Kai was alone in his room again, late on any random Wednesday night. The day had passed rather slowly, so when night came, a feeling of apathy still lingered in his heart.

Getting used to solitude wasn't something he was familiar with. But ever since Taemin left his life, it felt like that was all he was living. This sense of not belonging anywhere anymore.

He knew relationships came and went. It was the natural course of life: falling in love, being fortunate enough to be reciprocated, living a love to the fullest extent possible, and then seeing where it would lead. It was like putting yourself to the test, where the result could either surprise you or not in the end.

In his case, it was surprising.

Love, in his perception, had failed them. Sometimes he thought it had all been an illusion. That the things Taemin had told him over all the years they spent together were false. That Taemin had never really loved him with the same intensity that Kai had loved him.

But he knew that wasn't true.

He was in the process of accepting that people change, and they don't always change into something that matches our expectations. His new self was more understanding. Someone who tried to understand more about life without ruling it. To comprehend that not everything should be the end of the world but rather a lesson to be learned. How did he go through all this process of reflection? Thanks to him, of course.

Kai smiled when he thought of his favorite teacher's cute and gentle face.

Kim Junmyeon was like the poetry that made his heart burn hotter. Everything about him was the opposite of what the dark-haired man had encountered in others.

Junmyeon was reserved. Junmyeon disliked injustice. Junmyeon was loyal, and he desired someone who was sincere and kind to him as well. Junmyeon craved love. Junmyeon wrote about things he believed in and things he didn't understand.

He was the other face, the improbable one.

He was the person Kai loved to converse with the most. So, he felt it in his soul when he should just pick up the phone and call him. Or maybe even suggest meeting at the 24-hour café. Something that would keep their contact from fading away.

Kim got up from the bed where he was lying and searched for his cellphone. He didn't think twice as he dialed the familiar numbers in his mind. He didn't even have to wait long for Junmyeon to answer. The voice on the other end sounded slightly muffled and a bit lower due to the late hour. But it was still his voice he heard on the other side:

"Hello?" Kai smiled immediately, feeling the apathy being replaced by warmth.

"Can you talk now, Junmyeon?" The man on the other end paused.

"Kai?" He asked, somewhat confused.

"Yes, it's me." Another pause, this time a bit longer.

"It's just that... you never called me before. Is there something wrong?" The dark-haired man his lips nervously.

He didn't blame Junmyeon for pointing out this fact. He really wasn't the type of person who made phone calls. He didn't text either. Kai liked physical contact the same way a moth liked the light. It was a natural attraction; it was how he connected with others. But he had learned that it wasn't always enough for other people, so he was willing to change. He was shooting in the dark now, hoping he'd hit the target.

"I am. Actually... I really wanted to talk to you now."

It was like ripping off a band-aid. He said the sentence all at once, attentively listening to Junmyeon's reactions on the other side. But Junmyeon remained silent.

"Wanted to talk to me? About what?" His voice was sweet, with an innocent curiosity.

The dark-haired man smiled, trying to imagine his favorite teacher's dreamy face on the other end of the line. Carrying a book and the tea cooling on the nightstand. Whenever he thought about Junmyeon, he thought about peace. Junmyeon had that effect on Kai, almost paralyzing. It was as if being with him meant stepping into a dimension of eternity. He was the only person in the world he could truly understand and be understood by. Something he once thought he had but now knew was just an illusion.

"I don't know, Junmyeon. I want to know how you are and what you've been doing." Kai heard the rustle of blankets and Junmyeon's breathing on the other end.

He didn't know what Junmyeon was thinking. Maybe he was trying to understand why he was still chasing after him, or maybe trying to trust that what Kai said wasn't a joke but a deep desire from his heart.

He really wanted to know him for real.

"I haven't done much today. In fact, I'm awake now because I got inspired and ended up... writing a bit more of my book." Kim smiled as he said that.

"So, you're back to writing?"

"Hm... not really. I mean, maybe? I hope so." The professor replied, somewhat hesitant.

"Do you want to tell me what happened now? Last time, you said your character was consoling his husband at the present moment."

Kai remembered the story only from his mind since Junmyeon had never sent him anything to read by email. But he didn't blame him for that. He knew the creative process could be intimidating.

His sister, Chen, was an incredible person. Always creating paintings and watercolor drawings of her favorite singer, Luhan, who was also her friend. But when it came to creative processes, the girl simply transformed. So he imagined it might be the same for Junmyeon.

Junmyeon sighed on the other end before getting back to the subject:

"Yes, he proposed to him. In the present, I mean. It was quite an emotional scene for me, which is why I'm still awake." Kai smiled upon hearing that.

"You carry the feeling of the world in just two hands, don't you?"

"Is that a quote?" Kai smiled again.

A teacher. He was dealing with a teacher, so of course he would recognize it.

"I believe you know from whom it is, right?"

"Yes... from a poet from Brazil. How did you know? It's quite peculiar... I only came across it during college."

"Maybe I'm quite peculiar too, Kim Junmyeon, don't you think?" He heard the laughter trailing on the phone.

"You're absolutely right. I've never met anyone quite like you."

Kai settled down, finally sitting back on the bed. The silk sheets were cold compared to the warmth he felt, but he couldn't complain. It was like his teacher's voice could change the entire atmosphere just by being on the other side of the line.

"What do you mean by that?" Junmyeon paused.

Kai waited patiently, knowing that whatever the professor was going to tell him would be honest. He always opened up like a book when talking to people.

"You may find me a bit... too sensitive. I know I'm not exactly the type of person others understand or have the patience to deal with. Sometimes I feel shallow for always falling for other guys' words. But with you, I feel like I'm understood for the first time. And I thank you for that. Thank you for listening to me, Kai."

Kim was speechless.

He had never opened up to him like this before; it was the first time. He was also trying to find the right words to say to him.

Because truly, Kai understood him.

He knew that what he feared was not Kai himself or the possible romance that could arise between them. No, Junmyeon wasn't afraid of that. He was afraid of unreality. Afraid of things repeating themselves. Afraid of not being reciprocated, just like Kai was afraid of not being able to find someone like Taemin ever again.

In that aspect, they were quite similar.

During the time of silence, the professor also seemed to have taken a few seconds to think, as he fell silent again.

"I don't know what to say, Junmyeon. Besides the obvious, which maybe I should have said a long time ago." Kai sighed, feeling his heart getting lighter. "I really like you. And I plan to make you as happy as you deserve to be. Even if it takes an eternity, I'll always wait for you. With you. Preferably, holding your hand." The professor remained quiet, perhaps trying to digest what he had just said.

"Why are you saying this now?" He whispered, as if sharing a secret.

"Because... I discovered what I want in my life, and you're there. And I can't imagine a single moment when you're not."

"Kai..."

"I'm just being honest with you."

"I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything. Just kiss me instead." The professor laughed on the other end.

Kai could visualize the scene: his wide smile reaching his eyes in a half-moon shape. His high cheeks, and his head slightly bowed in shyness. It was his favorite image in the whole world.

"You know, Junmyeon... when I think of you, I feel like the world is back in order. It's been a while since my heart filled with such happiness. I want to tell you that I thank you for crossing my star. There is no greater blessing than your heart burning for mine." He could hear the professor staying quiet, wordless.

But he wasn't done yet.

"You thank me for understanding you, and I thank you for existing. I thank you for completing what I've always searched for. I thank you for giving me the privilege of talking to you at two in the morning because I couldn't stop thinking about you in the first place."

"Kai, I-I..." The professor said, stumbling over his own confused thoughts.

He didn't need to finish the sentence for Kai to know what he meant.

"I know. And I feel the same, Junmyeon. So much. Sometimes I can't feel gravity. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The professor breathed on the other side.

"Yes."

"Then stay with me. Because I swear to you, Kim Junmyeon, that I can make you happy."

The dark-haired man's heart was beating hard. He felt like he had finally been heard with the heart this time. It was any random day's early morning, nearly three in the morning, and Kai was about to take the most important step of his life. The professor's next words would be decisive. They would be either the last words he'd hear from him or, if he was lucky, the first of a new beginning.

"Would you accept me if I'm ready?"

"Any and all conditions you have."

"Then wait for me. Wait for me while I pick myself up. Wait for me while I haven't found myself yet. And then, I believe I can be the person you deserve."

"You already are, Junmyeon." The professor chuckled softly.

"I'm not, Kai. I'm still a broken person, and I want to change that. I don't want people to have fragments of me; I want..."

"You want healing. And so do I. We can seek that together, Angel."

"I don't know..." He said, somewhat hesitantly.

"Don't be afraid, Jun. We will be happy together. I promise you with all my heart." Kai fell silent, trying to hear attentively on the other end of the line.

But it was practically impossible since Junmyeon was quiet. He was probably weighing the pros and cons, putting his own love on the scale. Or maybe it was just fear taking over. Whatever it was, Kai couldn't lose him. He wouldn't risk it; it would be his defeat.

So, he just followed his heart. He let only poetry speak what he couldn't say. And before he knew it, he was already reciting:

"From sincere souls to a sincere union; there's nothing to prevent it: love isn't love if, when it finds obstacles, it changes, or if it wavers with the slightest fear." He said, pausing when he heard the soft laughter on the other end.

He had recognized it. It was Shakespeare. Kai smiled as he continued:

"Love is an eternal landmark, dominant, that faces the storm with bravery; it's the guiding star for the wandering sail, whose value is unknown, up there in the heights."

To his surprise, Junmyeon continued where he had left off:

"Love does not fear time, even though its scythe spares no youth; love does not change from hour to hour, but rather endures for eternity. If this is false, and someone has proven it false; I am not a poet, and no one has ever loved."

Kai smiled when he finished. Despite that, he hoped he had understood. He hoped that in his heart, he had found the answer to his naive question.

"You truly crossed my star, Kim Kai," the professor murmured with a sigh.

The dark-haired man smiled again, wide enough to make his cheeks ache. It was a feeling that seemed to be reserved only for his Junmyeon, and him alone.

"I told you, Angel. We are meant to be."

"I believe in you."

"Does that mean you accept my proposal?" Junmyeon laughed on the other end.

"Love does not thrive in hearts that are frightened by shadows."

Happiness filled the dark-haired man when he heard those exact words.

He had succeeded then.

"And a love that is ruined, when rebuilt, grows much more beautiful, steadfast, and grander," he said, making Kim Junmyeon laugh softly.

"Sir William Shakespeare was a passionate man like you, Kai."

"Like us."

"Like us," he repeated. "Do you truly believe we can do this? Do you think it's possible that no one will get hurt along the way?"

"I can't promise you that I won't disappoint you, Junmyeon. Because I'm still human and flawed like any other. But I promise I'll do everything in my power to make you the happiest man in the world if you accept me by your side." The professor, for what seemed like the thirtieth time that night, fell silent.

In his heart, Kai felt that was the right answer. That he was the person he loved most, and there would be no other like him in the world. He didn't want to miss this opportunity. He couldn't. So, for one last time, he gathered all his courage to ask:

"Would you give me a vote of confidence?" And then he waited.

He waited as if it were a whole year, even though it was just a few seconds. When he heard his voice again, he knew he was smiling. And a simple whispered "Yes" was all it took to make his heart explode with happiness.

The restaurant was crowded this time. It was almost six in the evening in Seoul, and Dyo's seemed to be in full swing like any other day. Minseok had never had to move around so much, serving during the happy hour as if it were a holiday.

The restaurant's flow had grown significantly since Baekhyun became the head pastry chef. Many people came just to taste his desserts, and others because they thought the combination of the restaurant's food with the desserts was simply perfect. And in the bartender's opinion, it was true.

Ironically, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo made a great pair not just in the kitchen.

Minseok smiled.

He was thinking about everything while preparing another drink for the poor guy who had just broken up with his girlfriend, seemingly for the thirty-fourth time... in four months. The bartender didn't even want to calculate how many days that meant together. But he knew that love was love, and love could make us act like fools sometimes.

He didn't regret taking that final step toward Park Chanyeol's heart. No, it was nothing like before. Chanyeol didn't treat him like the others did, he didn't make him feel invisible. Park Chanyeol was the most present person he had ever had in his life; he never felt lonely when he was with him. The feeling of insecurity had evaporated, and all that remained in his heart was his love beating for Chanyeol's. It was like recognizing himself for the first time, as a new person, after all that time.

That's why he didn't offer any advice to the poor soul drowning in alcohol right in front of him. It was sad to see how far love could take people. In some cases, it could be salvation. In others, misery.

"Maybe you should stop now, buddy," he tried to reason, being the voice of reason there.

But the guy didn't seem to want to talk. He cried and cried, and he seemed to hope he could cry until he lost consciousness. That scared the bartender a bit. He had never had to deal with such intensity in a customer before.

"Well... if you need... anything else..." Kim said, knowing the guy wouldn't respond to him.

The bartender sighed, losing faith even in himself. It was hard to have an image of himself replaying in his mind in the same place where the guy was now.

Minseok had only loved one other man besides Park Chanyeol (and two incredible women who made him open his mind to an unknown world). But to love truly, that overwhelming love that takes everything you have... it had only happened once before.

Shim Changmin.

Changmin was just like him: living for vices, loving adrenaline, and fearing anything that threatened his freedom to come and go. Including, or maybe especially, himself: Kim Minseok.

Changmin didn't want commitments. He wanted an attachment, an easy life disguised as detachment. He said that human nature was not meant for exclusivity. Which meant that Minseok had never been his priority.

He couldn't say that Changmin betrayed him because they were never officially in a relationship. Minseok found himself tied to him for the same reason he got addicted to smoking: desperation. Changmin was the only safe harbor he had amidst the chaos, his lifeboat. Until one day, he suddenly took the pill of lucidity and ended a abusive relationship of over 7 years.

It wasn't easy. Luhan had held his shoulders on many consecutive nights. Minseok liked to say that the first breakup was the most painful, almost like an illness. It tore everything from you as if your own guts were writhing with the abstinence of happiness. But with Chanyeol, it was the exact opposite.

It was everything he had never imagined.

That's why he felt so confident. He fully believed that everything would work out because it was meant to be.

Just like that.

The bartender returned to his tasks, carrying the batch of bottles in the black garbage bag. It was six in the evening, which meant that if he didn't take out the trash now, there would be no more space on the counter in two hours. And then, Do Kyungsoo would yell at him.

Minseok hurried to the employee corridor, carrying two bags filled with small bottles (everything at Dyo's was served in cups, "To avoid excessive drinking," Kyungsoo said). As soon as he opened the door, he came face to face with him.

The bartender's smile stretched instantly.

"Hey, Carrot Top," he said, drawing attention to himself.

Baekhyun was startled, jumping in place as if he were an accomplice in a crime. He was using his phone and typing messages with a look as if he were about to give an explanation. But he smiled when he saw Minseok there instead of the moody boyfriend.

"Minseok. What are you doing here?"

"I work here, love." Baekhyun laughed, finding it amusing.

"I know. I mean, what are you doing here, outside? Shouldn't you be tending the bar?"

"Maybe..." The redhead laughed again, finally putting his phone back in the back pocket of his jeans. "But you're here too, huh? What were you doing? I thought the restaurant was crazy busy."

"And it is."

"And you're here. Which means something happened." Baekhyun fell silent for a few seconds.

He seemed to be contemplating whether he could talk to Minseok about it or not. Kim wanted him to feel comfortable with him, not the other way around.

The bartender went to the trash can in silence. He disposed of the black bag, ridding himself of the weight of all the little drink bottles at once. Baekhyun was still looking at him when Minseok took out his usual mint cigarette from his pocket.

Sometimes he smoked. Sometimes, he tried to resist the temptation. But on days like that, when everything around him seemed to call for a cigarette, Minseok smoked. He thought about offering Baekhyun a cigarette, but he knew he wouldn't want one. The redhead was smarter than him when it came to that.

Kim lit the tip and took the first drag. He smiled when Baekhyun rolled his eyes at him.

"That thing will kill you someday." The bartender smiled widely.

"It's been days since I smoked. Chanyeol asked me to quit, but it's not something that's easy to do." Baekhyun nodded in agreement, even though he seemed a bit absent-minded.

"That's good. It means he really cares about you."

"Yeah, he does." Minseok exhaled, letting the mint-flavored smoke leave his lungs and mix with the air.

Baekhyun pursed his lips in irritation, but he remained silent. It must have brought back memories for him when Minseok taught him how to smoke. The bartender smiled as he recalled that scene.

"Miss the smoke?" he asked, clearly trying to tease the other.

To his surprise, however, Baekhyun laughed, flashing that characteristic rectangular smile that stole his breath from the first time he saw it. Now it was just a smile that filled him with fraternal warmth. It was a part of Baekhyun that Minseok liked.

"We have stories in this alley, don't we?" the redhead said, with a nostalgic tone.

The bartender smiled broadly, taking another drag of smoke and letting it escape through his lips.

"Oh, yes. Good old times that won't come back. Now things are... more complicated."

"What are you talking about?" Kim shrugged.

"Nothing in particular." This time, he looked at the redhead, catching his attention. "You still haven't told me what you were doing here."

Baekhyun sighed, crossing his arms naturally. He did that a lot when he had to think or say something very important.

"In a few days, it's Sehun's birthday. And even though he loves birthdays, this year... it'll be a little different because his wife is pregnant." Kim smiled broadly upon hearing the word pregnancy.

"That's wonderful, Baek. He must be over the moon."

"Yes, he is," Baekhyun said, smiling affectionately.

"I think so too. Actually, I'll throw the party. Kyungsoo agreed to help me with things, and, of course..." He looked at Minseok as if suggesting something.

Minseok understood instantly.

"You want me there to make the drinks," he said, amused.

"No. I want you there because I love your company."

Minseok looked at him in surprise. He realized that the confectioner was telling the truth because his gaze was serious. Suddenly, he started feeling that sense of belonging again, which, in such a short time, filled his heart with something unfamiliar yet comforting. He could feel it very strongly, like an avalanche in his chest.

"I'll be there, then," he finally said, looking away not to reveal too much.

"I'm glad, Minseok." His voice really conveyed happiness, which made the bartender smile reflexively.

Baekhyun was a peculiar person. He wasn't perfect, of course not. He had many fears just like Minseok, but he also had a lot of determination. That was something Minseok admired.

"I guess we should go inside. Kyungsoo will get irritated with me soon for disappearing like this." Minseok agreed with a nod.

"You're right. But I wanted to talk to you about something. It won't take long, I promise. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

Minseok exhaled the mint smoke again, this time stubbing out the cigarette on the ground to put it out. It was such a common habit for him that he didn't think twice before squatting down, picking up the , and throwing it in the trash. Baekhyun seemed surprised by his cleaning initiative.

Minseok smiled.

"The graveyard of cigarette butts brings back bad memories," he said, explaining.

The redhead didn't seem to understand, but he didn't question it. Kim approached, already knowing very well what he wanted to ask.

"You know... I always intended to get out of here. In fact, only you know about this. And you've been secretly giving me lessons, which I really appreciate, but..." The bartender paused, deciding how he could ask this without sounding like an opportunist.

"Minseok... Where are you getting at?" Kim took a deep breath.

"I want to start putting my plan into action."

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Are you going to buy a bar?"

"No... I'm going to buy you." Minseok smiled. "Would you be my dedicated teacher? I need you to recommend me things about gastronomy studies."

This made the confectioner relax. Maybe he was thinking that Minseok was going to ask him to lie for the boss again. But the bartender wouldn't do that anymore. He would never stand between Baekhyun's loyalty to Kyungsoo again.

"Ah, I can do that. With pleasure." Minseok smiled, feeling joy filling him.

Things were truly falling into place. More than that, they were falling perfectly into place.

"Thank you, Baek. It means a lot to me." The redhead dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

"Nonsense. I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't do everything for you."

"My best friend?"

"And am I not?" Minseok smiled.

If Luhan heard what he was saying, he would probably kill him just for mentioning something like that. But Luhan wasn't here. So Minseok could only agree with him:

"Maybe you really are." He said, with a beaming smile.

"Well then, friend. Shall we go inside?"

Was he teasing him with that? That little guy...

"Let's go. Or your boyfriend will end up putting both of us inside that oven. Then we'll be two friends in rosé sauce." Baekhyun laughed, finding it amusing.

"Kyungsoo is a good boss. Better than I will ever comprehend one day."

"I'll have to disagree with you."

"What? Why?" Minseok smiled.

"A chef who plays hide-and-seek because of his boyfriend while receiving compliments from other chefs at work? It's somewhat questionable behavior." The redhead had a bashful smile on his face, showing shyness.

"I couldn't believe that."

"Oh, I did. If I had a pastry chef like you, I'd also make a fool of myself like that." Baekhyun laughed again, this time making his way to the back door of the restaurant.

"I believe there are still many other embarrassments for you to endure, Kim Minseok." The bartender raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a verdict." He winked, entering through the door and closing it behind him.

Minseok stood outside, not understanding what he had just said.

Had Byun Baekhyun just made fun of him?

The class hours had already ended, but Chen was still in the classroom organizing all the drawings from her younger students. Children could be extremely creative when they wanted to, but they also had their consequences: glitters sticking one sheet to another, strings staining a good portion of the other works with paint, and especially, the markers. The markers were the worst of all troublemakers, staining not only the paper but also clothes, tables, floors, walls, and absolutely any surface they touched.

Great. Now she was monologuing about school supplies. She had officially become a retired teacher.

Chen smiled at the thought.

If she was going to die being passionate about the teaching profession, so be it. Sharing art with her children was still the greatest passion of her life, even if it meant spending hours and hours trying to separate their works after school.

The girl sighed, feeling nostalgic as she looked at the artworks she had already sorted. Besides being away from her diary in record time and missing terribly the ability to scribble on something, now she had to deal with the burden of missing simply being able to handle the painting materials, which were her own therapy.

Being without her diary had never been so difficult.

Chen got up from her chair, gathering all the sheets (now properly unstuck) and placed them inside a folder. All the activities were kept in a closet that later all the teachers accessed to add up the grades. Chen found the idea a bit crazy, but if that was the way to evaluate, she couldn't complain. After all, she didn't understand much about the vague psychology behind it all. She had always been more dedicated to teaching and didactics, not paying much attention to the grading scale that some colleagues loved so much.

The girl opened the closet, and almost fell backward when she realized: her diary was there. With a flower attached with holographic smiley face tape. Chen didn't even have to think to know who had put it there.

"Luhan..." She thought aloud as she took the notebook from the closet.

She brought it to her hands, still in shock, when she noticed there was a small note there. Kim opened it, feeling her heart almost stop as she read:

My dear Kim-Li Chen,

I apologize for not being able to hand your precious notebook to you in person. But I know how specifically difficult it must have been for you to be away from it, so I left it here for you to find.

You are incredibly talented, and I must say I feel flattered to have such a good impression of me.

I'd like to have a live experience sometime.

Yours,

Luhan.

Your heart was racing just by reading the note she left. Had Luhan really kept your diary and looked at all the drawings you had done for her? And she had liked them? And even specifically asked to be your live model? Was this a dream or a nightmare? Chen couldn't define it. So, of course, she did the most obvious thing anyone would do in her place: she closed the locker forcefully and stepped away as if it were on fire.

There you go.

The gay panic had taken over.

And she couldn't even control it.

She waited for what seemed like an eternity to regain her composure. She took a deep breath, opening the locker again, this time like a normal and composed person (or maybe not). She stretched her fingers to remove the note taped to the cover and placed it inside her small Rilakkuma-shaped bag.

She would keep it for as long as possible, until her grandchildren would one day ask about it. Perhaps she would even appear on some show later, narrating the day Luhan wrote her a note. Or even in Luhan's own biography when she became a famous singer worldwide. If she survived until then, that is, since she was freaking out.

"Calm down, Chen. It's just a note, not a marriage proposal. She's your idol? Yes, she is. But that doesn't mean-"

"Chen!" The girl jumped in place, looking at the sound coming from the classroom door.

Her heart leaped out of her chest when she realized: it was just her brother there.

She furrowed her brow. What was Kai doing there? Shouldn't he be opening his bar? It was almost happy hour.

"Kai... what happened?" The boy smiled.

He wore high-waisted jeans straight from the 80s. A Coca-Cola T-shirt hugging his biceps, and a light denim jacket covered in buttons. One thing they could never complain about was that both of them had a lot of style. Maybe it was genetics.

"I must say something to you." He said, murmuring as if he were talking to a child.

"To me?"

"Yes, Chen. We promised to be present in each other's lives. So I want you to know about what's in my heart now." Oh, this seemed serious.

Chen took a step back. She looked at him carefully this time, as if seeing him for the first time in a long time. What she failed to realize was that, although he seemed tired, he was happy. Which meant that something had happened.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, now more curious.

"I'm starting to move on... with someone else. Someone you know. I can't say who, because I haven't talked to that person about it yet." Chen was surprised.

She had no idea that this would happen so quickly. I mean, yes, it had been months since they broke up. And also, Taemin had cheated on her brother. But Kai didn't know that, and Kai wasn't the type to date. Whoever this person was, they had to be very special for her brother to open his heart like this.

Chen smiled, playing the role of an annoying sister:

"Oh, come on. Don't keep me in suspense!" Her tone contained misplaced anger, something her brother would recognize as teasing.

Kai smiled at it, knowing he had his sister's approval.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm moving on. And it would be nice for me to have your support in this. Do you understand me?" His words made the girl hesitate.

What was he thinking? It was obvious that he would have all the support in the world; he was her brother, after all. But suddenly, she felt guilty. Maybe it was her fault that he felt this way: unsupported. Maybe she had failed him as a best friend.

She would have to make it clear once and for all: as much as Taemin had been her roommate for years, Kai would never be compared to him.

"Kai... I would never trade you for Taemin, as much as I love him. You're my brother and my other half. The only person I have. Of course, I'm with you, and I will always be by your side." He nodded, looking at her with gratitude.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me to know that." Chen smiled with love at her brother.

She couldn't believe he thought like that. After years always being by his side, even after their parents' divorce and the first bickering when they first met as children, they always got along well. They were so differently identical, as if they were really twins. That kind of connection, Chen knew she wouldn't have with anyone else in her life. That's why Kai was someone of inestimable value to her. No one in the world would be worth more to her than him.

"I want you to be very happy with this person you found. I want you to have the happy ending you deserve." Her brother smiled, looking at her dreamily. "I'll do my best to make it come true." Chen agreed, pulling his hand as they always did as children.

"For now, it's your turn to give me a happy ending. Pay for my dinner!" The boy laughed, walking down the hallway towards the exit.

"As you wish, Madam'." He teased.

Kim-Li Chen gave a knowing smile.

She had rescued her diary, received compliments from her biggest idol, hadn't embarrassed herself that much for being a fan, and, on top of that, she would save money on dinner?

Definitely, it was a lucky day.