MEANWHILE ,BACK IN THE PARTY ROOM,

Everyone had broken off to do their own thing. Hyun Joong was standing and talking to Young Saeng and Kyu Jong, while Mandy and Hyung Jun were standing together and having a little chat.

“God.., Where is Jung Min?! I can’t believe this, he is just a few hours away and I miss him so much!…” Mandy said with a sigh.
“huh! Really? , good for that punk!!! I miss ‘Yoon Ah’ just as much,” Hyung Jun confessed disappointedly.
“Why didn’t you bring her along? I’m sure she would’ve had fun.”
“She had some school stuff to finish off that she couldn’t get away from. And we couldn’t go skiing another time because this is the last holiday we’re gonna have for a long time.

“Oh I see…, Well, since it is my birthday, I really wished to have everyone here, and about Jung Min maybe I should go and see if he's all right!”
“Aww, don’t worry. I bet he will be here soon,” Hyung Jun said comfortingly. “Thanks, Hyung Jun. by the way, I’m sure ‘Yoon Ah’ feels the same about you.” Mandy and Hyung Jun continued on with their conversation that they didn’t even notice I had returned. I walked into the room without drawing any attention to myself and i noticed that everyone was busy in their own little worlds.

“Good, I can have some time to think about what I’m going to say to Kim Hyun Joong,” I thought to myself as i headed to a window in a low profile manner, and just stared outside. I had other things on my mind other than my problem with Hyun Joong. I also kept looking at my wristwatch every five minutes hoping that the time would move faster.

“Hey. I didn’t even see you come in.” I was deep in my thoughts when Hyun Joong interrupted me. He came from behind and wrapped his arms around my waist while resting his chin on my bare shoulder.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I saw you talking to Young Saeng and Kyu Jong, and it looked like it was important, so I didn’t want to interrupt you. Besides, I thought I’d come and watch the snow. It looks gorgeous outside.”

“Really? We were just discussing which foot-I mean soccer team was the best. Nothing important at all.”
“Oh, I see. Well I’m here now…,” I replied as i looked at my watch again. Finally! It was time. I quickly whispered something in Hyun Joong’s ear and he agreed without hesitation. He then borrowed Hyung Jun from Mandy and got together with the other guys, he told them what I said to him and while Hyun Joong was talking to the guys I left the party !

“Hey Mandy! Come here for a minute,” Hyun Joong said to her as he asked her over to a chair.
“Okay, but um…what’s going on?” Just then the lights went out in the lounge. “Guys, what’s happening?” Mandy sounded worried. But before they could answer her, she heard a soft voice singing. The lounge too had a miniature stage just like the chalet, (but it was much smaller) and that’s where the sound was coming from. Just as the lights were coming back on she could see a figure-! Who was singing “Happy Birthday!” Mandy was so surprised she was about to cry! But just as the lights all the way, she gasped in shock!

“Oh my God!” There on the stage singing Happy Birthday to her was no one other than Park Jung Min! I had sneaked back into the party room after talking to Jung Min a few minutes before he came onto the stage.

Mandy didn’t see me because i crept in when it was dark. Mandy was so happy now she couldn’t believe her eyes. How could she? They were filled with tears that blurred her vision. By the end of the song Jung Min came up to Mandy “Happy Birthday!” he said as he pulled her into a warm embrace.

“Oh my Lord. Thank you,” she said with tears streaming down her face. Happy tears that is. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?? I thought you were sick!!!  When did you-” Mandy’s head was buzzing with questions. But she already knew the answers to some of them. She immediately turned around to find me standing there with tears streaming down my cheeks as well. Mandy just looked at me and shook her head in disbelief. She then pulled me into a hug, which caught me by surprise. “Come here you. You’re the best, y’know that? Thank you so much,” she thanked while still hugging me.
“Yeah, I know. And you’re completely welcome,” I said with a smile as i pulled away and wiped away my tears. Everyone was on the verge of breaking out.

“You were right. She was surprised,” Jung Min whispered in my ear. I knew my friend too well. So i made plans with Jung Min before the party. It was my secret and it wasn’t at all easy to keep. Boy, this sure was better than those roses that Mandy thought were for her. Once everyone and everything settled down again,  Everybody went to get a drink as in an alcoholic drink before they started to dance the night away. As for Me and Hyun Joong, I felt that it was the right time to have that talk with him. That talk that could change my life forever…

I was thinking of where i could get to be alone with Hyun Joong and how i was going to get him there. The music in the background was so loud that i couldn’t even concentrate. I looked around the room and saw that everyone were dancing now. I wanted to be somewhere quiet yet i wanted to be in view of Mandy in case Hyun Joong got angry and did something outrageous…! (Hey! You can’t blame me. I didn’t know what Hyun Joong was capable of! I’ve never seen him angry!) Finally, I thought of something.

“Um Hyun Joong, can we go outside for a bit? This music is um…er…giving me a headache,” I suggested as i put my hand on my forehead.
“Oh? Um, yeah I guess so.”
“Thanks, I could really use some air.” I wasn’t fibbing either. I was starting to feel nauseous at the thought of what i was going to say to him. We quickly made our way onto the veranda where i could still be seen by the people in the lounge. There wasn’t a flake of snow on the veranda because there was a roof above us, which had dim lights hanging down from it.

“I really liked what you did. You really know how to make others cry,” Hyun Joong commented as the two of us stood on the veranda looking out at the vast mountain chain that surrounded the area. I just nodded my head in agreement and avoided looking at him. I was too busy thinking and was too anxious to get it over with. Hyun Joong noticed how uneasy i looked and wondered what was wrong. “Are you okay? I mean are you sure you wanna stay out here? It’s quite cold. Look, you’re freezing!” He noticed that i was shivering uncontrollably.

Who wouldn’t be in a dress like that? “Here, take this,” he said as he took off his black jacket without hesitation and wrapped it around me to keep me warm.( this made my heart to break in to piece!)
“Uh yeah, thanks. I’m fine- I mean I’m sure- I mean yeah I’m sure I wanna stay out here and I’m fine,” I replied quickly without really thinking.
“Nadia? What’s wrong? You look…well confused.” (Damn! He didn’t buy my act.)
“Hyun Joong, I think we need to talk,” I said while finally looking him in the eyes. I moved away from him and sat on the bench that was on the veranda and then gestured him to sit next to me. He was completely lost and did what I motioned.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this…” I said in a whisper as looked towards the mountains.“Na!, what are you talking about?” I just stopped myself, took a few deep breaths and continued on.
“As you know, I have had such a wonderful weekend and I owe it all to you. But…” I  stopped again just as tears started to form in my eyes. I looked to the ground and tried making this easier. He was now worried because he didn’t know what to expect.

“But what, Na?” What are you trying to tell me?” he questioned while lowering his head and following my eyes.
“But…but tomorrow…it’ll all be……over,” I murmured in tears. I could barely see him with my eyes because of the stinging tears. “Tonight is all that we have left. After tonight, I’ll return to being that miserable Na who moped around and made her own life a living hell, while you’ll return to your glitz and glamour lifestyle and move on somewhere far away from me.”

“What are you saying,?” Hyun Joong asked trying to deny what might be next.
“I guess I’m saying that it’s……over. You don’t know how much this hurts. But I guess it’s the right thing because why would you want a low life girlfriend like me when over half the world is falling at your feet. You could have any girl you want, whether it be IU, Suzy or Seo Hyun or Park Min Young or-"
“You,” he smiled and stopped my babbling for the second time that weekend. “You, are the only one I want, didn’t you understand that by now?” He whispered as he faced me. He wiped away my tears with his thumb and continued on. “That’s why I have to ask you something very important…” He hesitated to proceed.

“What Hyun Joong? What is it?” I questioned while persisting to cry. He looked at my face and thought if he wanted to finish off what he was saying. He took a few seconds to gather himself and then began again.
“Well I was thinking about this all day especially when we had that snowball fight-just us two. I didn’t want to bring it up though because you were so happy.” He stopped again and sighed. “This has been disturbing me all day, but now I’m just going to say it. I don’t want to rush you into anything but…” He paused again.

“But what?” I was starting to get annoyed with the pauses.
“But, um…would you…would you be willing to…to come along with me tomorrow? That’s how we could always be together. I mean we will leave for Singapore and you could join the others and me and tour with us. You could have your own bunk in the tour bu-” “Hyun Joong, I can’t do that!” I cut him off.  I then got up from the bench and stood by the steps on the veranda, with my back to him. “Ah…You know! Till now i was living in my majestic dreams, but it’s time for me to wake up!!!” I said while tears fell down my cheeks again, That talk with Mandy was showing now. He got up and came behind me but left some space in between us.

“Ah.. God, it’s really hurts?! I mean How can i do such a thing, I have to think about my future. I can’t just leave. I’m still a student, what will happen to my study?? and besides What would I tell my friends- my parents?” I said as I turned around to face him.

“I’m sorry Na. I didn’t mean to put you through that. I just thought-” “yeah, I know, But it’s just impossible!, For both of us! What would people say about you? the whole world will understand !! I can’t let myself to do that to you!” I was really upset now and my tone showed it. I didn’t know what we were anymore. If we were broken up like i said a few minutes ago or if we were going to work things out. I was more confused than ever. Hyun Joong was thinking about what i said to him and came to realize that I was right. and he didn’t even think before he suggested that. Just then, there was silence while the both of us calmed down.

“So…what do we do now?” he questioned quietly while looking at the ground. He was completely confused I could tell. I also was fazed deeply and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t think there was a way we could keep in touch and be as close as we were right now. I had seen (or heard about) many celebrities who tried to have a long distance relationship but then ended up getting hurt.

“I don’t know,” I mumbled looking out at the mountains. “How ‘bout we just deal with it tomorrow? It’ll give us time to think and get our heads straight. In the mean time, how about we make tonight special?” I suggested trying to get rid of the depressive atmosphere we had created. Hyun Joong looked up with a smile as if he had an ingenious idea.
“Yeah. Let’s make tonight special,” He said with a grin as he moved in closer to me.
“I don’t want to go in right now. I kinda like it out here. Can we stay a bit longer? I asked without minding the fact that Hyun Joong was so close to me.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” He said cheekily as he hugged me from behind.

“ what are you doing?” I questioned as I raised an eyebrow with smile. “Well you said you wanted to make tonight special, so here it is,” he responded as he pulled me in close to him, He then gazed into my eyes, slowly leaned forward, eyes closed and delicate hands on my face. I closed my eyes and this time I hoped that it wasn’t only a sweet dream. Then in my hopes; I felt the touch of his soft, warm lips against mine. It was a slow and sweet, delicate kiss…I hesitantly opened my eyes as I felt hyun joong’s touch pull away. I found myself drowning in his deep sparkling brown eyes. Before I could say anything, he started to sing gently in my ear as we swayed back and forth on the veranda, leaving the rest of the world behind….


It was music only the two of us could hear as we danced slowly in our own world, cherishing each moment under the star lit sky, before departing from one another the next day…