To be ignored is probably one of the worst of the worsts in a lifetime. It hurt and Sehun had felt alone during those three months. Now, he no longer touched the subject. It was straight home from school and he didn’t mind the quirky silence in his deep room. A comfort it had become.

His bedroom was one of the places that gave him the most security and he thought it was even better than being surrounded by people he knew. Thanks to the fact that he was an only child he didn’t have anyone to bother him or beg for his company.

No one would beg for his company anyway.

No one had come for him for a long time.

Jung Daehyun, who Sehun had always considered a brother from another mother or one of his best friends was no longer in his life. He didn’t die, they just no longer talked.

To Jung Daehyun, Sehun had never been considered one of his best friends. He was just someone who had been there. Over time, Sehun began to see the bigger picture.

While his friends laughed and gossiped, he was always left out of the subject. Not one of his friends would turn to talk to him or even think of inviting him to join the conversation. Sehun was a nobody to the people he’d considered ‘friends.’ And that…hurt the most.

Every conversation he had with Daehyun would end up being about music or school. Sehun thought there had been a connection. They often laughed loudly together and would playfully hit each other, but very quickly Daehyun stopped talking to him. Sehun…felt ignored and he was ignored often being excluded from things his friends did.

Was that…how friends treat each other?

He didn’t know. He was only 17 and he thought naively that friendship was one of the greatest things in the world. Sehun had been happy and he always anticipated each day when he knew he’d be able to be with his friends, but slowly he stopped looking forward to everything.

When Sehun finally brought up the courage to ask Daehyun why he was ignoring him, he got the answer that he was too touchy and clingy as a friend. Daehyun got tired about always talking about music and school with him. And Daehyun…hadn’t considered him a best friend.

That…hurt.

“You can still hang out with us,” Daehyun had said, but there had been no sincerity.

Sehun wasn’t wanted.

So now he had locked himself up inside his home. There was no friend and no soul to talk to. His parents were too occupied with trying to make enough money and save enough money to care about him. Sehun thought that was also good.

His anti-social life began that mid-spring, but he also slowly started to become afraid of talking to others. Before speaking with the teachers at school he’d practice the lines over and over in his head. When his parents tried to initiate conversations with him over dinner, Sehun would only give short answers before leaving the table. He didn’t want to have to talk to them.

He rarely left his room after school hours. He’d read and go on the internet, but he didn’t listen to much music anymore.

All that had been like that until the empty house next door had been sold.

As he walked down the street underneath the high branches branching out over his head, he could hear her quick footsteps following him.

It was the Kim family who had bought the house next door. Like him, they had a daughter, Namjoo, who was also the only child. Unlike him, she was quite talkative and sociable.  

It was a warm sunny day and had rained just yesterday. Sehun thought he’d like for it to rain again. If it rained he’d be given a reason to ignore her and run home.

He could hear her humming cheerily behind him and held his breath exasperated. When they turned the corner to their houses Sehun slowly walked toward the front door of his home. From the corner of his eye he could see her watching him with a smile on her face.

What made her so happy anyway?

“I’ll see you later!” she waved.

Ignoring her he walked into his house and into his room. When he walked into the smallness of his room he glanced out the window to see the house next door and immediately closed the curtain. Then setting his backpack onto his desk chair he began pulling out his homework.

A knock sounded on his door before his mom poked her head in, “Are you home from school?”

“Yea.”

“I’m going to go to the market; do you want to come with?”

“No. I have homework.”

“All right, I’ll be back to make dinner later. Study well,” his mom smiled at him before shutting his door.

He listened to the front door close and sat down with a pencil in hand. About 30 minutes passed before there was a knock on his window. Sehun ignored it for about a minute, but the insistent knocking was quickly getting on his nerves.

Throwing a deep frown onto his face he pulled open the curtain to see Namjoo standing outside his window with his notebook in her hand. His eyes landed on the notebook before he glanced at her to see that there was a broad grin on her face.

“Come out,” she mouthed, “if you want it.”

He lightly gritted his teeth and closed the curtain in her face before sitting down. It didn’t take him long to figure out that she had his math notebook and he needed it for that night’s math assignment. He’d been told to let her borrow it so she could copy his notes for the session she hadn’t been there for. Unwillingly, he’d leant it to her.

It had been a week, only a week since the Kim family had moved next door and every single day she tended to stop by to say hi. She never seemed to get it that he didn’t want to talk.

Not to her, not to anyone.

Stuffing a groan down his throat he started out of his room until he was out the front door. Namjoo was standing on the lawn between his and her house; that grin still glued to her face. Walking toward her he held out his hand for the notebook.

“Wow, for once you’re out of you room,” she greeted. “I never see you come out. What do you do in there?” She gestured her head toward his bedroom.

Without answering he snatched the notebook out of her hand. Namjoo grimaced and made a face, but quickly smiled again. Sehun turned around to head back into his house, but Namjoo trailed after him.

“I was going to have some ice cream. Do you want some?”

“No.”

“Why? Everyone likes ice cream.”

He still didn’t say anything as he crossed the lawn to his house.

“Then…can I come over? I probably need help with homework.”

“No.” Sehun started up the walk to his house. When he grabbed the doorknob Namjoo waved, “Fine, I’ll see you tomorrow then!”

Once inside his room and seated he picked up where he’d left off and once he’d completed his assignment finally grabbed his math worksheet out. When he opened his math notebook and flipped through the pages he saw various doodles throughout the pages. A frown crossed his face and he urgently flipped through more of the pages to see more silly doodles.

Shutting the book and half slapping it with his hand he heaved a loud sigh. What did that girl want with him?

After completing his homework Sehun spent his next free hours on the internet before his mom knocked on his door. Sehun paused in the hallway when he saw that Namjoo was over for dinner.

“Hi!” she greeted enthusiastically upon seeing him.

Sehun only glanced at her before sitting down.

“Why don’t you greet her too?” his mom questioned. “Namjoo’s parents have gone on a short meeting so she’s having dinner with us until they get home.”

“Help yourself, don’t be shy,” his dead smiled and nodded toward Namjoo.

Namjoo cheerily and confidently responded to his parents questions about school.

“How about you, Sehun? Are you passing all your classes? How are your grades?”

“I…well…I’m doing good,” Sehun replied.

His parents shot him smiles before they started talking about repairing the windows of the house and the best, but cheapest services they could call up. Sehun quickly left the table when he was full and returned to his room.

He’d just restarted the computer and sat down when the door behind him opened. When he turned he heard Namjoo gasp and look around.

“Wow…so this is what a boy’s room is like,” she muttered underneath her breath then turned to him. “What are you doing?”

“None of your business. Can you leave?”

Namjoo smiled before crossing her arms as she stood in the doorway, “Are you in a really bad mood or something? You should have had some ice cream with me earlier. Eating it alone doesn’t make it taste as good like when you’re with someone. Have ice cream with me next time, ok?”

Sehun stared at the screen of his computer.

“Is there something you want from me?”

“I’m waiting for you to say ok.”

“Fine, whatever.”

Namjoo grinned again before waving, “You said it. Goodnight!”

He watched the door close before turning to glance at the math notebook with her silly doodles sitting on his desk.

The next morning when he turned away from shutting the front door he saw Namjoo standing on the sidewalk waiting for him. Maybe he might be able to ignore her if he pretended he didn’t see her. Sticking his hands into his pockets he started down the sidewalk and slowly passed her with his eyes locked on the road ahead only to hear her turn and follow him.

“Morning!” Namjoo greeted. “So, I thought about it last night. You aren’t even in the top 50 at school. Why are you in your room so much?”

He didn’t reply.

“How about some ice cream after school?” Namjoo asked. “You’re not doing anything after school. Or…what about your friends?”

There a tingle of annoyance in him before he stopped in his steps and turned to look at her; no expression on his face. Namjoo looked up at him. That blank look on her face made him feel guilty for having wanted to blow up at her before he turned to quietly trudge on. She insistently followed.

“Namjoo!” her girlfriends waved and shouted to her from the front gate of their school.

Sehun was determined to walk into the school grounds with her, but felt her grab his arm and pull her toward them.

“Hi!” Namjoo greeted. “You guys know Sehun, right?”

Sehun glanced at her friends before quickly darting his eyes anxiously elsewhere.

“O..oh…is he from your class?” one of them asked.

“And we’re neighbors,” Namjoo proudly claimed. “This is Hyemi, Sehee, and Eunbin.”

Sehun awkwardly nodded his head. He rarely interacted with anyone outside of his class ever since knowing Daehyun and the other guys.

“H…h…hi,” Sehun awkwardly greeted. “Um…I…I’ll go in first.”

Sehun quickly trotted away from them aware of their curious stares before they turned to continue talking to Namjoo. Before entering the school he turned around to see another student run toward Namjoo and link his arm around her shoulders before they started for the school. It hadn’t even been a year since Namjoo had been there and she already seemed to be getting along with everyone else. Everyone…seemed to like her the same way too.

“At lunch, at lunch, remember…” Junghyeok reminded waving to Namjoo before running off to his class as the class bell rang.

Sehun watched Namjoo take her seat at the opposite end of the room and turned away when she smiled broadly at him. What did she want with him?

The lunchroom was crowded as always and Sehun had finally found an empty spot far away from Daehyun and his old friends. He didn’t want to be seen by them lest talk to them. It was a spot near the window with a view of the school backyard, but even if he tried to get far he could never escape the ceaseless laughter and chattering of his schoolmates.

Only crowds of friends did that. Only crowds of friends made up those noises. He hadn’t been part of that crowd for a while now.

“There you are!” Namjoo loudly shouted placing her tray down in front of him. “I was wondering where you were.”

Sehun lightly rolled his eyes and turned to his food.

“Namjoo!” Hyemi shouted before walking over with short haired Eunbin and Sehee.

“There’s a really scary movie coming out this Friday! Lets go watch it!” Eunbin suggested loudly sitting next to Sehun.

Sehun tensed up a little at the fact that someone was sitting next to him out of all people.

“Why don’t you come too, Sehun.” Eunbin invited.

He felt his heart foolishly thud. Him? Out of all people? He was being invited?

Namjoo smiled and urged, “Yea, come! It’ll be fun!”

“Oh! Did you hear about Hyesung?”

“The geek? The smartest kid in our year?”

“A scholarship he applied for rejected him and he was throwing a fit!”

“Geezes…”

“Don’t you know him, Sehun?” Sehee turned to look at him.

Sehun awkwardly looked away before stuttering, “I…I…on…only went to…to junior high with him.”

“Ah….” Sehee nodded before turning back to the girls. “The teacher sent him home, but you should have seen it. He was on a rampage!”

“Namjoo!” chubby Junghyeok shouted before running over. “Here! I brought you chocolate milk!”

Sehun felt the bench move when Junghyeok sat down on his other side and shoved the milk carton in front of Namjoo.

“You really brought it? Aw…thanks!” Namjoo smiled.

Sehun listened to them talk cheerily on and he almost felt like he was back in the crowd of chatter he had estranged from.

When class ended for the day Namjoo quickly stuffed her notebooks into her backpack messily and waited for him by the door of their classroom. She turned to follow when he walked out and skipped to his side.

“So, ice cream?” Namjoo asked.

That was how Sehun found himself sitting on a bench in front of the river with an ice cream bar in hand. The breeze seemed refreshing as he sat under the sun, but still wondered why he wasn’t sitting underneath one of the tall trees for the shade. Oh that was right; Namjoo was currently running around with the children at the little playground nearby.

Letting out a small sigh he glanced up at the sky nearly getting blinded by the sun before Namjoo’s loud footsteps brought him back. There was a small shout as she dropped into the empty spot beside him and picked up her ice cream cup, which was starting to melt.

“That was fun! Kids are so energetic!” Namjoo exclaimed before taking a spoonful of her ice cream then screaming from a brain freeze.

Sehun thought she was really noisy; not his usual comfort zone.

“Why aren’t you with your friends?” Sehun asked.

“What about you?” Namjoo returned the question.

He glanced at her before turning away with his eyes.

“Is there a reason why you have to keep bothering me?” Sehun wondered. “You have a lot of friends at school.”

“Why?” Namjoo turned to look at him. “I just want to be your friend.”

And for some reason, Sehun snorted. Most of what made him didn’t believe her, but a little part hoped she meant it.

“What?” she asked confused. “I want to make a lot of friends! You just happened to be the first friend I came across when I moved here, whether you like it or not, you are my friend.”

“You just don’t get it.”

Namjoo blinked at him quietly.

“Forget it,” Sehun stood up. “I’m going home.”

He wanted a place where he could keep to himself. He didn’t want to be bothered. He hated talking.

Namjoo quickly hurried after him, “We’re still friends whether you agree with it or not. Isn’t it what a person thinks that matters the most?”

She tilted her head to the side to look up at him as she tried to keep up with his pace. Sehun, though, kept his eyes glued on the road ahead.

“Hmm…” Namjoo turned away. “Well that’s what I think, so what I think counts. That movie this week, you have to come, ok?”

Sehun ignored her until he got home. After a long half hour shower he closed the door to his room behind him and stared at the lights glowing from Namjoo’s house from through his curtain.

Why was she bothering with him so much? Why wouldn’t she leave him alone? Most of the time he was unresponsive to her, so why was still following him around? What was her problem?

When he walked out of his house the next morning for school Namjoo was waiting by the sidewalk for him. She grinned upon seeing him and quickly turned to walk with him.

“I had a headache all last night. I think it was the ice cream,” Namjoo yapped. “Did you get a headache?”

“No.”

“Darn it! Must be my bad luck!”

Pressing his lips together he listened to her complain about how difficult the upcoming math exam was going to be before they arrived at the school gates.

“Hi Namjoo! Hi Sehun!” her friends greeted from the doorway.

Why…were they including him?

“I can’t believe we’re already having a math exam! Finals are up next and imagine how difficult those are going to be!”

“Why do the teachers have to make things so hard.”

“I wish I was smart.”

“What about you?” Sehee turned to him. “Are you ready for the exam?”

“Uh…what? Me?” Sehun pointed to himself. “Well…I…I d…don’t know.”

He listened to the girls sigh and complain until they reached class. He still couldn’t believe it. They were including him in their things. Sehun wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

At lunch the girls would sit with him, talk, and share gossip with him. As he shyly laughed at their jokes he unconsciously thought about how it’d never been this way with the other guys. He couldn’t laugh with them because he didn’t know what was going on and they never chose to fill him in.

Upon their urging Sehun went with them to some café after school to study. For the first time, he didn’t head straight home to his room. He didn’t know these girls or Junghyeok, but they didn’t make him feel like he was an outcast just tagging along. They talked to him too and they asked questions.

It was…really nice.

“Oh no! Shoot! My earphones aren’t working!” Hyemi cried at their table. “I knew I should have bought new ones.”

Sehun glanced at her hesitating before pulling some out of his backpack.

“Uh…you…you could use these,” he handed them over.

Hyemi’s face lit up with relief, “Thank goodness! Thanks Sehun! Really, I owe you one!”

He watched her gladly plug the earphones into her ipod and listened to her music. It felt good to do something for someone, but he didn’t know if he could consider these people friends.

They studied and did their homework together. Sehun wasn’t alone and he had to admit he enjoyed the noisiness of them begging to copy homework before falling off track to talk about other things.

Once in a while Eunbin would pull out a magazine to admire the models and share them with him. Sehee would scream when scandals about celebrity showed up on her phone and they’d gossip together. Eunbin returned his headphones and promised to buy him a meal the next time they went out. At the side Namjoo and Junghyeok fought over whose homework answers were correct.

“Stupid Junghyeok,” Namjoo muttered stretching her arms out as they walked back home. “I know I’m right! I’m not that stupid.”

“Right, stupid,” Sehun repeated.

“That was fun, right?” Namjoo asked. “I always missed this kind of thing.”

Sehun turned to glance at Namjoo before she waved to him while skipping to her front door.

“Goodnight!” she called out before walking into her house.

That Friday Namjoo continuously knocked on his window to drag him out for the movie. Sehun was honestly nervous. These people Namjoo had introduced him to were so nice to him it almost felt unreal. What if they were like that only because Namjoo was there? If she wasn’t there, would he be ignored?

“Come out! Hurry up!” Namjoo called from outside his window.

Heaving a soft sigh he headed for the front door. Namjoo grabbed his arm immediately when he opened the door and dragged him to the street where a car was waiting.

“Sorry, slow poke was taking a long time getting ready,” Namjoo excused before pulling him into the backseat with her.

Hyemi’s older brother was offering them a ride to the theater. They met up with the others there who loudly greeted each of them excitedly.

“I heard it’s a really scary movie.” Eunbin shivered.

“I hope I don’t get nightmares,” Sehee mumbled.

“You don’t look one bit scared,” Hyemi turned to look at him.

“Huh? Well I…I don’t really watch scary movies,” Sehun told.

“What!?” Eunbin exclaimed. “You’ve been missing out!”

Sehun turned to see Junghyeok linking his arm around Namjoo’s shoulders, “Popcorn? Come on, I need to eat something. You said you’d buy!”

He heard Hyemi giggle from beside him, “Junghyeok’s so obvious.”

“Obvious?” Sehun repeated confused.

“We all know he loves her.” Hyemi whispered to him. “Don’t tell anyone though. He’s gonna get pissed off at us.”

They settled into the theater room with their soda and popcorn in hand before the movie started. The girls screamed a few times and Sehun jumped in his seat and shut his eyes more than three times. When they left the theater they were laughing out of fear and talking out of relief.

“I knew it,” Sehee muttered as rain started falling, “I’m going to have nightmares.”

“Oh! My brother’s here!” Hyemi pointed toward a car in the parking lot. “I’ll see you guys on Monday!”

After waving to each other Namjoo and Sehun finally arrived back home half an hour later. It was really dark out and no stars were in the sky other than the few flashes of lighting here and there. Sehun felt the shivers go up and down his spine as they looked around.

“I’m scared,” Namjoo mumbled.

Sehun glanced toward her house to see that the lights were out, “Are your parents home?”

Namjoo turned around before creeping down the sidewalk to glance into the driveway.

“Oh…their car’s gone,” Namjoo replied before quickly jogging back toward him. “Well I’m not staying home alone. Lets go watch TV in your house or something.”

They huddled in his living room draped with towels to help dry them off. His parents were probably fast asleep and Namjoo hadn’t allowed him to leave her in the living room to change, so he’d wrapped himself with a towel. Now sitting on the floor in front of the TV he hoped the storm would quickly disappear so he’d no longer be paranoid about the thunder and the sky lightning up. What if lightning struck and he saw someone standing outside?

Sehun hugged himself and tried to tune his ears in to the voices on TV, but his thoughts kept running and pacing. Namjoo who seemed paranoid herself finally talked no more.

There was a long silence when the commercial break started and Sehun thought he could hear creaking noises before someone knocked on the front door. Both he and Namjoo jumped screaming wildly before he heard a strange noise pop in the room silence them. Sehun frowned and stared at the TV before plugging his nose and rose to his feet. Pivoting around he stared at Namjoo.

She laughed and covered her nose as well, “I fart when I get scared.”

Sehun cracked up before the knock at the door made him jump again.

“Hello? Excuse me,” a female voice called out.

When he opened the door he saw Namjoo’s mom standing on the doorstep and heaved a sigh of relief.

He saw a lot of Namjoo over the weekend. She’d often bring over movies she wanted to watch and his mom made snacks for them. They played a few of his board games and took a walk around the neighborhood. Sehun thought for a long moment that perhaps Namjoo was becoming his friend after all.

“I knew it! I had a nightmare when I got home that night!” Sehee reported that Monday.

“You jinxed yourself,” Eunbin commented.

“I have something to share,” Namjoo cut in.

They all turned to look at her over the lunch table.

Namjoo her lips a few times hesitantly before going on, “I’m moving away after exams.”

“What!?” Junghyeok belted out loudly.

“No! Why?”

“You can’t just leave us!”

“Sorry,” Namjoo apologized, “my father’s company found a new place for us, but don’t worry. We have a few weeks left! Lets do as much as we can during that time!”

Sehun saw more and more of Namjoo during those days as they headed toward finals, but he was also worried more and more about who would be his friends when she left. The others would eventually forget him and they’d drift from him. And he’d just be repeating the cycle of friendship he’d had with Daehyun again.

He felt more sullen as time went on and eventually started disclosing himself from the group. He’d often lie that his parents needed him home and dodged days out with them. For a week he returned to his room solitarily.

“What’s wrong with you?” Namjoo asked one day as they walked home from school. “Come out with us. It’ll be fun. You came out before. Come on, Sehun.”

“I told you I don’t want to. I want to study.”

“You can do that over the weekend. Why are you such a worrywart?”

“A worrywart?” Sehun stopped and turned to her. “I’m only caring about my grades and that makes me a worrywart!? You don’t understand! Forget it.”

Swiveling around he stomped toward his house leaving her clueless behind him.

That weekend when they went out to the whatever convention they’d gone to, he stayed locked up in his room.

“Are you not feeling well?” his mother asked during lunch. “You’ve been out and about until recently.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yea, I’m sure.” He replied before leaving the table.

Alone. Alone. Alone.

He’d be alone soon again, so why not now?

He lay in the darkness of his room and when he felt like he’d had enough of his clouded thoughts he grabbed his basketball and headed out. The sky was darkening and it was drizzling cold rain, but he didn’t mind. He thought the rain helped make him feel somewhat better.  

He had no friends. No one wanted him anyway. No one came after him. Not even Eunbin, Hyemi, Sehee, or Junghyeok. While he lay in the silence of his room that morning, no one even came for him. Sehun felt a flash of disappointment falter through him.

Why wasn’t he worthy as a friend? Why didn’t anyone want to befriend him? Why didn’t he have a best friend!?

The court was empty and Sehun dribbled the ball before throwing it through the hoop. He’d run around again to catch the ball and repeat his movements until he heard the fence loudly creak. When he turned he saw Namjoo standing there with an umbrella.

Seeing her made him feel filthy angry before he turned to continue going at his play. Namjoo’s quiet footsteps resonated against the ground as she neared.

“Sehun,” Namjoo called out.

He didn’t reply. For a second he couldn’t hear anything, but his panting.

“The others were asking for you,” Namjoo told.

He didn’t reply and this time listened to the ball go through the hoop before running to catch it.

“Are you mad at me?” she asked.

Sehun tightened his grip on the ball and turned to her, “No, I’m not mad at you. Leave me alone already.”

“Then…lets walk back together.”

“I don’t want to go with you,” he stiffly replied before throwing the ball out only to have it hit the headboard. He listened to it bounce against the ground before slowly stopping. From the corner of his eye he could see her still standing there looking at him. Why didn’t she get it!? Was she stupid!?

Suddenly angry he threw out his arm forcing the umbrella out of her hand unintentionally. It landed against the ground softly before rolling around and stopped. Namjoo glanced at the umbrella before turning to him.

“What are you angry about?” she asked again.

“Just go already dammit!” Sehun raised his voice. “You and your friends, leave me alone! I don’t need you! I don’t need them! I don’t need anyone!”

Namjoo stared at him before saying, “They’re your friends too.”

“They are not! I don’t have friends!” he shrieked before suddenly catching himself.

“Sehun…”

“Shut up!” he turned to scold her. “You don’t know me. Don’t act like you know me! Your friends are not my friends. You only think that because you brought me to them. Very soon, very soon no one’s even going to care. I don’t give a , so leave me alone already!”

Sehun glared at her hot with anger before stomping out of the court; the rain still pounding against the ground as he walked away.

He lay on his bed that night feeling unhappy about everything. For the first time he was even unhappier than when Daehyun stopped being friends with him. He wondered if Namjoo had gotten back home all right. Maybe he’d been too mean…but why did it matter if he was mean or not? No one came to him. She wasn’t his friend, no one was.

Getting up with an angry grunt he paced around before stopping in front of his desk and stared at the curtain. Drawing it aside a second later he saw that all the lights in the Namjoo’s house were off. Perhaps she’d gotten home as soon as he’d gotten in after all.

When he started toward school that Monday morning, Namjoo wasn’t waiting for him on the sidewalk. Pushing the guilt to the back of his head he started toward school. To his surprise; Eunbin, Hyemi, and Sehee were waiting by the school gates as usual.

“Hi Sehun!” they waved to him upon his arrival.

Sehun felt guilt fly through him, but tried to ignore it.

“Why didn’t you come out Saturday? We waited for you.” Eunbin said.

“You missed out,” Sehee commented.

“You’re alone today?” Hyemi wondered. “Namjoo didn’t come with you?”

“I didn’t…see her.” Sehun told.

“That’s weird. She usually doesn’t miss a day of school,” Eunbin muttered before they turned to head inside.

During class his eyes would travel over to Namjoo’s empty desk and wonder if she was angry at him. At lunch, even if the others remained chirpy it would feel like there was something missing.

Walking home alone felt even lonelier than the week before when he’d gone home without Namjoo. Maybe…he should apologize after all.

Sehun was ringing the doorbell to the house a few times before Namjoo’s dad finally pulled into the driveway. He stepped back to greet the man of high stature. Her dad sure did resemble a businessman; a scary one.

“Is Namjoo home?” Sehun started.

“Ah…Namjoo?” her dad repeated. “She’s in the hospital. Don’t worry, it’s just a fever. She’s gotten a lot better though.”

His fault.

It had been his fault because he’d left her behind. Why had he shoved the umbrella out of her hand? He was bad. What was he going to do?

Sehun paced around his bedroom nervously, but he didn’t know what to do.

“Hi Sehun!” the girls greeted him at the school gate the next day.

“Hi.” He returned the greeting.

“So, I called Namjoo’s house yesterday,” Eunbin explained, “her mother said she had a high fever Sunday morning so they took her to the hospital.”

“A fever!?” Hyemi gasped.

“So, lets visit her after school,” Eunbin suggested. “I can tell my mom to take us since she’s picking me up.”

“Yes, lets do that!” Sehee nodded.

And that was how he was dragged along. The nearer they got to Namjoo’s room on the fourth floor, the more nervous he became. Sehun tried rehearsing lines in his head, but none of them stuck by the time they arrived.

When the girls walked in he heard Namjoo loudly gasp before they screamed and hugged. Sehun stood by the doorway feeling ashamed. He couldn’t approach her, so quickly turning around he left the hospital.

He was a bad friend. No wonder no one wanted to be his friend. It was all his fault. Everything was his fault. He dwelled on his thoughts daily and couldn’t talk to Namjoo even when she returned to school. It also seemed like she had a hard time approaching him.

She would walk on her own to school in the morning and she’d go out with the others after school. When finals started, he rarely saw her.

When the school term ended he remained inside his home in his room of solitude. He was sitting around staring at his blank computer screen before he heard a knock on his window. His eyes traveled toward the curtain before he got up to push it aside. Namjoo waved at him from outside and gestured for him to come out.

Sehun watched her walk away and knew she was heading for the front door of his house before he turned to walk out of his room. It wasn’t until he opened the door that he saw the large moving truck outside of her house.

So…she was really going after all.

“Hi,” Namjoo greeted with her usual grin.

“Hey.” He quietly returned the greeting.

“Here,” Namjoo held out a book. “I read it when I was in the hospital. It’s the Bridge to Terabithia. Have you read it?”

“No.”

“It’s a good book, read it. Then, I hope you don’t forget me as a friend,” Namjoo told, “whether you considered me yours or not, it’s my thought that counts.” He watched her smile, “It was fun while it lasted.”

He glanced at the book she was jutting out toward him before he took it.  

“Bye Sehun.”

He watched her turn to walk away before he finally called out, “Namjoo.”

“Yea?” she turned back.  

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s ok. Friends forgive each other. Bye!” She smiled at him before waving and took a few steps back before finally turning around.

The Kim family left that evening and the house next door suddenly became empty again. On nights he would sit alone in front of his window with his curtains drawn open staring at the house next door. He’d never realized before how much Namjoo’s presence and absence meant until now. Everything had gone from chirpy talk to silence. And he missed the days when she would barge into his house with DVDs in hand.

Thinking about Namjoo’s last request for him not to forget her, he thought he might as well fulfill it. The strange friend who brought him back from the living dead…yea, he’d remember her forever.

Over summer break he got in touch with Eunbin, Hyemi, Sehee, and Junghyeok. With them he was again part of the chatter in the lunchroom. They were the friends he’d never had until recently.

After graduation they dispersed, but kept in touch through e-mail and texts often getting together when they could. He was now a grownup more than ready to tackle life’s real adventures.