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Part 16: Departures and Arrival

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They were sitting in their usual table in the busy cafeteria again, winter break ended yesterday and they were “back to hell”, as Taemin said.

“How could you do this to me?! You didn’t even tell me you are leaving! Now I’m alone here!” Kibum ranted.

“How about me, hyung? I’m still here.” Taemin said, a pout on his lips. Kibum turned at him and his anger melted. He went to hug the younger dancer who was seating on his right. Then he felt a tug on his jacket. Kibum let go of Taemin shortly after that and his seat.

“I’m jealous.” Jonghyun whispered on his ear as he was pulled by the waist.  Kibum smiled to himself and reached for the hand on his waist, lacing their fingers together.

“No need to be.” He whispered back earning him that sinful smile that he still had to get used to.

And unknown to the both of them, the other five teens in the table exchanged knowing glances. But there was more into the look that Minho exchanged with Jinki that what the girls and Taemin saw.

“It’s not like I had a choice when the principal told me that I had to be one of the exchange students in that country. And it’s not like I am enjoying that either.”

“Oh, but it will be fun to visit another country while learning about their culture and stuff like that. Plus I’m going with you remember?”

“Sulli is right, Amber.” Jinki butted in, a little wary, but relaxed when the younger girl smiled at him brightly. “You also get to taste their food there. I have read that they have a delicious and wide cuisine of food.”

“Aish, boys. Whenever there is food, it is okay.” Amber said as she messed her short hair.

“When will you be going, anyways?” Minho asked as he leaned back on his chair.

“On the weekends.”

“Ah noona~ isn’t that too soon?” Taemin whined.

“And when will the exchange student arrive here?” it was Kibum who asked. They observed that he was keeping himself from smiling but the corners of his lips were not cooperating.

“I don’t know… maybe Monday? You’re in the student council, shouldn’t you know about that?”

“Pfft! Do you think I would know that when the fact that you are going to be the one exchange to whoever that is, is unknown to me?” Kibum snorted and rolled his eyes. “You gotta be kidding me.”

“Someone is PMS-ing.” Amber joked and that earned her a crumpled tissue from Kibum. Amber threw it back and Kibum would have returned it if not for Jonghyun reaching for and holding his hand.

“Yah~! Stop that Amber. Hey, shouldn’t we have like, a party before we go overseas?” Sulli piped in.

“When would that be? You are flying Saturday so we can’t really spend the Friday night out.” Jinki stated in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone which made Sulli pout.

“Thursday! After class?” she tried.

“We have dance rehearsals during Thursday’s hun, try again.” Kibum voiced out.

“Wednesday?” her voice was a little softer, her hope was sliming.

“Student Council meeting.” Jinki replied.

“Let’s just do it later. Cheer up now Sulli.” Jonghyun said as he shifted on his seat and draped an arm on the backrest of the chair.

“Jonghyun Oppa, you’re so great!” she squealed.

“Don’t mention it.” he replied cockily. Kibum smacked him on the arm which caused the others to laugh.

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“Ki umma~ where is Hyun appa?” Chunhee asked as she sat in the waiting area of the airport. Her real appa was checking their bags in; she would be going back to their own house because her school would be starting also. It was a Sunday already and Kibum couldn’t help but feel so down, Amber and Sulli left yesterday for that exchange student thingie and now Chunhee would be flying back to her dad.

“I thought you talked about that last night already?” he asked as he crouched in front of the little girl.

“But he said he’ll try.” She answered. Kibum knew that Chunhee was also sad because in that span of—what? Two weeks?— she became attached to Jonghyun already.

They waited until the LED screen declared that it’s almost time for them to go. Kibum's mom bid her goodbye to the lovely little angel and kissed her forehead. When it was Kibum's turn, she clung to his neck, crying and Kibum knew why.

“Sorry baby. Don’t worry he’ll be the one to pick you up when you come back.” he said as he carried her for a while and rub her back. “Ki umma is still here. Don’t cry now baby. You’ll not be pretty if you cry, ne?” she nodded, still hiccupping, and wiped her tear-streaked cheeks with the back of her hand. “Do well in school and be back soon, okay? Ki umma loves you.” And soon enough, they went into the counters and they were gone.

On their way out the airport, they passed by the arrival area and Kibum couldn’t help but feel jealous with the people there. How he loved Chunhee was really like an umma to his her child. From the passenger’s seat of their car he watched as people smiled and hugged their loved one.

Out of the number of individuals and families and friends there, he noticed the oh-so familiar chocolate-brown hair. Or maybe he was just imagining things, because a girl launched herself to that guy. The guy was able to catch her on time and they hugged each other for a moment. It was like a really, really cliché scene from a movie and who would have thought that it looked like that in real life? Kibum was sure he would have enjoyed it even more if he didn’t saw the face of the guy to confirm his hunch.

Curse the one-way traffic for delaying their exit.

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“Okay, good morning everyone.” Mr.Kim greeted as he entered the noisy classroom. Some students stopped their chatting and went to their places, but most didn’t even spare a glance to their adviser. This was section B right? “YAH! SHUT UP WILL YOU?!” he shouted over the noise and that was effective this time. “There! That’s more like it. So, as I was saying, we have a guest and you guys be nice okay?”

The students kept quiet as their professor beaconed to whoever it was that’s standing on the door way. Then a girl who looked younger than all of them entered the classroom. She was wearing the girl’s uniform but there was something different on how she carried it. Her dark brown bangs covered her eyes when she bowed 90°and she brushed it towards the side when she stood up.

“Annyeonghaseyo, jeonun HyunAe imnida. I am an exchange student, please take care of me.” and she bowed again. The class greeted her back and she smiled at them sweetly that showed her braces. But that didn’t made her any less pretty, in fact, Kibum knew that some of their classmates were already considering to have their own metals on their teeth tomorrow.

Kibum would have mistaken her for a Korean, but there was something off on her accent that gave her away. He observed her as their adviser ranted on about how the class should treat her and how the girl —HyunAe right?— should not be shy around them. Well, she looked pretty normal and a little familiar at that.

“Jonghyun-ssi, would you be kind enough to show our guest around the school?”

He heard the scrapping of the other’s seat from behind him, indicating that the older stood up. And it was followed with a rather cheerful-than-normal “Gladly.”

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The bell rang and it indicated lunch for everyone. Students filed up for the door heading to the cafeteria or someplace else to eat or something. Kibum pulled out his phone from his pants pocket and read the waiting message for him.

“Aish, this kid.” He mumbled to himself as he made his way to the cafeteria. “Now, where could the others be?”

The seven of them already formed a lunch group together and if they’re not busy after class, they would also go home together. Together, as in: the five boys dropping the girls in the bus station since they live on the other side of the city then, Onew driving Minho and Taemin home and Jonghyun driving Kibum home. It was like a ritual already since the cherry-stalk incident.

When Kibum saw no one in their usual table, he lost his appetite. In Kibum's list of ‘Things I dislike’ eating alone would be in the top five. He his heels and decided to go somewhere else. His feet carried him to the rooftop and when he was about to enter, he heard voices.

“Oppa~! I surprised you right?” a girl said and she giggled after that.

“Yah! You said you’re here to study! You didn’t tell me that you’ll be my classmate!”

Kibum knew it’s bad to eavesdrop but even if he wanted to turn around and move away, his feet were still glued on the floor as his hand was still on the doorknob.

“Don’t you think it’s great that we’re classmates now?”

“Psh! You’re too young to be my classmate.”

“Meh… but you love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

The door was slightly ajar even if Kibum didn’t push it open. When he peeked, he saw their new classmate sitting on the floor with her back on the railings and Jonghyun lying on the floor with his head on her lap.

Shouldn’t you be leaving?

Then he heard another bell. No it was not end of the lunch hour.

Time is up Kibum.

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For the first time since Kibum could remember, he walked home alone that afternoon. Maybe he should have ridden the bus so he could go home faster. But he’s just one more block away. Minho was teaching Taemin how to play the drums and Jinki was doing something for his other affiliations and Jonghyun… well, you know that already.

“I’m home.” Of course no one answered him. Chunhee was not there anymore, his parents wouldn’t be home in a few more hours and ahjuma would be outside. He walked to his room, almost dragging his feet on the way there. He changed his clothes and flopped on his bed. He never felt so alone.

“…feeling well?” he felt a warm hand against his forehead and he opened his eyes. “Hey baby, are you okay?” his mom greeted when she noticed that he was awake.

“Uh, yes. Maybe I fell asleep when I laid earlier.” He said as he sat up beside his mom.

“Oh, dinner’s ready. Let’s go?”

After dinner, instead of turning to his bedroom, Kibum entered Chunhee’s room and crept on her bed. He pulled the covers over his body, and then he noticed the stars dangling from the ceiling. He looked at the corner and saw the pink teddy bear sitting there beside SpongeBob. And yes, he wanted to cry.

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a/n: Sooooo... the drama starts here~ BUT WAIT! keep those bricks and guns to yourselves for now 'coz you might need that later /bricked.

btw, Hyunae here... is an OC... but her character is patterned from a realy person...keke~ sorry if she may seem like someone else from another fic...i didn't mean to...

anyways, i'm really sorry for posting this just now and all... i was really busy with university stuff and other affiliations. and i actually had so little time to even sleep... i'm really sorry for keeping you all hangging... i know how it feels when you look at the updates and not see that title for too long and you just think that the author disappeared... please forgive me /bows. so yeah... let us hope for life to be kind to me so i can make it up to you next weekend?

so uhm...for those who are staying and keeping up with this fic, THANK YOU SO MUCH for my ♥ :)) /hugs

oh and i forgot!!! (gaaah! this is the nth time that i am editing this a/n!!!)
THIS MADE ME SOOOOO ING HAPPEEEEEEEEEH!!!! OH GOD I CAN'T EVEN!!!!!
 

photo by: Doublemind @deviantart