14 > > >

             Luhan inched closer and closer. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, but having Yoona right here in front of him with her disheveled clothes and messy hair, Luhan just couldn't control himself. No, not when he spent years waiting and thinking for her while suffering each day, not when she had almost gotten herself hurt a while ago. No, he definitely wasn't going to be able to control himself. 

​              Relief from a while ago was washing over him, and all he wanted to do was have her in his arms and kiss her again and again. He wanted to taste her lips and feel her breath against his. He wanted to confirm that she was really alive, and that this was not a dream.

​              You've got to be better than this. She's dead, Luhan! You have to accept the fact that she's dead, and she'll never come back. Gone, Luhan, she's gone.

​              Luhan stopped.

​              Are you confusing Yoona with her this time?

​              He wanted to tell Baekhyun's voice in his head to stop and tell him that he wasn't confusing himself. It was really her. Yoona is the girl he loved for years, but Baekhyun's voice just rang louder and clearer.

​              Gone, Luhan, she's gone. Come back to reality. You're not the only one suffering.

​              Somehow, this time, Luhan believed it. He pulled back and looked away from Yoona. He felt ashamed of himself. He had already spent his whole night yesterday pondering over what Baekhyun had said, and he already believed that he reached a conclusion. Obviously, he was wrong.

​              He heard Yoona heave a sigh of relief, and he found himself letting out a shaky breath too. He hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath the whole time.

​              "I'm sorry. I- uh- thought there was something in your hair and I was planning to remove it, but it turns out it was just my imagination."

​              "I-it's okay."

​              Luhan tapped his fingers nervously on his knee. He didn't know what he should be doing right now. He almost kissed her and just used a very lame excuse to cover it up. He felt bad about it. Though, he wasn't sure if he felt bad because he didn't kiss her or because he almost kissed her and mistook her for someone, well, dead.

​              "A-are you feeling better?"

​              His question came out shakier than he planned it to be, and Luhan mentally cursed himself for being too nervous and weird. From his peripheral view, he could see Yoona relax on his couch and stretch her arms, seemingly unfazed by what almost happened.

​              "Yeah."

​              "I-"

​              Luhan was about to ask another question when a phone started ringing.Luhan immediately knew it wasn't his because what boy would have "The Boys" by SNSD as their ringtone? Definitely not Luhan.

​              He turned to face Yoona and raised his brow questioningly. She shrugged and reached for her bag where her phone was ringing incessantly, already moving to the chorus of the song.

​              Luhan saw the color in her face drain when she answers the phone and a relatively loud voice shouts over the phone.

​              "Where the heck are you? Do you know what it feels like to find a girl collapsed on her couch, burning with an awful fever? Do you know what it feels like to panic because this certain girl has zero medicine in her flat? Do you know what it feels like to go home after buying some medicine just to find an empty house?! Do you--"

​              The familiar voice would have continued ranting if Yoona didn't stop him by yelling back over the phone.

​              "I don't, okay? So would you please just shut up and let me explain?"

​              She massaged her temples and switched her phone to her other ear.

​              "Where are you? I'm coming there to pick you up."

​              Yoona rolled her eyes and sighed.

​              "Look, Kris. I'm fine, okay? I'm currently at my friend's house, and he's taking care of me just fine so stop worrying. You're starting to sound like a mom."

​              Luhan didn't know why, but his heart hurt when Yoona called him a friend. *Stop youself, Luhan. You already know Yoona isn't her.*

​              On the other hand, Yoona looked like she was about to throw her phone.

​              "Just shut up, Kris!"

​              Luhan's thoughts stopped at his name. *Kris? Why does that name sound so familiar?*

​              He furrowed his brows and focused on the voice. *His voice sounds familiar too.*

​              "Wu Yi Fan! Would you please stop over-reacting?"

​              Everything suddenly seemed to stop for Luhan, and his voice was trembling.

​              "Y-Yi Fan?"

< | >

​              The voice over the phone stopped talking for a moment.

​              "Yoona, who is that?"

​              He suddenly sounded so serious, and Yoona found herself feeling a shiver. Kris was being childish and frantic just a moment ago, but this Kris right now seemed different.

​              "My friend, his name is Luhan. He's the guy from my tripping incident, ahaha." Yoona tried to explain jokingly while sounding cheerful to lessen the tension.

​              It proved unsuccessful. 

​              "I'm coming over there right now."

​              "What do you mea--"

​              and Kris hung up.

​              "What? He doesn't even know where I am."

​              She sighed. Yoona still felt weird and confused about what just happened. Things were just starting to settle in her head. Kris was the one who had taken care of her. He was the one who placed the blanket over her and left the television on. He was out there right now, making his way to Yoona. She didn't even know how he would find where she was. Other thoughts filled her too like what happened this morning. Was it just her imagination? Did Luhan, no, this Kim Jongin guy, who looked a lot like Luhan, really healed himself? Why did he look so much like Luhan? It was too much to handle at once.

​              Yoona faced Luhan, and it was as if a bomb was dropped to him.

​              All color was drained from his face, and his eyes were dazed. Yoona did not know what happened. It was just like how Kris suddenly turned serious after hearing Luhan's voice. She left her questions aside first and leaned towards Luhan.

​              "What's wrong, Luhan?"

​              The boy just stared at her.

​              "Luhan~"

​              Yoona was waving her hand over Luhan's face when he suddenly grabbed it.

​              "You know Yi Fan as in Wu Yi Fan?"

​              His face had regained some of its color, and his dazed eyes from a moment ago seemed to regain its focus.

​              "Yeah, he's-uh- sort of my neighbor."

​              Luhan nodded stiffly as if he was still registering what he just heard.

​              "If he's the Yi Fan that I know, then I guess he'd be here soon."

​              There was an awkward silence after that. Yoona was curious to ask how Luhan knew Kris, but she decided against it. It was probably none of her business anyway.

​              Luhan left to ger her a glass of water, and they just exchanged a quick "here you go" and "thank you." Only a few minutes had passed when Luhan's door suddenly burst open and revealed and panting Kris.

​              His eyes were stormy, and his black hair was a disheveled mess from all the running. His breath was ragged, but that didn't stop him from stomping to Yoona's side and yanking her away from Luhan.

​              "I don't know what you did with Yoona, but I'm warning you in advance. Hands off her."

​              With that, Kris got Yoona's bag and dragged her away from Luhan.

​              Luhan just smiled, well, smirked at Kris as he sent them off with a wave.

​              "Ah, Yoona, I forgot to tell you."

​              Luhan pulled Yoona away from Kris and leaned into her ear.

​              "I was lying a while ago. I actually meant to kiss you."

​             

< | >

​              Luhan leaned on the door frame and sighed as he watched Yoona's figure disappearing with Yi Fan into the busy streets, away from his sight. 

​              He didn't like how he was feeling while watching them go. He kept wondering to himself if he could have stopped Yi Fan from taking Yoona away if he tried. He kept wondering about what would have happened if he didn't stop himself and kissed Yoona instead. Whatever would have happened, Luhan didn't know, and no matter how much he actually wanted to know, one thing he knew was that he shouldn't.

​              Luhan waited until there really was no sign of them then turned back to his apartment, closing the door behind his back.

​              This day was as bad as he imagined it too be last night, worse even. He didn't expect to see Wu Yi Fan appear out of no where and suddenly take Yoona away from him, but Luhan had to admit. Teasing his old friend was as fun as it used to be. Yi Fan didn't seem to change much.

​              As Luhan walked towards his living room, his eyes landed upon an old photo frame. It was a picture of him along with the rest of the guys when all 12 of them were still together. At their side stood this girl with a petite body frame and brown wavy hair that fell loosely on her shoulders. Her smile was wide, and her eyes were starting to disappear into small slits. It was the smile that Luhan loved about her.

​              The girl was probably no more than 16 when the photo was taken. She wore a knee-length summer dress and cute pair of large-rimmed glasses. Luhan remembered the glasses. It was Sehun's, but she had insisted that it was hers and wore it when the photo was taken.

​              Luhan chuckled at the cheerful memory. Oh, how he missed those times when it was still peaceful, when it was just their group having fun and enjoying youth.

 ​              He reluctantly placed the frame back to its place and walked to his room without looking back. It was wrong. He shouldn't be dwelling in the past. That's what Baekhyun told him.

​              "I'm not the only one suffering."

​              He closed his eyes as he entered his room. He didn't usually stay here. It contained too much painful memories that Luhan would rather forget. The scent of the room itself was already giving Luhan images from the past.

​              He opened his eyes and looked around his room. Broken frames, scattered letters, his room was just as he left it. 

​              Luhan took a deep breath as he sank down on his bed.

​              As much as he didn't want to stay here, he also did not want to sleep on the couch where Yoona's scent was probably still lingering. It would be just as painful.

​              

< | >

​              "Luhan, how are the others?"

​              The boy looked up from his book and glanced at the girl that lay lazily on the soft bed.

​              "Hmm? Did you ask something?"

​              The girl frowned. 

​              "You're lost in your world again, aren't you"

​              The boy scratched the back of his neck and set his book down to look at the girl.

​              "Mianhe, what's wrong?"

​              "I was asking you about Yi Fan-oppa and the others. How are they?"

​              The boy pursed his lips and met the girl's eyes.

​              "Hm, they're doing good. . . . ."

​              The girl nodded and looked the other way, facing the window. The sun was setting, and it brought an orange glow to the room. She liked times like this.

​              "I'm bored, Luhan. Tell me why we're stuck here in my room again?"

​              "Because I don't want to go out."

​              The girl stood up from her bed and walked to the boy with a frown.

​              "You're so lazy!"

​              "Says the girl who has been lying around all day."

​              "At least I wasn't reading a book all day!"

​              "Go back to sleep."

​              The girl pouted and tip-toed her way back to the comfy bed. She glanced at the boy from time to time and willed him to notice her.

​              Finally, the boy noticed her. He stopped reading and closed his book.

​              "What do you want?"

​              "I can't sleep, Luhan."

​              "And I care because?"

​              "Why do you have to be so mean, Luhan? Sing me a song!!"

​              "Why should I? You're so annoying!"

​              "Because my brother is your Duizhang, and you should respect his little sister as well."

​              The boy glared at the little girl in front of him and slammed his book on the chair angrily.

​              "Oh alright, what do you want me to sing?"

​              "I want that song that you sang to Unnie before."

​              The boy froze for a moment.

​              "You know I wouldn't sing that song ever again."

​              "Stop fussing and just sing!"

​              "Mei, you have to understand."

​              "I don't, okay? I don't get why you're suddenly so book-wormy and mysterious I don't get why Oppa is suddenly so distant, and I most especially don't get what's so special about Unnie!"

​              The girl faced her back to the boy and sobbed.

​              "You're just the same as Oppa. If you don't want to sing to Mei, then just leave please."

​              Leave was what he did.

< | >

​              I actually meant to kiss you.

​              Yoona did not know how to feel about what Luhan said. 

​              Sure, when Luhan was leaning towards her, she was expecting a kiss, and her heart was beating uncontrolably fast the whole time. Sure, she was actually about to close her eyes, and she was anticipating warm lips on hers, but no, she wasn't falling, no, not at all. She could not fall. She mustn't fall.

​              Her heart was thankfully beating its normal rate now. Well, maybe not that normal. Still, it was better than a while ago when she felt like her chest was about to explode.

​              Walking to the bus stop with Kris was as awkward as it could get. There was something unsually wrong with Kris, and Yoona could feel it.

​              Yes, Kris was unsual, but this was really different. He was usually weird and fussy, but he was different today. For once, his mood actually matched his cold looks. He seemed much more serious and collected. 

             Yoona would normally enjoy his silence, but today was just far too weird already for that so she decided to break the ice.

              "Kris?"

              The said boy faced her with a raised brow.

              "I'm sorry."

              He smiled at her and ruffled her hair affectionately.

              "It's okay. Just take care of yourself next time."

              Yoona frowned and pushed his hand away.

              "You're being weird."

              "How so?"

              "Just weird!"

              "Don't you always call me weird?"

              "Ugh! Shut up."

              Despite her tone, Yoona was actually smiling to herself.  

              *That's more like it.*

< | >

And that's the end of chapter 14~ I feel that this update is confusing again XD I just wanted to update cuz it's been like 4 or 5 days since I've last updated. Why am I such a talkative and messy writer? Well, I don't know myself. Anyway, so I decided to be a bully (as usual). I'll keep my a/n short(er) since my mother is mad~ (that would explain my rushed chapter too) I hope it's enough for an update~
But before I sign off (for a while only though just to satisfy my mother), I want to say thank you again!!! To the people who upvoted my fanfic, Jeongmal Khamsamida!!! Maraming Salamat!!! Xie Xie Ni Men!!! Arigatou!! >O<  (Sorry, I'm giddy today from reading too much)

See you on my next update~
Saranghaeyo~ <3 <3