6:38AM

“Jinyoung, wake up, you’re going to be late!”

Jinyoung rolled over in bed, trying to reposition himself and fall back to sleep.  Unfortunately, his mom’s yelling was soon joined by his phone going off ten times.

His best friend Jackson had sent him ‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’ then spammed every single heart emoji he could find. 

“Park Jinyoung!  Get out of bed this instant!” 

Jinyoung had to force himself out of bed, lazily brushing his teeth and showering.  Today was Valentine’s day and Jackson was already waiting outside ready to pick him up.  If he didn’t hurry up Jackson was going to march into Jinyoung’s house and pull him out of the shower and into the car clothed or not.

 “Jinyoung, it’s cold out don’t forget to dress warmly.”  His mom said as he came downstairs dressed in a sweater and jeans. 

“Don’t I already look warm?” 

“I meant you should wear your winter coat and gloves.”  

“Yeah, yeah, I know…”  Jinyoung said as he grabbed his gloves off the table.

“Don’t you want breakfast?”  His mom was already cooking something for him.

“I’m good!”  Jinyoung yelled already halfway through the door, slamming it shut and running towards the car parked in front of his house.

“Good morning sweetheart!”  Jackson yelled, blowing a kiss his way. 

Jinyoung replied by slicing the incoming kiss in half with his hand, making Jackson gasp.

“That’s no way to celebrate the day of love.”  Jackson retorted. 

“Celebrating love?  In case you forgot, we’re both single.”  Jinyoung opened the passenger side of Jackson’s car and slipped in.

Jackson got into the driver’s side.  “Doesn’t matter if we’re both single, we’re going to celebrate our platonic love, right?”  Jackson was giving him one of those cheesy smiles and he knew he wouldn’t start the car until he complied.  “Right?  You love me?”

Jinyoung sighed but still smiled.  “Of course, I love you Jackson.”  Jackson made some happy squeaky noises.

“Wang gae?”  He tried.

“Just start the damn car.” Jackson gave in without an answer, realizing he was pushing his luck.

They dropped by Bambam’s house first, who was looking down as he slumped into the backseat muttering ‘I can’t believe I’m single on Valentine’s Day…’

“Bambam, you’re always going to be single if you don’t actually ask someone out,”  Jackson said.  “Why don’t you ask out that guy in my science class?  The one with green eyes?”

“He’s good looking, but the way he dresses? No thanks.”

“What about that girl in your gym class!  The one who always has her hair in a ponytail?”

“One of her eyes is lower than the other, I can’t stop staring at it when I talk to her.”

“Oh!  The guy in our math class, the one with the red hair?”

“Really? You want me to date a guy with red hair when I already have red hair?  We’d clash!”

Jackson threw both his hands up in the air.  “I give up!”

Jinyoung laughed at their antics.  He often wondered how he ended up with such a rowdy close group of friends when he was always more calm and serious, but he realized if they didn’t have a designated ‘mom friend’ to help keep them under control they would’ve done something irredeemably stupid by now.  “Jackson keeps your hands on the steering wheel!”

They dropped by Youngjae’s house next, Bambam reached over and locked the door right before he could open it.  “This isn’t funny!  It wasn’t funny the first ten times either!”  Youngjae yelled into the closed window.  “Open the door!”

Jackson and Bambam were practically keeling over with laughter.  “You gotta be faster than that Youngjae, the door was open.”  Jackson cracked the window open to tell Youngjae.

“I said open the door!  We’re going to be late!”

“What are the magic words?”  Bambam probed.

Youngjae sighed deeply.  “Bambam is the greatest person in the entire world and I’d happily worship the ground he walks on.”

Bambam clicked the door open.  “That’s better.”  Youngjae shoved Bambam hard against the seat when he got in.

“You’re so rude.”  Youngjae said, but then they all started laughing again.

There was never a dull moment with this group, that was for sure.

“Do you guys have any plans for Valentine’s?”  Youngjae asked as they started driving again.  Bambam groaned, suddenly remembering he was single again.

“I heard there was a party tonight, since we’re all single we should go and who knows maybe we won’t be single by the end of the night.”

“I’m only going if Youngjae agrees not to get so wasted he passes out and we literally have to drag him out to the car again.”  Bambam adds and Youngjae smacks him on the shoulder.

“That was only one time!”

“How about you Jinyoung?  I heard Jaebum is going to be at the party.”  Jackson says, elbowing him.

“In case you forgot, we broke up.”

“He’s still pining over you though,” Youngjae added.  “You don’t have to get back together but if you play your cards right you could end senior year with a bang.”

“Shut up.”  Jinyoung tried to swat at Youngjae from the front but he couldn’t reach.

Jackson’s high-pitched laughter was piercing but comforting.  “Jaebum is really hot.  If you don’t want him maybe Bambam would approve?”

“Don’t you think his forehead is kind of big?”  That made everyone in the car burst out laughing.

“Bambam,” Jackson started.  “You’re going to be single forever.”

“Valentine-o-grams are here!”  A group of girls interrupted Jinyoung’s history class carrying baskets of roses.

A tradition on Valentine’s day was to send roses to people, anonymous or not it was a cute gesture.

“Popular, aren’t we?”  The first girl said as she handed him four roses, one sent from Jackson as a friendship rose, two were anonymous and didn’t have any messages, the fourth sent from Jaebum with just a winky face in the message part.

“Thanks,” Jinyoung laid them at the side of his desk as one of the other girls walked over to him.  “Wait, there’s one more for you!”  The girl laid the rose down on his table. 

Jinyoung picked up the rose, this was also sent from anonymous but this time they included a message.

As the moon spins with the earth around the sun,

If we weren’t together, we would not be alive.

Jinyoung felt a chill run through his body as he read the message. Who on earth could’ve sent this?

Jinyoung must’ve been thinking for too long because he was snapped out of it by his teacher dismissing the class for lunch.

“Jinyoung, wait up!”  Jinyoung heard a voice calling out to him and he walked through the hallway.  “Jinyoung!!”

“Not in the mood today Yugyeom.”  Jinyoung said brushing him off.

“I just wanted to ask you if you’re going to the party at my house today?  It’s going to be awesome!  Wild!”

“Who knows.”  Jinyoung sneered back before speed walking to meet up with his friends for lunch.

“Look, here comes the crypt keeper.”  Jackson said, pointing to the lanky boy walking to a table with his lunch tray.

For as long as Jinyoung had known Jackson he’d always had a vendetta against Mark Tuan.  He was a quiet skinny kid who kept to himself.  Jackson was a popular guy and was friends with everyone, the hate spread and now everyone in the school looked at Mark as some sort of creep.

Mark made the mistake of glancing at them, his disheveled hair and oversized clothes only adding to his image.  “Mark!  Did you get my rose?”  Jackson yelled. 

“Oh my god, don’t tell me you sent him the same message again?” Youngjae said through giggles.

“Better luck next year, but probably not.”  Jackson confirmed, this time the whole table was laughing.  “Markie!  Did you get it or not?!”  Jackson yelled again.

“Stop trying, I’m pretty sure he’s mute or something.  Have you ever even heard him talk?”  Bambam added.

“Alright, you guys that’s enough.” Jinyoung settled them down as Mark sat down at a table far away from theirs. 

“Jinyoung…”  A voice from behind him made him jump.  “Did you get my rose?”

“Jaebum,” Jinyoung turned around be didn’t feel like smiling.  “I got it.”

“Cool,”  Jaebum said, unsure of what to say.  “Are you going to the party at Yugyeom’s place tonight?”

“I’ll be there.”  Jinyoung deadpanned.

“Great!  I’ll…. See you there?”  He looked too hopeful.

“I’m not sure if you forgot, but we broke up a week ago?”

“Jinyoung-“

“Jaebum.”  Jinyoung’s voice was stern.

“Whatever.” Jaebum said, getting the message and walking away.

“Why did you break up with him again?”  Youngjae said as soon as Jaebum was gone.  “Because I forgot how hot he was for a second and if he was mine I don’t think I’d ever let him go.”

“Didn’t he get drunk at Sungjin’s pool party last week and end up puking on Jinyoung?”  Jinyoung cringed at that memory as Bambam brought it up.

“What!  Was that all?”  Youngjae leaned over the table and stared at Jinyoung.  “With a face like that, I’d accept his vomit with all the love in my heart.”

“It wasn’t just that…”  Jinyoung said, but he had to admit the vomit incident sped up the process tenfold.

“Jinyoung isn’t as shallow as you Youngjae.”  Jackson added and Youngjae threw a plastic spoon at him.

“That’s not true!”

Jinyoung laughed.  “What am I going to do with you guys?”

The party was exactly what Jinyoung though it would be like.  At least fifty bodies crowded into one house, the air sticky with the scent of sweat, music blasting his eardrums out, and all sorts of drinks to go around.  It wasn’t exactly his scene but it was amazing how loose he could get with a few drinks.

Jackson was a natural party goer, already socializing with everyone and making them laugh.  Bambam was off somewhere scoping out anyone who looked single, and he thought Youngjae was with him but he seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd. 

“Jinyoooooung!”  Jaebum slurred as he tried to walk towards him but ended up walking right into him, dumping most of his drink down Jinyoung’s white shirt.  “, I’m so sorryyy.” 

“It’s okay-“

“Do you need a new shirt, you can have mine.”  Jaebum reached to pull his shirt over his head but Jinyoung stopped him.  He was obviously over his drinking limit.  Typical.

“That’s alright, I was looking for Youngjae-“

“Yooooungjae!  I think I saw him on a couch.  Somewhere.”

“That’s great!  I’ll be going!”  Jaebum tried to continue talking but Jinyoung slipped away and grabbed a handful of paper towels from the kitchen to try and dry himself off before heading to the living room.

“Jinyoung, there you are!”  Jackson called out to him from the sofa where he was sitting with Bambam and Youngjae to one side, and a girl practically on his lap on the other.  She left quietly when Jackson pulled Jinyoung onto his lap instead.  He obviously wasn’t that interested in her.  “I missed you.”

“It’s only been half an hour.”  Jinyoung laughed as he toppled on top of Jackson. 

“That’s too long!”  Jackson said, pulling Jinyoung even closer.  “Why are you wet?”

“Someone spilled their drink but it’s no big deal-“

“Jackson,” Bambam got their attention.  “Look who’s’ here.”

Jinyoung rolled off Jackson’s lap so he could see what Bambam was talking about.  He watched as Mark Tuan marched into the room, looking in their direction.

“What is he doing here?”  Jackson automatically jumped off the couch.  “Hey, Markie!  Are you lost?  This is a party!  Shouldn’t you be lying under a rock somewhere?”  He still wore the same clothes from school.

The party goers took notice of the yelling them suddenly crowding around where Jackson and Mark finally met up.

“No response?  Typical.”  Jackson said staring him down.  Jinyoung and the others quickly took their place behind him.

“Bastard…”  Mark muttered under his breath.

“What did you just call me?”  Jackson said, his face right up in Mark’s space now.

“I called you a bastard.”  Mark said, louder this time, his voice stung like venom.

“I dare you to say that again,” Jackson said, his arms shoving Mark back lightly in threat.  “Say it again!”

“It’s no wonder your dad was never around, your mom’s a and she must be even more embarrassed that she gave birth to someone like you.”  Mark spat, no fear in his eyes.

That’s when Jackson lost it.

It happened in a blur, Jackson screaming ‘ you! Don’t you ing dare talk about my mom!”  and his fist colliding with Mark’s face.

Mark grabbed a glass off the table and send it hurtling at Jackson, hitting his chest and dowsing him in alcohol.

Bambam and Youngjae were trying to hold Jackson back but he was too strong for them, his fists kept flying along with cuss words. 

Eventually, Mark had a bloody nose and his fists were too damaged for him to continue.

It took Youngjae, Bambam, and Jinyoung’s own strength combined to finally pull Jackson back before he caused some permanent damage.  “Jackson calm down, this isn’t worth it.”  Youngjae pleaded.

“You hurt him any further you’re going to be in deep !”  Bambam yelled, but Jackson was still raging, tears in his eyes.

Mark finally turned around and ran.  “You better ing leave, I never want to see your ing face ever again!”  Jackson yelled and Jinyoung clasped a hand over his mouth.

“That’s enough,” Jinyoung said in his calming voice.  “Let’s go, we’ve caused enough trouble.”

The drive back home was eerily silent.  The only sounds that could be heard was the heavy rainfall against the windows and the tires slick against the wet road.  Jackson was gripping the steering wheel so tight he looked like he was going to break it.

“H-how about some music or something?”  Youngjae reached for the radio but Jinyoung slapped his hand away.

“I don’t think this is the time.”  Everyone in the car was scared to talk to Jackson, but Jinyoung knew he had the best chance.  “Are you sure you’re okay to drive Jackson?”

“I’m.  Fine.”  Jackson wasn’t fine.

Silence again.

Jackson sighed, knowing his attitude wasn’t making anything better.  “He made fun of my mom.”  Jinyoung patted Jackson on the shoulder.  “He had it coming.”

Nobody knew what to say to that, so they settled into silence again. 

The windshield wipers were barely working in this downpour, a truck veered past them way too close for comfort. 

Jinyoung pulled out his phone, trying to distract himself from the awkwardness.

12:38AM

Youngjae had found some headphones.  Bambam was playing some games on his phone.  Jackson was still trying not to rip the steering wheel off the car.

12:39AM

Jinyoung wasn’t sure what they hit, but the next thing he knew they were flying. 

The car flipping over and over, his body being beaten up, shards of glass flying everywhere.

Then, darkness.