It was a Friday when Hyomi came over with two big suitcases. I had no clue why she was rooming with me but I guessed she talked it over with my parents, and being the -holes they are, my mother and father said it would be okay if she lived with me. When she opened the door with a creak that afternoon after school, I was sitting on my couch, pouting. I really didn’t want her to come and live with me because quite frankly, she was annoying.

    When she walked in, I told her that my couch was a bed as well and that’s where she could sleep. I also informed her that when my friend’s come over not to bother us and to keep to herself. I knew I came off as rude, but honestly, I didn’t care. I wasn’t in the right mind to have someone like her, even if she was my cousin, to be living with me. The question, why couldn’t she have gotten her own place?, keep going through my head. She had the money—her family was quite rich—so it would only make sense. I guess she had something against me.

    Either way, I spent the rest of the night with Hyomi going over the rules and things. First and foremost, she had to buy her own food because I was not spending my money on her. Also, she had to pay half the rent. She complained but I was stubborn and wouldn’t let her win. Besides, it is my apartment.

    I went to bed early that night after homework and slept late on Saturday. Hyomi woke me up around eleven thirty and reminded me I had a college tour at two. Where she got that, I do not know. I ate breakfast, got dressed in the most formal clothes I had (I needed to make a good impression) and left twenty minutes past twelve. It would take around another twenty minutes to get to the college. I wanted to be a bit early. The bus was crowded and surprisingly there were a few kids on there who were going the same place I was. I knew that I was going to end up in this college, since I was accepted, but I hadn’t even toured the school campus yet. 

    Upon arrival, there were only ten kids in my tour group and we started immediately. The campus was big and green. There were lots of students playing Frisbee or soccer. Many of them looked much older than myself. Once we were done touring the outside, we went inside the school. There was a huge dance studio and Hakyeon came to mind. There was also a nice gymnasium and the classrooms were much better than the ones I’ve come to know in my high school. To be perfectly honest, I was excited to start college here.

    Two hours later, it was over and I left with two huge booklets and merchandise (including, but not limited to, t-shirts and a couple of pens). The bus ride back was bumpy and boring, seeming much longer than the one there. 

I thought about Hyuk and wondered if he got accepted into the college he chose to go to. I pulled out my phone and sent him a text asking just that. When he replied at last, I felt my stomach drop.

No. Actually, I’m moving to Japan to go to college.

I felt sick at those few words. Why hadn’t he told me before? When was he leaving? Why did he choose to leave everyone behind to go to Japan? Millions of questions like this started to swamp my head. For some odd reason, I began to panic. I got off the bus at my stop, still unable to respond to Hyuk. Different thoughts flooded my brain and I walked slowly and zombie like to my apartment building.

When I got to my door, a feeling of anger washed over me. I was fuming, holding onto the t-shirt in my hand tighter than I realized, seemingly trying to squeeze the life out of it. I pushed open the door, surprising Hyomi who was sitting on the couch. She sat up and looked at me, curiously as I stood in the door way, trembling. She walked over to me, her eyebrows raised and examining me.

“You look like you’re about to kill someone.” she commented. I shot a glare at her, but responded.

“Hyuk’s moving to ing Japan.” I cursed, throwing my things down on the worn out couch. I walked to my kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water, guzzling it down. My cousin watched my movements.

“Your friend? Why?” she asked, tilting her head the slightest bit.

“I don’t ing know why!” I yelled, spinning around to face her. 

“What are you going to do?” she gave me another question. I stood in silence for a minute or two, thinking it over.

“Hyuk can get used to being without me.” I spat, furious, and started walking quickly to my room, slamming it shut.

---

Ravi called me not long after my “fight” with Hyomi. I told him most of what happened and he was as shocked as me, although not angry. He told me that there must be some reason behind Hyuk’s leaving. I told him that Hyuk was just being a jerk, but Ravi highly doubted it. He suggested we do something to make me forget about it, so I agreed. Anything that would help me was highly welcomed. 

When I hung up, another call came through, but the number belonged to Star X. I answered, totally forgetting that I turned in an application. The lady on the other line told me they were interested and knew me well enough that they were ready to hire me. I told her that I could start on Monday after school. She agreed and we soon hung up. I pulled on my jacket and slipped back out into the main room, trying to avoid Hyomi but she caught me.

“Oppa, where are you going?” she questioned me.

“No where,” I said, quickly opening the door. “I’ll be back later.” and I flew down the hallway, jumping on the elevator and pressing the bottom floor button. I walked to Ravi’s house without stopping, not taking notice of anything or anyone in the street, even when Ken came running out of a store with Hyuk. The two yelled my name but I walked past then, still upset with Hyuk.  

I arrived at Ravi’s house faster than usual and knocked on his door. He opened it and I stepped in then soon collapsed on his couch. He sat beside me.

“What exactly happened?” he asked.

“Exactly what I told you happened.” I responded. Ravi looked at me with a worried expression and another, indefinable expression which I couldn’t read. I suddenly became more aware of myself than I had before. I could tell he was thinking of something.

“Just forget about Hyuk,” he suddenly started talking again. “He obviously doesn’t think of you as good as a friend as you think of him if he just told you through text.” I sat up and put my head in my hands, sighing heavily. Maybe Ravi was right. Maybe he wasn’t worth my time. Maybe everything I’ve ever thought about Hyuk was just because I was brainwashed. I shook my head. That’s impossible. Hyuk’s been my friend for ages, there must be a reason. 

“No, there’s something else.” I said with determination to find out what that something was. Ravi looked surprised, as if what he said wasn’t working. He pursed his lips a bit. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “What’s with you today?” I demanded. He was obviously caught off guard.

“What--? I… it’s nothing.” He was talking over his words quickly. I squinted at him a bit, trying to examine his face and its emotions. 

“Are you sure?”

“I just… I still…” he paused and then stood up along with me. “Never mind.” I started walking towards the door, realizing what I had to do. “Are you leaving already?” he looked disappointed.

“Yeah, thanks for your help, though.” I smiled at him, opening the door and walking out. I heard the door shut behind me and started wondering why Ravi was acting that way today. 

---

“I’m so upset!” a cry came rushing at me when I opened the door. I looked up and saw Hyomi lying on the couch. She looked forloined and almost broken. I guessed I would have to help yet another broken heart, even when mine was starting to crack.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, approaching her. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. I suddenly realized that I was in for a long story.

“Today I was talking with Leo-oppa and trying to get him to like me back with my irresistible personality, but he wouldn’t budge. Remember when we went to the movies together?” she didn’t leave me time to answer. “Well, I tried to get him to like me there too, but all he does is ignore me. I confronted him about it and he said it’s because he likes someone else! Someone else, can you imagine?” she screamed. I immediately thought of Hakyeon. “It’s that friend of his, I know it! I know because he said it’s the one that asked him out before and I remember that happening. He told me he said no because he wasn’t ready for a relationship but he still liked him.” She turned to look at me with pleading eyes. “What am I to do?” she asked me. I didn’t know how to answer.

“Just forget a--” I started but she cut me off.

“I’m going to make Leo like me no matter what!” she sat up and her expression immediately changed. I stepped back a bit. She stood up and walked out the door with big steps and I watched in amazement. Hyomi was the kind of girl who got what she wanted no matter what and I was worried for my two hyungs. I brushed it off, though and grabbed my phone, looking at Hyuk’s number. I knew what I had to do.