Johor Bharu, Johor, Malaysia

Elyssa fiddles with her beautiful long fingers while waiting. She changes her position too often, nervous waiting for the man her mother tries to set her up with. She came a little bit too early, as she always early for any appointment. Despite the ones she not really agreed with.

She takes a sip of her coffee then. The man she long awaited still not arrives yet. She started to feel like a fool.

“This guy need a good lesson, he’ll know when he arrives. For now, let’s be patient.” Elyssa mumbles under her breath.

Elyssa almost fallen asleep out of boredom when she saw a familiar figure rushing towards her spot. It was so familiar Elyssa keeps praying that that guy was not the one.

Elyssa almost cry when he stop exactly in front of her, holding her favorite flower.

“Pretty flower for pretty girl,” he said giving her flower he brought.

“Silly, I am no longer a girl don’t you know?” Elyssa shots back.

Shamill just laugh it off.

“What are you doing here?” Elyssa asks him.

“Do I have any other reason why I am here?” he asks her back.

Elyssa just shrugs her shoulder.

“I want to see the best girl my mom chose for me, and figure whether or not I can love her. I guess my mom understands me well.”

“Yucks, I don’t know what should I do.” Elyssa laughs and jokes around.

“You can accept all this arrangement thing. We know we love each other enough to be together.” He answers then.

Elyssa keep her silence. He can’t be serious can he?

“Oh my God, please don’t tell me that you already agree with your mother suggestion.” ELyssa says then.

“Hmm.. Why not? At first I doubt my mother because I kept thinking how can she found a suitable girl for me out of the blue, but then when I saw you I think, well it is not that bad. Well, try to look at this in different light, we have known each other forever, I love you, and you love me. We understand each other more than most of the couple in the world. There is nothing wrong in this picture.  Why can’t we proceed with this? I don’t see any reason why we cannot be together.”

“Shamill, please don’t you think this is weird? You are like my brother, we are too close. Marrying you was like you know, although it was not illegal. How could you marry your little sister?”

She said then.

They were engulfed by silence. Both parties keep thinking the best way out of this. Proceed or not proceed. Each and every pro’s and con’s weighed.

“Ahh…I cannot think right now. Let’s just order the food so we can eat. I am hungry, nope I am starved.” Shamill then said.

“Okay, let’s just treat this as us, bestfriend hangout having lunch together.” Elyssa agrees then.

***

Seoul, South Korea

All of 2pm members panting after completed their rehearsal. They’re all on the bridge of death, but Khun stands up again. He starts to dance again; Intense dance, without music.

Chansung worried for his hyung and tried to stop him, get him to rest.

But, khun stubbornly resume his dance; trying to get everything out from his cloudy mind. He misses her too much, his heart palpitates each time he thinks of her. He needs to let go all those extra energy. Those are the only thought he has.

Minjun grab Channie’s hand and shake his head, indicates him to stop.

Chansung just nods his head and pick up his belonging. He went out and joins his other members to get dinner.

Minjun on the other hand just sit in the corner of their practice room. Gulping his mineral water, waiting for Khun to finish let out of his rage.

Yes, all the extra energy comes from his rage, his anger and regret; angry toward the situation he is in right now, he regret how he can do nothing about it, not a single thing to change it.

Minjun can see clearly through him as he just experience similar thing. The difference is, he channels all his sorrow and feeling through songs he composed for their team and other singers, some he just keep for his collection.  Khun on the other side, let it all out through his dance and intensive workout sessions.

Minjun dragged out from his train of thought when he heard a loud sound. He almost had a heart attack when he saw Khun lie lifelessly on the floor, panting hard.

“Yah, you should know your limit baboo.” Minjun kneels beside him.

“Thank God you’re still breathing, or else I would have a panic attack.” He lies beside him then.

Then, he heard it, starts with little faint sobs and it grows into loud cries. Khun’s body shakes with each cries. Minjun drag his body into his embrace and pat his shoulder.

“It’s okay, let it all go.” That’s the only words he mutters.

“Wae hyung…….?

Sobs

Why am I the only one hurting like this…..?

Sobs

I feel like dying.

Sobs

My heart feels like bursting.

Sobs

Neomu appa.

Sobs

I can’t hold it any longer.

Sobs

I am literally dying inside.

Sobs

Should I hate her for hurting me?

Sobs

But she’s done nothing wrong, she is just being her, the sweet innocent her.

Sobs

I want to let her go, I tried to let her go.

Sobs

But I love her too much I could die each time I thought I will be living my life without her.

Sobs

Hyung, I love her, too much it hurts, I don’t want to live without her, I couldn’t live without her. I won’t even try to live without her.

Sobs

Hyung…..

Sobs

Hyung……

Sobs

I love her hyung….. I love her….”

His never ending rants slow down, together with his cries. His breathing also starts to slow down. Minjun rubs his back repetitively.

Then, it came. Soft snores from him. He must been awake for many days for him to fall asleep like a child after a cry.

“Aigoo i-sarama. How could you be like this when you are the prince charming every living soul in this world adores?”

Minjun talking to himself and piggy backed him.

“Do you know you smell?” Minjun said then while walking, bringing him back to his place.

Soft snores are all he gets in return so he laugh to himself, feeling stupid to talk to himself.

***

Johor Bharu, Johor, Malaysia.

“Wifey……..”

Elyssa turns around when she heard his voice.

“Silly, don’t call me that.” She said then. Her cheeks blushed a shade darker.

“Why? Give me ten legit reasons why shouldn’t I call you that.” He shoots back.

“I like how it sound, I like how it smoothly fly through my teeth, I like the sweetness, and I really like the idea of you being my wife. There, I gave you reasons as why I can call you MY WIFEY. So, why can’t I call you that?” He said then, making a really kissable pout. The cutest pout ever.

“Whatever” Elyssa just shrugged it off and walk away.

Shamill sighs and chase after her.

“If you don’t want me to drag you, please follow me.” He order her with a stern voice and strong gaze when he catches up to her.

Elyssa gives him what-do-you-want look, in attempt to refuse.

Then, Shamill gives her you-don’t-want-to try-me-with-this-seriously face, and walk straight to staircase.

Elyssa just sighs and follow him. It’s better not to mess with serious mode Shamill.

So she walks toward the staircase and prepare herself for all those rubbish she was sure to be heard from him.

He was sitting at the top stair.

Facing his sad, broad back makes Elyssa thinks, what exactly has happened to them that makes everything turns to be so complicated. They love each other, yes, but as friends. Not more than that. She seriously didn’t know what going on in his mother’s brain until she could even have the idea that they can be together, and the worst part is, this poor guy here was infected with that not so brilliant idea.

She takes the empty spot beside him.

Silence falls upon them, deafening silence. Shamill felt suffocated with the silence, but he doesn’t know where to start. It is true that he is the one who summons her here but the truth is he himself don’t know what to do. So many things to think about and so many variables need to weigh in order to make this decision.

His mother words every time they have conversation, and Elyssa’s response really don’t help him at all.

All of these incidents happening to him just make him more confused. But, to be honest Elyssa is just a collateral damage here. She was dragged into his incomplete puzzle of life. And everyone hoping that she could fit the missing piece of puzzle, the one he lost recently. Unfortunately, he himself was unsure either she will be the perfect match for the empty space or not.

“What is it?” She asked then.

“Do you really hate me that much?” Shamill gather all his courage and asks.

“Are you crazy? Why would I hate you? You are my best friend, you know that.” She answers, honestly. And a little bit angry because he has that doubt.

“Then, why?”

“Why??”

“Don’t pretend”

“What??” she raised her voice a tone higher, annoyed with sudden question.

“Why are you so worked up with our parent plan?”

“Then are you happy about it?”

…………..

Another silence. Sighes are the only thing can be heard right now. The silence was deafening, suffocating and really, not a comfortable situation to be in.

***

Seoul, South Korea

Khun was awakened by sweet delicious aroma in his house.

He blinks his eyes,

Once, he sees cute pandas on the side table.

Twice, he feels soft satin bedsheet beneath him.

Trice, he feels cold, like he has no shirt on.

He sat up. This is not his room, definitely not his place. Where is his shirt? He never sleep shirtless before.

He take a good look around. Where is he exactly. Last thing he remembered was he was dancing like crazy in their practice room and then he collapsed. He remembered crying his heart out in Minjun embrace, but that was it. He unable to recall any further event.

He praying hard inside his heart that this is Minjun’s new place. Please let it be Minjun’s. not some other stranger he needs to deal with later on.

***