#twiceoneshots

A fine Saturday morning has became a start of another busy days for Detective Yoon Seo-joon when he received a duty calls coming from his station who assigned him a new case to work in.

Driving his Toyota Corolla Red 2018, he drove through the location where the said report originated. His car's acceleration slowed down, granting him to peek at the arch gateway that says "Gyeonggi-do", one of the villages here in the city of Seongnam, South Korea.

The guard performed a quick monitoring on him, immediately allowing him to enter when he presented the guard his police badge and license along with his own reason that concerns this place.

He continued to roll the wheel while keeping himself guided by the navigation map. Shortly after, the destination welcomes him as he finally arrived at this one particular spot where he could park his car safely while the person who wants to meet him is just right there waiting for him patiently.

Stepping out of the car, Seojun grasped his keys and took some belongings with him that would be needy in his investigation as he approached the villager anticipating to meet him.

"Glad that you agreed to spare some time for us to meet, detective. I'm Moon Hae-il.", the man initiated a handshake to the official who gratefully accepted.

"No worries, it's just simply part of my job to entertain some clients." Seojun smiled and gave a modest nod. "And I'm Detective Yoon Seojun, the one who will take over and help you with this report you sent to us."

"Thank you so much, detective. We are really in desperate need of assistance about this problem that currently occurs in our neighborhood here." Hae-il said with anxiety in his tone of voice.

"As what the report mentions here, you said that there's an ongoing disturbance being caused by one of the residents here that affects you and the others around here. Mind if you elaborate more? Like, what is this? Is this resident consist of a family who some sort of like fight often?"

"Actually, no detective." Hae-il shook his head, denying the guess. "They aren't a family. In fact, I don't even know how can I tell you this without being sounding... weird."

"What? Why did you think so?" Seojun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's not a they, detective. It's just a single person. A she."

"And where's the weird part there?"

Hae-il didn't replied and instead gulped his throat. He sighed before looking again at Seojoon. "Just follow me please."

Seojoon squinted his eyes as he walked behind Hae-il still trying to process and wonder why does this villager seemed so bothered and nervous discussing about that certain matter. He observes the rest of the citizens who are just peacefully doing their random things while the others are looking at him and Hae-il, probably understanding what they're going to do today.

Hae-il and Seojoon stops in front of a locked huge metal gate that secures what it seems to be an unoccupied manor. The ambience is eerie and quiet, only the sounds of rustling trees, his and Hae-il breaths joining the whip of the cold wind and the gate being unlocked with a twist of the key.

The two entered the property. Seojoon quickly stated his observation at the situation around here. "Why did we just came here without the occupant's permission? Is she not at home?"

Hae-il paused his steps and slowly turned at Seojoon with a troubled expression. "That's the weird part, detective. She's here and definitely even right now, but... we couldn't see her."

Seo-joon became more puzzled, his frown deepened at what the complainant is pertaining. "What?"

"I'm telling you detective that, we are dealing with something paranormal here."

Seojoon's eyes largened as he stared at Haeil in disbelief after hearing that today's investigation to kickoff his new case to solve would be very unique and completely contrast to the previous ones he had before... because this time, the alleged suspect was revealed to be someone who doesn't truly exist anymore but the presence remains unrest.

"Wait wait, hold on." Seojoon chuckled, hands forward as he gestured on Haeil. "You're telling me that you made me come all the way here to ... to do not just an ordinary investigation for a criminal case, but a ghost hunting?"

"I-I told you it would be weird, and I'm not forcing you to help us detective but we would very appreciate if you do. This is something that puts us haunted every single night and we can't live pleasantly not when this keeps occuring." Haeil said, rising intonation of voice gets obvious with the way he's sounding like as if he's pleading for Seojoon to stay.

To be honest, Seojoon was hesitant to proceed with this case; since this is first time that he would face something like this alone and without any colleague to be there on his side; but hearing Haeil's actual condition along with the people of Gyeonggi about this phenomenon is effectively convincing him to learn more about this case and take the opportunity for a new experience to have.

He took this dream job of his with one purpose, and that is to serve and provide the need of assistance to people who rightfully needs it as soon as possible. Declining this case would make it feel for Seojun as if he's abandoning that responsibility and betraying his role that has been smooth and clean since the past few years when he became a detective.

Forming up his final decision, he sighed and looked at Haeil intently as he takes off his notepad and ballpen.

"Tell me more about it."

Haeil huffed in relief and tenderly smiled at Seojoon while clutching his hands together in result of a granted hope. "Thank you so much, detective! This means a lot to us." Seojoon just nodded, silently appreciating the grateful reaction to his service in response.

"So uhm to answer your question detective, some of us who lives near this house shared that they sometimes hear a screaming and wailing with a woman-like sound; which led us to think that the ghost who haunts this house is a woman."

"And they mostly hear it at night?"

"Yes."

Seojoon gritted his teeth, just imagining about it sends chills already down to his spine.

"What more instances they encountered this strange act?"

"Some residents who walked or pass through the entrance would just randomly hear a loud banging from the door, even their children told them that while they're playing few inches away from here, they said they had a glimpse of a shadowy figure of that woman standing in the window." Haeil additionally explained.

"Jesus, poor kids. They must be terrified." Seojoon reacted while he takes down notes in his notepad.

"Indeed they are. They became terrified too. Now barely all of us couldn't dare to stand close in this place, even me... but I don't have any choice. I own this so I had to."

"Wait, you are the landlord of this house and lot?"

"Yes, detective. This belongs to other properties that I own and sell in this village, but ofcourse; this turned out to be my most cursed possession." Haein said in dismay as he glances at the exterior of the structure. "I do admit that I'm planning to demolish this house, maybe to set that spirit free... but what I heard from their stories prompted me to hold it for a while, and that brought me here with you today detective."

"What did the residents mentioned to you also?"

"They said that they can specifically hear only one word throughout those screams that woman creates: help." Haeil said. Seojoon looked at him curiously. "So I figured that maybe... whoever that woman is, she's sending us signal in request to help her about something...

"Justice." Seojoon interrupted. "It's making sense to me now. You summoned me here to take the job by bringing that to whoever this woman who seems to be a lost soul of a victim that either coincidentally took place in your land."

Haein got shocked and nervous. "You're saying that... there's a possible crime of murder that happened here?"

"You don't know?"

"No. I have no idea, I truly believed that my house is perfectly fine and cozy for people who wants to live there... and they seem to be alright without any intentions of murdering somebody and stain blood on my property." Haeil neglected.

"There's more than meets the eye, Haeil." Seojoon reminded. "And looks can fool us anytime, because we couldn't read what they've been hiding deep inside that differs from what they show from the outside."

Seojoon steps closer at the staircase that leads to the door that has been barricaded with planks of wood. "From now on, I'm considering this to be a crime scene. Don't allow anyone to enter this place, I want you to guard this okay?"

"O-okay."

"And also... can you remove these for me? I would like to begin my investigation right now."

Haein got shocked, he went towards Seojoon with fear and worry in his eyes. "B-but detective? Are you sure about this?"

Seojoon released an assuring nod. "I'll be fine, Haein. I won't let myself be harmed not until we help that woman gets what she deserves."

"O-okay, detective. I'll be right back, I'll just gonna go get my tools." Haein excused himself before leaving Seojoon for a while, allowing the tensed yet prepared detective to remember he first set of informations he received that would hugely contribute to the unfolding of this mysterious case.

----------------------------------------------------

"Be safe, detective."

Haeil wished him luck before he lets Seojoon to enter the abandoned manor by himself while he remained outside to wait.

Bringing the flashlight with him, Seojoon switched it on and lights up the areas he peeks into as he began to examine the place. He checks all of the things, even the walls and the floor of every rooms.

The first floor was clear, Seojoon climbs to the next stage but just as he was in the middle of the stairs; he heard something that halted his footsteps and had his entire body shiver.

A sound of a woman humming softly can audibly heard slightly from one of the rooms upstairs.

Heartbeat rising, chest pounding, sweat dripping fast as Seojoon cautiously finished the last remaining set of steps before stepping in the second floor. He listened to the sound again and he noticed that the direction is coming from the left side, at the very end of the hallway.

"God, I pray for your protection. I lend you my trust to lure me away from danger." Seojoon muttered as he performed a sign of the cross before he deeply huffed and slowly trailed the path.

Directing the light to the doorway of the room, he observed that it was narrowly opened. The mix of discomfort and fright builds up inside of Seojoon. He breathed twice before courageously opened the door.

In his surprise as he entered, he didn't expected what happened next.

The famously talked ghost lady of the Gyeonggi village is standing face to face with him, near at the windows; wearing a complete white dress that almost identical to how pale her skin was.

She was standing there, looking straight at Seojoon who froze at what he's witnessing.

"I see you've been looking for me." the ghost lady said before she timidly smiled.

"H-holy shit, she's indeed here..." Seojoon whispered as he fell in the ground and stumbled at his movements while keeping his eyes in horror at her. The rumors in this village were true, because of that Seojoon has literally encountered a ghost for the first time in his whole life. The paranormal is real, he thought.

"W-wait! Don't go!" the lady pleads as she quickly slammed the door with an extraordinary force, preventing Seojoon to leave. "I won't hurt you, please."

"I-I won't, I swear. You don't have to do... that." Seojoon said while trembling, stunned at what the lady just did beyond natural in front of her. "I just came here to help and t-to look for you."

"H-help?" The lady repeated, unsure of what she just heard.

Seojoon nodded. "I am. The villagers called me here to investigate about your recent unusual activities that brings them unsettled, and we figured out that you must be in desperate need of help."

The woman suddenly choked in her tears as she covered her mouth. "H-help... oh my god, they heard me. They finally did."

"Yeah... and I'm here for you not to wait any longer. I'm here to offer you assistance by solving this case of yours. I just want you to do the same for me." Seojoon calmly replied.

The woman nodded and sniffed out her tears before wiping them off. Seojoon felt his heart ached at the sight of this poor woman. He didn't expected to feel this amount of sincerity and awfulness for whatever this lady has gone through that led her to be like this because of some horrible demise she faced before, especially when he couldn't disagree that this lady looks very pretty and carefree.

"I-I will help you. That's the only thing I want. I didn't intend to scare anyone, I just don't know how if I'm like this." the woman traced her appearance.

"I understand, and that's good to hear that you'll be cooperating. We'll solve this together, alright?" The woman nodded.

"I'm Detective Yoon Seojoon, what's yours?"

"D-Dahyun. K-Kim Dahyun."

The detective smiled in satisfaction, finally learning the identity of this ghost lady. "Nice to meet you, Dahyun. Standing here, meeting you personally... you don't look actually horrifying at all as what others might claim to be."

Dahyun removed her hands away from her face to look at Seojoon clearly while showing a little smile of appreciation to his compliment. "I like it, detective. Thanks for the kind words."

He looked at his wristwatch to monitor the time. "I guess this will do for now. I have to go home now, Dahyun but trust me, I'll be back here tomorrow to officially start investigating this case. Sounds good?"

Dahyun nodded her head and gently smiled. "It is. Goodbye and... thank you so much for doing this, detective."

"Just getting the job done, Dahyun. You're welcome and goodbye." Seojoon reciprocated Dahyun's smile before he opened the door and turn around to see Dahyun who is just watching his departure while still standing nicely in her position.

Seojoon left the manor with surreal feeling at everything that happened within a span of hours in his entire weekend. To summarize, he just opened up to volunteer a new case, arrived at the place where he met his client who informed him that it wouldn't be just a normal case... but rather a paranormal related one which is a first to his career and lastly, he freaking just met the same ghost lady that the village talks about and formed an alliance with her to find out who's behind of her mysterious death.

"Detective, how did it went?" Haein said as he hurriedly stood up from sitting in one of the rocks outside.

"I got enough of what I need for now. I'll return here tomorrow, so leave the door unlocked only for me, okay?" Seojoon commanded. Haein nodded in compliance.

The detective bid farewell as he rode his car and drove back to the police station where he slumped his head on the steering wheel for a moment to sink in everything that he confronted today before entering the said place.

He went to his office, placing out his notes and began typing on his computer to search for articles involving the disappearance of Kim Dahyun.

He did found some results and discovered that her friends filed a missing case 5 years ago, and the place that points to her last whereabouts was the exact house Dahyun's spirit remains trapped.

Due to this, it made Seojoon conifident that the house had a dark past that no one were able to know before; and the only one who can revisit despite how tragic and devastating it may be has to be the victim herself for the sake of closing the case in good terms.

Few days later, Seojoon returns to the village to visit the house and arrange another meetup with Dahyun. He couldn't help but to find it strange that he's literally talking with a ghost for an interrogation.

As he reached the front of the room where he saw Dahyun last time, he viewed her sitting on the floor and just staring weakly at the window, her arms placed atop of her knees.

Seojoon became aware of how lonely and exhausted Dahyun must've been day and night sending help to anyone who couldn't even see her with naked eyes while trapped alone.

This house became her prison for 5 years, and Dahyun doesn't deserve none of it. She just wants to be free, and Seojoon became motivated to do his best to grant what she desires.

"Hi, Dahyun." Seojoon greets her carefully, not wanting to surprise her and ruin her moment of silence.

She turned around, faced Seojoon and slowly stood up in which she greeted her back. "You did came back, detective."

Seojoon nodded. "I'm a man of my words."He strolled around the room and checked the furnitures and the interior design. "So yesterday, I did some research about you."

"What does it say?"

"There were news about your disappearance but it wasn't ruled that there's a killing involved. Your friends reported that to the police." Seojoon said, placing his hands on his pockets. "Do you remember some of your friends?"

Dahyun's face lit up. "Y-yes! I do, there are 8. Some of them were my classmates from the same campus, others aren't."

"Can you give me their names?"

"Im Nayeon, Yoo Jeongyeon, Hirai Momo, Minatozaki Sana, Park Jihyo, Myoui Mina, Son Chaeyoung and Chou Tzuyu." Dahyun enumerated. "But of all them though, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were my first found and closest friends. They're the ones who introduced me to the rest."

"Noted that. I'll consider it." Seojoon said as he wrote at the notepad. "Later or tomorrow, I'll try to look and visit for their home address. I would like them to be part of my interrogation also, especially that two."

Dahyun nodded and hummed knowledgeably. "Y-you're going to talk to them..."

"I am."

"T-then, can I ask a favor?"

Seojoon looked at Dahyun curiously. "What is it?"

"Can you ask them what do they have to say for me now that I'm g-gone...?" Dahyun stuttered. "I don't know... I just want to know if they still can remember me these days." She frowned, lowering her head.

Seojoon approached Dahyun, he was going to grab her shoulder in comfort but realizes that he couldn't touch her due to her ghostly figure, so he brought it down and just looked at Dahyun warmheartedly as much as he can to convey his emotions.

"I'll ask them, and expect their messages once I return. I know they haven't forgotten you yet, Dahyun. You seem like a really great friend to have with, and your memories that you created with them will definitely always be there in their heart and mind... because you cemented yourself as one of the person who became a part of their life."

Dahyun raised her look and stared at Seojoon breathtakingly. She found his look to be calm, kind and comforting that were willing to be expressed solely for her who needed it on her toughest times.

"Don't be sad, Dahyun. Be positive, please. If they are unlike to what we expect them to be, we wouldn't be able to solve this case once and for all."

Dahyun traced her dress and stood straight to compose herself, erasing the uneasiness she feels from the overthinking she did. "O-okay. You were right. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Seojoon then glanced back at his notepad.

"Dahyun, you said you couldn't remember what happened to you right?"

"Yeah. I have no idea, but I could describe that I don't feel like I belong here."

Seojoon squinted his eyes and cupped his chin. "Hmmm... I have my theories gathering up on my mind, but I'll save that for now. What's important here is that we continue to push forward with the progress and soon, we can finally unveil what led to your disappearance, Dahyun."

He inserted his notepad and ballpen back in his pockets and walked back at the doorway, but Dahyun called him from behind. "Detective!"

"Yes?"

"I just want to say that... I trust you a lot, because you've been such a good person to me. Take care as always, please."

Seojoon grinned at Dahyun and tilted his head away to avoid showing how obvious he got fluttered at her uplifting words.

"Y-yeah. You are too, Dahyun. And thank you for that, you truly encouraged me to keep on working hard." They both smiled and stared at each other for a while until Seojoon regained his senses back after being too indulged with the ethereal sight he had.

"I-I'm going out. See you again, Dahyun."

"Bye, detective."

Seojoon exits the room. As he makes his way downstairs, he grasped onto his chest while he reflects about this undescribable feeling that fills upon his heart.

Meanwhile at the same time, Dahyun viewed the scenery out of the window while having your image stuck in her head as she couldn't help but to think about you in sudden.

-----------------------

The next day, Seojoon left his house early. It was supposed to be a continuation of his investigation that he'll manage immediately but after the realization last night via phone call he received before he sleeps, he reconsidered his schedule for today by visiting a familiar place first.

Seojoon was granted access to get the gates openes up for him, he drove the car inside and parked. His arrival stole the attention of someone close to him who lives in here. As he hopped out, a little girl sprinted out and jumps on Seojoon with glee.

"Seojoon oppa!"

"Hi buddyyy!" Seojoon squatted to match her height as they hugged at each other.

"I missed you, oppa. Where did you go?" The kid frowned, making Seojoon guilty for his msitakes.

"I'm just too busy with work, buddy. I may disappeared but I never forgotten you, okay? It's just that my visit turned out to be earlier than I expected because you gave me a call last night."

"Sorry, oppa. Did I distracted you-"

"No, not at all Dahye. Don't think like that. Dahye-ssi will never be a disturbance to Seojoon-oppa. Got it?" He said while gently wiggling both of her arms.

Dahye giggled adorably and nodded back at her big cousin. "Are we going to play today, oppa?"

"If that's what you want, then let's go!" Dahye cheered happily while exclaiming a "yay!" sound as she loved spending a funtime with her beloved cousin and brother-like figure.

Seojoon stood up and holds Dahye's hand. They were about to enter the house when a middle-aged man appeared, blocking the way as he watched him and Dahye cheerfully walking together.

"Seojoon, you came."

"Hello, ahjussi." Seojoon bowed respectfully on his uncle.

"I didn't even know you'll be here. How are you doing these days?" He asked as the two were now closer at each other.

"I'm good. Busy as usual, I got a new case in hand." Seojoon answered. "But it looks like your daughter here couldn't wait anymore. She wanted to meet me sooner than later." He ruffled the girl's hair and cuddled her beside...

"I can't blame her, she always mentions you everytime while asking me when you will come back. Weeks ago wasn't enough, I suppose. She loves you so much that's why she enjoys being with you always."

The uncle stepped aside as he guided him and Dahye to enter the house. "Come in, boy. Did you have breakfast?"

"Not yet, ahjussi."

"Perfect. Join us to eat on the table! Right at the time, I bought many ingredients from grocery yesterday so we have more to eat today." His uncle says as all of them sat in the dining table while the maids served the foods one by one.

----------------------

In the midst of his playtime with Dahye, Seojoon checks the time on his phone in which brought him to stand up and pull out the keys from his pocket. The kid saw his actions and recognized what he's about to do.

"You're leaving again, oppa?"

Seojoon tightlipped at Dahye sitting on the floor, frowning while hugging her doll. "I'm sorry, Dahye-nah. I still have work to do for today. Oppa can't stay here long." he said apologetically.

He noticed her burying her face on the fluffy head of her stuff toy to hide her sadness. Seojoon sighed and goes near at the sulking Dahye.

"Your birthday is on next week, right?"

Dahye didn't respond, but that didn't stop Seojoon from sharing what's in his mind for that day.

"I'm treating you outside, you can pick whatever you want to do. Oppa is going to catch up with you, okay? We're going to celebrate your birthday without any rush." Seojoon suggested.

"You're sure, oppa?"

"Yeah. I don't want to make my sweet little princess' birthday incomplete without having me you know?"

Seojoon watched her gloomy face slowly reverted back to a delighted mood as she leaned her face away from the dool and looked at him. "Okay, I can't wait oppa!"

Relieved that he managed not to upset his beloved cousin, Seojoon hugged Dahye and kissed his crown. "See you on your birthday, Dahye. Oppa has to go now. Bye!"

"Bye, oppa! Thank you for coming!"

Afterwards, Seojoon bids farewell to his uncle as he enters his car and read his notepad, keeping him reminded of the task he had to be done before the day ends.

With the help of one of the teams in the department who are in charge of tracking down locations, Seojoon was able to receive the address where the names Chou Tzuyu and Son Chaeyoung currently lives, which transported him to the city of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

Seojoon came in the front of the right house he's supposed to pay a visit. He clicked the doorbell and waited for anyone at home to entertain his call.

Fortunately, there's one. It was the girl named Chaeyoung who is wearing a plain oversized t-shirt and some jogging pants like a typical house attire. She holds the door as she observes the appearance of Seojoon standing in her doorway.

"Hello and good morning, my name is Yoon Seojoon. I am a detective."

"What can I help you with, detective?" Chaeyoung nonchalantly asked.

"I'm came here to ask you some questions about the disappearance of Kim Dahyun. Your connection with the victim led me to you, miss Son."

Chaeyoung gasped as she glared at Seojoon in bewilderment. Her grip on the door shuddered a little as well as the emotions getting into her after hearing that name from somebody for such a long time, might as well coming from the police itself.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not interested to talk about it."

Chaeyoung was about to shut the door, but Seojoon attempts to prevent it by calling her again not to let go of her attention. "Wait! Miss Son, I came here to help. Please, perhaps... you may want to take a look at this."

Chaeyoung glanced back at Seojoon, who is now offering her a piece a paper. She takes it and discovered it wasn't just a paper, but something more that holds dear in her heart.

"I got this from my research. I know you and Dahyun were close friends and... I hope I can convince you through this to cooperate with me. I know you're just like me who wants to explore more about Dahyun's case."

Listening through his voice, Chaeyoung could tell that the detective was sounding very genuine and optimistic; exactly what she needed back then when they were anticipating for anyone to take her friend's case seriously.

She looks back at the picture. It shows her, Tzuyu and Dahyun in a beach all doing a pose together. "You're right. This one's special to me. It was our first getaway trip when we were only three in our group at that time." Chaeyoung expressed a bittersweet recollection.

"I-I'm sorry, detective. I-I... just couldn't believe someone... someone in the police would revisit and take control of my friend's case. It's been 5 years and up to this day we're still begging for her justice, and here you are..." Chaeyoung said as she started to tear up. Seojoon respectfully remained silent to let the girl spill out the burden that's been dragging her down since Dahyun vanished.

She sniffed, swiping her tears that ran across her cheek as she spreaded the gap of the door further to give way for the detective. "I-I'll talk. I'll answer your questions. Please, come in."

"Thank you, Miss Son." Seojoon bowed courteously.

"Just call me Chaeyoung."

As Seojoon stepped in, Chaeyoung closed the door and shouted somebody's name who is also present with them. "Tzuyu! We hve a guest!"

"Coming! Who is it!"

Tzuyu walked out of her room and the sight of Chaeyoung with a stranger greeted her. "Uhh..."

"Good morning, I assume you're Ms. Chou Tzuyu. I'm Detective Yoon Seojoon, in charge for the missing case of your friend, Kim Dahyun."

Tzuyu's eyes widened in surprise and all she could do was to look at Chaeyoung who is nodding her head to make her understand the situation abruptly.

------------------------------

"Is this where Dahyun lives?"

Seojoon asked as he presented the picture of the abandoned manor to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. The two peeked at it and seemingly distinguished the content.

"Yes, but that wasn't her own." Chaeyoung answered. "She doesn't live there alone nor have her family with her actually."

"Her parents died when she was in highschool at that time. Her relatives took the responsibility of raising Dahyun but if we're not mistaken, she left them because they were strict and not kind-hearted." Tzuyu added.

"She approached us and we learned about her situation. We offered her help, she did took it appreciatingly. It didn't last long, however."

"Dahyun told us that she wants to try surviving on her own, so she applied for a part-time job as a maid to earn allowance for her studies."

Seojoon wrote all of the key points in his notes. "So, Dahyun lived in that manor temporarily as part of her requirement as a maid?"

"I guess so. She never invited us to visit her place to hang out, but we did brought her there once when we all came home together from class." Tzuyu replied.

"I see." Seojoon muttered. "Wait, so if she's a maid, then technically there has to be the original residents of that manor whom Dahyun works for. Do you guys know them?"

"Not specifically. We never got to see them up close." Chaeyoung shook her head. "But I do remember that Dahyun mentioned once that it was a family, and she takes care of a little girl who is the daughter of that family which she befriended with."

"Yeah, she always admire that kid, calling her cute, how bubbly she is and more." Tzuyu continued. "Well, Dahyun loves children, that's why."

Seojoon smiled at that information. He found a similarity with Dahyun in which he could relate with. "Alright, last question. When was the last time you saw her?"

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's face demeanor transformed into a dull and bland one. It had Seojoon perceived that it wasn't a happy memory that Dahyun left for them before her unexpected disappearance. "It was at the campus. We were eating street foods outside when suddenly Dahyun just received a notification coming from that family I guess.", says Chaeyoung.

"She didn't told us what happened because she quickly said goodbye and ran away to us, but she did revealed it the day after through our group chat."

"What did she say?"

"She told us that she couldn't come with us because she's grieving along with the family while doing her job to serve the visitors on the funeral."

"Wait, come again?" Seojoon pursed his head forward and stared deeply at Tzuyu with knitted eyebrows. "A funeral? To who?"

"She said that the little girl she's taking care of died in an accident. The family didn't took it very well, since it was their only child... especially the father who always wanted to have a daughter."

Seojoon's heart ached at the story. It truly hurts him whenever he finds a child being in an inevitable danger that none were deserving to be part of. He huffed in the air for a second before drinking the glass of water that Chaeyoung and Tzuyu offered to him before they started the interrogation, in an attempt to erase the horrible what ifs of having Dahye getting put in that kind of scenario.

"Are you okay, detective?"

"Y-yeah, sorry. It's just... I'm sensitive on hearing kids being on unfortunate events, whether it costs them life or not." Seojoon cleared his throat and fixed his composure. "And whatever happened to Dahyun that will tie us to these information you lend to me, I couldn't be much more devastated for her too."

He stood up from his seat and presented his hand. "Thank you so much again for your cooperation Miss Tzuyu and Miss Chaeyoung. You two don't know how big of a contribution this is for the solving of Dahyun's case. You guys helped her again as usual."

"What can we say, we loved Dahyun more than just a friend. She was like a sibling, a sister to us." Tzuyu said. "And wherever she may be today, I hope she's at peace."

Seojoon tightlipped and looked away at Tzuyu for a while. "Not yet, but we'll get there... soon." he whispered.

"Uhm, before I go... can I ask one more thing?"

"What is it detective?" Chaeyoung pondered.

"If Dahyun's watching us today, what do you guys want to say to her?"

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu looked at each other before sighing heavily. "Dahyunnie, if you can hear us, we just want to say that... we miss you everyday. A lot."

"Just the little things we do together, we revisit it frequently as our way to remember you. And... o-oh God, it's still so hard for us to not have you on our side anymore. Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, the girls weren't still used of your absence, Dahyun-ah. Your contagious laugh, your positivity, your wholehearted personality. When our shining light was taken away from us, it felt like we're forever living in a colorless world; and we wouldn't be contented accepting that fact forever, Dahyun.

Thank you for existing in our life as our friend, tofu. Someday, when we all fly up there; we'll get to see each other again and reunited, and we will all have fun together just like the good old days where nothing can go wrong that will separate one of us from each other anymore. We couldn't wait for that to happen."

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu couldn't contain their tears as they sobbed harder at their longing messages for their bereaved friend. Seojoon got teared up at their bittersweet and emotional words. He expressed his sympathy by coming up near to them and enveloped them in a comforting embrace.

-------------------------------------

Dahyun was overwhelmed and touched at what Seojoon informed to her about what Chaeyoung and Tzuyu wanted to say to her in the aftermath of her passing. Seojoon is once again frustrated and dismayed that he couldn't get to hug Dahyun to make the consolation easier, as all he could do was to watch her cry out loud while their messages sink into her.

Seojoon also told her about the new informations he gathered regarding a piece of backstory of her past life and the manor she's locked into. That helped Dahyun to regain some memories of what she had when she was living and shared it to him right away.

Seojoon and Dahyun's conversation went longer than expected, as Seojoon just listened to Dahyun's stories about how she and the girls first met, how they supported her for the decision of taking the job and the experiences she had as a maid; in which she enjoyed because of the same reason as what Chaeyoung and Tzuyu mentioned: the little girl.

Dahyun described that she felt like a big sister she never got the chance to be for her own family because she never got a sibling. Although, the happiness didn't last long for their bond when Dahyun became one of those who suffered from the death of that girl, and possibly led to her own downfall.

As she was finished talking, Seojoon made it fair by inserting another topic for her and Dahyun to converse with. Each time passes and it was all worth it, they were too indulged with their interesting interaction that they never even gave a damn anymore for now at whatever that is happening outside the manor.

Dahyun enjoyed talking with Seojoon, for the first time since being a ghost she never felt confined and alone. Same as what could tell for Seojoon to himself, Dahyun is indeed a very entertaining and nice to hang out with. He has never been this happy to anyone else other than her cousin Dahye.

As of now, Dahyun and Seojoon were both laying down on the floor, staring the window that relfects the sunset outside. They just took a little break from the non-stop talking they had.

"Dahyun."

"Hmm?"

"I just wanna ask, if I fail to spend more time with my loved ones; does that make me a horrible person?"

Dahyun looked at him who is still steadily watching from afar. "What makes you say so?"

"I don't know, I just envy you. You get to set time for your friends while being occupied with your duty of taking care that girl and focusing on your studies. You manage to maintain yourself available and flexible while me... I couldn't do it properly."

Seojoon sighed, he sat up and tangled his arms around his knees. "I always believed that work was always the most important thing that keeps me alive. I wasn't like this before. I thought having friends or family is the one thing that makes you motivated and dedicated to keep on living for another day, but instead every single one of them abandoned me."

"I only had my work who stayed by my side, so I became even more hardworking and busy. None of people around me could keep in touch with me that would surpass an hour. In short, I'm too insufferable and boring, and I couldn't care less about it."

"Not until when suddenly I got to meet with my remaining relatives. I got uncle and my little cousin. Her name's Harin. I didn't know that when I got to be close with them, especially her... I began to reconsider things. To spend more time at other things than work. And I found Harin to be very valuable and special to me."

Dahyun witnessed Seojoon as he started to choke and sniff, sign of her impending wails that's urging him because of the increasing emotions he's trying to endure. "But I was left confused in the end. Why does when I started to change for myself and for her, the world would just randomly chose to fuck my fate after? That she has just became one of the people in my life who will just instantly left me after pouring my love and care to them."

Seojoon cried harder on his knees. Dahyun sat upright and looked at him worriedly. "After she died, I never tried to the fullest to allow time with other things than work. But these days, it scares me that when Dahye got to be closer to me... if I let myself get attached to her too, she would just leave me just like the rest of them."

Dahyun nodded understandably at his reasons. "So do you mean that, it's what that holds you back from meeting her often?"

Seojoon nodded. Dahyun hummed and sat near beside Seojoon. "Everything is meant to happen, Seojoon; and I hate to say this to you but, that's what I could tell the same for your family, friends and Harin."

"But, just like what the saying says. when a door closes, another one opens. Opportunities are endless, Seojoon. And you must take it bravely because you wouldn't know when would that be given to you again. It could be just once and Dahye could also be the last, Seojoon."

"I say, you should not resist or restrict yourself after what happened to you. Don't take it as a failure, Seojoon. Let that be an encouragement for you to keep moving forward and continue what you love to do, and that is to become something meaningful in others lives.

Sometimes, things that disappear were meant to be replaced. It all leads you to Dahye, and just like what I said Seojoon. Life is unpredictable, you don't know if everything that we have could be our last. So, I suggest you should continue expressing yourself to the fullest of being a loving cousin for Dahye... before either she won't exist no one enters your life anymore as much important as her.

Seojoon wipes off the tears in his eyes and looked at Dahyun, agreeing at her advice. "I understand now. You're right, Dahyun. I'm sorry if I had to say this to you..."

"It's no problem, Seojoon. I'm grateful that you treated me to be a trustworthy person who you can reply on opening up your problems you couldn't share easily to others, and I'm glad that I could help." Dahyun grinned.

Seojoon shortly smiled at her humble statement. He straightened his seating posture, extending his legs to the floor with his hands supporting his upper body. He glanced at Dahyun and wandered around her facial features The unspoken feeling that distracts him is detectable again to him.

"Hey, enough crying. Cmon, follow me. Let's do one more thing before you go home." Dahyun hurriedly stood up and gestures him to do the same.

"What is it?"

"You'll see. Hurry up, slowpoke." Dahyun giggled which brought Seojoon to chuckle at her adorable antics.

Dahyun walks out of the room and Seojoon followed her from behind. They reached downstairs and went at the widest room in the entire section, located at the very end next to the living room.

"Sit here." Dahyun said after she sat at one of the chairs of the piano which includes to one of the things that were left unmoved here in this house.

Seojoon and Dahyun are now sitting side by side, facing the piano altogether. "I remember how much I loved playing this piano when I was still living and serving my time here as a maid. I mostly spend my free time improving my piano skills."

"You know how to play piano?"

Dahyun hummed. "Yup! I dreamt once of becoming a successful musician... or a pianist, you know. Piano has became my favorite musical instrument so tonight, let me console you by playing one of my favorite pieces for you."

Dahyun puts her hands on the keys and starting pressing the notes to the rhythm with the use of her supernatural force to suppress weight.

The more she keeps on playing, Seojoon slowly recognizes the music she's performing. Not wanting to be left behind, she joined Dahyun by singing the lyrics of the song she's playing on the piano.

Even if it's a dream, I like it Tomorrow, I'll be there Even if you're not That's okay, I'll remember you Little by little Our memories piled up I will always keep them As they were

With my eyes only I know it won't pass onto you So I'll give back your heart One by one

Dahyun on the other hand, was astounded and enlightened at how admiringly beautiful your vocal was. "Woah, you know this too?"

"It's my favorite too."

The two beamed a smile at each other before they proceed to sing-along the night away together with the calming instrumentals to left their day with a positive mark.

As the song ends, Dahyun and Seojoon applauded each other as both were impressed at each other's talents. While Seojoon fixated himself, Dahyun grabbed his attention by speaking up to him.

"This has to be the best day I've ever had so far, Seojoon. Thank you for staying with me."

Seojoon looks at her and smiled before his face sprung up as he recalled something.

"Oh wait, I got something for you."

He pulls out in his pocket and showed it at Dahyun. The latter covered his mouth in awe.

"They gave this to me in return of what I showed to them earlier. I just thought you would like to see these for yourself, since these are your photos taken by them."

"Woah, these looks so good. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu really are the best on capturing photos in our trio." Dahyun chuckled as she adored her images on your hand.

"Yeah, they did great. You look so free and gorgeous in these similar to how can I see through you right now."

Dahyun heard what Seojoon muttered under his breath. Their stares matched and drowned once again at the charms each of them possesses. Her blush grew rapidly not only from the fluttering words she was acknowledged for, but also for Seojoon himself.

"U-uhh, I'll be leaving now, Dahyun. Good night to you." Seojoon bows and smiles at him before he walks away from her, exiting the manor while she was left alone, stunned and amazed at the possibility that Dahyun might've fallen already for the good-hearted detective.

----------------------------------------------------

Back from serious business, Seojoon returns to the village the next day and searches for the landlord Haein as new inquiries spawned into his scarlet web of thread that would be nearly tied to the center of attraction, and that is for the awaited revelation behind Dahyun's disappearance.

Seojoon is standing behind Haein who is scrambling through his wooden cabinet where he keeps all of his documents stored in one place.

He asked a while ago if Haeil could still remember who was the last proprietor of the manor where Dahyun probably got killed. Haeil responded through the use of all the might he has left for the sharpness of his memory that it was indeed belongs to a middle-aged man.

He forgot the name, but as what he could remember; he has one family member with him: a daughter, matching Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's claims. But there was one thing that struck Seojoon.

A new clue. The man is a single father. Haein depicted that when the man signed the contract, he doesn't have any woman he could tell if that's his wife or what. In fact, he never even saw him had a woman that could stand as a mother for the little girl.

Seojoon heard that the landlord mentioned about the contract, he suggested Haein to look for the copy where he was answered that he still has all the papers with him.

And that's where they at right now. "I got it!" Haein exclaimed as he raised a paper on his hands. He closed the cabinet and placed it on his desk. "There. That's the last contract of agreement I had for the manor before it was left unoccupied for years."

Seojoon examined the paper and flipped the pages. The third and last paper is where the signature and the printed name of the owner could be found.

As he reads the name of the identity of the last owner, Seojoon's eyes largened in shock. He felt like the world turned upside down as he piercingly stared at the paper.

"H-how is this possible..." He murmured as he rubbed his mouth with his hands in utter disbelief.

"What's wrong, detective?"

"N-Nothing." Seojoon frantically shook his head. "Can I borrow this? This would be very useful for an evidence."

"Sure, take it if you want detective. I won't mind." Haein shrugged.

Seojoon nodded and quickly barged out of the landlord's house. He entered the car and slumped at his seat, facing the paper back in front of him as he combed his hair in astonishment.

"Yoon Guimhwi..." He reads the name of the last occupant under the property of Haein's.

"I-It's my uncle's... does he have secrets that he's been hiding from me?" Seojoon asked to himself before he drove away.

He arrived minutes later at his uncle's residence, perfectly timed where his cousin wouldn't be around since Dahye is at her class. He want this to become personal and private, just the two of them for him to suspect his own uncle.

"Seojoon!" His uncle greeted him as soon as he appeared at the front door. He kept his stoic and observative mask worn around his face. "You're too late! Dahye is not here."

"It's alright. I wanted to see you this time, uncle."

"Ah is that so? How thoughtful of you, Joon. Then come in, let me get you some. What do you prefer? Food or drink?"

"Juice would be fine enough. Thanks uncle." Seojoon replied.

Uncle Guimhwi went to the kitchen to prepare, leaving Seojoon alone in the living room to standby and make himself feel at home, but that's not what he came here for.

He roamed around and viewed the frames of his uncle and his cousin, until there was one thing that caught him off track.

Seojoon stepped forward and traced the picture further. The eyes never lie. He's literally seeing clearly, and he doesn't know whether to deny or accept what he just discovered.

The structure of the manor is the background of the family picture of his uncle along with his cousin, photo taken in the daylight.

This just confirmed more for Seojoon that his uncle must have a huge part of his investigation. It was unexpected and a coincidence, but that's not what it matters for him. He's going to try something that would measure his truthfulness in front of something he wasn't aware of that could place his innocence in judgement.

"Joon! You can get your juice here, boy." his uncle called him from behind, bringing along a pitchel full of orange juice and some glasses.

"Thanks, uncle." Seojoon grabbed one and poured himself a drink. He returns back to face the painting and make himself obvious for his uncle to notice.

"You miss her. I know."

Seojoon heard his uncle's comment. That wasn't the one he's waiting to hear from him, but he wouldn't dodge such a painful fact. He does miss his cousin a lot.

"I do, but... can I ask you something uncle?"

"Go ahead."

"You lived here in this manor before?"

His uncle sipped a drink before responding. "Yeah, we stayed there for 3 years until we relocated here."

"Where was this located?"

"At Gyeonggi, if I wasn't mistaken." Uncle Guimhwi stated. "The neighborhood there was so kind. I wish I could pay them a visit someday."

Seojoon keeps on listing secretly on his mind. "Why couldn't you?"

"Some things are best to left behind, Joon. There's a lot of bad history I had there in that manor. I wouldn't last to witness that place ever again if I get the chance... but it's better for me not to take that at all." Uncle Guimhwi said.

"Wait, are you referring to the missing case of... wait, what's this name again- Kim Dahyun?"

Seojoon observed his uncle who stopped midway from gulping another cold beverage in his glass. It's like he just installed some flashbacks within him that he just malfunctioned.

"Y-you know that?"

"I do. Researching helps plus hello, I work at police department as a detective, uncle." Seojoon blurted.

Guimhwi started to act weird by rotating his head as if he's trying to find something for him to say regarding that matter.

"A-ahh. Right, yeah. You are." Guimhwi nervously chuckled.

"That manor was the same place where that Dahyun girl was reported to be missing. Do you know her, uncle?"

The intensity of Seojoon's playful act to corner his uncle becomes even more intense as he enjoys watching him struggle to reply. His suspicions were now being constructed and Seojoon couldn't believe that he would've get to confront his uncle for being the unthinkable type of person he never knew would turn out real.

Guimhwi remained silent for a while before he glanced at the manor. "I do. He was our previous maid. Dahye and her gets along really well. That's why when I noticed that she wasn't appearing for days and become absent in our manor, not knowing that would be the start of his missing report by the police; I was worried and saddened for her and for Dahye. They were like bestfriends and Dahyun... Dahyun is a great girl, Seojoon. It breaks my heart not to see that kid for a long time now."

"I heard from our department that they're going to reopen the case, if you will be asked to stand as the witness; would you allow me to recommend you?"

Guimhwi swallowed a lump on his throat before speaking up to what his nephew told to him. "I-I'll think about it first. That's undebatable."

Seojoon clicked his tongue and pretends to pull out his cellphone for some urgent reason. "I'll be back, uncle. I have to chat my colleague."

"Take your time, boy."

Seojoon walks away from his uncle and stopped near the door. He pressed the note icon and types down everything he heard from his uncle. He saved it for later there and not on his usual notepad so that he wouldn't be seen too obvious that he's actually investigating his uncle. This has to be included for review and analyzation back on his house or at the station later.

-----------------------------

Two days later, Seojoon was mostly devoted on investigating further about the sudden involvement of his uncle about Dahyun's case. It's making him conflicted and befuddled that after all this time, one of things he'd be looking for the case was someone very close to his life, and as of now his role is very crucial here.

His uncle has just become one of the primary suspects as the culprit of Dahyun's death.

He doesn't want it to be true, because he doesn't know what would it affect him once it does. Being a police detective, learning that there's a murderer or a killer that is highly related to you feels like a stain to your career and background as you hold your family's name along with the rank of your profession.

Seojoon was busy adjusting all of the clues he has with him when he received a phone call from his cousin Dahye.

"Hello?"

"Oppa." Her voice sounded weak.

"Dahye, what made you call in the middle of the night. You miss me already, don't you?" He chuckled as he closed a folder in his working table.

"Oppa... please come here. I don't wanna go."

Seojoon slowly furrowed his eyebrows after he heard that plead from Dahye. "What do you mean you don't wanna go? Is there something wrong going on there, Dahye-nah?"

"Oppa... appa wants us to look for new home. I don't know why but... I don't want to be far away, oppa. I love it here. Stop appa please."

"Okay okay, I'll be right there. Where is appa right now?" Seojoon asked, hurriedly wearing his detective coat and some equipments with him in case it gets handy. He has to beware, his uncle is a suspect and the suspicions he has on him are still on the top and through Dahye's emergency call, it maintains that level of the risk he has.

"H-he's with the maids, packing our things. I have to go, oppa. Appa might see me."

"Just try to be stubborn and fight back against appa's instructions. Seojoon oppa is on his way now there!" He said before ending the call and left his apartment in a dash.

Driving his car in a fast speed while keeping it steady to avoid any unlikely accidents that may be a hindrance to his chase, Seojoon successfully made it to his uncle's residence.

Just as he arrived, he saw Guimhwi trying to calm down Dahye who is forcing herself to escape from his father's grasp as she's being inserted inside the car.

"UNCLE!" Seojoon shouted, marching closer at Guimhwi who was surprised at his emergence. Dahye quickly ran at him and hugged him on the leg as she cried.

"Seojoon-ssi, what are you doing here?"

"Where are you guys going? And why are you forcing Dahye to go with you? The kid doesn't look pleased, uncle. What's going on?"

"It's none of your business. Y-you won't understand, Seojoon. Take care of yourself, but me and Dahye has to look for a new home somewhere."

Guimhwi tried to approach Dahye but she hid behind Seojoon who is gesturing his to stop. "No. Why can't you tell me why? Your home here seems fine, what's bothering you uncle?"

His uncle went silent as he avoid Seojoon's intimidating gaze, waiting for his answer. As he has no comment to offer, Seojoon starts to choke from the heavy breaths escaping in his mouth driven by the emotions increasing deep inside of him.

"U-uncle, yesterday... I asked you about the manor and if you have knowledge about the case of Kim Dahyun..."

"W-why does it concerns you, Seojoon?!"

"BECAUSE I'M THE ONE WHO HANDLES THE CASE!" Seojoon shouted at Guimhwi. Dahye started to cry behind him. " And you LIED! All of what you said was a LIE. Is that why you're doing this, uncle? Is that because, you feel guilty of what you did... that's why you have to escape and brought a child into this?!"

"How d-do you even know that I told you false information, Seojoon?! What makes sure, that you could just accuse me without any evi-"

"Dahye's not the actual child Dahyun took care of when she was working for you, isn't it?" Seojoon's lips began to twitch. "The case was 5 years ago, Dahye is only turning 6 this year, uncle. She wasn't even born during that time!"

"The girl she took care was your daughter, your ORIGINAL daughter, uncle. Harin was Dahyun's responsibility." Seojoon pointed. Guimhwi was just standing there, head lowered down with fists curling, enduring all of the blame being thrown at him.

"June 12, 2015. You must be on the manor at that day. Why? Because that was 2 days ago after Harin died. You stayed in that manor all day with Dahyun, assisting you while you grieve at your only daughter's death."

"And now, I have to confirm one thing... and I want it to hear it from you, uncle."

Seojoon adjusted the phone in his coat in which he secretly opened the audio recorder to record their conversation tonight, and to caught the suspect's reactions about his claims.

"What did you do to Dahyun on that given night?" Seojoon sharpened his tone, sending chills through the horrified and extremely tensed Guimhwi.

"Are you the one who killed her?"

"..."

"TELL ME!!!"

Dahye cried harder and Guimhwi flinched at the deafening scream by Seojoon.

Tears streamed down in his face while he stares at his uncle that has been cornered and put into hot seat, getting his innocence doubted.

"S-seojoon...

I'm sorry."

Guimhwi didn't answered in specific, but the obvious meaning behind those words were enough to shatter Seojoon's heart and soul.

"N-no... Dahyun..."

He gave in from his stance, collapsing to the ground and slowly sobbed in pain as Dahye hugged him on the back.

--------------------

5 DAYS LATER

The case was now closed. His uncle, Yoon Guimhwi was found guilty and sentenced to more than a decade in prison after he admitted publicly that he was the man behind the slaughter of Kim Dahyun's disapperance, which was caused by murder. He did it at the same room where Dahyun usually stays in the manor, explaining why is it the part of the house that is haunted the most by her spirit.

Dahyun's body was found and surprisingly, it was buried neatly on an open field somewhere in Daegu. On a positive side, atleast his uncle was right and spoke the truth about his explaination on why he did the crime.

But still, that won't change a thing that it was a horrible act to do. He hurted Dahyun for a very obssessive reason. He killed and wasted her dreams because of that. He left Dahyun locked in that manor, hoping that she'll get to cross into the gates of heaven where her soul rightfully belongs.

A proper funeral has been held for Dahyun's remains. All of her friends visited and send their thank yous at the detective for bringing Dahyun the justice she deserves.

Seojoon decided to stop at the manor where he would be visiting Dahyun again. It's been days since they haven't seen each other. She must've felt bored and lonely again, and Seojoon misses her so much already as much as she does.

"Dahyun."

Seojoon called her name after he stood in the doorway. Dahyun was just laying down on the bed with her hands placed atop of her midsection, the same posture as how deceased people were formed inside the casket.

Dahyun gets up from the bed and looked at Seojoon with a huge smile on her face. "Seojoon!" She walked closer to him as fast as she could.

Seojoon got to face Dahyun closer. The two were standing in front of each other, gap were just inches away.

Seeing her after knowing the fate she had that costs her life was too much for Seojoon to control.

"How are you?"

"I'm good, just feeling a bit weird. I feel... more alive and at rest since yesterday." Dahyun described. "It feels like I have nothing to worry about. Like, everything's going to be okay for me even though I'm still here... trapped in this manor for god knows how long."

Seojoon speculated that the completion of the case gave an impact on Dahyun's state as a lost ghost in this mortal world.

He smiled softly and didn't wasted any more time to announce her the good news. "I-It's done."

"Hmm?"

"The case. It's now closed. We caught your killer, Dahyun."

Dahyun was shocked and overwhelmed with joy and relief. She gasped, staring at Seojoon unbelievably. "R-really?"

He nodded. Dahyun jumped in glee and lets out tears of joy in her dazzling eyes. Seojoon admirably watch her celebrate victoriously, it's been a long time coming for her and finally she was able to achieve it.

As soon as Dahyun stops, she noticed that Seojoon was shuddering as tears bursted out from him, hissing and whimpering at the emotions taking over him.

"W-why are you crying, Seojoon? We did it, right?"

"Y-yeah. We did. I'm just so happy for you but I..." Seojoon blew some warm air before proceeding. "I just couldn't help but to feel bad at myself."

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong though?"

"I don't... I-I'm just ashamed to show up myself for you after what I learnt."

Dahyun looks at Seojoon curiously. "Why? What is it?"

"D-Dahyun... forgive me. I didn't know... I didn't know..."

She held her wrists and looked at him worriedly.

"You didn't know what?"

"I- I didn't know that my uncle killed you."

Dahyun was stunned. She froze in front of you, what you just told her immensely shocked her to the core.

"W-what?" Dahyun said, stepping back a bit from him.

"I wasn't close with my uncle at that time, so I never got to know about you. I-If only I did met him and you, pay some visit here earlier, m-maybe I... I could've done something." Seojoon said, shaking his head in regret and guilt. "I wanted to save you, Dahyun."

"H-how did I die?" Dahyun asked him, both were weakened and hurt.

"You were strangled to death... at this very same room we're standing in. He did that after y-you tried to escaped." Seojoon began to explain what his uncle shared in the court. Dahyun's head suddenly starts to ache as all of the memories were now flashing back from her all at once, allowing her to have a glimpse of the last moments before her unfortunate demise in the hands of Seojoon's uncle.

"Y-you did that because... you couldn't stand staying there on that manor, living while raising a child that was completely forced and unplanned for you to have." Seojoon proceeded. "You gave birth to Dahye due to the consequences of Harin's death. My uncle's obssession of having a child in replacement of Harin has what brought uncle to rap-"

"STOP!" Seojoon flinched and looked at Dahyun who is covering her head and ears as she kneeled, body curled on the floor as she fought the pain of regaining back her lost memories that were mostly full of tragedy and darkness.

"Dahyun?" He called her name to check up on her. Dahyun was also crying like him. She removed her hands on her head and looked at Seojoon who is concerned for her.

"I-I remember it all now." Dahyun spoke in the midst of her sobs. "That man needs to pay for what she did to me. Your uncle deserves to burn in hell!"

Seojoon didn't say anything as he just listened to Dahyun's rage and agony. "M-my daughter... I remember her. I can even sense her somewhere. She's alive, I can feel it."

Dahyun went closer towards Seojoon. "S-Seojoon, w-where is she? I-is she okay?"

He nodded, Dahyun smiled through her cries. "She's with me. She grown up to be such a great girl. And I just noticed that... she just looks almost as you."

Dahyun was touched and happy at the news. She cried harder, hands clasped as she prayed for the Gods feeling grateful that somehow her daughter was able to survive and able to continue living the life that was gifted to her.

"Her name..."

"Dahye." Both of them said it at the same time.

"It's as wonderful as her mother's." Seojoon muttered and stared deeply at Dahyun before he looked away as the connection he has with his uncle made him uncomfortable to look at Dahyun straight in the eyes.

"A-are you mad at me, Dahyun?"

"Me?" Dahyun was confused. "Why w-would I? You said it yourself, you have no idea what cruel and disgusting your uncle was."

"Don't be regretful about it, Seojoon. Don't blame yourself just because you have a relative who disobeyed the law opposite of the oath you took for your occupation. It might affect your reputation as a detective, but don't let it distract you from the fact that you're the one who arrested him and sent him to jail on your own. That cements your faithfulness and unbiased principle for the sake of the law and truth."

Dahyun smiled sympathetically at Seojoon. The two had each other's eyes in contact. She grinned brightly, making Seojoon eased and stable from his overflowing emotions. "I won't hold anger, hatred or vengeance from you. It's all done, I am now free... and it wouldn't be possible without you."

They paused on talking when Seojoon noticed that Dahyun's figure started to become blurry as she starts to slowly disappear. "D-Dahyun... you're-"

"I know." She nodded. "My time is up, I see."

Seojoon dreadfully looked at Dahyun after she said it.

"But before I go... I want to say this to you that I've been keeping to myself from the first day that I got to talk with you more than just my case, Seojoon.

Thank you for choosing to help me. You did it, and I'm so proud of you. Those made me even love you more ."

Seojoon starts to cry as he finally tried to touch Dahyun to hug her, but sadly he really couldn't do it. His body just went passed through Dahyun's. He became infuriated, pounding his fists at the floor.

"N-no... no, even you?!" Seojoon exclaimed. The fear of being left by someone who became dear in his heart happened again, and it hits Seojoon different because for the first time; he gets to be romantically in love with a woman despite being only the ghost of herself when she was existing like him.

"Can I join you too? I don't want you to go. I love you too Dahyun." Seojoon begged as he kneeled in front of Dahyun. She squats and leveled Seojoon's sight.

"You can, but not for now."

Seojoon looked at Dahyun. "You still have purpose to fulfill in this world, Seojoon... and I want that for you to do me a favor. Take care of Dahye for me. In the future, when she grew up and you feel that she can stand on her own now... I will just be up high above, waiting for you. And we can finally enjoy our everlasting love together there."

Dahyun formed a heart gesture to Seojoon as only a quarter of her figure is now left visible. Seojoon nodded and tapped his chest, making Dahyun happy and fluttered.

"See you on the other side, Seojoon."

That was Dahyun's last words before she vanished in thin air, as Seojoon watched his soul flew out of the window and go upwards into the destination where she can finally rest in peace.

The next day, fulfilling his promise to his stepcousin Dahye; he treated her outside for her birthday as a way to make her special day fun and unforgettable. It was also to distract her from the fact that her father is currently behind bars, Seojoon doesn't want to kid to know yet that his father is a killer.

After Seojoon bought ice cream for him and Dahye, he observed that Dahye was looking at a fast food restaurant where a birthday is being gathered. She saw the kid who is the celebrant along with her father being taken pictures by the guests.

Seojoon went near Dahye and kneeled beside her. He presented the ice cream at her, she accepted and said thank you to him.

"I wish appa is here with us." Dahye said as she directed her gaze back at the party. "Why couldn't he come, oppa?"

Seojoon sighed and pouted, thinking of a way to answer the kid's question. "Because... appa did something wrong, and he has to fix it. That's why for now, I'll be here to become your guardian."

Thankfully, the kid seems to take the explaination nicely. "I'm just jealous, oppa. She has her father with her on her birthday, but I don't."

Dahye frowned and sadly licked her ice cream. Seojoon smiled and swayed some strands of hair behind her ear. "You can call me appa for today if you want."

"Are y-you sure oppa?!"

"Yeah. Since I'm your guardian and I'm the one in charge on behalf of appa, I can stand as your father-figure too, Dahye. You can call me that as much as you want too." He shrugged. "Do you like that?"

Dahye smiled and nodded. "Yes, appa!" She replied as she hugged Seojoon afterwards. He shut his eyes as she indulge the comforting sensation of having his beloved little girl delighted in his company.

Seojoon became determined to grant Dahyun's wishes, and that is to raise Dahye and teach her to become a wonderful person just like her mother.

----------------------------

35 YEARS LATER

In one of the hospital rooms, sounds of cries from the visitors and a flatline from the heartbeat monitor can be heard as the patient who is confined there was just announced his time of death by the doctors who failed to resuscitate his life.

The woman is being comforted by her boyfriend, as she cried harder while grasping the lifeless hand of his father.

"I'll be here for you Dahye, stay strong. You heard him and I don't want to fail him either." the boyfriend said as he rubbed her back, revealing to Dahye who is now an adult and is in her 30's who just suffered a huge loss for the passing of her beloved stepfather and veteran detective Yoon Seojoon at the age of 65.

Meanwhile, Seojoon's newly ascended soul awakened in a foggy ground covered in crystal clear water in a very shallow height.

He slowly raised himself and looked around, where he could only see nothing but baby blue sky.

Noticing that he's in his younger appearance and wearing all white long sleeved shirt and pants while barefoot in the water; he walked ahead at the unknown until a gate standing tall supported with golden bars of fences to defend and guard of what it seems to be an evangelical town appeared out from the fog.

There were two guards who noticed him. He walked through them as they stood their ground with all confidence.

"State your name, lost soul." The guard who's holding a long golden trident asked him authoratively.

"L-lost soul... that means I'm truly dead...?" He whispered to himself. He knew what happened to him but he couldn't believe that this were all happening to him in reality.

"Y-Yoon Seojoon." He said cautiously.

The other guard on the booth flipped the pages of what it seems to be an enchanted book. "He's cleared."

The guard snapped his fingers and the padlocks of the gate went poof out of the air. It opened wide after and the guard stepped aside. "Welcome to the heavens. You may now enter."

Seojoon looked at the guard amazedfully. He walked inside, a white beam suddenly appeared in his body that expanded into a thread that leads to somewhere.

"W-what is this light attached on me?"

"It means that there's another soul here who is waiting to see you. Follow the way and you'll find out." The guard answered.

Seojoon nodded and continues walking. He travelled his eyes around at these unique and surreal surroundings. Everything looks unearthly, magical and spectacular.

He kept following the direction of the white beam connected to him until it came to a pause where he saw the the other end of it. It passes through the walls of a lovely looking house.

As soon as he stepped into the pathway, the door opened. Seojoon's eyes widened too when Dahyun showed up at the door looking at him tenderly.

"D-Dahyun..."

She went out of the house and placed her hands on the back. Her classic black long hair and white dress. She looked simply breathtaking and magnificent just like the first time you've seen her, and seeing her in heaven, there couldn't get even more excellent than this.

"Welcome home, Seojoon."

The two slowly walked towards each other until they closed the space between them and catched theirselves in a warm, longing and blooming embrace. Seojoon teared up as he saw Dahyun's body wrapped in his arms.

"I can finally feel you." Seojoon said as he stroked her silky smooth hair.

Dahyun smiled, feeling grateful as him. "How was your time down there?" she asked.

"It was worth it. Your lessons has what made me feel alive with purpose. And Dahye, she's in good hands now."

They seperated and faced each other dearly. Dahyun was pleased that she can finally get a touch of her lover's attractive face as she cupped it with her small cute hands.

"She had grown up to be a wise, independent lady, thanks to you Seojoon. Thank you." Dahyun nodded and sniffed at her tears. "And now that you're here, we can finally be together whenever we want and start our relationship for all time...

"... always." Seojoon took the turn to finish her words. "I love you, Dahyun."

"I love you too, Seojoon."

Both of them smiled and locked their hands together.

"Unnie! Where are you?" Someone shouted from the house. They both heard it and got alarmed, Seojoon was surprised at the familiar voice.

"There's also someone you would be very glad to see." Dahyun said to him.

The door opened, and Seojoon broke down with more tears as he saw the owner of that voice standing in front of him looking very much alive and enthusiastic.

"O-oppa?"

"H-Ha... Harin..."

"OPPA!"

Her cousin ran at him and Seojoon greeted him with a tight embrace. "Harin... Y-You're here... oh thank God, oppa missed you so much..."

"I missed you too, oppa."

He grabbed the back of his head and kissed her repeatedly on the top. Dahyun was touched at this wholesome scene.

Seojoon stood up and holds both Dahyun and Harin's hands. They formed a circle and Seojoon looked at them admiringly as he finally got reunited with the most cherished ones who entered in his life.

Back on Earth few days later, Dahye was the last person who remained in front the grave of her parents, Dahyun and Seojoon after the funeral ended.

She stared and grieved on their resting place one last time. Dahye pulls out her wallet where it contains the pictures of her and Seojoon and the old picture of Dahyun that serves as her only kept remembrance of her when it was shown to her by Seojoon as he explained to her about Dahyun being her biological mother before.

Dahye sometimes imagines what would it be like if they were a complete family, and she can experience how it feels to have a mother's love.

She looks above the skies, a bittersweet smile displayed in her lips. Dahye securedly holds the pictures into her chest.

"I hope you two are having fun up there. You two deserved it. Rest in peace, eomma and appa."

At the same time in the immaculate heavens far away from the mortal world, Seojoon and Dahyun were playing their favorite piece together in the piano as they sat beside each other while her head is on his shoulder. Harin is on the floor, listening with them while she's coloring her book.

When the song ends, Dahyun leans away and looked at Seojoon lovingly; and the two shared their first ever kiss empowered of nothing but an everlasting love they can exchange for one another on their new life in the eternal paradise called heaven.

Searching for her keys inside her wallet as she continue walking, she did find it right at the time where she had to raise her head up; meeting an unfavorable sight that quickly annoyed her mood this morning. Great, she thought. Her day is just beginning yet she has to contain herself facing this situation again.

With her own eyes, she's clearly seeing Irene who is standing while forcefully making herself look unbothered being in between this group of male and female delinquent students circling her.

Dahyun knew that Irene knows who these people are, and Dahyun certainly does sure that she's thinking what she's thinking too.

She knows these trash, pathetic teens are insufferable as always. She didn't expected it though that there will be a time where Irene would eventually take their attention, and that is happening right now.

She paused on her tracks as she stood just few steps away from the group who is unable to notice her presence being close yet, occupied with dealing on Irene who instead already caught her watching them.

A helpless expression suddenly became visible on Irene's face that shouts a desperate need of help right now from Dahyun, and the pale clever girl clearly understands it.

"Just try it out or something, we'll have fun I promise you that.", the leader of the notorious ruthless gang that preys on the weak students around the campus named Chanyeol once again pulls out another plead he has in store in him.

"And why should I listen to you? Why me anyways?", Irene looked up fiercely at Chanyeol.  "Do you guys have nothing to do again that you two just randomly picked me and belong to your list of bullied victims, huh?"

Chanyeol only smirked, the rest of his members just stiffled a laugh. "Wanna know why?"

He quickly went forward, narrow his gap even closer to Irene who ended up colliding with the wall and completely trapped in front of Chanyeol.

Dahyun gaped her mouth, became even more worried for Irene on facing them alone.

"I have my eyes on you ever since you guaranteed to got my attention and I could say... well damn they ain't lying that you are indeed beautiful, Bae Irene.", Chanyeol grinned as his hand on the wall placed beside Irene's head.

Dahyun found Irene's body starts to shaken. She's definitely sure that the poor girl must be nervous and terrified of whatever Chanyeol is planning to her.

She gulped as her fists clenched tight, mustering up her courage to stop this and help her friend who is in danger.

"You had me having interests with you. Those bastards I see being with you like stupid dogs following around you, I admit... I get jealous many times.", Chanyeol said while gritting his teeth at how irritating it made him felt speaking up that experience he had.

"So I can't take it anymore. I have to move and make you mine, so why don't you just take it a shot, Irene. Who knows? We might be fitting, we can take over the entire campus as the leading couple around.", Chanyeol spreaded his arms and roamed it around to elaborate what he's saying along with his dreamy look.

"Do you want it? Would you get out together with me?"

Irene just stared at Chanyeol, speechless of what she is going to respond to the leader's proposal. She clearly does not want anything involved with a heartless guy like him but the problem is that she just don't know how will she say it.

She can tell it right away that if she declines, she'll get hurt.

Before Chanyeol gets more impatient from waiting on the answer...

"Irene-ssi! There you are! Sorry I'm late!", Dahyun just casually appeared and pretends to walk hurriedly towards Irene. Chanyeol and the rest of his gangmates just looked at her weirdly and confused.

"D-dahyun...", Irene muttered.

Dahyun looked aside and saw the gang's crumpled foreheads and eyebrows squinting at her. "Oh sorry, I didn't know you're talking with them. Did I interrupt something important?"

"You do, now can you please do me a favor and leave us both alone for a while you idiot.", Chanyeol looked at Dahyun seriously and spoke to her with angst. The girl just widened her eyes, portraying that she didn't saw that curse coming.

"E-eh... Oh sorry. I'm about to excuse her but I guess I'll be just waiti-", Dahyun's about to finish her words when Irene interjects and threw a dagger of stare at Chanyeol.

"N-No, Dahyun, nothing's wrong now. We're done now anyways so let me join you.", Irene joined your fake approach as she tried to escape Chanyeol's trap but the leader tugged her arm and gripped it harshly.

"Where are you going? Who said you can leave ready?", Chanyeol said after Irene rotates her body to face him.

"I don't like you Chanyeol okay? You want an answer? Leave me alone please, stop disturbing me because I have no desire to hang out with the likes of you.,", Irene said sharply, leaning her face closer to make him hear it clearly as she forcefully sweep his hands away from her skin.

Chanyeol reacted with a twitch of anger in his lips, pent up anger building up in him.

"GRAAAHHH!!"

He pushed Irene with frustration, causing the elegant schoolgirl to nearly crash into the ground but thanks to Dahyun, she quickly catch her and prevent her from falling.

"IRENE!"

"That's a huge loss you had there, Irene. I was giving you an opportunity already. Ain't no man can satisfy you much as I can do for you.", Chanyeol retorted. "But instead you had the dare to cancel me and rather what? talk to this nerd?"

"Chanyeol!", Irene scolded him with a shout of his name as she didn't liked what he used to call Dahyun.

"Stop and leave her alone okay? Irene said no already, so stay away from her!"

"Shut up nerd, don't command me like that.", Chanyeol then pointed his finger warningly at Dahyun who became anxious. "I don't even know who the hell you are so don't tell me what I shall must not do.

He then stepped forward and squats in front of Dahyun and Irene who both look unimpressed to match their level.

"But you know what... you have guts, huh. I'll remember you for that.", Chanyeol stared intently at Dahyun who repayed him the same manner and just listened at his comment that either she felt being warned or complimented at the same time.

As no one ever dared to speak up after that. Irene thought that this is the time where they had to leave and not waste any more time with this irrelevant moment.

"Let's go, Dahyun." Irene insisted.

Dahyun helped her slowly stand up on her both feet again before leaving one last annoyed glance at Chanyeol who is still crouching while sniggering devilishly at them.

They made a few steps away only to halt when Dahyun crossed paths with somebody that she used to know before who just arrived at the scene, clueless about what happened but immediately guessed how it occurred.

Dahyun's grimace got deepened at the sight of her while Irene just looked worriedly at Dahyun as she recognized the woman in front of them.

"You shouldn't have get in the way."

Dahyun scoffed and ridiculous rolled her eyes on this person who was once a special person to her life, now turned into a forgotten past.

"I did what I had to do, it's my friend. I chose to save her.", Dahyun replied. "Most importantly, I chose to follow the person who cares about me... so don't tell me that as if you can even do it."

Dahyun gave one last offended glare at her before proceeding to walk away pulling Irene by her arm.

The girl on the other hand just hurtfully watched her disappear after unable to dodge the painful facts that Dahyun just made her realize again.

--------------

Later during recess, the campus gang smokes cigarette in their favorite area in the campus: behind one of the senior high school buildings where they did some many troublesome things discreetly from the officials for them to get caught.

Chanyeol who is currently savoring the taste of his bubblegum flavored vape remains silent as he replayed what happened earlier when his gangmates began talking about it.

"Then that weird girl just interrupted our business like as if she didn't know who she just messed with."

"Imagine disrupting a conversation with the famous gang leader and king of the campus Chanyeol being involved. Does she really even know how fucked up what she did."

"Heh, I bet she doesn't. Say, what if she made her realize the consequence of doing it?"

That suggestion coming from his fellow gangmate made Chanyeol to woke up his senses back as it reminded him of what he just said to Dahyun before leaving.

"You know... I like your guts, huh. I'll remember that."

He puffed one more bubblegum smelled smoke in his mouth before playing the vape on his hands and avoid looking at his followers as he gather all the question popping in to his mind.

"That girl... her name was Dahyun, isn't it? Irene called her that earlier if I'm not mistaken.", Chanyeol curiously asked.

"Yes, boss.", one of his sidemen named Sehun answered.

"I'll give it to her, she may look weak but she's courage enough to step in to my business.", Chanyeol tilted his head. "But then again, I'm sure all of you know what is one of the things I hated the most."

All of the gangmates went silent, seemingly knowing where is their leader's point going ahead into.

"Meddling with me especially if you're a nobody.", Chanyeol clenched his fist. "And what she did earlier made her prove what does a person like that I despise."

"You all must've heard what I told her before we let them go. I admire her guts, and I really do. Because nobody has ever done it like that to me.", Chanyeol finally revolved his sight around his gangmates.

"I told her that her deed was remarkable, and she might have no idea how it's actually offensive in my part."

"We let them go, but that doesn't mean we're setting them free... especially her."

"However though, there's something I pointed out earlier that seems... fascinating to me.", Chanyeol caressed his chin.

"Anyone including me has no idea who she is.", Chanyeol looked at the rest who agreed as they nodded their heads, except for someone.

"But... there's this one of us who doesn't seem like it."

All their gazes went directly to the only woman in their group who is sipping her strawberry lollipop. She also looked back to her friends with guilt, understandably knowing the meaning behind their looks.

"Chaeyoung. Come here.", Chanyeol did a 'come hither' hand gesture to Chaeyoung who followed right away, stepping closely beside him.

"Based from what I saw a while ago, have you... and Dahyun know each other?"

Chaeyoung took out the lollipop in her mouth to allow her to respond. "Yes."

The members listened attentively more to their conversation as their curiosity risen also.

"Were you and Dahyun... close?", Chanyeol asked, squinting his eyes.

"O-once." Chaeyoung solemnly answered, slightly stuttered at the word. "We were close before."

"Mmmhmm. So, are you two what?"

"B-bestfriends. She was my bestfriend."

Chanyeol nodded, pursing his lower lip interestingly. He glanced at Chaeyoung, turning his head to the side.

"Do you still consider her as one until now?"

Chaeyoung matched Chanyeol's anticipating stare.

"Like I said. WAS. That was before. We were no longer like that in the present, so as I am to her."

"Good to know then. So... you won't mind that we'll target her next and your side will remain with us, right?"

Chaeyoung gulped and blinked her eyes rapidly when he said that.

"R-rest assured, Chanyeol."

Chanyeol nodded, patting her on the shoulder before urging her to lean her face closer, giving Chaeyoung a kiss on her cheek which sent a red fuming blush in react for the girl.

The bell then rang, alarming everyone to return back to their respective classes now that the recess is over.

"Goddamnit, I hate it when break passes fast.", Chanyeol grunted in annoyance.

"That boring ass Math subject is coming up next, let's slack off and avoid boring ourselves to that wack class Mr. Shin has."

----------------

Dahyun and Chaeyoung's friendship before can be described as joyful and strong. They were unseperable. Two different personalities, but each share the same preferred way to make theirselves entertained.

They were buddies, always together whenever they want to do so many things that will assure them happiness. Everyone who sees them probably thinking that this two are just so perfect for each other that other would began to think and see them differently being actual sisters rather.

That wholesome connection they built between each other because of the friendship they had for each other made them wish it would never end, especially for Dahyun who already sees Chaeyoung as a special person. A loved one and a family.

That is... until one day, something happened that changed everything drastically, which would lead to the start of their fallout.

Dahyun haven't met Chaeyoung for two days now, after swearing that they'll have a scheduled stroll in the mall on weekends; but it didn't happened because Chaeyoung didn't appeared or so.

What she did doesn't make her angry. Instead, she was worried.

When she decided to come to Chaeyoung's house, she was greeted by her mother Mrs. Son who looks devastated as the evident cries in her face was presented to the youngster. She may not be shedding tears anymore but she can call that it does looked like she did.

"Why are you crying, Mrs. Son?", Dahyun thoughtfully asked the mother.

"U-uh... this? W-we just had a fight with my husband..."

"And Chaeyoung? How is she? Is she there?"

Mrs. Son remained silent.

"Dubu... that's what I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?", Dahyun furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"I know she's not okay after hearing and seeing what happened in our family but... I don't know what she's doing right now about it.

"She... just walked out of the house. Didn't she came to you?"

Dahyun shook her head, with fear and concern in her face. She began thinking of Chaeyoung immediately. "N-no, she didn't."

"Oh god... I hope she comes back soon.", Mrs. Son began crying again, enough for Dahyun to quickly comfort the poor woman.

"It's okay, Mrs. Son. I'll help you find her. She will be alright. Nothing wrong's gonna happen to her."

Dahyun excused herself to began looking for her in the middle of the night. Her search didn't last long though when she saw Chaeyoung walking slowly alone in the sidewalk, her head bowed down in sadness.

"CHAE!"

The girl heard that familiar voice. Lifting up her head, she met Dahyun's sight of her running closer to her before engulfing her in a tight, warm hug.

"D-Dahyun...", Chaeyoung's tears fell at her friend's touch.

"Sshhh... it's okay. I'm here. Where did you go? I heard what happened, so I came to look out for you."

"I- I just strolled around for a while. Took some fresh air to calm myself down."

"You got me worried about you Chaeng. Don't leave alone next time okay? Wherever you go, I'll either join you or find you when you need help."

Chaeyoung can't help but to just nod, speechless enough for Dahyun's easing words.

She just deepened her hug onto her friend. "T-thank you, Dahyun."

"Always welcome, bro. Come on, let's get you home."

After that, they talked about what happened. Chaeyoung shared that it's a family matter regarding her father and mother's relationship. She learned that her mother got mad of her father for acting cold and uninterested these days whenever he'll come home or he is indeed in the house.

Her father didn't like hearing those accusations, so he began spitting out some hateful remarks and turned mad for his wife on blaming him for lies. That's where the altercation began and Chaeyoung was just only there, begging for them to stop as she watches them fight in the living room while sobbing in the stairs.

The couple stopped when Chaeyoung who can't contain this anymore, had to left the house for a while to let them know the damage they've done as parents. She didn't knew that the father then locked himself up in the bedroom after what happened, and her mother got even more mad that her husband didn't even bother to look for her daughter who just walked out in the middle of the night.

Dahyun sends some assuring and comforting messages for her friend to keep her positive. That didn't last long when two days later, Dahyun found out that Chaeyoung's fear came true.

Her parents broke up and her father left them alone after admitting that he was indeed cheating on his wife.

Now having a broken family, that made Dahyun concerned more for Chaeyoung, especially when she joins her everyday after the news was received; she noticed that Chaeyoung's mood got worsened. She looked gloomy, pale and weak everyday.

She didn't know that as days passes by, not only her mood changed entirely... but also her personality.

Dahyun noticed and figured out that it all started when she caught Chaeyoung meeting with some students who are famous for being delinquents and troublesome around the campus. They are a gang led by Park Chanyeol and all that Dahyun knew one thing about this is that... this doesn't look right at all.

Knowing how great Chaeyoung is as a person compared to these people and now that the opposites are meeting together, it became alarming for her.

It continued. Dahyun got to witness subtle changes on Chaeyoung. Her attitude and ego went bigger, she started using some curse words, she barely meets up with her and if she does, she looks forced and uninterested. She even got to do some tattoos around her skin which shocked Dahyun more, knowing that Chaeyoung used to despise these.

One day, Dahyun finally had enough of this; watching her friend slowly losing the version of her friend she mostly liked being around with.

She knew exactly where Chaeyoung's location might be and she was right. She located at one of the favorite spots of the gang, that one bench under the tree that they self-proclaimed own.

She might be waiting for the others who belong to the gang managed by Chanyeol. But she didn't care. She has to confront Chaeyoung and end this now.

"Chaeyoung."

Her friend looked at her.

"Oh, Dahyun? Wassup."

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Uhh sure? But go faster please, they are coming soon."

"Who? Them? I don't care."

Chaeyoung raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I have to talk to you, Chae. Right now."

"About what is it then? If that won't be worth my time then-"

"It's about you, Chae. And really, you don't really care that much now at what goes on with us?"

"It's not like that, okay? I'm telling you that they're coming and I don't want to get in trouble."

"So you prioritize being with them much than to sincerely lend atleast just a minute to talk with me, is this what you really are now Chaeng?", Dahyun complained. "And I don't need you to warn me. I'm already in trouble now, Chaeng. Ever since you got to get close with them you just started to become... different."

"Dahyun, what are you saying? I'm still your friend and I'm still here."

"That's not what I'm talking about Chaeng. The version I've known of you. There. That's the one who... went gone. I couldn't even believe I'm seeing you like this."

Chaeyoung remained silent.

"Wearing tighter uniform, drinking beers, smoking cigarettes, curses and attitude, even that tattoos that are imprinted in your body. That's not that Chaeyoung I've known once.", Dahyun enumerated.

"And that all started when you let yourself hang around with them which I don't even know how did it started.", Dahyun continued. "But this isn't right. I know it, and I can see it on you, Chae. They are a bad influnce. They changed you for the worse when you were broken."

In Dahyun's surprise, Chaeyoung reacted with a laughter.

"Really? That's how you see it? That's bad, we are not alike. I am enjoying it though."

"You like what they're doing to you?!", Dahyun unbelievably reacted. "No, Chae. This isn't right, you don't know what's happening to you. They've turned you into someone I didn't want you to be."

Dahyun grasped Chaeyoung's shoulders and looked at her deeply.

"Chaeyoung, you must stop meeting and hanging around with them. Think about how it affects us, me as your friend, your mom who only has you left in her. Don't let them change you for something you aren't."

Chaeyoung stared at Dahyun for a second. Her silence made Dahyun keep her hopes up that her words somehow made her friend reconsider things and choose the right decision.

That didn't worked well however, as Chaeyoung started to slip Dahyun's hands away from touching her shoulders and turn her body around, her back now facing Dahyun.

Dahyun observed that Chaeyoung was shaking her head.

"No... you're wrong. I became better. They're not as bad as you think they are. They helped me feel better when I was down."

"Chaeyoung, really?! I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS THERE BY YOUR SIDE RIGHT FROM THE START!"

"YEAH, AND YOUR COMPANY WASN'T EVEN HELPFUL!", Chaeyoung turned around again just to shout directly at Dahyun. The latter got taken aback, astounded at her sudden outrage and her... offensive words.

"You may be the one who came to me at that night, but all the words you said to me was nothing but what ifs, false hopes and lies. Everything you said didn't came true like you and I wanted to be. But do you know what differs you from them?"

Chaeyoung placed her hands on her waist as she looks fiercely at Dahyun who is listening to her.

"You failed to put me back together, but they weren't. They showed me different, new things to try... and I never known it would be so much better than the ones I'm having with you."

Dahyun got hurt at Chaeyoung's words more.

"Now go away before I finally change my mind. Don't make this worse, Dahyun."

She turned her body around again to return back to the bench but to Dahyun's side, she won't let it end this way anymore. She has to make her stop.

"No I won't leave unless you have to listen to me. Please, Chaeyoung stay away from them. I'm doing this to-"

"SHUT UPPPPP!!!!"

She haven't got to finish her words when she didn't expected what happened to her afterwards.

Chaeyoung slapped her hard right in the face, causing her to lean away and grasp her stinging cheek.

The hand Chaeyoung used remained raised and upright, shivering as she halted in shock as she just realized that she just slapped her friend.

She hurted her bestfriend physically for the first time.

"D-Dahyun?"

Dahyun slowly turned to her, Chaeyoung got shocked at her eyes forming pool of tears begging to get released while still caressing her assaulted cheek.

"O-oh my God. I-I'm sorry... I-"

She was about to touch Dahyun to help and apologize more but she got prevented when Dahyun stepped back and dodged away from her.

"N-no... don't come close to me..."

"Dahyun..."

"I finally understood all along. You are not her. You are not the real one I met and cherished. You chose others than me who cares more for you.

Chaeyoung, you were no longer a friend of mine I used to have."

Chaeyoung became speechless at what Dahyun just said. A teardrop finally fell straight to the cheek she just slapped with and that was the last thing she saw before she leaves.

The two never talked about what happened, Chaeyoung didn't wanted or dared to beg for forgiveness again to Dahyun anymore, since her bestfriend who now turned to become a former never wanted to associate things with her again, finding ways to ignore her completely whenever she tries to find her.

That one slap made Chaeyoung to lose Dahyun, and Dahyun accepted the fact that her friend was now truly gone.

---------------

THE NEXT DAY

"Let's continue later, okay?" Irene respectfully paused their topic they were discussing while they are walking away from school as they've already reached the roads where they have to seperate ways on their way home.

Dahyun realized ahead that this is the part where they have to bid each other goodbye for today after Irene mentioned it. "Yeah sure unnie. Bye! Be safe!"

"You too, Dahyunnie!". They waved hands at one another with a smile. Irene initially continued to walk and make a turn to another street while Dahyun waited for the cars to allow space for her to cross the road.

The cars passing through get lessened and Dahyun finally was able to cross through the pedestrian lane properly and step onto another sidewalk of another street.

She walked alone, silent, mind usually filled again with thoughts regarding the lessons they've learned hours ago and brand new activities that were assigned to them; being the brilliant and responsible student like she always is.

However, her taking of notes mentally had to stop temporarily when all of a sudden she was about to pass an alleyway, a group of fellow familiar students of hers from the same school blocked her way.

Dahyun paused her tracks and traced all of their faces. Her smile faded rapidly as her eyes landed to Chanyeol's devilish smirk.

"W-what do you all want from me?", Dahyun cautiously asked them, one foot went backward like she's ready to defend herself from them after sensing an impending danger brought by them.

"Easy there, ghost. This won't take long, as long as you'll cooperate.", Chanyeol said. "Take one more step back and we'll make sure you won't go away until we settle things off. Although, if you do want to go home with a broken feet."

Dahyun gulped in fear. Sweat starts to form and emerge in her skin, dripping in terror at what these hotheads want to deal with her.

She looked next at Chaeyoung who is the next person she immediately noticed. Standing beside them, only looking at her with a blank and unbothered demeanor.

"I won't run off, I just want to know what are you all doing here. Did you all just hide and waited for me?"

"Thanks for stating the obvious, nerd.", Chanyeol replied, making his members laugh but Chaeyoung remained expressionless. "Well, you're right. Now that you're wondering why, well we'll go straightforward and not waste any more time."

"What is it?"

"Apologize.", Chanyeol sternly said.

"For what? Yesterday?", Dahyun asked. "You were the ones who started it. You cornered Irene and forcefully asked her to go out with you even though she doesn't want it. My friend was frightened and alone. I just came there to help her, and now you want me to apologize when you are the one to blame?"

"No. I think you're mistaken. YOU are the one who should apologize, Chanyeol; especially to Irene.", Dahyun pointed her finger at him bravely.

Chanyeol chuckled and looked aside to his friends. "Look at this bitch. She wants me to say sorry." The rest just shook their head disapprovingly.

"Like I said, I admire your guts; but I won't let it pass when I'm the one you're opposing with."

"AAAAGGGHHH!!"

Chanyeol quickly grabbed Dahyun's hair and pulled it tight. The schoolgirl just shrieked in pain.

"Nobody tells me to apologize, do you hear me? I'M ALL OUT OF MERCY. I call things around here!", the volume of his voice began increasing as well as the level of her grip to her smooth long black hair. As expected, Chaeyoung was still watching her without doing anything.

"AWWWWWW L-LET ME GO PLEASE!"

"Then apologize! I told you already that this will be quick if you just cooperate, now look at you pathetic bitch. How long will your courage last now, huh?"

Dahyun didn't said anything. Chanyeol's impatience intensifies so what he did next is that he laid Dahyun's face on the concrete surface of the road and presses his knuckles on the side of her head.

The girl exclaim awfully, can't take the abuse of this cruel guy threatening her just to say sorry for something she's not even the one at fault.

"APOLOGIZE!!!"

"O-okay! Okay!!! I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Just, let go off me!", Dahyun's pleads finally urged her to do something without no more other choice but to say the words this bully wants to hear from her.

Her breaths became heavy as Chanyeol finally lets go of her hair and head, allowing her to clutch herself in pain.

She kneeled. Chanyeol raised up her face by cupping her in the chin, making her to equally measure the level of their faces staring at each other.

"See, that wasn't hard to do; you're just too hardheaded that you didn't want it instead.", Chanyeol once again smirked. "You did said sorry, but... you know me; I'm not an easy person."

Dahyun just gritted her teeth, still enduring the stinging sensation of her head and scalp from the pressure Chanyeol just put in her.

"To show that you mean it and to teach you a lesson that you must know the person you're messing with, I'm giving you a mission to do for us."

Dahyun sighed, unbelievably looked at Chanyeol. She thought this was over and one sorry was enough but how dumb is she to forgot that Chanyeol is a bad person.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll be the one who'll do the homeworks for us for the whole month. We have an assignment tomorrow in English. Reaction paper about The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Make one for all of us."

Dahyun's eyes widened in shock. This is just so mean, she thought. She doesn't deserve this at all, it is simply injustice to be the one who'll get a punishment when she's the victim and the defendant here at the same time.

"If you won't and we ended up incomplete or late; I'm going to make you regret disrespecting me more. Do you understand?"

Dahyun was silent, still couldn't believe about what's happening to her.

Her silence didn't last lomg when the impatient Chanyeol hit his palm again on her head, causing a small ouch sound out of Dahyun's mouth.

"I- I'll do it."

"Good. You can go home. One more thing, don't you dare report this to anyone.", Chanyeol gave her one last warning before walking away with her friends including Chaeyoung who just watched her former bestfriend get hurt like it was no effect from her. "Let's go, there's a vape shop near here. We'll take a visit."

As they left, the abused Dahyun couldn't hold her tears anymore as she started crying due to Chanyeol's unfairness and heartless actions while the person who was the one who doesn't want to see her torn apart before can now endure seeing her like that.

Like she always thought, she's just a forgotten past of Chaeyoung's memories.

---------------

As they were now meters away from Dahyun, Chaeyoung finally drops her cool and disguise as she kept on hearing Chanyeol brags about how Dahyun looked horrible on being in his control, resulting in her forced surrender.

"What the hell was that, Chanyeol?!" Chaeyoung interrogates Chanyeol, stopping him from mocking and teasing Dahyun's pity state at what happened a while ago. All of their eyes landed on her.

"I thought we agreed not to put your hands on her?!"

"I can't help it." Chanyeol said faking nonchalantly. "She doesn't understand the situation. She doesn't know how fucked up she is by opposing us. That's why I have to show and remind her how me and our gang are the most fearsome individuals around the campus."

"But still, you don't have to do it. We talked about it, right? You could've let me handle it." Chaeyoung objected.

Chanyeol chuckled, squinting her eyes at Chaeyoung with a wide grin plastered in his face. "You, huh? Why? You going to go easy on her instead?"

Chanyeol walked towards Chaeyoung, his towering figure and serious demeanor intimidates the short and sassy girl.

"W-what?"

"You can't take how your friend looked and sound defenseless, don't you?", Chanyeol said. "Does she still affects your soft spot in your heart? Do you... wanted to help her in that instance rather?"

Chanyeol leaned his face closer at Chaeyoung who backs away, gulping and throbbing nervously at how scary his aura has shifted.

"N-no. I just want her not to become a burden for you to manage, Chanyeol. I know her, you don't have to go that far. You have many other things to focus on, lend her to me and I'll be the one who'll do the first move."

"What makes you so sure?", Chanyeol crossed his arms and looked at her interrogatively.

"Because I'm her weakness.", Chaeyoung confidently daid. "I am her wound, and the one way to heal it is for her to aid it is by dealing with me."

Chanyeol stared at her Chaeyoung for a second before her lips curved into a smile. "Hmm at the very least, I appreciate the thoughtfulness.", he hummed.

"Fine. I'm sorry." Chaeyoung softened Chanyeol in a rare occasion. "Next time: I'll give you the gun of opportunity. I'll let you be the one to pull the trigger."

He poked Chaeyoung's tip of the nose before nodding in agreement. He walked again along with the other members who are just listening at watching them talk, while Chaeyoung tailed behind them; the glimpse of her discreet manipulation disturbs her.

5 DAYS LATER

"Finally." Dahyun muttered in a huge sight of relief as she adored the sight of all scattered papers in her table, all filled with contents produced from her own handwriting but not intended for her.

She finally completed and finished all the reaction papers assigned by Chanyeol to her that she will give later to them.

All set to be delivered, Dahyun fixed her things before leaving the library. Just as when she was about to exit, she encountered Chaeyoung who appeared very close in front of her, nearly colliding at one another.

The two stared to reprocess before both returns to full consciousness, Dahyun squinted her eyes filled with hatred, lips straightened, and mood slightly got shakened at the sight of Chaeyoung who just like the same as the rest of the days whenever they meet, empty and unmovable.

She noticed the papers labeled as reaction papers held by Dahyun on her arms. She sniggered before stating bluntly again. "You did it."

"Should I suppose to be happy hearing that?", Dahyun raised her eyebrow full of arrogance. "I may be allowing this just because I'm outnumbered and threatened but I promise to all of you, this will be the last time you'll be doing so. Karma will hit all of you soon."

Chaeyoung scoffed. "Just be grateful they didn't went extreme to you already. You should learn by now, so be still."

Dahyun elicited a small smile and a shake of her head. "Looks like you are also." Chaeypung just crunched her eyebrows, clueless what she's pointing at.

"What does it even mean?"

"You really are indeed hopeless, old friend." Dahyun only said before walking right past to her, leaving Chaeyoung both in perplexion and curiousity.

As Dahyun goes next to her classroom, she noticed that some of the members in the gang were casually talking together near the storage room.

She pursed her ears further, trying to eavesdrop their conversation.

"Boss Chanyeol has the right to become suspicious of her okay?"

"Yeah I know, until now even me doesn't fully accept and welcome her on being part of the group. The first thing I sense of her is that she will just turn out to be a bad charm to us."

"You're right. That's why if she failed someday, I hope boss won't hesitate to finally kick her out. I can't stand her anymore honestly."

"Oh I can't wait for that to happen. It will be be so satisfying to watch."

"Hahahaha that princess tigress will be tamed by her owner."

As they've gone complete silent, Dahyun thinks that this is the time for her to leave. As she does so though, her eyes are sprung up, mind gone crazy and gooesbumps all over her body as she heard about all of their evil schemes prepared for her former bestfriend once it backfires.

For the first time in years, Dahyun has never felt so heavily worried and afraid for her former bestfriend despite being betrayed and abandoned.

The next day, Dahyun gives another set of completed homeworks to the gang that was sent to her yesterday. As expected they are satisfied and impressed.

She was about to leave their secret spot quickly when Chanyeol called her one more time.

"Before you go, remind yourself to meet us at the base later at 6:30 PM. I will tell you the activity you'll do for us. Don't be late. Are we clear?"

Dahyun looked around at them first before answering. "Yes."

Chanyeol then gave her a nod gesture as a signal for her to finally leave. As she vanished, Chanyeol and the rest of the group wore a mischievous smirk.

"See you later."

Dahyun walks swiftly on her feet, frantically looking around back and forth at everything she passes through as she wants to track the sole person she wants to meet as soon as possible.

She couldn't believe she has to do this but something feels odd in her that she must have to.

At last, her series of wandering throughout the areas of the campus came into a stop when she finally saw someone she has to meet urgently.

She walked even faster and when she is now inches away from her, she waited for her presence to be acknowledged.

She side glanced, that's where Dahyun took the signal.

"Chaeyoung."

The girl faced away from tracing the bulletin board while holding her paint tools and a canva. She spun around, meeting the person who called her by her name for quite a long time now.

"Dahyun? What are you doing here?"

"I know we are destined to hate each other forever, but I just have to ask you this.", she coldly said and paused before gliding back to her words. "Do you... really trust your friends in the gang a lot?"

"Isn't it obvious?  ofcourse. I do. What are you implying at?", she answered, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Then it means you...  haven't ever thought of a possibility that someday they might... turn on you and cause you to get ejected from them?"

Chaeyoung eyes blinked puzzedly in a moment, her lips plopped as if she was about to say something back but that statement coming from Dahyun seemed like it got her otherwise.

"Checkmate."

"S-shut up.", Chaeyoung rudely denied. "Did you really just came to meet me here and have this type of talk again, Dahyun?"

"Why couldn't you just answer my question?"

"Damn it, fine! You're so insufferable.", Chaeyoung huffed and rolled her eyes. They would never do that to me. Why would they, huh? I got their trust and they have mine. I belong to their group now. Isn't it enough?"

Dahyun nodded and acted satisfied and convinced with Chaeyoung's response. "Okay. If you say so.", she shrugged.

"Whatever. You don't even know what you're talking about."

Dahyun stood beside Chaeyoung and pushed her face closer to hers, wanting her to listen carefully at every bit of words out of her mouth.

"Beware though, you might eat your words very soon. If I were you, I won't let them out of my zone. You wouldn't know, maybe they're plotting already to get you lost."

Chaeyoung sarcastically chuckled at Dahyun. "What is this? Now you're concerned for me?"

"Don't be misintepret Chaeyoung. I didn't do it to be friends with you again. You can forget about it happening."

Her whole composure nearly gave up as her heart felt like it skipped some beats and her energy felt loosened after what she heard.

"I'm just doing this to open your eyes and stop fooling yourself. We both know you're better than that."

"You're completely delusional, aren't you?", Chaeyoung pushed Dahyun on her shoulder with a jab of her palm. "I don't know what are you exactly trying to do with all these nonsense-"

"Yeah, nonsense? Alright, say whatever excuses you got Chaeyoung but let me tell you this.", Dahyun interrupted Chaeyoung as her voice gone aggressive.

"You will never be one of them. You don't belong in that group because you are way beyond than them... and that would make them care less about you."

Dahyun finally gave Chaeyoung some space to take all of those words and reconsider things in her mind.

The possibilities and imaginations about it occuring had Chaeyoung uncomfortable thinking about all of it at once, fondling her fingers and lip bites to catch the adrenaline of concerns for herself.

4 HOURS LATER

Chaeyoung was just eating chips along with her gangmates on their base when one of their members who left after being commanded by Chanyeol returned with some filled plastic bags on both of his hands.

He placed it all on the table. Chanyeol stood up and checked all the contents. Chaeyoung got confused at what she saw.

They bought some bottles of strong beer and some snacks. "And the other one?", Chanyeol asked Lai, the accomplice that he tasked on this.

"It's here, boss." Lai reached for the pocket of her jacket and pulled out the thing inside to give to Chanyeol.

The rest became more interested as they saw what's placed in Chanyeol's hand.

"Boss, is that... a-are we doing drugs?" Sehun said, referring to some white pills wrapped in a plastic.

"We are." That sounded controversial, exchanges of looks was thrown by the members at each other including Chaeyoung who had the slight look of objection in her eyes.

"... but this isn't for us.", Chanyeol caressed it with his fingers. "We're going to give this to someone else."

"I invited Dahyun earlier to come here, right? She agreed which obviously she has to.", Chanyeol added . "She's gonna be here soon, and she doesn't know completely the plans I do have in mind for her tonight."

"Mind if you tell us, boss?"

Chaeyoung also listened more intently.

"Well, I just want to give her some appreciation for everything that she's done for us. ", Chanyeol confidently said. His head fell, eyes returned to the view of the pills again. "But... there's something more I would like her to do for us, and I won't be letting her even say yes or no for it."

"Dahyun... is indeed a very attractive woman. Such a shame nobody's interested at her just because of being a nerd overshadows her beauty.", Chanyeol frowned. The members agreed, nodding quickly while Chaeyoung's brows knitted at how suspicious he's getting.

"But I'm an observant one... and I would like to be one to try how good does she really is when she's out of her shell."

"So here's my plan. We're going to make her join us to drink and then, when she gets drunk... this pill inside of this plastic; would boost her sexual desires...."

"Oh shit! Boss, are you saying... we're going to have a taste of her too?"

"Exactly. Let's see how gorgeous she really is if we discard her innocent and smarty self."

Chaeyoung's widened as it finally sinked in what does Chanyeol is probably wanting to do to Dahyun.

She remembered what Dahyun told her a while ago, and it kept getting repetitive and louder inside her head like it does warns her of an impending bad situation she's going to regret if she won't prevent it.

"Damn! Man, I always wanted to spank and eat that meaty ass she got. Finally, the wait will be over later."

Chaeyoung heard that disgusting and vile comment coming from Sehun. She wasn't even aware that her glare got even intense and venomous as it directed to him after saying that. It sounded so wrong and illegal to her.

"Now let's just wait for her to come and begin. We're going to have fun tonight." All of them cheered like idiots. Chaeyoung just roamed her eyes at them, pissed and frustrated at how far they've gone through.

Dahyun was her former bestfriend, but deep inside she knows and she admits that Dahyun will forever be the one that will make her succumb and retreat in case something bad happens to her.

She just can't do it, hiding it behind her mask of her new self. She doesn't know, but at this situation going on... it seems that this is very inappopriate already and a huge cross out to her that she shouldn't be able to let this one pass this time.

For the first time, Chaeyoung would pick the right choice.

"No."

Chanyeol and the rest looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I said no."

"Do you have any more to say, Chaeyoung?"

"I am. I want you all to leave her alone. Stop this. Let her now go.", Chaeyoung stood up from sitting at one of the empty boxes stored near the wall. "Like you said, she did what you tasked her to do. The deal was done, isn't it enough?"

Chanyeol squinted his eyes. "So you're saying..."

"Please, don't do anything to Dahyun. I told you, I'll handle her on my own. Leave her alone. We can just move on and target new ones but not her.", Chaeyoung's voice softened in plead. It's been a while since she has that tone when it regards to Dahyun.

"Now you're siding with her? What's with the change of heart, Chaeyoung? You can't pull the trigger anymore?"

Chanyeol stood up, walks and faces the troubled and guilty Chaeyoung.

"Too bad, I'm the one in charge here. I make the decisions around here and all you have to do, is to fall in line with us."

Chaeyoung looked up at Chanyeol and stares at him with angst.

"Fuck that. I'm done with this. I'm a nobody's bitch."

She slapped Chanyeol hard in the face reminiscence of what she did to Dahyun before. That was her symbol of answer, a choice, a loyalty... and a side to stand with.

"This doesn't have to be this way, Chaeyoung... but you left me no other choice. I'll do the honors for you instead."

In a snap, Chaeyoung bended her body and grasped her stomach in pain as Chanyeol heavily punched it.

"I knew you couldn't do it. You never changed. You will always be just like your friend and anyone we dominate in here: weak and pathetic."

"But you're even worse than them. You're a traitor."

One kick goes right to Chaeyoung's arm, she groaned in pain as her body fell to the ground.

"You used me to put you back together..."

Another kick but it connected to the leg this time. A teardrop escaped on Chaeyoung's poor eyes.

"I gave you what you wanted, a better company, welcomed you in when you felt alone and this is what you do to me in return!!!"

A slap fired through Chaeyoung's face, her cheeks reddened and stinged at the impact. The hit was so loud that even the members began to wince at how Chanyeol visibly looks even more outraged.

Chanyeol pulls her hair and tugged it upward, facing Chaeyoung who is now crying horribly in front of him.

"Remember this, from now on.... you just made the worst mistake of your life. Starting today, you and your ghostfreak friend, you both caused me a lot of problems, now I will make your highschool life a living hell.

"Boss, that's enough. You made her fear you now." Sehun went behind Chanyeol, putting his hand on top of his shoulder.

Chanyeol infuriatedly drops Chaeyoung's messy hair, falling back into the ground again and curl her body to ease all of the pain she's feeling somehow while she hurtfully cries at the abuse.

"She should've been that at the very start. Now I know she just treats me like a joke, I'm even more motivated to ruin their smiles.", Chanyeol snagged before spitting a saliva that went to Chaeyoung's sleeve due to lack of aim.

"Let's go somewhere to drink. I can't stand to see ghostfreak and this traitor all at once for now, we'll deal with them tomorrow."

They all brought their belongings with them as they left their dugout, leaving the recently evicted Chaeyoung in the ground; once again all alone by herself but this time, she did it for a great decision.

Few minutes later after the departure of the gang, Dahyun appeared at the scene wearing a simple casual attire. From the distance of the corridor, her eyes widened and face expanded in astoundment as she saw Chaeyoung wailing on the floor.

"Chaeyoung?"

She didn't reacted.

Dahyun made couple more steps forward to lure herself closer to her ex-friend.

"Chae- CHAEYOUNG!"

Now she ran and kneeled beside Chaeyoung. She assisted her to get up and there her features were presented to Dahyun, she sees nothing but disdain, destruction and shattered soul.

"What happened to you?!" Dahyun hastily asked Chaeyoung who is still heavily crying on her arms.

She still didn't speak. Dahyun made the adjustment instead by checking Chaeyoung's body. There, her heart cracked when she saw some bruises and wounds on her arm and legs, including a red spot in her cheek.

"THEY DID THIS TO YOU?!", Dahyun shouted. Chaeyoung just nodded.

"WHY?!"

"I... I-... I left their group."

"Y-you did w-what...?"

"I left their group... f-for you."

Chaeyoung didn't followed up more as she just snapped out from her consciousness, probably got tired out too much from what she suffered. She fell into slumber right on Dahyun who was only left confused at the last word she said.

"For me?" She repeated. She looked again at the resting Chaeyoung with eagerness to obtain the reason why.

------------------

"How did I-" Chaeyoung paused after lingering her eyes around her bedroom, lying down on her own personal bed.

"Dahyun?" She called the name of the girl sitting on the chair beside her closet, watching her freshly woke up from resting.

"You got hit pretty bad that you had to sleep for 5 hours." Dahyun nonchalantly asid, crossing her arms and legs while sitting.

She looked around the familiar interior of the room she's sharing with the person she used to know before too. "I thought even the designs of your room would change just like you, but I'm surprised you left it untouchable. It's been a long time since I can freely enter here whenever I want."

Chaeyoung went silent, revisiting those blocked memories she used to have with her in their childhood days. "H-how did you bring me here?"

"I carried you, you're still a lightweight.", Dahyun boastfully said. "What happened to you back there? Did you got all of those from them?"

Chaeyoung covered her body with her blanket more, feeling embarassed to reveal it at the person who was the one trying to warn her all along from having this happen. It's funny how the karma became reality just in a few hours following.

"N-no... only Chanyeol."

"What did you do to make him hurt you like that? I suppose that's the first time you. both had a physical altercation.", Dahyun guessed. "What did you mean... you left their group because you did it for me?"

Chaeyoung gulped, looking away from Dahyun. "I said t-that?"

"You did, not until you passed out from low energy." Dahyun replied. "So I'm asking you again and clarify it to me... what have you've done?"

Chaeyoung sighed and looked at Dahyun with her droopy eyes. "Earlier they... they were talking about you. Chanyeol wanted to do something on you."

"At our meetup?"

She nodded. "He instructed one of us to bought beers. He was suppose to invite you to drink with them and you have to accept it. I didn't even expected that they're something more that I never liked to discover."

"What do they want from me?", Dahyun continues to become authorative on her questions.

"They wanted to drug you, okay?! As you drink more and more, they want you to be sexually driven and... you know what's gonna happen next."

"Oh god..." Dahyun gasped. "W-what? They tried t-to take advantage-"

"They were also lusting about you like the perverts they were. I know we don't like each other but... hearing somebody about to get raped and me as a w-woman... did nothing about it, even f-for you... it just feels so wrong.", Chaeyoung bowed down her head.

Dahyun was speechless, still shocked and in disbelief that she almost put herself in that nightmare and trauma, but all thanks to Chaeyoung, her former friend; unexpectedly sacrificed her allegiance to backstab her entire gang just to save her.

Her lost in her thoughts ended instantly when all of a sudden, Dahyun heard a sniff and small soft cries coming from Chaeyoung.

She was covering her face, burying it on her palm.

"I don't understand... w-why did you have to help me. You shouldn't be doing this after everything I've done from you. I betrayed you. I left my only true friend and labeled her useless and unreliable. Why, Dahyun? Why did you have to heal me?!" Chaeyoung's anger, guilt and conflicted questions that she fired all at once at Dahyun made the volume of her tone increase in intensity.

Dahyun watched Chaeyoung finally took accountable of her wrongdoings. It felt nice to finally see herself at fault here, but it was still unfair for her on the other hand knowing and believing she does still have a part of mistakes here also.

"You're speaking as if you didn't do the same for me Chaeyoung." , Dahyun retorted. "If you want to know why... I'm actually not so sure either.", she shrugged.

"I couldn't help it. It was like an urge of redemption that I have to do. It felt like I was now finally proving myself that I can heal you it's just... I could've done it a lot better earlier. I could've been a better friend you're expecting me to be.", Dahyun clenches her fist, admitting her own fault also.

"No, you're not Dahyun.", Chaeyoung corrected. Dahyun looked at her in curiosity. "It was all me. I'm the one who looked at you falsely. You didn't have to pressure herself like that to improve for me, I could've done better also to make you feel that you are doing your role well.", she said while wiping the tears flowing from her eyes and cheeks.

"I didn't wanted to hurt your feelings and break your trust, Dahyun. Trust me, I wanted to approach you and fix my mistake many times... but I understand that you wouldn't want to see me."

"In my heart... y-you're still a friend to me. I saved you because after all this time... I still think about you. I'm concerned about you. You were right, i'm not suitable to be with them... and I couldn't believe I left the right one who can provide me the true meaning of what a real friendship should be."

Dahyun couldn't take it anymore. It was too much to contain, too much to resist, too much to act tough. Chaeyoung's words of regret, guilt and apology got her retreat on her emotions. Tears of her own began escaping also from her eyes.

"It should've been you, Dahyun. I should've stayed. I'm not hoping for you to forgive me, I'm just begging for you to understand because... we do are destined to fight forever."

Dahyun stood up from her chair and positioned herself near at Chaeyoung who is still crying hard.

"You're right. And I did mean what I said before. You can forget about us being friends...

... because we're sisters, Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung slowly released her face from her hands and look at Dahyun. In her surprise, Dahyun was smiling at her with tears also streaming on her face. She was in the dark ever since she changed, and it does felt refreshing and completely relieving that  there's a light who is willing to rescue her again.

Without any further ado, Dahyun extended her arms; signalling Chaeyoung to do one simple thing to make things assured and settled like they both always wanted to finally happen.

Chaeyoung removed the blanket around her and raised herself up, extending her own arms too as she accepted Dahyun's welcoming body for a warm, longing and forgiving hug.

"I missed you so much Dahyun. I'm very sorry." Chaeyoung said as she buried her face on Dahyun's crook.

"It's okay now, Chaeng. I'm sorry too and yes... I missed this. I missed us being like this.", Dahyun smiled, shutting her eyes close to indulge the great feeling of finally recovering the special person she lost in her life. Meanwhile, Chaeyoung smiled and blushed as she heard her sister call her by her favorite nickname again.

"Now that we are back together, there's only one more thing that matters and our newly reformed bond is the key for it, Chaeng. We have both common enemies now, and all we have to do is to get back against them."

Dahyun heard Chaeyoung hummed in agreement and her head bobbed either.  Feeling inspired, uplifted and confident, with the assistance of Chaeyoung this time, she is now ready to beat Chanyeol and his gang and stop them from targeting other innocent students and end up like them.

The only question remains is... how?

That until, Chaeyoung had a bright idea on what they are going to do.

-------------------

THE NEXT DAY

"So... this is them?"

"Yeah."

Dahyun asked Chaeyoung, pointing at all three students that are standing in line in front of them; clueless at what is the purpose of being in here.

"Alright. Everyone, before we start... I have to introduce myself first. I am Kim Dahyun from Grade 11 and-"

"We already know her."

One of the two out of three female students blurted as she stares deadly at Chaeyoung who noticed and avoids it with shame. "Aren't y-you... one of Chanyeol's slaves? W-what is this? What are you going to-"

"Everyone, please listen to us." Dahyun interjected, defending her friend who is too speechless from a state of shock and terror. "Her name is Chaeyoung and yes, she did became a member from them... but that was before. She's now gone, she chose to quit from that unsafe gang.", Dahyun explained to them sincerely.

The other three students began muttering at each other before the student once again spoke to communicate further.

"S-she really did?"

"Yes. If she wouldn't, she wouldn't be standing here with me and..."

"... a-and... ask for your cooperation.", Chaeyoung took the turn to speak. Dahyun lets her and the students faced her altogether, they paid attention to her even more.

"H-how could we even give that t-to you if you haven't d-done anything to s-save us before?", the only guy in them three had difficulty breathing saying those words as the memory of his suffering at the hands of those unruly, sinister, troublesome teenagers.

"Because I-I'm doing this to help you guys this time.", Chaeyoung replies. She began to slowly lower her body to the ground until she was only in her knees. The three students including Dahyun were surprised at her manners.

"E-eh? M-Miss..."

"P-please... I'm begging you all. I'm heavily sorry for everything. I'm just a victim of Chanyeol's manipulative and authorative control including her beatdown he gave to me after I did the right thing.", Chaeyoung begs on her knees, bowing down her body to the ground as she grasped the hem of the dress of the student while crying.

"I want to redeem myself for each one of you. This time, I want him to be taken down, but knowing him... he's got backups. I'm alone, but I need ones too on my back.", Chaeyoung pleads to the female student on the middle. She monitors and saw how she's desperate and needy she looks. Three of them started to have their faces filled with wince and worry.

"I hope all of you accept and agree with me. I promise, again... I'll give you all the help I should've done if I wasn't get stolen by Chanyeol t-to my friend Dahyun here.", Chaeyoung looked at Dahyun who just gave her a small smile.

"C-can you stand up f-first, Miss Chaeyoung?"

"C-call me Chae. It's shorter." Chaeyoung followed the order of the student.

"If you do meant it so much and we all have the same despise to only one person and taste the medicine of his karma, w-we'll take it."

Chaeyoung and Dahyun's smile beamed brighter at the great news.

"Thank you so much! We truly appreciate it."

"If you guys want to do it too... then what shall we have to do?"

---------------

Dahyun and Chaeyoung were currently standing at the entrance of the canteen where many students are gathered to eat or order foods of their own choosing.

Among in this crowded place was Chanyeol and his gang joining somebody who looks very weak and shy as they kept on teasing him about immature jokes.

"He's there." Dahyun said as she mentioned Chanyeol's positive trace in the area.

"I'll go near them first. You know what to do next, okay?"

"Yeah, be careful. Try not to make it messier with them." Dahyun advised.

"It will be the difference from them. They cause chaos always, Dubu." Chaeyoung and enters and sealed her eyes across the ridiculous view.

"Why do you even eat too much of these?" Chanyeol problematically asked the little anxious guy. "No wonder why do you end up being thin as fuck like these french fries." They all burst into laughter as Chanyeol threw a piece straight through the victim's face.

"Enough. Leave him in peace, Chanyeol."

All of the gang rotated their heads at the source of that voice. Chanyeol knitted his brows and mouth agaped quizzically at why in the world would be their biggest problem just stood at their table without even preparing herself not to be embarassed by them.

"Look who just showed up.", Chanyeol gritted his teeth. "Speaking of the devil, huh."

"Don't worry, I'll let him go this time." He then threw all of the french fries at the shy student before standing up, removing himself on the seat and slowly went across Chaeyoung. "I'll give it to him, he's free.

"But this isn't going to be the same as you, Chaeyoung. Since you're here, now I got to invade your peaceful interactions or none rather, and you owe me a nightmare for you to suffer."

"Don't bother. Being your ally was way worse than a nightmare. I consider it as a curse."

"Watch your mouth you backstabbing shark. The audacity of you, I still haven't forget what you've done to us, you little traitor.", Chanyeol grabbed Chaeyoung's face and aggresively sank his fingers beneath the latters' soft flesh of her face.

"Then do something, bitch.", Chaeyoung grabbed Chanyeol's thump at her chin and catched it with a huge bite, enabling to sprung out Chanyeol's hand away from the girl as he screamed in pain.

"You're testing me now, huh. You aren't taking this seriously. You think I'm just playing a game with you." He gave his thunb some twirls, puff of air and peck of kiss to settle down the amount of pain it received.

"Let's raise the stakes then, let's get physical." Chanyeol then almost gave Chaeyoung's a strong blow of his fist ahead of the side of her head when in a blink of an eye, everyone was in shock including Chanyeol when Chaeyoung just catched his fist just in time.

"W-what the-"

She threw it away before Chaeyoung stood even more fearlessly at him, tiptoeing just to nearly match his menacing stare.

"Come on, hit me if you want. I wouldn't care less anymore. I'll just end up striking back harder than you can give."

"You must've gone crazy, dipshit!" Chanyeol landed a knee to Chaeyoung's midsection, kneeling down on her former master's feet.

All of the students and canteen servers watched the brawl between Chaeyoung and Chanyeol as all of them chanted "oooh" sounds whenever each of them exchanges a better attack.

Chanyeol tugged her hair upwards but Chaeyoung spun around and holds his wrist, twisting it around which elicited a groan from him. She drags it down, colliding the bone of his arms to her shoulder blade.

"GET HER!!!"

Chanyeol infuriatedly initiated all of his sidemen as they rushed over at different spots with the same motive: block her off while they take the turn to inflict pain on Chaeyoung after.

In tight spot and outnunbered situation, Dahyun saw the male bullying victim of Chanyeol running in straight return back to her standing figure.

"Have you done it?" Dahyun asked him.

"Yes, Dahyun-noona." He nodded. He was about to give back a USB device to Dahyun when she ignored and pushed it in his chest instead.

"No, keep that with you for a moment. I'll go there and protect Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung guarded the other three's actions as she quickly turns her head, only to be caught by distraction when Chanyeol kicked her between one of her knee, sending her to fall in the floor with her other one supporting the impact.

Chanyeol headlocked Chaeyoung, wrapping both of his arms around her neck. "WHAT? YOU CAN'T BREATHE? I CAN SHUT THE LIFE OUT OF YOU RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW IF I WANT."

"Hey."

One of the gang members who are grinning and watching Chaeyoung slowly get choked by their leader felt his back being poked.

He turned around, only to met by a brutal smack on the face by Dahyun using her shoe.

"D-Dahyun." She heard Chaeyoung's gurgled voice as she tries to break away from Chanyeol's trap.

Before she was about to help Chaeyoung, the rest charges to Dahyun but the latter avoided it with some dodges.

Chaeyoung was about to get knocked out from Chanyeol's headlock but she unleashes one last attempt at him, grabbing both of his eyes and forcefully scratches it as he screamed in pain.

Meanwhile, Dahyun received a blow to her back from Lai as she got finally caught after dealing first with the other one named Doyoung.

"EVERYONE OF YOU, STOP THE FIGHT!"

Sehun's about to slap her when his hand stopped mid-air just in time to look himself clearly the ones who are the suspects of this ruckus.

They just realized that it was such a bad timing and a screwed up moment from them. All of them were literally standing while Dahyun and Chaeyoung are on the floor, groaning in pain at the hits they took.

"PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE. NOW. ALL OF YOU WILL GET EXCUSED FROM YOUR CLASSES FOR THIS."

The principal shouted at all six of them who hesitatedly followed him as they walked by pair. Dahyun and Chaeyoung lets out one last glare at the gang especially Chanyeol who already look like he can commit a murder anytime.

The boy who ran to Dahyun and was about to lend back her USB device remained on his palm as he played it while watching them enter the office with anxiousness in his face as he joined by his two other fellow victims.

"Will they be okay?" The girl with the nametag that has Eunchae written on it asked.

"The truth always prevails." The boy named Jun said with his voice full of hope and assurance.

"Let's just wait and see what's gonna happen." The other one with them named Yujin said which Jun and Eunchae both nodded their heads.

Few minutes later, Dahyun and Chaeyoung exits the office first to avoid conflict in case they are plotting something to hurt each other again, especially as how they can tell from the losers based from the judgment created by the principal.

They both saw Jun, Eunchae and Yujin sitting at one of the benches outside the building.

"UNNIES!!!" They all stood up in sync. "What happened?!"

Dahyun and Chaeyoung looked at each other, a smile slowly appeared in their faces.

"We won."

All of them felt a huge relief and a breath of fresh air to inhale on their lungs as they finally managed to defeat those gangs that brings horror to this entire campus.

"Thanks to the USB that you sent Jun to the guidance office, they watched the video we made regarding your confessions about their bullying issues and even heard it personally from you guys... they considered it as an essential evidence." Chaeyoung explained.

In addition, it was proven immediately with no further investigation needed when Irene enters the principals office to interrupt the meeting and lets him watch the video she was recording.

Unbeknownst to Chanyeol and his gang, this is the first time that somebody dared to record their sinful acts when Irene records them bullying a guy before being interrupted by Chaeyoung.

As they left the principals office, they both thanked Irene as she excused herself to attend an organization meeting.

"It was reported immediately to the principal and there, including what he just witnessed at the cafeteria; they made up their mind even more to give them the worst punishment. They got expelled while us... well, we just have to go to a detention for 5 hours for being involved in the cafeteria fight." Dahyun chuckled and rubbed her nape.

"Wait... so does that mean we won't be able to s-see them ever again h-here?" Jun stutteredly said in bewilderment.

Dahyun nodded. The three felt like they are about to cry in joy.

All three of them ran at Dahyun and Chaeyoung and enveloped them in a group hug of appreciation.

"T-thank you... thank you unnies so much. We can finally go to school without being afraid by something we didn't deserve."

Dahyun and Chaeyoung hummed and expressed their willingness to help as they returned the pleasure of doing it.

As all of them left, Dahyun and Chaeyoung remained in their spot.

"So..."

"Yeah... hehe..."

They acted awkward at each other, struggling to compose theirselves at interacting together.

"We finally got what we wanted."

"Yeah, it's completely deserving of them. How do you feel?", Chaeyoung pondered.

"Me? It felt like... I'm available again. There's no one to stand in my way now on... bringing you back to me again." Dahyun said as she watched the other students strolling around the campus. "You?"

"I feel free and peaceful. I'm no longer jailed in his prison and... the alluring devilish voices of lies he kept on inserting in my head, it's all quiet now."

Dahyun nodded understandably. She looked at Chaeyoung, urging the latter to do the same for her.

"I know we had our own worlds apart in months. It made us think that we're destined to hate one another but... now I realized, we did started as something special."

"We are more than just bestfriends. We've had a sisterly bond that evolved throughout all of our childhood years. So, despite we got betrayed and be mad at ourselves; we are still fated that someday we will resolve our problems and our lives become related again..., we're sisters Chaeyoung. I can't leave you and so as you. At the end of the day, it will always just be you and me supporting each other through our toughest times."

"Forgiveness is anything and family is forever.", Chaeyoung said as she smiled with her dimples visible on her blushing cheeks. "It was indeed true, because I got to experience it with you Dahyun. Even after everything we'e gone through, we still end up looking for one another in the end."

Brought by their emotions and desire to reconcile to gain closure for their own, they hugged each other and at last, the feeling of happiness, thankfulness and lack of loneliness was one again had its strong presence revived that will only revolve between the both of them.

"I missed you so much, Chaeng. Welcome back." Dahyun said, clutching the back of her head as she pulled her closer on her more.

"I missed you too so much Dubu. I won't ever leave again, I only have one more chance remaining, I won't waste it anymore.", Chaeyoung sweared in return.

They stayed in others embrace for half a minute before they seperated as they hooked each other's head with their arms while they began to walk side by side.

"Hey, since we have 10 more minutes before detention; can we go to Building C for a while? I have a pineapple cake order to pick up from my Taiwanese friend that I just met few days ago.", Dahyun requested.

"Oh yeah sure, no problem. Wait, you said Taiwanese? She's an exchange student or what?"

"Nope, transferee. She's so nice and uhh... tall." Dahyun showed a silly grin. Chaeyoung saw that and half-lidded her eyes as she observes.

"Yah! Are you teasing me?"

"No! What are you saying,  I didn't do it on purpose! I swear she's really tall. I even had to raise my head a bit just to make eye contact with her. Have you ever forgot I'm also short like you?" Dahyun chuckled. "Although... I'm just inches taller than you."

"Yah! We just got back together and you're being like this to me already." Chaeyoung pouted. Dahyun laughed and patted her baby beast on the shoulder.

"Stop sulking now, we'll go eat those cakes during detention hours. Sounds good?"

"Really?", Chaeyoung's face enlightened.

"Yup."

"Yayyy! Brooo!!!" the cub offered their classic handshake they made before which brought them back to another jolly parts of the memories they've created together before which couldn't ever be forgotten.

Dahyun high-fived her buddy back,  gripped her hand and rattles it slightly before letting go with some explosive-like hand gesture. "Brooo!!!"

"I'll have you meet her. You two would get along, I promise." Dahyun smiled. They entered the building again and head through the stairs to climb up onto the next floor to search that foreign student together.

It was a pair of high-index eyeglasses of yours. You used to wear this when you were in college. Staring into it, you started to recall everything that this simple important thing used to hold many memories years ago. But the one that made you reminisce the most was the probably the most special of them all.

A smile formed on your lips as flashbacks started to run and play in your mind the firmer you took your grasped onto every temple of the eyeglasses while you deepened the stare within its each lenses, synchronized with your thoughts.

10 YEARS AGO

You just walked out of your classroom after your adviser announced to every one of you that the class is already over.

All prepared to go home, you maintained your direction from walking in the hallway through the near end main door of the building.

Your steps were abruptly halted when you noticed something that piqued your interest.

Yoo Jeongyeon, your classmate, was talking and laughing with other female students you assumed were her friends, except for the two you didn't guessed anymore because they were Jeongyeon's classmates.

Why is this the case? Jeongyeon is also a classmate of yours. She was the class muse due to her popularity not only in your section but throughout the entire class level. She is known as the "queen" because you learned that she is the daughter of a wealthy family, she has a bright personality, and her main feature is her beauty.

To be honest, you concur. Jeongyeon is unquestionably attractive. It didn't surprise you when she kept getting invitations to do modeling, enter a student pageant contest at school (which she always wins), and the last heavy proof you had was that many men and even women too on this campus are head over heels for her.

That wasn't the reason your attention was drawn to her group. It was mostly because you thought you'd never have the opportunity to hang out with others as friends, especially someone like Jeongyeon, who has a higher profile alike her friends compared to you.

You are nothing, you reasoned. You don't deserve these things. You had no idea that your time spent looking at them had drawn their attention to you, including Jeongyeon. They glared at you with confusion, cringiness and disgust. "What are you looking at, creep?" one of the girls asked who is the smallest out of them, her long black hair tied into a pigtail. Her mole on the lower lip was noticeable too.

Her words got you back and cut your thoughts away, conscience now cooperating with you once again. You just realized that all the 8 girls except Jeongyeon were looking at you with different feelings, possibly negative, as you awkwardly received their venomous glare.

"I'm s-sorry. My mind just went black.", you pardoned to the group as you quickly rushed your walk to escape them and leave the school building.

The girls just stood there watching your back as you slowly faded away from them, their eyes filled with awful look.

"Weirdo.", the tallest girl among them said, scoffing in the air. The rest chuckled, agreeing to what she said.

Except Jeongyeon who just shrugged.

THE NEXT DAY

The bell rang to alert everyone that it was now lunchtime. You entered the cafeteria, joined the line, and waited patiently for your turn just like any other human being until you reached your turn and asked what you shall receive.

Based on your preferences, a tray of kimchi, tteobeokki, and fishcakes has been served to you. Instead of eating in the cafeteria, you went to your favorite secret spot where you could be separated from the students and enjoy your food in peace.

To be honest, you didn't care for it at all. You may grow accustomed to it, but it occasionally makes you wonder how it will feel if this becomes... the opposite? For instance, instead of being alone, you have someone who can join you and do what every friend does when they are together.

As you were about to turn and walk to the back of one of the school buildings where your spot is, you were startled to hear someone crying nearby.

You took a gentle step and hid behind the wall, then slowly peered over the edge to see who it was, and to your surprise, it was someone you didn't expect to see here... and to be in this state at all.

Jeongyeon is crying beneath the tree, with her body curled like a ball.

You sat your tray on the nearest available bench and walked towards Jeongyeon. The latter sensed that someone was nearby and could hear footsteps going nearer to her.

When she saw you standing in front of her, she raised her head and her eyes widened. Your usual innocent and nerdy stance appeared completely in front of her sight.

"Jeongyeon, what are you doing here?" you queried, intrigued.

"I should ask you the same thing to you. What are you doing in here as well?" Jeongyeon retorted, her voice was raspy due to the effects of her sobs but it didn't sound as if it has any emotions to it including her messy face other than... sadness and devastation.

"This is my spot whenever break comes; I eat my lunch in here," you replied, moving your hands around the room.

"Now, could you tell me yours?" you patiently waited for her response, but she doesn't seem to want to. You sighed at the attempt, but it has come to this that both of you have been put in this situation where she has a problem and you...

... although you are not her friend, you felt obligated to act as one for her. She is still your classmate and one of the people you see every day. It doesn't feel right to see them bothered by something you don't understand. Even you receive dislike to them, it wasn't effective enough still to prevent you from helping them once they had some trouble. You still have faith in them, knowing that not all of them were evil when it came to you.They were either manipulated or made negative assumptions about you. Returning to the situation, you preceded the flow of your choice. Jeongyeon turns her head to see if you're doing anything other than standing next to her. She expected you to stop asking her questions, but what she saw pointing near her face surprised her. You extended your free hand to her. Jeongyeon furrowed her brows as she looked at you. You just mentally sent her a message to accept it as your genuine offer of assistance, nodding your head with a thin smile. She just stared at you for a few seconds before giving up and reaching for your hand, which you gently grabbed and helped her stand up from the grassy ground.

"Mind if we take a seat?" you asked, referring to the bench next to another tree in this area. She only nodded slightly, her head slightly lowered as she followed you from behind.

You let her sit first before you joined. Jeongyeon noticed your lunch tray, which is now on your lap. "You were telling the truth," she thought.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you envious or hungry; as I said, I always take my lunch here," you said shyly after scooping up one rice cake. She remained deafeningly silent. What you're doing has no effect on her, actually.

She's not that hungry anyway, and she suspects she can't feel it because her mind is too preoccupied right now that distracts her irritatingly.

"I know we're not close enough for you to share what's gotten into you that made you do this... and I respect that," you began. Jeongyeon wasn't looking at you, but her ears were trained on you as you began speaking again, this time with words that are meant for her.

"But I just want to say that whatever it is, don't let it consume you; heavy or not, it deserves to vanish... and one way to do so is to ask for anyone's help," you continued as kept listening to you.

"It doesn't mean it's your problem, you have to face it alone. No, you deserve help. It could be a friend or a stranger, as long as it has good intentions. There, you can easily solve it with that someone." Jeongyeon finally looked at you after you finished speaking.

It truly impressed her and made her think twice about how you tried to comfort her without knowing any hints about her problem. She strongly agreed with what you said.

You were right, everyone deserves a help...and right now, the only person she can search for and trust to share her problem is none other than her classmate which is you with whom she just had her first conversation, currently sitting beside her and eating his lunch.

She heaved out a sigh before beginning to spill her troubles to you as what she decided to.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but this better should only be between us, you understand?" she finally said. You shifted your gaze to see her solemn expression as she awaited your confirmation.

"You have my word," you assuredly nodded. Jeongyeon felt at ease. She looked down at her hands, which were clenched around the hem of her dress, as she began to tell you about her problem.

"Earlier, I... I went to the third stairway, which is where I'm supposed to meet the g-guy who's courting me," she said.. You let out a silent "oh" as she revealed that it was about love, as you had predicted immediately based on your probabilities. Perks of being a math genius, you kidding to yourself.

"He's from another section. I'm not in love with him so far it's just... he made me interested for him so I agreed to his request for us to meet.", she continued. "When I arrived there after the bell rang, I didn't expected that I'll see him..", she paused for a moment.

".... I'll see him kissing another schoolgirl at the locker.", she started sniffing and hiccuping at her tears as she covered her face with her hands. "Based o-on his m-moves... he-he does look l-like he's having f-fun."

"I-I mean... you weren't g-going to pin s-someone you're k-kissing and m-mirror her if y-you weren't feeling it," Jeongyeon said in a muffled tone. You agreed to her, but she's making a point. It does justify what caused her to react in this like this.

"I get it, you're right.", you said. "I'm sorry to hear that. Being played and fooled truly does suck, isn't it.", Jeongyeon nodded aggressively. You got exactly what she felt when she saw that horrible sight.

"I suggest you just move on quickly like he does. Remember, you didn't like him yet, and his love for you isn't real at all. Why waste your tears for someone who's just deceiving you? Most importantly, why let your entire mood be ruined by someone who doesn't even care at all for you?" you advised her. Jeongyeon paid close attention to you as you consoled her.

Not only she can audibly hear it, but she also felt it when you slowly patted her back.

"Let it all out, Jeongyeon. I know it hurts, but it can't go on any longer. You don't deserve this. Every woman in the world doesn't deserve to have their hearts played and brag about their beauty as if they won a trophy for their collection of achievements." Jeongyeon's sobs became lower as she slowed down her cries.

You were a good companion, she thought.

She did needed this. It felt like as if she felt lighter once you started giving her advices regarding to her problem.

What she liked the most at what you've done for her today was that, everything you just said was very touching and uplifting. You said nothing but facts.

She guessed that she had made the wise choice not to judge and speculate unfavorably about you, unlike everyone else on campus. You weren't as bad as everyone expected you to be.

Your choice of words made Jeongyeon assured that if there's a girl that you successfully stole her heart someday, she will be so lucky to have you.

"We use love to make someone feel respected and important, compatible to get attached with another person. If their intentions weren't dedicated and serious like these, then it's not love at all, Jeongyeon.", you faintly smiled at her, ending your comforting speech.

You stood up from your seat and left your tray laying beside her. "You must eat, just use my fork.", you said as you pointed at your lunch that still has some amount enough for Jeongyeon to intake. Good thing you used your personal chopstick with you because you are much experienced and comfortable using this. She looked at your lunch, following your gesture. Before you walk back to the classroom, you rotated your body around. "Oh and one last thing...", Jeongyeon looked at you with curiousity.

"... hope you'll be okay.", you smiled sweetly. You walked away, leaving Jeongyeon alone without minding whether she'll accept your food or not. All you care about was that you've fulfilled your role to be her acquaintance for today and you helped her.

Meanwhile, Jeongyeon remained speechless as she watched you leave. She was undoubtedly taken aback by your warm and friendly personality. She looked at your lunch beside her that you reserved for her. A smile appeared on her face as she reached for your tray and started eating the rest of it while wiping her tear stained face with a towel.

THE NEXT DAY

You are reading a book in the library to do some advance learning for your Gender and Society subject tomorrow since you don't have anything else to do so far and you feel energized to study.

You were taking notes in your notebook when you noticed a vacant chair in front of you being pulled. You looked up, and to your surprise, it was Jeongyeon smiling placidly, who had brought her own chosen books, and placed them on your table.

She sat down and leaned her bag against the foot of the table. You both noticed that every student in the library gathered their attention to you and Jeongyeon.

You gulped nervously and you looked at Jeongyeon. "Uhh, why did you sat here Jeongyeon?"

"You were intimated by them?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at you and showing it to the others, allowing them to witness Jeongyeon's sassiness unbothered by their presence. "Forget them, I don't care and you should too.", she scoffed.

"Anyway, hello." She narrowed the gap between her arms, her head pursing slightly forward to you. Her expression softened from sharp to pleasant. You were taken aback by how swiftly she changed her demeanor.

"Uhh... hello?" you awkwardly greeted her before returning to your book. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"There is, yes," she said, nodding. She tapped the table with her fingers at the same time. "We have this particular Calculus lesson that I couldn't understand at all no matter how many times I tried to review it on my own; I even watched tutorials on YouTube and searched it on Google but none of it worked," she sighed tiredly.

"So... I was thinking if... you could uhh help me?", she shyly requested. You pulled back your head upwards, meeting her looking at you with her teeth clenching sheepishly. She was absolutely adorable, you thought.

"You're the best in math in our class. Our professor likes your intelligence. You're our section's secret weapon in academic competitions," she enumerated her reasons why she chose to approach you with her concern. "In short, you are a genius, YN, so yeah... that's why," you remained quiet as you kept on flipping the page of the book while searching for the next topic you had to take note.

"By the way... it worked," she added. You looked at her, pausing what you were doing as she got your attention back to her.

"It did?" you asked surprisingly.

"Yeah. I stopped giving a damn about him after processing it throughly what you said to me yesterday. Earlier, when we met at the hallway... I just ignored him.", she shrugged. "You were right. He doesn't care. He didn't even called my name back and find it suspicious that I'm distancing myself away from him", she sighed.

You were relieved that you had completed your task for her. That is what is important to you.

"Thank you, YN," she said gratefully. "For being by my side yesterday." You returned her polite expression, appreciating her remark as well.

"No worries, Jeongyeon.", you assured.

"Can we be friends, YN?", she asked you which made you bewildered. Did you just saw and heard the most famous female student of the entire year level in this campus offer her friendship to a... nobody like you?

"Excuse me?"

"You must be shocked, I see.", she chuckled. "It was too sudden. Sorry. But as what I mentioned earlier, if you may be aware and concerned about everyone looking at you differently, just ignore them YN."

"For me, you are just the same as us... and you proved that to me when you chose to help me even though I didn't asked for it, because you knew it clearly that even if I didn't... I still needed it.", she said.

Her wise words to you made you happy and touched you. It was very rare of you to hear this from someone and you never thought you'll receive like this ever.

But Jeongyeon appeared to have accomplished the impossible.

"What is it gonna be, YN?", she waited for your response anticipatingly. You scratched your nape and chuckled at how unbelievable that this is happening.

"Yes, Jeongyeon. I want to be your friend.", you smiled, accepting it unhesitatingly. "And also, yes. I can help you in math.", you smirked. Both of you laughed as each other exchanged thank you's before moving on to start a new conversation with her as you first and new found true friend in college.

2 DAYS LATER

The exam was administered to the class today. You spent the rest of those time tutoring Jeongyeon in that specific lesson she's struggling to intepret. But, being the generous guy you are; you decided to just include the rest of the other lessons and review it with her.

Following the formation of your friendship bond with Jeongyeon, both of you began to meet frequently every day everyday in and out of the school.

In your perspective, Jeongyeon is excellent. She's nice, easy to get along with, and her sense of humor was... witty, which is fine with you because you don't think you're that fun either but Jeongyeon was surprisingly laughing at your jokes too.

Overall, her personality is superb and that flawlessly adds to her admirable features. It's difficult for you to get astounded anymore that she's being setting everyone's eyes on her.

However, your friendship with Jeongyeon had a downside. Since she had to join you to teach her and review with her for the exams, she lost time with her friends who she had planned to spend with when the teachers informed the students to prepare for the exams.

And, yes, they did find another reason to despise you. Fortunately, Jeongyeon was by your side to defend you, but you didn't let her do all the work; you tried to stand up for yourself.

As of now, the only thing you know so far was that Jeongyeon's friends were sulking and disappointed that she was spending more time with you than with them. But you can't blame them.

The results were already distributed and it's just a typical moment for you to achieve a high score. It's not that you're bragging about it but even you also knows clearly to yourself that you are smart to deserve getting these grades.

What took you aback was the fact that Jeongyeon was included among the students who received a passing grade. When your classmates, including some of her friends, cheered when your professor called her name, she immediately looked at you with that lively smile, a sign that she thanked you for helping her in obtaining this.

She did shared it out loud to you more when she planned that as an exchange, she'll treat you everywhere after the class.

You tried to decline as a cause of your shyness but Jeongyeon will not accept a no answer from you. Retreating, you just followed her and let her walk it like she talk it.

Before you and her were about to head outside the gate of the school, a group of girls shouted Jeongyeon's name from behind. That made both of you turn your attention to whoever owned that voices.

There, you viewed Jeongyeon's friends from their group. If you are not mistaken, they are Minatozaki Sana and Park Jihyo from Class B and Chou Tzuyu, your fellow classmate too from Class A like Jeongyeon.

"Oh girls. Hey!", Jeongyeon greeted her friends.

"You're with him again?" Sana asked, disbelievingly pointing at you.

"We were about to invite you to join us today for a visit to the newly opened fashion store in Jung-gu," Jihyo followed.

"But it looks like you are going out with him unnie. What is it now this time?", Tzuyu irritatingly asked as she gave you a spiteful glare that had you stare away from the evil maknae.

"Girls, can all of you calm down? What did I told you all last time. YN is now my friend too.", Jeongyeon replied, her voice raised a bit.

You just looked aside at her while she's focused arguing at her friends.

"So I hope this is the last time we have to deal with this; now, if you'll excuse and do us a favor, can you three tell the rest that I promise I'll join you guys next time to catch up with all of you?" begged Jeongyeon. Tzuyu, Sana, and Jihyo exchanged glances, amazed at how good-hearted their friend is.

"Get used to the fact that YN will always be around me or maybe us soon, trust me; if I hadn't discovered how great he is... then why would I choose to stood confidently right next to him, facing you guys today and engaged to accompany him?" she finished before pulling your hand with her as you both ran outside the school and rode her family car.

Jeongyeon instructed her driver to transport you and her to the nearest mall in Seoul. Her personal driver complied and 20 minutes later, he dropped both of you at the rendezvous.

She allowed the driver to tour around by himself to spend his time while waiting which she'll just contact him if you and her would need him back again. The driver thanked Jeongyeon before leaving away, leaving both of you to enter the mall.

Jeongyeon started to take the lead on shopping for you where she lived up to what she sweared, she gave you appreciation gifts which was for you... it's overwhelming.

Visiting a clothing store, she bought you new pair of clothes and shorts, two of each. You spent more time with Jeongyeon exploring the massive mall, such as playing in the arcade where both of you are somewhat skilled at every game, watching the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie with her after discovering that both of you are Marvel fans, and eating at various restaurants and food booths.

At the roof garden of the mall where both decided to rest, you and her were sitting in one of the stone chairs. The perfect view of Seoul, the dazzling nightsky and cold breeze of air splashing onto your skins.

Both were silent, too much concentrated on the magnificent nightview until something came up in your mind that you can't help but to slide it out from your mouth.

"Your friends were right a while ago," you said out of nowhere. Jeongyeon examined you, perplexed by what you had just said out of the blue.

"I still don't quite understand why do you need to give such effort repaying me although you know that doing my responsibility for you as a friend was fine to me.", you said while eyes still fixed forward as you speak out your thoughts.

"Because I wanted it, okay?" insisted Jeongyeon. "This is one of the better ways I can think of to express myself that I want to strengthen our connection and that I'm not just the receiver here and you as the giver," she said, pointing to you and herself with her hand.

"Just... accept it and don't overthink about it, please YN. Don't you want to be with me today?" she asked you quzzically. You transitioned your gaze to Jeongyeon and noticed her small frown, which made you nervous.

"Because I do," she pouted. You smiled cheekily, pleased that she does.

"N-no... of course, Jeongyeon, I want to be with you," you said. Jeongyeon's frown effectively curled back up into a smile. "You're my friend, and what better way to spend the weekend than having fun with you?"

"I've never experienced anything like this before... that's why I can't say no," you painfully smiled. Jeongyeon looked at you worriedly, feeling pity once more because she can't imagine how bland and boring of a childhood you have if you never had any friends nor siblings to treat like one.

"Thank you for all of these, Jeongyeon."

"You're welcome.", she grinned.

The two were interrupted when fireworks began to explode in the sky, creating a rainbow of colors that catches the attention of the public, including you and Jeongyeon.

The fountain behind you two also contributed the display as it blew and splashed out huge amount of water combined by multiple lightning struck withing it to add design and colors.

Now everyone were watching either the fireworks and the fountain show.

As you kept on watching with a wide grin in your face, Jeongyeon unconsciously turned her head to you and her lips narrowed their gaps together as it formed a long smile when she saw your attractive side-profile.

Then she felt this again that had her wondering about since days ago when you kept on praising her for doing a great job answering all of your made-up tests for her perfectly during your review with her for the exams.

Her heart beat started banging directly in her rib cage and her chest intensely as she became speechless and stunned.

Back at the clothing store where you basically tried on the clothes you chose for Jeongyeon to pay for, you exit the fitting room and let her judge how you look.

And boy oh boy Jeongyeon didn't said it out right away but she was undoubtedly complimenting you on how handsome you really are, especially when you removed your glasses.

She removed her gaze away from you and lowered her head as she gulped, unknowingly large red tints in her cheeks were forming mainly due to the effects of your image roaming in her mind.

1 MONTH LATER

It was graduation day, and you were in your fourth year of college, just like Jeongyeon. Both you and her passed and received an award, with you being in the spotlight as a Magna Cum Laude achiever that have every crowd applauded for you.

After the event ended, you tried to find Jeongyeon inside the auditorium to congratulate her but to no avail. Puzzled, you continued searching for her until you found her talking with... a guy.

Jeongyeon doesn't seemed to be entertained at all while the guy seems like they're serious at their conversation.

She started shaking her head as if she's declining something and the more she does it, the guy becoming infuriated at how Jeongyeon is acting towards him.

In a matter of seconds, what happened next had your fists clenched and and blood boil.

The guy completely went over the limit as he grabbed Jeongyeon's arm forcefully and pulled her with him aggressively, with her wincing in pain and attempting to escape but she kept on failing.

"No, wh-who was he to do this...", you murmured to yourself as you horribly watched the sight of Jeongyeon being abused by this mysterious person.

You saw her 8 other girls appearing at the scene shouting her name and this dude who revealed to be Cheongsan as they plead for him to stop hurting her. It all fell into deaf ears as he still dragged Jeongyeon with her outside the campus.

The guards intervened to block him, but Cheongsan pulled out a gun pointing at them to scare them off. People began panicking and yelling in fear. You knew it already that he's gonna do something bad to Jeongyeon and as her friend, you can't just let it happen no matter what circumstances it might be.

Right now, Jeongyeon needs help... and it has to be you that you think the only one around here that has the guts to confront and save Jeongyeon from this maniac.

You ran quickly and everyone saw you, surprised that someone is about to risk it all and face the dangerous consequence as when they were about to cross the road, Cheongsan rotates his head after he got confused why is everyone screaming once again.

He then realised you charging at him, sending your bodies crashing to the road. The guards acted quickly, kicking the gun away just as Cheongsan was about to reach for it. He then tried to grab Jeongyeon again, but due to his slightly damaged state, she was able to break free, only to be met with a massive backslap to the face just as you were about to execute a spear straight to his stomach, his back landed first onto the cemented ground. The guards apprehended Cheongsan and called the cops to arrest him, but first they had him arrested and kept in their guardhouse. You immediately led Jeongyeon who fell to the ground due to the impact of Cheongsam's offense to the other sidewalk and checked her immediately.

"Are you okay?", you asked concerningly as you started searching around the exposed skin of her arms and knees if there may be a glimpse of wounds and bruises. There was a red mark imprinted from Cheongsan's tight grip in her wrist though.

"Does it hurt?", you asked. Jeongyeon shook her head. "A little. It stings.", she said as she blew some air to ease the effect after you gently touched it.

"Who was he?"

"Some asshole who tried to take advantage of me before," she spit nastily. "One of the guys I rejected became obsessed with me and forced me to accept his feelings for me, and when I did it again for the second time, he didn't allow it anymore and just forced me to come with him," she explained.

"Thank you for saving me, YN," she said as she hugged you, tears welling up in her eyes. "I was afraid..."

"Don't worry, Jeongyeon. I have to do it. Nobody must hurt you and if they attempt to, you have me here to protect just like what I did.", you said as you comforted and ease off her frightened state.

Jeongyeon saw her parents and friends through the other sidewalk in front of the campus gate, relieved and happy that their daughter was safe.

She was about to ran and cross the road when you noticed that a speeding car was about to head towards her. Her reaction time was late for her to be aware unlike you.

"JEONGYEON, MOVE!!!", you rushed through her and pushed her away to the sidewalk where her parents and friends standing and waiting for her as they were also got terrified that Jeongyeon was about to get crashed by the car.

But instead, it got you.

The only thing you remember after that is blacking out and waking up in a hospital room wearing a white gown with your left arm and leg bandaged and supported by a brace.

Your head and vision felt like the entire room was spinning as you became dizzy for a brief seconds before it slowly faded away, just as a womanly figure appeared in front of your face.

She enclosed her upper body around yours in preparation for a hug. You could feel her tears on your sleeve. You can now see Jeongyeon crying in your arms as your eyesight has enhanced.

"You're finally awake, YN!", she said. "God, I was so worried of you. I thought that accident could take your life away."

She removed herself away from you as she looked at you nervously. "D-do you still remember me... YN?"

"As far as I know, Yoo Jeongyeon, I could still recognize you." you said, faintly smiling. Jeongyeon exhaled a sigh of relief. "But what happened to me was totally blank to me."

"You got bumped into a car, YN.", she said. "You had to be taken here in the hospital because that bump you took was very critical. All of us screamed in terror when we watched you flew away from the impact.", she stated as she began to summarize what brought you here hospitalized in a broken condition.

"The doctors informed us that you had bruised ribs and fractured arm and leg," she said as she examined your sealed damaged body parts. "I know dealing with it will be difficult, but YN... we'd rather do it for you than witness you-"

"Enough of it, Jeongyeon.", you said, cutting her off. She shut her mouth instantly, nervous that you might became angry but when you spoke next made her thoughts false.

"When am I getting out of here?"

"I suppose one and a half to two months?" she answered. It was pretty long but you knew time just runs fast you won't even gonna notice that soon it will be over so you just became fine with it.

"How long have you been here?"

"Three days," she said, bowing her head. "Every day, I come to see you and wait for you to wake up. The guilt was attacking me, YN. I know I'm to blame for you being involved in an accident, and I shouldn't have r-"

"Jeongyeon, please. Calm down.", you said as you signalled her. She broke down again into tears and you motioned her to come near at you and she did. You gently rubbed her shoulders to comfort her.

"Why are you blaming yourself? Stop it, it wasn't your fault; the driver of that car knows it's a school zone, and whoever he is didn't follow the street rules that he shouldn't drive that fast,"

"I just lured you away from it and I'm glad that I did. I saved you and you're still here breathing alive and well.", you smiled. Jeongyeon just looked at you unbelievably at how selfless you were. "That's what matters to me and now I that knew about it, I can use it for a speedy recovery, you know?, you chuckled.

Jeongyeon amusingly slapped your arm whuch you whimpered in a slight prick of pain you felt. She apologized immediately but you just disregarded it, since it wasn't that serious.

"I missed you.", she softly said. You grinned from ear to ear. "

"I missed you too, Jeongyeon.

1 MONTH AND 3 WEEKS LATER

Jeongyeon assisted you to stand up from the hospital bed as you decided to stand at the window and feel the cold air fron the outside. It's been pretty exhausting and unsatisfying to have yourself confined in here for that span of time because of your injuries.

The recovery began after you woke up and Jeongyeon was mostly there to support you as she guarded you 24/7 to ensure that you're doing well.

During your healing process, you also received some visits from your parents which was shocking to you because you thought they never cared for you at all.

Jeongyeon's parents also came to convey their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for saving Jeongyeon not once, but twice in the same morning.

Even her eight other friends came to see you and sent their best wishes and warm messages for what you've done for Jeongyeon and for your current rest.

They apologized for being harsh towards you and expressed their regrets and anger for theirselves on being too much blinded by hate on you.

You just simply accepted them and made official peace with them because both sides desired it.

Leaning at the window with curtains tied up to avoid being swayed too much by the wind, you and Jeongyeon standing side by side as the structures and bright afternoon skylight presented in front of you two.

"Thank you for taking care of me and assisting me in overcoming these hardships I had to face during my recovery, Jeongyeon," you said.

"For you, I had to. It wasn't a burden to me.,", Jeongyeon said, smiling at your touching comment. Both went silent as you continued to look afar outside.

Jeongyeon on the other hand, was preparing herself to do what she planned in mind since she had to guard you for the first day.

She sighed as she aligned her face straight and leveled to your view direction. "YN, do you believe in miracles?", she asked.

"I do... even if I haven't experienced one.", you

"What would you feel if you had it today?"

"Surreal.", you simply replied. "How about you?"

"Same as you too.", she agreed. "And I just had a recent one."

"Really?"

"Yeah.", she nodded. "Since you're involved with this, should I tell you about it?"

"Feel free", you granted her permission.

"Mine's the one you created, YN.", she said.

"Me? What is it that I created?", you were baffled about it.

"The feelings inside my heart I can't explain.", she revealed. You turned your head at her as you heard those words that it sounded as if it meant something more.

"And you did it by yourself. I am not that easy to get but with you... you did the unimaginable.", she said. "You made me fell in love for you.", she confessed. Your eyes widened in disbelief, jaw dropped in shock at what you just learned from Jeongyeon.

You were immensely mindblown at the sudden confession from your friend whom you never thought that she'll turn out once a moment into a forever.

"What?", you were out of words already. You don't even know what to say next even though there's so many questions running through your mind.

"W-why me? Jeongyeon? Out of everyone else out there, why me?", you confusingly asked the girl who is just watching you as you tried to process everything. Breaths running in your throat became shaky along with your mind. "Why would you let yourself fall for a weirdo like me? A joke and a nobody compared to other men out there who could be suitable for you?"

"Whatever qualifications you could find and believe in, do you think that what makes a man?", she asked. "No. It's not. You are the prime example of what kind of a man I prefer, YN.", she pointed at you. She grabbed both of your hands and both watched her fingers caressing the softness of your skin and her touch.

"All of their priorities when it comes to me was nothing but my background and my outside features. Yet you focused right ahead more through my heart and how vulnerable I am. You treated me good as a pure woman who deserves to experience it especially when she's searching for the rightful man to love.", she locked both pair of your hands as squeezed it together with her own.

"When we first met at the back of the building, you don't know how highly impressed I am when you called my bluff and saw through all my tells. Then you went all in and you started unhesistantly helped me which made us left together all too well."

She swayed your hair blocking off those eyes that she always loved to get hypnotized with. "It all started there, YN. Those golden traits and personality of yours that you kept on showing to me the more time has passed leveled up how exactly you look for me.", her hand went lower, now in front of your cheek as she cupped it.

You gulped nervously as you just followed her movements and continued listening to her.

"I've been played before, went through men who tried to steal my heart but nobody took it all seriously. I wasn't supposed to give chances anymore but... I fear that right now, you happened to be someone I'm about to risk it all again."

"I think it's safe to say and to top it all off that I love you, YN.", she said to you wholeheartedly, smiling sweetly at you. Your tears started to form in your eyes and she noticed.

She nodded understandably at you because she knew that you would feel emotional about it knowing that this might be the first time that someone opened up how they cherish you in their life.

She rubbed your shoulder while holding your waist when she saw you starting to stumble and hop a little in your position, getting unbalanced at your stance.

"Let it all out, YN. I'll listen to you, just say what you want to say.", she encouraged. You nodded while she's comforting you.

"I was scared, Jeongyeon.", you started. "I have this fears that became a blockage for me on so many reasons. One of them was to love."

"My self-esteem was very low since when I was a child. Everyone bullies me, bravely reminding how pathetic I am. I wished that atleast my parents could help me but they didn't. All I got from them was verbal abuse.", you shared as you gained some flashbacks of your mother and father always jokingly telling you how ugly you are in every angle which they don't realize already that they're getting very offensive at their words.

You hated it at first but you didn't have the courage to tell them how it affects you because you are scared that they'll just scold you instead for being disrespectful. Now... you are completely numb at it.

Nothing serves as a knife that pierces in your heart for you to feel pain because they made you insecure and despise yourself the same as them.

You took it as a truth and lived up with it.

"I'm bringing it with me up to this day. It did served as a barrier for many reasons. One of it was to love... and I'm currently struggling with it."

"Despite of that, I still feel and develop deep strong feelings of admiration for anyone and as far as I could tell... it's you Jeongyeon I'm capable into these days gone coming by.", you said. Jeongyeon was bewildered and froze at your own confession too. Mixed of emotions full of positivity filling up inside her.

She didn't know that you were also starting to adore her silently the more times you spent being near with her. She's just irresistable not to fell in love with.

Everything she does were shots fired through your heart and it suffered enough to the point that it conceded defeat and chose that Jeongyeon had to make you feel this way.

The only problem here is your fears that's preventing you to look at the bright side and stuck you onto the same old usual opposite.

"But I kept it a secret because, like I said, I just thought you wouldn't like somebody like me ever," you sniffed through your tears as you started to bawl your eyes out in sobs as teardrops raced pouring down in your cheeks.

Jeongyeon encircled her arms around your neck and locked her gaze on you. "I'm sorry that you had to go through every of this in a rough way.", she apologetically said.

She can't imagine how worst your entire childhood where your long time trauma kept on haunting you and started to disillusion you and make convince you of a lie.

"Rest assured, YN. My love for you was true and I trust you with all my heart. All I ask for you is to do the same thing for me and I will do anything to loosen your insecurities and shed a light on your darkness.", she assured you. Both you and her were still crying at this scenario.

"Don't make it hard for yourself when it comes to me anymore, YN. We both now know that we love each other mutually,  there's only one thing we need to do about it."

She leaned her face close to you, placing her lips to connect at your to elicit a soft, delightful and delicate kiss with each other. You joined her rhythm as you went all subdued and enchanted already by her luscious contact of a love gesture to you.

Separating each other from that fluffy, magnificent and romantic moment you two shared, both exchanged I love yous to each other and engulfed again to another warm embrace, feeling thankful and happy with this new established relationship together.

BACK TO PRESENT DAY / 10 YEARS LATER

After you've done reminiscing those memories with Jeongyeon you made while having this glasses with you before, you looked next to your hand you're using to hold.

A perfect small shining wedding ring inserted in your finger.

You smiled broadly when you realized that the same woman you once loved was also wearing this.

Your relationship with Jeongyeon prompted your parents to apologize for the mistake they made with you, which skewed your perspective on yourself.

Jeongyeon planned this, and while you were surprised, you chose to forgive your parents because it's never too late to let anyone realize their wrongdoings and solemnly beg forgiveness.

Both you and Jeongyeon's parents also gave their blessings for your relationship with her. That was where you discovered why Jeongyeon has this such awesome personality, and that was all came from her parents.

Having Jeongyeon as your girlfriend lasted for 3 years until you finally decided to propose to her which... she answered yes straIght away. You had your wedding together after, and there was many people who visited to witness the newlyweds get married; including Jeongyeon's friends which became yours too.

You glanced at the individual photo of Jeongyeon at the top of your desk and smiled blissfully at how beautiful she is here in this picture. She looked just like an angel who came to your life and changed everything for the better.

Your thoughts ended when you heard the door of your house opened. Couple of footsteps can be heard from outside so you got out quickly from the bedroom to see them.

You stood and looked at your small lovely family as the hardworking father who works as a licensed architect these days. Your lovely wife, Jeongyeon, is dressed casually, and your daughter, Gaeul, is dressed in her school uniform and has just gotten freshly out of class. "Good afternoon, dad!" exclaimed your eight-year-old daughter, engulfing you in a hug.

"Good afternoon too! How's class sweetie?"

"We had a lot of fun; we played instruments at school during our music class!" she exclaimed. Your gaze moved to Jeongyeon, who was stunned and staring at you when she saw something noticeable with you.

"I was cleaning in our room and yeah... I accidentally found this," you said, pinching the temple of your old glasses, which you only realized you wore instead of your new and improved ones after looking at your wife's wedding photo.

You were about to remove it when Jeongyeon stepped in front of you and grabbed your hand. Your wife smiled brightly as she assisted you in bringing it back up to your eyes and rearranged some strands of your hair before pinching your cheek.

"No. Keep it.", she said as she observed this familiar appearance that started all all of this journey you had with her. "Even after all these years, it still looks so good on you.", she muttered, tracing your face admiringly.

You grabbed Jeongyeon's hand touching your face and kissed the sides of it. "It's a crazy thing that I didn't know back then when I showed you my hand and you still let me win after being too arrogant just to help you which would turn out to that it was meant to be for us."

"You've fallen for a genius yet a joke and an odd guy like me when I knew you could fall for a thousand men who depicts like a king more than me.", you said as you stared at Jeongyeon.

"Hey, are you thinking down of yourself again?", her forehead crumpled and lips pursed in a pout as she sulked. You chuckled and quickly swayed your head in denial. "I don't care at any of them, YN. Okay? Neither do I wished to live like that in the future."

"What I wanted is this... and you showed and provided me everything I desired for. Sure, you may be a joke unlike every men out there but you did it effortlessly to replace them and steal my heart away in one take.", she said.

"When you were folded, I instead see the best of you, YN.", she raised your hand where she interconnected each other's wedding rings to one another's fingers, you cracked a forced smile as you fight your emotions not to overflow but they were too strong just like how Jeongyeon's words of affections giving you.

"Now look at us, it's the joker and the queen living happily ever after who both found their worths and you won the place not even intended for you but proved that not just a king would be rightful for a throne with me.", she finished her heartwarming message to you foowed up by the usual passionate kiss you two give to each other as one of the signs to show how much you love one another. "I will never ever regret that decision, YN."

"Thank you for loving me, Jeongyeon. I love you and for my queen, I'll be there to serve, protect and lay all on the line for you."

"I love you too, YN and for my joker, I'll be there on your side to share laughters and spread happiness with you."

You each gave another peck of a kiss and just about the same time, you both heard your daughter being frantic and panicking that raised your curiousity.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?", Jeongyeon asked Gaeul who is walking back and forth in the living room.

"Mom, I-I think I left my ukelele at the school...", she said with a horrified expression. Both you and Jeongyeon had each other's mouth agaped.

"Oh no. Wait, don't worry dear. We will find-", before you were about to finish your words all three of you directed their sight at the door whereas the doorbell rang because of some unknown person outside of it.

You opened it and to your surprise, it was a little boy with large eyeglasses, hair perfectly fixed, his collar also buttoned together as he still wearing a school uniform that looks the same like your daughters.

He reminded you of your past self so much. His style was almost as accurate like what you used to be before.

"May I help you kid?"

"Hi Mr. LN, is Gaeul arrived home already?", the little boy asked you who seemed to be your daughter's classmate or friend. You inspected that he was bringing something with him other than his bag.

"I was about to give this ukelele back to her after I noticed she left it in the class, Mr. YN. I chased but she and Mrs. LN already left.", he explained. You smiled at how kind and honest of a kid he is.

Unbeknownst to you, Gaeul was peeking to the door beside you. She saw her classmate standing and talking with you while bringing her personalized ukelele with him.

"SUNGHOON!", she yelled in glee. The boy's smile widened to see your daughter.

"You found my ukelele?"

"Yes. I was the last one who left the classroom after I helped our teacher bring her things to her office then I saw your ukelele under your chair.", he narrated. "So... here, you can have it now."

Jeongyeon stood behind you and both witnessed your daughter rushed to hug this kid named Sunghoon in front of you.

After they bid goodbyes to each other and Gaeul looking flushed as she cuddle her favorite instrument with her, Jeongyeon giggled and whispered "They're cute." to your ear before she thanked Sunghoon.

As they returned inside, you saw Sunghoon also clenching his lips tightly to form a smile while his face blushing hard mainly because of his interaction and contact with your little girl.

You smirked as you already had it guessed the possibility of them acting like this because you knew you've been there before.

"Hey kid.", you called him. He raised his head back up to look at you.

"Y-yes sir?"

"Continue what you're doing.", you winked ans clicked your tongue before you thanked him too and wished Sunghoon a safe way home.

You closed the door and reconcile with your small happy family at the couch together to take arest with your arms spread apart, one to your beautiful wife Jeongyeon and one to your adorable and bright daughter Gaeul.

----------END----------

You parked your car in front of the dormitory building located around the city of Cheongnam-dong. Leaving your car for good and in trustful safety of the guards standing by to monitor the area, you went inside to make your way to this particular room you are heading onto.

Reaching the 3rd floor and walked straight into the hallway, you are now standing in front of the door of Room 012. You looked into the interface when you knocked three times to make the people inside identify who just made a visit into their dorm.

The door opened and what meets you shocks you at how unexpected it is but definitely a deserving and a thing you surely need so much before you start the next goal for today.

A clingy hamster just jumped and lunges at you with its speed even The Flash and Quicksilver would acknowledge her.

It was your girlfriend, the very famous superstar, celebrity and artist Minatozaki Sana from TWICE.

"JAGIIIIII!!!!!!!", that's what she shouted after she opened the door, wrapping her arms around you and burying her face in the middle of your chest. You chuckled at your adorable girlfriend coming at you with one of the best things you like from her a lot that she always gives you: warm and comfy hugs.

You placed your nose and lips on the top of her crown as you reciprocated her hug by pulling her closer to you and stroked her long black hair. "Heyyy... my Sana-yah. Jeez, you shocked me a bit there."

"I missed you...", she muttered, looking up at you with her puppy eyes and a pout that is very impossible for you to resist its cuteness when it only comes from her.

"But we just saw each other yesterday.", you hilariously said in disbelief.

Sana shook her head aggressively then placed back the side of her head to your chest. "I don't care, after hours passed by when we said goodbye to one another feels like forever already to me."

"Why can't we just move in together...", she sighed. You heard and understood her desire from it because you wanted it too, but a smirk crept in your face as you think about it being possible.. soon.

"We'll find a way with that.", you bounced your brows as your smirk. " As of now, just enjoy your stay here with your members okay? They're still your family you're living with."

"Okay.", she answered.

You kissed her forehead and rubbed her shoulders. "Let go of me now, babe. You can have it more with how times you want later, for now we just have to get into work."

She followed and looked very closely at you while she stoods in front of you. "You sure, jagi?"

"I'm all free only for you again later, I swear.", you nodded in assurance.

"Yayyy!", she giggled and did her common mannerism when she's so delighted and excited by shaking her two arms raised with both hands curled into fists.

While you laughed softly at her cute antics, a voice can be heard from the inside that interrupted your conversation with Sana.

"Jesus, how long will you two stay flirting there and let the amount of cold air of aircon exit the room? Just get in here now.", Tzuyu said, directly staring at both you and Sana in an intimidating manner. You gulped and smiled sheepishly as you wrapped your arm around Sana's back and clutched her shoulder which she blushed at the contact.

Thankfully, the scary gigantic yoda was fought by a Japanese dancing machine who only wants nothing but peace.

"Calm down, maknae.", Momo said, appearing from the kitchen. Tzuyu huffed some air and rolled her eyes. "But at some point, you're right."

She looked at you who now entered their dorm and closed the door behind you. "Hi, YN oppa / noona!"

"Hi, Momoring!"

"Hi YN oppa / noona!", the rest of the members greeted after Momo in chant.

"Thank goodness you arrived to join us celebrate for new year tonight...", said by their leader and ONCE's very own goddess herself Jihyo who's fixing the curtains.

"And?"

Jihyo showed a flustered expression, not getting what you just asked for her to follow up something more in her words. "Eh... uhh...

You sent her an alerting glare to help her remind. "Oh cmon, Ji. You're the leader, don't tell me you forgot about it.", you said in a slight disappointed tone.

After seconds of silently processing her mind through recalling of what she talked about with you last time, her eyes sprung up when she remembered that specific thing you're referring to. "Oh oh wait I remember. Christmas and YES OUR SANA UNNIES BIRTHDAY ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN 29 TWO DAYS AGO!", she said hyperactively.

"YAYYYY!", the rest of the TWICE members shouted in glee. Sana just laughed at them.

"Sheesh now I got relieved.", you sighed. " So... let's not waste any more time. I'll assign our tasks for today to make the preparation smooth and faster plus to make everyone productive also.", you walked in front of their large and wide high quality LED TV and faced everybody who's surrounding you. They set their eyes all ready to listen attentively at you like soldiers to the commander.

"Okay, listen up ladies. Nayeon, Chaeyoung, Jihyo will buy fireworks, trombones that we will use later to create loud noises. Jeongyeon, Momo, Mina and me will do the cooking and the rest, Dahyun, Tzuyu and Sana...organize the living room.", you aid as you pointed every single one of them when you mention their name. "Are we clear?"

"Yes!"

"Alright lets go and move! Fighting!", you clapped hard and raised your fist as a gesture.

"FIGHTING!"

They started moving as they followed what you said by a focusing and doing their own respective tasks.

NaChaeHyo left the dorm to buy the things all would be using to get loud on celebrating New Years later, JeongMiMo plus you went to the kitchen as you prepared all the ingredients they'll be cooking for the dishes they had in mind for everyone to eat later and lastly SaiDaTzu stayed in the living room as they pushed, pulled and carried some furnitures aside like couches, mini table and humidifier to create a wide space for the large metal table where the foods would be placed into.

During the preparation for the party, you are chopping off onions, garlic, bell pepper etc when your peripheral vision and quick hearing sense alerted you on Sana's impending accident.

She was standing in the small ladder to help Dahyun and Tzuyu design the walls with garlands, colored papers and balloons that forms the message "HAPPY NEW YEAR" when suddenly, her clumsiness made fun of her again as she was about to step down of the stairs when she tripped and nearly fell on the floor.

But to your rescue, you hurried to her side and catched her with in your arms, now carrying her in a bridal style.

"Sana! You're okay?", you asked to her very worriedly.

"Y-yeah, my foot just bumped on the leg of the ladder.", she nodded but her tone and face indicates you that she got very tensed thinking that she could've took that nasty bump on the floor if it wasn't for your quick instinct.

You clicked your tongue. "Just be very careful okay? We don't want to go into a trip at the hospital later and celebrate there for New Year's Eve because of your injury.", she nodded in response.

"Thank goodness you saw her, oppa / noona. She could've broken some of her bones none of us paid attention to her accident.", Jeongyeon breathed heavily to loosen her immense concern. You nodded and smiled tightly as you understood what she felt.

"Does your ankle, foot or toes hurt? Anything?", you asked as you kneeled in front of her.

"N-no."

"Good.'

She gestured you to stand up, reassuring you that she's all fine. She noticed something on you, travelling her eyes around your face and neck. "Give me your towel."

"O-okay.", you did and she started wiping off the sweats intact on your skin. After that, she muzzled her nose on your collar and lets out a "hmm" sound. "Even if you're sweating too much you still smell like a baby to me.

You chuckled as she was also. "Yet while you still do look like one though.", you pinched her cheek.

"Fair win for our advantages then", she grinned before you and her gave each other a quick kiss.

As you turned your body to return back at you spot, you met the rest of the member's teasing and playful faces except Nayeon, Chaeyoung and Jihyo who were at the outside; because of your small sweet moment with Sana.

The preparation lasted for about 6 hours, it was now nighttime and you with the TWICE members just finished doing your tasks.

"There. Everything's all good.", you said as you observed the changes. The whole living room area is now decorated, ready to make the atmosphere around even more uplifting when New Year comes later. "What shall we do next while waiting?"

"Shall we take some pictures before we rest?", Jihyo suggested. "So that we have our last pictures together for this year and the rest would be our first captured memories together for 2023 when New Year has come later?"

"Ooh that's a good idea, Jihyo.", Nayeon agreed on the idea.

The rest including you joined Nayeon's side. "Okay, gather around. Adjust yourselves to fit us all in the camera.", you said to them.

Adjusting the selfie stick and attaching Jihyo's phone on it, all the girls packed up behind you as you took a group picture with them and also by just theirselves in purpose for them to post it on their own Instagram accounts to bless ONCEs with another selcas later.

As you all finished, you took their attention again by instructing them. "Okay, take some rest now girls. You can also sleep for a while if you want to, I'll just wake you all up later."

"Thank you oppa / noona!", they thanked you before going to their rooms... expect for one of them.

After sitting in the couch to relax yourself, Sana took the space beside you and sat there as she rests her head above your shoulder.

"Hey."

"Hey babe. You aren't joining them?", you grabbed her hand and massaged its top with your thumb.

"Not tired actually."

"Hmmm you sure?", you side glanced at her, raising one of your eyebrow for confirmation.

"I am. My energy gets refilled in an instant because my personal love battery is her with us... with me today.", she grabbed on your arm and hugged it.

"Guess I could say the same as yours.", you gave her a warm smile before looking back forward at the window presenting the nightsky and some view of the structures around the street of Cheongnam-dong.

"This makes us only the remaining people awake now."

"Just let them be, I wanted this to spend time being alone with you even its for a while.", Sana said. She took some pause in the end before speaking up again. "Thank you for coming again, babe. I really thought you wouldn't make it for today because you had to focus on your charity organization."

"No problem.", you answered her gratitude. "Well, about that we actually started very early in the morning that's why when we finished, it gave me time to join you and the girls to celebrate. I have to do it just to ensure also that you have to be fully happy on your special day.", you explined to her what occurred during the line of your work earlier.

She blushed, very touched by your words defining how she was always in your thoughts whenever you go and whatever you do. "You really do love me, do you?"

You scoffed and showed a smug. "Ofcourse, I am."

She then spreads herself apart from you to look you in the eyes by tilting your head aside as she cupped your chin to use it.

You met her alluring and enchnating gaze that never fails to make you fall deeper in love with this beautiful Japanese girlfriend with you.

"Show me then.", she whispered, a bit seductively.

"With pleasure.", you granted what she want, kissing her on the lips passionately.

"Don't forget that I still have some more and even better to give for you later just to let you know how much I do love you.", you reminded to her after releasing off your face and lips from connecting at hers.

"You do?"

"Yes.", you replied confidently.

"Ooh I can't wait to find that out.", she said excitingly. You thought that she must be intepreting it as your hint that you'll give her a gift.

And she was right though, but her reaction makes you even pumped up more than her. You waited so long for this to happen.

"I'm bored, what do you want us to do?"

"Watch some movie?", you suggested.

"I mean... yeah that should do it.", she shrugged as she accepted. "Can I cuddle with you?", he looked at you again with her signature puppy eyes and that dangerously cute pout.

"Cmon babe you don't need to ask.", you looked at her unbelievably.

"Just making sure., she defended herself. "I just want you to be aware... so that I won't make your heart jump again because of my sudden touch.", she said, giving you a wink which ironically gave you a mini heart attack too.

"Tsk, you're so cute.", you sighed, shaking your head. You opened your arms to let her in before encasing her with your favorites each: cuddling.

You turned on the TV and searched the most iconic Christmas film ever included on Netflix titled "Home Alone". Playing the film, you and her watched it together throughout out its duration length.

When the movie ended half an hour after the end credits rolled, you woke up as you looked into your phone and checked the time.

You shook Sana's sleeping posture gently to end her short nap without being rude. "Babe, we have to wake them up now. It's less than an hour remaining before 12"

Sana slowly opened her eyes and nodded in response. "Okay, I'll help you."

You and her entered their bedroom to alarm the rest of the members too. They all began to wake up and changed into their nice presentable outfits.

They all walked back to the living room where you and Sana are waiting along with their new clothes that they're wearing.

"You girls look gorgeous.", you said as you looked at all of them.

They smiled brightly, happy with your comment. "Thanks oppa / noona."

"But ofcourse, my precious girlfriend will always stood out the most for me.", you said as your eyes then pointed back at Sana who blushed furiously at your compliment.

"Atleast you do admit the fact that I'm really beautiful and I'm fine enough with it.", Nayeon retorted as she swayed her hair with pure confidence, trying not to be bitter at your smooth moves.

The rest just crunched their faces disgustingly and looked at the bunny with a "seriously?" glare.

"Don't lie, unnie.", Tzuyu spoke everyone's inner thoughts about Nayeon's bragging which made everyone laugh at her typical savageness that caused Nayeon to sulk.

"Alright, everyone. Everyone outside are starting to get noiser and we have only less than an our remaining to wait for the upcoming New Years eve." So, while we wait... shall we greet Sana-unnie again a happy birthday?!", you all shouted YES!

Jeongyeon then delivered the cake from getting it in the refrigerator in front of Sana who is being cornered now by her fellow members and you. She took the candle with numbers 2 and 6 that forms her Korean age and lit it up with fire using lighter.

All of you sang "Happy Birthday To You" in Korean language to Sana as she happily vibed to it while you were the one recording it on your phone for them. After the song ended and her birthday wishes, Sana blew the candles off.

"Our birthday celebrant is now done giving her wishes, shall we start to do our exchange gifts next?", Jihyo once again hyped up the group.

"Yessss!"

"Okay, now please we will do it pair by pair starting with... Nayeon and Jeongyeon.", she ordered two of her older members.

They all proceeded to give one another starting with Nayeon and Jeongyeon Nayeon who each got a sky blue dress and a new fish cake molder, Momo got a new matching clothes for her, Boo and Dobby from Dahyun, Sana got a Betty Boop customizable designed bag from Tzuyu, Jihyo with her new karaoke package from Sana, Mina with her new penguin jacket from Chaeyoung, Chaeyoung with her new baby tiger necklace from Mina and Tzuyu with her new dog designed slippers from Jihyo.

That leaves it to the two remaining people who haven't received their gifts yet. "And lastly, our lovers with us, YN and Sana.", Jihyo gave the signal for you and Sana to start exchanging.

"You can give it first, babe.", you allowed Sana.

"Okay. Well here, my gift for you is a/an (favorite gift you want). I know that you've always keep on sharing and mentioning to me on how badly I would want to get a mine of this. So yeah, I decided to join Nayeon unnie and Momo unnie to go shopping and thankfully, it was there so I grabbed one and bought it with my own collected money. I hope you like it, babe.", she said as she lend her wrapped gift dedicated to you.

You took it from her and uncovered it to reveal your gift which elicited a shocked and enermous gladness of an expression to your face. "Like it? No, ofcourse I love it! I''ve been wishing for this that I'll get one for mine someday and here it is... and now I have another reason to cherish it because it was given to me by none other than my very thoughtful and conservative girlfriend.Thank you so much, love. You really do not fail to put a smile on my face.", you said appreciatingly on her. Sana smiled in victory for herself.

"Okay... it's my turn now, huh.", you snickered. Sana did noticed that you weren't holding your own gift, increasing her curiosity.

"Now what do you got for me, hmm?", she waited patiently.

Jihyo cleared her throat loudly to make it obvious. "Guys, I don't wanna ruin the moment but I just want to tell everybody that we only have 5 minutes remaining.", she said as she kept her sight at the screen of her phone.

"We're running out of time.", you nodded. "Okay, Uhm... Sana... as you can see I'm not holding any gift of mine which is wrapped the same as theirs, but that doesn't mean I don't have one for you tonight."

"In fact, I've been keeping this in me since when I arrived here in your dorm. And I have to because I really think this gift is too special and honestly can't be wrapped like theirs."

"Sana, I greet you again a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and especially... Happy 26th birthday my ray of sunshine.", she smiled widely at your heartful greetings.

"December has been really special month to you in your whole life by having these important occassions that became personally important for you to celebrate it all with your loved ones which that makes it even better. I said this many time to you again but I won't be tired repeating it over and over again just to show how grateful I am to be with you."

You stepped closer, narrowing the gap between each other before grabbing both of her hands while she remained observing you lovingly. "Thank you again, Sana for everything. For being as my girlfriend. You know that we had talked one time about our plans for our futures that we want to achieve together."

"Hearing that, it sounds very clear to me that both of us are ready enough to enter a new stage of our relationship. That's why, I've been thinking about this plan for days and it didn't went longer because it was easy for me to decide about it."

"Minatozaki Sana, in our entire 3 years of a relationship we overcome the challenges that tried to tear us apart but we still won it all and kept on continuing that led us where we are now, still climbing on rainbows, remaining strong in our relationship. I know for the fact that the next years and so on will just be the same but like I said earlier... about this plan, I've been thinking if... we could add it something more that will definitely remain ourselves striving until we could make this happen."

You inserted your hand on your pocket to reach a small black box to pull out that made everyone started to scream excitingly.

You bended your knees and kneeled in front of Sana who covered her mouth shockingly at your surprise as you opened the box and presented to her the stupendous small yet valuable thing it contains inside.

An expensive, shining, breathtaking diamond engagement ring that you bought 2 days ago before informing Jihyo and the other girls about your surprise plan tonight which explains why they are more hyped and enthusiastic about you doing it rather than being shocked like as if it was unexpected to them... unlike to Sana who completely reacted the opposite.

You continued as Sana started to teared up intensely. "Now here I am, giving this gift to you... this is my symbol of my desire that before we end this year and enter another one still being with you but this time... not only as my girlfriend... but as my future wife whom I could spent the rest of my life, build a family, raising a family and to grow old with you until we gave in our final breaths; hopefully... in peace altogether.", you breathed heavily to pause as you are becoming emotional too because of getting brought on by the love of your live feeling very overwhelmed at your special gift.

"Minatozaki Sana, I still chose you as the only woman to help me through and I'd like to make it with you. Will you marry me?"

"Y-yes... yes I do YN!" A HUNDRED TIMES, YES I WANT TO BE YOUR WIFE!", she then rushed in to ran at you which you caught her with your tight hug and continued crying together with tears full of joy for one another.

"YAYYYYYYYY!!!", the eight other members screamed in delight as they got to hear also what you were also expecting to receive from Sana.

"G-guys... s-she said yes... SHE SAID YES!", you yelled at them in success. They proudly nodded their heads with smile on their faces as they clapped to express their praise on your successful proposal.

"I told you, she will. She loves you with every fiber of her body and she can't risk losing you when you were the one who brought all the great improvements in her life.", Jeongyeon said.

"And it was all because of your unbreakable affection of love also for unnie.", Momo added.

Sana went away from hugging you as she sniffed her tears before speaking. "T-they know?"

You helped her wipe it off on her gorgeous face as you nod your head.. "Yeah. I informed them about it and they got my back as always."

"Aahh~ Sana unnie and YN oppa / unnie are so sweet.", Tzuyu softly said as her heart melted as she witnessed such a sight to see from her friends who are now an engaged couple.

"Gyaah i'm so proud of my two beloved friends here. I'm so jealous too.", Chaeyoung expressed her mixed emotions, transitioning er uplifted one to a frown. "Hey Mina I swear to you we're gonna have this soon mark my words.", she said, looking intently at Mina which earned a blush from her lover and a laughter from her members.

"Just tell us anytime about the wedding and we'll surely help you two on your wedding, okay?", Nayeon offered, representing her fellow members being your supportive friends.

"Okay. Thank you girls, so much. I appreciate the overwhelming support and motivation I've been receiving for turning this possible for my girlf- no...", you stopped, throwing a glance at Sana who smiled at your eye contact. "I should call her for now as MY FIANCÉ, I mean."

Sana got fluttered on your words before Jihyo can't contain her fangirling anymore. "AHHHHHHHHH GROUP HUG FOR THE SUCCESS OF YN AND SANA'S ENGAGEMENT!", she screamed as everyone gathered to trap you and Sana for a group hug indeed.

As they released you two to give some atleast alone time together, you looked at her whiel still clutching her closer to your body.

"I can't believe we are now engaged and soon to be married."

Sana placed her hand on your beating chest. "I didn't expected at all that you'll propose to me at this moment. God, this has to be my most wonderful Christmas and Birthday present I have ever received."

"Thank you and I love you so much, honey.", she whispered as she hugged you again while observing her engagement ring perfectly fitted on her finger.

"Thank you too, Sana. I love you too with all my heart, always and now I can say it also that it will go on... forever.", you closed your eyes and indulged how great this moment you're sharing with her again while the girls at the background started to count along with the countdown running out.

"5... 4... 3...

You pushed Sana away from you...

...2...1!"

And once again kissed her with your true and everlasting love .

"HAPPY NEW YEARRRRR!!!!!", everyone shouted in glee afterwards just as when the fireworks began to pop off around the nightsky.

You and Sana ended 2022 with a happy ending and welcomed 2023 together with a fresh start, now as soon to be a married couple as you both watched the entire fireworks display aligned with your members matched theirselves in pair according to their own lovers too.

---------- END ----------

- 🐹 -

But ever since you kept on uploading pictures of him and Lily together since last week, those smiles on each other's faces that Nayeon thinks all of it has just the same meaning; strong and healthy, that results in something inside her keeping on decreasing slowly.

Hope.

Nayeon's head was just a bunch of what-ifs about the possibilities of what she was doing. All of it was no sign of positivity.

That makes her start to realize that maybe she was right. She was already out of time, and she was just making herself tired of waiting for nothing.

She is no longer able to be with you. You clearly don't need her any more and it's obvious to her. Nayeon won't be surprised if you and Lily announce your engagement soon because you two appear to be on the verge of doing so.

Nayeon keeps on scolding herself. Why is she making this hard for herself? Why can't she just accept the fact that it is already over and her chance is no more? It was karma for her and now she's feeling what you felt when you were chasing her before, even though she was with Jeongyeon already at that time.

A plan then appeared in her mind. If she wants this to finally stop, then she has to do it. She understands how difficult it is, but she is willing to exercise patience once more, just as she did for you.

She wants to try to make herself move on. If you are happy with someone else, then Nayeon must be content with it because at least you do it even if it's not because of her.

She wants to be happy too, for herself.

Her hopes for you haven't completely vanished, but she knows that sooner or later, they'll be transferred to someone else and allowed to grow again.

She started to let herself fall asleep after wiping away that lost tear that ran through her cheek.

1 WEEK LATER

Nayeon was sitting on one of the seats inside the department store, waiting for her other friends she was with today: Yeri and The School Meal Club trio of Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu to arrive because they decided to go to the mall and do some shopping since it's her birthday today. Something interesting came up on her feed while using her phone.

It was a post again coming from you, and it was only cryptic text with a dark background.

"It was fun while it lasted. Thank you so much and best wishes go to you on your journey, LJM." 🙂❤

She opened your profile, and what she saw made her eyes widen and raised her curiosity higher.

Your gallery all completely features your selfies, football, and some other random pictures, but Lily can't be seen in any of these. She assumed you had gotten rid of all the photos of you and Lily.

That can only mean one thing for Nayeon...

There's something happened between you and her.

And her suspicions were verified when she noticed that your status had changed from "In a relationship" to "Single."

She realized you were in a difficult circumstance as a result of your breakup with Lily. She also remembered her strategy... This remains an unsuccessful attempt because she still has no one in her life who she finds attractive and who can give her this sensation of love.

You are the one who is still on her mind right now.

As someone who is free to take anyone, she sees this as a much stronger opportunity to take your heart once again.

Not wanting to waste this by bringing out her desperate need for your affection, she devised a fresh wild scheme that startled her friends and family at first when she discussed it with them.

Thankfully, they also both understood it in the end for their respective reasons, and all they had to do was to let Nayeon go and send their support for her another attempt.

Days later, she carried her luggage full of her personal items while listening to her parents' extra instructions before departing, which let her fly to America from South Korea and easily reach Florida.

She saw her aunt from her mother's side waiting for her arrival. They hugged each other out when they instantly met and left the airport with her as they took her aunt's car and drove away while they started a conversation together to catch some things up after more than a decade and a half of not seeing each other.

They arrived at her auntie's house in Tampa Bay, where she now lives with her younger cousin, who is 12 years old. Her aunt led her through her room, where she fixed her stuff before joining the two downstairs and talking with them.

Her aunt now also knows about her main reason for going here to Florida, which is to find you. Since her aunt doesn't know that much about you, she had to narrate everything about your history with Nayeon from before up to the present.

She simply became convinced, just like The School Meal Club, Yeri, and her family, as to why Nayeon can't get out her feelings for you despite the fact that you and her had been separated for years. That made Nayeon feel more encouraged and appreciative for her auntie and cousin, who had also joined the rest to support her.

The next day, Nayeon made her first move by chatting with you. It made you think she was just trying to strike up a conversation with you because it had been a long time since you two had spoken, but you were mistaken.

When Nayeon inquired about your current residence in a specific location, she saw it as a signal to come find you there.

Nayeon arrived at your location, which was in front of Popeye's Restaurant. She peeked out the window and immediately recognized you, sitting near the rear.

She entered the restaurant and approached you carefully as you were still looking at your phone.

"On your left, Mr. Nightmare," that familiar voice said, causing you to raise your head away from the screen and twist your gaze to the left side, where she told you.

There she is, your ex-girlfriend and friend, Im Nayeon, standing in front of you wearing a blazer, mini-skirt, and a crop-top outfit.

Fortunately, your seat is pillowy rather than the plastic one with steel legs that can make a screeching sound from the floor due to your movement.

"Surprise!", she said, spreading her arms as if she were presenting herself, giggling at your shocked state.

"How... what the... wait," you exclaimed, running your hands through your hair in disbelief. Why are you here? I didn't expect you to come here, not gonna lie.", you chuckled awkwardly, utter perplexity plastered in your face.

"The same thing I can tell myself," Nayeon shrugged. She slapped your shoulder lightly before taking the available space beside you. Now she's sitting together with you at one table.

You can't help but snatch a stare at Nayeon's look. She looks so captivating and cute in her fashion. Not to mention, she even looked more beautiful than ever, now sporting long blonde-colored hair.

"And I'm sitting right in front of him right now." she said, placing her chin on top of her palm with her elbow and arm serving as a supporter as she landed it on top of the table.

"For me? Why bother coming here? Did I do something wrong?", you asked puzzledly, furrowing your eyebrows as you pointed your fingers towards you.

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

"Tss, pabo I came here to check on you, okay?", she rolled her eyes and gave you a "seriously?" look. "Yah, I knew what happened." she said. You just let out another nervous chuckle.

"Ahh, that's it?" you shyly asked. "Nayeon, you still have other important things to do. Why should-"

"I don't care, you're way more important to me.", Nayeon interrupted you as she already understood what you were about to say. She gazed at you, her attitude suddenly solemn, as were her words and even her eyes, which were piercing you with daggers of the same intensity. "And I don't regret setting those aside first because of you. So, how's your heart doing?"

With no other choice, you just allowed her to open up on this topic. "Unwell," you sighed. "Even if it's a mutual agreement between us, it still hurts.", you twitched your head aside.

Nayeon's brows met. "Mutual? "Wait, you and Lily accepted each other's end?" she asked, and you responded with a nod. "Why?"

"Lack of time.", you said, still not taking your eyes away from your fingers entangled with each other as they lay on the table. "I knew it would come to this anyway. At first, we were really going smooth. Then there were days where we didn't get to have a talk after she announced to me that she got accepted in an audition for an entertainment company to be an idol trainee.", he explained.

"Woah, Lily wants to become a K-Pop idol?", Nayeon astonishingly reacted at your reveal that Lily decided to become an artist, which became one of the causes of the downfall of your relationship with her.

"Yeah, That was actually one of the first pieces of information she gave me when I first met her.", you chuckled. "She loves performing and showcasing her talent. I can't blame her." you said, as a short flashback of Lily showing her talent to you played in your mind. Her charismatic dance, powerful voice, and magnificent visuals demonstrated unequivocally that she is deserving of her goal.

"So back to what I was saying, yeah, days turned into weeks, then months and a couple of them. Our scheduling conflicts not only affected our connection  but our interest too in continuing our relationship.", you continued, your breath becoming heavier in dismay and sadness.

So we talked about it and it didn't surprise me that she thinks the same too. You shook your head. "And there you have it, we both parted ways and... thankfully, it was with a mix of joy," you said, a bittersweet smile on your lips.

Nayeon realized that all of those pictures of him and Lily that he regularly posted last week were just all part of his reminiscence of their memories together before they parted ways.

"Until today, we were still kind of able to keep in touch with each other as friends," you said, nodding as you reflected on the positive side of it.

Nayeon asked in clarification. "So... you're now focusing more on your football career while she minds her own as an idol trainee?"

"Yes," Back to square one again for our status.", you answered, nodding your head as you chuckled. "So yeah, I'm single again."

Nayeon kept her unamused aura but instead replaced it with a concerning look. "You're going to be okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I will." you assured her. "Like I said, you should've made an effort to come here just to check on me. You could've contacted me instead. Maybe for a few more days, I will now be back to my normal self once again.", you said as you dragged your eyes around the resto while you reprimanded her.

"I wanted it, YN okay?" Nayeon fought back, not wanting to appear bothered by what she'd done for you. I'm just really concerned about you and...", she paused, making you eagerly await her next words.

"I missed you so badly that I had to see you," she explained. You side-eyed her, peering at her puppy eyes and pouting lips as she looked at you. It made you gulp as she managed to combine her touching words with her adorable look. "2 years of not seeing you personally has been hard, and it tests my patience every single day, YN," she scowled, bowing her head and looking down at you.

You grabbed her shoulder and massaged it with your grasp. Nayeon flinched at your sudden touch. "Sorry, Nay. I didn't mean to sound as if I don't want to see you, it's just... I couldn't believe it.", you shook your head while you spoke.

"Not every friend could just fly to another country just to check on their friend, but you did it." you said, impressed at how unreal it is for you what Nayeon just did to make you feel her sympathy for you. And now I must tell you how much I appreciate it knowing that you're the only friend who bothered to sincerely understand what I am feeling these days."

"Thank you, Nayeon, and I missed you too. ", you wholeheartedly said. Those last words of yours made Nayeon slowly return her gaze back at you without having any idea that a patch of redness caused by her blushing could be seen on her cheeks visibly.

She grinned widely at your comment, showing those front bunny teeth that just add to her cuteness level.

"There you go, now stop complaining because since I'm here now, all I got to do was to be true to my words... that I will help you cheer up and heal your heart, YN.", she said, satisfied that you're now taking Nayeon's deeds well.

"Would you want us to meet again starting tomorrow?"

Of course, I do, Nayeon. I can give you a trip around Tampa if you want. "," you offered, smirking.

"How can I say no to that? Sure!", Nayeon laughed, and you joined her too. "Just take the lead, any places you want to go... I'll follow you." You nodded as you complied.

Your conversation with her was stopped for a while when a waiter placed your ordered food on the table. You quickly took action after noticing the waiter's mixed look of surprise and confusion that you had someone with you but he only served one food.

"Oh wait, let's get you an order too." you said to Nayeon. "How rude of me if I eat even though you're with me here at the table.", you apologetically said, scratching your nape. "What do you want?"

"I guess I'll take the same as yours." she said, looking at your 2-piece chicken with rice and fries, along with Coca-cola as a drink. You gestured at the waiter to take note of it, and he did as he left you two to head to the cashier.

Minutes later, Nayeon's order also arrived; the waiter delivered it to your table. You were about to pull out some money from your wallet when Nayeon caught you.

"Wait, I'll do it. I can pay-," she said, feeling embarrassed, but you insisted.

"No, Nay. Let me, please. This is one way I can repay your kindness. It's no biggie to me.", you assured her. Nayeon was left with no other choice but to give up and just let you do what you wanted. She can't resist the free food anyway because it's a blessing.

"Take this also as one of my gifts to you. I know I haven't greeted you on your birthday, but I hope you forgive me, Nay. You know that I was dealing-"

"It's all fine to me, YN." she said, reassuring you as she waved her hands off at you to cancel your worries. I admit, I was kind of sad that you haven't received anything from me, but I saw what happened and I understand it already. Atleast it was better to be late than never, YN."," she said, smiling at you. It gives you a huge relief that Nayeon wasn't angry at all about it, but still, the heavy guilt you're feeling is something you can't deny.

"So... how are you doing in Korea?", you asked as you grabbed your spoon and fork.

"Doing good there, helping my family grow their business while I work at a coffee shop," Nayeon said before drinking her cola. She lets out a refreshed sound before speaking again. "You?"

"I am currently on break. You replied, "It's offseason, but it'll soon be over because I'm scheduled to participate in a training camp for preseason before I head onto the opening night."

"Oh wow. That's why you've had a lot of time going around here in Tampa so far because you're just waiting for your next football activity. "

"Yep," you answered. "And that's why I want you to join me. I gotta admit, it's kind of boring to be alone. That's why I'm so happy that you're here, Nayeon.", you smiled as you took the first spoonful of rice in your mouth.

Nayeon just pressed her lips together and smiled cheekily. The two of you then went on to continue eating while talking to each other about some other things.

2 WEEKS LATER

You fulfilled what you said to Nayeon by taking her to all the famous places around Tampa Bay, such as the historic Ybor City, the Museum of Science and Industry, where you and she gained some knowledge about physics, mathematics, and technologies; and the Henry B. Plant Museum, which is a luxurious part of the former Tampa Bay hotel.

You've spent your entire time with Nayeon, allowing you to quickly move on from Lily and consider her now only as a friend. You even paid a visit to Nayeon's current residence in Tampa, giving you the opportunity to meet her aunt.

She even mocked you and Nayeon, asking when you two would get back together and how it now made sense for Nayeon to still be attached to you after all this time, complementing your attitude and personality as well as your appearance.

You also got to talk with Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, and Yeri when you joined Nayeon during their video call. They mentioned to Nayeon that they just saw Nayeon's other friends and former classmates before in high school: Jennie and Jisoo, earlier; who went looking for her but they told them about Nayeon being in overseas right now, which they also explained why.

When they learned that it was also about you, they got quite worried and shocked for Nayeon since they knew that you broke her heart yet she's still into you until today.

The four somehow tried to lessen their frustrations for you by telling them that you already talked it oher with Nayeon, apologizing sincerely for what you've done to her which Nayeon accepted because she believes you. They managed, however and all they had to do is to support their friend's choice.

The girls told that they miss you, which made you express that you miss them too, and you swore to them that one day, once you return to Korea, you will give them some souvenirs or even better, you will take them here in Tampa to let them explore, which made them ecstatic.

Lastly, you even helped Nayeon look for a job. Fortunately, she found one and, thanks to you, she is now currently working as a new receptionist for one of the companies slated in Florida.

Right now, you are inside your car, driving ahead to Nayeon's workplace because you are planning to take her home by yourself when suddenly, you see something from your windscreen.

It was Nayeon and another guy, who seemed like her workmate, exiting the building together. They paused for a moment to discuss god knows what, while you observed Nayeon's positive reaction to their conversation.

You continued to watch them walk together, side by side, away from the building, as you felt like your heart was being pressed by something heavy.

To be honest, it was like a deja vu to you as you recalled that time when you  were waiting for her outside the classroom back in high school when you didn't expect to see Nayeon being with Jeongyeon, who, even though you were there; just completely forgot your presence, which of course makes you even more heartbroken and sad.

You kept following them carefully and then your guess was right when Nayeon successfully reached her home being escorted by her workmate, who is not just like that to you based on your perspective anymore. You already guessed correctly that this dude is possibly Nayeon's suitor because he won't be sticking himself with her for that long if it doesn't mean more.

Now that you checked that Nayeon surely did go home safely, even though it feels disappointing that it wasn't because of you, you decided to just leave and drive away because what made you come for her tonight just turned out completely useless anyway since that dude already got beyond you.

Unbeknownst to you, Nayeon turned her sight and looked at the distance between the spot where you parked your car to watch her with her workmate before they gave goodbyes to each other. She knew you were keeping an eye on her, being the opposite part of your comparison to your past memory.

She sighed, feeling exactly the same as you before she grabbed the knob and opened the door to enter her auntie's house.

3 WEEKS LATER

"This place is massive, YN. I really feel like as if we are underneath the ocean.", Nayeon said as she looked upwards around the glass that encases and protects them from the water inside of it where every different types of aquatic animals are swimming around. "So many fishes too where you can only able to see in here unlike out there in some other aquatic places like beaches.", she added before she lets her jaw hanging in awe as she continued wandering her eyes around.

"How would you rank this in the places we've visited so far?" you asked, referring to the place where you and her are visiting right now, called the Florida Aquarium.

"Probably the best one so far." she replied, looking at you as she grinned along with her thumbs up gesture. "Everything around here is just eye-catching, especially because mostly the color that I can see are my favorite.", she said, to which you agreed because you can see it for yourself too. It sure does look like a sky blue paradise. "I have never felt bored being here so far."

"Well, I brought you here because I thought it could help you ease your stress at work. Guess it worked." you chuckled, nodding your head as you pursed your lower lip.

"It sure did. Thank you, YN.", she said. You were taken aback when she quickly wrapped you up in a tight hug. "N-no problem, as long as you're having fun N-Nayeon.", you stammered as you felt very flustered at her embrace over you.

"I always do because I'm with you," she said, smiling. You tried to keep your composure as you almost melted at her sweet words to you.

"How's your work today?" you asked her, trying to avoid what she just said even though you're still blushing intensely.

"Faced some more clients.", she answered. "Our company looks like it keeps on entertaining businessmen from other firms with different purposes for approaching us. Like, you know, deals, collaboration, services, stock presentation and more. And here, being the one to communicate with them through phone, I had to schedule their proposed meetings one by one. "

"That's a hell of a lot of responsibilities and tasks to do in your position, jeez."

"It may be tiring, but it's worth it." She shrugged her shoulders. "At least I love my job and the workplace is cozy and comfortable, plus they pay their employees a respectable amount of salary, like me." she smiled, ensuring that she's fine at her job.

"But hey, still don't forget about yourself, okay?" You looked at her worriedly, showing your concern for your friend. "Just like right now, you needed some time to chill off and to relax your mind about everything that is going on within your company. There's time to think about work and other things you have the right to do, like this. To have fun and to get yourself a rest. "

"Thank you, YN." She smiled. Don't worry. I'm getting some. In fact, there's this workmate of mine named Jeonghan offering me to come with him to the cafeteria to eat every day. He was always there to assist me.", she said. That mention of the name of her workmate who likes her makes your face slump down and you compose yourself in irritation and discomfort, driven by your jealousy.

Your feelings for Nayeon returned. The only problem you're encountering is that you don't want to let her know that you are in love with her again because you are scared at the thought that once you and Nayeon get back together, you might repeat the same mistake you made before that broke Nayeon's heart again.

You were thinking that all of this was just pure luck for you that Nayeon decided to still remain linked to you. Seeing the other side of it and even flipping it through other ways would not change the fact that you once hurt her because of how your responsibility as a boyfriend turned out to be such a failure.

You just don't want to commit to another new relationship with Nayeon to avoid creating another mistake. That's it.

"O-oh... okay. Nice.", you smiled bitterly.

"It's kind of hilarious for me to know that he was doing all of those just to show off on me.", she chuckled. Nayeon's uplifting mood is contagious but what you're seeing and hearing for her doesn't work at all for you to be amused like her too.

"T-that Jeonghan likes y-you?", you said, pretending as if you're surprised at the reveal. His real name just brought you with pure interest.

"Maybe. He doesn't say anything to me yet but if he does, I don't think I'll reciprocate...", Nayeon answered, making your blood start to boil when you realized that what you saw weeks ago from your car isn't just a one time only thing.

"Because my heart still prefers someone....", she said, her voice fainted at the end, her eyes then switches towards you. "And you know who that is.", she said as she stared deep within you, reminding that it is you who is she still choosing.

"Oh, right.", you simply reacted, sheepishly smiled.

Mixed emotion were filling your inside right now. You wanted to be happy and relieved that even without doing anything as a way to impress yourself for Nayeon unlike Jeonghan, you're still able to win after all. On the other hand, you just feel sorry for her  because of how afraid you are since all you want is the best for her yet she is still preferring you who is thinking that you are not the right person who can provide her that.

"Well... still just try to keep your eyes on him while he what he wants and let yourself judge him throughly. Maybe you know, he might resulted to be really worthy of your liking and might get you throughly impressed by him one day.", you adviced even though you aren't sincere by it.

"Okay.", Nayeon just lamely smiled at you. Deep inside, she is just very confused and hurt on why are you acting like this to her.

"C-cmon, let's go. We still have one more spot to enter before we finish the tour.", you said as you effectively interrupted her thoughts. She just followed you after as both of you stepped onto the last tunnel.

Near the end of the trip, you drew the attention of one of the staff members who is in charge of keeping an eye on the visitors.

"Uhh, excuse me, miss," you said politely as you approached the lady. "Can you take a picture for us?" you said as you handed her your phone. Nayeon just looked at you from behind.

"Okay, sir, with pleasure; let me take care of it," she said, accepting your phone in her hands.

You positioned yourself near the glass wall, where you could see the full aquarium inside, as well as many colorful fish. Following that, Nayeon stood beside you.

Noticing that the lady is gesturing both of you to narrow the gap between each other, you reached Nayeon's waist and pulled her closer through you without letting go of your grasp.

Nayeon's mouth gaped as she raised her gaze to your side profile, flabbergasted and flustered by how close your bodies were. Her arm is now colliding with your well-built chest, and your jawline is pressing against her head, while your delicate hand is clasped within her small waist.

"One, two, three!" exclaimed the lady. She returned the phone to you after clicking the button, with the captured photo still visible on the screen. "Right there, sir! You two look such a lovely couple here.", She said to you and Nayeon, You both mentally agreed with what the lady said. It looks like you just celebrated each other's anniversary.

"Oh uhm-," you were ready to correct the lady, despite the fact that you loved what she said, when Nayeon cut you off and did the unthinkable, saying the opposite as yours.

"Thank you," she replied. You both bowed to the lady before she resumed her attention to her work. You looked at Nayeon, who was smirking teasingly at you.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, taking a step forward and leaning in close to your ear while tiptoeing on your right shoulder. "Why don't we just make it real, YN?" she asked, sending chills down your spine as Nayeon's minty breath tickled your skin. She let go as she walked right through the exit without looking back to wait for you.

"This woman...", you sighed heavily as you shook you head at how teaseful she is while you clutched at your chest, heart beating insanely.

1 MONTH LATER

You and Nayeon were busy admiring the surroundings while both walking at the trail in Tampa Riverwalk when a ringtone abrupted your steps together, mainly Nayeon who is the owner of the phone who just rang.

"Oh excuse me, I have to take this for a sec.", Nayeon excused herself.

"Go ahead.", you calmly said, allowing her to take her time. You just stood near at the handle and watched those people riding at the boat crossing the Hillsborough River.

Few minutes later, Nayeon ran back to you. You turned your body around to face her.

"Sorry, my workmate called me.", Nayeon apologized.

"Was that your suitor?" you asked, lifting an eyebrow. It was a little intimidating what you did, but you tried so hard that it wouldn't be clear that your excellent mood today with Nayeon was slightly disrupted by that person.

"Y-yeah, he asked on the phone if I could be available tomorrow night," she answered, nodding. When you became suspicious of what you heard from her, you quickly lowered your brow.

"He's inviting me on a date," she explained. Silence fell next between you two as you both became quiet for a moment, stunned by what you heard from her.

"Yeah," Nayeon agreed. You noticed she was frowning. You saw it as ahint of her tense state and rushed to assist her.

"You're going to have a great time with him, cmon Nay," you murmured, pinching her plump cheek. Her lips lacked any curves.

"O-okay," Nayeon mumbled, the tone of her voice becoming lower but still audible. You nodded back at her, giving her the same horrible, deceitful, bitter smile you always give her when she discusses her experience with Jeonghan.

"Is that your final?", she asked nonchantly.

"Beg your pardon?" you asked, confusedly returning her query. You have no idea what she was referring to.

Nayeon gazed at you, her face serious as she glared, her eyes flickering upwards sharply at you.

"What's up with you?" she said again, slightly chuckling at how ridiculous you are. "About what I said to you before at the locker room, do you still remember it? Or your response for that back then was nothing just to make myself hang on to nothing?", her voice now grew higher as she complained at you,. You were caught aback when Nayeon suddenly seemed enraged at you.

"Nayeon, I-"

"I said no to him."

"What?"

"The date. I said no to his invitation.", she answered boldly, her arms crossed just below her chest. "You know why? It's because of you," she added, frantically pointing at you as she began to take another step forward into you, who realized that you misunderstood her.

"You were on my mind and still are, because swear to God I'm honestly wishing for you to stop me," she remarked between grunts of annoyance. Her fists were clenched as she tried to keep her rage in control. "But you didn't... and you still appear to be."

Nayeon started looking at you intently. "You think you're winning, don't you?", she asked, her face smug. You remained unmoved, now cornered by this woman whom you had not purposefully push her buttons to speak to you in this manner.

"You're not. wasn't getting fooled by these... acts of yours. I'm acting just like you," she shook her head as she traced you with her palm up and down.

Nayeon held your chin, her face inches from yours, as she made her stare deeper through your eyes as if she could now take a glimpse of your entire soul beneath.

"You're such a terrible liar. I can see it, everything in your eyes as you look at me... there's something burning inside of you while you try to smile it off your face along with your lies you know just what to say even though I know you're hurting.", she breathily said as she started caressing your cheek and some baby hairs above your ear.

"And why do I know all of it?", Nayeon then moved her hand next as she placed it onto your chest, laying it directly to the spot where your heart was thumping. "There... the heat from your flames, I can feel it... and don't you dare lie to me because let's be honest to ourselves, YN...

I am the only one who can reignite this, doesn't it?", she asked, her fingers slowly clawing your skin as she looked at you which you can't intepret if she's also being seducive at you.

"But... given all of these... pretend you're doing, I know there's something wrong," she added. You simply followed her gaze to you.

"Tell me, YN, what's holding you back from saying you love me too?" she asked. You simply kept silent, absorbing all of the blame for whatever she said to you. She was correct. It's difficult to pretend if you're not good at it. But you wished that you were, so that you could easily conceal your suffering as if everything was fine with you.

Nayeon lowered her glance at you who still not responding. Her hands are gradually sliding away from your face. "You know what, maybe my speculations are wrong," she grumbled. She started to turn her body around her back facing you as she walked slowly away from you to create an average length of gap from each other.

" I'm just being too overconfident or delusional. I guess I'll just have to call-"

"I never got it out of my thoughts," you finally spoke. Nayeon turned her head to the side, waiting for what you were about to say next.

"What you mentioned to me earlier, I started thinking about when you came here to check on me," you began. "My thought processing didn't lasted long... because I already knew my decision the more I'm having you near me."

"The answer is that I love you as well, Nayeon," you answered confidently this time. When she heard that from you, Nayeon's eyes immediately widened in bewilderment, dwelled in tears as she became emotional when she heard that from you.

"And you were right, I'm sorry if I'm just pretending; it's not that I don't care about letting you meet another guy and disregard the efforts you've made for me; it's just that... I'm scared," you began explaining, revealing the true reason why you were acting as if you didn't mind her seeing someone else instead of you.

"I'm afraid that if I stop you and tell you that you should only be with me... I could... hurt you again like I did before, Nayeonnie," you hiccuped, your voice cracking as a tiny sob interrupted your speech. "Not again, my heart can't endure another loss anymore."

Nayeon turned around again, this time walking towards you with her back to you. Her left hand stretched for yours, and the other made touch with your face once more. You closed your eyes as a teardrop fell down your face and you blew the air to calm yourself down.

"YN, face your fears.", Nayeon advised. "Don't let these weigh you down, okay? Why should you be afraid of losing me? Look at me," you followed her command as your gaze fixed on her brown eyes.

"Did I ever completely kept away myself from you? No. Because I'm here to stay, YN and trust me when I say this to you... I have no intentions to leave you forever.", she said gently, shaking her head.

"I have you already and this time I can't and will not ever let go again the only man I love. You'll do the same for me, right?", she asked. You nodded your head in response because you don't want to lose her too anymore. You made up your mind that you'll rather be oblivious just to be with her again.

Nayeon placed her hand on your nape and gently tugged your head towards her, kissing you passionately. You surrendered to her intimacy as you danced along with her lip movements, your noses brushing against each other and your heads tilting opposite each other.

You both stepped away from the kiss with a popping sound, gasping heavily at how strong and intense it was.

You noticed her large hand clutching yours like a snake seizing its prey to sting and devour later. You clinched your fists, and she did the same. Raising it, you kissed her knuckles again before caressing it with your thumb.

"Thank you... thank you for not giving up on me, Nayeon. I love you."

"I love you too, YN," Nayeon smiled, tears of delight welling up in her eyes. You comforted her with your embrace, making her feel the warmth of your burning love for her.

"I finally did it... I brought you back.", she said as she kept on crying on your shoulder.

"And sure does still feels like home.", you smiled as you stroke her blonde wavy hair while inhaling how great the scent of this moment you two are having. Both of you were like that for 5 minutes until Nayeon finally stopped crying as you helped her wipe off those tears staining her gorgeous face.

"That Jeonghan, you better reject him.", you said out of nowhere as you warned her. Nayeon cracked out of laughter because of it, making you grin widely.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA good god I was dying for you to say it yourself.", she said as she playfully pounded her fist onto your chest. You simply chuckled at her. "Leave it to me, babe," she said, smirking.

"You're not going to need that date anyway," you snorted, rolling your eyes. "We can have our own  tomorrow instead, and I can make it more special than what he can give."

"Oh, jinjja?!", she said, as her eyes enlightened.

"Damn serious, babe.", you smirked. Nayeon lets out an excited "yay!" sound like a kid who received a gift from her parents. You just patted her head and and pinched her cheek once more because she is just that cute you can't even resist.

Both of you continued to walk, and now compared to earlier; your hands are now locked with each other as you two swayed your arms back and forth energetically. "Hey, my offseason football training camp will start this coming Friday, do me a favor and watch for me will you?", you reminded her of the announcement you just received from your coach before you left to see Nayeon and visit here at the riverwalk.

" I'll be there, babe.", she quickly answered right after and with that, you are definitely sure that your gameplay will improve because your girlfriend will be there to watch and cheer for you.