“YAH! JANG HYUNSEUNG!”

Jerking from his imagination, Hyunseung throw an annoyed glare to whoever-it-was-who-called-him and found a very happy Kwon Jiyong, grinning from ear to ear.

“Goddammit Ji, do you have to yell that loud?”

“Well for your information, Jang Hyunseung-shi, I have been spending the last five minutes calling you, to no avail. Don’t blame me if I have to use the harsh way,” grinning again, Jiyong then said, “Anyway, I have good news!”

Cocking his eyebrow, Hyunseung looks at Jiyong skeptically. Based on experience, they have different understanding for “good news”, and more than often, Hyunseung dislike his best friend’s so called good news.

“I hope it doesn’t involve any illegal drugs, Ji,” he said flatly.

Bashful, Jiyong shot Hyunseung a glare, “For the record, it was an accident Seung. A one-time accident. And it won’t happen if you were there by my side instead of bailing on me at the last second because of a so-called important matter.”

That caught Hyunseung off guards. True, he was supposed to go to the party with Jiyong, but Yong-ing-Junhyung called on the last seconds, asking him out for a movie date and Hyunseung has gingerly agreed, bailing on Jiyong. Resulting on Jiyong partying all out alone, and end up smoking offered by some strangers.

He smile apologetically, “Sorry Ji, that was low of me. I guess I was a bit annoyed since you disturb my me-time,”trying to muster up as much as excitement as possible, Hyunseung asks, “So, what’s the good news?”

Scoffing, Jiyong answered, “Save your lousy acting for someone else who may actually fall for that, Seung, cause I won’t.” Laughing at Hyunseung’s pout, he ruffle his hair and said, “There’s a new employee in the café.”

Well that is good news. All this time, Hyunseung and Jiyong has been working their asses off in the café. Hyunseung as barista and Jiyong as waiter, with both simultaneously covered the empty cashier position after Kim Ryeowook left them.

“Really?” His excitement no longer fake, Hyunseung glomps on Jiyong as spun him around, “That’s good! Who is he?”

“Actually, it’s she,” said a voice from the door.

Hyunseung quickly let go of Jiyong, causing the older man to fall flat on his . And then he stares in awe to the girl in the door. “Hyuna? You’re Kim Hyuna, aren’t you?”

Giggling cheerfully, Hyuna strides over and hug Hyunseung, “Long time no see, Hyunseung oppa!”

Hyunseung laughs and hug her back, savoring the comfort he got. It has been some time since he feels this comfortable around someone. And Hyuna is more than just another “someone”.

“What, you guys know each other?” Jiyong asks in surprise.

“Yup!” Hyuna said, “We were in the same dance class last year, and we did a duet as our final project!”

“Yeah, it was really interesting,” Hyunseung adds. Truth be told, it was more than interesting. Kim Hyuna was a very cheerful person, and Hyunseung more than adores her. The memories making him smiles at Hyuna fondly, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Jiyong. So he chooses to interrupt.

“Well it’s nice that you two love bird has meet again, but we’re opening soon so, chop chop!”

“Yes, sir!” Hyunseung and Hyuna answer, then scramble to their place behind the counter.

 During the whole shift, Jiyong repeatedly caught them stealing glance at each other, acting all bashful, and the sweet feeling he has been getting since the two hugged earlier convinced Jiyong that there is something special between them. And he’s determined to dig it all up from Hyunseung later on.

***

Later on, after the café closed, both Jiyong and Hyunseung walks Hyuna back to her apartment a few blocks away. The three was laughing out loud all the way, and Hyuna gave them a hug as a goodbye. Jiyong does notice that she lingers a bit on Hyunseung, though.

“So,” Jiyong said when they reach their shared apartment, “Care to fill me in about this Kim Hyuna?”

Hyunseung sighs, and sit down on the couch. Not long after, Jiyong sit next to him and offer him a can of beer. Smiling a bit, Hyunseung open the can and drink it. Then he starts his tale.

“As she told you before, we were classmate in the dance class I took last year. We got along really well, and we even decided to work together for final projects. Everything was good until well, last Valentine,” Hyunseung steal a glance at Jiyong who gives him a curt nod, signaling that he understand. So Hyunseung goes on.

“Then it went downward since, as you remember, I was… broken.”

“Yah! Hyunseung oppa!”

“What?!”

Hyuna looks shocks by Hyunseung’s harsh response, but quickly said, “You didn’t shows up for class today, nor did you come to our practice session. Is something wrong, oppa?” She said, touching Hyunseung’s arms lightly.

“Don’t touch me!” Hyunseung jerked his arm away, scaring Hyuna. Breathing deep, Hyunseung then told Hyuna, “Look, I’m not in a good mood today, okay? Let’s talk later on.”

Then Hyunseung leaves Hyuna right there, surprised and confused.

 “For some times, I was a real jerk towards her. Yet she didn’t leave me. She keeps practicing for our project, and even work on it without me. Then as you remember, I hear the news in April.”

Hyunseung trembled violently in the dance practice room. The mirror in front of him shattered to pieces as he smashed his fist in anger. Ignoring the throbbing pain, he the music and danced to it angrily, letting all his frustration out, temporarily forgetting the world and the painful memories it hold. His eyes snapped open in anger when the music stopped. He spun around and come face to face with Hyuna.

“Your blood is all over the place, oppa,” she softly said as she held Hyunseung’s hand and pulled him into the corner to tend to his injured arm. Hyunseung just stared blankly as she put ointment and bandaged his hand, then proceed to clean the room from the spilled blood and shattered glass.

“Why,” he managed to croak finally.

Smiling, Hyuna simply answered, “Because I care.”

She then walked over to Hyunseung and held his injured hand, “I don’t know what’s bothering you until you hurt yourself like this,” she whispered, “But I know for sure there’s nothing that time, and friends, can’t heal,” she kissed his injured hand softly then pulled him into a tight hug, “Let it all out, oppa.”

And Hyunseung cried. He let out all the sadness, pain, and frustration that he held inside, until he choked on his sobs and can’t cry anymore. Still, Hyuna didn’t let go. And Hyunseung didn’t find the will power to leave the comfort she gave him.

After some times, Hyuna slowly let go and stood, much to Hyunseung’s dismay. She walked to the music player and played T-Ara’s Bo Peep, then danced to it cutely. Even Hyunseung can’t stand not to laugh at how cute and silly she looked. She also laughed then danced towards him and pulled him up, “Come on oppa,” she said, “Let’s dance together!”

Laughing, Hyunseung also danced with her and soon he forgot the heart breaking news of Junhyung dating Goo Hara, a freshman from acting department.

 “Then everything gets better and better. We get closer and I can take my mind off of Junhyung and Hara every time I’m with her. And slowly, I grow fond of her. No, I fall for her.”

“It’s weird, you know. I was never attracted to girls and I still prefer man over women. But Hyuna is different. She’s special. I, well, I turned straight for her, and only her.”

“But I was afraid, and come that faithful day of our final showcase.”

Hyunseung fidgeted nervously in the backstage. Soon, it will be his and Hyuna’s turn. And he was scared out of his wits. Then he felt a warm hand clasped to his. He turned and saw Hyuna smiled to him and suddenly he wasn’t afraid anymore.

They both went on stage and performed their own choreography of Trouble Maker, a song the two wrote together for their team.

It was perfect, y and alluring. The audiences couldn’t take their eyes off of them, and when they were done, the audiences cheered loudly for them. At the end of the showcase, they were voted as the favorite act. Standing side by side with their arms around each other, they lifted the trophy proudly.

But Hyunseung’s smiled froze when his eyes met Junhyung’s .There he sat, smiling smugly and clapping his hand. Then he turned to whisper something to the girl next to him, and Hyunseug realized that is must be her. Goo Hara. And Hyunseung felt his heart shattered to pieces once again.

When they were back in the backstage, Hyunseung slowly let go of Hyuna’s hands and swiftly made his way out of the crowd to the empty backyard.

“Oppa, what’s wrong?” He could hear Hyuna behind him, worried. Yet he couldn’t answer her. He couldn’t bring himself to think about anything but the scene he just saw. Junhyung and Hara. Junhyung whispering to Hara. Junhyung acting all lovey dovey with Hara.

“Just go,” he said slowly, “Please, Hyuna-yah, I need to be alone.”

Worried and hurt, Hyuna nods and left him alone.

 “We drifted apart since then. I can’t bring myself to contact her even though I want to. I guess I was afraid. I’m afraid she will act differently towards me and we can’t go back to the way it was.”

“On top of everything, I’m afraid that I have planted hope for her and I can’t return the favor.”

Jiyong was silent all the time, but now he shift from his seat and stare right into Hyunseung’s eyes, “Well, can’t you? What do you feel about her, exactly?”

“That’s the problem Ji. I don’t know. I like her, I know. But I can’t help but wonder, what if she’s just a rebound? I mean, it all makes sense. They were the exact opposite. She’s funny and hyperactive, he was calm and composed. She’s a typical good girl, he’s a typical player. She’s nice, he’s calculative. She’s from average wealth, he’s filthy rich. She’s humble and mindful, he’s narcissistic and self-centered. She like cartoons, he likes complicated movies. She makes me relaxed and let go of myself, he makes me way too self-conscious. She makes me wants to be a better person and show her my nice side, he force my wild side out of me.”

“Yet there are also some parts of her that reminds me of him. They both have unique way in replying my texts, making me smile unconsciously. They both have the same way to cheer me up, by making me laugh and forget about it. They both talk animatedly. They can ease my tense with a simple sentence. They just so likeable, and they have this same presence that makes me wants to lean on them and just forget the world for a minute.“

“I can’t put my finger on it, Ji. If those were the reasons, then that means that I never was actually attracted to her. He was the reason behind all this. He’s the reason why I think she’s perfect for me. Because she’s his exact opposite, making me feel like she won’t play me like he used to, but in the same time she reminds me of him, making me feel secured.”

“Well,” Jiyong said, “I may not know about your heart, but I know about this. You were so happy today, and I never saw you this happy after he broke your heart. And although you didn’t realize it, those simple gestures you gave her? I never saw you this close to anyone beside him.”

“So Seung, ask this to yourself, why are you scared? Because you’re afraid she was a rebound, or you’re afraid because you may lose her?” Smiling while getting up from the couch, Jiyong add, “Honestly, Seung? I don’t think a rebound feeling can last this long.”

With that, Jiyong get into his room, leaving Hyunseung’s alone. Slowly, Hyunseung made his way to his room. He sits in his bed, then he opens the drawer and pull out a neatly wrapped broken heart-shaped white chocolate. He made it last Valentine for Junhyung, but he clumsily break it when he took it out of it’s mold. Still, he wrapped it neatly. But after contemplating, he finally decided to leave it at home and used the dark chocolate he originally made for Jiyong. How queer, he smiles bitterly, I should’ve realized that the broken chocolate was a bad sign.

Hyunseung stares at it, and everything suddenly snapped into place. He quickly grabbed his jacket and run out of his apartment. Little did he know that Jiyong were watching with a smile in his face.

Hyunseung runs all the way back to Hyuna’s apartment, and panting, he knocks on the door. A few minutes later, Hyuna opened the door, and stares at Hyunseung, puzzled.

Before she manages to utter a word, Hyunseung pulls him into his embrace, and whisper, “I’m gay.”

Hyuna pulls back and stares at Hyunseung in pure shock, “What?”

Hyunseung smiles softly and hold Hyuna’s hands while he put the broken chocolate into her other hand.

“I made it last Valentine for someone else. Yet it was broken before I ever had the chance to gave it to him, just like how my heart is after I gave him another chocolate and told him how I feel. I was lost and broken, but you saved me.”

Slowly, he traces Hyuna’s face with his fingers, “You were always special in my eyes. I… I never like girls. Yet my heart beat faster every time I see you. I was falling, yet I was scared. I’m afraid you’re just a rebound and I’ll end up hurting you. You’re way too precious to be wasted on someone like me. So I avoid you after the showcase… after he broke my heart for the second time.”

“After he left me, I was angry at everything. But after I avoided you… I was empty. Without you, I’m just a zombie, pretend to live when I’m not actually living. Now after you come back, I was alive again.”

Getting down on one knee, Hyunseung proceed to say, “So I will not make the same mistake again. My heart was broken like this chocolate, but you show me how to fix it and make it better. I am gay, but I’m straight for you, and only you. I love you Kim Hyuna. Will you accept this chocolate and be my girlfriend?”

Smiling with tears glistening in her eyes, Hyuna nods and pulls Hyunseung up, “Of course, oppa. I love you too. I always have.”

Hyunseung cupped Hyuna’s face softly and told her, “Saranghae,” then he pulls her for a soft kiss. It was bittersweet, but both Hyunseung and Hyuna know, it will only get sweeter.