[Chapter 1]

 

There are reasons why we call a gift a present. We give it away at the right time, and often realize that the moment of truth is now.  Then, time flies, leaving us behind along with countless opened and used souvenirs of the past. So long as we can remember, our former lover’s gifts no longer hold meaning rather than a living forgotten memory in the recesses of our mind and at the dusty corner of our attic, from where our yearbooks way back in high school are found.

 

But all these abandoned reminiscence can come crashing down faster than a cannonball at the gentlest touch, the faintest smell, the slightest glimpse, and the softest sound of an old love.

 

And to me, it only took a series of awfully intimate steady breaths and a delicate “hello” for all memories, good and bad, to come back.

 

“Hello.” The distant sound of his voice echoed in my head.

 

I quivered and had to grab hold of my phone like my life depended on it. I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. “Hi.” I held my breath in not wanting my shock, anger, and longingness to be a dead giveaway.

 

Silence.

 

I would never be behind the times anymore, I decided, keeping my ears open and my heart guarded. It was an awkward silent war between exes. I thought of giving up, slamming the phone down, asking questions, making excuses, but ended up doing nothing. I thought of talking, but I didn’t.

 

Instead, I waited.

 

“Good night, Sehyun-ah.” His cold and lonely voice broke the waging cumbersome atmosphere between two withdrawn people.

 

I hesitated for a split second but firmly stood my ground.

 

“Byun Baekhyun-ssi, good night.” I gulped.

 

It irked me how blithe he sounded as if nothing happened between us, as if we were beautiful strangers getting to know each other for the first time. I heard his line cut at the absence of his nervous breaths. And it helped me not a bit. Suddenly remembering his old stuff in our attic, I went up  and dragged the box where our pictures and his stuff were at. I mumbled and threw a fit.

 

Why did he call after three long years of not hearing anything from him?  Where was he all this time? Did he need anything? Questions bothered my head until I returned to my restless, sleepless self again. Defeated, I went back to my room, knowing he still had the same effect to me and my single-minded heart.

 

[...]

 

“Sehyun-ah. Sehyun-ah.”

 

I felt a hand yank me up from my bed but I swatted it away in a limping motion.

 

“Sehyun-ah. If you don’t wake up, I swear, you will. This bucket is itching to be emptied again.” An annoying sing-song shrill troubled my ears.

 

My eyes fluttered. His devious grin was right at my line of vision.

 

“No. Don’t. Please.” Gingerly, I fought my way out of my bed in the haziest manner. “Oppa! Don’t mess my bed. Last time you did that, I had to sleep on the couch. Squeezing myself to fit in the couch was no joke.”

 

A playful laugh rang across my room. “Why? Squishing should never be a problem for you, Short Legs. And besides, you have the house all to yourself, munchkin.” He put the water-filled bucket on the floor and tackled me down, making sure to make a bird’s nest out of my locks.

 

“Not funny. You just grew a tad bit taller three summers ago, so don’t be too full of yourself.” I wiggled out of his suffocating arms and sat right up, fixing my strands of mess I call hair.

 

“Would you rather be called midget instead? Shorty? How about oompa loompa?”

 

“Ha, ha, ha. Very funny.” I sarcastically rolled my eyes as I scrunched up my nose. “Meanie.” I punched him lightly on the arm.

 

He rolled on my bed. “You can use the master bedroom anytime this bed gets its water time.” He playfully chortled, knowing that I was on the brink of insanity.

 

“Are you seriously getting on my nerve, oppa? You know what that room meant, right?”

 

He sighed, keeping a straight face. “I know. I know. But, Sehyun. It has been more than three years already. He hasn’t come back since. And I’m sure he never will. You have to live your life with or without him. You can’t avoid that fact. You have to remove everything in that hideous room.”

 

“But he did.” I mumbled.

 

“What did you say?”

 

I took a breath and shifted on my bed. “Sehun-oppa, Baek called me last night.” I remained calm.

 

“That bastard what?” He jumped off the bed and kept his fist in a tight ball. “I’ll shred that guy into pieces if he ever intends to go back to your life, to our lives.”

 

“Relax.” I stood up and placed my hands on his that were itching to rage against everything. “He just said ‘hello.’”

 

He scoffed. “The nerve of that punk. What else did he say?”

 

I shrugged my shoulders. “Just ‘hello.’ Look, for all we know, he wanted to finalize a divorce, an overdue one, that’s why he called. Maybe he wanted his sorry back in my life. Or it could be that he had moved on and intended to put closure to our lost three years.” I forced a smile. “I don’t know. I’ve long given up on him. Three years of not being there with him, to God knows where, was a long time to endure. I’m not hoping for a reconciliation, oppa. I’m wide awake. I know what I am to him.”

 

“Then, why are you still keeping him in this house, in your life?” Sehun hugged me. “When was the last time you went on a date? Huh? All the men I practically arranged dates with you said the same thing.”

 

I just looked at him with curiosity. “What?”

 

“They said, you’re never going to get a boyfriend with that lackluster attitude of yours.” He clicked his tongue in frustration. “You come to your dates, pretty and seemingly prepared. But when it gets down to talking, you don’t speak at all. Just tell me honestly. Do you still love that worthless piece of—”

 

I nudged him. “Oppa, though you are the best twin brother anyone could wish for, I sincerely hope you’d move on as much as I have. It’s starting to look like you’re the one who’s in the relationship and not me.” I gave out a hearty laugh.

 

“Yah! Yah! Laugh all you want,” he shuffled and slipped his feet into his fluffy bunny slippers. “I just don’t want my only sister to be hurt. You know that, right?”

 

“Of course, I do. And in the process, you lose yourself too much, dear brother. Stop finding dates for me, and find yours this time. Hm?” I ruffled my nuisance of a brother’s hair, dusting every thought of Baekhyun off my troubled mind.