Got7 debuted and it was already 2 months into their promotion. After promoting day and night, they were finally given the time to rest and enjoy themselves. With a month of break, Jackson decided to return to Hong Kong to visit his family. Though that was his reason, deeply inside of him, he had the slightest hope to maybe he would get to see Rose. Packing his bag, he left for the airport to catch his plane home. A week in Hong Kong should be enough for a break.

----

Here goes another weekend. I was on my way to the university for class, but once I got there, I found out that class was cancelled. Great, now I have nothing to do for 3 hours before work. My part time job was at a pizza delivery place. It was a decent labor to earn extra money to pay off school. Sighing as I made my way home again, my phone rang.

"Hello?"
"Rose! You won't believe this!"
"Lisa, calm down. What is it?"
"He's—he's back, Rose."

At that very moment in life, I felt my whole body stop. My heart stopped. My brain went blank. My mouth couldn't mutter a word.

"Rose, you there? Rose."
"Ye—yes, I am. Who are you talking about?" I acted clueless just to get more for clarification.
"Him. Jackson. The only Jackson Wang of your past. He's gonna see it when I meet him. I want to punch that guy—"
"Lisa, watch what you say. That's not very kind."
"I must give him my two cents, that's all." She heaved.
"Is that all you called for?" I tried to not care. "You know I could careless. I wouldn't see him anyways."
As if I said something wrong, she erupted, "What?! We are going to see him! I'm going to make sure we get revenge on him. He just left you like you meant nothing."

Lisa was that kind of friend who would stand up for you and speak her mind of what she believed was right or wrong. I closed my eyes at how she could possibly be more caring of my situation more than me. That's what I love about her. She wasn't selfish and didn't think of herself, but others too.

"Get ready tonight. We're going to a party."

I hung up after she had said that, not waiting for my reply.

----

"Son, it's good to have you back! How was the flight?" Jackson's mother asked her son as they came from the airport.

"It was tiring, but I got use to it. How's everything here?" He looked around his house to see if anything has changed.

"Your mother hasn't change anything. She demanded to leave everything just like how it was when you were still here." Mr. Wang informed.

Jackson softened at what he heard. His perfect smile showed that he was touched. Making his way to his room, he stepped in slowly. His fencing stuff were still placed in the corner. His bed was positioned the same. His backpack he prepared for university was by his desk untouched. The wall above his desk held pictures of high school friends that all left for university while he left for Korea. His eyes trailed to pictures of him and a girl who meant the world to him. They were all still pinned to the wall as if nothing has ever changed. He found himself in a pit of emptiness. Opening his drawer, he looked to see that the black box of an engagement ring was still there. A twist took over Jackson's body, he choked back tears. Where has time gone? Where are you now? How are you? Questions appeared to him.

A knock at his door caused him to sniff back his tears and keep his exposure natural.

"Son, Henry wants to talk to you. After, come out for food." His dad informed as he handed the phone to Jackson.

"Yo, Jackson! Heard you're back! Why didn't you call?!" His very excited friend was hyper.

"Sorry man, I was gonna call you once I arrived. Surprise?" Jackson was refreshed from the sound of his best friend's voice.

"Aye, get ready. We're going out tonight."
----

Lisa told me were going to a party tonight, but it's a Monday. Why would there be a party on the first day of the week? Crazy party people.

"What kind of party is this?" I asked Lisa as we looked through my closest for outfits.

"It's a house party."
"Who's?"
"Henry."
"Whys he having a party?"
"Just because he wants to? I don't know."

I bounced on my bed as I grew tired of looking for clothes. I really just wanted to show up in my jammies. Lisa threw a casual looking floral romper at me and insisted I should wear it with a loose cardigan over. I took her fashion advice and did just that. It was casual and cute.

----

Jackson finished a light meal with his parents before he left with Henry to wherever Henry said they were going.

"So where are we headed?"

"No where fancy. Just gonna kick it at my place."

"We rushed out of my house to come to your house? You got to be kidding me!"

Henry raised his hands in a surrendering motion and continued on driving.

----

Lisa and I had arrived at Henry's place to see a bunch of old friends and some high school classmates gathered there. Even a couple familiar faces of Jackson's fencing buddies where there. Henry was no where to be found though. As we entered, Henry's sister welcomed up with cups of drinks. I peered in to smell it if it was safe. It was only juice, thank goodness. 

"Henry they should be here any minute. Be prepared." Helen informed me and I looked over to Lisa with an arched eyebrow.

"What is she talking about?" I pointed.

Nervously, Lisa laughed. "Aha, I don't have a clue either."

I sipped on my cup and suddenly voices were whispering to hide and the lights went out. Lisa had pushed me down behind a close by table and she cupped my mouth to make sure I didn't make any noise. Obviously, I didn't know what was going on. Suddenly, the front door opened and I heard Henry's voice and someone else's it sounded like Jackson's voice. A part of me melted at the sound and the other part of me wanted to cover my ears. From below, I could see the shoes making their way closer to the table. As if on cue, everyone popped out of place and yelled, "SURPRISE!"

I on the other hand, remained under the table. I didn't want to face him. Seeing his shoes just on the other end of the table meant the minute I stand up, his face and my face will meet. Lisa who recognized that I was still below there, she pulled me up suddenly. My hair purposely fell in front of my face to his embarrassment. I snickered at Lisa and she only winked at me. I looked up hesitantly and indeed, his eyes killed me. Everyone returned loud again and people welcomed Jackson back. It was no clear that the party was for him. It was to greet him for visiting or whatever. As friends gathered around him, hugging and talking, I pulled Lisa aside.

"Lisa, you knew!" I was a bit disappointed.
"I'm sorry. I knew that if I told you the party was for him, you would've declined immediately." He frowned.
"It's okay. But I really wished you would've told me, you know?"

She hugged me tightly as an apology. "I want the two of you to talk before I whack him for leaving you."

Still, Lisa didn't let that go. I didn't doubt that she wouldn't because I know she has the guts to stand up to a man. Yet, I knew she wouldn't if I disagreed with her action. Walking over to grab some snacks, I lingered by the table to choose.

----

Ever since he entered the house and seeing her face last among the rest. His heart raced insanely. It was exactly what he had hoped for. He finally got to see her. She was still just as beautiful and flawless in his eyes, if not, she looked even better now. Finding it hard to breathe, he has to look away. Friends came up to him and told him how much he was missed. Going along with it, he tried to hide that he only wanted to talk to Rose at the moment and no one else.

Talking to each friend one by one, he explained of his experience and how much life has changed for him. Some even confessed he wasn't recognizable because his appearance looked manlier and more 'bad boy' but they all knew the silly Jackson was still visible.

Seeing her from a small distance made him want to be closer. He didn't want to hold back now that he has the chance to breathe the same air, live in the same time, and be at the same place. Walking up to her standing posture by the snack table, he made his presence noticeable.

"Hey, Rose." A smile came out sincerely no matter how anxious he was to see her.

----

I heard his voice speak to me. I thought I was hallucinating until I saw his figure standing next to me. I trembled inwardly.

I replied naturally as I focused on my small plate of snacks. "Jackson, good to see you back."

"It's good to see you too." He flowed after me as I paced back to the open area in the kitchen. "How've you been?"

"Great. You?" Small talk went on something like this. Pointless, but heartwarming.

"Couldn't be better." Jackson lied to himself.

"What are you doing back in Hong Kong? Work?"

"No, just to visit."

I nodded. It was dead after that. I chewed on my chips and he looked from side to side.

"Rose, can we step outside for a while?"

I walked out the door without replying yes. He seemed to smile at my action, probably glad that I was willing to. As we left the front steps of the house, we stopped at the sidewalk pavement and sat on the edge. I scooted away from him to give us space. He saw, but respected my comfortable zone.

"Rose, I'm sorry for hurting you like I did."

I knew he was going to bring this up. I regretted coming out here alone with him. Here I was, going to be reminded of my hurt, my pain.

"Let's not talk about it—"

"We have to, Rose." The way he said my name was so perfect. I knew that at the mention of my name like that, he really wanted to talk about something serious. "Let's talk."

Weakly, I stared at the small pebbles by my shoes, kicking them. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Do you even care for me? All this time that I've been away, god I've been a mess. My depression level has increased and my friends in Korea thought I was going insane."

Being a tough cookie, I didn't want to show my weakness. If I was to reveal it too, we'd both be in hell, suffering with each other. If one of us were to confess the aching in our heart, one must at least remain strong or so act like it. "Well, I've been fine. Sorry to hear about your insanity. Hope you get over it soon." My monotone voice seemed to have shot daggers at him.

"What has gotten into you? Why are you like this?"

"Nothing has gotten to me. I am the way I am. You must not remember since you've been away for so long."
I responded coldly and bitterly again.

"Rose, we both know that's not how you feel. I know you still miss me just as much. You know it for yourself that you miss me." He looked into my eyes fiercely but like a hurt puppy, it was visible that he was only doing it to show strength that wasn't there. His words shot out so confidently. How could he possibly know?

----

Jackson's shattered heart bursted at the female's cold replies. Somehow he couldn't come to believe them though. He knew that for a fact, Rose must still think of him too. There was a connection from the bottom of his heart that she couldn't have possibly changed so much within the years. Time can change people, but not Rose. He came back, praying for a chance to see her and talk to her to mend the whole in his heart, but why does it seem that meeting her now face to face was only making the whole bigger? He was falling apart like a man who lost all his lifesavings.