She so did not want to be here, especially when the person you thought you cared for the most and who returned that care, turned out to be the one who would hurt you the most, and leave a scar deeper than the most abysmal of seas.

Four years. It had been four estranged years since she had last seen your home country… and the last time Lin Mayu had allowed yourself to love.

His brows furrowed as his chin trembled; he was trying so hard not to cry.

“I’m sorry, mei-mei.” His voice was not higher than a whisper, yet more sincere than all of the letters Mayu had ever sent. “I promise I’ll never hurt you again. Don’t leave. You’re my best friend.”

Mayu nervously bit your lower lip, clenching your fists to hold back her emotions. “I’m not sorry. You opened my eyes. You made me realize that that’s all we could ever hope to be: friends.” As she forcibly turned herself away from his shaking figure, she found yourself not being able to hold back the tears anymore. Before her body could move anymore, the pain-stricken male’s hand shot out and grasped your wrist.

“Yah! Sweetheart, your dad said we have to get going now or we’ll miss the plane! It’s the only one to Australia for another week!” Mayu’s mother called to her in annoyance from the car.

“Don’t go.” His soft voice pleaded again and Mayu wondered if he was now just a broken record.

“I get it now, so forget me. You deserve better. I’m helping you now. Forget our memories; it shouldn’t be too hard when you have your new toy.” She spat, taking her wrist back and slamming the car door after she fully got in. The streets began to move underneath her, and try as she might, she couldn’t help but to look in the mirror, only to see his kneeling figure in the distance. Mayu’s swollen eyes fixated on him as he got smaller and smaller, until he was out of sight, and even then. “Goodbye, my only love.”

Stepping out of the hotel lobby, Mayu took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I’m back, Beijing, remember me?” The words fell on her breath in such a familiar, yet cold fashion. Feet moving, scenery changing, breaths taken; they were all steps towards a new beginning. A beginning to a life determined to be free of regret. Regret of old memories, false promises, and words left aching to be uttered, but forever silent.

The city lights, as dusk set in warmed your body, gathering your courage. Hastening your step, she made her way through the well-known streets, looking for a certain restaurant. Minutes passed and she came face-to-face with the old ramyun shop she had grown up in. Pushing open the door, she smiled kindly to the ajhumma inside.

“Ó! Nín hǎo! Tā yǐjīng tài zhǎngle!” She smiled and rambled in Mandarin as she did when Mayu was a little girl. “Your little friend never comes around anymore, in case you were wondering. Now sit! Australia must’ve been tiring, Grandma is going to make you the best ramyun you will have ever eaten!” Thanking the woman, she sat down in a booth near the window.

‘That little friend won’t come around much at all. I doubt I’ll see him again. Hopefully he took my request and followed it. Did you forget our memories?’ Tears welled up against her will, and she turned to gaze outside the shop in a feeble attempt to try to stop them.

“You know, pretty girls like you shouldn’t cry.” She looked over, surprised at the sudden voice, to be met with a handsome face staring worriedly into her startled one. “My name is Lu Han, and I couldn’t help but to notice you. Are you alright?” He sat down across from the teary-eyed female, never once breaking their gaze.

“Just old memories, it’s nothing. You shouldn’t worry about it, but thank you.” He smiled warmly at Mayu’s drying eyes, and shook his head.

“Too late, already worried.” Giggling lightly, she allowed herself to smile back. “You look like you need a break from whatever is bugging you; how about after dinner we go out? I have some friends that I was planning on going to a karaoke place with, would you like to join?” Nodding slightly, his grin widened. “Good. By the way,” He started to speak as our food came, and then continued as the girl took a bite. “You look pretty when you smile.” Immediately, blush snuck up onto her cheeks, adding a soft pick tinged to her soft, pale face.

Some thirty minutes later, Mayu and Lu Han had finally finished their dinners, paid and left the shop, heading for the karaoke night. As they walked, she found herself letting her thoughts drift back to the past again. Wasn’t that why she were going out with this man; to forget about the past? Her forlorn thoughts hoped so. As the two newly acquainted bodies entered the room containing seven other people, Mayu’s mind blanked.

“Hey! So this is the pretty girl you told us about! You know, you’re crap at explaining things Lu Han.” Mayu watched as a chubby-cheeked male walked up towards her, holding his hand out. “Hello there, I’m Xiu Min! You’re much prettier than Lu Han led us to believe. This,” He pointed to each of the other men in the room in turn. “Is Lay, Chen, Sehun, Kai, Baekhyun, and Suho.” The men all bowed to me and I reciprocated, putting on the best smile I could muster.

“My name is Mayu Lin, thank you for letting me be with you guys tonight. I really appreciate it.”

“You won’t be thankful after the other four show up and started screwing around.” Lu Han whispered in my ear before being tugged away by Xiu Min. They all started singing, and, at a loss of what to do, Mayu sat down on the couch, watching silently, emotionlessly, at the men who were having fun. She didn’t want to break their mood, so whenever they would glance at her, she would put on another fake smile.

It took about seven songs, but Lu Han finally grabbed Mayu’s hand and drug her to her feet, smiling cheekily at her.

“Oh god, what are you planning?” Mayu flicked his forehead and took the microphone he held out.

“Mayu, you dance right?” She nodded in response to Lu Han’s question. “Do you listen to girl groups?” Another nod. “Do you listen to Girls’ Generation?” A third nod came from the girl as Kai stepped up with Baekhyun and typed in the number of the song. “Don’t hold back now, alright?” Her light laughter rang out as he ruffled her hair to the opening notes of ‘Gee.’

Quickly, she got into the dance and discovered that Baekhyun was the only one doing as well as her. Talk about fanboy much? Determined to beat him, Mayu worked harder, only to notice him doing the same. By the ending notes of the song, Kai and Lu Han had sat down, and Baekhyun and she stood up close to the screen to see who got a higher score. As the scores posted to the screen, Mayu looked between the fanboy’s and her scores, squealing in delight at the results. Jumping up and down while clapping her hands, she managed a little happy dance while the other guys laughed at Baekhyun’s failure to a girl.

“Wow, the first person to beat hyung at this song. I’m impressed.” The startled girl looked up to see the other four men that Lu Han promised would show up. “Hi, I’m Chanyeol. This is Kris, D.O., and,”

“Zitao.” The name danced off of her breath before the man named Chanyeol could say it. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she took a step back. “You can’t be.” Mayu’s eyes searched his face; it was all the same. Same eyes, same shocked look, same piercings, the same facial structure that reminded her of a cute panda. Four years had passed, and he looked exactly the same. Huang Zitao. The man she had been in love with since junior high, the same man that dated her during their second year of high school only to cheat on her with the of the school. The man that she had been pushing out of my mind now stood before her, as shocked as she was.

“Mei-mei.” He reached out for Mayu, but before he could touch her gentle hands, she ran.

‘No. He can’t be here. Mom said he was in Korea for a while. Why is he here? That doesn’t matter anymore, run Mayu! Run!’ Her swift footsteps led her out to a park a few blocks away. There, a wooden walkway sat upon a river bank. Slowing down, Mayu walk out onto the plants, and cried again. All of the tears that built up since the day she left came pouring out as heavy as a waterfall.

“Mei-mei!” She heard his voice again, and looked back, to see Zitao’s body racing towards hers. Mayu had half a mind to run away, but her legs didn’t budge. “Mei-mei, what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Huang Zitao.” The words that danced across her breath came out spiteful, how could they not? She had her heart broken by the one man she trusted with every piece of her life, and he just threw it away. Her. He had thrown her away, and somehow he had the audacity to show up in front of her now? “Just get away from me.”

“Please, mei-mei, listen. It was all a misunderstanding.” Mayu rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but the man had grasped her wrist, just like on the night she had left. “Just listen to me?”

“No!” Yanking her arm away, she stepped back. “Zitao, I won’t listen, not after what you did to me back then.”

“If you won’t listen to me, then watch this.” He shoved his phone at Mayu, tapping on the video he had selected. Mayu glared at him but then looked down as the video started

“Tao, come on, you know you want me. You deserve much better than that little girl you hang onto, I can give that to you.” Mayu watched, nose crumpled in disgust, as she saw that of female ing the top of her shirt next to Zitao. Mayu knew where this was going, and looked away.

“Mei-mei, look back, please.” Sighing, she turned her gaze back to the screen, and watched as Ren, the school , purposely fell on top of Zitao, knocking him to the floor.

“What the-” Mayu entered into view, and she looked horrified on screen as she saw Zitao’s hands on Ren’s waist as he s were threatening to fall out of the shirt. “I should’ve known not to trust you Huang Zitao. You said it was just harmless tutoring, you are such a ing liar!” Mayu’s voice cried out as she stormed out. At that point, Tao scrambled to get up and he glared back at Ren.

“Whoops, guess she’s not happy with you know.” The smirked at Tao as he stormed out.

Zitao stopped the video and looked at Mayu with watery eyes.

“I never cheated on you. You just left before I could explain what happened. I know you had every right to be mad given what you saw, but you never let me explain. I loved you too much to ever do that to you. I still love you too much to do anything like that. You are everything to me.” He placed the phone back into his pocket, and reached out for his first, and only love. Her shocked body refused to move, as she looked up into Tao’s soft eyes.

“I…” The stunned girl mumbled before throwing her arms around her best friend. “I had no idea. I’m sorry. Zitao, I’m so sorry.” She cried into his chest as his arms held her to his warm body.

“Don’t be sorry. Just trust me. I won’t ever hurt you again. I love you too much.” Mayu nodded against his chest and let the tears fall freely, only they weren’t full of pain anymore. Her mind was free of all of the heartbreak. Now there was only love. Love consumed her thoughts as Tao’s lips pressed softly against her hair. “You hear that? My heart’s beating for you. It’s always been for you.” Pulling back, Mayu smiled, genuinely, for the first time in ages. Forgetting is never easy; now, Mayu wouldn't have to.