Mirage

29

"I-I... why am I here?"

Sunwoo had lost his mind at the moment the front door was opened widely, welcoming him inside. His mind was blank, all of a sudden he forgot why he was here.

And it did concern Eric next to him.

"Dude..." the latter nudged him, Sunwoo hummed in response but looked like a living corpse. "What's gotten into you?"

Sunwoo understood the question, he knew Eric was asking yet he was not able to answer, the older girl who had opened the door for them was at fault.

"I...." he stammered again. It was as if he was flying, unable to stand still.

The girl by the door cackled, unknowingly reaching for his fluffy hair. She too could not resist herself from ruffling them.

"You're cute", she said, retrieving her hand back which later Sunwoo almost fainted, his body felt weak as he leaned towards Eric for a support.

"Sunwoo, why are you like this?" Eric pushed him back to stand on his own feet, slapping his arm next.

It was then, the girl gasped, covering her slightly open mouth. Her eyes flickered from Eric to Sunwoo as if she was in disbelief.

"So you're Sunwoo!" Harin then beamed. "Haeun never told me that my biggest fans and also her boyfriend is actually funny".

Never once in his life, Sunwoo had imagined that he would finally meet his idol in her own home, in her comfort attire and some more she had touched his hair.

He was considering not to wash them later.

He really did not expect this. When Haeun asked him to come over for snacks, the girl had informed that Jia and Eric would be here too but she never told him that her sister was home.

Had only he known, maybe he could have prepared his heart for this meaningful encounter.

"So the rumor about you are a big fans of Harin noona is true", Eric smirked in front of the door as soon as they were inside, the said girl fled upstairs informing Haeun that her guests were already here.

"Shut up!"

"Not gonna do that!" Eric mocked though he knew he would probably die soon.

As if it was a cue, Sunwoo attempted to hit him but Eric as the energetic boy, he dashed into the house, leaving the demeanor alone.

In order to not causing a ruckus, Sunwoo took some times to mediating, his rage was now on the maximum level. His thick lips protruding everytime he let the carbon dioxide out, his palms were moving up and down together with his chest.

"What are you doing?"

"Arghh!"

Sunwoo fell on his butt, truly startled by the sudden approach though he should have expected it. He should have known already that Haeun would appear in front of him like that because it literally her house.

Why must he make himself look dumb?

"Oh my god Sunwoo, are you okay?" Haeun immediately reached out to him, helping him up. "I'm sorry".

This side of Kim Haeun always made Sunwoo wonder, what had he done to deserve such a nice girlfriend?

Other people probably had laughed out loud on his face for his dumbness, but Haeun never did. At the end, she would say that she was partially wrong too.

"Why am I not...." his speech was dragged as he leaned closer to her, "when I obviously have you?"

It was then Haeun yelped cutely, covering her mouth with her palm.

"This is not good for my health", she cupped her cheeks, hiding the redness underneath her palms. "Let's go upstairs, Eric is choosing a movie".

And so the two trailed the path to the stairs, passing by the living room they both were in before. Sunwoo could tell that lots of upgrading had been made, the place was no more plain like how he saw it for the first time that day.

It had become a real home.

Nonetheless, out of many things adorning the wall and shelves of the house, only one thing caught Sunwoo's eyes.

The thing was familiar, too familiar that he could not resist but pick it up from the couch in the cozy space upstairs that seem to be used by this household to watch movies.

"Haeun, you still have this?" he nonchalantly asked, plopping down on the couch, the racoon plushie in his arms.

Strange how he hated it before but now adoring.

Upon hearing a question was thrown at her, Haeun ditched Eric who was still struggling, to be seated next to Sunwoo on the couch.

"Of course!" she saw how Sunwoo's lips twitched to form a smile. He probably was touched knowing that the gift he accidentally won at the festival was under her great care. "Mr. Sunu here is always with me on this couch".

"You named it?" once again the boy startled, he really did not expect that Haeun would keep her words till this extent.

"You should've known that she's always serious", Jia was then interfered, also ditching Eric. The boy had too many doubts about movie genres that the choosing process was endless. "I swear I'll kick him if he hasn't done anytime soon".

"Ok that's it!" Eric suddenly yelled, turning his head towards the three who now were on the couch. "We're not watching movies today".

Questions started roaming within the area but it did not disturb Eric so far. He came closer to them, sitting on the floor whilst facing them.

"Let's get to know each other", he suggested which did nothing but the three ponder and scoff. "I have lots to ask".

Eric took few seconds as he flickered his gaze on them one by one, asking for approval. Until he reached Sunwoo, the male rubbed his nape, beckoning Eric to continue.

"Kim Sunwoo!" Eric screamed, pointing to the said boy. "Why did you befriend Jihoon? You know how troublesome he is".

An awkward silent suddenly fell along with Sunwoo's face. From a glance Haeun could tell that her boyfriend was offended, but something else was weighting him down.

Something from the past that he had kept to himself.

"Hey", Haeun nudged him, Kim Sunwoo looking up at her with misty orbs. "Don't answer him. It's not mandatory anyways".

Once again, Sunwoo was grateful that Kim Haeun was his girlfriend. Though it was unspoken, she could have figured his feeling out so easily, so effortless.

"It's okay. It's nothing much", he assured, fixing her bang that was hooding her forehead.

Strangely, not Jia nor Eric feel disgusting anymore. It seemed like it was Sunwoo's habit by now and they had gotten used to it.

It was then, Sunwoo adverting his gaze back to the boy on the floor. He looked so invested in this story, however looking at him inevitably made Sunwoo drown into a sea of guilt.

Eric was someone he knew from the start, he should had been more closer to him yet he did not. Instead he chose destruction by making someone like Jihoon as his friend.

"Let's say the younger me wasn't too clever", he sighed as he looked on his lap, an assurance tap on his hand from none other than Haeun had encouraged him to keep going. "A best friend of mine suddenly left, and I felt betrayed".

"Best friend..?" Eric put a finger on his chin as he looked up to the ceiling, recalling some memories. "Oh him! He was your only close friend".

Sunwoo forced himself to smile, confirming the speculation though he felt his heart shattered.

Recalling a memory that you were once treasured was indeed hurtful.