- 00:00:02 -

It was 9 PM when I opened the creaky door and saw the usual two pairs of shoes at the doorway. Daehyun must be over too. Daehyun and Youngjae have been friends longer than I known Youngjae. They had a similar life crisis that happened to me and Diane where Youngjae moved from his childhood residence leaving Daehyun behind. Saddest day in Daehyun’s life, but also the best day in my life since I gained a new friend.

“Hazel!” Daehyun called from the living room as I heard an echo of loud footsteps approaching me. By the time I finished taking off my shoes and looked up, Daehyun was already in front of me with his usual wide grin. I always wondered how they managed to stay friends for so long when one had this happy, go-getter attitude and the other one… was the biggest boring nerd. Pfft.  I could always make myself laugh.

“Hey,” I said back smiling. There was something infectious about his smile.

“So, are you joining us for that biology assignment too?” He asked casually leaning against the wall behind him. I immediately rolled my eyes at him and he laughed. He nodded back telling me that he understood the pain too. Then, he grabbed my backpack from my hands and threw it on his back. “Here, let me get that for you.”

“Oh?” He walked ahead of me and I followed in after him. He never did that before. Youngjae was sitting at the dining table in his white t-shirt and grey sweatpants with his laptop in front of him. He looked perplexed he was furiously typing up a storm. I looked over at Daehyun and he shrugged.

“By the way, I’m hungry,” Daehyun said looking at me. Oh... I saw where this was going. “This backpack for a meal?” he nudged the backpack behind him. Of course.

“You know I would be glad if you can take that backpack from me actually,” I said seriously and Daehyun pouted back.

“You have to have something valuable in here.”

“Nope.”

He dropped the backpack on the floor with a soft thud. “Fine, can you make us some food, please? Youngjae got me to come over by bribing me with food and-” Then, he glanced over at Youngjae. “Actually, make that a meal for just me. I hate him.”

What was this lover’s quarrel?

“I’m hungry too,” Youngjae chimed in with his eyes still glued to the computer screen.

“Why didn’t you just order something?” I asked as I slowly moved to grab my backpack on the floor. As soon as I fetched this, I could run back to my room, lock the door, and sleep. When I bent over to grab it, Daehyun also reached at the same time. My hand was successfully around one of the straps, but Daehyun’s hand was over mine. I looked up to his face inches away from mine.

“Food please,” he whined. “Your ramen is the best.” His brown eyes lit up and I furiously blinked trying to take in this situation. Feeling my face getting warm, I immediately pulled away leaving my backpack as a hostage. The furious typing in the background stopped as I was met with Youngjae’s confused expression staring back at me.

“F-F-Fine,” I said as I stormed into the kitchen.

☆ ☆ ☆

“Best late night meal ever!” Daehyun exclaimed as he cleared his bowl. To think that I used 5 packs of ramen and they finished all of it. Youngjae yawned leaning back into his seat. “The MSG is going to help me pass out soon”

Youngjae glared at Daehyun. “Go back to your dorm and sleep.”

“What! No fair!” Daehyun shouted. “Plus, it’s dangerous for such beautiful men to be walking back in the darkness.”

Youngjae scoffed back. “More the reason for you to go back. You definitely won’t have anyone approach you.”

Daehyun looked at me with his puppy eyes. “Hazel, I can stay over right?”

Before I could say anything, Youngjae took the spotlight. “Nope.”

“Hazel lives here too. She should get say in it.” Daehyun fought back already making him a place on the couch. Were they really going to get into an argument over this? I never understood this bro-ship considering that they just sounded like lover's quarrels.

“Daehyun should stay the night. We don’t have classes tomorrow anyways.” I said back only to be glared at by Youngjae. I shrugged back at him and he shook his head at me.

“Score!” Daehyun exclaimed. “I know I can always count on you, Hazel.”

I smiled back as I got up grabbing my backpack. “Well, I’m going to head into my room. Call me if you need me.”

Once I closed the door behind me, I dropped everything on the floor and jumped on to my bed. My small sensor light on my desk lit up in the darkness. It was already 12 am. Sighing, I turned over and looked over at the calendar on my desk. April was only a month away and I still had no plans. I looked up at my ceiling and stared the glow-in-the-dark stars Youngjae put up. The light flickered off in th