“Namjoon, hey,” 

The same voice that has been waking me up for 10 years never fails to annoy and how she stuck her feet in my . It drives me nuts to this day. Da Eun has been bossing me around ever since we became friends. She took charge of the mother role the moment my mother left me for her job. Da Eun has been damn nosy and annoying but despite all that, I couldn't live without her. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now. I couldn't even cook a decent meal for myself and always end up spending money for restaurant food.

“Hey, Namjoon, wake up!” I heard her voice again. Though I was having a good dream about women, I had to wake up or else she'll pour water on me. “Get up, I brought breakfast,” she said.

“I'm up, God, my head hurts,” I groaned when the scenarios last night came flashing in my mind like a movie. “Ugh,” my head felt like it was slowly breaking apart. “My head, what happened…”

“Oh? You're asking me what happened?” Da Eun scoffed, I can only hear her at the moment for I can't open my eyes because of the damn headache. “What do you remember, Joon?”

“I can't think- tell me,” I said in defeat.

“Hmm, let me think,” she began to hum. “You went out with the girl from the Baskin’s, then you happened to meet your current girlfriend at the club, then it turns out that the girl from the Baskin’s has a boyfriend and boy, you got in trouble,”

“Can I die?” I asked in defeat. I finally got my head on and shot her a look. Da Eun looked annoyingly attractive as usual, with her daily outfit: T-shirt,
jeans and sneakers, she looked perfect.

She looks perfect for a best friend. She was setting the table with the gray apron tied around her body. As usual, she brought me breakfast and packed lunch for school. “Before you die, eat first. I made this today,” she smiled and walked towards me and sat at the foot of the bed. “You have to have a full stomach before you face people today,”

“Can I die after I eat?”

She squinted her eyes playfully and began mocking me with her teasing grin. “Now you’re embarrassed? Hey, Joon. It’s not the first time you did, so you should get used to it,” she said and slapped my leg. “Come on, get up.”

“Fine,” I groaned and got out of the bed. Still, my head hurts a lot.

“I brought coffee too,” she said. I was finally on the chair, I was so damn tired that making 5 steps towards the table felt forever. Then Da Eun stood behind me and began massaging my shoulders. Her minty scent lingered in my senses- though I never liked the scent of mint, but if it was Da Eun, I liked it. It made me feel like everything will be okay just like she said. “Where are you heading today, Joon?” she asked, and she was already heading to the other side.

“I have no idea, I should take a day off from school,” I said as I reached for the cup of coffee.

“Well, then, why don’t you come with me?” she grinned.

I looked at her grinning cheekily. Da Eun has a long black hair, her cheeks turn to pink when she smiles, her eyes are big and brown and her face is very small. So small that I could just cover it with my hand. Da Eun and I had grown so much. I remember the day when we first met, she was taller than me, but now, it felt like she stayed that way and I kept growing. But Da Eun never changed, she’s always the same bubbly, strong, hardworking and brave girl that I knew. 

“Come with you? Where?’ I asked and reached for a slice of kimbap in the center of the table. I nodded, the food she makes are always delicious. Da Eun was tapping her fingers on the table as if she was thinking of something to reply to my question. Then I noticed how her hands look. There were plasters wrapped around her fingers and her nails were shorter than normal. “Hey, you’ve been cutting your nails shorter than before. Doesn’t it hurt?” I asked.

“Oh? My nails? I think they’re fine.” she pouted as she checked on them. “You know me, I get scared when my nails grow long,” she smiled. “So, would you like to come with me?”

“To where exactly?” 

“Errm,” she hummed for a moment before she looked at me, “You don’t know what day it is?”

“It’s Friday?” I answered and she let out a sigh. 

“Aish, anyway, never mind, Joon.” she smiled and ruffled my hair. She began packing again, she took the other lunchbox and put it in her bag and stood up. “I’ll be heading to work now,”

“Already?” I asked and she hasn’t even eaten a single thing yet. “Did I say something?” 

She shook her head and smiled, “No, but you’re being an idiot,” 

“What?”

“My advice? Don’t go out alone. It’ll be risky,” she winked and finally walked out of my apartment. What she said left me thinking.

***

Just like Da Eun said, I didn’t leave the house. I was too tired and was trying to remember what actually happened last night. I don’t have the face to call some of my friends and asked them what happened last night because they might be talking about me already.

“It’s Friday, is there something special today?” I asked my