"I...I'm a bit scared to tell you what happened exactly. I don't want you to hate me or believe I'm a bad person."

"I won't judge you, Minjae. I know you're a good person," I reassure him as much as I can, noticing how concerned he is about this matter. "It's...do you remember the girl I mentioned some days ago?" he fiddles with his empty bottle but glances up at me, so I acquiesce. "Well...this happened with her. I don't like her. She's really annoying, she never leaves me alone even when I ask her to stop..." he keeps his eyes fixed on the item he's toying with. "On that day...the girls and boys were mixed for sport, but I went out for a moment because I needed to pee. When I left the restroom, she was there, so we were all alone, but she kept on bothering me some minutes earlier, she was often sticking her body to mine and trying to turn me on. Then...when I faced her...she..." he brings his hand up to his neck and rubs it. "She made me go back inside the restroom and started to touch me. She said she knew I'm a virgin, I mean, I—I'm not—"

"Minjae," I smile at him to relax the tension in his body. He licks his lips. "All right...I was still a virgin, but anyway. She didn't care about it and kept on rubbing her hands onto me. I pushed her away in a kind manner, but she asked me if I wanted to lose my virginity. At that moment, I thought about the fact that my friends often make fun of me because I never had sex, then I was feeling weird because of the heavy touches and all...so...so I wanted to be a man, and I did it. It was quick, I didn't feel the pleasure I thought I would, I was even thinking about someone else while doing it because I really hate her. I was stressed out, but once we were done, she told me I was cute because I was not experienced...I hated myself right after because I knew what I did was wrong, and this is now worse because she went to the director and told him I was the one who forced her to have sex with me...I'm really terrified...everyone believes her, my parents hate me for not waiting for the good one, for doing it with a random girl, and I feel horrible...I can't stop thinking about it. I'm scared to go to jail or something...I don't know..."

I exhale heavily but feel hurt to hear and see him so lost. I can't believe she dared to do that to him. "You won't go to jail, Minjae. They have no evidence, and you didn't do anything bad. You just made a mistake because you're young, and that your stupid friends influenced, pressured you. On top of that, she's the one who was sexually harassing you, who forced you when you made it clear you wanted her to stop, so you're not at fault. All right?"

"But I still feel disgusting," he bites his lips, bouncing his legs. "I shouldn't have done that. I wanted to wait for the good girl...I'm not that type of guy..."

"Hey, it's okay. You just made a mistake, I did too, but your parents shouldn't hate you for that. First, they should understand your friends had an influence on your decision, and why you decided to do it in the spur of the moment. I know how boys are often made fun of or humiliated by the others if they never had sex, or if they say they want to wait for the good one, so I understand you," I comfort him to make sure he doesn't feel guilty or bad for what he did. I don't want him to feel rejected by his parents like I did, I know how painful it is. "So first, talk about it to the director and tell him everything. How old is she?"

"She's seventeen," he looks into my eyes. "She's known for sleeping with a lot of guys at school...and I got to know only yesterday when my best friend came up to me that a girl was bullied by her...If I knew about this, I would never have done it with her..."

"Maybe the director will be more on your side since he must know for sure about all of this. You never did anything wrong, so I'm pretty sure everything will be all right, and if this doesn't go as planned, I'll help you. Okay?" I smile at him, caysing the same expression on his face. "Okay...thank you...I don't know what I would do without you...When the director told me about it, I panicked, and I was so terrified..."

"I'll always be here for you, I don't want anyone to hurt you," I say, happy to see that I'm useful. He smiles but places his bottle on the coffee table. "Do you...Do you want to talk?" he sets his eyes on me, his fingers playing together. "Maybe...let out some things you've been keeping inside because you're worried or something?"

My smile doesn't fade away, I maintain it, no matter the pain this new topic provoked. "I just feel...alone, that's hard, but I don't want to complain," I tell him, sincerely, talking about it for the first time with someone. "Do you often chat with him, or is he too busy?"

"Every morning and night, but this is sometimes difficult during the day because right now it's four a.m where he is, so the time difference isn't the best," I pull the blanket higher on my body, and he gives me a caring look full of empathy. "I understand...that must be hard."

"Honestly, at first I thought I was exaggerating or being overdramatic, immature. I couldn't stop crying the night before and the morning when he left, but he wasn't. I tried to hold my emotions back but...that was impossible...so I thought I was a kid, or that maybe I was the only one affected, but when I saw him cry right before leaving, I understood that he was just able to not show his emotions. He always does it in front of me, but I'm so sensitive that I couldn't do it as well..." I let my words go out, remembering the heartbreaking moment that tore me apart. "Guys are often like that. They don't cry because they don't want to seem weak," he faintly says.

"Yeah..." I nod, glancing away. I look down at the blanket, feeling the ache in my chest now that we're talking about that. I miss being in his arms, kissing him, cuddling with him, cooking or waking up to the scent of food, those little habits are hard to forget and let go of. "I should maybe go home..." he clears his throat.

"Don't you want to stay here and eat lasagna?" I smile at the memory of his text that I haven't forgotten, but his reaction tells me right away that he hasn't either. "Lasagna? That's hard to refuse..." he chuckles. "Eating makes me feel better lately," I grin, not scared to tell him this since I'm too exhausted mentally to care about my weight.

"Food is life," he states the facts, getting me to giggle quietly. "Exactly," I remove my blanket and stand up. "I'm going to cook. You can go home if you want, I don't want to make you feel obligated to stay," I tell him while heading to the kitchen on the left. "I want to stay. I like your company more."

"All right then, you're going to eat the best dinner ever," I grin but feel happy to be cooking for someone. "You can play or watch TV if you want."

"I'm going to play a little. I would have liked to help you, but I'm bad at cooking," he finds as an excuse, but I don't annoy him.

•••

6:30 pm.
[ 5:30 am in New York. ]

"So, how is my lasagna?" I ask, hoping for him to tell me they're the best he's eaten. "That is delicious, better than the ones my mom cook," he giggles but enjoys the food, fluttering my heart with such compliments. "I'm glad you like it," I eat with him.

"Do you cook everyday?" he goes on to keep talking with me. "I used to cook almost every day, but I just haven't done it these last days because I was at the house of Jungkook's parents."

"Ah okay," he chews on his food, eating hungrily. "You're a good chef then," he smiles. "I guess I am."

"Jungkook is a lucky man," he kindly pronounces in a quiet voice, dropping his gaze down on his meal. "Well...I'm the lucky one because he's the good chef, who cooks delicious dishes with only his brain and hands, while I cook with internet and my hands," I do not hide the truth, making him understand why this lasagna is so good. "Ah, all right. I see now. Everyone can cook with internet..." he teases me, but I still defend myself and my skills. "That's not true. Some people can't even follow a recipe..."

"Hm. Sure," he doesn't want to believe me but chuckles, noticing how desperate I am to make him think I'm a great chef. "And it's possible that Jungkook teached me a lot of things and all...but everyone has to learn before doing great, right?"

"Yes, right," he gives in to me, eating the food like a human who starved for days. "I don't want to disappoint you and all, so let's say you're right," his come back makes me giggle. I drop it since it's not worth trying. Everything I know comes from Jungkook and the internet, I cannot deny it.

Only short minutes after starting our meal, he already finishes his dish. I cackle at the sight of it. "When was the last time you ate?" I look up into his eyes, wondering how is it possible to eat so quickly. "This morning," he wipes his lips with a tissue. "But I haven't eaten such good food for a while, I think I couldn't hold back," he giggles, now realizing how fast he was to fill his stomach. "Do you want more?"

"Is there some left?" he shyly requests, but I give him my dish. "Here, you can eat my portion. I'm not really hungry," I let him have it, but he hesitates. "Are you sure? Why aren't you hungry?"

"Hm...I don't know, I'm feeling a bit nauseous," I tell the truth, not wanting any more than the few bites I had. "Nauseous? Are you sick?" he holds his fork in his hand, waiting before digging in for the second time. "I'm not, I just feel nauseous lately, I can't eat too much food."

"Oh...is it...do you know the reason of it? Is it because of...you know...girl's red week?" he doesn't dare to use the right words like a cute boy. "Yes, I think," I answer without being specific since I don't think he would like to talk about my period and the fact it's late.

"Okay," he doesn't go further into this, obviously uncomfortable about this matter. He eats what is left in the dish. "If you still want more, there's some left in the plate. So serve yourself again if you want. Okay?"

"Yes, thank you," he happily feeds himself. I can still remember when we were at the cinema though, he's the one who ate plenty of snacks but still wanted an ice cream after finishing the big bucket of popcorn. I was not wrong when I said his stomach is giant.

"This might sound a bit indiscreet but..." he ceases, swallowing to speak without anything in his mouth. "Aren't those symptoms the ones that women, who are pregnant, have?"

I gulp down at the sound of his question. I rub my neck but nod. "Yeah."

"Are you...?" he suspects. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I'm not," I do not think about this before my period since I'm used to this feeling every month. "Isn't there a test to make if you're unsure?"

"Yes, I'll buy one if I'm ever doubtful and that I don't have my period," I scratch my cheekbone, anxious to think I might be pregnant, even though I'm sure at ninety-nine percent that it's simply my period.

"If you ever want to talk about it with me, you can," he cares for me, acting like a mature boy. "I know I'm just  sixteen, but I know about the period and pregnancy because my aunt had a baby not long ago, so since I always heard the conversation she had with my mother, I know a lot about it."

"Thank you, I'll talk about it with you," I promise. He's my best friend, so he's also the only one to who I can tell my secrets or worries when I can't do it with Jungkook or his parents.

He smiles at me, seeming contented to hear that from me. I drift my attention away from him at the sound of my phone ringing. I stand up and move to the sofa to get hold of my device and check who's calling me.

My dad?

I frown but turn around. "I'm coming back in a minute," I smile at Minjae and head upstairs to pick up the call with extreme anxiousness. Why would he call me after ignoring me, pretending that I'm no one to him for more almost three months.

"Hello...?" an unsteady voice that I haven't heard for a while leaves the phone. I put my arm around my body, feeling weird and affected by his voice. "Why are you calling me...?" I barely know how to respond, not understanding this. "I...I'd like to talk to you...but not on the phone. I need to see you, if you accept..."

"About what?" I demand to know, hoping for this to not be about my mother or him, about their health. "About...you, Jungkook and what happened..."

"When do you want to talk...?" I do not refuse since I always hoped for this to happen. "Can we see each other tomorrow...? I'll come and pick you up at Jungkook's house."

"We don't live there anymore, I'll just come to your house," I tell him since he's not aware of it. "Oh...did you move?"

"Yes," I don't give him more information but remain quiet about it. "Okay...I'm glad you accepted. I know it took long for me to do this...but I thought about it many times...I just couldn't forget how I acted, and I regretted my reaction, I should have listened and understood you. I just want you to know I'm not mad, and I would never leave you alone...I don't know what happened for me to say such words to you, y/n. I felt hurt and worried..."

"Yeah...let's talk about it tomorrow," I do not show any anger or resentment for me, but only for Jungkook and what he did to him. "Yes, see you tomorrow. Just one last thing, do you know why Jungkook hasn't answered me?"

"Jungkook?" I frown, not aware of this. "Did you call him?"

"Yes..." he states. "Oh, I didn't know, but whatever."

"All right, see you tomorrow," he doesn't say anything more, so I end the call with the same words and hang up. This feels like a dream, I can't believe he actually called me and told me those words.

I lock my phone and go downstairs to be back with Minjae. "Are you all right?" he asks, but I smile and nod to him. "It was my dad, he wants to talk to me tomorrow, but I'm worried right now," I put my phone down on the table but take the empty dishes with the utensil. "Why?"

"What we talked about..." I tell him, not hiding the fact his question got me a bit concerned. I lean back on the kitchen counter and look at him. "I feel like...I should buy the test...talking about it makes it impossible for me to not cogitate nonstop."

"Do you want to go now?" he licks his swollen lips, but I shrug. "This is better to know where I stand...don't you think?"

"Yeah," he agrees. "If you don't do it now, you'll keep on thinking about it and be worried."

"You're right," I nod. "I'm going to the pharmacy, you can play if you want. It will be quick," I move to the buffet cabinet and grab the keys, and he smiles at me. "Okay, see in some minutes," he stands up and gets on the sofa. "See you."

20 minutes later...

I come back into the house after buying the test. I put it down on the end table next to me and take my shoes and jacket off, feeling better in the warmth. I heave a sigh but put my slippers on, grab the box in the bag, and leave the entry room. I take a peek in the living to check if Minjae is still here but stumble upon him sleeping on the sofa, with the controller in his hands. I walk up to him and look at the screen, but he's still in a match, so I take his controller in a soft manner and exit it.

I turn everything off and lay a blanket over him. I leave the controller on the coffee table and get hold of my box to get to the bathroom. I lock the door but do not do the test right away, feeling scared and apprehensive. I do everything slowly, getting the item out of the box and laying it on the sink cabinet.

I hardly believe I'm pregnant, we always protected ourselves, but I should still check.

5 minutes later...

Seeing the time fly and believing this has been enough, I bite my lips and set my eyes on the test that I turned around out of anxiousness.

What is going to happen if I see this is positive? What is Jungkook going to do? This will be extremely exhausting and difficult for me to handle the pregnancy all on my own, and this will hurt me to know he's not by my side during those moments.

I stop thinking too much, I have to turn it around and see the result. I take it and put the small screen into sight to know.

As soon as the sign appears and reveals everything, my entire body tenses up, I lose my head once I see the weeks indicator.

I put it back on its spot and feel an uneasy sensation in my stomach, not knowing what reaction is the right one. I'm happy, but the fright is still present as if I couldn't trust this test more than my body.

I sigh but throw the pregnancy test out, and I wash my hands to go out. I turn the lights off but take a peek at Minjae again, wondering if he's still sleeping.

He is, so I leave him on the sofa and walk up to my bedroom.

I exhale, sharply, but get inside my bedroom and close the door behind me. I move to my bed and tuck myself under the blanket, hoping to fall asleep quickly.

Why do I feel like the test might be wrong? What if I'm pregnant, but the test was not a good one?