Kyuhyun dressed up for the occasion. The starlight outside brightened the murky water below the boat restaurant. He still had the invitation in his pocket. For some reason, Jessica had been nowhere in sight. He had not have the chance to ask her the meaning of this private affair.

Kyuhyun was secluded in a room from the rest of the crowd. He fidgeted with the utensils while waiting for the unknown. As he was about to call Jessica, the door opened.

Sung Ah's surprised expression mirrored Kyuhyun's. She did not expect to meet him here.

Her legs moved on their own as she was led to the table by the server. However, she did not take her place. “What trick are you playing now, Cho Kyuhyun?!” She accused.

“It wasn't me! Jessica invited me here.” He took out the invitation to prove his innocence. “See?”

Sung Ah sat down and read the card. “That's weird. I got a letter too.” She showed it to Kyuhyun.

He read the apology letter from Donghae.

Sung Ah felt like a fool. Why had she been touched by a false letter and had thought of giving Donghae a second chance?

“This is a set up.” Kyuhyun was disappointed. The irrational part of him had longed for an opportunity like this to have Jessica to himself... Good thing she didn't show up, he tried to assure himself. He looked at the paper again. “Did you tell him that you're going back to Mokpo?”

“It's none of your business.”

Her hostility was unnerving. “I'm sorry, Sung Ah. I did overreact the other night. I'm so sorry.”

Sung Ah softened up upon seeing his remorse. She had to admit that she had been too sensitive. She couldn't shut Kyuhyun out forever, right? “Maybe you're right too. I am running away. I just can't stand being involved anymore.” She sat down. “I miss my keyboard back in my tiny room. I miss my dad.”

Kyuhyun's heart clutched watching her eyes shinning with tears. “Go then, but only on one condition.”

Sung Ah chuckled. “Who are you to make a deal with me?”

Kyuhyun stated sternly, “Promise me you'll come back.”

The corner of lifted. It resembled a grimace more than a smile. She nodded.

The server returned momentarily with their entrés. He poured them wine before leaving without a trace.

Kyuhyun and Sung Ah raised their glasses and drank to their farewell.

***

Tiffany’s lips had curled into a smile. You’re too careless, Krystal. What an amateur. She’d held onto “Kyuhyun’s” invitation. Before a counter attack could fully form in her head, a knock had made her skin crawled. Who had dared to try to mess up her plan?!

Tiffany had peered at the peek hole and found a housekeeper waiting. She answered the door.

“Good afternoon, Miss Hwang.” He’d nervously greeted. “Is Sung Ah-ssi in? I got a letter for her.”

Tiffany had smiled friendly. “She’s not, but I can give it to her personally.”

He’d fidgeted. “I have to give it to her personally. It’s a special order from Soo Jung-ssi…”

“Do you know who I am?” Tiffany’s smile had been radiating more. “I’m a very good friend of Sung Ah.” She'd put her hand on the small of his neck and had lean in. “I also have the power to make you fired.”

The poor man had gulped. He'd handed the letter over to Tiffany before he'd fled.

She'd looked from the letter from Donghae to Sung Ah to the invitation from Kyuhyun to Jessica.

Tiffany had their fates in her hands.

***

Donghae and Jessica pretended that their dinner together was meant to be. They were at the right place, at the right time.

Donghae took out a small velvety box and placed it in front of Jessica’s plate. Her mind became blank instantly.

He detected her faltering. “It's just a couple ring I bought for us yesterday,” Donghae explained.

The air she had held in was released. Instead of accepting the gift, she asked in an unsteady voice, “Did you think of me when you bought it?”

Donghae hesitated. It was indeed true that he had thought of Jessica when he'd purchased the rings. Still, he could not admit it.

Jessica scrutinized the unopened box. If this was a proposal ring, then how would she react? Her eyes became misty.

“Let's break up,” the words fell dejectedly from Jessica's mouth amid them.

Donghae did not react right away. He searched for more answers in her tearful eyes. He saw that he'd been hurting her again without knowing. “I've failed as your boyfriend again, huh?”

Jessica didn't bother wiping the tears streaming down. “I miss you as my best friend, Donghae. You can't be my boyfriend anymore.”

His own tears began to form. Donghae turned sideways so he wouldn't see both of them crying. “I thought I could have done a better job not hurting you.” He turned to face her once more. “I love you, Sica.”

“I know you do. It's just not in the way I imagined.” Jessica inhaled a shudder breath. “You love someone else, and I should care for her more too. I can't hang onto you anymore.”

Jessica picked up her clutch and headed towards the door.

“Lee Donghae will love Jessica Jung forever.”

It was the last promise he could keep.

***

The bar at the hotel basement was packed with merry-makers who could not sleep, Tiffany was one of them.

Even though she had succeeded to stop Krystal's scheme, she needed to be careful from now on. Tiffany sipped on her celebratory drink. At the end of the day, she was still better at Krystal's own game.

A familiar figure stumbled through the door caught her eyes. Donghae went to a table in the corner. His face was ashen.

An unusual bad feeling crept inside Tiffany. She shook it away. Everything had to work out the way she wanted.

She invited herself to the table. Donghae appeared even worse close up. "What's up?"

"We broke up."

Tiffany clutched her fists. "What did you do now?!"

"Why is it always my fault?!"

"'Cause you're a trouble maker." Tiffany pursed her lips. She struggled to bite back her curses for him. "Why can't you be decisive like last time?! You chose your career over me pretty quick."

Donghae said nothing,

"Remember how we broke up? You picked what's most important to you! It was your fans and your music last time, so what is it now?”

What's more important to me? Donghae took a long sip of his cold beer.

"I can't lose Jessica. We've been together for more than ten years now." Donghae recalled that time in Stockholm. The world had spun around him without any directions when he had lost her in the crowd... "I can't believe I've hurt my best friend... How could I reject my best friend?!"

Tiffany couldn't stand him being pathetic. She almost took pity on him. Would it be irresponsible for her to deny that she had ruined Donghae and Jessica's friendship? “You at being Jessica's boyfriend! You're better at being selfish. Just be with that person you want to have a life with!” Tiffany grabbed her own bottle to cool down her conflict.

The person I want to spend my life with... It could only be that one woman he would cherish with his honest heart.

Donghae found his answer.

***

Kyuhyun half-carried, half-dragged the unconscious Sung Ah to her room. He unloaded her on a bed and tucked her in. Kyuhyun rested by her bedside to catch his breath.

Sung Ah seemed serene in her sleep. If only her eyebrows were not tightly knitted together. He tenderly brushed her stray hair behind her reddened ears.

During the course of their dinner, Kyuhyun had kept stealing glances at the forged letter on the table. It haunted his conscious.

“You came tonight for Donghae. You already forgave him,” Kyuhyun spoke up his thoughts. There was no response. “I'm sorry for being such a bad oppa.” He smoothed down her loose hair. “All I considered was Jessica and Donghae's relationship, but don't forget that you're free to go after whatever you want too, Sung Ah.”

Sung Ah opened her eyes as soon as Kyuhyun had closed the door noiselessly after him.

I will be free on the day when Donghae and Jessica cease to exist.

***

Letting go was harder in reality than in Jessica's head.

Her previous night had been sleepless, until the invitation had arrived in her hand. Fate had presented her a cunning time for her to end the meaningless relationship. It had been a chance for her to repent for her selfishness. Still, it was not easy to say goodbye to her years of devoted love.

Kyuhyun's “date” finally showed up, staggering. Jessica didn't seem to be in a uplifting condition either as she guided herself to her room.

“Kyuhyun!” Jessica cried and rushed towards him. She buried her face in his chest to discharge a violent sob.

He wrapped her arms around her protectively. He allowed her to uncage her sorrow. Whatever the sadness was.

“Get me out of here,” Jessica begged between her crying. “Please.”

Kyuhyun obliged. He took her hand and directed her down the hall to his room.

The first thing Kyuhyun looked for once they arrived was a proper shirt for the quivering girl.

“Change out of your dress. You're shaking.”

“Thanks.” Jessica took his shirt and went to the adjacent bathroom.

Kyuhyun heard the tap opened and closed. He did not like how the night was unfolding itself to more heartbreaks. She came out to the room momentarily and slumped against the bed. Kyuhyun slid down beside her, ready to lend her his ears.

“I just broke up with Donghae.”

“What?!” Kyuhyun was too shocked to hide his surprise.

Jessica chuckled wistfully. “Shocker. I know.”

Kyuhyun studied her clouded profile. He placed his arm around her shoulders. “Are you sure about your decision? You loved him for so long.” You cried for him for so long, that's what Kyuhyun really meant.

Jessica lost all her strength. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I did love him for too long. It's time to stop.” She sniffed. “On the bright side, if Donghae and I can overcome this break up, our friendship will be better than before.”

Despite of the heavy heart, Kyuhyun was impressed. “You're really my dongsaeng. I'm proud of you.”

Jessica moved apart from him suddenly. “So I'm only your dongsaeng...” Her gaze wandered far away. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

Kyuhyun felt empty with her weight lifted from him. He learned to have people to lean on him for the past few months. It was a nuisance at first, but he didn't think that people were bothersome now, especially Jessica.

Before he was aware of his action, he was already locking Jessica into an affectionate embrace. “No. You're not 'only a dongsaeng'.”

Her rushing pulses beat deafeningly in her ears. She grew weak in his arms, so she stayed perfectly still, anticipating his next move.

Instead of transmitting more of his feelings to the woman nestling against him, his arms abandoned her.

It wasn't right for him to shake her up even more when she's vulnerable...

Jessica would have none of his hesitation. She took his arms and laid them on her waist where his hands had been. She grazed one of his cheek in her hand before she closed the short distance halfway. The kiss was unlike the past ones without passion. Their lips touched past the warm familiar spots to the hidden parts they had not been allowed to discover. Kyuhyun could not hold back his bottled sentiments. He grasped her body against his. They were pushed swiftly onto the narrow bed supporting them.

***

Kyuhyun woke up when the world started glaring at him. He rubbed his throbbing temples. Why was his head splitting apart from little drink he had had last night?

Last night... Something else hit his mind hard. Only now he felt someone's arms clinging to his torso. He whipped his head around to the snoring body.

“Don't leave me...” Donghae murmured in his sleep.

Donghae? How did he get into my bed?! Where's Jessica? Then he slapped himself. He should be glad that it was Donghae and not Jessica who's in bed with him.

Kyuhyun tried to recall what had happened last night after the kiss. Unfortunately, his mind drew a blank.  

Author's notes:  Sorry for the troll~ Kekeke.  This isn't an M chpater anyway.   

Hope you like the chapter.  Trust me, the romance issue is fixing itself nicely... 

...Can you hear Krystal laughing in the distance?

Got to love Tiffany and Krystal ;)

And what happened to Kyuhyun now after he's been ditched?? Lol 

I'll try to come back asap, but I'll be busy writing a WW1 story with my friend.

Hopefully, doing some co-writing will improve my own writing the next time I'm back.

Keep reading, subsribing, commenting, or upvoting while I'm gone.  Thank you so much! :)

Take care!!