“Yoona?”

Yoona looked back and she was confused. “Were you calling me?”

Taecyeon left his icy wall and gave a big genuine smile to her. “Yah, Yoona! Don’t you remember me?” She was a little dumbfounded on how he knows her. “I gave you that pendant.”

Yoona looked at the key chain that is dangling on her bag. Only one person called it a pendant rather than a key chain. The boy that gave it to her.

A flashback of a boy with a big smile handing her a green key chain came to her.

“What’s this?” young Yoona asked. “A key chain?”

“No. A pendant!” the young boy chirped. “I made it myself!”

“It looks weird.”

“Its definitely me then,” the young boy smile sheepishly.

“Taecyeon oppa?” Yoona’s blurry image of Taecyeon suddenly became clear. He was the boy that got lost in her memories 13 years ago. The boy who moved without a bid farewell. “Yah! Oppa! When did you get back to Seoul?!” Yoona pulled him into a hug, which took Leeteuk and Jay’s attention from their argument. “Wah! Oppa, you’ve gotten really tall!”

“You don’t look so bad either,” Taecyeon ruffled Yoona’s head, just like he used to do. “What is it? 12, 13 years?”

“Is he bothering you?” Leeteuk asked, hoping Taec does.

“No! Not at all!” Yoona smiled. “Taecyeon oppa used to be my childhood friend!” The fact that Yoona called Taecyeon as oppa irks Leeteuk a lot. Yoona pulled Taecyeon to sit beside her, ignoring Leeteuk who was standing dumbfounded in front of them. “Yah oppa! You still call this green thing a pendant?” Yoona showed him his Ok Cat creation.

“It is a pendant,” Taecyeon pulled the key chain from her, then he realized how plush it was instead of a hard pendant. “Or was anyway. I can’t believe you kept this all along.”

Jay pulled the third wheel Leeteuk by force, with that, Yoona was left with Taecyeon and their conversation.

“I was used to it dangling on my bag,” Yoona took it back from him. “Besides, Ok Cat is important.”

Taecyeon couldn’t believe that the small Yoona back then was the sweet beautiful girl in front of him now. To be honest, his memory of Yoona was kind of a haze now, but somehow, bits and pieces were coming back.

“Weren’t you supposed to be in Boston?” Yoona’s question stopped Taecyeon’s thoughts. Now he realized the reason why Yoona was such a haze in his memory was the exact same reason why he left Boston.

“I finished school, and decided that I’ve had enough of Boston,” it wasn’t the whole story, but Taecyeon still couldn’t manage the truth to be told. “Enough about me. What about you?’

“I still have 2 more semesters in school, and then, I’ll be heading for a 24/7 harworking woman,” Yoona stated proudly.

“Still the old ‘Hardwork is Everything’ eh?” Taecyeon smiled, rekindling a memory how Yoona always pressed him about doing a good job on everything. Its an admirable trait she had since young. All the time, she dazzles people with a good initiation of solid hardwork, and even being the lazy bum Taecyeon was, he found himself wanting to try harder around her back then.

“I guess I can’t change that much, can I?” Yoona smiled, and it was still the genuine smile since she was 9. Yoona looked at how much Taecyeon has changed. Not only he went extra tall, he also was well built compared to the skinny younger Taecyeon. His demeanor also changed a bit. He somehow shies away from smiling somehow. He’s smiling now, but it seemed like he was hiding something.

“By the way, I saw you in my office today. I didn’t recognize you then,” Taecyeon suddenly remembered the incident before. No wonder he stared at her like she  was familiar.

“Oh, my friend Yuri wanted to meet my other friend, Jessica’s white...” Yoona looked at Taecyeon and the she realized something. “Knight.” Taecyeon was Jessica’s white knight, Taecyeon was Jessica’s crush. He was the man Jessica fell for.

“Did you found him?” Taecyeon asked.

“Yeah,” and it makes sense to Yoona. Because Ok Taecyeon had been her white knight before when they were kids. It suited his personality well. It makes total sense why Jessica fell for him. But should she tell her about Jessica. “I mean sort off, yeah. He wasn’t physically there, but I got to find out about him a little.” Yoona thought maybe Jessica’s love life should stay with Jessica. She wasn’t as nosy as Yuri.

“You mean Jung Jessica? She sat right next to my cubicle,” Taecyeon wondered how small the world was to find that his coworker was Yoona’s friend. “Sorry, but this whole gossip thing, I’m not really a fan of it.”

“But you worked in a scandalous magazine,” Yoona said.

“True, but that doesn’t mean I like it anyway,” Taecyeon gave a warm smile that is hardly given to anyone nowadays. “What do you do?”

“I am learning accounting, which could count as the most boring course ever,” Yoona chuckled at this. “But it’s all good, at least I’m good at it.”

Then Taecyeon remembered Yoona’s drawing that he stole when they were little. It was a great drawing for a 9 years old. “I thought you were interested in those fine arts things.”

Yoona was reminded of her old dreams to become a fine artist, which was broken down into pieces when their family almost went bankrupt.

“Yeah. But I made it a hobby instead,” she wasn’t lying. Arts was simply just her foundation of sanity nowadays. She paints now and then, but to make it a career is not her target anymore.

“I think I still have it,” Taecyeon said. Yoona was confused on what he meant. “Your drawing, you know, the one I took by force when its not yet finished.”

“Oh that,” she remembered her hard work at giving Taecyeon the best farewell gift. She painted something, but she can’t put a finger on to what she painted. But it had got to be something that was special between them. “I can’t seem to remember what I paint.”

“I can’t seem to remember where I put it,” Taecyeon said, and they both laughed at how bad they are recalling old memories. “But I think I remembered what it looks like. Something about me and a tree.”

“What would a 9 years old draw?” Yoona tried hard to recall back.

“A house?” Taecyeon recalled a memory from his past.

“No, absolutely not a house,” Yoona stated firmly.

“How do you know for sure if you can’t recall,” Taecyeon chuckled a bit.

“Because...” Yoona blushed a little. “This may sound silly, but I think drawing houses were for art newbies and too many children drew a house. Its boring.”

“You were 9.”

“And I was a bit out of the norm. I wouldn’t be friends with you if I was a normal kid, wouldn’t I?” Yoona teased.

“I’m a charmer,” Taecyeon defended as well joking. “You would be friends with me even if I’m a stone.”

Yoona smiled. Then a question occured to her. “How have you been, oppa?”

Its a weird question for Taecyeon since people either shy away from him because of his cold stare or understand that he needed space, like Junsu and Jay. Not many really asked how had he been. His family only insisted that he goes back to Boston and put everything behind. But he can’t just put everything behind. He lived that life for 4 years since he graduated high school, and when everything was taken from him, he just felt lost in Boston.

But he can’t seem to just lie to Yoona. Her genuine stare pierced him for his honesty. Though he couldn’t bring up the truth about him coming back to Seoul either, so he just said, “I have been better.”

By the look of his face, suddenly Yoona doesn’t feel like asking about what had been.

-

Eunjung arrived home, cracking her neck left to right. Her apartment wasn’t that big, but she got all she needed. She sat down on her desk, and writes in a notebook. “Ok.. Taec.. Yeon.” Peeking in the book, all of the pages filled were Taecyeon’s name.

“I know you’ll love me,” Eunjung smiled happily, caressing her notebook. She looked at the wall beside her desk, and it was filled with Taecyeon’s snapshots. She walks by picture by picture and stopped at a picture where Taecyeon was bartending.

“I like your lovely locks like this, darling. So much more masculine,” she caressed the picture as if it was the real Taecyeon. “But I also liked if you have really short hair, though I have nothing to hold on to during .”

She complimented each picture as if Taecyeon was there to hear it. She smiled and laughed alone. Eunjung has a complexity of obsession. She had followed and stalked Taecyeon since she met him at the airport. He was alone, and very handsome, but Eunjung usually don’t go for mysterious and handsome.

But taecyeon wasn’t just handsome, he was nice. Eunjung was working as a waitress in one of the airport’s restaurant that wasn’t cheap but doesn’t really pays much either. Eunjung goes day by day in that restaurant, serving the elite. Nobody cared to look at her as she was only a waitress, some even looked down on her because of her job. Some men even tried to have her serve physically and then they’ll give a very rewarding tips. Eunjung despised all these people, that didn’t really know the hardship she has go through.

She met Taecyeon during her break, and he was alone reading an English book she couldn’t recognize. He was tall for a Korean, but nothing about him appeals to Eunjung at first. Eunjung went to the vending machine for coffee, but her coins weren’t enough. She sighed at her usual bad luck and sat on the bench next to the machine. The lonely guy stood up and bought a coffee. What she didn’t realize that he bought it for her. “Here, my treat.”

She was stunned because all her life, no one was nice to her. Her family rejected her for being the quiet one. Her sisters laughed at her for not being as pretty as them. The whole school talked behind her back for being a little weird. And her only boyfriend in high school actually dated her for a bet. Eunjung thought humans were all mean creatures. But this stranger was actually nice to her, and she realized maybe there is a person who is nice.

He was about to leave, but Eunjung blurted, “W-What’s your name?”

He looked back and actually smiled a little. “Ok Taecyeon. You?”

“E-Eu-Eunjung,” she stuttered.

“Nice to meet you, Eunjung-ssi,” and at that moment, Eunjung was in love. It may sound silly to others, but Eunjung loved him for his kindness, for him to be the only person in the world that is kind to her.

Eunjung started looking for Ok Taecyeon, on the net, in phonebooks, everywhere. And she saw him again at a local bar, drunk a year later. He was hazy and out of the world. He saw Eunjung, and recognized her. “The coffee girl.” Eunjung brought him home, and let him sleep on her bed. She was up all night admiring him. When he woke up, she lied that they have slept together, and it was amazing. Taecyeon just nodded, as if it was the usual.

“Can I see you again?” Eunjung asked.

“Yeah. Well, I usually have many non-feelings with women, so you’re not that special,” Taecyeon was mean, but his kind self before overpowered that to Eunjung.

“But can I see you again?” Eunjung asked again.

“Sure,” Taecyeon lazily replied. He took the pen and paper on the desk, wrote his address and his phone number. “If you like.”

The next time Eunjung met Taecyeon again, she really slept with him, and it was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to her. She knew where she stands, but she swore to make Taecyeon love her, because there is only one man like Taecyeon, and she won’t let him get away.

-

Kim Junsu was tired, he cracked his neck and looked around the empty bar. He sees that Taecyeon was still having conversation with the girl Leeteuk brought in. Leeteuk was still there too, and he was agitated. Junsu laughed a little since he remembered how every women Leeteuk brought here was attracted to Taecyeon. But the difference with this girl was, Taecyeon gave a reaction, Taecyeon brought his real self to the table. He shall ask him later who the girl was.

Junsu looked at his sheets, his music and sighed. Those business mogul was intrigued, but they wanted something more pop. He can’t do that, he was more of D’Angelo than Justin Timberlake material. But his late father always tells him that if you have the basic music, you can do anything with it.

Lately, Junsu was uninspired. He tried moulding his feelings, but really, he had a boring life. Most of the songs before were really related to Taecyeon. He met him when Taecyeon was at his worst state. When Taecyeon lost everything to fate. Junsu offered his home, and he saw day by day that at least Taecyeon was getting better. But not much since before. Except that today Taecyeon’s genuine smile appeared. And he was happy for his friend. But those feelings were a bland to make it into a song.

He saw Taecyeon standing up, followed by the girl.

“Junsu-yah. This is Yoona,” Taecyeon introduced. That was the first. Yoona bowed and introduced herself. “She was a childhood friend of mine.”

“Oh, no wonder,” Junsu smiled. Yoona was really beautiful. “Hello.” He bowed.

“I’m going to take her home,” Taecyeon said. “Can you ask Jay to close the bar for me?”

“Sure.”

“Wait a second!” Leeteuk barged in. “I took her here, I’ll take her home.”

“Sunbaenim, I think I rather go with my friend,” Yoona pulled Taecyeon with her. “Goodbye Junsu-oppa!” By then, the left.

“I can’t believe this!” Leeteuk was in rage. “You know her for 5 seconds and she calls you oppa!”

“I think it really depends on who the person is,” Junsu smirked.

“It’s all your fault, Junsu!” Leeteuk said.

“How?”

“You brought him here! You brough Ok Taecyeon here to ruin my life. I know you hated me for stealing your 2 years older girlfriend but she came to me!” Leeteuk reasoned.

“It takes two to tango man,” Junsu rolled his eyes. Leeteuk thought he stole Junsu’s girlfriend when in fact, they broke up the month before and the girl was just trying to make Junsu jealous by flirting with Leeteuk.

“Now even Yoona,” Leeteuk looked down, feelings such depression. Junsu was surprised.

“You really liked the girl?”

“I do, I...” Leeteuk sighed. He had liked Yoona since she introduced herself in their art circle. She was different than other girls. She was energetic, and pulling. She was genuine. She didn’t beg for attention. She was perfect.

“Look, Taeckie said they were childhood friends, so maybe that’s all there is to it, friends,” Junsu felt bad, because really, its rare for Leeteuk to like someone.

“You’re right,” Leeteuk stood up. “I shouldn’t give up!” Then he marched out of the bar, where to was a mystery. Junsu sighed, Leeteuk is really an easy guy to impress. Junsu suddenly was inspired with something, and jot down a few notes on his sheets.

-

Taecyeon and Yoona were laughing as they walked to Yoona’s apartment. Yoona told him how her sister got married and is currently pregnant with her first child, Taecyeon told her how his sister resisted in ever getting married, which is bothering his parents.

“Yah, oppa! You should have called even when you are in America!” Yoona punched him lightly. “And I remembered now you were the one who didn’t want to bid farewell.”

“Sorry, I just got preoccupied in adjusting and learning English,” he rubbed his arm. “Besides, I did try to call, but the phone either went to my mom or my sister. Even now.”

Yoona smiled. Now that she met him again, she realized that she really do miss him a lot. She remembers that she actually cried for days when her best friend left. Even with the young Taecyeon ushered her before that it wasn’t a farewell if they do not speak goodbyes, it doesn’t change the fact that he had to leave.

She remembered well that Taecyeon used to be about the same height as her, now he was definitely towering her. The Taecyeon before had prominent cheekbones but his chubby cheeks kind of swallows it. Now he has a masculine jaw, and his cheekbones were there on display.

Wait a minute.

Is she checking him out? She blushed and looked away, embarassed to meet his eyes. She definitely did just check him out. Wake up Yoona, she said inside.

“Yah, Yoona,” Taecyeon called her.

“Yea?” she looked straight at front, still couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Lets start again,” he said and Yoona was forced to look at him, since she was confused.

“Eh?” she said and she sees him helding his hand to her.

“Be good friends, just like before,” he smiled. And then Yoona sees his eyes, they were different. They weren’t supposed to. Something was off. The twinkle in his eyes is gone. His eyes, were a tired man’s eyes.

Yoona took his warm hand. “You said before no goodbyes means no farewell. Why do we need to start over?”

“Just for formality sake,” Taecyeon answered. “And I doubt I am the same guy as I was when we were 9. I mean I know now that the green pendant is just a fluffy key chain.”

Yoona laughed at that. “Okay then.” She shook his hand. “Friends.”

“Friends.”

They walked further, joking about how Yoona’s so short compared to him, how his ears did grow a few inches since back then and much more. But none said about how Yoona’s family almost went bankrupt, or why Taecyeon came back to Seoul. Its not the time yet. Its just a new begining and nobody needs a sorrow moment.

They arrived at Yoona’s apartment. “This is me.”

“Right.”

“Oh yeah, give me your phone!” Yoona streched her hand. Taecyeon gave his phone to her. She punched a few digits. “Here’s my number. Call me if you wanna hang out okay.” Yoona waved and went into her building. Taecyeon looked at his phone and smiled at the name she put in.

“Green Pendant,” Taecyeon chuckled. It was an inside joke, but something very meaningful between them. Taecyeon left with a smile while Yoona ride the elevator trying to surpress a huge grin.

What they didn’t know was the scene was closely watched by the girl who has a huge crush on Taecyeon, who is also Yoona’s house mate, Jessica.

Jessica, closed the curtains, couldn’t believe what she saw. Yoona was back and it was Taecyeon who sent her home. They were... friendly. Jessica waited for Yoona to come up, somehow have this irritation inside of her.

“I’m back!” Yoona was happy. Jessica knew that Yoona was a cheerful girl, but she was somehow happy tonight. Something was up. She hoped that it doesn’t have anything to do with Taecyeon. “Oh, Sica! You’re still up?”

“Yeah,” Jessica forced a smile. “I cooked some food, its in the fridge if you want some.”

“I ate already,” Yoona threw her bag and sat on the couch.

“Oh,” Jessica didn’t know what to say. She looked at the grinning Yoona who is now watching tv. “You seemed happy, anything great happened?”

“Not much,” Yoona simply said. And then she remembered. “Oh yeah, you know the guy you have a crush on, Taecyeon oppa?” Jessica was confused in the usage of oppa.

“Yeah.”

“He used to be my childhood friend!” Yoona said and somehow, it relieves Jessica a bit.

“Oh really?” Jessica sat beside Yoona on the couch.

“Yeah, I mean I didn’t recognize him at first, he didn’t remember me either, but...” Yoona showed her the Ok Cat key chain she has. “He remembers this.”

“He gave this to you?” Jessica was a bit jealous that Yoona had something given by Taecyeon.

“Uh huh. Like when we were 9,” Yoona looked back at the key chain. “He called it a pendant before, still do.”

Jessica sees how Yoona and Taecyeon shared a past before, and even if they were 9 years old back then, she can’t help but feel a little jealous of that. Taecyeon couldn’t even remember her, the girl he once not long ago rescued, but he remembered Yoona, the girl who hasn’t been in his life for 13 years.

“I can help you Sica!” Yoona pulled Jessica’s hand. “I know him, I mean I can fix you up with him!”

“You would do that?” Jessica asked.

“Of course I would! I mean it would mean a lot that two of my friends are together!” Yoona chirped.

Jessica smiled. “Okay.” But she wasn’t so sure about the idea. Somehow, she didn’t really like the fact that Yoona and Taecyeon knew each other. But logically, she shouldn’t be worried. Why is she worried?

-

Junsu entered his apartment and saw Taecyeon trying to strum the guitar, but failed miserably. But one thing was shows, he wasn’t as miserable as other days. “You look good.”

“Hey,”  Taecyeon simply said. “I always look good.”

“Yeah you do, lady killer,” Junsu teased. “That girl, Yoona wasn’t it. How did you know her?”

“She was a childhood friend. Right until I was 9, I left for Boston,” Taecyeon strummed again.

“She’s pretty,” Junsu said.

“Yeah, she is,” Taecyeon strummed.

Junsu wasn’t sure if he should say this, but its better to hear it from him. “Do you think you’re ready to move on?”

Taecyeon stopped strumming, and suddenly, he was quiet.

“Taec...”

“Leave it alone, Junsu. I thought you knew better,” Taecyeon stood up, and went to his room.

Junsu was unsatisfied with his answer. “Its not your fault you know! Even Yubin didn’t blame you for it!”

Taecyeon drop down to the floor, feel like flailing all his sorrows out. “God, help me!” His head hurts, and he layed there on the floor, in silence, swarming his soul with pain.

Ok Taecyeon was not ready to let go.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: Thank you for reviews and subscribe. Before you ask, yes, Eunjung is crazy (before you kill me, I'm a big fan of her, and I think if she gets a crazy girl role, she'll nail it), and yes, everything happening here occurs in one night.