11:00 AM 

I laid entangled in my white bed sheets as I deliberated getting up or not. I spread my arms expecting to swipe my boyfriend's back, but my exploring fingertips only found cold empty sheets. I remembered that Chen left for a schedule in Daegu three days earlier. Over the years, his charming smile that peered down at me in the mornings became his pale back. I'd focus on the small beauty marks that littered it and pretend that they were constellations. He seemed just as distant as the stars.

Fights felt like mandatory bi-weekly meetings and the time we spent together dwindled. Snippets of our last fight replayed in my mind.  

Flashes of him screaming at me while I turned my back on him. He was being possessive and I was tired. He whispered Xiumin's name and how we spend too much time together. I snapped at him reminding him that I've known Xiumin longer than I've known him. I reminded him how it was Xuimin that introduced us. He was being petty, well, at least I was pretending that he didn't have a reason to be worried. 

"Rose, I know you may not feel anything for him, but I can't shake the feeling that he wishes there could be more between you two." I could hear the exasperation in his voice. 

The truth was that he didn't know how I felt, or what I felt. 

"Just stop okay. He doesn't think like that. You're just stressed and it's making you go crazy, Chen." 

"Yeah..maybe I'm just crazy. I'll see you when I get back." He stated, while simultaneously snatching his packed duffle bag off of the floor. 

"Chen.."

He shut the door without even looking back.

My head began to throb just thinking about three days ago, so I got up and decided to clean. It's what I normally did when I was trying to distract myself. Getting up I took a shower, slipped on a loose dark green t-shirt and a pair of gray shorts. I wrestled my curly hair into a bun and grabbed the broom. 

1:00 PM 

I flopped on the couch and admired my now pristine surroundings. 

My small Seoul apartment was bathed in white sunlight and the pale pink rays my curtains cast on the hardwood floors. The faint sound of Fx's "four walls" wafted through the air of my apartment. It was my favorite kind of day: calm, peaceful, and quiet. I spread my nail polish collection out on my coffee table and deliberated on a color that would make me remember this moment. My hand hovered over one until I heard a knock at the door. Spriniting to it, I expected to see Chen on the other side, but a pair of round childlike eyes and small pink lips that spread into a wide grin greeted me instead. My own smile was wider than it should have been. 

"Hi Rose"

Xiumin's voice practically sang out my name. 

"Hi Xiumin"

I couldn't stop myself from reaching up and tossing his black strands. His pale hand rested on top of my dark brown one for a few seconds before he walked past me into the apartment. He wore simple gray pants and a form fitting white t-shirt. I caught myself scanning him.

Before I could close the door he had already situated himself in the spot I previously occupied on the couch. 

"What are you up to today? Didn't you have an commercial filming?" I asked more out of hope that his visit wouldn't be long, than actual curiosity. 

"I finished." he nonchalantly shot back as he eyed the array of nail polishes I had sat out earlier. "I see you had big plans for today, should I go?" he teased.

"Shut up. You know painting my nails is a very strenuous task for me."I sat down next to him on the couch lightly pushing his head for making fun of my lackluster plans.

"I like this color. I think it would look really nice against your skin tone." He should have been looking at my hands, but I felt his eyes on the v shape of exposed skin on my chest. I felt my throat get dry and my cheeks heat up. I cleared my throat trying to pull myself together and grabbed the small vial of light pink nail polish from his hand. It was the same color my hand had hovered over before he knocked at the door. 

I tried to fill in the silence with small talk, I could practically feel my heart beat in my throat when I looked at his face. His innocent features became more manly depending on his mood and the angle of his face. It was one of his charms.

"So tell me about your day. Were you mobbed by any crazy fans? Received a marriage proposal from an ajumma fan?"

" Ani..it was just the usual. You know the boys were being...." he suddenly trailed off, "Yah, what 22-year-old woman can't paint her own nails?"
Actual disappointment coated his soft chuckles.

"What are you talking about?! I'm doing fine!" I snapped back at him in a faux-angry voice. I puffed up my cheeks, bent my torso over the table more, and tried my hardest to steady my trembling hand.

My efforts were to no avail. The coat of paint was so thick and it slightly passed my cuticles. I could hear stifled snickering to my side.

Suddenly a pair of large hands were on my hips rotating me to face him. His fingertips lightly passed the hem of my shorts onto my upper thigh. Xiumin grabbed my hands and placed them flat on the space just