Chapter Nine; Proclamation (31/08/2013)

Proclamation: something that is proclaimed; a public and official announcement

'Seohyun?' Taeyeon's voice echoed through the empty hallways. 'Seohyun? Are you home?' She asked once more. She walked up to the familiar door of Seohyun's room.

Do Not Disturb.

The sign was unmistakenly hung in front of the door, nonetheless, she knocked on the door, hoping to clear up the misunderstandings.

'Who is it? Jongin-ah, if it's you, just go. I'm not going to open the door.' A sore voice came out of the door. 'It's not Jongin, it's me, Taeyeon.' She said bluntly, pushing the door open.

Seohyun sat at the study table, diligently doing her work, revising and studying.

'Why are you doing here? Get out.' Seohyun said straightforwardly after glancing at Taeyeon who was standing by the doorstep. 'Do you even think I want to be here? I'm just here to say something,' She said shortly before sitting down at the couch.

'Who gave you the permission to sit? This is my house, my room, my property.' Seohyun emphasized. 'Whatever, I want you to tell the girls that me and Baekhyunnie are not in any wrong. We love each other and that's it.' Taeyeon said simply.

Seohyun smirked, 'Since it's that easy, why can't you do that yourself?' Seohyun asked, glaring at Taeyeon.

Taeyeon shrugged, 'They blame us for that state you're in.'

Seohyun shrugged and put down her pen.

'But I just want to say, no matter how much you hate me, Baekhyun will never love you. No matter what you do, he will just treat you like an invisible being. He's going to just continue ignoring you. Why? Arrogance... You have too much.' Taeyeon implied, smirking.

'Although I know you like him a lot, much more that I do.. No wait. I think I don't even love him. He's just attracted to me. So I would just like to say, if you dislike me, it wouldn't change anything. Everything will stay the same.' She continued.

'Geurae, nothing will change. I'm arrogant, so what? I'm born this way. You can do nothing to it, right? So I think you should just back off and live your life with him happily. I think the only thing I can do is to wish you two well,' Seohyun said sadly.

'He will never love you.' Taeyeon said once more, making Seohyun's anger level rise and fall repeatedly. 'Back off and get out.' Seohyun said between clenched teeth as she threw daggers at Taeyeon.

'It's almost a month. Where is she?!' Kai asked Daehyun as he pinned him to the wall. 'Chillax yo! She's doing fine. I guess. I think she needs time to recover.' Daehyun said, glaring lightly at Baekhyun who was holding hands with Taeyeon

'She locked herself up in the room for almost a few weeks already, I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid she'll do anything silly. I can't bear to watch her like this.' Daehyun sighed as he sat down, almost pulling his hair out of his head.

Baekhyun smirked.

'I'll do something to this.' Kai said with clenched teeth as he grabbed his backpack and dashed out of the school, towards Seohyun's apartment.

He banged the door profusely but to no avail, until he recalled Seohyun's reminder to him of the extra keys under the shoe rack.

'Noona! Seohyun noona! It's Jongin!' He shouted as he dumped his bag on the floor and rushed up. 'Noona! Can you open the door? Please! Just open the door and let me talk to you!' Kai said desperately.

He knocked on the door once more before giving up and sitting down on the floor.

'You know what noona? You're not being yourself, you know. You were the type of cheerful girl, everytime bringing joy to us everyday with no doubt. You're the type of girl that can be so hurt be can still look at us and smile. The type of girl who is willing to brighten other people's day even if you can't brighten your own. Although you act like you don't care, I know you hurt a lot inside. I know it all noona, I know how it feels, I understand how you feel. Bacause I've been in a similar situation. I know that you want to wish Baekhyun hyung and Taeyeon noona well but somehow... You just can't let go of Baekhyun, right? Something is just clinging onto him, the strong force.. Called love.

Rejection hurts, loneliness hurts, losing someone hurts. But you know what? I've overcomed that problem long ago. I don't feel lonely anymore, cause you were there for me, whenever I needed you. All these things get confused with love, but in reality, love is the only thing in this world that covers up all the pain and makes someone feel wonderful again.

Noona, don't ever let the sadness from the past or the fear of the future rob the happiness of the present. Just enjoy yourself and be who you are, cherish the moments you have right now before you lose them. Never let the fear of what other people think stop your from being yourself. Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you have decided to look beyong the imperfections.

When he breaks your heart, he feels nothing. He moves on quickly, like nothing happened. You feel as if a piece of you is missing. You can't eat, you can't sleep. All you do is think about him. Wondering if he's thinking of you. Wondering if he ever misses you. You're depressed for weeks, months, sometimes longer. But then you will soon realize what's important in life and you decide that you need to worry about yourself. You soon will move on and he's going to be stuck watching you smile. He will realize that he messed up.

He'll regret everything.

But no matter what, I'll be there for you if you need me, noona. Just a phone call or text message and I'll be there. That's all I wanted to say, noona. I guess I'll see you soon, I hope you can think it all through. Bye.'

Kai got up and trudged away.

Behind the door, was Seohyun sitting down and listening to Kai talk intently.

'Noona-ya, are you not coming to school?' Kai asked as usual almost everyday after the little incident happened. Besides, Seohyun and Kai go to school almost everyday together back then.

The door clicked and unlocked.

Kai's eyes widened immediately as he saw Seohyun standing by the doorstep, dessed neatly in her uniform, hair tied up in a messy ponytail.

'N-Noona..' Kai muttered as he stood there in a state of shock. 'Why? Do I look weird with my hair up?' Seohyun pouted cutely, making Kai's heart waver once more.

'N-no, you look prettier than usual like this.' He admitted with his heart pounding furiously.

Seohyun blushed and took Kai's hand in hers, 'Let's go, I miss school already.' Seohyun smiled. 'Noona, why did you decided to come to school today?' Kai asked.

'I heard everything you said yesterday. I realized, I was just being stupid. Even if I continue sitting there, waiting for some miracle to happen, deep down inside, I will just know that he's just going to keep loving Taeyeon, not bothering about me anyway. So, like what you said.. I'm going to learn to cherish. Cherish the people I love around me... Like.. You.'

Kai was even more shocked at Seohyun's sudden confession.

'Noona.. You, what?' Kai asked, 'I said, I like you.' Seohyun said once more.

'Are you for real?' Kai questioned suspiciously. 'I am. I realized that I really can't live a day without you in my life.' Seohyun confessed, blushing madly.

'I don't know if that's really for real but my heart belonged to you, like months ago. Yes, you were the secret crush I was talking about.' Kai chuckled.

Seohyun recalled the times that he shared with Kai, talking about secret crushes of whatsoever.

'Yah! Kim Jongin! Show me what's in it!' Seohyun giggled before smirking. 'Hey hey hey! Hands off!' 'Yahhh! Tell me now! I wanna know!' Seohyun pleaded as she pouted. Kai was caught doodling in his notebook by Seohyun, doodles of hearts and kisses. 'So! Tell me about her! What does she look like? Is she in our school? Since when did you start liking her?' Seohyun asked Kai enthusiastically.

'You nosy person!' 'Just tell me will you! I'm your best friend!' Seohyun pouted.

'Hmm... I'll say that she looks like a goddess to me, like an angel sent from heaven. She's in our school of course,I'm not quite a sociable person. She's someone you know well...' Seohyun puffed her cheeks, 'Ehh, is it one of my unnies?' She asked, oblivious to the fact that laid right in front of her eyes.

'I started liking her well.. approximately 2 days after I got to know her.'

'Wahh so it's love at first sight? Huh?' Seohyun teased as Kai's cheeks tinted pink.

'I really can't believe I didn't know! I'm such an idiot!' Seohyun pouted cutely as Kai chuckled.

'So.. Are we official now?' Kai asked. 'Hmm...' Seohyun pretended to think hard before Kai tickled her sides. 'Heyy! Stop tickling me will you!' The two fooled around in the middle of the streets. 'People will start to think that we're insane people.'

'Jung Seohyun-sshi, you haven't answer my question! Are you willing to be Kim Jongin's girlfriend?' Kai asked, 'Of course! It's my honor!' She bowed to Kai playfully before the two started playing around once again.

It started to get awkward between them after that.

'So... ' Kai tried to break the silence between them. 'My hand is hurting you know.' He implied and it was his turn to pout.

'Eh?' 'Your bracelet, you dummie.' He flicked Seohyun's forehead.

Seohyun was wearing the bracelet Daehyun bought her on her right hand and Kai was walking right next to her, their hands came in contact and Kai's hand was already blaring red.

'I'm so sorry! I didn't notice.' Seohyun stuck her tongue out. 'Then I have no choice but to do this,' Kai said before he took Seohyun's hand and held in tight.

'There, it won't be hurting now, would it?'