“I’m out.” 

I didn’t need Jaewon’s insistent tugging to finally make me want to go home. Someone’s appearance did the job just perfectly.

Both Jaewon and Suah blink back from the unexpected shock and try to follow after me. 

“Whoa, wait-,"

Jaewon can exclaim those words all he wants but my mind is simply focused on one thing and one thing only– getting the hell out of here. 

While walking away, for one brief moment, I may have lost my mind because I looked back and of course, met Hanbin’s eyes. 

I didn’t know what I was expecting- maybe his desire to escape just like me but neither his expression nor his posture changed. So, I’m left with one question: does he have a staring problem?

My attention then shifts over to Bobby and it’s so obvious how he’s squinting his eyes at me. From years of knowing him, I know he’s judging me. 

So, I slowly put my hand in the air and give it a little shake. And, that is one sound goodbye. I really didn’t want to hear his complaining later on that I ignored him (if I could, I would even pretend I didn’t see them, but it’s awfully too late now).

What a shame. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances that are out of our control, G-Rain will be taking a temporary break. 

“Are we not going to talk about it?”

“I was hoping not to,” I respond as I go back to staring up at the ceiling from where I’m lying on the couch. The whirring of the fan in the background strangely comforts me while the smell of coffee from the kitchen finally reaches me. 

“Want some?”

“I don’t drink coffee,” I mutter but silently thank Suah anyways for trying her best to distract me. 

Hearing light footsteps upon the floor, my eyes shift to the side to see Suah standing over the couch and watching me, a mug in her hands. “What are we going to do with you?”

“Just leave me.”

“I’m just curious,” she begins and already, my guard is up. “How did you feel when you saw him again?”

“One thought crossed my mind then… I wanted Skull Pounder to find me and finish me off.” I couldn’t handle the rush of random emotions that the familiar person activated. 

I wasn’t like Hanbin who could shove his feelings away to never visit them again if he didn’t want to. 

My comment brings her chuckling. 

“I haven’t spoken to him… or about him since we broke up.” There wasn’t really any closure. Bobby only ever spoken to me once after the breakup and surprisingly, he left me alone all this time. 

“So, are there things left unsaid?”

Who knows. I certainly didn’t want to think about it any longer.

“On the bright side, it’s going to be a party when Sanghee and Donghyuk arrives,” she mentions.

***

Going to classes today included with me looking over my shoulder with every step I took. I was told seriously not to show up to the newspaper club for a while until it was safe again and I didn’t hesitate to agree but, it didn’t make the walk to campus any less dangerous. It was like high school all over again. 

Turning back, I come face to face with someone’s chest. Sliding to a stop, I saved myself from a possible crash. Looking up, I wish I just went ahead and took him down with me.

“Hello, Jiwoo.”

“Bobby.” What’s with his pleasantries?

“You look like you’re running from something,” he says.

“You’re observant,” I respond with a pressed smile before it falls away. “What do you want?”

Ever since Bobby was admitted into the graduated program here at my university, he has pretty much stayed out of my way. So, why would precious Bobby be here in front of me now? 

Just kidding. There is no mystery.

It would be related to the reason that Hanbin was here. 

“I don’t want anything.”

Ugh. I hated it when he did this. “It didn’t work in high school and it won’t work now.”

“So, what was going on last night?” 

“Would it make your life so much better if I told you?” And, wait a minute. I should be asking him what was going on last night. 

The end of his lip quirked just so slightly. “So, I was thinking-,”

I shook my head. Such words never sounded so ominous than it did just then leaving his lips. “Think somewhere else… desirably, without me in mind.”

“Let’s have lunch sometime.”

“I have a select few people who I do that with and it just won’t be fair to switch it up now.”

“I’ll text