Donghae and I were left alone. We were looking out at how Seoul looked like from the top of Namsan Tower. I've been here before, maybe twice. There weren't much people around us, some were just old couples. Donghae and I were silent. Not saying anything. 

"This is really nice" I closed my eyes and breathed in  the amazing scent of Korea

When I opened my eyes, Donghae was looking at me, "You look . . . different" he tells me 

"How?"

"Like you're so happy. Is there a guy I should know about? Are you dating now?" he asked me

I giggled, "Ther's no guy and if ever there was, I don't think you would need to know all about him" 

"Of course I have to! I'm your brother"

I shake my head, "Not biologically" I say, "Besides, if ever you were dating someone, I wouldn't ask about her" 

"You don't need to. I'd tell you myself" he defends

I don't answer and I just look out. Donghae. Donghae. Donghae. What is it about this man and every woman is swooned. Maybe because he's just crazy good-looking or maybe because he's amazing and different. 

"Kyuhyun oppa apologized to me this morning" I suddenly change the topic

"Really?" 

I nodded, "And he told me that I looked nice today"

"He did?"

I nodded again, "Is there something wrong with him?"

He shakes his head, "Maybe he felt guilty about the whole thing"

True. Maybe after what I told him, he finally realized that he was so wrong and maybe he learned that he was just so wrong . . . 

"You still like him?" he asked me 

I looked at him, plainly, poker faced, "Kyuhyun?"

He nodded, "Even thoug he was an to you?"

I shrugged, "I just need to get to know him more" I defended

There was this awkward silence again. Donghae moved closer to me, our sides touching. My heart raced all of a sudden, "But Kyuhyun was right. You do look nice today" he whispered.

I looked up at him and the tip of his nose was now touching the tip of mine, "Oppa" I whispered. I didn't know why but I felt so weak right now. Like, I fell under some sort of spell that Donghae casted upon me. 

"You wanna know something?" he asked, his eyes breaking my soul into pieces. He breath was hitting my lips. 

"What?"

"I like you . . ." he says. Wait, does he like me like a friend or as . . . ?

"I like you too" I whispered 

"As a brother" he added, "I like you not as a sister . . . I like you" 

WOAH! WAIT! No! This can't happen! This is all too good to be so freaking true! This is not happening! I can't be attached to this guy and he can't be attached to me! No! He can't like me! I'm a nobody! He's an idol! What?! That doens't make any sense! Why me?!

"What?" I faintly asked. I feel confused

He looked away from me, like he was humiliated with what he told me,"It took me days before I realized the reason why I was attached to you. I thought it was just an infatuation" he said without looking at me, "But then . . . weeks and then later, months passed, I noticed that I would constatntly think about you. Think about how you smile and how you made me smile adn feel like I wasn't even an idol" 

"Oppa . . ."

"Let me finish" he tells me, "Four months, Max. That was enough for me to realize that . . . your type is one of a kind. You try to be as nice to others as possible but fight whenever needed. You don't need a man to defend you. You're independent and smart and witty and just a---" "Hey! You two! We need to leave! Manager hyung wants to meet us back at Max's place!" Heechul calls us. 

I turn, "Ne, oppa!" I answer back

The drive back was awkward. Donghae and I sat together in the SUV. We were silent throughout the whole drive, which was an hour and a half.

As we got out of the van, I walked ahead of all of them, pressing the elevator button up. They were talking about something regarding the upcoming CF. My mind was busy. It was floating to somewhere I would like to call confusion. Why would Donghae like me? I’m not likeable. Why?

Donghae’s nice and I’m nice. He’s sweet and I can be sweet. He’s twenty-eight and I’m fifteen. I wasn’t worried about how he’d treat me or the whole idol-fangirl thing. I was worried about the . I was worried about how we’d make things work if ever we were actually a thing.

“Max?” someone calls me

I turn and just then, the elevator makes a ding and then we all ride it. I quickly walked in and the members followed me. I was in the farthest corner while Donghae was up front, “Max” someone calls again.

I look up, “Hmm?”

“Can we talk?” Kyuhyun was asking me to talk to him?

The boy were busy talking, including Donghae, “Sure”

When we got my floor, they all went out except for me and Kyuhyun. Hyukjae and Sungmin looked at us, “Aren’t you guys coming?” Sungmin asked.

Kyuhyun pressed the eighth floor. It was where the pool and the bar and the smoking area were located in the building. There’s another one on the sixteenth floor, but it’s an indoor pool. The doors close with Sungmin and Hyukjae looking at us.

We were silent in the elevator, until we reached the eighth floor. I walked ahead of him and led him to a big door made of marble and then it revealed the amazing view of Incheon. There was no one around. It was just Kyuhyun and I who were there. I sat in on one of the pool beds and then he was pacing in front of me.

I raised my brow, “So . . . are you going to keep on walking or are you going to talk to me?” I asked. I watched him pace in front of me.

The way he looked right now, it was as if he was trying to admit a crime just committed. Then, he stops in front of me, “I’m sorry” he says

I looked at him and then stood up, “That was a really . . . just . . . annoying” I tell him, shaking my head.

“I know. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to treat you the way I did the first time we met. I’m not usually like that”

“Donghae oppa said that too” I answered him

“I was just going through something personal” he rubbed his nape, “You know what happened, right?”

I nodded, “So this girl, you can’t date her because you guys are under the same management?” I asked, sitting back down and then crossing my legs. I patted the space in front of me and he sat there.

He nodded, “I really her . . . Seohyun is a really nice girl" his eyes bore pain. He really likes her. A lot. For someone to express pain throught their eyes, it just means it's something that greatly affects them. 

I breathed in, "But you guys are still friends, right?"

"I'm trying to move on . . . hoping that someday . . . after all of this . . . I'll be with her. I'll marry her" OUCH! But . . . it was sweet. He was so sure of Seohyun. That's really touching. 

I was silent, not knowning what to say. I'm not really good at romance advice. I reached for his shoulder and then rubbed it, "Uhhh . . ."

"You don't have to say anything . . ." he tells me 

I breathed in complete relief, "Good. Because I don't know what to tell you" I joked and he laughed. This is the very first time that I've seen him laugh like this. He looks so . . . simple and heart-warming. He looks like he can't hurt a fly.

"You and Donghae hyung . . . " he starts say, "You like him . . . don't you?"

Actually, I like you. No, I don't like you. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with your smile. I'm in love with your long and slender fingers. I'm in love with the way you sing so passionately on stage. I'm in love with the way you close your eyes when you hit hight notes. I'm in love with the way you don't know how to cook and whenever you try, you just fail. I love you. I love you. I love all of you but you like someone else.

I'm begging you . . . don't be with Seohyun. Be with me. I've been in love with you since I saw you the very first time. You're the reason why I studied Hangul. You're the reason why I read and write fanfictions that are all about you. You're the reason why I smile everytime I hear your part in every single Super Junior song in my phone. You're the reason why I started fixing myself up, hoping that one day, you'll see me and fall in love with me. 

But here I was, sitting with him, so close to him and yet I know he like someone else, "Ani" I answer with conviction. 

He ruffels my hari, the same way Donghae does, "You know, Donghae hyung never shut up about you ever since we left Manila" he tells me. 

I wish that was you whou wouldn't shut up about me, "Really?"

He nodded, "You two are lucky. Although, you haven't confirmed it yet . . . it's still better that my relationship. Seohyun and I can't date"

"We're not dating"

"That's not what the fans and the media think" he was trying to convince me that there was something between Donghae and I. 

 "It's their opinion" I defend, "But Donghae oppa and I know that we're nothing more than just freinds. Period" 

He flashes me that smirk, "It's nice to hear a fifteen year-old girl be mature about this" he says

"I'm mature beyond my years, oppa" I was proud when I said that because it was true. I'm mature and I know my limits. I know the difference between fantasy and reality. Between love and infatuation.

Kyuhyun and I went back and when I opened the door, the boys were waiting for us in the living room. They were watching T.V in our living room. Donghae was seated in the farthest end of the couch. Away from me. 

"Where have you two been?" Heechul asked, switching the T.V to mute 

"We talked, oppa"

"I apologized and explained, hyung" Kyuhyun said firmly

They looked at each other and then I whispered to Kyuhyun, "Is this the very first time you apologized to someone?" I made it sound like a joke. 

He chuckled, "They're just surprised" 

Then, the manager showed up with my dad and they were still talking. When my dad saw me he said, "Max, thei manager would ike to ask you somehting" 

I looked at the manager, "Yes, sir?"

"Max, the photo shoot for SPAO Japan was a success because of your and Donghae's shots. It was like wildfire as it spead online. So, I was hoping, would you like to do another shoot with Donghae?" he asked me. 

I blinked, "Another one?" 

He nodded, "But this time, you and Donghae will be on the cover of ELLE magazine. May-December relationship" he tells me. 

"But we're not a couple"

"It's just the concept, Max" he tells me, "Would you like to do it?"

All eyes were on me and everyone was eager to hear my answer. I was blinking, not knowing how to answer. Do I want to another shoot with him and this time, the concept would be a May-December relationship. 

"Sure" I nodded, "When would I sign the contract?" 

The manager smiled at me, "The shoot would be next week and the press conference would be two days after. I'll see you tomorrow for the contract signing with ELLE magazine" he tells me. He then turns to my father and says, "Thank you sor your accomodation. We'll meet tomorrow for the cotract signing"

My father nods, "Of course"

Then, the manager turns to the boys and then says, "We're leaving" 

The manager and my dad went out first and then the boys and I were still having our last minute talk. Except for Donghae. I think he was still uncomfortable to even look at me.

"Max, we'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Heechul ruffled my hair. What is it with these guys and ruffling my hair. It's like a thing for them to ruffle my hair. 

"Ne" I answered 

We all big our goodbye, hugging each and ever one of them. Donghae was the last one to hug me and when he pulled away, I held hi forearm. 

"Can we talk?" I asked. I've gone a lot of talking today. I should be in a  talk show or something. Donghae just looked at me. I see hurt in his eyes, "Never mind. I think you're tired, oppa" I said. What I did next was something I never expected I would do. 

I wrapped my arms around his waist and then buried my face in his chest. I didn't say anything. I just hugged him. I felt his arms around my shoulders. He was hugging me back. Good thing the members were already out of the room, I guess they gave us a moment.

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Chapter nine guys!!! :))))

XOXO