*beep*
 

A voicemail?
 

"Hello *silence* um, I don't know what to say. I feel very guilty and ashamed to call you, now. But like the proverb, 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'; so the first person on my mind right now was you. I don't know how to express this in words, but all I can say is 'I really need you right now, here, with me. Please come home'...."
 

All these words were enough for me to jump in my bed, looking out of the window- it is snowing, grab an overcoat, beanie, boots- let's go.
 

Even though we rarely met each other; being busy in both of our lives, career or love, still, this time he is calling me himself and being the best friends we still are, I know I should be the one reaching out too, to him, quick. 
 

I reached his home, barged in- the door was unlocked?, eyes wandering everywhere only to find no trace of him, it clicked - 'the rooftop', but before that I decided to lock the door, he's so careless, I tell you. Rushing there I found a guy standing near the edge, his hands on the railing, face buried in his left arm, the sobbing sounds, snow covered his shirt and hair.
 

I crept slowly towards him, I was trying hard to concentrate on his sobbing and the pain, but my eyes lingered again on his shirt, a shirt- that's it!
 

"Let's get you inside first. It's so cold."
 

"No, I don't wanna go inside. Let's just stay here, please."
 

"Wear this, then", I handed him over my overcoat, "you'll catch a cold otherwise."
 

By the time I got the cloth on him, he was just looking at me with teary eyes, as if he was stopping them from falling out of the lash line.
 

"You can cry you know, let it out. It always helps."
 

"Am I too bad?"
 

"No."
 

"Am I boring and unattractive?"
 

"No."
 

"Do all people want it so badly- 'the only thing'? Is loving someone isn't enough? Why do they want to do it, as if it's the one thing that defines--?"
 

"It's just a way to express love, I guess. I honestly don't know."
 

"Maybe. She wasn't anything like you. Otherwise she would have understood me better. It's of no use, crying for such pathetic people, isn't it?"
 

"It's okay. Stop acting harsh, it'll just drag to you into becoming one of those. To hide or control your emotions is good in some situations and to some extent, but displaying that you're strong and dwelling in every emotion, not letting it out of your throat will just prove negative for yourself. What if you find yourself all lonely in that mythological world of yours."
 

He let out a loud sigh. "When did you grow up so much, the last time I know you were the one who was crying near the school gates not wanting to go inside."
 

Heat of embarrassment rushed up on my cheeks and I hit his arm slightly. "You Bacon, you piece of-"
 

"What did you call me again, huh? How many times do I need to tell you 'don't call me by that name'? I am not-"
 

"BACON!"
 

"Yah, you-" Running here and there, laughing to heart content, reminiscing the old memories like this, I hoped I lightened up his mood, except, for the news I was going to tell him soon.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~

*alarm buzzes*
 

"Ughhh, why God why!", I covered my ears with the pillow, "I wanna sleep more".
 

"Yah, pick your lazy up, we are going on a date."
 

"Just shut the up, what date?" And I remembered, oh right!," Kyung's going with us too?"
 

"Stop calling him that. His name is Kyungsoo. What is 'Kyung'?"
 

"Ooooo, somebody's jealous."
 

"Wear the dress you bought last week." How dare he ignore me? What does he think he is, huh?
 

"I'll get ready."
 

He poked my cheeks, said, "Good girl." 
 

~~~~~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
 

"What?"
 

"We were going to meet your mom. Oh God, I could have dress up nicely, something more presentable, this dress is just so short and this yellow is so bright. Might make me blind."
 

"What? It's not like she hasn't seen you in such clothes. You wear tshirts and shorts all day in summers, walking goofily around the house, and about the dress, it's pretty hot."
 

I rolled my eyes at him. "Hot? You call this hot? It's short."
 

"Not that much, though. Just perfect. And one more thing, we are going to stay here for the night, and mom's going out, so I thought we could go to a friend's party. Guess who?"
 

"Who?" He looked in my direction and smirked evilly.
 

"Chan."  What? Chan? As in Chan Myeong? 
 

~~~~~~~~

"So Yeon, darling... Come ‎‎here." She‎‎ embraced me... real tight. She is like a second mother to me, "and how are you, young man?"
 

"I am good. And you are as beautiful and y as always."
 

"Oh dear, don't you try these on me." He hugged her ever so tightly. He missed her so much.
 

"Hello aunty. How are you? And how is Aunt Sara? She is well, isn't she?"
 

"We are good and she has improved a lot by this week. What about you? Come let's get you inside." Baekhyun was following us from behind. He's been real awkward since last night.
 

"How's work been?" she asked.
 

"Harsh and hectic." She laughed. "As always, dear." I smiled back.
 

"Mom, we are starving here. Do we have something in the house? Ugh, I will get something for us both." He walked towards the kitchen to get something to eat. To be honest, I was real hungry since I hadn't eaten anything since morning.
 

"You look pretty, Yeon-ah."
 

"Thanks aunty."
 

"Are you wasting your prime years in just working your heels off or--- you know what I mean?"
 

"Umm, sorry auntie. What is it?" Tbh, I knew what she was asking me about, but I didn't know what to say, that too, in front of her, I am already very nervous here, mam. What the heck? Why do I feel nervous, huh, my vocab.
 

"I mean dating, dear, of course. Aren't you seeing someone?"
 

"No aunty, I am actually not interested in any of these, right now, I think it's the best time to sharpen up my skills, you know, we are young people."
 

"Oh, which means you are, you are letting the high time of you life go? You guys are well-educated, pretty much settled, independent, don't you think it is time for you to try dating too? Don't you find a guy- you know- what do you guys call it- oh yeah, hot and handsome."
 

"Mom, help me with these. How do I carry all of it?" We saw Baekhyun approaching us with cups of instant noodles, water bottles, chopsticks, and he was having a hard time carrying all of that, pressed hard on his chest. He looked so cute.
 

I unconsciously smiled. "I like cute ones." 
 

His mom turned her head towards me, eyes in disbelief and confusion. "Oh, I mean the thing you were talking about." I whispered slowly close for us to hear only.
 

He kept all the things on the dining table. "Come", gestured towards me.
 

I had a hefty meal, which soon lulled me to sleep.
 

~~~~~~~~

"Yah, sleepyhead, wake up. We are going to the party", he started dragging me out of the bed, "come on".
 

Clothes were thrown right at my face.
 

"Quick, get dressed. We are always late because of you."
 

I looked at him, sleepily.
 

"And wash up too."
 

~~~~~~~~

I came back after changing into a black teal dress. It's slit high up the leg and low-cut, which I like, and the colour represents strength and authority, that's much needed right now. I curled up the ends of my hair a bit, my hair's quite long, the ends touching my waist a bit. I am glad I recently had a haircut. Perfect.
 

Walking my way out of the room, I spotted his mother and him, a cup of coffee in her hand, both of them looked my way, aunty gasped while Baekhyun just tilted his head to the left, and took me in from bottom. 
 

"Perfect!" he said enthusiastically. "Mom, when are you going?"
 

"I will leave with you two", she was still looking at me. I walked closer to her,
 

"Is this dress okay, aunty? Do I look thinner? Is showing off this much cleavage okay, isn't it? Baekhyun got this dress for me on my last birthday."
 

All the while, she was giving me a reassuring smile, but when I mentioned Baekhyun, she quickly looked at him and squinted her eyes. "Nah, you're good to go, So Yeon. You look y."
 

"Take care of her. Don't be too late. Look out for guys watching in my So Yeon's direction", she ordered Baekhyun. 
 

"Yes, mam".

~~~~~~~~~

'Gosh! She looks-'

He again peeped in her direction, eyes travelling from her heels, to the hem of her dress, to the slit, to her bare collearbone, and finally landing on her beautifully carved face. The smile is contagious. Her ever-so-bright and approachable personality attracts people.

'beautiful'

The whole ride was silent, just her heavy breathing could be heard, well why?, because she was nervous.

 Nervous to encounter all the people she left years ago, and never turned back to take a look at. 

Nervous to meet her school friend, who had an obvious crush on her, coz she was too scared to turn him down, which is why she always wished she would stay as far as possible to not give him any hopes. 

Nervous to meet her old school rival, her chances to show up at the party were high. 

Weren't all these reasons enough?

"Hey" he said, wondering where was she lost all the time.

"huh?" she absent-mindedly answered.

"we are here. Come, let's get you in." He extended his hand for her to take which she gladly accepted and hers slipped in his.

Warm.

The fuzzy and warm feeling they could both feel around each other, the sparkling in their eyes when they met, the anger and jealousy they had always felt was lasting long these days, unaware of these unexplainable things they could feel, both of them, constantly repeated this in their minds,

'Friends. 

Best friends. 

Just friends.'

But the world seemed to be noticing something else.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Loud music, people dancing like crazy, the 'clink' sound of every cheers around the hall, the whispering sounds of women, everything is very well heard when a hard drink goes down your throat. 

I chose not to look at the floor, why, because it seems to be spinning, zooming in and out, I knew another drunken soul was constantly chewing my ears, but I did not care to pay attention. 

Looking towards the centre of the hall, I could see him, with his friends, a glass of red wine in his hands, oh wait!

Did I tell you all how handsome he was looking. Uwu!!
 

Standing there, in all-black, black satin shirt with the first two buttons ed,

damn, that's my bestie, 

black jeans and holding it in place a Gucci belt, a perfect shining knight in armor. His dark brown locks styled up for tonight, revealing his forehead, just, a few strand falling near the corner of his eyes. He was laughing a lot, looking a lot cheerful as always. His brown orbs found mine, and he knew I was having a hard time.

'I am fine.'

I mouthed slowly for only him to know. In return, he smiled to me and was about to say something, but was interrupted by a woman, showing off her teeth, and then they were conversing and I got another chance to check out people.

All our schoolmates grew up a lot, they looked a lot like grown-up men and women, Baek blended in well with them,

when did he grew up that much, huhu,

whereas I think I still looked like a high-school or college-going girl.

Men were almost dressed in shirt and jeans, women were in a wide variety, ranging from y jumpsuits to long, slit dresses to extreme short dresswear, almost revealing everything that goes up there.....

Ooops, I need to pee now.

"Excuse me", I said to the person still absent mindedly talking to me the whole time when I wasn't even listening as we were both taking shots after shots to bear each other's presence.

I was on my way, when, I was interrupted by our high school's famous playboy. 

Gosh, why does it have to be him. 

"Uh huh, where are you going? U didn't even talked to me. We are friends, come on."

When did I become friends with him? Ughh, there are always people like these in every party, I have noticed this a lot.

"I am sorry, I am a bit busy right now. Just a minute." I was trying to escape but he stopped me again,

"ohh, sweetheart, can't you stay? Am I that boring?" And he gave me a very creepy smile.

Eww, creep, I wanna throw up. Wait, its..... its ......

Oh, , I need to pee, NOW!!!!!!!