Love Letters

1: You're Back?

Hoshi's POV
Two years. It's been two years since I've seen her. Two years too long. Two years without seeing her face, her beautiful smile, those captivating eyes. It's been so long since I heard her laugh. That laugh that I could listen to every day and dance my heart out to.
That's how much I needed her, how much I wanted her. But she disappeared. After she graduated high school, I saw her once. That was during the summer. She told me she was off to college in LA, her hometown, so I wouldn't be able to FaceTime her as often because of her busy schedule. I figured it'd be okay since I usually saw her during the holidays when she visited from the states anyways. But then she never came back. She never texted back. I didn't see her for two years. I even asked her mother if she knew why she won't call me. Her mom would just frown and shake her head.
I know it sounds weird that I know her mother, but we're neighbors- ever since I was a kid actually. Her mom and my parents have been friends since her she moved in. We never did find out why it was just her mother living there but as long as I saw her, my life was content.
During those two years that she was gone, I went to college as well. That's where I met my thirteen best friends. You heard me. Thirteen best friends. Twelve guys and one girl. The girl in the large group of guys was named Choi Aelia. I met her in my English class two years ago, probably two months after she started college. I slowly fell in love with Aelia. She was a pretty and talented girl and somehow I still fell for her even though someone else had her heart. But I soon realized I was lying to myself. Because the actual girl I loved was gone from my life, I fell for Aelia to cover my broken heart. But I still wrote to her, every day because I had hope that she would come back.
But even Aelia is gone after a big mishap between her and her ex boyfriend. Aelia had gotten angry with me and the few others who knew about the mishap and left for a job as a violinist for a K-pop band named EXO. No one ever saw her or talked about her after that. It only makes us sad if we mention her alone or even at school. I think Mingyu is one of the only ones who stayed in contact with her. He's always smiling at his phone and whenever we ask who he's texting he'd brush it off.

It's been about four months since Aelia left and everyone became kind of distant. I stayed focused on my major, which was now the only thing keeping me motivated at this point. I also got a job at the local coffee shop that Aelia used to love. Once in a while, the boys would stop by to buy a coffee but I know they only came because somehow she was still in the back of their minds.
Lately, I've been thinking of her again. When Aelia found the letters I've written to her over the past two years, it made me realize how much I miss her. I visit her mother often now whenever I can after a long day at school and work. Her mom loves when I visit. Since she doesn't visit anymore, I'm her mother's only company which she doesn't mind at all.
At work, sometimes, only sometimes, I half hope that she'll show up at the shop and surprise me. By the end of the day, when all of the customers are gone and the shop is empty, my hopes dissolve.
Today was one of the many days I distracted myself by thinking of her. The bell from the door rings and I glance up from the palm of my hand to see one of my best friends. Minghao walks in with his head down and hands in his pockets. I watch him walk up to the counter and slowly look up at me.
"Hi, Soonyoung." He mumbles.
"Hi... Do you want the same as usual?" I ask, standing up and pressing a few buttons on the monitor.
"Yes, please." He nods his head.
"It's on me." I smile lightly and he thanks me, bowing slightly.
After making the drink for him, I walk over to the table he's at and sit across from him. I slide the cup to him and he mutters a thank you. We're quiet for a few minutes before I look up at him.
"Is she still your lock screen?"
He shows me his phone and I lean closer. I lick my lips before looking back at him. Yup, she's still his lock screen. I think Minghao was the second most affected after Aelia left, right behind Jihoon, her ex. Minghao didn't even come to school for the longest time because he felt so guilty. Honestly, I felt guilty too but I shouldn't as much as Minghao. Minghao was one of her closest friends out of the thirteen of us.
"I just want her back, Soon."
"I do too." I say half of the truth.
Of course I wanted her back, but she was on my mind instead. My heart pounded at the thought of her again and I shake my head. I haven't even seen her in two years. What if she changed? What if she doesn't remember me? What if she joined a gang?! Oh my god, stop it, Soonyoung. Of course she wouldn't join a gang.
"Have you talked to the others lately?" I ask.
"Mingyu still won't talk to me if that's what you mean. I don't talk to Jihoon or Seungcheol anymore. Jun is the only one who I really talk to anymore. Him and Chan. Chan seems the least devastated and I'm starting to think she still talks to him." He sighs.
"Let him have that privilege. He did nothing wrong. We... we did..." I bite my lip.
He takes a long sip of his drink before looking back at me.
"Seungkwan asked for us to get together again." He suddenly announces.
"The ones who-"
"Nope." He cuts me off.
"Oh." My eyes widen.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but... He's right. We need to talk this over. All of us. We can't be mad at each other for this long. Soonyoung, it's been four months since..." he trails off.
"I know..." I purse my lips.
"But that's not the point. The point is that Aelia is the one who brought us all together. She's the one who made us friends. I... I still want to be friends with you." His voice is quiet at the last part.
This makes me smile. Usually, Minghao doesn't like to admit we're his best friends, except maybe Jun, but when he does it's really cute because of how embarrassed he gets.
"Aww! That's so sweet! We love you too!" I jump over the table and hug him tight, rubbing my cheek against his.
"Yah! Get off of me!" He tries to pry me off.
"But I love you so much~"
"Geez! You're so weird!"
"You told him?" We both hear a familiar voice ask.
We stop what we're doing and look directly at the boy who spoke. We're both shocked to see Jihoon standing there in a shy stance. He's rubbing his arm nervously and looking at us with a sad expression. Minghao and I look at each other then look back at the depressed boy.
"What're you doing here? You're the only one who hasn't came here since she left..." I point out, glaring at him slightly.
"Yeah, because I still love her." He stares at me with no emotion.
"That's bullshit." Minghao says through grit teeth.
"You're still in love with her too?"
He doesn't say anything. They both stare at each other until I clear my throat.
"You're lucky I don't kick your ass." Minghao sips his drink again.
"Whatever." Jihoon sits beside me, making me scoot over in the booth.
"I presume Seungkwan told you too." Minghao says with a stern voice.
"Yeah. He may still be angry about what happened but he believes that fate just twisted our happy ending. He said something about how we were supposed to get married and he would be the best man." He rolls his eyes.
"Typical Seungkwan." I chuckle.
"I know I shouldn't go because none of this would have happened if I didn't leave Juilliard, but I truly want you guys in my life. And that's saying something."
"Alright. Let's do it." I smile.
"Really?" They look at me in surprise.
"Why not? She's the only thing we have to talk about to make things right between us. I hate that we're so distant now even though we still hang out at lunch and have the same classes." I frown.
"He's right. It doesn't seem normal with us." Jihoon exclaims.
"Alright." Minghao sighs, standing up, "I'll call Seungkwan and see what I can do. Call whoever you can once I get the confirmation from him."
"Will do!" I give him a thumbs up.
"I'll see you two at school. Oh yeah, how's the dance team doing?" Minghao tilts his head slightly with curiosity.
"I'm working hard on the choreography. You should come to the competition next weekend if you can. I know you quit after she left, but maybe you'll be up to come back after watching us?"
"Well, if this get together goes well, it's a definite yes for all of us to watch you perform." He smiles lightly.
I smile brightly back. He waves on his way out, thanking me again for the coffee then disappears into the streets of Seoul.
"I should get going too."
"Were you gonna get a coffee, Jihoon-ah?"
"I guess not. I'll just keep writing and composing until I pass out in the studio." He ruffles his hair in frustration.
"Don't stress yourself too much, okay? We're all in the same boat here." I admit.
He only nods, but I know he's thinking about how much it's his fault. I want to tell him it's not his fault, but a part of me knows it is his fault.
He leaves and I get up, looking around the café.
"About time to close." I sigh, "I guess I should start cleaning." I grab the broom and start sweeping.
After about half an hour, I leave the café, exhausted. I get to my house about ten minutes later, scrambling lazily to take out my keys.
As soon as I get inside, I walk into my room and set my stuff on the floor. Why does this day have to be so long? I groan and fall face first onto my bed. I check my phone for messages and notice a few missed calls from an unknown number.
"That's odd." I sit up in the bed and examine the number.
I've never seen it in my life and the area code looks completely different from what I've seen before. Maybe it's just someone trying to sell something. I shrug and toss my phone beside me. The doorbell rings and I jump in surprise. Okay, now this is just creepy. Who could that be at this time at night?
Slowly, I quietly walk down the stairs, grabbing a pan along the way. For protection...
I unlock the door to reveal a girl. Her back is turned so I can't see her face at first. Until she turns around and I realize who it is. Her long brown, silky hair is curled and just as I remembered. Her eyes are still bright and full of youth. Her face, definitely full of beauty. She's matured and it just fits her.
All of this is processed in a millisecond though because I drop the pan I'm holding and my mouth hangs wide open. She smiles at me with her heavenly smile and waves.
"Hello, Hoshi. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Y-Yoon M-Momoe...?"