“So, how are your days in America?” Kris asks me.

“Never been better.” I lie.

“Good to hear it.” He says. And I just nod.

“So you’re going to be a full-time dentist and you’re not going to be our manager anymore?”

“Yes, and being a manager was only a part time job afterall.”

He nods, then adds, “And to be honest, I’m very happy to be able to sit and talk with you comfortably, and you know what―”

“Ah. I should have stopped talking about the past.” He smiles bitterly and he sips his coffee.

When I was about to leave SME after having some talk with the EXO boys, Kris asked me whether I have some time to drink a sip of coffee before leaving the company. Trying to be my rational-self, I accepted his invitation. And here we are, sitting in Starbucks, the usual place we used to hang out and talking randomly― from the days I was forced to fulfil his requests until the day I actually loved his presence.

How I actually feel about this meeting in such a memorable place… I enjoyed it, but in the same time it gives me a strange feeling in my heart. Like how you want to eat the most delicious bread ever made when you’re famished, but in the same time you realised that the bread is poisonous.

“Arrgh. I just can’t contain this feeling by myself. Can I be honest?” He breaks the ice.

“Sure.”

“You’ve changed. You’re not the same lively, cheerful, and that grumpy Yeeun I used to know. But it’s okay, I’ll melt your heart someday.”

It’s because of you, you idiot. Did I really change that much? I guess I’m just too fragile to be hurt again, and if there’s a definition to define my situation right now, it’s called growing up.

“By the way, where’s Soorim and that Thai-guy?” he asks again after I gave no response to his previous sentence.

“He has a name, his name is Nichkhun.” I stated firmly. “Soorim immediately drags him out from me and brings him to have a tour around SM after hearing you asked me to be here.”

He smiles. “Soorim is… always helpful.”

I just smile back.

“Please do come to the company often. And I hope you can watch our first comeback stage. I know you’re busy now, since you’ve became a doctor in such a prestigious hospital. But please.. Do come. For me― No. For the boys.” He said and handing me a VIP ticket pass for next Friday’s Music Bank.

“I’ll try.” I smile.

We both walk to the company as usual. He doesn’t bother to start a conversation because he knows I’ll be only giving him cold shoulders. We’ve gone back to SM by the same back alley we used to pass. As we walk, memories come by and hit me in the head as I flashbacked when my foot bled that day  and Kris piggybacked me to SM. Yes, I do remember that. And I smile secretly, not wanting Kris to see me smiling.

We just walk, silently until we reach SM.

“So that’s Kris aka Wufan aka Kevin Wu.” He sure gets a lot of names! Nichkhun beams out after searching for Kris’ profile in his smartphone.

“Stop it. Will you?” I glare at him.

“So… How is it going?” Soorim asks me.

“Yeah, we only drink coffees and that’s all. Nothing more.”

“He seemed to have ‘something’ with you. Why didn’t you tell me about your love life, Yeeun-a.” Nichkhun pulls my arm, acting as if he’s very desperate to know about my love life.

“There’s nothing. Really. He’s my bestfriend. That’s all, Khun-ah!” I said as I let go of his arms.

“Both of you are really. Aish! When do both of you start working?” Soorim asks.

“Tomorrow.” Nichkhun replies.

“The same goes to me. I’ll soon be meeting EXO boys a lot! YEAAAH~” Soorim jumps happily.

“I’ve never seen anyone to be so happy to go through the first day of work.” Nichkhun whispers to me while looking at Soorim mockingly.

I just laugh while Soorim and Nichkhun stars fighting again.

“You didn’t call me nor text me.”

“Eh? Yunho Oppa! I’m so sorry I’ve forgotten. Where have you been?” I said, shocked by Yunho’s sudden presence in the hallway.

“There was an interview just now. And I should be the one who ask you where have you been?”

“Umm, meeting Appa, meeting EXO, and have coffees with― No. That’s all.”

“Kris, am I right?”

“Yes.” I admit awkwardly.

I expect Yunho’s nagging but what I got is only a light pinch in the nose. “Don’t do that next time.” He reminds me.

“Yes Sir!”

“Hey, Soorim-ah! Have you been well?” Yunho asks Soorim.

“Never been better.” She smiles back to Yunho.

“And why isn’t Michael joining you guys?”

“He’s busy working in Vogue, Oppa.” I reply.

“Ah. That’s sad. I thought he’s going to check on Changmin again.” Yunho laughs.

“And this is?” He refers to Nichkhun.

“I’m Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul, Yeeun and Soorim’s friend.” He looks at Yunho.. intensely, if I’m not wrong. Why do I always feel the air around me is so suffocating when Nichkhun meets Kris or Yunho? Tsk.

“Oh. I’m Jung Yunho.” Says Yunho, surprisingly cold as well. What the hell is happening with them? Probably I’m just the one who read too much of this situation. Duh.

“Okay then, I’ll be going to my next schedule then. Contact me often, okay Yeeun-ah?” Yunho says and giving me a warm hug.

“Yes, you naggy Oppa.” I said as I hug him back, and we bid farewell.

Next morning,

“So are you ready for the first job in your life?” Nichkhun asks me as we’re heading to Seoul University Hospital.

“I’ve worked before as EXO’s manager.” I smile.

“Oh! I forgot. So are you ready to begin your life as a dentist?”

“Yes.”

We’ve received some briefings from the head of the hospital’s director and we listened to his gratitude to us and he continued on how the hospital or Seoul itself lacks of skilful doctors of dental surgery since both Khun and I have reached the degree of ‘Master of Dental Surgery’.

The days have been quite busy for me, but still the same cases I handled, nobody came with a real serious problem that required to do surgery procedures. The cases I’ve handled so far is just normal cases, like putting braces on someone or pulling out a teeth or etc. I wonder what is the reason for them to come to this quite expensive hospital (yes, I’m telling you the truth!) if they just wanted to get their teeth pulled off. Probably they just wanted to feel safe since I had my degrees in The US. Probably.

But the next day after I thought that the hospital is just wasting money by inviting me and Khun here, a patient who suffers a severe Periodentitis comes. The Periodentitis is too severe until no therapies can be done, only surgeries can help to cure it.

 Periodontitis is the serious and advanced stage of gum disease which includes bone loss. Periodontitis is irreversible. The gum tissue and bone that surround and support your teeth could become seriously damaged and the teeth affected could become loose and fall out. Periodontitis occurs when the early stage of periodontal disease, gingivitis, is left untreated.

Periodontitis has also been linked to serious health problems such as an increased risk of and heart attacks. Periodontitis could also cause higher blood sugar levels.

Since the patients’ cases of periodontitis is severe enough, Nichkhun and I both work together in one room to treat the same patient (for the first time in this Seoul hospital). And we’ve both agreed that only surgery is the way out to treat it. The patient has also agreed upon the dental surgery, until I realised the surgery is going to be done in Friday, EXO’s first comeback stage in Music Bank. I can see the members’ high hopes to see me in the audience to cheer them up, especially Kris.