Kim Jibeom's POV

She didn't come to the class today. I know I shouldn't be bothered about it, but what can I do when she's the only one who occupied my mind for the past few days? After her writing exposed to the world, I could feel she was being extra cautious with everything that she did. 

And for me to sight that side of her, it stings me a little bit too much than it should be. It hurts to see someone who always will allowing her lips curved upwards suddenly become someone quiet and distance herself from everyone around her.

I naturally clutched my phone out and dialed for her number but until the last beep, no one picked it up, rising the anxiousness in myself. No matter how busy Arin was, she would usually at least answer the phone and told me she's busy.

My hand reached the nape of my neck, slowly massaging it, "Where is she?" I muttered alone before my eyes fell on someone familiar. That's Doyeon, Arin's roommate. She should at least know where did Arin goes, right?

"D--Doyeon," I awkwardly called out for her name and turned out she's with Jane and Yoojung. I lowered my head, avoiding the stare the three girls gave to me at the moment. It's fricking scary to have them staring at me as if I did something wrong.

Yoojung frowned, "Jibeom, is there anything wrong?" She urged the question towards me, startling me even more. I elevated my head up to regard her smiley face, "Do you want to say something to Doyeon?" Yoojung continued asking.

"Oh, yes, do you perhaps know where Arin went? She didn't come to class just now," I notified them, causing Doyeon's eyebrows furrowed into a V-shape before she reminded of something.

She hummed to the question, "Well, nothing much but I do hear she talked to someone, seems like her mother. Maybe she went back to her house?" Doyeon remembered she accidentally listened to Arin's conversation with her mother early in the morning. 

"Really?" My expression brightened up a little bit after knowing where Arin could be presently, "Thank you," I bowed before started to walk away from them with a light step.

As my steps gradually fastened, a voice abruptly halted me from moving, "But, Jibeom, wait," I turned the other way to see Doyeon was having her hand up in the air as if she's calling for me, "I think she's in trouble. She looks quite off when she leaves the room this morning," The girl informed me and I automatically frowned.

Is Arin in trouble?

That's how I found myself standing in front of her house, driving Jaehyun's car all the way here. I do have a driving license but my parents wouldn't purchase me a car with a reason I might abandon my study if I ever owned a car which seems to be completely the most ridiculous reason they could ever think of.

Initially, Jaehyun was quite reluctant about issuing me his car key but when Yeri assured him, everything is going to be okay, he ended up passing me the key and here I am, in front of Arin's house. I looked at the house with more to village style with a metal gate at the entrance.

"Yewon, Choi Yewon!" I called out for her real name but there's no one responded to my voice. My eyes wandered around to find for someone but there's almost no one could be seen here other than few cats trying to find food at the nearby trash bin.

I had heaved out a sigh before a voice managed to disrupt my attention, "Are you looking for someone, young man?" I inclined my head up looking at the old woman who was currently talking to me. I nodded making a smile appeared on her lips, "If you're looking for Yewon, she went to the hospital with her mum just now by ambulance. You could apparently find her at Hope Hospital."

My lips automatically curved upwards, "Thank you," I grabbed both of her wrinkle hands as I uttered those, "Thank you again," I bowed before rushing myself to the car so that I could reach there as fast as I could. Arin might need someone to be by her side at the moment, though I wasn't certain if my presence there could make her happy or the other way around.

Only God knows how fast I drove the car, ignoring all of the other vehicles around me and it required approximately 10 minutes for me to reach to hospital. The second things I realized I was at present in the hospital, looking for the girl. After seeking the receptionist, I went to the respective floor and could see a familiar figure was sitting on the chair with her head downward, staring at the floor.

"Choi Yewon," I softly called out for her name but ended up getting ignored. I heaved out a sigh, walking towards the girl and suddenly she had her eyes on me but at the same time probably pondering why she could mark me at this very place.

She squinted her eyes, staring at me with a clueless expression, "What are you doing here," Arin urged, "Kim Jibeom."

I don't know why but my heart fluttered when I heard my name being called by her though I wasn't sure whether her reaction was a good one or not. I observed the girl, clearing my throat, slowly approached her with obvious nervous eyes as it kept shaking, "I---I."

Before I could ever continue with my words, the doctor I supposed that treat her mother came out from the examination room, "Mrs. Choi's guardian?" The man with a white coat looked around, and Arin swiftly focused her attention towards him.

"Me," She walked towards the doctor with both of her hands clasped together, hoping for a good news from the man who was currently standing in front of him. I followed the girl from behind and stood right behind of her in case she requires some support. 

To be honest, I don't indeed convince why I'm over here in the first place. It's just, I came here without I ever realized I did.

The doctor hummed, scanning the file he had in his hand, "Her daughter?" He asked and Arin nodded, "Do you perhaps know that your mother suffered from cancer?" Her eyes widened to sudden news, "Oh, I bet you don't know about it. I'm sorry to inform this, but your mother is in critical condition. It's cancer stage 4 which is the last stage," He explained on the situation with more details, "I assumed we could do nothing other than you need to be by her side and provides her much support so that she could end her life happily. That's the least we could do now."

Arin broke into tears, crystal-clear liquid running down her cheeks without any intention to stop anytime soon. While me, who was standing by her side clearly didn't know how to respond to the situation we're in. But somehow he glads that he made the decision to come here, "A--Arin," I tried to calm her down when suddenly she fell onto the ground, wailing loudly, gaining the attention from everyone around.

"Th--This couldn't be true," She cupped her face, still sobbing with both of her knees folded. Arin currently looks like a little girl who lost her mother at the middle of a shopping complex.

I crouched down in front of her, gnawed with my lower lips, not knowing on what kind of action I should take at this very moment. It hurts me, it totally tortures me to see Arin in a despair state. Her smile has consistently been the first thing I wanted to see every day but now... All I could see were tears and the side of her that she presumably wouldn't want to show to anyone else.

Yet, I am here, witnessing it.

Out of sudden, she leaned down her head, laid it down on my knees, obviously startling me, "H--Hey," My hand naturally moved towards her back as if I wanted to  it but when it's only left with an inch away, I slowly clenched my fist, put it down before heaving out a silent sigh.

In the end, I let her be in the state for about the next 10 minutes until she finally calms down.  

Kim Doyeon's POV

I walked into the room with a weak step as I practiced dancing for the whole day with club activities adding to the account. I think I did a lot for this semester; I should lessen it by next year. My eyes fell on the empty bed in front of me, "Arin hasn't back yet?" I curiously uttered as she has been missing for the past three days. There's no news coming from her, and it started to bother me. I could've asked Jibeom, but I didn't. Sigh, Kim Doyeon.

Ultimately, I thought today would be a peaceful day for me as I laid my back on my comfortable bed, trying to close my eyes, hoping for some good sleep but there's no one going to allow me for achieving it when suddenly my phone ring, indicated someone was calling for me.

"Who the hell calling me at this extremely precious hour?" I lazily clutched my phone that I put beside my pillow and had uninterested eyes, staring at the screen, "Park Jihoon?" My brows automatically frowned upon noting his name.

I swiped the green-colored option and bore it to my ears, "What?" I responded to it with a total annoyed tone in hope that he would stop bothering me at once, "What do you want Park Jihoon?" My eyes rolled totally weren't pleased with him at all.

"Just for today, Doyeon, please?"

He was literally begging me, "Why do I need to do that?" I whined, but I know I will end up doing what he wants at the very end of the day.

"I won't ask any other thing else. I couldn't talk about this to anyone else other than you,"

I heaved out a profound sigh, slowly giving up, "Okay, wait for me at the living room," I informed him, "I will be there in 30 minutes."

I woke up from the bed, heading towards the toilet as my hand reaching for the towel I hang on the bar beside it. I spent about 20 minutes on it, taking an incredibly nice shower. I should've gone straight for a shower instead of laying down on the bed first. 

Next, I put on casual clothes; basically a red shirt with light blue colored jeans. I tuck the shirt inside the pants, applied some bb cream and a light colored lip tint so that I won't appear too obvious. My lips curved upwards as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, "Perfect," I uttered to myself.

After I had done prepare myself, I walked down the stairs, bumping into Tzuyu on my way out, she really looked like she pissed off on something. As I struck the ground floor, I could see Jihoon was at present there waiting for me in the living room.

"Let's go," I called his name and he quickly shifted his head looking at me. A smile formed on his lips but instead of replying it with another smile, I leveled my eyes, "You better leave your car at home because I don't want to drive you back."

Jihoon pouted his lips but ended up nodding to my request, "Okay," He put aside the car key he held in his pocket and silently followed me from behind.

After about 10 minutes of walking, finally, we had reached our destination which is the late-night snacks vendor we constantly went to whenever we wanted some drinks and vented out all of the complex feelings. When we got there, the sun was already settling down, letting out the moon to show itself.

"Can we get three bottles of soju over here?" Jihoon outstretched his hand up in the air and bawled his order towards the middle-aged woman who was currently serving some rice-cake and other snacks towards the customer. She nodded before went to receive our order.

I looked at the boy with a bored face, "So, what do you want to tell me?" My arms were used to support my head on the table as I heaved out a silent sigh. I couldn't believe I'm going to spend the night listening to my ex-boyfriend's love story. Well, real talk, I don't like him anymore.

Just, wasn't it weird to be here in the first place? I came here because he told me I was the only who will comprehend him so, yeah. I ended up here.

"You should eat something while drinking," The owner place our order on the table, "Should I get you something?" She raised her eyebrows as she's back and forth looking at the two of us.

At the end, I ordered some snacks along with the drink because Jihoon doesn't seem like he cared about it at all. He looked like he's going to drink all night, talking about his problems and here I am, sitting in front of him, convincing myself ready to lend my ears.

"Talk," I informed him when he was at present at the second bottles of soju. He should be drunk enough to talk about his problem now. Jihoon had a sneaky smile plastered on his face with his blushy cheeks. I'm pretty sure he would talk soon.

He let out a small chuckle, "Do you know that Doyeon?" Jihoon took another shot of the alcohol, "I confessed to Yeri the other day and guessed how she responded to it?" I raised both of my eyebrows, wasn't surprised by the news.

"Obviously, she rejected you," I answered half-heartedly since I already know the ending of his story, "You do know she won't like you right? Who will ever like a playboy like you?" I snorted, thinking on how fool I was back then, to fall in love with the boy in front of me.

Jihoon pointed out his fingers towards, "You," He claimed, "You like me so much back then," His sudden confession, throwing back to the old moments startled me a lot as if he read my mind.

"T--That's old stories! Don't you ever think about bringing it up, okay?" I warned the latter, and he laughed, ignoring my words, "Yah, Park Jihoon, don't you think it's a little bit too much for you to tell me your love story? After all, I'm still your ex-girlfriend and in fact your first girlfriend," I scoffed.

The following thing I know his eyes were already teary, waiting for the liquid to escape