‘Are you fine? ______?” you heard a voice. You wanted to reply but your body just won’t let you. You seem to have frozen on spot. Your mind could not register what was happening; all you knew was that it was dark. A hand tapped on your shoulder which brought you back to reality. “It is a power cut, don’t worry!” the voice assured you. You gave out a sigh of relief. This had been going on for days, your fear of darkness and silence seemed to be getting worse with time. Ever since that day, each time there was a power cut, you worried that you had turned blind or every time things turned quiet, you worried that you had turned deaf.

As you were once again lost in your thoughts, the lights turned back on but you continued to blank out. You did not realize the lights had come back until a pair of hands shook you by your shoulder. “You are sweating, are you fine?” the voice asked, “I am fine Kai,” you assured him.

Kai was your best friend. You guys had grown up together. An acquaintance which was born through family ties blossomed into a beautiful friendship that you couldn’t even think of living without. You two knew each other’s deepest secrets; at least that was what you told yourself. Kai told you everything but still he held this mysterious side to himself which always ticked off your curiosity. You, on the other hand would tell him everything to the point that he would ask you to stop talking, you giggled to yourself thinking of the time when Kai had actually tried to tape your mouth to stop you from talking. However, since that day, even you held a secret which you never dared tell anyone, not even your best friend.

“You are blanking out again, _____,” Kai said with an irritated pout on his face. You gave him a confused expression and noticed his irritated pout change into a worried expression. He took your hands and sat you down on the couch. “Is something bothering you?” Kai asked you, “you have been blanking out bit too much lately and you don’t even talk as much? Is something wrong?” he asked you earning a “no” for the millionth time as a reply.

Just as he was about to say something, you heard your cell phone ring. You answered it and realized that it was your mother on the other side of the line.

“Hey darling, are you still at Kai’s?”

“Yes mom”           

“Well, I called to tell you that we will probably be a bit late to pick you up, and tell Kai that his parents are here at the party as well so  they would be late as well ,could you two manage to prepare yourself a dinner”

“Sure mom, enjoy”

Saying this you hung up. You turned around to find Kai a bit too close to you. As you felt your face blush, he placed his hand on your forehead. “You are not sick, are you?” he questioned you once again. You smacked him. “Ouch” he shouted, “well that’s what you get for bothering me with the same question over and over again. Kai I am telling you for the last time, I am fine, just a bit tired with school work.” “Well I was just watching out for my best friend,” saying this he ruffled your hair and made his way to the kitchen.

“So what do you want to have for dinner as it seems like you will be spending the night over” he asked without even looking at you. “How did you know our parents were going to be late?” you asked only to have him give out a small laugh. “Well I overheard the conversation, you idiot, how else?” he laughed again which made you pout.

“Do you want me to cook?” you asked him earning a no in reply. “Why?” you questioned only to have him say “well I want us to have a good dinner.” Only after a moment, you got what he actually meant. Irritated you made your way to the kitchen and the next thing you knew, you guys were having a kitchen fight.  Tired from the kitchen fight, you two sat to eat whatever Kai had managed to cook. After you guys finished eating, you two started cleaning the kitchen. As you continued cleaning, you remembered something that had been bothering you for quite some time. “Kai, can I ask you something?” you shouted, “yeah go on,” he said without even looking up from the dishes. “You know Soojin right?” you started. “Your desk mate?” he questioned and you nodded. “Yeah what about her?” he continued. “Well, umm do you like her?” Kai was taken aback by your question and you saw him turn a shade of red. “Oh, so you do like her.” You smiled teasingly. “No” kai stuttered back nervously, you started making even more fun of him. Kai suddenly looked pissed so you shut up. You felt bad for teasing him but in your defense, you had caught him looking at her a couple of times, in the class, at the library and then at the basketball court, so why was he being likes this?”

“Well you are always looking at her, in the class, the library so anyone in their right sense would think that you were crushing on her, why are you getting so angry? Seriously Kai You shouted at him irritated. “Well, I don't want to talk about it" replied Kai angrily.

In growing up years you had learnt one thing about Kai and that was, he only gets angry when he hasn't gotten enough sleep or if he embarrassed about something so by getting angry, he had just confirmed your suspicion. You smiled at him in a teasing manner only to have him throw a cushion at you and lo and behold, a cushion fight ensued.

As the fight continued, the kitchen was a mess and the living room was on the verge of getting messed up when you missed you target and the cushion went straight towards Kai's mom's expensive vase and you both stared in horror.

""