“I’m…” Her words felt heavy, and it felt like the whole world’s attention was on her as she spoke. “I’m moving.”

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

      “That’s not funny,” Luna replied after a rather long silence following Jinhee’s surprise news.

     “Yeah and I’m not kidding.” Jinhee stated, carefully observing their reactions. At this point, it seemed like none of them were taking it very well making it even harder for her to continue.

     “What do you mean move?” Onew asked. He had settled his food nicely onto the plate and focused on Jinhee. “Move like, move further down the street?”

     “No,” Jinhee sighed. “Move as in move to another city. Like…Daegu?”

     “Daegu?!” They echoed.

     Jinhee winced at their distraught voices. She could only give them a guilty and apologetic smile for having startling them with such news after going missing for two days. “Yes but not now,” She said softly hoping that it made at least a small difference.

     “When then?” Taemin asked.

     “Maybe a month or two from now?”

     They stayed in silence making Jinhee feel even more horrible than she already felt. Onew stared into space as he continued with his chocolate chips, Taemin was pinching the bridge of his nose and Luna was now simply staring emptily on the table.

     “What about school? What about the dance?” Taemin voiced. “And what about—“

     “Moving date’s after the dance,” Jinhee shrugged. “And about our dance routine, I already spoke to the instructor and explained about my moving. She said it’d be fine if I we were to continue as partners. Just that you know, I won’t be graded or anything.”

     “You mean to say you’ve already quit school?” Onew asked.

     “Spoken to the Dean but it’s not official yet.”

     “But,” Luna shook her head as if she couldn’t believe this was happening. No way was her best friend moving to another city all so suddenly. “Why?”

     Jinhee fidgeted in her seat already feeling embarrassed. But she figured there was nothing to lose; they were her best friends. And she was going to move anyway. “You see my brother got us into some trouble. Financial trouble.” She half-giggled. “So now we’re even more financially unstable than we already were.”

     “And how does moving to another city fit into all this?”

     “We’re selling the house and using the money to pay off the debt.” She said. “And with whatever money left I don’t think we can afford anything here anymore so we decided to rent a small apartment in Daegu. And start fresh.”

     They nodded in understanding even if their hearts filled with sadness and worry.

     “You could move in with me,” Luna pouted. She switched seats to the one adjacent to Jinhee and hugged her best friend. “My parents won’t mind really!”

     “That’s really sweet Luna but you know I can’t just leave my family like that.” She sighed, hugging Luna even tighter and fighting off the urge to cry.

     “Have you told Minho?” Onew asked while chewing up the last bits of his cookie.

     Jinhee pulled away from the hug and shook her head. She knew telling Minho would be hard especially because he’d feel the need to help them pay off the debt and she didn’t want that to happen.

     “Here’s your chance,” Onew continued with a slight smirk appearing on his face. His eyes focused out the glass windows of the café where Minho was making his way in. As soon as the bell above the door jingled, she turned and locked eyes with not only Minho but the two behind him as well.

     One of them was Jonghyun.

__________

     “So you’re leaving after the dance?” Minho’s shoulders fell. JInhee shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Someone was burning holes down the side of her face on her right. “I can lend you guys some money, it’s no big deal really—“

     “It is a big deal Minho.” Jinhee said. “We can’t just depend on others forever.”

     “But I don’t want you to leave; WE don’t want you to leave.” He said. “Especially you know who…” He nodded his head in the direction of Jonghyun, who, has been and still is staring not so subtly at her since they entered the café.

     “Who?”

     “Oh wait are we still playing the you-miss-Jonghyun-but-refuse-to-admit-it game?” Minho chuckled, bringing his cup of coffee up to his lips and taking a small sip. Jinhee mocked him and rolled her eyes, only slightly glancing in Jonghyun’s direction.

     “This move doesn’t have anything to do with him though, right?” Minho narrowed his eyes at her.

     Her jaw dropped slightly looking as if his question had offended her in so many ways. “Moving just because of an ex? That would mean I have serious issues.”

     “Sometimes I feel like you kinda do,” Minho pushed his chair back and raised his cup as if giving a toast to her before switching tables and sitting with the others instead.

     Jinhee smiled slightly and shook her head. She looked over to their table where Onew, Taemin and Key were at each other’s throats arguing over something she would imagine to be really insignificant and at Luna who was back behind the counter taking orders. She’d miss this.

     But her mind was made up. After all, she could always come back to visit them.

     Her head snapped back to the front when the chair Minho previously sat on was pulled back and down sat Jonghyun. They stared at each other for a while.

     “Hey,” Jonghyun finally broke the silence.

     Jinhee nodded and managed a small smile. “Hey.”

     “Is it true?”

     “What?”

     “You’re leaving?”

     Jinhee nodded confirming his statement. A soft sigh left Jonghyun. She watched as he ran his hand through his hair and fidgeted around in his seat. He seemed to be finding the right words to say and it made something inside her tingle knowing he was that uneasy.

     “There’s no other way?” He asked.

     “Nope,” Jinhee said. “Made up our minds. We can’t stay here anymore.”

     “Do you really have to go?”

     The words started a surge of adrenaline rushing through her body making her heart race. The sincerity in his eyes, his words. Sounding as if he was desperate and willing to do anything to make her stay.

     Was he? No, she shook her head brushing away all those insane thoughts. “I really do. What’s it to you anyway?” It sounded less cold in her head but when Jonghyun’s face fell, she knew it had hurt.

     “Well I—“ Jonghyun started, shocked by her question. “I just thought you know maybe we could—“

     “Maybe we could what?” She stared deep into his brown eyes. Those that she had missed. “I’m sorry, I know we have a lot of things left unsaid and unfinished but I think it’s for the best that we stay this way. Out of each other’s business.”

     “But I still love you,” He whispered almost immediately. His hands moved across the table and grabbed hers. Although physically she tried to get away from his grip, on the inside part of her felt warm and fuzzy from the sensation of his hand in hers.

     “Jonghyun…” Jinhee whispered, biting her lip to fight tears from forming. She didn’t want to cry. Not here, not now. And not in front of everyone after all that she’s done to put up a brave front for the past month.

     “I can’t be without you anymore. I know I promised that I would leave you alone but now that you’re leaving I can’t just let this be I—“

     “Jonghyun let go of me.”

     “You’re leaving and I might not see you ever again,” He said softly. “How could you be okay with this?”

     “I’m not.”

     Jonghyun’s grip on her softened and so did his gaze. When he let go, she placed her hands on her lap resisting the urge to pull his back into hers and tell him she loved him back. “It’s not easy for me either Jonghyun,” She said. “But this decision is final. Maybe me moving will help you get over me faster…and vice versa.”

     Jonghyun’s head shot up at the last part. She had just somewhat admitted her feelings for him still exist. He was ecstatic, but it only lasted for a short while after what she said sank in. She wanted him to move on.

     When Jinhee realized Jieun’s figure standing just outside the café window, staring right at them, she gathered her thoughts and cleared . “I’m gonna go,” She said getting up from her seat. “See you around.”

     She went over to say goodbye to Luna and the boys before walking out the café. Jonghyun’s eyes followed her throughout, until she was too far down the street. Only then did he realize Jieun standing by the window still staring at him.

     She didn’t look too pleased. Nor did she look angry. Actually, he couldn’t tell what kind of look she was giving him. But right now, he couldn’t care less.

__________

     “So what was that all about?”

     “Woah!” Jinhee yelled, falling off the chair she was standing on to get to the top of her closet. Thankfully she managed to grab on to the edge of closet door before her back met with the floor. A breath of relief came from her and she turned in the direction of her window where Taemin was.         “Don’t ever do that again!”

     “Sorry,” He chuckled although he didn’t seem sorry at all. “It’s the last few times I get to do it anyway. Before you move…”

     Jinhee sighed. “Yeah…”

     He jumped in through her window and looked around. The room looked slightly different with a couple of boxes here and there, some empty and some already packed with stuff.

     “Wow you’re really going,” He said more to himself.

     “Yeap.” She sighed again, throwing a couple of stuff from her closet into an empty box. “So what were you saying earlier? When you scared the living hell out of me.”

     “Oh right!” He snapped his fingers. “I asked you, ‘so what was that all about?’”

     She raised an eyebrow at him. “What was what all about?”

     “You know, earlier at the café…” He jumped on her bed and placed his hands under his head for support. “You. Jonghyun. Holding hands.”

     “We weren’t holding hands.” Jinhee clicked her tongue and neatly arranged her belongings she had taken out earlier into another empty box. They included her old school uniform (which barely even fits her anymore), old report cards, and more pieces of clothing which doesn’t fit her anymore. “We were just saying goodbye. Before I leave.”

     “You won’t miss him?”

     “I already told him that we should move on with our lives,” Jinhee smiled bitterly. “Besides, I guess Jieun can fill my space.”

     Taemin’s nose crinkled at the mention of Jieun. “Ew.” He gagged. “Although you know, maybe it’s just me but she’s kind of different now.”

     “How so?”

     Taemin shrugged, sticking out his bottom lip. “I don’t know. I guess…” He thought for a bit. Jinhee looked over her shoulder anticipating his response. “Nah, maybe it really is just me.”

     “If you say so…” Jinhee rolled her eyes and turned back to the box in front of her.

     The next moment, another figure came fumbling through her window almost falling over when her foot got stuck but managing to catch her balance just in time. She breathed out a sigh of relief and wiped imaginary sweat off her forehead.

     Taemin giggled while Jinhee looked amused at her best friend. “Uh…Luna? Are you okay..? Did anything happen or—“

     “Am I late? Did I miss all the details?” She asked ecstatically. The gleam in her eyes was obvious enough.

     “What—“

     “No she said they were just talking or something,” Taemin rolled his eyes.

     “Seriously?” Luna rolled her eyes, displeased. “You’re telling me that the intense moment between you both back there was just…talking?”

     “Well, yeah.” Jinhee nodded.

     Luna stared deep into Jinhee’s eyes hoping to find something to contradict her words. But she found nothing. Innocent eyes stared back at her, wondering what she was doing. Luna finally pulled back and tapped her chin. “Huh.” She let out. “You guys really were just talking. But it was intense, am I right?”

     Jinhee nodded some more, thinking nothing of it. Her face was as relaxed as it could get and Luna raised her left eyebrow. “What was it about?”

     Jinhee shrugged and stuck out her bottom lip. “Just saying goodbye,” She smiled innocently.

     “And?”

     “And…maybe he told me he still loves me but that’s beside the point.”

     “What?!” Taemin cried. “So you just decided to leave this part out when I asked you before?”

     “This is totally the point Jinhee!” Luna was practically screaming, ignoring Taemin’s question. “You got your answer! He still loves you.”

     “The point is,” Jinhee stressed letting out a sigh. “I’m moving.”

     “But—“

     Jinhee waved a finger in front of Luna before she could continue. “No buts.” She lifted a box full of crumpled clothes and shoved them to Luna. “Here, you guys can help me fold them and then place them neatly back in the box.”

     As soon as Jinhee turned her back towards them, Luna faced Taemin and frowned. He chuckled quietly to himself and made space on the bed for her. The box plopped on the bed causing a few of her shirts to fall out. Luna scooted closer to Taemin and whispered, “She’s so stubborn!”

     “I know,” Taemin nodded. “Just drop the Jonghyun subject she’ll never agree to anything.”

     “We can’t just leave them this way!” She hissed. Taemin raised a finger to his lips and glanced at Jinhee making sure she wasn’t paying attention.

     “There’s nothing much we can do either right?” He reasoned. “We can’t get them back together, and neither can we stop her from leaving.”

     “You give up too fast, you’re boring me.” Luna clicked her tongue. A mischievous smile then appeared on her face. “Maybe we should try and stop her from leaving!”

     “Look Luna,” Taemin took a deep breath and held her hand in his. “I know you don’t want things between them to end like this but she’s moving in a month. Jinhee, our best friend is leaving.”

     The smile on Luna’s face had already been wiped off. She stared at Taemin as those words hit her. Of course when Jinhee had broken the news to them earlier she tried her best to accept it all. But now after her momentary excitement over Jonghyun and Jinhee getting back together – which also meant her possibly cancelling her move and deciding to stay after all – she once again found herself with a huge feeling of emptiness in her heart.

     “If I were you, I’d focus on spending our last weeks with her before she goes. We might not get to see her for a very long time you know.” Taemin finished off with a shrug and pulled her in for a hug. He could see it in her eyes, how upset she was about all of this. But he knew she needed that to bring her back to the more important issue here.

     “You’re right,” Luna nodded more to herself than to him. She smiled as she watched Jinhee try to stuff her old soft toys into one box which was already overflowing with other things.

__________

                “Well if it isn’t prince charming himself,” Wooyoung teased, chuckling. He had heard the familiar engine roar as the car made its way into the garage. He didn’t have to look at who it was. It was his regular customer, of course. “Here for your monthly servicing?” He directed his question to Jonghyun who was now standing a few feet away.

     “Uh, yeah. Hi hyung.” Jonghyun said. He didn’t care about his car.

     “Yes, hi. Okay so…just leave your car there and I’ll take a look at it in a while.” Wooyoung smiled and went back to the tyre he was changing.

     Jonghyun stood there awkwardly, not wanting to leave before he gave this a shot. He tugged nervously at his collar and looked around at the place, trying to seem normal. Normal…what would I normally do when I send my car for servicing? He thought to himself.

     Normally, he’d drop it off and come back a few hours later. But that wouldn’t work. He didn’t even care about getting his car checked; in fact he’d just gotten it checked last week. All he wanted is to speak to Wooyoung.

     “And what is it did you want to talk to me about?” Wooyoung got up from his position, pushing on his knees, after tightening the last nut on the tyre he changed. He smiled knowingly at Jonghyun who looked more lost for words than ever.

     “I—well I um…” He stuttered, not knowing where to even start.

     Wooyoung laughed to himself. He found it amusing how a flirt like Jonghyun is always at a loss for words when faced with him. Still, he knew the boy was troubled and decided not to add on to his burden. “You want to talk about this over a coffee?”

     Jonghyun sighed and chuckled at how silly he was being. “Sure,” He nodded.

     The smell of the freshly brewed coffee relaxed Jonghyun as he took a deep breath, inhaling its scent. A plate with a slice of cheesecake sat next to his coffee, still untouched. Across him Wooyoung was already indulging in his chicken and ham sandwich. “Ready to talk?” Wooyoung asked with his mouth full.

     “I guess.” Jonghyun sighed. “I was just wondering if…”

     Wooyoung raised his brows waiting for Jonghyun to finish his sentence.

     “If it’s okay for you guys to postpone your move?” He bit his bottom lip.

     “Postpone?”

     “Yeah,” He nodded slowly. “Postpone it for three months, or four…or never.”

     Wooyoung looked like he was in deep thought and for a moment Jonghyun got his hopes up. Right until the point where Wooyoung spoke. “Nope, sorry. Can’t do that.”

     “Why not?!” He protested almost slamming his fist onto the table. Wooyoung sat upright and looked curiously at him. He grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth roughly.

     “What does it matter to you if we leave?” Wooyoung’s lips were curving into a slight smirk. “Aren’t you and my sister done anyway.”

     “Not done but—“ Jonghyun sighed. “Nevermind that. I just need some time to fix things and I can’t do that if you guys are leaving.”

     Wooyoung gave a shrug. “I would love to help but I’m not the one calling all the shots here.”

     “What do you mean? Then who is?”

     “Ms Jinhee herself,” Wooyoung chuckled and patted Jonghyun on the shoulder—which felt more like a slap, making Jonghyun wince. “If you want to buy some time I guess you should talk to her.”

     Jonghyun shook his head and blew out a deep breath. “Then I have no chance.”

     “Sorry man,” Wooyoung sipped the last of his drink and fixed himself as if ready to go. “You messed up real bad. And just as I was starting to like you too.”

     Jonghyun watched Wooyoung’s back as he left the small café leaving him to his misery. How would I get Jinhee to talk to me? He thought.

__________

     For the next few days Jonghyun kept a close eye on Jinhee. His sister, So Dam swore he was stalking but he corrected her saying, “It’s more like watching her 24/7.”

     “Get out of the car and talk to her, why don’t you.” His sister complained. She had been forced to come along while he stalked her as she did her daily errands. Ever since he found out Jinhee wasn’t going to school anymore, he had to find another way. And according to him, this was it. “Just sitting around watching from far won’t get you anywhere. Remind me again why I’m here?”

     “To help me.” He said, eyes fixed on Jinhee who was down the street, buying groceries from a convenience store. “You know just in case she spots us and asks what I’m doing here. I could just say I’m out with you.”

     “So I’m just a cover?!” She smacked him hard on the head. “I did not come to visit you here to be your cover while you stalk some ex-girlfriend.”

     “She’s not just some ex-girlfriend!” Jonghyun retaliated, his puppy eyes forming and slightly tearing from the sting she left on his head. “I love her…”

     So Dam nodded and patted his cheek, deliberately doing so harder than expected. “I know. And it’s cute that you love her but stalking won’t prove that to her.”

     “But…”

     “Oh! Here’s your chance,” So Dam’s eyes went wide and she nodded towards the store Jinhee was in. Jonghyun’s heart raced even before he turned and saw how pretty she looked in just a simple flowery dress. “I wonder how she’s going to get home safely with all those heavy bags she’s carrying. If only someone with a car, who is conveniently –and stalkerishly—parked across from where she is, offers to give her a lift!” So Dam said mockingly.

     “Seriously noona?” Jonghyun stared blankly at her, shaking his head slightly. “Is that the best you can—hey no!”

     Before Jonghyun could even finish his sentence, So Dam had reached over to his side of the driver’s seat to press the horn a couple of times. It certainly did its job of getting Jinhee’s attention because she was now crossing the street, heading right for them.

 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________