You were just best friends. Only best friends. You can’t deny that you felt something for Jo Youngmin. You’ve been best friends since you were in your diapers, and ever since then, you two were inseparable. When you both grew, you grew closer than before. As time passed by, you fell for his charms. Just like the other girls in your school, but you weren’t just in love with his looks. You were in love with his quirks and flaws that no one but you knew about. People suggested that you two should date or some would speculate that you two were actually dating, but in reality you weren’t. You just wished you were. You didn’t have the courage to admit him about how you felt because you were scared that… that you were going to ruin your long-time friendship. One day, Youngmin asked you a question that somehow made you hopeful and somehow it made a crack on your fragile little heart.

“Hey, can I get some advice from you?” Youngmin asked you. You nodded at him.

“There’s this girl I like…” Youngmin paused. He looked straight in your eyes. You felt your heart’s pace go faster as he locked his eyes to yours, “…love and I want to admit to her that…”

“You love her?” You quickly interrupted him, seeing that he was having a hard time. Youngmin nodded and his look never faltered, it seemed like you were going to melt in his gaze.

“Why don’t you just tell her how you feel? You might be surprised she felt the same.” You said. Youngmin opened his mouth and you hoped that he was going to tell you those three words but he immediately shut his mouth. He stood up and turned around. He mumbled an, “I gotta go” and rushed off to meet with his band. You sat there, watching his back slowly disappear from your view.

Ever since that little talk, Youngmin couldn’t look at you in the eye. You wondered if everything just grew awkward, but you wished it didn’t. He would talk to you one in a while but it never lasted. That small talk affected your friendship… but you asked yourself, did it really? Or was Youngmin just hiding something from you? The past week, Youngmin started not to attend his class. You wondered why but no one actually did know what the deal with his absences was. Even his band mates didn’t have a clue on why he was missing out on his classes and even in band practice.

“Why don’t you visit him then?” One of his band mates suggested to you. The truth is, you didn’t have the courage to visit him after what happened. You wanted to but in your head, you thought he didn’t want to see you anymore.

“If I were you, I would visit him as soon as I can.” Another band mate told you. Maybe, you should really visit him. He might be sick and maybe, needed someone to talk to. You decided to visit him after class.

As you reached his house (and man, was his house seriously big), you rang the door bell. You heard scurrying feet and the gate opened. A woman in her forties, probably, poked her head out and looked at you with a smile.

“Yes, can I help you?” She asked you with a sweet smile.

“Um, I’m here to visit op—I mean, Youngmin.” You bowed to her and gave a smile back.

“OH, I’m sorry.” She still had the sweet smile. She was looking at you with eyes of a person a dark monster, “We’re not accepting visitors for any of our masters right now.”

“But, I’m… I’m his best friend and I really want to visit him.” You pleaded; you were sort of desperate to see him. What the hell was wrong? Why didn’t they want anybody to visit?

“I just said we’re not accepting, right?” Her sweet tone changed to serious (and kind of y, lol) and her glare just grew angrier.

“Isn’t he sick? Visiting a sick person is necessary.” You said fiercely. You were starting to get annoyed with this woman. You were about to lose control and barge inside his house without a care.

“You think he’s sick?” The woman snorted obnoxiously.

You clenched your fists and your eye twitched. You’re actually about to lose control. Right. Now.

“You must be a fool to think he’s sick.” The woman said. She slammed the gate in your face (IN YO FACE) and you heard her cackle like a witch. And, another slammed door. It was probably their entrance door.

You growled in frustration. If only you knew how to climb walls, you could probably breach inside and go to his room. Suddenly, you felt a tug on your shirt. You looked down to see a little boy looking at you with his big, bright eyes. He pressed his pointer finger to his lips and took your hand. He led you to a small entrance, which surprisingly, you fitted inside. (I’m not trying to call you fat or anything, lol.) The hole was kid-sized. The little boy took your hand again and brought you to a ladder, which was attached to a window.

“What’s this?” You asked the little boy.

He pointed up to the window and made a climbing pose. You grabbed the ladder and looked at the little boy, you were about to thank him but he suddenly disappeared as if it was thin air. You looked around, but there was no sign of the boy. You started climbing the ladder, your heart thumped in nervousness. With every peg being climbed, you felt your knees wobble. You reached the window. You saw Youngmin… packing his things?! What…where…how…why? You frantically knocked on his window, when he looked at you, his eyes went wide. He opened his window, “What are you doing here?” He hissed. He looked at his door when he heard noises outside, “My people will definitely do something if they see you here!” Youngmin was in rich family, a powerful, rich family. His parents were influential.

“But… oppa… I… I thought you were sick.” You mumbled. Youngmin helped you to his room. You sat on the floor and hugged your knees.

He shook his head and cupped your cheeks, “Did you just climb the ladder to visit me?” You nodded meekly and felt tears pool your eyes. He smiled gently, “Don’t cry…” He wiped the tears in the corner of your eyes. A knock on the door startled the both of you. Out of the blue, he pressed his lips to yours.

“I love you. Always have. Always will. You were the one I was referring when I asked you about the advice. I’m sorry I wasn’t talking to you much during the past few weeks. It’s because my parents told me, we had to leave.” Youngmin whispered against your lips.

“Master Youngmin.”  The voice from outside the door called, “Are you ready?”

“Yes, I’ll be outside as soon as I am.” Youngmin answered.

“Is anybody inside there?” The voice asked. Youngmin answered a quick no and we both heard the steps leave. Youngmin turned to you again. He kissed you more deeply and pulled you to a tight hug, “I’m sorry for keeping everything to myself. I… I was afraid. I’m so sorry.”

You sobbed in his shoulder and was about to reply when there was knocking on the door the again.

“Excuse me, but you really have to leave.” The voice outside said. This was probably a different person now, because whoever he or she was, sounded really serious. The door knob started moving, and we heard keys dangling.

Youngmin pushed you to the closet. He didn’t mean to but he just had to. He didn’t know what to do. The door opened just in time. You were peeking from the small hole in his closet. You heard them talk and the man grabbed Youngmin’s things. You saw him look at you. You were too late to reply. The door closed after Youngmin went out of the room.

You opened the closet door and climbed down the ladder quickly, tears still falling down your cheeks. Half-way down the ladder, you saw their car leave. You hopped down the ladder, you scratched your elbow but you didn’t care. You slipped out of the gate, without even caring that the maids were staring at you. You tried catching the car but it was too quick, of course. You saw one of his band mates on a motorcycle. You called for him and he looked at you. You ran to him.

“Can you bring me to the airport?” You asked him, desperately.

“Are you crying?” He asked you with obvious surprise in his tone.

“YES, I’m crying!! Please, just take me to the airport!” You desperately pleaded. He nodded and gave you a helmet. You wore it and hopped on the motorcycle. As you sped your way through the road, you were definitely regretting how you waited so long before admitting everything. Now, you were too late. He was going to leave you permanently. You arrived at the airport, his band mate parked his motorcycle wherever and followed you inside the airport. You were running around the airport, trying to look for Youngmin. You spotted his coat, he was looking down sadly.

“OPPAAAAAAAAA!” You screamed, referring to Youngmin. You knew everyone looked at you. You didn’t care. Youngmin whipped around, he started at you, bewildered.

Tears poured even more and you wanted to run to him but your feet were stuck in its’ place.

“Approach him.” Youngmin’s band mate whispered in your ear. You nodded, you started walking to Youngmin. Your knees wanted to give in but you didn’t want to just give up yet. Youngmin met you half-way and pulled you to a hug.

“I love you too.” You whispered softly in his ear. Everyone was watching your every move.

“I love you more.” Youngmin kissed you lovingly. You wished this moment would stop. You wanted desperately for him to stay… but you know he wouldn’t.

“Sir, we have to leave.” A voice behind Youngmin said, he gripped his hand and pulled him away from you.

“Good-bye… I love you…” He repeated, he looked at you with sad eyes.

You covered your mouth to stifle a sob, “Please don’t leave.”

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, tears trickling down his cheeks. He disappeared inside the tunnel towards the entrance of the airport. You feel to your knees, his band mate hugged you from behind as you sobbed into his chest.

Too late.

You were moments too late.