Sunny Afternoon

There's nothing better than having a pocket of relaxation during the weekends.

After all, the only highlights of the school year were the breaks that the holidays and the weekends had to wonderfully offer.

But, since the start of the holidays are a couple of months out of reach, two-day breaks will have to suffice. I must admit, it was a refresher after having a week full of nonsense going on. Perhaps in preparation for next year, I should host a prayer circle that I'll be the most talkative and social person in Kwang Academy so the result would be the exact opposite. That must be the way things work in the world.

For example; this year has started out way differently than I was hoping for.

To come to think of it, it's all quite unusual to think of the events that occurred.

And, as I lay on my bed on a Sunday afternoon, that's all I've been thinking about.

Then again, my ear canals refused to tune out the abundance of shouting coming from Jimin's room. I had expected that he and his pals would have frequent hangouts, either here or elsewhere, but it was surely an irritating thing that I'd have to deal with from now on. It ruined any possibility of having a lonesome afternoon.

I turned over onto my stomach and smothered myself under a second pillow, drowning out their loud voices as best as I could.

I don't know if I was too depressed to realize it before, but Aunt Kim's home was boring as hell. There was nothing to do, but to stare at a wall, read a book that I've read a thousand times, draw to burn time, or scroll endlessly through social media on my phone.

Which even then, I rarely do. Not a social media kind of guy whatsoever.

For a lengthy moment, I contemplated on exiting the cage that resembled my room.

What else am I going to do, right? Sleep for another three hours?

I think I've slept enough this whole weekend.

Let's go see sunlight willingly for once, shall we, Taehyung?

I put on some clothing that was halfway decent; just some sweatpants and a clean t-shirt. While struggling with shoving on one of my converse-shoes, I nudged myself out of the depths of my room.

It was now that I could hear the various shouts very clearly. Jimin's door was wide open for the whole house to hear, not that Aunt Kim was home. Lucky for her.

Rearing around the corner and peeking inside, Mortal Kombat was being showcased on Jimin's flat-screen T.V. I almost gagged at the fact that it wasn't the newest version that came out. It was the one from like, 2011, which had ty graphics and lame fatalities compared to the recent footage of the new game.

I leant against the doorframe and watched some gameplay for a while. It made me reminisce about memories that I didn't know I had. It was almost like a secret file labeled 'childhood' had been opened and subtle images flashed through my mind in a quick spurt.

I vaguely remember playing that version with others.

It was most likely with Jimin, but I wasn't sure.

Jin and Namjoon were sprawled over on the bed, as well as Jimin himself. They had been watching the screen attentively.

Hoseok and Jungkook were sitting criss-cross on the ground whilst punching the array of buttons on their controllers like total psychos.

Then Jungkook, quite unexpectedly, screeched like a child, "dude, how many times are you going to play as Sub-Zero? This isn't fair!"

"I chose a character to fight with, how is that not fair?" Hoseok retorted, scoffing. "I thought you liked Scorpion, anyways."

"I like both, and you're hogging Sub-Zero." Jungkook began to frown.

"Just play," Jimin silenced them.

Well, it appears I've learned something new today:

Jungkook's not only a sore-loser, but the worse form of one. A total child, more so.

The next match had begun and judging by his whining, Hoseok must've won the previous one. With a strong start, Hoseok's character, Sub-Zero, had punched Jungkook's, which was Reptile, twice in a row. A punch didn't do much damage, so if Jungkook would complain less, and focus more, he'd be able to win.

Well, it was a low probability, but it was something, at least.

Then, I wondered: if he liked Scorpion as well, why didn't he use him instead of Reptile? That didn't make much sense.

Mortal Kombat was all about blocking, dodging, and hitting combos. Most would memorize the combo and brutality-list, but it seemed Jungkook and Hoseok weren't familiar with the game. Either that, or they just didn't care to.

"Taehyung, didn't see you there. What's up?" Jin had sadly acknowledged my existence. I had forgotten to leave after standing here for as long as I have. It seems that I got a little lost within my thoughts. I think it was because Mortal Kombat intrigued me.

"I was just wondering what the chaotic shouting was all about." I said coolly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Now, I know why."

"It's cool that you came," Jimin smirked. Of course, he had to rub that observation in. He thinks I'm warming up to my surroundings, as well as others in general. I guess, it's partly true, but I'm just sick and tired of staying inside my room. "As you can see, Hoseok and Jungkook are a bit competitive when it comes to Mortal Kombat."

"A bit?" Namjoon chortles, turning to Jimin. "You and Jin should've never given them a chance to play a match."

"I know," Jin agreed, "Jungkook isn't stopping until he wins."

"Can you guys shut up?" Jungkook chimed in, rather defiantly. "I'm trying to focus!"

"He's not going to win," Jimin mouthed, in which I snorted and rolled my eyes. It seems Hoseok button-spams better than Jungkook, accumulating more combos miraculously. Plus, being competitive is both a good and bad personality trait. In this case, it was bad, because Jungkook was getting frustrated over a game that he can't pull a win from.

Mortal Kombat was just that frustrating.

"Hoseok is a cheater," Jungkook complains, half-shouting. Hoseok laughed as he witnessed Jungkook almost fling the controller at the T.V. Gotta' love a rager. "I can't believe this."

Or, you're just a sore-loser.

Well, it is very apparent that the match had ended and Hoseok has been crowned the winner, once again. Not a surprise.

"Yah, don't break my T.V., will you?" Jimin snatched the controller from Jungkook's tenacious grip.

"It's okay," Jin tried to relax the outraged teen by patting his shoulder, and although Jungkook resigned from playing another match, he was still fuming in his seat. "Hoseok is just skilled, that's all."

Smashing buttons isn't skill; it's pure luck—

"Taehyung, you want to play a round?" Hoseok offered, waving the controller in the air, which induced temptation. And, it was working. "I set it to play only one round instead of two for a single match."

"Makes things easier then. Why don't you play against me?" Jimin's eyes sparkled with a hint of competitiveness. He plopped himself onto the carpeted-floor.

Hm, that offer gave me quite an itch to accept. But, although, I wanted to play—

"Sure," I nodded, disregarding my inward thoughts. Jimin was slightly surprised by my answer, but smiled nonetheless. Taking a seat beside him, I grabbed the controller and prepped myself for the match that would soon begin. But, first, it was on the character-selection screen.

I chose my favorite character: Kenshi. He was blind, but he somehow kicked . I found it cool.

Amidst the others jumping into conversation, Jimin mumbled, "it's been awhile."

Arching an eyebrow, I looked over and said, "what do you mean?"

"You and I used to play Mortal Kombat ages ago," he smiled, and with a hopeful countenance, he asked with slight hesitance, "do you remember?"

So, I was right. But, why was he so hesitant to ask?

There was something about it that I did recollect, but it was all scattered. A lot of things seemed to be.

Sitting on his bedroom floor with a controller in hand, and a 2011 Mortal Kombat game playing on the screen did exert some type of nostalgic vibe to run through me. It was difficult to pinpoint the exact moments, though.

Why was it so hard to remember things like this?

Then again, I do know why.

"Kind of," I replied, unsure of how to word it.

Then, the round had started, and I hadn't paid attention to Jimin's choice in character until now. It was Mileena. It was an interesting choice; one that I hadn't expected, but she was surely a badass. I thought her character design was intricate, as well as all the other immortals in the game.

Now, I must be honest; I wasn't a Mortal Kombat enthusiast when it came down to the fights. I knew more about the characters and the story, but the fights are nothing but frustrating if you fail to memorize the list. Though, as the round went on, I button-smashed as best and quickly as I could. In amazement, I ended up recalling a couple of combos by doing so.

I managed to win the fight against Jimin, simply by using the same combos over-and-over again. I did a little jumping and blocking from time-to-time. Jimin wasn't that great at the game, either, so it was easier to come out victorious.

"That was quick," Jungkook commented, astonished. "Nice, Taehyung!"

My observations have also concluded that Jungkook isn't as much of a douchebag as I thought he was. He's just sleazy with the women, that's all. Which, in that case, still makes him a douchebag.

Scratch that: he's not as much of an  that I predicted his character traits consisted of.

"Damn, Jimin, you ," Jin teased, and Hoseok joined in, busting out into laughter.

"Whatever, I hate this game, anyways," Jimin shrugged his failure off, and smiled at me. "Nothing's changed, huh?"

Again, I have no idea what he's referring to.

"Huh?"

"You always won when we used to play. Always chose Kenshi, too. You called him your lucky charm."

It's highly aggravating that I don't remember the information that he's giving me. I didn't doubt his words, though. I knew I always liked Kenshi, but did I really spend that much time with Jimin in the early days?

I opened my mouth to respond, but the door bell had rung throughout the household, rudely interrupting me.

"Ah, that must be Bogum," Namjoon spoke up. Jin and Hoseok were preparing to play a match against each other. "Yoongi couldn't make it, because he's working on something with Seungwan."

Son Seungwan, to be more specific. Unsurprisingly, I learned that she's apart of student government as well, along with Joohyun and Sooyoung. Her role wasn't as huge, though. I believe she's the treasurer, whatever the hell that is. I'm not too keen on what duties it withheld. 

"I don't think that's the only reason." Jungkook winked, and then I caught onto an interesting evaluation: Hoseok looked over his shoulder, seemingly pissed off.

As everyone immersed themselves into a conversation about supposed crushes and love interests, one I didn't want to be apart of, I insisted, "I'll get the door."

And, with not another word said, I exited Jimin's room and charged down the staircase. Indeed, Bogum was at the entrance, waiting patiently for permission to enter.

This was the best opportunity to confront Bogum with much-needed questions about our supposed past. He was rather enclosed and distant about it. Thing is, I wasn't going to be forward about the subject. Not like Joohyun was, at least. Since I'm pretty sure she informed him with every detail about her and I's recently rekindled friendship, or whatever it's called, I'm betting on the chance that he'd speak up about it first.

After I opened the front door, I could tell that he wasn't expecting me to be the one to welcome him inside. The alarmed expression on his face made that known. In a flash, that look disappeared, and his usual, emotionless appearance replaced it.

Because it'd be awkward not to, he acknowledged my presence whilst taking a step inside the home, "Taehyung."

Since I was feeling a little thirsty, I went to the refrigerator and snatched a Hi-C juice-box from inside. Childish Jimin claimed it as his, but it wasn't like I cared all too much. It's been awhile since I've drank one of these.

Bogum shut the door.

Offering could initiate a conversation, so I might as well try.

I held up another juice-box and asked: "Want one?"

Bogum chuckled. He's not so expressionless, after all.

"No, I'm okay," he declined. "I can't believe Jimin still drinks that stuff."

I can't believe it either, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a great alleviator for thirst.

"Ah, Jimin's got a childish side that he doesn't want to let go of," I defended, only for this chat to be prolonged. Short replies call for quick ends to conversations, and I'm not too sure I want to walk away from Bogum until I get a few of my questions answered. "Perhaps we all do."

Bogum was silent for a couple of seconds, and during those moments, I cursed myself inwardly and figured he had nothing to say, but that wasn't the case.

He merely laughed under his breath at my comment.

Next thing I knew he had mentioned Joohyun.

At least, I'm pretty sure that that's who he was referring to. He had claimed that "her" and I spoke alike, which was rather random. It was a good sign, considering that this kind of confirms that he knows we're talking, again. Otherwise, he wouldn't have mentioned her.

Believe it or not, this was great, because Joohyun is a huge link in our friendship. And, with her being the subject of the conversation, it's easier to bring up the past with no hesitation.

"By "her", you mean Joohyun?" Making assumptions is the last thing I want.

He nodded, not saying a word.

"Why do you say that?" I can't help that I'm genuinely interested in his reasoning.

"I'm not too sure how to explain it, but you two have always been alike," he spoke as if he was commemorating the past. Yup, he definitely knows we talked. It was more than obvious at this point. "Even years without each other, the both of you continue to be a unit."

A unit, huh?

"I wouldn't go as far to say that." It's sad, but what I'm saying is true. "Things are not the same anymore. It's been too long, and I've forgotten things that I wish I didn't."

Bogum managed to smile a little at my words. It's like he already knew of that bit of information, which was a hidden indicator that he knows more than I think he does.

Right?

"It's been awhile, and yes, Joohyun and I have missed out on being in your life as the best friends you once knew, but things can piece together, again."

"I think you and I talk alike, too." I only remember telling Joohyun something like that the other day.

"Well, we weren't all best friends for nothing, right?"

"I agree." We had to have been similar one way or another. There was silence, but I didn't let it last. "I'm curious, Bogum. During gym class the other day, you acted like you didn't know me: why?"

Bogum no longer smiled but frowned slightly instead. His eyebrows creased, indicating sadness. He wiped it away as fast as he could. The action only raised my suspicions.

He heaved a deep breath.

"I'm not sure if Joohyun told you, but it was shocking to see you. It's been nearly more than a decade since you left town, and having my best friend back after all those years was—"

"Weird?"

"It was more than that. It just wouldn't click in my mind that you were there. It was almost like you were a mirage, and I was convincing myself that it wasn't you. Do you know what I mean?"

"I think so." Interesting, but I'm not fully convinced. There's something more to this that I don't know about. There were too many silent signs that he was throwing around. It's etched all over his mannerisms and facial expressions. Upon asking Bogum, his reactions were nothing but a shining clue. I studied people enough to know this. Plus, I'm not an idiot. "Is there more you'd like to tell me?"

I sipped at my straw.

He looked up immediately, "what do you mean?"

"I may not have been around for years and I can't remember much of anything, which must be saddening for both you and Joohyun, but I believe there's more," I paused, waiting for a reaction, but there was nothing. Just silence. So, I continued, "I've had a past here, yet everyone that I've had a connection with treats me like a stranger. I think you're telling the partial truth when you described my return to be too shocking for words or a greeting. Besides Joohyun, it seems like everyone keeps their distance. And, there's a reason for that, isn't there?"

Bogum gulped, and here he was, drowning in the silence that my concluding words had left him in. I figured my word-choice was smart, because it had him in a tight bind. His mind was reeling, and his thoughts were jumbled. The corners of his lips quirked left-and-right, as if he were deciphering whether to respond with what I wanted to hear. I'd hoped it was the truth, and if he was my best friend, he'd act like one.

Awaiting an answer, he pulled out a stool and sat down at the table. It was a slow movement, and he must've been in a mode of sorting his response. His eyes were glued elsewhere, and as he did so, he breathed in-and-out.

I raised a brow at his recent actions, noticing the various signs that evidently meant that he was being careful with handling the subject of this conversation. My query left him speechless, which was both a positive and negative thing. It was good, because it meant that my suspicions proved to be right. It was negative, because his reasoning may disappoint me in the end. It was given in the way he reacted.

"Am I wrong?" I asked, and to drag an answer out of him with ease, I presented a different question, "Hoseok is Joohyun's half-sister, correct?"

Bogum nodded, taken aback by how random it was. Little did he know, it wasn't at all.

"On the first day of school, he asked me questions about my life like I was an ordinary, new student," I explained. "But if he was Joohyun's brother, how doesn't he remember me being in her life?"

Finally, Bogum returned to reality with an answer. I thought it'd never come.

"Taehyung, there's things you don't know about, and I'd tell you if it was my place to, but it's not. See, neither Hoseok or Joohyun like to speak about what concerns them. If it wasn't obvious enough, they aren't in good terms themselves." He was right. During lunch with Hoseok, Seulgi, and Yoongi the other day, the atmosphere grew tense once Joohyun was mentioned. It was weird and uncomfortable. That says a lot, because I didn't even know the details. Again, it isn't my place to know, either. "I will tell you this: Hoseok and Joohyun never grew up in the same space. That is a part of why they're as distant as they are, but the rest is up to either Joohyun or Hoseok to tell you."

Hoseok and Joohyun have never lived together?

Well, considering that they're half-siblings says a lot to begin with. Although I'm not going to question about the subject further, it makes me wonder about their story; about Joohyun's story. It seems I'm not the only one that's gone through hardships, or still is. Despite it being at different wavelengths on the spectrum, it gives me some reassurance that I'm not as alone as I think I am. Others go through things, too, and whatever that may be for Joohyun and Hoseok, it may be rough, but they pull through. Even if the process isn't finished, there will come a time when they're okay. I just hope that I could convince myself of the same someday.

"But you weren't wrong."

That surely got my attention: "Elaborate."

"You've always been smart, even when we were young. Truth is, you caught me by surprise when you inferred that there was more than I was letting on. I was a bit hesitant on telling you, but I think being honest is better than keeping quiet." I don't know why, but the way he was running with this explanation was nerve-wrecking. "As you know, Jimin's mother is close with mine and Joohyun's. When you arrived in the summer, she explained to my mom and Joohyun's mom about what happened with you and, um, the situation that caused you to move back. Ever since, I have been instructed to take it easy on you; to leave you be. I think Jimin knows, too. Mrs. Kim said that it may frustrate or aggravate you if you were disturbed. Then again, I wasn't told many details, so I went along with it. All that she said was that you've been through a lot and it's best if you'd recuperate first."

For once, my mind was clear, almost vacant. Not a single thought passed through it. I would've expected a hint of anger or aggravation to surely creep up on me, but nothing came out. I didn't know what to say or what to think of the things that Bogum had informed me. Aunt Kim had a close friendship with Bogum and Joohyun's parents; I had known that. But, why would she order Bogum and Jimin to be distant from me? What, because I may not be in the right state of mind? I couldn't grasp whether it was for my own good or not. If anything, I'd think she'd want more people to surround me; to comfort me.

"So, you know?" I was referring to the accident with me and my parents.

"Yes, I know." I don't know why that bothers me, but if anyone knew, I'm glad it was Bogum. I didn't like anyone knowing about my business, nor do I like it to be spread around like wildfire, but I can't control what comes out of Aunt Kim's mouth.

"Does Joohyun know?" She didn't keep her distance from me whatsoever. She pounced on any sliver of a chance to speak to me.

"No, she doesn't." I didn't think so. "Her mother told her to give you some space, but when Joohyun asked why, she didn't tell her. Then again, it's not in Joohyun's veins to listen. Especially, when it came to you. She was excited to hear that you were back in town after so long. That's all she could think about. When she told me about the argument that you had with her, she kept bringing up the part when you got angry about a question that she threw at you, but although it keeps eating at her, it's not my place to say."

There was no one I respected more than Bogum at this point. It was evident that he didn't blabber about the business of others, and instead, he kept it to himself until it came from the right person. I respected that the most. I didn't think our conversation would be as serious and well-informed as it got. He's been honest, and there's nothing I appreciate more than that. I'm glad that we chose to speak about things like this, and even if I loathed the topic, it cleared up a few things that I wondered.

"I appreciate it," was all I could say, but a strong emotion gnawed at me; sadness.

"Don't mention it." Then, he placed a hand on my shoulder, most likely in attempt to comfort me. I could tell that that horrible emotion that I feel too often was written all over my face. He could read it. "There's no need to be down about the subject, Taehyung. Just know this; no matter what the circumstances are, those that surround you from now on don't want to see you upset."

I appreciated his words, but one thing still irked me:

"Why would Aunt Kim tell others to stay away if the number-one thing people need when dealing with grief is company?"

It didn't make much sense to me. All this time, I was so sure that Aunt Kim wanted me around others, to go outside, and partake in what else life has to offer. Hearing Bogum's reasoning has puzzled me more than anything else.

"Good question. Sometimes, I wondered the same." Bogum thought, "but, if you think about it, she was doing what you wanted all along."

I looked up.

"What I wanted all along?" Please, elaborate, once again.

"You don't think people – like me, Jimin, Joohyun, and some of the others -- notice how you act at school? Your actions and your words show that you want to push everyone away." I mean, he's not wrong. It was a constant mindset; to be alone or to have no one. Because of the accident, it's been my nature to think this way, but like I've said numerous times, it's not my fault. I can't help this feeling. It's always there.

But, maybe in terms of Aunt Kim's decision, this is starting to make sense.

By telling others to give me space, was she only showing her understanding of my wishes for desiring loneliness? Does she think that coinciding with what I want would make things better in the end?

Bogum continued, "I figured after awhile of thinking that she did it for your sake."

"That's a dangerous decision." There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Aunt Kim cared about my well-being and my mental state. Daily, or on days that she was home, she'd always ask how I was doing. I'll never forget her efforts of making sure I was okay, like when she'd ask if the nightmares were worse or if things were getting better. Thing is, Aunt Kim isn't good at acting on my troubles whenever there was a time that I'd miraculously tell her a small detail. Sometimes, I wished she did, but her replies were repetitive, like a default response of 'well, hope things get better'. Or so, that's what it felt like, you know? "Leaving someone with only their thoughts is a dangerous thing."

"I could tell," Bogum sighed. He squeezed my shoulder. "Let me give you some advice; don't push others away."

I felt vulnerable. For the first time, someone was trying to comfort me. I didn't know how to feel about it, but it was too late to try and stop it. My sadness was showing, and it was difficult to shove it back inside.

"It's hard." Maybe, I'll take his advice when I'm given a reason to. I'm too negative.

"I understand, but never forget that you're not alone. Joohyun and I are here for you, as well as Jimin and the others."

"Joohyun doesn't even know about what's going on with me."

"You don't think she's here for you? No matter what she knows?"

There's no doubt in my mind, but I wonder why she'd be.

"We barely know each other. That includes you, too."

Lost memories that are associated with them are equivalent to not knowing them at all, but at the same time, when I hold a conversation with them, I feel like I've known them my entire life.

His response was the opposite of my expectations: "Just because you're unable to recall the good times, doesn't mean Joohyun and I can't. The friendship we've had was forever, and if you remembered, you would know that you said that yourself." Then, he smiled.

There was no room for answering, as I was left speechless. There was also an untimely interruption. I was dragged out of the emotional state I was in, and it reverted to be an internal battle.

The doorbell rang throughout the home, and I was confused as to who else Jimin and the others were expecting. I gained the ability to reach reality and sipped at my juice-box, but before I could check on who was on the other side of the glass-door, Bogum beat me to it.

"Speaking of Joohyun, she's at the door." Bogum pointed out. In a blink of an eye, he hopped off the stool and headed towards the staircase. He was leaving already? Doesn't he want to greet her? "You might want to get that."

"Yah, where are you going?" Despite my sadness showing caused aggravation to bubble within me, Bogum and I were having an interesting conversation. It was the first in-depth talk that I've had with someone. I didn't want it to end just yet, but then again, we talked for a lengthy amount of time.

"They're all waiting on me upstairs, I'm sure," he reasoned, "I might as well go on ahead and leave you two to talk."

"Isn't she here for you, though?"

"Does this look like my house? She wants to talk to you, Taehyung. Besides, I talk to her enough. I'm sick of her and she's sick of me."

I chuckled, surprisingly enough. Before she had the audacity to thumb the doorbell again, I made a beeline for the front door, but Bogum stopped me.

"Don't be too harsh on her, even if she can be a smartass at times," he reminded. "It's just her nature."

I've very much noticed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, about baseball tryouts starting next week, don't go because Jin said to. I know your go-to hobby isn't sports."

And, with that, he was gone.

I blew out a breath of relief and snorted to myself. It appears he was, indeed, my best friend at one point in time, due to his knowledge about my hobbies and interests. I've never been so grateful to hear that, though. I didn't want to go, and originally, I was going to force myself to attend for Aunt Kim's sake. Perhaps I'll find something else to use my time with, that is if my mood doesn't obstruct my ability to do things.

Then it hit me; I got to get the door, because Joohyun was waiting. I hadn't pried it open yet, and I could practically sense the impatience that she was emitting. A turn of the lock and the handle was all that was needed to find out that she was, indeed, impatient as ever.

Her foot tapped obnoxiously against the floorboards. It was annoying.

Geez, it's only been a few minutes at most.

I brought the straw of my juice-box up to my lips and took a long sip, swallowing the sugary beverage.

"Joohyun," I acknowledged in simplicity. Subconsciously, my darting eyes takes her appearance in, as she always managed to tug my interest. This little effect that she has on me is the most irritating thing that I've ever dealt with, because at some point, I must make a mental note of how attractive she looked. There was never a time when I didn't, and Jesus, it was aggravating.

Mental rant aside, she was rather vibrant this afternoon. I didn't know how to explain it. It wasn't related to her current mood, but more so with the aura that she was exerting. It was so comforting.

She bluntly replied, "Taehyung."

"Not to be rude or anything, but why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

Wow, no smartass response to that? Impressive. And, guess what? No eye-roll, either. Perhaps she's evolving.

Might as well tease at this point. Maybe, she'll crack:

"Again, why?"

"Yah, why do you have to question everything?" There's the Joohyun I've come to know in the past week. The short-tempered side of her never failed to present itself. Then again, my goal was to aggravate her. What can I say? Seeing her lose her calm was quite the experience.

"Isn't there a reason why you want to speak to me, though?" It is quite unexpected that she decided to visit so suddenly. It was a Sunday and I didn't think she'd make the effort to come over.

"Partly, yes, but I'll get to that part. I want to go on a walk by the river."

Joohyun was desperate at this point. I guess Bogum's words are true. Indeed, there's no doubt in my mind that she was ecstatic to interact and hang out with me, again. Like, what the hell? The river? I didn't even know there was a river around here. I almost laughed aloud at my inner thoughts: then again, I don't go outside, besides the fact that I attend school.

Pathetic and sad, that's what it is.

Hm, but a river, huh? That'd be a nice sight to see.

Still, this was an out-of-nowhere preposition.

I curved an eyebrow, and baffled, I said aloud, "you want to walk by the river with me?"

"Yes, with you. Who else would I be asking?"

Anyone else, but me?

"I don't know—"

She groaned, "I'm starting to regret coming here, Taehyung."

Then, she had the audacity to spin around and walk away.

God, is this her final form of frustration?

I ask more than two questions and she decides to walk away?

How exaggerating can girls be, am I right?

Where is she even going? And, why did her hips sway like that when she walked?

Wow.

Staring after her for too long in mystification, I called out, "would you wait up?"

"Perhaps," she halted and folded her arms across her chest. Reaching her, I noticed a small smirk tugging at her lips. It was a victorious one, in fact. I scoffed inwardly. Incredible. I let myself get lured into her trap. Her frustration was a fraud. It was a front, so I would follow her trail. Smart move.

Indeed, she was something else.

"So, where are we going? Is it far?"

"I already told you, we're going down by the river," she said matter-of-factly. "And, no, it's not that far."

"I hope not," I had no interest in sweating. I glanced at her and ended up giving her a once-over. It was unplanned. I did catch one thing though. I was currently inspecting the object she was holding. It was a large book that resembled a photo album or something. How had I not spotted that before? Was she distracting me that much? Or, maybe I'm just used to seeing her with books stuffed in her hands all the time. I pointed at the leather album for clarification, "what is that for?"

She smiled to herself, gazing straight forward.

"You just noticed?"

"Obviously."

"It's a book filled with photos," she explained.

"I can tell."

"You asked, didn't you?"

"Okay, but photos of what, exactly?"

We made eye-contact, as she replied: "Us."

Us?

So, this was the plan all along, huh? Take a nice walk by the river, show me old pictures in hopes of regaining some memory whilst engaging in conversation? I got to admit: she planned things very well. I mean, it showed that she cared, which I appreciate, but it was also quite baffling. Her efforts had me speechless. I was also afraid of what kind of pictures they were.

I prayed it was of us, and only us.

The remainder of the walk was quiet between the both of us. It wasn't awkward at all. It was quite relaxing. For once, I felt okay, and it wasn't only because Joohyun made me feel comfort. The scenery was embracing me, as it's been awhile since I've been outdoors in this type of fashion. The light breezes that'd come in random, yet much-needed spurts were nothing but calming. Joohyun must've noticed, because I felt her gaze a couple of times. I enjoyed the environment, and she let me do so.

It wasn't long before we reached our destination. There was a large field of grass that covered many acres, as well as numerous trees that lined the outskirts. The river itself was located behind a decently-sized pavilion with a sitting area.

Joohyun and I reached the pavilion. She had halted by one of the metal tables, but to take a better look at the river, I walked toward the edge of the shelter that faced it. I hadn't doubted it, but the sight was stunning. The setting sun was reflecting upon the water. It glistened and shine, like little stars. By the riverside, there was a flock of birds and if they had stayed put for a little longer, I might've been able to have pinpointed the species. It was too late, though. They had taken flight, soaring and gliding through the sky.

I smiled to myself as I enjoyed the view.

There was something about a river and a setting sun that painted a beautiful picture. I missed recognizing things of that sort. It managed to make me smile, even in the worst of times.

Because, how can something so pretty make you frown?

Joohyun now stood at my side, as we shared the view before us.

I was curious.

"Do you come here often, Joohyun?"

Her gaze landed on me, but I didn't make eye-contact. Not yet.

"Whenever I can, I do. It helps me clear my head." That's the point. The point is to drown in the moment that it presents you with. "You find it beautiful?"

"Very," I nodded, giving her a small glance. She was smiling; it was nice. My answer could've applied to that, too. "The view; it embraces you."

She hadn't replied, so I looked over to find her staring at me. I was expecting an answer to simply hear her thoughts, but it seemed like she was filled with them, or perhaps, figuring something out.

"What?" Her continuous staring caused me to speak up.

She shook her head. "Nothing, I just never heard someone explain it that way."

"That the view embraces me?" Joohyun nodded in confirmation. So, I shrugged, and stared at the cloudless sky. "Well, isn't it true? Doesn't it embrace you with what it has to offer?"

I wish I could hear her thoughts, because I'm sure she had a lot of them for how speechless my words managed to leave her.

"Yes, it does." Her and I looked at the same sky, now. "Would you like to walk?"

"Sure."

And, so we did.

A couple of minutes into our walk, I looked at Joohyun and peeked at the photo album embedded in her arms. It appeared kind of heavy, so I reached out my hands and said:

"Here, give me that, since you refuse to open it up and show me some pictures."

Joohyun grinned, a little laugh escaping her lips.

"I was about to show you, but I didn't want to interrupt you from surveying our surroundings." Joohyun snatched the juice-box that I had forgotten to throw out and replaced it with the photo album itself.

"Well, now I'm curious about my childhood."

It was silent as I flipped to the first page. There were several pictures that showcased Joohyun and Bogum, but towards the bottom of the book was a landscape picture of all three of us at the beach. Our legs were buried under the sand. For a while, my gaze didn't budge from it. I stared in awe, though my reaction was inward. My countenance was nothing but neutral.

The moment I looked at the photo, I was hit with subtle nostalgia. Like, I knew exactly where that was. Perhaps it was one of the few things I ever remembered about living here. The beach was a spot that I visited a lot, and I had recalled spending time with others there, though I couldn't figure out who.

Now, it seems that the moment in time had come back to me yet remained hazy.

Joohyun leaned closer and tried to peek over my shoulder. I tilted the album a little, so she was able to clearly see the photographs on the pages. In my peripheral, I could see that a smile was on her features.

"In case you ever doubted we were best friends, the proof is all in this book," Joohyun joked. Oh, I never doubted it. It was so interesting seeing various photos of the past.

I flipped a couple of pages forward and halted at one specific picture.

Displayed upon the polaroid was Joohyun and I. We were sitting side-by-side in front of a large piano. It was similar to my own at Aunt Kim's house, but it wasn't. Joohyun and I were grinning with the type of energy of two kids that went to a candy shop before this was shot.

I began to smile the longer I looked at it. She looked cute.

Then, my smile disappeared once I inspected my younger self. It was insane to see myself grinning with so much joy. I mean, I was a kid, and kids are always happy, but it was so weird. A part of me wanted to rewind time.

I wanted to be that happy, again.

Then, Joohyun asked, "do you still play the piano?"

I froze but unfroze at the sensitive subject. It wasn't that big of a deal.

"No, I stopped a while ago." I haven't played since February.

She hummed in understanding.

"You were always better than me." Was she implying that she plays as well? "I always thought it was because you had an ability to learn fast, but it just came natural to you. I recommend you don't give up on that."

"I don't think playing makes me happy anymore." It fills me with dread.

"That's a shame."

"How about you? Do you play piano?"

"I did, but I stopped a while ago, too," she sighed. "I'm focusing on another hobby this time around."

"What would that be?"

"I don't know yet," I didn't blame her. I'm not even sure what I like doing besides drawing and writing. "But, when I figure it out, I'll let you know."

"Fair enough."

I continued to flip through pages, stopping from time-to-time. Joohyun and I laughed at a couple of pictures that were taken from one of my birthday parties. My hands and my face were covered with cake. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't help but burst out into a chuckle.

"We were so cute," Joohyun commented, staring at a photo of me, her and Bogum at a theme park. Sandwiching the three of us were these creepy-looking mascots. One was a bird and the other was a clown. God, how were we grinning so big with those things beside us?

Then again, we had ice cream cones stuffed in our little hands.

I nodded in agreement.

After reaching the end of the photo album, I stated, "we spent a lot of time together."

She smiled as I shut the book and placed it under my arm. "There's a lot of memories in that book that you can always look back on. If you'd like, do you want to keep it?"

"No, it's okay. It was very nice to see those photos, though," Joohyun and I's gazes locked, so I returned the smile. "Thanks for that."

"Thanks for coming." Wow, were we having a conversation with zero amount of sassiness and smart comebacks embedded in between? How sweet. "Even though you made it difficult at first."

I spoke too soon.

"Get used to it." The light from the sun hit her eyes so beautifully. And, as I stared within them for a while, the countless brown-specks were now evident. I didn't know brown eyes could be so pretty. And, with that observation down, I was starting to loathe that she held no flaws. "Or, just don't be so short-tempered, right?"

Her fist collided with my arm, and perhaps I deserved it, but geez, that hurt. Massaging the spot that she aggressively punched, I glared at her.

"As a class president, I deal with enough frustrations."

Oh, here she goes.

"As a friend of yours, I deal with enough frustrations, too." I spat in return, only to witness her balled-fist swipe through the air to jab me one more time, but she stopped her movements.

"Did you just admit that I'm your friend?" That's what she heard? I didn't even notice that came out of my mouth. "I'm not considered an acquaintance anymore?"

I rolled my eyes, and at that, she cackled. Hearing a girl laugh like that was quite a different sound. I bet it scared half of the fish in the river. Then again, it was contagious to hear, so I laughed, too.

"Let's get home, before it gets too dark," I recommended, nudging her arm.

She pressed, "only if you admit it."

Can she stop smiling? It's difficult to be serious when she does. Instead, I turn into a pathetic version of myself.

"Fine, yeah, you're my friend," Now, let's go home. Bogum was right: this girl loves to talk. "Can we go, now?"

This was the first time I've seen her this excited. "Of course!"

And, so we spent the walk home in silence. While doing so, I couldn't help but mentally admit that I enjoyed hanging out with Joohyun. There was never a time when I doubted the thought, but it shows that I can have a good time for once. For that, I'm looking forward to spending more time with her, and how our friendship will resonate in the future.

"Here, throw this away, why don't you?" Joohyun handed the empty juice-box back, and in exchange, I handed her the photo-album.

"Will do." I nodded. "I guess, I'll admit that I had a good time or whatever."

Joohyun only smiled, scoffing a laugh at my inability to admit such a thing in a polite way.

Her unexpected calling made me raise my eyebrows in surprise:

"Tae." Tae? Was that a nickname that I was hearing?

"Yeah?" In my head, I was questioning why she was calling me that, yet I didn't verbally ask.

Somehow, and in some way, it felt right.

And, for some reason, I didn't mind it.

"Again, thanks for coming. It means a lot."

Me too. I smiled and laughed because of it.

As a small farewell, Joohyun waved and began to walk across the street to her home, but I called out her name to stop her. I didn't know what possessed me to say her name.

Next thing I knew she was looking over her shoulder expectantly.

"Why don't we go again, sometime?"

Her company; I needed it. Spending time with her was like swallowing a pill to help me ease the pain for a while. It was to heal. Although my mind wasn't accepting of it, my heart was. It was very conflicting, but the words that came out of my mouth was the truth of it all.

In my head, I wanted her to agree and say 'yes'.

It turns out she read my mind.