“I was expecting you’d make me come over but I got tired of waiting for your invitation,” Sungyeol stated.

Myungsoo grinned as he simply let Sungyeol inside his apartment. Sungyeol immediately went into the living room, setting a few cans of beers in the table. As Myungoo sat opposite of him, Sungyeol gave him a can while he opened his own and the two savored the taste of both the beer and each other’s companionship. Myungsoo had asked him how was America and Julliard and expectedly, Sungyeol just gave short answers.

“So what brought you back?” Myungsoo questioned, “Is it your vacation?”

“I’m on a short break,” Sungyeol admitted, “And I’m here for Suzy too.”

At the mention of her name, Myungsoo was frozen. He stared at the other male and asked, “Suzy?”

“Hmm,” Sungyeol hummed and nodded, “I’m taking her with me to America.”

Myungsoo then put down his drink and creased his forehead before uttering, “That’s not a good joke.”

“Who says I’m joking?”

“W-Why?” Myungsoo stuttered.

To him, Sungyeol’s statement sounded like a declaration of conquest. Thousands of thoughts came up running to Myungsoo’s mind – whether Sungyeol knew everything that’s happening between him and Suzy and if that was what prompted Sungyeol to come back and take Suzy away from him. He wondered if Sungyeol was here to make him regret.

But then, Sungyeol mirrored the furrow in his brows as he asked back, “Haven’t you heard? Suzy passed the auditions in Julliard. She’s coming with me to study there.”

As Myungsoo stared at nothingness, realizations hit him like a strong storm and regrets washed over him like big waves of the sea. He remembered how he promised Suzy that he would be there at her auditions and now, he didn’t even realize that it was already conducted until he learned that she had already passed. She was taking big steps towards her dream and he should’ve been there to witness it and to support her but he didn’t even know what she was going through all this time.

The shock was written all over Myungsoo’s face and Sungyeol stared back at him apologetically, realizing that it was not his place to break the news to him.

 “I’m sorry. I thought she must’ve told you by now,” Sungyeol whispered.

“No. I didn’t give her the chance to tell me,” Myungsoo honestly replied, burying his head in his hands.

Myungsoo knew that Suzy must have itched to tell him as soon as she passed her auditions but the mess they went through didn’t give her an opportunity to do so. He was too preoccupied with dealing with his past that he failed to notice that Suzy was already embracing her future.

“But when?” Myungsoo probed, with dejection in his voice, “When is she leaving?”

“In two weeks,,” Sungyeol answered.

Myungsoo muttered a curse beneath his breath as he downed another can of beer. At first, their drinking spree was intended for fun but now he was making it as a means to drown himself.

“Since we’re at it already, let me ask you this now,” Sungyeol muttered, “What the hell did you do Myungsoo? Why is Suzy always crying? Why are the both of you drifting apart already?”

Myungsoo glanced at Sungyeol who immediately noticed the tears that formed on the corner of the former’s eyes. A bitter smile played on Myungsoo’s lips and his voice sounded so broken as he replied,

 “I ruined everything, Yeol.”

Myungsoo hoped to at least Suzy in school in the remaining two weeks she would spend in Korea. He knew that striking a conversation would be difficult but he told himself that he could be contended of seeing her everyday; he just wanted to immortalize her picture in his mind. However, that simple wish seemed to be difficult to fulfill as well because Suzy was rarely present.

“Why is she always with Sungyeol?” he blurted out of the blue while he was eating lunch.

“Because Sungyeol’s the one who’d be most helpful for her since he knows Julliard best,” Woohyun answered.

“Her uncle’s from Julliard too,” Myungsoo replied.

“Yeah. But that’s at least two decades ago,” Woohyun retorted, “Sungyeol’s the one who’s currently in Julliard.”

“But still,” Myungsoo continued protesting, “Why Sungyeol?”

“I just answered your question, dummy!” Woohyun scolded him, “Why are you so grumpy, anyway?”

“He’s insecure,” Soojung intercepted, “Suzy’s with her first love.”

Myungsoo glared at the girl and said, “Why do you always have to point out everything?”

“Well, for your information, that insecurity that’s screaming in your chest right now, that’s what Suzy has been experiencing all these months that you were with your ex-girlfriend,” Soojung spat, “I’m actually glad you’re getting a dose of your own medicine so that you’d know how much she suffered.”

“Soojung,” Woohyun tried to reprimand the girl as he saw how Myungsoo’s countenance showed great remorse. Woohyun sighed before asking Myungsoo, “What do you plan to do? She’s leaving soon, Myung.”

“I can’t stop her from leaving, Woohyun,” Myungsoo replied, “Those are her dreams. I don’t want her to give them up because of me.”

“But you two are still not talking to each other,” Woohyun retorted, “Can’t the two of you be at least in good terms before she leaves?”

Myungsoo shut his eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed as he pushed his untouched food aside. With a bitter smile, he told them, “It’s better that she’s still caught up in thinking that I haven’t chosen her yet. It’d burden her once she realizes that she’s going to leave someone who’s desperately in love with her. I might become her reservation for leaving.”

He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat before he continued, “And she already has Sungyeol. Sungyeol would treasure her the way I wanted to. Sungyeol would treat her better.”

“If they end up together, would that really be okay for you?” Woohyun asked.

“She needs someone who could be there for her as she fulfills her dreams. Sungyeol’s that person,” Myungsoo’s gaze was full of sadness as he added, “It seems that they’re… meant to be together.”

Soojung slammed her hands on the table and muttered, “I’m done. I’m so done with your friend, Woohyun.”

She glared at Myungsoo as she grumbled, “It doesn’t matter if it’s Sungyeol or not, but once she falls in love with someone else, you have no one to blame but yourself. This time, it’s not just about you failing to treasure her but you failing to fight for her and prove that you could love her better.”

Soojung then stood up and was about to walk away but then she turned towards Myungsoo once again and said, “You’ve got to stop being a coward.”

Woohyun also stood up to follow the girl but before leaving, he gave Myungsoo a small smile as he told him, “Remember the three reasons, Myung?”

“You’re going to New York!” Sulli excitedly repeated for the nth time as she accompanied Suzy in the mall.

They were buying things she needed to move out. Suzy wanted the list to be as short as it could be but with Sulli accompanying her, they ended up buying more than necessary and fancier than she intended it to be.  They were about to go home after eating some lunch in the restaurant that Sulli liked when they bumped into two familiar people.

For a while, Suzy said nothing as she spotted Jongin and Naeun together, holding each other’s hand. Jongin was more than happy to see her as he immediately waved his hand to recognize her presence. Suzy beamed back as the two approached them. While Sulli was apprehensive of Naeun’s presence, Jongin talked to Suzy as if they were the only ones who existed, asking her when was her flight and so on.

However, everyone was taken by surprise when Naeun requested, “I’m sorry. But can I borrow Suzy for a while?”

Suzy and Naeun stared at each other and the former saw the anticipation in the other. Jongin’s gaze travelled to and fro between the two of them while Sulli had a crease in her brows.

“Would you mind?” Naeun asked Sulli.

“It’s up to Suzy,” Sulli shrugged but she wished for the other girl to decline.

Suzy gave a small smile as she answered, “How about a cup of coffee or two?”

Naeun beamed back and when Jongin saw that Sulli was about to protest, he dragged the latter out, trying to pretend that they needed to catch up. On the other hand, Naeun and Suzy opted to stay at the nearest café that they had spotted.

There were no small talks to be made as a while ago, Jongin had already asked all the questions that Naeun could possibly come up with and Naeun opted not to beat around the bush as well.

“I’m sorry, Suzy,” she said, “I’m sorry for robbing you of your time to be with Myungsoo.”

Suzy didn’t know how to respond. She couldn’t say ‘It was okay’ because it was not – especially when she had suffered so much pain. But at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to blame Naeun. There was a small part of Suzy that believed that it