The Neck Pillow Girl

Past Friends and Phone Calls

I sighed as I got home from work. Today was quite busy than the past week and I was really in need of a break... and food... I sighed again as I looked at my empty fridge. Looks like I'll have to go do the groceries. I quickly changed into some casual clothing and left, making sure I had enough money saved up to buy food. As I was heading down the path, I noticed Jimin was leaving so I waved. He smiled and waved back and we continued on our ways.

I was in the middle of debating whether I should get some eggs or not when my phone went off. I frowned. No one had my number since I hardly had any contacts. Even though I didn't change my number since moving to Seoul, I did block a lot of contacts. So who was this unknown number calling me? I picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey," The voice was familiar.
"Who is this?" I asked, trying not to sound unconfident.
"You've seriously forgotten me, kid?" Why was that nickname so familiar? Oh yeah, because Oppa-Kun would always call me it when he was stressed or something.
"Oppa-Kun? Yoongi-Kun, is that really you?" I asked, my voice was quieter than I intended.
"Yes, it's me, pabo! It's been a while, hasn't it?" He said, and I could feel him smiling.
"Five years actually. So how come you're calling?"
"Is it so wrong to talk to an old friend?"
"No. It's just that, recently, not many people call me just 'cause. It's usually for extra work scolding me..."
"You? Needing scolding? You're the most well-behaved kid I know!"
"I'm not a kid anymore. If you hadn't been keeping up, I'm 18, turning nineteen soon!"
"Sorry, you do sound the same, though."
"Hmmm..."
"So, where do you live? Are you still in Daegu?" That question alerted bells in me. Why was he asking that all of a sudden? I trusted him, but with recent events, I couldn't give my location to anyone.
"No, I moved. Why do you ask?" I asked him, trying not to sound suspicious.
"Well, I saw someone who resembled you a few days ago so I was wondering... anyway, how's everyone? Is your mother good? What about my parents? How's school?"
"Uh... Ka-san is as good as she'll ever be and you're parents are doing good, too, but they do miss you a lot," So do I" But everything else is fine,"
"That's good. Hey, I gotta go, but could you do me a favour and send me a couple of pictures of you. I wanna see just how much of an eighteen/nineteen-year-old you look like," I laughed and said goodbye before doing as he asked. I sent him a recent picture before saving his number. Little did I know what was waiting for me the next day.

The Next Day
I was ready to enjoy my day off when the doorbell was rung. I quickly got up and unlocked the door. I was greeted with Yoongi...Holding a bag of Japanese... With a girl. For some reason, not only did the girl look familiar, but there was a strange pang in my chest. After letting them in, I got to know the girl, MI-Hi, a bit better. At first, I thought that she was Oppa-Kun's girlfriend, but then I found out she wasn't. That's when it felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.
Yoongi-Kun asked me about school. "So? How have you been surviving in Seoul? We called aunty first to ask about you but she said something about running away?" Yoongi started off.
"I didn't run away, I simply left with nothing but my camera and my purse without telling anyone a single clue about where I'm going." I was hiding something but he didn't pressurise me, surprisingly. He did growl, though, and that's when I went to make something for him to drink. After a while, Mi-Hi followed me into the kitchen and we did have a decent conversation. But I know, Yoongi was constantly frowning and glaring at me.
"SO what about school. Where do you go?" He asked me when I came back.
"I don't go school. I work at a gallery," I sighed, telling him the truth. He argued disapprovingly but I let it go and continued.

Later that night, I got a call from him.
"Is there anything you wanna tell me? Like why you aren't in school?" He asked. I wasn't ready for this conversation yet...
"Nope." Was my simple reply.
"Well, I'm coming over. It's been ages and I can't sleep with Namjoon. He snores," I laughed at that. Back then, I'd always sneak next door and climb into his bed because of all the nightmares I had, and sometimes, he'd sleep over at my house when my mum was away on business trips (My dad had died when I was 6...). Soon enough, he was at the door. I smiled and let him.