“AIKA-NOONA!” I looked up in surprise as someone shouted my name and Donghae nearly tackled me.

“Woah! Fishy! What’s up?” He laughed and smiled sweetly.

“Will you cook for us tonight?” I looked at my watch. It was 8:00 p.m. The Suju boys had about an hour before they had to head off to some function they were performing at.

“Now?”

“Yes please?” Sungmin and Ryeowook appeared behind Donghae, and the trio looked at me pleadingly. I couldn’t help it. They were too cute.

“Alright, alright. Where’s everyone else?”

“Here!” Eeteuk called from the front of the condo. I put down my book and headed for the kitchen.

“Dinner coming right up!”

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            Like all good things in the world, good things must come to an end. Before I knew it, April, May, and half of June had passed. And reality hit me as I sat in my room one day, staring out the window. My eyes wandered to the calendar I kept hung up on my wall.

“I’m due to return home in mid-July…” I mused. Then my eyes widened. Mid-July!?

“Aw crap.” I muttered. Had that much time passed already? With all the shows Super Junior had been going on lately, I hadn’t even noticed! I stood from the bed and walked over to the calendar. No. It was coming to an end all too soon. I hated to admit it, but I didn’t want to leave. I had become attached. Not as a fan girl, but as a friend. Super Junior hadn’t treated me like any random fan girl, but as a member of their family. I blinked back sudden tears.

“I don’t want to leave.” I whispered. But I had to. Law school was waiting for me, as were my parents. I couldn’t stay. I looked at my watch. 6:00. They would be home soon, hungry and tired. My eyes traveled around the room. If I stayed until the last day possible, I wouldn’t be able to leave.

“I’ll leave now.” I whispered to myself, “I’ll live in a hotel until I have to leave for home and get used to living by myself. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”  But first, I had to make sure everything was set when they came home. I packed my things, then went to the kitchen.

“Forgive me everyone.”

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            I hurried out from the SME dorms, keeping my head down so that hopefully no one would notice me. I could feel the security guard watch me curiously as I left, but I ignored him. Making a scene would do me no good. I hailed a taxi, and headed to the hotel I had been in before going to live with Super Junior. All went smoothly until I reached the hotel entrance.

“Aika?” I froze as a voice spoke my name. I recognized that voice. My head turned slowly, and my gaze fell on Yunho and Changmin.

“Why hello there Aika!” Changmin said cheerfully, “What are you doing here?” I started and attempted to hide my suitcase behind my back.

“Oh, nothing.” Yunho took off his sunglasses despite the gawking fan girls.

“Nothing huh? What’s with the suitcase?” I looked behind me and laughed nervously.

“It’s nothing! Really!” Micky, Jaejoong, and Xiah appeared.

“Aika?” Jaejoong cried in surprise. I pressed a finger against my lips.

“Shh! Not so loud!”

“What are you doing in front of a hotel?” Xiah asked curiously. Micky looked from my suitcase to my frantic expression.

“Ohhh, I get it. Aika, are you running away from home?” My eyes widened, and I looked down at the street.

“Absolutely not! Besides, the dorms were never my home anyway! It was only a temporary home…”

“HA! So you are running away from home!” Micky cried triumphantly.

“SHH!” I shushed him.

“Anyway, I’m not running away from home!” I snapped at them. I turned away from them and entered the hotel, my heart pounding. This was bad. If they told any member of Super Junior, they would come find me, and then…I’d end up never leaving. I bit my lip as I approached the desk and reserved a room. No matter what, I was going to have to break off this attachment with them. It wouldn’t work. No, it would never work.

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Hangeng POV

            “Shing Ling!” My voice rang through the condo as the members and I entered the dorm.

“Shing Ling!” I frowned. That was strange. She usually came running as soon as she heard the key in the door.

“Aika?” Shindong called. We walked farther into the condo, and still there was no Aika waiting.

“Aika?” Eeteuk shouted. No answer. I looked around in confusion, then let my gaze fall onto the dinner table. Covered plates lay on the wooden table.

“Hyung.” I pointed at the table, and Eeteuk followed my gaze.

“What the…” We headed over to the table and uncovered the dishes. Aika had taken the time to cook everything we liked to eat. I found myself smiling. She really knew us well.

“Well wasn’t that nice of her?” Heechul murmured. I nodded. Then Eeteuk-hyung spoke.

“Guys. You might want to take a look at this.” I looked up. He was holding a white card, and on his face was a strange expression.

“What’s up hyung?” We surrounded him and looked at the card he was holding. I recognized Aika’s flowing calligraphy-like handwriting almost immediately.

Dear oppas:

            I thank you for taking care of me so much over the past year. I’ve really enjoyed my time with you all. But, as I’ve realized, all good things must come to an end. It is time for us to part. I know I have about a month left before I am supposed to return home…but I must admit, I have grown attached to you all. You have all been so nice to me. I feel like I’m a part of your family now, and I really am grateful. But oppas…I’m afraid. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to leave. I’ve grown attached. And the only solution I see to this problem is for me to leave early. Don’t try to find me. I’m still in Korea, but please, don’t search for me. Just promise me to take care of yourselves when I’m not by your side anymore. Enjoy the dinner I made, (I made some extra, it’s in the refrigerator) and keep practicing your English. Maybe one day we’ll meet again in America.

                                                            Saranghaeyo,

                                                            Aika

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            It felt as if time had stopped. Shock gripped me as I stared at the note. She left? I felt my feet moving, and suddenly I was running for the door. Eeteuk-hyung’s voice called after me as I ran, and suddenly Donghae tackled me from the front, and Heechul’s arms wrapped around me from the back.

“Stop it hyung!” Donghae shouted.

“Let me go!” I shouted back, “I have to go find her!”

“You can’t!” Heechul snapped into my ear, “She told us not to, remember?”

“But she can’t just leave!” I shouted. Suddenly, searing pain flashed across my cheek, and I found myself on the floor. Eeteuk-hyung stood over me.

“Are you sane now?” He asked, “Or do I have to hit you again?” I rubbed my stinging face and glared at him.

“Move hyung.” He was in my way to the door.

“No.” Eeteuk leaned down towards me.

“I see you’re still not in your right senses. Shall I hit you again?” He raised a hand, and Heechul grabbed it.

“Stop it hyung. Hitting him a thousand times over isn’t going to help.” Heechul sat down next to me.

“Look Hankyung. Aika told us not to go find her, and we have to respect her wishes.” Leeteuk sat down too.

“Listen dongsaeng. Aika has her own hopes and dreams too. We can’t force her to stay here, no matter what. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to leave either, but she has to. She has a future to take hold of. We can’t stop her.” I looked away from them and stared at the ground, my mind reeling as I forced myself to calm down. What was I doing? What had I been trying to do? Why did it matter to me that much if Aika left or not? Eeteuk-hyung noticed my silence.

“Are you calm now?” I nodded. Sungmin walked up and pulled me to my feet.

“Come on hyung, let’s all go sit down.”

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            We sat in silence, the note on the coffee table between us.

“So, um…what are we gonna do?” Kangin mumbled awkwardly.

“No idea.” Kibum murmured.

“Well, what can we do?” Eeteuk asked, “Not like we can get her back, we don’t even know where she is. Besides, life goes on.” I looked at Eeteuk. Being the oldest really did pay off. He was the calmest out of all of us. The phone rang, and Ryeowook reached over to pick it up.

“Hello? Oh, hi hyung.” We watched as he spoke, then a surprised expression filled his face.

“REALLY!? Oh thank you hyung!” He hung up and turned to us with a bright smile.

“That was Yunho-hyung. He said he saw Aika at the hotel down the street. After doing a little investigating and convincing he found out that she was in suite 905.” I stared at him.

“Really?” He nodded, looking excited. I stood quickly and headed for the door.

“Where are you going hyung?” Kyuhyun called.

“To find her.” I called back.

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Narrator POV

            The remaining members of Super Junior stared as the door closed behind Hankyung.

“Um…are we just going to let him go like that?” Siwon asked. Eeteuk chuckled.

“Well I suppose we can’t stop him. Last time was hard enough as it was. If Aika refuses to come back, then he’ll come back on his own. That boy has to learn from the hard way, so let’s let him.”

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Aika POV

            I stared out the window, bored. After getting used to following Super Junior everywhere, just sitting here and doing nothing was strange. Going out wasn’t an option, because there was always the chance that I would either see Hangeng and the others or see Super Junior stuff out on the street and wish to go back, which would completely defeat the purpose of me leaving. I sighed and played around with the ring around my finger. There was a knock on the door, and I looked up.

“Who is it?” There was a pause, and a voice spoke.

“Housekeeping.” I blinked. Housekeeping? But they weren’t supposed to come until I left the room, if I did at all.

“Come back later!” I called.

“Please open the door Miss.” The voice said, “There is something important that you must know.” I frowned. The voice was starting to sound a bit familiar, muffled as it was. I stood and opened the door.

“Hey.” My eyes widened, and I nearly screamed. Hangeng stood before me, smiling. I slammed the door in his face.