"Hey, I'm back," Seojun returned into the cafe, smiling and coming towards the counter where I was at.

Trying to keep a straight face, I kept quiet and passed him his drink. I just wanted to run out of the cafe, unfortunately Jinyoung wasn't around and I couldn't do that.

He took a sip of his drink, "Thank you, it tastes really good."

I just wanted to roll my eyes at him.

I faked a smile, "No problem, Seojun."

He looked stunned when I called him that. "I said I'm Kang Jooyoung," he lied, as if I'm still stupid enough to believe him.

"Oh, my bad," I responded, "You forgot your wallet earlier, Kang Jooyoung."

I handed his wallet to him, and I could tell he knew what was going on. He gulped, taking back his wallet, "T-Thanks."

We looked into each other's eyes for a moment, and he was basically trying to read my expressions.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Seojun, just get out."

His lips slightly parted, a little shocked at my sudden rudeness.

I couldn't bear seeing him around anymore, "You think I'm dumb to believe you? I know you're Seojun, so stop pretending you're someone else. You've been a liar ever since I knew you."

He stared at me, speechless, then he quickly looked elsewhere but me, and I just wanted to slap him so bad for what he had done to me back in high school.

"Hyejin, I'm... so sorry."
"I don't need your apologies."
"Would you atleast hear me out? I just--"

"SHUT UP! BEFORE I CALL MY MANAGER, YOU BETTER GET OUT NOW!" I lost control and started yelling at him, my eyes got a little teary. Luckily there wasn't anyone in the cafe at the moment.

He sighed, taking a glance at me with pitiful eyes, before turning around, heading out of the cafe.

This freaking bastard.

I thought Seojun was gonna stop seeing me, but I was wrong.

That day, at 6 in the evening after work, I just stepped out of the cafe and was about to ride my bicycle home. Unfortunately, he was actually waiting for me. He walked towards me and when I realised he was around, I wanted to quickly cycle off, but he stopped me just in time, standing in my way.

"What do you want, idiot?" I hissed at him, "You better leave right now or I'm calling the cops."

"Will you just listen to me once?" He questioned me, seemingly desperate.

I rolled my eyes, "Listen to what? Your lies?"

"This is why I lied," he sighed, "If you knew who I really am, you're gonna hate me for my past. Just look at you now."

I raised an eyebrow, "What's your point? You wanna be friends with me again? You wanna talk like nothing happened between us? I'm never forgetting your mistake."

"Neither will I forget yours," he said, "You made me into a rebound."

I gulped. He's challenging me into a debate, isn't he? "You said I could," I smirked, arrogantly.

"For the first time, yes," his eyes never left mine as he talked, "But the second time we got together, I knew you were using me again.

I really wish he could stop talking about it.

"Look, if you just want to come to me only to argue about the past, you should just leave. It's a waste of time, and I don't want to see you again," I said, waiting for him to move so that I could cycle off, but he stayed, standing there, blocking my way.

"I actually, just, wanted to talk to you," He said.

"About what? Your 3 year old son?" I retorted, not caring whatever comes out of my mouth anymore.

"No, Hyejin. I really want to apologise for whatever I have done in the past. I want to apologise that I didn't protect you well. I want to apologise because I didn't treasure you when I had you. I'm so sorry about hurting you, and I want to repent my mistakes to you. Please, Hyejin, I can't live in peace knowing you're still mad at me after years," he went on and on, that I completely kept silent.

I continued giving him a cold stare. At first he was hoping for me to say something, but the longer he looked at me, his hopes were as if shattered. He pursed his lips, holding back his emotions, and I could tell he was about to tear up. "I, uh, just pretend this never happened, and I'm sorry for disturbing you, I'm not gonna come and see you again," he said, smiling bitterly, "Hope you'll live well."

He moved to the side, then walked past me like he never said anything, moments before.

I sighed, my heart suddenly felt heavy because I was overwhelmed with guilt. He seemed really sorry.

I dismounted from my bicycle, turning around to see him, "Lee Seojun."

He was walking and when I called him, his steps discontinued. He too, turned around to see me. "Yeah?" he responded.

"I'm sorry too," I said, a little awkwardly, "For whatever mistakes I made in the past, for being rude to you. Let's just ... grow up and leave everything behind."

He finally smiled, relieved, walking towards me, "Thanks alot."

I slightly returned the smile, "I'll be going home now, or Taehyung's gonna--"

Yep, I just blurted out an irrelevant thing to someone I shouldn't trust much.

"Taehyung will...?" He raised an eyebrow, "You're still in contact with Taehyung?"

I'm not just in contact, I'm freaking living under the same roof as him.

"I'm just heading home right now, bye," I quickly turned around, went on my bicycle, and rode off.

What a day at work.

***

Luckily I got home in time before Taehyung did. I went for a shower, then went to my closet, not sure which outfit to pick to go to Mina's party.

I ended up pulling out a black laced dress that's about knee length, putting it on. I was about to do my make up, before someone knocked on my door, startling me.

"Come on in, Tae," I said, loud enough so that he could hear me.

The door opened and Taehyung looked around my room. He stopped when he saw me. "Yah, how can you be wearing that to a party?"

I looked down at what I was wearing before turning to him, "What's wrong?"

"If you wear something so erotic, the guys will be all over you," he said, and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Stop worrying about that, they won't come to me. You know I have never socialised with them ever since high school. I had no friends but Mina, Shinhye, and probably you, no one else," I said, assuring him that I'll be fine.

"Shut up," he blatantly said to me, marching towards my closet and opened it up, searching for some other outfit I could wear. I sighed at him acting like a dad. "Wear these," he pulled out a grey sweater and black jeans. Then he looked at my hands and saw I was holding my make up box. "And don't wear those, you don't need make up, you look fine," he added.

Thank you, but I seriously look like a sloth when I'm bare-faced.

"Fine, you go dress up too, and make sure we don't match or it'll look suspicious," I said, taking the clothes from him.

"I know what I'm doing," he turned around and walked out of my room, closing the door behind him.

Minutes later I was done dressing up myself. I waited for Taehyung at the living room, one of the rare times when I'm dressed earlier than him. He came down about 20 minutes later, wearing a black top and white pants. "Let's go," he said, brushing his hair to the back as he walked towards me.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't find him attractive.

We headed out of the house and went into the car. Taehyung turned the key in ignition, then he looked at me, "You enter first, then I'll come five minutes after you."

I nodded. After buckling his seatbelt, he finally drove off, heading to Mina's place.

Taehyung parked the vehicle somewhere distant from the original destination, so that no one will see us later when we get into the same car. I went out first, walking towards the house, feeling anxious. From outside, I could already see that the party was having a blast.

I slowly walked further in, more and more people turned their eyes on me, without saying 'hello' or anything. I became awkward, and I just scanned my eyes around, desperately searching for Mina. I walked into the house, and in the midst of everyone dancing I found her in the corner of the house, talking to some foreign guy.

"Mina!" I shouted her name because of the loud music. She looked up at me, and instantly smiled so widely, showing her teeth. She ran towards me and crashed into my arms, hugging me real tight.

"I've missed you! How are you?" She pulled away and scrutinised me from head to toe, "You've gotten really pretty!"

"I've been great! How was it studying in Canada?" I asked her.

"It was amazing, I've got a boyfriend too," she wore a smug, taking a glance at the guy whom she was talking to. "How about you? Got a boyfriend yet? Or married?"

I gulped, realising that I was wearing the wedding ring, I hid my hand behind my back. "I'm still single," I lied, smiling awkwardly at her.

"PERFECT," she exclaimed, "I should just matchmake you with one of the guys here. Most are still bachelors you know."

"No, Mina, I don't -- I mean I'm not interested, just, uhm--"

"Oh c'mon," She wrapped her arms around mine, walking towards a bunch of guys which I did recognise from long ago, "Hey guys, this is my bestfriend, Hyejin."

The guys turned to us, looking at me from head to toe, before smiling at me flirtatiously, "Hey there, Hyejin."

She let go of my arm, "You guys can have a chat, I'll go welcome the other guests."

I stood frozen, and my hands suddenly turned cold, stiff infront of the three guys before me. "You were from class 2-3, right?" One of the guys asked me.

"Y-Yeah," I stuttered.

"Come take a seat, why are you standing," One of them said, then slightly laughed at me.

I did take a seat beside them, and I was glad that Taehyung made me wear something covered, or else I'd feel much worse than this.

"You're single?" One of the guys asked me, making me shudder. I covered my wedding ring once again, cussing myself internally for wearing the ring at the wrong time.

"Uh, yes," I responded shortly, looking elsewhere.

Another guy, wearing a red hoodie, smiled at me, "Want a drink? I'll go get you one."

"It's okay, I uhm," I was cut off when he already pushed himself off the couch, walking away to get a drink for me.

"So," another guy turned to me, looking intently into my eyes, "What do you work as?"

I was honestly feeling really uncomfortable, and I wish Taehyung could just take me away from these guys. It'd be too rude for me to just walk off, but the longer I stay, the more I got nervous wreck.

"I work as an office girl," I lied, still keeping my hands together, praying in my little heart that I could somehow escape from these guys.

The other guy came back with a drink in his hand, "Here's for the lady."

He passed me the cup, and I reluctantly took it from him. I looked into the cup, "It isn't alcohol, right? I'm not very good at drinking."

He chuckled charmingly. "It's just fruit punch," he told, "Drink up."

I smiled, somehow sheepishly, then brought the cup closer to my mouth for me to take a sip before someone slapped my hand away, resultantly made me spill the drink at one of the guys.

"Dude, what the hell?!" The guy yelled, and I looked up to see Taehyung staring at all three of them coldly.

"Hyejin, leave," Taehyung said in a normal tone, but he sounded stern. I quickly got up, escaping. Thank goodness Taehyung came to my rescue.

I went somewhere back in the kitchen where there wasn't anyone. I waited for Taehyung to be around, and I hid behind the wall so nobody could see me. I could see he was scanning his eyes around, looking for me too.

"Taehyung!" I whispered, gesturing for him to come to me, and he finally did notice me. He looked left and right, before walking to me.

"You idiot," the first thing he said the moment he came to me, "I saw him spiking your drink."

I softly gasped. "Well, I didn't know about that."

"Parties like these consists of guys hunting for a one night stand, why are you so dumb?"

"Well I thought it'll be fine because they're our old schoolmates, and I rarely go to parties... so," I shrugged.

"Whatever, do you want to stay, or head home?" He asked.

"We just came, it's rude to leave too early. Let's just stay a little while," I decided.

"Fine, and can you be more careful? It's annoying how the guys are secretly in mischief and you don't even know," he frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

I couldn't help but smile at the fact that he actually cares for my safety. "Yes dad," I teased, walking out of the kitchen before him.

I sat with a bunch of girls gossiping, they did say hello to me, but I chose not to join into their conversation, but only sat with them.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Taehyung sitting with his old bestfriends, Jimin and Jungkook. At the same time, I noticed he occasionally looked at me, making sure I was fine. I had to hold my grin everytime we made eyecontact, or the girls I was sitting with would find me creepy.

"Attention everyone!" Mina suddenly called, "Let's play some games!"

Everyone cheered, gathering in the living room. "So I've bought some pepero sticks when I was in the stores today, who wants to come up first?" She looked around, smirking.

She scanned her eyes around the room, and caught sight of her boyfriend in a corner. She pointed directly at him with her index finger, smiling, "You! Come over here."

Everyone clapped and cheered for the guy, as he walked towards his girlfriend, touching her waist when he got beside her.

Mina took out a pepero stick, holding it in between her lips, prettily looking up to her boyfriend for him to bite the other end to do the challenge.

Everyone anticipated in watching them, including me, although I was sort off cringing at the sight.

Mina's boyfriend smiled, his hand still on her waist, and he finally leaned in, biting on the pepero stick and in less than seconds, it got shorter, and shorter, until their lips were less than an inch apart. I thought they were going to stop there, but they finished it, ending with a deep kiss and made everyone in the room hyped, cheering loudly for them.

I awkwardly clapped, what a sweet couple.

They released the kiss, with a proud smile each on their faces. "Who's coming next?" Mina asked, looking around the room again.

"Me me me!" The room was a chaos, some wanted to go up to do the challenge with their partners, while some others wanted to do it because they were a loner and this was the only chance for them to experience almost kissing someone.

I waited for Mina to pick someone. "Hmmm... let's see..." she said, looking from left to right.

Then her eyes landed on me.

"You," she said, and I instantly trembled on my two feet, "Hyejin come on up!"

I quickly shook my head, telling her I didn't want to do it, but everyone in the room was chanting my name repeatedly, then two girls gently pushed me to the centre of everyone.

I looked down, already having anxiety, feeling everyone's eyes on me. I hate being in the centre of attention.

"Who do you want to do the pepero challenge with, Hyejin?" Mina asked me.

No one, you idiot.

I ignored her and continued staring down at my two feet.

"How about we call up someone whom she always argued with back in high school?" Someone shouted out, then people started chuckling, agreeing to what he said.

At first I got confused, then my head shot up, looking at Taehyung. He looked at me with a blank face, and my heart immediately tightened. I clenched my hands together, feeling nervous as heck, and I knew I could never escape it unless I ran away, which would be a ridiculous thing to everyone.

Come on Hyejin, it's just a game.

"Taehyung ah! Come on up!" Mina called him.

I thought he was going to say he won't do it, but he didn't hesitate as he walked towards me. I couldn't breathe right, and I looked down again, biting on my lower lip. I was actually close to collapsing.

When I saw his feet was parallel to mine, I looked up and he was staring down at me. He smirked.

"Ohhhhh!" Everyone in the room mocked us, making me feel more nervous and my cheeks were about to melt because it was so freaking warm.

Mina passed me a pepero stick, "Fighting, Hyejin!"

This idiot, she obviously knows that I had a history with Taehyung, why'd she still encourage me to do this with him?

My hand shook as I put the pepero stick to my lips, not even daring enough to look up to him anymore. Instead, I was looking straight at his chest level.

"Start," Mina and her boyfriend went to the side, leaving just me and Taehyung in the centre.

I wanted to get it done and over with, but I was too shy to even look at him.

Suddenly, Taehyung held up my chin, and I had no other choice but to look at him this time. Before I knew it, he bit on the other side of the pepero stick, and my toes instantly curled up. My heartbeat had gone mad, and my cheeks were inflamed. It was pretty crazy at how his face was so close to mine, and in that moment I could see no one but him.

He took a second bite, and my lips were pretty much trembling, I only stared at the pepero stick that was getting shorter, and I inadvertently looked at his lips as well.

His plump lips. So darn beautiful.

I could remember everyone was cheering loudly for us, but I didn't pay much attention to that.

He took another bite, sending shivers down my spine, and our lips were only about an inch away. I could feel his breath against my face, and coincidentally, we both looked into each other's eyes. Taehyung discontinued from biting the pepero stick, and only made my mind go bizzare when he puts his hands on either side of my waist.

I looked back down at his lips.

I want to kiss him so bad.

He took another bite, shorter than before, but I literally held my breath when I felt his lips slightly touched mine.

I don't want this to end.

One of his hand left my waist and he put it under our chins. I bit off a little part of the pepero stick, resultantly made the little piece left to drop on his palm. It almost looked like a crumb.

Everyone cheered again, and that's when reality came back to me. I shyly looked down to my feet, then looking back up at him and noticed he too, was blushing as hard as I am, but he was better at being calm.

"Well done you guys!" Mina clapped her hands, walking towards us.

Taehyung showed the little piece of pepero stick left to Mina and she was pretty surprised. "Woah, you did pretty well," she said, impressed, "But my boyfriend and I did better."

She turned to her boyfriend beside her, giving a peck on his lips.

Taehyung humourously rolled his eyes at her, then turned to me, giving me pat on my shoulder. And although it was just a simple touch, my heart felt like it was about to fall out after beating so fast.

I quickly went to the side, and he did too. My mind was still replaying the scene when we were doing the pepero challenge. I didn't regret it though. My waist still had a burning sensation from before, at the spot where he held me. I was smiling to myself, it was insanely amazing.

So much for planning to stay apart in the party.