'I can handle it myself,' he said, ending his declaration with a trademark smile.

For the life of her, Hyoyeon couldn't figure out why it seemed like he was declaring war on her.

'Well...' Jungshin cleared his throat, 'it's safe to say that we should move on to Plan B.'

Hyoyeon's reply was a sniff. Not because she was crying, but because she was sick. Stupid plan A, why did anyone even go for plan A.

She was feeling miserable for herself, because even with the care Yonghwa had given her three days ago, it hadn't stopped her getting sick. As it was, meeting the two boys in the family restaurant wasn't her idea of fun, she just wanted to curl up in her bed and sleep. Preferably for three days straight.

'Noona, you'll like this one. Nice and simple like you said...' Minhyuk promised. He performed a very impressive impromptu drum roll, which also impressed Jungshin until it went for longer than required and he halted his friend's hands, 'Beach trip!'

'Beach trip?' Hyoyeon repeated.

'Beach trip!' the two guys confirmed with excitement.

Hyoyeon joined in on their excitement, 'You know what, this is great! It will be a way for me and Seohyun to catch up with Sooyoung and Tiffany. I haven't seen much of them since we started uni.'

'Wait, you're inviting girls?' Jungshin asked, looking worried.

'They're not going to bite you,' Hyoyeon assured him, only belatedly remembering that he had trouble with women who weren't her or Seohyun, 'even Tiffany! I'll tell her to be on her best behaviour.'

'As if she has one,' Minhyuk snorted, and Hyoyeon was surprised. She didn't know that TIffany and Minhyuk even spoke, let alone that there would be any history between them that would cause him to say something cynically.

Now wasn't the time to be questioning him about it though, her bed was calling her.

'Anyway, I'll send the invites,' Hyoyeon decided before reaching for another tissue, 'when I get better of course.'

She imagined the beach, the hot guys there and thought that maybe if things went according to plan she could get some down time to meet someone for herself.

This could work!

+++

‘BEEEEEEACCCHHHHHH!!!' the boys yelled and ran for the water.

Hyoyeon grinned at Seohyun, Sooyoung and Tiffany.

'BOYS!!' they all shook their heads in unison before bursting out laughing. 

They then turned to debate on where to set up the beach umbrella, which was just fine because they had to wait until at least two of the guys came back to shore before they could get it installed anyway. When they were ready to summon some of the guys, none of them were surprised to find that girls all over the beach had already noticed the guys and moved closer like bees to honey.

The CN Blue boys knew how to make a woman (or women) feel special though, and they barely even glanced at other girls' directions as they made it back to the group.

'Seohyun-ah, what do you want to do?' Hyo asked, laying her towel down next to her best friend, 'a swim?'

'Sorry unnie, I really should read for my assignment,' she lifted up her book, 'I'll just stay here for awhile.'

Hyoyeon smiled, 'That's okay. Minhyukkie, Jungshin-ah, let's go play beach volleyball-- come on Sooyoung... where's Tiffany?'

'She's over there,' Minhyuk glared at the general direction of where Tiffany was now talking to some guys and girls.

Hyoyeon grinned, Tiffany really was a social butterfly who made friends anywhere. Not for the first time, she envied her.

'Really you'd think that she could at least remember who she came here with...' Minhyuk muttered.

'Minhyuk, don't be a stodgy old man. Let her have her fun, come on let's play!!'

Hyoyeon remembered just how suspicious Yonghwa was, but didn’t want to take the risk that he wouldn’t have some down time with Seohyun, but on the other hand she knew that Yonghwa was the most uncoordinated of all the CN Blue boys and the one least likely to play volleyball, 'Yonghwa, will you play?’

She didn’t know if she was disappointed or happy when he shook his head, ‘I’ll just sit in the shade for awhile,’ he said, ‘I feel a song coming up.’

Hyoyeon smiled at that. She loved watching him compose, it was truly an amazing thing. The concentration on his face, the way he seemed to be so enthralled in what he was doing that he couldn’t even be bothered to push his fringe off of his face and it kept falling over his eyes... not to mention the way he bit his lip when he was thinking...

‘Noona hurry up!’ Minhyuk complained.

She cast one last glance at Yonghwa dropping down onto the sand next to Seohyun, smiled at the plan moving perfectly and put her mind into to the game.

+++

Unfortunately, when you put actresses, dancers and rock stars in a volleyball match—on a public beach—what you often got (and definitely in this instance) was a spectacle.

At first they were just playing sedately, but when play acting got involved (when Tiffany eventually joined them), added to the “Bash Brothers” Jungshin and Minhyuk did air guitar and amp jumps at the end of every point they won, and with Hyoyeon and Sooyoung popping and locking when they scored...

It was hard not to draw attention. What seemed like the whole beach started to cheer them on and it become one big party.

Hyoyeon worried that they were interrupting Seohyun and Yonghwa’s peace and serenity, but when she returned to their beach umbrella during a break in the game—it was empty.

Maybe they’d gone for a walk—that could only be a good sign.

‘AAH!’ she yelped, as she felt a freezing cold sensation on her cheek, sending her falling backwards onto the ground.

She squinted upwards to find Yonghwa laughing at her.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I came to the beach with you stupid,’ he dropped the water bottle into her lap, ‘is your memory bad or did you get too many volleyballs to the head?’

‘Thanks,’ was her reply instead, busying herself with opening her water so she didn’t have to explain just where she thought he was.

He threw her beach shirt over her shoulders, 'Don't want to get sunburned.'

‘Hehe, decided to take me under your wing?’ she couldn’t help but grin, ‘Admit it, you miss being a hyung day in and day out don’t you?!’

‘Ehhh? Of course not, I’m happy with my freedom,’ he scoffed, but Hyoyeon knew he was joking.

‘By the way, where's Seohyun?’ Hyoyeon tried to sound like a concerned unnie instead of a meddling matchmaker.

‘Jonghyun got a call from the school saying that their first performance date has been pushed up to next week so they went back to the inn to do some practise.’

‘Oh,’ Hyoyeon said, and while a part of her disappointed, she tried to suppress the part that was happy.

‘You’re looking a bit disappointed... things not go according to plan again?’ he asked innocently.

Their eyes met and Hyoyeon wondered if he was just fishing for clues, or whether he actually knew something was up.

‘I am a bit disappointed, I haven’t spent that much time with Jonghyun since we graduated,’ she said holding her breath for his reply, she hoped that while she wasn’t as good an actress as Tiffany, she came close.

‘Jonghyun?’ he repeated, ‘don’t tell me you’ve set your sights on him.’

‘What?’ she looked so shocked that she could barely function, which was just as fine as he seemed to be deep in thought.

‘Aren’t you aiming a bit high? I mean, I’m glad that you’re stepping up from high school— you weren’t exactly good at picking guys—there was always something really wrong with them.’

Hyoyeon wanted to wipe that smile off his face by letting him know that he was actually at the top of that “very wrong” list. But she resisted.

‘What do you know about the guys I liked in school?’ she asked defensively.

‘Well there was your dance partner who really only buttered you up because you’re the best dancer and he wanted a good exam result. There’s that guy who played the piano that you were obsessed with—he ended up having a girlfriend. The guy with the “cute eye smile” that you stalked on the way home—who also had a girlfriend... and of course, can we forget your “BFF”,’ Yonghwa listed.

Hyoyeon opened and closed soundlessly, before finally, ‘I didn’t realise you were paying attention...’

‘It was hard not to,’ Yonghwa said, shocking them both.

They stared at each other, Hyoyeon wondering what he meant by that... and Yonghwa in disbelief at what he had just revealed, both to Hyoyeon and to himself.

‘Hyo, we’re starting!’ Sooyoung called.

Hyoyeon moved automatically, but found herself pausing, waiting for Yonghwa to stop her or to say something else.

When he didn’t, she left.

+++

Yonghwa sat on his bed a few hours later, with Jonghyun plucking the guitar strings lightly as he practised some more. Minhyuk and Jungshin were next door sharing a room.

He found himself looking at his bandmate and decided that he was definitely different from all the guys Hyoyeon had liked—except maybe the pianist. Jonghyun was quiet and reserved— the complete opposite to Hyoyeon’s loud and brash ways.

And yet looking back, especially when he was dating Seohyun, the two got along well enough. In fact he remembered being amazed by how cheeky and outgoing Jonghyun became in Hyoyeon’s company. It was an effect she had on most people... like bringing sunlight into a dark room.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing... yet somehow he couldn’t feel happy for them... he sighed.

‘If you sigh one more time, I’ll have to ask what’s wrong and since you know I’m not good at comforting people, it’s going to get awkward,’ Jonghyun said, not even looking up from his guitar.

‘What do you think of Hyoyeon?’

Jonghyun plucked a wrong string and stopped playing. He looked up guiltily and Yonghwa’s suspicions grew.

‘Well?’

‘I like her—but before you go all protective on her behalf again, please note that I think of her as a good friend.’

‘Again?’ Yonghwa asked in confusion, he would have remembered if they’d had this conversation before.

‘You know! How you never think anyone is good enough for Hyoyeon and you go out of your way to intimidate and question any guy that shows an interest in her.’

‘Ya! What are you talking about? When have I ever done that?’ Yonghwa asked defensively.

Jonghyun hesitated, feeling like he shouldn’t say what he was about to say, ‘I’m not saying there was anything wrong with it. Someone has took out for her—and maybe you thought that because of Seohyun,’ he cleared his throat, ‘you felt you had to take that responsibility.’

‘When?’ Yonghwa bit out, feeling uneasy about the turn of the conversation.

‘When you stalked that “cute eye smile guy” to reveal he had a girlfriend he was hiding. Oh, and when you befriended that pianist in music class so you could get information out of him. How about the dance partner—he developed a nervous tick whenever he saw you.’

Yonghwa felt like he’d just opened his eyes for the first time.

But he didn’t know what it meant.

+++

Author's note: Hi everyone, sorry for the late update. I've been trying to push this story together, it's a bit challenging. But your support really helps me do my best. I enjoy talking to you and hearing from you through the comment box. Also a shoutout to my subscribers :) knowing someone is waiting for updates is great. xxKei