By my side

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw6OAsl96h4&feature=related

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For dinner you and B.A.P. went to a local noodle restaurant.

No one was really eating. None of you had much appetitite.

Even Zelo just poked his noodles.

Yongguk glanced at everyone’s somber faces. “Hey, come on. Eat up. I didn’t waste my money for you to just watch your food.” He tried to joke but no one laughed. Yongguk knew he should do something as the oldest. He slung an arm around Jongup and smiled, “Hey, how about we don’t go home?”

“Huh?” That got everyone’s attention.

“What do you mean, hyung?” Youngjae asked. “Then where would we go?” Zelo blinked.

“How about the beach?” Yongguk asked. “Beach?” Everyone’s eyes widened. He smiled and nodded, “It would be like a mini vacation. Nothing is at home for us anyways. Let’s take a break and go see the sea. How about it? You all in?”

“I’m in.” Zelo couldn’t help but be excited. It had been too long since any of you had gone to the beach.

“Me, too.” Himchan smiled.

“Same.” Youngjae answered. Daehyun nodded.

“Include me.” You beamed. Everyone looked at Jongup. A smile finally came on his face, “Okay, let’s go.”

“YES!” Everyone cheered. All of you ate the noodles and went to buy the tickets to another train trip.

It was near midnight by the time the train came yet the 7 of you were wide awake. Himchan and Yongguk played games with Zelo and Jongup. “Aww not again!” Zelo complained. “Punishment time!” Himchan proclaimed. Jongup laughed as the hyungs slapped the maknae’s back.

Youngjae cracked a hard-boiled egg on your head. “Ow, oppa!” You complained. He chuckled and ate his egg. You glanced at Daehyun who was absentmindedly looking out the window. You slyly took an egg and slammed it down on his head. Daehyun turned his head and stared at you in disbelief. “Yum.” You casually peeled off the shell.

*Babo. You think I’ll just sit and do nothing?* Daehyun grabbed the last egg and cracked it over your head. Your jaw fell open in surprise and you gawked at him. Daehyun tried to keep a straight face but his eyes were smiling. You clucked your tongue at him and took a bite of your egg.

Daehyun chuckled to himself. He neatly peeled the shell off of the egg.

You finished eating your egg and sipped on the banana milk. Another egg appeared in front of you. You looked up and saw Daehyun gazing down at you. You shook your head, “You eat it, oppa.”

Daehyun took your hand and put the egg in your palm. After a long look at you, he finally turned away and went back to gazing out at the blackness. A soft smile appeared on your face *I knew he had a kind spot in his heart somewhere.*

A couple hours later, the train fell silent. All the boys had fallen asleep.

Zelo had fallen asleep on Yongguk’s shoulder. Himchan fell asleep with his head on the window and Jongup’s hood was over his head. Youngjae had his earphones over his head and arms crossed with his eyes peacefully closed.

You glanced around *Is everyone asleep but me?* But you saw Daehyun and saw that his eyes were open. You felt relieved *I’m not alone.* You poked his arm. He looked at you.

“Aren’t you sleeping?” You whispered. He shook his head.

“You’re not tired?” You asked. He shook his head again.

You looked at everyone else, “They all fell asleep. Poor Jongup oppa. He must be exhausted putting on a happy face all the time. I admire him for doing that.” *Jongup is stronger than all of us.* Daehyun agreed.

You gazed up at him. He looked down and locked eyes with you. The time seemed to slow down as both of you gazed into each other’s eyes. *I never realized but oppa has amazing eyes…* Your gaze shifted to his ear where one string of his mask seemed to be loosening up. You reached out and took hold of it.

Daehyun stiffened immediately. He grew afraid. *Will she take away my shield from me? I don’t want her to see it. I don’t want her to see that I’m vulnerable.*

But you simply tightened the string so that the mask wouldn’t fall off. Daehyun gazed at you, shocked but mostly touched. You put your hands back down in your lap and softly gazed at him. Just like you could read his eyes, he could read yours. By you not taking his mask off but tightening it around him symbolized your respect for him. You understood his pain and would never do anything to make him uncomfortable. He was moved by your empathy and fell deeper for you more than ever.

You broke eye contact with him as you yawned. Daehyun gently pushed your head onto his shoulder. “But I’m not sleepy…I’ll stay awake with you.” You mumbled. Daehyun kept your head on him and lightly stroked your hair. ‘Go to sleep.’

Your eyes slowly closed and you drifted off to sleep. Daehyun looked back out the foggy window. With his index fingers he traced the words: ‘I love you, Song Yeojin’. He glanced back at you. *Sleep well, my babo princess.*

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Eventually Daehyun fell asleep also. His head was on top of yours with his hand on top of yours. The train came to a halt.

Yongguk woke up first. He looked around and realized where he was. Yongguk looked out and saw the light sky. He quickly shook everyone awake, “We’re here. Come on guys! Get up! We have to reach the beach before sunrise!”

Daehyun and you sat up straight in confusion *What’s going on? Where are we?* *Oh yeah. The beach.* You glanced down and saw Daehyun’s hand on yours. You blinked at the surprising skinship. Daehyun was the most distant but he had held your hand all night long? You looked at Daehyun. He saw his hand and quickly pulled away.

Both of you blushed. *Why are we embarrassed?!* You wondered, flabbergasted.

“Come on Yeojin and Daehyun!” Himchan called.

The two of you quickly scrambled out of the train. You and B.A.P. walked towards the beach. “I see it! The beach!” Zelo started running. Jongup and Himchan followed him.

“Yah, be careful!” Yongguk called. “It’s fucking freezing.” Youngjae shivered, “If I had known we would be at the beach at 5:30 in the freaking morning I would have brought a parka!” You silently agreed as you shivered underneath your thin blouse.

Soon all 7 of you were on the sand. The waves made a lovely, soothing sound. It was cold but peaceful. There was no one here but the 7 of you. You shut your eyes and inhaled deeply. *The sea air is so pure. I missed this.*

The calmness was broken by Zelo and Himchan having a water fight. You opened your eyes and shook your head *Aigoo. They will never change.*

“Come here, Jongup!” Himchan and Zelo grabbed him. Youngjae helped.

He laughed and shook his head, “No, hyungs!”

You smiled *It’s good to see Jongup oppa laughing again.*

“Hey, come here. The sun is starting to rise.” Yongguk waved them over. All of you went closer to him. Yongguk put his arms around you and Zelo. He pointed towards the horizon, “See that? It’s the sun.” “It’s beautiful.” Jongup smiled. Zelo grinned widely.

Someone put a jacket around you and you looked up. Daehyun was by your side with only a black shirt on. He gazed down at you but his eyes were different now. It seemed like a hidden secret had been unlocked in them. Instead of the usual blank stare, he was gazing at you with so much emotion that made you want to stare back.

“Ah! This feels good!” Himchan wrapped his arm around Zelo and Jongup. Youngjae came to the other side of Daehyun and put his arm around him. “Aww. Come on. Feel the love, Daehyun. Put your arm around Yeojin!” Himchan nodded.

Daehyun’s gaze fell on you again, making your cheeks color pleasantly. He raised his arm and slowly wrapped it around you. Your heart skipped a beat at his embrace.

All 7 of you were connected now.

“This is how we’re supposed to be. The 7 of us together forever. No one will ever come into our family and no one will ever leave. Araso? If you want to leave, you have to step on me and go.” Yongguk said.

Himchan raised his arm, “I’ll help anyone step on him!”

“Aish!” Yongguk pretended to kick him. Himchan quickly dodged it and everyone laughed. He pulled Jongup and Zelo in closer, “Yah, don’t ever worry about something like that. The 7 of us can never be apart. Let a comet drop from the sky! We’d all still be together.”

Everyone laughed at his comment.

“SARANGHAE HYUNGS AND NOONA!” Zelo yelled.

“SARANGHAE!” Everyone started to proclaim their love as well.

“YEOJIN, MARRY ME!” Himchan yelled.

“Aigoo!” The boys started to beat him down onto the sand.

You laughed at their funniness. You looked up to see Daehyun by your side. Your smile grew wider. *Whenever I see him, he’s always by my side. All of these wonderful boys will always with me no matter what. I honestly believe that.*