Shim Changmin loved the number 99.

Choi Sooyoung was the number one witness of that.

                They had met way back when they were both trainee of SM Entertainment, eager to see what the life of a celebrity would bring them. That was the very first time she ever associated the number 99 with the tall, lanky man, who somehow had an appetite as big as hers.

“Tell me 99 things about you.”

Sooyoung’s eyes widened as she stared at the man seated across her. “Are you crazy, Changmin-ssi? 99 is too much!”

“Be glad that I didn’t ask for 101 things about you.” A beat passed. “And it’s Changmin oppa already, remember?”

“Well, oppa.” She made a face at him. “I can’t think of 99 things about me to tell you. I’ll take me forever to think of that many.”

Changmin popped a piece of cookie in his mouth, taking him time to chew and swallow it before he replied. “I have all the time in the world.”

The long haired brunette arched an eyebrow at her. “You’re stubborn.”

“Thank you very much.”

                Miraculously for her, she did manage to come up with 99 random and somehow interesting things about herself that she told him. As a result of that, Sooyoung found herself spending the whole afternoon with Changmin especially when he took it upon himself to return the favor. She knew right there and then that he would always be a close friend of hers. She didn’t expect that to change. But it did… and the change of their relationship came with a heartfelt confession.

                Changmin stared at the motionless woman standing before him. She hadn’t said a word to him for the past two minutes already. Normally, he wouldn’t mind that she didn’t say anything right away when he spoke to her. But this time was a whole different story. Of course, he would mind that she hadn’t said a word especially since he just told her that he loved her.

“Sooyoung…” He noted that she looking at everything but him. “Please say something.”

“Oppa, d-don’t do this…” Her voice trembled as she finally spoke. “You can’t love me.”

The dark haired man ran a hand through his hair as they stood in the rooftop of the SM building. He was expecting this. “Who said so? The fans? The antis? I don’t care about them.”

“You’re going to destroy your career.” Sooyoung shook her head, finally willing herself to look at him. “The fans won’t forgive you.”

“But do you love me?” The DBSK maknae asked

She didn’t say anything for a short while. “Oppa, don’t do this.”

He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to arrange his thoughts more coherently. “Give me 99 reasons why we can’t love each other. Don’t even dare include the fans. They’re out of this. This is about you and me only.”

“99 is too many, oppa.” The long legged woman protested. “I can’t think of 99.”

“You can think of a complete list of 99 reasons or you can’t think of one reason at all?

                Sooyoung didn’t say anything in reply; leaving the two of them staring intently at each other. Changmin could see the worry and hesitance in her eyes and with all honesty, she had the right to feel that way. But there was something else in her eyes that he saw which mattered more than anything.

She loved him too.

“Yeobo.” Her husband’s soft voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Sooyoung turned her head to see him going down the stairs with a piece of paper in hand. “Yes, yeobo?”

“I was finally able to do finish it.” Changmin smiled triumphantly as he settled on the sofa behind her. “I didn’t know it was going to be really hard but what the hell… I made it through!”

“What is that?” She asked, not receiving any verbal reply as she received the piece of paper from him.

99 possible names for Sooyoung and Changmin’s baby girl.