Jaehee hated that the year was passing so quickly.

 

It just meant there was more things Chanyeol was missing out on.

 

It was already halfway through September and days had passed so routinely- she would wake up with a sore back and one of the guys would drive her home where she'd change and then attend school. She'd then go back to the hospital and spend the rest of her day with Luhan whilst hoping somehow her boyfriend would spontaneously leap to life. Jaehee couldn't help but fear that she would become to used to it. She couldn't start getting used to it because this wasn't the way her life was supposed to be. She wasn’t supposed to be getting used to a life without Chanyeol.

 

"Why do you look so down?" Luhan chuckled, popping into her room, holding Nam's hand.

 

Nam didn't miss a beat to ignore the two and absorb himself in Chanyeol's toy car. She should have known that was the only reason he visited Yeol's ward.

 

"Just...missing him." She smiled, standing  from the window sill.

 

He nodded comprehensively and motioned outside in a wordless question of whether she wanted to take a walk.

 

 

 

"So when are your friends coming back to visit?"

 

Jaehee was disappointed that she hadn't gotten the chance to meet them on their last visit. Luhan had said they'd only stayed for 3 days before they had to head back to China but he assured her he'd introduce them next time. Somehow she got the impression that Luhan wasn't too fond of the idea.

 

He shrugged, "Hopefully not anytime soon. Things get messy whenever they come."

 

He used a tone that told her he wasn't keen on discussing the matter so Jaehee distracted him by telling him about the preparations for the Senior End of Year Dance.

 

She had already decided not to go. There were limits to things she could and couldn't do without Chanyeol and the end of year dance was definitely crossing the line. How could she ditch her boyfriend and enjoy herself?

 

"Are you sure you won't regret it?" Luhan asked curiously.

 

Jaehee raised a brow but he simply shrugged before admitting, "I didn't go to mine and when I think back I really wish I had. It's one of the last times you'll get to hang out with your cohort. You'll be surprised how much you cherish those moments."

 

She couldn't help but sway because she knew that she'd regret not going but her resolve remained firm. She couldn't do that to Chanyeol.

 

 

 

"What do you mean you're not coming?" Mihye screamed.

 

Jaehee quickly looked around, bowing her head to the students Mihye had scared with her abrupt exclamation before looking back at Mihye incredulously.

 

"Could you be any louder?"

 

"Did she just say you're not coming to the dance?"  Baekhyun asked from behind her.

 

Jaehee threw her head back in exasperation. This is exactly why she didn't want to tell anyone. She turned to  Baekhyun, surprised that all 6 boys had gathered behind him along with Mina who had her arms crossed in anger.

 

"um...no?" She tried, earning unamused looks.

 

Thankfully Suho stepped in before they could begin a heated debate, "It doesn't really matter if she wants to go or not." Jaehee sent him a grateful look but he shook his head. "Because this year it’s a mandatory Sadie Hawkins dance." When everyone was responding with confusion, he explained, "It's a tradition taken from America and basically girls must ask a male to the dance. Since previous years have had such bad turn ups it's also become a compulsory event meaning everyone must be there."

 

Jaehee groaned. She had to go. She wasn't particularly worried about the Sadie Hawkins part though because there was always the option of going alone.

 

She looked over at her friends who were all deciding who to go with and she couldn't help but sink into her seat.

 

Save me, Chanyeol.

 

 

 

"Chanyeol. It's been 9 months, don't you think that's a bit much? I think you should wake up now." Jaehee sighed, fiddling with his copper hair. His roots had grown out but she could tell someone had been touching it up and giving him haircuts. More perks of the rich. She held his hand, rubbing her finger over the silver ring, identical to hers. "I don't want to go to the dance without you. Do you remember our last dance? It was freshman year and we'd just started dating. We were so awkward and you were such a clumsy dancer….but I would do anything to stand on your toes again as you sway out of beat to the music...I miss you so much Chanyeol. I'm trying to be patient but...I need you to come back, baby. Please."

 

She placed his hand back, knowing she was getting a bit too emotional. She gave it one last pat before heading outside to get a coffee. She was already in her pyjamas so she'd have to settle for Hospital coffee to satisfy her caffeine craving.

 

"Am I a god or what?"

 

Jaehee whirled around to see Luhan in his usual jeans and beanie get up, holding two cups from her usual café.

 

"Hazelnut Cappuccino?"

 

"With 2 sugars."

 

She beamed at Luhan, gratefully accepting the cup. He truly was a god.

 

"How was uni?"

 

"Boring. Monotonous. The usual." He chuckled, staring into the sky. "but speaking of universities...do you know what you want to do yet? Time's catching up with you."

 

Jaehee frowned. She hadn't even thought about it and applications were to be submitted before the end of October so she only had a little over a month. "I don't know...maybe somewhere in business?" She guessed, knowing that her parents would encourage it.

 

Luhan nodded thoughtfully, "I still have some research resources so if you wanted...I could help you look into courses."

 

"Really?" She asked incredulously. He nodded once again with his i-know-I'm-an-angel smirk making her grin, "I'd like that."

 

 

 

The next day Luhan had texted her to ask if she could meet him at his apartment since that was where he kept his university guides. She did hesitate but she'd known Luhan for a good few months now so she knew she could trust him.

 

She hopped off the train, gaping into the sky. It had been clear skies the entire day and yet now, when she had to walk to Luhan's complex, it had decided to let the waterfall rip. She gave her outfit a pitiful once-over, glad she had worn mainly darker colours.

 

Jaehee ran into the rain, her bag tucked under her shirt, pressed up against her stomach. It felt so weird and she was sure it looked even weirder so she was grateful that Luhan's apartment was away from any main streets. She hadn't expected the rain to pour so hard. It was safe to say she was completely drenched.

 

She stared at the blurred numbers on her palm before finally ducking into the apartment. She stood at the door for a moment, hesitating on whether she should buzz or not with her current state. The sudden chill that ran down her back was enough to make her press the button.

 

"It's me." She answered to Luhan's voice, hoping he couldn't hear her teeth chattering.

 

He immediately unlocked the door and she headed up to the 4th floor. He was waiting with his door open and as soon as she came in to sight, his mouth open too.

 

"What happened?" He asked rather dumbly, since it was quite clear what had happened. "Why didn't you ask me to pick you up?" He demanded, making Jaehee feel dumb too. She had her phone. It would have been a perfectly logical thing to do.  Jaehee shrugged meekly but thankfully he wasn't too mad and just shook his head with a chuckle. "Next time just call me, Jae."

 

Luhan handed her a towel to wipe down her limbs and hair before nudging her into the bathroom, "I put some of my smaller clothes on the bench...hopefully they'll fit. Hurry up and change so you don't get sick."

 

Jaehee flushed a bright red. His clothes? It wouldn't be the first time she'd borrowed clothes from someone- in fact she'd borrowed clothes off the twins, Chanyeol and even Baekhyun once in the past, but it just felt like such an intimate thing to do between friends.

 

She gently freed her hair from her hair band, running her hands through her damp hair. Wandering over to the stack of clothes he had neatly folded beside the sink, she picked them up to analyse them. The shirt was slightly too big, so that she had to keep pulling it up to stop riding off her shoulder but luckily the sweat pants had draw strings so they wouldn't slide off of her. Quickly changing into his clothes, she set her own clothes along the bathtub to dry.

 

She kept her under garments on for apparent reasons, despite the fact that they were still wet. Biting her lip nervously, she padded out of the bathroom, scrunching her toes awkwardly. She hated being barefoot. It just felt so unnatural but her socks were drenched and she didn't want to wet his floor.

 

"Oh good. They fit." He smiled, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before trailing back to the tea in his hands. He handed her the mug and the warmth zapped through her immediately. Jaehee beamed in gratitude. She felt so warm and pleasant now.

 

The two of them sat at the coffee table on the floor in front of the couch. There was a bunch of books and guides scattered across the desk. Luhan had information on almost every university in the vicinity and out. It was quite obvious he had plans to study abroad and something told her he was only refraining for Lavender.

 

"Where did you want to go?" Jaehee finally asked, holding a pamphlet for an exchange program offered at China.

 

He hesitated for a moment but eventually sighed as if he had surrendered. "America, Europe, Australia...I wanted to see it all." He clapped his hands suddenly, like he was telling himself to rid the idea, "But I can always do that when I'm older."

 

Jaehee nodded but she wasn't so convinced he was happy about doing it when he was 'older'. Nonetheless she knew his situation too. There wasn't a choice he could make that he'd be 'happy' with.

 

"Hey what's this?" Jaehee poked her finger at a course under the business  degrees that offered opportunities to enter a publishing firm.

 

"Oh it's a new course to Seoul university...why? Are you interested in publishing?"

 

Jaehee hadn't thought about that either. She adored reading and her forte at school had always been literature. She could see herself in the publishing industry. The more she imagined it, the more excited she became.

 

"This is what I want to do!"

 

He looked up in surprise but she couldn't wipe away her smile, "Luhan! I found it!" It must have been contagious because soon he was grinning broadly too.

 

Luhan had insisted on making celebratory desserts so Jaehee distracted herself by looking around his living room. The house was rather plain- it looked like he'd made a point to not get too attached to it. She had an inkling that it had to do with his dream to travel.

 

"How come you don't have any pictures from school?" Jaehee asked, leaning against the bench top as Luhan scooped out ice-cream.

 

He looked up momentarily before shrugging but Jaehee noticed that his ears had reddened. Unrelenting, she stared at the boy and eventually he sighed in defeat. "I told you that I was a dork back then. Other than Lav I barely had any friends and I was still learning the language...so naturally I didn't have many good memories worth capturing on photo."

 

Jaehee paused, recalling what he'd said the other day.

 

"I didn't go to mine and when I think back I really wish I had. It's one of the last times you'll get to hang out with your cohort. You'll be surprised how much you cherish those moments."

 

She looked over at him, biting her lip in contemplation but her impulse won over her reasoning. "Why don't you come with me?" Luhan hummed questioningly making Jaehee clear . "To the Senior dance I mean. I have to go anyway and it would be nice to have another friend there."

 

Now Luhan had abandoned his dessert, staring at her. "...Are you sure...you're up for it?"

 

"Yeah." She was surprised by how honest the reply was. "I think it'll be easier going with a friend rather than alone."

 

He grinned, "Then I'd love to accompany you."

 

 

 

 

Jaehee shut the door behind her, ensuring to lock it before approaching Chanyeol's bed once again thankful that the room was sound proof.

 

She slammed her head against the mattress, knowing it would turn red.

 

"That was so stupid. I'm so sorry Chanyeol."

 

 

 

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Authors note:
Thank you to CNSD999 and Altamaray for upvoting <3