“Wait! Yoona, stop!”

Yoona, who was speed walking to the bus stop heard the calls for her and turned. There, she saw a very breathless Taecyeon running to catch up with her. She waited until he was a closer distance away from her, before speaking.

“What is it?”

“You shouldn’t go.”

“Weren’t you the one who told me to go? Real men don’t say one thing and mean another right?”

“They sometimes do that.”

“What…” Yoona gave a puff of annoyance before turning and walking away.

“Yoona! I don’t want you to go.” Ignoring Taecyeon's words, Yoona continued walking without stopping.

“Because I like you!” Taecyeon succeeded in stopping Yoona in her tracks this time. Her back was still facing him, and he could not see her expression.

“You’re like a beautiful flower that I cannot reach no matter how I try, even if I spend my whole life trying. Because I like you, I don’t want you to go and get hurt again.” Taecyeon shouted, spilling out his true feelings for the first time.

“You shouldn’t be crying and hurting so much for love because love should be something blissful and happy, shouldn't it? So don’t go to him anymore, please? Don’t go.”

Yoona’s phone suddenly rang at that moment, and the caller ID read: Siwon. Yoona looked at her phone for a while, struggling with herself. She finally made up her mind, and ended the call. Taecyeon gave a sigh of relief: she had listened to him, for the first time!

She turned around and started to walk back to the building where they were at previously. She walked past Taecyeon without saying a word and tried not to show any emotions. Taecyeon smiled and caught up with her, his mood visibly much better. He skipped alongside her, trying to see what her expression was.

“Stop that, and don’t ask me anything. You’re a hundred years too early for that!”

“Don't worry, I could even wait a thousand years!” Taecyeon gave a goofy smile.

“Pabo.” Yoona scolded him, before breaking out into a smile.

--------------------------------------------------------

Leeteuk was tidying his table and putting away his books, as he was finally done with his assignment. He noticed that the fireworks had started and he suddenly thought of Taeyeon again. This was because during the previous year’s firework festival, he was not able to see the fireworks with them.

-Flashback begins-

“You really can’t make it?” Junho asked through the phone. The long bangs of fireworks could be heard in the background.

“I’m sorry, I really have to finish this model. You guys enjoy yourselves!” Leeteuk said as he held the phone between his head and shoulder, while trying to sketch another design for his assignment.

“Junho-ah, let me talk to him!” Taeyeon suddenly spoke and Junho passed the phone to her.

“Hello, Taeyeon here! Wait a moment!” Taeyeon held the phone in the air, allowing the sounds of the fireworks to become even clearer. Leeteuk smiled, and it really felt like he was there with them.

“Can you hear it?”

“Yes I did! It sounds great.”

“I thought that since you can’t see them, you can at least hear them.”

“Thank you! It feels like I’m there with you guys.”

“Haha it’d be nice if you can be here with us next year! The fireworks are really pretty!”

-Flashback ends-

Leeteuk smiled at that memory. He picked up another photo album he found in the afternoon, and began looking through it. There were many pictures of him and Taeyeon together, as he was invited to many of the gatherings that the group of five had: Christmas parties, New Year Eve celebrations, birthday celebrations… they were all good memories to him.

Seeing Taeyeon’s smile in the photos suddenly made him sure of something – something he was feeling for quite some time now.

The door suddenly opened and he was surprised to see just the person he was thinking about. Taeyeon was standing at the doorway with a curious look on her face. “Oh? You’re still here?” 

Seeing her right in front of him, Leeteuk suddenly felt the butterflies in his stomach. It was not a foreign feeling to him though; in fact, he was getting more familiar with the feeling.  

“Ah, I just finished with my assignment.”

“I’m here to get the fireworks because the buildings ahead were blocking our view! Do you mind us using them?”

“Oh, not at all. Just take them!”

“Thank you! Do you want to join us?”

“Ah yes, if you guys don’t mind.”

“Of course we don’t!” Taeyeon then went to look for the fireworks, gathering everything in her hands.