I’m 22 this year.

Small town girl. Hmm.. well I guess Seoul isn’t really a small town. Definitely a small fashion designer, always hoping some famous designer would walk in here and fall in love with my clothes. That person would bring me out of this tiny shop in Hongdae.

I’m not that small. People come here and trash my shop. They throw pain at my doors and I’ve lost count with the number of times they’ve tried to burn the place down. I’ve two extinguishers just in case.

One morning brought me in front of my shop with spray pain all over the front.

STAY AWAY FROM SUHO OPPA.

I look it and all i can do is sigh. The fans are obviously mistaken to a brink of stupidity. Like i’ve learnt , stupidity has no extend. Its limits are boundless and surprise you everyday. My name is not important , Suho is . He’s my best friend. I’ve known him since I was 3 and he was 5 . I know him for the spoilt brat he is. If you ask me , I wish he never joined EXO , not because of anything else but that I don’t see him anymore. When I do , i get my shop almost burnt down.

The last time I met him with his dongsaeng Yixing was a couple of months ago. Things hadn’t been so good since. Business was alright , manageable but haters just made everything so much worst. The bell rings and I shout a welcome from the store room trying to sort out something

“ Jungie !” is the first thing i hear and I peek my head out.

“ Yixing ! “ i smile and welcome him in, dragging a chair across the counter from me.

“ Jungie , what happened to your shop , outside ?” he asks head moving in the direction behind him. “ Nothing much just everyday things , anyway , how did you get here in one piece ?”

He laughs and tells me he was lucky today , it was a weekday and student were in school , others were at work. It was safe.

“ Eaten ?”

I shake my head

 “ but i have to tend to the shop boy can’t just lock it up and miss a few customers “

He smiles and dashes out the door before I can even shout at him to stop. Shaking my head at the sudden reaction I get back to counting the little stocks i had left to make sure nothing was missing. Half an hour had passed before there was another ring of the bell and I was excited that i finally had a customer, instead it was Yixing with plastic bags in his hand.

“ Food , hungry ya? “

I can’t hold in the laugh. We go to the back of the shop along the deserted alley, it was cold but the food was piping hot. He bought my favorite Galbi-Tang and a hot cup of tea.

“ Thanks Yixing-ya , but you shouldn’t have , aren’t you busy with schedules ? “ I take a bite of the beef and swallow it with a spoon of rice.

“ Not really just a little bit , today was our off day “ he tries to change the topic and gets back to eating his own food. Spending his off day with me how odd .

“ Where’s Suho hyung ? “ he asks and i return his a quizzically look. “ You’re in the same company Yixing , you should know better than I do “

“ But you’re his best friend ! “

“ He doesn’t call me much we just meet occasionally. “ I sigh at the confession , here i really needed my best friend to tell me that this was just a phase life was going to get better but I couldn’t impose.

“ Well we’re friends now right , you can call me if you need me alright” he scribbles his phone number on the back of a old receipt and shoves it into my hand. We eat lunch in silence, comfortable silence a luxury i hadn’t have in awhile.

-----------------

After that afternoon , Yixing dropped by whenever he was free. The only times I saw Suho in months was on the TV or an occasional text from him making sure I was okay. I told him to focus on the comeback everything was rough now with three member missing. I get off the train at Hongdae and make my way up the exit. Grabbing a quick breakfast from the parisbaguette outlet just outside. I nibbled on the french toast while I walked up the small slope.

My sandwich fell from my hands and I ran to my shop. It was so much worst today , there was a pile of rubbish outside , cans and cans of paint drenched my walls. How was I suppose to open my shop today. I use my leg and nudge the cans away only to realise that it had seeped under the door frame and was staining the floors inside.

The lock was spoilt I couldn’t even get in now.

What was this. I fell to my knees and stared at the horrible mess in front of me. I didn’t deserve this at all not one bit.

Staring at my phone in my hands try to dial Suho’s number but he doesn’t pick up. I have no one else to call. Until the phone vibrates and a name pops up on the screen.

Yixing.

My hands are shaking when i press the green button and wait for the call to connect.

“ Morning Jungie ... “ the voice is one that has just woken up. I feel like I should hang up now.

“ Sorry Yixing , i didn’t know you were sleeping , i’ll call you later “ but he stops me before I can hang up.

“ Jungie , whats wrong ? Are you crying ? “ I hear some shuffling on the other side of the phone and I can’t even get my voice out. “ Jungie ? Where are you now ? “ his voice is panicky and the awful feeling makes me regret the phone call.

“ Jungie are you at the shop ? “

“ Yes “

“ Wait for me “ and he hangs up.

I try my best to jiggle the lock but it doesn’t budge , people are staring at me like I’m trying to break in so I stop. I sit by the side hands stained with red paint like I had just man slaughtered someone.
The paint
 start to cake up in my palms and a peel them away. I don’t know how long i’ve been here in this cold before another pair of hands take mine in them.

“ Jungie , what happened ?”

I look at to see a familiar face something that washed a sense of calmness over me. He turns to look at my mangled shop front and the words written clearly all over it.

“ Does Hyung know ? “ I shake my head and beg him not to tell. This was not Suho’s fault , and telling him was just going to give him more worry on top of everything else.  He gets up and tries to fiddle with the lock a few more time before deciding to kick it open. When we get in i try my best to get rid of all the paint that seeped over the door frame while Yixing took to initiative to clean the shop front.

“ I’m sure hyung has at least a little time for you , how can he not know all this “

“ Yixing we both know how busy he gets, and recently things in the company have been difficult , just don’t tell him alright “

It doesn’t take long before his phone is ringing incessantly , forcing him to pick it up.

“ Jungie, I have to go but I’ll be back when i can , just be safe alright “ he steps forward and pulls me into a hug which leaves me frozen then he’s out the door.