“Are you okay? What happened to you? Why did you disappear from the trip suddenly?” Myungsoo asked everything in one breath.

Ahreum noticed the bulky luggage on his hand. He must have rushed to her house the moment he returned to Seoul. Deep down inside, she felt a surge of warmth from his action. At the same time, she felt a sense of burden weighing down on her. Ahreum thought she was like the luggage on Myungsoo’s hand. Heavy and burdening for him.  

“Myungsoo, come in first.” Ahreum said as she opened the door fully.  

“What do you think of this?” Ahreum asked as she showed Myungsoo the contract.

“What is this?” he flipped through the papers.

“It’s a contract to be a singer?” he concluded.

Ahreum nodded her head.

“Could this be a fraud? I mean how-” he asked concernedly. 

“Do you also think someone like me don’t deserve to stand on a big stage and sing too?” Ahreum sensitively retorted.

“What? No! I was just being concerned, there’s many cases-” Myungsoo quickly said.

“Myungsoo, this is my last hope.” She cut in and a full teardrop fell from her eye.

Myungsoo fell silent at her words. There were a hundred questions running through his head. But her tears made him stop talking. He hated how he was always rendered immobile by her tears.

“Myungsoo, you don’t understand.” She continued.

“You can tell me.” He said.

Ahreum looked up and stared wordlessly at Myungsoo. Tears continued to fell.

“I am sorry, Myungsoo.” She thought in her mind.

“Forget it. You never understood. You are not me. You don’t know how I feel being so fat and ugly. You are handsome and people love you even if you don’t speak to them. How could someone like you understand?” she laughed after saying those harsh words.

“Ahreum, what’s wrong with yo-” Myungsoo’s voice was getting louder.  

The person before him wasn’t the Park Ahreum he knew. The best friend he knew would never say such things to him. She always told him what was wrong and they’d work things out together. They used to only have each other. He lightly placed his hand over hers in an attempt to calm her down but she shoved his hand away. Ahreum was pushing him away, yet again. Myungsoo thought Ahreum was so far away suddenly. It was as if he could see her drowning through her gaze but she didn’t want his help.

“Just go, Myungsoo. You cannot help me. Not this time.” She harshly said. Myungsoo felt hurt.  

“Please.” She pleaded. He could tell she was hurting more.

Myungsoo wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay but he didn’t why he lost his voice. Her eyes were begging him to go away. And so he did. He thought he would just come back tomorrow when she was less irritable. He thought he could then persuade her not to sign the ridiculous contract that had so many unfavourable additional clauses. He thought she’d be just fine just like the old days. But he was wrong. Little did Myungsoo know it’d be the last time he met his best friend, Ahreum.

“Ahreum!” Myungsoo shouted for the umpteenth time as he knocked the door.

She wasn’t answering the door. Then, Myungsoo suddenly recalled about her secret key. She would always keep one beneath the carpet because she was such a muddleheaded girl. Picking the key from beneath the carpet, he entered her house to find it emptied. Her shoe rack was empty and so was her room. All Myungsoo found was a letter lying on the table.

To: Myungsoo

I am sorry. I am really sorry for the words I said yesterday. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Thank you for always being there for me when I needed someone. However, it’s time for me to stop being a burden to you. You have your own life too. I shouldn’t be imposing my problems and depressing thoughts on you, always. It's too selfish of me...

I have decided to sign the contract and hopefully, one day I could chase my dreams too. Please don’t look for me, Myungsoo. I promise we will meet again when I am better. I promise I won’t hurt myself again, don’t worry. I hope the next time we meet; I can bring you smiles too.

Please stay healthy and happy. Till we meet again, best friend.

With love,

Ahreum

“You were never a burden, you fool.” Myungsoo crumpled the letter slightly.

-

“Rule no.1: Kim Sunggyu is always right so you’ve to do everything I say.” Sunggyu said.

Ahreum nodded her head obediently as she played with the hem of her oversized shirt.

“Where are we goin-?” Ahreum asked as she peered out in an attempt to identify the streets.

“Rule no. 2: Do not talk unnecessarily. I hate noises.” He cut her off.

Ahreum fell silent at his words. Noises.

“We are here.” He said as he got off the car.

Ahreum trailed behind Sunggyu into a white pristine building.

“Hi, I am Jung Yeon.” She self-introduced with a warm smile.

“I’ll come back after an hour.” Sunggyu said simply.

“Hi, I am Ahreum.” Ahreum bowed slightly out of politeness.

“Don’t be scared.” Jung Yeon smiled as she looked down at Ahreum’s tightly clenched fists.

She quickly opened her clenched fists consciously at her words.  

“Isn’t Sunggyu-ssi a little harsh sometimes?” Jung Yeon asked as she adjusted Ahreum’s reclined seat.

Ahreum remained silent for a brief moment before nodding her head. Jung Yeon chuckled at her reply.

“It’s normal. I used to think the same way too.” She said.

“Really?” Ahreum was glad she wasn’t the only one who thought he was a difficult person to get along with.

“He’s not that bad when you get to know him better. Deep inside, there’s another softer side to him.” She said vaguely with yet another smile.

“Ahreum…At the count of 3, you’d fall into a deep, deep sleep…3, 2, 1…”

Ahreum didn’t know how long she slept but she woke up with tears in her eyes.

“It’s okay now.” She said, holding onto her hand.

In her long, deep sleep, Ahreum was certain she saw her parents. They hugged her tightly, just like the old days. They sat on their house’s couch and talked for a long time over a plate of fruits. Ahreum didn’t know how much she missed their loving arms until today.

“Are you feeling okay?” Jung Yeon asked.

Ahreum habitually nodded at the question.

“If you are not okay, just say you’re not. We are humans. We don’t have to be alright all the time.”

At her words, Ahreum didn’t know why but she broke into tears.

“I am not okay…I am not…” She whispered softly between tears. 

“You may not be now but I promise, you’ll be fine.” Jung Yeon said as she patted her back.

Author's Note: 
Thank you for all the kind comments for the previous chapter. <3
It has been a tough week for all inspirits and infinite, especially Dongwoo. 
"We are humans. We don't have to be alright all the time." I wish I could tell him this.
Hopefully, he's not putting up a strong front and forcing himself too much TT
Inspirits! Please do send him some love and together, we can be his sunshine. 
Just like how Sunggyu was for Ahreum, let's pick him up together! 
Thank you for reading this till the end...