The road was chaotic, the traffic made drivers even more irritable and impatient, and the rain did not make the situation easier to handle. The traffic light changed its colors normally, however nobody could move. It wouldn't be so uncomfortable to sit there for an hour if the drivers around him didn't start honking their horns and shouting for access to the main street. Johnny found himself tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel to the sound of The Killers on his car's radio. As his head followed the rhythm of the drums, his lips hummed the lyrics almost in a whisper. He was tired, and didn't want to be irritated like the others around him, he preferred to be distracted by something else. Everything was going well in a way, until his cell phone rang and Johnny sighed. Today was not his lucky day.

"What happened this time?" with his eyes, Johnny followed the water drops that ran down the windshield.

"Hello to you too... But, yeah, something doesn't seem right."

"And what is it?"

"Gayeon's been acting very strange lately."

"Why don't you just ask her what the problem is?" he muttered.

"Are you crazy? You saw what happened last time. Picture me showing up at her place now, asking that and she start to think I don't trust her."

"Oh, for God's sake..." Johnny rolled his eyes. "This is too much drama for my brain. It's already giving me heartburn."

"Put yourself in my shoes, if you had a girlfriend and she spent less time with you because of her new friends, sent you less messages and went to parties at other guys' places more often, how would you feel?"

"Jaehyun, you're jealous. Get your act together man. Go tell her you miss her, go kissing under a tree, or whatever you want to do, just get it over with. Dialogue is the answer to your problem. There, I said it."

"Johnny boy, you woke up in a bad mood?"

"I'm going to start charging for these couple therapies that you force me to do. Do I look like a love therapist to you?"

"You helped Yuta at free will, what an injustice."

"I'm not fit for such a service. Contact Winwin, our specialist for this matter, your situation is out of control." imitating a voice of a receptionist, Johnny commented.

"But what does Winwin have to do with this?"

"More respect with the genius. Winwin is the man you seek, he's much more experienced in this than I am."

"What a bullshit."

"Jaehyun, I'm driving right now, if I'm fined, I'll send it for you to pay."

"My God."

"If i get in an accident, you know. Take responsibility, you called me."

"Jesus man... Listen to yourself. I think you need more love in your life. Do you want me to help you find someone to keep you company? Gayeon's girl friends are single, they didn't look like bad people to me."

"Okay, and where did that come from again?" He sounded indignantly.

"You've been very bitter lately. When we were in Japan, you said you wanted a girlfriend. Even in college you kept asking the girls out. You don't fool me, every time things got serious, you'd runaway. How about giving it a try this time?"

"Because of you I remembered how problematic relationships are. I don't want it anymore, thank you very much."

"Johnny this masked loneliness kills, you know?"

"It had a reason to things never work out with the girls in college."

"Here we go again... And what is it?"

"It was God protecting me from this evil."

"And I'm the dramatic one?"

"Dude, it won't work. I can't be in relationship, period. You and Yuta traumatized me."

"Now it's my fault too?"

"Certainly, if I were in your place, I would be already single again."

"But I love my girlfriend, Johnny."

"See, that's what I'm talking about!" scratched his eyes, he was already bored of sitting there in traffic. "No thanks, I'm fine by myself."

"Say that again when you fall in love."

"Once was enough for me to learn my lesson."

"You are spending too much time with Winwin and Taeyong. You were brainwashed."

Finally, the line of cars started to move again.

"Ok Jaehyun, I have to go now."

"Johnny, you are very weird and complicated. You know that, right?"

"Thank you. Now get things settled down with Gayeon and stop calling me to talk about how jealous you are. If you have more love problems, Winwin is the guy you're looking for. See ya!"

Johnny always acted more relaxed in front of his friends, however Jaehyun knew that that matter was delicate and had left a scar on the taller friend's soft heart. It was for this reason that the two went after Johnny in search of help with their relationships. For Yuta and Jaehyun there was no one more experienced than him within the circle of friends, besides of course Taeyong, however he's somewhat reserved with such topic. The former football player was a man of secrets, he didn't like to share anything, only when necessary. Trust was not the problem, and Jaehyun knew that well, Johnny just hated talking about his life, as simple as that. And because of the professional branch his family has, he had often been deprived of having fun or going out with his friends during the brief high school years they shared after he moved to Korea.

Away from traffic, Johnny was more comfortable being in the parking lot of the building where he lived. As soon as he got the shopping bags from the back seat, locked his car and put the keys in the pocket of his jeans, Johnny took a deep breath analyzing the hours on the silver watch on his wrist. He wondered if his mother was still waiting for him after such a delay. He was fed up with the situation in which she had put him and didn't even call to let her know either. Even so, Johnny was grateful to be home, away from the noise and the cold breeze from the rain.

Inside the elevator, he smelled fried chicken, what made him even more hungry than he already was, which also made him think about what in his fridge that was easy and quick to do. Lost in thought, Johnny didn't even realize that the elevator had stopped on a floor below his. The moment he raised his head ready to leave, a slender woman hiding her eyes with thin dark glasses entered the elevator. The taller one was surprised, since it was already late for her to wear such an accessory, however she was silent and kept her expression neutral. Because of this fact, and having never seen her before, Johnny checked the floor on the metal panel and remained where he was. The woman, however, indicated that she would go to the parking lot by pressing the button on the elevator. And then there was a brief silence, which Johnny though about breaking until he was surprised.

"Good evening." she was with arms crossed and nose up.

"Good evening..." he smiled, however, felt a bit uncomfortable.

"What do you think of the apartments here?" she didn't even look at him while asking. "Do visitors have easy access to the floors through the concierge?"

"I trust the security of the building. It was considered one of the best in the city, actually that's why I live here too. I like it here."

"Great, just to be sure." she uncrossed her arms "I hope I don't have any future problems with you either."

As soon as she finished, the door opened again, now on the twelfth floor. Without much haste, Johnny turned to the woman in the elevator with the intention of saying goodbye.

"Okay...?" a confused face.

"Well, goodbye" and the doors closed.

Again alone. Now in the corridor, walking to the door of his apartment, Johnny tried to understand the conversation he'd just had. As soon as he typed in the password and opened the door, he let out a heavy sigh when black heels were seen at the entrance. Taking his time, Johnny took off his sneakers and headed for the living room on the way to the kitchen. There she was, watching a cooking show on the huge TV in that apartment's luxurious living room.

"You're late." she said without disconnecting her gaze from the exotic dishes' competition.

"That's the price you pay for letting me know that you were coming over while I'm doing groceries." he left the bags on the white counter-top in the kitchen. "I also have a job, you know?"

"Can't a mother visit her son anymore?"

"Now you give me that... Okay, so, what do I owe the grace of your visit, mom?"

This time, facing her son, who moved in his own slowness with a grumpy countenance, the woman continued:

"The broadcaster proposed a dinner with the employees. They will announce my new post as the anchor in the evening news."

"What?" he dropped the ramen packages on the counter. "Were you promoted?! This is amazing!"

"Of course, when did I fail at something?"

"I think we better not open this door dear mom..." He put his lips together in a brief pout.

The woman threatened to throw the slippers, which she wore, on her son who hid behind the counter quickly.

"Ungrateful child... Tsk." she put on the slipper again and turned off the TV. "Let's get to the point, I want you to do me a favor." now in front of him, she crossed her arms.

"I knew it would end this way." a sigh.

"I'm in a delicate situation and now with my new position I need to keep my image clear of scandals."

"So, we started with everything going wrong, huh?"

"Alarming, but that's where you come in."

Johnny felt a chill and stopped right where he was.

"I already prepared the guest room with the heavy luggage. It's all taken care of, you don't have to worry."

"Wait, no... I'm not going to be part of this again." he looked at his mother with a more closed and serious expression. "You've sunk me too far into this and I don't even have anything to do with this subject. In the end it cost me a lot more than it did for you, you know that."

"John stop being childish, you are no longer a kid."

"Childish? Is it me who's obliging my son to cover up my bad decisions instead of taking responsibility for my actions?"

That was the last straw. With speed, the woman slapped her son's cheek with her right hand. Her irritable expression remained as Johnny, full of hatred, glanced at the white counter top in his kitchen before looking back at his mother.

"You don't live under my roof anymore, but I gave you this apartment. Now stop acting like a spoiled brat and do as I told." she looked the living room searching her bag.

With the apple of his cheek red, and appearing to swell slightly, Johnny clenched his fists holding with all his strength the will to expose all his dissatisfaction with the way his mother always treated him. He was frustrated, but outraged at being scolded like that.

"It's better you be home when they arrive tomorrow in the morning." she finished putting on his heels, opening the door to leave "It's already been a few years, so I need to remind you or you still remember our agreement?"

"Agreement?" he laughed. "Did you mean your threat?" his eyes were cold. "You are a terrible mother."

"Please, I thought you were over that." she didn't stutter; however, she felt the weight of those words. "You lived your life as you pleased, we have your father to blame for this, but you still owe me a lot for raising you."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to feel anything good about you if you keep acting like that, you know?"

"I don't need your love." and she left closing the door behind her.

"Of course." Johnny murmured. "The one who ever needed your love was me... Pathetic."

Dinner passed by unnoticed for the athletic owner of that apartment. He was no longer hungry after being caught up in thoughts of what was to come the next day. It was late, tomorrow he would have to go to work early, but he would be late due to having to take care, against his will, of a bomb, one that he was always kept away from and still cost him many things in his life. He didn't even have the energy to complain, all he managed to do was think about what the days would be like from now on.

After a long shower, Johnny whispered a tired moan as his back finally hit the orthopedic mattress on his bed. He liked to live there by himself even if it was a little too spacious for one person. Being alone was one of his hobbies. He turned off the lamp before staring at the ceiling again. He remembered the old times again, those in which, even when discouraged by his mother, he had someone to comfort him. Someone who filled the lack of love in his life.

"How's she doing?" he closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.

While Johnny gave in to the fatigue of a long day at work and the weight of his mother's words, something was happening in one of the apartments on the eleventh floor of that building. It was already very late at night, but everyone did their part of the job before dawn.

Things were quiet and peaceful for too long in Johnny's life. His secrets, as well as those of his family, could cause difficulties between him and his friends. What would come to his door the next morning, he knew, would be much more complicated to cover up.

However, this wouldn't be the only problem that would disturb him this year.