BGM: 밤삼킨별 (A Star That Engulfed the Night) by 316
(A/N: Play this BGM as you read along)

It's been 2 years since the day when I heard news about his death. Nothing really has changed since then except for the fact that I've become busier as a designer for a pretty well-known clothing brand.

It wasn't really my original decision to have such a hectic job, but ever since the incident from 2 years ago, I didn't want to see pianos or even hear piano pieces of classic music so I gave up my dream of becoming a piano designer. It scared me at the fact that pianos would remind me of my bittersweet past with him.

I was on my way to work early in the morning with an americano coffee from Starbucks on one hand, a handful of my design portfolio files on my arms, and a small brown duffle bag filled with my art supplies/files and a laptop hung over my shoulder. I was stuggling to carry all these with my painful high heels on until a phone rang for me to pause on my tracks to get my hands on my phone to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Oh Serin speaking?"a familiar male voice replied in a confused tone.

"Yes, this is Oh Serin speaking. May I ask who this is?"I asked in the nicest way possible despite the fact that I was very much annoyed at the slow-paced conversation.

"Hehe... I knew it. I knew it was you when I heard your voice,"he replied rather playfully.

"I don't have a lot of time to spare at the moment so can I call you back later or are you going to tell me who you are?"

"Wow, I'm so hurt. How could you not recognize my voice noona?" (Noona is used to call an older sister by younger male siblings in Korea)

"Wait... Sehun? Oh Sehun, is that you?"I asked in a surprise tone as I dropped all my things except my coffee on to the concrete floor of the sidewalk without my conscience.

"The one and only~"

I was truly taken back at the call from my younger brother, Sehun, ever since the day he enlisted into the army two years ago. We didn't keep in touch for a while due to myself becoming busier as a clothing brand desginer, but I was happy when I finally got to hear back from Sehun.

"So are you officially done with your service at the military?"

"Yup, I just got discharged from the military today so I figured I would call you first since we didn't get to keep in touch for a while. Mom and dad already knew I was being discharged today so they came to pick me up."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Sehun. I completely forgot. I have this design project due today so I was so busy lately."

"Haha it's fine. I'm used to dealing with your busy life."

"We should meet and talk some time this week. I'll come by at the usual cafe we always went to. Is 6:00 p.m. on Friday good for you?"

"Sure thing. I'll see you then noona!"

"Alright, I'm late for work now so I'll see you then!"

I put away my phone after I pressed the end call widget on my phone hastily as I picked up all my things on the floor and went on my way to work only this time running rather than fast-walking with ragged breaths. I was going to be late for work and I definitely didn't want to be scolded by my supervisor.

After 4 days, it was finally Friday which meant that I would be able to see my brother since the day he was enlisted to the military. I was excused from work earlier than usual due to my request in advance to be released early to meet my brother.

I lifted up my wrist to my face to see the wrist-watch signing that it was 6:14 p.m. as I walked into the cafe I had promised to meet at. The scent of warm coffee filled my nose and the sound of calming Korean ballads filled my ears as I scanned around the place to see my brother waving at me to make his presence noticable.

I immediately smiled brightly as I made my way towards him and sat down on the soft cushion of the sofa face-to-face with him. His childish and thin facial features from before changed into a sharp and masculine face when I scanned his features with a proud smile.

"Sorry I'm late! My supervisor wouldn't stop nagging at me about how my designs aren't going to make it into the fashion show if I leave early from work ugh..."I explained in a haste tone as I relaxed on to the sofa to rest my tired body.

"Well you look like a mess as always,"he said with a small laugh.

"Can't help it when your boss is a pain in the ugh. Anyway, what were you up to for the past years? Why didn't you come visit when you had breaks from the military?"

"Well you know. Training in the mountains, learning how to shoot guns, surviving in gas chambers, shoveling in the snow, and living in hell itself,"he answered with a playfully traumatized look,"But I didn't have to time come and visit during my breaks because of military duties and all."

I laughed at his answer and spent long hours talking to Sehun as we shared our stories (minus the Baekhyun one) since we haven't seen each other for a while. It was a happy evening with us siblings spending quality time together until Sehun brought up something which I never wanted to talk or even hear about again.

"So anyway, how's it going with Baekhyun hyung? Are you guys still a thing after all these years?"Sehun asked with a goofy grin, looking at me with a michievious glint in his eyes.

My smile suddenly disappeared as all the muscle in my body tensed up from that name. Sehun seemed to notice the sudden change in my expression as he look at me in a worried glance and asked for my well-being. I didn't answer and stayed quiet as I looked down with a sigh.

"Noona, if you don't want to talk about it then it's okay with me,"he reassured with a soft smile.

"I'm... I'm sorry Sehun. It's just.... I'll tell you when everything is all sorted out in my life,"I said, avoiding his gaze with guilt.

Sehun switched the topic and we went back to talking happily as the time neared to midnight for us to go home. I went to go pay for the food and drinks we ordered from the cafe, but Sehun beat me to it before I could take out my wallet.

"So Sehun, you have a place to stay for the time being or do you need a place?"

"I'm fine. I'm staying at my friend, Jongin's place for a bit while I look for a place of my own to stay in. I'll walk you home since it's really late."

As promised, Sehun walked with me until we arrived at my apartment as I bid him goodbye when he turned to go to his friend's place. I sighed after a long day of work and catching up with my little brother until midnight. Today had been a busy day, but of course when was I not busy?

I opened the lock on my apartment door and immediately washed up before throwing myself face flat on to my comfortable bed. This time, I sighed out in relief into the soft pillow.

I flipped my body to face the ceiling as I thought about what had happened all day in my struggle of trying to distract myself from my bittersweet past. I knew to myself why I chose this hectic and stressful career. This was all to forget... him.

I shook my head to shake away the memories that I didn't want to remember and quickly turned off my lamp and pulled up my covers over my body. I hoped my memories wouldn't even appear in my dreams.

Today was Saturday, which meant that I was off from work, but that didn't mean that I would be lazing around all day in my bed. My designs were due on Monday which would be the day I go back to work so I needed to wake up early and work at home to finish my designs before the deadline. I learned my lesson when I didn't finish my designs before the deadline when my boss yelled and threatened me that I would be fired. *shiver*

Since I wasn't planning to go out all day, I didn't even wash myself