= PART TWO =

I held his hand against my rough ones. He’s warm and comforting, like I’m encircled in an embrace. He wears black from head to toe. A black cap, a black shirt, black pants and shoes, as if he’s just one of the shadows. But I know he’s holding me. I told him not to go. To never let me go. I saw a streak of light from behind him and like a shadow caught by sunlight, he was gone.

“Sooyoung?” I heard Kyuhyun’s voice inside my head. He’s sitting at the foot of the bed, shaking me. “Are you dreaming?”

“I was.” I sat up, swiping the blankets off my body and remembering the guy who looks like a shadow in my dreams. My feet met the cold tiled floor of Kyuhyun’s bedroom. Just like when we were kids, I’m still used to spend the day sleeping in his car-shaped bed.

“I guessed. You were murmuring something.”

I turned to him, my feet blindly finding for the pair of slippers I wore. “What did I murmur?”

His eyes narrowed at me. “Something like, Faster… deeper…” He makes a disgusting sound and grimaced. “And towards the end you screamed, oh my god! What was that about?”  

I snatched the pillow behind me and threw it at his face. “You’re an ! Get out!”

He broke into a laugh and said, “I was joking.” He ruffled my hair. “Go home. Party starts at 8, better get ready.”

I like dressing up as much as any girl does. For a party like Jiyeon’s, something long wouldn’t really stand out. The more skin you show, the more it is a head-turner. I decided to try out this black off-shoulder dress from Tiffany. It’s simple yet elegant. And much much skin. I let my brunette locks fall over my shoulders. That would give me the hair-flipping vibe. I saw how it works in movies. A little wind trick and flip of the hair and I’m the next hot gossip in town.

The moment I’m done, I went down in our living room, careful not to trip over my new matching stilettos. Siwon and Kyuhyun were both taking the space of the couch. They both turned to my direction, both jaws dropped open. I felt my blood rising in my cheeks.

“A night out.” Siwon was grinning, eyeing me from head to toe. “At Jiyeon’s?”

“Yes.” I walked past him, to Kyuhyun. I felt suddenly conscious of the length of my dress. I hope no one noticed the dark flush in my cheeks. “Are you coming?”

He shook his head. “Nah.”

“I heard the team is coming as well.” Kyuhyun said. All three of us came from the same school. Seoul High University. You can consider Siwon as one of the popular guys. You know how boys become popular when they’re part of the basketball team, right? He was our senior. A grade older than we are. We almost have the same circle of friends.

“Yep. I’ve heard from Donghae.” He replied back and reached for the remote, changing the channels. Obviously, bored.

Donghae is the University’s Team Captain back at the time. He’s one of Siwon’s closest friend. One you can call, the bestfriend alongside Hyukjae and Leeteuk.

“Are you going to wait here for Tiffany?”

“Yes.”

I cleared my throat to interrupt the conversation and pointed a chin to the direction of the door. “We better keep going.” I said, looking at Siwon. He only nodded. His eyes were glued on the television. Me and Kyuhyun exchanged glances before we began to walk for the door.

“Take care, Sooyoung.” I heard him say before I close the door.

The loud blasting of heart-thumping music welcomed our ears. My eyes roam around the venue. Jiyeon’s family surely put up such money to produce such a glorious mansion. Colors burst in neons. I felt suddenly ashamed of my black dress. Kyuhyun wore a red button down and casual pants. Jiyeon appeared in front of us with two girls, Bora and Hyomin. “Hi!” Jiyeon greeted in her natural high pitch. I have to fight the urge to role my eyes.

“Hey.” I replied back, awkwardly. “Nice party.”

“Yeesh.” Hyomin said, flailing her hands for some weird gestures I don’t even know how to explain. Maybe some y expressions. “I never thought you’ll attend.”

Well, me too. Who’d even thought?

Bora mingled in and said, “You never attended any of Jiyeon’s party before.”

“Now, I did.” I smiled and shrugged, wanting to get past them. I felt Kyuhyun tugging on my hand and pulled me out