“Ji Soo-ah did you have fun?” Kyu jong asked her as they all saw around a table and ordered some snacks. It was their day off and like every time they have a day off, they would stroll around to tour her around Seoul.


“De. The weather was great, many fun parks too.” She replied and thanked the waiter happily after placing her order. Hyung joon messed her hair while Hyun joong was just smiling.


It had been four days since he found out the truth; he didn’t know how Hyung joon managed to keep it from them all these years. Though only the two of them knows, Kyu jong and Jungmin didn’t mind when they asked them to join their plan of taking Ji Soo out often whenever they were free. 


Youngsaeng on the other hand was annoyed but the four ganged up on him and forced him to go with them every single time. Lately he had been grumpy. Maybe it was because he saw his ex again in person after a year?


“Of course you would have fun. We went to 2 theme parks in one day.” Youngsaeng said with a bit of annoyance. He wasn’t tired but his mood was not really good lately.


“Now. Now. You had fun too. I saw you taking pictures earlier.” Kyu jong patted his shoulder to relieve him off his foul mood.


“There were a lot of good sceneries.” He said and smiled a bit as he remembered the pictures of the skies he took a while ago.


“Is she okay?” Hyun joong sent Hyung joon an sms when he noticed Ji Soo’s paling face.


“De. Kwenchana hyung, she must be just tired.” Hyung joon replied back.


“Are you sending her home today?”


“Anni. Han hyung will be picking her up.”


“Ya! Show some manners. We are conversing here and you two are busy sending sms.” Jungmin scolded the two HJ.


“Ya! Stop shouting, you’ll break the ear drums of my dongsaeng.” Hyung joon retorted.


“Dongsaeng? You’re the same age!” Jungmin replied back.


“Give it a break you two. Don’t attract more attention.” Youngsaeng said and pointed towards the crowd of fans outside the cafe they were in. 


“Are you some writer or something?” Youngsaeng asked Ji Soo when he noticed that every time they went into a new place she would take out a red journal and write something on it.


“Anni. This was my mom’s journal before, see half is filled with her handwritings.” She said with a smile and flipped the first half of the journal.


“All these pages are filled with her memories, so I wanted to do the same.” Ji Soo continued and kept the journal in her bag again.


“That is Ji Soo’s number 1 treasure. She only lets Han read the content of that journal.” Hyung joon said with a hint of envy in his voice.


“Then write your own diary and don’t let her see it too.” Youngsaeng countered.


“Ke Ke if he does, it won’t be filled with memories but doodles and numbers and names of different girls.” Hyun joong teased and the rest laughed.

~~~*****~~~

Days rolled on and Three weeks had past. Like before, they would go out or hang around in Youngsaeng’s apartment. Then Either Han or Hyung joon would take her home at exactly 5pm. It was like she's a modern Cinderella that needs to go home before magic runs out.


Each meeting Youngsaeng would unintentionally spout hurtful words towards her because of his mood but she always replies back with warm and cheerful words. She was always smiling, always showing off her happiness, something that Youngsaeng himself can’t help but noticing.


“Why do you keep on invading my personal space?” Youngsaeng asked this time as he played random keys on the keyboard. They were all at the living room, hanging out.


“You live alone so it’s more convenient. Kyu’s house is far, besides if we don’t come here you won’t get out of this hole.” Jungmin . They knew he was not minding anymore. They could tell that he, although it took a while, has begun to appreciate the presence of Ji Soo.


For them, she was like a breathe of fresh air, like spring that gives a new fragrance to the stagnant coldness of winter. Being with her never fails to remove all the stress they have.


“Oppa’s lunch is ready.” Ji Soo called for them from the kitchen.


“Are you sure it is edible? As far as I know you can’t cook.” Hyung joong but Hyun joong smack his head.


“Ya! Be grateful to your cousin that she’s giving much effort.” Hyun joong scolded him and the others snickered.


“Better.” Youngsaeng said, as he tasted the dish. Unlike her last visit, the food she cooked today was not burnt, the taste was edible, even the meat and vegetable was all cooked.


“High Five! You have improved a lot just by four days?” Kyu jong complimented her as he took a big bite.


“Komawo. Go eat first, I’ll just go to the bathroom.” Ji Soo said and left them to eat.


“Ya! Leave some for her.” Hyun joong scolded Hyung joong and Jungmin. Youngsaeng on the other hand was pursing his lips into a small pout.


“I’ll answer the door.” Kyu jong volunteered when someone rang it.


“Obviously she has been practicing a lot. But still...Ji Soo why are you so hard to push away?” Youngsaeng said to himself when he noticed the cuts she had on her hands and the way he seemed to have his guard down like when he is with the other members.

---

“Mission half-accomplished!” Ji Soo said to herself happily as she washed her face to refresh herself.


A favor for a favor. That was her mission. Youngsaeng saved her once, and even let her hear such wonderful music on the piano; the only way she could think of to repay him was to get a smile plastered on his face. A genuine smile.


“Ji Soo-ah stop being a sick girl, fighting!” she said to herself and applied some light lipstick to hid the obvious paleness of her lips.


“Junnie I hope you didn’t eat my part too.” She called out as she went out of the comfort room. But the smile she had on her face left as soon as she saw who was there.

---

“Oh! So little miss innocent was here? I must say news about you guys and her being spotted in many places are irritating. Are you on a field trip always?” Eun Jo said as she stood there in the dining room’s doorway.


“Why are you here? You’re spoiling my appetite.” Youngsaeng said coldly as he put down his chopsticks and spoon.


“Ei, you’re being cold to me after I took the liberty to drop by today and see how you are doing?” Eun Jo said.


“Seriously, we don’t want you here. Before we might have liked you as our dongsaeng, but that doesn’t give you the right to drag my cousin into this.” Hyung joon said in defense to what she said earlier.


“De you guys look pathetic now, its seems like you are looking after a school girl. A slot one that is.” She said and Youngsaeng splashed water on her face,


“Take a look at yourself before spouting out words towards others.” He said, trying to contain the anger in his words.


“Ya! Oppa how could you? You’ve ruined my dress.” She said and tried to wipe off the water off her eyes.


“I just want to give this back to you, why be so mean!” She whined again and threw the necklace towards Youngsaeng.


“If you only want to give that back you should have not said those words.” Kyu jong said.


“Hmpf!” She turned to suddenly making her bump off a shelf and knocked Ji Soo’s journal, which was on it.


“Ei, so little girls do still keep diaries with them.” Eun Jo said and picked it up before Jungmin could.


“Give it back.” Hyung joon said in anger this time.


“Wae? Is it that important? Are there secrets here?” She said and made a move to peek.


“Give it back!” Ji Soo who was silent all this time shouted.


“Why would I?” She replied and with a sing-song tone.


“Eun Jo I’m warning you. Give that back to her.” Youngsaeng moved forward.


“Stop right there. One move from all of you and this pages will be ripped!” She said and held some pages. How dare these guys make fun of me over a nobody like her?!


“EUN JO AH!” Youngsaeng shouted when she was about to start ripping a page. He felt really annoyed right now, his appetite gone. His mood was back to the foul one he had weeks ago.


“Want this back, beg for it.” She said to Ji Soo. Jungmin was about to protest when Ji Soo held him back.


“What do you want me to do?” Ji Soo asked her.


“Kneel down and say you’re pathetic. That you are not Youngsaeng’s girl but a pathetic human.” She ordered. Jealousy overwhelming her since she didn’t know that the scene at the party before was all just for show.


“Ji Soo don’t do it.” Jungmin, Hyung joong, Kyu jong and Hyun joong kept persuading her.


“Close your eyes.” She said out loud.


“Huh?!” Hyung joon asked in confusion.


“I said all of you close your eyes!!” Ji Soo was serious for the first time, and they did as she told them. Leaving only Youngsaeng who didn’t obey her.


“Oppa. Please close your yes.” She said to him in a gentle voice.


“Wae?” He asked, anger and pain was evident in his eyes as he glared at Eun Jo.


“Ssshh! Kwenchana. I only want you guys, especially you to see the things that could make you smile. Like when we went to park, like how you smiled when both of us got 3 strikes unlike Junnie and the others at baseball two days ago. Use your eyes and heart to see happiness only, you’ve been sad long enough.” She said in a gentle voice as she covered his eyes with both her hands.


She removed her hands when she felt him close them. She then turned to Eun Jo who was glaring at her. She had enough of her bringing sadness to the people she was close with now. So the least that she could do was to make things easier for them. She gave out a low sigh before bending down on her knees.


Youngsaeng couldn’t control his tears as he closed his eyes. For some reason Ji Soo’s words pierced through his heart. It was like being pricked countless of times as the poison seeps out and was being washed away. For the first time, a total stranger, a girl cared enough to see the bitterness and longing in his smiles, in his eyes.


“Say it!” Eun Jo said in joy as Ji Soo kneeled down. Not caring that Hyung joon was tearing up too.


“Whoever Youngsaeng chooses is not pathetic...” Ji Soo started and Eun Jo ripped a page.


“That’s not what I said! Say YOU ARE PATHETIC!” Eun Jo said in frustration.


“I...I am...I am—“


“Enough! You have no right to order and mess around my own life or hers or my brothers. You’re just a mere STAIN in the past that had been washed away FOREVER.” Youngsaeng interrupted and pulled her up while snatching cleverly the journal from her.


“You have no right to touch nor read her journal. Get out!” He said and she loudly banged the door as she left in anger.


“Ei, I told you to close your eyes!” Ji Soo hit his shoulder lightly.


“Ya! Since when did a good dongsaeng hit her oppas?” Youngsaeng said with a smile. A real one.


“Nice move hyung.” Kyu jong patted his back.


“Finally you’re able to see that your world is not all about her.” Jungmin said who obviously was peeping a while ago like the others.


“Was I that bad to you guys and to her before?” Youngsaeng asked in disbelief and Jungmin just chuckled.


“You can’t believe it yourself too?” Jungmin commented.


“True. The realization was too sudden, but it doesn’t mean that he didn’t like it.” Youngsaeng said to himself with a pout and went to sit down.

~~~*****~~~

Days rolled on some more and the five guys are happily laughing their lungs out and playing to their hearts content during one of their fan meetings.


Ji Soo was there to support them, but she was more on the side as the crowd was too big. Han didn’t like the idea at all, but gave in afterwards when she promised to stay at the side that was out of the crowd’s way.


“Look Hyung joon’s cousin is here to support him. Annyeong.” The Emcee said when he started to acknowledge the family of the boys who attended too.


“Ji Soo Saranghae!!” A group of boys said who was in the fan meeting in hopes to get a glimpse of her. She was a famous topic among net portals since she was always with SS501 outdoors. 


“Er...” Ji Soo just smiled shyly and turned towards the other side, totally embarrassed. But the group of guys was persistent and made the girls beside them pass a bunch of love letters to her. A Security personnel took it and gave it to her since she was seated on the VIP section.


Youngsaeng was watching the whole thing with a pout and a hidden glare towards the guys. For some reason he can’t comprehend he hated the idea that someone was showing interest on her.