Ha Neul’s POV

When Jonghyun pulled out of the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine, I was fighting the tears again.

He was someone who would sooner trust a mobster on the streets than a girl. And I fell in love with him. He would be away in Japan for two weeks now and that’s just the moment when I had to realise my feelings for. I felt like the whole world had turned against me.

“Hey Ghosty, I really ought to go back now or Jin hyung will butcher me for real.” Jonghyun suddenly broke my train of depressing thoughts and I made the mistake to look up. I met with Jonghyun’s dark, unfathomable, eyes and the way he gazed at me made me completely unable to look away. I couldn’t even blink anymore.

“But I’d like you to promise me one thing,” Jonghyun continued after what seemed like an eternity. I could feel his breath on my face whenever he spoke and it didn’t help in calming my racing heart at all. We were way too close but I couldn’t bring myself to step back. I simply didn’t want to.

“Promise me not to get into too much trouble, okay? Can you do that, Ghosty?” Jonghyun asked earnestly and I was surprised by the urgency in his eyes.

“Yes”, I answered a little confused. And to ease the tension, I added: “I promise I won’t blow up your apartment while you’re gone!”

“I wasn’t referring to my apartment, Ghosty”, Jonghyun sighed and I was puzzled again. Not the apartment?

“I was talking about trouble in general,” Jonghyun explained while he still rested his forehead on mine. “Like… don’t get involved with strangers. Or don’t walk around alone late at night. Also, don’t walk around at university without looking where you’re going. And don’t drink even a single drop of alcohol!” He finally straightened up again and I felt the cold air brush over my skin where our foreheads had touched. “Absolutely not!! Understood?”

“Yes mom!” I replied and saluted with a grin, trying to act as if the past half an hour had never happened.

“I’m being serious, Ghosty.”

I was still transfixed by his eyes and the way they looked at me made me swallow hard. “Arasso. I promise I’ll be careful.”

“Yeah, that’d be great”, Jonghyun mumbled more to himself and sighed. I thought I heard him say something about getting insomnia again, but I couldn’t be sure.

I then stood there awkwardly because I didn’t want to be the one to start saying goodbye.

“So… I guess I’ll be going then…?” Jonghyun finally broke the silence and gave me a lopsided smile.

“O-okay…” I answered and tried to smile back. “Have a safe flight…”

“Thanks…”

It then became even more awkward because we didn’t know how to say goodbye properly. Shaking hands seemed too formal but giving each other a short hug would have been weird too. Even though I would have loved to feel his arms around me and smell his scent once more…

In the end Jonghyun just waved his hand saying “bye” and I did the same. Then, he turned and started to fight his way through the crowd towards the exit. I kept hoping that he would look back but he didn’t. Not once.

Only, when he reached the door, he turned around once more and waved. I waved back and suddenly felt very grateful for all the people standing in between us for my eyes were watering again…

Finally, Jonghyun turned around and disappeared through the door. Now, he was really gone… for two weeks…

Damn it, I missed him already …

I slowly lowered my hand and like in trance wiped away the tears in my eyes.

“Who were you waving at?” A soft voice suddenly asked from behind and I spun around.

It took me several seconds until my mind realised who I was standing in front of. “Sungjong!” I then exclaimed with a small smile.

“Hey, noona,” he beamed back at me and gave me a friendly hug. “It’s good to see you again!”

“Yeah, me too. I missed you. We all did.”

“You think?” He gave me a sceptic but playful look. “I think Woohyun hyung just missed having someone to order around,” he then added dryly.

I chuckled. “Probably, huh...”

Then, Sungjong’s expression turned serious and he studied my face. “You seem kinda down, noona,” he said slowly and I looked away. I wished he would talk about something else. I didn’t want to think of it for now.

“It’s nothing. I’m just feeling a little tired at the moment because I have so much going on…” I said evasively. But then I put on a more enthusiastic expression. “Anyway, how was it in the States?” I asked hoping to change the topic.

And immediately, Sungjong’s eyes began to gleam excitedly. “It was great!”

“Okay, you have to tell me everything on our way back! Let’s go!” I already turned to leave when his words stopped me again.

“Ah, wait. Actually, I came with a friend of mine. She went to the bathroom while I was looking for you.”

Eh? The Sungjong who never had a girlfriend in his life brings back a girl from the states…? It was totally unexpected but I was still happy for him. “She?” I grinned at him mischievously. “Wohoo~! You even brought back a girlfriend?”

“Yah, she’s not my girlfriend! She’s three years older than me! She’s Korean too, by the way. She’s lived in the U.S. for about three years and is now moving back to Seoul. It just happened that we moved back at around the same time so we decided to fly together… Ah, there she is! Hey, Sarang noona, over here!” He shouted and waved.

I turned my head to look at the girl he was talking about and almost dropped my jaw. Walking towards us was one of those classical beauties one always sees on the television. She had long black hair, a fair complexion, and big almond-shaped eyes. She was wearing a sky-blue dress with a white flower pattern that went almost down to her knees. Her rose coloured cardigan, which matched her likewise rose pumps and leather handbag perfectly, was loosely draped over her shoulders. And even if she hadn’t been wearing the discreet but nonetheless expensive looking jewellery, she wouldn’t have lost a bit of her radiating elegance.

Somehow, she reminded me of Jonghyun’s mother. Even though they didn’t look alike at all and even though I didn’t feel that almost threatening demand for admiration like I had felt it that day from Jonghyun’s mother, despite that, they both had a similar overwhelming presence that called for reverence.

She was no doubt a lady from a wealthy family. As she halted in front of us and gracefully lowered her head, it was visible in her every movement. “Anyeonghaseyo. Nae ileum-eun Jeong Sarang imnida.” She introduced herself to me with a smile.

And again, I couldn’t help but think of Jonghyun’s mother. She too had an air of nobility. But compared to Sarang’s natural conduct right now, Jonghyun’s mother had appeared somehow trained and learned.

I was just about to bow as well, when Sungjong grabbed our shoulders and straightened us up. “Yah, what’s with all this formality? Come on, let me introduce you: Sarang noona, this is Hwang Ha Neul, the little sister of my hyung that I told you about. Noona, this is Seong Sarang, an upperclassman from college,” Sungjong said casually as he interchangeably smiled at the two of us.

I still did a little bow. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Sarang replied, also accompanied by a little bow.

“Okay, now that you guys know each other, where do you want to go?” Sungjong then asked and I looked at him quizzically. Did he seriously want to go somewhere with his entire luggage?!

“Do you really want to carry all your suitcases across Seoul?”

“Huh? We can just leave in the car, no?”

“Which car? Do you have one standing around here?”

“Stop playing dumb; of course, I’m talking about your car.”

“But I came by bus?”

“What?! Why? Don’t you remember me saying I’ll be bringing a lot of luggage?!”

“Yes, but I also remember the first and last time you rode in my car, you said you needed to find my examinee and sue him for letting a natural disaster like me onto the streets…” I saw Sungjong’s expression turn uneasy as he remembered the incident and I sniggered.

“Fine, let’s take the subway, then!” He grumbled and stalked away. Stifling a chuckle, I followed.

Jonghyun’s POV

As expected, Jin hyung was beyond pissed. When I arrived at the gate, he didn’t say a word. But the way he looked at me, his jaw set, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and his blazing glare, said more than a thousand words.

Crap. This time I was in serious trouble.

I just lowered my head, muttered a meek apology, and hurriedly boarded the plane. As I walked through the aisle the members looked at me questioningly and Minho asked where I had been. But I just ignored them, sat down on my seat, plugged in the earphones, and looked out the window. The members were probably exchanging unsure glances and shrugging their shoulders behind my back but right then I didn’t give a damn.

That Ghosty’s crying face, after I’d finally managed to break out of the kiss, was still vividly in my mind and I just couldn’t get it out.

Damn, I made her cry!

She had looked so forlorn and frail; I could have kicked myself for being such a jerk! And I had wanted nothing more than to take her into my arms and pat her back soothingly. To tell her that everything was going to be alright and that I would take care of everything that was causing her distress. If only she stopped crying…

It had taken every bit of my willpower not to do it and say goodbye instead.

Damn, I should have just ignored Jin hyung and brought her home to make sure she would get there safely! What if she falls down the stairs to the subway or crosses the street when it’s red because she’s still crying? Or if she believes some dude who pretends to be wanting to comfort her and offers to treat her to some food and she actually goes with him?!

I reached for my mobile but then I remembered that it was still with Jin hyung and I cursed. I put on the most remorseful expression I was currently capable of and turned to our manager. “Hyung, may I have my cell phone back?”

“No,” he replied icily and his expression told me that the matter wouldn’t be solved that easily.

I had the sudden urge to punch his face real hard and my hands automatically balled into fist.

That Ghosty is the mother of all troubles! If she is not looked after properly she will not only bring trouble for those around her but also, and most importantly, get hurt herself!

Pictures of her small body being hit by a truck or lying motionless at the bottom of some stony stairs and with blood flowing from her head flashed through my mind and I suddenly found it hard to breathe. My hand flew to my throat but there was nothing choking me.

Out of the corner of my eyes I registered Onew’s worried gaze so I tried to calm my nerves by looking at it from a more objective point of view.

That Ghosty is a 21 years old independent adult who is perf—

Independent?

Yes, independent! And she’s perfectly able to go from Incheon airport to my apartment without trouble!

You sure? This is Ghosty we’re talking about…

Y-yes… No. I’m. Sure! Moreover, it shouldn’t be of my concern anyway! She is only a stranger who I have taken in as a roommate because she had left me no choice! And in addition to that, she is a girl! I don’t worry about girls. In fact, I don’t have any sort of relationship with girls. Haven’t I decided that a long time ago?!

Then why did you kiss her? If you have no relationship with her at all?

I have kissed countless women without having any relationship with them whatsoever!

Have you kissed them at the airport, completely disregarding whether thousands of people might see you?

No…

Have you kissed them on a light-flooded, almost magical meadow in the forest far from the world?

No…

Have you kissed them gently like a feather brushing their lips in the middle of the night and while they were asleep on YOUR bed?

… No…

And you still tell me you have no relationship with her?

I…

I…

I can’t! I absolutely CANNOT! I mustn’t! And you know why perfectly!! So shut the hell up!!!

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“In about half an hour we will be arriving in Tokyo-Narita airport. Please fasten your seatbelts; we will now be starting our descent. The local time is 17.35, the temperature 23 degrees.” The stewardess’s announcement pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked up surprised.

We are already here? I feel like we took off just a few minutes ago… Heck that means I now spent two hours brooding over that girl?!

I swallowed hard. Okay, things can no longer continue like this. It needs to stop. Now.

So… for the two weeks of our stay here in Japan I shall not think of her once! She is not someone with whom I have a relationship to begin with, thus I need not think of her. I must not.

Feeling somewhat reassured now that I was back in control over my own mind, I leaned back into my seat and breathed out slowly, waiting for the plane to finally touch ground.

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I know you guys probably want to butcher me for this chapter (*goes and hides under the bed*) but please bear with it for a little while longer!! >< I promise you will understand soon why things turned out this way!