Lunch strike. Taecyeon and Seulong sat at a table in the cafeteria with their lunch in front of them. Yoona and Sooyoung carry their tray to the table. Taecyeon pull the chair next out for Yoona. Sooyoung sat across from her.

            “Taec, don’t forget tonight is game night.” Said Seulong.

            “I know.” Said Taecyeon.

            “You guys are watching the soccer game tonight?” Sooyoung asked.

            Seulong excitedly nod. “Yup.”

            “Well, me and Yoona will probably somewhere in the house.” Said Sooyoung.

            “We will probably be in our room the whole night.” Said Yoona as she picks up meat with her forks. Taecyeon immediately shot a look at her. “It’s sleepover. It happen the most when her parents argues over something stupid.”

            “Then us guys will take the living room.” Said Seulong. “Don’t worry, you can spend the night with me.” He .

            Taecyeon grabbed a grape and throw at him.

            “See? You have someone to accompany you tonight.” Said Yoona with her right hand rested at her chin.

            “Wait, you two sleep together every night? Like literally on the same bed?” Seulong nosily asked.

            “It’s none of your business if they sleep together or not. Mine your own business.” Said Sooyoung defensively.

            “Well I know that, but what I mean is that do they do more than just sleeping.” Said Seulong.

            “Yah!” Taecyeon angrily shouted at him.

            Yoona begins throwing him fruits.

            “Okay. Okay. Mianhe.” Seulong blocks the fruits as he apologizes.

            Yoona stopped and her phone suddenly rings. Taking it out of her purse, she takes a look at the caller ID and clearly the word ‘Siwon’ flashes repeats. Taecyeon takes a peak and sees it. Sooyoung caught him looking away, she gives Yoona a light kick—Yoona looks up at her—Sooyoung signal her to Taecyeon. Yoona turn and looks at him, the pretend-angry Taecyeon or playful Taecyeon disappeared with only a frown on his face. Yoona slide the red arrow across the screen, ending the ringing. She put her phone back in her purse, but stopped when her phone rings again. Looking at the screen, she sees his name again. She glance at Taecyeon, notice him dully playing with his food as he stares at them. The ringing continues, getting her attention back. The third called, Yoona stands up and walks to the corner of the room and answer the phone. Taecyeon uncomfortably watches from his seat but quickly looks away, easing his jealousy.

            “I wonder what possibly can they talk about.” Seulong said as he chowed down his foods. Taecyeon blankly looks at him. “I mean since he is calling her repeatly nonstop, it must be important like asking her out.” Seulong words shaken Taecyeon into fear.

            “How would you know?” Sooyoung asked. “It could be something else.”

            “From a guy instinct. If a guy calls a girl that many times then that lead to two options; one is a seriously favor matter, two is about emotion.” Said Seulong confidently. “Three calls, it must be about relationship matter. I mean, he come here a lot this year, not too visit the school but to visit Yoona. So I’m guessing he’s after her. Anyway, they can go on a date without having to hide.” Seulong accidentally blurt out the last sentences, which cause Taecyeon face expression to become angry.

            “That is true, after all Siwon was her first crush.” Sooyoung accidentally blurted out what she’s not suppose to say.

Seulong nervously gulp as he looks at Taecyeon, “Mianhe Taec.” He apologized.

            Taecyeon looks down at his tray and rethink what Seulong said. All of what Seulong have really made a print inside his head. Sooyoung could only remain silent at the moment, hoping Yoona and Siwon called would end quickly.

            “Siwon oppa.” Yoona answered the called.

            “Hi Yoona. I’ve been trying to reach you.” He said.

            “I was busy with something. Why are you looking for me?”

            “Well, I was hoping I could talk to you a little bit. I was wondering if you want to go out—I mean hang out with me tonight or tomorrow night.”

            She hesitates for a little bit as she glances back at Taecyeon while biting her bottom lips. It is not that she still has feeling for him, it just that someday she would need someone as a backup if she ever wants to spend time alone together. She knows this is cruel and that is why she hesitates to give him an answer.

            “Yoona?” He called her.

            “Mianhe oppa, I don’t think I can. I’m actually busy tonight and tomorrow night.” She lied.  

            “Oh…okay. Maybe we can spend some private times together next time.” Said Siwon in a disappointed tone. “We don’t have to rush things.”

            “Siwon oppa.”

            “Yes?”

            “When I say I don’t think I can, I mean we can’t spend private time together anymore.”

            “Did I do something wrong? I can change if I did something wrong.”

            “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that I have someone in my heart and I don’t want to hurt him anymore.”

            “Then what about me?”

            “Mianhe Siwon oppa. I know my choice will hurt the people around me, but for now and in the future, I can’t live without him. Mianhe oppa.” Yoona ended the called with a deep exhale. She walks back to the table and sat beside Taecyeon. She glances at him again, waiting for him to question her but only to see him staring at the tray.

            “Umm, I’m spending the night. It’s game night.” Said Seulong trying to break the awkward moments.

            Taecyeon did not answer him, but instead, he begins to eat again.

            “Great. You and me are spending the night at their house.” Said Sooyoung with uncomfortable smiles. 

            “Why are you spending the night at their house?” Seulong asked.

            “My parent had an argument and I don’t want to spend another listening to them whining and complaining.” Sooyoung explained.

            Seulong nodded his head lightly as he mouth continues to munch. Taecyeon and Yoona continue a silent lunch side-by-side. A glance from the corner of her eyes to him, she sees how well he trained his eyes on the tray sitting on the table. From his facial expression she sense an unsecure and jealous arousing between them. However, she did not do anything or speak up and let the silent speaks for itself.

* * * *

            Night at the Ok’s Resident:

            Sooyoung have been at the Ok house for a couple hours now. Yoona and her have been at the dinning table for nearly an hour working on their homework. Originally, Sooyoung wanted to go to Yoona’s room and do homework and have some girls’ private talk, but Yoona wanted to stay at the dinning table. Just about twenty steps from the table to the living room are Taecyeon sitting on the couch with his MacBook Air in front of him. It has been four hours since he said a word to Yoona. His odd action makes her worries and curious why he is acting this way. But no matter how much Yoona looks at him, he would look back at her and keep his eyes on the computer screen as if there is something else more important than her. The house phone rings. Yoona watches Taecyeon walks over to the telephone just by the fireplace.

            “Yeoboseyo?” Taecyeon answered.

            “Taecyeon, it’s me appa.” Said Mr. Ok. “How are you son?”  

            “Annyoung appa.” Taecyeon answered in a dull tone.

            “I have the phone on speaker so omma is also listening right now. I was expecting Yoona to answer the phone since you hardly talk but surprisingly you answered.” Said Mr. Ok. “Anyway, how are you and Yoona doing? I’m hoping you’re not mistreating your sister.”  

            Taecyeon freeze for moment, he turn toward Yoona direction and looks at her for the first in four hours. Their eyes met for a short moment before he looks away. “We’re fine.” He give a short dull answered.

            It was a short eyes contact, but Yoona can definitely tell he’s not happy at all since the over-the-phone conversation between her and Siwon.

            “Anything else? Anything you can add on that? Like did you managed to have a successful talk with the sponsor or you and her talking more to each other?” Mr. Ok concernly asked.

            “No.” He answered in the same tone.

            “Seriously can anyone in this world possibly change you?” Mr. Ok wondered. Taecyeon stay silent over the phone. “Nevermind. I just wanted to let you know that my plan has change. We’ll be heading home in less than a week. You two don’t have to pick us up. We’ll take the taxi home.”

            Taecyeon give another silent. He glances at Yoona again and caught her still looking at him with question marks all over her face. Inside his head are also full of question, like how will the face each other when their parent is home? How will they spend times together when they are home? How will he open show Yoona his feeling when they are home? Question after question run across his mind like fish swimming around in the lake.

            “Okay.”

            “Um, since you’re no fun to talk to give the phone to Yoona. Your omma want to hear her voice.” Said Mr. Ok.

            Taecyeon walks over to the table and place the phone in front of her, “Mrs. Im and appa want to talk to you.” He said in a stonily tone before walking away.

            “Yah! Stop calling your omma Mrs. Im!” Mr.. Ok shouted loudly over the phone. It was so loud that Sooyoung, who is sitting across Yoona, heard his shouted.

            Yoona hopelessly sighed before picking up the phone and press the speaker button.

            “Omma. Appa.” Yoona greeted them.

            “Annyoung Yoona.” Both Mrs. Im and Mr. Ok happily said. “How are you doing Yoona?” Mr. Ok asked. “Have Taecyeon mistreat you?”

            Yoona glance at Taecyeon, apart of her want to say ‘yes he have been mistreating her, ignoring her’ but then she think carefully again. If she speaks of the truth, will accidentally blurt out about their relationship. So she chose to refrained herself from doing so.

            “No, he hasn’t at all.” Said Yoona without taking her eyes off Taecyeon.

            “Good to hear you too getting alone.” Said Mrs. Im. “Omma and appa will be home soon, appa have already told Taecyeon that you two don’t need to pick us up.”

            “Why so early?” Yoona shockingly asked.

            “Will apparently appa have receive more email from other business wanting to put on a show at the theater, so we have to head back and meet up with them.” Mrs. Im explained.

            Yoona sadly lower her head. “Okay.” She said in a low voice.

            “So what are you doing right now?” Mrs. Im asked.

            “Homework with Sooyoung.” She said.

            “Oh then I won’t bother you anymore.” Said Mrs. Im. “Take care okay?”

            “Okay. Bye omma, appa.” Said Yoona.

            After Mr. Ok and Mrs. Im say their byes, Yoona hang up the phone. Shortly the call ended, the doorbell ring. Taecyeon went to answer the door. Standing happily in front of Taecyeon with two arms up and on each hand holds a plastic bag.

            “Ready for the game?” Seulong asked.

            Taecyeon just walked away from the door without answering him.

            “Yah! Couldn’t you at least answer before walking away first?” Seulong whined as he step into the house, closed the door, and follow Taecyeon into the living room.

* * * *

            A long night at the Ok’s resident, the guys stayed in the living rom watching games from the television while the girls do their homework at the dinning table and have their girls talk. When dinner called upon them, the dinning table was clear to make room for foods that both Yoona and Sooyoung had prepared. Dinner was full of laughter, a positive atmosphere, but beneath the table is Yoona and Taecyeon playing footsy, their feet entangled to each other like super glue.

            Later that night, the short hand on the watch hit 2 AM. Everybody in the house is deeply asleep except for two, Taecyeon and Yoona. Since Seulong is spending the night, the guys stay down in the living room while the girls takes the upstairs. Seulong sleeping on the long couch facing the fireplace while Taecyeon lying on the couple couch facing the dining room. Taecyeon sit up, look around the room, and then turn to the full-length windows. Through the curtain, he sees many bright objects up in the sky. He takes out his cellphone and punch a couple buttons lightly before sending the message.

            Lying on her side of the bed near the door while Sooyoung on the other by the wall, Yoona phone rings and vibrate a couple times on the nightstand. She quickly pick up her phone from the nightstand and slide a white arrow across the screen to end the ringing. She lightly shifts her upper body around to check on Sooyoung, who is still soundly deep asleep, then back to her formal position. Looking at the home screen she sees a message from Taecyeon. Reading the message in her head, ‘Do you want to watch the stars with me? Come down if you do, I’ll wait for you outside on the porch… for only an hour. —Taecyeon.’

            After reading the message, she pulls the blanket off her and carefully pulls her self out of the bed. She grab her sweater on her way to the door. Closing the door carefully without making any noise, she walks down the stairs and carefully across the living room to the porch. Siding the door close behind her, she turn around and look at Taecyeon for a second before approaching him. Sitting beside him, she looks up at the sky.

            “I thought you’re mad at me. I thought you’re not going to talk to me anymore.” Said Yoona.

            Taecyeon let out a light smiles as he face the woods before looking at her, “no, I’m not mad at you.” He answered surprises her.

            “Then why do you keep a long face?” She asked with her head turn to him.

            “It’s because I’m mad at myself.” Another answered of his left her confused.

            Yoona puzzlingly looks at him, “Why?”

            “I’m mad at myself because I feel as if I’m holding you back from everything. I’m holding you back from doing this or that. It was as if I’m not giving my all in our relationship, especially we can’t have our regular dates like other normal couple.” Yoona patiently listen to his explanation. “I feel as if I’m not the one for you. I feel as if you should be with S—….” He paused for a moment, hesitating whether he should say this rival name or not. “I feel as if you should be with someone else, not me.” Taecyeon sadly and hopelessly looks down at the wood of the porch as he continues to speak to her his honestly feeling. “You are the star in the sky and I’m just a piece of grass on Earth. We are very far apart. I don’t know how hard or how far I have to go to reach to you, but I feel as if I have not make any steps at all.”    

            Touch by his words, Yoona move her hands to his face, cup his face gently, and lift his head up to her. She warmly smiles as she looks softly into his hopeless eyes.

            She weakly exhales before she opens and speaks. “Do you think I mind about those thing? Not having regular date like other normal couple do? Not having a normal relationship and having to hide ours?” Taecyeon could only look away. “I don’t care about those things. All I care about is being with you.” Even after saying her honest words, his eyes were still looking away from hers. She sighed and let go of his faces, and moves her hands down to his. She holds his hands tightly. “At lunch today, I clear thing between me and Siwon. I told Siwon I can’t be with him. I told him I have someone else in my heart. And I told him I can’t live without you.” Her words lighten Taecyeon up a little. “You say I am a star in the sky and you are just a piece of grass on Earth. If we were that far apart, I would reach down, grab you, and pull you up to me. Or I would go down to be with you. There is nothing that is impossible if you don’t try.” Her voices was a like an angel to him, spoken from soft tone to a happy yet light tone, he was pleasant to have finally spoke his problems to her. “You made many steps already. More than I have ever expected. I should be the one that have not make any steps at all. It has always been you since the beginning.”

            Taecyeon lightly smiles as he looks at her. “Are we going to take turn on admitting who make the first step now?” He voices lighten up as he speaks.

            “We can if you want.” She smiles as she pinched his cheeks. “And what kind of boyfriend are you? Only waiting for an hour. You really have no patient.” She jokingly pouted.

            “I was afraid you wouldn’t come down at all and was deep asleep.” He said.

            “Actually I wasn’t sleeping at all. I was lying on the bed staring at the wall thinking about you.” Said Yoona.

            “What were you thinking?”

            “I was thinking of a way to cheer you up. I was thinking how did I end up with a jealously, unconfident, and impatient boyfriend.”

            “Oh really?” He tilted his head to the side a little. Yoona nodded.

            He moves closer to her. “Then you must be the same too since you got down here so fast and eagerly wanting to know what’s wrong with me.”

            With a smile on her face, she was about to say something back to him but got shut by his lips. From an unexpected and rough kiss turn into a soft and passion kiss. Her arms encircled around his neck and pull him closer to her, closing every gap between them.

            Passionately kissing outside on the porch, on the bench, and under the sky, it is beautiful scenery to her. Though her eyes are close, this image is vivid inside her head. The cold didn’t bother them as their kiss and embrace heats them up from the colds. His hands naughtily roam up and down, inside her sweater, her back. The passion kiss shortly comes to an end as they rest on each other forehead.

            “Why is it so hard to cheer you up? Only kissing can get you happy.” Said Yoona.

            “Because it is the only way I can read your love for me.” Taecyeon truthfully said.

            Yoona blush but hides it from him. She give him a hit at his right side shoulder with a pout. Taecyeon lightly smiles and pulls her into his embrace and looks up at the starry sky.

To be continue…………………….