“It’s me…Seung Ho…”

The elder at the end of the other line almost dropped the phone from his shaking hands. “Oh…Seung Ho…”

“How are you?”

He began feeling strange. As if the heaviness from his waist down that used to pull him back like a rock, disappeared into thin air. “I’m…fine,” the word got out instead of ‘I’m lonely and sad most of the time. And I miss my best friend!’. “And you? How are you?” He could feel that it wasn’t easy for the other one to keep calm while hearing his trembling voice.

“I’m…better now. Junhyung?”

The elder stuck in the wheelchair gulped. “Yes?”

“I’m glad that I got to hear your voice once again.”

“Seung Ho hyung…”

“I’m truly very happy that I managed to lay low my pride. It was high time I did that, wasn’t it?” The other one chuckled over the phone, making his old best friend tear up in his home. It felt like Heaven descended on Earth for the old Yong Junhyung. He never craved for anything. He never wished for anything. He just dreamt. About a day when his old best friend would accept him back. But even so, the evil residing in him would push him extremes. The pride never left him in all the years he got to spend in the wheelchair after that rainy, full of accidents day…it never left him, it actually grew larger in his chest. “Junhyung, are you still holding a grudge against me? Against us?”

“I’ll never forgive you actually, Seung Ho. Never! You stole what was initially mine, what I was supposed to hold and love. You stole Baek Lyn Da from me and that’s not something that I will ever forget or forgive!” The evil inside him just turned into a real devil! “You’re a thief, hyung!”

The man on the other line chuckled to himself. So he wasn’t the only one that couldn’t let go, huh? That was better. The guilt was no longer that great hanging on his shoulders… … “I’m sorry, Junhyung. Indeed, I’m the one who did wrong to you. I was wrong. Forgive me.” It was all like in a play. With no real feelings mixed in. They were both holding tight onto their pride.

“And after all this time, Seung Ho, I still don’t regret what I did. Missing my chance of happiness drove me crazy back then, I realize that now. But even so, I regret nothing from what I’ve done. The only thing I do regret is losing my best friend in the mid of plotting a hurried end.” Junhyung was done. He was done this time. He spoke real words with no shame.

“I see… I regret losing my best friend too. But I don’t think there was another way for us. And this is where our paths cross once again. I miss my best friend, Junhyung.”

☾♅☾

Sang Hyun raised his eyes from the book he was reading inside his room. He was just killing time, earning patience while waiting for that moment of the evening when he’d once again open the notebook and read Lyn Da’s words, get to know more about her thoughts. But before doing that, he needed to be patient. But now, the black car that stopped in front of the house drew his attention, as well as Seung Ho who approached it while the driver took out a wheelchair.

The car’s door opened, revealing an old man smiling. And at the sight of Seung Ho, his wrinkles seemed to fade from his face and his hands were no longer trembling. Sang Hyun smiled. After all, Yang Seung Ho was Yong Junhyung’s kindred-spirit.

“Junhyung, old friend,” Sang Hyun greeted the newcomer with a smile and hand shake. “How have you been?”

“Sang Hyun! Still lurking around your hyung?” Just like Seung Ho’s evil side preserved over time, so did Junhyung’s.

“Yah…”

“You two, stop quarreling or I’ll throw you out both!” Seung Ho grinned from  his place. The house was full of life now.

Silence took over and the three of them enjoyed the moment. It was a familiar feeling even though they were not in the original form with Mir, G.O., Joon, Gikwang and Yoseob all gone. And questions were raising in the air. What was Seung Ho’s reason for suddenly contacting Junhyung and bringing him into his house? A revenge? Junhyung was afraid that he was not fully forgiven. A slow and painful torture? Sang Hyun was scared since he knew that Seung Ho could e quite cruel when he wanted to be so… …

“I was the only one that got to say his goodbye to Lyn Da while she was still alive,” Seung Ho started talking all of a sudden. “And just like I insisted that Sang Hyun remains here to read her journal, just like that I insist that you should stay and listen. Maybe, just maybe it will bring you some comfort,” he eyed Junhyung who was biting his lower lip in deep thought. “But it’s your choice in the end, Junhyung.”

The old man in the wheelchair looked at him. He had already made up his mind about all of that. “I’ll stay to listen to her side of story.”

“Very well then. But note that her words might build up fear, guilt and pain,” Seung Ho sat down in his favourite armchair. “Sang Hyun…”

It was like a spell, ‘Genie, make my wish come true!’.

❝It was lurking around. I could feel his presence with all my being. But I did not give in to the weakness residing inside of me. So carried out being myself day by day, trying to put up with the thought that Yong Junhyung might become a part of my life.

“Look at this cutie!” Junhyung wiggled a brownish teddy bear in front of my eyes. His eyes were heart-shaped and he was holding out, between his paws, a little red heart.

“Junhyung, we’re not buying that,” I turned to the white crib displayed on the other side.

“Wh-y?”

“Because.”

“Wh-y?” He was whining.

“Junhyung…” But he had that kind of face once again, all pouty and puppy eyes begging. “Oh, fine! Put in the basket!” I sighed. I was going to be a bad mother. I knew that because I was an easy target for puppy love.

I looked at Junhyung who was one step ahead of me, happily pushing the basket ahead while his eyes were joggling from one side to the other of the shelves full of pushies and cute things for babies. I must admit that I was quite impressed by the calmness of his reaction when I told him about the pregnancy, without mentioning the real father, of course. ‘I’ll be a great father, I promise!’. And took his word on that. Maybe, just maybe, this was not going to be such an epic fail as I believed at the beginning.

But we weren’t in a relationship. I was yet to decide. And everything was in his favor… …

“Lyn Da! Come! Let’s go grab some food!” Junhyung was already in front of the cashier, taking out his wallet to pay for the full basket.

“No. I’m paying,” I pushed away his hand while taking out my credit card.

“Lyn Da, stop being stubborn. Half of these things were picked by me. So it’s only fair that I pay for them!”

“I’m not allowing you to stay for your money, you know,” I looked straight into his eyes. “I’ll pay,” I quickly turned to the woman behind the counter, leaving his unsaid question hang in the air. Then why was I allowing him to stay beside me?

☾♅☾

Junhyung was walking around, with his phone stuck to his ear. He was fighting someone. “I don’t understand how this happened! How on Earth did they manage to find out?! I DON’T CARE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THIS! IT’S MY DAMN PRIVATE LIFE!”

I placed the cup on the table. I was tired. Even the stairs to my bedroom seemed a long way for me. Once in, I sighed and sat on my bed. I wasn’t going to have a normal life anytime soon, huh? First, there was Seung Ho and his forever selfishness. And now Junh