right hand which he’d been hiding behind his back. He handed out a bouquet of lavender roses to her. “These roses’ unique beauty has captured many hearts, just the perfect symbol of enchantment. They’re used to express feelings of love at the first sight, just like what I’ve been feeling since the first time I met you, here in Pearl Lavender. You might have captured the boys’ hearts, but I want you to be only mine. Please forgive my mistakes and let’s just start a new day as a couple. Will you be mine from now on, Jiyoon-ah?” Chunji bit his lip as he finished his speech.

Jiyoon who had been staring bluntly at him smirked. “Yeah, accepted.” She grabbed the bouquet from him, chuckling. “Babo!” she kissed Chunji’s cheek.

Chunji blinked a few times, not yet believing what just happened. He just got accepted and kissed. He’s officially her guy then. He did it. “You….really took me?” asked Chunji, his cheeks were flushed completely.

“That’s such a long and smart speech for a babo like you,” replied Jiyoon.

Chunji climbed up to her bed and sat beside her, giggling. “Hello, girlfriend.”

Chunji just stole a peck on her lips when the door opened, revealing Changjo stuck on his feet seeing the lovebirds’ scene. He saw the kiss. Clearly. And the bouquet in Jiyoon’s hand. The couple’s heads turned towards the door. Being caught, Chunji pulled himself from Jiyoon, grinning awkwardly at the maknae. “Oh hi, Changjo.”

Changjo clenched his fist behind his back, holding himself from the ultimate heartbreak he just had. He pressed his lips together as he tried to calm himself down. “Sorry for interrupting.” He purposely emphasized. He hurrily went out and half slammed the door.

Instead of showing the shocked look as usual, Jiyoon laughed. “Man, we’re caught.”

Chunji smirked. “I don’t care.”

“Ya! Where are you going?” asked Ricky, seeing Changjo rushingly walked by the rest who were walking down the hallway to their room.

“I forgot to buy something!” Changjo just shouted to reply without turning his body to face them.

Changjo clicked open the can of soda he bought and gulped down half of it in one shot. He’s sitting on one of the convenience store’s stool, crossing his arms on the table and buried his head there. He got her.

Changjo was battling himself inside him. Somehow he felt he should’ve been happy for his hyung. But without any doubt, he’s crumbling to pieces on the other side. All the things he experienced after meeting that girl named Kim Jiyoon leaving him speechless. Life had never been that hard for him, the filthy rich Choi Jonghyun. His chance to get her was dropped down to zero. He would just wait for her, for them to break up. But he’s already positive that Chunji would make it to the altar sooner or later. He just got that damned feelings inside him out of nowhere.

Nothing compared to the pain he’s feeling. He felt hurt so bad. Turned out the pain of being beaten by the drunkard was nothing to him. A sudden regret popped in his mind, regretting why he didn’t just let the drunkard beat him to death that night. Jiyoon is gonna be Chanhee’s after all.

Changjo sighed, he’s tired of cursing his life. It changed nothing. It just made his life felt more miserable from time to time. He had to face the truth, Jiyoon is Chanhee’s. His anger burnt bigger by accidentally replaying the scene inside his mind.

Changjo raised his head. He cursed once again, breaking his words before. Chunji and Jiyoon were walking with twined arms, passing by the glass wall right in front of him outside the store. Fortunately they didn’t notice him. But unfortunately, he got to see their PDAs.

He gulped down the remaining soda. He rumpled the empty can with one hand in one try, before throwing it to the bin and rushingly left the place. He stalked the couple a few feet behind. He understood it well that he just jumped into a deeper hell, but his curiosity brought him there.

Putting his hoodie on, he was eyeing the couple. He’d never seen Chunji’s face that happy. But to him, there wasn’t any changes to the girl. She just acted like the old days before their ‘cold war’. Changjo snorted, you fell for him.

It didn’t take long for Changjo to give up. Chunji had suddenly locked Jiyoon in his hug and kissed her, on the lips. There’s no remaining pieces of his heart to be broken more. His heart had crumbled down into dust. Changjo turned his heels around and walked the opposite direction, heading nowhere.

He was thinking during his walk, finding a way to survive in the remaining days of his stay there. He didn’t want to go home yet. Going home was the least thing he wanted to do. He hated it to be home. There’s no such a place called home for him. Moreover, leaving the place where he’s at, meant to leave Jiyoon as well. He couldn’t see her anymore. Although he got to witness those intimate scenes between her and her boyfriend, which wasn’t him, it’s better than nothing.

“Where are you guys?” Changjo asked Ricky, he called him as he leaned on a pole at the sidewalk.

“Still at the hostel, why?”

“Have you had dinner?” he asked him again. He kept talking to him, trying to distract his mind from recalling the awful scenes before.

“Nope, you’re buying us dinner?” the little boy across the phone asked back in excitement.

“Yep. Anything can do right?” Changjo chuckled a little.

“You know us well. I trust you, maknae! We love you!”

Changjo was still chuckling at his best friend. “I love you too, guys. ’Cause I’m buying you nothing,” he teased. The splutter attack from Ricky came right away, deafened Changjo. “Ya, stop it! I was just joking. I’m buying you guys dinner, wait for me. Changhyun-ah, annyeong!” he smiled to himself before continue walking. His hyungs had never failed to amuse him. Except that one hyung who just stole his girl. He might never fail before, but he’s just gonna fail forever from now on.

******

The room was buzzing although it’s just the remaining four of them there when Changjo arrived. The buzz got louder as Changjo dropped two boxes of jumbo pizza in front of them, spreading its tempting smell throughout their room. Like starving pigs, his hyungs swarmed around the pizza boxes right away, without even greeting Changjo first. Changjo stood still on his feet, rolling his eyes on his hyungs who didn’t change and probably would never do. He sat on his bed and lay himself right away, sighed.

“Get yours, Jonghyun.” CAP invited him, who was actually the buyer of those pizza, to join the madness they’re having there.

“These are your favorite ones!” Niel added, mumbling with his full mouth.

“Later, hyung. Just continue your feast.” Changjo turned sideway to watch them eating happily. Slightly smiling at himself, Changjo himself was also happy to see them happy by the small treat he brought.

“Are you dieting?” L.Joe asked Changjo out of nowhere while taking a big bite on his pizza.

Changjo chuckled, “Dieting on holiday? Please.” He rolled his eyes. “If you guys are kind enough, you’d leave me some slices.”

“You know we’re not that kind,” replied CAP. “Especially this kid over here.” He pointed at Ricky who was silently munching from the start. The accused boy glared at the oldest as his mouth chose to eat instead of arguing with him.

“I trust you, Ricky-ah.” Changjo stretched his arm out and purposely patted Ricky’s back harshly. Undoubtedly he choked.

“You’re not sincere enough to buy us these, are you?!” Ricky barked at the laughing Changjo after he took pain gulping down the pizza.

“That’s mine!” L.Joe added another case by slapping Niel’s hand who was about to take another slice.

“Yours what?! It’s been there all along!” Niel snarled back.

“He mentally took it as his, Daniel. Like you don’t know him that well,” CAP scoffed. “If you think your mental is healthier than him, you’d just let him take it,” he continued, not caring the death glares L.Joe shot to him.

“You’re so mean!” L.Joe shouted as he sneakily grabbed the biggest slice they’re fighting for.

“See? He really took it,” said CAP, pointing at L.Joe.

“You lose to win, hyung.” Ricky patted Niel who was gulping his saliva down watching the pizza went into L.Joe’s mouth slowly.

“Byunghunnie’s brain never wakes up completely,” Changjo commented, added by his mocking laugh at L.Joe.

L.Joe stopped munching, turning his head to Changjo and shot him a death glare. “You’re safe now since you’re the one who bought these.”

Changjo showed him a winning smirk before getting up from his bed and sat down with the others, opening the untouched pizza box. “Have you known about Chunji and Jiyoon?” CAP asked Changjo who choke on his first bite right away from his question.

“Me? Knowing about them? Just please, I caught them kissing when I got here.” Changjo hated replaying the scene in his mind. He mentally cursed CAP for bringing out that topic in the middle of their fun time.

Niel’s eyes widened. “Woah really?! How were they? Was he good?” but his continuous questions made Changjo eyed him instead.

“He didn’t get to go further since I caught him first,” answered Changjo. “It’s just a peck I think.” He shrugged.

L.Joe was trying to hold back his laughter again remembering what Chunji had told him about his first kiss with Jiyoon, how Chunji’s passionate kiss back then turned into just a light peck like what Changjo witnessed a few hours before. He’s worried he’d get slapped again.

“So they’re really dating now?” Changjo pretended to know nothing when in fact he knew like everything.

“They denied it at first, but it’s clear enough they’re blushing hard since we kept mocking them.” Ricky shrugged. “Their gestures explained much.”

CAP snorted. “At least I won’t get disturbed to see him clinging around her everytime anymore knowing that they’re officially a couple now. I’m fed enough by his actions to her, really.”

Unfortunately the person here get disturbed more by their affections, Changjo scoffed.

“He really had hard times just to get her.” L.Joe spilled a bit of his work on helping the foolish Chanhee.

Hard times? Really? You know nothing, hyung. I nearly met my death for her.

“Hard times? Really?” It amazed Changjo how his thought transmitted to Ricky. “He looked like he’d never been in one,” Ricky continued.

“Yeah, he had some.” L.Joe didn’t want to spill further.

None of you know anything. None of you know my pain. Nor how much I love her.

I hope none of you will.