Decoupled • KTH ✔

Chapter 3

Maya

"A reunion?" My fingers abruptly stop working on the mouse wheel, and I straighten up, releasing the phone from between my jaw and shoulder and using my hand to hold it instead.

"Yeah, because this year we are completing fifteen years of graduating from high school. Isn't that something to celebrate?" Da-Mi asks me excitedly.

"Wow... fifteen years already? Saying that makes me feel so old," I chuckle, taking off my glasses and placing it in between the bonsai cactus and the Rubik's cube on my desk.

"So, will you be attending? If so, I can confirm our attendance"

"When is it? Will everyone be coming?" I pause for a second and clear my throat. "I mean, who and all do you think would attend it?" I ask her as I lean back in my seat.

"I have no idea, and I'm not even in touch with anyone except you and very recently with Jimin," she sounds as if she has just stuffed her mouth with some food.

"He planned this, didn't he?" My question is answered with a hum from Da-Mi.

Jimin, though quite flirtatious and extremely extroverted, had always been the kind who got along well with everyone in class. I remember him as someone who was always up for gathering groups and talking and laughing over silly topics—something that I always shied away from.

"Knew it," a small chuckle falls from my lips. "But when is it? I have to check if I'm free on that day"

"It's on Saturday, in five days from now. Check today's newspaper for more details," she chews something in an almost obnoxious manner.

"Oh, wow! Okay. I'm free the entire weekend. But I'm still thinking if I should attend it. I'm really in no mood to socialize," I complain, telling her the half-truth as to why I wouldn't want to attend the high school reunion.

Da-Mi stops chewing and clicks her tongue in frustration.

"Come on, Maya! You can't live like a hermit forever. Sometimes you do need to go out and mingle with people, and these aren't even new folks. They're just the people we know already," she sounds so done with me turning down her every offer to socialize.

"That's like the most valid reason not to socialize," I roll my eyes and try to justify, still telling her only part of my reasons to avoid going.

The part she knows is that socializing isn't really my best skill, and I'm always happy to hang around with her—my only friend from school, who actually became a close friend way after we finished school—or just be on my own. Meeting new people at work isn't hard because it would be a crisp and professional interaction, but anything outside work seems to make me tired.

"Please attend it, Maya. You don't even have to stay till the end. Maybe just drop by to say hi to everyone and have dinner and leave. But just attend it," Da-Mi's words evolved from coaxing to commanding, and since I'm someone who picks my battles, I find this topic unworthy of arguing over.

"Alright. I'll drop by for a while," I give my confirmation, and Da-Mi squeals at the other end of the call.

"I'll confirm our attendance then. Thank you sooooo much, Maya," she passes a kiss to me before we end the call.

"This girl! So dramatic!" I shake my head, chuckling softly as I return my phone to the desk and wear my glasses once again.

My life, ever since I graduated from high school, has changed so drastically, and it has also been so many years since we graduated.

But it's funny how just the mention of 'high school' can make the heart to flaunt its super power of resurrecting the precious memories and feelings specific to a particular time in life and centered around a specific person that are kept safe within, making the mind constantly revolve around it.