“Isn’t it all about being comfortable though?”

“Exactly, I don’t want that hanging everywhere.”

“But, it’s breezy.”

“It doesn’t need to be aired out.”

“Can we not talk about this while I’m eating?” You asked, your eyes narrowed as you looked on at the two boys, Ricky and Niel. It was winter break now and the three of you came to the popular café in Springfield, better known as the Mambo Juice. Despite the name, it was actually quite antique looking, very vintage. The three of you were seated near the windows that were frosted up at the edges as the snow continued to fall outside. It was a quiet place. A quaint and peaceful morning. Certainly not the time to discuss what these two were discussing. “Better yet,” you looked down at your red velvet cupcake in distaste now, “why are you two even talking about this while I’m here?”

“Well, you see, we had this same argument two days ago and we decided that we’d have you here next time as a mediator.” Ricky explained as though it were the simplest thing in the world before taking another sip of his pineapple juice.

Niel shook his head and sighed, “Trust me, it wasn’t my decision.”

You had learned the two argued about a lot of things. You were surprised they stayed friends with how much they argued before you came along to be the tie-breaking vote. Yesterday, it was Lord of the Rings versus Harry Potter on which had the best character development. The day before, it was over the question of how the Hulk can suddenly control his transformations in the Avengers movie. Today however, the topic was much simpler. A bit too simple.

“So what do you think Hyunjoo?” Ricky asked, leaning forward with a serious looked in his eyes before saying in the most non-joking tone, “Boxers or Briefs?”

“I’m telling you, it’s briefs. Nothing should be hanging around. It feels weird.” Niel directed to Ricky, and you wanted to slap the both of them upside their heads for talking about this and drawing the attention of most everyone in the establishment. Everyone who was now silent as though waiting to hear what you would say. Whilst the conversations the three of you had were unnecessary, they always drew a crowd when you three had them in public spaces.

“It’s definitely boxers. Why subject yourself to skinny jeans and then the equivalent of them as your underwear?” Ricky argued back to Niel who rolled his eyes at the statement. “You know what? I know how to settle this.” Ricky turned back to you now and from the look in his eyes you knew what came out of his mouth next would not at all be appropriate, “What kind did your boyfriend wear?”

Your grip on your cupcake loosened and it went falling back down onto the plate it came on. Next, you laughed. You laughed and Ricky knew you had reached your breaking point. You only laughed like that, so sarcastically, so fake, when he went too far. And he was right because within seconds, your smile faded and you leaned forward, your upper lip twitching, “Are you crazy?”

He grinned back, knowing that when you got mad that was all he had to do to make you calm down, “Certifiably.” You tsked as he pouted his lips at you, using his childish face to his advantage.

“It’s true. His parents had him tested.” Niel chimed in, causing Ricky to instinctively glare at him, drawing his attention away from you.

You had never known the type of underwear Sunggyu chose to wear. Why would you? He wasn’t even really your boyfriend in the first place. After he left along with Dongwoo, Hoya, Woohyun, Myungsoo, Sungyeol, and Sungjong who transferred out of school that day you saw them last, the rumor spread that the two of you broke up and you didn’t try to stop it.

Now that you thought about it, you had only ever seen one male’s underwear. Remembering it now, that event which took place almost a month ago, you couldn’t help but laugh. The two of them looked to you, not expecting an actual answer to come out of your mouth.

“Boxers.”

“See you later, Hyunjoo.” Ricky waved as he and Niel walked down the front porch of your house after walking home with you. The two lived less then five minutes away by foot, making their daily visits to your house for hot chocolate on the way home during this past week a normal occurrence. You walked back inside and found her still there, in the living room reading a book.

Your mother.

She had met them, Ricky and Niel. She was impartial to them if anything but you were surprised that she actually didn’t shout curses at you while they were around. You were just thankful that they didn’t talk about their preferences regarding underwear when they visited.

“I’ll be leaving for work soon.” She spoke out loud, directed towards you as she flipped a page of her book, not looking at you. You were amazed she said anything at all. Things had been better for a little while now. Since the werewolves left, all fourteen of them, you actually spent more time at home and she was usually there in the afternoon for lunch, as she was now, before leaving for work for the nightshift. You didn’t really talk with her. It seemed better that way for now, until she cooled down from the emotional breakdown she had been having for quite some time now. And notably, she had been doing so. Nowhere near the “let’s talk about your father” stage yet, but still getting there. Despite this though, you weren’t lonely.

You had Ricky and Niel. No matter how goofy they were at most times. Well, all of the time. That made them more comfortable to be around. More comfortable to talk to. They approached you first and you were glad they did. Ricky couldn’t hold a serious conversation that wasn't about boxers or Harry Potter but Niel spoke to you once about why they approached you. He told you that the two always disliked the idea of ganging up on someone. They laughed at the rumors about you but one particular rumor that spread a little while after they started hanging out with you caused Ricky to have volatile reaction. A reaction you never expected. A reaction that caused you to grow attached to them.

It was after the werewolves left. A few days after. There was a rumor going around about why Sunggyu left you. Why the two of you broke up. The rumor wasn’t exactly as lighthearted as most of them had been. Apparently, you had slept with Niel. Absurd to be sure. Niel didn’t laugh when he first overheard the girls in your class talking about it. Ricky was almost suspended for what he did. For almost punching the girl who said it. As the boys in the class pulled him away from her, he yelled at her that the two of you weren’t like that. That Niel would never do that. That you would never do that.

That’s what did it for you. What caused you to give into that puppy dog face he would give you whenever he joked too far. Because he actually cared enough to defend you. Niel after that even made a public statement that he was still a and that whoever wanted to test if he was or not could meet him at his house for, as he put it, “one hell of an awkward night.”

Like with the boxers or briefs question, it was inappropriate. It was inappropriate and you couldn’t help but laugh right after he said it. And since then, you’ve laughed more than once each day you’ve been with them. You weren’t lonely.

Surprisingly, Minah was not one of the girls who were spreading that rumor. In fact, she recently has been staying out of the rumor mill, a reason such a vicious rumor came about in the first place. Unbelievably, she was the person who kept the rumors clean. She wasn’t her usual mean self either. She kept about herself and her friends and while she did despair about Myungsoo being gone for a few days, she got over it. Well, visibly anyway. The seat behind her was still empty and you couldn’t help but watch every morning, right before she sat down at her desk, as she glanced at it for a moment or two before sitting down. Since winter break though, you had only seen her once.

Once at the Mambo Juice where she was getting a cake for a party. One she was having with her friends in celebration of finishing the term. That’s what she told you that day. That’s right, she actually talked to you. She talked to you and told you she was sorry for drugging you, twice. She actually apologized and told you she would try to stop the rumors that went on about you as a way to make it up to you. You told her it wasn’t necessary but she insisted and her cake ended up being finished faster than being able to convince her to not bother did.

She also told you something else before she left. She told you that her father has been gone for a long time. Ever since the day he shot Tablo, something she wasn’t aware of, but from the date, you knew that’s when he disappeared. Daeryong and Soryong most likely were on his tail at the current point in time. Yet, you were more worried about Tablo. You wondered what happened to him. Just as much as you wondered what the fourteen werewolves you knew were doing now. Wonder how the had been spending their days now. You could only guess of course.

Of the fights Jaehyo and Sungyeol and Kyung and Sungjong must have been getting into. If they learned that they had to buy ingredients if they wanted to cook something decent. If by now Zico, B-bomb, Kyung, Jaehyo, P.O., Taeil, and U-kwon had learned to control their transformations. If they were millions of miles away from you or just around the next corner you turned.

You would wonder these things. You would wonder these and you would think about the black, leather jacket that hung in your closet. The one you saw every time you opened your closet in the morning. The one that told you that Myungsoo would come back for it some day. That they would all come back someday. And despite not being able to see them, despite their cell phone numbers being disconnected, you didn’t feel lonely.

You hadn’t worn the Wolfsbane necklace since that day Ricky pointed it out to you. It was hidden away at the bottom of your jewelry box, not that you had much jewelry to hide it beneath. Still, you hadn’t even checked to see if it was there since then. It didn’t matter anymore, what happened to the necklace. Which made you wonder why Sunggyu’s grandfather told him to protect it in the first place. Yet, there was also one more thing you had yet to check up on. To stop and think about.

Tiffany.

You wondered how she was doing. You hadn’t seen in in so long and you missed her. These thoughts caused you to pick up your phone that night and call her, making plans for breakfast the next day.

“Really? You said that?”

“They get so carried away with their conversations that sometimes I can’t help but be stringed along.” You shook your head in mock disappointment, a smile on your face.

“I’m surprised.”

You looked up, not understanding what was surprising about it. You mistook the words to mean something else, “I didn’t think I’d be able to become so close to them either. I can’t imagine talking about this kind of stuff with the others.” By “others,” you meant the werewolves.

“No, I mean, briefs are obviously the better of the two.” Tiffany smiled at you, laughing once she saw the look on your face. The two of you had finished your breakfast already, courtesy of Tiffany herself. Pancakes, bacon, and eggs. It was great. What was even better was being able to talk to Tiffany again. This time, not about serious things. About the not-so-serious. About, in this case, the discussion you had with Niel and Ricky yesterday. The topic of conversation however took a not so light-hearted turn when she said her next words, “And why would you not be able to talk about it with them?”

Your voice stuck in your throat and you averted your eyes shamefully, “Isn’t that obvious?” You mumbled as you took a sip of the orange juice in your hands.

“Oh,” her voice peaked with interest now and she leaned forward, peeking at your face, “who was it?”

“Who was what?” You played dumb as you cleared your throat. You knew what she was talking about. You just hoped she would let it go. Of course, she wasn’t going to.

She nudged your arm, “Come on now, you know what I’m talking about. The one who opened your eyes to the very blatant fact that they are indeed males and not of the aual nature.”

“You actually sound excited about this.” You noticed the smile on her face, as though she had been waiting forever for this to happen and in truth, she had been.

She crossed her legs, tilting her head to the side as she pondered on, disregarding your comment, “Considering things as they are, I’d say it was one of the younger ones.” You said nothing and instead ended up almost choking on your orange juice. Her lips curved upward into that usual dazzling smile of hers. She decided she’d let you go on this one, just this once. Her smile faded into a softer one as she changed the topic of the conversation once more, “Do you miss them?”

You were caught off guard by it. Caught off guard by the sudden mention of them and the word “miss” in the same sentence. You had cried that day you listened to Sunggyu’s message. Cried without feeling sad. Cried at the simple fact that they wouldn’t be there when you woke up tomorrow. And the next day, not a single tear fell.

You took a deep breath, finding yourself able to answer her question with a steadier voice than you thought you would, “I do. I really do. But, I’ll see them again. I know I will. And because I know they’ll come back, I’m not lonely. I miss them, but I’m going to wait patiently for once.”

You laughed as you finished, ending off on a rather comical note. For this one matter, when it came to waiting for them, you wouldn’t be impatient. You wouldn’t rush forward without thinking.

Tiffany’s smile changed. It changed into one of admiration.

In the beginning, you were involved because you were curious. Now, you were because you wanted to be. Because you had a reason to be. That reason being fourteen particular werewolves. And they changed you. It was subtle, but it was there.

Trust. That’s what you gained from them. That’s what you had learned to give back to them. That along with the strength to protect yourself and the strength to protect them; not physically, but mentally. You had opened up to them. And Tiffany felt as though her Christmas gift for you couldn’t have been more appropriate.

She reached for the pillow next to her on the couch and moved it, revealing a small box wrapped in candy cane paper with a green bow on top. A box she had hidden there earlier before you arrived to give to you now. When you saw it, your eyes widened in surprise. She handed it to you, “Merry early Christmas Hyunjoo.” You weren’t sure what to say, you just looked at her with your mouth hanging open. “Well open it. I want to see how it looks on you.” She smiled widely, her legs bouncing up and down slightly in excitement.

You did as she said, all the while still speechless with the only word escaping your lips being thank you. And she shook her head, denying your need to even say it. As you peeled back the wrapping paper, what was revealed beneath was a white box. You pulled open the lid and what you saw underneath was a piece of jewelry. More specifically, a small rose. A small rose charm for a charm bracelet.

Tiffany leaned forward, smiling down at it, “I got it because it reminded me of you. Headstrong thorns that protect the soft, warm-hearted petals of the flower. It’s a wild rose you know.” She smiled, as though enjoying her own joke, a similar joke made by Hoya the last day you saw him, “If you take it to the jeweler’s in town, they can attach it to the bracelet you have on right now. If you want to that is.”

You didn’t feel deserving of this, this kindness she was showing you. This kindness she always showed you. You were dumbfounded for words once more. She noticed and raised her hand to her lips as she held back a laugh.

Then, she held out her hands, gesturing you towards her, “Hug?”

You nodded and held onto the box tightly in your hands as you hugged her. She patted your back soothingly. “You know,” she suddenly said after a few moments went by. She pulled away from you to find that your eyes had started to water, “I think we should have girl talk more often.” Her lips curled into a smile and you couldn’t help but smile back. She pinched your cheeks and shook your head back and forth, "Why are you so adorable?" She asked, that same question Woohyun had asked you. You got embarrassed just hearing it and coughed, causing her to laugh again. 

Just then, the doorbell rang. Tiffany looked towards the door through the large entrance of the living room you two were currently in. She stood up and smiled one more time at you before walking towards it. As you looked back down at her gift in your hands, your eyes looking over the carved, steel, wild rose, you found your words again.

“Tiffany.” You called out to her. She turned, her hand on the doorknob, “Thank you.”

She raised an eyebrow, telling you to quit saying that. Then she smiled again and turned towards the door, opening it.

Then, your ears rang. Your ears rang as you turned slowly towards the door once more. It was wide open, the cold air of the morning flowing through the door. There was no one there.

Not anymore.

No.

Tiffany was no longer there.

Your knees buckled as you pushed yourself off of the couch. The tears that had almost brimmed the walls of your eyes now fell down your cheeks as you looked on. Looked on at the sight of Tiffany.

Tiffany, lying on the wooden floor motionless.

A pool of blood gathering beneath her.

What had caused your ears to ring was a familiar sound. The same sound you had heard before you saw Tablo go falling down out of the corner of your eye.

The sound of a gun shot.

Your ears continued to ring and you couldn’t hear the sound of your own voice as you yelled her name.