WARNING: THERE IS AN IMPROPER WORD IN THIS CHAPTER. THE AUTHOR IS WARNING YOU.

~~Chapter 009~~

There are moments in life where you are so tense that you cannot think of anything but the root of your tension. There is always that one thought in your mind that haunts you throughout your day. 

Onew sustained this feeling for several days. He often brooded quietly, staring into space. It was as if he had gone into depression. Because of his uncanny behavior, Luna tried multiple ways to coax him, including making him his favorite foods. She was unsuccessful.

"Luna, it's alright. Jinki will recover. He's just worried about the scores of the final exam. It is normal for him. I remember him once not even eating properly because he was so nervous. There's nothing we can do about it though. Jinki will always be like that." Mrs.Lee said one day, after seeing Luna throwing a napkin to the ground in frustration.

"Omeoni, isn't that detrimental to his health? He can get gray hairs at an earlier age than he should be." Luna exclaimed. 

"Aniyo. He'll be fine. Jinki is strong. Besides, these situations won't occur anymore after this. You'll be setting out to live your dream. Luna, you won't forget your favorite omeoni after you become a singer, right?" Mrs.Lee touched Luna's shoulder.

Luna widened her eyes. "Omeoni, you think I can be a singer? It's always been my dream, but will I be able to achieve it? What if I'm not pretty enough? I've heard that fans only like pretty singers nowadays. I thought that if I can't appease the people, I can just become a vocal coach." Luna said.

"Luna, you are beyond beautiful. You're a paragon of what a singer should be. Have you heard yourself sing before? It's so sweet and wonderful to hear. Remember that when you audition for an entertainment company. Aigoo...I have to go clean now." 

Luna hugged Mrs.Lee tightly before she left. 

I can do it. I will become a singer. South Korea, brace yourselves for a new star. Luna thought. 

~~~

"Yah, open it! I opened mine! I ranked in fourth. That's pretty good, right?" Luna nudged Onew, placing the envelope next to him.

"Aniyo. Ask Luhan what he got. Only then I will open it. Please, Sunyoung." Onew mumbled.

"Aissh. You really are abominable sometimes. If you just open it now, you can see what you got." Luna said, texting Luhan. Onew focused his eyes on Luna's phone until it finally lit up ten minutes later. 

"Here, you can read it." Luna placed her phone into Onew's hands. "You seem so eager."

"No! You read it and then tell me." Luna rolled her eyes and opened Luhan's message.

TO: Luna

FROM: Luhan

Congratulations Luna! You did well! :)

But.....also tell Onew my congratulations because he ranked first in the district! I placed in second. That's still good, right?

Luna hid her happiness and looked at Onew with morose. Onew widened his eyes and sighed in defeat.

"No, what happened? Luhan placed in first, right? I probably was placed in fifth or sixth or maybe tenth. Aiish. What could I have done?!?!?!" Onew cried. 

"Yah. Be quiet. You ranked in first. In the district. You proved to be better than anyone in the three universities closest to us. Congratulations, Lee Jinki." Luna said quietly. 

Onew paused. Did he hear Luna correctly? His smile reached from one end of his face to another and he yelled in joy. He rushed to Luna and spun her around.

"SUNYOUNG-AH! WE DID IT! YOU HELPED ME DO THIS! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU!" Onew cheered, after placing Luna down. Luna froze, shocked from what Onew had just done. 

Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs.Lee gasped when they heard Onew yelling. 

"Did Jinki just proclaim his love for Luna?" Mr.Lee confirmed, baffled. 

"I think so. Jinki! Are you alright?" Mrs.Lee called. Onew ran down the stairs, overjoyed and showed his parents the letter. Luna followed him, still dazed.

"Congratulations! Jinki-ah, I'm so proud." Mrs.Lee hugged him.

"Great job, Onew! I'm proud of you, my son." Mr.Lee patted him on the back.

"We should celebrate! Luna, order chicken!" Onew said. Luna nodded and began to dial the number of Onew's favorite chicken store.

~~~

An hour later, the Lee family and Luna were settled around the dining table. Mrs.Lee had made a special seaweed soup for Onew's and Luna's excellent scores on the final exams. They feasted on the seaweed soup and chicken happily.

"Omeoni, do we have ice cream?" Luna asked, full of chicked.

Onew grimaced and scolded, "Yah, eat properly!" He threw a napkin at her and she caught it.

"Aigoo..you two..." Mr.Lee chuckled.

"I think we do have ice cream. We can have some after we eat. It is a special occasion." Mrs.Lee smiled.

"Yes!" Luna rejoiced, clapping her hands. At once, she hurried to finish her food. However, the large intake of food at once caused her to choke and she began to cough.

"Sunyoung-ah, are you okay? Here, have a glass of water." Onew handed her a glass of water and patted her head. Mr. and Mrs. Lee glanced at each other and smiled.

After Luna's face turned to its normal color, she thanked Onew and stood up. "Omo, I'm so full."

"You don't want ice cream then?" Mrs.Lee questioned.

Luna nodded her head vehemently. "Aniyo! I want some!" She led Mrs.Lee to the kitchen and watched as Mrs.Lee took out ice cream cones and a box of ice cream from the refrigerator. 

"Luna, I have a question for you." Mrs.Lee said.

"What is it, omeoni?" Luna asked. Mrs.Lee placed a scoop of ice cream into a cone and then took Luna's hand.

"Do you like Jinki?"

Luna turned red. "Of course. He's my best friend and I've known him my entire life. Why wouldn't I like him?" She knew that this wasn't what Mrs.Lee meant.

"No, Luna. That's not what I meant. Do you love Jinki? More than a friend?" 

Luna bashfully smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Did I just render you speechless?" Mrs.Lee teased.

"Omeoni! How do you expect me to answer that?" Luna whined. Mrs.Lee laughed and squeezed Luna's hand.

"Will you marry my son?" Luna became solemn.

"Isn't this too early for marriage?"

"I don't mean now. I mean once you both are settled in life, will you marry him?"

"Yes. I don't think it'll be possible though. He doesn't like me very much. I annoy him a lot."

"I think deep inside, he does like you, though." Mrs.Lee said.

"Really?" 

"Yes. Take this to him now and here is yours. I don't want the ice cream to melt." Mrs.Lee handed Luna two ice cream cones and Luna left.

She went to the living room, where Mr.Lee was watching television. 

"Abeoji, where is Lee Jinki?" Luna asked. 

"He's outside." Mr.Lee said, his eyes glued to the screen. Luna nodded and opened the door to find Onew sitting in the grass. 

"Yah, take your ice cream cone! It's melting!" Luna said, startling Onew. She sat down next to him and looked at the sky. 

"So, how do you feel, Mr.Lee, after your astonishing feat?" Luna emulated a news reporter, using her ice cream cone as a mic.

"I feel undefeatable. I would like to thank my family for supporting me, my professors for teaching me so well and providing me with several study materials, and of course, my best friend, Park Sunyoung. She helped me a lot." Onew played along with Luna. Luna blushed and continued with the act.

"Wonderful. How did you feel facing your number one rival, Luhan-ssi?" 

"He was a tough rival. I had to study twice as hard for this exam to assure that I ranked first. It was difficult and I thought I was screwed when the exam was difficult for me, but I'm glad it wasn't." Onew responded. 

"But Luhan really is amazing. I mean, even with me distracting him and asking him to go here and there with me, he managed to rank in second. Imagine where he would be without any distractions. Did you know he received offers at the most prestigious schools in America, but he refused to go because he wanted to say that he was from SNU when people asked him what university he came from. He is a proud South Korean, right?" Luna broke out of her act to admire Luhan.

Onew's smile faded. He glared at the mention of Luhan and how Luhan was being praised. HE was the one who should be praised and admired by Luna. The only person who Luna should praise. 

"Sunyoung, aren't I amazing?" Onew asked quietly. 

"Yes, you are. But Luhan is, too. He is so kind and has such a great personality. I don't understand how any girl could not fall for him. Actually through our little act, I think I may have fallen for him. He is flawless." Luna continued to praise Luhan, only adding fuel to Onew's fire. 

Suddenly, Onew faced Luna. He had something to say to her.

"Luna, I don't think you are good enough for Luhan. Look at how perfect he is and then look at you. It's okay, though. You have a bunch of guys around you anyway. Do you know how many guys want me to tell you that you're pretty or ask me to tell you that they want to go out with you? You're such a sl*t. Stop flirting with every guy you see. Every guy you see, you just go and become all friendly with him. No wonder Luhan has fallen for you. You've managed to seduce him. It's pathetic." Onew smirked. 

A tear rolled down Luna's cheek. 

"Me? I'm a sl*t? What have I done to make you say that, Lee Jinki? I'm just trying to be nice. Is my kindness mistaken to be flirtation? Well, I'm sorry for that. I'll stop being so nice to everyone. If someone is kind to me, I try to give back their kindness, unlike you. Lee Jinki, from the moment I could speak, I admired you, even if you tried to push me away. I looked at you only. I never dated anyone in the States because of you. Even there, I thought of you. Do you know how many things I have bought because they reminded me of you? When have you done the same for me? You treat me like dirt, Lee Jinki. I remember when we were little and you used to play with me and liked me. Where has that gone? You've been dating, haven't you? I've seen you with girls, before. Kim Taeyeon. You took her to prom but what about me? Do you know how much it hurt when you accepted her request to go to prom with her? Just because I go to prom with someone else, you deserve to call me a sl*t? I don't understand. What have I done, Jinki? I have only showered you with affection from the moment I met you. My entire life.....I love you, Lee Jinki. But I hate you. I gave you my love, but you gave me.....nothing but a shameful word that isn't me. Good bye. I don't want to stay here anymore." 

Luna wiped her tears and calmed herself down to make sure Mr. and Mrs.Lee didn't notice her tears or her sadness. Then she left. Onew watched her leave, baffled.

She found Mrs.Lee and sat next to her.

"Omeoni....can I go home?"

Mrs.Lee turned to Luna. "Luna, why so sudden? Are you alright? Jinki didn't do anything to hurt you, right?"

Aniyo, he just broke my heart. That's all. Nothing hurtful. Luna thought.

"A-aniyo. I miss my parents. Also, there are better opportunities for me as a singer in America. Please, can I go as soon as possible?" 

"Luna-yah, it's your choice. You're like a daughter to me. I respect your choice. I'll tell your parents then." Mrs.Lee said. Luna nodded and left to her room.

The moment Luna's head touched the pillow, she began to cry quietly. 

"Why does my heart ache so much?" Luna said to herself. 

Onew didn't come to thier room that night. Luna couldn't sleep and she noticed that Onew's bed was empty through the night. 

~~~

Four days later....

"Luna! Come outside! We have to leave!" Mr.Lee called. Luna clutched her purse and a small suitcase with her and closed the door behind her. 

As she stepped outside, Mrs.Lee rushed to hug her. "Luna, I'll miss you so much. My energy pill is leaving today and what shall I do?"

"Omeoni, I'll be fine." Luna hugged Mrs.Lee and suddenly she began to cry.

"Luna, why are you crying?"

"I'll miss you a lot, omeoni." Luna whispered, parting from Mrs.Lee's embrace and wiping her tears.

"Lee Jinki! Come outside!" Mrs.Lee shouted for Onew. Luna froze and watched as Onew came. 

"Say good bye to each other. Don't cry Luna. Remember the first time Luna left for America?" Mrs.Lee laughed.

"Good bye, Lee Jinki." Luna smiled politely. The parents were oblivious to Luna's politeness to Onew and continued to tease Luna.

"Bye, Sunyoung-ah." Onew said quietly.

"Please don't call me that." Luna said coldly. Onew nodded and watched as Luna broke her cold stare and hugged Mrs.Lee one more time, before climbing into the car. 

Luna watched Onew and Mrs.Lee leave from her gaze ,as the car moved farther away from them, and sighed.

~End of Part 1~

Author's Note:

Well, that was surprising, wasn't it? 

Excuse me for the inquitous language.

Annyeong haseyo! 

This is the end of part 1 of "The Vanity in My Love"! There will be three parts to this story in total. There will be a special reflection of one of the main characters(Luna and Onew) after this chapter that I will update soon. 

Yay!

Sorry for a terrible ending to this chapter..... I bet you all hate me now. /imagines readers throwing rotten fruit/

What a sullen and lousy ending..... I can't stop thinking about what a sadistic author I've become. I'm making you all suffer, right? :(

Annyeong! I hope you don't hate me....