In a state of shock, I rang the doorbell hurriedly. I heard loud footsteps as the door swung open.

“What’s with you ringing the doorbell so impatiently eh? Can’t you wait a little? Come in, idiot,”Taeri chided me as I went in.

After running away from Hyukjae oppa, I needed to talk to my friends. Seeing as how Taeri’s apartment was closest to the skating rink, I drove there immediately.

“What’s up with you eh?”she passed a glass of water to me.

“I…erm…I just ran away from Hyukjae oppa,”I started.

“Why? What did he do this time? Did he hurt you again? That jerk,”Taeri rolled her eyes.

“No. He…proposed…,”I answered.

“He what?! Wow! Oh my god! Isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for? It’s been I-don’t-know how many years since you guys dated!”Taeri squealed.

“Eight,”I answered flatly.

“So, what’s with the face? And…wait…what did you say? You ran away from him? After he proposed?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!”Taeri exclaimed.

“I just panicked! I mean…, I wasn’t prepared and all the images of me at Donghae’s house just came flooding to me,”I shook my head as I explained.

“Pfft, I don’t even know why you’re so worried. It’s not as if a marriage will make much of a difference to you. You two have been living together for so long! You’re practically married, just not legally,”Taeri shrugged.

I paused for awhile, thinking of what she said. She is right. Why was I so worried anyway? Was I worried that a marriage would ruin our relationship? But there isn’t going to be much difference as how we are staying together and we know each other’s habits at home.

“You were just shocked, that’s all. I’m sure deep down inside, you would want to marry him as much as he wants to,”Taeri came over to pat my back.

“Should we ask Hyuna and Soobin about their opinion?”I asked.

“If you want to, we can,”she nodded her head.

She reached over her couch to get her house phone. The first person she called was Hyuna, who upon hearing the news, had decided to cut short her date with her boyfriend and said she’ll rush here as soon as possible. Next, she called Soobin.

“That’s weird?”Taeri frowned as she redialed.

“What’s wrong? Is her phone engaged?”I asked.

“No, her mobile phone is switched off. And when I called her house, it just keeps ringing non-stop,”Taeri stopped calling.

“Do you think she’ll do anything silly?”I asked.

“Nah, I don’t think so. Why would she do that, anyway?”Taeri laughed.

“Because she was really miserable after Donghae left,”I answered.

“But she seems fine these few months. She’s over that,”Taeri brushed it off.

The doorbell rang in that instant and it was Hyuna.

“So, what’s this all about? You ran away when Hyukjae proposed?! Are you insane?”Hyuna asked in disbelief.

“That’s what I said,”Taeri sighed.

“I…It was a natural reaction. I…just panicked!”I tried to explain.

“Panic?! What did he say when you ran away? Did you call him back?”she asked as she settled herself down next to me.

“He caught up with me at the carpark. I told him to give me some time,”I lowered my eyes as I spoke.

“Haemin, listen. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. Hyukjae may have been a jerk during that time but all of us could tell how sincere he was when he was trying to get you back. You need to try your best and push away those ugly image that is haunting you,”Hyuna advised.

“Uh huh. It’s kinda unfair for him if you pushed him away again because you keep telling him to forget the past yet you can’t do it yourself. I know it was traumatic for you but it is hard for him as well. He’ll never forgive himself if you continue being like that. And trust me, it’ll become a scar in your relationship and wouldn’t do both of you any good,”Taeri concluded wisely.

Hyuna and I paused to look at her. She looked up from the chips she was eating and raised an eyebrow.

“What?”she asked.

“When have you been so intellectual about love?”I asked.

“Hmmm, from what I know, you haven’t had a boyfriend for the past 22 years, Kwon Taeri,”Hyuna smiled.

“I…I was just speaking…from a third party’s point of view,”Taeri stuttered.

“So, how’s Jiyong and you getting along? Didn’t he ask you out that day during the café’s opening?”Hyuna grinned.

“HE ASKED YOU OUT?!”I exclaimed.

“Er…yeah, we’re cool…just hanging out,”Taeri avoided our gaze.

“Are you guys dating?”Hyuna asked.

“Why are we talking about me? Haemin is the main star here,”Taeri argued.

“Well, if you quickly tell us, we can get back to the main problem!”I retorted.

Taeri closed .

“Well?”Hyuna prompted.

“Er…we’re not exactly dating…just you know, going out…I mean, all we do is hang out and talk on the phone, that’s all,”Taeri said.

“You’re not hiding anything?”Hyuna asked.

“No. Hey, if Jiyong and I were to really be together, I would have declared it to the whole of Seoul City. Why should I hide it?!”Taeri retorted anxiously.

After realizing what she said, Taeri couldn’t help the pink blush that appeared on her cheeks.

“Okay, okay, we’ll let you off! You better keep us updated, okay!”Hyuna laughed.

Taeri merely nodded her head whilst stuffing more chips into .

“Anyway, Haemin. The problem lies with you. You need to try your best to erase your past. It is hard to forget but you can’t let it affect your present. Learn to let go,”Hyuna patted my shoulder.

“I will try my best. But can I stay here tonight? I don’t think I can face him yet. I feel so bad for running away,”I asked Taeri.

“We’ll have a sleepover then!”Taeri suggested.

“Awesome! But aren’t we missing someone?”Hyuna asked.

“That was what we were talking about before you came along! Soobin’s mobile phone is switched off and nobody is picking up her housephone,”Taeri answered.

Hyuna raised an eyebrow before clapping her hands together.

“Ah! She told me she’ll be out of town this weekend. She went to Incheon to visit her parents!”Hyuna told us.

“She went back to Incheon? Just like that?”Taeri asked, not believing.

“Isn’t her behavior getting weirder? She never just leaves for Incheon without telling all of us,”I pondered over it.

“She did tell me?”Hyuna looked at the both of us.

“But she never goes back to Incheon just like that. Besides, my parents are in Incheon too. She didn’t even ask me if I want to go along! We used to go back to visit together,”Taeri frowned.

“Right…okay, this is weird,”Hyuna nodded her head.

Park Soobin, what’s going on eh? Where are you?!

End of Chapter

DarkAngel