“J-Jung J-J-Jessica! Come out *hiccup* of your h-h-house! *Hiccup* J-Jessica, my love!” Jessica opens her curtains and sees Donghae in her front yard, swinging a beer bottle, and stumbling everywhere he goes. His hair is an absolute mess, clothes stained, pants ripped, it looks like Donghae was clubbing all night long. “C-Come out of your *hiccup* house!”

Jessica purses her lips at the sight of her deranged ex-boyfriend.

“Donghae! Have you been drinking? You are underage for goodness gracious!” she screams as she runs out of her house. “You have two choices: 1) Leave or 2) I call the cops on you."

“The cups” he slurs. “You are going to call the *hiccup* cups on me? Go a-a-ahead! See if I c-c-care! *Hiccup*” His stability reaches level zero, and Jessica watches in horror as her ex-boyfriend collapses on top of her mother’s favorite red, thorny roses. Her mother’s favorite red, THORNY roses. “Ouch!” Donghae howls as he rolls around in the pile of roses, the thorns sticking to his skin.

Out of pity for the male, Jessica takes hold of his arm and lugs him into her living room, surprised at her own strength and ability to carry Donghae, but her strength diminishes before they arrive to the couch. Therefore, Jessica leaves Donghae laying face down on the carpet floor to fetch him a wet towel to wipe his face.

Although, she shouldn’t be doing this, not when she has a new boyfriend, Jessica feels obligated to care for Donghae. For the past year or so, Donghae often took care of Jessica. He fed her chicken soup when she was sick. Shopped with her when Tiffany was not available. Tutored her in subjects she struggled with. There have been countless memories of Donghae looking after Jessica. The only few times she took care of him was when he felt … lonely.

Donghae’s father passed away from cancer during their first month of dating. Jessica held her then boyfriend in her arms, cradling him back and forth, as he lets his tears freely flow down his face. Then, there was the time when Donghae’s friend Kibum abandoned him after a misunderstanding. The former friends used to be so close, maybe closer than Eunhyuk and Donghae, and it pained Donghae to see Kibum being friends with the wrong crowd. The crowd that does drugs and alcohol since they were in middle school.

Thinking about it, Donghae succumbs to pleasure when he feels lonely. Jessica eyes the boy who fell asleep on her floor. She touches his forehead ever so affectionate and caring. Ever since Jonghyun revealed the truth to Jessica, her perception on Donghae changed from one of hatred to despair, for she is conscious of the fact that they’ll still be dating if it was not for Yonghwa’s interference.

Yonghwa. The name transmits the emotion of rage down to Jessica’s core. If it was not for Yonghwa, Jessica and Donghae would not have experienced so much suffering and anguishing and on Jessica’s part, loathing. She and Donghae would still be merrily dating. It’s too late though. Too late to go back to the past. Jonghyun currently occupies a spot in Jessica’s heart. The same spot that was once owned by Donghae.

The next morning, Donghae wakes up with a pounding headache and a sore back. Cracking his back, which does nothing but hurt him even further, Donghae checks his surroundings. Initially, he thought Eunhyuk took him home but he scans the living room and recognizes it as his ex-girlfriend’s living room. Man, he must have been so drunk.

“Finally you’re awake,” Donghae hears Jessica’s soft voice. “I made you ramen soup for breakfast. Eat up.”

Donghae picks himself up, wobbling, but he manages to stand straight despite his migraine. He enters the kitchen to see Jessica simply sipping coffee at the table. “Morning,” he awkwardly greets her.

“Morning,” she responds back, avoiding his eyes. He takes a seat at the table , across from Jessica, and starts eating the ramen soup. There is nothing but silence, and it is suffocating Jessica. The silence she had with Jonghyun is different from the silence she is having with Donghae. Jonghyun’s was peaceful. Donghae's is choking her. Big difference.