As soon as Irene shut the door of the practice room, she was welcomed with silence. Mirrors became suffocating as reflection of her small figure seemed to fall down.

She softly dropped on the floor leaning her back on the white wall. Although she hadn’t begun her practice yet, she felt drained out all of a sudden. The rest Irene had for two days appeared to be unhelpful as her whole body didn’t want to work. Million different thoughts flew in her mind unstoppably and some even tried to cling on there. Her heart nervously beating two times faster. ‘Impossible. How could I not see it before. That everything I imagined myself was impossible.’

Irene had the door to her heart shut all this time. A lot of change in seasons happened since the time Irene confessed to her friend in high school. The first love and heartbreak from one-sided love were already enough for her to endure.

She was almost ready to open her heart again to the possible contact with Baekhyun. But, unfortunately, this time she hadn’t even had a chance to peek out from that door. Everything got gloomier and sullen.

Her bag that was lying across the room, continued to lie lifelessly until Irene heard the ding. She sighed deeply standing up to get her phone. There was a text message from her best friend, Eunbin. The text brought a smile on Irene’s face instantly and she pressed call button.

“Wah, Hyunie! Didn’t know you would answer this quickly. Don’t you have practice today?” Eunbin’s voice sounded distant as she was on speaker.

“Mm. I have it, but now I wanted to talk to you, bestie! How have you been? Are you still making your desserts?” Irene giggled.

“It’s called ‘macaroons’, duh… and you’re right, I’m making them right now.”

“The only thing you do on Monday mornings,” Joohyun smiled at her friend who is obsessed with sweets.

“Yes. The day, when I have only two classes in the afternoon. Honestly, that’s why I adore Mondays,” Eunbin chuckled on the other side.

“And I hate Mondays…” Joohyun mumbled under her breathe going to wall mirrors of the room. Eunbin couldn’t hear her, but she decided to ignore it and ask about other girls.

“They are good. Seulgi and Wendy have other activities today.”

“Oh, I’ve seen the photos of your birthday party that you sent to me. The party looked fun. And girls looked very pretty.”

“What about me?” Joohyun scoffed.

“You are always pretty, my frie- Oh, no!” the line became quiter.

“What happened?” Irene got nervous. Soon there were heard sounds of metal clashing and noise of wind.

“I’ve almost got my macaroons burnt, oh dear!” Eunbin complained at the phone, breathing deeply.

“Did you not put the timer on?”

“I did… I think,” the girl was anxious because of her not too pleasant looking desserts. Even if Irene was concerned of her bestie, the talk with her certainly lifted her mood up and brought smiles on her face.

That’s when she realized that not everything is bad and against her in the world. That everything has its order and reason to happen. She should not be sorrowful by things that bring her sadness and look out for happy thoughts and opportunities. ‘I am already achieving my dream.’ The thought once again made her smile lively at her reflection.

“Just save them for me. I’ll be eating all your burnt ones when I visit, okay?”

“Sweetheart, even I would not dare to eat them,” Eunbin puffed, “I’ll make the best ones when you visit.”

“Okay, okay. I think, I should go and work already. I’ve been lazing around too much,” Irene looked down at her shoes.

“Yeah, sure. Call me when you have time. Love you, Hyunie!”

“Bye, Bin!” Irene laughed once again before putting down her phone in her bag.

She looked at the mirror to tie her hair up in a ponytail. Sigh came out of her lips as she turned the music on and soon started her practice.

2014, April

“Are you kidding me?” Tao all of a sudden came into dorms yelling. It was in the evening and he came later than everyone else due to his other activities.

“What happened? Why are you yelling?” Luhan came out from kitchen confused.

Tao’s eyes quickly diverted to Kris sitting on the couch watching a movie. He stood in front of him clutching his fists in anger.

“Are you f***ing serious? You’re leaving us?” he told him in Mandarin not realizing it at all.

Kris watched him fume like a pot and decided to ignore his question, “go away, you’re blocking the TV.”

Tao took the remote from his hands and turned the television off. Before Kris could lament, the blond one pointed his finger at him.

“Don’t dare lying. Why?” he shouted. Other members hearing loud voice of Tao, came out of their rooms to the living room. However, hearing only Chinese language coming out of two, they turned to Luhan. He stood there watching the scene with furrowed brows, cup in his hand.

“Tell me this is a joke!”

Kris was not answering at all.

“Did you really break the contract with SM?”

“…not yet,” Kris was nonchalant as ever.

“So, what? Are you going to sue them?”

Sehun went closer, “hey, please speak in Korean. I don’t get anything.”

“Shut up,” Kris stood up from the couch glaring at Tao. His tall height intimidated everyone in the room. “Who are you to shout at me and interrogate?”

Suho came out of the crowd to clarify the matter.

“Can you lower your voices, guys. Tao?” he looked at the blond one who was staring fiercely at Kris, “can you explain to us what’s happening? We didn’t understand your conversation.”

“You should ask him, hyung. He is the o