Soojung reluctantly peeled her eyes open and stared at the pale blue wall in front of her. The room was quiet— the rain had stopped and no more that frightening thunder. She rolled her body and saw the shaft of sunlight peeked through the small gap of her curtain, telling her that morning had come. She grunted as she read the clock— it was nine. She just passed her first class. Perfect.

Minho was not there. She remembered Jongin had a class at eight today— Minho should too. She felt sort of relieved that he had gone before she woke because she wasn’t ready to face the awkwardness. She also felt sorry because this was the second time Minho had to stay the night. Okay, actually he didn’t have to— he probably felt sorry for the pathetic side of her. She should’ve thanked him later. Even if she didn’t up for it at all, she had to. Minho deserved it.

She rose to her bed and went out of her room. Seulgi was sitting on the couch, watching music station. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Soojung was heading to the kitchen— needing a cup of coffee. She followed Seulgi’s eyes and found a cup of coffee with a folded note underneath. She abruptly put it in her pocket as Seulgi rushed toward her.

“Minho slept here last night, right?”

 “You knew?”

Seulgi chuckled. “I opened the door for him when he came in the middle of the night, when I thought he went home this morning, when he surprisingly came again just to leave this coffee and when he finally went to his morning class,” she explained. “Four times. Oh, I so knew.”

“I’m sorry,” Soojung mumbled.

“I didn’t know you’re that close to Minho. I thought you were closer to his brother. So which one?”

“We’re all friends.”

“Really? Because a lot of my friends are frustrated that Minho and Jongin rarely hang out with anyone but you. They seemed so dedicated to you. I know Jongin is, but after last night, I know Minho too.”

“It’s their choices, I never asked them to follow me around,” Soojung felt offended because what she said was true. She spent every break with them, a lot of times with Taemin and Seulgi too. But it was them who came to her. She never asked and they could do whatever they wanted. She didn’t like this conversation— everyone’s jealousy was like high school all over again.

“I’m not complaining,” Seulgi seemed worried that she upset Soojung. “Just want to tell you that you’re lucky. Your two followers were not so bad in the eyes. In many girls’ eyes actually.”

Soojung just chuckled as Seulgi went back to the couch. When Soojung was sure that her roommate wasn’t looking, she took out the note and unfolded it. It was undoubtedly Minho’s writing.

It’s okay to feel, you know. To be afraid in the dark, to need to hold people’s hand, to want to cry, to admit that you miss him or even wanting some time alone. You don’t have to push aside your emotions just to show us that you’re fine. Embrace it, Soojung. We understand that it’ll take time. It’s only been two months.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

If Soojung didn’t really take Seulgi’s conversation that morning, now she had. Her class ended later than usual and the cafeteria was much more packed to her liking. She queued to get her food and looked around until her eyes found familiar faces.

Minho and Jongin were sitting on the table across the counter. Seulgi and Taemin were there too but so were another six or seven peoples. They were holding the same textbooks— they should be Jongin and Minho’s classmates. She turned her attention to her queue— not sure what to think. Taking a tray of fruit salad and mineral water, she walked to the empty seat by the door.

This was the first time she spent her lunchtime alone since she entered college life. She just realized that she always had Jongin, Minho or both of them during the break. Maybe because the classes were just started so they could always together. She should know that there would come the day when everyone would be busy with their own things. She just didn’t expect that day to come so soon.

“Why are you here?” a hand lay on her shoulder and she looked to her right. It was Jongin. “And frowning like that?”

“I am eating,” Soojung said dryly.

“Why are you here?” Minho repeated Jongin’s question from her left side. “We were sitting there.”

She grabbed her fork and started to eat her salad. She didn’t turn to Minho— too embarrassed after last night. “I don’t want to be alien in the middle of your classmates.”

“Only Seulgi and Taemin there,” Jongin explained. “The rest just stopped by. There’s always a seat for you. We were waiting for you actually.”

Soojung glanced to