"AH SHI- OW!!" I hear Yongguk scream.

 

I blink a few times, allowing my mind, body and soul to return to the reality I know and partially love. I look at Jongup first, then Himchan and the others, until my eyes stop on the blond beside me and the fact that my right hand is clutching his shirt a little too tightly...

 

"Um, He-Jin. Are you alright?" Youngjae asks, genuine sympathy written all over his face.

 

"I'm fine... Just had a nightmare. And I'm still tired..."

 

"If you want, one of us can accompany you hom-"

 

"WHY AM I COVERED IN WATER?!" I shout, cutting Youngjae off and looking down at myself.

 

The entire table falls quiet. I look at each of the guys the same way I do the Matokis when they're in trouble. Just to challenge me, Yongguk sends the same facial expression right back, until Himchan breaks the silence.

 

"That's kind of a long story..." Himchan rubs the back of his neck.

 

My glaring contest with Yongguk ends abruptly when I turn my hell raising gaze to the man across from him.

 

"I'm young. Start." I order, finally letting go of Yongguk

 

"Well, you see, um... W-we were just talking and then I kind of got excited. I was so happy that I kind of threw the water from my glass that I was holding....in your general direction..."

 

"... Oh, okay." I take my napkin and dab my shirt and skirt.

 

"Sooooo, you forgive me?"

 

"Yep. You remind me- well, your voice- of someone special, so I can't really stay mad at you."

 

Han comes back with our food. He places the correct food with the right people and goes back into the kitchen for our drinks.

 

There are multiple reasons why Han is THE boss, and this maybe one of them.

 

As I'm eating my food, my thoughts drift to what happened today, with Han's girlfriend and all. I find myself unable to eat, feeling guilty that even after all that, he worked hard to make our food, when he probably just wants to be alone.

 

I quickly finish my food and nudge Yongguk in the side.

 

"What? I'm eating." He says, continuing to eat his noodles.

 

"Move, I need to get out." I shoo him with my hands, but the only response he gives me is the 'you're strange' look. "Dude, am I gonna have to push you out myself? Move."

 

"You? Push me? With them weak arms? I'm sorry, but there are a few impossibilities in this universe, and that is one of them." Yongguk laughs and continues to eat.

 

"...The more I think of you, the less I think of you."

 

Daehyun covers his mouth and laughs. Jongup snickers and the others shake their heads.

 

"If you said what you thought, you'd be speechless." Yongguk hisses.

 

"BURN!!" Zelo yells, high fiving Hangeng.

 

"I don't know what makes you so screwed up, but whatever it is, it works."

 

"You-"

 

"Need to go somewhere, right?" Daehyun asks, getting out of his seat and tugging on Yongguk's shirt.

 

I guess we have a pacifist in the room, 'cause I KNOW things were gonna get violent if Yongguk and I continued.

 

"Yes, thank you!" I stick my tongue out at Yongguk before he gets out of the seat, and I dash off into the kitchen.

 

The kitchen is surprisingly dark. Barely any light coming from anywhere. I can't remember where the light switch is, so I feel the area close to the door. Then, I realize it's on the other side of the kitchen. With my arms stretched out, I walk forward until I feel a table, and I use my touch to go down the aisle. I can hear a light sobbing, but nothing else.

 

"Han?" I whisper into the darkness. The sobbing stops and I hear a sniffle. "Han?- DANG!"

 

I think I just tripped on a pot, because the next thing I know, I'm falling. I hit my elbow of the table and my head on the hard floor. Let me just tell you, it hurt A TON!!

 

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow..."

 

The lights flick on and Han rushes over to me.

 

"Aish He-Jin... You shouldn't go walking around the kitchen in the dark." Han chuckles. Probably due to the fact I'm curled up in a ball, and clutching my head, tears threatening to fall.

 

"Shut up! I couldn't see the light switch... Don't go lecturing me! You were crying in the dark!"

 

I knew it was him. His face is red and tear stained, his eyes super swollen from crying and his nose still red from all the sniffling. Even with the caring smile on his face, his lip just barely quivers, probably getting ready to cry.

 

Any anger I had towards him fades away. I sit up and wrap my arms around his neck.

 

"You still love her, don't you."

 

The simple words that just came right out of my mouth cause the grown man clutching to me to bury his head on my shoulder, and cry.

 

Facing the door, I furrow my eyebrows when I see Yongguk walk through. He grabs a glass of water and taps Han's shoulder. Han looks at him and stands up.

 

"Go ahead, make fun of me. Tell all the guys your boss is here, crying in the kitchen of his restaurant. All over the ex-girlfriend that cheated on him." Han's smile isn't his usual, but a challenge sent towards the one before him.

 

Yongguk remains poker face as he throws the water in Han's face.

 

"Yongguk!" I shout, but Han puts his left hand up.

 

"Stop dwelling on the past. It will make you older than you already are, old man. It was horribly wrong for that girl to do that to you, but she did it. Move on. Besides. You're a cool guy. Find someone a million times better, and cherish the bond that you two share."

 

Han's hand falls to his side while his right hand brushes the hair covering his eyes back. He looks at Yongguk, and smiles.

 

A real smile.

 

"You know what? I think you may have the right idea, but..." Han's gaze drifts to the empty glass by the sink on the other side of the table. "I have to get revenge for that water thing..."

 

Yongguk puts his glass down and smirks. "Just try to do your worst."

 

Hand pulls out one of the sink things (I really don't know the name) and sprays Yongguk, drenching him in water.

 

"I've got you now!!" Han yells, laughing maniacally.

 

"I think I better leave-"

 

Yongguk turns on on of the taps and uses his hands as a guide for the water, but he at aim.

 

And ends up drenching me.

 

No words can describes my fury. The fact that he reminds me of Shishi so much makes the situation even worse.

 

"He-Jin! I-I-"

 

"Han, thank you for the dinner, but I need to go home early." I nod to him and walk right past Yongguk.

 

Back in the normal part of the restaurant, I say goodbye to everyone and head right out the door.

 

I always used to over assume things, and I still do. The fact that all six blond boys follow casually behind me out of the restaurant and onto the bus makes me assume they are stalkers in their spear time. I mean, why not? They show up all of a sudden and start working at the same place as me. It shouldn't be long before the stalkers become the stalked.

 

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA-

 

"He-Jin-ssi, may I please take this seat?" Youngjae asks, looming over me.

 

"Huh? Yeah, sure..." I scooch over and continue to dwell in my thoughts.

 

Then, I remember I have my iPod touch. I unlock it and put the headphone in.

 

"She's pretty." Youngjae looks at my home screen background. 

 

It's a picture of me and HyoJae at an awards ceremony for her brother. Neither of us was dolled up, or really wearing fancy clothes, but HyoJae just found a way to make herself the most beautiful person in the building. Her smile made everyone happy, as it was genuine. But this picture was taken a month after my dad's accident. I may be smiling, but it's completely fake.

 

"She's my best friend and the only human I consider still family..." I look at the picture a little longer.

 

"The only human?" Youngjae looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

 

"Well, I have a dog as well, and I consider her family, at the Matoki live with me-"

 

What did I do? I can't have this guy thinking I'm strange on the first day. Think, He-Jin, think!!

 

"Matoki?"

 

"Um, yeah. My... Stuffed animals!" I force a smile and nod my head like a weirdo.

 

So convincing.

 

"Oh. Cool." Youngjae nods and faces the front.

 

The bus stops at my stop and I get off. I tsk to myself as I walk down the streets, twilight in the process. This is probably my favourite part of the day. It's neither light, nor dark, just like when you're falling asleep. It's not one or the other, but right in the middle.

 

I look between one of the houses at the setting sun, hiding mischievously behind the clouds. The moon, on the opposite side of the sky, shines faintly, ready to bring out it's arrogant self to light the darkness of the midnight sky. Clouds, set randomly, move along their merry way, drifting casually in the high atmospheric winds.

 

"Noona!!" I hear a voice behind me.

 

Zelo's...

 

Ignore, He-Jin. Just Ignore...

 

"Noona! Wait up!"

 

"I'm ignoring you, Zelo, so just go away~" I say in sing song, not looking back at him

 

"You're not ignoring him if you say something to him." Himchan walks beside me and smirks.

 

"So, you guys are stalking me home now?" I turn around and walk backwards, facing the six blonds.

 

"No, we're just making sure no ert jumps out of no where and attacks you!" Youngjae rubs his hands like a villain.

 

"Dude, you look like a ert!" Daehyun elbows him in the side.

 

"Well, thanks for your concern, but my house is right over there." I point to the house right next to us, five houses away from my real one.

 

"Oh, you have a nice house." Himchan nods his head.

 

"We'll see you some other time!" Jongup smiles and hugs me. 

 

The six say goodbye and continue walking down the street. I walk up to the porch of this house, just to make my lie more believable. Once the six make it around the corner, a wait a little while before dashing off in the direction of my real house.

 

I walk through the front door, lock it, and run right upstairs. I check the guest room, and the Matokis are spread out on the bed, sleeping.

 

I trudge to my room, collapse on the bed, and fall right to sleep.

 

•  •  •

 

"Oh, okay." I shrug and walk to the cupboards.

 

"That's it? No crying, no whining, no nothing?" Shishi asks, pushing the milk carton closer to my bowl.

 

"Why? Do you want me to do all those things?" I raise an eyebrow, taking out my favourite cereal and placing it on the counter.

 

"N-no, but I thought-"

 

"Well, seems you thought wrong." I snap.

 

I pour my cereal and the milk and place the spoon in the bowl.

 

"It's your choice. I don't own you, or anything. You guys are independent enough to make your own decisions, okay?" I look at them, and they nod. "Good, so we understand each other."

 

I turn back around and open the cupboards again. I hear the soft thunk of six pairs of Matoki feet hit the floor.

 

"We'll be going, then." I hear Tats say before the sound of my front door opening reaches my ears.

 

Hard metal scrapes against the hard wood floor as the Matokis work together to pulls the remains of their spaceship out of my house for good.

 

"We're sorry for leaving, but we must." Dada climbs onto the counter beside me.

 

"Yeah, I get it, so go." I wave my hand and walk to the TV room. "Stay safe!" I yell to them before the front door closes.

 

That's it.

 

Goodbye Matokis.

 

Good job for breaking my heart into tiny pieces.

 

Good job for mooching me out of food, and destroying my stuff.

 

Good job for making me go crazy.

 

Good job for acting like my family, and then just leaving me.

 

GOOD JOB FOR MAKING ME MISS YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU JUST LEFT.

_____________________