CNBLUE's Practice Room, Music Department South Building

The soundproofed room which usually saw only CNBLUE members was filled with women’s voices. Three SNSD seniors visited for a joint practice with the band for the upcoming festival. It was their second practice together and yet they were already able to perform in perfect sync. It almost seemed like they were ready to rock the real stage that day.

Jonghyun was practicing his melody part alone when Tiffany suddenly tapped his shoulder, smiling at him while showing her trademark half-moon eyes. She offered him a can of cola and Jonghyun took it as he said thanks.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Tiffany said as she grabbed the back of a wooden chair next to him.

“Sure, noona,” Jonghyun put his guitar on its stand.

Tiffany crossed her feet and leaned her head closer to Jonghyun, acting like their conversation must be kept secret. “I heard from Minhyuk that you met with Kyuhyun and Shinhye last Sunday?”

Jonghyun’s eyes immediately searched for Minhyuk, who was talking with Sunny and Taeyeon from behind his drum set. “Yes, that’s right."

"So how was it?”

“Well,” Jonghyun paused to open his cola and took a sip, “They agreed to help us to clear the misunderstanding. They were also worried because they were somehow dragged into this problem.”

“Really?” Tiffany widened her eyes. “What else?”

"Ngg..." Jonghyun looked up, biting his lower lip, "They said they are willing to help us with anything they could.”

"Ah, that's a relief," Tiffany sounded grateful, but she quickly changed her expression, slightly pouting her lips. “Anyway, we are sorry, Jonghyun-ah.”

"For what, noona?"

"I heard you went to the meeting alone because Yoona couldn't help you," Tiffany said.

"Ah, about that," Jonghyun slightly nodded, "It's okay, noona. I know she is busy with her ballet practice schedule."

“So you know about that? She must have told you before,” Tiffany smiled knowingly.

“Yes, she already told me about her upcoming performance at the Fine Arts Festival,” Jonghyun laughed a bit, “She seems really excited about it.”

“Of course, she always loves doing ballet and acting at the same time.”

"I heard she's one of the main role again this time."

“This year they adapt Les Misérables into a ballet performance and Yoona acts as Cosette, the adopted daughter of Jean Valjean, the very main role,” Tiffany smirked proudly, “A really talented ballerina, isn’t she?”

“Indeed. She’s born to be one,” Jonghyun replied.

Jonghyun might be aware, but Tiffany was sure that anyone could see his eyes twinkled when she mentioned Yoona in front of him. His eyes seemed more alive than when they talked about Kyuhyun and Shinhye.

It was the same expression that Tiffany saw when he talked to Yoona in the kitchen of their dorm the other day. The very same one.

"You seem to have a lot of interest on her,” Tiffany .

"Eh, sorry?" Jonghyun blinked his eyes awkwardly.

“It’s about Yoona,” Tiffany couldn’t help smiling, “I see you have a distinct feeling for her.”

Inside, Jonghyun faced two different paths that would lead to two different results. The first one was to use the chance to reveal his past feeling to Yoona, and how he saw her today. He could tell Tiffany, but somehow he felt it could lead to disappointment. He did not want to disappoint himself anymore.

The second one was to keep his feeling for himself and deny everything, though he still had some feelings for Yoona. He could choose to bury his feeling inside and let the time work with its magic hands, but on the other side, it was something that he had been doing all this time. Should he change it?

“Ah, is that so?” Jonghyun just stared at his Nike shoes, trying to get a hold of his mind, “But, I—well, we are just friends.”

He decided to take the middle way: not to confess and not to deny.

Tiffany smirked. “I know you know that I didn’t ask you about you being 'more than friends' with her, right?”

Touché. The right answer to a wrong question.

“Well… yeah,” Jonghyun awkwardly touched the back of his neck.

"So, I can assume it's more than that," Tiffany concluded.

Jonghyun cleared his throat, suddenly felt so thirsty. He gulped his cola and drank the remaining in one shot. He tried to maintain his calm expression, but Tiffany could point it out for him that Jonghyun obviously couldn’t tell lies.

Taeyeon suddenly came and patted Tiffany’s shoulder. “Let’s go. We need to wake up early tomorrow.”

“Ah, that’s right. I am coming right behind you,” Tiffany said as she got up from her seat.

While Jungshin and Minhyuk said goodbye as they packed their music sheets and equipment, Jonghyun followed his leader to accompany the girls to the door. Jonghyun was listening in to Taeyeon and Yonghwa’s conversation about their next joint practice schedule when Tiffany tapped his arm.

“She always stays up late these days. It will be fine if she keeps her meal time on schedule, but I assume she doesn’t.”

The two guys looked flustered, although Yonghwa looked more dumbfounded than Jonghyun did. Sunny ignored their confused looks and added, “North building, studio 9, 4th floor. I think she’s still there now.”

Jonghyun immediately checked his wristwatch. 11 p.m. She’s still there?

“Giving her a watch will probably do,” Taeyeon commented before the three women left.

 

~~~

 

Studio 9, Dance Performance Department North Building

It was already near midnight, yet the lights of Studio 3 and 9 on the fourth floor of the building were still bright. The Fine Arts Festival was only two weeks away and everyone had moved with intensive practice schedules to ensure that they would deliver perfect performances at the long-awaited event.

In studio 3, Taeyang was teaching his juniors the routine for a contemporary dance performance, in which they would perform Big Bang’s song. Meanwhile in studio 9, the university’s ballet dancers focused on remembering the story line for their ballet-drama performance.

“Hey, are you sure you still want to practice?” Jihae asked to a woman next to her who was doing a passé position.

Yoona dropped her foot and pulled her white shirt down to her hips. “Yes, I still need to memorize the plot better. It’s still confusing in some parts.”

“Is it okay if we leave you alone? We need to run some errands before we return home,” Yuri asked with a worried look on her face.

“It’s alright. Min and Wooyoung oppa are still here; they are just out for late dinner,” Yoona pointed at two training bags on the corner of the room.

“We are going, then,” Jihae said, “Call us if you need anything, Yoona.”

After the two left, Yoona leaned her body to the mirror wall. She picked up a bottle from the floor and drank the water slowly. Feeling of exhaustion from three-hour practice every day in the past weeks slowly sunk in to her body. She saw her face on the mirror and saw dark circles hanging below her eyes.

She sighed as she remembered her call to Jonghyun last Saturday, during which she told him that she could not join the meeting with Kyuhyun and Shinhye. Although Jongin said it was okay, she still felt guilty; she was the one who had insisted on helping him, but she bailed on him at the last minute. What a great way to show someone that you cared…

Yoona was practicing a scene where Cosette met Marius secretly in the garden when she heard someone knocked the door. She stopped and frowned since other dancers who practiced in the studio never knocked when they wanted to enter the room.

Her eyes widened in surprise when a man wearing a blue navy coat, a white t-shirt and a pair of blue-washed jeans entered with a transparent plastic bag on his hand. He smiled widely when he saw Yoona.

"Kibum-ah! What are you doing here?"

Kim Kibum—known as Key amongst his friends—bowed as he approached his senior. “I just stop by to say hi, noona. Are you still practicing?”

“As you see,” Yoona said, “aren’t you also supposed to be practicing with Taeyang oppa?”

“Well, I just returned from midnight snacking,” Key replied, grinning. He took a quick glance at the plastic bag and looked up to her. “Have you eaten, noona?”

Yoona’s stomach suddenly growled when she heard the word “eat”. She patted her own tummy as she recalled something on her mind. “Now you remind me… the last meal I ate was bimbimbap during lunch.”

“Aiyoo, noona! Skipping meal is not healthy, how can you forget?” Key shoved the plastic bag into her grasp. “Here, noona, eat this.”

She frowned as she took a peek inside the bag. “What is this?”

“Fried dumpling, noona. I am sure you would like it,” Key said, somehow timidly, “Especially with the soy sauce… and chili… it is really tasty.”

“Ngg… okay,” Yoona tilted her head, questioning something. “But why so sudden?”

“Why so serious, noona? It is all life’s surprises,” Key grinned ambiguously and waved both of his hands on the air, playing around, “Anyway, I think I should go back now.”

“Eh? Leaving so soon?” Yoona asked as she saw Key slowly stepped back, “Where are you going?”

"Home. Eh—practicing, I mean," Key talked fast, "Enjoy your meal, noona! Good luck!"

Yoona watched Key disappeared behind the door with puzzled look. Why did Key stop by just to give her a portion of his fried dumpling without saying anything more? Wasn’t it suspicious?

She crossed her legs on the floor and began to unbox the packaging with her stomach growling in hunger. The smell of fresh fried dumplings suddenly filled the room. It was mouth-watering.

"Thank you for the meal, I will enjoy it," Yoona said to herself as she broke the chopsticks into two.

Not long after she began to dig into the meal, her phone vibrated, signaling incoming message. Yoona almost choked when she saw the sender’s name. Does the Ice Kingdom begin to melt or life really likes to throw jokes at me?

 

One New Message

 

Lee Jonghyun
00:20 AM

Are you still up?

Im Yoona
00:21 AM

Yes, I'm still at the studio.
Why?

Lee Jonghyun
00:22 AM

Can I call you?

Can I call you?

Im Yoona
00:23 AM

Sure.

The phone rang shortly after she sent the last message. Yoona stared at the caller ID for a moment and felt her heartbeat racing. It was just his name appearing on the screen, but somehow she imagined Jonghyun ready to pop out at anytime.

"Hello?" Yoona answered as she munched on her dumplings.

"Im Yoona. It's me.”

“I know,” Yoona said, “What makes you call me in the middle of the night like this?”

"Why are you still at the studio? It is already late," Jonghyun asked back.

“Well, I am still practicing my part. The choreography is quite complicated.”

“Really? For a grown-up Cosette who won’t show up until the middle of the play?”

“Yah, she’s one of the main important roles! But, how do you know about my role?” Yoona’s voice sounded cheerful, “Ah! I bet my unnies told you.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “I can hear your excitement spills over your voice.”

“How can’t I? Les Misérables is one of my favorite story of all time!"

“Yeah, I know you like classic romance that much. What’s your favorite right now? Still Austen’s Pride and Prejudice?”

Silence suddenly took over the line between the two. Yoona smiled knowingly; Jonghyun also felt it too. Every time they talked, somehow they couldn’t resist bringing up the memories they shared in the past.

“That’s right. It’s still the story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy,” Yoona smiled faintly.

Jonghyun was silent for a second before he cleared his throat. “Anyway, Yoona. I call to ask you something.”

"What is it?"

“I’ve scheduled a meeting for Yonghwa hyung and Seohyun to meet Kyuhyun hyung and Shinhye. But, don’t tell anyone first; it must be kept secret.”

“Okay, and then?”

Jonghyun sighed; quite loud to be heard through the phone. “Can you accompany me to have a lunch with Yonghwa hyung and Seohyun tomorrow? You still owe me that.”

“Ah, about me helping you,” Yoona paused, recalling her schedule, “Sure, I can come. I am free tomorrow and the ballet practice starts at 7 p.m.”

“It’s settled then. I will text you for the details soon,” Jonghyun said.

"Okay, I'll wait for it," Yoona replied.

Again, silence filled the telephone lines; neither of them said anything at all. The connection was still there, but the only sound they could hear was their own breaths.

But none of the two wanted to end the call. With nothing to say, they just held their phones on their ears and listened to the sound of silence. Still, the most important thing was that they knew the other person on the line was still there, and it was enough.

“Im Yoona,” Jonghyun broke the silence, “What are you doing right now?”

"Me? I'm just finished eating," Yoona said as she closed the lid of the meal box, “You?”

“Yah, you really should eat more. I heard now you look like a walking corpse,” Jonghyun said, not answering her question, again.

Yoona snorted. “Yah, how can you say it like that! I am as healthy as a bull, you know.”

“I am just saying; if you want to do your best, you need to watch over your health,” Jonghyun’s voice sounded like he… cared?

“Look who’s talking,” Yoona rolled her eyes, “A man who always sleep after 3 a.m. every day. Now why don’t you rest? You’re at the dorm already, aren’t you?”

“Why don’t you? You’ve been practicing for nearly 5 hours, don’t push yourself.”

Yoona sighed. She knew Jonghyun was right; it would be better for her to continue practice earlier tomorrow than to pull an all-nighter and drained her energy.

“I will go home soon. I just need to finish this part first,” Yoona said.

“Great. Now don’t let me interrupt you. Do your practice so you can rest soon,” Jonghyun paused for a moment, “I am going to hang up now.”

Yoona got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t help smiling a bit. “Thanks for calling me… Lee Jonghyun.”

“You’re welcome. Practice well,” Jonghyun hung up.

Yoona stood in silence as she continued staring at her phone. She wondered why Jonghyun suddenly called her in the middle of the night. At some points, she wanted to believe that he was worried about her, but why should he? Jonghyun called her only to inform about the meeting, anyway, and the rest of the conversation was just… simple talk.

After all of this is over, can I still have a reason to meet you?

Yoona suddenly remembered Key’s words before. Why so serious? It’s all life’s surprises.

She smiled, remembering that she just had a casual conversation with Jonghyun on the phone. At least their relationship was okay and they could talk to each other comfortably. It was enough for the time being. She wouldn’t ask for more and risked the magic disappeared.

With a brighter face and mood, Yoona began to get into à la quatrième derrière position and proceed with the practice.

Little did she know that outside the practice room, separated by only a wall, someone just got up from his seat after he finished a call. He stopped by in front of the window on the door and watched Yoona danced for the last time that night, before he walked away with a guitar case on his back.

 

~~~

 

Lee Jonghyun walked through the corridor with a plastic bag on his right hand. His eyes scanned the room number on every door he saw and he stopped when he found his destination. He peeked over the window and found the woman he had been looking for. Tiffany was right; she looked like she had lost some kilos of her weight.

He wanted to knock the door, but a part of his heart told him to walk away. Deep inside, he still debated over two things: will it be better to let her go, or to watch over her like he used to?

Jonghyun was not ready to fly if it meant that he would fall from the sky for the second time. No, he was not ready for it.

But what should I do? Is it okay to just leave this food in front of the door and write her name on it, so someone can deliver it instead?

He suddenly heard someone opened the door from the other side of the corridor. As the figure walked closer to Jonghyun’s direction, he recognized who he was.

"Kibum-ah!"

The man flinched at first, but when he recognized Jonghyun, Minho’s senior, he sighed in relief. “Aigoo, Jonghyun hyung, you scared me. What are you doing here?”

"What are you doing here?" Jonghyun absent-mindedly asked back.

"This is my department building. I just finished practicing,” Key answered, throwing Jonghyun a you-don’t-say look. “The weird part is you are here. Isn’t the music department building a few blocks away from here?”

Jonghyun seemed hesitating before he asked Key, “Kibum-ah, could you do me a favor?”

"What is it?"

“Could you deliver this to Yoona in studio 9?” Jonghyun raised the plastic bag, “It is a portion of fried dumplings.”

Key frowned with his lips pouted. "It is weird. Why don't you just give it to her?”

“I don’t think this is the right time for me to show up,” Jonghyun paused, “We are sort of… arguing with each other.”

“So this could be your time to reconcile. Go on, hyung,” Key slightly pushed Jonghyun’s arm.

“Yah, if I am confident that we can reconcile today, I will do it myself, but I am not sure this is the right time,” Jonghyun insisted, “Besides, I don’t want to disturb her. She’s so immersed with the practice.”

“So you want me to disturb her? Eey,” Key threw Jonghyun a playful look and decided to take the plastic bag. “Okay, I will do it for you.”

Jonghyun thanked him and the two engaged in a brief catch-up. They kept their voices low in a tone that almost sounded like a whisper. The loud music from studio 3 also made them sure that their voices would not reach Yoona.

"You know, hyung," Key suddenly said, "I used to hope that you and Yoona noona would go out together after the theatre event was over, but I heard that at the end you two just remain friends.”

"I used to hope so, too," Jonghyun smirked to himself as he muttered under his breath, but Key managed to hear it.

Key stared at Jonghyun for a second in front of the door. Jonghyun knew that Key wanted to say something, perhaps raising another question about Yoona, but he looked away and stared at the ballerina from the window instead.

“Hyung,” Key called, interrupting Jonghyun’s focus on Yoona who was doing a croisé devant pose.

“Go ahead,” Jonghyun said, “And don’t mention me. I don’t want her to know.”

Key nodded and placed his hand on the door. Unexpectedly, he turned his head and once again called Jonghyun, who stood near him with his back leaning against the wall.

"What?" Jonghyun furrowed his eyebrows.

“You know, sometimes I think the term ‘at the right time and the right place’ is not something that happen out of nowhere. It’s something you need to create with your own hands.”

Key knocked the door and opened it. Jonghyun looked down and sighed as he heard a woman’s voice greeting Key happily. “Kibum-ah!”

At the time, somehow he hoped that his name was the one whom Yoona called.

 

 

---

Author's Note:

Hello, people! OH MY GOD, it has been a long time. More than a month!

I am very sorry from the deep of my heart, but I am kinda busy lately. I was just finished with my mid-exams, now I am busy with upcoming projects. But surely, I will try to update regularly.

How's this chapter so far? I hope you like it.

Subscribe, comment, and upvote if you are interested. See you with another chapter soon! Thanks xx