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.

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

Jinyoung finally sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and grabbing his phone to stop the incessant buzzing.  “What the…”  His head felt heavy, memories of the night before flowing back too suddenly.

Wait, what the hell happened last night?

The last thing he remembered was a car crashing, he was flying and then…. nothing.

“Jinyoung!”  His mom was standing at his bedroom door now.  “Why are you still in bed?  You have school!  I’ve been calling you for ten minutes.”  She nagged.

“Mom,” Jinyoung rubbed his eyes again, still trying to figure out what happened last night.  “Isn’t it Saturday?”

“No, it’s Friday.  Valentine’s Day, remember?”  His mom said calmly.

“That was… huh?”  Jinyoung finally looked at his phone, Jackson had messaged him ‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’ along with every single heart emoji he could find.

“Jackson is already waiting outside, get up.”  She pulled the covers off him but he was still blankly staring at his phone.

“Right…”  Jinyoung murmured, staring at the date on his phone.

Friday, February 14^th.

His eyes surely weren’t deceiving him.

The party, the fight, the crash… were those all just a dream?

“Jinyoung!”  Jackson kicked his bathroom door open causing Jinyoung to choke on his toothpaste.  “Why the hell are you not even dressed yet?  I’ve been waiting forever!  You can’t be late on Valentine’s Day.”  His mom must’ve let him in.

“Sorry, I was feeling weird when I woke up,” Jinyoung washed his mouth out so he could speak properly.  “What happened last night?”

Jackson looked confused for a second but then he remembered.  “Oh!  Sorry, I didn’t reply to your messages, I was chatting with this girl I met at a party last week.  I promise I was going to reply!”  Jackson apologized.

“Reply?  No, I meant-“

“She was going on and on about how her cat had to go to the vet because it choked on a fur ball- it was so boring and kind of gross but she’s really hot so I tried to stick it out!  I wonder if she’s going to be at the party tonight- speaking of tonight, are you excited?”

“Tonight?”

“Yes!  That tall kid is having a party, remember?  You know him…”

“I…”  Jackson really didn’t remember.  “I need to shower.”

“Forget the shower!  You’re clean enough, throw on some clothes and let’s go!”  Jackson pulled him out of the bathroom and shoved him into his room, locking the door and making sure he tapped his foot loudly so he knew he was on a time limit.

“Jinyoung, it’s cold out don’t forget to dress warm-“Jinyoung’s mom tried to say something but Jackson pulled him straight out the door before she even finished her sentence.

“What kind of nightmare did you have last night?  You look possessed.”  Jackson said as they both climbed into the car.  “Good luck trying to find a date tonight at the party, people are going to be running away.”

“It's nothing.”  Jinyoung lied.  Jackson gave up and decided to leave him alone.

“I can’t believe I’m single on Valentine’s Day...”  Bambam murmured as he slumped into the backseat.

“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 the 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?”

“They both have red hair, they would clash.”  Jinyoung spoke, this conversation sounding way too similar.

“Exactly!  Jinyoung knows what he’s talking about.”

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

“Jackson be careful!”  Jinyoung pushed Jackson’s arm down.  “Don’t drive so carelessly.”

“Why are you suddenly so worried about my driving?  You know I’m the best driver out of all of us.”  Jackson said, shaking Jinyoung’s arm off.

“Sorry.”  He had moved on reflex, images of the night before flashed before him.  It felt way too real.

“This isn’t funny!  It wasn’t funny the first ten times either!”  Youngjae yelled into the closed window and they pulled up at his house.  “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 the three of them started laughing again.

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

“There's 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.”  Jackson said.

“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.

“Huh?”  Jinyoung says, not in the right state of mine.

“Jaebum is going to be at the party tonight!  I know you broke up but he’s still pining over you.  If you play your cards right you could end senior year with a bang.”  Youngjae said, giving Jinyoung a smirk.

“Oh, y-yeah…”  Jinyoung stuttered.

“What’s up with him?”  Youngjae asked Jackson, noticing something was very off.

“He woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, you’re still up for the party, right?”  Jackson asked Jinyoung.

Jinyoung had an awful feeling his stomach, but he ignored it.

“Don’t worry, the party is still on.”

“Valentine-o-grams are here!” 

Jinyoung looked up to see the familiar girls carrying in baskets of roses into his history class.

He only realized today they were all wearing ridiculous ‘cupid’ costumes.

“Popular, aren’t we?”  The first girl said as she handed him four roses.

“T-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. 

As the moon spins with the earth around the sun,

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

The same message was written, and he still had no idea who sent it, or why it gave him even more chills today.

Class ended and he walked into the hallway, still staring at that rose.  It was no different than any other rose sent to him, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling-

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

Jinyoung turned around right away.  “Party tonight at your house?”

“Yeah!  You going?”

“I’ll be there, I guess.” 

“Is…” Yugyeom started.  “Is that all?”

“Mhmm.”  Jinyoung said, before silently walking towards the lunch room.

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

Mark glanced at them, his eyes half hidden between his hair but his dark eye bags still visible.

“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.

“Maybe next year, but probably not.”  Jackson confirmed.  “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.

“Stop.”  Jinyoung said, his voice cold.

“You’re right, he’s never going to say anything back or react anyway.”  Jackson laughed and Jinyoung felt like someone poured cold water down his back.

“Jinyoung, did you get my rose?”  Jaebum’s voice chimed in exactly when Jinyoung expected it.

“I got it, I’m going to the party tonight, and I’m still not interested in getting back together.  Is that all?”

Jaebum looked shocked, he was at a loss for words.

“If you have nothing else to say, leave.”

Jaebum exited quickly after that.

“Jinyoung, I’m not sure if your new badass persona scaring me or .”  Jackson said, chuckling quietly.

Jinyoung didn’t laugh along with him and Jackson automatically stopped laughing, realizing Jinyoung wasn’t kidding at all.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sorry, I just… do you feel like something weird is going on?  Like déjà vu?”

The entire table stared at him blankly.

“Nevermind.”  

The party was exactly like what Jinyoung remembered.  The sweaty bodies, the loud music, the imagery of the night before so clear in his mind.  He was sure this wasn’t a fluke, this was the exact same day.

He was trying to enjoy himself but no matter how much alcohol he consumed his mind kept wandering to memories of last night.  The memories of tonight that had already happened.

“Jinyoooooung!”  Jaebum slurred as he tried to walk towards him, Jinyoung dodged out of the way before they collided.  “Whoooa, that was a close one.”

“Youngjae, I need to find Youngjae-“

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

Jinyoung practically jogged out of the kitchen towards the living room, knowing all too well how this night unfolds.

“Jinyoung, there you are!”  Jackson called out to him from the sofa where he was sitting with Bambam and Youngjae to one side. “I missed you.”  He said as he pulled Jinyoung onto his lap.

“Jackson, I’m tired.  We need to go home.”

“What’re you talking about, the party is just getting started!”  Jackson protested.  “Do you need more drinks?  Seriously, you’ve had a stick up your all day-“

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

Jinyoung felt sick.  “Jackson, don’t-“

“What is he doing here?”  Jackson pushed Jinyoung off his lap and jumped off the couch.  “Hey, Markie!  Are you lost?  This is a party!  Shouldn’t you be lying under a rock somewhere?” 

Jinyoung was struck with a sense of wonder as he saw Mark.  He had realized in all his years of being friends with Jackson and swearing to hate him he had never taken the time really look at Mark.

He was gorgeous. 

His features were striking under his long fringe.  If he cleaned up a bit he could pass for a model.

Mark walked with confidence up to Jackson, his eyes brighter than Jinyoung had ever seen.

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

Jinyoung was paralyzed, his feet refusing to move.

“No response?  Typical.” 

No, no, no, no, not again.

“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, 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.

Jinyoung swore he could hear Jackson snap this time.

It happened in another 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.

“Jinyoung, what are you doing?!  Come help!”  Bambam yelled, and Jinyoung’s feet finally moved, pulling Jackson off Mark.

“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 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.

“Don’t do this Jackson,” Jinyoung choked out.  “Please.”

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.

“Don’t.”  Jinyoung whispered to Youngjae.

Silence again.

The windshield wipers were barely working in this downpour and Jinyoung was practically shaking in his seat.  “Watch out!”

A truck veered past them way too close for comfort.  “Stop worrying Jinyoung, we’re okay.”

Jinyoung was breathing heavily as he pulled out his phone, staring at the time.

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.

Jinyoung was fixated on the road in front of them, not a single car in sight.  Nothing could possibly go wrong.  Nothing was going to happen today.  They were going to be fine.

12:39AM

This time Jinyoung saw a flash of white before they went flying.

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

Then, darkness.