Back in LA, it was easier to keep my mind off things when school started back up. I only had a day to get over jet lag, which wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the end of the world, either. Hana and Thalia were always there for me to blow off some steam. They would let me rant all of my feelings out, and then be done with it, have it out of my system. 

Only, it was still there, the worry. Jongin helped me in times like that. As soon as he felt the teensiest tingle of a thought, he would rush over to my aid. 

‘You have so much else to think about. Like me, for example.’ 

Are you jealous? I asked him. 

‘Nah. I know how you feel, remember?’ 

Well then you know that I feel like . And why. 

‘Well… yes.’ 

Please just let me feel some bad things. I’m sorry if this reflects on your mood, too, but I need to feel things, Jongin. 

‘I just don’t like seeing you sad. It has nothing to do with how it makes me feel. I would willingly feel like being rolled over by a monster truck every day if it meant you wouldn’t have another bad day in your life.’ 

That’s dumb, our link doesn’t even work that way. 

And it dawned on both of us that maybe I was feeling worse than I thought, because I couldn’t even think of a witty line. 

---

His head felt like it might explode. He felt pressure from every side. Like the next viral hydraulic press video was going to be his brain.

---

Every nerve in her body was on fire. Flames. It was all super hot, and she was overly sensitive to the environment around her. A dust particle brushed up against one specific arm hair.

---

Thalia was treating me to Starbucks while we waited for Hana to get out of class. “Professor Dhani ended her lecture with a video. Yet again.” 

I rolled my eyes. “It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t feel like she’s self-aware of how easy it is to drone out her voice. Like, she’s trying to compensate for speaking exclusively in monotone by showing us a thought provoking video instead of improving her lecture skills.” 

“You put it in words!” she exclaimed. “That’s exactly what I feel like she’s doing!” 

It that Professor Dhani’s class was mandatory for both of us, despite majoring in different things. While I had gone for Journalism, Thalia had gone for Education. 

The bell above the door chimed, and Hana walked in wearing a sour face. “Listen, guys, you know I don’t generally hate people,” she started. 

Oh boy. What an opening.

“There are these girls in my class who won't stop talking about this one TA they think is hot,” Hana said. She was going to continue, but Thalia and I had a much more important question. 

“Well, is he?” 

“I don’t know, it feels wrong to think of anyone as ‘hot’ ever since Chanyeol.” 

“When you buy a car do all other cars disappear? Just because you have a Lamborghini, doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate a Rolls Royce,” Thalia countered. 

“Good analogy,” I said, offering her a high-five. To Hana, I said, “Try being me. My boyfriend can literally read my mind.” 

“God, I’m still not used to that,” the blonde girl sighed. 

I laughed. “Sometimes I’m not either, strangely enough.” 

“Anyway,” Hana stressed, wanting to get on with her story, “They have this other friend, a guy, the three of them met at program orientation. So, they say this guy likes me, but no matter how many times I tell them I have a boyfriend, they don’t believe me. Today, we had the same conversation again, and they still want to set me up with this guy, and one of the girls actually said, ‘At least a boyfriend you can see is better than one you can’t.’” 

I groaned. “I am at a loss for words.” 

Thalia had the bridge of her nose pinched, and was shaking her head. 

---

Never before had he want