27 – BEGINNING

"What I really mean is, even before you offer me the help, I already reject it.” 
(Jessica to Yuri, chapter 3)

“W-Why would you e-envy me when all the p-people envy you Y-Yoona-sshi? You a-are very b-beautiful, especially when you are smiling. Y-you are smart also… and y-you are k-kind. I-I think… y-you must have no w-worries.”
(Eunhyuk to Yoona, chapter 3)

"Yeah, I adore, I admire, and I stalk Jessica Jung!"
(Yuri to herself, chapter 6)

"I hope that I can find my identity before I really forget who I really am."
(Siwon to himself, chapter 7)

“If everyone is lying… then tell me oppa, whom should I believe?!”
(Yoona to Eunhyuk, chapter 12)

“Taeyeon-sshi, I wonder why did you need to be afraid of not passing the audition? I think, life must go on even without passing the audition, mustn’t it? You’ll still have many chances in the future right? I mean, if you didn’t pass this audition then you can try the other one. Life will constantly give you many roads to be chosen… neh?”
(Kyuhyun to Taeyeon, chapter 13)

"I think that sometimes… we don’t have much time left and there are no such endless possibilities."
(Taeyeon to Kyuhyun, chapter 20)

“I really hate it when you talk about death already… come on!"
(Tiffany to Kyuhyun, chapter 23)

“Look who is talking about trust here. I think we have left it in our own home Hyukkie. We are coming here without trust, aren’t we?!” 
(Donghae to Eunhyuk, chapter 24)

Writer’s POV

In Jessica’s apartment.

Jino and Krystal had gone home before the dinner time. Kyuhyun had gone home even before that.

Jessica and Donghae are now in the bedroom. Donghae rests his head on Jessica’s lap, closing his eyes, not sleeping yet though. Jessica, on the other hand, is just staring at that pure face of Donghae. She is sitting on the bed and leans her back on the bed’s head side. She comfortably caresses Donghae’s hairs, sweeping his forehead with her fingers.

She wants to be selfish of course, in a way that she doesn’t want it to end soon but as what she said to Kyuhyun earlier today, she knows that it’s quite impossible. The feelings that Donghae will leave her once again is getting stronger. Strangely, the more they spend their time together, she feels like it’s getting sooner for them to part again.

Question is… if that time really comes, should she let him go just like that? Or should she fight for him to stay?

“Oppa… are you sleeping?”

“Aniyo.” is Donghae’s reply.

Hearing his voice, she’s more convinced that it will be so painful if he leaves her again. That’s when she can’t help but to share what is on her mind.

“Somehow… I feel like you’re going to leave me again… soon…”

Donghae doesn’t reply. He still closes his eyes, unable to come up with something and it is simply because he knows that Jessica was right.

When Jessica thinks that it’s ok to continue, she continues speaking out what bothers her.

“If it is really so… If you know it too that it won’t last forever… don’t you think it’s better for you to not come here in the first place?”

And she can’t hold her tears anymore. They freely fall from her eyes. Two drops of her tears fall on Donghae’s cheek and forehead and that’s enough to make him open his eyes.

Donghae quickly gets up. He sits on the bed and changes his position so he can face Jessica. He puts his hands on both of Jessica’s cheeks. He lifts up that head.

They gaze into each other’s eyes.

“Do you really think it’s better if I never come here?” Donghae asks.

Jessica can’t answer that question. She knows it’s hard. It’s actually not about coming or not coming but about staying or not staying.

“Sica-yah, answer me…”

Jessica just keeps crying.

“Do you really think that way? I mean… Do you think it’s useless then?” Donghae pauses then continues. “I really want to be with you. I want you to know it.” Donghae wipes her tears and finally Jessica responds to him. Not with an answer though but with another question.

“Then if I beg you right now…” She stops because she is still sobbing. “If I beg you to stay with me and not leave me again, will you really grant my wish?”

And to this, Donghae goes speechless.

He swears he wants to say “yes”. He swears that indeed staying with Jessica is what he wants as well. However, it’s just sometimes reality doesn’t allow you to grant such wish. Moreover, when Donghae has actually planned about leaving her again. Yes, he has planned that. He has planned to leave Jessica because he needs to save Yoona. He just got informed by Hangeng himself after the dinner. He can’t tell Jessica because he knows that saving Yoona is sacrificing himself this time.

Donghae can only stare at Jessica who is still waiting for his answer.

Slowly, his hands are falling from Jessica’s cheeks. He pulls his hands back to him and he knows that it’s enough to make Jessica figuring out the answer even he doesn’t say any word to her.

And when Donghae still can’t give an answer, Jessica comes to the conclusion. She knows that she shouldn’t ask actually. She knows the answer already and even though she doesn’t want to hear that answer, she convinces herself to cope with it.

“Huhhhh…” She sighs lowly.

“Suddenly I become so sleepy. Good night oppa. Have a nice dream.” is what Jessica tells Donghae after that. She then proceeds to sleep immediately. She arranges and then rests her body on the bed. She is backfacing Donghae. She wants to hide her tears but Donghae can easily notice that Jessica is only trying to deny the fact. Her trembling shoulder is a sign that the girl is crying right now.

“Neh, good night.”

Donghae speaks again and then he hugs Jessica from the back.

He whispers to her.

“I’m afraid that I can’t sleep actually.” Donghae holds one of Jessica’s hands and continues.

“I’m afraid that even in my dream… I’m going to leave you Sica-yah. I’m really afraid of dreaming about leaving you again.”

Donghae knows it sounds like an excuse for Jessica but at least he wants to enjoy this moment. He wants to enjoy the little time left for him with Jessica.

Lastly he adds “I’m sorry that I have secrets I really can’t tell you.” but it’s too soft that probably Jessica can’t hear that.

And not that far away from them, in another corner of Seoul, Yoona finds herself in Eunhyuk’s bedroom once again. She rubs her eyes. She’s still familiar with the bedroom but there’s someone unfamiliar there, sitting on the edge of the bed and it’s a girl, a very beautiful girl.

“Are you awake?”

That girl politely asks Yoona.

Yoona slowly gets up and she answers with “Who are you?”

“It’s not important. The important thing is you should eat your dinner first. The food is getting cold.” That stranger girl takes the food from the bedside table and offers it to Yoona.

Yoona of course is still clueless. She knows that she she is under abduction but somehow this girl manages to make her calm.

Yoona is actually hungry and that’s why she obeys that girl. She takes the food and starts eating. While eating, Yoona notices that the girl is observing her and she decides to stop eating for awhile to find out who this girl actually is. Luckily, that mysterious girl suddenly introduces herself even before being asked by Yoona.

“My name is Go Ara. You can call me Ara and I’m one of the chefs in this house. My father used to be Eunhyuk-oppa’s butler and that explains why I work at this house after my dad passed away. It’s nice to meet you Yoona-sshi.” The young chef softly tells Yoona.

Yoona stops eating though.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Yoona speaks.

“About what?” Ara doesn’t really get what Yoona means.

“About your father and it seems like you already know me Ara-sshi.” Yoona continues eating.

“Ahhh, it’s ok. And about knowing you, I must say that it is because of Eunhyuk-oppa. And speaking of which, if it’s not about you, probably I wouldn’t ever see him smiling happily like that.”

“Neh? What do you mean?” This time, Yoona doesn’t get what Ara means.

“Yoona-sshi, thanks to you that Eunhyuk-oppa has the courage to live his life. He has been suffering. His father never really cares about him. He never really has a friend. Ahhh, he got one actually, Donghae-sshi if I’m right. However, the one who really helps him to go through his life is you. I guess loving you is what makes him strong as a person. And thus I really want to see you in person.”

Yoona is just hearing all the explanantion. Ara continues while Yoona keeps eating. Ara tells Yoona about how Eunhyuk always talked about her and without realizing it, Yoona finishes eating.

“Nah you’ve finished it so we need to go to our main business.”

“What business?” Yoona asks Ara after putting the plate on the bedside table again and taking her drink.

“Here, take it.” Ara offers a set of keys.

“This one is the key for the door of this bedroom. This one is for the main door and this one is for the main gate.” Ara points the keys one by one.

“Yoona-sshi… I actually have a very bad feeling after seeing you here while Eunhyuk-oppa is gone. I tried to call him but I couldn’t reach him. I then overheard about Hangeng-oppa’s betrayal from one of his men. Unfortunately, I can’t do anything to persuade everyone and the other members because I don’t have any evidence. All I can do is helping you escape from here.”

Ara pauses.

“When it’s around midnight, it’s the time when the guardians will start patrolling so they will go around and there will be time when every spot will be left unguarded. That’s the perfect time for you to escape. However, it’s up to you.”

“I’ll do it.” Yoona quickly replies. She indeed wants to escape.

“Well, ok then. I can only wish you a very goodluck.” Said Ara and she takes the plate and prepares herself to leave.

“I need to go now because they’ll be suspicious if I spend such a long time in here. Be careful.”

Ara smiles to Yoona and walks to the door but Yoona calls her.

“Ara-sshi, thank you very much.”

“Neh, you are welcome.”

“One more thing… do you by any chance like Eunhyuk-op..-sshi?” Yoona stops Ara and bluntly asks because she can see in Ara’s eyes about it.

“Keke, did I make it too obvious?” Ara asks back.

Yoona doesn’t reply.

“He loves you to death though so I can only wish that you two can be happy together.” Ara smiles again and Yoona is amazed by that beautiful smile so she smiles back and says another “Thank you.”

Ara smiles again and leaves Yoona. Yoona holds the keys. She is really scared but excited at the same time. She hopes that she can really escape from here because Ara was right. She also feels that something really bad is coming.

Donghae really can’t sleep that night.

Jessica has fallen asleep already but Donghae really can’t sleep. Donghae’s right arm is surrounding Jessica’s neck and it is supporting her head. His left hand is holding Jessica’s right hand on top of his stomach. He wants to wrap Jessica like this more often now realizing that he has missed many times. He is very agitated right now but he can’t move because it will wake Jessica. So all he can do right now is thinking.

He is wondering.

He wonders where Eunhyuk is in this critical situation.

He can’t believe that Eunhyuk leaves Yoona guardless. He slightly blames Eunhyuk because he thinks that his bestfriend is supposed to know that Yoona is now a part of their thrilling tragedy so it’s expected that Hangeng will find her if he can’t find one of them.

Hangeng will of course use Yoona as the bait now and Donghae really worries about how it will turn up.

It really scares him.

Jessica suddenly snugs closer into his embrace. It feels like the girl doesn’t want him to go but unfortunately, Jessica won’t probably see Donghae again after tomorrow morning.

It’s finally in the midnight and Yoona is all ready to escape from Eunhyuk’s house.

She prays first then she gets up from the bed. She reaches for the door but before opening it, she turns around and takes a quick look at Eunhyuk’s bedroom. She smells a strawberry scent. Eunhyuk really loves strawberry indeed. She is scared actually but she must try her best now.

She knows that she’ll meet Eunhyuk eventually if she stays here but it is equal to send Eunhyuk to the lion’s cage so she decides to take the path Ara offered to her. She quietly opens the door with the key given to her.

When she is outside, Ara was right, no one gurads her anymore. However, she needs to be fast because the guardians may come anytime soon. The mansion is quite big but luckily she remembers how to get out from this big mansion thanks to her previous experience in this very same mansion.

She’s already on the first floor but there’s a light that captures her attention. All other lamps are turned off in the mansion but there’s a light there.

The light comes from a room.

The door of that room is slightly opened and that’s why the light comes out.

Yoona knows she shouldn’t go there but curiousity takes over her. Besides, to go to the main door, she needs to pass that room so she decides to take a peek.

She gets closer to that room. She is scared but she hopes she won’t get caught. From that little open space that the door provides for her, she notices there are four people inside that room.

Yoona knows that Hangeng is one of them. It looks like an office room and all of the people are sitting on single couch, circling the square table. There’s a very beautiful guy there and Yoona’s eyes don’t lie. This guy is really beautiful. His name is Heechul and he is sitting beside Hangeng. In front of Hangeng, there’s another guy. Yoona doesn’t really see a special trait about this latter guy but then all of the sudden this guy laughs and it’s very unique. That guy is called Leetuk. Lastly, it’s a very beautiful woman. Yoona wonders who she is and that’s when Hangeng calls her name.

“Yeonhee-ah… what do you think?”

Yoona pays attention to their conversation and when this Lee Yeonhee mentions both Donghae and Eunhyuk in her response to Hangeng, Yoona is sure that she needs to do something. She thinks that she maybe gets a hint about something from this conversation. She takes out her cell phone and she starts recording the “meeting” through that tiny gap. It’s enough for her to capture all four of them in the video and she can clearly hear what they are talking about.

Apparently, these four persons are those who initiate the betrayal to Eunhyuk’s father. They worked for Lee Byunghun but they stabbed him from his back.

And Yoona was right.

She gasps when she hears what Hangeng tells to his pals.

She’s shocked but then she feels like she is doing the right thing. The video can be a strong evidence to reverse the situation. Now she gets the evidence.

She decides to continue escaping but before moving again, she makes a rather stupid decision by sending the video to her own email.

She’s smart enough that she thinks she needs to store the video in the very safest place. Well, just in case something happens to her cell phone.

However, it’s stupid because she forgets that she doesn’t turn off the notification tone of her cell phone.

And the “beep” sound finally occurs when Yoona successfully sends the video to her email. The sound is loud enough to attract the attention to her.

“Damn… that was close.” Yoona curses in her heart when she finds Hangeng is in front of her face already.

Now, just ignore what happen to Yoona next. It’s not something good of course and later on, even Jessica will know about that. And speaking about Jessica, she is already awake. It’s around 5.00 am in the morning yet she’s already awake.

Actually, she feels like there’s no warm around her anymore. It bothers her sleep and eventually wakes her up and she realizes that Donghae isn’t there anymore. No wonder she doesn’t feel as comfortable as before. The one who comforts her isn’t there.

She closes her eyes again to think and then she hears that there’s a sound from the bathroom. She is relieved by that. Donghae is still here. He is taking a bath. Jessica delays her sorrowful thoughts about being left unnoticed.

Few metres away from her apartment building, Yuri is already on her way. Yuri indeed heads to Jessica’s apartment. She’ll secretly put the photo album on Jessica’s apartment door. That’s why it should be in the early morning when she is sure that Jessica is still sleeping. Besides, she is planning to take an early train to visit her hometown. She decides to take a one week leave from SNU. She is hoping that this quest will help her forget about Jessica. Unknown to Yuri, she’ll join something dangerous in a few more hours.

Donghae has finished taking a bath and put his jeans and casual t-shirt on him. He takes his black shirt with these square motives and put it on top of his white t-shirt.

Jessica is pretending to sleep. She doesn’t know what to do actually. She makes a guess that Donghae will leave her after taking a bath and it seems a correct one.

Donghae sits beside Jessica and he caresses that girl’s face from her hair. He wants to kiss her, for perhaps the last time, but he is afraid to wake her up.

As for Jessica, she is still contemplating. Should she stop him? But she knows that it’s useless and it’ll just make it more complicated and difficult.

Donghae can only sadly stare at Jessica.

He takes a very deep breath before standing up and going outside the bedroom. Heading to where Hangeng informed him to meet.

Jessica hears the sound of her bedroom door being opened and once it gets closed, she opens her eyes. She gets up. She sits on the bed and she slightly hears the sound of the main door being opened and closed. Donghae has gone.

She is desperately crying right now.

She expects to part from Donghae but she’s just not that ready.

In her desperation, suddenly she gains the courage. She is determined this time.

“No, I shouldn’t give up easily this time.” She says to herself and then gets her fur jacket. She doesn’t even try to see how she looks in the mirror. She at least needs to know what really happens and if the reasons Donghae gives her are strong and acceptable enough then she’ll let him go. If not, she won’t let him go this time. She needs to fight.

With only her sleeping gown covered with that fur jacket, she runs to chase Donghae. However, she is a bit late. Donghae is already going down with the lift. Jessica is waiting for another lift now, hoping that she won’t be late.

Menawhile, Donghae is already on the ground floor of that apartment building.

He comes out from the building and Yuri who is already in front of the building sees him. Donghae doesn’t notice Yuri’s presence though. Donghae quickly takes a cab and gets in it.

Yuri left frozen in front of the main door into the apartment. He wonders whether Donghae is coming from Jessica’s place or not.

And that’s when Jessica comes out. She almost collides with Yuri. She’s surprised to see Yuri there but Donghae is what she is looking for.

“Did you see Lee Donghae?” Jessica suddenly asks Yuri who is actually more surprised than Jessica. Jessica can only ask when she doesn’t see Donghae around there. She is panic.

“Ehhh ye ye… he just took that taxi.” Yuri points that taxi Donghae took before and Jessica quickly takes another taxi in front of her apartment building. Yuri doesn’t miss the opportunity. She joins getting into that same taxi.

“Yah, what are you doing?” Jessica asks.

“I’m following you.” Yuri answers.

“But…”

“Sir, please follow that taxi.” Yuri quickly cuts Jessica and orders the driver to follow Donghae’s taxi.

Jessica can only let Yuri does what she does. She knows that it’s better to cooperate now because she may lose her precious time if she argues with Yuri.

Time has passed and finally Yuri and Jessica know where they are right now. They are in Gimpo airport, the domestic airport of South Korea.

“So are we following him or stopping him?” Yuri asks Jessica.

“I don’t know what really happens between you and him but I’m here to help you.” Yuri who has hid the photo album inside his small suitcase adds.

“I…” Jessica thinks and she feels like she needs Yuri indeed to help her because she is very confused right now.

“Let’s follow him then. I don’t think I can stop him so yeah… let’s follow him Yuri-sshi and thanks…” Jessica says to Yuri sincerely. Jessica thinks about the secret Donghae told her last night and she is so curious right now to know everything. She hopes that she made the right decision by following Donghae like this.

Later, Jessica and Yuri disguises themselves with the extra clothes Yuri brings in her suitcase. They need to cover their faces. They buy sunglasses and scarves as well. They find out that Donghae takes a flight to Jeju and Jessica thinks that she can’t give up right now. At least, she really wants to know what really happens and what is the secret Donghae has kept from her.

Jessica, again, borrows Yuri’s money to buy the tickets.

“Thank you so much Yuri-sshi. I was in a hurry and forget to bring anything with me except myself.”

Jessica thanks Yuri.

“Neh. You are welcome and may I know what really happens now?”

Jessica sighs in sadness.

“Actually, I don’t know too. I decided to follow him because I want to know why he leaves me. I… I really don’t know… it’s too impulsive actually that I’m so confused…”

Jessica seems can’t continue.

“You love him neh?” Yuri fills the empty with that simple question.

Jessica stares at Yuri and says “Yes I do.” with a nod.

Yuri smiles after hearing that. Being able to give up and support Jessica actually makes her stronger as a person. She thinks that she does the right thing to give up and stop stalking her. She plans to confess later and give the photo album directly to her, face to face, rather than secretly send it when everything is alright. She doesn’t care what will happen and how Jessica will react. She just decided to be honest and right now, she wants to help Jessica chasing her love. Yuri is contented by that.

Unfortunately, Jessica and Yuri don’t know that they are pulling themselves into this mind-blowing crime.

In the meantime, Kyuhyun, Siwon, Taeyeon, and Tiffany are all in the Reverse Psychology class. They are just being dismissed actually and Kyuhyun obviously avoids Tiffany. He feels guilty but he doesn’t have a heart to let Tiffany down only because of pitying him. He wants her to love him but it seems impossible when Tiffany only considers him as a close friend.

Kyuhyun leaves the class and he is heading to the mini theatre. He passes the announcement board outside the class and he knows that he is actually somewhat becoming famous in SNU. One of the papers on that board just announced that Im Yoona and Cho Kyuhyun are accepted for a year exchanging program to Harvard. Yoona will be enrolled in Harvard Business School and Kyuhyun will be in Harvard Law School. It amuses him. He never really expects to be chosen when he applied. He is not that ambitious person but then he is glad and proud to know the fact. Well, he doesn’t need to be confused though, he is another straight A student for sure.

As for Taeyeon, she knows Yuri will be going to her hometown. But yeah, she doesn’t know that there is a sudden change on that plan. Taeyeon is on her way to practice as well. Taeyeon already goes there, to the mini theatre, ahead of Kyuhyun actually.

Siwon is also planning to practice with the others band mates.

Seems like everyone is going to practice and well it is expected.

The performance day is getting closer. It is less than a month so they frequently practice and practice. Tiffany should practice as well with Siwon and the others but what is in her mind right now is only Kyuhyun. Actually there are many things that invite Tiffany’s concerns but she only welome the thoughts about Kyuhyun. Tiffany doesn’t even care about her charity project that slowly walks to a nightmare called failure after Siwon leaves. Tiffany has planned to talk to Siwon about it though but as she remembers that she was the one asking Siwon to stay away, she doubts that plan.

Siwon notices how Tiffany tries to chase Kyuhyun. It really breaks Siwon’s heart but he bears with it.

In the end, the four of them are heading to the same building with different rooms though because Kyuhyun and Taeyeon will go to the mini theatre while Tiffany and Siwon will go to the mini studio. These rooms are next to each other.

Taeyeon is already in the backstage, preparing herself.

Kyuhyun just entered the mini theatre through the main entrance. He walks to the stage. He is near the door that connects the backstage and the audience room when Tiffany finally catches up.

“Kyuhyun-ah! Yah!!!”

She shouts. Kyuhyun makes up his mind to face Tiffany who is behind him. Uncomfortable situation clouds them up right now. Tiffany is still panting but manages to make a sound.

“Don’t run away anymore. Stop avoiding me Kyu. We need to talk.”

Taeyeon can hear everything from the backstage room.

Siwon passes the room and he finds himself trying to overhear the conversation. He is indeed curious to know.

Tiffany doesn’t even tell anything again but her tears are already threatening to fall.

“What talk?”

Kyuhyun coldly asks as if he doesn’t know what Tiffany means. He sure knows where this conversation is being carried to.

“Yah! Don’t act stupid Kyu! I know you are smart enough!”

Tiffany is irritated and she is so sure that Kyuhyun knows the matters.

“Then start now because I don’t have something to talk to you Fany-ah. I thought that you’re not happy to be around me, right? Am I wrong then?” Kyuhyun still remembers that he actually had made it clear before when he left Tiffany on their last lunch together. It scratches his heart to hurt Tiffany but if Tiffany is really burdened by his demand then why this girl is still coming and searching for him.

“Yes, you are wrong. I’m happy to be with you. I mean to be able to support you Kyu. I really am. However, I admit it. It’s just too sudden that you are asking something more than I can give to you.”

Tiffany gives a break so that Kyuhyun can digest her words. She hopes he can understand.

“I mean… I’m trying Kyuhyun-ah… and it really pisses me off when you… when you negate everything I’ve done. I actually don’t feel like I should apologize to you at all but really… please forgive me for whatever reasons you thought I had done wrong to you.”

Silence blows in the air after that.

Tiffany had just said what she intended to say to Kyuhyun. Yes she wants reconciliation. These whole weekend, she can only think about Kyuhyun’s condition and she concludes that after all, maybe she is really the only one Kyuhyun needs there.

“Then tell me what I want to hear then.”

Kyuhyun speaks up.

Tiffany raises her eyebrows, obviously not getting what Kyuhyun means.

“Come on you know it. You know what I want to hear Fany-ah.” Kyuhyun states again.

“What Kyu? I have apologized to you right?”

“Not that.” Kyuhyun looks like he is going to cry very soon as well. Simply because he forces Tiffany and himself too much this time.

“Then what?”

“Say it… the three words…” Kyuhyun replies to Tiffany’s last question and he hints “Eight letters…”

Tiffany is caught off guard by Kyuhyun’s self-explanation.

She knows now what Kyuhyun means. Unfortunately, nothing comes out from .

“See? You know you can’t Fany-ah. You know that in the end, being with me is not what you want.”

“BUT YOU ARE SICK!!! DAMN!!! YOU ARE DAMN SICK KYUHYUN-AHHH…!!!” Tiffany shouts.

“How am I supposed to ignore about that fact? Tell me how?!!! It will be even more torturing for me to know that I can’t support you while you are suffering that lung cancer!!! If I’m the one having that cancer, will you be happy to stay away from me?”

Tiffany let the tears fall crazily down to the floor. Unexpectedly, Kyuhyun chuckles upon hearing that. He sighs but he smiles actually. He gives this unbelievable look to Tiffany.

“Ah… see… after all you’re just worried because of that neh?! If I’m not sick then I maybe you’ll change your mind. Listen, Fany-ah, I’ll tell you something.”

Kyuhyun tries to bring his composure.

“I’m not sick. I lied to you that night. Can’t you see that I’m lying to you? How fool you are to fall on my trick?! I thought you are smarter than that.”

And Kyuhyun once again catches Tiffany off guard. Tiffany really doesn’t know how to react to that. She goes blank. She can only blink her eyes several times. She can’t believe what she just heard. Kyuhyun only plays with her. Kyuhyun lied to her. She wants to deny that fact but pain has already filled her heart.

“But you are coughing these days… you’re even bleeding while coughing…”

Yes it’s confusing for Tiffany. She saw with her own eyes how Kyuhyun spits the blood when he coughs.

“Nah it’s a part of my trick as well. Here, let me explain you now if you really want to know.”

Kyuhyun answers while taking something out from his bag. He takes a bottle out. A bottle with a blood-like liquid inside it.

“This is one of my properties for the musical. This is fake blood.”

Kyuhyun explains and if it’s not for his explanantion, Tiffany may think that it’s actually blood.

“My character has cancer right?! I used it to deceive you Fany-ah.”

Kyuhyun even goes as far as demonstrating it. First he drinks a very small amount of the liquid. He doesn’t swallow the liquid of course. He takes out his handkerchief then he fakes some coughs on to the handkerchief and well yeah… it seems like he is sick that way.

“See? That’s how it works.” He says. “And that’s why I never told my parents about it. Simply because I only lied to you.” He makes his voice a bit sarcastic while showing the “bloody” handkerchief.

Tiffany really feels like the stupidest person in the world right now. She always believes him. She always cares for him but in fact, Kyuhyun only plays a trick and uses her.

Siwon sees that the conversation may end soon so he quickly walks away from his spot. He thinks that it’s enough for him. The unfortunate part is, by leaving at this point, Siwon fails to hear what Kyuhyun will say next.

“I actually never ever think about going with such a way to get you because all this time I thought you are in love with me as well. However, since Choi Siwon appeared in your life, I started to worry about it. And I was right, I am losing you to him so I need to win you back.”

Kyuhyun forces a smile. He chuckles again. Of course it’s fake. He is hurting as well there.

Taeyeon actually thinks that she shouldn’t continue overhearing this conversation any longer but then it’s more than tempting to keep hearing Kyuhyun and Tiffany. Moreover, there’s no other exit from the backstage. If she comes out then it will be more awkward.

“I admit it though. I indeed lose to him. I can’t steal you back to me even with this way.” Kyuhyun says as if he raises the white flag. He uses that “steal” word when actually Siwon is the one “stealing” Tiffany from her. But he is just being relevant actually. Right now, Tiffany’s heart only beats for Siwon and Kyuhyun is the one trying to steal.

Tiffany stops crying right now. She isn’t able to find any words. She has many things to say before but right now she just couldn’t voice them up.

All she can do is turning around and running away.

Kyuhyun is left numb. He never thinks about it. He never really plans to ruin everything but he just did. He expected Tiffany to slap him or hit him because he knows he deserves them but he actually already gets punished by the fact itself.

He turns around and opens the backstage door. When he enters that room, Taeyeon is already waiting in front of him. Her face is nothing friendly. It is sort of anger and disappointment. Kyuhyun bets that Taeyeon had heard everything.

“You heard everything? Sorry for that.”

But rather than getting words for the reply, Kyuhyun receives what he wanted from Tiffany. A Slap. A very hard one.

“Where’s the optimistic Kyuhyun?”

“Where’s this kind and caring Kyuhyun?”

“Where is he?”

“Where did you hide him?”

Taeyeon blabbers too much with so many questions. She is angry. She is annoyed. She can’t think properly actually but she is disappointed. She loves Kyuhyun who is caring, confident, and considerate. She loves that side of Kyuhyun so she was so shocked to see the other side of Kyuhyun. The cruel one to be exact. She considers it cruel how Kyuhyun treated Tiffany.

Kyuhyun is somewhat relieved that someone slaps him. However, it feels really unfair for him because he thinks that Taeyeon has nothing to do with it.

“Then why do you care in the first place? It’s my problem with her after all.” Kyuhyun gives a very deep stare.

“That’s because I love you Cho Kyuhyun. I love you so much that I’m willing to see you happy with Tiffany because I know you love her. Can’t you see that there’s someone out there who actually loves you?!”

Taeyeon knows she’s at fault to suddenly act like she knows everything and like she hold responsibility to punish Kyuhyun. However, she is really sad for him, for Tiffany, and of course for herself.

On top of that, Taeyeon just realized that she just confessed her feelings in a very dramatic way.

Hearing that, Kyuhyun somewhat is out of words. He never expects to have an admirer. He doesn’t see it coming so he becomes really speechless.

“If you love her, fight for her properly Cho Kyuhyun. And when you are ready to let her go because she loves another man, be sportive… be a man with a big heart. Using and hurting her that way, I find me even asking to myself why am I fallen in love with you?”

She answers her own question with “Well… I guess maybe I made such a wrong judgement about you before.”

Finishing that statement, Taeyeon runs and leaves Kyuhyun alone in the backstage room.

Taeyeon feels embarrassed actually. She knows she shouldn’t interrupt but now she can’t undo nor redo it.

She is crying and she decides to calm herself while Kyuhyun feels ashamed in his loneliness. So now, he just hurted the girl he loves and the girl who loves him. Perfect.

And we now have a temporary break for something worse that will come to them, particularly Siwon, Kyuhyun, and Tiffany.

Donghae has finally set his feet on Jeju Island.

Yuri and Jessica of course are behind him. They are secretly following him.

However, it’s not the time to reveal everything to Yuri and Jessica right now. It will be at night when the city is already sleeping. The night will witness how things will end, if it is ended though, happily or unhappily. Donghae knows that it’s useless to make a strategy this time. Yoona is in Hangeng’s territory and it will be too risky if Donghae tries to save her and that’s why he decides to meet Hangeng instead, to follow Hangeng’s rule. He decides to make an agreement later, an agreement that he is so sure will only benefit Hangeng and put him, Eunhyuk, and Yoona in misfortune. However, as long as the agreement can save Yoona and Eunhyuk, he’ll give a go.

And talking about Eunhyuk, he was already there in Jeju Island hours even before Donghae’s plane landed. Eunhyuk had got informed by Hangeng as well and he can’t stop blaming himself for what happened to Yoona. All the words “stupid”, “idiot”, “useless”, and the likes have been labeled to him by himself. “Why is everything going beyond my expectation?” He asks this question.

Ever since he knew how to wish, he only wished for him to be a normal person who will live a happy life. He only wished that someday he’ll be independent from his father and that he will make his mother happy even though he never know who his mother. He wished that he’ll meet someone that he truly loves and loves him back and then marry her and make a very great family with their children. They were simple but now… what is happening is really against his ideal life.

So there he is, in one of Jeju Island beaches, sitting on the sand, watching the sun rise earlier in the morning, thinking about Yoona, sipping his strawberry milk, waiting for the night to come. He’s been there for so many hours but he doesn’t think about moving until the designated time he’ll meet Hangeng.

If only Eunhyuk knows that Hangeng doesn’t have any supports from even one-fourth of his father’s gangsters maybe everything will be different right now. Hangeng had successfully made Eunhyuk thinks than everyone is under Hangeng’s order.

Donghae enters one of the hotels near the airport. Donghae has another choice to wait the night. He’ll rest in that luxurious hotel because probably he won’t be able to enjoy the time like this anymore.

Jessica and Yuri of course are still able to survive and so far they made it. They are unnoticed.

“Now what?” Yuri asks.

“What do you mean?” Jessica replies.

“I mean where are we going to wait now? Should we reserve a room as well or just wait here?”

Jessica thinks about the options Yuri offers.

“But how will we know whether he is still in the hotel or going out if we reserve a room?”

“That makes sense.” Yuri shortly says and suddenly an idea strikes her mind.

There are so many hotels actually in this road and one of them is located precisely in front of the hotel where Donghae is.

“How about we reserve a room in that hotel and choose the room that straighly faces this building. That way we can freely observe your Lee Donghae.” Yuri points the hotel in front of them.

“Sounds great.” Jessica agrees and they go to the said hotel.

It’s actually quite funny that this “couple” doesn’t notice that the hotel they are going into is usually for couples who have honeymoon. They are too absorbed by stalking Donghae that they don’t really care about such detail.

They find it a bit uncomfortable when people in that hotel are looking at them.

“We want to reserve a room that straightly faces that hotel in front of yours.” Yuri explains what she wants to the receptionist.

“Let me check miss.” The receptionist replies and gives them an amusing look.

Actually, from many couples that have used this hotel, there are few homoual couples as well and what comes to this receptionist’s mind is none other than two hot and beautiful girls are having their honeymoon. Sure it amuses the receptionist.

“Yah… why are you smiling suspiciously?” Jessica goes back to her ice princess mode when she notices this weird expression of that receptionist. It’s really a dirty expression to say the least.

“I’m sorry miss.” The receptionist apologizes.

“Jessica-sshi…” Yuri tries to calm Jessica.

“We have one unoccupied room that is matched with your request. Will you take it then?”

The receptionist tells Yuri after checking the availability of the hotel’s room.

“Sure.” Yuri replies and the next thing they do is going to the room.

The receptioninst open the door for them and before closing the door, he gives a witty remark.

“If you need something just call to the receptionist miss and have fun with your thing.”

Yuri and Jessica are still clueless so they just say thank you in the end.

Meanwhle, as it’s getting closer to the night, Siwon and his bandmates including Jungmo, Sungmin, Henry, and Seohyun call it a day. Tiffany doesn’t show up but they actually don’t really care since Tiffany is already good enough.

They all are saying their goodbyes to each other.

Siwon is the last person there. He checks out his cell phone and he is surprised to see he got a text message from Tiffany.

It actually creates a curve on his lips. Somehow he misses receiving a text message from her. Well, for every single second he misses that girl actually.

Tiffany Hwang:
Siwon-sshi, can we meet after the practice?
I’ll be waiting at our usual meeting room.
Thank you.

Can a surprise get any better than this?

No.

For Siwon, this is the greatest surprise he gets thus far.

However, it saddens him as well. How can it not? All Siwon can think is about what he heard at the mini theatre.

Sure, Tiffany is one of the girls with the most swaying mood he ever knows right now. She said she wanted him to stay away from her. So he did. He left the charity project for this reason and he just gave what Tiffany wanted.

“Ahhh… this must be it…”

Siwon says to himself. He figures out that probably Tiffany wants to ask about the charity project.

“It’s nothing personal, stupid!”

Siwon scolds himself for thinking that Tiffany probably will talk about personal things with him.

“But why now? If it’s really about the project, then why now? She can do it yesterday or two days ago?!” Siwon supplies himself with a deeper thought.

Amidst his own imagination, he is actually walking to the students association’s meeting room direction. However, he promises to himself that he won’t be that easy.

“What is this important thing that you call me here?” is the first thing Siwon says to Tiffany when he enters the room then it is followed by “And everyone is asking me where you are because you didn’t show up in the studio.”

Tiffany stands up when Siwon makes a sudden entrance to the meeting room. Their eyes meet and Siwon is convinced that the girls have cried badly before because her eyes are swollen.

Once Siwon sits on one of the chairs, Tiffany sits back.

“About the practice today… I have something else to do and it can’t wait. I’ll apologize to the others later. Please let it slip today.”

Tiffany starts talking while Siwon thinks to himself.

“Oh yeah, you were busy crying and being hurt by Cho Kyuhyun, weren’t you?!”

Now, Siwon really has the urge to hit Kyuhyun actually. Seeing Tiffany in this very poor condition, Siwon gets heated easily.

“And about calling you here, I thought you should have known what I’m going to ask you though. It’s about the charity Siwon-sshi.” Tiffany looks desperate and tired.

Siwon pretends like he did nothing wrong. He rests his back on the chair and raises his eyebrows. Really, he holds onto his plan of being though and this selfish Choi Siwon while in fact he really wants to comfort Tiffany. At the same time, he feels really angry towards this girl actually.

For him, Tiffany looks like a… hmmm… a b*tch who is toying around from a guy to another guy.

Want prove?

She was always with Kyuhyun before. Then they got into some arguments. They made up. Then Siwon came up into her life. Then Siwon saved Tiffany and then Kyuhyun and Tiffany were slowly drifted apart. And Tiffany asked Siwon to make a distance between them. And then Tiffany went back to Kyuhyun. And now… is she flirting with Siwon again?!

This is what is going around in Siwon’s brain in the end. He knows it’s not legit or valid but he can’t stop thinking that way.

“Does she come to me and ask for my help only after being dumped by that brat?” Siwon, again, tells to himself.

By that “brat”, of course Siwon refers to Kyuhyun.

“I know that I told you to… well yeah… to be away from me but actually it’s more about personal thing Siwon-sshi. I honestly expected you to be in this project because you are really helpful. I could careless but then I found out that you are too important in this project…”

“And in my life.” Tiffany wishes she can really add this part but she once again tries to deny that fact.

“Yah, didn’t you just mislead everything here? You’re the one opposing me to help you. You wanted me to go away from your life and I did you a favor by leaving this project because I thought that this project is a part of your life. Now, you tried to make it looks like it was all my faults.” Siwon reasons out.

“No, I’m not trying to blame you.”

“But I didn’t hear any apologize from you though.” Siwon is really being cocky right now. Actually, he knew that Tiffany is really in trouble because the charity’s date is already set up and all the sponsors canceled the agreements because he is leaving the project. He knows he can be more cruel than this but for now he just want to test her.

“I don’t think I should apologize Choi Siwon. Look, about staying away from me, I had made it clear that it’s in personal relationship while this charity project is more about professional relationship. You have agreed before to join the project so…”

“But I have the right to walk out, don’t I?”

Siwon cuts Tiffany. Hearing Tiffany’s explanation actually only adds the fire in his heart. It makes him feeling like only being used more by Tiffany.

“So I’m useful only for your charity project? Or do you need me just because he dumped you already?” Siwon concludes inside his heart and mind. It really makes him sad and angry.

Tiffany can only admit to herself that she is just being unreasonable though. She is being really incoherent. She knows it’s really unfair for Siwon. She really knows it. But after spending all the times crying about Kyuhyun, she founds herself should be worried with this charity project as well. It’s getting closer yet she is losing everything. How can she face SNU’s representatives? The lecturers? The students? Where she should put her face if there’s nothing to donate to this chosen orphanage?

She actually can start all over again but it’s too time-consuming so she decides to use a shortcut, that is getting Siwon back to the project.

“I beg you now.” is what Tiffany can say next.

“I’m really begging you Choi Siwon. I need you for this.” She pleads but every plea that comes from her only annoys Siwon. Siwon more and more feels like a trash can who will open himself when Tiffany needs him. He hates that concept. He wants to be the one for her but it really is piercing his heart. Hearing Tiffany begging really makes him angry in some ways. He really hates it that he decides to leave the room without any word.

“Yah… where are you going? Choi Siwon!”

Tiffany is quite fast to hold Siwon’s arm before the latter reaches the door.

“I’ll do anything for you but please come back to the project…” There, Tiffany uses her last weapon to beg.

“Anything?” Siwon turns around to face Tiffany.

“Yes… just tell me what you want? I’ll apologize to you for my rude comments before. I will take my words back about staying away from you if you want too. I’ll do everything Siwon-sshi.”

“Huhhh…” Siwon smirks, an evil one.

“Don’t be so full of yourself Tiffany-sshi. Do you think I’m really craving for you and your apology?!”

Siwon is the one who is holding Tiffany’s arm right now. An evil has taken over him. Angry, annoyed, irritated, and to say the least… love are all over mixed in his system. He can’t think what is right and what is wrong now when he pushes Tiffany on the wall and kisses her forcefully.

“But you say you will do everything right? Let’s see just how far you can go Tiffany Hwang?” He teases Tiffany while trying to claim Tiffany’s lips.

Tiffany, of course, is shocked and she will if she can go more than being shocked. She rebels. She tries to push Siwon but she is a lot weaker than him. She doesn’t give up though. She bites Siwon’s lips and it leaves a small cut. Siwon’s lower lip is bleeding and it succeeds at stopping him. However, it just adds the excitement on him.

“Hahaha, you’re quite naughty miss president.” Then he continues trying to get Tiffany’s neck right now.

“YAHHHH!!! STOP IT!!! YAHHHH!!!” Tiffany can only shout but no one will hear of course when there’s no one around that room.

“Come on… just tell me how much your price! I’ll even pay you if you want.” Siwon goes crazier than ever.

“Stop it please…” Tiffany cries. She cries upon giving up because she is hurting by every movement she makes to escape from Siwon.

Siwon tastes the tears and suddenly it brings a pause to what he is doing.

He looks up and stares at the crying face.

“Please…” Tiffany says.

Looking at that crying face, Siwon loosens his grip on her.

Tiffany falls on the floor. She sits there hugging her knees. Her knees support her chin. She is crying and thanks God Siwon has finally gathered himself into his logic.

He feels guilty. He feels really terrible. He is so sad but he isn’t satisfied because he just blows up what he assumes to be his last chance to make up with Tiffany.

He kneels down, trying to comfort Tiffany but she is reactionless.

Siwon regrets that he just let the devil and lust dominate him.

He really feels horrible. He touches Tiffany’s hair only to get denial from her. The way Tiffany reacts shows him just how much she is traumatized by his attempt to harm her, by his touch to be sharp.

“God… was I really trying to her before?” Siwon asks himself.

He decides to leave because maybe it’s the best for the two of them.

He doesn’t even say sorry because he knows it’s not enough.

He is outside that room already.

It is already dark. It is already night.

And that means everything begins here.

It begins when Siwon closes the door and leaves Tiffany alone. It begins when Yuri and Jessica sees Donghae coming out from his hotel. It begins when Taeyeon forgets that her bag is still in the mini theatre when she had an argument with Kyuhyun and she decides to take it back. It begins when Yoona opens her eyes to find out that she is already in a strange and dim room and when she is really thisrty. It begins when finally Eunhyuk drinks his last strawberry milk that night and leaves the sea he has been seeing from the morning.

It begins at the end of some stories.

And it will surely end some stories as well.

##########

A/N

I took some time to decide the title of the chapter. I want it to be a great one. I found myself changing and modifying and changing and modifying every part that I wasn't satisfied with... however... I decide to update though... I hope it's good enough. I'm soryyyyyy. And since I'm not scanning again, I hope you'll overlook my mistakes. Please... let it slip. And really, if you don't understand a part or some parts of my fic, just ask me