You brought up the courage you did not have and dialed Minho’s number on your phone. The phone rang seven times but no one answered the call. You felt uneasy. Was he ignoring you? Maybe he didn’t want to talk to you. You decided to try it again later. You went to Jjong’s apartment.

“Are you leaving now?”

“I’ve to go to the company in five.”

“I’ll tell you later then.”

“Selene.”

“Uh?”

“Just tell me now. Remember? Don’t hide things from me.”

You smiled. “You’re right. But I don’t want to ruin the mood. It’s about Maia…”

“I know it,” he simply said.

“You know it?”

“I know she will leave soon.”

“You like her, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Does it care anymore?”

“Jjong! You’re not like that. Why don’t you try to convince her to stay? She told me she likes Seoul.”

“It’s not that easy. She’s not from here. I can’t ask her to stay.”

“I’m sorry.”

He approached you and then pinched your cheeks with his fingers. “I don’t want to see you sad because of me. Seeing you sad because of Minho is enough.”

You gave him a sad smile.

“Did you talk to him?”

You shook your head. “He didn’t answer my call. I’ll call him later.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask me why I didn’t tell you about Maia before.”

You giggled. “Maybe I’ve always wanted you to meet Maia.”

He smiled and pinched your cheeks again. “You’re so cunning.”

“Ah, that’s hurt!”

“Oh, geez. I’m late. Don’t be sad and try calling Minho again later. He probably is busy with his soccer and piano lessons. I don’t like him but I have to say I admire his determination in learning new things.”

“Fighting! See you later.”

He left, leaving the room silent but his voice echoed in your head. He probably is busy with his soccer and piano lessons. Piano lessons? He’s taking piano lessons? Since when he is interested in music? Onew has a student called Minho and he is also taking piano lessons. You thought. They were too many coincidences. Oh, . Could it be that Onew’s student was actually Minho, Choi Minho?

***

You went to the grocery store to buy everything you needed for the surprise event tonight at Thomas’s café. You talked to Thomas and he was more than happy to help you. He really liked Onew and considered him as a good friend.

You were so focused on finding the things you needed in the list you wrote, you forgot about Minho and the piano lessons. You even got surprised to see a call from Minho on your phone.

“I had a missed call from you. Sorry, I was playing soccer and couldn’t attend the call before.”

“I’m sorry,” you said without hesitating.

“Selene.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I understand if you’re mad and don’t want to talk to me.”

“Selene, I’m not mad at you. I’m a little hurt but we’re still friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course we are friends.”

“Then that’s enough. I was selfish and didn’t think about your feelings. I kept asking you to date me but I never asked you how you felt. It was my fault, again.”

“I’m happy we’re friends. Your friendship is really important to me.”

“Come to see next time at the field. My friends said they want to see you again, especially after your loud cheers.”

You blushed. “I will.”

“Yay!” you cried of joy, making few people turn their head to see you.

You were such a fool for thinking that Minho was mad at you. You could have avoided all these suffering if you had called him before. Once again, communication was the key to resolve misunderstandings. You finished the shopping list and then when straight to Thomas’s café. Thomas closed the café earlier so we could use the place just for us. There were few friends of Onew that you haven’t seen before. They were also Thomas’s friends. As expected, they all looked older than you. They were probably the same age as Onew but somehow he looked younger. Jjong arrived few minutes later.

“Jjong!” You waved. “Thanks for coming. Onew will come soon, so you can say hi and then go back to work. Ah! You’ve to sing a song too. I wish you didn’t work so much.” You sighed.

He ruffled your hair. At this point, you were already used to that. The more you whined, the more he enjoyed it. He was such a tease.

“At least I don’t work on Sunday.”

“That’s right. You can’t miss tomorrow lunch at Onew’s house.”

“I won’t.” He smiled.

“Selene, Onew sent me a text. He’s almost here,” Thomas told you.

“Oh, should we hide in the kitchen then?”

Jjong, Onew’s friends and you went to the kitchen and waited inside, alert to hear Onew’s voice. That was the signal.

You prepared a cake and decorated it yourself. It didn’t come out pretty though.

“Isn’t that Onew’s voice?” One of Onew’s friends said seven minutes later.

“That’s him!” Jjong said. “Should I help you to carry the cake?”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll do it.”

They all came out and you heard a loud surprise! Then you came out with the cake. They all began to sing a greeting song. Onew was surprised (and moved) and stayed still looking at you. He soon grew a big smile on his face. You chuckled.

“We wanted to do a surprise event to congratulate you for the song you wrote and composed. It was Selene’s idea,” Jjong explained.

“Oh. I do-don’t know what to say. I’m touched.”

“Are you going to cry?” One of his friends joked.

Onew slightly hit his arm and laughed together.

“You should blow the candles. Congratulations. I knew your song would be a hit.”

“It was all thanks to you, Selene.” He winked.

You blushed and almost forgot you were holding a big cake on your hands. He just winked and you blushed. What was wrong with you?

Jjong called out your attention. He had something to say.

“I’ll be short since I’ve to go back to work. Firstly, I want to congratulate Onew for the success of his song. Our company was pleased to work with you. We know you don’t want to work in the big industry but we will always have our door opens for you if you want to work with us.”

>>I think I will get scold after saying this. I also want to thank Onew for making Selene smile. She’s my best friend and I hate to see her sad. Since she met you, I’ve seen her livelier and enjoying every little thing. Now, I’ll sing a song that Selene requested.

You looked at Onew and gave him a shy smile. Everyone was looking at you and Onew, probably wondering what your relation with him was. But Onew didn’t seem to care about them. He only had eyes for you.

Jjong received warm applauses after he finished singing the song. Onew’s friends and Thomas were busy complimenting his singing skill. He thanked them, a little overwhelmed at their response. Then he approached you. You hit his arm playfully.

“Thank you for those words.” He didn’t expect you saying that.

“You’re not mad?”

“You made me blush. You know how much I hate to blush in front of people. But I guess you were right. I didn’t want to worry you but now everything has been settled with Minho. I promise. And from now on I’ll try to always smile.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Half an hour later, you announced that you had to go back home. It was late and you didn’t like to walk to home alone at night.

“I’ll take you home,” Onew said.

“You stay here and enjoy the party I made for you and your friends.”

“I see them every day. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“We don’t. I’m sick of seeing his face.”

You laughed. “Then w’ll leave first. It was nice to meet you.” You said goodbye.

Outside wasn’t too cold or too hot. It was the perfect weather to take a walk, especially when you had good companion. The dark sky was covered with small but bright stars. It was so beautiful to watch.

“I like to think that one of those stars is Soojung and that she’s watching out for me. That way I feel less guilty. She’s still as bright as when she was alive.”

You silently walked by his side. He didn’t say anything else and you didn’t have something to tell. You enjoyed the sounds of your surroundings. Although it was night, the streets were so lively and crowded. There were many folks all well-dressed (some of them not), couples and even elders. You didn’t know what they were talking but by their expression you could say that some of them were happy and excited and some of them were tired or angry at someone or something.

Your hand kept hitting Onew’s as you were walking so close due to the large crowd of people and the little space you had. At first you ignored it but then your hand hit his every two seconds.

“I’m sorry.” You laughed. “It’s like those dramas where the female and male characters hit their hands constantly as they walk. It's so unrealistic! That doesn’t happen in real life unless you’re walking in a crowd.”

“Nope. In real life, they will just hold hands. Like this.”

He held your hand and kept it like this as you walked to your house. It felt weird, but a good weird. Your first instinct was to release his hands but you felt how he grabbed your hand tighter as if he was telling you that he won’t let you go. You walked like this until you arrived at your apartment.