Cliche… If there’s one word to describe how everything started it would be cliche.

 

Just like those typical stories that we read in books or watch on movies, I met her at school and well, we clicked. Simple as that.

 

I wouldn’t call it as something as cheesy as ‘fate’. For me, it was simply a coincidence. To have all of our classes during that first semester in college together is a mere coincidence. However, the following events, those… those are what I call goal-setting and determination.

 

 

The very first time that I saw her as she entered our then to-be room for College Algebra, I already knew that there’s something about her that compels me to befriend her. And I did.

 

To be honest, I had to use every bit of my self control not to charge at where she decided to sit at that instant. Seeing how her eyes were hesitant and unsure, I just didn’t want to startle her even more with my abrupt introduction. So I waited. I waited until the class started and until the professor finally decided to start the self introductions since we were all freshmen. I waited until it was her turn. And with all the waiting that I did that time, I didn’t anticipate what actually happened.

 

Gracefully, she turned around to face the whole class and smiled in the most breathtaking way that I’ve seen in my life. “Annyeonghaseyo. Kang Seulgi-imnida. I hope we can get along well.”

 

I knew it was rude to stare but I can’t help it and it seems the whole class was sharing the same thoughts that time. It was only after the professor called the attention of the next student to make an introduction that we took our gazes off of her.

 

As if having such killer looks and innocent smile wasn’t enough, I had to add her voice into the list of things why I want to get to know her. Just with how she sounded during her introduction I knew she had an amazing singing voice and I was proven right later on.

 

My mind wasn’t focusing on whatever the professor was talking about. At that time I couldn’t care less. What I was concentrating and writing on my memo were ideas on how I will introduce myself to her after the class.

 

Right as planned, the moment the professor dismissed the class, I made a bee-line towards her seat and took a deep breath before I gave her shoulder a tap since she was still busy fixing her things in her bag. The face she made when she looked at me was priceless. She looked like a confused and surprised bear with her eyes wide and her lips slightly apart.

 

“Y-yes?” She asked shyly which made me smile wider due to her cuteness.

 

“Calm down.” I laughed playfully. “I just wanted to introduce myself personally since it looks like you don’t know anyone from our class yet.”

 

Reaching out my hand I said, “Irene Bae Joohyun. It’s nice to meet you…”

 

And as if I did something remarkably amazing for her, she once again showed me that soft smile that took my breath away earlier as she took my hand saying, “Kang Seulgi. Nice to meet you too Irene-ssi.”

 

After that first meeting, as we became friends and got closer to each other, I realized how well we connect with each other. We weren’t similar in a lot of things. As a matter of fact, we are the complete opposite of each other. The things that she likes are most of the time the things that I dislike and vice-versa. We even have completely different personalities. But with all these differences, somehow we still understand each other the most out of everyone.

 

It’s a mystery really.

 

It’s even to the point that we would question how we became best friends at times. Our friends has the same question whenever we are all together and we have nothing to answer besides ‘We just are.’

 

  At that time, I thought it was that simple. That we simply click.

 

Then it happened. It came to me in the most ordinary and mundane way. All of a sudden, things changed for me. All of a sudden, I saw her differently. All of a sudden she was no longer just the Kang Seulgi that made me want to befriend her and protect her the first time she walked inside that classroom.

 

In an instant, she was Kang Seulgi, the girl that makes my heart beat erratically, the girl that makes the world fade in the background, the girl that makes time stop and fast forward at the same time. She became the Kang Seulgi that I can only see my future with and no one else.

 

Just like that, I can’t even imagine Bae Joohyun living a life without Kang Seulgi. And just like that, things turned for the worst.

 

Bae Joohyun had to live without Kang Seulgi because Kang Seulgi can live without Bae Joohyun. That’s the sad and awful truth that I wish I knew back then. Maybe I could have saved myself if I did.

 

 

Days passed and exams were finally through but I’m still stuck in the same place where I was after she made a surprise reappearance in my already stable and less chaotic life. The place that I vowed never to return to again.

 

I could only hear Seungwan sigh as I got out of my room already dressed for school.

 

“Unnie you’re going already?”

 

“Eung. I still need to finish a few things for my other classes.” I answered as I put my shoes on.

 

“Do you at least want me to cook you something? You haven’t eaten anything all day.” She offered already out of the couch and into the kitchen to start preparing.

 

“It’s fine Wan-ah. I’ll just grab something at the Uni. I’m going now. See yah.”

 

Without even waiting for a reply, I went out of our apartment.

 

To say that I’m not feeling bad for leaving like that is going to be an outright lie. I know she’s just worried for me. Heck, I’ll also be as worried as she is if not more if I see her acting the way that I am these past few days.

 

I haven’t exactly been in a good condition recently. All of those basic routines that a person and most especially a college student should be doing are things that became too hard to accomplish for me. Sleeping, eating, studying, even bathing are things I couldn’t be bothered with. If only I didn’t have classes to attend and that certain passion to get done with college and graduate already, you won’t get me to move an inch out of the couch.

 

At class, I do try to focus on what the professors are talking about but as I try to keep my mind distracted and away from thoughts of that one person, I also seem to keep my focus away from the lectures. It would be a great feat if I retained any of the information given by our professors at all. If anyone asks me anything about the lessons right now, I’d probably laugh it off and say something as random as ‘What did you have for breakfast?’ just to keep the conversation away from what happened in class because I don’t have a flick of a clue whatever happened in there. Someone could have fainted or a fire could have broken out and I wouldn’t know.

 

Just thinking about how miserably out of it I have been in these past days makes me want to get out of my own body just to scold myself to get it together. I could already imagine how it’ll go.

 

Slap. “Wake up!”

 

Slap. Slap. “Stop moping around and making everyone worried so get your together!”

 

Slap. Slap. Slap. “You’ve been through much worse than this so don’t go starting to act like the world’s about to end!”

 

Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. “And to top it all off! You haven’t done the laundry in a week!”

 

The slaps felt real and extremely hard, but that wasn’t what shook me out of my reverie. Once the realization hit me, I felt my jaw hanging and my hands automatically flew to my mouth.

 

“My laundry!”

 

Immediately, I scrambled for my phone and called Seungwan hoping she’s not sleeping and that she would answer the phone.

 

As the tone was ringing I held my breath in and only got to release it when she finally picked up on the 3^rd ring.

 

“Seungwan-ah!”

 

There wasn’t a response for a few seconds until it did. “Yah Unnie! Don’t yell like that on the phone! I have my earphones on and I think you just blew my eardrums off.”

 

“Mian. Mian. I’m really in a tight situation right now so please forgive me. But could you please check the laundry room for me. It’s really really important.” I pleaded.

 

My mind was in a complete mess when I called and I think it became even messier when I heard her laughing on the other line.

 

“Hey! Stop laughing! This is not a joke! Our clothes are on the line here!” I said in panic.

 

Her continuous laughter makes it seem like she didn’t even hear a thing I said. And I was about to scold and yell at her for being like that at this moment when she started explaining.

 

“Calm down Unnie. I’ve already took care of the laundry the moment you left the apartment. I knew you were doing the laundry earlier and that you would forget about it since you’re clearly still out of it, so I checked the laundry room and viola, I was right.” She laughed some more somehow making me want to punch her in the face instead of thanking her. “So don’t worry. Your beloved laundry is safe.”

 

As much as I want to smack the supposed grin on her face right now off of her chipmunk face, I just exhaled and said thanks.

 

“Are you at the Uni already?” She started asking.

 

“Yes, I’m at the pavilion.”

 

“You said you would eat. What did you eat?”

I couldn’t answer her since I knew it would be pointless to lie since she knows whenever I do, so instead I just kept quiet and counted down until her usual interrogation begins.

 

“Don’t tell me you still haven’t!? Unnie!” She whined at my obvious disregard for my health.

 

“I really don’t have the appetite though. So that should be fine.” I tried to reassure her but to no success.

 

“You’re going to faint at this point! You haven’t been eating properly nor getting sleep in a week!” She stated. “I didn’t want to bring it up because I know you’re still hung up on her turning up from nowhere but this is going on for too long without any progress.”

 

Just from the tone in her voice, I’m sure Seungwan is already seething in anger. Anger that I don’t know if directed towards me or someone else.

 

“Wan-ah.” I called out in an attempt to calm her but it only fell on deaf ears.

 

“Unnie! I’m SO close to actually hunting that Kang Seulgi down to tell her to off and go back to whatever hellhole she was for the past 2 years so you can live peacefully again!” She let out strongly making me flinch in the force of it.

 

She’s only been this angry once before and that was 2 years ago because of the same person. I could understand her aggravation towards she-who-I-shall-not-mention because she was the one that saw everything that is of ‘Bae Joohyun’ crumble into nothingness and was also there to witness my struggle to build it again from scratch.

 

I’m quite sure that she’s disappointed to see me tumble this low after just one short encounter with her. I’m actually very disappointed in myself as well and that’s why I have nothing to say. I quietly took all of the things that Seugnwan has to say. Maybe, just maybe that’s what I need to wake up.

 

“I’m warning you Unnie! You better eat something or else I’m going to call the big guns and let them deal with you themselves! Got it?!”

 

Now that’s something that can really make me tremble in fear. Without missing a single beat I started negotiating.

 

“What do you want me to do? I’ll do anything...” Biting my lips in nervousness, I continued. “Just don’t tell them. Let’s not make a mess Seungwan-ah.”

 

“Exactly. I also don’t want to take it to that point but you’re living me with no choice. So you better do what I say and I say eat something, something filling!”

 

“Is that it?” I confirmed.

 

“And I want you to take a picture of yourself eating and I want a picture of it completely finished as well. I’m giving you an hour! If I don’t see it in my inbox within that time I’m really going to send this.”

 

On cue, my phone notified me of a picture message and my eyes almost popped out reading what it was. It was a screenshot of Seungwan’s composed message to my own Unnie and all that’s left for everything to end is for her to press the send button.

 

My God! Seungwan-ah! You’re crazy!

 

“I’m already on my way to the cafeteria!” With the speed the I didn’t know I was capable of, I packed my things and made way to the cafeteria with the chipmunk laughing maniacally. “You’re evil! And here I was thinking you were such an angel!”

 

“I’m only evil when the situation calls for it and that situation is right now! So move your beautiful and get me that picture!”

 

She cut the call after what she said about my and a loud laugh.

 

When I first met this girl she was such an innocent and angelic person, I can’t believe she grew up just like those evil maknaes Sooyoung and Yerim-ie. I’ll make a terrible terrible parent just looking at how those 3 devils that I practically raised turned out to be.

 

Determined to get Seungwan’s threat off of my back as fast as possible, I quickly made my way towards the cafeteria only to be reminded why I never rush going to anywhere.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” I apologized repeatedly as I picked up my things on the floor after accidentally bumping to someone.

 

As I was about to grab an unfamiliar notebook, another hand came for it. Retracting my hand and standing up, I bowed to the person I bumped in apology.

 

“I’m sorry, I was in such a rush I didn’t have enough time to avoid you when you turned the corner. I’m really sorry.”

 

I was busy bowing my head that I wasn’t able to get a proper look of my victim until I heard someone who, based from where the voice came from was beside the person I collided with, speak out.

 

“Let’s just go. We’re already late.”

 

The moment I looked up, they were already gone and are walking past me. In an instinct, my head turned to their direction and just watched their retreating figure until they were no longer in sight.

 

Slowly, I took my phone out and sent Seungwan a quick message.

 

To: Poop Puppy Wan-ah

 

You know what? Just send the message. I don’t care anymore. I’d probably throw up if I try to eat now.

 

After pressing ‘Send’, I made a detour to the bathroom instead and even without eating anything, I locked myself inside the farthest cubicle and threw up without anything coming out aside from my tears.

a/n: owkay... sooooo.... what do you think? hehe I'm thinking if I should add the angst tag on this... should I? hehe Comments and feedbacks are greatly anticipated :P Enjoy? OTL