Alone – something someone has ever experienced one or twice in their lives. Probably it was when they were a kid and no one would play with them. At that age, they probably thought that it was the most horrible thing that could ever happen, and then they grew up.

“What the do you want?” Joohyun yanks her arm away from Yonghwa’s tight grip around her wrist.

“Your mum wants you home. She said you haven’t been home in weeks. Where did you go?”

She stays still, her deadly eyes meeting Yonghwa’s. “Do you really care or are you just curious like the rest?”

“Joohyun, can you listen to me for a second? We all care about you, come home.”

She stays still for a moment, relaxing as Yonghwa loosens his grip on her. “Come home, Joohyun. You’re not alone.”

“You don’t understand.” Joohyun screams as she runs in the opposite direction, and Yonghwa stays frozen in his stand.

They should have seen it coming, that Joohyun would turn out this way. Pain changes people in ways they never thought possible. Yonghwa could not recognise his childhood friend anymore.

Her natural jet black hair was now a bright strawberry blonde with hints of pink at the tips. Her sophisticated clothing had taken a drastic change. She grabs people’s attention instantly by simply walking down the street – not in a good way, that is.

“What happened to you?” Yonghwa asks, staring at her through her reflection.

She rummages through her dressing table, smiling when she found her latest lipstick – crimson red. “What do you mean?” She replies, smacking her lips and then moving on to fix her hair.

“You don’t have to do this to yourself. He won’t come back.”

Joohyun rests her elbows on her dressing table, head on her hands as she stares at her best friend. “Why don’t you off?”

Yonghwa leaves her house but comes back the minute Joohyun’s mother called him.

Red lines cover Joohyun’s skin. It almost seems like a work of art – an art of self-destruction.

“You told me to destroy the thing that is destroying me, but you called the ambulance when I tried killing myself.” Joohyun turns to look at Yonghwa. “Why?”

“I- That wasn’t what I meant.”

Joohyun rolls her eyes at him. “Get out.”

Yonghwa does not have to be told twice.

Joohyun was always close with her father. He was always there to keep her in check, be it in school or in her extra-curricular activities. Joohyun blamed herself for the accident. Maybe if she wasn’t so impatient, he would arrive home safely. However, it was all too late.

She locked herself in her room, staying in a corner behind her bed, crying her heart out. Joohyun begs for God to take her in exchange for her father to return back alive. However, the dead cannot be returned to the living.

“Your dad wouldn’t want you to be this way, Joohyun.” Yonghwa says after staying in silence for the past five minutes.

Joohyun watches a butterfly land on her finger, chuckling lightly as it flies away into the sky. She wonders if it is possible for her to fly; just like them. They seem so free, so carefree all the time without having any responsibilities to take care of.

“Oh, really?” Joohyun replies without any sincerity in her voice. “I think you should take care of yourself first.”

“But-“

Joohyun leaves without letting him continue.

Yonghwa makes appointments for Joohyun to head down to the hospital to meet with a psychiatrist but Joohyun cancels every one of them.

Joohyun: make me another appointment and our friendship is over. [Sent: 1304 hours]

Well, that makes his life harder than it already is.

“Jung Yonghwa, do you know why Joohyun isn’t showing up for classes?” Their homeroom teacher tells him to take a seat across him.

“I’m not so sure, sir.”

“Aren’t you two best friends?”

Yonghwa rubs the back of his neck. “We used to be, sir.”

Joohyun sits in front of the tall mirror, a pair of scissors in her hand. She has read on the internet that if you sliced your neck with a pair of rusted scissors or a rusted blade, you will get contaminated by the bacteria and die.

Dying seems like a better choice than living at this moment.

Humans are borne to be alone; they are bound to die alone anyways. What is the point of living when you will die in the end?  What is the point of living when there is nothing to live forward to?

She raises her rusted blade, breathing in and out.

Joohyun does it.

“Joohyun?” Yonghwa knocks on Joohyun’s door after receiving a text from her.

“Yonghwa!” She screams, embracing him. “I am not alone; I was never alone from the start. You were always there for me, and I failed to realise it then, but I know now.”

Yonghwa caresses her messy shoulder-length hair, assuring her he will not leave her, not now, not ever.

“You made a mess of your room!” Yonghwa yells after looking at the utter mess in front of the tall mirror. “And why did you use a rusted pair of scissors to cut your hair?”

Joohyun laughs, punching him slightly on his shoulder. “You still love me, anyways.”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Yonghwa jokes, putting his hand on Joohyun’s cheek. “You’re going to get better, alright? I’ll be there to help you. You’re never alone, Seo Joohyun.”

“We’re not best friends, sir. She’s my girlfriend.”