September 2021

 

Sunggyu had been waiting in the airport for the past half an hour. His hands felt clammy and he felt the insides of his stomach faintly twisting. Any minute now. He gripped the coffee cup in his right hand tighter and took a deep breath while closing his eyes. The chatter of people waiting around him filled his ear and he

His phone shrilled, reminding him to come back to the present. 

 

“You’re here?” He answered right away, knowing who the caller is.

“Yeah, where are you waiting?”  

“I’m near the exit,” Sunggyu answered. 

“Ooh! I think I see you-“ 

 

They ended the call and before Sunggyu could look around to find the person he was picking up, he felt someone hugging him tightly from behind, “KIM SUNGGYU! I bet you’ve missed me so much!” 

 

“Yah! Let go, you’re hurting me,” Sunggyu wiggled his way out of the hug and turned around with a smile, “It’s been a while hasn’t it Eunji?” 

Eunji grinned and gave him a proper hug, “Well, we should get going, I bet our families are waiting!” 

 

-//-

 

Eunji’s parents were hosting a dinner to celebrate their daughter’s return from studying abroad for the past 4 years. Of course, they had to invite Sunggyu’s family. After all, they were inseparable childhood friends until Eunji had to leave for college. Sure, they still texted and kept in touch with each other but with the time difference and their busy schedules, it was challenging to keep each other updated.

The drive to Eunji’s house was quiet, which was almost impossible to believe if Eunji wasn’t asleep. Back in school, she was known to be quiet the chatterbox and Sunggyu sometimes didn’t understand how they were friends. Although he never said it out loud, he was grateful for Eunji because she really did make his days more colorful. Now that they have been separated for 4 years, he was worried. Worried that everything wasn’t the same anymore - they weren’t in high school where everything was stress-free and they can do reckless things together. 

 

“So I heard you’re a singer now,” Eunji spoke, almost surprising Sunggyu because he didn’t realize she had been awake. 

Sunggyu nodded and gave her a smug smile, “Mmhm, you know I’m pretty famous right?” 

Eunji rolled her eyes, “You must love all that attention from your fan girls,” she said, “At least now it’s confirmed that you’re not gay.” 

“Yah!” He punched her shoulder lightly, “Just because I didn’t date anyone in school, doesn’t mean you can just assume uality.”

Eunji chuckled and gazed out of the window. “Hm, I miss Seoul,” 

Sunggyu had a tiny smile grazing on his lips, “We missed you too, Eunji.” 

 

-//-

 

 It was a huge crowd at Eunji’s house that night. Eunji and Sunggyu were in the kitchen, helping Eunji’s mom chop some vegetables when her dad came in and called her out, “Eunji, come out here, everyone wants to see you!” 

Eunji groaned and Sunggyu just laughed, “Go, I can manage,” 

“No, you come with me too,” Eunji said  stubbornly as she dragged Sunggyu out of the kitchen with her. 

“Y-yah!” 

Before Sunggyu could complain and escape back to the kitchen, everyone’s eyes were on them. Eunji quickly released her hands that were on Sunggyu’s arm and cleared nervously, 

“Thank you for coming everyone,” she smiled. Internally, she was going to make her promise not to invite a crowd this big for family gatherings again.  

“Oh my God! Aren’t you Kim Sunggyu?” One of her younger cousins squealed, eyes locked on Sunggyu while the elders looked a little confused, trying to remember if they had seen him anywhere.

“Yes he’s Sunggyu!” Another cousin followed, “He always wear that ring on his pinky finger!” 

“Minjae, don’t be rude! You’re scaring him,” One of her aunts scolded.

“Ah, that’s okay,” Sunggyu rubbed the back of his neck nervously and bowed, “I’m Sunggyu, Eunji’s friend.” Even though he was used to getting chased by fan girls, especially if they spotted him in public, this was different. The spotlight should be on Eunji tonight, not him. 

 

While her cousins approached Sunggyu for his signatures, Eunji’s relatives came to her and engaged her in small talks. She wasn’t a fan of all of this but she entertained them anyway. Lucky her because her mom soon yelled that food was ready and everyone rushed into the dinner table. 

Sunggyu and Eunji sat next to each other, and that’s when she regretted doing so. Minjae sat in front of them and pointed at Sunggyu’s ring, “Eunji noona! You have the same ring as Sunggyu,” 

 

“Oh my, are you guys dating?!” Her other cousin who was sitting next to Minjae intrudded. 

Before they could answer, Minjae spoke, “Yah, no way, Sunggyu oppa mentioned once in an interview that he met his first love in high school, was it you noona?” 

“NO!” Sunggyu and Eunji both answered at once.

 

-//-

 

Eunji was sitting on her rooftop. She can hear her relatives and family chattering downstairs, some of them were even singing on her dad’s karaoke machine. It felt stuffy being inside the house with everyone pestering her and asking if she and Sunggyu were dating. Her cousins also didn’t help at all. They kept on asking Sunggyu when he was releasing his next album and so on. 

 

“Here,” 

Eunji felt something cold touch her arms and she flinched. Sunggyu handed her a cold can of beer and then sat next to her.

“You’re done entertaining your fans?” Eunji asked. She opened the can and gulped the drink.

Sunggyu laughed dryly, “I mean, it’s never enough,” 

“What’s never enough?” 

“What we give to them, they just want more and more,” He sighed. 

 

Eunji only nodded in response and the two were silent. It was almost autumn but the breeze still carried the summer humidity. The weather in Seoul reminded her of everthing and everyone she missed when she was studying abroad. They used to go to the summer night markets together - Sunggyu, Eunji, Howon and Woohyun. Sometimes Howon’s friend, Dongwoo, would tag along and suddenly Eunji missed how contagious Dongwoo’s laugh was. They would go for noraebang or just sit around along the Han river. 

She was the only girl in the group - it has always been that way because apparently her personality was too loud for other girls. But it didn’t matter. She always felt safe and it was always fun. 

 

“So who’s this first love that I didn’t know about,” Eunji smirked playfully. 

“It’s no one,” Sunggyu answered, laying down on the slant of the roof with his hands behind his head, “I had to make up something for the interview. At least this way my life looks more interesting,” 

Eunji laughed an joined Sunggyu. She rested her back on the roof and spoke, “Your life has gotten way more interesting than mine, that’s for sure,” 

“Debatable,” Sunggyu shrugged and changed the topic, “So you and Howon never worked out huh?” 

Eunji sighed, “It’s a shame,” she said, eyes staring at the stars timidly peeking behind the clouds, “I don’t think there was anything wrong with us. We just had different dreams, and the distance didn’t help either.” 

Sunggyu nodded, “He told me,” he said, “I’m still in touch with him if you ever want to catch up. Woohyun too,” 

“I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon,” She chuckled, “ It’s been almost 3 years but I don’t know if I’m ready yet.” 

Sunggyu smiled at her, “Of course, take your time.”

 

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