~ Five Years Ago ~

Jung Taekwoon glanced at his watch and sighed. He had been waiting for a full five minutes and his two best friends still hadn't arrived. Either they were late for their dinner break or decided not to take one. The latter option was a bit odd, considering that the two were bottomless pits.

Within a few minutes, two teenaged boys stumbled out of 'Fact & Fiction', a bookstore located a block away from their high school, with one holding the other in a headlock. Taekwoon rolled his eyes. His two best friends were idiots.

"Hyung, let go," gasped the one in the headlock.

"Not until you say sorry for taking a picture of my forehead! Give me your phone right now!" Snarled the other one as he tightened his headlock.

"I'll delete it, I swear! Just let me go! I can't breathe..." cried Lee Jaehwan as he reddened from suffocation. He glanced up at Taekwoon and widened his eyes. "Taekwoon-hyung, help me!"

At the mention of Taekwoon's name, Cha Hakyeon released Jaehwan's head (who gave a little yelp as he crumpled to the floor) and bounded, yes, bounded, over to Taekwoon. "Taekwoon-ah!"

Just as Taekwoon tried to escape, the elder grasped both of his shoulders and yanked him down . For as long as he knew Hakyeon, he was never comfortable with his skinship and aegyo. Taekwoon believed that a senior in high school should be more disciplined. Hakyeon, however, was far from a normal high school senior.

Hakyeon proceeded to wrapping his arms around Taekwoon in a tight hug . He cooed and grinned, 'imitating' Taekwoon's voice by saying, "Hello, everyone, my name is Jung Taekwoon."

Taekwoon always met Hakyeon and Jaehwan at the benches in front of 'Fact & Fiction,' since the two worked part-time at the artsy bookstore. Taekwoon visited them often during their dinner breaks and this time wasn't any different. He was hoping to spend that half-hour thinking of something other than his college entrance exams. Usually, his parents disapproved any other distraction besides school, but conceded with him hanging out with Hakyeon and Jaehwan because they were actually good kids who rarely got into trouble.

Taekwoon flushed pink as a group of high school girls giggled past the two of them, most likely at the way Hakyeon cooed at him. Taekwoon exhaled a little before struggling get out of Hakyeon's hug. Must he risk humiliation every single time he interacted with his best friends?

"Taekwoon-ah," Hakyeon whined when Taekwoon finally managed to break free from his grip. "Stop being such a sourpuss."

"Hakyeon," Taekwoon growled. "I would appreciate it if you didn't treat me like your personal teddy bear. Keep your stupid hands to yourself."

Hakyeon pouted. "Fine."

Jaehwan playfully bumped his head against Taekwoon's shoulder , paying no mind to the haughty expression Taekwoon formed in response as he sobbed, "Thank you for saving me, Hyung..."

Taekwoon scowled at the back of Jaehwan's head, then rapped a knuckle against it. "Oh, shut up, you."

Hakyeon swung his arm around Taekwoon. "So, how did that confession go earlier today? Did she give you a letter or did she confess to you directly?"

Taekwoon sighed. Of course, he had forgotten about the confession and the fact that it was Peppero Day. His best friends would never let him forget how boldly the girl had approached him that morning. Both Hakyeon and Jaehwan deemed such a girl worthy of Taekwoon's acceptance.

"She... confessed directly."

Hakyeon whooped aloud, attracting passers-by and sending random pidgeons fluttering away.

Taekwoon slapped a hand over his mouth. "Will you shut your mouth, you idiot?"

The elder grinned when Taekwoon released his mouth. "But, that girl confessed to you. Directly!"

"So?"

"So, did you answer her?"

"Yeah, with a rejection."

As much as Taekwoon appreciated his best friends' efforts in getting him a girlfriend, he didn't want one. So what if he was 18, already? As long as he got married by the age of 30, he was content with being single.

"Hyung, why would you do that?" Jaehwan asked, widening his eyes. "She was so pretty! You two would make a great couple."

"I don't want to date her, Ken," Taekwoon murmured, addressing Jaehwan with the nickname Hakyeon had given him. "You know that I have very little interest in dating right now. Plus, she isn't my type."

"Oh, Leo, Leo..." sighed Hakyeon. He had also given Taekwoon a nickname. "I don't know what we're going to do with you. You need a girlfriend. At least before you go to college. It makes no sense for you to be inexperienced before entering college."

Taekwoon shot him a smoldering glare. "No."

"Come on! You can't wait for the perfect girl forever! You have to put yourself out there so that she can come to you!"

"Hyung, you should try 'Fact & Fiction,'" Jaehwan suggested quite enthusiastically. "The girls here are both pretty AND smart!"

Taekwoon rolled his eyes. "Aren't YOU attracted to one of the girls there?"

He leaned back in his chair to observe how his dongsaeng would react to that statement. As expected, Jaehwan opened his mouth to respond but froze. He had mentioned a Yoo Hyunjin several times during their half-hour hangouts, saying her name with misty eyes and a goofy smile. He flushed pink, knowing that he was caught. "So what if I do? That has nothing to do with you!"

Taekwoon chuckled softly, earning him a frown from Jaehwan.

"Even if I like her, she's a hoobae, Taekwoon-hyung. Remember what I told my fangirls at school?"

Taekwoon rolled his eyes, then shared a look with Hakyeon. Yeah, they remembered.

"I told them that I would never date someone outside of school who was younger than me..."

As Jaehwan chattered on, a young girl of fifteen came up the steps, garbed in her school uniform and black leather booties. Her dark hair, long and sleek, tapered down her back in layers. Sporting smooth, alabaster skin, clear dark-chocolate eyes, and a dainty smile with perfectly set teeth, the girl swept past Taekwoon, Jaehwan, and Hakyeon.

Taekwoon held his breath at the sight of her. His heart stopped beating long enough to appreciate the curve of her nose, the paleness of her cheeks, and the cherry-red tint on her lips.

Noise and sound faded to a dim buzz. Hearing, speaking, seeing, breathing. Even the simplest bodily functions required too much of his attention. All he could do was watch her disappear into the store behind him. After what seemed like an eternity, he blinked, jerking himself back to reality.

"Taekwoon-ah~ Wake up!" Hakyeon sing-songed. Taekwoon glared at him, baring his teeth into a threatening growl. Hakyeon leaned back in surprise. "Yah!"

"Hyung, gwaenchanha?" Jaehwan asked, touching Taekwoon's shoulders. Taekwoon flinched from his touch. He didn't know what it was that caught his attention about that girl, but he was interested. VERY interested.

"At what time is your break over?" Taekwoon asked, hoping to mask his temporary slip-up.

"In two minutes. In fact, we should be going in now..." Jaehwan trailed off as another girl come out of 'Fact & Fiction' garbed in her charcoal 'Fact & Fiction' polo shirt. Her hands were fisted on her hips, giving off an air of authority, yet she had the twinkling eyes of a child about to pull a prank. Taekwoon, who had his back facing her, noticed Jaehwan's dazed expression and turned around to see who or what the latter was looking at.

He widened his eyes.

There was the girl he had just seen, except with short and wavy hair and black and white sneakers. What in the world? How did she cut her hair so quickly? And when did she change into those clothes?

"Jaehwan-oppa! Hakyeon-oppa!" The girl called out. Taekwoon leaned back in satisfaction. Her voice was the type of voice he wanted to wake up to every day. She also had the perfect face to accompany it, go figure.

Jaehwan blushed madly. "Y-Ye?"

"Our manager is asking for you two! Hurry and come in!" She disappeared into the bookstore, leaving a faint trail of her presence behind her.

"Arasseo, Hyunjin-ssi..." Jaehwan mumbled.

Taekwoon blinked in surprise. That girl is Hyunjin?

Hakyeon and Jaehwan stood up, bid Taekwoon goodbye, and went back to work. Taekwoon remained in his seat for a little while longer. The girl he was attracted to was Hyunjin, Jaehwan's crush. Why did this always happen between the two of them? He couldn't understand.

In order to clear his head, he stood up to stretch, but as he did so, his fist bumped into something soft. He spun around when the 'thing' gave a sharp cry of pain.

There was 'the girl' again, except it wasn't Hyunjin. She had the same face, but this time, with the long hair from before. She clutched her jaw, eyes watering from the pain his fist inflicted. He widened his eyes at her. "Are-- Are you okay?"

The girl scoffed and jutted her chin out at him. "Yah! Watch where your fist goes when you stretch, you punk! Jjajeungna (*so annoying/irritating)! Bikyeo (*move it)!" She harrumphed, stunning Taekwoon into speechlessness.

Wow, what a fox! Taekwoon frowned in disdain. Even though she's pretty, she's got a mouth like a viper! He stepped to the side to let her pass, and as she brushed past him, a jolt of electricity pulsed through him. He grimaced and shuddered.

I hope that I'll never see her again!

~ Present Day ~

Surely, Life was mocking him.

He saw her. Again. Why couldn't Life leave him in peace so that he could figure a way out of the mess his heart was in? No, Life would rather shove Byunjin, the rude fox he had met five years ago, in front him time and time again. Since he had been seeing her so much over the years, he had fallen for her.

That's right. Jung Taekwoon fell in love with the fox. Hakyeon scolded him for being such an idiot. Even Jaehwan disapproved.

This morning, right when he had convinced himself that he wouldn't be seeing her for another week, she popped up beside him on the train. It was so full with human bodies that he had no choice, but to stay beside her the entire train ride. Their fingers touched for the fifth time this year, sending yet another electrifying jolt throughout his body.

After seeing her on the subway, in a random coffee shop, while shopping for groceries, and more during the past five years, one would assume that Byunjin would recognize him by now. Nope. She was as dumb as ever.

Yet, he still loves her.

Man, is he whipped.

Taekwoon sighs as he flips through the latest 'KoreAm' magazine that he had found on a coffee table in the warmest corner of 'Fact & Fiction.' His heart flip-flops inside his chest, an incessant aftermath of every encounter with Byunjin.

"How long are you going to stay here, Hyung?" Jaehwan mutters as he wipes Taekwoon's table with a rag. Taekwoon responds with a sad smile, prompting Jaehwan to groan in recognition. "You saw her again?"

"Yeah. Isn't that just weird? I've been seeing her more frequently this year. It's so irritating." Taekwoon leans back in his chair and blows air into his cheeks.

"Have you ever thought of looking at someone else? Perhaps someone who is actually interested in you? I know a few who would date you in a heartbeat!" Jaehwan suggests for the umpteenth time. However, he knows that this suggestion will hit deaf ears. Taekwoon is the type of guy who will wait forever for his beloved. The last time this sort of behavior happened was during his freshman year in high school. Yet, she still dumped him for a 'better' guy.

Taekwoon rolls up the magazine and swats his dongsaeng across the head . "Aish. What's going on in that brain of yours?"

Jaehwan pouts. "Hyung, it's been--"

"--five years already," Hakyeon chimes in, finishing Jaehwan's sentence. He hands Taekwoon a mocha latte while flashing him a mischievous smirk. "I know just the right thing that will make you forget her."

Taekwoon and Jaehwan widen their eyes simultaneously. "No!"

Utterly amused, Hakyeon rolls his eyes at them. "Oh, come on! She's pretty, single, and looks exactly like your muse, Leo-ya."

"But, you know that I like her, Hyung," Jaehwan growls uncharacteristically.

"Hey, you're gonna have to make some sacrifices if you wanna see Leo happy!"

"Believe me, Hakyeon, that's not going to make me happy," Taekwoon frowns as he sips from his latte.

"What's not gonna make you happy?" A female voice asks from right behind Hakyeon. Startled, Taekwoon sprays his latte in the direction of the other two boys, dousing them with his spit. He hacks coughs to rid himself of the excess drops of latte that had traveled into the wrong pipe.

Yoo Hyunjin glances at his mess, unamused. She flashes Taekwoon a loathing glare, then proceeds to wiping the other tables surrounding him.

It isn't that Taekwoon finds Hyunjin unattractive because as Hakyeon mentioned a few minutes prior, she looks exactly like his 'muse.' However, Hyunjin's demeanor is completely different from her twin sister's. Rude, sarcastic, and above all, stern, Hyunjin possesses all the traits that Taekwoon despises in a woman. She has the presence of a domineering woman, something that Taekwoon's precious Byunjin fortunately lacks.

"Taekwoon-ssi, I hope that you clean up the mess you made. We aren't your maids, you know. And plus, our manager already recognizes that you are a regular customer. You're basically family to him. Albeit, the rude- kind of family that never cleans up after himself." Hyunjin adds under her breath, wrinkling her nose in displeasure.

Taekwoon wastes no time in mirroring her expression. "Since I'm a regular customer and part of the 'F&F family', shouldn't he cut me some slack? The only reason why I made a mess in the first place was because I saw your ugly face."

Hyunjin's expression flattens at his comment. Without hesitation, she flings her used rag at his face and storms off, leaving him to peel it off with a huff.

"Aish, this girl. See, Hakyeon? This is why it won't work! She's a freaking animal! What sort of girl does this sort of thing?" He exclaims, flapping the dirty rag around. He targets a glare at Hyunjin's retreating back. "She's just a ticking time bomb about to explode. I can hardly believe that Jaehwan is interested in her."

Hakyeon chuckles deeply. Taekwoon and Hyunjin's interactions never fail to amuse him. Their antics are that of a married couple, which is strange, considering that it is Jaehwan, not Taekwoon, who harbors feelings for Hyunjin. Hakyeon turns to Taekwoon and says, "Don't you think that this is coincidental, Taekwoon? You see her sister every day. Every day!"

Jaehwan purses his lips at his Hyung's not-so-subtle intentions. Hakyeon's clear shipping between Taekwoon and Hyunjin isn't something he can simply accept. To accept means to let go and Jaehwan isn't ready for the heartbreak that will follow.

"Look, she isn't my type, alright?" Taekwoon mutters, low enough for Jaehwan to hear and Hakyeon to miss. He clears his throat. "Anyway, I have a gig tonight. You guys want to come with?"

Hakyeon smiles and wags a finger at Taekwoon. "Oho, Taekwoon, you can't dismiss that topic so easily. Tell me, how can you not be attracted to her sister when they look exactly the same?"

Before Taekwoon could defend his love for Byunjin, the said woman herself brushes past Hakyeon. Her hair, still long but no longer dark, ripples behind her in the afternoon sunlight, like golden wings about to take flight. A slight smile graces her lips as she hurries past Taekwoon, taking no notice of his widened eyes and slightly-agape mouth.

His jaw drops further when he notices who has arrived with her.

Taekwoon's muse is holding hands with a tall, broad-shouldered man with straight jet-black hair and deep dimples embedded in both cheeks. If he had been born with blue eyes, he would have been a carbon copy of Prince Eric from "The Little Mermaid." Why does Byunjin have such great taste in men? Especially men who look like the Princes from Disney movies?

Taekwoon sighs forlornly. At this rate, he will never be able to introduce himself to her.

Byunjin puffs her cheeks out when she stops in front of Jaehwan and jabs him in the chest. Jaehwan lets out a sharp cry of pain. "Yah, Oppa! I thought that you were going pick up me and Hongbin! How dare you come here without us!"

Jaehwan ignores her and glares at Hongbin, who is, coincidentally, his younger cousin. "Yah, Lee Hongbin. You have a chauffer. Did you walk here or something?"

"Don't you dare blame him, Oppa! You promised!" Byunjin pouts, sending Taekwoon's heart into a frenzy. Damn, she isn't even looking at him, yet she affects him this much.

"Shut up, you little imp," Jaehwan mutters as he disappears into the bookstore. Byunjin and 'Hongbin' follows him in.

There is a moment of silence.

Taekwoon is stuck in a daze. Yes, he had seen Jaehwan and Byunjin interact before, but it was often brief. They knew each other through Hyunjin. And yes, he knew Hongbin. Jaehwan had introduced his younger cousin to Taekwoon and Hakyeon when the four of them attended the same elementary school.

But, no, he had never seen Byunjin and Hongbin together. And no, he hadn't seen or met Hongbin since the latter left for Europe right before Taekwoon and Hakyeon entered middle school.

As he flips through all the memories that Hongbin shared with the three of them, Taekwoon can't quite understand how or why Hongbin would return. Taekwoon runs a hand through his hair, clearly unhappy with the situation.

To know that Lee Hongbin is back and holding hands with the girl he had been silently pursuing for five years makes him uneasy. VERY uneasy.

"Taekwoon-ah," Hakyeon says as he takes a cautious step towards the silent raven-haired boy. "You know--"

"I'll see you later, Hakyeon. Text me if you plan on coming tonight."

Without a glance back, Taekwoon rises from his seat and descends the steps to his car.

*****Hey, all! I'm so sorry for the long wait! Life zaps the energy out of me, haha. Anyway, I hope that you all liked this chapter! Please comment and subscribe! Constructive criticism is also welcome. I appreciate it! 7.25.14 :)*****