May 5th, 2006

Yoseob just back from his school. He's running as fast as he can to Kyuri's house. Today is Kyuri's 16th birthday.

He knew her since she was born. His father is Kyuri's father work partner since he was a kid. His father told him that a man should take care of girls; he has dedicated himself to protect Kyuri. It was to make his father proud of him, but as time goes by, he knew Kyuri means something more than a childhood friend for him.

Kyuri has a weak body. She spends her time at home; reading books and playing piano. Yoseob, in the other hand, is an easy-going person. He has a lot of friends at school and he loves to make new friends. But he always choose to spend time with Kyuri as much as he can. He always love the way Kyuri smile because of him, the way she laugh for him. Everything about her.

He stops running when he arrived in front of Kyuri's house. He stops to catch his breath. Yoseob walks in with his cute smile; the one which always make every girl in his school falls in love with his cuteness. He received a lot of confessions from his schoolmates but he never accepted their feelings.

"Kyuri ah~" Yoseob walks faster to Kyuri. She is playing a piano alone in the main hall when Yoseob sits next to her.

"Sangil chukkae!" Yoseob pats her head. "You're sixteen now!"

"Kamsahamnida, Yoseob Oppa," Kyuri smiles shyly. Yoseob feels butterflies in his stomach when he heard she called him 'Oppa'. He notices that Kyuri grew more beautiful. She looks really beautiful in her white dress today.

"So," Yoseob coughs a little, "any wishes for your birthday?"

"Hmm," Kyuri acts as if she's thinking hard, "I don't know. What will you give to me?"

Yoseob pinches her cheek softly, "You know that I will give you something, right?"

Kyuri giggles. Yoseob is getting ready to play the piano when a voice calls her, "Kyuri."

Both of them turn to see a man walks in black suit and glasses. He takes of the glasses and walks to the piano.

"Gikwang Oppa," Kyuri stands slowly.

Yoseob's happy face has disappeared. It's Kyuri's fiancee. He knew it since he was a kid, since his father told him to protect Kyuri, that she has a fiancee who will marry her someday. They met for the first time at Kyuri's birthday. He thought of Gikwang as someone who has same responsibility to protect Kyuri... but he's wrong.

Gikwang has a feeling towards Kyuri. Kyuri doesn't believe it; she's doing it for her deceased mother and she believes Gikwang is doing the same, but Yoseob knows it's more than that. Gikwang came each year for Kyuri's birthday. He always visit Kyuri whenever he's back from US. He knows it's something more than a responsibility.

Yoseob doesn't understand though why Gikwang never said anything to Kyuri. It's hurt to see them together because of the engagement. Yoseob couldn't do a thing, he couldn't confess his feeling to Kyuri; it's going to make Kyuri confused. He's letting this thought stay in his mind for now.

Silence. It's always awkward when three of them meet.

The door is opened. Kyuri's father walks in. It's been half year since Kyuri's last meeting with her father; her father works outside of Seoul, that's why Kyuri is always alone. Yoseob is her only close friend since she didn't go to public school.

Her father hugs her and kisses her forehead, "Saengil chukkahamnida. It's been a while."

Kyuri smiles, "Half year."

They just realized that her father came with three other people: a woman with red luggage, a boy with red cap, and a girl with long black hair. They come nearer without a word.

"I want to tell you something," her father coughs. "I'm going to marry again."

Yoseob's jaw drops. He looks at Kyuri; her expression doesn't change but he knows she is surprised. Her father has changed a lot since her mother died; that's what his father told him. He left Kyuri alone, only maids and some servants in their house as if Kyuri is alright with it. Kyuri never argued with her father, making her father did anything he wanted.

This is only another selfish decision of her father.

"My name is Yong Hae Rim," the woman smiles. "It's my son, Junghyun. This one is his younger sister, soon to be your sister too. She is a year younger than you. Her name is Jiyeon."

Both of them bow a little without any smile. Kyuri bows as well, "My name is Kyuri. Nice to meet you."

"Hae Rim works at the same office with me so she's not going to stay often," her father explains. "Junhyung and Jiyeon will stay here with you."

Yoseob looks at Kyuri but Kyuri stays still. She always act like that; as if nothing happened but Yoseob knows her better than anyone. Kyuri won't tell anyone about her feeling unless someone realized it.

Gikwang steps in front of Kyuri and reaches out his head, "My name is Lee Gikwang. I'm Kyuri's fiancee."

Yoseob feels uneasy. He always feel like that when Gikwang is around. He is perfect: handsome, smart, hard worker, polite, and calm. Sometimes he thought that Kyuri does have a feeling for Gikwang as well... but he hopes that he's wrong about it.

__________

May 5th, 2008

"Saengil chukkahamnida, saengil chukkahamnida," Yoseob sings for Kyuri. It's Kyuri's 18th birthday and they're sitting at the garden as usual. Her father and step-mother didn't come back to Seoul this year. Junhyung, her step-brother, gave her a teddy  bear though. Yoseob doesn't get along well with Junhyung even though he knows that Junhyung cares about Kyuri.

Jiyeon, her step-sister, is totally not going along with Yoseob, worse than Junhyung. Jiyeon avoids Kyuri every time she can. Kyuri asked Yoseob whether she had done something bad but Yoseob made sure Kyuri that Jiyeon is only jealous with her.

Kyuri claps when Yoseob stops, "Your voice is so amazing."

Yoseob grins. He loves singing, especially for Kyuri. If only he can tell her how much he loves her.

"I'm an idol," Yoseob jokes and Kyuri laughs because of that simple joke.

He is patting her head when someone walks to them. Yoseob, with his uneasy feeling, already knew who's that person when Kyuri reacts.

"Gikwang Oppa," Kyuri mutters.

He turns and his smile has disappeared. He knew it already; Gikwang will come. It's 9 PM already and it's unusual for Gikwang to come this late.

"Saengil chukkahamnida, Kyuri ah," Gikwang touches her cheek with his hand, "I'm sorry. I'm late, really late."

"It's alright," Kyuri smiles. "After all, you are busy."

Yoseob can see that Gikwang feels hurt because of those words. He takes a seat next to Kyuri, "I'm not busy today. They delayed the flight. My apologize."

"It's alright. Yoseob Oppa is with me. I'm not alone," Kyuri shakes her head.

By those words, Yoseob feels like he wants to dance because he's way too happy. Kyuri thinks that he's better than Gikwang, right?

"Glad to hear that," Gikwang answers with a simple smile.

Another awkward silence. Yoseob realizes that he must go; they're engaged, after all. He stands up, "I'm going home then, Kyuri. It's getting late now. I have the cake in the refrigerator. You better eat it!"

"Let me walk you to the door," Kyuri prepares to stand up but Yoseob stops her, "No, I'll be fine. Once again, saengil chukkae yo~"

He pats her head and walks away, leaving Kyuri and Gikwang alone. He clenches his fist while he is walking to the door. He hates to leave them alone; he still want to stay with Kyuri but he knows he have no right for it; at least not more than a childhood friend.

He leaves Kyuri's house, pressing his own feeling deeper than before. He doesn't know how much he can hold this feeling anymore.