Title: When The Clock Struck Twelve

Characters: Huang Zitao; Kim Eun Hye; Han Yoon Ji;; featuring Kim Jongin

Description: And when the clock struck twelve, we fell in love.

the narration of this story will switch from first person to omniscient third person with the change obvious enough for the reader to realize, yet it will not be stated point-blank;

do enjoy;;

He pressed the doorbell several times already, even calling out the girl's name, to no avail. His hand reached for the button again, stopping only when a woman shouted at him.

“Ya! It's almost 12 AM, and I'm trying to get some sleep—” she stopped her rambling, taking a look at the man standing on Yoon Ji's door.

“Zitao? What are you doing here?” she asked, loud enough for the said person to hear.

“I—I needed to see Yoon Ji.” His eyes wondered to where the voice came from. Knowing that it was Eun Hye, he let his tears fall.

“O-Oi, Zitao! Stop that! You know that I get teary when I see people cry!” Almost instantly, her eyes started to water, making her turn around in embarrassment.

It was almost enough to make the other stop crying—he hated to see the girl cry.

“Eun Hye, can I stay at your house? Just for this day? I swear, I'll try not to annoy you,” Zitao flashed her a tired smile.

“How can you stay here? It's almost Christmas eve, you dimwit! And why exactly do you want to see that girl?” her words caused Zitao to chuckle, previous dilemma almost gone.

“Let me go there first, and then I'll tell you all the things you want to hear,” he started to make a deal, which easily made Eun Hye giggle.

“Fine, but come quickly! It's freezing cold!”

I was finishing my assignment when I heard loud noises from my neighbor's house. I quickly grabbed my coat and made my way to the balcony. I took a look at my watch.

Who would be this noisy at 11:46 at night!?

I slid the giant window-turned-door open, rubbing my freezing hands together, creating friction for heat to make its way to my receptors, therefore warming—sorry. I was blabbering (in my thoughts, nonetheless!).

Anyway, I walked towards the railing, wincing when the cold metal touched my bare palms. My eyes scanned the area while I shouted at he loud intruder.

“Ya! It's almost 12 AM, and I'm trying to get some sleep—” I stopped mid-sentence.

It was Huang freaking Zitao.

I gaped mindlessly, until I realized that he was looking at me.

“Zitao? What are you doing here?” I asked him, though the answer that he wanted to meet Yoon Ji yet again was obvious.

“I—I needed to see Yoon Ji.” His voice cracked, and I sighed inwardly.

She probably broke up with him, again.

Why can't he see that Yoon Ji (that witch, bless her soul, sarcasm intended) was just using him?

When I looked at him, I noticed tears falling down his cheeks.

Oh crap. No. No no no. Don't make a fool of yourself—

“O-Oi, Zitao! Stop that! You know that I get teary when I see people cry!” Too late.

My eyes started excreting that damn liquid.

Oh, how embarrassing, crying in front of my all-time (4 years, 8 months and 2 days, to be exact) crush.

“Eun Hye, can I stay at your house? Just for this day? I swear, I'll try not to annoy you,” he said, even going as far as giving me a smile.

Which was obviously forced.

“How can you stay here? It's almost Christmas eve, you dimwit! And why exactly do you want to see that girl?” I exclaimed, and he laughed. Laughed!

“Let me go there first, and then I'll tell you all the things you want to hear,” he looked like he was about to beg, and so the almighty princess took pity on the commoner, Zitao (though if you looked at us, he was the prince, and myself, the commoner). It was my turn to laugh, and so I did.

“Fine, but come quickly! It's freezing cold!”

Oh, how I wished that for even one time, he would say that he went in this stupid neighborhood to see me.

They made their way into her decent-sized house, all the while with Zitao staring at the interior.

“You sure changed your apartment, Eun Hye!” The visitor smiled at her, and this time, it looked tired only because of his sleepiness.

“Wow, Zitao, you look so tired. Have you been sleeping lately? I mean—” he put his finger on her lips, making the girl redder than the blood her quick-paced heart pumped.

“Shush. Do you hear that?” He put his hand on his ear, cupping it, hopefully making it easier to listen.

Eun Hye looked around after hearing the soft whistle, until it hit her.

Oh crap, she thought, scrambling after the noisy kettle which she had left (and forgotten) before she put the finishing touches on her homework.

Zitao followed her, matching her fast strides with ease. He then saw the kettle and turned it off before she could. He held his hands over the vent of the kettle that was still releasing steam.

Eun Hye smiled at her friend's actions, as he even rubbed his fingers one by one. She squealed inwardly.

How cute! She rubbed her hands unconsciously, still grinning like an idiot.

She carefully poured tea into the cups, later putting the porcelain cover on top. She loved how the Japanese had their tea; simple, yet absolutely wonderful.

Just then, Zitao peeked into the kitchen, returning from his mini-tour (alone, this time) of her newly-decorated house. He smiled towards the girl, his smile seemingly warmer than the tea she concocted, which made her giddy with joy—which was hidden, of course.

“Is the other one for me?” His grin was infectious, and Eun Hye wondered if he got it from Chanyeol.

She nodded, her face marked with her dimples and a smile. The next moment, she looked serious, and Zitao looked surprised. It was as if Eun Hye was bipolar, but he was certain that she was not, anyway.

She sparked with curiosity, and if it weren't for her self-control and the human body's limitations, a million questions might have already flew from the moment she opened it.

“So, why exactly did you want to see Yoon Ji?” she asked, pushing the cup of tea gently towards Zitao, who took a seat beside her.

“I wanted to apologize,” his answer was, and it made Eun Hye feel confused. Why would he apologize to that wretch, after all that she did?

Suddenly, warm arms enveloped the girl, making her cheeks a tint of cherry.

“Merry Christmas eve, Eun Hye. I actually went here to see you, too—I was just too shy to tell you. Also, I love you.”

It was unexpected, for the girl, at least.

As if on cue, her watch beeped three times, signaling that it was already midnight, and indeed Christmas eve.

When the clock struck twelve, my wish came true.

And when the clock struck twelve, we fell in love.

epilogue;

The groggy Yoon Ji rubbed her eyes and arose out of her bed, making her way to the coffee machine, making it fire into life. Next, she checked her messages, seeing that there was one voice message which was sent last night.

She tapped it, and the message played.

“Yoon Ji,” Zitao's voice started, “I'm sorry, but our relationship can't continue any longer. It's not only because of you using me, but also because I love someone else.” Her eyes widened as she listened, hoping that it was a bad joke. “Her name is Eun Hye. I'm really sorry that I haven't really been "yours" during that agonizing two months and seven days. Have a happy Christmas Eve.”

Hot tears fell from her cheeks, not because she loved him, but because she knew that even Zitao's friends would not want to befriend her after Zitao tells them all about their past relationship.

She knew that it was her fault. She shouldn’t have used him to get close to Jongin.

She looked into the window and saw the new couple, Eun Hye and Zitao, holding each other's mitten-clad hands, laughing with each other. Truly, that was all she wanted.

Only that it would be Jongin that she'd be holding hands with.

Thanks for reading my first-ever EXO oneshot (kinda, but it's going to have a sequel. Lol. /slapped) that I had enough guts to post. /blush; blush

If you liked it, then, thank you! /smiles

Do comment on which parts I need to work on (for example, my grammar, spelling, crappy plot, etcetera).

Did I use side notes, the messages inside the parentheses, too often? If that's so, I'm really sorry!

Hope you enjoyed!

(I at writing. Sorry.)

AND OMG THIS IS REALLY SHORT SORRY

 

post-script;;

Her wish that was granted was the “Oh, how I wished that for even one time, he would say that he went in this stupid neighborhood to see me”.

Oh, and this oneshot is connected with Kai's, if the hints weren't explicit enough.

안녕! Goodbye!