COLLIDE [PARK SUNGHOON]

26.

It's Friday. The day of Bangchan's party. As I stand in front of the mirror with my black dress, I wonder if I shouldn't just stay home. Sunghoon, Sunghoon, Sunghoon. He's like a melody that occupies my thoughts even when I don't want it to. He's always there, hidden somewhere in the back of my head.

He's going to be there too. Obviously because we 'agreed' to go together. 

Well, I get a lift from Eun-Ji while Chae-Won will ride with Jay and Jake who live in the same street as her. When I hear honking outside, I quickly grab my final essentials and put them in my bag. It's far too cold to wear a dress, but I wear a pair of nylon stockings underneath to at least retain some warmth.

Almost arriving outside, I greet my parents with a lazy bye after sneaking past them while they are watching TV in the living room. They're too absorbed in their series to notice my presence. I guess lack of attention is helpful for once.

Seeing the red car in my driveway, I wave to Eun-Ji behind the wheel and see a giggling Heeseung next to her. In the back is Jungwon who's nicely dressed. 

"Hello there hot stuff" He compliments and gives me a playful wink after I've scooted closer to him and closed the car door. I chuckle briefly and give him a playful slap that earns him an adorable laugh.

After the blush has disappeared from my face, I say hello to Heeseung and Eun-Ji before she drives off to the party. Normally we were supposed to get together before the party and just have a drink, but for some reason that was cancelled at the last minute.

Still feeling anxious, we soon reach the, must I say, huge mansion. You can already hear the music blaring through the walls and it's as though we're in one of those American movies where they have these house parties when their parents are away.

"Yah, Bangchan really wasn't lying when he said he'd start the winter break with a bang" Jungwon mutters upon seeing the house full of life and then shuts the car door. 

"He's called Bangchan for a reason mate" Heeseung whispers with a teasing tone and slings an arm around his shoulder. Eun-Ji looks in awe at the house, but then gets the biggest smile on her face before linking her arm with mine.

She notices I'm acting a little odd and understands what I'm thinking about. "Just avoid him like you've been doing all week. Then it's winter break and you won't have to see him again!" She exclaims, but it stings because it's a gentle reminder that Sunghoon and I won't be skating the second weekend of winter break. In fact, we will never skate again. The thought makes me nauseous, so I try to shake off that feeling.

Now that we have entered the real action, people are bustled together in the house, some people are dancing freely as the lights reflect on their bodies, others are off in a corner kissing, then you have the loners who just sit on the sofa staring at their drinks and then you have him.

I scoff because I did not expect otherwise. He gulps down shot after shot and Ni-ki laughs at how his hyung behaves. Sunghoon's wearing a black button-up rolled up to his elbows. His hair is a little damp and it sticks to his forehead from the heat in this living room. I don't know how long they were here before us, but I think they must have been having a great time.

We each go our separate ways as Heeseung is quickly off with Eun-Ji while me and Jungwon, sadly I say, walk over to Niki, Jay, Jake, Sunoo, Chae-Won and Sunghoon. They all do a 'bro' hug and I greet them as usual. We share some compliments, but I don't talk to him. Obviously our friends have noticed the awkwardness, because our situation is still unresolved.

I wonder why they're still hanging out with Sunghoon after what he did. I wonder if they know everything? 

Chae-Won and Jake go to play beer pong and I quietly take my first sip of a drink Jay handed me. I can't stand being around Sunghoon, so I whisper to Jungwon that I'm leaving to look for Eun-Ji. But that's a lie, because I'm sure she and Heeseung are doing some very unholy things that I absolutely do not want to witness.