We were at Key's bedroom,

at Key's house, beside their flower shop.

I must say, Key's bedroom is very neat! He'd get mad at us if we made one scrap of dirt. Plus, his wallpaper is pink. Which is kind of surprising. Although I admire the fact that he exudes both manliness and femininity. Not many guys can manage that.

Once Onew was gone, Key immediately called up Minho and Taemin and asked both of them to go to his house immediately.

He tried calling Jjong but he wasn't answering.

I hope Mika's having a better time than I am.

"Thanks, Key." I said, embarrassed since he had witnessed Onew's rejection to me.

"Uhm...I'll be going now."

"No way, you're not." He frowned.

"No?"

"Nope." He shook his head. "You're coming with me."

"Uh.. where?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"To my house, of course. We're going to talk about this." And he dragged me.

When we got there, Taemin and Minho were already inside, watching TV.

"Upstairs, guys. And no food allowed." He narrowed his eyes at them and he motioned to me to follow him upstairs.

So now, we're all here.

"What's up, Key hyung? Is something wrong?" Taemin looked at me questioningly.

"Yes. She needs our help." Key pointed at me.

"I do?" I squeaked, embarrassed.

"Obviously."

"I am guessing this involves Onew hyung." Minho sighed.

"It does."

"Why? What happened?" Taemin still looks confused.

"That's the thing." Key turned to me. "What exactly is happening here?" He glared at me.

"Onew hyung won't tell us anything but something is totally wrong with him."

"I agree. I've never seen him refuse food or not speak up in our meetings before." Taemin shrugged.

"Tell me, Maki Teppei," Key narrowed his eyes.

"What have you done to our friend?"

"Yes." Minho crossed his arms. "What?"

I gulped. Uh-oh.

--

I was forced to tell the whole story all over again. How Onew was teaching me, the unexplainable things he did for me, his kindness and sweetness, the date, the rumor, the fight, and my constant asking for his forgiveness.

"You said those things to hyung?!" Taemin looked a little angry.

Scratch that, he looks really angry.

He hopped off the bed and started to take deep breaths.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry..but I--" I hopped off the bed too and stayed on one corner of the room. I was a little scared, Taemin suddenly didn't look so cute andlittle anymore.

"She didn't mean it. Right?" Minho came to my rescue.

"WHAT! YOU INSOLENT GIRL! HOW DARE YOU SAY THOSE THINGS TO MY FRIEND?!" Key hollered and hopped off the bed, charging towards me.

My eyes widened in fright.

"Oh no!" Minho quickly hopped off the bed and dashed to my direction.

Taemin came closer too, his fists were clenched.

. . . 3 against 1! What the heck am I going to do?!

"Ready, Taemin?" Key was holding a pillow above his head, ready to smack me with it.

I covered my face in panic.

"No! No! Please! I'm sorry!"

"KIBUM!!"

I peeked through my hands.

Minho was shielding me with his body, his hands stretched out, blocking Key and Taemin.

"STOP IT! LAY A HAND ON HER AND I'LL TELL ONEW HYUNG!" Minho shouted, looking scary.

I gulped. What's happening?! Is this for real??

Taemin backed away, looking hesitant.

But Key still looked murderous.

"I DON'T CARE! ONEW HYUNG WILL THANK ME FOR THIS! AND SO WILL SHE..." He raised the pillow menacingly again and glared at me.

"AFTER I KNOCK SOME SENSE INTO HER THROUGH SOME HARD PILLOW HITTING!" He smacked Minho with the pillow, trying to distract him.

"KIBUM! SHE'S A GIRL! Are you seriously going to hurt a girl?!" Minho tried to talk some sense into him.

"SHE DESERVES IT! HOW DARE YOU TELL THOSE WORDS TO ONE OF THE KINDEST PERSON I KNOW?!" Key continued to shout.

Minho sighed.

"WHERE'S YOUR LOYALTY HUH, MINHO?! ARE YOU SIDING WITH HER OR WITH ONEW HYUNG? WHO I MIGHT POINT OUT," he glared at Minho.

"Is." he started to poke him in the chest.

"One." poke.

"Of." poke.

"Your." poke.

"Dearest." poke.

"Friends!" *shoves Minho out of the way.*

Key quickly hits me with the pillow twice in the head before Minho quickly recovered and started to shield me again using his back.

"YOU! YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON WHY HE'S MISERABLE! TAKE THIS!!" He continued to hit with the pillow but Minho was the one who's getting smacked.

Even Taemin came near and was glaring with his arms crossed.

"I'm sorry." I bit my lip to keep myself from crying.

Minho smiled ruefully at me.

"It doesn't hurt at all. But.." He looked at me seriously.

"What you did to Onew hyung..I hope things can still go back to normal" He shook his head.

I bit back a sob. Even Minho thinks I'm horrible.

After some time, Key looked like he was getting tired.

"THAT'S IT! Time's up!" Minho straightened up and looked at Key.

"Feel better?"

Key dropped the pillow and took a deep breath.

"Yes."

"Good." Minho sighed and looked over at Taemin who was still scowling.

"Why did you protect her, hyung? She broke Onew hyung's heart!"

"Yeah! You're really stupid, Minho. Protecting the wrong person.." Key glared at me.

"Think carefully you two. Do you really think Onew hyung wants this? If there's anything he would hate the most is the fact that she," He gestured to me.

"Would get hurt." He crossed his arms.

"If Onew hyung knew what you're doing right now, who do you think would be more unhappy, huh?" He shook his head.

Key didn't say anything and just sat on the bed and pursed his lips.

Taemin did the same and he even looks a little apologetic.

"Hyung's right..Onew hyung would never hurt Maki noona. What were we thinking?" Taemin muttered.

"I was just trying to knock some sense into her..." Key mumbled.

He looked up and walked towards me.

"I'm sorry." He smiled sheepishly.

"You kind of deserve it but it's not right that I hit you with a pillow." He sighed. "Sorry..Does it hurt?"

I, on the other hand, am crying at this point. Minho's words made a huge mark on me.

"Omo! I didn't know I hit you that hard! I'm really sorry!" Key rushed to hug me.

"I-it's not that." I sobbed on Key's shoulder and he pulled me on the bed and patted my head.

"I don't know what I should do anymore. None of the things I'm doing to apologize is working. I'm afraid…"

I stopped, and just sobbed quietly.

"Afraid of what?" Key whispered to me.

Afraid that I've lost him forever..

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"Stop crying and tell me." He looked stern.

"What if..." I took a deep breath.

"What if...he won't forgive me anymore?" I felt dread rushing to me with that thought.

"Then that," He looked at me in all seriousness.

"will be the only thing worth crying about."

--

I sat on Key's bed, sipping the tea that he made for all of us.

Key has calmed down and was quietly thinking.

Minho was spooning sugar on his tea.

But the youngest one was still staring at me.

"You broke your promise noona." Taemin continued to stare intently.

I blinked my swollen eyes.

"Promise?" I squeaked.

"We had a quiet understanding, noona." His voice sounded detached.

Minho looked at us curiously.

I racked my brain desperately to understand what he was talking about.

"It was you this whole time. You were the reason he lost his smile.." His eyes were clouded with sadness.

I felt my heart breaking again.

He was right. It's my fault. It's my stupid, irreparable fault.

My lips quivered

"Taemin~ah! What's wrong with you?!" Minho scolded him.

"Yeah. Can't you see she's miserable already?" Key patted my shoulder. "Sorry." He stage whispered. "It's just that he's the closest to Onew hyung among us."

"He's right...it's my fault." A tear slipped out.

"Aigoo. You made her cry again." Key looked annoyed as he comforted me again.

I tried to stop crying. This is so embarrasing.

"Oh, I'm sorry." But Taemin's eyes were cold.

"I guess I shouldn't get mad right?! I guess I should just ignore how I saw Onew hyung did everything to make her happy and how she just so easilybroke his heart." He crossed his arms.

Minho stood up. "That's it. We need to talk." Then he dragged Taemin out of the room.

"I'm really, really sorry." I told Key mournfully.

He smiled weakly. "You must be something else. No one has made Taemin that angry before."

I just looked at him unsurely.

"Lighten up." He smirked. "It's gonna be okay. I know him, he's just blowing off steam right now. A sad hyung really makes him worried."

Finally, 2Min came into the room.

"Hey noona." Taemin looked shy.

"I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean to upset hyung. I understand now." He bit his lip. "Forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me first." I smiled weakly.

His eyes twinkled. "Deal."

He sat beside me excitedly.

"I promise to help you get back hyung's smile, noona!"

"So what do we do now?" Minho asked, sitting beside us.

"We can't tell hyung we know already." Key sighed.

"Why not?" Taemin asked.

"He'll be more distant. It's going to be awkward. It's obvious he doesn't want us to know. I mean, he always opens up about his problems...except for this." Key explained.

"Uhmm..What have you tried so far anyway, noona?" Taemin looked at me.

I told him that I said sorry directly a number of times. I tried talking to him nicely but he's always so cold. My last chance were the coupons.

"Coupons? That's nice." Minho nodded approvingly.

Somehow, this is really awkward. Opening up to Onew's friends...It's just really weird!

"I think we should give the coupons a chance first before we move on to a new plan." Key said.

"I don't think the coupons will work though." I said, depressed.

"Why not?" Minho raised his eyebrows.

"I saw him look at it and just put it in his bag as if...it's nothing." I sighed, remembering the way he shoved them inside his bag.

"He did?"

Taemin looked confused. "But Onew hyung's not like that." He said wonderingly.

I knew it. The coupons are a failure.

Minho shot Taemin a warning look.

"No. I think we should still give the coupons a chance." Key shook his head.

Minho agreed.

"But in case the coupons fail...we should come up with a plan."

"Like what?"

"I know!" Taemin raised his hand.

"How about going infront of his house and spelling out a 5 ft. 'Sorry' using lighted candles?"

"Eh?" I was surprised. Lighted candles?

"That's too much, Taemin." Key made a face.

"Yeah." Minho shook his head.

"How about this? Instead of using candles, how about using rose petals, huh? I'll give you a discount." Key nodded at me encouragingly.

"That won't work either. And you'll only be littering on their lawn." Minho rolled his eyes.

"Oh and the lighted candles won't be a litter?!" Key retorted.

Minho just sighed.

"I knew it. You 2Min will just join forces against me! Where's Jjong when I need him?!" Key looked annoyed.

"I'm not taking sides! Both of your ideas just seem really...difficult."

"Hey, on a side note, did you guys noticed that Onew hyung still cuts our meeting short?" Taemin asked.

"Hey, yeah." Key looked at me. "Is he still teaching you after class?"

"No." I shook my head. "Ever since the day we argued, he didn't talk to me much anymore." I said sadly.

"Does he still walk you home?"

"No."

"Then why does he still cut our meetings short?" Taemin looked confused.

"Yeah. Why? Are you sure? Are you hiding something?" Key narrowed his eyes.

"No." I looked at him weirdly.

"Oh." He shrugged.

"I wonder why he dismisses us early, then..."

"Anyway, back to the ideas...How about dancing, noona? Dancing can express any emotion in the world. Don't you know that? I'll be your choreographer!" His eyes shone with excitement.

"Hey, that's not bad! I can also help with the choice of song. We can borrow the gym for the venue. And Taemin, can you get your dance club members to be her back up dancers?"

"On it!" Taemin took out his cellphone.

"Hey, hey, wait!" I panicked.

No way am I going to dance! No freaking way!

"What?" Key looked at me.

"That...err..seems impossible." I muttered.

"Nothing's impossible with love!" Key declared and Taemin nodded happily and started to make those fast hand dances which made me dizzy.

"I'm not in love with him." I said quickly.

"No?" Key looked surprised and Taemin stopped dancing. Even Minho's eyebrows raised, way up.

"Then why are you doing all this?"

"Doing what?"

"This! The direct apologies, the coupons, being miserable..." Key counted them off his fingers.

"And besides, Onew hyung's miserable too." Taemin added.

I felt an unexplainable emotion hit me when I heard that.

"He's miserable?" I heard my voice breaking.

"Isn't it obvious?!" Key looks irritated.

"He moves slowly. He won't eat. And he won't talk so much at all."

"He's not smiling anymore too." Taemin added sadly.

"He's miserable?" I just repeated.

"Yes, he is!" Key shouted. "And it's because of you!"

"Yah, Kibum!" Minho said in a warning tone.

"And now you're telling me--us--that you're not in love with him?! You've got to be kidding me! Because our friend is freaking in--"

"Kibum!" Minho shouted. "Stop it!"

I didn't notice that I was crying again at this point.

Ugh. I'm such a crybaby today!

"I-I'm sorry." I choked out. "I'm really sorry."

Key looked a little calmer now. "Maki…"

"Are you really not inlove with him? Truthfully?"

"I...I like him." I said feebly.

"Well, that's a start." Minho crossed his arms.

Taemin offered me a tissue and patted my hand. I looked at him gratefully.

"Just like? Not love?"

"I...don't want to fall in love with him." I confessed.

"Why not?" Key looked confused.

"He doesn't have a girlfriend." Taemin said helpfully.

"It's not that...it's because I know he won't feel the same."

"You've got to be kidding me." Key looked at me in disbelief.

"I'm serious! Look at me, and look at him!"

Key looked at me up and down. "So? If you're talking physically, I really don't see your prob--"

"No." I shook my head. "Onew...is just...he's just out of my reach." I sniffed. How do I explain this?

"Little Miss Clueless." Key shook his head. "This won't work. You need to figure it out on your own."

"No!" I pleaded. "All you guys are telling me to 'figure it out', 'you can figure it out' but I can't! Okay?! I can't FIGURE it out!! So please, help me."

"Don't worry, Maki. All we mean is that you are--"

"No." Key cut Minho off in midsentence and shook his head.

"Listen, I'll give you a hint."

I waited. 

"Listen to your heart and not your brain."

"My heart?"

"Yes. Your heart and brain are conflicting now, right? Well I'm telling you whom you should listen to. It's your heart. Hear me? Your heart!"

"But...I don't understand. The brain is more important than the heart. Did you know that--"

"Stop with the freaking trivias already!" He shouted.

I blinked.

"Look, the heart is more important than the brain, okay?!"

"No." I shook my head. "Without the brain, the heart cannot function."

"Without the heart, no one is going to be happy." He retorted.

"Okay, the brain is just important as the heart. But in your case, just this one time, listen to it." He stared at me.

"Do you understand?"

He was confusing me. All of my life, I've never heard or read that the heart is more important the brain.

But then again, I've never seen Key more serious either.

Is he right?

Is this the missing piece? If I listen to my heart, will I finally be able to figure everything out?

"Yes noona." Taemin said gently.

I looked at him surprised. I didn't know I was thinking out loud.

"I think we should just tell her head-on." Minho looked concerned.

"No. Everyone around her did that already, I'm sure. If we repeat it to her, she'll just deny it all over again because her brain is more dominant for her right now. She's too much of a logical person when it comes to this thing."

"Love is illogical." Taemin sounded wise.

"Where did you read that?" I asked him.

"You just learn it as you experience it." He beamed.

"Did you get it by tactile learning?"

"What?" He looked confused.

"Nothing." I quickly mumbled.

"Taemin's right. You do things for love that you don't really do." He raised his eyebrows at me.

"So are you saying that I love him?" if I'm deciphering this right...then that's what it comes down to, right?

I mean, I'll never make any coupons for anyone nor would I worry or cry for someone except my family and Mika.

"Our top three's back!" Minho cheered.

"Shush." Key looked at him.

"Look, think about it thoroughly. Have some time for yourself and you'll know. In the meantime...we'll be on standby

incase the coupons fail." He assured me.

"You're not mad at me anymore?"

"No. But that's only because your being naive is cute." He said arrogantly.

"and interesting." Taemin smiled.

"You guys are really mean." Minho shook his head but didn't say anything more.

I looked at him for help.

"Don't you dare, Choi Minho." Key glared at him.

"Guys," Taemin said sheepishly. "I need to go home already."

Key rolled his eyes.

We all got up and went out of his house and I said goodbye to them as well.

"Maki!" Key called out.

I turned around. "Yes?"

"Here." He handed me a single white rose. "It's free, don't worry. I hope it makes you think better." He said carefully.

I looked at it. Flowers. I remembered when Onew used to give me flowers everyday.

"Can I...refuse?" I asked hesitantly, blushing embarrassedly. Most girls would kill to be given a rose by Key.

And I can't explain it..But flowers given by Onew are the only ones I want.

Is that weird or what?

To my surprise, Key smiled widely.

"Looks like we're right. You are going to get it soon."

"Remember noona, your heart will bring back hyung's smile..

So make sure you listen to it, okay?" Taemin reminded me, smiling.

My heart...my heart has the answers.

Now all I need to do is listen.

That shouldn't be hard right?