At Dusk, I Will Think of You

"I still can't believe you started the project without me," I said to Joohyun, my voice slightly muffled from pressing my cheek against my arm. You have no idea how much energy I was exerting into hiding the tiredness in my tone.

Yesterday, while Joohyun was running around, jotting down orders, and doing the many duties of a hardworking waitress, I pulled up a few textbooks and skimmed through some related topics. The goal was to search for reliable sources online. I mean, it was the perfect plan to get started on this research paper. Gathering most of the information to finally write this stupid thing is the least I could do after not meeting up with Joohyun the day before.

Then, after giving plenty of effort and time into constructing some sort of outline, I concluded it was all for nothing. Yep, my worst nightmare. As soon as I pried open our shared document on my laptop, I wanted to pull the hair out of my scalp. No exaggeration there: I was that frustrated. Little did I know, after spending half an hour clicking through a billion websites and scribbling down needless information, Joohyun had already started the damn thing, managing to get a good bulk of the work done! She hadn't even bothered to inform me of her progress beforehand. Nope, not a single mention of it at all.

God, doesn't she know the meaning of a paired-up project?

No one does the work by themselves.

Finding out that she did more than a quarter of it made me feel like absolute .

"I'm sorry, okay? You weren't around." Joohyun's going to use that excuse, huh? That just makes what I'm feeling ten times worse. She shouldn't be apologizing—that's my job, despite already doing so yesterday, and repeating it this afternoon.

The day that I hung out with Rose, there was this undeniable feeling that practically shouted it was the worst decision ever made, let alone stupidest. Of course, it had nothing to do with her; she's a nice girl.

Thing is, the whole time I was there, I couldn't shake away those pestering thoughts of dismay, bugging me with the reminder that my choice was just plain wrong and inconsiderate.

And, it was.

Joohyun may have not explicitly thought of it that way—she'd beg to differ, just so I wouldn't feel too terrible about it. All day, she's been trying to convince me that everything's okay, although I don't believe her due to specific reasons. But it's evident that helping Joohyun on our project was extremely more important than being stuck in the music room with another girl, hearing her practice a song for her upcoming competition. Oh, and don't ask why I agreed to meet with Rose on that day when there are many others because the answer's a ing mystery.

Instead, where I truly should've been is with Joohyun to help her ease the weight of stress sitting upon her shoulders, like I said I always would've—to myself and to her. It got so bad—that bothersome feeling—that I felt incredibly uncomfortable the longer I stayed, and I just wanted to leave; to go to Joohyun; to make things right because I knew that my choice wasn't.

It's clear that guilt and regret was making itself prominent, doing a great job of eating me alive. Those feelings proceeded to drown my thoughts for the rest of the day going forward.

For some reason, as I took a trip to the plaza for coffee then walked home, I had this weird sensation that Joohyun was upset. It hit harder—that strong burst of guilt and regret—once I remembered that I hadn't sent her a message to assure her of my plans. Leaving Joohyun hanging was the worst realization because I didn't want to give her the impression that I'm unreliable or that I didn't care. Even as I managed to shoot her a text too late in the afternoon, just to let her know, to apologize, and provide some alternatives, I can still feel that she wasn't okay with it.

Call it best friend intuition, if that's even a legit thing.

Moreover, those train of events led me to embark on a never-ending journey to make up for lost, valuable time. And, although Joohyun would consistently protest that everything was, indeed, fine, I proceeded to doubt it.

It may have been okay for her, but it wasn't for me.

"Can I take over now? You look tired." Ever since I met up with a lonesome Joohyun at the coffeeshop to continue our paper, I haven't let her touch the keyboard at all. Nope, not a single key. If she'd like to edit or add anything, then she had to say it aloud.

It's barely been twenty minutes, and I'm driving her a little insane—so insane that it's morphing into subtle frustration. It's not like I cared; in fact, I owe it to her after all the work she's done already. And, although I'm on the verge of sleep, I'm not giving into her ploys.

I must pick my head up and stay strong.

"No."

I started plucking her fingers off the laptop one-by-one, then scooted it out of her reach and closer to me. She's growing more relentless as time continues to fly by. Before I know it, I won't be able to stop her from snatching it away once she reaches her last stage of aggravation and belts out of control. At that point, she's impossible to deflect. This calls for an intense amount of focus on the task at hand. So, that's exactly what I did.

As a method of preparation and to further shoo away my sleepiness, I (lightly) smacked myself in the face a few times, cracked my knuckles, and wiggled my fingers. Like always, I stared blankly at the screen and began to proofread what I already have.

However, as soon as I surpassed the third word, I was quickly interrupted by Joohyun's infectious laughter. Her hand covered to stifle it, but it was obviously ineffective. She can't control that cackle of a laugh. It wasn't rocket science to figure out that she was giggling at the dramatic lengths I've gone to stay awake. That was only a guess, considering nothing else had the capability of being funny around here.

Although I don't mind being the center of amusement for Joohyun, I still didn't accept being laughed at for trying to stay up. It's a brutal process; one that takes an immense amount of mental strength and determination.

I heard making up conversation is a good counterattack for drowsiness.

Let's put it to the test: "Why are you laughing?"

I'd also ask why her laugh always sounds so sadistically adorable, but that's not sensible.

"Because you're ridiculous." I rolled my eyes; I do this more often around her now.

"Is that all?"

"Hm," she pretended to ponder at a long list of insults, quirking her lips from left-to-right in decipherment. "Ridiculous and annoying."

I acted oblivious: "How so?"

"You're not letting me type a single ing word." Ah, I almost didn't see it coming. After all, the addition of a curse word is to be expected from a pissed-off Joohyun. Her sanity has finally deteriorated. I get that she's fed up with the lack of participation, but that doesn't mean I'm backing down. "It's been half an hour. Let me help."

"No."

"Now."

I snorted, absolutely amused by the little pout that she's mustered.

"Is that your way of being demanding?" She's hilarious if she thinks that attempt was the least bit threatening enough to work on me. "Because if it is, you failed."

If anything, it was cute.

Causing me to regret my choice of words, she rammed her fist into my arm, clearly agitated. It's always the same arm, too. I think it's gone numb by now. After enduring countless borderline-painful punches, I'm pretty much used to this form of abuse.

Rubbing at the spot her knuckles jabbed at, I frowned: "God, I was only kidding."

"Why do you keep avoiding the subject?"

"I'm not." It's pretty hard to with the way she's nagging me like this. "Can't you see that I'm not letting you do anything because you've already done enough on your own?"

"I don't care about that, and you know it." That's true; she's obsessed with working, after all. Again, weirdo. "What matters is that we're together now. So, stop being unnecessarily stubborn, and let me help."

Oh, I'm the stubborn one?

"I get it, but you seriously need to learn how to relax, Joohyun." Like I've mentioned before, this girl has no idea what the definition of a break is. And, this is me trying to give her one. She's so worried about all her responsibilities that she forgets to cherish some offered tranquility in her life. "I mean, do I have to repeat myself, again? You've done most of the work already, so it's only right that I make up for my absence. Allow me to do so, will you?"

Uh, oh. Silence. That's not good.

"Fine." Not going to lie, despite it sounding hostile as hell, I'm surprised by the outcome. I was expecting another comment along the lines of, "you're so annoying," but that's even better. "Do you still think I'm upset about the other day or something? Is that what it is?"

To think that she'd leave it at that was absurd, but at least she's much calmer now.

"Pretty much," I said, my fingers speedily dancing across the keyboard.

"I swear, I'm not. I never was."

Oh, the lies! I have evidence to combat this.

"Really?" Doubting that, I tilted my head and raised my eyebrows at her. Now that I was ready to catch any other sign of a lie that'd inevitably arise upon her features, I added: "Because, Bogum told me that you were."

"When?" It's a great time to mention the way she visibly flinched, then looked away at the mention of Bogum ratting her out. He knows everything about the both of us; the guy's a credible source, after all.

I smirked, and said, "Today."

"Well, he's wrong." She sighed and placed her elbows on the surface of the table, giving her temples a good ole two- massage. It's impressive to see her continuously lie through her teeth, attempting to make it somewhat believable, but after I witnessed that subtle reaction moments ago, there's no way that I'd be convinced of anything she spews. "You shouldn't believe everything he says."

"Whatever you say," I shrugged, giving up on luring out the truth. With someone as stubborn as Joohyun, countering her argument is a waste of time. You and I both know that she won't admit it for the life of her. If her goal is to take my laptop away, then telling me she was upset would only distance her from reaching said goal. "But if you think I'm trying to drive you crazy by depriving you of helping, you're wrong. Honest."

"Then?"

"Then, what?"

"Then, what is it?"

I'd ask, "what is, what?" just to merely annoy her, but I bit my tongue from acting on the urge. Instead, I replied with a sigh, and prepared to answer truthfully:

"I just..." Cue another long, dreadful sigh leaving my lips before I managed, "I just feel bad."

"Why, though?" Rolling my eyes was a necessary response to that dumb question, but I refrained from doing so. "I've already told you that—"

"I know. But it's more so about me rather than what you think." Unable to multitask any longer, I stopped working and looked at her in all seriousness. "You can say that everything's fine—that leaving you hanging the other day wasn't a big deal, but it doesn't mean that I agree with you."

Joohyun's expression was quizzical yet stoic, no longer holding any sign of irritation, which I'm happy to be a witness of. She was just listening, and even as I expected her to reply with something that I could handle, she didn't. Her thoughts kept her and her will to speak hostage as she continued to stare emotionlessly.

It was making me uncomfortable, so I turned away, averting my eyes to the screen instead.

The comedic tone of the atmosphere has now switched into a borderline serious one. Somehow, I hated it, but diving deeper into the topic was unavoidable. There were many things left unsaid—on my part, mostly. Despite my repetitive apologies, I don't think she fully understands the regret that I felt, and still feel. So, yeah, it may not seem like a big deal on the outside, but I sensed that I let her down.

And, letting her down is the worst feeling ever.

"I regret it." That wasn't meant to be said aloud, but it escaped anyways.

"Why do you regret it?" Her voice was smaller than usual, almost like she was tiptoeing cautiously around the question, and afraid to hear my response.

"You know why."

Her lips parted to say something, and half of me was begging her to, just so I could hear her say that it's okay, again. At least, that makes me feel better about things.

But she didn't do that.

Instead, she hesitated and closed .

"I understand."

Sadly, that was all that she said moments later, and all that was said for another thirty minutes or so. Besides some scattered input about the paper, nothing else was brought up or spoken about. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it was weird, considering she was incessantly bugging me to hand over the laptop only half an hour before. Perhaps she was led astray by her own thoughts or felt like the large pocket of quietness was necessary for the both of us.

I could've said something; anything. Though, it seems like I was stuck in the same realm of distraction as she was.

Minutes started to feel like hours. It was getting to that point where I was sick of working, too mentally and physically exhausted to muster up anymore ideas. My thoughts were on standby, at least the ones that are necessary to finish this paper.

While Joohyun was enveloped in one of the textbooks and writing something that was unbeknownst to me, the pace of my typing gradually slowed, and so did my ability to think—more so, about anything. Her thrown glances grew more frequent, either to check up on me, or to see if I was still awake.

She still didn't say a word, even then.

For support, I propped my chin onto the palm of my hand and leaned into it. My zombified mind was blank as I stared stupidly at the screen, rereading my sentences to continue, but it was pointless. Nothing came. That spark of inspiration has died out due to a second wave of sleepiness returning to me.

Those conversational approaches only worked for so long.

Awakening my senses, like an electrified current, I felt a small squeeze around my forearm—a token of reassurance, maybe. That's what it felt like.

Nonetheless, I looked over through droopy eyelids and found Joohyun smiling comfortingly at me. Without words being said, I knew exactly what she was insinuating.

I scoffed out a small laugh and nudged the laptop over to her.

I didn't think my smile could widen until she started clapping her hands in excitement, like doing work was the most amazing opportunity that's ever been offered to her. At that, she must be one of the weirdest girls I've ever met, and I don't meet too many. Her features brightening up was surely a mesmerizing sight to see, though. It makes you wonder if she's real or not, just because she's that pretty.

And, when she's the happiest, her beauty somehow flourishes and glows to the greatest extent, like nothing ever seen before.

Sometimes, it's hard to look away.

Waking me up from sleep and my slight rumination, she, then, asked: "Why don't you rest?"

"Rest? Here?" She always manages to insist on very questionable things, and it somehow turns out to be laughable to hear. Mind you, although the atmospheric ambience of this coffeeshop is quite relaxing, it's not exactly the right place to snooze, despite my mind and my body being all for it. "Are you insane?"

To caffeinate my drowsiness away, I reached out for the canister of coffee that Yuna left for us and refilled my cup, as well as Joohyun's whom responded appreciatively. Adding in the necessary balanced amount of sugar and creamer, I took a few sips, and was delighted to find that it was already working.

"It was only a suggestion," she smirked, flipping and reading through a few paragraphs of the textbook, before zoning into our research paper. "You looked tired, that's all."

Was it that obvious? "But that'd go against trying to make up for the other day."

Joohyun sent me a look, one that clearly translated to—

"You're still on that?"

Oh, she said it for me. "Are you surprised?"

"No," she shook her head, then looked at me, smiling. Again, it was hard not to stare. "There's no need to beat yourself up over a choice that you made, let alone feel regretful about it. You've done enough, and I'm grateful for it."

"Are you sure?" I inched closer, and narrowed my gaze, critically evaluating her next response. If it's not obvious enough, my goal is to search for any hint of a lie in both her words and her countenance. Perhaps some hesitance, maybe?

"I promise." Nope, no sign of one at all, and she's a horrible liar, too. Guess, that means she's telling the truth.

I leaned back into my seat, mumbling, "If you say so."

"Even if I was upset." Did she just admit it? Or, is that hypothetical? "There's no way that could've remained with how sweet you're being about it."

"Sweet?" I let out a brief, humor-filled laugh at the fact that she's so contradicting. "What happened to me being utterly ridiculous and annoying, huh?"

"Well, I wasn't being completely serious about that," she emphasized, suppressing a smile. "Besides, I said that out of frustration."

Despite the doubt I had about her answer, I hummed and nodded in understanding.

"Are you sure you'd call it sweet, though?" Tapping a finger against my chin, I started to think of the right word, and in an instant, it came! "Because if it was up to me, I'd say it was like putting you through torture more than anything else."

She rolled her eyes, finding my perspective humorous, "Oh, shut up."

"Am I wrong?" Come on, it's the perfect example.

"No."

Crossing my arms over the table, I studied her closely and said: "Exactly."

Earning a light laugh from Joohyun, another wave of silence consumed the air surrounding us. There wasn't much left to be said, or to further delve into. Besides, the girl was zoned into our research paper, typing with lightspeed agility.

Just watching her work was tiring me out.

The longer I studied her, the more I endlessly mulled over her ability to stay on task and work so diligently with an annoying distraction such as myself. Even if the drastic lengths she's gone to study are potentially questionable, it's undeniable that she never fails to focus on what matters. To me, that work ethic—that mentality—is astonishing.

In truth, I've never met someone like her; someone who cares so much about the important things yet manages to carry this counterbalance effect that makes you feel like she's not totally hypnotized by it. I suppose, it's the way she doesn't let it fully envelope her to the point that it's physically affecting her or her attitude. Her sleeping habits are a major exception, despite that she seems to have it under control lately.

Though, it seems like all that staring has launched me into a long, perilous voyage to pinpoint every forgotten part of her features—both physically and characteristically—urging me to discover them all over again.

Maybe, it's time to stop, before I get caught, and she gets the wrong—

"What are you thinking about?" Joohyun, still rhythmically typing at high speeds, conveniently asked in sync with my inner voice.

At that, my heart sprung out of my chest and never returned.

Let's act oblivious.

"What do you mean?" Out of slight embarrassment, I looked away, and focused on the rim of my ceramic coffee cup.

"You were staring at me." She bluntly added, as if it was the most evident occurrence in the world. And, it was. "Do you have something to say?"

"No." Well, I could say the load of compliments that my subconscious conjured up, but the amount of sappiness would be easily taken out of context and flipped around convolutedly. "I was just thinking of something to add to the paper."

She smiled at the lie I just told, then resumed staying quiet.

Feeling rather unproductive, I decided to assist Joohyun by searching through our sources for information, flicking away all the distractions that'd come to mind. I'd point out some quotes and any other details related to the topic, before referring it back to her if she considered adding it in.

"Hey, Taehyung?" Joohyun's voice dragged me out of my full-fledged engagement with the pursuit of information.

"Yeah?" Half-drawn into the conversation, I stuck my nose into a textbook and proceeded to listen. "What's up?"

There was a decently long pause that screamed uncertainty, so that caused my intrigue to spike.

"If you don't mind me asking," she cleared , her demeanor shifting from neutral to awkward in a split second. "What did you guys do? You and Rose, I mean."

That was, indeed, a random question; one that's veered into a direction that I wasn't expecting whatsoever. Considering that Joohyun's opinions about Rose was clear back at the Karaoke House, a part of me was anticipating a question or two.

Just, not now.

In response, I lifted an eyebrow at her, and observed her actions for a moment before stating:

"Why would I mind you asking that question?"

I released a short laugh to flick away the weirdness that's formed in the air. I couldn't help but notice that Joohyun was avoiding my gaze, typing rather erratically at the keyboard. I get that she's focused and all, but her recent actions are highlighting the uneasiness that she's heavily protruding.

"I...I don't know." That noticeable stutter implied that, deep down, she does know, but she doesn't want to say it aloud. I won't push her to tell the truth, so I just nodded and let it go.

"Well, to answer your question, we didn't do much." That was legitimate: Rose and I just talked about her upcoming competition, then before I left, she rehearsed her piece for suggestions and comments. I was basically her audience. "And, now that I think about it, we didn't talk much about ourselves, either. It was mainly just surface level conversations about her competition."

"Really?" Joohyun sounded like she didn't believe me, or maybe, it was the subject of our chitchats that puzzled her. Still, I was uncertain what the reason behind any of this was.

"Yeah, really," I nodded slowly, then asked for assurance: "Do you think I'm lying or something?"

"No, of course not." Finally, her typing came to a gradual halt as she heaved a deep breath and faced me fully, like a normal person would. "I just thought she had other intentions, that's all."

Is that what's irking her? Whether or not Rose was trying to hang out for 'other' reasons? Or, is it possible that—like Jimin—Joohyun thinks I like Rose, too?

Nonetheless, I snorted, finding her deduction to be quite humorous and outrageous.

"Intentions?" Repeating it with emphasis caused me to set another laugh free. "Really, Joohyun? Is that what you're wondering about?"

"Don't laugh. I'm serious." Oh, she was serious, for sure. Jesus, how does she get so intimidating in so little time?

"Even if she did have other intentions, why does it matter?" That's a question we're all asking, am I right?

"Then, you're in deep ." How so?

I blinked: "And, why would I be in deep ?"

"Because when she likes a guy, she doesn't stop until she has them." This is clearly one of Joohyun's try hard attempts at warning me about Rose. It's all understandable and greatly appreciated, but it's unnecessary. "Believe me, she's... she's good at getting what she wants."

Judging by the way she uttered those words, it sounded like she's experienced it before her very eyes.

"That's merely an assumption, though." Doesn't she hear herself? It not only sounds absurd, but it's a hell of a reach, too. "Just because she spoke to me a few times, doesn't mean that's she's trying to lure me into one of her traps. If anything, she just wants to be friends."

"Yeah, that's what she wants you to think." The scoff that she emitted sounded almost too bitter to overstep, and that caused me to think very suspiciously about this entire conversation. As she shifted her focus away, and diverted it towards the window beside me, I was occupied with trying to grasp what the hell is running through her mind.

I was left with nothing.

"What are you trying to get at? That she's a bad person?"

"No, I don't know her, nor do I have anything against her." It sure doesn't sound like it, but if I question that, I'll only be facing an outraged Joohyun.

That's something I don't want.

"So, if you don't know her, then why do you act like you do?"

"Taehyung, it's not that hard to pay attention to your surroundings and hear the talk around school."

I slightly canted my head, suggesting: "What if those are all lies being spread around?"

"They're not." The emphasis that she placed on her words was a warning to not agitate her any longer. "Even before you returned, it's been acknowledged from many others that she plays guys."

"Okay, so what?"

At that, I earned a direct glare from Joohyun, conveying an unspoken notion to shut up and listen to her. In which, I am, but to be frank, I don't fully understand her point.

Then, surprising me, Joohyun mentioned, "I just want you to be aware that she doesn't have a great rep at sustaining a relationship."

"It's bold of you to assume that I even like her in the first place." That simple response led her to clamp shut for the next few minutes.

While Joohyun was too smothered in thought to answer, she went the extra mile to save the document that we were working on. I wasn't sure if she did that because she was pissed off or if she was just sick of working, but it might've been a mix of both. Closing out of the tab, she gently shut my laptop.

"Look, I'm just warning you, okay?" Joohyun's momentary shift in tones from irritable to calm is such a brow-lifter. "You may not like her now, but feelings change."

"That's impossible," I leaned back into the cushion of my seat, barely chuckling at the foolish idea.

"How so?"

"Not interested."

"Good." She smiled, scooted my laptop over to me, and rose out of her seat. Grabbing her belongings, she added: "It's getting late, by the way. Let's get going. We've done enough."

I silently coincided with her wishes, though I continued to examine her every move, as well as that little smile. It spelled out that she was grateful to be informed of my nonexistent interest in Rose. Then again, I started to question if she was cutting the work-session short because of the theme of this conversation alone. It seemed to be bothering her, and although I greatly desired to ask her, I didn't want to make things worse.

One thing's for sure: It was intriguing to see how protective she's being...

Wait a minute, did she just say, 'good'?

"Good?" To simply put it, a strong urge was egging me on to : "Are you sure you're not jealous or something?"

Joohyun, wide-eyed by my humorous presumption, looked up at me. No, it wasn't the sort of reaction that implied she was caught, but more so that she was shocked to hear such an insane accusation.

"Jealous of?"

"Her." As I was on the verge of laughing, I plastered on an amused smirk, and began to shove my laptop into my bag.

I stood up and followed her lead, my mind whirling with possible ideas to further piss her off.

This was a phenomenal start, after all.

She scoffed. "Definitely not."

"Or, maybe, you're afraid that she'll take your place as my best friend." It was a fat- joke, practically to frustrate Joohyun, like I always strive to do. There isn't a world I'd imagine anyone taking her or Bogum's place, so to get the joke across and make it known that that's all it was, I added a laugh.

Just as I expected a deserving punch or smack in the arm, I received nothing but a fiercely serious countenance with no sign of amusement in sight. That look alone was a threat, blaring violently that I've gone too far.

With that, I regretted every word.

"That's not funny," is all she said before walking off. Scratch that: I think storming off is the right way to describe the way she fled the scene and the shop altogether.

Confused, I stood in place for a moment, wondering where I went wrong while her words kept echoing in the back of my mind. That's when the distinct despondence in her tone rendered in to smack some sense into me, causing my heart to instantly sink to the ground, defying whatever's below it.

For some reason, I knew that that was low of me—a level that I shouldn't have stooped to.

I scurried after my best friend whose presence is no longer detectable in my visage. Upon exiting, I spotted her at the crosswalk waiting for the signal to change, so I hurried up to her.

"Joohyun, I was just kidding." I must've struck a sensitive nerve. She didn't turn to look up at me or to meet my pleading gaze, even. "You know that."

She simply nodded her head. In a small, fearful tone, she muttered:

"Yeah. It's fine."

Something wasn't right about any of this. It's as if it impacted her harder than it should've. In any other instance, Joohyun would normally catch onto my jokes, let alone the I say to piss her off. And, I say a lot of dumb things. She knows this. Even then, nothing would ever bother her—at least, not like this. Plus, shouldn't my laugh insinuate that I wasn't being serious in the first place?

I have no idea, but it's driving me crazy.

I feel like I let her down, again.

It was like that the whole way home: me overthinking that I'm either an idiot or an —maybe, both. Meanwhile, Joohyun, too, was quiet, and it was likely that she was thinking the same. The silence was unnerving. I was inwardly beating myself up over this until I paused in front of her driveway to bid her goodbye with a plethora of apologies.

"Joohyun," I began in an awkward tone, rubbing at my nape. Trying to find the right words to set up a rightful apology, her gaze instantly met mine. And, as I looked into her pretty eyes, encountering zero disappointment or sadness, a spark of relief swarmed my entire being. Something hesitated within me, like the probability that she was hiding her truth was huge, but I was certain that the wordless trip back home worked in alleviating any negative thoughts.

For that, I was thankful.

"You don't have to say anything." The volume of her voice was low yet much lighter, no longer carrying that weight of sorrow from earlier.

Though, I can still tell that something's off in the faintest downfall of her tone, the slight tugging at the corners of her lips, and her eyebrows just barely meeting at the middle. These details are noticeable to those that know her, and to think that I've distressed her doesn't sit right with me.

No matter how little it is, I'll reassure her until she's okay, again.

"You do know that I didn't mean that, right?"

"I do." Her lips upturned a fraction, vanquishing the frown that made my heart wrench. Following that, her eyes lightened up a smidge, bidding that tension between her eyebrow's a goodbye.

That was progress, but was it true?

I stepped closer, focusing on her cautiously—every shift in her expression, and any clue of uneasiness that'd escape.

"But, do you?"

"Of course, I do." As she peered downwardly, I caught onto her nervous hand movements as her fidgety fingers started messing with the hem of her shirt. She's using it as a distraction because looking into my eyes might reveal a secret or two. Believe me, I know her too well. "What you said scared me, that's all."

I didn't doubt her fears. Imagine waiting years for your best friend to return—one that's forgotten all their recollections of the past—only to lose them to someone else in the end. For how much Joohyun means to me, it's an unimaginable sequence of events. She doesn't need to exhaust herself by dreading over the thought of losing me because there's no possibility that that'd ever occur. Not in a million years.

I yearned to wash away those doubts and those fears, but were words enough to reach her?

Maybe, actions will.

At first hesitant, then turned assertive, I outstretched my hand to clutch onto her own. Even after all this time of inwardly searching for a resolution to distinguish her uncertainties, she was still anxiously picking at her fingers and throwing every ounce of focus towards anything but me.

Just at the mere touch, a doe-eyed Joohyun raised her head. I was pleased to see that her attention has returned back to me.

I murmured, "I'm sorry," and waited for her to reply that it was okay, but she still hadn't said a word.

Her small hand felt uneasy attached to mine. The reason derived from the slight shakiness that reverberated throughout my palm. Even if it was just a fraction of an exertion, I held her hand tighter, supposing it'd comfort her somehow and in some way.

bobbed, and barely above a whisper, she said, "It's okay—" It was an assumption to claim that my recent actions are at fault, but she timidly flicked her focus onto the ground. "—Really."

I hadn't responded for two reasons: 1) I had no clue what to say, and 2) I was too busy pleading that she was telling the truth.

"Tae? Don't worry, alright?" Her hand squeezed mine in return, accomplishing its goal of electrifying me back to reality and assuring me of any doubts. "Go home. Rest."

Words were difficult to utter as none came to mind. Joohyun withdrew from the hold as she prepared to turn and leave. An overbearing amount of thoughts centered around the emptiness it left over, but even as her hand slowly slipped away, the warmth from her palm remained.

At that, a distinct tingling sensation flourished across my skin—one I couldn't shake away.

Snap out of it.

I sputtered, "Will you be okay?"

"More than okay." Then, she smiled; it was genuine and beautiful.

"What about the paper?" Bringing up any topic of conversation is a useful attempt at prolonging her stay. "Would you like me to finish the rest?"

She shook her head. "We'll finish it together this weekend."

"Right," I nodded, eyeing her departing figure as she offered a small wave and another one of her bright, signature smiles.

I was right; letting her down is the worst feeling ever.

I wish Joohyun was here to see this.

Once dusk settled over the horizon, shrouding the sky in a pinkish-velvety glow, there's no doubt that the views of the ocean from Sunset Plaza was a treasure that's meant to be cherished. The colorful hues that intertwined amidst the clouds was a rare sight—one that should be admired and mentally captured as an eternal image.

She'd agree.

"Hey, Taehyung. Have you noticed all the things that Joohyun has done for you?" There goes my relaxed moment as I was nuzzled in a realm of rumination. Jimin just shattered it with a random start to a conversation, like always. Whenever I'm stuck in my own head, he manages to do a great job of pulling me out of it, especially when I have no desire to be.

"Yes, I've noticed," I sighed and ogled up at the endless sky, getting lost in it. "Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?"

Not bothering to listen to his answer, I got distracted, again.

It was just the two of us roaming through Sunset Plaza on a Monday afternoon. Since all the girls supposedly bought their costumes yesterday, Jimin urged that we should head to the shopping district to fetch our own. Although I didn't want to move a muscle this evening, I wagered that it was, in fact, almost Halloween, so I complied.

Michael Myers was a well-renowned costume character, so it only took a store or two to find. Jimin's, on the other hand, took a while longer, but with as many stores as there are, I was certain that we'd come across his sooner or later.

And, we did.

What felt like countless hours of shopping was realistically an hour or so.

By the end of the day, I was grateful that we didn't have any issues searching for our spooky getups because according to Hoseok and Jungkook, they had to order theirs online. That's a ing pain. Let's hope that theirs will arrive in time for Halloween—this Saturday.

"Hello?" Jimin waved an obnoxious hand in front of my face to catch my attention. "Did you hear what I just said?"

"No, what is it?" Sorry, I tend to block out Jimin's voice whenever there's more important things to be aware of, like my surroundings or my thoughts.

"I said, I can't believe Joohyun managed to withdraw that detention of yours by talking to Mrs. Asuna."

Indeed, that is true.

How did she convince a strict teacher like Mrs. Asuna? I have no clue, but it never fails to amaze me.

Today was the day that I was supposed to sit in a boring- room for an hour, but lucky for me, my best friend is the class president with an alarming power of persuasion.

Once I turned in Joohyun and I's research paper earlier, Mrs. Asuna informed me that she waved off the detention, and warned me not to sleep in her class, again. Of course, I obediently promised her that I wouldn't, but even I wasn't sure if that was definite.

But, is that all Jimin wanted to say? I was expecting a continuation, possibly another attempt at teasing me about Joohyun, but nothing came.

Let's draw the truth out ourselves.

"Yeah? And? What's your point of bringing that up, again?" It's always a mystery when it comes to figuring out Jimin's intentions. "We've already gone over this topic."

"Geez, you really are cranky today," Jimin commented on my temperament, and in return, I lightly shoved his shoulder. It's not like I could speak up and disagree. With this shopping-filled day, he did ruin my plans of napping, and when I'm unable to sleep, I'm grumpy. My cousin's unfortunate presence just doubles my sullenness. "Anyways, I brought it up because it's necessary to point out all the that she does for you. I mean, just think about it—a class president such as herself would cross the line and lie for you. Now, that's what I call—"

"What are you going on about, now?" What'd I tell you? I saw this coming. His end goal was to tease me about Joohyun, after all. It's like he searches for any reason to say something sly, solely for s, giggles, and glares. "Why are you still on this me-liking-Joohyun agenda? Do you ever consider that she's my best friend, too?"

"Of course, I do!" He flailed his hands in the air, grasping tightly onto his shopping bag. "I must admit that your friendship with Joohyun is unlike any other, but see, there's no harm in messing with you by claiming you're crushing on her."

What are we, elementary schoolers?

"For the hundredth time, I'm not crushing on her." How many more times do I have to repeat it? Do I have to suffer through Jimin's tantalizing nature all my life?

"In due time, my friend." He winked, finger-gunning me.

" off, will you?" I grumbled, growing irritable from the fit of laughter he released. If only, I brought my headphones. Covering my ears and blasting some music is the perfect remedy to the blabber-type annoyances that derive from none other than Jimin himself.

Despite that, I'll let him have his laugh. He looks like he needs one.

Jimin and I strolled down a crosswalk, before he mentioned:

"Aren't you glad that she saved you from having to tell my mom, though?"

At the time, the thought never crossed my mind. It would've been absolute hell if I had to tell Aunt Kim about my detention slip. It'd be like diving into a dark void that consisted of all the things that I'd like to forget. If it wasn't for my best friend, I'd have to deal with being endlessly questioned by Aunt Kim and my sleeping habits.

Since the first attempt was an utter failure, I'd like to avoid that conversation as much as I can.

Even now that I'm doing quite decently, she still manages to worry about any little thing that seems off about me. After all, the last thing that I want to do is disturb her about anything, much less be a burden.

Like I've mentioned before, she has enough problems up her sleeve; I don't want to add onto the list with my own.

"Of course, I'm glad," I replied, eyeing the passing storefronts. "I'd be in deep if it wasn't for Joohyun."

And, with that, I'm eternally grateful for her.

"True that," he said. "Have you thanked her at all?"

"Yes. I've thanked her more times than I can count. In case you've forgotten, we walked home after school today, so I'm sure she knows how appreciative I am of her efforts." Besides exclaiming various ways of saying thank you, I even told her that she's awesome. She deserved to hear the compliment, but since I've been a little moody today, my usual kindness around Joohyun was lacking. "Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Look, I'm just making sure that you thanked her, okay?" How could I not acknowledge the strenuous lengths that Joohyun had gone for me? She wasn't obligated to do any of that, yet she managed to ignore the rules, the possible consequences, and succeeded with her plan. "It's just... I've noticed that you focus too much on trying to frustrate her and forget to be nice."

"What the is that supposed to mean?"

"Do I have to remind you of the other day?"

"Don't." I sighed dreadfully at the mere reminder. "I feel bad enough."

"Still feeling a little guilty, huh?"

In response, I nodded, and left the conversation at that.

Jimin was referring to the day that I let Joohyun down with my words. More so, the horrible 'joke' I made about Rose taking her place.

That day, after I crossed over to Aunt Kim's house and settled inside, an irritating Jimin sped up to me with a list of questions about Joohyun and I's meetup. Even then, I was filled with so many thoughts and questions of uncertainty, so it didn't take him long to catch onto the signs. Without hesitation, I told Jimin everything that happened, as well as pointing out my own stupidity.

In a way, I just needed some reassurance—to have someone smack me in the face with truth about the matter.

He said things would be okay and that I shouldn't worry too much about the effects.

Joohyun's just afraid of losing me. I understood that.

"You're thinking, again." Jimin pointed out, nudging my forearm. "Dude, it's been days since that happened. There's no need to feel that way. Believe me, she's perfectly fine, now."

"Yeah." I just don't want to let her down, again. Maybe, that's why I overthink. "I know."

"Don't look so sulky, will you?" He's chuckling rather mischievously, which is weird. "The girl tends to worry about you, so you don't want to give her the wrong idea. She's coming towards us right now."

"I'm not—wait, what?" Jimin hadn't mentioned anything about Joohyun meeting us at the plaza.

So, stunned by the news, I turned around, and sure enough, my best friend was speed walking towards us with shopping bags hanging onto both of her arms.

While she was waving her hands at the both of us, my attention was glued onto the beautiful smile across her face.

It appears she wasn't alone.

Alongside her was my other best friend, Chaeyoung, Sooyoung, Dahyun, Jungkook, and Seokjin. It wasn't the full crew, but it was more than enough of them. They must've gone shopping, too, but why wasn't I informed of their eventual arrival?

I asked my cousin: "Did they just get here?"

"Pretty much." Jimin nodded, grinning. Halted in the middle of the sidewalk, he waved at his friends in return, so I figured I would, too. "For one, I didn't want anyone else tagging along on our shopping spree because the girls aren't supposed to know about our costume idea. But, now that we're done, I figured that we'd all meet up in the plaza. Don't get mad, but I may have secretly set up a mini hangout without telling you. Is that a problem?"

To answer, I heaved a simple, "No," then sighed bitterly.

I couldn't help but let out an inward groan at the lack of specification from Jimin. It's just like him to do such a thing. Relaying his plans to me would've been nice, but it's a little too late to show any sign of frustration.

The crew was, in fact, already standing a couple of feet away from me and my cousin. And, as Jimin started to greet everyone, I had to be honest with myself, and admit that I wasn't feeling too indifferent about this sudden change of plans.

I never minded hanging out with Joohyun and Bogum. Warming up to everyone else is a process that's already begun.

"What's up, man?" That's Bogum slinging his arm around my shoulder, sporting the usual welcoming grin. He looked extra joyful today, and I supposed that the reason lied in Sooyoung's presence this afternoon. It's more than evident that they're very fond of one another, but I don't think they're dating. If they are, it hasn't been mentioned. I'm sure Joohyun and I would be the first to know.

"Besides refraining myself from trying to kill Jimin? Nothing much."

Gotta' spit out a joke or two.

At that, Bogum cackled, and I followed suit: "I don't blame you."

"Tae, is that your costume?" Uh, oh, curious Joohyun has entered the scene, stepping up next to Bogum. Time to reel my shopping bag closer before she decides to sneakily snatch it with that vice-like grip of hers.

"No, it's not." I playfully glared.

"I'm pretty sure it is." Why is she speaking like that? Like, she's got the upper hand or something. I know exactly what she's trying to do and it's not going to work. "Can I take a look?"

"No, you cannot." What makes her think that I'll show her? It's a secret! "Bogum, you tell her, too."

"You think she'll listen to me? That's funny." I mean, the least he could do is try. She loves to target me. "This was her plan from the start. Good luck."

At the time, I wish I had heeded the meaning behind that statement, but by the end of the afternoon, I had a pretty good idea of what he meant.

Sure enough, Joohyun incessantly chased after me, solely to find out what my costume was. After plenty of irritable nudges and various attempts at sneaking a peek during dinner at a Diner, she still managed to fail.

While we ignored snide comments from our friends claiming that we're a 'cute couple', she proceeded to add onto the foolish idea by running after me all the way home.

In a way, I wagered that her goal was to annoy the out of me today.

Funny thing is, I wasn't irritated, nor did I mind the attention.

Maybe, it's because it was her and no one else.

A/N: Wow, 8k words. Phew. It felt like 14k with the rate of how this chapter was going. I absolutely hate the fact that I get sidetracked by school work, especially when I'm free of writer's block, and my creativity just runs wild. At least, now that the term's over, I get to focus on writing more.

Again, I apologize for delaying updates so much, but do keep in mind that my chapter's are usually very long compared to others.

I've already started writing the next one, so be sure to anticipate it. It's going to encompass the Halloween segment, in which I'm sooo excited for. I have a lot of things piled up for it. Think of the length and the content to be similar to the beach clean-up chapter. Yes, another long- one.

If you're enjoying this story so far, I appreciate you a lot for reading, voting, and commenting. It means a lot.