𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 ━━━ 엔하이픈

48. absence of a friend

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Aera's POV

"And that right there is Jake with me." The elderly woman's innocent and heartwarming voice made me smile softly as I stared at the young kid in her arms. The picture showed Jake with her grandma when he was younger. Grandma Sim laughed on her own as she went through Jake's photo album we found in his room. I was sitting silently beside her looking at the pictures as she told me each stories the pictures held.

"This was his first day of school. I still remember how he woke up before everyone to get ready and go." Grandma laughed as I looked at her and then at the baby in the picture. It was hard to just smile and show I was completely fine while looking at his picture and I wasn't missing him to death. "You have gotten so quiet dear." The older woman closed the photo book and looked at me as I watched my fingers.

"Yeah mom she barely talks now." Mrs. Sim knocked on the door smiling as she approached us and sat in front of us. The women agreed with each other while I stayed silent shaking my slightly. "Nah I'm just tired. I guess." The people in front of me just sighed and looked at each other. "I know you miss him, dear. We all do. But you need to forget that dumbass for a minute and get yourself together." Jake's grandma said out as his mother nodded.

"I'm trying.." well that came out really low. For the next couple minute, it had gotten really quiet but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was simply overwhelming. "He will come back, Aera." Jake's mom held my hand caressing me as she reassured me for I don't know what time now. That was all they say.

He will come back.

That's it. Nothing more than those few words. I nodded and sighed looking up at them. "Can I stay over just for tonight?" The ladies were rather taken aback by my request since I was always trying to avoid places where I'd feel his presence. "Yeah- yeah sure." I smiled comfortingly as the two ladies later on bid their goodbyes and left the room, leaving me all alone in it.

I breathed heavily and looked around for a while before walking towards Jake's desk. And there I saw his photo stand which had the picture of us both together at one of our dates. A sad curve automatically made itself visible as I held the wooden stand, staring at the picture. The amount of happiness it radiated. Biting my lips, I felt anger show up inside me all of a sudden.

"Fuck you for making me wait for so long." Bitterly saying out, I looked away before walking towards the bed hoping to get some sleep.

-

"The results are pinned on the board outside." The professor said out as the bell rang confirming it was end of the week days. Everyone walked outside, some excitedly while some nervous to see their scores. Going outside, I tried to see my marks through the crowd. "Ahh Jungwon you did good." I said to him as he nodded and looked at me while I tried finding my name in the list. "Yeah and you failed in physics. Again." He said walking away as I saw my name with a F beside it.

(low-key a '3 idiots' moment. Ykiyk ;) )

I felt completely neutral about it while I stared at my marks. As if I already knew it. Well I did. Jungwon had already gone home because of some work. I walked along the empty lane all alone as the autumn breeze blew itself lightly. Oh this depressing vibe. Stopping in front of a bench, I stopped and sat down staring at my white converse.

It all felt the same, didn't it. I was back to thinking about that one human who everyone told me to stop thinking about for a while. I smiled on my own as the thought of Jake's reaction to my fail marks would be. The way he would come and start off, 'hey cute girl' and then be disappointed I failed in his favourite subject again.

Then I found myself coming back to reality and reality and realizing how it was nothing like that now and the said guy wasn't available for more than five months now. Geez I feel pathetic right now. "Are you going to cry now?" That voice, I didn't yet look up to see who the voice belonged to but it was so familiar. My eyes slowly widened as I slowly looked up. And my guess was right.

"Sunoo!" I excitedly stood up and looked at him surprised. The guy gave me a peace sign smiling as I pulled him into a tight hug. "I missed you so much." I said as he hugged me back and chuckled. "I missed you too." I still couldn't believe the guy was back after finishing his study course. "How come you're here though?" Pulling away I looked at him as he sighed. "You were probably about to cry in the middle of a road so God sent me here to make you happy." He explained his exaggerating reason making me scoff. "Anyways let's go to my house." I said holding one of his arms and pulling him with me.

-

Sunghoon's POV

Sunoo gave everyone the gifts he had brought for us as we all settled in Aera's house for the night. Yes, I was back in the country a couple months ago and everything was sorted out between me and the girl. But the guy was still a mystery. "It's feels good to have us all back together like this again." Niki said out radiating happiness as I smiled looking at everyone. Jungwon's sad smile caught my attention though.

"What happened Jungwon?" The guy looked at me and sighed before looking on the floor. "It'd have been nice if Jake hyung was here too.." he said quietening everyone as a silence made its way towards the once cheerful room.

Heeseung's POV

I looked over at Aera as I saw the girl not daring to look up. She barely talked much but now she was extremely quiet. And it worried me. "How are you Aera?" I asked breaking the silence as everyone looked at me and then at the girl. Aera's gaze came towards me as she seemed a bit taken aback by my sudden question. "Oh uhm I'm fine." Her voice was rather quiet to be just fine.

"It's fine, you know you can let it all out." Jay said out while Jungwon nodded looking at her as the girl didn't say anything for a while while we waited for her to open. "I miss him." She said out as she lowered her head. Her voice broke a bit as I looked thinking about Jake as well. The girl couldn't hold it anymore and the next moment she broke into tears in front of us as Sunghoon patted her back. "It's hurting so much without him.." she said out sobbing softly as we all stayed quiet.

Sunoo teared up as he pulled the girl into a hug. Now the room was filled with her sad sobs as I looked down. "I miss him too." Sunghoon said out looking at us we all saw each other's red eyes trying our best to not cry. We all missed him. The absence of a friend and no one knows where he was, was indeed a really painful feeling to feel.

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Ok wow am I getting it a lot more dramatic than it's supposed to be?

A couple more chapters and this book is finally done 😋