", I really like you, mom"

✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧

The light brunette started, eyes raised into the sky as he walked towards the small garden with Dan-I.

The duo, turning their backs as they talked privately.

The meat party in Eun Ji-ho's backyard was coming to a close—at least for the younger half of the guests present.

After the emotional and bizarre phone call, the trio had the night before, the red-haired and blue-haired duo wouldn't leave Aera's side; and so, when the girl visited Dan-I, they inevitably opted to come with.

Seeing the gang together, Dan-I's father thought it would be great to have a small meat celebration for their upcoming high school years and offered to host, but as Eunhyung called the cursing Ji-ho, the responsibility to host inevitably fell on his shoulders.

Thus, their presence in the grand backyard of Eun Ji-ho.

After eating a lot of A-grade Hanwoo beef, the duo unknowingly walked in a small garden situated just farther back in the backyard to somewhat digest what they ate, their group of friends staying still at their table as they smother the silver-head girl with delicacies she told them that she would like to try. Of course, this meant Ji-ho buying an enormous amount, with the others feeding the quiet girl, and the parents on the other table chuckling as they watched her struggle with the amount of food placed on her plate.

Dan-I counted, stepping once, and then twice before Ju-in proceeded with his monologue; opting to stay silent as she noticed the uncharacteristic serious tone of her usually cheery friend.

"They say the first six seconds make up an impression that would last a lifetime, but for me, that was not at all the case for you." Ju-in let out an embarrassed grin, before facing Dan-I as he walked backward,

"You know why, mom? Because I despised you when we first met." The teasing look in Ju-in's eyes brought a smile to Dan-I's face, reassuring her nerves as she raced to hit him in the arm, exclaiming a "hey" in the process.

Woo Ju-in let out a chuckle at his friend's actions before continuing, syncing back into his step as he walked side by side with Dan-I. "No, it's true. But that was just because of Aera."

The serious tone of the conversation came back the moment their silver-haired friend was mentioned, both their faces void of their usual lighthearted grins.

"Aera used to be, and even is, very conserved; so when she hugged you all of a sudden, it was not surprising for either Ji-ho or me to be shocked." He let his eyes wander, sensing Dan-I's nods as a cue that she understood what he meant.

"You know I can't forget things, right, mom?" He sensed her nod,

"But at that moment, I questioned everything I knew—all of the information I memorized regarding Aera and I just couldn't place you anywhere on that map. You were an anomaly," He kicked a pebble on the way as he continued,

"I thought you had done something to upset her, done something that would make her go so out of character, so I initially despised you to the bone, especially when she started avoiding us the moment she started hanging out with you." He let out a bitter smile; Dan-I stayed silent, taking in every point that Ju-in was making as she understood to their core, what the roots of his thoughts and emotions were.

"It wouldn't be the first time someone threatened her for being friends with us, so I thought you were simply like them," The brunette, once again, faced Dan-I, this time, glancing sideways as they made eye contact.

He displayed a warm smile,

"But seeing you around her, removed all those thoughts away. I know you deeply care for her, maybe even as much as I do and that's saying something, so eventually, I started to like you too,." The lighthearted tone was back, but this time, Dan-I simply reciprocated the smile.

She didn't know why they were on this topic, or why Ju-in suddenly got so serious. But, she had a feeling this had something to do with the phone call yesterday so she felt responsible to hear his feelings out.

"Being friends with mom, for about three years was something I came not to regret. I liked being friends with you; you look out and take care of us a lot, and I know all of us wouldn't hesitate to do the same with you." The confession brought some sense of warmth in Dan-I's chest as her smile never faded, but the nerves came back as Ju-in spoke the next word,

"But..." The brunette looked away, a cloud of remorse suddenly within his eyes.

Dan-I slightly panicked, as she very rarely saw that kind of expression in her friend before, but as always, she kept quiet; giving the space for Ju-in to open up.

Fortunately for Dan-I, Ju-in did, but not before releasing a heavy sigh.

"But sometimes, on some rare occasions, you have this look in your eyes that makes my insides go all crazy."

His fist clasped and unclasped as he shot Dan-I an unreadable look,

"The look that pounds blood in my heart so much that I'm filled with rage and worry altogether;"

There was a pause, Dan-I's face displaying subtle shock at the sudden revelation, her hands trembling slightly as she forced herself to speak.

"W-what is that look" If her trembling fingers never hinted at her nervousness with the attitude her friend was displaying, then her stuttering would have given it all away,

Ju-in never broke eye contact as he uttered the next words,

"The look that you give towards Aera, that implies something bad is going to happen to her like she's going to disappear from our fingertips into oblivion—"

"Ju-in—" Dan-I cut him off, getting the hint of where the conversation was going, but Ju-in ignored her, breaking their eye contact in the process.

"I absolutely loathe that look. You know why, mom?" Staring into the sky once more, he let Dan-I answer his rhetorical question,

"W-why?"

"...because I won't know what to do when that look comes true."

"Ju-in—" Dan-I tried to cut him off again, now knowing much clearer what her friend was pertaining to,

"Eunhyung told me and Ji-ho this morning" He tore his gaze from the sky to face Dan-I again, confirming her thoughts that he did know, that perhaps .

"He won't show it now, but Ji-ho, for the first time in a long time, cried, trying to rack his brain for any traces of Aera when I told him I don't remember her on that day,"

Dan-I could not help but be teary now, as she herself, was forced to remember how she convinced that the duo had a childhood friend with similar hair color to Ji-ho, but both shrugged her off,

"I'm sorry," was all she could mutter.

Placing a hand on her head, Ju-in chuckled, although it had a tone of emptiness rather than lighthearted teasing,

"It's not your fault, mom. I can't get my head wrapped around it yet as it's so illogical but it happened." He wrapped his arms around her as her slight tears turned into quiet sobs,

"I don't blame anyone, you know? Especially not you, not after witnessing the countless times you would do everything for her the same way I would. I know how you feel and I'm sorry too, Dan-ah." Dan-I kept silent, the only indication she was listening was her silent nods of agreement.

Again, there was a pause; with Ju-in evidently hesitating to state the next words,

"...but please don't take her away from us," Dan-I shot her head up quite quickly, looking at a still smiling Ju-in with her brows furrowed and her expression filled with guilt.

"Yeah, I know about the transfer talk too." He let his hands wipe the remaining tears as the girl in his arms started to calm down.

"I know how much you care, but please consider how much we care for her and you too." He hugged the girl tighter, letting his head fall on the crook between her head and her shoulders,

"I'll do whatever I can to make sure I don't forget her again, so please, Dan-ah, don't just leave and take her away from us."

And at the sound of a teary Ju-in—a very rare scene, Dan-I could say nothing but nod in response, reciprocating the hug as both contemplate the complicated state of their silver-haired, lovable friend.

"Okay, Ju-in," She started.

"You, me, Aera, and the others, let's continue to be great friends even in high school."

Dan-I knew she said that and Dan-I knew she meant it—being friends, and sticking with the group that makes not only Aera but also her feel treasured and loved...

...but the class list for their first year in junior high seems to dictate otherwise,

Turns out, she and Aera, after that emotional phone call and face-to-face conversation— promising to stick with the group, has finally been placed in a different class: Class 8.

And as she turned around, she was met with equal shock and devasted faces of her friends, one of which was ready to march into the faculty room to demand a change of sections but was held back by a scarily smiling Eunhyung,

Then and there, Dan-I released an exasperated sigh as she could only think of one thing:

✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧

I promise!! I think this would be the last?? for now, emotional chapter, as we delve into Aera's jealous friends as she meets new ones in class 8!! HEHEHE

Super sorry for the late updates, my acad workload is whack so I haven't been able to update. I'll try my hardest, but please understand when I can't T^T

Thank you for the likes and comments hihi