Sometimes, actions are said to speak louder than words but Lu Han could not understand what Sunjung’s actions meant.

Sitting at the kitchen counter, he stared at her as she went about her business. He felt like she was just trying to busy herself with something; the kitchen didn’t really need to be cleaned so aggressively.

Lu Han was forced to avert his gaze from her when he heard his phone buzz on the counter. Slightly annoyed, he unlocked phone to see a text from Baekhyun.

‘I haven’t forgiven you for bailing on me,’ it read.

He typed in a quick reply, apologizing for leaving without notice and telling him that something had come up. Baekhyun immediately replied, telling Lu Han he wouldn’t be forgiven if he didn’t attend his party.
Lu Han replied with a bland emoji.

“Hey,” he called, shifting on the stool, slightly nervous for unknown reasons. “Are you still up for Baekhyun’s party this evening?”

Sunjung turned to face him, her arms crossed over her torso with the cleaning rag still in her hand.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she questioned, apparently nonchalant.

Lu Han shook his head, “No reason.”

“The day is really gloomy though.”

Sunjung turned away again, finally putting the rag away.

“Yeah, doesn’t really put me in a mood for partying.”

Lu Han stood up and headed out of the kitchen in hopes that she would follow him out. He was extremely glad when she did as he hoped.

“Don’t,” she said, from behind him.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t try and ditch the poor guy, I’m sure he’s excited for the party.”

Sunjung was caught completely off guard when Lu Han suddenly turned to face her and consequently ended up walking into him. Chuckling, he stepped away.

“He’s isn’t exactly poor in anyway.”

“He’s your friend,” Sunjung mumbled, brushing past him.

Disappointingly, she headed to her room. Hesitantly, Lu Han followed her in. He was relieved to see that she didn’t seem to think much of it.

He watched as she plopped down on her bed and looked up at him with the calmest look her face. She was acting extremely normal and it was unnerving for some reason. She was acting like nothing had happened which made Lu Han honestly wonder if he was just over analysing things.

But there was no way he could be imagining the guarded look in her eyes. He couldn’t be imagining the strange, almost suffocating air that hung heavy with the weight of all that she wasn’t telling him.
He really wanted to know.
He really did.

Lu Han was surprised when she patted the spot next to her, beckoning him to sit with her. He did so, very courteously.

“I’m not drinking today, I promise,” she said.

“I don’t think that’s possible at any party Baekhyun is at,” he informed her with a chuckle.

A pout made its way onto Sunjung’s lips. She seemed to be thinking for while before she suddenly let herself fall back onto the bed.

“Surely he won’t force anyone.”

Lu Han let out a small laugh, his eyes meeting hers.

“I won’t let him anywhere near you.”

Sunjung felt something within her stir and she had to avert her eyes from Lu Han’s face to the ceiling.

“Now that’s bit too much.”

***

It was growing steadily dark—the last day of the year was coming to an end.
Several feet of snow lined the streets of Seoul but people were still out and about.
There was much to celebrate: new beginning and almost-happy endings. Who would want to stay home on such an evening?

Seo Sunjung and Lu Han.
That’s who.
They were trying not to be lazy about the party that they were supposed to attend.

Despite Lu Han’s numerous protests, Sunjung had decided to work on a manuscript sometime in the afternoon ‘just to keep busy’. She had ended up spending more time on her work than she intended to, leaving Lu Han with nothing worthwhile to do.

And now it was almost dark and she hadn’t chosen an outfit. Her neck and shoulders were sore, and her eyes itchy.

Sluggishly, she headed towards her bathroom. She stood in front of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Deciding that she didn’t look as bad as expected, she just splashed her face with some cold water. The water was more frigid than she thought it would be and it did a fantastic job of bringing her out of her lazy stupor. She made sure to get some water in her eyes, and then reached for her cleansing face wash. She wasn’t really enthusiastic about attending a party, anyone could tell.

Feeling slightly rejuvenated, Sunjung headed back out into her bedroom, trying to remember where she had tossed her phone. When she couldn’t find her phone even after thorough search of her room, she went into the living room.

“You’re done working on a holiday?” Lu Han asked, sounding slightly irritable. He didn’t look up at her.

Sunjung just brushed his question off.

“Can you please call my phone? I can’t find it.”

“Sure.”

The man didn’t seem to be in a mood for conversation; he just reached for his phone and started tapping on the screen without so much as a glance in her direction.

He was still sulking, it seemed.

When the familiar ringtone started playing, Sunjung sighed and reached over to where the sound was coming from.
Lu Han beat her to it though, removing the cushion her phone was hiding under. He rejected the call and handed the phone over to a waiting Sunjung. But just as she was about to leave, he reached out again and grabbed her wrist.

Sunjung looked down at him in curiosity. He had been behaving quite strangely the entire day. He had seemed very distracted the entire morning and she’d catch him looking at her with the strangest look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

“Can we not go?”
That wasn’t what she had been expecting him to say.

“Let’s not bail out on the poor guy,” Sunjung reasoned, “You said he’s been excited about it.”

Lu Han didn’t look happy with her response.

“He might not even notice that we aren’t there,” he mumbled.

This time, Sunjung couldn’t stop the small laugh that left .
“Are you kidding me? He adores you. I bet he’ll meet us at the entrance when we arrive.”

His grip on her wrist loosened as he stood up, sighing in defeat.

“I’ll go get ready.”

But there was an odd feeling inside him. He didn’t want to go. And it wasn’t because he hated parties or Baekhyun. There was just...a feeling that told him nothing good would come out of being there.

***

The club was getting more crowded with every passing minute, the invitees of Baekhyun’s party getting rowdier by the second. A bunch of stressed out twenty-somethings had one