2 years ago

One night it was raining cats and dogs, lightening kept on flashing repeatedly, sending chilly wind into the room. Minho closed his book in annoyance, decided to stop reviewing his lessons and went to close his balcony door and pulled the curtain off but then he stopped when hearing some weird noise came from Sulli’s room.

“It must be all about those plants again. Geez! This girl!”

Sulli was quite soaked while hurriedly removed her plants into her room. Not being careful enough, she slipped on the floor. Groaning at the twinge pain in her knee, she quickly tried to stand up and continued to save her plants. When Sulli’s hand touched the pot then there was another hand come from nowhere placed on top of hers.

“Instead of looking after all these bothersome plants, you should better have books to build your brain cells.” Minho scolded Sulli. He picked all the few leftover pots in his hands and then shoved Sulli with him to go inside. “Idiot! You should have already learned about the bad weather tonight. Why so dumb to not rushing and do it beforehand!”

“And what the heck I knew about that?” Sulli snapped at Minho. She snatched her plants from him and went to place them on the table with the rest.

Minho noticed she was kinda limping.

Sulli smiled in relief, her precious plants were all safe. “Go back to your room. It’s---” Sulli said but was startled when suddenly Minho grabbed her hand and moved her to sit on the bed. “Yah!!”

Minho ignored Sulli. He knelt down before her and to Sulli surprise, Minho rolled up her pajama pants on her right leg.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sulli almost yelled.

“What a clumsy idiot you are?” Minho said and glared up at a scowled Sulli. He then touched the swelling bruise on her knee, made Sulli winched in pain and at the same time earning himself a slap on shoulder. Minho sighed and stood up. “I’ll go downstairs to take the ice pack.”

“Wait! Are you crazy? What if my parents see you? Forget it and go back to your pond.” Sulli stood up as well and pushed Minho but he just glued on the spot.

“Tsk! Sit down.” Minho said firmly. “I’ll make sure to sneak like a ghost. Btw it’s late now, they must be in their dreamland already.”

“You also know that it’s late now.” Sulli rolled eyes. “What if Appa and Umma are still awake? What if they catch you? And what would they think about us if they learn that a frog like you always jump to my room and worst when it’s a late night like this? Heck no--”

“Shut up! Will you?” Minho blocked Sulli and chucked. “I don’t think they will scold us if they catch me. I even bet my entire grade to you that tomorrow definitely our parents will throw themselves a party and maybe the next stage is our wedding. And for our worst nightmare ever is they might jump to conclusion by expecting from us for an early grandchild.”

“W-What? Early grandchild!” Sulli blankly uttered. It took a few seconds for Minho’s meaning finally sunk in her brain. “YAH! Choi Minho! What the dirty thought you---” But her bellow was only thrown at the shutting door with the lightning struck following and Minho was already out of her room. And Sulli found herself smiling later. She yelped in pain when her hand accidentally touched her small injured knee. Sulli sighed. “It’s hurt. And how will I wear the skirt go to school tomorrow?”

It was killing Minho to look at Sulli applying the ice pack on her knee. It displeased to his sight that she was obviously afraid of hurt. Without uttered a word, Minho snatched the ice pack from her hand. Sulli wanted to scold Minho but no enough chance when Minho elevated the injured area, gently treating her bruise. Sulli stayed still when she felt her pain relieved and Minho could feel that she was relaxed, knowing that he had done a good job so far.

Minho took a glance up to Sulli. “Why didn’t you wait for me today?”

“Huh?” Sulli uttered. Then something drowned into her. “Ah that. I didn’t think I have to.”

“Why? Is it because of I’m with Suzy?” Minho asked, his hand still doing his job on her knee and perfectly felt she tried to move her leg away. “We had promise that I’m going to buy you ice-cream today if you can get a good result in exam and you did a good job so far after being under my tutor. I even already thought about the place we’re going to but then you vanished.”

“I hate being a third wheel.” Sulli answered curtly.

Minho sighed. “She and I are not like what you’re thinking, you know. But whatsoever, the promise is still a promise that I need to fulfill and it’s between us not involve the other. I wouldn’t ditch you to be with Suzy.”

Somewhere in Sulli, she felt satisfied at Minho’s word. Something couldn’t deny that recently they seemed getting along together not that so good but could consider as a so-so interaction that barely fall into argument. Minho forced himself to lower his pride to be Sulli’s tutor, obliged the elders’ desire. The two strongly opposed at first but do they have a choice to argue? Nope, it couldn’t happen, totally.

From a fiancé to be a tutor was what they so hate about because it’ll increased more time where they need to stick together. But surprisingly after a month they must admit that something new was occurring between them. Less quarrels, increased teasing. There even was a time they made jokes and both fallen into a dying laughter together. Both didn’t know the reason why they suddenly changed but this was what they feel like. Although there were some sort of thing unpleasantly happened, or better say someone, still their relationship likely developed in positive way.

Thinking about the unpleasant thing, Sulli felt burdensome. She looked at Minho who was still attentively treating her bruise.

“Hey!” Sulli uttered and Minho hummed in reply. “Do you really like Suzy so much, don’t you?”

“Yes I do like her but the word ‘so much’ is quite heavy. I don’t think it develops that deep yet.” Minho answered.

“So about her situation in school now, how do you feel?” Sulli asked slowly. She bit her lip when she felt Minho’s hand stop. “I mean, do you believe Suzy that it’s me who revealing her private life to shame her?”

A few seconds later Minho let out small laugh. “Nope I don’t actually. It’s not like you love me and get jealous to Suzy, right. The others may think she’s way better than you in everything and I kinda think so but base on I knew you personally, I don’t think you do that nasty thing to just bring Suzy down because of jealousness.” Minho said. He looked up to Sulli and noticed her seemed spacing out. “Hey!”

Sulli jerked her head down to see Minho. “Yes Suzy is nice but people can change due to some reasons.” Sulli said and Minho frowned at how she likely switched to another case of what they were talking about earlier. Sulli sighed. “You’re her boyfriend, why don’t you try to learn about her condition? Like what consequence she’s facing. She may be having a hard time now.”

“Consequence what? I don’t think she has. And yes she’s having a hard time to face people in school now because of those useless people are jealous about her. If I know who are they to spread that story, I’ll make sure to make them fall their knees to apologize.” Minho said determinedly. He then stood up after gave Sulli the ice pack into her hand. Minho out of blue flicked Sulli’s forehead. “And once again idiot, I’m not her boyfriend but a partner so stops assuming thing! Or I’ll sew your mouth.”

Sulli glared at Minho while caressing her forehead but then she laughed when Minho freaked out at sudden lightning struck loudly. This time it was Minho glared at Sulli who was still laughing so hard. He rolled his eyes in annoyance with hands rested on his waist.

“Stop laughing and go to sleep, just don’t make me have a hard time to wait for sleepy lazy fiancée like you tomorrow. It’s late already.” Minho said. “I’m going back now.”

When Minho turned around about to walk, he felt his shirt was being tugged. He spun back and saw Sulli was in front of him.

“It’s still raining so hard outside. What if you slip while crossing back?” Sulli said, tried not to sound worried. Minho smiled teasingly. “What?”

“No but do you want me to stay here until the rain stop or until the morning when the floor is dry?” Minho asked, grinning. He looked outside to see the rain was still pouring so hard through the balcony and then returned his gaze back to Sulli. He stared into her orbs without uttering a word. Due to the lightning struck, he could see tear was forming around her eyes. Sulli held her breath when Minho suddenly placed his hand to her cheek and up to her eyes. Minho gave Sulli a tender smile. “Idiot girl! You were laughing until your tear is out.”

“O-Oh.” Sulli hardly uttered since the distance was holding their faces was a bit too close.

For like minutes they kept staring and staring without a word until finally Minho said rather in whisper. “I don’t know my fiancée can be this beautiful with this up close. They fit perfectly on your face, brows, eyes, nose and…lips.” Each word, he gently ran his finger on it until it stopped on her jawline. Minho looked into Sulli’s eyes, his hand slid gently to take her face. “I feel like wanting to do something, just wondering if I can.”

Minho didn’t wait for Sulli’s answer, his face already on its way slowly leaning toward hers. In response, Sulli closed her eyes. Totally didn’t know what to come next, only to feel the soft cotton like pressed on her lips after a few seconds of her eyes went shut. Sulli’s hands automatically placed on Minho’s waist as her chin elevated to give Minho assist. Oxygen rushed to their brain when something new never felt before arise within, and the world seemed stop as they swore to god how it felt so good when the both of them was starting to move their lips responsively in sync. Both of them felt so right with their beautiful act of his pair of lips touching hers. They did it slow but intense. It was innocent but they were like a pro. Time was running and none of them willing to break away but in the end they still forced to let it go slowly. Their lips detached in leisurely motion as they opened their eyes. Minho released Sulli’s face to take a step backward.  The sound of catching breath was heard, even louder than the pouring rain and lightning out there. Both bit their lips and avoided each other eyes contact.

“I-I supposed this is our first time. Did I hurt you?” Minho collected his still working mind to ask.  Sulli shook her head and Minho awkwardly continued. “Well, I don’t know how this could happen but…but it…it felt quite good and I---”

“I’m sleepy now.” Sulli cut Minho and pretended to yawn. She quickly jumped on her bed, lying down and covered the sheet even above her head. Made sure that she completely underneath the blanket and no longer stayed closed near Minho, she then said. “I don’t mind if you want to stay here until the rain stop or you want to go back to your room, well you can. But…be careful. G-Good night!”

“Okay, I’ll go back. Sleep tight!” Minho replied but when he was about to move, he remembered something. “Right! Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the ice cream restaurant. But I’m just wondering if you still want to go.”

“Yep I do.” Sulli replied eagerly. She sat up immediately to look at Minho. “I mean, that’s my reward right because of my study hard. I thought that you’re stingy and will just buy me the ice cream from the stall by the road. Yah! You said by yourself that it’s restaurant.”

“Of course, keep my word.” Minho said. “Just go back to sleep, I’m really going now.”

Minho quickly turned around and went out and closed Sulli’s balcony door. He carefully climbed back to his room. As soon as he entered his room, Minho paced around uneasily. His heart was beating and his hand touched his lips, still overwhelmed by the mind blowing kiss earlier.

“How could this happen? I and Sulli, we just…just…ugh!! What did I just do?” Minho said with a deep breath. He sat down on his study table and opened the book but his mind couldn’t concentrate on what he was doing. His brain kept on whirring around to the kiss incident earlier. Minho frustratingly closed the book, he shut his eyes and sighed. “It should not happen but why I felt totally right. It really was.”

No different to Sulli, she was also bothered. The previous moment was rewinding in her head nonstop. “Aish! Did we just…omg! I couldn’t believe that we just share that. This is my first kiss and also his, how could we waste it like that?” Sulli dug her head on the mattress. “But yes he was right. Why did it feel so good?  God! How am I supposed to forget this?”

Sulli took a deep breath and went out from her house. She saw Minho’s car already parked before her house but seemed like the owner were nowhere in sight. Sulli chose to wait for him, she thought maybe he forgot something in his house. A minute later, she saw Minho was out. She frowned when seeing him was having two paper cups in his hands.

“Here!” Minho gave Sulli a cup. “It’s coffee. Guess you are no different from me.” Minho looked elsewhere. “Definitely didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

“Oh you too? Yes, it was indeed a very long night ever.” Sulli blurted, instantly her sentence brought back the memory last night to both of them. She gulped after realized what she had just said. “Well yes, the rain just stopped in the crack of dawn. No guess we were barely to get a good sleep.” To kill the awkwardness, Sulli sipped the coffee and made a hum sound. She lifted the cup. “Wow! Thanks Eomeonim for this. It is really nice.”

“It was me who make it.” Minho said, trying to sound nonchalant and drank his coffee. He sensed Sulli was hesitant to utter a word so he added. “Let’s go or else we will be late and end up in detention. Our plan to have an ice cream date is today right, if we are kept in school, your ice cream reward will be put off again.”

Upon hearing ice cream, Sulli smiled widely. She nodded her head and quickly entered the car even before the driver. Minho walked to his driver seat with a smile. Actually he just couldn’t help but wanting to remind her about their promise, if she still remembered. And something was still there to bother him, the kiss he shared last night with Sulli replaying in his mind again. Minho shook his head to release it away and took a very deep breath before enter the car and drove off.

Minho glanced at his watch, it was 30 minutes already that he waited for Sulli ever since their class was dismissed a while ago. They were supposed to have the ice cream date but now Sulli’s existence was nowhere to be found.  Minho went out from the car and took his phone to make a call but he couldn’t connect to Sulli at all. His calls were all directed to her voice message. Minho sighed. “Does she ditch me again? No, I left the class before her. I’m here like forever now if she is gone I surely have seen her.”

Minho kept waiting another 5 minutes but still no Sulli and he couldn’t still get through her by phone. His impatient started to run low but at the same time worry tickled him. “Geez! This idiot girl.” With just this last mumble, Minho pressed his key to lock the car and went back to school. He decided to look for Sulli and suddenly his phone beeped for an incoming message. “Finally.” Minho stopped and fished his phone out but the sender wasn’t Sulli, instead it came from Suzy.

“W-what is this?” Minho uttered as his eyes never left his phone screen to read her abnormal message. He then quickly dialed her number. “Suzy! Just answer your phone. Darn it!!” Minho was frustrated all of sudden when Suzy didn’t pick up her phone and the meaning of her message kept building him an uneasy feeling. Minho hastily ran inside, heading to the library, the most favorite place for the both of them mostly were at. Minho then saw Jiyeon, she looked so panicked.

“Oh thanks god! There you are Minho.” Jiyeon said in breathless. “Look! Something wrong is happening to Suzy now. Earlier, Lee principal asked her to come to his office and later she ran out crying. I couldn’t catch up with her but I could see that she was totally in horrible condition.”

“Why? What happen?” Minho eagerly asked.

“It’s Choi Sulli.” Jiyeon said through her girted teeth. “She’s a wicked person. You know what, she reported to Lee principal that Suzy involves in Kwon Sohyun’s case.” Jiyeon saw Minho was confused so she contined. “Your fiancée said Sohyun fell from the stairscase not because of the accident but it was Suzy who pushes her.”

“No, Suzy won’t do that stupid thing.” Minho said and he also wanted to speak that Sulli will never do that to Suzy either. But sweat started to form on his forehead. The message earlier was indeed a good bye message from Suzy if his intelligent brain could pin point the meaning. Recently Suzy was already in the hardship to face people inside this whole school and now another case was added in. Minho started to walk away from Jiyeon. “I’ll find her.”

“Hey! Minho.” Jinwoon ran toward them. He also helped Jiyeon to find Suzy but seemed like the result was zero. Minho faced his friend and Jinwoon just shook his head. “Sorry Minho, I couldn’t find her but I saw Sulli earlier. She also looks not good.”

“Sulli!” Yes, she was also the one who he is looking for right now. But then something caught him. “Where is she? Where is Sulli?”

“I don’t know but the direction, likely she headed to the rooftop.” Jinwoon answered and as soon as he finished, Minho vanished from his sight.

Minho hastily climbed on the staircase, on the way his heartbeat started to race extremely likely to burst out when he heard screaming and crying voice and it was indeed Suzy. The horrific sight came into his view finally. Minho saw Sulli who was having back facing him, but she bent forward to the balustrade trying to pulling something.

“No Suzy no, please don’t let go. Please hold me tight.” Sulli said breathlessly and cried.

“Suzy…” Minho whispered her name before running into the scene. He immediately reached down to hold on Suzy’s hand which was grabbed by Sulli’s tightly.  His heart was almost exploded as soon as he saw Suzy’s body dangerously hanging down from this top floor. “Suzy yah! I’m here. Don’t do thing stupid and hold us tight.”

“Just let me die, Minho. I don’t want to live anymore. This reality is so cruel.” Suzy said. She looked at Sulli. “And it more even cruel for me to bear when there’s her.”

“I’m sorry Suzy.” Sulli said but thing was getting worse when Suzy tried to release her hand from them. Sulli looked at Minho who was shaking his head and trying to pull Suzy up, he was crazily worried about the girl. Sulli shut her eyes and when she opened back. “Yes it’s me. It is me who spread the rumor about your family. I’m so jealous of you that you’re so perfect than me in everything?! So what if I have the man you like but I’m still below you forever. And so it made me building hate toward you even bigger and I ended up make your situation worse as it already is.” Sulli said, crying. At this moment she badly wanted to scream her lung out when she said thing that betrayed her conscience with each word harshly pieced her heart. But she didn’t stop there. She didn’t care anymore, there was only a life in her hand. The first thing she needed to help not herself but Suzy. Sulli continued. “And Sohyun’s case too. Yes, I also put the guilt on you.”

Suzy laughed. “Finally you admit it?”

“Yes yes, Suzy. I am very sorry. It’s me who is so bad and fake. It’s not you and never you. It’s me who deserves to die.  So please don’t do this. Don’t do this…” Sulli pleaded her heart out but each word came out from was almost inaudible.

Minho took the chance Suzy was toned down her anger, he gave all out of his strength to pull Suzy up and they succeeded eventually, Suzy’s body fell on the top of Minho’s. And the boy quickly sat up and took the girl in his tight hug.

“You’re scaring me. You scared the hell out of me.” Minho whispered, still hugging Suzy so tight. “Don’t you dare to do thing stupid again, Bae Suzy?”

“I’m sorry Minho. You don’t know how much I was scare. I was very scared but I really have no choice.” Suzy said.

Sulli slowly moved toward them. Her hand reached out to touch Suzy’s back, trying to comfort her but she was shock when Minho slapped her hand away.

“Don’t touch her!!” Minho said in clenched teeth. He glared at Sulli. “Go away! Suzy doesn’t want to see you any longer and …. And I also can’t stand for any second to see you either.”

Sulli’s lips were trembly but there were no leftover tears she could spill out anymore. Her tears were already drain .It was hurt, it was really hurt but she couldn’t release this pain through her tear. Sulli badly wanted to explain thing to Minho but Suzy’s condition was holding her back. At last she only returned Minho back a strong disappointed look. It hit her with a realization, the word Minho said yesterday that he knew her personally it was totally a lie because he didn’t. He never, he will never be.

Sulli immediately left them and Minho couldn’t utter any single word, his eyes only followed Sulli’s figure until she was gone. Minho helped Suzy to stand up with a smile but in his mind he was thinking of Sulli. Guilt ate him alive although he kept telling himself that he did it right to chase Sulli away earlier.

‘She confessed it herself Minho, stop feeling that you’re misunderstanding her.’ Minho thought. ‘Know her personally?! Am I really wrong to think that?!’

To be continued…..

Aigoo! I’m sorry readers. You all expected to have giddy chapter but here I presented you a displeasing ending. Well, I just want to reveal this past to you continued from Sulli’s dream in chapter 3 if you remember. Want to make you a bit clearer before their marriage’s arrival and I promise it’ll be coming in the next chapter :)

Thank you always my beloved readers. Till the next update….