Excuses are literal adversity.

There are certain situations where you must make them however. Even when it is not in your best interest. Shell-shocked, I was genuinely surprised that the other three members bought our absurd pretext without thinking twice.

The best-case scenario was told in supplemented sentences, going back and forth between me and the enigmatic man who worked along to a small degree.

In the forged experience that we had improvised on spot, the door to the storage room was locked and sealed for us to enter. The exclusive one with a key was stuck on another location, taking dubiously a half an hour to get to where we were which left us with no other choice but to wait.

If I were in my fellow classmate's position, I would have pretended to be the always curious Hwang Eunbi and ask why we did not walk back to them instead. Relieved by the unforeseen outcome, the tiger guy, Moon Junhui and my female best friend jointly decided to be empty-headed.

And yet, this was sadly not the most horrible thing that happened when we arrived concealingly disheveled at the study place. The college students had their seats moved collectively together in order to make their teamwork seemingly a better excuse.

Rationalizing, why did they have to leave the other two chairs empty which were completely put aside from them. Not wanting to raise anymore futile questions, I sat down with a bashful sigh prolonging underneath my breath.

The flesh below my lower eyelids perceived dry from all the crying. Trying to regain my self-control failed sooner or later, the wretched name kept swimming in the impetuous ocean of my subconsciousness. Crummy luck caused the trauma that arose from my doubts, feeling much more trapped in the anathematized agony.

My weak mind became impoverished, asking myself whether there was an end to this incalculable road which journey everyone around me had theorized to be finished. I do not even know anything anymore, all I need right now is a hand to hold me tight.

Raw fingertips ambled above the cold-shivering surface of my clenched fist as if someone had heard my deep muddled thoughts. My right hand unclasped in a dazed reflex, relocating the clammy palm onto his own steeled thigh while Wonwoo swiftly formed his grip from above.

Rubbing subtle circles on the knuckle beneath my little finger, the enchanting gesture made the anxiety wane in one simple stroke. I encountered the foxlike eyes behind the glass dyke, the concern and endearment were crystal clear in the invisible lights that shone on the two of us.

However, mysterious fear slumped across the lane of perception. The undefined message that Wonwoo was giving me, ambiguously sending no coherent information on his actual school of thought.

Every little thing that has happened this past month did not add up to the fact that I was still left moderately unanswered. And not only for the questions regarding how I ended up being involved in DIAMOND's practices.

Was I just a pawn in this deteriorated ploy, or was there something else going on in all their minds?

Associated questions sauntered around until the droopy-eyed man complained that we should not be lazy twits and search the articles that we could use for our project.

I flinched visibly at his mocking voice, tugging my right hand directly out of the enigmatic man's grasp. Wonwoo was surely not amused as I heard his dissatisfaction throughout a shadowy chuckle, eventually choosing to elaborate to Junhui's wishes.

Getting back to work went in hurdled mental obstacles, my trembling fingers unintentionally wandering towards my lips that still lingered from his soft touch. I felt a cold gaze on me in that moment, looking up as I met those dark orbs again which almost wanted to move closer.

Altogether, Wonwoo recognized that he had entered a prohibited chamber of my virtuous feelings that was designated for one person only. And I knew that I could not kick him out no matter how many problems would be coming along.

The weather had chilled down quickly to a decent 50 degrees Fahrenheit, making myself snuggle tighter around the woolen grey trench coat that was secured by a sturdy knot. I spaced out to all the retentive memories that played out on this eventful college day, lethargy erupted upon thinking how I exerted myself to the enigmatic man.

A familiar tone called me out from the back of my head, a troy of running steps coming closer behind me as I swiftly glanced there to see the amicable face. 'Dohee-yah, wait up!'

Innocently displaying the boxy smile that was voluntarily plastered onto his mouth, the inky backpack hung loosely over the left shoulder as my best friend took his place to walk next to me.

My pessimistic mood brightened up at the sight of him, forgetting that I should not deserve an ounce of happiness after my reckless decisions. 'Oh Chan, what is it?'

The mentioned one shrugged both of his shoulders nonchalantly, humming the virtue out in the hues of ethereal afternoon colors. 'Nothing. I guess that I just missed you.'

Sure thing, that would have been adorable if it were not my best friend to say such a cheesy line.

An unmistakable glower was propelled through the cooler air, no feasible way on earth that the guy would have pined me unless he wanted my extra set of AirPods. 'Lee Jungchan, what is it?'

His family registered name got him to huff, pointing his left index finger in slight agreement. 'You know me too well. Are you free now? Wait, dumb question. You have basically no life besides that stupid job of yours. By the way, I waited on purpose to send you this invitation.'

The late autumn breeze got me to engulf myself more into the warming coat, sneering my rebuttal for the umpteenth time. 'Invitation? Sounds boring already. And how often do I have to tell you...I am going to save my words. Obligated~'

I sang the last verb in a perceptible mocking way, getting a glare from Chan's side. 'Oh, you love using that word, don't you? Nevertheless, are you free tomorrow night?'

Hanging out with Chan could lead to two separate things, we either end up fighting the whole get-together or...No, it is just that. 'Depends. We are not going to Iksan though. The last time we went there, your Halmeoni (grandmother) made me almost accept her marriage proposal to you. Side note that she should be on some kind of matchmaking program because Halmeoni can be pretty persuasive. The vomit is coming right up, Lee Chan.'

The yuck factor hit the highest point in his painful smile, a situation could not be made more comically than this one that scattered in front of us. 'Ew, do not remind me of the worst moment in my life.'

We diverted from the primary topic, halting my strides as I leaned on one hip with my arms over one another. The overly evident signal got Chan to concede the reason why he had to disturb my beloved afterschool walk. 'Dongchanghwe (Class reunion).'

Shinae High School, my arterial blood boiled from the harrowing remembrance that exploded from that studious location. Slowly I began the rapid jaunts further ahead after ignoring to answer the lingering question.

Chan caught up with me in one attempt, the sigh suiting a concerning note at the end as I could spot him worrying from my side frame. 'Is that a yes or no? Dohee-yah...'

I felt a bitter taste on my tongue, immediately elaborating it to Chan without looking at him. 'I do not want to see those cunning leeches in my face again. You know exactly what they did to me, even though you were there to put a halt on it before something bad could happen.'

A steady grip formed around my left upper arm, my best friend blocking me from keeping a regular speed while Chan encouraged me to get rid of my stubbornness for one second. 'That is why you need to show how strong you have become.'

Strong? That is a freaking joke.

My best friend tried to find a gateway into my dark brown eyes, speaking directly from the bottom of his cardiac organ. 'Dohee-yah, you came to possess a certain amount of braveness and I am so proud that you achieved this on your own terms. Do not turn an opportunity like this one down.'

If I was that iron-willed, why did I let Jeon Wonwoo within the fragile walls of my stone-cold heart? I looked downwards at that woeful thought, clicking the points of my shoes together in a slow cadence. 'I may have deceived myself about my vehement ethics.'

Slowly drifting away from the sunset scene, my dark brown eyes viewed hitches of distinct foxlike eyes and the sharp jawline as his soft lips connected without any interferences on mine.

I was definitely in the wrong and Chan was still unaware where this sudden surge of sorrow had come from. 'Keumanhe (stop), look at me.'

He placed both of his hands on my shoulders, trying to make eye contact again as the best friend showed exactly what his specialty is.

After all, that is how Chan had saved my high school career in terms of sociality. 'Do you know what? We are going to go to the shopping mall first, get ourselves some brand-new clothes and give them the shocker of the century.'

Spending money is Lee Chan's strength, squinting my dark brown eyes while I let my tongue click soundly. 'Only if you pay Lee Chan.'

The entire ambiance of the restaurant reminded me of a fancy carnival, characteristics of ambient light were polished into spherical shapes. Befuddled people were getting captivated by the boisterous sounds of sizzling grease on the stove and the imo (restaurant aunty) screaming against her husband for doing something unmistakably wrong.

I had my hand clenched around the thin strap of my black purse, the one shoulder top that exposed my right collarbone made me feel continuously wary about my unusual appearance. A crowd of overfamiliar citizens made me cringe internally, a slightly mundane female voice catching my full attention at once. 'Omo (oh my god), Lee Chan and Do Dohee?'

Kim Hyerim gasped loudly at the atypical sight and eventually everyone around the rectangular furniture joined her. Yes, it was pretty uncanny to show up at an ordinary school reunion when you had broken off all contact with them for almost three years.

Nonetheless, it was neither their fault. I just could not stand to be in between the loathsome rats that ruined my initial perspective of gaining proficiency.

Another guy yelled his earnest greeting from the far end, Kim Taehwan mimicking a cheer with a highball in one hand while smiling from ear to ear as if he had never changed. 'Together like always! Long time no see, Do Dohee.'

Walking with little bows right behind my best friend, Taehwan warmly bro-hugged Chan in a tight embrace. They are still in the same dance academy after all.

I heard a soft shriek from my right side and before I could catch a glimpse, my body got engulfed in someone's bare slender arms which caught me definitely off guard. 'Oh my god, Dohee-yah. Your blouse is so beautiful. Honestly, I missed you...we all did.'

Oh Yubin would always be the one who would give out such random compliments, feeling bad for myself that I had not interacted much with her throughout our joined school years. Everyone fell plainly in a hushed mode of talking, darting their cautious looks on me with agitation.

Not wasting any time, I took a quick glance around the table and to the biggest relieve, the pernicious parasites that I did not want to attract were no where in sight. Chan met my dark brown eyes in a blink, ensuring me that he had obviously checked the fact out too.

Biting the inner part of my lower lip down, I bashfully smiled along the path of my gaze as I elaborated the expression of regret by opening the paradox box. 'Mianhe (Sorry), I should have at least let you all know what I have been up to nowadays. The brunt is not exactly what you guys deserved.'

Another girl with a short bob of blonde hair stopped my unintentional way to ruin the happy mood, Yoon Haeun shaking her head vigorously to decline my excuses. 'Yah, the only thing that matters right now is that our group is finally completed. Let's get this party started, shall we?'

Positive uproar suited the smoky air around, making fun of Ahn Gihyun's umpteenth change of appearance was probably the talk of our reunion. Hwang Jiho was already too drunk to conversate when Chan and I had arrived, suddenly waking up to lazily wave towards us before dropping his head down again on Ha Seyoung's right shoulder.

She smiled simply in our direction before pointing at her high school sweetheart at the same time. 'Yaedeula (Guys), I would have hugged you if it was not for this alsseu (lightweight).'

Everyone is aware that there are multiple groups formed in a classroom. These bunch of kids were first skeptical of my sudden entry in the middle of their schoolyear. And not because that it was uncommon, but because I came in scratched, shaken and visibly tormented. 

It makes me wonder how Chan had risked his build-up popularity to stand up for me on that rainy day...

Blaring mulish voices came through the entrance of the restaurant, me recognizing their sound at instant as I had raised my chopsticks to take a bite.

My beloved route of eating stopped immediately, feeling one hand on my clothed shoulder as I peeked up to the one who touched my dignity. 'Since when did you become so pretty, Dohee-yah?'

Crossing every line in one go, I raised my left eyebrow after I pinched that clammy hand off my shoulders. The screech got me to beam sarcastically in the direct direction of my old frenemy. 'I was always this pretty and as expected, you did not take the notice back then. Park Hyunmin, you have not changed a single bit.'

The loud friend was surely tipsy, ruffling my long black hair in adoration before he walked back in an annoying bounce. 'And I do not ought to either little one.'

A nickname that Hyunmin had given me because of our unavoidable height difference got my blood to boil instantly. 

The other one who was also an enormously tall guy named Lee Moonkyu gave me a high-five before he had dropped down on the last empty seat. 'Yah, you are way too obvious about your crush on Do Dohee, aren't you Hyunmin?'

I almost spit out my shot of soju, wiping the drop from my lips as I looked Moonkyu right in the eye with nothing but naughtiness. 'You are still a disgusting piece of shit!'

And before a bigger havoc could break out which was normally the course of events back in high school, Kim Wooggyeom made his way to the middle while he took the lead in our shared cheers to stop us from any more childish bickering. 'JJAN (CHEERS)!'

After having some delicious nourishments, extended trips down memory lane and catching up on newly accomplished skills, we were all scattered in small groups until I heard an intrusive talking point between Ji Ayeong and Lee Gaeun.

Keeping my dark brown eyes on Chan and Taehwan who were discussing the difficult steps for their new dance cover, my auditory perception spiked at the sound of the burdening question. 'Neo geugeo deulleosseo (Did you hear that)?'

Ayeong talked unbothered between her bite, a cross-examination taken place from her end which was exactly what I would have done if it was not for the unavoidable awkwardness. 'What should I have heard?'

The news that Gaeun delivered in barely audible sentences made me intentionally divert my body a bit to the left to eavesdrop them secretly. 'Jeong Suji got caught smoking marijuana in church. And Shin Hyukwoo joined her halfway as he got booked for possession.'

As simple as it may seems, the two mentioned names were indeed the evildoers who gave me the sole reason to not contact my old classmates for years. 

Is it weird that I felt a sense of relieve that those wretches had finally got what they deserved, or so did Ayeong think as she shrugged her shoulders in ignorance. 'She had it coming though, they both did.'

Gaeun elaborated more why she brought up the topic, chirping the revelation a bit louder. 'Geurunika (See), that is why the rest of her hoity-toity clique is not here. All of them apparently feel ashamed for following Suji and Hyukwoo like it was a cult. I did invite the guys and girls out of courtesy but honestly, they did not deserve to come after what they did to...'

Both girls peered their looks at my side, immediately diverting the conversation into another course as they noticed my obvious spying. I know my former year mates meant well, but they were feeling slightly guilty on how all the blemishes that I got from the inside and out could have been prevented.

Without a clear warning, my emotions were being toasted again in the exact repetition that occurred on the day at the festive event. The sudden rush of heat engulfed my heart again, hearing Yubin gasp in utter surprise and the name that rolled of her lips confirmed my suspicions. 'Mingyu sunbae, what are you doing here?'

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SORRY

First of all, this chapter is basically a filler because the plot has to move on to the flashbacks that will be coming in the next few parts.

It might seem like I added a lot of random characters (all minor ones btw) and that they are random names...nope, they are members of a KPOP dance cover group called ARTBEAT <3

Also, I am way too excited for "17 is Right Here"

Tiny thing, I hope that you guys are still liking this story <3

Love,

dahliainjeolmi01