“We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?”

– Ray Bradbury

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A month had gone by and Suho had not seen Alena since the time she came over to his dorm to get back her book. He had finished reading the novel Fahrenheit 451. A part of him was hoping to come across her presence around school, but unfortunately he had not seen her. In fact, no one had seen her. Suho only knew that because people began to speak less and less about her. Her name was no longer whispered in the halls, and she was no longer the hot topic of discussion in Seoul Division. It had long died down, and all that is left of the student body is the complaints of the long, winding winter.

Had they not come across each other’s paths, Suho would not have been bothered by Alena’s absence.

It was exam season and that meant crunch time for Suho and his group of friends. He devoted all his time to studying, and soon became lost in his studies. Though that didn’t stop him from wondering about where she was from time to time. Also, he had not spoken to Subin much after the party fiasco. Suho decided that it was not in his best interest to form a relationship with Subin, at least not during this time. He had much studying to do and cannot seem to afford to focus on anything else other than that.

A relationship for him was a long shot, and it seemed far fetch at this point.

Subin had always been one to be friendly around everyone. She was by the friendliest girl Suho had ever encountered, and that was what made her charming. Unfortunately, as charming as she can be, it never occurred to him to further his relationship with her. She was just someone he was extremely fond of, but not to the point where he would like to do anything romantic with her.

Though lately his study sessions included her in it, along with Luhan and Lay. Kris never studied with them; instead, he had his own tactics when it came to studying. He was the rare ones who preferred studying alone in his room, rather than with a group of people. Suho knew, however, that was part of Kris’s characteristic. As much as Kris enjoyed hanging with his friends, when it came to more serious matters such as school and family businesses, he preferred his solitude where he was alone with his mind.

It was late one Thursday evening. The four of them had decided to hold a study group for their anatomy exam, and it lasted until 11:00pm. They would’ve studied up until the morning if the library didn’t have to close at that time.

As everyone began to gather up their stuff and pack, Subin suddenly asked everyone, “Do you guys want to go to the bar after our exam? Since our exam is from 7:00pm-10:00pm, and it is the last exam of the semester!”

“Hmm,” the boys thought it over. Lay was the first to answer with a nod of his head. “Sure, I think that’s a good suggestion. It’s nice to unwind for a bit!”

“You don’t even like drinking,” Luhan pointed out. He slung his backpack over his shoulders and scratched his chin. “Maybe for me.”

“Same to me as well. I have not touched a single drop of alcohol since that party held by the Elites at Divines res,” Suho said, shaking off the bad memories of that night. Subin let out a small frown and her shoulders sagged in disappointment. 

Lay and Luhan said their goodbyes at the front of the library. Subins res was closer to Suhos so the two walked together.

“Are you ready for the exam?” Subin asked, breaking the silence between the two.

Suho expelled a breath of air, and he shook his head. “Not at all,” he said with a nervous smile. “It’s a good course, don’t get me wrong. I like it a lot, but there are just such a handful of terms that I cannot get a good grip of the course as a whole. How about you, Subin? Are you ready?”

She gave Suho a cheeky smile and shrugged. “I think so. I think you’re ready too, Suho. You’re just overthinking. You’re doing a lot better in the class than me!”

“Hardly.”

Before Subin knew it, they were right infront of her residence.

“Alright Subin, I’ll see you. Get a good rest, goodnight.” Suho waved lightly.

Subin bit her lip, “Suho wait!”

He paused and looked at her with wide eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Try to reconsider bar night, yeah? Our exam won’t be until next Wednesday, and after that we’d be free. It might be the last time everyone will see each other.” Subin gave him a look of hope that Suho couldn’t say no to.

“Maybe… I’ll come with the guys if anything.”

Subin smiled her cheeky smile and nodded. She gave him a wave goodbye and went into her building. Suho watched her go in and let out a sigh. He looked up at the sky, remembering the night he first saw Alena laying in the snow, staring up at the sky with her glassy dark eyes and how Lay mentioned that she liked stars.

What was it about stars that pulled people’s attention towards it like gravity?

Suho breathed in the fresh cold air and made his way back to his dorm.

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A few hours before the anatomy exam, Suho, Lay, Luhan and Kris decided to meet up and grab an early dinner. The four decided to go a westernized diner located outside of campus, where they serve the best sausages and milkshakes Suho had e