Ham Eunjung punched the big lump infront of her- hard.

"Eunjung-ah, take a rest. You need it." A girl with bright orange hair reminded. She gave her no attention whatsoever and continued her training. Another girl appeared in the room, munching down a chocolate bar. She was tiny, and it was appaling how she devoured the chocolate so quickly. "Goo Hara, you too. Lay off the snacks. I know you're skinny but-"

"Oh, Park Jiyeon.. You know I can't do that." The smaller girl cooed. "Besides, I need all the energy. Lately, training's been really excruciating for my stamina. Isn't that right Eunjung-ie?"

The focused girl ignored her friend and gave the punching-bag another painful jab, sending it swinging violently to-and-fro. 

"You're all impossible, really." Jiyeon whined.

Hara chuckled in a high-pitched voice and turned to the door. "I'm going to get water for Eunjung, she looks way dehydrated. D'you want something from the vending-machine, Ji?" she asked the other girl.

"Get me anything to calm my nerves. Having you two as friends proved to be so stressful." she said aloud.

And with that, the girl set foot out of the dim-lit training space. She bounced up lightly as she walked, humming a tune. Maybe it was sugar-rush from all the chocolate? If that was the case- then great. She loved having sugar-rush.

The petite girl spotted the machine containing drinks and other items a few meters away from her. Beside it, was a couple, laughing freely as they talked. Hara scoffed lightly, Who goes on dates near vending machines? Lunatics.

She tried to ignore them as she got closer but couldn't help to listen to their conversation, since they were basically next to eachother. She pressed on the button signaling for a bottle of water and.. Would Jiyeon like greentea? Oh to hell with it, just get anything and leave.

 "Kim Taeyeon! That's my drink!" she heard the tall guy exclaim. He didn't seem to be the least bit annoyed, Hara observed. Infact, he sounded rather happy. It wasn't anything like jealousy; couples just naturally irked her.

She saw the girl, Taeyeon, jump and run around the place, evading the guy while she held onto his drink. Hara rolled her eyes.

Clanking sounds came from the machine and she bent down to scoop the two bottles of beverages up. When she was about to leave, she noticed a familiar smell in the air, although mixed with other ones. Hara stayed rooted in her spot and eyed her surroundings. There was barely anyone around except for her, a boy sitting not far away with his laptop, and the sickeningly sweet couple.

She approached the boy and saw his ID tag, 'Oh Sehun- Section 6D' 

There was nothing familiar about his scent since it was.. Chocolate? Yes, chocolate. After confirming that he wasn't it, she swiftly walked to the couple and observed them suspiciously before she greeted them.

"Hi! I just wanted to say that you two are such a cute couple," she said dishonestly. 

Both the girl and the guy's eyes went wide. Hara felt herself smirk. "What? N-no. You've got it wrong." The guy cleared his throat.

"Yeah- we're not in that relationship.." Taeyeon spoke.

Hara resisted the strong urge to sneer and put on a flustered expression, "Oh, really? I am so sorry! But you do look good together." she paused. The scent was there again. She concluded that this wasn't just a scent, it was an aura. 

Coffee

She blinked her eyes in bewilderment and looked around for Eunjung, but alas, she was no where to be seen. Cautiously, she turned back to the couple. Now she noticed that both of the people infront of her were sweating, a result from the playful chase they had earlier.

"Thanks.. I guess." Taeyeon said awkwardly. Just then, Hara took a notice of their ID's and remembered their information. 

She acted oblivious again (God- was she awesome or what?), "Kim Taeyeon-ssi and Choi Minho-ssi? From Section 8A?"

They nodded slowly, confused. She put a hand on Taeyeon's shoulders- an excuse to get closer to the girl, and took a vague sniff.

Bingo.

Satisfied with the result of her small investigation, she smiled. "Oh, nothing. I just wish the best of luck for you both."

Leaving the oblivious people, she gave a little twirl and stalked off, bouncing her heels in the process. 

This time, it wasn't sugar-rush. 

This time, it was Kim Taeyeon.

Oh, she couldn't wait to spill the news to Eunjung.

-------------------------------------------------

"Happy Birthday, Taemin!"

The Section Room was decorated by Bora and Nana. It was crowded with balloons and there was a sign hung unevenly on the walls saying: 'Happy 21st Birthday Baby Taemin'. He smiled bitterly at them and they stopped cheering. Birthdays were always a touchy subject to the youth since it felt like some sort of a deadline for their lives.

Jonghyun went up and wrestled Taemin playfully in order to lighten up the mood. "Yah! You got older you rascal- but I bet you won't grow up. You never will." The statement made other members laugh and soon after, they formed a circle around the maknae before attacking his face with cream they stole from the cake and in the end, the victimized boy looked like a giant whip-cream monster.

"Ahh- Hyung! Noona! Why?! I'll was just done showering, how could you?" He wailed.

The scheming seniors exchanged highfives and smirks amongst themselves. Kris though, remained deadly silent after he mumbled a 'happy birthday' to Taemin. Nana noticed his odd act and decided to ask what was the matter.

"You alright?"

He searched for her eyes and sighed, "I'd be lying if I said I was."

"What's wrong, Kris?" she said, sounding sincerely concerned. The latter just replied with a shake of his head.

Before she could dig deeper, she heard Myungsoo's voice from a corner of the room, "Hey Taemin! Since it's your birthday, you can go to the canteen and get a free b-day cupcake from there. Like usual."

Every year on their birthday, the institute gave out free cupakes as a reminder to the initiates that birthdays weren't so bad. It was a rather pathetic attempt on keeping the kids from depression but they enjoyed the small tradition anyway. Taemin snapped his fingers and smiled brightly, "I almost forgot about that, thanks for reminding me Myungsoo-hyung. I'll claim it after I wash this- humiliation off of me." he said, pointing to the cream.

"Oh, you mean your face?" Jonhghyun joked, "Come on, it may be ugly- but it ain't that humiliating."

The members shared a good laugh as Taemin cursed his way out of the room, silently laughing to himself. 

When he was done, he headed straight to the cafeteria to take his annual birthday treat. He called the lunch lady and asked, "Can I get a cupcake? It's my birthday." The lady's face was covered with a mint-green mask and she nodded as she went inside the kitchen and walked out a quick moment after to hand him a white-frosted, chocolate cupcake. He was utterly shocked at her speed and smiled. It was as if she had prepared it for him, "Thankyou."

"Happy Birthday." she said quietly. 

Taemin returned her gaze and nodded happily as he walked back to his birthday party. 

-------------------------------------------------------

During the celebration, Kris cannot seem to think about anything else than ways to own up to his section-members about the heinous things his father had done. Wait, 'own up'? What wrongs have I possibly committed, to 'own-up' with?

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Nana broke off his trance-like state and asked him whether he was fine.

To be completely honest, Kris was feeling like . And he honestly said that- just with better words.

Before he knew it, the birthday boy had left the room, leaving all of them behind. Minho and Jonghyun kept joking around and talking to people about different stuff, although Kris noticed that Minho stuck next to Taeyeon the most. The girl herself was trying her best to look bright and cheerful but he could tell that something was bothering her deep down. Nana was conversing to Myungsoo in a secluded corner and they looked content with eachother.

As for Bora, she was standing next to the buffet table, seriously scanning over the provided food and occationally picking some up onto her well-organized plate. Trying to cool his mind off, the chinese boy walked to her side and cleared his throat, making her head snap to his direction.

"Oh, Kris oppa, what can I do for you?" she asked dubiously.

He shook my head and smiled at her, "Nah, I just thought that I wanted to talk to you."

Her lips curved upwards, "Really?"

"Yeah."

Her hands grabbed a plate and she shoved it onto him. Kris caught it with reflex just before it could crash on the floor. He took a relieved sigh and gave her a flustered look. Soon enough, Bora's laugh followed.

"Lighten up oppa, you need some humour."

Kris shrugged lightly, "Not like this,"

The girl ignored him and reached out for the japchae, spooning a bunch out before plopping it down on his plate. "Try it, it's awesome."

"How would you know? I didn't see you eat it."

"Because I made it," she cooed, "Go on!"

He scooped some amount and hesitantly took a bite. There wasn't anything special about the taste, and it's safe to say that she might've added the salt a teeny bit too much. However, he used his best acting skills and breathed out, "Oh my God."

Bora clapped her hands, "Right? See what I tell you?"

Kris raised a thumbs-up at her and smiled convincingly, "Yes! This is like the best one I've had so far!"

"It's amazing, right?"

"Totally. Stunning even," he replied blindly.

"Tastes like awesomeness- correct?"

He nodded, "Damn right!"

"It was not great was it?"

"Yep! So amazing."

Kris immediately covered his mouth, realizing the mistake he had just made. She looked at him tauntingly and smirked. With all regret, he sent her an apologetic look.

Finally, Bora huffed and puckered her lips in defeat, "I knew it was no good."

Not knowing what to do to cheer her up, the boy stayed silent. She glanced towards him and shook her head slowly, "Taemin's mom makes like- really Godly japchae and since he said that he had missed it alot, I decided to cook-up a replica. Ahh- I should've known better than to make a fool of myself."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Kris spoke, "It doesn't really matter if it does taste the same, I'm sure Taemin would love it if he knew how much you cared for him to put in your time and effort to make this- uhh- dish." he laughed uncertainly, earning a glare from her, "And besides, I'm sure that he'll like anything you would give to him."

Bora's face turned slightly pink as she diverted her eyes to the floor.

He chuckled at her gesture and nudged her when he saw Taemin coming in through the doors. She nudged back- with quite a force- in reply, making the poor boy double-up slightly. He clutched the assaulted part of his side and winced.

"Taemin-ah, you're back!" Taeyeon exclaimed.

Before Bora could move a muscle, everybody around her had rushed towards the birthday-boy, now in clean clothes and whipcream-free. She sighed quietly, trying to find a space in which she could squeeze in to meet him. Suddenly, a hand had helped her to clear a path and she found Kris smiling encouragingly next to her. She could've sworn she saw him wink.

"Bora~ Don't you have any presents for me?" Taemin cooed.

The flustered girl nodded, "But it's nothing special, really-"

"What is it? I'll love anything you'd give to me!" he said excitedly. Kris gave her a meaningful smile and she blushed.

"Uh- I- I tried cooking-"

Taemin gasped, "You cooked for me?"

"Yeah- uhm- I know it's a total flop, but I tried recreating your mom's japchae.." she muttered unconfidently.

He suddenly grabbed her arm gently and led her to the buffet. "Is it here?" he inquired. She nodded and prepared a plate for him. "Here- just don't laugh at me if it doesn't turn out the same."

She watched him timidly as he ate a spoonful of the dish. He had on a serious facade and looked like he was deep in thought. Bora had lost her patience after a few minutes, "Well? How is it?" she asked.

His eyes met hers and she could feel her heart flinching slightly because of it.

"It's not the same." he stated.

By those words, Bora could feel the world crashing down on her, but she was able to plaster on a smile. "I know, ofcourse it never would-"

"But I loved it."

Bora looked at him, shocked. "Y-you do?"

He nodded and gave her his warmest smile, "Ofcourse."

"But- it doesn't taste like your mother's.."

"-And that's exactly why I loved it. Because it was yours." he finished. Bora was thinking of other replies when she felt him pull her close infront of him, and then planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She actually thought her heart had stopped before it began thundering against her chest in an inhumane way.

"Thankyou, Bora-yah."

----------------------------------------

When the party was almost over, everybody were loitering around the room, full, tired, and content.

It was perhaps 11 PM when the guests started excusing themselves and thanking the hosts for the wonderful event. That leaves the section members alone with eachother.

Kris, thinking that this was a good moment to have that talk with everyone, stood up suddenly.

Everyone's eyes fell on him and his confidence deflated a little- just a bit. Minho asked him first, "What is it man? Something wrong?"

"No- yes.. actually." he said clumsily.

"Well let us hear it then," Jonghyun called from his seat.

Nobody spoke a word and the only sound that was heard was the noise of Taemin opening his cupcake wrapper. A few members gave him a warning look but he shrugged them off and started chewing in his dessert.

"So- as I was saying," Kris started, "You know how Victoria was murdered, right?"

"Can we not talk of that right now? I mean- this is a happy occasion, isn't it?" Jonghyun protested weakly.

Minho held back his friend and nodded at the blonde boy, "Jonghyun, let him continue."

With a slight groan, the latter sank down in his seat, trying to tune out the conversation. The last thing he needed to hear was about Victoria. Damn it, he was already trying to forget about her tragedy- and these idiots weren't helping him in any way.

"H-hyung.." a croak came out of Taemin. "Help.. me.."

Everybody turned their heads to look at the maknae. He was really- ghostly pale and he was quivering intensely with his eyes blood-shot. Bora gasped, "Taemin-ah, are you sick?" He dropped down to the floor and was whimpering painfully.

"Somebody get help!" Nana scramed in panic. Myungsoo heeded her command and stormed out of the room to report to the Trainers, dialing the ambulance as he did. Everybody else surrounded their sick friend and was silent with worry.

Taemin was lying limply on Bora's arms and she was cradling him with tears streaming down her face. When he coughed out blood- sticky, gooey, blood- the scared girl was already on the verge of hysteria, and the others standing around them were panicking and sobbing too.

She could see Minho tugging Taemin's arm worriedly but in a calm manner in order not to freak people out. Taeyeon was beside him, bitting her lips and looking around to the door helplessly, waiting for the medics to appear any moment now. Jonghyun was next to Taemin, cursing slowly as some droplets of tears fall out of his eyes while Nana was silently praying as she held onto the boy's shoulder.

Bora searched for Kris and she found him standing behind her, a hand gripping around her shoulders. He looked calm, but urgency was displayed in his eyes and that was a sure sign that he was internally in frenzy too.

Taemin coughed some more and Bora could see him perspirating vividly. She could detect the scent of Taemin's aura colouring the air,

Citrus.

Bright and full of life, like Taemin himself.

Although this time, it smelt rotten.

And it was mixed with the sickening metallic pang of blood.

"Bora-yah.."

She focused her attention on him, remembering each and every word he was sputtering. "Y-yes?"

"Thankyou, thankyou for- eve-everything.."

Bora shut her eyes in attempt to block out the mysery, the reality she was about to face. "No, don't you dare say that-"

"I can never t-thank you.. enough." he coughed again, spitting out more blood. Minho turned his head downwards, tearing up.

"No! Just hang in there Lee Taemin- we'll get you help, and then you'll be treated, you'll be fine! Promise me! Please.." she cried desperately.

He smiled a small smile and held up his shivering hands to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. With one final smile, he gazed at her, coughing up a little in the process.

"I-I'm sorry... I don't make... empty p-promises-"

-------------------------------------------

To      : Wu Yifan
From : Father

I have warned you, you ing disgrace.

----------------------------------------------