“Spill!” Lee Ha Ra surprises me as soon as I reach the bicycle stand in a swift movement due to my being late but surely school has not started yet, otherwise why would she still be here?

“Spill what?” I ask, hanging my bag over my shoulder. She gives me a weird look. “You thought nobody saw it?”

I approach her,  unable to comprehend what she’s referring to. “Saw what?”

“BOTB VALENTINE’S SPECIAL YOU IDIOT!!! I SAW YOU!!!” I freeze, remembering it, and my face must be going all red. Gosh! I totally forgot I have a friend at school! Now I will never see an and of this!!

“You…did…?”

“Of course I did! But I never knew you were a part of it! So that’s what you’ve been hiding from me all the time!”

“Well…” I say, wanting to be down through the ground. But of course I couldn’t tell her! She’s not the kind of a person who usually keeps things to herself, plus I never knew myself that I will have to appear on that stage one day that I didn’t bother going around telling that to anyone…

…and apparently I’m seeing consequences of my doing…so much for that…

“Nappon! (Bad!) Nappon!! How can you keep such a big thing from your friend like that?”

“Okay, okay….I’m sorry! Happy?” I ask, looking straight at her. But for my surprise, she drops her shoulders and smiles. “Of course I am~” She chimes and moves towards me , folding me in a hug.

“Oh~ Joonie! That was beautiful! Fabulous! You almost made me cry~! I’m SO proud of you~!”

I hug her back, feeling touched. I should have trusted her…she’s my friend after all, she wouldn’t tell anyone if I asked her to…

“Anyway…” She says as we walk towards the school. “How did you get in? Are you, like, a part of the band…?”

I nod, finally giving in. “I am…but it’s a long story…I’m kind of…supervising them…”

Suddenly she stops on her track. “AH! Seriously!?! OMO!!! You’re supervising the TREASURE!! I’m TOTALLY SHIPPING THEM!!”

Oh god…this can’t be good… “Oh my god!! I totally love the vocalist!!! OMO!!! HE KISSED YOU!!!! I totally envie you!!!”

I let out a long sigh, now regretting that I told her, and afterwards, I never see an end of it…

 

It goes like this;

Since she started it before school started, she carries is on until the prayers.

“How was it like? Did he taste good?” It seriously disgusts me that I stop what I’m doing and give her a good blow.

 

And afterwards, during classes. We only share the same lessons only during historical studies and biology. And unfortunately, historical studies happens to be the first period. While I’m busy watching whatever the nonsense our teacher is mumbling up there, minding my own self as always I receive a note written on a pink squared paper. ‘Are you guys dating?’

Oh! For goodness sake!

 

And then during break at the cafeteria.

“Joonie! Barae!! Are they hot?!?  And OMO!!! You should take me to see them one day!!!”
I roll my eyes and drop my shoulders. Gosh I totally regret telling her that!

I turn to face her  trying not to hurt her and smile as sweetely as I can while patting slightly on her shoulder. “They’re very secretive darling, they disappear when troubles are close by…”

“Eh?”

“Never mind” I say, waving her off.

 

Then again, during the biology period.

“Joonie!” She whispers into my ears while I’m trying hard to concentrate on the clip that they’re showing in photosynthesis although I don’t understand half of it. I turn to her irritatdly when she hisses my name for the second time. “Now what?” I hiss back. She makes a troubled face and says. “Joonie…is it true that they’ve done plastic surgeries?”

Now I really want to tie myself onto a car, put it on fire and drive into a lake at full speed and die like a mad woman. Seriously! What have I done?

I don’t speak, but feeling her eyes still plastered on me, I finally give in. “Yes…the vocalist did”

And Ha Ra gasps like she just heard the nastiest thing ever to be heard. “Jincha?” (Really? Seriously?)  I nod. “Yes…he has had a brain transplantation” I lie, enjoying her crazy reactions. “Gog! Is it really bad?”

I nod again. “worse than you imagine”

She gasps again, this time just so loudly which catches the attention of mrs Byeol who was sound asleep just a minute ago. “Lee Joone? Lee Ha Ra? What’s the juicy topic? Would you like to share it with us?”

I shake my head and smile. “Ani (No, nothing) Teacher, she just wants to know why we…er…use…iodine…”

 

And finally after school.

 

Okay, now I have to escape, I have to run all the way to the treasure with no turning back before Ha Ra nightmare follows me, making my life even miserable! God! I thought she’d be fine! But I’ve been wrong all along, now she’s a complete pain on my back!

It took me such an effort to get out of her scary grasp, (“Sorry, got to run! Period pain!”) and now here I am, jogging to the bicycle shed like a mad woman, all in cause of my own doing. I should curse my mouth, yes, it isn’t me, it’s my bloody bloody mouth-

And I stop in the middle of my jog, my mouth falls slack.

Oh My GOD.

No, no, this is NOT happening! He cannot have come here!!!

I look around, panicked if anyone has her eyes on me, and quickly move towards the shed in a flash.

Standing next to my bicycle, looking unconcerned as ever is Won Bin, he has come right after school just like he did when he dragged me to the TREASURE the first time. I hurriedly approach him and catch him by his arms. He widens his eyes, genuinely surprised, but doesn’t speak. I manage a smile. “Hi frowny! Why are you here by the way?”

He makes a face. “Just in case if you change your mind-,” Then he gives me a weird look before following my eyes which are running hither and tither like radar signals. “What are you doing?” He asks. I shake my head. “No…just…”

That’s when I see her, Ha Ra skipping out of the entrance, her eyes obviously searching for me.

God! I have to hide him somewhere. I turn back to him with another sweet smile and say. “Kaja!” (Let’s go!) and start dragging him out of the shed towards the side walk. It’s hard to drag him, he’s such a slow pork, but I keep on doing so as fast as I could before it’s enough time for her to turn up, and surely if she sees him just now, I will die. I WILL DIE!

“Lee Joone can you please explain what you’re doing just now?”

“No time to explain just come!” I hiss and carry on with my yelling. Did he have to ask me that while I’m here, mustering all the power I got for salvation?

And suddenly, he stops walking. I turn to him, frustrated. “What?”

“I’m not moving until you say what’s wrong.”

I take a deep breath. Okay now don’t start it, be calm, and say-

“LEE JOONIE!!!”

Ah! CRAP!!

Now this can’t be happening-

“Joonie! Wait for-!” and I hear her trailing off. I look straight into Won Bin’s eyes. “That’s what’s wrong”

I see Won Bin turning around, and I really don’t want to see the rest that I close my eyes tightely and remain, cursing him under my breath. That pretty boy has half way ruined my life so far. Now I will never see the end of it until I one day make him marry her, and even after then she wont let me be, no she will never let me be until I listen to all she has to say and collapse and die.

But I feel sorry for him since he was being really sweet just this morning, I turn around to see the beginning of the catastrophe. Ha Ra, she looks as if she just saw the god, and Won Bin…blank, just simply so blank. This is SO NOT happening to my innocent life!

Suddenly, I feel Ha Ra’s hand wrapping around mine. She swiftly pulls me to her side and points at Won Bin with a trembling hand. Gosh! This is so embarrassing! Now he’d think I’m equally as dorky to have a friend like her!

“Joonie….is-is that….the…treasure….”

I sigh. All the things I’m going through for him? And now she’d be like a bag hanging on my back for the rest of my life!

I pull her hand and do the introductions “Won Bin, this is Lee Ha Ra, my friend, and Ha Ra, this Won Bin…now say Hi!!”

This is ! Completely so !

 

And later on, I find myself walking towards the treasure, Won bin walking before us, and yes, I had to bring Ha Ra alone because she insisted on it. Jong Hun just sent me a message saying that we are supposed to go to the offices together to get information on the next round, and now I’m thinking from hell to earth of how the hell I’m supposed to leave this nut case with the rest of the treasure? And of course I can’t take her alone! She’d make things even worse! Even now she’s practically eating my head off, asking me about the rest of the members. I try my best to ignore her, but then again, how can i? she’s my best friend after all!

“How about the guy with a pretty nice nose? Is he good?” She asks, sounding excited. I just go on answering all her questions, keeping my face all blank.

“He’s the leader…he’s good”

“And what about the other one playing the guitar? Is he good?”

I roll my eyes. Oh how frustrating! “He’s good…” I answer shortly.

She groans. “Ah! Jeommal Joonie~Ah!! Is that all you have to say? Just good?”

I shake my head, I’m SO not going to live through this, trust me. I won’t.

It’s long before we finally turn up at the Treasure Island, and afterwards, I decide to ignore Ha Ra for a bit. I make a whole lot of fuss at her to send her in, since Won Bin claimed to have something to talk to me about for the second time of the day. I agreed since the last time he did that, he really did touch my heart. I’m relieved that I had someone to spill it all out on, or I’d still be so devastated just by having it all stuck inside me, but I still hope he understood my state after all the tears I shed on him. He might be all hard core but underneath, deep inside him, there’s a sweet side of him which he keeps hidden inside for some reason unknown. At times I feel sorry for him, he just always look so blank and  I don’t know…sad, maybe, and it always makes me want to help him out….

“So what is it now frowny?” I ask after showing Ha Ra in with a whole ot of effort. He looks at me urgently. “I’ve found a solution for you….”

I smile. “Really? That’s good…”

He doesn’t comment back but carries on. “Your salary, I’ll increase it, so now on you’ll be earning more than you did at the Memphis”

I widen my eyes at him in wonder. What does he think he’s doing?

“Yah!  Won Bin! You can’t do that! The other’s will know-!”

“No, they won’t…the amount they are putting in won’t change, only I increased the amount I add”

I say nothing and stare at him unbelievingly. He…he can’t be pitying me right?

“But Won Bin, it’s your money, you can’t-!”

He gives me an icy glare. “I’m rich, I have enough money”

I glare back. “I know…but is..this that…are you…pitying me Won Bin?”

“No” He answers shortly. “This is working”

“I see…”  I say with a nod, and soon we both are in complete silence, the silence is too much that I hop out of my skin when my phone starts ringing. “Must be…jong Hun” I say awkwardly as I walk away from him, feeling slightly down that I had to, but when I see who’s actually on the other line, my heart starts making somersaults.

“Hong Gi –ah~” I say when I’m far enough from Won Bin’s hearing distance.

“Lee Joone….sorry I couldn’t call you earlier” He says, his voice sounding rather serious. I smile as though he can see me. “Ani~ Gwenchana~ !”

“So how are you? Feeling better?”

I nod. “Dae~a lot better...and…” I take a breath. “…Hong Gi~ah…you see….I-I kind of have to…stop working at the Memphis…will you guys be alright…?”

I’m not sure to whom my decision affects the most, whether it’s to him or me, but the long silence on the other end of the line really concernes me. But apparently I have no side to take, both sides are equally as important for me, and Won Bin…he’s trying so hard to keep the band together, he must have taken it that he’s the fault that I left too seriously, I’m glad that I told him everything or else he’d still be upset…it’s not like he’s showing it that he is, I mean, he hardly ever shows any emotions rather than frowning all day long, whatever his problem is…maybe I should try the same, I should speak to him calmly and figure out why he’s frowning all the time. But then again his frown…it’s what which makes him…him…

It’s Hong gi’s voice which reminds me I’m still on the phone.

“Lee Joone…if…that’s what you want to do…I think you just made a great decision…”

I nod again and sigh. “I will come see you singing anyway…it’s like…They really need me Hong Gi, I’ve put them in such a miserable state…”

“I understand, I have a band too, I get the feeling…but yeah, we’re gonna miss you…oh, and not all that, Lee Joone, you have to give a letter of resignation and also get the salary for working so far before it makes any chaos”

“Oh, yes…I…might come around tonight, I will come along with that…but not sure, We just came across with a massive problem, I surely will NOT live through it, I really want hop into a frozen lake and die-!”

He laughs on the other end, which makes my heart melt for a second thinking that it will be long before I see him laughing again.

“You’re smart, you’ll get over it…anyway, I better hand up now…So Young noona’s will get a vocal problem screaming like that-,”

I hear him move away from the receiver and yelling back to so-young whom even I heard yelling out at the band. He returns to the phone. “She’s crazy! Anyway, I’ll call you again some other time, call me if you’re coming tonight okay?”

I nod at the phone. “Dae…anneyong then…!”

“Anneyong!” He says cheerfully, and soon the line goes dead. I sigh hard. I know my self that I made the best decision regarding this, plus Won bin was being really help ful this morning, how can I ever turn my back on him? Plus he must have gathered such an effort to not to get mad at me for doing such a thing before him, crying like a mad woman who has lost her husband. It obviously isn’t normal for him…yes, of course many girls must have used that shoulder to cry on, but just then, I couldn’’t think of anything better when he pulled me towards him, and when I did…the warmth he gave me was the best thing that I’ve gone through. It simply convinced me. For such a conceited, arrogant guy like him, it was really unusual.

I turn around, thinking that he’s still there waiting for me, but I get this weird sensation of disappointment and guilt when I don’t find him there, it’s later when I find myself climbing down the steps to the Treasure Island that I remember I have brought a complete wreck along with me…

…and that she’s down there….

…and if Won bin is there too…

Oh GOD! She must be making him miserable!

But when I reach the hall, I’m relieved to find Jae Jin and Minhwan already there. Gosh, if they never turned up, I’d have found myself staring at this awkward moment of Ha Ra hugging Won Bin.

“Uh…Hey! Pirates…um…so I guess you met Ha Ra…” I say awkwardly running my eyes over their blank faces. I smile and walk towards my usual seat. It’s min Hwan who actually notices my presence that he shifts to sit by me.

“Is she…your friend…noona?” He asks in a whisper.

I nod. “Why…?” I ask looking at Ha Ra who’s dreamily staring at Won bin who’s back with his usual tuneless playing while frowning as ever. “Did she do anything…crazy?”

He shakes his head, surprising me, and smiled. “No…just-,”

But he never gets to finish what he’s saying because Jong Hun suddenly turns up panting hard.

“Sorry, I got late….Lee joone, we have to-,”

And he stops, his eyes staring at Ha Ra who’s still madly staring at Won bin like there’s nothing more beautiful on earth. This is SO not good! Seriously! It’s not like I really like him or anything, but it really bothers me when somebody else is drooling over my boys, no matter who he is.

I yurn to Jong Hun. “Oh, her, that’s Ha Ra, my friend…”

When she hears me calling her name, she swiftly turns around, and squeels like a crazy fan girl. “OMO!! Joonie!! It’s the LEADER RIGHT??”

I cover my face and mutter to Minan. “Kill me!” I feel him pat on my back.

“Anyway,” I say, after a moment of making up my mind to not to start it with her and turn to jong hun who’s still not over the shock he got from Ha Ra’s reaction.

“Jong hun, we better go-,”

“Take her with you.” I hear a deep voice say, and find Won Bin staring at me with his frowning eyes as though he wants to eat me alive. I gulp. Goodness, he’s never gonna forgive me for doing this. I shake my head. How can I…

Wait…maybe…oh yes, that’s exactly what we need to do!

I clasp my hands together and look at each of their blank faces with a smile. “Since we can’t leave her here…I suggest we have a DAY OUT!! We’ll all go together! What do you say?”

I run my eyes over the little crowd before me, uncertainty clouding my eyes, but I seem to get no response whatsoever from any of them, I wait for much longer and when I’m about to draw in more breath to let out a long sigh, Minan gets up off the couch all of a sudden, looking happy as ever, and says. “That’s a great idea noona!”

The next appealing response I get is from Ha Ra which makes my blood run cold. “Then let’s go together! I can go with Won Bin oppa!!”

I look at him to see an interesting reaction and see him glaring at her instead of me. “I’m not your oppa” He says steadily. I seriously want to laugh now. Why? He looks just so adorable when he’s annoyed!

Okay…wait…why will he look adorable…?

Oh, whatever, like I care.

I turn to Ha Ra, intending to clear the misunderstanding. “Ha Ra, he’s also a 90 liner”

She smiles broadly as though he just asked her out and clasps her hand. “Oh! That’s lovely!”

“Ha Ra” I say, giving her a sharp look. But she just goes on the same. I ignore her and Won bin who has re glaring at me, okay, I know she’s my friend, but, it’s not my fault that I had to bring her alone on the first place! It was him who ruined it, I had it perfectly planned on avoiding her walking talking nightmare, so now he’s the one who’s suffering, and apparently I’m sharing half of it.

“I think Lee joone’s idea is good” Jong hun says, after a while, adding to my good responses list. I smile.

“Okay so, who’s with me then?”

 

So later on, we all walk down towards the bus stop since we have no other way of transportation, and also since Won Bin’s too ‘bored’ to walk home to get his jeep, maybe he finds walking to the bus and all the rest even more appealing so I didn’t fuss over it, seeing that there’s absolutely no point of doing so. The whole crowd consists of six people, as always, Won Bin’s leading the way, walking all by himself, Minan, Ha Ra and I walk after him (Ha Ra insisted on staying by him, and since I couldn’t say no, I agreed) Jae Jin and Jong Hun are in the back, talking unstoppably. It doesn’t take so long for a bus to arrive when we’re finally there at the hault. When it parks before us, we all stream in.

I always liked the treasure bus, for some reason, the ride always keeps me in company no matter how long it takes, it never bores me to sit and watch as everything goes by, although what’s really moving is me. It’s an odd feeling, only then it occurs to me that time goes on without even us realizing it. True, I never feel that it goes by when I’m engaged with my normal self, but when I’m alone in the bus, things changes.

I don’t expect it to be that way now since rather than being alone, I have company of six people, but although I have them around me, I still get into my usual trance but this time, my eyes are not on the road. It was, a few seconds ago before an old woman climbed in to find all the seats occupied , Won bin catches my attention immediately by standing up, offering his seat to her. It was him who brought me into the trance this time; his very act of offering an old granny a seat along with his ever gorgeous smile just took my heart away. And now here I am, wondering to myself…

If he has such a kind, soft heart, why? For heaven’s sake, does he keep on pretending like he doesn’t care?

It’s not like he really doesn’t care, he does but he doesn’t want to show it to anybody. He’s only trying hard to be hard core, but he’s apparently not. I’ve seen it, not only once but twice. I’ve seen his sincere smile, I’ve heard his heart filling words, I’ve felt his concern, but why does he always keep it down there? Concealed beneath his rich, arrogant yet so beautiful self?

I have no idea why I can’t get out of this weird trance of thinking about this one man I hate more than anything else on earth. He just…keeps me wondering, keeps me thinking why I sometimes feel so close to him, while all the other times, so far away from him. And right now, he’s so close to me. Literally, tangibly close to me, and the thought makes my heart thump so hard, bringing all the memories from yesterday and of this morning flowing back into my mind.

At the thought of his…kiss from last night, my throat goes dry, and my eyes move unintentionally over him up to his face, and I gulp. He’s standing right next to me, holding onto the leather straps over my head to keep himself from falling by the force of the moving bus. I’m not dirty minded, but trust me, seeing him just now…I can’t help it thinking he’s…really so hot…He never wears his school uniform the way he should, he always turns up at the Treasure Island with his coat in his hands, and throws it somewhere like it’s a piece of and eventually forgets to take it home. Even now he’s in his simple white shirt, loosened tie with the top buttons undone as usual, again revealing the same chain he wore the night before. He’s so…creamy, like marble, so richly brought up in rich house hold, his red-brown tinted hair messed up, half of it covering his frowning eyes, and then, his lips…the very lips which stole my first kiss from me the other night….they’re so…rose and again so rich…so…I don’t know, so him…and for the first time since last night, I feel like cursing him for doing that is pointless…to be kissed by someone so perfect like him, one should have done enough good deeds the previous life…and maybe I’m one of them, because he’s so good to be true…

And this morning…for some reason, he just made my day…after telling him all my problems, I have started feeling light and relieved. I never thought…he’d ever listen to me, that he’d ever let me shed my tears on his perfect shoulder, or give me a warmth that I have never received from anyone else except for my oppa. Just today…he showed a completely different side of him, a side that I myself never expected to see from him…but now, thinking it through…it’s a wonder how it occurred to him, that what I actually need is someone who could listen to me, to let me say all that are stuck inside me, wanting to break through in the form of tears. He just helped me through for it, giving me a shoulder…I’m sure I will never forget the feel of it, having his arms tight around me, his face in my hair, his chest heaving under my hand as I gripped onto his shirt, hearing his heart beating along with mine…It felt different…for someone who never cared for me, it was odd to receive such sincere affection from him…and it bothers me…why does it suddenly come to the surface now? His soft, more caring side? Why did it come to the surface just then…?

And why am I so eager to receive it once more…?

 

It’s when I feel Ha Ra poking me that I come out of the trance, out of this weird dream world of thinking of the conceited, frowny angel. I truly feel grateful for her…otherwise, I’d be crazy by now!

“Joonie? You alright?” She asks looking at me, her eyes full of concern. I nod, forcing a smile. “Yeah…”

She makes a face. “Just now…you looked sad…”

I look at her with surprise. “Really?”

She nods. “Oh~ (Yes in Korean) you were looking at…Won Bin and you looked sad…”

I hang my head, embarrassed. Gosh! What has gotten into me? Looking at Won bin? What if he has seen me? He will think I’m running out of my mind!

“Joonie-ah…” She says again, in her concerned voice. “I’m just asking…but…is there…anything going on…between him and you…?”

I look at her shocked by what she just asked. “No! Why do you ask…?”

She shakes her head. “No…just…you two look like…Are you two after a break up…?”

I make her a face. “Apparently, Ha Ra…we’re quit big rivals…and Won Bin, he…always looks like that, it’s like he wants to eat up everything around him right on the spot, don’t worry about that.”

She nods. “I see…”

I nudge at her playfully and smile. “Why? Disappointed? You’re crushing on him aren’t you?”

She smiles shyly. “Why? Isn’t he totally crushable?”

I make a fake laugh. “How would I know?”

She grins. “Aren’t YOU crushing on him? You seemed more like it; you were staring at him just now!”

I nudge her hard. “No! Silly! I was not! Plus, there’s this other guy who I’m totally crushing on”

Her eyes suddenly start glittering like a pair of massive stars and looks around to find the rest of the band members. “Really? Who? Which one?”

I gently pat on her hand. “Not one of them silly, somebody else…”

She turns back to me, looking excited. “Really? Another guy from BOTB?”

I nod. “Yup…the vocals from FT TRIPLE”

She makes a face. “I’m not much into them, because they’re small…but, yeah, the vocalist is fabulous”

I too, make her a face. “Why? They’re really good too…okay, not good as my treasure, but I’m totally into the vocalist, Hong Gi…he’s so sweet”

She nods. “I’ve noticed that too…” Then she looks at me with a weird look, but I totally get it what she means. I shrug. “Okay, alright! I’m going to meet him this evening anyway…but please do behave, okay?”

She makes a face. “I AM behaving!!”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah right…if drooling over Won Bin right before his face is acceptable, only then you are…”

She gives me an irritated look. “That did hurt you know…”

I look at her, taken aback by the guilt of saying something bad, and smile slightly. “You know I don’t mean it right?”

She smiles back and put both her hands around me. “I know you don’t! And I won’t do it again…I promise!”

“Yeah you better not” I say. “Because he’s mine”

She suddenly pulls away. “Who, Won bin?”

I hit her on her arm annoyed. “No! Dummy! Hong Gi!”

She starts laughing, and I only watch her, unable to figure out why. But then again, it’s Ha Ra after all…And that’s exactly why I love her.

                           

“How did it go?” Jae Jin asks, after a yawn big enough to swallow us both when Jong Hun and I return from the main office of the FNC agency, the talent company which is holding the BOTB contest. We had to leave them behind to go meet the manager of the contest to discuss about the next round, and yeah, Ha Ra too, but I asked Minan to keep an eye on her, and now I see him in a deep conversation with her, she has obviously let Won Bin be, he’s sitting next to Jae Jin, concentrating on whatever is on his phone right now like his whole life depends on it. I turn to Jae Jin.

“We have a themed round”

All the eyes turn to me and Jong Hun.

“Themed?” Jae Jin asks. I nod in response. It’s Jong hun who explains the rest.

“Yup…this time we have to write our own song…in a different language.”

I see Jae Jin gulp, and remember how I did the same when I heard it myself a few minutes ago.

“In a different…language?” Minan asks, looking as though he just heard he’s about to be shot dead. “I really don’t know any other language except for Hangul (Korean) and Busan dialect!”

I make a face and say. “Honey, nobody asked you to sing or write a song…you go on playing the drums as asked”

He nods childishly. I feel sorry for him, that kid…he sometimes is so childish which disappoints me at some points.

I turn to Won bin. “We don’t have to worry about that….we have a smart vocalist here…so…”

Jae Jin looks at me. I smile. “I just heard he’s good at Japanese…”

Won Bin suddenly lifts his head and gives me his ever cold look. I smile, but I know, almost too well, that he will do it. I’m so damn sure he will…

“Anyway,” I say as we all walk down the sidewalk so slowly like our lives are too long. “Since I suggested a day out…tell me…what do you guys want to do…?”

Minan looks at me, genuinely interested, whereas except for Ha Ra who is obviously anticipating me to suggest going to the Memphis soon, I keep it aside for now, because what I really want to do now is spend more time with the pirates.

“I suggest…let’s go for a movie!” He says with excitement, to which Jae Jin comments. “Boring…I don’t believe in your suggestions of movies minan…”

I press my lips together, trying to think of a place. Then we all go on suggesting various places (Okay, Won Bin never does) it’s Jong Hun who suggest a place which simply caught our attention.

And soon, we find ourselves walking towards the center of the city, we soon approach the square.

“Ah! So tired!” Jae Jin exclaims as he sits down on the cement bench which is beside a line of water fountains that tint drops of water keep spraying on us as we also sit beside him.

“I’m so not gonna walk anymore!” Comments Minan as he buries his face in his hands panting as if her were running just now. I stand up and keep my hands on my hips. “Ah! Seriously! You’re Namjas  (Boys/guys) and even though you can’t even take that small walk! Ha Ra and I are girls and we’re still alive!”

Jae Jin gives me a look. “That’s because you have short legs” He comments. I make a face. “What does it have to do with that?”

“Dunno…” He says.

“Anyway,” I hear Jong Hun say, I turn to him. “Since it was her who suggested a day out, and also since you gave us no treat for winning last night…I suggest, buy us Ice cream…”

I raise my eyebrows. “Eh?”

He smiles sweetely. “You heard…”

I roll my eyes. These kids! “Okay…” I say in agreement. “But you guys have to pay, why? You didn’t even give ME a treat for going through hell for you guys! You never gave me anything!”

The guys look at one another, and all four of them digs into their pockets. I hold my hand out, saying; “Come on come on pretty boys, gimme your money!”

Soon I collect myself enough money for three buckets. I smile at them and say, “I’ll be right back!” before proceeding on walking to my right. But Won bin’s deep, low voice stops me in the middle. I turn to him.

“Take her with you” he says, indicating Ha Ra with the corner of his eyes. My eyes also turns to her, but I see no harm from her towards him, she’s busy engaged in a chat with Minan again. I turn to Won Bin questioningly, but his frown doesn’t flatter as he says. “Take her”

I shrug and call out her name.

“What?” she asks, looking annoyed. I nod and ask her to come. “Come with me!”

But frankly, I feel odd about him asking me to take her. I mean, she wasn’t even bothering him, why would he ask me to do so unless he is….

Okay, that’s crazy talk, I’m stopping it hear.

So, after a walk full of screaming and laughing all the way, Ha Ra and I enter the nearest Ice cream shop and proceed on choosing flavours. It has been a long time since we went shopping together because all these days I was busy with various other things, and now, I’m actually enjoying this.

“Let’s try weird flavours” She suggests as we stare in through the glass display. I agree. “Yeah, since they put us through this, we’ll get back on them”

She holds up her fist. “Sweet revenge eh?”

“Sweet revenge” I say in agreement.

And soon we walk back to the fountains with three buckets of ice cream, one kulfi, one butterscotch and nugget and the other mint.

“You know what Joonie?” She says as we walk past a couple who are flirting so badly that all the passers-by give them odd looks. “I kind of feel odd…that he asked you to go with me…just then…don’t you…?”

I look at her. “Who? Won Bin? No…” I lie.

She looks at me, with this weird look on her face. “I think…it’s concern…”

“Concern?” I ask, not believing her. I make a fake laugh. “Yeah right…I’ve known him for almost a month Ha Ra, and I’m the last person to ever concern him”

She gives me a look as though I just insulted him. “You are so stupid, Lee Joone”

I smile broadly. “I know, Ha Ra….I~ Know…”

 

Minutes later, I find myself sitting on the floor between Jae Jin and Jong hun who are seated on the bench unlike me, sharing the same mint Ice cream.

“Why don’t you sit in the middle Lee joone?” Jong Hun asks, taking a big scoop from the bucket. I shake my head. “I don’t want to be squeezed and crushed”

“But you’re by our feet you see” Jae Jin says, his mouth full of ice cream. I my lips before taking in another scoop. “No problem, I’m alright” I assure them.

“I’m bored, let’s play a game” Minan suggests after a while. We all turn to him. “What game?” I ask, indulging my self with another massive scoop.

“Truth and dare”

 

“Your turn!!!” Screams Ha Ra loudly as the ols plastic bottle which I found from a bin nearby turns to me. I close my eyes and moan. Frankly, this is a game that I really hate, I hate it when people ask me unanswerable questions and when it puts me into awkward moments when I couldn’t answer.

“Truth” I say after a sigh. Everyone remain silence looking at one another until somebody comes up with a question, and making my blood boil, it’s Ha Ra who finally does. I know the kind of questions that she goes for.

She clears and looks directly at me with a smile. I gulp. I don’t want to hear her question…I don’t want to…

“Lee Joone…” She says, sounding like a host from a Q&A TV show. “If…you were given a chance to pick one of the four guys here, and go out on a date…which one will you pick…?”

I rub my face with both my hands. I knew it! I knew she would put me into the hatefully awkward situation. It suddenly occurs to me that I have almost all the eyes on me. I take a deep breath, and ask  the same question my self. Who will I pick? Who will really suit to be picked…? Minan, he’s out of question, he’s too young for me…and when it comes to the age barrier, Jae jin’s out of the list too…and Jong hun…he’s still devastated by the loss of his girlfriend, and of course he doesn’t want anyone else in his life…which leaves…

Okay, I SAID no crazy talk!

I clasp my hands together. “Okay, I pick none”

I notice how disappointed that they look. But hey! Not my fault that I can’t pick any one of them!

But Ha Ra pushes on.

Gosh! She’s just so annoying!!

“Lee Joone! You can’t just pick none! You have to pick somebody!!”

I moan again. “oh come on people!! All of them are too lovely! How can I just pick one??”

“We are?!?” Exclaims Minan happily. “Oh! Noona! That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard!!”

“That may be” Says Ha Ra, pushing me even more. I cover my face once more. Gosh, how can I tell them that I picked Won Bin? They all know how badly I hate him!

But then again, it’s not like it will ever happen for real!

I take a deep breath, finally giving in to answer. “Well…I…kind of listed you guys down in my head…and ticked each one off…regarding different points…”

Every eye again turns to me, genuinely interested. I take in another deep breath and look at Minan. “Honey, I ticked you off…you’re too young for me…”

I see his face darken. “Then…noona doesn’t …like…me…”

I panic with concern. Did I just hurt him now? “No, no…it’s just you’re-!”

But surprising me, he breaks out laughing. I stare at him, completely so shocked. “Noona! That’s why I like you so much! You’re so concerned and that’s so funny you know!!”

“Yah!” I exclaim, turning red. “Nappon! nappon!!”

Jae Jin pats on my back. “Don’t mind him noona. Carry on…”

I shake my head with frustration and carry on with the rest. “And…Jae Jin…I had to tick you off too…you’re sweet and totally the type but…still too young…”

“But I like to date noonas!” He complains. I give him a look, not believing the fact that him being so young and decent, he actually dates girls older than him. “But I don’t date magnaes!” I add, and I’m about to carry on…but jong hun completes his part for me.

“…and I’m ticked off since I don’t date anymore…”

I slowly nod, not wanting to talk about his case anymore. And take a deep breath to move on to the last person. “So…that left Won bin for me…and except for the fact that we’re the biggest rivals here…I see no flaws…so I…picked him…”

With that, I quickly lower my head. I will DIE right now if they never let it go!

There’s a silence, but I just wait for a response, and since I don’t get any, I look up, and see all the eyes on me, widened with surprise. Only Jong hun looks calm, and says. “I kind of guessed that…”

I close my eyes tight. Dang those people, Dang Ha Ra!!

But it surprises me so badly that I almost jumped up when Minan and Jae Jin start cheering, clapping hands together as though I just said I will date them both. I straighten up and exclaim. “But stillHong gi shines next to Won bin for me!!!”

Jae Jin pats on my back once again. “Yes, of course…don’t worry noona, he will never date you…”

And there’s silence until Ha Ra exclaims. “Okay, back again with the game!!”

 

“Ah!!” Jae Jin  exclaims, covering his face when he gets the bottle pointed towards him.

“Truth” He says when he’s done with . I raise my hand. “Me Me!! I want to ask!!!”

He looks at me. “Okay, go on…”

I in take a long breath and ask the very question I’ve been wanting to ask ever since we started the game.

“Lee Jae Jin…” I say, looking up at the sky. “Tell me…if you get a chance to decide how you want your…future to be…how will you decide…how will you want it to be…?”

I turn to him with a smile. He stares at me with wonder. “Wow…noona…that’s a….hard question…”

I smile wider. “I still need an answer…”

He nods, and looks ahead as though he’s really looking at his future.  “I…want it to be…different…I know many people of my age…they want it to be the same…rich, popular…but I don’t want any of it…I want to be happy…with everything I do, with my life, with all I’ve done up to then with no regrets…you know…and yes, when it comes to real life…I want the band to be together, all of us stiil knowing each other, the bond stronger…So I will work hard for it, to be happy and also for the band…” He finally turns to me, it’s then that it occurs to me that I’m staring at him with my lips parted. Wow…I never thought he is…that kind of a guy… “That’s my small wish for my future…”

I smile wide. “Wow…that’s fabulous Jae Jin…I’m so impressed…” then I clasp my hands together. “This is interesting…let’s hear the answer from all of you…”

It’s minan who answers next. “I…have been a really bad son to my mum…she…goes through a lot for me…but I still haven’t done enough for her…so in the future…I want it to be a chance for me to make it up for her…to serve her back for all she’s done for me…I want to protect her all my life, make her happy and become a son that she can be proud of…that’s how I want my future to be…”

I give him a clap, and watch him turn red. I’m definitely impressed. For a tiny, childlike magnae like him, that’s really so impressive. “That’s great Minari! You’re so lucky to have a mum like her, and she’s also lucky to have a son like you…So I hope it will go well for you…and what you’re going to do is something that I have always wanted to do…but I never got a chance for it…but you…you really are so lucky, remember that…”

Next goes Jong Hun. “For me…I want it to be more pleasant and happy than it had been for me up to now…I have lost so many things…I’m still regretting them, still wondering what I have done wrong for them to be that way…I want all the sad memories to go away…and make a good start…I want to be all fresh and new…an all new person…” Then he looks at me with a slight smile. “That’s how I would decide on my future…”

I reach out and take his hand. “That’s great Jong Hun…an all new start…it will change it all, and you will never have any regrets…the past is past…it’s all gone…you’re a man who has all the powers to start new…so I really really hope it will be just the way you want…”

He smiles widely. “Thank you, Lee Joone…nothing else can make things happen like your words can do…so now that you said that…I’m certain things will be just the way I want them to be…”

Next goes Ha Ra. “This…well, Joonie knows it already….but since you guys don’t know…I will tell you…”

We all nod in response. “I really like to help people…I have always wanted to…to be frank…I’m a person with money…so I need to use it on good cause…so In the future, I will use it wisely, more than for my own benefit, I will use it on people who are really in need…it always makes me happy, to see people’s happy faces, smiles and cheer when I give them a helping hand…so that’s how I decide my future to become a help ful person when I grow up…”

We all clap. “That’s great Ha Ra noona!!” Minan says happily. “Maybe you can start it by helping a very poor little boy…like me!”

This makes every one of us laugh. I reach out and give him a slight pat on the arm. “This boy! Why will you need any help?”

He smiles. “Can’t tell…”

Then finally, with so much of curiosity… I turn to the very last person of all, and also the most secretive. Won bin. He doesn’t seem interested, like he doesn’t want to answer. But I reach out and touch his hand. His eyes suddenly turns to me, looking like I just electrocuted him.

“Won Bin~Ah…I need to hear yours too…”

He says nothing but continues to stare at me, and swiftly turns away. “I…have no future,,,to decide…”

“Won Bin~AH!” I push him even more. “How can you say that? We all have one…”

He looks down at his feet. “It’s…already decided…there’s no point of discussing it anymore…”

I look at him with widened eyes. “Decided…? How decided?”

He keeps looking down and mutters. “Ruined, destroyed…”

I slowly wrap my fingers around his beautiful slender hand, feeling sorry for him. He’s looks hurt, sincerely hurt and it makes me feel the same. Just today, in the morning, he was being of a great help for me, giving his shoulder to cry on…but to say about his own problems the ones he seems to be having now..he has nobody to listen to him…I will…Just like he did for me, I will help him just the same…

“…Look…Won Bin…whoever decided it…I don’t know…just don’t let them affect you…this is your future Won Bin…your life…and it must depend on how YOU want it to be…not how anybody else hope it to be…don’t let them control your life…or else it will be you who will eventually regret it, not them…what really matters is you….I don’t want to hear how it’s decided…because it’s not….it’s you who will decide it, it’s yours to decide…understood?”

But all I get from him is silence, he’s not moving, only staring down at his feet. I really do feel sorry for him. He needs help…being the son of a rich famous musician, it must be hard for him to bear. He needs someone to listen to him, to talk to him and make him feel better…

…and I…personally think…he needs someone whom he can really love….so that he can share all his thoughts with her…and who ever it will be, is a girl with so much of luck to love someone so perfect like Won bin himself.

I sigh deeply and take my hand away from him. I run my eyes over the crowd around me who are looking as though I just gave the presidents speech. It’s minutes later that Jong Hun speaks. “So…best for last…Lee joone?”

I smile widely. But there’s no point of saying anything about mine…but they’re definitely expecting it. So I clasp me hands together and straighten on the bench between Jong hun and Jae Jin.

“well I…what I really want is to live in this life, like any other normal girl…I want…to love…find that special man waiting for me out there….a man who will love me for who I am…for what I have which is very little…get married…have kids who will be of no harm to anyone….do a good job which does no harm to anybody too but will help many people to see the reality…I want a family who will always accept me…I want a family who will always treat every one the same, with no difference…and most of all…I want to see everyone I love being happy,to see all their dreams coming true…I want the world to be a better place for every one of you, to see them having things just the way they want…That’s my small wish…how I decide my future…”

I take a long brath and look at the others around me. They’re all silent, surely listening to me. It’s Jae Jin who speaks first. “Noona…That’s great…how you want it to be…” I see Minan and Jong hUn nod. “We all are happy to hear that…and we all wish it will be just the way you want it to be…and we will always support you by making our dreams come true…so that it will also grant your wish…your treasure, we will always love you…”

“Oh~Jae Jin…” I say, feeling tears prickling in my eyes. I reach over and hug me. “That’s the best thing I have heard in my life…” I sob loudly, not caring if everyone heard me. “Thank you…for making me feel so happy…And I will also love my treasure…always…”

And when I pull away from me, I feel a tight knot in my throat. If not for Won bin, I’d have left them, the treasure that I love so dearly…how devastated will they be if I ever did.

I narrow my shoulders happily. Being back with the treasure…it’s the best decision that I’ve ever made…

“Noona…gimme a hug too…” I hear Minan complaining childishly. I smile. He’s just one of the few people who always keep me happy. I reach out and pull him in a full hug. “This nut head! You know how much I love you right?”

He tightly hugs me back. “I know…but…” He pulls away, looking down at me with a sly smile, which makes me sense he’s obviously up to something. “But what?” I ask.

He smiles widely. “Doesn’t it make me the special man out there for you?”

I feel the blood in my fave boil with embarrassment. “Yah! You have a death wish!?!” I stand up and walk to him. He’s sitting on the corner, so I get a better chance. I pull him up on his feet, which he follows like a pup. And I drag him towards the fountains which are as twice as tall as me, soaking him all wet.

“That’s the punishment!” I yell out over the sound of the splashing water, but he hops up and down happily, definitely enjoying it. “NOONA! It really feels so good!!”

I make a face. “Then enjoy it!”

“Not all alone, noona…” Says another voice, and the next thing I know is I’m also under the cheerfully spraying fountains holding hands with Jae Jin. “yah! You’re not going to see an end to this!” I yell, he just laughs and pushes me more into the spraying water which soaks me wet from head to toe, It’s not long before Ha Ra also joins in, dragging Jong Hun alone.
“Yah! Let me be!” He shouts too, but from the look of his face, he clearly shows it that he’s actually enjoying it. “Joonie! That guy over there is not coming!” Ha Ra says over the loud splashing of the water.  I nod. “I’ll get him!”

And soon I find myself walking to the bench dripping wet. I pause on my track, seeing the most beautiful sight before me, and I gulp hard.

If I have ever seen anything more beautiful, no, not as beautiful as what I’m seeing just now.

Before me, through the spraying water I see him, now on his feet, smiling as he watches the guys playing under the fountains. There’s a slow breeze blowing past him, over his ever perfect face making the soft fringes of his hair fly, which gives me a clear view of his smiling eyes. They’re beautiful, smiling happily replacing the usual frown which never seemed to leave him. But for some reason, it has. His rosy lips are creased into a smile, reveiling a perfectly placed line of teeth, his hands dipped into his pockets, and as he stood their, looking like a perfect master piece of god, I feel my heart beating rapidly, giving weird sensations in me. I wish…if he ever…could smile at me like that one day? If he ever stop the usual frown he always keep giving me, I’d have fallen for him…I would really have…

And sooner than I expect, his eyes runs over the line of fountains, finally lands on me. And his smile fades away, being replaced by his usual frown. Disappointment sweeps through me like a forest fire, burning every cell in my veins. He’d never smile at me. He’d smile at anyone else, he’d smile at her, that y mouthed Hyun-a for the rest of his life…but he will never, ever smile at me…

I shake my head, harshly. Don’t tempt ypurself Joonie, I mutter to my self. You hate him, he hates you, and that’s how you are meant to be…just don’t expect even more.

“Yah! Frowny!” I say looking cheerful as ever as I can as I approach him, leaving a wet trail behind me. He looks at me as though there’s no other thing as disgusting as I am. I gulp again. Don’t think about it now, Joonie, you’re just nothing to him…nothing…

“Why don’t you come join us!”

“Eh?” He asks, surprised by my offer. I reach out and take his hand with wet ones of mine. “Come on! We can’t leave one pirate behind!”

“Lee Joone” He says, surely in contradiction of what I’m doing as I drag him toward the fountains. I ignore him and drag him alone, but I’m surprised that he’s being dragged alone instead of stopping in the middle. I relese him when we’re both under the spraying water among the others, and I scream hard when someone pushes me towards where the water is coming from in such a speed and pressure. “Wha~T!” I yell, laughing as I walk out through the spraying water towards Jong Hun. I reach out to catch him so that I can give him the same treatment, but he’s faster. He quickly grabs me by my waist from the back and holds me off the floor. I start screaming like a mad woman as he walks to the middle of the fountain again and he pushes me right through once more. Gosh! This guy!

“Look out Noona!!!” Yells another voice, and the next thing I know is, I’m being pushed away so harshly by the force of minan being pushed into me,

And I land in somebody’s hands. I don’t who it is, and I’m already practically out of my mind that without even thinking, halfway convinced it’s Jong Hun since he’s the next well built person I know after my oppa, I bury my face in his chest and start laughing like a crazy woman. I feel him laughing too, so then it’s obviously Jong Hun. I lift my head.

“Jong Hun-ah~! I-.” I start saying, and stop dead, wanting to melt and get through the floor.

It’s not Jong Hun…it’s Won bin…

It’s Won Bin who looks…damn y being wet…

It’s Won Bin who just laughed..

He laughed…with me…

As soon as he sees my face, he returns to be in his frown, which again disappoints me, and quickly move away. But I can’t stop myself screaming. He laughed, he really laughe. Not one of his mocking fake laughters, but he really…really laughed.

“Won Bin! Did you just laugh!!” I hear myself screaming through the spraying water. Many eyes turns to me, and to Won Bin. I Start clapping hard. “He laughed people!! Won bin! He just really laughed!!!”

I know I’m being completely so petty and weird. But how can I resist it? He just laughed, and hearing the most beautiful laughter ringing in my ears, how can I really truly resist it?

 

 

“are we really going to the Memphis now?” Ha Ra asked for the hundredth time tonight as we get out of the bus stop near the college. I’m a bit worried that we’re going there obviously looking like high schoolers, but we had to come, even if I wanted to skip it today and come the next day, because Won bin received a call from his sister who works as a professer at the university, asking him to meet her there at the Memphis. So since I have my own work to deal with, and also because of Ha Ra who’s practically destroying the neurons in my brain by bugging me about coming here, I dragged them along, telling them that I will buy drinks for them.

“We are already here you dummy” I say, pulling the lapels of my dark blue coat even closer, fearing if my white wet shirt is revealing too much.

It’s not long before we finally approach the bar. And Won bin calls his sister. “Ah, noona…we’re here…can you like, come get us…? We’re still in our school cloths…”

He listenes and speaks to her for few more minutes and hangs up. Then he looks up at us.

“She asked us to come in, she says there won’t be any problem”

 

 

“Are you really sure about doing this?” Jae jin asks as I look around the place to see that we’re receiving many glances. I’m worried myself. What if any of them recognizes me? They’d know that I have been pretending.

“Yes, I am, now shut up and come” Won Bin hisses him and we move along until a very pretty looking yet decesnt lady approaches us with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. I swiftly conclude, Won Bin’s noona.

I like her from the very first sight. She really is pretty, with a pretty round face and the exact same lips and eyes as Won Bin, her hair is also red-brown like that I assume they must have done their hair together, and unlike her younger brother, she likes to smile a lot.

“Noona~” Won Bin says smiling after so long. She reaches out and touches his cheek. “There you are my little brother? But why so wet? Caught up in a rain?”

It’s jae Jin who answers. “No, we played him a prank, and we all played in the fountains at the square”

She smiles wider, her eyes glittering. “Really? I remember doing that back then…” She lets out a sigh. “Anyway..” she says now looking at me. “Oh, I remember her…the bride from last night? Right?”

I smile, turning red. “Dae~” I mutter shyly. Her eyes then goes to Ha Ra who’s busy searching for probably hong Gi. “And she is…?”

I smile. “That’s my friend, Ha Ra…”

Noona smiles widely. “She seems pretty occupied…”

“She’s new to this…that’s why…”

 

Afterwards, Won Bin walks away with noona for a personal chat. I lead the guys to a table as though I’m still a waitress and walk to the bar.

“Leave it Hyunnie! Do you want to die!!” I hear So-Young Unnie say harshly, and I smile to myself. Hyunnie, he must be wanting a beer as always.

When I go  closer to the bar area, I see Seung Hyun looking at So Young with an annoyed face. He lifts his head, and sees me.

“Lee Joone Noona!!!” He yells happily which immediately catches So Young’s attention; she also turns around, and sees me. She gives me a huge smile. “Joonie! You came!?!”

I smile wide. “Missed me?” I asked walking to her with the resignation letter that Hong Gi asked me to bring this morning. She nods. “Even if it has been only one day, we miss you like hell!”

I smile, wondering how badly my boys must have missed me not having me around for four days…well okay, except for Won bin…

“I do too…but I’m really sorry…Won Bin, our vocalist…he found me a perfect solution for…the issues I have…so…I see there’s no reason fpr me to work here anymore…” I look around to find Hong Gi. “I think Hong Gi told you…”

But as always, So Young Unnie smiles. “I knew you’d make it through joonie…you can do a lot more better than being a bar waitress…I always thought this doesn’t suit you…so…yeah, you made the best decision and we’re proud of you…”

I smile, feeling touched as Seung Hyun also nods in agreement. They’re all so sweet and caring, I always felt so ever since I joined them, and even when I’m saying good bye, I don’t feel down because just as they accepted me so happily and warmly. They’re saying goodbye.

“Shall I call hong gi hyun? He’s back stage…we just got a new member you know…” Seung Hyun, as always says out of the blue. I widen my eyes.

“Seriously? You did?”

He nods. “We needed a bassist, so my younger brother joined in”

I suddenly feel enthusiastic to meet him. “Oh that;s great! You brother must be just like you!”

By this, both Seung Hyun and so young unnie looks blank and looks at each other.Finally, Seung Hyun adds. “Hyun said he’s a lot better than me”

 

“Hey!” I say, smiling widely as Hong Gi approaches us with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. We’re in the bar, obviously, and sitting around the round table where beers and soju are kept, are my pirates (Except for Won Bin who’s still not done with the personal chat with his noona) , Ha Ra and also Seung Hyun and Min Hyuk, the crowd is now being joined by Hong Gi and Seung hyun’s brother Se hyun.

And very unlike his brother, Se Hyun is very shy, silent and reserved. He’s still fourteen, still so tiny but is too tall for his age, and apparently more grown up than his brother. And speaking of whom, Seung Hyun is getting alone so well with our Minan and Jae Jin, they’re going on discussing completely useless stuff like computer games and all those weird guy stuff that I never understand.

I present my pirates to Hong Gi and Se Hyun, they both accept them so happily and so then, the feast begins.

“Minan and Jae Jin, NO drinking!” I say, acting like a real Supervisor noona before they pour themselves their glasses.

Jae Jin makes a face. “But Min Hyuk here, he’s from my homeroom, and he’s allowed to drink!”

I reach out and move away the bottles from the magnae’s side with a glare.

“Ah! Noona!!!” all three of the magnaes moan, but I ignore and collide glasses with Hong Gi and So Young who just joined in.

“Cheers for Se Hyun!!!” I say as our glasses meet with a cheerful cling.

“And cheers for Jooni!” Hong gI says too. I look down, feeling embarrassed for some weird reason but look up when Ha Ra calls my name.

“Oh?” I ask, before taking a gulp and glare at her when she gives Hong gi a dreamy look when he’s not looking, trying to make fun of me, but for some weird reason, I don’t feel it, I don’t feel offended as I felt when she did the same to Won Bin…

And I hate it…

 

 

 

“You’re not listening are you?” He hears his sisters voice coming from somewhere close by, but his mind, it’s not there, it’s not close enough to catch her attention right now, it’s somewhere further away from where they’re sitting, and apparently it’s too busy examining the aspects of an angel.

He’s already done with two glasses of Soju, and generally when it comes to drinking, the limit for him is four. He can’t go beyond that before collapsing, and even now, the two glasses have brought him to a limit.

For those who are around just now, his sight must be hideous. He’s smiling, all by himself, and his eyes are unmoving, settled thoroughly on her watching every single movement she made as though he’s watching the most entertaining thing on earth.

But oh yes, it is. Nothing on earth of what he has seen already has entertained him as much as her sight does just now. She could be further away from him right now, but unlike any other, he can hear her laughter so well. He has never heard anything else so appealing, it’s so musical, like a slow song which fills his heart so wonderfully, and as she laughs, she’d bend down, straighten up again, she’d hit hard on her friends arm, she’d laugh into her friend’s shoulder, or cover , but no matter what she does, she looks like a goddess in his eyes. It’s crazy, of course it is. Maybe it’s it’s  the soju which is working in him now, or just the drunken atmosphere of the bar which is doing this to him. But, no, he doesn’t care. He goes in watching her.

He admires the beauty of her dark, long mane of hair. It’s still wet after their craziness under the fountains at the square, and the wetness has made it look wavy instead of it’s soft straightness. It’s so long, down to her back and movs rhythmically as she danced around laughing at whatever the jokes those who’re around her are making. He watches her pouring glasses for her self which she did so frequently, he watches her gulp it down, and loves the look on her face as she closes her eyes probably when it burns . It’s so weird, that of all the people around her, all he sees is her. It’s as though there’s a light around her, as though she’d shining like a star, or maybe she is, because right now, he has this feeling if he sees her glowing. He can’t help thinking that she is. Among all those who are around her, he sees her glowing like a beautiful work of marble…

“Oh Won Bin” He hears his sisters voice again, a bit harshly, but he decides to ignore it, the sight of the angel is too hard for him to ignore.

“Yah Oh Won Bin!” He hears it even more harshly, and so he decides to put an interval on his angel watching.

“Dae~” He mutters as he turns back to face his sister after a long time. He sees her giving him a mocking look.

“You know how hideous you looked just now?” She asks him, but he still is not back being himself yet.

“Eh?” He asks her, lifting both his eyebrows. She smiles and moves towards him, and whispers. “You like her don’t you?”

Now he straightenes up and looks at her straight, and answers. “I don’t know”

She makes a face. “You’re so stubborn Binnie! By the way you were looking at her just now, you looked desperate!”

He shakes his head. “I’m not”

She drops her shoulders. “Okay…then, if not…at least listen to me, I was telling you something important and you weren’t even listening!”

He shrugs, and looks into her eyes. “Arasso, tell me…”

She suddenly looks serious. “Binnie we have a problem”

“Problem?” He asks, feeling afraid all of a sudden. He knows what kind of problems that his parents send him through his sister. They hardly ever talk to him, it’s mostly because they’re too busy with his father’s orchestra, so the best communicating medium they have is her. And even now, looking into her face scares him, because whatever the problem she comes up with is never so appealing.

Her face suddenly darkenes, and it brings goose bumps all over him.

“Mum and dad…they’ve heard…”

He practically gets up on his feet, his drunkness vanishes.

“They’ve heard…how?”

She lowers her voice and continues urgently. “I think it’s Dong Wook…the bloody jerk…mum lives as her life depends on him.”

“What has he said?” He asks equally as urgently as her.

“BOTB…He has recognized you on the Valentines special that day…that’s the worst part…he has shown her the kiss”

His heart stops at her words.

“The…kiss?”

She nods. “I don’t think they are ging over that, they’ve seen you and Hyun-a being you know…even closer…so, I don’t think it will be a problem…”

“Then, what is?”

She looks even more serious. “The band…she wants you out-,”

“Out!?!” He exclaims, panicking. Of course he can’t leave the band! Not even if they come around threatening him to kill him he will never leave the band!

Noona reaches out and gently hits him on his head.

“Wait till I finish you dummy! They wants you to leave the band unless you win the BOTB, dad is involved with FNC and if you get through, it will raise his popularity, and also bring you a status too”

“If…not?” He asks, already fearing the answer. Without a word, noona digs into her bag and produces a yellow coloured brochure. She throws it on the table before him.

‘Hanze University Groningen’ it says in bold lettering. He looks  up at his sister with widened eyes.

“In Netherlands?”

She nods. “Some conductor dude of an orchestra is willing to give you a scholarship.”

He anger rises and spreads through him like a fire. It has been always like that for him. This is a threaten to him in order to fulfill their wishes. At times he feels like he’s being used for the sake of their mere popularity. They never care about how it will affect him as long as they get what they want. Why do they always do that to him? Why do they always use his own talent as a weapon to split him into two and destroy him!?!

“I don’t want to go to any freaking Netherlands!!!” he says harshly, throwing the brochure back to her. “They can’t make me, they never will”

 “That’s exactly why you have to win the contest Binnie, even I don’t want you to go!” She exclaims urgently.

He too, gives her a cold look. “Don’t worry, I will win, and I will show them”

Noona smiles widely. “That’s my boy!” She says and reaches out to touch his cheek. Then she sits back, looking urgent again.

“Back to the kiss thing….” She says watching him pouring himself a glass. He can go for another one. Now that he’s sobered up after hearing the news, he can go for four more.

“Whatever it is, I won’t care” He says shortly and gulps down his soju, enjoying the burning sensation in his throat as the liquor runs down.

“You have to…if there’s any feeling you have toward Lee Joone…keep it hidden, don’t bring it to the surface-.”

He glares into her eyes. “It’s my problem noona, not theirs. Even if I had any feelings for her, I will deal it myself”

She nods. “yeah…you should…but please if you ever do…don’t show it…”

He sighs hard. He doesn’t want to believe it himself, but even the thought of it makes his heart run in milliseconds. He wants to hate her, yes, that’s what he really wants but eventually what’s really happening is totally on the contraire of his expectations. When he try so hard to hate her, he only ends up having his heart beating faster, his mind blurring and in the end, memories just flows into his mind. His head fills with visions of her. Her smile which she so frequently gives him, making his heart stop, her simple words, they just makes him want to listen to her, no matter what she says, he wants to listen to her since whatever she says is real, is true. He just can’t resist it whenever she’s around. Her existence changes him, completely, and everytime it does, it feels wonderful, and it makes him want her even more. He can’t bear her tears, whenever he sees her face darkened, tears formed in her star-like eyes, it makes his heart swell, and the pain it gives him is just so unbearable, because deep inside him, he knows what he really wants to do is protect her, no matter how much it takes, no matter even if he has to put his own life into danger, he wants to do it, he will protect her, and if he can protect her, he’s willing to give all he has.

And now if his parents want him to keep on loving someone who he has never loved, he won’t listen, he won’t care, because who he really want, is apparently not  her but somebody else.

He always knew that the two year long relationship that Hyun-a and he shared is nothing. No matter how hard he wanted it to happen, he can’t make himself truly love her. Throughout the two years what he has always had towards her are frequent urges to kiss and go beyond that, but none of this ever meant love. He and her they both know that between them it’s not happening. For him, she’s there just because she’s there. And if not for his and her parents, they will never be together.

And that’s exactly what his parents need to understand, and also which they never do.

“And don’t make hyun-a upset, okay? She’s fine right now, but  loosing you grip on her by busying yourself with another…it will make things worse…you know how they are…if things get worse, it’s her who will get hurt”

Won bin looks straight at his sister. “Who?” He asks. She looks as urgent as ever and answers.

 “Lee Joone”

 

 

By the time when the bar is about to close for the day, the only customers left happens to be the treasure, FT four (They have changed their name since they’re a four member band now) Ha Ra, Lee Joone and some workers of the bar.

And what which makes the situation worse is that they are all drunk. Since Lee joone is the most drunk out of the crowd after Ha Ra, the three maknaes found them selves a chance to drink. And fortunately, the youngest maknae has left early due to schoolwork otherwise he’d also be a part of the drunks here.

Won bin was careful to not to go overboard because being drunk makes him considerably mad, but even after he kept his limit to four glasses, ge already feels odd, so he decided to keep away from the crazy crowd who are now in the last part of playing some stupid game.

Lee Joone seems to be a professional drunk. Won bin was made aware that she has had ten soju glasses in a drinking game by Minan, but the wonder is, she’s still keeping sane enough to still play in the game. She makes weird actions just occasionally but she’s not gone as insane as Ha Ra who is being controlled by Jong Hun who hasn’t taken much, but the rest are so crazily drunk.

It’s around at eleven that finally the bar girl, Lee Joone’s friend Ha Ra throws them all out of the place.

Later they find themselves on the road, swaying and unmoving, half of them screaming and yelling crazily and they keeps receiving cold glances from the passers by but they don’t even seem to care. It’s jong Hun who finally proceeds to settle things out.

“Okay! People! Day out’s over!! Everybody go back to youe houses!!!” He says loudly but his yelling is not loud enough to be heard over their loud screaming and yelling. So he’s left with individual talking. He apparently succeeds, FT four is sent home by their supervisor noona who’s not drunk and who also has a harsh speech unlike the supervisor of the treasure who is sane but not very helping. She’s busy chatting to Ha Ra with a hand around her shoulder and laughing occasionally; Won bin is careful enough to not to watch her. Jong hun makes Jae Jin call his sister who later on sends her car with a driver to take him home. Minan and Jae Jin are sent away that way, Lee Joone makes Ha Ra call his brother who soon arrives cursing her and takes her home. Jong hun who lives closer by gives them both a good bye and leaves, which leaves Lee Joone and Won Bin on the road, watching each other awkwardly.

It makes him sigh in relief when the last bus soon arrives. He grabs Lee Joone’s hand and drags her in along with him.

Since it is the last bus for the day, it’s not very crowded, almost empty and many seats are vacant, so it gives them a chance to sit where ever they want. Lee Joone finds herself a comfy seat on a side and soon she drifts into a sleep.

Won bin sits in a seat further away from her, not wanting to find himself in the awkward moment of watching her once more. But as he sees her even from a distance, sleeping peacefully leaning against the wide glass pain of the bus, the alcohol in him starts working again, and once more he finds himself in the same position of watching her sleep.

This is not the first time he’s doing this, watching her sleeping so peacefully but now, he feels weird because the other time when he did that he was hating her, but now the kind of hate he has towards her is…rather different. It’s like…it’s even more than how it was. Maybe because he’s still no sober yet, or  a reason unknown even to him, he can’t figure it out but as he stares at her silky dark hair which is almost all which is visible for him to the distance he’s in, he can’t take it, he can’t bear it, and he needs help. He wants to run away and hide somewhere, and never come back to face her once more because it hurts him to know that no matter how close she seems in his eyes, she’s apparently so far away from him. She might be tangible, he can touch her, he can feel her but any of it, she doesn’t feel them at all. He saw how happy she is when Hong Gi is around, it’s as though he always keeps her happy unlike himself who only and always make her cry. He can’t take it, the fact that only Hong Gi receives her sincerity whereas all that he receives from her has nothing to do with fondness but pity . He wants things to change. He wants her to reach her hand out to him instead of her so called soul mate because he personally believes it, no, he knows it just too well that he can be the one who will offer all the help that she needs, but unfortunately, all she sees is not himself but someone else even though he’s ready to give in to finally accept all the weird unbearable messages that his brain has been giving him for the past few days, making his heart swell and stop.

Even now she’s does it again, his heart freezes when the bus makes a fast move making her jump, disturbing her peaceful sleep. The move nearly causes her to fall off the seat, and it concerns him. He can’t let her fall, and also he can’t let her be so far away from him. She’s far enough from him already, almost unreachable but no, he won’t make it even worse.

So without wasting any more time, he gets off his seat and slowly makes it towards her. As soon as her sight is almost too visible for him, his heart starts beating faster, and now he has grown to bear it, he takes a deep breath and slides into the vacant space beside her. His heart never seems to slow down as he finds himself staring down at the angel like figure of her sleeping so happily and peacefully. Her long dark hair is draped over her shoulder both her hands clenched slightly and is in her lap. He swallows and reaches out to arrange her skirt which has gone up because of the position of her sleep and finally sits back; wanting to drift into a sleep himself but it surprises him when the bus makes another hard turn, making her sleeping figure fall over to his side. He makes his move to catch her but fortunately where she finally ends up is his lap, and she doesn’t even flutter an eye, she goes on in her peaceful sleep. The warmth she’s giving him feels odd on him, but he doesn’t care. He remains the same, not wanting to disturb her sleep but enjoys it, watching her angel like beauty lying on his lap, and he smiles to himself.

 

And so the ride goes on……