A couple of sweaters flew out of a closet, followed by pair after pair of shoes.

                Almost as quickly as he threw them to whatever place in the room, Shim Changmin picked them up and stuffed them into two of the waiting suitcases on his bed. He had no time to fold his clothes neatly despite his massive urge to do so, being the obsessively compulsive person that he was. He simple just didn’t have the time. If he wanted a chance to have the life he knew he wanted, he couldn’t afford to waste time. He had been doing a lot of that lately and he could just hope that it wasn’t too late.

Kim Heechul arched an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded over his chest. “Did anyone ever teach you how to pack properly?”

Changmin looked up from his suitcases and scowled. “Could you be more helpful?”

He mocked the younger man, smirking when the latter realized that he wasn’t getting any help… for now. “Did you really think this through, Min?”

“Yes, hyung.”

An eyebrow rose once more. “Did the mind do thinking or the heart did?”

“The mind doesn’t function well if the heart isn’t okay.”

Heechul sighed at that, finally detaching himself from the doorway and helped with packing. “What are you going to do when you get there?”

“I don’t know, hyung.” The younger man replied softly and Heechul was sure he had never seen his friend look that lost. But as quickly as it appeared, the Shim Changmin he knew resurfaced again. “I’ll figure it out along the way.”

He shook his head, straightening up after his zipped his friend’s duffel bag. “You do know your parents won’t be happy about this, right?”

“I’m not doing this to make them happy.” Changmin’s eyes fell on the framed picture on his bedside table. “I’m doing this because I want to be happy.”

“I think you will, Min. I think you will.”

o-o-o-o-o

                Choi Sooyoung let out a defeated sigh as she remained seated on a wooden bench, absently watching the people that passed her by, the trains that zoomed out of sight. A quick glance to the nearby clock told her that a few minutes were left for the day, before midnight greeted her. She wasn’t there willingly – of course, not. If she had things her way, she would be at home, sleeping… or at least in her aunt’s home that is.

                Her shoulder sagged at the thought, pointedly forcing herself to pay attention to anything before her; anything that would help her forget that she and her younger sister were now orphans. Her parents were taken away from them just two weeks ago and now she and Sulli were forced to leave the life they had known in Seoul and move to Busan where one of their aunts lived. Sooyoung silently berated herself for that, especially when she saw how much her sister struggled to say goodbye to Seoul and everything and everyone that came with it. It wasn’t that she didn’t struggle herself because God knows how she tore her heart to pieces when she said her goodbyes but seeing her sister suffering was something different, more painful. If only she earned enough in her previous job, they could’ve stayed.

                 She sighed once more, pushing those memories at the back of her mind. They did nothing to help her situation, being in the Busan train station at her aunt’s request. Her aunt had been vague on what she was there to receive, merely stating that someone was coming and that person would be looking for her. Sooyoung had nearly asked why she was going instead of Sulli but bit her comment back, realizing that it was already evening and Sulli still had school the next day. She had been in the train station for two hours now and still, no one had approached her yet just as what her aunt had said.

                Another glance to the clock was sent and she watched as it struck midnight. Sooyoung got up from her feet, ready to call her aunt and ask her to find another way to get whatever she needed to get from that still unknown person. Reaching for the phone in the pocket of her jeans, she turned her back to the railroad tracks; the sound of an approaching train soon reaching her ears.

“Auntie!” Sooyoung spoke to the phone, absently noting the noises that the disembarking passengers were making. “I’m so sorry but it’s already midnight and the person–”

“Sooyoung?”

The tall brunette nearly dropped the phone from her gasp; having barely enough sense to catch herself – and the small gadget – on time. She could hear her aunt’s frantic calling from the other end of the line and brought the phone back to her ears. “Hello, Soo? Sooyoung!” Her aunt shrieked into the mouthpiece; Sulli’s voice distant in the background. “Soo, is he there? Sooyoung!”

“Y-Yes, he is.”

                With that, Sooyoung ended the call, knowing full well that her aunt would understand why she had to cut her off like that. She expelled a deep breath that she didn’t realize she was holding, counting from one to ten her mind as she paid attention to nothing but her rapidly beating heart. She was probably just hearing things. But a part of her knew that she owed it to herself to at least look if she was right. Mentally counting backwards this time around, she in a deep breath before she turned around; her jaw soon dropping in complete shock.

                Changmin stood before her; his face completely mirroring hers. His two hands had lost their grip on the suitcases standing by his feet; his duffel bag falling off his shoulders and landing on the ground with a soft thud. He snapped out of his shock soon enough, taking a hesitant step towards her; towards the girl he gave up everything for.

“O… Oppa?”

                Not really caring that his suitcases had fallen to the floor, Changmin reached Sooyoung in three long strides, wrapping his arms around her slender frame. Sooyoung could only stand there; her eyes wide, her arms limp at her sides. Was this really happening? Was the guy that she left behind in Seoul really hugging her right now? Slowly, she brought her arms up to wrap around his own body. A smile made its way to her lips; the reality finally sinking in.

“What are you doing here, oppa?” She blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears from falling. It was a futile attempt though because she was too damn happy it was hard not to cry.

“Well, this is where you are, right?” Changmin pulled back slightly so that he could gaze at her face. “You know wherever you are is where I should be.”

Another smile made its way to her beautiful face only to disappear quickly as alarm washed over her. “Oppa, your parents! They’re going to be so mad at you and they’ll–”

“Let’s talk about that later.” The dark haired man shook his head slightly. “I’m sure auntie and Sulli are waiting for us.”

Her jaw dropped. “They knew and they didn’t tell me?”

“Surprise?” He rolled his eyes good naturedly when she pouted, bending down to pick his fallen suitcases and duffel bag. “Honestly, she knew I was coming. Heechul hyung called Sulli to tell her about it… but all this time I thought they were the ones picking me up.”

“We should thank them then… the sooner, the better.” Sooyoung chuckled softly, taking one of his suitcases from him and holding his free hand to make her point when he opened his mouth to protest. “Let’s go home, oppa.”

“Let’s go home.”

                If there was one thing all those who knew Sooyoung could say about her, it was her second nature to think about others before herself. That was why Changmin was no longer surprised when he exited the bathroom in Sooyoung’s room one hour later only to find her seated on her bed; a look of pure worriedness and guilt on her face. Sooyoung’s aunt pretty much insisted that they share a room; Sooyoung’s suggestion of rooming with Sulli falling on deaf ears.

He could only sigh inaudibly; his thoughts fleeting over to the phone call he had gotten from his father when they were on their way home. His father didn’t say much – he basically yelled – other than the fact that he was disowning Changmin and ridding him of all those properties and wealth that were supposed to be his. Changmin didn’t care. Sooyoung stressed and worried over it.

“Oppa, why are you here?”

“I told you why.”

“It doesn’t make sense, oppa. You are the heir of your parents businesses. You were sent all the way to Europe just to get the best education. You just threw all of that away. For what? Me.” She continued as if she didn’t hear him. “I’m not worth it, oppa. I’m an orphan who relies on her aunt to continue living. I’m not rich. I’m not anything like all those girls your parents want for you. Why throw your good life away for me?”

                Changmin fell silent, opting instead to head to his side of the bed. Pulling the covers off, he easily slid in; turning around to fix the pillows. Satisfied, he face forward and gently pulled Sooyoung towards him until her head was lying on his chest and her body snuggled closely against his side. Her eyes widened when she realized that he wasn’t wearing any shirt on but chose to stay where she was. She wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“You’re right.” He spoke softly, carefully after sometime, pressing a tender kiss on her forehead. “I could live that life – be the famous heir, have a lot of money and a high status. I could live like that.”

“Then why?”

“I just won’t… because I wouldn’t want to live that life, not when you’re not in it.”