May 15^th, 1996

It was Sunday morning, Chanyeol and Jieun did a little bit renovation on their new simple flat. She was quite busy with her essays while Chanyeol did barbeque on their rooftop along with unfinished things around him. The night before, Baekhyun called her and asked whether they can meet today and of course she agreed. She had missed her bestfriend so much but on the other hand, she also felt bad about Chanyeol. Jieun still can’t love him fully; her heart had always been Baekhyun’s. She sighed multiple times before got up from her chair and walked to check Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol? Do you think you’ll finish painting today? I’d like to at least get the TV back instead.”

“Alright, alright. I can have breakfast first, can’t I?”

“We’ve had breakfast.”

“Alright, brunch, then. Bruch, is it lunch? Is it breakfast? No, it’s brunch. What about brinner, say? Or brupper?

“Well, I should get on.”

“Bearhug, snootch?”

“I thought we agreed about snootch?”

“I can’t seem to say anything right these days, can I?”

She sighed and walked toward him. “Look, if you don’t want me to go tonight…”

“No, you should go.”

She back-hugged him, her petite body and short arms wrapped around his waist. “Or if you wanted to come with us…”

“What? Baekhyun ignoring me, and you talking over me? No, thank you. Anyway, I’ve got a gig tonight at The Good-Nice World. Gangnam.” He kissed her palm.

–

Baekhyun was standing near the table bar waiting for Jieun. She looked outstanding tonight, she did dress up for him but not too much, simple as always. Baekhyun walked toward her, he couldn’t help but looked at her.

“Wow, you look incredible. Let’s see the dress, is it vintage?”

“No, it’s brand new.”

“Really?”

“Mmm.”

“Well, you look great, and I love the shoes.”

“Thank you. It’s the world’s first orthopedic high heel.”

“Look, it’s been too long, Ji.”

“I need to have some fun tonight. Can we have fun, please?”

“God, sorry.”

Baekhyun’s phone rang, it was Eunji. She said she was and he should answer it before she got wilder. Jieun bit her lower lip and sighed while Baekhyun tried his best to find some excuses. After so called fifteen boring minutes standing and waiting for Baekhyun and his loud girlfriend, they finally sit on their table. They talked a lot yet both of them felt bizarre. It was like; you finally met your best friend at the same time you felt some damn deep distance between both of you.

“So, how’s the king of comedy?”

“Oh, Chanyeol’s fine. We both are.”

“Are you still very much in love?”

“He can belch the theme to The A-Team. I’m only flesh and blood. I don’t know, these days, we don’t seem to…”

“And how’s the new place? How’s that?”

“Flat’s fine. Well, it’s a room and a half in murder mile. And Chanyeol’s been talking about painting the same wall for the past six months. But it’s got potential. There’s a view. The Gasworks. You should come around. How’s Eunji?”

“She’s fantastic. Yeah, gorgeous. What’s great for me is that she really understands the industry. You know, she knows how exactly what it’s like to be….I was gonna say “famous.” God, we hate the word.”

“Every time I turn on the telly, she’s there in a pink rubber catsuit. She’s doing incredibly well.”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, we both are. I’ve got some really, really exciting stuff coming up. It’s all sort of in development. If I told you, I’d have to shoot you.”

“Please do.”

“Never mind. Start without me, alright?”

The atmosphere was too much awkward between them, Baekhyun suddenly acted just like a jerk after their so called pointless conversations. He then, left Jieun alone to smoke in the toilet and somehow flirted with the shinning-dress-matches-girl seller on the bar. It was almost thirty minutes since he left, Baekhyun was literally ed up. Jieun just sighed, their foods have arrived then again, Baekhyun was flirting with the same girl in her shinning dress. He sat in front of Jieun like there was nothing happened, like he never left her for thirty damn hell minutes alone like a fool. He started to make a conversation again but it turned out to be a serious fight between them because Baekhyun had offended Jieun about being incapable teacher. Jieun didn’t understand why Baekhyun can say that mean word to her. She cursed in front of his face then got up from her chair. Everyone was watching at them, Jieun threw her wrath toward Baekhyun, she shouted and half sobbing. It hurts her pride so much. She missed him yet he did ruin everything tonight, she just wanted to meet him.

“Ji! Ji, come on. Look, whatever I’ve done, I’m sorry. You’ve obviously had a bit too much to drink.”

“No, you’re drunk! You’re drunk! Do you realize that I have literally not seen you sober for three years? Nipping off to the toilet every ten minutes. Either you’re on coke, or you’ve got dysentery. Either way, it’s boring! Banging on about yourself all the time. Well, I wouldn’t mind, Baek. But you’re a TV presenter, alright? You’ve not invented penicillin. All you do is stand around shouting, “Make some noise!”’

“Look, I am having fun, that’s all. I’ve been through a lot recently. I might get a bit carried away, but if you wouldn’t stop getting at me…”

“Am I? I don’t mean to, and I…I know that you’ve been through a lot with your mum and all, I know. But, there are things that I needed to talk to you about…about how I am stuck in this flat with a man that I am not in love with. And if I can’t talk to you, then what’s the point of you? Of us?”

“What do you mean, “What’s the point?”

“I think we’ve outgrown each other. No, you have outgrown me. You think I’m uncool and dreary.”

“I don’t think you’re dreary. Ji…”

“I think if it’s over, then we should just face facts. Say goodbye.”

“It sounds like you’re dumping me.”

“Yeah, maybe I am. You’re not who you used to be.” She cried so hard, her heart hurts so much. She turned her back to Baekhyun and walked away.

“Come on, Ji. Look, I apologize! Please.”

Jieun stopped and walked toward him with her teary eyes. Her heart fell down to the lowest point of its cage. She hugged him, so tight. It was her last hug for him, she thought. It was a goodbye hug for him; she wanted to escape from his shadow. He hugged her back, smile.

“I love you, Baekhyun. So much. I just don’t like you anymore, I’m sorry.”

She left, completely gone in the dark side of the alley. Baekhyun only stared at her back, he had lost his best friend, and he had lost his Jieun. Was it their end?