NEW CHAAAAAPTER! YAAAAY FINALLY

The One I love - Super Junior KRY

Title: Kings of Anything
Genre: Comedy (?), Fluff, Romance, Drama
Character/s: Super Junior x OC
No. of Chapters: 16/?

(Chapter focus: Kyuhyun and Hangeng)

XVI

The past will always haunt you, whenever, wherever.

October 11, 20xx, Friday

KYUHYUN

“O, kamusta exams?” I asked Kean as I pulled out some grass from the oblation grounds. I ignored my vibrating phone inside my pocket and focused on the girl seated in front of me, who is busy eating a bar of chocolate. [O, kamusta exams? - Hey, how are your exams?]

Kean shrugged and ate the last bite of the chocolate. “I think I did okay. I think I’ll pass. I was able to review for a while last night.” She scratched her head and groaned. “Damn, my head hurts.”

“That’s what you get for all of the crying that you did last night.” I grinned and took the other bar from her hand, earning a hit on the arm. “Your eyes look really puffy. It’s so obvious that you cried last night.”

“What’s important is for me to pass that freaking exam, Kyu.”

I really don’t have classes that day. All of my exams are done and I only went to UP to check how Kean is doing and also, to pass some paper that is due that day. It was a good thing that I was already done with my paper works before the guys arrived because I was 100% sure that I won’t be able to accomplish anything with them around, that’s why I was amazed when I saw Kibum reviewing at  two in the morning, when all of the other guys were already sleeping. I went out of the room to drink some water but I saw him in the dining room, busy reviewing the notes that he wrote before.

“Baliw.” I pinched her arm, making her wince in pain and hit me on the arm once again. “It isn’t enough that you’d pass. It’s better if you do well on your exams. After all, it’s our finals week. You should ace those exams since they have the largest percentage of all.” [Baliw - Crazy]

“Shut up.” Kean opened her backpack and took another bar of chocolate. Aish, really this girl. She takes out all of her stress through eating. “It’s a miracle that I was able to answer my exams in this state. I mean, look at me. I’m a ing mess right now; my eyes are puffy, I have dark bags under my eyes which I don’t usually have, and I look like I didn’t take a bath even if I did! Gosh, this is more stressing than I thought it would be. Why did Tao chose to break up with me like this during finals week? Damn! Finals week plus a ing messed up break-up isn’t a good combination, Cho. Never try it.”

“I never would. After all, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Yeah, no girl is unfortunate to have you.” She smirked as she looked at me.

“Gee, thanks.” I gave her a sarcastic smile. “Thank you for supporting your bestest friend.”

“I know, right?” She chuckled and grinned. “You’re welcome.”

“I don’t even know why you fell in love with that guy. He’s not good-looking at all. Mas gwapo pa ko ‘dun e.” [Mas gwapo pa ko'dun e - I am more good-looking/handsome than him/that person]

Kean laughed. “What kind of bull are you talking about, Cho?” I just shrugged playfully and crossed my arms. “Oh, I suddenly remembered something, and I think you’ll only laugh at me after hearing this.”

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at Kean. I am completely clueless with what Kean is about to say, and it freaks me out. Maybe she knows something that I don’t know? But, where did she get it from? Did I get drunk and blurted out some things that aren’t supposed to be said? But, as far as I can remember, the last time that I got really drunk was a few months ago, during a friend’s birthday who lives at Engineer’s Hill, and from what I can recall, I instantly passed out thirty minutes after.

Kean grinned and poked my arm, making me feel more uneasy. “Yah, why does it seem like you’re nervous, huh?” I just scoffed, and it made her laugh. “Why, did you get in trouble for doing some weird thing again?”

“Of course not!” I know I sounded defensive, but what can I do? I already did it, it’s done, and Kean found it amusing. She was laughing really hard as she looked at me. All of a sudden, I remembered all of the weird things that I have done in the three years that I have been studying at UP. There was that one time wherein I almost got suspended after borrowing a friend’s ID because I forgot mine, just so I can enter the library to borrow the book that I really needed at the moment. I got caught red handed by the student assistant when she asked me to flip the ID. The whole time that I was being scolded by the student assistant, Kean was standing by the stairs, watching me with a really wide grin on her face.

Then, don’t get nervous, you dork.” Kean grinned as she got her water bottle from her bag and drank some water before looking back at me. She eyed me from head to toe, as if examining what I am feeling at the moment. I am soooo not enjoying this kind of torture; she’s really good at it. Seeing me like this is an unusual sight for her, and I can tell that she’s enjoying every second of it. Kean grinned before opening to speak. “There’s this girl in my Philosophy 1 class. She’s a freshie and she told me that she likes you.”

I kept a straight face as I looked at Kean. What she said is something unexpected, and to be honest, I really didn’t care. All of the nervousness that I had been feeling in the past minutes disappeared in an instant. I was expecting something worse, but I’m glad that it isn’t like that. A look of relief washed through me before I raised my eyebrow at the girl seated right in front of me. “And so?”

“Nothing.” Kean shrugged and looked at me. “I just wanted to let you know because she looked like she fell head over heels for you ever since she saw you wearing that balikbayan box in Tagis Lakas.”

“I don’t care, really.” I shrugged the thought off of my mind since it really didn’t matter to me.

“Really, Kyu?” Kean asked, a hint of amusement can be heard from the way she talked to me. “You don’t care? For real?”

I just shrugged and fished out my phone from my pocket. Its vibration is freaking me out since it didn’t stop ever since the first call. “Just a minute.” I pressed the answer button on my phone. “Hello?”

“Yah, Cho Kyu. Where are you?” It was Kibum. “I’ve been calling you for more than six times already but you’re not picking up.”

“If you’re looking for me, I’m in the oblation grounds with Kean. See you.” I grinned before ending the call.

Kean pinched my arm, making me wince in pain. “That was mean, Kyu. Don’t hang up.”

“That’s how we talk, we’re used to it! O wow! Stop it, it hurts!” I tried my very best to remove Kean’s hand from my arm. “Ouch! Damn, that hurts Kean!”

“Then listen to me. I’m doing her a favour since she did something for me, and it looks like she freaking crazy over you.” Kean laughed as she let go of my arm and threw the crumpled wrapper of chocolate at me, which I managed to block. “Damn, Kyu. Look at how you charmed that little lady.”

“Stop it, Kean. I’m not interested.” I kept a straight face as I looked at her.

“No, I won’t stop. I’m going to bother you with this because I know that this will get interesting soon.” Kean grinned as she wiggled her eyebrows. “Well, as I was saying, she’s a freshie,, a Fine Arts student, you know, those people with that different aura whenever they walk around the university. It’s like there’s a big placard on top of their heads that says, ‘Fine Arts’. She’s one of them. When you see her walking around, you’ll be able to distinguish her from the crowd, especially with her blue and pink hair.”

“What?” I laughed after hearing her last sentence. “Blue and pink hair?”

Kean nodded. “Yeah, but only half of her hair. She looks cool, actually. I want that kind of hair but too bad, my mom won’t let me have my hair coloured or bleached.”

“Did she ran out of canvass and used her hair instead?” Kean only rolled her eyes at me. “That’s crazy, you know.”

“”Hey, hey. Don’t be mean. You still don’t know her. She’s a really nice girl, you know.”

“Are you a matchmaker, Kean? You know, I’m not in desperate need of a relation at the moment. I’m enjoying my time alone, no headaches. Pure happiness.”

“Pure happiness your face.” Kean squished my cheeks with one hand, making me look like a fish. “I was just trying to introduce some friends to you.”

“Well,” I shoved her hand away from my face. “Basically, you’re trying to introduce me to one of your friends that is crazy over me. Are you trying to get me or laid?”

“What the actual , Kyu. Why are you talking about getting ?” I received a hit on the head, and with that, I knew that the usual Kean is back. “You know what, this isn’t going anywhere. Let’s not talk about it.”

“You should’ve known that before you started.” I looked at her with a smirk on my face, my infamous smirk that she hated the most.

“Goodness, stop smirking.” A grimace slowly appeared on Kean’s face but it was quickly replaced by a weird smile as she waved her hand. “Hey, Kibum. Hi.”

I looked behind me and saw Kibum walking towards us, giving Kean a small smile and a curt nod. He looked at me and grinned, aiming a ball of paper at me. “Yah, don’t!”

Kibum chuckled and shook his head as before sitting down beside me. “I’m not as evil as you are to do such thing, Kyu.” I only rolled my eyes, making Kean and Kibum laugh. Kibum turned to look at Kean and gave her a small smile. “Feeling better now?”

“Yeah, I am feeling better than I expected, even though I look like a mess right now. I j—”  She stopped midsentence because of her ringing phone which is inside her bag. Kibum and I both gestured that it’s okay for her to answer the call. With this, Kean mouthed the word ‘sorry’ before getting her phone to answer the call. “Hello?” She stood up and walked a few meters away from us as she talked on the phone.

“Hey, Kyu. The hyungs just woke up.” I nodded and looked at him. “They’re already preparing to go out for breakfast since they are too lazy to cook.”

“They’re as lazy as hell. It’s a good thing that those hyungs have thick wallets.” I shook my head in amusement. It isn’t a surprise that all of them just woke up even though it’s almost twelve noon.

“Hey.” Kibum and I both looked up, only to see Kean wearing her backpack’s strap. “I need to go now. My roommate and I agreed to have lunch together. See you two soon!” She pinched my cheek before walking away. That’s how she shows her love for me— she’s a freaking sadist. Buuuuurn.

“Hey, we should go home, too. The hyungs don’t know this place, they might get lost.”

“Oh, please. They don’t have the guts to drive around this unknown place. They need us.”  I grinned as I stood up, taking my bag with me, and headed out of the school with Kibum.

**

“This is so freaking good.” Shindong said as he ate his meal happily. The large servings of the food served to them looked and tasted like heaven, and they are very thankful towards the two younger boys who took them there. 50’s Diner is a really good place, and all of them agreed. In addition, the food is really great, you wouldn’t think twice about how good the food and the place is.

Thirty minutes after Kibum and Kyuhyun got home to fetch the older guys, they all headed towards 50’s Diner, a famous restaurant in Baguio City, because of Kyuhyun’s never-ending advertisement of how good the place is. It seemed like they weren’t there for any kind of vacation, but to taste all the good food that the best restaurants in Baguio City has to offer. Kyuhyun was thankful that the place isn’t that packed with people, because usually, they had to wait outside to be able to have a seat for the two of them (Kibum and him, or sometimes, Kean.) The place is inspired by the 1950’s, and almost all of the displays are paintings that represent that certain era. The staffs are dressed in an old-fashion way that resembles the kind of clothes that the people wore during the 50’s.

“I agree.” Kangin said before taking a sip from his chocolate milk shake. “Baguio City is the best place to hunt for good food.”

“We should come back here soon,” Eunhyuk said, using his fork to add emphasis on the way he said the sentence. “All of us should come here soon.”

“That would be fun.” Leeteuk agreed, still busy with his meal.  

All of the guys were busy with their own meals, almost inhaling the food on their plates because it was the best meal that they had so far in the city. Donghae, as usual, is busy taking pictures, leaving his meal untouched, while Zhoumi held Aiden in his arms as he ate.

Hangeng looked around the place, examining the structure of the place. He finished BS Architecture in the state university of Bulacan, and is planning to renovate the Chinese restaurant that their family is managing. He found the place really beautiful and unique, and Hangeng would want to make their family restaurant something that can remind him and his family of China, the place where they came from. Hangeng scanned the place, and when his eyes landed on a specific person that was passing by, his heart stopped and everything else around him.

Kyuhyun happened to be looking around as well, and his eyes stopped at Hangeng. He was curious why he looked like that, and when he followed his gaze, there was one thing that got confirmed: he wasn’t hallucinating the night before, because he clearly saw her. It’s Mella, Hangeng’s ex-girlfriend.

Hangeng stood up in an instant and followed her outside without thinking twice. Throughout the past year, all that he did was look for her to be able tell her all of the things that he wasn’t able to tell her. “Mella!” He cried out as he went out, but it was too late; she already rode the taxi and left. Hangeng didn’t care if he looked dumb right there, running after the taxi which was speeding away from him. He really didn’t care; all that he wanted was to make things right.

“Mella!” Hangeng’s eyes were slowly getting moist as tears started to form. All of their memories were coming back to him slowly, and it adds fuel to the fire of the pain he is feeling inside his heart. His legs were slowly starting to feel numb after all of the running that he did, but he didn’t care. He wants to see her badly, but all of his efforts were useless. She was gone, for the second time, and he didn’t know what to do.

Hangeng sat down on the cold concrete on the sidewalk; his tears finally gave up and fell down his cheeks. As if everything happened just a day before, the pain was back; and it was something that he can’t control.

“Geng!” Hangeng looked up and saw Heechul running towards him, with Leeteuk and Kangin behind him. Heechul looked at him while catching his breath, tired from all the running that he did just to catch up. Hangeng broke down in tears and looked down, looking as pained and desperate as he was a year before. Heechul sighed and sat down beside his friend, patting his shoulder. It’s happening again, he thought.

When Hangeng ran out of the restaurant, everyone was left confused. Heechul’s eyes widened and without thinking twice, he ran after Hangeng, even if he doesn’t know the reason why. Leeteuk and Kangin did the same as well and told the younger ones to just stay and wait for them. All the time that the guys were confused and clueless about what’s happening, Kyuhyun was looking at Kibum, and as if his eyes could talk, he just wanted to let him know that he was right. He did saw her, and what happened right now confirmed it.

“I told you I was right, right?” Kyuhyun said as he looked at Kibum, making the other guys look at them. “I wasn’t that drunk last night.”

“Arasseo, arasseo.” Kibum nodded, a calm expression on his face. “You’re right. But.. did you see Kean?”

“Kean?” Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow, completely confused with what he just heard. “Why are we talking about Kean? Is she here?”

“She was the one with Ate Mella.” Kibum held his glass and took a sip, his eyes focused on Kyuhyun.

Things finally made sense in Kyuhyun’s mind. He now knew the reason why he never saw Kean’s roommate, nor never did she mention her name. Kyuhyun doesn’t know if Kean knows about him knowing Mella, but Kean never talked about it either. The only things that Kean told him whenever he’s at her place is that her roommate is at work, she’s upstairs, talking to their landlady or she bought something before going back inside. Or, whenever Kyuhyun would arrive and she’s there, she never left the room. Before, Kyuhyun would always think of some hypotheses why he never met Kean’s roommate even though he always went to visit Kean at her place, but everything finally made sense. Maybe Mella knew that Kyuhyun is Kean’s friend, and had been avoiding him all this time? Kyuhyun isn’t 100% sure about it, but it’s athe only reason that his mind can formulate at the moment.

“Wait, what’s happening?” Donghae, being the last person to be able to grasp current situation, placed his camera on the table and looked at Kyuhyun and Kibum.

“Geng saw Mella.” Zhoumi said as he wiped the ice cream off of Aiden’s lips. “I don’t know if it really is her or Geng’s just hallucinating. I actually wanted to follow him outside, but I guess those guys are enough. I’ll just talk to him later.”

“Mella?” Donghae blinked and looked at Eunhyuk who is seated beside him. “Carmella? She’s here?”

Sungmin nodded. “Yup. We never knew that she had been hiding here in Baguio City, and this dude over here—” he pointed at Kyuhyun “didn’t even tell us.”

“Hey, I just found out right now. Don’t blame me.” Kyuhyun shrugged before eating the potato wedges left on his plate.

“Yeah.” Shindong agreed. “It isn’t Kyuhyun’s or Kibum’s fault if they didn’t know that Mella had been staying here in the past year. Baguio City is a big place as well.”

“Small world, isn’t it?” Kyuhyun stirred his glass of iced tea with his straw, a serious expression on his face. “Ate Mella is my best friend’s roommate, yet I never knew. She really is an expert at hiding.” Sungmin cleared his throat and looked at Kyuhyun with an eyebrow raised, making the others laugh. “Okay, scratch that. My girl best friend in here. Happy now, Sungmin?”

“Satisfied.” Sungmin grinned and poked his plate of spaghetti with his fork. “hey, I’m just trying to brighten up the mood.”

**

HANGENG

I never thought that I’ll find the girl that had been hiding from me in the past year here in Baguio City.

It’s been a year since I last saw Mella, and she still looked the same. She just cut her hair short and her physique still remained the same. The girl that I used to love— no, the girl that I love, is still the same, just like my feelings for her. I had been spending the past year looking for her, but I never found her, maybe because she didn’t really want to see me. How am I supposed to look for a person who doesn’t want to be found?

I can’t really blame her; she thought that I bailed out on our wedding day. But there are so many things that she didn’t know, if only she let me explain everything. I can never do that to her; she’s my lifeline. That thought never crossed my mind; she knows that I love her so much that living life without her is like living a life with no air to breath. I was barely able to live day by day without her by my side, thinking how she’s doing, if she’s doing well or if she eats three times a day. The only thing that I knew in that past year was that she’s still alive, and she doesn’t want to see me nor hear a single word from me. She despised me that much.

“You know that I at comforting people, Geng.” Heechul said as he sat down beside me on that sidewalk, with Leeteuk and Kangin standing beside him. “But I know that it isn’t alright. It won’t be alright. I know what you’ve been through, and if you’re willing to go for another round of emotional and mental torture because of her, I won’t stop you. Just know that I am here, we’re here, and we’re willing to go through this with you. You’re not alone, okay? And because we’re manly men outside, I won’t hug you right now. We’d look really gay if we do.” I chuckled as I cried and I know that I looked crazy right there. Heechul chuckled. “See? I made you laugh. But I know that it isn’t enough. If talking to her would make you feel better, then do it. I saw Kyuhyun’s friend with her, maybe he knows where she lives.”

Yes, Heechul’s words a while ago were comforting, but it wasn’t enough to ease the pain that I am feeling right now. Talking to her is the only thing that can ease my mind that is filled with different thoughts.

“Hyung..” I looked behind me and saw Kyuhyun standing by the doorframe. Kyuhyun never called me ‘hyung’ not unless we’re talking about a serious matter.

 After the incident in the restaurant, we all went home. I didn’t feel like eating anymore, and the others already finished their food while I was out. I didn’t have the apetite to eat anymore. After arriving at Kibum and Kyuhyun’s apartment, they gave me some time alone, and I stayed inside Kyuhyun’s room. No, I didn’t cry. I just let my mind be filled with different thoughts about Mella.

“Can I come in?” I nodded and he took some steps closer to me. He just stood there awkwardly, with his hands inside his pockets. “Uhm.. Do you want to talk?”

I just shrugged. “I don’t know, Kyu. I’m not in the mood to talk right now. I just want to be al—”

“I know where Ate Mella is staying.”

That made me stop. I was about to tell him how much I wanted to be alone to be able to think about how I am going to look for Mella here in the city, but I guess the search was over. All that I need is to be able to gather the courage that I need to talk to her and to explain everything that she needs to know.

--

It took them only a few minutes of driving to get to Kean’s place, where Mella had been staying, too, in the past year. All those time, Hangeng had been praying to God that he would find Mella in there. He missed her that much, and inside, he’s almost dying out of nervousness. He had been thinking about how Mella would react after seeing him, what he would say to her when they finally meet again and the most important thing: if she would listen to him after all that happened. Luck is the thing that Hangeng needed the most that time to catch Mella in there.

“Here goes nothing, hyung.” Kyuhyun said before knocking on the door after climbing a lot of stairs just to reach Kean’s apartment. The seconds that took them to open the door felt like an eternity for Hangeng, and unconsciously, he was holding his breath.

Kean opened the wooden door but left the screen door closed. She looked surprised to see Kyuhyun and Hangeng standing in front of her apartment at a time like this. Her eyes went back and forth from Hangeng and Kyuhyun, and it was obvious that she is panicking.  “Ugh.. what are you doing here, Cho?” She looked at Hangeng and gave him an awkward smile.

“Is Ate Mella there?” When Kyuhyun said those words, Kean’s eyes widened but her expression became normal after a few seconds.

“H-ha? What are you talking about, Kyuhyun Cho?”

“Open the door, Kean. It’s not about us. Geng needs to talk to Ate Mella. I know she’s there. And Ate Mella, please stop gesturing for Kean to tell us that you’re not there because I can clearly see you from the glass window over here.”

Kean bit her lower lip as she opened the screen door, mouthing a ‘sorry’ as Mella finally showed up in front of Hangeng and Kyuhyun. She had an emotionless face as she looked at the two guys who she hasn’t seen for so long, and who she wished to never see again.

All the time that Kyuhyun was talking to Kean, Hangeng’s heart was beating wildly like horses in a race. His mind was blank, and the only thing that was running inside his mind was: ‘Finally, I’ll be able to see her again.’

“I don’t want to talk to any of you.” Mella kept her straight face as she looked at the men standing in front of her.

“Mella..” Hangeng tried to reach for her arm but Mella stepped backward, farther from him. “Please, talk to me. I missed you.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Mella, please..”

“Ugh.. excuse me,” Kean said as she stood in between Hangeng and Mella. “Ate Mella said she doesn’t want to talk to you, please don’t force her. If a girl says that she doesn’t want to talk to you, it’s true. So please, leave her alone.”

“Kean, we’re not supposed to get in between them.” Kyuhyun warned as he gave Kean a piercing stare, signalling that she should stop what she is doing at the moment.

“Kyuhyun, it’s clear that Ate Mella doesn’t want to talk to your friend. Why force her? Just leave, okay? I think that’s what’s best for everyone.”

“You don’t understand, Kean.” Kyuhyun let out a frustrated sigh. “They need to talk. They need to clear some misunderstandings that happened in the past.”

“What happened in the past isn’t important anymore, Kyu. What’s important is the present and the future, and if Ate Mella doesn’t want to do anything with this person from her past at the present, then would that change in the near future? That, I don’t know. But at the present, I think it’s best for you two to leave right now, Kyu. Before I turn all devil woman and kick your sheen right now.”

“The past will haunt you whenever, wherever and you know that very well, Kean.” Kyuhyun ran his fingers through his hair. “Are we going to fight over this?”

“Yes. We’re already fighting.” Kean looked at him with a straight face.

“Kean, you know..” Kyuhyun was at loss for words. He didn’t expect that he’ll be bickering with Kean about this matter. What he expected is for her to be obedient and let the older people talk about their problem. “Let’s just go, before I go all devil man in here and pull you downstairs by your hair just to let them talk.”

“Don’t leave, Kean.” Mella held onto Kean’s arm as she looked at her with pleading eyes. “Please..”

“I’m not leav— WHAT THE ACTUAL FU— PUT ME DOWN, CHO KYUHYUN!” It was too late to protest because Kyuhyun scooped Kean from the ground and carried her on his shoulders, just like what firemen do and went downstairs while gesturing for Hangeng to freely talk to Mella now that the interruptions are gone. “PUT ME DOWN CHO! IF YOU DON’T I’LL KICK YOUR SHEEN AND YOU KNOW THAT IT HURTS AND GAAAAAAAH! PUT ME DOWN AND DON’T TOUCH MY !”

“I’M NOT TOUCHING YOUR ! IF ONLY YOU STAY STILL YOU WON— AH! AH! OUCH! THAT FREAKING HURTS KEAN! AH! MY EAR! STOP! MY BACK OUCH! DAMN!”

Mella and Hangeng stood there staring at each other. She looked at him with a cold expression on her face, her eyes full of hatred and anger. That was the same expression that she wore the last time he saw her before she ran away. Hangeng, on the other hand, was looking at her with eyes filled with sadness and longing.

“Mella..” Hangeng took a step forward, trying to reach for her hand, but she took a step backward. “Please.. don’t do this to me..”

“Don’t do what to you?” She shoved his hand away when he held her. “Don’t even try to touch me, Hangeng.” The tone of her voice was as cold as ice and it bore a hole inside Hangeng’s heart.

“Let’s talk, Mella. Please..” Hangeng tried his very best to stop his tears from falling. He usually isn’t an emotional person but everything changed when he met her, and everything changed once again when he saw her. All of the emotions that he kept inside him exploded in one go like a bomb which reached its time limit, leaving him with no choice but to let them all out through something and that something is what humans call crying.

“We have nothing to talk about, Hangeng. Please leave before I shout for help.”

“Mella, you don’t know a lot of things. Not everything that you know is right, and I am here to explain everything to you. Please, listen to me. That day, I did—”

She covered her ears and started crying. “DON’T TALK TO ME, HANGENG. I AM NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU!”

“Carmella, please..” Hangeng tried to remove her hands from covering her ears but she pushed him away. “Please, listen to me! I want to set things right! I want you back and I wan—”

“DON’T! Stop talking to me! Don’t talk to me!” She cried harder as she fell down on the floor, her hands still covering her ears. Hangeng was crying as well as he looked at the woman he loves. He knew it very well that she’d be like this when she sees him, but he knows that they need to settle things between them. He can’t let his emotions get the best out of him and control the situation, because after all, their emotions were the reason why their relationship ended without any closure. She just left him and ran away without saying a word, without hearing a single word from Hangeng and without knowing what really happened the day that they were supposed to exchange vows with each other. “Don’t touch me, don’t talk to me, and don’t go near me!”

“Mella..” Hangeng hugged her tightly in his arms, but Mella fought back and started hitting his chest with her fists, pushing him away from her. Hangeng endured the pain that was brought by her hits because it was nothing compared to the pain that he felt when she left him. He wants her to listen to him. “Listen to me! You need to know the truth. I didn’t bail out on our wedding day, trust me! I didn’t want to leave you there, waiting for me. Something happened, and if you’re willing to listen to me, I’m going to te—”

“No, I’m not going to listen to you, Hangeng!” She stayed still in hisarms, knowing that she won’t be able to push him away, that her strength was nothing compared to his. “I won’t ever listen to you, ever again! What I saw is enough to make me hate you, to make me believe that you never really wanted to marry me! I’ve had enough, Hangeng. Just leave me alone, please. LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“NO! I won’t let you run away from me again, Mella. Not this time. I won’t lose you again!” She pushed him away, and this time, he let her go. “I’m not going to leave this place not unless you listen to me.

Please..” Hangeng slowly bended his knees and kneeled on the ground, practically begging her to stay and to listen. “Please.. listen to me.. don’t leave me.. I won’t let you leave me again.. for the second time.. Carmella.. listen to me.. please..”

“I’ve had enough, Hangeng. I’ve been hurt too much, and I am not willing to experience that pain once again, because of you!”

“Mella, I won’t hurt you. I didn’t want to hurt you.” He hugged her knees tightly in his arms to stop her from leaving. He knew that he looked desperate but he didn’t care. It was the only way. Mella is a stubborn person, and if she says no, it is a matter of life and death to make her change her mind. “What happened, I can’t take that back. But I will make sure that you won’t feel like that ever again.”

“Yes, I won’t feel like that ever again because I won’t get back with you ever again! Let me go, Hangeng! Set me free!”

“Me—”

“Let go!” She pulled his hands off of her and ran away, away from him.

For the second time, he’s seeing her slowly disappear. And just like before, he was helpless and left in tears. For the second time around, she didn’t listen. And for the second time, the pain was back just like a fresh wound.

KYUHYUN

“Why didn’t you tell me, Kean?” I asked her as we both went down the stairs. After getting hit in the back, I put her down and let her walk. I know that she understood the reason why I was doing this, and I also knew the reason why she did it. She was just trying to protect her friend.

“I can’t tell you, Kyu.” She shrugged as she tied her hair into a bun with her black ponytail. “Ate Mella asked me to promise her to not tell you. She saw you that one time you went with me and she told me not to tell you. But I still don’t know why. I just agreed and did what she said. Whenever you’re here, I always text her so that she won’t go home not until you leave.”

“She’s that good in hiding, huh?” I mumbled as I scratched my head.

“What did you say, Cho?”

“Nothing. Don’t mind me.”

“Do you have some money with you? I am hungry. I’m craving for some chocolate.” She poked my shoulder as soon as we reached the edge of the stairs. “And you have to tell me the real deal between Ate Mella and that friend of yours. I can’t just let you drag me away like I’m a sack of rice.”

“Two sacks, to be exact. You’re that heavy.” I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows as I looked at her, only to earn a hard punch on the arm. I grimaced and rubbed my arm as we walked. “Well, as you can see, Ate Mella and my friend, Hangeng, used to be together before. They almost got married, you know. But Ate Mella thought that Hangeng bailed out on their wedding day. What she didn’t know is that he just came an hour late because he was just too nice to help some random girl who was about to give birth on the street, and he just can’t leave her at the hospital because the nurses won’t let him leave not until the husband of that woman arrived. He lost his girl because he was too nice, you know? When he arrived at the church, Ate Mella and all of the other guests already left, and the only people inside the church was me and our other friends. We weren’t able to contact him before because he forgot his phone at the hotel. Destiny’s a , you know? It messes with our lives.”

“Oh.. So that’s how things are.” Kean nodded slowly before I handed her the chocolate bar that we bought at the store right across their place.

I nodded and sighed. “I just wish that Geng and Ate Mella would settle things. Geng had been through a lot in the past year as he looked for her.”

“If only I knew that there are some things to be settled with Ate Mella, I should’ve told you earlier.” Kean sighed and took a bite of the chocolate bar. “But I just can’t do it, you know? I also witnessed how Ate Mella had a hard time in the past year, too. I always hear her cry during her first weeks here, but she just made herself busy at the hospital a week after her first week.”

“They both had a hard time, you know? That’s what happens when two people don’t end things properly. That’s where the importance of closure comes in.”

Kean just shrugged. “Don’t you ever think about bringing up the topic about Tao and I because I swear I would k—”

“I wasn’t thinking about that, you know. But you gave me the idea, so, how are things with Tao? Did he try to call you?”

“You blocked his number, right? And now you’re asking me that question.”

“I was jus—”

“Carmella! Don’t leave! Talk to me!” Both Kean and I turned to look at where the voice was coming from, only to see Ate Mella running down the stairs with Hangeng running after her. Oh shoot, this would be a really long day.

“Ate Mella!” Kean ran towards her and talked to her for a while before Hangeng reached the edge of the staircase. Ate Mella took Kean’s cellphone and rode the taxi that passed by and left, leaving the three of us frozen on our places.

Everything happened really fast, and in a matter of seconds Ate Mella was gone again, leaving Hangeng hyung crying at the edge of the staircase. I quickly ran towards him.

“Geng, what happened?”

“S-she’s gone, Kyu. Again..” He ran his hands through his hair and cried.

“Kuya..” Kean said and sat down beside him. “I’ll just tell you when she contacts me. My phone is with her because she left hers at our place. You should go home and rest.”

I helped Hangeng stand up and walk towards the car. I sighed. I guess this would be a really long day.

**

[I EDITED THE LAST PART. READ IT, I BEG OF YOU. PS, I AM STILL ALIVE. c:]