Doojoon’s POV:

“Listen Hyoyeon, I’ll ask you something else,” I closed my eyes preparing for what I was about to say. Taking a deep breath, I slowly asked, “I love you. Do you love me?”  

I heard her gasp and then there was silence. The moments trickled by and I could only hear my own heart breaking off piece by piece.

Finally, she spoke. “Doojoonah, I..” but her voice trailed off again.

I had my answer. 


I, Yoon Doojoon, am a realist; or at least I used to be one but being with her had turned me into hopeful fool. 
Fool enough to be willing to settle for being her second best – as long as I got to be by her side. I knew she would never feel the same way about me as she did about EunHyuk sunbae. But it was okay, since I would love her enough to make up for it. 
But now, if there is a chance that she could be with her first choice, I should let her go, right? After all, true love is never selfish…

I closed my eyes yet again and gripped the phone tighter. “It’s okay.” I said with a forced laugh. “Don’t feel burdened by my confession. I was just playing around.”

----------------------------

Hyoyeon’s POV:

I slumped down against the wall of the building confused and overwhelmed. Doojoon was telling me he loved me but oddly, my mind was focused on what he told me about Hyukjae oppa. 
He couldn’t have been serious, right? After all that’s happened, he can’t suddenly say that he wants to fight for me? What does that even mean…?

His voice brought me back; the voice that had been my source of comfort and strength these past few months. He was telling me to forget his confession. 
His laugh sounded hollow – I could tell he was lying. And yet, I didn’t contradict him.  

“Let’s take a break so that you can think about… things. We were friends first, remember? And as a friend I want what’s best for you,” he suggested.

The sincerity in his voice made my throat clamp up and unknowingly hot tears were flowing down my face. Why was I doing this to him? To myself? I knew I liked him a lot .. and could possibly love him too but somehow the words just wouldn’t come out…



“Mianhe.” I whispered.
“Don’t feel bad. I guess I’ll talk to you later?”
“Ok.”

I hung up the phone and buried my head in my arms. 

--------------------------------

Doojoon's POV:

I don’t know how long I had been sitting on that park bench. My phone was carelessly thrown on the ground and everything was silent around me. Everyone else must be happily tucked in bed seeing happy dreams. 

How I wished these past 24 hours were just a dream too!


My phone rang suddenly and my stupid heart leapt right away hoping that it was her –
“Hello?”
“Doojoonah where are you? You’ve been gone for an hour!” It was Junhyung.

I got up wearily. “I’m coming now. Hey, are you in the mood for some beer?” 

-----------------------------

The next morning:

“Hyoyeon unnie! Wake up! Unnieeeeeeeee…” Seohyun had been nagging me for the past five minutes and at the rate that she was going, it seemed unlikely that she would give up. I opened my eyes in resignation - the harsh sunlight almost blinding me.
“Curtains, SeoHyunah” I mumbled as I raised my comforter over my face.

“Hyoyeon unnie! You have to get up. The other unnies are all mad at you!” she told me in a lowered voice and I uncovered my head blinking, “Mad at me?” 

And then last night’s events came back to me. “Uh oh!” I patted Seohyun’s head and got up, heading for the living room.


“Yah Kim Yeol Sal, where did you disappear to last night?”
“Do you realize how scared we were? You could’ve been kidnapped or something!”
“You could’ve at least texted one of us, unnie.” 
“AND WHY WAS YOUR PHONE OFF?”

My friends all bombarded me with questions and accusatory looks.

“Yah! I was so desperate when we couldn’t find you but you were happily lying in your bed like this!” Sooyoung mimicked.



“Uh.. unnies I am sure Hyoyeon unnie has a good explanation,” Seohyun spoke up for me. 
“Maknae ah don’t lie! You were the one saying you would squeeze her to death when you found her,” Yuri challenged, making my poor maknae blush and softly mutter, “Well…I had some time to think about it. Violence is never the answer.”

“I’m sorry Seohyunah, now is not the time for logic, it’s time for an explanation.” Sunny looked at me expectantly.



I took a seat on the couch and calmly explained that I had just felt the need for fresh air and decided to walk home. It was true enough. 
Jessica, Taeyeon and Sunny gave me searching looks but after a few moments they decided to let it go. 

“Hey guys, Hyoyeon’s right. We’re all so busy right now it’s good to take time away for ourselves sometimes; even from each other.” Jessica said, indirectly telling the rest to back off too. Tiffany and Yuri were still sulking a little so I quickly apologised and pinky swore that I’d have my cell phone on at all times..


“Thanks for caring so much though, I love you guys!” I hugged each of them.
“Yah! Next time ask me to walk with you, ok? Kyuhyun oppa told me there’s a ert going around flashing young girls.” Sooyoung said seriously making everyone laugh.
“And if you need to talk, we are always here.” Maknae smiled at me.

I smiled back. I felt a lot better. In the light of the day, being friends really felt like the best decision – we wouldn’t have to worry about breaking up. 

I am going to be the best friend I can to Doojoon, so that I’ll never lose him. 
I quickly brought out my phone to text him Good Morning.

************end of POV **********

Two weeks later:

Hyoyeon frowned as she looked at the new message that had just arrived on her phone. She had texted Doojoon a hilarious story Sooyoung had just told her but all she got in reply was  

oh that’s funny.

She wouldn’t have let it bother her except this had been his manner of replying to all her messages for the past two weeks. Polite, distant, three words at the most.

Finding an empty staircase in the building she started to dial his number – her frustration clearly at its peak.

Was this what he called being friends?
Barely responding to her attempts to keep in touch; he hadn’t texted her first even once and they hadn’t talked on the phone since that night. And she was pretty sure that the one time they had been in the hair salon at the same time, he had deliberately left as soon as they entered.



The phone was ringing. 

It continued to ring for a while and then went to voice mail.

“Hey, it’s me. I just called because.. I – ” she paused, not having thought about what she was going to say. “I don’t understand. Do you not want to be friends with me anymore? Is this why you’re being so distant and weird? If that’s the case then why can’t you just tell me so that I don’t have to feel so pathetic?” Her voice was suddenly shrill edge egged on by the feelings of hurt and abandonment that she had been trying to suppress for the past week. 
But now that the dam had been broken, there was no way to hold them back. “You know, you are really something! I thought that.. we had something worth protecting.. but now, I don’t think I can even expect you to call back so I guess, this is it. Goodbye Doojoon.”

-----------------------------

Hyoyeon hung up the phone – tears spilling from her eyes. Desperate for some air, she started running down the stairs blindly, when she bumped into someone. 

With her head bowed, she quickly muttered, “I’m sorry” and began walking away, only to find a hand reach out and grab her arm.
“Hyoyeonah?”
She looked up in surprise, “Eunhyuk oppa?”

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked forcing her to look at him. Hyoyeon quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and mustered a fake smile, “Yea, just allergies.”

He knew she didn’t have any allergies.
“To what?”
“Err.. dust? Yes, dust! Our SM building is too dirty, don’t you think?” she started fake coughing and waving her hand at the invisible dust. “I can feel my allergies getting worse; I really should get out of here. See you later!” 

She tried to squirm out of his hold but he just held on to her tighter, an amused look on his face, “You’re right! It’s really dusty in here. I think my own allergies might act up too. Let’s go get a drink.” He began leading her towards the exit.




“Oppa, where are we going?” Hyoyeon asked as Eunhyuk pulled her towards the back of the building.
“To get a drink, like I said.” He answered.
“Err.. I don’t know if you noticed but if we get seen in a café together, we’re going to be in trouble! I think I’ll just go to the dorm,” she told him still wanting to get away desperately.

“My car has black windows. No one will see us. Besides, I have to ask you something.”
Oh no! Could it be…? Hyoyeon thought silently.