“I would totally get it if you’ll go with her,” Yuri stated while stirring the juice inside the pitcher. “I mean, you guys were classmates and kind of close back in middle school,” she said, pouring drinks onto five cups.

All that Wonyoung knows is that she just blinked and suddenly the weekend with her family at the beach already passed her by. The day by the sea is something she looked forward to and everything that she wanted to do that day was achieved. And now, she wanted to go back to that time only to have the salty scent of ocean breeze register on her nose again. But she knows that she can’t because life moves forward, not backwards, because if it did, she’d definitely want to go back to a certain time, almost a year ago.

Magically, it’s Monday yet again and she received a message from Yuri saying that she assembled the rest of the gang at her apartment because she misses them. It was all it took for Wonyoung to quickly prepare and leave home just to see her friends again.

Yuri’s apartment is a modern studio type. The overall atmosphere is cozy enough that ever since they became friends during middle school, they keep having sleepovers there. By the time, Wonyoung arrived at her friend’s crib; Nako was already lying on her stomach on Yuri’s bed, Hyewon was seated by the table eating snacks, Yena was sitting on the floor with her back leaning against the wall, and Yuri opening the door, greeting her.

Wonyoung watched Yuri hand a cup to Yena before giving her a cup of her own. “As if I would really go with them,” Wonyoung muttered under her breath while playing with the cup between her hands.

She doesn’t really get messages from old friends but last week, Jihan asked her regarding the music fest first before anyone else did. They exchanged messages for quite some time and Wonyoung learned that Jihan will be with her squad and some other middle school classmates will also be around that night. And the squad consists of Heejin, Lia, and Sihyeon.

Wonyoung told Jihan that she’ll think about it first. Thankfully, the other did not ask any further nor talked to her more after saying that. Their conversation ended with Jihan saying, ‘I’ll wait for your response’ and Wonyoung left her at read.

“I don’t blame you for feeling that way,” Nako joined in on the conversation, still lying on her stomach on Yuri’s bed. Wonyoung thought that Nako is not listening because she’s engrossed with streaming Twice’s new music video, but then she remembered that Nako’s multitasking ability is out of this world. “They’re a little too much sometimes, even for me.”

Nako is literally the social butterfly in their group and for her to say that means something.

Wonyoung recalled that she and Nako once became classmates together back in middle school along with them. She doesn’t have anything ill to say about them for she almost got into their circle because they’re nice and smart, but she opted out. She just doesn’t want to act something that she’s not.

Accepting that offer way back meant spending a lot of money on stuff that she doesn’t even need just because something is trendy and they’ll immediately buy it. Wonyoung simply doesn’t have that kind of luxury. It also meant having unnecessary attention on her because she’s part of the most famous squad at the campus and also judging someone based from the gossips and rumors around, Wonyoung doesn’t like any of that.

And so, she simply became friends with them without joining their group. Sometimes, when she has no choice but to spend time with them, she feels inferior that she finds herself being silent and absentmindedly nod to whatever they say just to avoid any unnecessary arguments. With them, she feels like she’s a complete different person, one who’s limited and not free, one who restricts herself for who she is.

It’s been years but Wonyoung doubts that they’ve changed that much.

“If I were you,” Hyewon briefly looked at Wonyoung, “I’ll probably go with someone I could feel at ease with.”

At ease, huh?

“For example, me,” Yuri interjected. “Come on, Wonyoung. It will be fun I assure you.”

Hyewon shook her head, “Have mercy on her, Yuri. Don’t make her your resident third wheeler.” Hyewon gave her a friend an apologetic look.

Wonyoung agreed with her friend’s statement because lately, she’s been their third wheel and automatically their photographer. “It’s a shame Nako and I won’t be able to attend the music fest. We could’ve been there for Wonyoung the whole night.”

The whole group has been informed that the two won’t go because they already have plans with their family and they couldn’t change it. If only it’s not family related, Hyewon and Nako would probably be there.

“You could bring someone so that you won’t feel that you’re a third wheeler to us,” Yuri suggested mischievously looking at Wonyoung’s eyes. “I bet someone else aside from Jihan asked you.”

Wonyoung felt that she’s going to be put into a corner soon. She regrets accidentally spilling it to Yuri. And of course, it spread like wildfire among them. “No one did,” she lied. 

“Really?” Nako spoke, who suddenly sat up beside her and the music’s volume is lowered now. “What about that friend of Yena-unnie?”

Wonyoung watched the mentioned girl look up from her cellphone, “Who?” Confusion was evident from Yena’s face, completely unaware of whatever is happening inside the room. “Is she from the same university as us?”

“Yep, and you know her very much,” Hyewon nodded knowingly towards Yena’s direction.

Wonyoung tried to avoid this topic as much as possible because, she knows that she’ll be put in the hot seat and she’s highly aware of how her friends are able to squeeze out any sort of information from her, no matter how hard she try not to. And now, she can feel all of their teasing eyes on her.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that I still won’t go to the music fest,” Wonyoung announced, trying to stop the flames of curiosity get bigger at the same time avoiding their gazes. Her fingers were crossed hoping that they would take the bait and change topic.

Yuri almost choked on her drink as her shoulders slumped down, feeling frustrated that she can’t persuade her best friend yet. “Girl, this is our once in a lifetime chance. Won’t you feel the regret someday if you’re not going to the fest?”

In all honesty, Wonyoung had already thought of the possibility that she would stay awake at night in the future thinking about the ‘what ifs’ that concerns the upcoming event. Questions like ‘what if I attended’, ‘what if I had fun that night’, ‘what if she wasn’t there that night’, and other stuff previously ran through her mind. Simply thinking about not taking this opportunity to see her favorite artists pains her.

“I’d feel regret of course---” Wonyoung was about to continue her sentence, however, she was cut off by Yuri.

“Then it means that you should join us,” Yuri announced in a matter of fact tone. “Yujin is highly welcomed with us if that’s what you’re worried about,” Yuri teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

Wonyoung can feel her cheeks burning from embarrassment. She also doesn’t know where she should first react to. Yuri kept on wiggling her eyebrows and that cheeky smile is really making Wonyoung wish for the soil to open up and swallow her whole. She also saw from her peripheral vision that Yena’s eyes widened in either shock or disbelief, meanwhile Hyewon and Nako were wearing their playful smirks.

Her hands involuntarily moved to cover her reddening face. “I-I’m not worried about that,” Wonyoung stuttered through her statement. “It’s just that…” Wonyoung’s voice was almost like a whisper as she