[CONTENTID1]Chapter 16[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]"You who I can’t touch, who I can’t pull into my arms, even if I close my eyes, I can’t dream of that mysteriousness"[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]            "Oppa," Sena starts unsurely, fiddling with the silky material of her ink black dress, not daring to look at him in the eyes, "Thank you for letting me stay for dinner. Truly. I don't know what I'd do without you." They were inside his old but reliable car, her trying to make conversation as he drives her back to her hotel in the hot, windy night.

            "It's fine, kiddo," Minseok grins, ruffling her hair fondly, like an older brother to his younger sister. He has one hand on the steering wheel and the other through her almost white locks. "You're family to us. And soon, you won't be the only girl in the Kim household."

            Sena's heart falls from it's chest and lands on the car floor, shattering into a million rose colored fragments. That's right. She'll no longer be the only female in Minseok's life. Soon, she won't even be remembered.

            "How is your fiance doing?" The blonde girl clears , trying to rid the dreadful emotions from her exterior. Sena busies herself by staring at the side view mirrors and the obsidian night sky, not trusting herself to look at the man whom she harbors a one sided love on. It's fine. It's all fine. She already knew it was never going to happen anyways. Sena is slwoly moving on, but it still hurts to know that Minseok is in love with someone else.

            "Ah," her oppa's eyes brighten from the mention of his lover, "She's doing great! We're in the midst of planning our wedding. I'm not sure when the date will be, but when we figure it out, you'll be one of the first ones to know," Minseok laughs, retreating his hand from her hair. She misses his gentle touches, but doesn’t say anything. "I can already see it, Sena. You, as a flower girl at my wedding."

            "And what? Looking like an old hag next to the other flower girls? You seem to forget that flower girls tend to be 3'4 and dripping with snot and tears." Sena wrinkles her nose. "I'm ten years too old to be the flower girl, Oppa. Maybe if you had gotten married sooner I would gladly be one at the wedding, but it's too late now."

            "We met when you were twelve, not when you were six, you pubescent brat. It would've been too late even if I did get married four years ago. I'll make sure the flower girls are near sixteen to appease your highness, how does that sound?"

            "Better," Sena miffs, turning up her nose in a mockingly snotty manner. They both giggle from the banter, when the taken man suddenly turns serious.

            "Sena... how are you?" This wasn't a regular greeting. As simple as the phrase sounded, she knew exactly what he was curious about.

            "I'm doing better," she admits. "It's been awhile since I'd visited the therapist, but the pills help. I don't think it'll come back any time soon."

            The driver relaxes at her reassuring words. "That's good. You're getting better, Sena. More alive than when I first met you. I'm proud of you, kid. I just hope your family issues aren't the reason for your potential relapse. Take care of yourself, yeah?"

            "Yeah."

            When they drive into the hotel entrance, Minseok stops the car and watches as she enters the hotel safely. Eyes softening, he pulls out his phone and rings his dad.

            "Hey dad? I drove Sena back to her hotel. Yeah, she's safe. I'm heading home now."

            On the other line was Kim Junhyung, Minseok's father. He was in his restaurant, sitting behind the table counter, across from a wealthy, well dressed man who went by the name of Kang Jaesung.

            Junhyung throws the gentlemanly looking man a pointed look, and gestures at his phone.

            "Your daughter just made it back into the hotel. My son is driving home right now, do you want to meet him?"

            Jaesung hesitates, glancing at the Rolex watch on his hand. Then, he nods slowly. "Of course. I've got time to spare. This boy is, of course, an important figure in my daughter's life, is he not? I believe I should feel indebted to him, as a matter of fact."

            "Don't talk so formally, Jaesung," the more humbler dressed man chuckles. "I don't remember you being this stuck up in high school."

            "We were both young and stupid back then," Jaesung's eyes soften as he relives the memories through his head. "I was always the one who got into trouble and you were the one who pulled me out of it. Times have changed, Junhyung. So have people."

            "Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker," Junhyung smiles wistfully. "We may have lost touch after high school, but no one has ever understood you like I had, and we both know it. I don't believe it's a coincidence that my son met your daughter, Jae. It's the universe trying to get the gang back together. All we're missing now is our old pal Daxia. We're living different worlds, all of us, but we're still connected in some way."

            "Do you ever regret it?" Sena's dad looks at him seriously, his eyes b with questions he wanted to ask his old friend. "Do you ever just regret giving up all of your money and status to live the life of a common man?"

            "Do you regret living the life your parents mapped out for you?" Junhyung returns the stare, shaking his head. "I may not be known as the child genius anymore, but my life has never been happier."

            "You and Daxia both."

            "Have you spoken to her recently?"

            "I don't think anyone has," Jaesung sighs, running a hand through his gelled up hair. Everything about him was always impeccable and immaculate, even on his worst days. It's something he passed down to his daughter, and something everyone envied. "Daxia is nowhere to be found, Junhyung. Ever since she boarded that plan back to China, she disappeared. Sometimes I wonder if she even existed in the first place. Imagine: the love of my life, being a figment of my imag