- The night before -

9:30 pm, the small digital clock glared red at Seunghyun's eyes as he opened the lights in his bedroom. I guess I must have fallen asleep while studying, he thought as he checked his mobile phone for messages. It was an hour ago when he received an urgent phone call from his father. 

"We need you here, adeul," he heard his father plead on the phone.

With a firm resolve, Seunghyun answered, "Ne, appa."

It can't be helped then, he thought as he splashed cold water to his face to wake him up. Outside the bathroom, he heard the front door opening and a pair of footsteps that could only belong to his bestfriend. He went out to greet him, but only to come face to face with a teary eyed Jiyong.

"Oh, Seunghyun, you're here." Jiyong greeted with a weak smile. He slowly hid the brown envelope he was holding behind his back.

"Jiyong," Seunghyun cleared his throat. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing."

"Listen," he placed one hand on Jiyong's shoulder. "I have something to tell you."

"Nado.."

"You tell it first."

"No, you should. You said it first."

"Yahh, but you look more troubled than I am," Seunghyun said and patted Jiyong's back. "To our secret place?"

They walked towards the music room. It wasn't really as 'secret' as a secret place, but it was that one place in this house where they could freely talk about their own problems, ever since they were little. When they got there, Jiyong sat before the piano and played random notes. Seunghyun sat accross him.

"Let's say it together."

"Fine." Jiyong stopped playing and faced his bestfriend.

"...I'm giving up." The two said at the same time to each other's surprise.

"What giving up on the contract!?" Seunghyun asked in disbelief.

"Giving up on what?" Jiyong asked with a puzzled expression.

"I asked first," Seunghyun said and furrowed his brow.

"B-but I don't even know what you're giving up on," Jiyong argued with a pout. "Fine.. I went to my father's."

Seunghyun's eyes widened as he listened to Jiyong's story. Jiyong told him how he will give up the contract since he couldn't get his father's permission. 

"He can still be persuaded, right?"

"Nah, forget it," Jiyong shrugged. "And besides, not accepting the contract means I'll have more time for Bom, right?"

"But your dream?"

"I can have another dream."

"Speaking of Bom," Seunghyun cleared his throat and stood up. "I'm giving up on her."

"What?" He looked at him with wide eyes.

"My father called a while ago," Seunghyun explained and sat beside Jiyong. "I have to go to Jeju to help the family."

"You're leaving?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"I might be gone for a year, or so."

"Andwe."

"Yah, it's not like I'll disappear forever, monkey." Seunghyun said with a small laugh. "And that's why I'm giving up on her. She is my bestfriend's girl, after all."

"I'm sorry" Jiyong listlessly apologized.

"It's not your fault, pabo. But, please don't put her in the dark anymore. All she does this past few days is to mope and worry about you."

"Yeah, I have to tell her," Jiyong said and his eyes fell to the envelope he set down on top of the piano. "But only after I've declined the contract."

"Why?"

"Because she knows how much I want this. She'll still try to persuade me to take it, no matter what I reason out."

"Jiyong," Seunghyun and said and stood up. He looked back at his troubled bestfriend, "Prove to me, and to yourself, that we've made the right decision."

~~