Author's note: Thank you all for catching up with "Beyond the Cherry Blossom Shower" this far! I'm grateful that I've gotten a big number of subscribers and upvoters for this fanfic! So I'm making this chapter a little longer, because I won't be working on Chapter 13 till Christmas break, so please bear with me! >< I'll be bust this fall term, so I promise that when the next break comes, I'll post one or two new chapters for you to catch up with Kyuwook and the other amazing characters in this story. Thank you all! <3 

July 27th, 2016 (Wednesday)

            "KYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" I scream so loud that my throat hurts. I can't even move my head because Junwo's knife is so close to my chest. I don't want to die like this in front of Kyu, the man who I love so much. I wish Kyu can do something to save me, but I know he can't because Junwo is going to stab me. Is this it? Is my life coming to an end? Is the world hating me from loving Kyuhyun? Is that why Junwo is here to kill me? 

           As my eyes avert to Kyu, I notice that his cheeks are wet with tears, just like mine. I can read the expression in his eyes. He doesn't want me to die. He wants to protect me, and I know he's trying. But with a powerful enemy like Junwo, he can't beat him. My mind suddenly flashes to the scene when I stepped forward to tell Junwo off that he had no right to harass people. He nearly choked Hangeng to death, and before that, he kicked Heechul on the ground till he was bleeding. I realize that Kyuhyun is in Heechul's position while I'm in Hangeng's. Junwo is ready to kill me; I can imagine him praising himself when he forcefully snatches another innocent's life away from this world and away from his lover. But I don't want that to happen. I know that the world is not giving me false hope. I understand that the world or God is not punishing me for loving another man. Love is love, and Junwo is the one who misunderstands this. Junwo still has me in a nearly suffocating neck lock. I open my mouth wide and bite his arm. Hard. He yelps and drops his knife. Successfully, I push him away and run to my lover. 

            "Wookie!" he exclaims. He quickly envelops me into his arms. "Th...thank goodness!" 

             "I'm still in one piece." I sigh in relief. 

             "You monster!" Junwo booms. We look back to see him glaring dangerously. He rubs his arm vigorously. "You'll pay for this! I'll..."

              His words are immediately cut off by the familiar sound of sirens. A Toyota Corolla approached in front of us, followed by four police cars. A couple of people got out of the car, and I can't believe my eyes once the street lights shine over them. 

              "Kyuhyunie! Ryeowookie! Are you two okay?" Yesung asks. He runs towards us. His father, Sungmin, comes from the driver's side. 

              "Y...Yesungie?" I gasp. 

              "Yeah, we're okay," Kyu nods. He sounds as surprised as I am. "How did you know that we're here?"

              "I've called you two a few times, but both of you didn't pick up. What confuses me is that Ryeowookie usually doesn't put his phone on silent mode. So I had a feeling that something was not right. Dad and I were outside of a ramen bar when suddenly we overheard from a small group of policemen that they'd tracked Junwo at this park. Good thing Junwo still had a chip installed in his clothes, and it was still activated. The chip also functioned as a camera, so they saw him coming after you and Ryeowookie. So we told the police that we know you guys, and we can take them here." 

               "Good thing we came here just in time!!" Sungmin-san adds. 

                "Yeah! Thank goodness!" I sigh with relief. 

                 "Wookie was so brave!" Kyu boasts, "you should see him bite Junwo's arm! He's like a tiger!"

                 "Yeah, we've seen it through the chip cam!" Yesungie beams excitedly. 

                 "Save the celebration for later, boys. We have to take Kyuhyun to the hospital right now." Sungmin-san says. 

                 "It's just pain on my back." Kyu shakes his head. "It's not that serious." 

                 "We saw through the chip cam that Junwo kicked you pretty hard. It's best if we take you there." Sungmin advises. 

                 "Okay. If you say so." Kyu stubbornly reaches his hand to touch his back. He grunts in pain. 

                 "Let's go, Kyu," I say as I take his hand. A couple of police officers come by to check on us. They apologize to us, because they have forgotten that Junwo is smart and sneaky enough to escape from jail, and they are running short on overtime guards. They promise us that Junwo will be watched over attentively from that night on. They also mention something about punishing him; I don't know how severe the punishment will be. I can't tell if...sentencing him to death is a good idea. He's still a human. Deep in my heart, I feel sorry for Junwo because he follows his feeling of disgust towards gay people.

I think he hasn't given them a chance yet. I'm not sure whether I will see him again, or whether he will come to attack me again. I can see Junwo got handcuffed by the police. His eyes wander around like a lion hunting for prey. Luckily, he would go into one of the police cars. I wonder if I can talk to him. Yes, I sound stupid, but maybe he'll need someone to speak to about why he's feeling in such a way towards same- couples. I know people say that it's impossible to change a person, especially from bad to good. It's just that since I'm his current target, he may not give up to hunt for me just yet. So if he finds me again, I pray that he will talk to me before he decides on killing me. 

                                                                             *                                              *                                    *

                Yesung and Sungmin-san keep on comforting me. I think I'm having delusional thoughts. What if he has kicked Kyu till his spinal cord is injured or even worse broken? It's already been 15 minutes, and the doctor has still not come out of the door yet. Why I have a feeling that Kyu's injury is bad? Oh gosh! Kyu! Please be okay! 

               "Here he comes!" Yesung says. We all look up to see the doctor coming through the door. His silver-rimmed glasses nearly slip from the bridge of his nose.

               "How is he?" I ask. He looks at me weirdly, then he speaks back in Japanese. I can understand roughly, but I still can't take in every word he says. Thankfully, Sungmin-san comes forward to talk to him.

                "There's no need to worry." Sungmin-san translates, "Kyuhyun is fine. He has no broken bones or damaged organs. He only has bruises on his back, and Doctor Yamamoto has taken care of it." 

                "Oh, thank God!" I let out a huge sigh. 

                 "See? I told you there's nothing to worry about." Yesung smiles as he pats me on my shoulder. 

                 "Does he have to stay back?" I ask. 

                 "He will give Kyuhyun antibiotics for his bruises to recover. He also says that his skin will be back in normal in less than two weeks. Kyuhyun has to eat healthy food for nutrients and not to stress too much." Sungmin-san answers. 

                 "That's great, then." I bow before the doctor. "Arigatou gozaimasu." Doctor Yamamoto allows me to check on Kyu. Sungmin-san is still rooted in conversation with him. I tell Yesung to come with me, but he's gone to the vending machine. As I enter in, I see Kyu sitting on a patient bed. But to my surprise, he doesn't have his shirt on. His back is facing me, and he's pressing his bruises gently with an ice pack. His skin looks smooth and fair; his shoulder blades are visible enough to see, which makes him look y. I blush as I imagine him revealing his front. I always love cushioning my head onto his chest every time we hug, but I've never thought of seeing his topless till now. My thoughts are cut off when Kyu finally looks at me. His eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

                  "H...hi Kyu." I stammer. I mentally slap myself for sounding super shy. 

                  "Wookie!" Kyu exclaims. He drops the ice pack and puts his shirt back on. 

                  "Are you...uh...are you done?" I ask as I stare at my shoes. I'm too embarrassed to look at him. Dammit! I shouldn't have come in!

                  "Yeah...I was massaging my back," he answers. "You saw me doing it, right?" 

                  "S...sort of." 

                  He doesn't say anything. Silence hangs in the air-conditioned office. I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder; I realize that the door is half-opened. Shoot! Could they have seen us? 

                  "Hey! We better get going! It's getting late!" Sungmin-san informs. He quickly notices our blushing faces. "Something happened?" 

                  "Oh! Uh...well..." I stammer again. My mind refuses to deliver a proper sentence to my mouth. Just great. 

                  "It's nothing," Kyu says as he clears his throat. "Let's go." 

                  While we make our way to the parking lot, a confused Yesung is sandwiched between Kyu and me. He keeps on turning his head to us repetitively, and it's making me uncomfortable. I still can't erase the image of Kyu's exposed back off my head. Even though I've only seen half of his upper body, he is still beautiful. I shouldn't be embarrassed, because I've got to see a new part of Kyu. But I'm seeing that new side of him in the wrong place and the wrong time. Perhaps one day, I might see him topless again. I wish I can disappear right now because I'm feeling like a ert. 

                  "Before we go," Sungmin-san suddenly stops. "I have to tell you something important, and I feel that now's the time." I realize that we are already in front of his Toyota Corolla. He hasn't taken out his car keys yet. "This may sound crazy...well actually ultimately crazy. I hope that you will believe what I will tell you." 

                  "Otoosan, I'm sure they will understand," Yesung assures.

                  "I'm all ears." Kyu agrees. 

                  "Me too," I say. He tells us how he meets an old lady, who was a beggar at the Sakura park, and how he gets to know about the secret charm hidden in the cherry blossoms. I'm surprised that he is on a mission to find the destined couple. It's similar to what Mr. Lau has told Kyu and me. Sungmin-san also mentions that day when I saw him crashing his bike against the fence of the river. He spotted me and Kyuhyun standing on either side of the river. That was when he wanted to approach me so that he could tell me about his mission. 

                  "Actually, I'm glad that I've got to tell this to you two today. Because without telling my son about it and asking him to help you two to understand each other's feelings, I wouldn't get to see the way you two love each other like right now. The love spirits are probably happy to see you two together, and they can't wait for the cherry blossoms to bloom next spring so that you two can break the spell. And if your love towards each other gets stronger, there is a higher chance that the charm will be released quickly." 

                 Kyu and I exchange glances. "We know about this," Kyu says. 

                 "WHAT?" both father and son, gasp. 

                 "Yeah...I'm surprised that you know about the charm, too," I state. 

                  "How did you know? Who told you?" Sungmin-san asks. 

                   "Mr. Lau." Kyu and I answer in unison. 

                   "Jason Lau? The owner of the Takoyaki stand?" he exclaims, "How does he know? Did he meet the beggar too?" 

                   "No, I remember him saying that he met a young woman with a painting. She told him the same thing, about the charm erasing all boundaries of love and how the destined couple can do to unlock the charm. She even gave him the painting as a guide to find me and Kyuhyun." I reply.

                   Sungmin-san scratches his head in confusion. "A young woman? That...that doesn't make any sense. How can two people know the same thing? That's impossible." 

                   "Maybe the love spirits have sent both the artist and the beggar to spread the mission." Yesung guesses. 

                   "I don't think I can accept that. I thought I'd chosen to be the new messenger of the mission. The old lady even said that I was the only one among other people who has an eye on certain people with an extraordinary purpose of living on this earth." Sungmin-san complains, "I have to talk to him. Is he still in the hospital?" 

                  "Yes, he's still receiving chemotherapy, " Kyuhyun answers, "but I'm not sure about his condition."

                  "Well, whatever it is, I want to find out from him." 

                  "Otoosan," Yesung argues, "I think you've gotten a little too far." 

                  "No, son, THIS has gotten a little too far. Something's wrong. I'll go and see him tomorrow after school." 

                  "I'll come with you." Kyu volunteers. 

                  "That's nice of you, Kyuhyun, but this is between the messengers. Or should I say whoever the real messenger is." 

                  "If Kyu is going, then I'll go too." I chip in. 

                  "Me too." Yesung gives in, "Otoosan, at least Kyuhyun and Ryeowook already know that they're the chosen couple. I've been trying to keep myself from telling them. I should do something to get them together, but it turns out that they've fallen in love naturally." 

                  Kyuhyun narrows his eyes. "So you've been spying on us?" 

                 "Well, my dad's the one who drags me to this!" Yesung mumbles. 

                 "You do help us, Yesung. You've given both of us advice on how to trust each other's feelings. So we should thank you for that." I say. Kyuhyun nods in agreement. 

                "That's what friends are for, right?" Yesung winks. 

                "Ahem!" Sungmin-san clears his throat. All three of us turn our heads. "I guess Mr.Lau won't mind having more than one visitor. You can come with me. We'll meet up at 6 pm."

                                                                                 *                                            *                                                    *

              Sungmin-san drops me and Kyu at the park since his car is still parked there. Kyu wants to drive me home, but I grab his hand which catches him by surprise. 

              "W...why don't you stay with me tonight?" I blurt out. Kyu's eyes become as wide as saucepans. I swear to God that I have not come up with this idea in the first place! 

              "You...want me to sleep over?" he rephrases.

              "It's....just for one night." 

              "Why?" I instantly lower my head and rub my hands to pretend that I'm feeling cold. Well, it's actually kind of cold, because it's past midnight. I can feel Kyu glaring at me. "Wookie?"

              "I'm just," I quickly look back up, "scared...that I'm going to lose you. I don't want you to get hurt again like this evening." 

               Kyu surprises me with one of the sweetest smiles I've ever seen. He then pulls me into a hug. "Now you sound more like me. I'm usually the one who says that I'll protect you, or I wouldn't want to lose you."

               "When I saw you got hurt by Junwo, I feel that I've failed to protect you...instead of you protecting me," I say. 

               "My dear Wookie," Kyu chuckles, "we're humans. We can't control what's going to happen to us, especially when we're about to get hurt. And if we get hurt, we'll have to recover and to learn how to avoid getting hurt again." 

                "Yeah...that is true." 

                Kyu cups my face so that he can look into my eyes. "Look, whatever it is, I'll always be with you. When I get hurt, I'll make sure to recover and to return to you. I'll hold you in my arms till the end of time. That's a promise. Okay?" 

                I smile at his words. "Okay. And I'll do the same to you." Kyu smiles in return and gives me a quick kiss. We then get into his car and buckle our seatbelts. "But you're still gonna come, right?" 

                "You want me to sleep over, huh? Sure! Let me grab my books from my house first." 

                "That means I'll get to see your house? Now that I've realized! I've never been to your house before!"

                "There's nothing much to see in my house." Kyu shrugs. He starts the engine and turns out the headlights. 

                "Oh? But you once said your parents bought you one of the most expensive apartments in the city." 

               "Well..maybe I haven't found the right time to show you my apartment just yet." 

               "Okay...then when you're ready, don't forget to invite me over someday. I would love to see your house." 

               Kyu looks through the rearview mirror and his blind spots before he reverses his car. "Sure. I'll let you know." 

               I can't believe that it's already been 100 days since we started dating, but until tonight, I don't get a chance to visit his house. We arrive in front of his apartment building 20 minutes later. I marvel at the sight of the floor to ceiling glass windows on each as of the building. Even in the darkness, I can see some of the windows glitters in the moonlight. 

               "Don't get too excited." Kyu giggles. 

                "Can I go with you to take a peek? Please!" I beg with a pout.

                "Not tonight, Wookie." Kyu sighswould and he shakes his head. "But I promise I'll take you next time. Alright?" 

                "You're not hiding something from me, are you?" I narrow my eyes. "Like knives or bombs or drugs." 

                He looks at me funnily and bursts our laughing. I stare at him like he's a madman. "Why, Wookie! Of course not! I'm just waiting for the right moment to show you my apartment! That's all!"

                "If you say so." I roll my eyes and cross my arms. He pecks my right cheek and ruffles my hair. "I'll be right back, okay?" He quickly gets off the car and drags his backpack with him. I watch him sprinting through a pair of glass sliding doors. I know that I can trust him, but I'm curious about why he hasn't taken me to his house for so long. Kyu is honest, genuine, trustworthy, loyal...there are a lot more positive words to describe him. Maybe he's waiting for me to see another new side of him? Perhaps the way he decorates his home is a personality I'm yet to know? Now, this is an exciting part of my relationship with him. 

                 Kyu comes back down in less than fifteen minutes. He must have added extra clothes and toiletries in his backpack; that explains why it looks so plump. When we finally arrive at my house, it's nearly 1 am. Unexpectedly, Leeteuk-san is still awake. It turns out that he's waiting for me to come home. He is about to call the police because his guts tell him that I might be robbed or something. When I tell him everything, he listens attentively as usual. Kyu even complains that his bruises still hurt. Leeteuk-san then hurries upstairs to grab his first aid kit. He insists on checking the injury because he happens to have some cotton pads, bandages, and iodine, which will help to soothe the pain. Kyu is about to take off his shirt when his gaze shifts to me. 

                "Um...I'll find a face towel for you. I'll prepare the tatami as well." I say. 

                 "Oh...okay." Kyu nods slowly. He then notices me blushing, because my dirty mind pictures him topless. Dammit Ryeowook! What the heck is wrong with you? To my surprise, he suddenly smirks in a playful, y way. Nope! Nu-uh! He shouldn't like this! It's not like we're married yet! Leeteuk-san watches us in amazement. 

                 "You go ahead, Ryeoowok," Leeteuk-san says. "I can wash the bento boxes later." 

                  "Thanks, Leeteuk-san. Oyasumi nasai." I bow. I quickly take my bag and march to my room without returning Kyu's gaze. 

                  Humph! First of all, he's embarrassed when he saw me looking at him with his shirt off. And now, he's giving me that look as if I'm about to look at his bare upper body and admire how goddamn y he will look? Good riddance! I would rather jump out of the window! Setting up Kyu's bed luckily helps me to take my mind off it. Good thing there's a pair of futons, pillows, blankets, and towels stored in my closet. Once I'm done with it, I go to the washroom to change into my nightwear and go through my night routine. I hear the door of my room shut, which means Leeteuk-san has probably finished treating Kyu's injury. That reminds me. I hope he has taken his medication, or at least remember to take his medication before bedtime. 

                 When I've finished my routine, Kyu is already gulping two pills and washing them down his throat with a cup of water. 

                 "All better?" I ask. 

                 "Yeah, thanks to Leeteuk-san, my bruises are not as painful as before. He's a much better doctor than that Yamamoto dude," he replies. 

                 "But still, it's a good thing we took you to the hospital." I laugh lightly. 

                  "True that." he agrees. 

                  "You can use the bathroom now. And here's a body towel and face towel for you." 

                  "Thanks, Wookie." He smiles as he takes them. "By the way, you know that I was just pulling your leg back then, right?" 

                   I stare at him in disbelief before I slap his arm. "What the heck, Kyu!" Kyu laughs as he skips happily to the bathroom. Gosh! What a bully!

                   While Kyu is washing up, I am sitting on my bed while going through notifications on my phone. That's where I've found four missed calls from Yesung. The scene with Junwo flashes in my head.  I shiver at the thought of Kyu got beaten again when we reencounter Junwo. If Junwo's still after us, then I'll have to do whatever I can to protect Kyu. Because he has gotten hurt for me, so this time it will be my turn to sacrifice for him. Our relationship may not be like a fairy tale, but I want our relationship to last. If only Junwo's not around, he won't destroy our happiness. I just...

                  "Hey...you alright?" the voice I long to hear floats in my ears like a lullaby. Kyu wraps his arms around my waist. 

                   "Yeah." I murmur. 

                   "Don't think about the incident, okay? Otherwise, you'll get nightmares." 

                   "I'll try." 

                   "Wookie." he sighs. He moves to my front so that he can face me. "I'm right here. Safe and sound. So don't you worry, okay? Besides, you ask me to stay here tonight. So I'm right here with you." 

                   "Yeah, you're right," I reply. 

                   "By the way," Kyu continues as he points at the tatami mattress, "I don't think I can ever sleep on that thing.

                   "Then, where are you gonna sleep then?" Kyu gives me the same smirk like before. Chills crawl down my spine. "Oh no, you wouldn't!"

                   "Oh, yes, I would!" Kyu grins like a Chesire cat. 

                   "No!" I snap. 

                   "Why?" he pouts. 

                   "B...because..." I stutter. Ugh! He's so into making me feel embarrassed! He can't stop laughing when he sees my flushed cheeks. 

                   "Y...you think that...oh my gosh! Wookie! For goodness sake! You're not thinking that I'm going to have with you, are you?" 

                   "What? N....no!" I squeak. I grab my pillow to hide my tomato red face. I feel him pulling me close to his chest.

                   "Relax, Wookie! I'm not going to do that. I know that you're not going to have until you're married. You've told me that, and I respect your decision." 

                   "Really?" 

                   "Of course! Anything for you!" I peer to look at him. He reaches his fingers to sweep the hair off my face. "What I was gonna say is I want to cuddle you for the whole night tonight. I want to hug you while we're sleeping. You know, I want us to do spooning." 

                   "Spooning?" 

                   "Yeah! It's just hugging in bed. Don't you know that?" 

                   "I've never heard of that word, but that sounds fine to me." 

                   "Then let's do it!"

                   I watch him taking the pillow and blanket off the tatami mattress. I move to the right so that he can have space. My bed is queen-size, so it fits both of us perfectly. As Kyu turns off the light and climbs onto my bed, I can feel my heart pounding. It is my first time having someone sleeping on the same bed, and I don't know if it's safe. The only thing I know of two people sleeping on the same bed is when they're either going to have or only sleep together as a married couple. We're still in the innocent dating stage, so the fact that we're sleeping together makes me think that we're moving on a little too quickly. Do I sound paranoid? The next thing I know, he wiggles his arms beneath mine and leans against my back. 

                   "T...this is spooning?" I ask. 

                   "Yeap. It's just hugging, so no need to worry," he whispers. He nuzzles the back of my neck; his breath tickles against my skin. Shortly, I decide to turn around so that I can rest my head on the crook of his neck. He moves his arms to my shoulders and pulls me closer to his body. 

                   "Now this is more I like it," Kyu says.

                   I kiss his cheek. "Oyasumi, Kyu." 

                   Within seconds, he kisses me on the lips. Streaks of moonlight filter through the blinds of the window, so I can still see the gleam of joy in his eyes. He caresses my cheeks before he gives me another kiss on my forehead. "Oyasumi, Wookie." 

July 28th, 2016 (Thursday) 

                   I can't remember when or how do I end up here at the park. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, which is odd because spring is long gone by now. I realize that my fingers are interlocked with someone else's. I turn slightly to see Kyu smiling sweetly at me. I smile back, and I lean closer to rest my head on his shoulder. My peripheral vision catches a glimpse of a shadowy figure hiding behind one of the trees. It seems familiar. I think Kyu and I had a picnic under that tree before because that tree looks slightly bigger than the other ones. I squint my eyes, hoping to have a clearer vision of that person. Unfortunately, his face is covered by the thick shade of cherry blossoms. All I can see is his slightly overweight-looking body build. Why do I have a feeling that he's a person I should watch out? I can't tell whether he's staring at us. There's no one else strolling by, so maybe he is spying on us. But for what reason? 

                  Suddenly, I hear snoring. I open my eyes and find myself back on my bed. Kyu's arms are still wrapped around my back, but they're a little loose. I stiffen a giggle when Kyu's mouth hangs open a few inches away from my face. I swear I can see him drooling in his sleep. It's disgusting, embarrassing, and adorable all at the same time. As he snores a few more times, I bite my lip to stop myself from giggling. So this is how he sleeps, huh? I might be annoyed if I keep hearing him snoring every night. I wonder if he has ever thought of putting on earplugs. Just then, I have an idea of waking him up with a kiss. I've read stories of couples exchanging kisses to wake each other up, so I think that I should try that to Kyu. I am about to do so when an alarm buzzes off from my phone. Just great. Luckily, my phone is on my desk, which is right at the foot of my bed. I slowly crawl over to grab my phone when I feel something brushing my stomach. I look down to see Kyu's left foot wiggling up and down. The next thing I know, Kyu stretches his arms and drags me back down. 

                  "Gooooooooooood morning!" Kyu sings. He begins to tickle me on my weak points, which are my neck and armpits. I try to push his hands away, but he's strong. 

                   "Ahahahahaha! Hey! Stop! Stop it! Kyu! Hahahahaha!" I laugh uncontrollably. 

                   "Not quite yet!" Kyu smirks. He tickles me some more, and I keep on laughing. 

                   "Kyu! Hahahaha! I mean it! Stop!" 

                   He finally stops and embraces me followed by light kisses all over my face. I bury my head in his chest as I can easily smell a lavender scent that lingers from his baggy shirt. Oh! I wish time would stop so that I can stay like this forever! We are interrupted by the alarm from my phone for the second time. 

                   "We better get ready for school," I say. 

                   "I know." Kyu sighs. 

                   "Come on!" I hold out my hand. 

                   "What if I don't wanna get up?" he whines. 

                    "Then, you won't get kisses from me today." I tease as I stick my tongue out. 

                    Kyu looks at me in shock. Oh my gosh! His reaction is just too funny. I wish I could have taken a picture of him like this! 

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                     The fact that Kyu has been with me this morning has been a bliss. He loved the breakfast and bento boxes for lunch Leeteuk had specially prepared for him. He held my hand throughout the whole drive to campus. He noticed my worried face and asked me to tell him what's bothering me, but I told him that I would spill everything when he's done with his classes today. He didn't push me. Instead, he cheered me up with gentle squeezing and rubbing my hand. Before we enter the classroom for Japanese Literature, I return him with kisses on his cheeks, nose, and lips. Unfortunately, we got busted by Yesung, who groaned and turned away with an annoyed "Geez! Get a room!". 

                     My last class finishes an hour before 6 pm, so I decide to wait for Kyu, Yesung, and Sungmin-san at the fountain. Not many students are around the garden at this hour, so it's a perfect place for me to relax. However, I can't stop thinking about the dream I had this morning. Who the hell is that person? I usually don't remember the dreams I have in my sleep, but this one is surprisingly vivid. I wish I can just forget about it, but it's like a sign. I think I might approach that mysterious stalker at any second...or any day. To kill this long hour, I decide to draw the dream on my new sketchbook. I have to say that Kyu has chosen drawing tools with the best quality. The pencils are in various grades that reveal different levels of thickness, and it's a fun challenge for me to choose which pencil is perfect for outlining and shading. Five minutes before our meeting time, I've finished the drawing. I've put so much detail on the cherry blossoms, the river, Kyu and me watching the sunset, and the shadow behind the tree. It may look like I will earn a thousand bucks just by selling it to a millionaire or I will be a famous artist just by displaying it in an art exhibition, but this drawing will be my new memory in life and my clue in my future with Kyu. 

                   A soft pressure on my cheek immediately snaps my thoughts away. Next to me sits the person I want to talk. "Hey, Wookie!" Kyu smiles. 

                  "Hey Kyu!" I smile in return. "You just finished?" 

                  "Of course! I get out of the classroom as fast as I could so that I can see you. I miss you." 

                   "You sound cheesy." 

                   "Well, you make me cheesy, so I blame you." 

                   "Look who's talking!" I laugh. Kyu reaches out his right hand to caress my hair. When he sees my drawing, his eyes sparkled with interest. 

                   "You drew this, Wookie? It's beautiful!" 

                   "Thanks." 

                   "Is that...us?" His eyes widen. He points at the couple on the picture. 

                   "Mm-hmm." I nod. 

                   "Who's hiding behind that tree?" Kyu questions. He squints at the shadow as close as he can. 

                   "It's...uh...a shadow. That person was watching us." 

                   "Why?" he asks again. A lump begins to form in my throat. Why am I feeling so nervous? I want to tell him what I dreamed. It's hanging at the tip of my tongue, but I can't get it out. Kyu looks concernedly at me. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" I look at the drawing for a few seconds, and then I look back at him. He doesn't look angry; he's more like worried. He squeezes my hand, urging me to spill.

                    I finally take a deep breath and explain, "It's a dream. A dream I had in my sleep. I was watching the sunset with you at the park. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom. It was a beautiful sight. I was enjoying the view when suddenly I saw a man hiding behind a tree. It was the same tree where we had our 100th-anniversary picnic. I'm pretty sure that he was watching us. And I have this feeling that he's going to do something to us."

                    "What do you think he's gonna do?" 

                    "I don't know, but I think he's planning something to break us up or something. Whatever it is, I feel that he's planning to do something bad that will prevent us from loving each other. Something tells me that the person is Junwo. From the looks of the body, I can kind of tell that it's him." 

                    I wait for him to say something, but instead, he pulls me into a crushing hug. I nearly drop my sketchbook. A minute later, he finally speaks, "I've already told you that you don't have to worry about being attacked by Junwo or anyone else. No matter what happens, I'll make sure that I'll protect you. No one is going to hurt you or me, okay? Junwo will not disturb us again. I'm sure of it. Besides, you don't even know who's that creepy dude in your dream. I'm sure it's just a dream, and you won't dream about it again." 

                    "I...I guess..." 

                    "Promise me," he says as he gazes into my eyes, "you won't talk about Junwo again or anything about this dream of yours. Okay? I want you to be happy. I want to see you smile so that I can love you happily. You're the first person I've ever fallen deeply in love with, and I want to repay you by making you be mine and to remind you that I can't live without you."

                    "But Kyu...I mean it. What if Junwo comes after us again?" 

                     "Then we'll find a way to get away from him." 

                     He and cups my left cheek. I automatically lean into his touch. "Okay. I promise I won't worry about that." 

                     "Good." He smiles. Sungmin-san and Yesung call us from a corner of the garden. We slip the straps of our backpacks onto our shoulders and hold hands while walking to them. 

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                     Due to the evening traffic, we arrive at the hospital at around 7 pm. We have takeouts from McDonald's on the way, which saves us time. Once we come in room 420, we all are surprised to see an empty bed. However, his iPad is on the nightstand, and the painting is on the wall. 

                     "Where did he go?" I ask. 

                     "Beats me." Kyu shrugs. 

                     "Oh! It looks like you've got yourself visitors!" a female voice makes us all jump. As we turn our heads, a nurse is accompanying Mr. Lau through the door. Mr.Lau looks back at us with a smile. 

                      "Why this is a pleasant surprise!" he exclaims. He walks over to give each of us a hug before he goes back to his bed. The nurse smiles at us as she excuses herself. "What brings you all here? This is actually the first time I see you all come together. It reminds me so much of the old times when you come to my store and share Takoyaki." Now that he mentions it. It really looks like we're having a reunion. Except that my parents, Kyu's family, Henry's family, and Yesung's mom are not here. I miss gathering with all of these fantastic people at Yesung's house; we would have mouth-watering dinners and mini-concerts with the help of Yesung's mom and her orchestra. Anyway, Mr. Lau says that he has stopped taking chemotherapy and move on to precision medicines, which is good news. Henry will be so happy to have his dad back home soon. I wonder if Mr. Lau is able to take his place back at the Takoyaki stand? 

                   "Not only we are here to visit you," Sungmin says, "but we're also here to talk something important with you. It's about Kyuhyun and Ryeowook." 

                   The smile from Mr.Lau fades away. "What about them?" 

                   Sungmin breathes as he takes a seat. "I heard from Kyuhyun and Ryeowook that you know about the hidden charm of the cherry blossoms at Kena Sakuranomiya park." 

                    Mr. Lau's eyes are enlarged instantly. He looks at us for a moment before turning back to Sungmin-san. "They told you all about it?" 

                   "I was gonna tell them about it, but it turns out that they already know it." 

                   "Yes, because I've told them." 

                   "Mr. Lau." Yesung steps in, "who told you beforehand?" 

                   "I can't remember her name, but I saw her painting in the park." Mr.Lau answers. 

                   "The painter he met gave him her painting. She said that it will show him a sign." Kyu adds. 

                   "She did? What kind of painting? And what kind of sign?" Sungmin-san pushes. 

                    "That painting over there," I reply as I point for them to see. "The lady told Mr. Lau that the painting would reveal the destined couple when the hidden charm senses their presence. And it happened when Kyuhyun and I were at his Takoyaki store. We were like eight or nine years old at that time." 

                    The father and son switch glances; they walk to the wall for a closer look of the masterpiece. Mr. Lau quickly adds, "The painter explained to me about the mission, which I then pass on to Kyuhyun and Ryeowook. She also said that that painting was meant for me to keep so that I can find them. One of the reasons why I started my Takoyaki business is I want to keep my promise to that lady to find the couple. Once I saw sakura petals swirling around them, the two figures in that painting colored themselves. That made me realized that Kyuhyun and Ryeowook are the destined couples." 

                   "So...it seems that...you know about them earlier than I do," Sungmin-san says. 

                    "Well...when was the time you discovered them? Did you also meet the painter?" 

                    "No, I met an old beggar. She didn't give me a painting or any tool, but she explained the mission too. I searched for the destined couple as many times as I could. I managed to find Kyuhyun and Ryeowook standing on opposite sides of the river. But the charm hadn't revealed itself." 

                    "And when did you see that?" 

                    "This past April." 

                    "So it looks like the love gods have sent both the beggar and the artist to find us as messengers. I thought I was the only messenger." 

                    "I thought of the same thing!" Sungmin paces around the room. "Something's fishy going on. We have to find out what the love gods are actually up to." 

                    "Agree!" Mr. Lau leans forward. "Maybe the love gods will appear when the charm is free." 

                    "Probably! We should keep an eye on them!" Sungmin-san agrees. His eyes burn with determination. Kyuhyun and I look at each other in confusion. What the heck will they plan to track the love gods? They're spirits watching from the heavens. There's no way people can see them in the flesh unless they're ghosts that can be discovered in haunted houses. 

                     "Don't you think that finding the one who is responsible for all this is not important?" Yesung rolls his eyes. "Kyuhyun and Ryeowook are the destined couple after all. We just have to trust that they will free the charm. Isn't that good enough?" 

                      "No!" both Mr. Lau and Sungmin-san answer in unison. 

                      "Someone ought to give us an explanation. I'm the chosen messenger!" Mr. Lau says as he glares at Sungmin-san. 

                      "No! I'm the chosen messenger!" Sungmin-san argues. 

                      "I am!" 

                      "No! I am!" 

                       "Oh my gosh! I have had enough of this!" Kyu suddenly snaps. We all stare at him in surprise. The room becomes so quiet that I can hear the clock ticking. The acceleration of my heartbeat synchronizes with the whirling of my thoughts; I hope he's not going to yell at them. "Don't you see? You're being selfish! It doesn't matter what reason the love spirits have of choosing you two instead of one of you. You should be happy that you've chosen to tell us about your mission and the charm of the cherry blossoms. Otherwise, we won't even know about it." he explains. Both adults exchange glances. Kyu then intertwines his fingers with mine and continues, "Besides, the love spirits depend on myself and Ryeowook to save the world from destruction. We've loved each other for 101 days now, and we're going to continue our relationship as long as we can. I am positive that we will free the charm."

                       "Kyuhyun's right." Mr. Lau says, "What were we thinking?" 

                        "I'm glad that we're chosen to know about the magic of that park. I bet not even a fortune teller or witch doctor knows about this." Sungmin-san agrees. 

                        Yesung smiles at the sight of us holding hands. He may complain when he catches us kissing, but he supports us wholeheartedly. "Umm...quick question." he chips in, "When can Kyuhyun and Ryeowook free the charm?" 

                        Both adults look at each other once more. Mr. Lau gestures Sungmin-san to answer. "The charm lingers around the cherry blossoms. The petals will sense both Kyuhyun's and Ryeowook's hearts; then, they will be carried by the wind and form themselves into a hurricane. That way, the charm will reveal itself and spread itself to the world, well practically the whole of Tokyo." the lecturer replies. 

                       "But what if the charm doesn't expose itself?" Yesung asks, "What kind of destruction will happen?" 

                       "I have no idea. Do you know, Jason-san?" Sungmin-san turns to Mr. Lau. Mr. Lau shakes his head. "It's weird that the previous messengers told us most of the good things of the charm. I have a feeling that the aftermath won't be pretty." 

                      "Nothing? Like earthquakes? Fire? Flood? Famine? Riots?" 

                      "I think the aftermath of not releasing the charm has to do something with all those Yesung has mentioned." Mr. Lau guesses. 

                      "You sure of it?" I picture myself seeing the world collapsing into catastrophe. Could it be that all those disasters will happen right away when Kyuhyun and I fail to free the charm? All those disasters will occur in one day? Or even in mere seconds? If the charm is not free, will all people in this world will lose love too? Will people become miserable and hopeless until they decide to kill themselves? Will they turn into heartless zombies...and kill one another? And then the earth will become a lifeless planet? Sungmin-san suddenly says, "The charm only responses to love, so maybe their feelings towards each other will force the charm to restore love to those who don't feel it." 

                       "Like...Junwo." I mutter in awe. And then it hit me. Could it be that Junwo is under a spell of hating gay people instead of believing in the love among them? Maybe the charm will save Junwo from hurting other people and help him to get back to normal. As far as I know, the charm exists for many years, even perhaps decades. Many crimes escalate because many people have become numb about what love feels. If the charm is free, there'll be a higher chance for me to talk to him. 

                       "Maybe we should save our guesses for the day the charm is about to release." Mr. Lau decides. 

                       "I agree." Sungmin-san nods. 

                       The conversation shortly becomes light-hearted as we talk about how Henry gives us the couple name KyuWook, which the others go "Aww! That sounds so cute!". After a few more minutes of chatting, Mr. Lau's nurse comes back with his medicine. He promises us that he will update us about his condition. And when he is allowed to return to his home, he will find time to catch up with us. We are all happy to see that he's feeling better. 

                      We pass by a male nurse who is walking in the opposite direction. His eyes are fixed straight ahead, and his lips are in a hyphen. I look briefly at him before I focus on my way down the corridor when suddenly I hear a whisper on my right ear, "Follow your heart." The voice is almost inaudible, but I can surprisingly listen to it. I find it odd, because Kyu is on my left, and we're still holding hands. I don't even feel another person leaning his mouth against my ear. I quickly turn my back, but I see no one. I remember the male nurse we just passed is walking hurriedly but noisily. It's like he just vanished in thin air. 

                     "What's wrong, Wookie?" Kyu asks. 

                      "Huh? Oh...nothing!" 

                      "You sure?" 

                      "I just thought I hear something, but I guess I'm just hallucinating." 

                      "A lot in your mind, huh?" Kyu giggles. "Come on. Let's go home." 

                       I take one last glance at the empty corridor before I follow the others through the front doors. I'm pretty sure that someone is talking to me, or maybe someone's trying to reach me. I wonder if it's one of those Japanese ghosts I hear from ghost stories told by the supernatural club at Kansai University. I wonder if I'll hear that voice again. Whatever it is, Osaka sure is a strange city. 

Ryeowook (リョウク)