I open my eyes and look around me. Why am I in Chanyeol’s bed? Ugh why does my head hurt this much? I roll out of bed, and half crawl to the living room. Chanyeol is sitting on the couch, his head in his hands.

“Chanyeol?” I croak, falling onto the couch.

He looks at me, and half smiles, his eyes full of hurt.

“Why do you hate me?” He whispers, looking at his hands.

I look at him, my heart sinking. Just what did I do last night?

“They say people are more truthful when they’re drunk… and you said you hate me… so why?”

I shake my head, feeling my eyes start to water up.

“Did I say anything else?” I whisper.

He shakes his head.

“You passed out as you were saying something”

I throw my arms around his neck and hug him tightly.

“Yeollie, I don’t hate you. There’s no way I can hate you” I whisper into his neck, tears running down my cheeks.

“Then why did you?”

I close my eyes, and pull myself together. I release him from my hug and pull back. A fake smile plastered on my face.

“I was just mad that we haven’t been hanging out as much”

A relieved smile crosses his face, and he tackle hugs me.

“How could you do that to me?!” He laughs.

Roughing up my hair and squishing me against him.

“I won’t do it again” I smile.

If he reacted like this… there’s no telling how he’d react if I tell him the truth… maybe it would be best for me not to tell him anything.

Chanyeol and I walk to our meeting spot – the restaurant where I was finally accepted as a member of their group. Kris, Kyungsoo and Luhan were waiting for us there. Luhan was still a little worried about me, after I told him how I had almost drunkenly confessed to Chanyeol. He wasn’t sure if I should be spending time with Chanyeol since I was clearly being hurt like this. But I told him that it would hurt me more if I didn’t spend time with him.

“Did you guys hear about this magical garden in the forest?” Kyungsoo asks us, as we sit down.

“Magic doesn’t exist” Kris sighs

“No?” Chanyeol replies, looking at Kyungsoo with interest.

Chanyeol always liked things that had to do with magic. Always believing in destiny and fate. I wasn’t such a fan of the idea. There was no such thing as fate. If there were then fate obviously had something against me.

“Well, it’s supposed to grant wishes… I heard that it makes the person you love, love you back” Kyungsoo informs us,

Luhan’s head snaps toward me and he gives me a meaningful look, and nods toward Chanyeol. I kick his leg under the table and shake my head. He kicks me back and narrows his eyes. Chanyeol slaps his hands together.

“Guys let’s go look for that garden!”

I look at him, why would he want to see the garden? He already has that stupid girlfriend of his.

“Al will go with you!” Luhan says loudly.

I open my mouth to deny it, but Luhan slaps his hand over my mouth and gives me a threatening look.

“Really?!” Chanyeol asks, his eyes sparkling as he looks at me.

The moment I look into his eyes, I knew I had to go. I’m going to find that garden and I’m going to get Chanyeol. No matter what I will do this.

Arms wrap around me from behind and I feel a firm chest press against my back,

“Zoning out again?” A gruff voice whispers in my ear.

My heart leaps wildly.

“Chanyeol” I smile, turning to face him.

I in my breath the moment my eyes meet his. You’d think that after all this time, I’d have gotten used to seeing him. His eyes sparkle with childlike innocence, his jet-black hair is sticking up messily. “You ready?” He asks, taking my bag from me.

“Yeah!” I grin, linking my arm with his.

The only way I am able to not break down completely is to have a little skin ship with him, but not out of context of course, it’s bad enough that his girlfriend hates my guts. Which she doesn’t even have reason for, I mean it’s not like he’d ever leave her for me. Even though I have been praying for some kind of miracle…

I hold my sides, my lungs burning for air. Why the hell did I agree to go hiking with him? Because I’m a complete love sick idiot.

“You okay?” Chanyeol chuckles, allowing me to use him as support.

Well sort of, the fact that he’s a full 20cm taller than me, does have its disadvantages.

“Should we turn back?” Chanyeol asks after some time, I shake my head still unable to form words with my cottony mouth.

Besides he really wants to go see this “secret garden” everyone’s been talking about, I don’t even know how these people know about it, since no one has ever even found it!

“Go on, I’ll catch up” I choke out, gulping down some water.

Chanyeol looks at me worriedly.

“Its fine, this isn’t so important” He replies, motioning for us to go back.

I glare at him, “I said we’re going, so we’re going to go see that damn garden, even if it kills me.”

Hell knows I am probably going to die here, because of my little fake bravery.

“Now go on without me!” I urge him.

He gives me one last worried look before hiking further. I lean back against the tree, waiting until he’s out of earshot. I zip my hiking pants’ pocket open and take out a small flask. Ah, alcohol, you are the only one who’s going to get me through this. (Okay, right now I might seem like an alcoholic, but I’m only doing this, because whenever I drink, I have this capability to do literally everything, so don’t judge me!) I take a big swig of alcohol and toss the flask back into my pants.

“Let’s do this!” I shout, pumping myself up.

In a flash, I start swerving through trees, catching up to Chanyeol. You might think that I’m pretty pathetic for putting myself through this hell just to be with Chanyeol, but that’s not the entire story. Actually I made myself this promise, that if I can find this garden, I can get Chanyeol, and I know that he is with someone else, but I can’t just sit back and watch. I notice Chanyeol marking another tree for me in the distance. (I’d probably have gotten lost if he hadn’t left these small cuts in the trees for me) Silently I inch closer to Chanyeol. Arms outstretched I jump him from behind.

“Did you miss me?” I giggle, poking his cheek happily.

“Oh so much” He jokes, holding his hands over his heart in mock pain.

Skeptically he eyes me, “Why do you smell like alcohol?”

I clear my throat, my eyes darting around, my brain hurriedly searching for an excuse.

“Pffft… yea – no…. WHAT IS THAT?” I point at a bug, scurrying past us.

Aww yeah, that was the smoothest change of subject ever.

“It’s. A. Bug” He throws me a disapproving look, before bending down in front of me on one knee. Wouldn’t it be so romantic if he proposed to me right here? Wait. What if he proposes to me? I mean I love him. But that’s a huge commitment, what if the love fades? Why is he doing this to me?! Why is he looking at me like that? He’s pressuring me isn’t he? This is too much!

“STOP PRESSURING ME!” I cry, flapping my arms.

He slaps his hand against his forehead.

“I knew it, you’re drunk aren’t you?” He sighs, shaking his head. “You know you always feel awful after drinking, and using the whole alcohol-makes-me-brave excuse won’t work this time!” He scolds me, trying to hide a smile.

“Give me the flask” He demands, as I slap his hands away from my pocket.

“Ally, give me the flask!” He laughs, pulling me down to the ground.

After helplessly flailing around, he manages to pry the flask from my hands –after I chug the rest of it- and throws it into his bag. I glare at his backpack. Memories of all the times he confiscated something from me floods through my mind.

“Imma cut you” I threaten his backpack, with a sharp stick.

“Sometimes I question our friendship”, Chanyeol laughs, pulling me off of the ground.

“’Tis a matter of ho… honour” I slur, violently jabbing the stick toward his backpack.  

“Come on, I’m taking you home” He laughs, tossing me over his shoulder.

 “You know this isn’t how you carry a lady!” I protest, weakly slapping his back.

“We both know you’re far from a lady” He laughs, but thankfully he switches from carrying me like a sack of potatoes to carrying me bridal style.

I nuzzle my face against his chest. No wait. I promised myself I’d find the garden. I push myself out of his arms, and stagger onto my feet.

“I have to get to that garden” I demand, stomping aimlessly through the forest.

“Ally, this isn’t so important!” Chanyeol calls, running to my side.

“It’s important to me!” I grumble, looking around the forest. I don’t know what I was hoping for, maybe some neon sign saying: “GARDEN HERE!”

“Al… why is it so important?” Chanyeol asks, turning me toward him.

“It just is…” I answer, not looking him in the eye, afraid that he’d see the real reason hidden behind my eyes.

“Hmm… how about this, we mark the areas we already searched and then search another part tomorrow, okay?” He smiles encouragingly.

“B-But…”

He clamps my mouth shut, “No arguing, it’s getting dark, we have to go” He says, carrying me bridal style again.

After some time, I doze off against his chest. What an idiot I am. How would any guy ever date me? I mean I just threatened a backpack because it has my flask… I am a hopeless case. I feel myself sinking down on a soft surface.