However, not every fairy tale had a happy ending.

It was a week after Serendipity was set up and it was a rare night that everyone was free so they decided to all get together and celebrate. It was also the first time Taehyun met Hyeri whom Jihoon happen to play white knight to last week. Now she will be working together with the two guys in Serendipity. Even though it was only their first time meeting, but they seemed to click very well and it seemed as if they were friends forever.

“Congrats to Mino! Congrats Jihoon!”

Chorus of congratulations rang out as everyone raise their glass to toast to the happy occasion.

Mino was just happy to spend a relaxing night off with his handsome boyfriend whom he had been missing so much and his best friends. Feeling Taehyun in his arms while sitting in a room full of people he loved, was definitely heaven on earth. He had been so busy that they had not seen each other for almost a month.

Taehyun gave a soft sigh of contentment as he felt Mino’s arms around him while the laughter filled the room. He had been busy with university work and discovering the fun life of being a university student but he missed his boyfriend who had been busy lately. The stolen kisses, the phone calls and the messages cannot fill the longing of the two lovers.

“I miss you so much.” Mino whispered into his ears and buried his face at the crook of Taehyun’s neck.

Taehyun sank deeper into his embrace, so contented to just be in his arms and nothing more.

Suddenly, there was a shriek coming from the outside balcony. Everyone inside, got up from their various places and sprinted towards the balcony.

It was a different scene than what was going through everyone’s mind. The sarcastic and mighty Yonghwa down on one knee and holding a small box that has a tint of glitter shining from it. Whereas the tall and somewhat serene Seohyun was standing there with her right palm covering and some fresh track of tears trickling down her cheeks.

She smiled and nodded.

Yonghwa gave a wide grin and slipped that diamond ring into her fourth finger. Then he took her into his arms.

“I see we have another reason to celebrate tonight!” Jiho cut short the happy moment.

Yonghwa pumped his fist in the air while Seohyun shyly hid her blushing face using his chest. There was a moment of silence then squeals and congratulations erupted. The girls were hugging each other whereas the boys were high fiving each other.

Taehyun was so happy for her sister. Although to be honest, it did seemed to be very fast seeing how they have been together for less than a year. But her sister had been playing doll and home cooking as far as he could remember. Seohyun was one quiet feisty girl but she did not have much ambition or curiosity and her only lifelong ambition was to settle down with the love of her life. So here they were today, making it come true.

“You are not pregnant, are you noona?” Taehyun gave her sister a disapproving look.

Seohyun whacked his head.

“Yah! You think I will be that careless, Tae?”

“Just making sure!” Taehyun commented as he rubbed his head.

“Congrats!” Seohyun felt a pair of arms hugging her from behind.

“Yah! Song Minho! Get your hands off my future wife!”

Mino laughed and smartly hid behind Taehyun while Yonghwa playfully try to chase him around the house.

It was pretty close to the truth to say that love was in the air that night.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mino parked his car near Taehyun’s house and they decided to go for a walk at the park nearby his house. Taehyun’s hands warming up in his hands and their bodies were sticking close to each other.

“Who would have thought the mighty Yonghwa would go down on one knee?” Mino laughed.

Taehyun laughed as well, remembering all the stories that Mino and the guys shared with him regarding their younger days. Yonghwa had always been the no-nonsense type of guy and although he was not lacking in the looks department but his narcissistic attitude did put some of the girls off. Not Seohyun though, who more or less told him off the first time they met. Mino said Yonghwa told him that he had fallen in love with her right at that moment.

“Move in with me."

Mino did know why he suddenly blurted that out. Perhaps it was seeing Yonghwa and Seohyun or perhaps it was him missing Taehyun that much. But it felt right to him then.

Taehyun stopped whatever he was doing and you could say that it would be a normal reaction for him to turn around and say yes but he was rooted there. If his friends were to ask Taehyun during a casual conversation, and his answer would be “Yes of course, I would love to move in with him.” But when the moment arrived, Taehyun could not being himself to utter the words out.

Instead, he nodded.

Mino was so happy that he got up and gave Taehyun a big hug.

“I will look for a place later today. A small place just for you and me.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“What?”

“I got the job!” Taehyun put his arms around him.

“Huh? Job?”

“Yes! I got the job! Out of 1000 candidates I got it!”

“Wow! That is great!” Mino hug his boyfriend tighter, getting into the excitement. “But what job?”

“Oh! I have not told you yet!” Taehyun was practically screaming.

Seohyun came running out of the kitchen followed by Yonghwa and Jungshin.

“Yah! What is with the commotion, Tae?!”

“Noona!” Taehyun ran and gave Seohyun a hug, “I got it! I got it!”

“What, what?” Seohyun getting annoyed with her brother jumping around like a crazy man.

“Remember I told you there is this audition for a modeling job in Paris? They are looking for four girls and one guy. You are looking at the one guy!”

“OH MY GOD!”

“Yes!”

The guys were looking at the siblings like they suddenly have grown two heads. Mino especially was surprised at the reason for Taehyun had never mentioned it to him. At all…

~~~~~~~~~~

It was after dinner and everyone was just lounging around. Jungshin and Yonghwa were fighting with each other on the Xbox whereas Seohyun was just idling about.

Mino took this opportunity to have a quiet chat with Taehyun at the balcony.

“So...this job you got, it must have slipped my mind.”

“Not really, because I did not mentioned it.”

“Oh?”

Taehyun put his arms around his neck and draw him closer.

“Seungyoon told me that there is this modeling agency who is giving an opportunity to newcomers. Whoever they choose will get to spend 1 year in Paris and will be given training. I did not think I would get it though.”

Silence.

“Aren’t you happy for me?” Taehyun put his head on his shoulder.

Mino sighed.

“Of course I am ... happy for you. But this way too sudden.”

“What do you mean?”

“Of course, of course but...”

“But what?”

Silence.

“It’s a golden opportunity. I do not know where it will head but it is a chance. Are you not happy for me?

“Of course I am.”

“That is it? It is a good opportunity for me to do something I am interested in and all you can say is of course?”

“Now wait a minute...”

“What?”

“You suddenly spring something like this on me and expect me to be all accepting of it?”

“What do you mean suddenly spring it on you? You know I like modeling, so there is nothing wrong with going for an audition that is connected to it.”

“Yes. But you could tell me.”

“Perhaps so but would it make any difference if I tell you in advance? Would you feel any different about me getting the spot?”

“I...don’t know.”

“What do you mean by you don’t know?”

“I do not really believe in long distance relationships. My mother worked in America for 3 months, and my father was all ready to move over. But when he went over, she told him it was all over. It left him heartbroken.”

“Are you saying that if I do, there will not be an us anymore?”

“N....” Mino sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Are you saying if I go, we will have to break up?” Taehyun said softly almost could not believe that they were heading for the end so soon.

Silence reigned and Taehyun felt as though Mino had already given his answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mino believed it was a great opportunity for Taehyun but he could not erase the uneasiness that he was feeling every time he thought about it. Perhaps it was the scar he got from his parents’ relationship or perhaps he did not have enough faith in them. He knew he was scared of losing him but he had a feeling that he will be soon. In fact, it might just happen pretty soon.

Taehyun thinks that he was not being fair to him since it was his dream. Mino was too much of a gentleman to actually tell him to stay back and not to go. Long distance relationships were not hard. All it took was effort and the commitment on both parties to make it work. He was willing to put in the effort to try to make it work. Taehyun loves him so much but at the same time he could not stay due to his insecurities.

So the topic was left open ended while they got on with their daily lives.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Noona, do you think I should give up the offer?”

Seohyun turned sharply and looked at her only brother whom she loves so dearly.

“What do you mean, Tae?”

“I don’t know. It would seem that everyone was inclined for me to reject the offer and stay back. It is only for a year and then I will be back.”

“Taehyun-ah, it is not easy to find someone who is able to understand you as much as you understand yourself. Are you willing to let him go? There is a chance he may not be there when you get back. Are you willing to take that risk?”

“But it is my dream. I love him very much but if I stay, sure we will still be together and have a great life. However, there will always be a sense of regret that I did not take up this opportunity. I might end up resenting him for it.”

“Tae, you know that I am not ambitious like you. My dream is just to marry a guy who loves me as much as Yonghwa does. So I am probably not the best person to talk to about this.”

Seohyun patted her brother gently on the shoulder feeling sorry she could not provide the right kind of advice Taehyun needed to hear.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Hyung, do you think I should ask him to stay?”

Yonghwa sighed.

“It is hard to say. If you ask him to stay then you might be putting him on the spot. He might resent you in the future. “

Mino sighed. Jihoon put his arms around his best friend and gave him a pat on the back.

“Yah sure, absence makes the heart grow fonder but honestly, out of sight, out of mind. People tend to slip away if there is distance.”

Mino commented pessimistically as he took a swig of his beer.

The guys sighed again, knowing the main reason Mino felt that way was all because of his parents.

“Ask yourself truly, what do you want for him?” Jihoon sip his beer.

“I want him to be happy.”

“Even if it means you will be letting him fly?” Jiho asked.

Mino hesitated for a minute pondering the question and felt the tight and dull feeling around his chest.

“Yes...”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi…”

It had been almost a week since they last saw each other. There was heavy air of awkwardenss that hung around them as both stirred their glasses and reluctant to take the step forward.

“Mino...” Taehyun broke the silence.

“Yes?”

“I am leaving for Paris next week.”

“I know.”

“I am sorry.”

Silence.

Mino came all the way prepared to let him fly but when it really happened, it hurt so badly. He just wished this was all a bad dream and when he woke up Taehyun was still his and not leaving for Paris.

“I love you, Mino. But I need to do this for me. This is a golden opportunity for me. I am still young and I want to experience many more things.”

Mino nodded. This was so much harder than he thought initially.

“So I guess this is good bye then?”

Mino nodded again. He did not trust himself to speak for he as sure no words would come out from his mouth.

“Anyway, I have to go, Mino. You will come and see me off right?”

Taehyun gave Mino a kiss on his cheek.

What Taehyun did not see was the boys comforting a crying Mino and what Mino did not see was a sobbing Taehyun in the arms of his sister.

Ironically, it was raining that day…

End of flashback.

~~~~~~~~~~

They say time will heal everything. In some ways, it does actually.

Over the course of the years, no matter what happened, Mino was always there for Taehyun. Taehyun started dating casually but when a heartbreak happens, Mino was the one who was there to mend it. When he got to grace the cover of Vogue France, he was the first one to know. As soon as he touched down, Mino will the one who will pick Taehyun up.

No doubt it hurts for Mino to openly love him when he could not tell him what he really felt. Mino got jealous even if he had no right to feel that way and he wanted Taehyun's time, attention and focus even if he was not in the position to demand for it. Although his heart was breaking in silence, he still continue to love him because somehow in this hurtful love there was still hope of having simple moments with Taehyun even if it meant being nothing more but just as a friend.

The thing was, Taehyun was pretty much oblivious to how much he needed Mino and how much he loved him. Their wires were so connected and deeply tangled together that there was no way of ever cutting them loose. That was until recently that Taehyun was enlightened by that little discovery that had him coming home.

Was it too late already?

~~~~~~~~~~

hihi... chapter 6... hope you enjoy this! let me know your thoughts! no silent readers please!