Chapter 22;

Anyone miss black-hair Taemin? =3

Never had he found himself so desperate, desperate for hope, for a miracle in the depth of the night, as he paced back and forth in his room, accompanied by a lone candlelight that flickered along with his pit-less anxiety.

If it wasn’t for the guards outside, he would have dashed out, be damned about his status.

She’s in peril dangers now!

Please please please….the numerous pleas barraging, knocking on God’s door in his mind.

Please let her be safe. Please let her be safe. Please let her-

A pair of shuffling footsteps was heard in the silence of the night, then a hurried whisper to the guards outside.

He froze in his pace as he recognized that voice.

The pane of paper door slid open, welcoming a gust of breeze into the room that easily extinguished that lone candlelight.

The room plunges into darkness as he found himself staring at his servant immediately collapsed into a deep bow and pressed his head hard against the floor.

Deep in his heart, he could already sense the ominous message. But he didn’t want to confirm it.

Until it came to him like a tangible form, he was not going to confirm his fears.

Be brave, he told himself.

With that, he took a deep breath and forced the question out of his lips.

“D-did…” he struggled forming the words for his overwhelming desperation. “Did…was she safe?”

A sob immediately escaped the servant’s lips, followed by a shaky regretful voice. “Your Highness…!”

The servant need not say more.

He understood everything. The terrible fears he had hoped would never arrive, finally came to him.

She was dead….

She was dead!

And he couldn’t save her!

He stumbled in his stance, as the news attacked his heart, his feelings…his entire entity.

His eyes glanced up to the sky and saw the full silver moon hanging up on that clear raven sky.

“Yeon-Woo…Yeon-Woo ah!”

*********

His eyes snapped open; eagerly welcoming reality that will bid him goodbye from this tortuous nightmare…no…he caught himself, it’s a tortuous remainder of a long ago past.

Hwon sat up straight and realized a thin sheet of cold sweat had covered his entire body. He took a deep breath, trying to recover but he found himself continuing shaking in fear.

He chuckled bitterly at his pathetic self.

Six hundred years later and now, he still hasn’t changed much. Still that same guy who cowered in fear, unable to do anything for her…

Her.

His eyes flickered over to the clock at his bedside, the hour hand (five in the morning) reminding him it was still a time where many are in deep slumber.

But he couldn’t care less.

He had an aching desire to see her, to see that she’s well and safe again. And not...not…

Hwon pushed the thought out of his head and flipped off his duvet.

**********

I changed my attire and plopped down next to Unnie.

“Unnie, your actions have seriously almost given me a heart attack.” My hands scoured through the bag that she had brought over as I stared at her smiling, obviously unrepentant face. “Was Father or Mother angry that I left the party early?”

“Relax!” Unnie replied in her changed attire – a casual jacket pullover and denim jeans. She ignored my frowning expression and simply giggled before crawling out of the tent.

I sighed and pressed a hand towards my forehead. I wasn’t lying when I told Taemin I had a bad headache. I took out the items in my bag that, I supposed, my sister had simply dumped them in. A familiar black object greeted my sight and I found myself staring at my long-forgotten sketchbook.

How did it get here?

I flipped through the pages, the faceless portrait of my mysterious savior brought out a small smile. As I traced the pencil-drawn lips, my smile turned wider.

How could I not have recognized him when he has been by my side all along?

The pain throbbed in my head again and I was forced to set my book down and pressed my hand against my forehead once more.

Aish…I sighed and started rummaging deeper into the bag, trying to find something when a hand slipped through the tent flaps, holding onto a box of panadol.

The breeze blew in, lightly turning the flaps away, revealing the mysterious visitor for a brief second.

I smiled.

“Hey….” I stepped out of the tent and took the panadol from him. “Thanks. I really needed this…”

I trailed off as I saw his casual appearance. Then I realized he was quietly examining me too.

“What?” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed by his stare.

“Ahh..?” Taemin rubbed the back of his neck. “I was just taken by surprise at your changed appearance.”

I silently started to panic. “Why? Is there something wrong with my face? You think I look weird without makeup?”

He shook his head. “No…it’s just…” He smiled.

“What?” I probed.

“I prefer this…your natural look.”

“So you think that I look weird previously?”

“No no!” He hastily defended himself. “I just thought you’re someone so far away because you’re so beautiful. But now…you’re just you.” His smile turned into a grin.

“Speak for yourself.” I muttered.

“What?” He raised an eyebrow.

I eyed his outfit, a casual black jacket slipped over a simple black tee, with a brown pendant dangling from his long necklace. His fringe slightly covered his curved up eyes, then growing longer at the sides, outlining his slender neck with the tips of his black hair lightly brushing against his shoulders.

He was no longer looking like a shining, untouchable idol performing on a high stage in front of thousands of people.

Instead, standing before me right now, within my grasp, is an ordinary looking teenage boy called Lee Taemin, someone who is just…him.

“Nothing.” I finally replied. “I just prefer this too…your natural look.”

He said nothing, merely smiling in return and took hold of my hand in his.

We started walking towards the bonfire pit where Kibum’s birthday celebration was held.

**********

"Selichuka Hamida, Selichuka Hamida~"

“Hear hear!” Kibum happily cheered as we crowded around him. I clapped my hands together and sang meekly, being highly conscious of his numerous idols friends and all. For the first time, I wished I had spent more attention to the k-pop world. Unnie has pointed out a few, like Nicole and Mir…but there was many other more to remember.

My eyes instinctively searched for Taemin who caught my glance and gave a reassuring smile. I relaxed and smile back.

Jonghyun hopped over and slid an arm over my shoulders. “Seo-Yun ah…stare at our maknae anymore and I will get jealous!”

“Hyung, you got Sekyung already!” Minho joined in and slapped his arm away. “Ignore him, he’s just overly lonely because Sekyung has been too busy to bother with him.”

Jonghyun pouted and threw a puppy look. “Yah! You should stop touching my raw wound, right Seo-Yun?”

I laughed and nodded my head.

He grinned. “Come, let’s get you to Taemin to write well-wishes on the lantern!”

Before I can react, both of them pulled me along. As we walked past the curious Taemin, Minho grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along as well. We soon reached a secluded spot where many paper lanterns stood. Both men released us at the same time and without a word, they quickly turned their backs on us and hurried away, high-fiving each other in the process as they did.

I stared at the items they had slipped into my hands, a lighter and a few markers. I passed one marker to Taemin and stared at the big paper lantern amusingly. “What are we supposed to do with this?”

“Write your wishes!” He checked my confused expression and chuckled. “This is a well-wishes lantern.”

The sound of the marker writing could be heard from the other side as Taemin swiftly wrote down what he desires. “Oh.” I frowned at the blank paper area, wondering what sort of wishes I should write.

 What should I wish?

I peered over to the other side and watched Taemin intently.

Then I started writing mine down.

“What did you write?” He asked.

I blushed. “Not telling. What about you?”

His head popped out from the other side and he stuck out a tongue to me. “Not telling too.”

We laughed. “Pass me the lighter.” He reached out his hand.

I passed it to him and watched him crouched down to lit up the lantern. Instantly, the lantern glow a soft orange light and ballooned up.

“Watch this!” Taemin hopped away, stood beside me and held my hand.

The paper lantern started slowly, but surely floating up. I watched in amazement as it gently floats up to the night sky, joining the starry sky like a unique orange star itself. Mid way up, a breeze blew; causing the paper lantern to rotate slowly and I caught sight of Taemin’s numerous wishes.

Hope SHINee can make a successful comeback…

Hope SHINee can be together forever…

Hope Kibum hyung will get married sooner…

Hope that I can be with her forever…

I stared at Taemin who refused to look at me. “Aish the wind…” he mumbled under his breath. I laughed softly at his embarrassment.

The paper lantern continues to rotate, this time, it rotated and revealed my side.

“Oh no…” I moaned, closed my eyes and lightly slapped my palm against my forehead.

“I wished that I can be with him forever….” Taemin read out my wish. My eyes remained close as I wait for his response. He said nothing. Instead, he just tighten his grip around my hand. My eyes flicked open as I turned to look at him. Instantly, I found myself lost in his quiet, his searching and his tender gaze.

He lifted a hand and brushed against the side of my head.

“I’m glad I met you.”

I smiled at him. “I’m glad I met you too.”

#Author's Note =D

*Selichuka Hamida - Korean's version of Happy Birthday song

Does anyone know what is a well-wished lantern? It is called a Kong-Min lantern, a big paper lantern where you can write your wishes and let it fly up to the sky! It looks like this. Pretty ain't it? ;)

Acutally I have no intention to input Hwon in this chapter. But I was reading about another author who wrote her feelinggs about her created characters and I realized that Hwon is someone who is 100% created by me. He is so unlike Taemin because Taemin is someone who exist and I wrote him based on what I know of his real-life persona.  Maybe that is why I will probably understand Hwon way better than Taemin...his fears...his anguish...his regrets and all. And that's also the reason why I suddenly got up in the middle of the night and started writing this part of Hwon. Lol lol...(-_-) More Hwon will arrive soon! (^v^)

Thanks for reading! Tee Hee~