Kim Sunggyu- 60 seconds

My heart rings in my ears

60 seconds is all I need for this story

You came into my heart, I don't doubt it.

That you took me away, the time wasn't short.

Jung Krystal woke up, startled by the buzzing sound of her alarm clock. She turned to her right, trying to turn it off. She sure was late as she looked at it. She gasped in frustration, as she went to reach the bathroom. She groomed her disheveled face and decided to take some simple precautions whilst still choosing the best attire for the day.

She chose the pink tee and white pants; she made a bun out of her hair as she put a polka-dotted ribbon at the top. She tilted her head, making some great impressions over her sense of style.

Time was up and she hurriedly asked the butler to take her to the designation point. But, there was something she had forgotten.

She never said to Kai that Sehun would tag along.

And, there… she saw the two glaring at each other, their eyes almost having a fit by just looking.

Krystal just shrugged off her shoulders and dismissed the thought. She couldn’t have possibly seen the two of them with those fierce eyes.

She arrived and to finally some everything up, the truth did not really hurt. They truly were glaring at each other, almost eating the person they’re looking at with those monstrous eyes and stern behaviors.

Krystal tagged at Sehun’s arms making the boy notice her. Krystal then looked at Kai.

“Mind explaining?” Kai clicked his tongue. “Did I invite him?” Kai looked at Sehun, signaling to Krystal that he did not like where it would head to.

“I already did, right?” Sehun bit his lips. “I’m just forced to… because you are not there to protect her from your fan girls.” Sehun squeezed her hand tightly.

“Arasseo.” He shrugged his shoulders. “If it’s what Krystal decided to, then fine.” Kai led them to the shopping malls at the town square. He turned left and right, scanning the whole view.

Krystal and Sehun looked at each other, confused and bewildered. Could he possibly… Krystal thought. She tried to relax herself to what’s running at her mind. “Could it truly be…?”

Sehun face-palmed. “Wait up…Are we LOST?” He emphasized at the last word.

Kai looked at him and honestly nodded. “Honestly, the malls here did change. It was only a few years since I left Seoul but…the surroundings drastically improved at a considerable pace.” He mumbled, almost blushing.

“Pfft.” Krystal chuckled softly. “You should have just ask as to lead the way, right Sehunnie?” She looked at Sehun, winking at his direction.

“Yeah.” Sehun said nonchalantly. Almost getting distracted by her arm.

“Oops…sorry.” Krystal removed her arm as it was tagged on Sehun’s. Kai did not even bother to look at it which despaired Krystal the most.

I even prepared for this day. And, to think that I just wore something so plain and old-fashioned. I even bothered Sehun to keep this as something out of friendship. Krystal thought, making her way through the crowd of bustling people running from here to there with Kai and Sehun. And, to think that I’m helping Kai with his one and only lover… Krystal wanted to punch herself. Then, she grimaced sadly. Could it be that Choi Minah’s back? More and more I’m---

Krystal stopped her own trail of thoughts as they arrived at a richly place. Sehun twitched his brows. “What the heck are we going here?” He tried to contain his calm and tried to look at Kai.

He deliberately went inside the shop, surprising the twosome. They both went on the entrance door and looked at the costly business-oriented shop for rich bachelors and bachelorettes. They looked at the expensive things, all with WELL-KNOWN tags and brands. This surprised Sehun the most. He was not used to this type of things. But, it was not like he was not experiencing these things.

“Does this guy even have a money?” Sehun curved his lips. “Is he crazy or what?”

“I don’t know.” Krystal heaved out a sigh.

Kai’s own peculiarity made it even more obvious when the employees greeted him a ‘good afternoon’ as if treating him well. It was as if he was a boss and as if, he owned the place.

“Hey…hey…” Sehun gulped. He felt so little. “Hey…Kim Jong In, why are you here?”

“Hmn.” Kai felt that his companions didn’t even have a short intro of where they’d be going, even a background of his own life matter-of-factly. “Ah..my sister owned this place. And, I’d been looking for a nice, pretty watch for my mom. Didn’t I say to you, Krystal?” He averted his gaze to Krystal.

Krystal pointed herself. “Me? Mother? I thought it’s…” Krystal recollected her thoughts. Of course, it would be the mother. His one and only lover, his caring mother. That made sense. She mentally smacked herself; she even forgot an obvious fact.

“Now..now, Mr. Lee…” He called for the manager ‘casually’. “Where’s my noona?”

“Ah..he’s out for a trip, Sir. Wonder if I could be of assistance to you?” He bowed low.

“Ah…let me introduce my acquaintances.” He politely introduced Sehun and Krystal. The manager bowed with the two of them. The two also did the same. “Please do treat them nicely. They’ re also of good background.” He winked at Krystal. Krystal was bewildered.

“Why’d you do that?” Krystal muttered.

“Hmn? Because, you’d be helping me to choose the best one. I mean, this is the best shop in town. This provides everything many rich people could wish for and even my mom could die just to have one of those branded bags.” He pointed at the lines of branded purses at the front of the shop.

“Really? Oh, well…I just hope your mom would like my taste.” Krystal went and tried to pick a simple yet authentic bag out of nowhere. She looked at the design and the embroideries and giggled at herself. “This would be good…even my mom could want this.”

Kai blinked rapidly. Then, there came a smile. “Please wrap this up.”

“Is that all?!” Krystal thought that it was too strange but she liked it on a way.

“Ah…I’m hungry.” Kai said to himself, rubbing his tummy.

“Let’s eat at a nearby eatery.” Krystal volunteered as she dragged the two on her own pace.

Sehun was clasping his phone tightly, not bothering at the pushy Krystal. He ended the call with teary eyes.

“Hey, wae?” Krystal inched her face onto his.

Sehun gasped, realizing the distance. “Ah…guys, I need help. They TRULY NEED EXTRA HANDS for the orphanage. The caretakers were out on a trip and my mom was the only one left. But, the children ran astray.”

“Then, could your mother cook?” Kai beamed. “It would help if that would be the case.”

“Why are you only caring for the food?” Krystal smacked his shoulder.

He growled in pain, but he was just kidding and completely plastered his face with a smile. “I’m hungry, you know?” He stood there, emphasizing his state.

“Fine, of course. We’d be delivering food there and let’s just go it’s truly urgent.” Sehun dragged the two as the excuse he said just the other day could have been the real case. He totally forgot how his mother desperately tried to want him not to go, but he insisted. His lazy brother Luhan was out and he’s the only one his mom could depend on.

They arrived at the place. The orphanage was not like others, it was a decent building three stories up. There were many children, running around. Some were holding toys, playing pots and kettles and some were crying their hearts out after getting tripped on rocks at the side street.

But, there was a peaceful atmosphere in there. Maybe, it was because Mrs. Oh properly maintained the place with a calm heart and mind. She greeted the with simply a worried look.

And there, they went. They were surrounded by almost twenty five children, playing pranks like pulling Krystal’s heart and pinching her ears. The girls liked her and handed her story books. Krystal sat at a corner, and read the book with happiness. The boys and girls flocked round her like she was a fairy using enchantments to lure children.

Meanwhile, other boys were having a fit on a soccer ball. Donations came and soccer balls were on the boxes. They were dismayed to not even use it. The orphanage had a wide ground for basketball but since they were just little children, no one was using it. It was occasionally used by Sehun and his family for leisure.

Kai stepped in and grinned at them. He forgot that he was hungry and ride some kicks. The boys were in awe and asked him shyly to try and teach them. He gladly agreed and had fun playing with them.

Sometimes, he made it easy for them to hit a goal and purposely trying to fall on the ground. When a boy tried to kick the ball and at the instance fell on the ground, he would reach out for his hands and tried to ease his feelings. Kai did not want him to be a crybaby and soon, Krystal came to take some first aids on the wound.

Meanwhile, Sehun who was not good at children called out for a nearby restaurant and delivered food for the whole bunch of children and adults alike. He looked at Kai and Krystal comforting the silly boy.

He frowned at the thought of a family laid on his site.

“Oh Sehun, what are you thinking?” Mrs. Oh went by his side and watched the scene with him.

“Jealous? Angry?” Mrs. Oh giggled in thought. “It’s fine, you’re just young. Maybe, they’re just friends.” Mrs. Oh put her hand on her chin. “I think there’s something about the two of them but I know that they could not move forward. You still have a chance.”

“Do you think, mom?” Sehun looked, worried.

“Of course.” His mother assured, patting his back. “But, they’re not bad people. You do choose people well. I’m proud of you. But, tell me…why can’t you properly court her? Did you get reject—“

“Stop bringing that up, MOM!” He loudly said, shocking the hell out of the busy kids. “Ah…” His face was sweating.

Kai from a distance looked at him. “OI!” He shouted at the top of his voice. “The delivery’s here. Let’s eat!” He pointed at the entrance gate.

“Yeah.” Krystal followed with him, she held the hand of the boy who tried to get up. “Does the wound still ache?”

“Annyeo…Hyungnim told me that I should not cry, and be tough. So that, I could protect the people who are dear to me.” The boy skipped as he walked.

“Hyungnim?” Krystal looked at Kai and got the idea. “That hyungnim is a kind person, right?” Krystal hid her red cheeks.

“Neh~” The boy sang, admiring his hyungnim more and more.

They went out for a lunch break. The kids were reaching out for their hands for the chicken Sehun ordered. Sehun casually ate a piece of chicken and rice. He was so out of tune again. He looked at Krystal and Kai.

Kai was totally ignoring Krystal who was all along beside him.

Krystal was just absent-mindedly looking at Kai. She went to join the kids, plastering a fake smile on her face.

Sehun went straight to her.

“Krystal..” Sehun looked at her disheveled face.

“Hmn?” Krystal looked so tired. “Thank you for letting us in here. This truly helped Kai…” Krystal winked at him.

“You’re always taking care of him.” Krystal was about to turn around, when Sehun seized for her hand. Krystal let loose of his grasp. But, she couldn’t.

“I just thought that…because Kai was left alone by her first love that was the sole purpose of him playing soccer.” Krystal reached out for the food. Sehun let her go and tried to help her with the servings. “He’s truly a glutton. But, he’s a kind person. I couldn’t believe how much he worth to me.”

Krystal remembered her fight with Kai over Choi Minah. (a/n: twenty-fifth chapter) And, she recollected everything that followed.

“I wanted the two of us to be real…” Krystal couldn’t take a bite.

“I know how much you’re hurting.” Sehun looked so serious. He reached for her hand and put it on his chest. “Because this person…right here is always waiting for you. He’s a fool for waiting that someday you would notice him.”

“Sehun, we’ve already talked about this.”

Sehun turned around. “Eat first. I don’t know but I think I’m getting rejected again.” He went with his mother and tried to sit at the far side with the children.

Krystal wanted to talk to him but she couldn’t. “Sehun, how could I repay your kindness?”

Back to the scene

Krystal sat at the nearby bench facing the wide lawn for soccer. There were children running round, playing with a tall young man kicking the soccer ball. Krystal watched in astonishment as she chuckled softly with the man’s gesture.

“Jongin-ah…” Krystal whispered softly.

There came Oh Sehun, holding on his hand that very bitter drink he’s always been drinking. He watched as Krystal looked at him, confused. Sehun hesitated to sit beside her but Krystal insisted to do so.

Sehun looked blankly at her as she beamed. “You look like you’re having fun looking at him. “Haven’t you understood why we’re here?”

“Of course I know…” Krystal looked at his face. “About just this conversation we had during lunch time…”

“I don’t know but why is it that even though I’m right here with you and he’s there not even paying attention to you. How could you get so attracted to him?”

“Maybe…this was what my unnie thought of. That someone out there could have been waiting for me and that I’d be able to love and laugh with him.” Krystal was about to cry, but held it in.

“Here… I think you’re remembering heart break again.” Sehun thought that maybe Krystal was remembering the time when everything ended with Kai and Krystal’s fake relationship. He handed the bitter drink, his signature drink that was truly a bitter tea.

“Thank you, Oh Sehun. At times like this, you’re truly a reliable friend.”

“I don’t want to be your friend. I wanted to be your boyf---“

Before Sehun could say it, Kai approached them. He casually did, not minding their conversation.

“Here…for the two of you. Actually this was for Krystal and noona but since noona was not present at the shop, I’d be giving this to you Sehun.” He said, handing invitations for his mom’s birthday.

“I’d be glad to go.” Krystal beamed. Sehun noticed and warmly gazed upon her wasted love.

“I’d accompany Krystal as his .” He glared at Kai.

And the worst thing was, “Yes , then do it. I wouldn’t be there to entertain you guys. Thanks for tagging along with Krystal, Sehun.”

Krystal felt the world crumble apart. She felt how Sehun tagging along with their supposedly-date was a blessing in disguise. She would again come at that birthday party, still gazing at her love’s profile disappearing for her side more and more.

Did all of you like the development?

My heart's beating so fast to see how all of you felt

I don't know if this could really be called a development

Sometimes, I feel sorry for the three of them.

Please do feel comment and try to be calm.