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"What are you doing here, Juhyun?" He questioned, voice slightly quivering in embarrassment and confusion.

Im Juhyun crossed her arms over the fabulous white suit she adorned today, eyes studying both Ara and her ex–husband intricately. "I wanted to talk to you, actually. I went over to your apartment to get no response, so I came here just in case. But I see you're busy."

Ara's eyes widened at that. "N--no! Nothing happened, I promise—"

"—you don't need to explain yourself," Juhyun interrupted sharply, but smiled which freaked the younger out a little. "I'll leave."

"Don't leave," Kyungsoo assured her. "I'm going home anyways. If you urgently need to speak to me, let's go across the hall to my apartment."

She obliged before leaving the kitchen without a second glance. Why she was acting cold wasn't known — was she angry at what happened? Technically she had no right to; she was to wed extremely soon and agreed on the divorce. She should've moved on by now. Her coldness at Ara somehow rubbed onto her because she found herself irritated at the soon to be bride for her rudeness. Not only did Ara never do anything deliberate to hurt her, but her Mom was here too. She could at least show some respect.

Juhyun walked out of the apartment silently and rapidly. Kyungsoo was taking his stuff and gratefully accepted an overwhelming hug from Ara's Mom, waving and sincerely smiling at Ara before following the moody ex–wife.

Upon their departure, Ara's Mom immediately locked eyes with her. "Who was that girl?"

Sitting comfortably onto the couch, she frowned. "Kyungsoo's ex–wife."

That was enough to make Ara's Mom gasp loudly — she wouldn't be surprised if the group chat messaged her wondering what that noise was considering how the noise reverberated in Ara's ears.

"His ex–wife?!" She repeated in disbelief. "Isn't that a travesty!"

"Mom, it's not funny!"

"I know it's not. And I know you wouldn't ever lie to me about where you and Kyungsoo stand, so I believe that there isn't anything apart from pure friendship going on. So don't worry about her, she's got no reason to hate you. She seems stuck up already."

Ara rolled her eyes. "She is. Trust me."

"Then lighten up! If you two know that what happened wasn't serious in any way, you shouldn't be worried. Just forget it and move on."

"You're right, Mom."

At those moments, Kyungsoo was busy in his apartment having a very stern talk with Juhyun. She had her legs draped over his sofa, eyeing him intensely.

"I can't believe you," she growled in anger at what she had witnessed. "So you've been lying to me the whole time?"

"Nothing happened!"

"You thought you were going to get away with it, hm? Seems your plan failed."

"I didn't think anything of it because it's nothing serious," he repeated himself, feeling his patience run thin at her accusations. "This is why I try and keep a reasonable distance from you. All you do is assume."

"It's not assuming when I see it with my own eyes! Clear evidence, Do Kyungsoo! Did I keep my relationship with Junymeon a secret until I got engaged with you? No! I told you the second it happened! What does this say about our friendship?"

"Friendships lie on trust! If you can't even believe me now that says a lot more about our friendship than the garbage you're spewing right now!"

She leapt up onto her feet, flustered. "You know what, I'm not going to sit here and listen to you lie to my face and then blame me about it! Leave me alone, why don't you? Kyungri will come by your house in two days."

"Why am I not surprised?" He boomed from behind her as she made her way out of the door. Sticking his head out of his door once she tottered away, Kyungsoo sneered. "Always running away from your problems, right?"

Juhyun, being the proud person she always was, ignored him. Bounding down the stairs angrily, she left Kyungsoo's line of sight just as he slammed his front door furiously. He swore under his breath, cursing why he ever decided to marry someone so controlling, irresponsible, jealous.

Yes, Juhyun was jealous. As the girl witnessed what had to be something Kyungsoo had never done to anyone apart from her, the realization in her heart that he was no longer hers was painful. Of course she knew this feeling was selfish and downright unfair to feel — they'd been seperated for a while and Juhyun was to be married for crying out loud! This was unfair to not only the innocent Ara and Kyungsoo, but to her waiting fiancé, Junmyeon, who'd loved and cherished her for such a long time. But she couldn't control how she felt. It was impulsive; an inner desire she had to release in order for her mind to clear. It just didn't release in the calmest possible way. She obviously didn't have any returned feelings for the man she's been with for almost a decade, but the nostalgic remembrance of what used to be was hard to deal with.

She didn't hate Ara. Definitely not. She had nothing to hate her about. It was the unfamiliarity of her; how everyone seemed to adore her, especially Kyungsoo, in a tight circle as Juhyun stayed on the outside by herself.

—

"I'm going to miss you so much!"

Ara was holding her Mom as much as she could during their last moments together for quite a while. Her head was on her mother's shoulder, softly crying.

"You'll see me soon anyways," her Mom responded with her voice cracking in tenderness. "I want you to come visit soon. This month maybe, for the weekend. Your poor old Dad is yearning to see his youngest child, so hurry!"

Ara wiped her eyes before nodding eagerly. "I'll do that."

Placing a dainty hand on her daughter's pale cheek, a smile flickered on her thin lips as she recollected how quick her youngest child grew up. No longer the messy, clingy girl she used to be. A university student, bright eyed and ready to take on the world replaced her. Ara's Mom silently let a tear fall down her face, the droplet travelling slowly down the wrinkles that represented the long years she'd lived.

"I love you," she mumbled before leaving a feathery kiss on Ara's moist cheek.

The latter requited a weak grin. "I love you too."

With that, Ara's dear mother wordlessly left the emotional atmosphere and wheeled her small suitcase out of the door and metaphorically, her life. Overcome with tears, the alone girl hunched onto her floor and cried. What she didn't know was that as her Mom left the house, the door was slightly ajar. Enough for a tiny pair of feet to pad in and jump onto her crumpled self. Ara jolted up to see familiar eyes.

Kyungri.

She beamed, opening her arms to let the three year old fall into her. The mere feeling of the small child squirming in her arms was enough to erupt more salty tears out of her eyes. Kyungri's short arms were draped around Ara's neck as she gave the tightest hug she could. It wasn't tight at all, more soothing and something the upset Ara needed.

"Where's your Dad?" She murmured to the elated Kyungri. She pointed towards their apartment. Pulling the small girl onto her lap, she played with a few tendrils of her jet black hair. It was oddly therapeutic and took her mind off her Mom. Subsequently, Kyungsoo called out for his daughter for dinner and she crawled out of Ara's warm arms, leaving the apartment. Not before waving adorably. Her phone screen flashed from beside her, showing a text.

I'm on my way, Ara. We need to talk!

Talk? She was puzzled on what there was to talk about. When Taeyeon knocked on the door; Ara let her in to be squashed in a hug.

Taeyeon threw her bag hurriedly on the sofa. "Hey! I missed you! It feels like days since we last saw each other."

"Because it was," Ara answered matter–of–factly. "What's the rush?"

"Okay, so I was sitting home alone and Juhyun comes knocking on my door with this whole situation and about some stuff, and I was just thinking. Maybe we should have a girl's day out: you, me and her. To relieve all of this tension!"

A scowl grew on Ara's face. "I don't think that'll solve anything."

"You can't say that without even attempting it!" Taeyeon gasped, a tad bit annoyed at Ara's frigidity. "C'mon, we can eat, go to the spa, haunted house, whatever you fancy!"

"I'm not even sure I have time with all of my assignments—"

"—you're free on weekends, though," Taeyeon interrupted. "This Saturday. Juhyun even obliged — she wants to get to know you better I bet. It's only you holding us back, so please? I'm sure after this outing Juhyun won't hesitate to invite you to her wedding."

Scoffing, she made a face. "And why do I want to go to her wedding?"

"Stop lying," Taeyeon smirked. "Everyone's going. You have to go. It's going to be great; I've been helping Juhyun plan the theme. I'm not going to brag but it looks pretty neat."

"Fine, whatever. I'll come to the supposed girls' night out," Ara obliged finally, Taeyeon engulfing her in yet another of her famous hugs.

"Amazing! I'll message you the details. We're going to have so much fun!"

"Yup...totally."

—

The huddle of twenty–something year old guys sat drowsily in the small space of Kim Minseok's suburban bungalow fairly far away from the hubub of downtown Seoul where most of the others resided. Everyone except the usual Kyungsoo held a can of almost frozen cold beer in their hand — he abstained from the yeast based drink, wine was more of his predilection. Baekhyun, the usual lightweight, laughed exaggeratedly at the jokes going around, slightly woozy and sure to regret his actions the next day just like always. Kyungsoo always kept a silent eye on him; he was the designated driver at the end of the day and didn't want vomit all over his spotless car that he'd just cleaned recently.

Jongdae lay on the carpeted floor, growing more and more intoxicated by the second. He threw one of the crushed beer cans at his short friend. "How's the old singing lessons going?"

Kyungsoo grimaced at the disasterous memories. "Not going great. I'm starting to think whether Juhyun's worth all of this hassle."

"It's such a shame you still have the hots for her," Chanyeol piped up giddily to his incredulity.

"Huh?" The simple word came out strained and cracked which made the others laugh more at him.

"We know you, Kyungsoo. You don't detatch from someone this quick. Remember your first girlfriend? You cried ages after she dated another guy months after you two split up."

He raised a brow. "How'd you know whether I've matured from those days?"

"Old habits die hard," Jongdae winked sassily, causing Kyungsoo to blush. Certainly not helping his alibi. "We should seriously sign you up for dating sites."

"Let me be single and flourish! You guys don't pester Chanyeol or Sehun for being lonely slobs!"

Sehun, who was busy playing games on his phone, glared at Kyungsoo. "I don't appreciate your slander."

"I've just gotten out of a marriage, all. Allow me to adjust back to the single life and spend time with my daughter."

His precious pearl Kyungri was finally back in his care after the longest week ever. Kyungsoo missed her whines, complaints and mischevious behavior over those seven days, and having her back meant the world to him. When she'd returned from Juhyun's care, she'd been suffocated in hugs and kisses from her emotional father until she cried out that her small lungs needed air. Right now she was spending time in Ara's apartment; her request, obviously.

Speaking of her care, Min texted Kyungsoo her certain whereabouts after so long. She'd accompanied her grandma, who she lived with for the past decade after her parents sadly died, to America for life–saving treatment. The frail woman was now more stable and the two returned to Korea just last night. This meant Min may be able to return back to her position as Kyungri's babysitter. They'll just have to wait and see.

The doorbell rung and Minseok leapt to get it whilst the others continued engaging in their interesting conversation.

"I'm hoping there's a fight in the wedding between Kyungsoo and Junmyeon. That'll go in the memory book," Baekhyun slurred, chuckling afterwards.

"That'll never happen," Kyungsoo deadpanned before reaching to flick Baekhyun's forehead. "Unlike him, I have shame. I don't go badmouthing people without having an ounce of courage to go and say it to their face."

"This is the kind of anger I want in the wedding," Baekhyun gestured before high–fiving an agreeing Park Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. "Guys, it's basically fact that fighting Junmyeon equates to animal abuse."

"Am I late for the party?"

Stood there, beside an embarrassed Minseok who was gesturing (with absolute fail) for Kyungsoo to shut his trap, was a smug Junmyeon. He was holding a six pack of bottled beer and looked fairly casual. The other guys held in their chuckles, except Jongdae who was sympathizing with his best friend. Also cringing a lot.

Kyungsoo didn't want anything more but for the ground to swallow him up whole.

—»