The day came where I was to give the speech that I skillfully written to the entire student body at the auditorium. I remembered being so nervous, with perspiration forming on my forehead. It didn’t help that I was wearing a blazer. I felt as if the air-conditioning system had broken down. Standing backstage with me for support was of course, Ryeowook, his girlfriend and you. No words were exchanged as we waited anxiously for my turn to make a speech. In random intervals, you would pull out a piece of tissue so that I could wipe my perspiration.

“Next, we’ll have Lee Hyukjae from the degree of Business. Better known as Eunhyuk, he is a member of the dance ensemble and has participated in various dance competitions, helping the team to win many awards along the way. Let’s welcome Lee Hyukjae,”

I cleared my throat and stood up straight.

“Fighting!”you squeezed my hand tight.

I gave you a smile before I went on stage. The spotlight blinded me at once. I could see nothing except the bright spotlight which was a good thing. I would probably faint if I had seen how many people were sitting right in front of me. With no paper in front of me to help me, I felt a little frightened. I had stuttered quite a number of times during my rehearsals with you. My mind even went blank once. But you never lost your patience. Instead, you kept giving me encouraging smiles while I continued rehearsing.

I looked at the microphone and then at the bright light in front of me. I smiled and began addressing everyone. I introduced myself and went on to talk a little about myself. With that, I carried on with my speech. How the school system can be improved and why they should choose me as President. To mask my nervousness, I kept smiling. It seemed to work as I kept talking. Soon, my speech came to an end.

“Swim with me, the dancing anchovy,”I smiled my most charismatic smile before the whole auditorium erupted into applause.

I got off the podium and bowed before walking backstage.

“EUNHYUKKIE! YOU DID IT!”you squealed before giving me a tight hug.

“Congrats!!”Ryeowook and I fist bumped while I was still hugging you.

“Congratulations,”Ryeowook’s girlfriend, Hyun-na had smiled at me.

“Thank you! I couldn’t have done it without you all,”I smiled back.

You let go of me and just looked at me with so much pride in your eyes.

“You’ve worked hard! Thanks for helping me! It doesn’t really matter whether I win this or not. But at least we tried,”I your cheeks.

“I’m sure you’ll win!”you pinched my cheeks.

A week later, all of us gathered at the same auditorium to wait for the results. During that week, I had been too anxious to eat. Although I had told you that it didn’t matter whether I won the elections, it still mattered quite a fair bit. My scholarship was at stake if I were to lose the elections. What was I to do if I were to lose? There was no way I could participate in the elections again and it would be quite hopeless to think that I would stand a chance to be the next President of the dance ensemble. The instructor had always preferred females to males.

I wasn’t the only one anxious during that week. You were just as anxious as I was about the results. But you chose to hide it from me by finishing all your food, asking me to eat mine and making sure I was alright. However good you were at hiding your feelings, you couldn’t hide it for long for I caught you tearing a little when I came out of the bathroom one time. You admitted that all your anxiousness was bottled up inside and it was making you stressed out. I really hated myself then for putting you through so much misery.

“Good luck!!”

That was what everybody whom I knew said to me when they walked pass me. I could only smile as I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I felt your hand gripping tightly onto mine.

“Don’t worry, alright,”you said softly.

I was really thankful that you were right beside me. I would have been really lost without you holding onto my hand to reassure me.

“Thanks, princess,”I smiled.

Soon, the auditorium’s noise level decreased as the current President of the Student Union came on stage. He was holding a piece of paper and that piece of paper determined my fate. He stood onto the podium and addressed everyone. He then went on to drag the suspense albeit a torturous one by talking about the Student Union’s mission and how the newly appointed Vice-President and President should act. Then, he stood up straighter and began clearing his throat. The moment had arrived. Firstly, he announced the new Vice-President of the academic year.

“Park Jungsoo from the degree of accounting,”he announced.

This guy who was sitting in front of me stood up and walked up on the stage. On the way there, he was greeted by people going up to him for hugs and handshakes. He went on stage and began saying his thank you speech before accepting the sash from the Vice-President who was stepping down. The President turned back to the audience and told us he would be announcing the next President.

It seemed as if my world stopped moving as my ears were blocked with only my heart beating rapidly. Your gripped tightened on my hand.

“Lee Hyukjae from the degree of Business!”the President announced loudly.

My jaw nearly dropped but I managed a smile as you hugged me tightly.

“Congratulations!!”you smiled.

I leaned in to give you a quick peck on the cheek before I stood up. Ryeowook, Hyun-na, Junsu, Yuri and many others offered to give me a congratulatory handshake. I couldn’t even remember how I made it up on stage. I could only vaguely remember how I said a thank you speech and received the sash from the President who was stepping down.

I made my way down after the whole ceremony ended and I was greeted with you who was smiling that dazzling eye smile of yours. I went up to give you a tight hug.

“Thank you, Haemin. Because of your hard work, I got the position. Thank you so much. I can’t even thank you enough,”I said before letting go.

“You don’t need thank me so many times. Just a …,”and I cut you off.

“Just a treat will do, right? You glutton,”I chuckled while ruffling your hair.

“And this glutton of a girlfriend of yours really wants to go celebrate now,”you pulled me out of the auditorium.

You pulled me into Ryeowook’s car and he drove off. We reached a restaurant and made our way inside. Seated at the table were my parents, Donghae and Soobin.

“Mum? Dad? Donghae? Soobin? Why are you all here?”I was bewildered.

“Haemin organized this celebratory dinner, of course! How can we not celebrate this special occasion eh?”Donghae came over to give me a hug.

“Congratulations!”Soobin said after Donghae let go of me.

“What if I had lost the election?!”I was shocked.

“Then, we can all join forces to comfort you, idiot,”Donghae joked.

“Thanks, princess,”I turned to smile at you.

All you could do was beam at me. After dinner that night, Ryeowook had sent all of us back to school and left the two of us alone while he brought his girlfriend back to her own dorm. The two of us decided to walk around the school campus in the moonlight. We sat down somewhere under a tree and I took out my camera. We were just smiling at the camera. I pressed the button and immediately I felt a pair of lips on my cheek. After the flash went off, I turned to look at you. You only grinned at me cheekily before I looked at the photo taken.

“What did I do to deserve someone like you?”you said all of a sudden.

“What do you mean?”I asked as I placed the camera in my bag.

 “Look at you. You’re…perfect,”you smiled.

“I’m not, babe,”I reached out to your cheek but you shook your head.

“No, seriously. You’re good at dancing, photography and soccer. Then, now, you’re the President of the student council! On top of that, you’re so good-looking and tall. What did I do in my previous life to deserve someone like you? I mean, this is too good to be true, right? I’m not talented in any area and I’m short and ugly,”you rambled on.

“Silly! You’re talented yourself. You play the flute in the band! Your grades ain’t that bad and you’re creative. You’re on the way to becoming a lawyer, for god’s sake, Haemin. And how many times must I tell you? You are pretty. Beautiful even. As for the height, well, you’re a little short,”I joked.

As you laughed, you leaned on me for a hug.

“Don’t belittle yourself, alright. Because you’ve got something that others don’t,”I said.

“What?”you asked as you looked at me.

“You’ve got the power to make me do whatever you want. Other than my parents, I doubt anyone else has that kind of power,”I smiled.

“Are you sure I’ve got that power?”you frowned.

“Why don’t you try it out then?”I pinched your cheek.

“Hmmm, okay then, Lee Eunhyuk, I want you to…kiss me,”you smiled.

“Easily done, babe, easily done,”I smiled back before leaning down to kiss you on your lips. 

End of Chapter

DarkAngel