You stand, leaning against the railing of your balcony, looking at the urban skyline, and you sigh.

It has been a week since you visited a city you lived in three years ago. It is famous for its markets where everything sold can be bargained down to a ridiculously low price. You are sure you have bought enough of clothes and accessories to last you a year, if not more. But that is not the reason you sit, sighing in disappointment on a cool, comfortable evening like this one. Your heart feels heavy because none of your old friends made time to meet you.

You look up when you feel a presence beside you. It is Namjoon, smiling his cute dimpled smile, a cup of hot coffee in each hand. He gives you one before standing beside you.

"Why do you sigh so wistfully, my lady?"

You can't help but smile at him. You shake your head gently and take a sip of the coffee. It's perfect.

"Is it perhaps to do with your recent trip?"

The smile fades away.

"So it is."

You look up at the faint outline of the crescent moon and sigh once again.

"What troubles you, my lady? Maybe I can unburden your mind?"

Ah, trust Namjoon to use gentlemanly talk to lift your spirits from the doldrums.

"It's nothing great," you say, gently blowing over your cup. "I just feel... disappointed, I suppose. I'm not even sure how I feel."
"Well, maybe if you let out the cause, the explanation will present itself."
"I just wish they'd taken some time out to meet up with me. I mean, I know they are busy with their work, their lives, but had our roles been reversed, I would have gone out of my way to make sure I met up with them."

Namjoon nods, "And now you doubt their feeling of friendship for you?"

You seem to shrink a little, "No. Well, yes. I know it's selfish of me, but I can't help it. That was one group of friends I had full faith in. As kids, we had planned to go on a road trip across Europe together. We shared our deepest secrets with each other. I told them about the fabulous job offer I got, even before I told you. I can't help but feel a little betrayed."

Namjoon places his mug gently on a nearby table. He then turns to you fully, and looks you in the eyes, "I understand how it feels to seem left out, but you must understand that they were a part of your life a long time ago. You need to let go. That does not mean you can't visit that part of your past from time to time, but if it does not respond to you looking back, you shouldn't be emotionally affected. Such things happen. Look at it from your point of view. Would you ever go back to that time?"

You know that you will never want to go back. Your life then was wonderful, but your life now is on a different level of wonderful altogether. You shake your head.

"You had a beautiful life then. You wrote poetry and stories, you learnt to play the piano. You were appreciated for your talents. But that would not have lasted forever. It would have grown stagnant, your poetry full of meaning, but your life devoid of it. You had to move here because you had to discover another aspect of your life. You had to move here because you had to make new friends. Think about it, do you not have better friends here? Do you not have more exciting times with them? Are you not more comfortable around your friends here, than you ever were with those you feel have betrayed you?"

Pondering along those lines, you realise how true his words are. Namjoon has an incredible way of putting things into perspective. Your old friends were close to your heart, but your friends now are those you are comfortable being around, people with whom you can be your true self, without fear of judgement or social disapproval. Your new life has showed you that everyone is different and society does not discriminate on this difference. Instead, it thrives on it.

Namjoon sees the understanding in your eyes. Suddenly, he chuckles, "Besides, you got to meet me. I am the best friend you always wished for, am I not?"

He winks at you, and you grin, gently punching his arm. He is right, though. He is truly the greatest friend you could ever have asked for.

***

AN: is this too specific? I suppose I had a lot of emotions when I went to Delhi recently (I live in Mumbai rn) and none of my old friends could meet me because they had an event to attend. At first I was super upset, but later I realised how stupid I was being. So I sort of condensed it into this. I realise that I truly do have friends here that I genuinely adore. So, although not all of them are into BTS and they probably won't read this, this chapter is dedicated to nine girls, without whom, I cannot imagine what life right now would be like. I may not say it often, and I may not be good at expressing what I feel, but I am grateful for them and hope to be a good friend to them for a long time.
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Namjoon is an intellectual man, who inspires me to find the good in life.
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Alsoooooooo BBMAs!!! I couldn't watch the live telecast (5:30am is just too early to put on the TV) but, I DID watch the repeat, and my heart is sooooo full of happiness! I'm so proud of BTS (when are we not?). The highlight was when my mom cheered the first time they came on screen. She stayed up specifically to watch them. This is a huge thing because, even though she supports my music taste, she kinda thinks it's distracting me from my studies???? But yeah it was awesome. Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed reading!!!
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UPDATE- I JUST REALISED SOMETHING OHMYGOD I was introduced to BTS when I came to Mumbai. This story has got another layer of meaning OMG