The next three years crawled by as I kept myself hidden behind the once strong walls I had built with my words and soul. The remains were dusty and crumbling away day by day and all that was left could barely hold up but it was enough.

He had left in a blur of chaos and mess as they packed his things and sent him off to his dormitory. I never bid him farewell. My door had been shut tight and it remained so even long after he had left. There had been multiple knocks at the door but I kept my silence. I was good at being silent. My parents had been puzzled at my behavior but brushed it aside quickly. I honestly don't know if they were too dense to realize how much their son had changed over the years. But maybe they couldn't be bothered to care about their less important son. I didn't really want to know.

I got on fine with one less person in the house. It hadn't ever mattered. My parents finally seemed to acknowledge me and my lackluster behavior but didn't do much really. They were busy enough fretting over Zico and awaiting his bright future. I didn't mind because I preferred silence as always and I felt more at peace without any disturbance. I didn't really do much. I did still do the basics though. I ate, just a little less. I slept, a lot more. I studied, with no aim.

Zico updated my parents frequently on his progress as a trainee and in turn they updated me. They said he had been doing well and had great potential for debuting soon. I forced myself not to think of it and it worked out a bit. I wasn't so affected by it anymore. Even when he came back home with the news of his upcoming debut, I remained calm and composed. I couldn't be bothered.

I saw him occasionally on broadcasts in interviews and performances. He seemed well and good. He wasn't instantly famous, but his group had gained quite a bit of attention over time. My parents were proud as any parent could possibly be. He had schedules every day and so he was always kept away from home. I honestly didn't mind though, it was better this way.

But then his group met with complications with their company and rumors spread fast that they were about to disband. And they did. Zico had been distraught when he came back with the news and my parents were appalled when they learnt of it. Their poor son's hard work was going down the drain and they hadn't been able to help him. That wasn't the case for me. It felt so good to hear that he was failing for once.

He had finally understood the pain of losing something he loved.