If there was one thing that never failed to cast my doubt away that Jang Eun Byul was an awesome companion, it was the fact that she knew exactly when I didn’t feel like talking at all. Everytime I went through downs, she would offer me time to be alone, pondering about whatever matters bothering my thought. It wasn’t a mere ignorance because several times already had my mom informed me that she had been continuously checking on me through calls and direct visits to my house. I remembered very well that moment at the start of the freshman year that I got a shocking news about my beloved grandmother’s sudden death. I loved all my family members but I wouldn’t deny that grandma was the one to whom I could pour all of my thoughts and feelings to, without even having the need to keep to myself the most personal matters. Why? Because she never judged. All she did was silently listening to my loud happy cheers, never-ending complaints, frustrated sobs, and even childish whines while giving me the warmest smile I would never ever forget. I found it strange how every piece of advice she gave at the end of our conversation always managed to make me feel a whole lot better. She was a wise woman and recalling those days, I realized how much I had missed her.

The day the news had struck me like a fast lightning, I was frozen on the spot, unable to think as if all of my senses went numb. The only thing I could feel was the endless stream of tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't even have the gut to attend her funeral because I wasn’t going to make it without freaking out the moment I saw her stiff body. It was still fresh in my memory how we used to spend our time together, whenever I went to her and protested how my mom had been scolding me and she would give me the warmest hug that never failed to calm me down.

I refused to attend school for quite a few days, but reluctantly made my way there on a Monday morning after being forced by my parents. I knew almost a week of absence wasn’t really wise but people just didn’t understand how much loss I felt after the elder left. If only they knew. That day was spent with me not even paying any attention to what the school teachers were blabbering about and I had to thank Eun Byul when she handed me a thin stack of papers which turned out to be notes which she had taken for me. I didn’t even realize her doing it. Heck, I was too busy scribbling meaningless stuffs on my notebooks just to fool the teachers that I was actually busy with the lesson.

“Want to go somewhere?” She asked as we walked side-by-side, slowly approaching the tall metal gate that was just a few meters ahead.

“Where?” I replied weakly, not even bothering to spare her a glance.

She offered me her left hand and I eyed it for a few good seconds before she grabbed my hand and I followed her steps and got into her car. Moments later, we arrived in front of a white-painted single story-house. Its vast front yard planted with neatly trimmed different trees and plants gave a cozy feeling. I stared at the architecture in confusion, wondering whose residence it was as Eun Byul pressed on the doorbell. A moment later, a figure walked out from the wooden front door, embracing Eun Byul with a wide smile plastered on her wrinkled face.

“Grandma, I bring a friend.”

I looked at Eun Byul, the old woman and back to Eun Byul again. I could already feel tears forming at the back of my eyes as how Eun Byul’s grandmother reminded me on my ceased own.

“This must be Chae rim.” I slightly gaped, unsure of how to respond when my name rolled out of her tongue and when realization hit me, I bowed. “Good Afternoon, maam.”

The elder chuckled before she stepped forward to drape her arms around my body, “Just call me grandma.”

I didn’t know how but since then, the warm welcoming of the elder always made me feel as if I was in my own shelter. The feeling of being a granddaughter resurfaced as both Eun Byul and I visited the elder whenever we had a chance. We shared laughters, chit-chats, and even gossips because I could assure that the elder somewhat still had a soul of a young teenage lady, always cheerful and youthful even Eun Byul had to remind her not to watch too many dramas and getting too engulfed in them and I could only chuckle everytime childish grandma-granddaughter bickers occurred between the two, responsible for mediating the little argument. Nonetheless, I would never forget how Jang Eun Byul had managed to bring me that opportunity, one which was selfless enough to share her grandmother’s attention only to make me feel as if my own grandmother was still there with me. Past memories were still engraved in my heart forever, only creating new beautiful ones.

Loud voices and laughters resounded in the crowded canteen and I could already predict who exactly the culprits were.

Probably Eun Byul could sense how uncomfortable I was going to be sharing the same space with two certain people and she turned to me to casually ask “Do you want to eat at somewhere else?”

Well, Seoul High didn’t allow students to eat in the classrooms so that left me no choice but those outdoor eating spots in the schoolyard. It was my favorite spot and I liked how quiet it was because people rarely went there. But this time, I would pass because it was freezing outside and I was not going to sacrifice and let myself freeze to death just because of some snobs.

I shook my head. “Just finish our food quickly and get out of here.” I continued digging in my lunch set but the food didn’t seem to lessen as fast as I wanted because apparently, I had lost my appetite.

I didn’t even mean to glance at that particular direction but unintentionally choosing a middle seat at the back of the space basically gave me a good clear view of the whole canteen and I had that habit of looking around when I was chewing on my food. That was the reason why my eyes caught the loudest people seated on a table. Baekhyun and Jong dae fighting over a snack before Kris intervened and smacked them both at the back of their heads only to receive glares and protests in return. I recalled not seeing them earlier and they were probably assigned a different classroom from that of the other three. Across them, Tao excitedly blabbering something to which Jong In merely nodded who seemed to have more interest on his plates causing him to get a slap from the chinese at the end. And as for the other two, my eyebrows furrowed in distaste at the nauseating sight and I thought I was going to puke at any second. Holy crap, at least have some respect on these poor people who were trying to eat.

They weren’t even bothered to cover their doings despite still being on the school property. Oh Sehun was nuzzling his face into his new girlfriend’s neck only to cause the girl to giggle like a mad woman. I wondered how his friends could stand staying at the table but when I looked at them, they were too occupied in their own conversation to probably even notice. Or if it was just that they had witnessed it too often to even care. I scoffed. I must have been out of my mind when I agreed to date him. What did I even see in a snobbish spoilt 18-year-old boy who was obviously a player? I wondered if the girl he was referring to that day was actually Kim Hye Jeon, whose aggressive act had begun to turn ty by the way her palm got further and further up his thigh, sending the boy a seductive smirk which looked like a disgusting one, at least to me. That was when I decided to look away. Those two could just go and get a room.

“You finish?”

I turned my head abruptly to my right, only to find Eun Byul’s empty finished bowl and I looked at