I don’t know what to say or even how to feel. I sat numbly on my chair near the dinning table while my stomach is trying to express its anger for skipping meals. I grabbed a cup of instant noodle inside my kitchen’s cabinet to sluggishly prepare for my poor feast.

Should I be thankful that I was not able to get the message directly? Will I be fine tomorrow with him? What should I expect to happen? I am in no condition to confidently tell myself that I am alright with this surprise date.

I ate my prepared ramen. I don’t have any plans to overthink again because it will just cause me more paranoia. I might not be able to survive until dawn. It was a good thing that I took exhaustion as a pill before I went to bed, I can go to sleep easily.

Someone’s knocking – someone’s trying to wake me up. I can hear the abrupt calls somewhere near. The voices are familiar but how come that the noise is coming from my window?

“Hey don’t knock too much! You’ll break the glass!!!” A man with a deep husky voice tried to halt the act.

“But Hyung, she needs to get up! We need to bring her there as soon as possible.”, begged the second person urgently.

I checked my phone and it’s just 5:30 in the morning. WHAT THE HELL.

“Who’s there?” my voice sounded more like a croak of a frog. My throat was so dry.

“Just open the door and see for yourself. Hurry up! Dongwan Hyung messed up again. Your schedule should be 6 in the morning.” Judging from his demanding voice, it was Junjin calling outside.

I rushed to the door and opened it for them; whoever is with him might probably be in a hurry too. This is NOT surprising at all. Oppayam didn’t mention anything about the time orientation he only said at 6.

Eric Oppa  and Junjin were standing tall and dazzling side by side when I finally confirmed their presence. I cannot believe seeing such alluring elegance early in the morning. Their well suited figures welcomed me with open arms which gave me the queue for a pending hug. They might be a lot manlier now but their warmth stayed like it was just yesterday when we last saw each other.

Eric Oppa, Minwoo Oppa and Hyesung Oppa are Oppayam’s classmates who were ahead of me and their squad’s two maknaes were in the same class with me. I got to know the rest because of my irrevocable connection with Dongwan Oppa. Yes, these two guys were the pranksters. He sent me the trolling culprits to me today. I am not complaining.

“You don’t need to change; the venue is just across the lake. We will make sure our VVIP gets there without any hassle.” Eric Oppa released me from the hug with a smirk on his face. I can see his bare forehead shining below his brushed up hair. He is still that statue of David, unchanging – still equipped with that unexplainable charisma.

“Can I just wash my face or brush my teeth?” I hope they give me this privilege even if they are all used to my bare face, I can’t skip my usual morning rituals as a lady.

 “Hurry hurry hurry!!!” Junjin nagged me. I winked at him before I went in. His puppy hair suited him the most with that body of a model standing with poise at our front porch. Seeing him flipping his wrist from time to time to check his watch makes me want to think that he is shooting a commercial for a specific brand.

I made sure to finish on point. I let my hair down naturally since putting a ponytail will invite the cold wind to make me uncomfortable.

“This is an overdue mission. It was supposed to happen years ago, if you were brave enough to stay it wouldn’t have dragged until today.” Junjin whispered when we started to walk.

“Shut up Jinnie. Don’t spoil her!” Eric Oppa hissed.

It didn’t matter to him. He just laughed and sent a sneaky eye-contact to his hyung and they started giggling like excited brats. The calm before the storm is not calm at all with these two messing up with my weakness. I loathed surprises.

We took a reroute to be able to reach the other end of the lake. This path didn’t exist before. I am wondering when it appeared. The trail was covered with nicely trimmed Bermuda grass and little cosmos flowers were visible on its side taking their part as ornaments towards the place. My heart is skipping its beat from time to time.

From a far, I can see glittering fairy lights alternately suspended from the trees near the venue. Minwoo Oppa was there standing with Hyesung Oppa wearing suits just like the pair of envoys who are with me. Their smiling eyes sent me a lot of emotions that my body cannot contain.

They did not age a bit. The cute gentleman Minwoo Oppa, greeted me with that unfading cool charisma and pasted the happiest smile on his face while clapping upon my arrival.

“Where have you been all this time? We miss you!” He said while pinching my cheek gently, just like years ago except now, his hair changed to tousled bronze style.

“We will make sure that you can’t run away this time.” Hyesung Oppa said with a beam. His cat eyes were a good compliment with his unearthly charm, he still have that lemon colored hair. It fits him until now.

Andy came running towards us from the closed curtains; he was carrying something on his hands. He was smiling and he had that twitterpated kind of giggle.

“Dongwan Hyung asked me to let you wear this since you came wearing your pyjama. I made this for you by the way. HAHAHA!” He said while putting a crown of flowers on my head.

I am too overwhelmed.  What is waiting for me behind those orange curtains? They kept on saying things that make me want to think that this is something that should have happened before I left. I am scared but I am more determined to know what’s left in store.

“We will be staying outside. Please don’t give him a hard time.” Andy said as a farewell as I opened the curtains by myself.

“Du du du, du du du, du du du, du du du..”

I heard Oppayam’s fatally clear and endearing voice painting rhythmic colors on the intro a his song. I walked towards a mini stage where he is standing with a guitar on his hands while wearing our old high school uniform. He smiled at me like what he did the last time before I drew myself away from him.

His fluffy hair, his smiling cheekbones, and his pearly white teeth – the warmth in his gaze didn’t change a bit. I can’t believe that he is serenading me from where I am standing. The words sounded so familiar to me which made it feel more nostalgic.

I slowly walked closer to him and he stepped down to meet me half-way. The song ended with that lingering feeling trapped inside my chest. I wanted to confess. I wanted to do it so bad.

“Can I tell you something before you leave me again?” Oppayam asked; his sincere eyes locked on mine with an earnestness of a gentleman asking for another chance.

“Go ahead. What is it?” I conceded.

to be continued..