Can I help you?

Chapter 23

Sarah gets awoken by her alarm. She pushes it off and feels his heavy arm on her. She looks to her side and sees him sleeping peacefully. Sorry, Hoseok She gently removes his arm and gets out of bed. She grabs her phone from between the 3 used condoms. She smiles. He has such a stamina. She gets dressed quietly and writes a note on his desk. She leaves it on the nightstand between the condoms, but decides to throw them away. She leaves the note again and softly gets her luggage. When she closes the door behind her, softly, Jhope opens his eyes. He sighs and puts his arm over his eyes, hiding his tears. He is just covered from his waist down and lays his other hand on his naked chest. He feels his heart is hurting.

Sarah places another note on the kitchen table downstairs with some thanks and the excuse she got called away to Seoul urgently. She is in the station. The wind is pulling on her clothes, it is very chilly in the morning. She can't repress a smile when thinking about the way Hoseok makes love to her. But soon after she gets a depressed look. She remembers all the hurtful things she told him. The train finally arrives and she is on it. She is just staring soulless out of the window. Leaving all of it behind in Gwangju.

In the station, she get picked up by Jin and Jimin. "Sarah! Are you okay?" Sarah nods and smiles at them. In the car they can get rid of their masks. "Didn't you bring Hoseok hyung with you?" "No, I had a ticket for the train for today, and it had to be the first one. Everyone was still asleep at the time I left. He can use some extra rest." She smirks because of the clever remark. He sure needs some rest, after tonight. Jin sees her smirk at a thought in the rear mirror. Something must have happened...He is worried. Back at the apartment she hugs her friends but then immediately goes to find RM. "Any news on our apartment?" RM is just greeting her and is surprised at the sudden question attack. "It's not done. Why? Is it very uncomfortable here? Is it annoying to sleep with 4 in a room?" Emma quickly moves in and pulls Sarah away. "Why would something be uncomfortable? You guys slept with 7 in a very small room. We have nothing to complain about. Excuse us." The other 2 hurry and follow Emma and Sarah.

In their room, they start to grill Sarah. "What happened?" "Why do you want to leave that eagerly? We like it like this. Being this close to them." "Where you successful in your goal in Gwangju?" Emma asks a work related question. Doenja's eye falls onto something. "As a stylist I have an eye for detail. You have a different necklace." She comes closer and looks at it. "It's swarovski. This isn't something in your price range. Also it is replacing your old necklace. Is this a gift from Hoseok?" Doenja hits the bullseye. The others are looking at it too. "It's beautiful." Sarah is startled and quickly takes it off. She puts it away in her jewelry box. I forgot about that! "Sarah, why you take it off? It's DNA, it's part of you. It is the thing you always wear around your neck. Also it looks amazing on you." Doenja protests and grabs the necklace. "Wear it, you woman." Sarah knows there is no fighting Doenja. Sarah nods and sits on the bed. "It is Hoseok's... We... We shared some beautiful and nice mome-" "YOU SLEPT WITH HIM!" Mary exclaims triumphantly. Sarah's eyes grow wide and she shushes Mary. "Please keep your voice down!" The others are cooing because this means it is true. "Omo, how? What happened?" Sarah explains everything and they are so excited for her. "So are you guys a thing now?" Emma asks curiously. Doenja smacks her arm. "Does it look like they are a thing? She is taking off his fucking gift, she is here alone... Do you need a neon sign?" Emma looks at Sarah, who has a small veil of sadness in her eyes. "I guess we are just FwB..." She answers sadly. "Why? Doesn't he love you? Why else would he make love this tenderly, and give you expensive gifts. You even met his parents..." Mary asks. "Because I don't want it. His love." They are all even more confused now. "But he is your bias..." Emma tries. Sarah nods. "That's exactly why. I love him as my bias, but I never expect him to love me back. I don't want it. Being a fan is being in a one sided love. That's exactly what it should stay like." All 3 of them are now in complete confusion. "Can...Can we just drop it and act as usual now?" Sarah seems to have said the last thing about it. And she said everything she wanted to say. They know the sign when they should drop something. So all of them stay in their confusion but respect Sarah her decision. Somewhere they understand her theory about being a fan.

RM is pacing the room. Their apartment is ready to move in... But I don't want to be away from them. We have such a good chemistry, our group and hers. I have seen the members their productivity rise. But I promised them their own place. And we are living in a 3 bedroom apartment with 11. It is just too much of a burden. Sarah also thinks like that, asking about it. Jin notices RM pacing. "What is eating you?" "I am just worried about how empty it will feel when the ladies leave." "Why are they leaving?" "Because they were promised an apartment of themselves. And to be honest, they can't stay here. It is crowded here. They must be uncomfortable." Jin nods, understanding his point. "Then let them just go." RM looks at Jin. "Really? Would you also like it?" Jin shakes his head. "But it doesn't matter what I think. It's about what everyone thinks." "If only we had a bigger apartment." "Then... why don't we?" RM looks at Jin as in getting an enlightment. He immediately opens his laptop and browses the real estate market.

V and Mary are out on the saturday. They are in the museum. V is imitating the paintings from other artists. Mary giggles. When they actually visit the Monet artworks, they are studying the paintings in silence. "You know, I have a friend who has been to this garden." V looks at her in awe. "It as much beautiful as it is on the painting. Did you know that Monet painted on different times of the day. As you can see, some flowers are closed and others are open. The light falls in differently too." V looks closer at the painting. He is amazed at how much she knows about art. "It is only a stonethrow away from Paris. Have you ever been to Paris?" V nods. "For the tour." "But I mean, have you ever BEEN to Paris." V shakes his head. "Unfortunately not." "Paris is charming, but overrated to be frank." She smiles and looks back to the painting. V stares at her cute nose and curls that are escaping her ponytail. She is cute! After the exhibition, he suggest to go for a drink. The are sitting across from each other at a table. "You know, sitting like this reminds me of home. Europe. We love sitting on terraces like this." She takes a sip from her marguerita. She wore a beanie and just some casual clothes. She is sitting very relaxed. "You know what is a pretty sight?" V asks. "The led rose garden. If we hurry we can make it before the sun sets." He gets up and grabs her hand. He runs with her to the main street and hails a taxi.