The light invades my dream world where my old primary school is almost always the setting and different people who I barely knew then plagued my mind and makes me feel like I lucked out by not knowing them better. I begrudgingly open my lids and the sun's rays pounce on me like a punch right in the head. I quickly close my eyes and put the covers over myself, but even with the sunlight out of my vision the constant pang grows stronger and I feel like descending onto the ground. 

I sink deeper into the bed until my feet stick out and I can feel the cold air on my toes. My head twitches again and the pain continues. Ughhhhh. I curl into a ball engulfing the bed under the covers. Why is my head spinning?! I kick at nothing repeatedly and try to squish the sides of my head, but the pain only subsides for 2 seconds and comes back ten fold. 

"AGHHHHHHHHH" I whine...yell because men don't whine and the sound of the door creaking in the room mimics that of a trumpet playing right next to my ear. 

"Hey~ Are you good over there?" the door opening intruder teases, but it comes off heavy and stentorian that I press my head hard against the bed and cover my sensitive ears. "Woahhhhhhh! Here drink this!" the resonance of his voice gets closer and I yell telling him to go away and leave me to die. A feel a hand on my shoulder and it nudges me lightly not leaving without getting my attention. 

"Give it a try. It'll make it better I promise" the voice dials down to a hopeful whisper. I groan knowing I have to take the covers off and face the sun again. 

"Is the sun still out?" I ask and my voice sounds so coarse that I try to gulp down my saliva to ease the dryness of my throat. 

"Well it's only 10 am, so it should be, but I think I got you covered~" he whispers and I hear footsteps leaving the bed. "It's safe now~" he says softly and I uncover myself eyes still closed since the darkness seems to be my only friend right now.

"Trust me, you'll feel so much better if you open your eyes and drink this~" the voice encourages coming closer and I slowly lift my eyelids to be greeted by those cats eyes. I squint at first, but the darkness in the room is substantially okay and he slowly shakes a small green bottle in front of me unsure if fast movements will bring me more nausea.

"What is that? And what happened last night?" I manage to ask with my throat still dry and aching that it comes out more of a whisper. I start coughing as the dryness gets the best of me and Daehyun comes closer sitting at the edge of the bed. I scoot over, so he fits more comfortably and his feet don't stick out. He gets quiet and I eventually look up and squint at him as he fails to answer. His eyes don't meet mine and are staring blankly at his thighs while his brows curve in guilt.

"You could tell me you know..." I whisper despite my aching throat and he lifts his eyes to point at the glass of water beside the bed. I take it and chug the whole glass. The pain in my throat definitely eases afterwards, but my head is aching again and I kinda feel queasy. 

"You shouldn't be so abrupt..." he hands me the green bottle and I slowly take a sip. It takes like pear juice, but a little sweeter and I try not to chug it like I did the water. 

"Not so bad right?" Daehyun asks and I nod. I sit up my back against the wall and close my eyes trying to recall what exactly happened last night. 

"Okay. I really can't remember. Can you just tell me??" I plead pouting my lips, eyes staring at his friendly ones and tug at his arm. "C'mon Daehyunnnnnn. I can handle it!" I beg even more and his shoulders slump down giving in.

"Okay okay! I'll fill you in..." he resigns still a little hesistant, but because of that I want to know even more. 

"Okay~" I leave the wall and sit closer to him. This drink is freaking amazing. I feel so much better!

"Well we went out to get some drinks...like a mini celebration since we found Himchan and Year II of Medical School is starting--" Daehyun pauses to see if I remember and I eventually nod remembering bits of our spontaneous night out.

"I do remember that. That place was nice and the workers seemed to know you" I add remembering the darkly lit bar with metallic tables and chairs and rock band posters everywhere.

"Yeah~ We usually go there to celebrate especially after finals week...But anyway. We had one bottle of watermelon soju and we were nearly done with the bottle when Youngjae finally came by with Bicardi bottles saying it was complimented by the owner...I should've known that was a bad idea from the start, but we drank it cause the first one was the daiquiri. Remember? You liked it because it was sweet?" Daehyun says trying to fuel my memory and I rake my brain for any other information it stored before I out.

"Daiquiri?....Oh, the strawberry thing?" I ask and Daehyun nods.

"Yeah, that! ...But then... As always Youngjae gets competitive when he starts drinking and...well so did you. I was telling you guys to stop drinking, but then he poured us shots from the second bottle and that was not sweet at all..." Daehyun pauses gulping down his saliva with a disgusted look on his quintessential features. 

"What was that?" I ask curious as to what caused my downfall.

"151... It's really strong and most people can't last two to three shots of it...But you guys did four and as much as I tried to stop it, you wouldn't listen and--- "

"And now I'm repaying for my sins with Tojangguk(hangover soup in Seoul) and an even worst hangover than all of you combined!" speaking of the devil. Youngjae leaves the door ajar the plastic bag with the soup in hand and his head bowed 90 degrees in apology. "I'm really sorry Junhong. I...I get a little competitive..." he starts looking at me.

"A little?" Daehyun sarcastically remarks and Youngjae bows his head again.

"Okay...a lot... I also didn't know you never had alcohol before...hard liquor I mean, so I thought you already knew how to handle yourself being in graduate uni and all..." Youngjae continues looking at me. Regret and guilt clear in his eyes and he bows his head again.

"It's alright... I should've told you guys it was my first time, but... I just didn't want to look inexperienced and lame..."I confess in a low voice and Youngjae's phone buzzes.

"Woah 10:30! We have to get ready Dae!" Youngjae says as he looks at his phone and tells them to go to the kitchen after they changed.

"And it's not lame!...maybe a little but not totally" Youngjae teases as he scurries off to the kitchen.

"We have class in a bit and we still have to take you to your apartment, so we have to eat and get ready" Daehyun says as he gets off the bed and rummages through his closet. He takes out a sleeveless black shirt and some shorts and throws it on the bed. I get up from the bed and he throws another set of clothes my way. I barely catch them in time and he smiles. 

"Catch?" those whiskers come to play and he laughs eyes sprightly and mischievous.

"Thanks for the warning!" I reply sarcastically and look at the joggers and a maroon nike air shirt. 

"I'm sorry. Those are the largest clothes I have..." he frowns and his brows scrunch up in an displeased way. 

"Uh...its okay." I say hoping it'll fit and won't look like baby clothes on me. 

"The bathroom's right next to my room...You can shower there. Here's a towel" Daehyun hands me a towel ontop of his clothes and leads me out the door and into the bathroom.

"It's a little small, I'm sorry" he apologizes and I just shake my head.

"No, this is fine" I say as I turn the water on and he heads for the door, but turns around before closing it behind him.

"And Youngjae's right. Not trying hard liquor doesn't make you lame. Most college kids just know soju anyway! Youngjae's just rich...but don't tell him I said that!" Daehyun leaves with a wink and I can hear him laugh out the door. He does seem the rich upperclass type. 

I take off my clothes and leave them ontop of the toilet lid. I jump into the shower and the cold water sinks into my skin and I feel like melting. Ahhhhhhhh, I can't wait to see the look on noona's face when I tell her what happened last night--- OMG.  WAIT A MINUTE! SOOHAE NOONA! 

"DAEHYUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNN" I scream turning the water off and wrapping the towel around my waist in a frenzy. I run out the door and head to his room. I hurriedly twist the doorknob and walk in his room hoping to get an explanation. Instead, he turns around with only his cheesecake boxers on and screams at me.

"Woahhhh man! I'm changing!" He hides behind his closet door, black ink poking out of his chest and I turn around quickly. 

"Oh God! Sorry!" I walk out the room dripping water everywhere and Youngjae comes up infront of me with his eyebrows quirked.

"Forgot something?" he asks and I slump my shoulders.

"No... I'm sorry about the floor. I'll wipe it...after" I bow my head and try not to move much. "But uh...is Soo Hae noona okay? I was suppose to meet her last night and Ohmygod if anything happens to her I don't know what I'd do?! Do you know if she's okay? Where's my phone? I need to call her!" I ramble and Youngjae motions for me to breathe.

"Breathe! And don't worry~ Yongguk hyung found her outside their apartment" I stare at him not really sure where the connection is and Youngjae lets out a loud "Ah" as if realizing my confusion.

"Yongguk is Yongnam's twin...Himchan's boyfriend?" he clarifies and I nod remembering the search and the dramatic diva character that is Himchan.

"They live in the same building as you, so they found her there" he continues and my shoulders sink in relief.

"Oh thank GOD! I would've died if anything happened to her!" I hug Youngjae so relieved noona is safe, but totally forgetting I only have a towel on. He freezes up and I realize my mistake.

"Oh No I'm sorry!" I pull away and notice the damp stains on his sky blue shirt. "DAMN. I'm sorry!" I try to fan his shirt dry and he just shakes his head. 

"It's okay. I'll just wear something else but uh you should finish your shower and then we'll go to her after" he says and I nod my head repeatedly while running to the bathroom and bowing before going in. I'm a mess.

-----------------------------------------------------

"So what are you? Half man number 3?" I joke in between bites of my tempura and crab onigiri, while Junhong kicks my right shoe and glares at me.

"Shuddup noona! I can’t even look them in the eye anymore!" he whines...yell he would defend and pouts angrily clutching his sweet yogurt drink. 

"There's not much to see anyway..." I mumble as he chugs on his yakult and chokes on it midway as he finally processes what I said. 

"YAHH! I've been working out!" he whines some more and this time he can't deny it because his voice gets higher much like what it sounded for all of our awkward high school days. Puberty was long and cruel to Junhong's voice, but all that's changed since Uni. 

"Junhongg, you've only been playing video games and eating the whole summer... And I would know because I was right next to you being fat and anti-social" I remark enlightening him of our summer laziness and he gives me a half grin looking all smug and irritating.

"That may be true, but on Saturdays when you had to help at the shop, I was learning choreo and working out and well you can see my progress now" he smirks and winks at me like he's a kpop idol performing infront of his screaming fans.

"Gross. Please save that for the Minx, so she'll go easy on me tomorrow" I wave his face away from mine before I lose my appetite.

"Omg! You're gonna use my body on her?" he feigns disbelief and I lift my head up from my second onigiri to give him a wink.

"Noona that's horrible! Even for you!" he panicks because well she's crazy and she'd probably climb him like Himchan if given any opportunity.

"You're the one that gave me the idea" I munch on my third onigiri and focus on the spam and egg melting in my mouth. God Bless Convenience Stores. I finish my third one and gulp my blue vitamin water to wash all the good food down. I open a box of choco pie since our next proper meal won't be until after 8pm and it's only 1. So, better to stuff our faces now while we still can. I take two bags out and hand one to Junhong when I notice the flush on his cheeks and pink tint on his ears.

"You okay?" his wide eyes stare at me cheeks turning even pinker and I squint my eyes at him. "Is it the hangover? Are you still not feeling too well?" I take the choco pie away afraid it'll trigger nausea.

"Oh no..." he defends grabbing the choco pie from my hand fatty and opens it up trying to cover his face with his hands. But he just looks silly and I stifle a laugh.

"O---kayyyy" I comment eating one too and lean back as Junhong chokes for the second time. No more hard liquor for him. 

"Woahhhhh" I hand him some napkins while he coughs dryly and gasps for air. He coughs some more and then finishes his bottle of water before calming down.

"I'm okay" he takes a few breaths and I just stare at him. 

"You sure? Daehyun said you puked a lot last night and---"

"OhMyGod! I did?!" Junhong's eyes are wide again and he looks so defeated.

"Yeah...I mean you drank a lot from what we usually do, so it's only natural..."

"Ugghhhhhhhhhh!!! I'm so embarrassing. How can I ever talk to them again? And they seemed so cool too! Even liking the same things as us and having tattoos and---"

"Tattoos? What do you mean tattoos?" I side eye him and he lets out a small awkward laugh much like that Yongguk guy last night. Why is every around me so weird...

"Okay...well when I panicked and walked in on Daehyun changing with his---"

"Cheesecake boxers" I continue for him and laugh because why is a grown man wearing cheesecake boxers? He did not seem the type being all smooth and singing like those muses in greek mythology. 

"Well yeah...but I didn't realize how tan he was---"

"He is from Busan" I reason and Junhong looks at me in disbelief.

"OOOOh!! You know, that makes sense with his slight accent...but anyways other than his really tan skin looking more golden like do people really have that skin tone?" Junhong pauses midthought probably really questioning himself and then shakes his thoughts away and continues. "Anyways...sorry that's not the point but thennnnn he turned around and he has a tattoo across his chest!" he exclaims excitedly and my jaw drops.

"Wahhhhhhhttttt" I say in shock and Junhong nods his head with elation in his eyes.

"Yeah and it's a harry potter quote too! Like how cool is this guy?" Junhong rambles swiping his right hand across the lettering on his chest and the fabric glides with it since it's a little loose on him. Unlike the maroon nike air shirt he wore earlier that hugged his every muscle and the joggers looking like awkward high waters. He really looked like those beefy gym enthusiasts that wear everything tight to show off. I was so ready to yell at him for leaving me last night, but burst into a fit of laughs when I saw his tall figure running towards me in that outfit.

"Omg! That sounds like it hurts" I subconsciously rub my collarbone and he nods looking like he ate something suspicious and unconventional. 

"I mean yeahhh, but now that I found out Daehyun is cooler than the word cool itself, I must look like a total loser getting too turnt around them and puking like a freshman at a frat party" Junhong complains and I laugh despite myself because that's exactly how Youngjae put it. Daehyun casually agreed, but didn't seem to be put off by it either. He's such the endearing sort well besides his badassery tattoo and questionable underwear.

"Great now you're laughing at me, too!" he says dejected and hides his face on the table.

"They don't think you're a loser Junhong...it's just funny because well I'm your bestfriend and even I have never seen or heard of you being so messy and unconscious... it's kinda unfair actually. What do you think about us taking from Unnie's stash and go drinking in my room?" I wiggle my brows at him imitating Jongup's mysteriousness and Junhong shakes his hands profusely.

"Hell no! I felt like dying this morning! How do you even handle so much liquor?!" he gathers all our wrappers and trash together including our bottles before getting up. I help him throw the bottles and we head out of the Convenience store.

"Because my dad is apprehensive and my mom can't handle her liquor at all, so he figured he'd school his daughters about alcohol in case we take after her genes" I say as we wave the worker goodbye and stroll through the sidewalk.

"True...Uncle Yoon is a little..." 

"Crazy but that's my whole family!" I yell and Junhong laughs. We leisurely walk to the train station dreading the nightmare of Intro to Pharmacology and the lab class that went along with it. 6 hours of death...Please help. 

--------------------------------------------

I follow Junhong out the door of the lecture hall and we stretch our limbs around from the two hour class of hell. No introductory hellos, or cringe-worthy icebreakers. Just a syllabus rundown, which is exam central and then lecture, lecture, lecture. New professors are always a hit or miss and this one is definitely a miss. We should've taken Minjun when we had the chance!

"Noona you think we can trade Professor Junho for Professor Minjun?" Junhong asks as we walk to the elevator and wait for it to come down.

"I wish! Professor Minjun's class is always full! ... But at least we don't have Prof Taecyeon...the girl next to us was whispering about her friend taking a quiz this morning...it's only the first day back!" I reply bewildered by the unnecessary difficulty level Professors take pride in. We're all in the same community can't we be nicer to each other? The elevator finally comes after much complains from me and we get in along with other people in our lab class. It was definitely a tight fit, but it's better to be early than late. Professors can be so about punctuality in lab class. 

We make our way out of the elevator and into the hallways. Everything is brightly lit probably to give us some form of encouragement and we wait outside the lab room along with the other students. People in long white lab coats and googles walk out of the lab room manuals in hand. They display an air of experience and eliteness that sunbaes usually emit and I can't help, but envy the sureness in some of their faces. Three more years and then I'll have to take my license test. Would I really make it then? Would this really make me happy and live well like my parents? I teqar my eyes away and stare at the odd painting of jumbled colors and shades splashed together right by the intersection of the hallway. Art like this never made much sense to me, but I'm sure art enthusiasts would say the same about Veterinary Pathology. 

I shake my thoughts away not really in the mood to feed off my anxiety and steer my attention back to the lab room. However midway through, slicked black hair and mean muggin brows catches my eye. He has that same unapproachable aura tied with him even in his light blue baseball tee and white shorts. I look up to see his face and our eyes meet. I wave my hand with a small smile since it's only polite to acknowledge someone you met and offered their bed to you, but he quickly nods off and walks past me like we didn't just bond over Neko Atsume. That Yongguk guy didn't seem rude, why is he being like that now?

I turn my head to see if Junhong saw what just happened and realize he's bent over the wall with his eyes closed. Poor Junhong. I take my phone out and notice we have 2 minutes left until class starts, so I nudge him awake and he groggily leads us to our Lab room. 

--------------------------------------------

Lab class is suppose to end at 7pm or earlier if we finish what is set for the day, but since today is the first day, Prof Junho let us out an hour in and we are free by 5! Junhong and I cheerfully walk down the hallways not really too sure where we should eat before we go home. We stroll through the campus doors and the sun greets us hello.

"Do you want more Tojangguk?" I ask enjoying the fresh air and stare at the trees perfectly aligned on the campus' walkway. 

"Yes! That was amazing! Let's get some!" Junhong beams looking at me like I invented it, but I just smile back because it is really good with or without a hangover. We walk down the hill and out the campus gates to see another familiar face leaning against the gate with sunglasses and a bright red umbrella. 

"Junhong! Lady SooHae~" he lowers his sunglasses with his left hand and waves his umbrella at us. Well red paper parasol with an intricate cherry blossom design on it.

"Hey Himchan~" I say feeling all too familiar with him since I woke up next to his sleeping form huddled in a tigger blanket this morning. I can't even begin to explain the shock on my face to find us in the same bed, but I was covered in a seperate fluffier orange with black stripes comforter, so at least we were separate in that sense. That didn't stop me from screaming though and regretably being greeted by a grumpy Himchan and the twins...One still not clothed, while the other drowsy in a black shirt and basketball shorts. As you can guess, Yongguk was the clothed one, while Yongnam is back to his half indecency. 

They explained how Youngjae called them to see if they saw me by the apartment, so someone saw me sleeping at the foot of the staircase and brought me up to their apartment room. Pretty embarrassing, but they seemed nonchalant about it and it makes sense since apparently Himchan made a big deal out of sleeping on the bed because his delicateness can't touch the floor nor the couch. So, they're immune to the weird and left me and Himchan as bed buddies in its plainest form. Honestly I would've fought them leaving me with another dude on the bed, not to mention my dad would've shot someone by now, but it helps to know Himchan would find no interest in me anyway. Probably the reason why they even agreed to it and because Himchan didn't seem the type to give in once his mind was made up. 

Monday Tuesday Everyday I get by and I am well I meet up with a lot of friends~

My phone rings and I take it out of my bag unaware of the full on conversation Junhong and Himchan are having. I excuse myself and move a few steps up.

"Hello?"

"SooHae come home quick!" I can hear the urgency in Unnie's voice and muffled yelling in the background. That must be mom.

"Wae? What's going on?" I ask alarmed as the screaming gets louder and I hear my uncle's despondent voice.

"That ahjumma took Yosubbie and Miyoungie two hours early again and demanding child support like samchon(uncle) didn't just give it two weeks ago! So, of course eomma found out and she's threatening to barge into that house and knock some sense into that ahjumma!" I can't miss the hateful dictation she gives when talking about her and I can feel my blood boil. That ahjumma has some nerve!

"Aishhhhhh. Is appa(father) home?" Hopeful that at least my dad could stop my mom if samchon isn't defeated enough to calm her down.

"Ani. He's at the shop with unnie and maehyeong(older sister's husband) and they can't leave right now..." I can hear unnie's voice trying to calm my mom down, but she's livid and would probably fight that ahjumma if it weren’t for my uncle. 

"Arasso. I'm on my way" my sister ends the call and I look up to see Junhong and Himchan staring at me. 

"Noona, is everything okay?" Junhong approaches me and Himchan doesn't look away.

"Ani. I have to go home." I say in a huff clenching my fist at the thought of that ahjumma.Why is she so bitter when she has everything?!

"Arasso. I'll come with you!" Junhong offers.  

"Yeah, we'll all just eat together another time~" Himchan chimes in taking his sunglasses off and giving me a small smile. That's what they were talking about.

"Ani. Junhong you can go with them~ I'll just see you guys next time!" I wave them goodbye eager to get home and jog to the train station. 

"Nooona!! Jamkkanman(Wait)!" Junhong catches up to me with no trouble running in long strides and I slow down.

"Junhong its okay~ Go make friends for the both of us!" I encourage him to go and have fun, but he bends down and looks into my eyes.

"Make friends? You are my friend! And I'm going!" he takes my hand now and pulls me to keep walking. "We'll see them around~" he continues and I just follow behind him less anxious. 

-----------------------------------------

The train ride home is long and dragging. I keep taking my phone out every 3 minutes to check if my sister had any updates about the situation. However, she hasn't really sent me anything and it's making me even antsier. The last time this happened my mom drove all the way to their house and caused a scene infront of their gate. It was right after my cousin's released their testimony and made their own father sound like a monster. He loved and lived for his family all his life and they turned their backs on him. How could they?!

"Noona, you want to listen to some music?" Junhong takes out his headphones and I shake my head. 

"It's okay Junhong--"

"No it's not. It's best if you calm down and not over think too much" he advises me and gently places the earphone in my right ear. At first, I was expecting his hiphop rap songs, which I don't really mind on the usual, but wouldn't really want to listen to it right now. However, this song is not like that. It starts with a piano and snaps and then a guy starts speaking to me in english. He is narrating about something that's coming and his precise and gentleman like voice lulls my mind. I let it puzzle me. What is he saying? What are the instruments in the background? Why did the beats suddenly get louder? Then it stops abruptly and he ends it by saying grown. 

I anticipate his rap songs coming next, but the melody repeats and the same voice speaks to me again. He's putting this on repeat. I lean my head on the train since Junhong's shoulders are too high and let the english speaking man invade my thoughts. I close my eyes and don't realize I fell asleep until Junhong nudges me.

Monday Tuesday Everyday I get by and I am well I meet up with a lot of friends~

I take out my phone and pick up my sister's call.

"Hello? Unnie?"

"SooHae, are you almost home?"

"Yes! Wae? What's happening now?" I say glancing at the stop we're at. Two more to go and then I can sprint home.

"Mom has calmed down...but she's drunk and saying whatever comes to mind. Samchon is just sitting there downing shots after shots. I told them to stop, but they're not listening and keep shooing me away. You have to come and stop them! They won't listen to me." my sister says in frustration and I know she's trying her best not to pull her hair out.

"Arasso unnie. I'm almost home!" I say as I end the call and stand up by the door. I can't sit and it's best to stand so I can run the moment the doors open.

---------------------------------------

I open the door to my house in hushed tones and I peak in. I motion for Junhong to follow and we leave our shoes by the door and enter the kitchen on the left. No one is there, so we go back to the hallway and head to the living room to find my mom's back pressed against the couch and head on the soft cushion seat. The living room table is filled with soju bottles, some kimchi and  opened bags of nuts and chips. My uncle is sitting in front of the table his back facing us completely immobile. My mom on the other hand has a whole bottle of soju on her hand, half empty and my sister is trying to pry it out of her. But she wakes up eyes barely even open, shoves the bottle into her lips and takes another sip from the bottle. My mother and alcohol are the worst combination and she never drinks because of it, but here we are.

"SooHae! You're here! Come drink with your mom and uncle!" she smiles dumbly at me and motions for me to sit next to her, bottle still in her hands. 

"We're celebrating! Celebrating the death of that soul wench!" she yells completely angry now and I sit down and rub my mom's shoulders to soothe her. But she's still furious. "Stupid wench! Who does she think she is taking from my family like this? HUH? Tell me! Who is---"

"Arasso eomma, you should have some water~" I try to sound encouraging without being too sweet and keep my volume low, so it doesn't irritate her. 

"Yeah eomma! You're gonna drown yourself in alcohol and get poisoning!" my sister points out as a matter of factly and raises her voice, which ruins my mom's mood again and she glares. Aishhh. I turn around and motion for my sister to just go get water and keep shut. She's great really and smart, but she always speaks in a loud voice that makes my mom's blood boil. I turn around and notice my uncle has stood up from the floor. He was just gripping his shot glass and staring off into space, but now he bravely woobles to the stairs and Junhong follows behind.

Junhong flashes me a small smile before he leads my uncle to the kitchen instead since stairs would just be a disaster and I tend to my mom's yelling.

"YAH! That daughter and ! She's lucky this is about her uncle or I would've shut her right up! And wait wasn't that Junhong? Junhongggggg~" my mom calls out and I sigh.

"Ne eomma, he wanted to talk to samchon about something so they're gonna be in the kitchen." my sister comes back with a glass of water and sits on the other end of the couch. My mom glares at the glass and I hand it to her with a smile.

"I'm not drinking that" she turns her head away and drinks from the soju bottle again.

"That's fine eomma, but that's almost done anyway, so let us replace it with a new one~" I ask and she squints her eyes at me unsure.

"How do I know you're not gonna take it and never give it back? Huh?" she slurs and hugs the bottle close to her chest. My sister just watches us and it almost looks like she's going to take a snapchat of this. Really Unnie?!

"You don't...but this is your daughter, SooHae eomma and you can trust me" I look at her dead in the eye and she pauses. She takes the bottle and sips the last of her soju before handing it to me. So much for trust. I hear footsteps behind me and watch samchon drag Junhong out the door.

"Oppa! Where are you going?" my mom yells and I turn around to ask Junhong the same thing.

"To get some air. You don't mind me taking Junhong do you?" he asks with a fake smile that doesn't reach his eyes and I worry he might still be too drunk to walk anywhere.

"No. It's okay samchon! Let's go get some chicken!" Junhong pipes in and samchon laughs patting his shoulder because his head is too far up. Junhong bows to my mom despite her drunken stupor and he tells her goodbye. 

She waves him off with a childlike smile and I look at Junhong with concerned eyes, but he waves me goodbye with a gentle smile as if to shrug my anxiety away. "Don't worry noona. I'll watch over samchon" His eyes says and give him a small nod of approval. I hear shuffling feet and the closing of the door before my mom lets out a loud cry.

I turn around and she sits there tears streaming down her face clenching her fists like a child angry that she's crying despite her resolve not to. My sister quickly approaches my mom and hugs her. I pat her back and she continues to cry.

"How could she do this to oppa?" she grips the back of my sister's shirt and I just pat her back fighting back the itchy feeling on my eyes.

"He gave up his dream to support hers, raised their kids because she was too busy chasing hers and and---if it wasn't for your oppa where would I have been?" she begs my sister for an answer and we just stare at her. "After all he has done for us I can't even help him! I can't even protect him like he protected us and supported us despite his own problems! Why are they doing this to him?" she pleads even louder looking at my sister's eyes for any sign of enlightenment that will somehow bring light to all that has happened in the last 10 years. 

"Waeeee HyeMiahhh? Waee?!" she cries louder into my sister's shirt and my sister starts crying along with her.

"Mollahyo (I don't know) eomma---" my sister's voice breaks and I look away staring at the ceiling. I was only twelve and I never cried so much in my life. I came home from school and my mom was on the floor, phone hanging off the table and my dad trying to pick her back up. Hyemi unnie was still in her foreign culture club managing year-end festivals and my elder sister Ji Seo was at university. Samchon didn't pick up his calls that day and only came by the next night drunk at the doorstep.

Everyone in my family was shooked like the earth stopped moving. I couldn't focus in school and my uncle sank into a depression that alerted everyone. It was all so painful and ugly, and what was once so temporary and cruel just keeps reappearing into our lives.

-------------------------------------------

My mom finally falls asleep in my sister's arms after she cries all her worries away and we continue to pat her back. My dad arrives shortly after and carries my mother up to their room. My elder sister and her husband come by and help clean the mess in the living room. My brother-in-law offers to wash the dishes as we fill in Ji Seo unnie what happened and I keep tabs on Junhong. He comes in before my eldest sister and her husband have to return home to relieve the babysitter despite her husband's offer for her to stay with us. We assure them everything will be fine and my sister leaves hesistant and instructs us to call her if anything else happens. 

Few minutes later, after we help set up the couch for samchon, my sister, Junhong, and I finally go upstairs to our bedrooms. I help Junhong take out my old futon from my closet and he takes the comforter from Hyemi unnie's hands. 

"It's like you guys are in high school all over again" my sister comments handing Junhong some pillows from the storage closet in the hallway. "Only all your baby fat is gone now Junhong and you've become even more gigantic! Why don't you lend some of that to my sister?" she asks with a grin on her satisfied face and I try not to think of how ugly and wet her eyes were earlier because that's a low blow.

"I would if I could noona! Everyone calls me a tree like I'm something to climb or whatever" he mumbles and I laugh remembering Himchan. She looks at both of us sniggering and she takes that as her cue to leave. 

"Well alright. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight you two!" she waves before closing the door behind her and we wish her goodnight back. 

Junhong and I brush our teeth and wash our faces before we lay on our prospective beds. I lay on my fluffy daybed and Junhong stretches his limbs on the futon beside my me. I pull my comforter up my neck and stare at the glow in the dark solar system we created on my ceiling in middle school the first night Junhong stayed over. 

"So what did you and Samchon talk about?" I ask curious as to what talk accompanied the crispy chicken. 

"He was asking me how school was...how my mom's doing... If i was still dancing... just regular talk." Junhong answers as if he is going over their conversation in his head and I nod tracing the stars with my eyes.

"That's good" I say mindlessly my mom's crying face still engrave in my memory and causing my eyes to itch again.

"Noona?" Junhong's voice comes out soft and timid.

"Hm?" I turn my head to face him and he turns to look at me.

"You think we'll get married?" I quirk my brow at his sudden question and he just shrugs his shoulders. "Samchon was asking me if I was dating someone and somehow we got to the topic..." he explains and I let my mind travel to the infinite romantic fairy tales I thought of throughout the years. It changes with every new obsession I had. From hair color to the very shoes he would wear. To his fears and choice between Coca Cola or Pepsi because that was important. I laugh at my own naivety and Junhong waits for me to answer.

"Sorry I uh...I guess so. I just never---"

"Met anyone who fits your list?" Junhong finishes for me and I side eye him. 

"That was in high school Junhong...I'm not as disillusioned as I was..." I defend and he gives me this smug look like I'm not fooling anyone.

"What? I just...I just want someone who will really connect with me. I don't want that fling just someone to hold for the night bs..." I go off hopeful that there is a guy out there who wants more than just a pretty face and nice specs (kinda like a resume of a person). "I want a nice guy who really cares about things and works hard like my parents. Someone loyal and honest. Someone I can trust. That's not too much to ask is it? 

"I know noona. I want the same. Someone who will make me feel like family--" he adds and his words prick me awake. Chubby quiet Junhong was always lonely in primary school even with his well-off family. If you can imagine 3 people with different interests and backgrounds merge together by fate, then that would be Junhong living with his parents. His father is tall, upright and has this mean stare to him. He is always busy as a doctor and whenever he has any time off he is usually preoccupied with his country club pals drinking and playing golf. His mom on the other hand is youthful with big round eyes, but married too young. So, little after Junhong was born she sought out all sorts of things she's always wanted to try and places she's wanted to visit leaving behind her second son to the care of their helper and his older brother, Junseo oppa. She does call frequently and makes sure Junhong eats right, but it's obvious to anyone's eyes that the free spirit in her can hardly be contained in their large white house. 

Meanwhile, Junseo oppa is tall effervescent and with large brown beguiling eyes. He is that lanky charming guy much like Jack in Titanic, who always brought so much encouragement and wonder in Junhong. But as the gods would have made it, no life is an easy one and albeit his nurturing character he was...is still 10 years older than Junhong. So, the proved problematic at times, but they managed to keep close and be there for each other even after oppa married and moved out. As I, being Junhong's loyal and trustee friend filled in the gaps with the help of my rambunctious family aka his second family. And adopting Junhong as a Yoon has been most rewarding, but he probably already knows that.

I continue to stare at the stars replaying the different scenarios in my head of how I got Junhong to talk to me and much less be my friend. A smile emerges from my face from his constant refusal to be my friend and soon after much thought I feel my eyes get heavy. I turn my body to the side and nestle under my pillow ready for the dreamworld to take me.

"What should we do if we never find that special someone?" Junhong asks right before I resign to my subconsious and I lazily open my eyes.

"Hmmmm....I don't know" I yawn fighting my eyes to stay open. "...I never thought that pessimistically about it.." I reply with another yawn escaping my lips. 

"What if we get hurt...you know? Like really badly...how would we---" he pauses and dismisses the topic right away. "Nevermind. Sorry that was insensitive---" 

"No. it's okay." I say gaining my consciousness back by his sudden alarm. "It will always be too soon for me, so it's okay to just talk about it and desensitize the topic...for my future's sake" I joke, but Junhong doesn't laugh. Samchon must have been really down earlier.

"He worries about you, you know...All of you...thinks about what his situation has done to your family..." Junhong confesses and although I know this as a fact hearing those words come out of his lips feels more dour and agonizing. "He told me to protect you...to never let a guy ruin you like...well he was." Junhong whispers and his words grip at me. I continue to stare intensely at my window because if I look at Junhong I just might cry. 

"He even suggested that if we were still planted at crossroads with no significant other, well maybe...maybe we should just marry each other..." he lightheartedly jokes probably noticing the strained atmosphere between us, but the heavy air settles in with each word he spoke. My gaze stays on the window and I don't know what to make of his words. 

"Everyone seems to be entertaining that thought lately..." I finally remark still not knowing what to say.

"I know...and you know what" he pauses, but I offer no reply and he goes on with his thoughts afraid whatever brilliant idea he has in mind might leave if he waits any longer. "Maybe we should! Everyone seems to assume so anyway..." Junhong shrugs it off like he didn't just sign us up for a life long committment with only death marking its end...well also a court's approval, but that's unheard of.

"Are you still hungover?" I blurt out and he laughs. This giant is playing around like marriage is some easy thing.

"No noona, just thinking if we really don't find someone maybe we are as good as it gets for each other" he explains and the thought is just so foreign to me that I can't help the condemnatory face I give him.

"Okay...geez. You're making me seem like the worst option in the world. Thanks noona! I'm gonna go cry myself to sleep now..." he resigns turning away from me and I tug at his blanket.

"Hey, I don't mean it like that! It's just---well bizarre. You're basically an adoptee of the Yoons! How could we ever get married?"

"True, but you know we're technically not related in the slightest bit" he says a little spiteful and I can tell he is a little ticked that I view him so far off the avaliability scale.

"You know what I'm trying to say---" I reason, but he cuts me off a little frustrated.

"Well I'm just trying to say too! That there's no one else in this world I trust and care for. And maybe love is temporary at its best seeing as how everyone around us seems to fall under a hole when it comes down to love, but our friendship is something more than that. It's constant and unchanging and a marriage like that is probably stronger than most... That's all I was trying to get at. Just an idea..suggestion...Thanks for not appreciating how highly I view our friendship..." his inflamed voice slowly decrescendoes into a dejected whisper.

I turn to face him a little disappointed in myself for not hearing him out, but his long back greets me and I wait for him to say something. However Junhong stays resolute clearly bitter about my repudiation, so I poke him and try to get him to turn around, but he still doesn't move a wink.

"Junhongggg, look at me~ You know I wouldn't have made it this far without you...stop sulking~~" I tug at his shirt, but he dismisses me again. "Hey c'mon!" he still doesn't answer and I poke his waist in an attempt to tickle him. However he dodges that too and rolls further away to the edge of my old futon. "Really?" I say out loud and he lets the silence between us grow, which makes me feel worse. I sigh staring at his back wanting to just sleep it away, but knowing it would be bad to leave this conversation on such a bad note. "Fineeeee! I'll marry you dammit!" I yell vexed with myself, but at least now he'll look and talk to me. I wait for him to look at me and a few seconds later a shameless sniggering face meets mine.

"Heh. I knew it!" he says turning around with a big fat smirk on his lips. I glare at him and his childish antics. "So when's the wedding?" he coos and I throw my pillow at him.

"You cheeky giant! Go to sleep!" I yell, missing the fluffy support on my head. Why did I throw my pillow at him? He doesn't deserve the extra cushion being all difficult and manipulative. I narrow my eyes at his overjoyed ones, teasing me to no end. Marry him? No way!

"And give me my pillow back!" I order and he laughs even louder, clearly enjoying himself. I huff and yank the pillow from underneath his head and he groans.

"Heyyyy! That's no way to treat your future husband!" he goes on with his jokes and I roll my eyes at him.

"Shutup or I'm divorcing you the morning after!" I look at him with an evil smirk and he acts like those high-class women with their right hand on their chest and mouths open in shock at such a vile statement. I shake my head at how stupid he looks and then he starts laughing at himself like a mad man. I laugh along with him until I couldn't breathe and my sister yells for us to go to bed. 

After we finally calm down, which took a visit from my sister, I wish him good night despite his childish stunt and he does the same. I turn around again facing my window and my eyes become weak as my breathing thins out. I close my eyes and soon drift into the clouds where I am flying above the ocean tides.

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Hey guys! Sorry this chapter also took awhile, but it's pretty long, so I hope that makes up for it. A lot of stuff goes on in this chapter and more stories will unfold from here on out, so please wait for it~ Also, I hope you guys enjoyed it and if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Happy reading! ^^