(beta by -dolce-)

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Siwon was in front of Paper and Pie when sun was just rising and starting to bathe the world with warm, soft light.

“You obviously like her Siwon, but why did you make her cry? You must see her before you go, if you don’t want confess your feelings, the least that you can do is apologize.” Sungmin’s words kept playing again and again inside his head. Honestly, after the incident, he couldn’t sleep at all. His mind was full of Heechul. He was still convincing himself that he was just regretting what he had done last night that's why he came to Heechul's place but he didn't like her. He stared at the box that he was holding and decided to put it in front of Paper and Pie. He’s afraid that once he sees Heechul, he will break his own promise not to involve himself into a stupid thing called love.

“Oh, Siwon-sshi. You came so early.” Shindong’s voice broke his train of thought. Siwon bowed his head and smiled.

“Ne, Hyung. I just want to meet Heechul before I leave to Seoul.” He said.

“Heechul’s not here. She slept over at Mireu’s place, if you want I can give you the address.”

Siwon shook his head and decided that it’s for the best not to see her. “I’m in a hurry, Hyung. Can you give this to Heechul? But please don’t tell her that the box is from me and this is her shoes, she’s left it last night.”

Shindong nodded although slightly confused. “Okay. Good bye Siwon-sshi, see you later.” Siwon walked back to the waiting black Lexus, the driver ready to take him to Seoul.

 --

“He kissed you?”

“Yes, that bast—ugh! he kissed me. My first kiss was stolen by my enemy!” Heechul whined and buried her head in her pillow.

Mireu only scratched her head, not knowing how to comfort her friend. “It’s okay, Chul. Just think that it’s only a peck and not your first kiss and everything will be okay, besides, you said he will be leaving Korea today so that’s not a big deal. You don’t even know if you’re going to see him again.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” She mumbled.

“But you're so stupid, how can you runaway without your shoes?! You’re not Cinderella! You’re lucky enough that when you run to parking lot, Joon and I were about to leave, if not you’ll walk home barefoot!” Mireu ranted without noticing Heechul’s dangerous glare.

A pillow made contact with her head. “What?” She asked her confusedly.

“You’re not helping at all.” Heechul stated and buried her face in her pillow once again.

“People always get mad if someone tells the truth about them.” She muttered and ran away before another pillow can hit her. “Accept the truth, Chul-ah. You’re a babo and you like him.” Mireu shouted from outside her room and Heechul thought that if only she’s not her best friend, she could have thrown her to sea a long time ago. She groaned in frustration and confusion.

--

“Sorry I’m late, Oppa.” She said as soon as she entered the café.

“It’s okay. I understand. Oh, Heechul, someone left something for you. I placed it in your room.”

“Thank you, Oppa.” Heechul went to her room and saw a box sitting on her bed. She looked for a note but did not find any. She opened the box and gasped. The book she really wanted from long time ago sat neatly inside the box. She picked it up carefully. She turned every page of the book until her eyes landed on last page and found three little initials. CSW and she recognized it immediately.

“Aish, he bartered my first kiss with this book. You’re really bast--” Somehow, she can’t continue cursing him. She hugged the book, mumbling a soft thank you before putting it back inside the box.

When she walked to her cupboard, she found Mireu's stiletto on one of the empty shelves. “I guess you’re wrong, Mireu. I’m Cinderella and I actually have a prince.” She smiled dreamily.

 --

Siwon brought out the same book he bought a few months ago and realized he had given Heechul the wrong book. “I think I gave her the book with my initials. Whatever, maybe she didn’t notice.” He thought and let himself be absorbed by the book. The corsage lay inside a transparent box he put inside his bag. He had to admit that he liked Heechul but only a little bit. A teeny tiny bit. But not enough for them to be friends.

Love has bloomed? Maybe.

8 years later

“I don’t like your girlfriend. She admitted she had a nose job.”

“But Grandma, she--”

“No buts!” Toot toot toot.

And again, his grandma hung up before he can finish what he was saying and again, his grandma ordered him to break up with his girlfriend. He’s Choi Siwon, 26 years old, Former president of Neul Paran High School and always controlled by grandmother about who date and not. Every girl he introduced to his grandma she didn’t approve. From Melody, a sweet Paris girl to Jisoon, a businesswoman slightly older than him. The last girl was Hwanjoong, Siwon’s business partner, his grandma disliked her only because she had a nose job and she became his 20^th ex-girlfriend.

“What’s wrong with that face, Hyung?” Kyuhyun, his cousin entered his office with an amusing smile. “After Auntie and Uncle passed away, grandma became really overprotective of you. She even decides who you’ll date.”

“She’s not overprotective, she just wants me to get engaged with Kibum, but I don’t like her.”

“Why don’t you fight for your love? I mean, if you really love your girlfriend, you won’t break up with them easily every time Grandma asks you to. Unless…you don’t really love them.” Kyuhyun pointed out. And he had to admit that he was never really serious about his ex-girlfriends. He didn’t want to think about love or marriage right now. What he wanted to think about right now was work.

“You’re right, I just want to think about work.”

“Or you haven’t forgotten your adolescent love.” Kyuhyun smirked upon seeing his reaction.

Siwon frowned, “What?”

“I knew it, Hyung! Dry corsage inside the glass box in your apartment is for your first love, right?” Kyuhyun twirled a pen in his palm.

A small smile etched Siwon’s lips. “No, that belongs to my enemy. I just didn’t want throw it away but I will. . .uh, later.”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes after hearing his answer. “Right and you keep dumping your girlfriends not because Grandma wants you to but because you only like her.”

“Not really, Kyuhyun. I just want to concentrate on more important things.”

“Whatever you say, Hyung.”

 --

“Oh, . Why must this ing elevator break down now?” She cursed, running to the other lift but before she can reach it, the door closed. “Aish, damn!” She didn’t have any other option but to take the stairs. She climbed the stairs in a hurry, balancing her documents in one hand and coffee in the other.

She’s Kim Heechul, 26 years old, working at Miinah fashion magazine as assistant writer for a senior columnist in the magazine, although she’s actually an assistant in every sense of the word. She not only helps her write her article, she also picks up her laundry, buys her coffee or lunch, goes with her when she shops (as a bag carrier, thank you) and all other odds and ends.

“Late again, Heechul?” Her co-worker, a tomboy named Eunhyuk, was grinning when she entered the room.

“Shut up! Elevator broke down!” She spat. She quickly placed the documents on the table. “Is she here yet?”

Eunhyuk shook her head and went back to cleaning her precious camera. She works both as a photographer for the magazine and as a freelance photographer. “Smile, Heechul!” She directed the camera towards her and by force of habit, Heechul smiled. “You’re pretty. Why do you always refuse to model for me?” She asked as she eyed the picture she just took.

  “Because you won’t pay me.”

Eunhyuk snorted after hearing her answer. She noticed a girl wearing a designer dress outside the glass walls. “Who’s she?”

Heechul followed her gaze. “Oh, Kim Kibum. She’s the new manager. You don’t know her?”

“I don’t care, except if she’s talking to me.” She stood up and left.

Heechul just shook her head from her friend’s antics. She sat down and started typing her new article, hoping that the article can make her a real writer and not just an assistant. Little did she know that her boss always claims her work as hers. She changes some words and passes it off as her own and gets praises for it, too. The only reason why Kim Heechul was never promoted.