~[JOSHUA]

Placing her carefully on the bed, I pulled the duvets over her.

I sat down on the chair beside her bed and let out a sigh, as I watched her sleep.

It had been a rough day for her.

'...y-yes my parents allowed me to work.'

So that's why she stuttered.

She never told anyone anything about her fear or pain, just kept going on with the tough image.

Subconsciously my hand made its way to her forehead as I brushed away the few strands of hair covering her face.

I looked out of the window to clear my mind by watching the heavy showers as those poisonous words ringed in my ears.

Seolhyun wanted to cut me out of her life too.

My eyes travelled back to her only to watch her sleeping face.

Tears had formed deep black channels on her soft pale cheeks. My thumbs gently brushed away the last drops of it lingering on them.

My hands automatically trailed down to hold her hands.

...cut him off her life...

My eyes shut off as those five words began to play on my mind on repeat.

I will never let you go Yoonie.

I will never let anything happen to you.

I will not commit my mistakes again.

You're unique, you're innocent, you're precious...to me.

I will protect you no matter what.

I jolted my eyes open as the sudden strike of thunder hit my eardrums.

I looked at her again.

Her eyes were closed, lips slightly parted as if the thunder hadn't even existed.

How can someone morph into a princess while they are asleep?

I was smiling like an idiot when suddenly I heard a knock on the door.

'...must be Jeonghan.' I went downstairs to receive him.

Opening the door, to find him standing totally drenched, his face locked to the ground.

But then to my utter surprise, he hugged me so tightly all of a sudden like there's no tomorrow.

I heard his sobs and sniffs as his tears continued to wet my shoulders.

"Shh Han... don't cry anymore. Everything will be alright now." I soothed into his ears while gently rubbed his back in order to calm him down.

But it wasn't working. Pulling him inside I made him sit on the couch as I continued hugging him.

He might not be my best friend but he too kept everything to himself for 6 years.

He lost his sister.

He lost his friends.

He lost her trust.

He lost his love.

Yet still he tries to make everyone laugh, even though his jokes might be a bit uncanny.

He slowly broke off the hug and almost whisperingly asked me, "H-how's she..?"

My eyes finally met his bloodshot red ones from crying as I calmly answered, "She's sleeping."

"Okay."

Harshly wiping off his tears he spoke again, "I'll be leaving now. Take care of her."

I instantly gripped his wrist stopping him in his tracks.

"She asked you to stay."

"She a-asked?"

"Yes. She asked and has already kept a pair of spare clothes for you to change. Now if you insist, get yourself a shower."

"But w-wasn't she unconscious-"

"She was. But on reaching here, she had woken up and told me these. Now please?" I pushed him into the washroom.

"I've kept your clothes in the little closet over there." I said as I heard the shower run.

I returned to the sofa as I waited for him to come out.

About 30 minutes later, I heard the shower stop followed by him in a white t-shirt and black joggers.

Without uttering a word, he sat down beside me.

Beeaking the awkward silence I spoke up, "Since when?"

"When we were like 10." He answered facing down.

"I-I'm sorry you had to know it like this-"

"It's alright. You are not at fault for this-"

"I am. I am the one who is solely at fault for all this-"

"You aren't. If it's something that should be your folly then it is your mental debate on not confessing to her back then and rather choosing to hide it by spitting sharp words to her. It is absolutely normal to develop feelings for someone, especially if they are your friends. You need not be guilty for someone's wicked and twisted visions." I gently slung my hand over his shoulder.

He was surprised when I did that and that was clearly evident in his voice, "You... d-don't you h-hate me? I know you like her too-"

"I do. But you know her a lot better than me. So if I have to sacrifice her to you, I will happily accept that painful feeling." I said with a mild yet bitter smile.

Jeonghan faced the ground again.

"Were you aware of her parents?" He asked quietly.

"No. But she always gave awkward and weird replies when asked about-"

Both of us fell silent as we heard an ear bursting scream from upstairs.

Without any further thoughts, we sprinted upstairs to her room.

I wanted to let Jeonghan in but he insisted me to enter first while he stood outside the room.

I sighed and walked inside the room only to find her sitting on her bed facing the window and bawling her eyes out.

Gently hugging and rubbing her back I tried to say something soothing to her while she continued to cry out.

She was having a nightmare.

"Y-you....y-you wouldn't leave me alone right, Joshua?" the words left her mouth as she somewhat calmed herself down.

For some reason, I felt a different feeling in my heart.

Brushing away her tears with my thumb I cupped her cheeks as I said, "For eternity I'll stay by your side."

Our eyes finally met. I watched her corners curve up a little as she said, "H-how should I thank you?"

I sat down beside her and made a thinking gesture as if I was thinking too hard.

"Okay, so as a favour you have to agree to my one wish. No turning away from it."

"Aight sir, roger that." She finally laughed.

I smiled seeing her laugh.

I was successful in making her happy.

"Listen um, I need to go now-"

"I'm not letting you go! It's raining heavily-"

"Chill. I called myself a cab, duh."

"Oh okay. But still-"

"What? Do you want me to sleep with you?" raising my eyebrow, I said with a cocky grin.

"What! N-no. I didn't say that...!"

"But it sounds to me so." I said getting up, "also this bed is comfy so I don't think I'll have a problem in falling asleep."

"What the hell! Get out SHOO!!!!!" she literally pushed me out of her room, or let's say 'shoo'-ed me out of her room.

"I'll get going now. My cab is here. Go talk to her now." I finally told Jeonghan as I stepped out of her room.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah she is. Now go go." I gently pushed him inside the room as I trotted downstairs to the door when I heard the honking of a car.

He won't fuck up anything again.

|•|

~[JEONGHAN]

I gingerly stepped inside the room. I wasn't ready enough to talk to her alone.

I never was, to be honest.

She turned around to face me but I clearly saw her smile fade away.

"Oh..."she slowly utterly.

"Uh....um...hi..." I scratched my nape as I stood at a loss of words.

It's been a while since I talked to her, normally.

"Hi um....come, sit here." she patted down beside her.

I slowly walked towards and sat beside her.

"Are you okay? You didn't have anything yet, did you?" she talked first, her voice filled with concern about my appetite.

I shook my head in denial.

"Let me get you something-"

"Can we talk first? Please?" I finally talked looking at her.

She nodded and sat down again.

"Why Haeyoon...why didn't you tell anyone anything..?"

She pursed her lips for a while before speaking, "There is nothing to tell-"

"There was something to tell! I never knew anything and spat bullshits at you the other day. Why didn't you tell me-"

"Why didn't you even tell me?" Her quiet voice made me stop midway.

"Tell you what?"

"That you l-liked me? More than a friend?"

I looked at her to find her already staring at me. I couldn't face her and darted towards the ground as I softly whispered in a broken voice, "I was afraid...I was afraid of losing you as a friend. I was okay with admiring you from a distance and that's why I never told anyone about it. I-I don't know how S-seolhyun-"

"Our friendship would never have been ruined. But it's okay. I'm not mad at you for not being vocal about it. I just hope you're at peace now on finding the truth."

"I might seem to be but I'm not. I'm definitely not! I ruined our friendship, spread fucking false rumours about you, insulted and crushed your dignity in front of everyone and yet you're still being concerned about me, even if it's out of humanitarian grounds, I don't give a budge about it. How come....why are you like this Haeyoonie? D-don't you h-hate me?" Unknowingly a tear slipped down my eyes. I harshly wiped it as soon as I realized it.

After a moment of being silent she said, "I never hated you to be honest. I hated the fact that you were still afraid to accept the truth. I wanted to shove the proofs to your face long back but after my family tragedy, I couldn't bring myself up to it because I then realized how bad opening up wounds could be. I didn't want you to experience the pain that I...had been going through almost everyday." Pausing for a moment she spoke again, "But it's alright. Everything is fine now. I was, am and will never be mad at you, Hannie. You are my friend. How can I get mad at you, dumb chick?" She was smiling at me.

Dumb chick.

It might sound annoying but for me it was a very special nickname given by her. According to her, I would crack the lamest jokes and since I looked like a newly hatched chicken back then she used to call me 'dumb chick'. That explains it.

I was shocked to hear it after so many years, especially from her mouth. It hit my realization that, all through these years it was only me who was trying to push her away from me and not the either way round. She still accepted me as ger friend, no matter what.

I don't know what happened but I suddenly engulfed her in a tight embrace.

I was so sure that it would be my last hug to her. However to my utter surprise I felt her hugging me back as well.

I tightened my arms around her waist as my face dug into her shoulders letting the whole of tears flow out while I felt her tears on my shirt too.

"Promise you'll be telling everything to me from now on?" I asked in a whispering tone as I broke off the hug after somewhat calming down myself.

"I-I'll t-try..." Her eyes were still over the stain that her tears had made over my shirt.

I hugged her once again but this time gently as my hands stroked her hair.

"I missed you Haeyoon..."

I heard myself uttering before I myself fell asleep with her already sleeping in my embrace.