You yawned. Suddenly you feel so sleepy and the three people you are with are currently having a conversation in front of you about you as if you’re not around.
“That’s just probably one of her students or friends.” Nari said. 
“But why would she lie?” Dongwook asked. 
“Because she’s drunk?” Nari said laughing.
“Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? You tell the truth when you’re drunk, right?” Dongwook countered. 
“Dongwook-ah, we were introduced to Kyuhyun and Suho one time right? Do you remember that?” Gyuri said, recalling something in the past. “But it seems like they didn’t know each other prior to that.” 
“Or maybe they already knew but they’re hiding it from us?” Dongwook sounded a little more convinced now.
You rolled your eyes and found Dongwook’s shoulder looking so comfortable and inviting so you leaned on to him so you can stabilize the non-stop movement of the earth and maybe if you’d close your eyes it would, because some liquid-force inside your stomach already wants to come out through your mouth. 
You closed your eyes and listened to the three discuss. Jongin’s voice suddenly flashed in your head from your conversation with him last Friday. 
‘If you think you’re not deserving, you don’t just give up. You make yourself deserving. Work for it. You don-’ 
Jongin was not even finished repeating what he’s told you last time in your head when you heard gasps. Two gasps. Then you felt your human-pillow stiffen and when Dongwook straightened in his seat, your head followed his shoulder. “Dongwook-ah, don’t move. My head is heavy, I think I can’t carry it anymo-”
“M-maya, he’s here.” Dongwook said and his voice vibrated on your head, you even heard and felt him gulp. 
You opened your eyes to see Gyuri and Nari in front of you, eyes and mouth wide open. Their eyes focused on your left so you followed their line of vision and saw the object of their attention. 
You recognized Joonmyeon despite the black face mask he’s wearing and the beanie over his head. So he really did came. This means you’re still important to him. It’s not yet too late. 
However, you had to squint to be able to focus on his face. He bowed to everyone and you saw his eyes smile even when the mask hides his lips, you know he is smiling as he greets everyone on the table. It’s a good thing that there are no other customers left aside from you and the owner of the pojangmacha is busy behind the counter. 
“Annyeonghaseyo.” Joonmyeon said.  
For a moment, there was a long awkward silence and based on your observations; your friends are too shocked to even formulate a coherent sentence so you scrambled to your feet to leave with Joonmyeon already. Besides, the pull to darkness is getting too strong and you can’t really tell when you’ll lose the fight and you’d feel safer with Joonmyeon when that happens. “We’re leaving.” You said, just like nothing happened. But as soon as you were on your feet, you felt the upper half of your body becoming too heavy for your lower body to support and you were just about to kiss the ground when you felt hands on your middle keeping you from being intimate with the dirt.
“Can you still stand?” Joonmyeon whispered to your ear and it’s not just a simple whisper, his nose is already touching the shell of your ear that made you giggle.  
“Of course!” You said and attempted to get on your feet again and you successfully did, then you looked up at Joonmyeon and smiled at him feeling so proud of what you’ve done. 
Then you felt Joonmyeon pull your right hand and wrapped it around his middle from behind as he positions you beside him then his left hand settled over your shoulder to assist you. The familiar feel of his warmth and scent made you want to just bury your nose in his chest and stay there until sleep gets the best of you.
“Are you going to send her home?” You heard Dongwook ask and Nari hit him on his arm. 
“Aish! Of course he will! What’s with that question?” Then Nari smiled so sweetly at Joonmyeon. "I'm a big fan."
You didn’t like that smile. So you wrapped your free hand over Joonmyeon’s middle and now you’re hugging him possessively and you gave Nari a look. “He’s mine!” You barked. 
Right after you said that, you saw the reaction of your friends. They looked so surprised that you are actually capable of acting like this. But because it’s true! Joonmyeon is yours. You’ve decided to make it right this time. To make it up to him. To work for it. To make yourself deserving and you won’t let anyone get in the way of that. 
Joonmyeon cleared his throat. “We’re gonna go ahead now. See you guys around.” He bowed once again and since you’re wrapped around him, you bowed with him. 
“Bye...” You said and waved to your friends who are still in a state of trance, watching you and Joonmyeon disappear from their sight. 
Joonmyeon didn’t say anything as he carefully shares your weight with you, supporting you with his hand over your shoulder. You want to cry. He still cares. After what you did. After everything.
His car was parked just right across the road and he made you settle comfortably on the front seat with the seat-belt on before he closed the door and positioned himself on the driver’s seat.
Suddenly, you couldn’t speak. But that was fine because Joonmyeon’s driving and you didn’t want to interrupt him and you need to at least close your eyes. But a few minutes after you closed your eyes, you realized that Joonmyeon is going to send you home and you don’t know when you’ll see him again and/or if you’ll actually ever see him again. 
This is your only chance. 
Like waking up with a jolt, you opened your eyes abruptly and turned to Joonmyeon beside you with fear. “Stop!” You said but your voice was too choked up to even sound loud enough for Joonmyeon to hear so you said it louder again and realized that you actually shouted this time. “Stop!” 
Then you felt the car stopping quickly and without warning and Joonmyeon’s eyes were on you in a heartbeat. Thanks to the seat belt for keeping your face from kissing the windshield this time. But you weren’t deterred. You removed your seat belt and crawled to Joonmyeon’s lap and as soon as you’ve settled, you buried your face on his chest after you wrapped your arms around him. “Maya wha-” You heard him say and you didn’t want to hear him say that he wants you to get off of him.
“Mianhe. Mianhe. Mianhe....” You said over and over again. Finally, you felt warm tears tracing down your cheeks and in the process, getting into Joonmyeon’s shirt but you honestly don’t care. When you felt his hands running up and down your back, you cried all the more. All those pent-up emotions that are buried so deep finally breaking free. The sadness, loneliness, and the fear made your sobbing uncontrollable. “Don’t be angry... Please...” You uttered in between your convulsive weeping. “I’ll tell you what happened... I’ll tell you everything. Just please, please stop hating me.”
“Okay... Tell me later. Let me dr-”
“Ahniyo! I’ll tell you now!” You won’t have the chance again later because he might leave as soon as he drops you off. You felt him sigh.
“Algesumnida. Tell me...” He sounded so res