He calls her up in the middle of the night and started with an apology for waking her. She does not answer to tell him that she was not asleep yet, opting to keep quiet and letting him speak.

It has been a long, long while since they'd last spoken to each other. Liyin could no longer point out when it was exactly.

Junsu could, but that's of no significance at the moment.

"Riinie," he says her name the way only he does. "I know it's late and I'm sorry to wake you. I just—I got your album today," he stated.

Liyin cannot help the gasp that escapes . It unnerves the man on the other line because really—

She knows that he's always rooting for her, right?

"You did well, Riinie. It's beautiful," he adds, still she does not speak. "I'm so proud of you."

Silence ensues, drawn out and awkward but she just cannot bring herself to trust her voice. It isn't until his request does she finally.

"Riinie, won't you say anything?" He implores, as if a father prodding his daughter to be polite to strangers.

She lets out a sigh. "Thank you," she says.

"Oh, if you ever tell Soojin that I called, will you tell her that I threatened Yoochun with bodily harm just so he'd get me your new number?" Junsu asks jokingly. "He'd really appreciate it," he adds. "Anyway, I better let you sleep."

Panic rises inside her. And she stops for a moment to collect her thoughts. She doesn't understand why.

"I really am very proud of you, Riinie. Good night," he finally says.

"Oppa," Liyin quickly lets out, lest he ends the call. "Thank you for calling. I—I needed it," she says with a smile. She knows fully well that he'd hear it on her voice. "I've waited so long for this yet now I am terrified."

It is Junsu's turn to smile (he never would have expected that she'd open up to him like this).

"You'd be fine," he assured her. "Actually, you'd be phenomenal, I'm sure."

She laughs and Junsu basks in the melodious sound.

"You'll be performing tomorrow, right?" He asks. "KBS?"

She nods as if Junsu could see her move. "Yes. And I'm feeling exactly how I felt back then- only maybe with twice as much excitement."

"Well that's normal, Riinie" Junsu assured her. "You'll definitely kick tomorrow."

"Kick is such a harsh word, oppa!" Liyin exclaimed. "I'd like to make friends, too, besides compete!"

"I'm sure you will! I heard Jihoonsshi and IU are going to be hosting still. Those kids are nice."

"Are you trying to tell me who to befriend, oppa?" Liyin inquired with a stern voice.

"I wouldn't even dare, Riinie." That is his final declaration before with a serious tone he asks the woman on the other line to listen.

"You are a very talented musician, Riinie,"he starts. "I want you to believe in that and believe in yourself. Okay?"

"Okay, oppa."

A pretty companionable silence follows. It is Junsu who finally breaks it.

"Is it okay if I call you again?"

"Sure," Liyin replies, "I'd like that."

"Thank you. Well maybe not this late. I really should let you rest. Good night, my Riinie."

Liyin takes Junsu's next call in her manager's car after her performance. She greets him with a smile as he tells her how perfect she was.

The Chinese songstress is taken aback.

"Where you there?" she asks softly.

"Yes," Junsu answers. "I was thinking of showing myself to you but I didn't reckon it was best."

"No, oppa," she interjects, "I want to see you."

They don’t hung up even while she prepares and nibbles on a sandwich back in the comforts of her apartment. Junsu tells her a story and makes her laugh as she brushes her teeth and gets ready for bed. There aren’t any dull moments, which makes Liyin think back on seemingly olden times when they struggled to spend as much time together as possible.

This very same night, Liyin has the most restful sleep she’s had in a while. She wakes ready for anything, she muses throughout her stretches and jumps. And the day breezes along with the Chinese songstress looking forward to her performance in the early evening.

A soft knock resounds in the dressing room Zhang Liyin shares with a couple of other soloists. She has her eyes closed just before, and she opens them to find a certain disguised sunbae peeking through the slight gap of the partition.

She doesn’t gasp, eventhough she really is surprised. It is the other ladies in the room (the musicians and stylists alike) who does it for her.

Everyone knows who he is, and everyone knows who he’s come for (only Liyin will think back to this moment later on and ask herself how they did). And they scurry out, falling in line with knowing smiles on their made-up faces.

“What are you doing here?” she exclaims, somewhat appalled and embarrassed. “We’ll both get in trouble if we’re found out!” she adds.

“You did say that you want me to show myself to you!” Xia Junsu answers back (only he isn’t so much as Xia at this moment, he likes to think).

“Very well,” Liyin resigns, stalking slowly towards him. “It’s good to see you, oppa,” she says.

“And you.” XiaJunsu takes both her hand in his, lifting them to his lips for a kiss. “This brings back memories.”

“Yes, it does,” Liyin sighs. She takes her hands away from his, bringing them closer to cup his face in her palms. “And along that line, I dare say I’m winning that award this week!”

I cannot take this anticipation! Come back already!!! So yeah, for everyone who is waiting. :)