The rain poured heavily down onto the concrete sidewalk with puddles everywhere, but it still wasn't enough to stop a determined young man from finding his best friend, missing since two nights ago.

“He's got to be here somewhere,” Jiyong jogged breathlessly down the road and made an abrupt stop near the corner, turning his head in almost every direction possible in search of that familiar face. Even if he were drenched from head to toe, he had to keep looking. He had to bring him back. “They always roam around this part of the neighborhood during this time of night. He can't be far.”

Just as he predicted, within a block from where he stood, he could see a group of men around his age laughing loudly and shouting profanity at any random vehicle that drove by. The sight of their behavior made them look psychotic and strange, but Jiyong knew quite well they were probably just drunk. Checking to make sure no cars were coming this way, he made a quick dash across the street and rushed over to his friend.

“Seunghyun, did you go drinking with these lunatics again?” He questioned though the answer was quite obvious. Seunghyun had a beer bottle in hand, a disappointing sight to Jiyong. Ever since Seunghyun's father had an affair and his parents got divorced, he turned into a whole new person, skipping school to play at the arcade and staying out late until the wee hours before returning home. “You don't belong in this group, they're dangerous people. You can't get involved in a gang.”

Even though Seunghyun only had one beer, he felt as though the alcohol was already getting to his head. “Go away. What I do is none of your business.” He pushed Jiyong aside and continued to follow his group of friends down the road, unsure on where they were going.

Not giving up so easily, Jiyong regained his balance and rushed up to Seunghyun once more. “Don't you remember what you promised your mother when your parents got divorced? You promised her that you'd grow up well and take care of her. She's been so worried about you for the past nights, if only you could hear the desperateness in her voice over the phone asking for my help to find you. Have you forgotten your promises to her already?”

Annoyed by Jiyong's presence, Seunghyun turned around swiftly and eyed the smaller man with a threatening gaze. “Why do you nag like an old lady? If you feel so bad for my mom, then why don't you go be her son? She always says how perfect you are and how I should be more like you, someone who lives such a dull and boring life...”

Seunghyun's words made Jiyong stop in his steps, hurt by the comment. “Come on man, don't say such things. We're best friends.”

“We were,” Seunghyun echoed, he too froze momentarily and looked back. “But not anymore. The clock ticks and the world changes. Life isn't scripted, you can never predict what might happen next, so what's the point of trying to be good when the whole world could turn upside down on you the second after?”

“That's still no reason to join a gang.” Jiyong pestered with little luck. No matter what he said, his words would never get through to Seunghyun in his half-drunken state. As he watched his friend walk away, he shouted one last comment. “You may not realize this tonight, but there's more to life than alcohol and violence. Let's just hope you'll understand soon before someone gets hurt and it's too late!”