“Hey, you asleep?”

She heard his voice at the same time she felt his hand her hair.  Gently.  She gave him a little nod, still pretending to be sleeping.  At that moment, she was glad she was lying on her side, facing the bed.  Though she didn’t feel like talking to him, afraid that he would detect her feelings but curiosity was like talking to him, afraid that he would detect her feelings but curiousity slowly eating inside of her.

‘Why is he out?’

‘Where did he go as the other members are at home?’

‘Why is he home so late?’

Those questions bombarded inside her mind even after she tried to push them away.  But something felt strange.  She was feeling a little uneasy.

“You okay?”

‘What does he mean by that question?’  The alarm in her mind set off.  The queasiness inside her stomach became worse.  She finally gave up and turned her body to face him making him to pull his hand away from her hair.

She was now facing his face directly as he too was lying on his side.  His head resting on his right arm.  He was startled a bit by her sudden change of position but replaced quickly by his warm smile.  Even in the dark, she could see him clearly.

“What do you mean?  Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?  As you were the one sulking and locking yourself inside the room all afternoon?” she asked, trying to figure him out.

He smiled sheepishly before answering, “I wasn’t sulking.  Just thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“About what should I do when you took my role away.”

Now it was her turned to be startled.  “Huh?  I don’t get it.”

Park Jung Min brushed a strand of her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear before the hair went back to the original position.  Its position when she was shot.

“That was stubborn of it, just like its owner.”

She stared at him.  ‘He knew something.  I can’t figure what but he absolutely knew something.  Was it about the necklace?’

“Elaborate.”

He chuckled briefly.  His left hand her cheek.  “He did it because he cared for you.”

Her jaw dropped when she heard the sentence that came out of his mouth.  She instantly sat up, staring intently at him as he slowly sat up as well, leveling his gaze at her eye level and his hand found its way to hers, gripping it tight.

“I was there.  At the hospital.  I heard your conversations with him.  Your brother,” he stated, squeezing her hands, trying to assure her.

“Why were you there?” her voice raised a little.

Jung Min’s pointer finger placed on her lips, “I don’t want the boys to hear anything.”

“Jung Min-sshi!  I’m a spirit!  They can’t hear me!!” she screamed out, frustrated that he was playing with her, avoiding answering her question.

He chuckled some more, “Ah, I forgot.”

“Park Jung Min, answer my question.  Why are you at the hospital and what have you heard?”

He combed his hair to the back with his gloved left hand.  “I was worried.  You weren’t around when I finally made up my mind to confront you.  Kyu told me that you just left and said something about settling your problem, and that only means you are trying to get back into your body.  My instinct straight away says it’s the hospital.”

She stared at him, her so called breathing stopped.  “What did you hear?”

“Everything.  And more.”

“What do you mean?”  She squinted her eyes; her curiosity has grown a lot bigger.  She shook her hand away from Jung Min’s.

The smile on his face never ceased away.  Even after her rudely pushed his hand away, he slowly took her hand again into his. 

“What is in the past is the past and it is okay.

Knowing the truth is hard and painful but, it is okay.

There is nothing you do can change anything than have happened.  But, there is one that you can.

 Your future. 

Don’t you think it is about time you let everything behind stayed behind and focus on what lay ahead?”

What he said struck directly into her heart.  She had used up more than 30 percent of her life cursing, hating and all the negative perspective of life focusing on her brother and blaming him for everything that happened in her life.  And now that she knew the real reason and story behind it all, it made it so hard for her to believe it.

She closed her eyes and turned her head away from Jung Min.  She was ashamed of her own act in front of him when he was just trying to make her feel better and see the whole event as a positive one.  To her, Jung Min can sometimes be a little arrogant and full of himself but in reality he really was a sweet and caring person.  He really cared for her.

“Why are you being so nice?  You have just heard the bad side of my background,” she asked while still trying to avoid from looking at him.

Jung Min placed his left hand on Soo Min’s right cheek and gently pulled her face towards him, “Open your eyes, Soo Min ah.”

She shook her head, keeping her eyes closed shut.

“Okay, if you don’t want to look at me, then just listen to my voice and hear my honest feelings in them.  Soo Min ah, I know you are hurt right now, but after listening to your brother’s side, I’m glad he did what he did though I don’t approve of his method  and the reason this all happened,” he stated while shaking his head, he added in a disbelieve tone, “I can’t believe he would sell drugs at school.”

Again, she was shocked by what Jung Min said.  Opening her eyes, she stared at him, appalled, “You…you talked to him?”

He grinned, “Of course.  He is my girlfriend’s brother.  I have to get on his good side, right?”

Hearing his answer made her smile.  The first time that night.  “Girlfriend?  Who is your girlfriend?  When did I agree of becoming your girlfriend?”

She wanted to pretend that she was upset by his words and tried to pull her hand away from his grip but he tightened it even further.  She looked down at their hands before looking back up again. That was when she froze.  Jung Min was so close to her face.  If she weren’t in her spirit form, she would have been able to feel his breath on her skin.

“Do I really have to say it to let you know and understand how much you meant to me?” he asked in a whisper as his face getting nearer to hers.

She kept her silence.  Her heart beat faster.  That was what it felt like.  The thumping of her heart was like she was running in a 100 meter dash.

“If only you are in your physical form right now, both you and I would have felt this,” he said as he leaned forward and kissed her lips or the best way to describe it was like Jung Min trying to match their lips together when he only felt like he was kissing air.

He pulled away and sighed a little before standing up and pulled her up as well.  “Let’s go.”

That made her confused.  She turned he head towards the digital clock in the room on the dressing table.  1.20 am.

‘Where are we going at 1 in the morning?’

Probably seeing her hesitating, he continued.  “I’m taking you somewhere that would make you feel better.  Let’s go on our first date.  As my girlfriend.”

“Eh?”

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SS501 Chatroom

Mecheko:  First of all, i would like to thank Xin for designing Hope's poster.  It was beautiful, thank you.  *bowing*

Jung Min:  I'm thankful too. But, don't you think Xin should make me look less arrogant in the poster? *still staring at the poster*

Hyung Jun and Mecheko:  Ignore him, Xin.

Jung Min:  Ya!  You are just jealous that she made a poster for MY story.  *punching Hyung Jun on the shoulder and stuck out his tongue*

Hyung Jun:  Why you!!?  If i knew you are going to be this full of yourself, i shouldn't have kissed you on your fanmeeting.

Jung Min:  I didn't even ask you.  *started to walk backwards slowly*

Hyung Jun:  I'm going to get you... *runs towards Jung Min*

Jung Min:  *laughing while running away from Hyung Jun*

Kyu Jong:  Unnie, should I?

Mecheko:  Go ahead.

Kyu Jong:  Thank you for your support and hope to see you again in the next chapter.  *bowing towards the readers, together with Mecheko*