October the Eighth, 2006. Another day in approaching their anniversary.

Five days since Joohyun seeing her Oppa.

But it is the first day she was not shedding a tear.

The first day Kyuhyun afraid that he was actually making a big mistake.

*****

“Changmin-sshi”.

“We spent five days together and you still don’t want to call me Oppa? Aish...”

Already familiar with Changmin’s antics, Joohyun was only smiling upon hearing his whining over the honorific that she refused to use on him.

“I want to know more about Jessica Jung and why Oppa seemed to have a high respect on her.”

Changmin shook his head while cursing himself of his stupid big mouth that accidentally blurted about the girl that Kyuhyun went for dates in his junior year.

“Don’t worry about her. No one is higher on Kyu’s eyes than you.” She blushed. Stupid Kyu! Don’t you see how she worships the ground you walk? Why on earth you think she could have eyes for other?  He smiled back. “I am serious.”

She shifted her gaze to look for the swans on the pond in the park near her apartment. “I sometimes wonder, if the swans that grow up in this pond would have different color than the one on the river.” She sighed. “More dark perhaps?”

He followed her gaze and wonder if she started to talk in cryptic messages. He might share Kyu’s wittiness, but surely he was not mastering  the art of talking behind the lines like that boy.

Suddenly she turned her face to him. “Maybe that was the reason why he avoiding me these days? Maybe I am too dense and too clingy. Not like the other girls he met at school.”

Changmin’s heart shattered in pieces. Suddenly he wanted to smack Kyuhyun’s head as hard as he could for hurting this girl. This perfect but fragile girl. Didn’t he know how high she put him in pedestal?

“Don’t think like that! You are more worth than any girl at our old school. He just being stupid, so very stupid.” He held his breath before letting out a frustration sighed. “I sometimes don’t understand why you are that devoted to that devil boy.”

She stood up and held her hand closed to her chest. “He always found me.” She whispered softly. “He found me when I was three, running from my Unnie to follow the birds to the river. He took me to his home and gave me his favorite teddy so I won’t cry when his parents try to find out where my parents are.”

He caught her smiling. “He found me when I run from home when I was eight, when I was mad with my parents for keeping me out from Yuri-Unnie’s illness.  He hold me when I cried and let me used him as a punch bag.” Her smi