After the interesting day’s events, the four of them sat themselves down in a small street vendor at a random neighbourhood. Each of them had their own set of questions they wanted to ask…floating around aimlessly inside their thoughts. They spent numerous minutes stealing glances at each other in an awkwardly manner.

The night called for alcohol in order to ease the environment that they now found themselves stuck in.

“Hey Sooyoung…I mean uhh, Sooyoung noona, how do you know Minho?” Eunhyuk finally said what was on everyone’s minds, finally breaking the thick layer of ice.

Changmin slightly looked up at the sound of the question as he reached for the kimchi. He too was very much interested at how the girl might know the curly haired guy.

“She doesn’t know him you idiot!” Yuri slapped Eunhyuk’s shoulder roughly. “You were standing there too weren’t you? The guy is full of talk…unnie doesn’t know him.”

Yuri and Eunhyuk were like cats and dogs…a friendship that was built on bickering.

“Tsck. Don’t get excited just because that Choi Minho seemed to have taken an interest in you.” Changmin shoved a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

“You’ll only end up like the rest….all lonely and sad.”

“Pshh. Bwoh? Who said I got excited? Is this how you always act? First that one time on the bus….I had no idea who the hell you were at that time and you go all ‘Who’s the guy that dumped you..’ You always assume things don’t you?” Sooyoung was sending him death glares from across the table…she was so irritated by him.

Sooyoung reached out for the bottle of soju and easily swallowed one full gulp. She extended her index finger out and pointed to each one of them, “I – AM – NOT – EXCITED….not…” Her voice was clearly wavering as she slowly lowered her head down.

“Heeeeh?!? Did you hear that guys? Did you? Did you? …not…” Eunhyuk imitated Sooyoung’s voice as he made faces at the elder girl.

Changmin curiously raised his head a little bit higher to catch a glimpse of Sooyoung’s face.

“Yah! Shut up!” Yuri kicked her friend hard under the table. Eunhyuk was the only one there that seemed to be entertained by it all.

“So let me get it straight.” Changmin put down his bowl of rice and stared at the girl. “You get dumped literally yesterday, cry your eyes out, and then get all jumpy because some guy dragged you out in the rain?” He raised his eyebrow at her.

“Do enjoy getting wet that much?"

Sooyoung looked at him with a confused expression.

"So if I take you right now and throw you into the Han River you’ll fall for me…that’s how it works huh?” Changmin’s tone of voice was a mixture of sarcasm and seriousness.

“…what?” Sooyoung was dumbfounded by his words.

“If you decide to be with him, you’re only gonna get dumped again just like before.” Changmin looked straight into the girl’s chocolate brown eyes.

Sooyoung grabbed the soju bottle one more time and directly took another big gulp.

“I SAID I WASN’T DUMPED!”

She took another gulp.

“I SAID I WASN’T DUMPED!” Eunhyuk repeated as he imitated her from the first day they met. He grabbed his glass of water and sprinkled it down his face to provide him with fake tears. Yuri couldn’t help but laugh.

Sooyoung glared at her sister….How could you laugh with these idiots?

“Ahahaha, they’re just joking….no one got dumped. Yeah, that’s right no one got dumped.”

“Pshhh. The girl got dumped; it’s kind of obvious…” Changmin said in a low voice as he carried on eating the delicious food on the table.

At that moment, Sooyoung slammed the soju bottle onto the table.

It was now light in weight….it was now completely empty, without a single drop left in its container. The three friends looked up at her in absolute amazement.

“Oooooohhh~” they cooed.

“Yesssss! Exactly, that’s right. Let’s all just drink up mmhmm?” Yuri tried her best to lighten up the mood. “Ahjumma! Bring us two more bottles of soju right here please!”

Immediately, Sooyoung grabbed the freshly new soju bottle and chugged half of it down.

She winced a tiny bit from the burning sensation of alcohol flowing down .

“You seeeeee, I wasn’t---I wasn’t dumped~” Sooyoung sang out loud in a high out of pitch voice.

Again, the three of them stared at the drunken girl, bewildered by the fact that she wasn’t knocked out yet. 

But just then her head fell onto the table.

“Is she dead?” Eunhyuk asked as he poked her arm with a chopstick.

Instantly, she seemed to be rejuvenated as she raised her head up again. She turned to look at the guy who poked her and slapped his leg hard.

“YAHHH! CLEAN YOUR FEET ONCE IN A WHILE YOU GOT IT? THAT SHOE OF YOURS….WHOOAAA, I THREW IT OUT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN THE GARBAGE MEN DON’T WANT IT!”

Eunhyuk blushed in embarrassment. He began to quickly take on a vibrant red colour. He was flustered by what she had said. He raised his hand and hid himself from the surrounding people that stared.

“kekekeke” a soft chuckled broke out.

Sooyoung whipped her head in the direction of the noise.

Shim Changmin.

She took her spoon and flung a heartiful abundance of rice directly at his face.

“YOUUUU!” she screamed.

Changmin flung the bits of rice off his forehead and cheeks.

“You’re actually one year younger than me eh? One year YOUNGERRR.” She emphasized the last word as she dragged it out.

“You should be good to noona young boy.” She cheerfully teased.

Sooyoung was out of her mind…completely passed the line of sanity and now lost in her own drunken wonderland.

He stopped laughing and raised his head to her.

Changmin started to feel annoyed…he gripped onto the edge of the table tightly.

“You—“

“LEE SUNGMINNN!!” Sooyoung cut him off as she began to cry out loud.

!@#$%^

Her body went flying back. She fell straight down onto the floor.

NOW, her batteries had run out…she was finally knocked out.

~

Eunhyuk had forcefully dragged Yuri off to the mall to pay for a pair of brand new shoes, leaving behind the two that seemed to not have the best relationship with one another.

“Don’t worry I’ll take her home…” Changmin said.

Changmin stared at the drunken girl that was on the floor. He carefully pulled her up, placed the girl securely onto his back and carried her as he walked over towards her home. It was only eight in the night, but the sky was completely pitch black.

 “SUNGMIN AHHHH!” Sooyoung repeatedly called out randomly.

“It’s Shim Changmin….” He would reply in an irritated voice.

“SUNGMIN AHHH!” she called out again.

“Aishhhhh it’s Changmin. Shim Changmin.” He nudged the girl slightly on the leg. “S-H-I-M C-H-A-N-G-M-I-N!” he spelt out loudly.

My goodness this girl is heavy

He had only been walking for a maximum of twenty minutes now. His legs were about to give out. With every step he took, he felt like a steel hammer slammed against him…harshly bashing onto his knees. The throbbing pain made him sweat furiously in the cool autumn night.

Freakin Sungmin…whoever this Lee Sungmin is that you're crying out for…Why am I the one carrying you? He thought to himself as he took a peek to the girl lying on his back.

Changmin slightly jumped in order to reposition the girl evenly onto his back. He took hold of one of her hands and arranged it around his neck.

Suddenly her hand held on…it latched onto his with great force…so strong; as if holding on for dear life.

Changmin stopped. He stood there in place as if his feet were glued onto the ground.

“Sungmin ah, did you know how much I liked you?” Sooyoung’s voice called out quietly.

“When I moved to Australia, did you know I missed you the most? I called out your name every morning that I woke up back then…didn’t you know that? I really missed you…”

Changmin grasped onto the warm hand that held his. Slowly, he delicately tightened it. Somehow, the pain in his legs was now irrelevant…the pain disappeared suddenly ---so quickly.

“I wished on a star that when I came back to Seoul we’d meet again….that we’d be happy. But why is it that now it’s only you that is happy?”

“Wishing on a star doesn’t really work…why do you girls even think that?” he asked out loud, forgetting that Sooyoung wouldn't comprehend the words that came out of his mouth as he slowly continued to walk.

“You don’t understand how happy I am to see you now.” Sooyoung let go. She now wrapped her arms snugly against the boy’s neck, hugging it dearly.

“My dad died so suddenly, but the thought of seeing you again brought a sense of joy. Meeting mom, and my siblings….it felt good.”

Changmin began to feel really heavy, but not because of the extra pounds that he carried on his back, but for a whole other reason. He didn’t understand what it was, nor why he began to feel that way.

“Sungmin, it’s truly nice to see you so happy…it really is. But I’m sorry, I can’t help but feel depressed….why?” her voice was filled with sadness as it trailed off.

But that’s when it happened. The sound of a nose being blown….

Sooyoung had blown her nose clear. She carried no bag with her, she had no tissues….

Changmin turned his head to face Sooyoung. He was afraid to see where she had done her action.

Slowly, he felt the sticky substance fall down the back of his neck. Surprised, he suddenly let go of the girl, causing her to plop down onto the floor.

He unwrapped his favourite scarf from his neck. Low and behold, placed everywhere onto the expensive fabric was the remains that came out from Sooyoung’s nose.

Being a neat freak, he felt a little dizzy…his stomach turned.

“Ouch! Ahhh my back.” Sooyoung wiped her eyes and squinted. “Oh! Changmin? Is that you? Where are we?” She was finally waking up as her senses slowly started to kick back in.

Changmin threw his beloved scarf directly at her.

“Hah! So now you remember my name. Look around…think about it.”                 

Sooyoung circled her eyes around, taking in the environment around her. She was in her neighbourhood, just two houses away from her own. She could have sworn that they were out to grab a bite...the place was quite far from here...

How did I get here? Why am I with Changmin?

She turned to look at the tall male figure strangely before deciding to head on home.

In response, Changmin started to trot the other direction. He didn’t feel too good.

His insides churned as he reminisced about his wet scarf. His mind was spinning out of control. No matter how hard he tried to make it stop, it was no use…as if one tried to stop the earth from circulating the sun --- impossible. On the other hand, his heart seemed to be doing somersaults.

He turned back a quick instant. For some strange reason, he had this sudden urge to do so. He looked down the road that he had just walked.

There it was again…that pounding sensation.

Why was it beating so hard?

He brought his chin up as he stretched his head. He was looking up at the sky.

He stared.

He never noticed how many stars there were; the contrast of the bright sparkle against the backdrop of the darkness of the sky…it was truly stunning.

Why did he feel like wishing on a star wasn't such a lousy idea anymore?

Changmin rubbed the temples of his head.

It’s the alcohol…it’s the alcohol. You drank too much Changmin….

He brought his hand back down. Again, an odd feeling took over him. He fixated his eyes at his hand, the hand that felt the warmth of her touch.

He smiled…for reasons he himself didn’t know why.