It was one beautiful morning, the sun had risen up, telling the people it was time to get up and be ready. The birds outside were happily chirping as the town was slowly waking up.

Park Chanyeol couldn’t stop walking back and forth in front of Joohyun’s room as if he was gonna propose someone. He held the neighbour’s book frantically, biting his bottom lip in anticipation. He was alone this morning, no bandmates keeping him company and giving him advices or something.

After calming himself down, he nervously pressed the doorbell, keeping his face straight though he was dead inside.

The door slowly opened, showing the girl in pajamas with a towel hanging on her shoulders. Chanyeol made the conclusion that she just finished washing her hair.

“Oh, hello, Chanyeol,” the girl’s smile showed up. “What’s up?”

“Ah, noona, I–” he couldn’t help but look down, rubbing his nape with his free hand while having the book behind his back with the other hand. “I-I just came here to say.”

Come on, Chanyeol, say it!

“Hmm?”

“I honestly never meant anything to hurt you, but I’m deeply terribly sorry.”

“What are you talking about, Chanyeol? Are you still sleeping?” a short chuckle escaped Joohyun’s mouth, a chuckle that slowly kept the guy’s heart warm.

Joohyun stopped laughing when Chanyeol, with his eyes shut tight, turned his hand from his back. She stared at the book before lifting her face to the guy.

“What– how did you–”

“I’m sorry.”

Joohyun grabbed the book and opened it quickly. “Have you been keeping this the whole time?” Chanyeol noticed how her voice trembled like she was about to cry.

Chanyeol nodded slowly, didn’t dare to look at the girl in the face, he only saw her feet and his. Sweats started gathering around his forehead.

“How could you–” Joohyun couldn’t hold the tears that slowly stream. She felt rather hurt than mad though she also couldn’t hold the boiling anger in her head. She just couldn’t put her feelings into words at this time. “I thought we were friends.”

No words ever came out of Chanyeol’s mouth, he looked like he was about to explain but he also knew that there was no point of it anymore. He felt deeply awful. “I’m so sorry, I never knew–”

“Do you want to kill me?!” Joohyun attacked with a miserable voice, Chanyeol quickly closed his mouth. There was no hope of reasoning and he knew this kind of situation was gonna happen.

“What have I done to you, Park Chan–” she couldn’t even say his name, covering her redden face. “No, just leave me alone. I don’t want–” she gulped invisible saliva, trying her best not to explode though she really wanted to. She took a step backward, “–to see you ever again. I hope you burn in hell.” She closed the door with a loud bang, right on Chanyeol’s face.

Chanyeol exhaled loudly, still standing there. He knew he did it but still couldn’t forgive what he had done, honestly. He stared at the door with no words before going back to his room. This beautiful morning was officially the worst ever for him.

Joohyun sat on the floor, back leaning against the door, crying. She hugged the book between her body and her legs, burying her face on her knees as her crying got louder. She started wondering what she could have possibly done in her past life that she had to face all of these things, how bad her mistakes were in her previous life that she deserved this. Did she really deserve this?

Just that time she wished that she never woke up to this day.

♡

Joohyun carefully stepped into the tub, holding on the wall before sinking her body in the warm water. She had learned that having a bath in warm water when you were under heavy stress would really help in reducing it. She even added some lavender soap with less bubbles to get a better sensation. She dunked her body until the water reached her neck, throwing her head backwards then leaning against the side of the tub. Joohyun had her hair tied in a bun.

She turned her classical music on, letting the instrument fill the steamy bathroom. Her eyes were busy looking at the ceiling, trying to recall what happened today. This was probably the worst day Joohyun had ever been in. At the same time she felt hurt, furious, betrayed, mad, and all the mix of feelings she couldn’t even put into words.

Her phone vibrated, Joohyun turned her head to see who was calling. It said “Mother” on the screen, her heart sank in sudden sad feelings.

“Irene darling, are you alright? I’m having a bad dream about you so I immediately call, just in case.” The bond between mother and daughter was so strong that it swam across the oceans.

Joohyun couldn’t help but cry at the words.

“Mom...,” she started opening after a full day of zipping it, even to herself.

“Oh God, I’m so glad that I can hear your voice. What happened darling?” there was a relief in her tone, but still couldn’t cover that she was also worried.

“Why are mean people still alive, Mom?”

“They’re alive to make us stronger, sweetheart,” Joohyun’s mother still had no idea what exactly happened to her daughter. But instead of asking, she would say anything to cheer her daughter up. Knowing that her daughter was still answering already made her feel a thousand times better.

“Can we get revenge on them, Mom?”

“No, darling, getting revenge is never the solution. It’ll only pass on someone else.”

“So what should we do with them, Mom?”

“Well, leave them because they’re not worth your time at all. Also, Irene darling, we’re always stronger than anything we have to deal with.”

Joohyun nodded slowly. She was right, after all. Though the bad things might slap her right in the face, until this time she had survived and was still alive.

“Mom.”

“Yes, darling?”

“Would you please sing my song? The Goodnight, Irene one?” Joohyun leaned her head, shuting her eyes down.

“Sure, sweetheart. I’m going to get my ukulele.”

Goodnight, Irene was an American folk song and also little Joohyun’s favorite lullaby. She had a list of lullabies that her parents would sing to send her to dreamlands. There were mostly old songs of her parents’ favorite ones. Since they were old songs, the lyrics were sometimes dark and not inappropriate for kids. Joohyun’s parents would make their own version for the daughter.

“Are you gonna sleep, darling? It’s almost midnight over there, right?”

“Yes, Mom. That’s why I want my favorite song,” Joohyun answered, massaging her face gently.

“Irene goodnight, Irene goodnight, goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene, I’ll see you in my dreams,” the melodic voice of Joohyun’s mother along