Every inch of my face began to sting as the local anesthesia started to wear off. My right ear, particularly, where they got the reinforcement for my nose, stung like a b. I wanted to curse but I was in too much pain to even make a tiny move such as murmuring.

     Being naturally curious didn't help the slightest bit as I eventually succumbed, just before my surgery, searching in the internet how Rhinoplasty is performed. I made a fuss about getting me under general anesthesia after witnessing the horror but lady boss right there, sitting at the foot of my bed at the moment, would not allow it to happen since the budget only covered for local anesthesia. Since the surgery was inevitable anyway, all I could do was to beg to be sedated. But, boy, was she a miser.

     "How are you feeling?" she then asked.

     I rolled my eyes and saw her Hermes bag sitting on the bedside table, which made me roll my eyes again.

     Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for all the things she's done for me all this time, but getting a glimpse of the surgeon sewing your nose seriously makes you forget all the good things in life. I wished for my panic attack to make me pass out during the surgery but it didn't. It only added to the agony.

     "Fine, thank you," I mumbled, but no sound came out.

     "Just endure it a little, okay? After a few weeks, this will be over," she reassured with a soft smile. However, I didn't like the idea of spending the rest of my holiday break with a nose cast and a bandage wrapped around my head.

     A knock on the door of my room thankfully broke the awkwardness between Miss Jina and me.

     Yook Sung Jae. Why on earth is this guy here?

     I looked at Miss Jina with questioning eyes. Did it not cross her at all that I didn't want anyone from work, especially a co-actor, to see me in this state? But what I got was only an apologetic smile.

     "Nae jalmeoshiya," (It's my fault,) Sung Jae interrupted, taking the hint. "Amteun. Seonggongjeogin susure chukhahae!" (Anyway. Congratulations on your successful surgery!) he cheerfully greeted and handed me a bouquet of pink roses.

     "G-gomawo," I replied in a low voice.

     "Keurigo..." (Also...) he started. "Nae sagwa bada jom." (Please accept my apology.) He then set a basket of apples on the bedside table, not before doing an aegyo near my face that made me retract my head and sink into the soft pillow beneath. [Word for apple and apology sound the same in Korean]

     "Mweoga?" (For what?)

     "For coming here unannounced."

     "Museun iyuro?" (For what reason [should I forgive you]?)

     "Naega dolboneun chingunikka." (Because I'm a caring friend.)

     "Good point."

     Our quick exchange ended with me eventually feeling comfortable with his presence. What more could I possibly do? He already saw my nose with nastitches. Yeah, yeah. That's my contraction of the words nasty stitches. Yeah, yeah. This is why I did not have m/any/ friends.

~~~~~

After dozens of cleaning sessions, numerous dreadful bathroom emergencies, and several follow-up visits to the doctor, all of my sutures were finally removed. My nose was finally free. And that meant December passed me by like a blow of cold air. Only a few hours was left before the beginning of 2016. And I was about to welcome it alone.

     I looked around the officetel as I tried to look for something to do to trick my mind into thinking that I was too busy to celebrate New Year's Eve. But all I could find was my cellphone. I was so sick of playing mobile games.

     Just when I was about to turn my attention away from my phone sitting on the bedside table, it went off.

     Someone was calling.

     And it was the last person I was expecting to contact me.

     "W-waeyo?" I asked carefully, a little worried that there might be trouble on the way.

     "Well, hello to you too," L greeted from the other line.

     "J-jwesonghaeyo," I apologized sincerely.

     "Almyeon dwaesseo. Mwo hae?" (As long as you know it. What are you up to?)

     "Jigeumyo?" (Right now?)

     "Yes."

     "Nothing special. Why?"

     "A-amugeotdo," (N-nothing,) he stuttered. "Jiruhae?" (You bored?)

     I breathed a smile awkwardly because I actually was bored to the extent that I was already considering to start cleaning the entire place even if manager oppa and some ahjumma just cleaned thoroughly yesterday. "Jogeumyo." (A little.)

     I heard him chuckle from the other end and honestly, I could've melted right then. However, I made a pact with myself. I swore to the heavens that I will never have a crush on anyone I work with. Never ever. And I had no plans of breaking that promise on my first project, because if I did, the probability of this project becoming my last is pretty darn high.

     But it certainly doesn't mean I have to avoid any friendship that may arise between my co-workers and me. Myungsoo oppa had been really caring and friendly behind the camera. To be honest, I still wasn't used to it. Since I've only watched him on Shut Up! Flower Boyband and on Infinite's music videos, where he was always portrayed as a charming badass with a face that can make you die, either from too much charisma or his sharp killer eyes that shoot daggers, his real personality was a mystery to me.

     That's why phone calls like this still puts me on the edge of my seat.

     "Waeyo?" I asked.

     "I'm just being considerate. I realized you must be bored because everyone's not around," he explained.

     It painted a genuine smile on my face, to be honest.

     "So I thought, maybe, if you want, my friend and I will come over and celebrate New Year's Eve with you,"

     "E-eh?" I was so surprised that I forgot I wasn't supposed to open my mouth wide yet to prevent possible deformation of my new nose. "But I'm not allowed to invite friends over."

     "Geokcheong ma. We already told your manager and he said your guardian approved it." (Don't worry. ...)

     Guardian? "Oh, Miss Jina? Okay then." I could really use a company before I lose my mind. Before I could even ask which friend he was going to bring, he already hung up.

     About half an hour later, I heard a ring from the door, signaling the arrival of my friends. I glanced at the full-body mirror one last time. The obvious change in my body -- from my skin tone to my weight loss -- satisfied my eyes and then I went for the door. Three boxes of chicken and a couple bottles of beer greeted me right on my face... with three people standing with smiling faces at the background. "Seonbaenimdeul... wae..." (Seniors... why...) Sung Jae who held the boxes of chicken smiled and walked past me to the living room. Eun Ji eonni then greeted me and asked how I was doing. Myung Soo, who entered last, gave me an apologetic smile which I returned with a stare-down. Of course, I was expecting him to bring someone from work but I thought it would be my manager or Miss Jina. I did not expect him to bring the entire main cast at all.

     What if this becomes awkward? I already feel awkward around L as it is.

     "Let's get the party started, shall we?" he asked as he entered the place.

     There goes my plan of ending 2015 alone and/or quietly.

-----

You read it right, guys. The setting was in 2015. I actually patterned the events in the story with events in real life. Remember when GD was seen partying at Itaewon? It was December 2015. :D