I found myself seated on the vibrant teal couch, attempting to make sense of the situation swirling in my mind. The only certainty I had was that my parents were absent from home, and my repeated calls to them went unanswered, leaving me with the unsettling feeling that they were missing. Deciding to exercise patience, I resolved to wait until tonight, hoping fervently that they would return.

Seven hours had passed, and darkness had enveloped the sky. It was the usual time for our family to gather around the dinner table, but tonight was different. My parents were nowhere to be found, a fact that I had repeated to myself countless times. The worry gnawed at me, suppressing any hint of hunger. It was highly unusual for my parents to be absent without informing me. The last time they were away for such a long duration was on Valentine's Day last year. However, that day was different. They had informed me beforehand, explaining that my mom hadn't been out for months and wanted to celebrate the occasion. But today was not Valentine's Day, and my mom had gone out just last weekend. Something was definitely amiss. With a mix of anxiety and curiosity, I resolved to wait a little longer, hoping for answers to unravel the mystery.

As the hands of the clock reached the number 12, signifying midnight, I realized that my parents were still nowhere to be found. Feeling a sense of unease, I made up my mind to reach out to my best friend Jamie for some much-needed support and advice.

I went out to reach towards my phone but, then again, I stopped thinking that would it be a great idea to call Jamie? Will this create a big scene? Should I wait for a little longer? I was completely puzzled. I gathered up some courage and called Jamie keeping all my thoughts aside and taking a deep breath, I made my mind to tell everything to Jamie. She accepted my call!

"H-ello?" I shuttered.

"안녕하세요!" She replied. ( Hello!)

I didn't say anything.

"What happened? You seem to be tensed." She asked.

"N-oth-i, actually my parents-"

"Your parents? What happened to them? Continue Yeha."

"They are practically missing." I admitted.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I came home and I didn't see them. It's midnight yet, they are not home. I am just worried." I explained.

"They might be hanging out somewhere."

"No, Jamie! Whenever they went out, they always informed me. This time they didn't text me or left a note, nothing!" I explained.

"Also, it's literally midnight! And I am pretty sure that my parents aren't the ones who find going out in the midnight safe." I continued.

"Okay, do one thing, you come to our house."

"왜?" (Why?)

"I mean, as a friend, I don't find it safe for you to be all alone in the house."

"Seriously? After, I move out and stay independently, all alone in one house, What would you do then?" I asked.

"Nevermind."

"No, wait, I will come to your house."

"Uhhh, I am coming to pick you up."

"Okay."

*The call ended*

Staying at Jamie's House sounds like a brilliant plan to me because if my parents aren't home, I'd most likely find myself huddled in the corner of my room, trembling with fear. As much as I enjoy watching horror and action movies, they don't truly reflect who a person is, do they? Therefore, it's a better for me to stay at Jamie's House.

As I stood before the mirror, a wave of sadness washed over me. My complexion appeared ghostly and swollen, reflecting the inner turmoil I felt. My eyes, burdened with exhaustion, were bloodshot and stained with tears. The lump in my throat seemed to grow with each heavy breath I took, making it difficult to swallow. The weight of my emotions began to manifest on my face, casting a melancholic shadow. My disheveled hair mirrored the chaos within me. Determined not to reveal my vulnerability to Jamie, I resolved to compose myself.

As I turned on the water tap, the sound of flowing water filled the air. I desperately cupped my hands, hoping to capture some of that liquid solace. With a heavy heart, I splashed the water onto my weary face, hoping it would wash away the sadness that clung to me. Searching for a semblance of brightness, I reached for my cleanser and gently massaged it onto my face, hoping it would cleanse not just my skin but also my soul. I rinsed away the remnants of my sorrow with the cool water, feeling a fleeting moment of relief. With trembling hands, I picked up a hairbrush and tried to tame the unruly strands that mirrored my disheveled emotions. As I applied the eye cream, I yearned for it to magically transform my eyes into windows of normalcy, hiding the pain that dwelled within.

As I stood at the entrance, my hair had undergone a complete transformation, going from a messy bun to a neat and pretty ponytail. However, my eyes still carried a hint of gloominess, and my face remained puffy from the tears I had shed earlier. Clad in a white hoodie, black shorts, and white airforce shoes, I anxiously waited for Jamie to arrive and pick me up. Despite my reluctance, the thoughts of my missing parents continued to haunt my young mind, causing me great worry. It was an overwhelming situation, and I couldn't help but question why my parents would put me through this. Suddenly, a black Mercedes pulled up in front of my house, but to my surprise, it was Jesper behind the wheel, not Jamie. Although I didn't see the person I was expecting, I decided to trust Jesper and climbed into the passenger seat, giving him a small wave as a gesture of acknowledgment.

He drove me to his residence where Jamie eagerly awaited our arrival. Upon seeing me, she warmly embraced me and guided me towards the living room, where I settled down on the comfortable blue sofa. She proceeded to recount the incident where Jesper overheard our conversation and hastily rushed to fetch me. Jamie also expressed Jesper's deep concern for my well-being. I felt grateful to have such caring friends in my life. Eventually, I made my way to Jamie's room, where she kindly inquired whether I preferred to sleep alone or with her. Without hesitation, I replied, "I can spend time here with you but, I don't want to disturb you while sleeping so, I will sleep alone."

"You sure?" She doubtfully asked and I nodded.

Jamie went out of her room as Jesper called her and I? I was sitting on Jamie's bed still wondering about what's going on with my parents and my house. At this point, I was literally thinking that did someone kill them? The tears were not at all stopping from my eyes.

JESPER

I was heading towards Jamie to ask her about my project file but then, I saw her talking to someone. I decided to stop there and here thier conversation and then, I reliased that she was talking to Yeha. My heartbeat skipped when I understood that Yeha's parents were not home that to at this hour. I softly called Jamie while she was talking and I signalled her that I will be going to pick Yeha from her house. I quickly rushed from there and headed towards Yeha's house where I found her waiting for me. Actually I don't think she was waiting for me because as soon as she saw me she was surprised. Maybe, Jamie didn't specify that I will be picking her up anyways, upon all of this, I examined her, her eyes were red and face was puffed which means she was crying. I couldn't stand looking at her like this. "I am sorry." I whispered which she couldn't hear. I thought that as her friend, I should have been with her and not left her alone crying but the fact that she didn't take the initiative of informing me about this annoyed me. Another thing that caught my eye was that she was wearing black shorts, honestly I have never seen her in shorts but right now, we don't talk about that. She sat in the car and I drove her to my house.

The journey in the car was filled with an eerie silence, and before long, we arrived at my humble abode. Concerned about the tense atmosphere, I made the decision to give her some much-needed space. In an attempt to uplift Yeha's spirits, I instructed Jamie to do whatever it takes to bring a smile to her face. After some time had passed, I summoned Jamie from their secluded room, eager to hear the full story. I was surprised that her parents were out at this hour,which struck me as odd considering my familiarity with them. Yeha's parents were known for their strict yet loving nature, always maintaining a sense of discipline and order. Observing Jamie's nonchalant demeanor, I couldn't help but worry about Yeha's emotional state. In this moment, my utmost priority was to ensure her well-being and provide the support she needed.

At night, I couldn't help but thought to check Yeha as I thought, what if she is crying? I got up and took a few steps towards the guest room where Yeha was sleeping.

Yeha

I took off my hoodie, revealing a top that barely covered my stomach, resembling more of a bra. Despite its comfort, I knew sleep would evade me tonight, haunted by relentless thoughts. Scrolling through my phone, I stumbled upon pictures of my parents, a wave of sadness washing over me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I tossed my phone aside, burying myself under the covers, sobbing uncontrollably. I was aware that crying wouldn't fix anything, yet the tears refused to cease.

Jesper

As I stood outside her room, the sound of crying pierced through the silence. My heart sank as I realized my suspicions were correct - Yeha was indeed in tears. With a heavy heart, I pushed the door open and saw her lying on the bed, huddled under the duvet, weeping. I approached her cautiously, gently touching her shoulder as I whispered, "Yeha, it's Jesper."

"Go, away." She said.

"I won't, I won't leave you like this."

"There is no point of you staying here, I don't need anyone."

"Want me to go? Is that what you want? Okay then, I will leave." I said.

I turned around and took one step forward but stopped when I felt someone holding my smallest finger.

"Don't go, please." She said, while tears flowed out of her eyes.

"Didn't you say, that you didn't want anyone?"

"So? Does that mean that you will leave you friend and go?"

"알았어, I won't go."

I flinched when she abruptly stood up and embraced me, tears streaming down her face. She held onto me like her life depended on it. I embraced her in return, soothing her with gentle caresses and whispered words of comfort.

Soon after, I found her sleeping in my embrace. I carried her and placed her gently on the bed and left from there.