A/N: Well, here's chapter 19! 'Nough said. 

                Your Pov

                “Isn’t it exciting?!” I gushed the surprise from last night to Hae, “Japan! And it’s all paid for! So we don’t have to pay for flight tickets or anything!”

                “That is great,” Donghae agreed, “When are you leaving? The first week of Winter break?”

                “Yep. So tomorrow afternoon we’ll be on the flight to Tokyo, Japan!”

                “Remember to send lots of pictures,” I could see a tinge of sadness in Hae’s eyes. When I thought about it this would be the longest time apart from one another. Even the vacation was only four days, it would technically be six because of all the flying back and forth.

                “Well,” I couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corner of my lips, “You see, Zhou Mi has chosen to stay back at home because of an event with Siwon. Without him, that leaves one ticket open. I wonder who I should give it to?”

                “Extra ticket?!” Donghae perked up, “Can I come? Can I, can I, can I? HUH?” His face was shoved close to mine. I chuckled and shoved him back.

                “If you get to Leeteuk Umma fast enough, maybe-” And with that Donghae was sprinting out the class room to find said red head. My other classmates stared at him and I paid them no mind. I just casually left the classroom and found Henry who was already heading in my direction. He saw me and smiled.

                “Hi!” I greeted.

                “Hey. I just saw Donghae sprinting by. I guess you told him the news.” Henry slowed down his pace to match mine as we walked down the hallway after another ordinary day at school.

                “Yeah,” I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. There was a part of me that didn’t want Donghae to come on the trip because of Henry. But there was the other part of me that wanted to be with Donghae so bad that I didn’t really care. It was hard deciding between with what your heart wanted, and what you knew would cause less trouble.

                “Don’t worry about it,” Henry sensed my inner self fighting with the opposites, “I know you need to be with him.” He never ceased to amaze me with that skill of his. Henry could tell what I was thinking or feeling without me giving anything away. He was right about my past relationship with Kyuhyun, and knew I was having a squabble with Hae before it even progressed to its full height. It was like he was my inner conscience brought to life and put into human form. Unable to think of how to respond, I just rubbed his arm back. Even Henry knew that was a thank you.

                By the time Henry and I had descended the stairs, we were shocked to see Leeteuk, along with Kangin and Yesung, standing above a kneeling Donghae on the side of the main floor of the school near the bulletin board. Kangin was lauging, and Leeteuk had his arms crossed with a stoic face. Yesung, on the other hand, had Ddangkoma out and was petting its head like a super villain. You could tell Donghae was saying something- or maybe praising- to Leeteuk, who was nodding occasionally. By the time we approached the four of them, Leeteuk had said:

                “I believe that you will stick to your word. Welcome aboard!” Leeteuk pulled Donghae from the floor. Donghae bowed slightly and thanked him again in which Leeteuk smacked him on the head because he was treating him extremely formally all of a sudden.

                “So you’re coming with?” I nudged Donghae as we all left the school grounds as a group.

                “Well, I have to ask my parents if I can actually go,” Donghae’s mood dampened, “But I’m sure they’ll say yes. They’re always bugging me to hang out with people over Winter Break anyways.”

                “And if you can’t go, I can always find a lot of entertainment at any time,” I internally giggled as I saw his suspicious expression. Donghae raised an eyebrow at the implications.

                “What do you mean by entertainment?”

                “I hear these host clubs have the most gorgeous men!” I pretended to sigh dreamily with my hands clasped below my chin.

                “Hey! No host clubs till you’re 60!” Kangin ordered.

                “If I can’t go to a host club, then you can’t go to a cabaret club!” I retorted. Yesung laughed at Kangin and Kangin grabbed Ddangkoma in retaliation. Yesung whined and jumped up and down for his pet.

                “Give him back you brute!” Yesung flailed his arms up into the air to try to get his turtle that was way out of reach in Kangin’s stretched out hand. Even though Kangin wasn’t much taller than Yesung, Yesung had stubby arms and tiny hands, which made holding the animal out of reach easier. I don’t know where it came from, but a rubber band came flying out of nowhere and hit Kangin in the eye. That made him roar and lower the turtle enough for Yesung to reach because Kangin was so focused on the pain in his eye.

                “Victory is mine!” Ryeowook held his arms up in the air triumphantly. He had been six feet away from Kangin’s right side. Kibum was there laughing at Kangin.

                “I’m not going to lie Wook, it’s sort of scary when you can kill a person with a rubber band like two yards away,” Yesung commented with Ddangkoma safely in his hands.

                “Are you not thankful?” Ryeowook threatened and stretched out another rubber band, poised and ready.

                “No! NO! I am most thankful, maknae!” Yesung quickly and nervously laughed while bowing down to him.

                “That’s more like it,” Ryeowook grinned cheekily.

                “We’re gonna go,” I told the rest of the group as Donghae and I broke off at the gate. He had dance practice today and I had  work, “We’ll be back at the usual time!”

                There was a collective babble of goodbyes and the two of us headed off. When we were out of sight from them, Donghae had his arms around me and was spinning us around in circles. I shrieked at the cold air whooshing fast at my ears like I was on an amusement park ride.

                “Put me down~!” I grabbed onto the back of Donghae’s neck for support. He did as I asked, and slid me down gently in front of him, onto the tops of his shoes. He proceeded to walk us forward. I felt like a little girl on her Dad’s shoes at a dance.

                “What’re you doing now?” I laughed.

                “Strolling down the street on this fine day with you,” Donghae cheerily replied. His steps were like Frankenstein’s. Stiff, awkward, and heavy.

                “You’re happy,” I stated.

                “Why wouldn’t I be?! We’re going to Japan!” Donghae’s grin must have been a mile wide.

                “By the way, what did Leeteuk mean by ‘I believe you will stick to your word’.” I copied his voice and serious face.

                “I told Leeteuk that he was the most handsome man in the universe that all the ladies would want wherever he goes. On the trip I promised to set him up with a gorgeous Japanese woman if I saw one, and that I would not annoy Kangin with our PDA.”

                “Japanese woman?” My insides turned green with jealously, “Let’s hope she doesn’t try to get near you. I’d feel bad to what I would have to do to her.” My eyes darkened at the mental image of some short, school girl with a bob attempting to flirt with him. Then, out of nowhere, a katana would slash her head clean off! I shook my head to dispel the gory image. Is it normal to imagine blood squirting from a stranger’s neck?

                Donghae laughed really loudly which scared some birds out of the trees, “I’d like to see what you would do to her!”

                “Don’t even get me started!” I warned. With nothing left to discuss, the rest of the ride-well, mainly my ride-was quiet. It wasn’t so much of an awkward quiet. There was nothing wrong with not talking since personally, I enjoyed those moments when I could be with Donghae just for the sake of being with him. About halfway to the café, Hae’s steps became smaller and smaller. I looked up at his face to see the skin tightening around his eyes.

                “I’m getting heavy, aren’t I?” I assumed.

                “Yeah, a little,” Donghae huffed and controlled the strain in his voice. I hopped off of him and his form straightened up instantly with a huge sigh of relief.

                “I thought I was going to die!” He exaggerated.

                “Why does everyone say I’m heavy?! I’m not that fat! My cast was even traded for a brace!” I shook out my leg as proof. Yes, without that heavy cast, I was able to move much better and more freely. When December comes in a week and two days, I should be able to take it off completely!

                “Yes dear, you’re not fat,” Donghae coaxed and patted me on the head.

                “You better not be saying that to placate me!”

                “No! You’re not fat! Aish! I knew that this fight was unavoidable!”

                “What fight? What was unavoidable?!”

                “….Nothing.” Donghae coughed and ran off ahead.

                “Yah! We’re you going?! This isn’t over!” I shouted after him.

                “Bye babe!” Donghae waved a hand at me without even looking back.

                “Japan here we come~!” Leeteuk sang while dancing as his suitcase trailed wildly behind him.

                “Teuk, is your mom going to meet us there?” Yesung asked. He was currently reading a brochure about the country we were traveling to. Nothing would be wrong with that if he didn’t walk while doing so. Sungmin was staying close beside his brother so he wouldn’t run into anything. We had just gotten past security and he’s almost run into two women, a child, and a very scarily tattooed man.

                “Just for a little bit. She’s stopping in Japan for half a day and then flying out for another tropical destination.” Leeteuk explained.

                “Where the hell is the gate?!” Kangin sighed in exasperation, “We’ve been wandering through Incheon for half an hour now!” Henry rolled his eyes and linked an arm through his hyung’s so the judo captain wouldn’t fall behind the pack. He was getting tired and restless, so he was slowly drifting farther behind.

                “We’re almost there so pipe down!” Leeteuk snapped back.

                “Ooh, you made Umma maaadd,” I pointed. Kangin stuck his tongue out at me.

                “Ahum……yes…..yes, yes, I know! I will! Love you too!” Donghae, who had been talking on the phone, just hung up.

                “Was that your Mom?” I inquired.

                “No,” Donghae dropped his arm down to swing at his side with his phone in his palm, “It was Taemin. I promised him I would bring him and Kai back a souvenir, so he was checking in to see if I had remembered.”

                “And you’re not getting Key one?”

                “Are you kidding? After what he asked for, no way!”

                “What did he ask for?”

                “A picture of you in cosplay.”

                “………..Yeah, so not getting that.” I shook my head.

                “Cosplay? Kya! I could see you in a maid outfit with cat ears!” Sungmin laughed.

                “You’ll wear it before I do!”

                “Are you kidding? It would look bad with my toned biceps!” Sungmin flexed proudly.

                “Ah! I so should have brought that!” Yesung snapped his fingers out of nowhere with an intense expression.

                “Brought what?” Leeteuk checked his watch probably to see if we were making good time. I don’t know why Umma would be worrying over that. He had us leave for the airport three hours earlier than we should have, so now we have an hour and a half to kill before the plane even begins to board.

                “A human sized butterfly net!” Yesung made grand movements with his arms, “So we could catch all the pretty girls and bring them home!”

                “Thank god!” Henry sighed, “I thought you were going to say: So we can bring all the giant turtles home!”

                “I have more interests in life than turtles!” Yesung sniffed.

                “But, that was a good idea,” Leeteuk shook his head knowingly at the idea of a girl trapper.

                “There’s always next time my friend,” Yesung patted Leeteuk’s shoulder, staring off into the distance.

                “Yes, always next time…..”

                I cracked a smile at the image playing in my head. Us calmly walking around Tokyo when we see a group of pretty girls. Out of nowhere, Yesung rips out a giant butterfly net and pounces on the group with it raised above his head. I have a feeling he could get arrested for that, especially if the girls are under the adult age….

                “Here’s the gate!” Leeeteuk exclaimed and veered off to the right to a large part of empty black seats. Kangin gratefully plopped onto two open ones in horizontal form. I glanced up at the podium to see an electronic board bearing the name: Flight 764 to Tokyo, Japan. I can’t believe it! We’re actually going to Japan! There was a sudden sloshing motion near my lower belly. Uh oh.

                “I’m going to the bathroom,” I announced, “Is anyone going to stay here to watch the stuff? Or should I bring mine with me?”

                “I’m staying. Go on ahead.” Kangin’s voice was muffled by the dark leather. Donghae had decided to stay behind as well. Leeteuk, Henry, Yesung, and Sungmin were going to the magazine store to buy reading materials and water for the flight. It was a two minute walk before I saw a sign for the bathroom in the terminal, and by then my bladder was getting even more awkward and full. I was turning into the doorless entry way, but was stopped by yellow tape on the frame. As a note on the side of the way explained, the bathroom was under construction.

                “,” I swore and did the pee-walk farther down the terminal and away from my gate. I was searching blindly down hallway after hallway until heaven was in the form of a luminescent light. Once I caught a glimpse of that girl in a skirt, I fast walked like the pros do straight for it. This time, I did not encounter tape, but something else even more aggravating. A line of women were waiting for the bathroom. Why must this species have such low tolerance to hold pee?!

                “No!” I groaned and slumped up against the wall to wait for the line to inch forward. It took me ten freaking minutes just to get a stall. And then another half a minute to get a sink! This must have been the only bathroom for miles because there weren’t that many people at Incheon at this time of the day. 

                It was like I was on cloud nine. My entire body was relaxed without bodily fluids inside of it which had me feeling fresh and ready to face Japan head on! Well, that is if I don’t chug down another water bottle on the flight. Then it could be more complicated….and un-enjoyable. I almost wanted to smirk at the women who had just joined the line and sing “ers!”. My gait had a slight skip to it as I headed back to the terminal. Out of nowhere, a hard lump came running at my legs. I looked down to see a boy.

                The boy had his hands covering his eyes, and his shoulders were shaking up and down. It was clear he was crying, but over what I could not determine. I lowered onto one knee to match his height and patted a hand gently on his back.

                “Hey there?” I cooed softly, “Are you ok?”

                The boy lifted his face from his hands and I was met with very chubby tear-stained cheeks. His hair was short and fuzzy, like the hair off a peach. His eyes though, were round and very pretty like a doe’s. The kid must have been 6 or so.

                “I-I-“ He hiccupped, “I can’t find Mommy or Noona! They said t-they would b-be back but they didn’t!” The boy shook his head furiously and fisted his right eye to wipe away the falling tears.

                “Where did they last leave you?” I asked calmly and waited patiently for his response.

                “Right there!” He pointed at a bench in the middle of the terminal walk way for passerby to sit and rest their feet. A plant was added next to it to try and make up for a lack of decoration.

                “Do you know how long it’s been?”

                “Like forever!” His eyes got really big so I could see the whites entirely surrounding the iris.

                “Oh. Then let’s sit here and wait for them to come back, arrasso?” I removed my hand from his back and offered the same one for him to take. He took it without hesitation and lead him to the bench so we could sit. It shocked me that he was so willing to go off with a stranger! Anyone here could easily snatch him up.

                “What’s your name?” I asked the boy who still hadn’t let go of my hand by choice.

                “Park Sang Hyun,” His crying had ceased and all was that was left was incessant sniffing and eye rubbing.

                “How old are you Sang Hyun-ah?” I up a conversation with him to try and have him become more comfortable. Who knows how much longer it would be till his mom or older sister comes back, or if they ever come back. I didn’t want to think that way, but that has happened before. It was horrible.

                “I’m six. I’ll be seven in October,” Sang Hyun hadn’t looked me in the eye since I found him. He was mainly looking at the floor or at objects and people.

                Ha! I was right on the nose, “Wow. You’re so big already!”

                “Mom hopes I’ll be tall. Appa’s tall, so I should be,” Sang Hyun nodded determinedly.

                “What do you like to do?”

                “I like to sing and dance.”

                “Really? I know some Oppas that like to do that too! Do you have any favorite groups?”

                “No, not really. I just like singing songs I hear and watching dances off of the TV.”

                “Do you want to be a singer when you grow up?”

                “Not just a singer,” Sang Hyun faced me full on for the first time, “An idol,” He corrected.

                “Ah! So like part of a boy band?”

                “Neh. But I also want to write my own music like my Noona. She’s really good at singing and dancing and composing.”

                I was surprised Sang Hyun could carry on such a long and vocabulary rich conversation for a kid of his age. Most kids would be too shy to talk to people older than them. But in front of Sang Hyun, I felt like I was speaking to him on an equal level. Not of formality, but of age.

                “Does she want to be an idol as well?”

                “Neh!” The boy dispelled all forlorn and melancholy thoughts and actions. His lips pulled up into a bright smile and his eyes squinted close together very adorably, “Noona’s actually going to be a trainee starting tomorrow at YG! We rushed back from vacation when we heard!”

                “That’s  so good for your Noona!” I felt his happiness too infectious and was supporting a smile too.

                “But she’s been sad lately,” Sang Hyun paused thoughtfully.

                “Really? Why?”

                “I asked Noona and she said she and a friend of hers had to ‘break up.’” My stomach dropped. Sang Hyun was probably too little to understand what the term “break up” meant, but I certainly wasn’t.

                “And this friend of your Noona’s. Was it a guy?”

                “Yeah! She would talk to him late at night on the phone and play with him a lot.” Sang Hyun watched as his feet swung back and forth off the ledge of the bench.

                “Do you know why she had to break up with him?” I dreaded the moment I let that question slip. I knew his answer wouldn’t be something I’d like to hear.

                “Because she said he would be a distraction. And I don’t get it! He’s her friend!” Sang Hyun pouted.

                It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about what would happen to Donghae and I when he becomes a trainee. But now, after hearing what the girl has to go through, entertainment doesn’t take exceptions. Would it be a similar situation for me? Would I be the quote on quote, distraction? Did Sang Hyun’s Noona dump her boyfriend because YG told her too? It deems plausible…..

                “Sang Hyun-ah!” A womanly voice cried from down the terminal. Sang Hyun jumped off the bench and ran left, in the direction of the voice. An older woman bent down on one knee when he charged to her. They embraced each other tightly. She must be Sang Hyun’s mother. I advanced cautiously towards the duo. When I had reached them, they had risen and a young girl appeared next to them. Sang Hyun kept his hold tightly on his Umma’s hand.

                “This is the Noona that found me,” Sang Hyun pointed at me.

                “You are?” The woman’s eyes softened in relief when I nodded. She let out a deep breath from tight lips, “Thank you. I’m scared to think that someone could have kidnapped Sang Hyun.”

                “It’s fine. He’s quite the chatterbox,” I bowed in return as the mother did to me.

                “Noona! Umma! Where were you?” Sang Hyun tugged on his mother’s hand.

                “In the bathroom silly, just like I told you!” Sang Hyun’s mother said gently, “Now go on back to our luggage with Sandara, ok?”

                “Ok! Let’s go Dara Noona!” Sang Hyun replied obediently and took his Noona’s hand instead. She walked back trying to reel in a wildly skipping six year old.

                “What can I do to thank you?” Sang Hyun’s mother interjected suddenly, “You really saved him.”

                “Meeting him was enough,” I smiled politely, “I’m sorry to leave so quickly, but I have people waiting for me at my gate.”

                “Go on ahead -……what’s your name, dear?”

                “Kim Ae-Young.”

                “Go on ahead Kim Ae-Young. Again, thank you so much,” Sang Hyun’s mother bowed for a second time. It was quite weird to see an older person bowing at you with so much respect, even though I was much younger than she was.

                “Thank you M’am. Have a nice day,” I too, bowed as I departed and resumed my hike back to the gate a million light years away.

                What Sang Hyun had brought up was not forgotten. The idea that someday, Donghae would have to leave me was implanted firmly in the front of my brain, screaming at me in bold, read letters. It wasn’t a reminder, but a warning. From the moment he said he wanted to be an idol, I knew that it meant he would have to go through rigorous training for many years, and would miss a lot of high school and more than likely not attend college. I had the power at the time to stop the relationship from going any further, but I had liked him too much at the moment not to be excited for him. Since I was so blind to the downside then, was love masking it? Had I began falling for Donghae even way back then? It sounds too early, but I couldn’t rule it out completely. There are such things as love at first sight.

                I was so lost in my own train of thought that I didn’t hear Leeteuk call my name. When I kept on walking, he pounced on me from behind in a playful tackle. I wiggled wildly and smacked Leeteuk on the chest when I realized it was him.

                “Yah! What was that for?”

                “You didn’t hear me!” Leeteuk had his neck pillow on already and two water bottles in one hand, “Helloo? Is anyone in there?” He rapped the side of my skull and peeked jokingly through my ear.

                “I only spaced out!” I shook him off. I felt two presences behind me to see Sungmin and Yesung. Both had their shades on, neck pillows in place, and conjoined by earphones between the two of them. They were bobbing their heads to the beat and Sungmin was overdramatically singing the lyrics. I laughed. The two of them were such dorks.

                “Nippon, let’s go!” Leeteuk grabbed my hand and excitedly ran off to the short gap between the gate and the store they were just in. Wow, there were sure in there for a long time.

                Donghae was back at the gate with Henry and Kangin. Henry was reading a magazine with his legs crossed over one another. As for Donghae and Henry, I had no idea what was going on with them. Kangin was collapsed on top of Donghae who was almost lying down in a chair. Both their mouths were open and eyes shut. How could they sleep like that?

                “The flight to Tokyo, Japan, departing from Seoul, Korea, will begin boarding now,” A woman, who had not been there before, was now in front of the mike on the desk in front of the gate entrance.

                “Did you hear that?! It’s time to get up you lazy asses!” Leeteuk rolled Kangin off of Donghae onto the floor. Kangin hit his head with a bam and he clutched at it with a sleepy groan. Donghae was a victim too, and was yanked off the seat. He landed heavily on his tailbone, which immediately threw him from his slumber with a cry of pain. I panicked and rushed over to him.

                “Omo! Gwencha na? Teukie was being too rough,” I helped him up off the floor as Donghae rubbed his backside tenderly.

                “Oh wow, just forget little o’ll me on the floor in pain!” Kangin grumbled loudly and sat up, still holding his head with both hands.

                “Who said I had to help you?” I retorted.

                “So cruel!” Kangin rose to his feet, “Teukie, how did this kid turn out to be the rotten one? I was betting on Yesung to be it.”

                “Hey!” Yesung, who had only one earbud in so he could hear us, frowned.

                “I don’t know. Looks like we have to go take that parenting class again,” Leeteuk picked up his suitcase, “We should start boarding.”

                “But Umma, we’re like the only ones on the-” Sungmin’s reasoning was cut off by a glare from Leeteuk. He shut right up and Kangin added lowly to Sungmin:

                “Just go with what he says. I don’t want to pay with the consequences later.” Kangin made a face and trotted loyaly behind Leeteuk to the check in.

                “Nippon, Nippon~!” Henry, Yesung, and Sungmin chanted and trailed behind Leeteuk and Kangin.

                “Ready to face Japan?” Donghae asked me and intertwined his fingers with mine.

                “As long as you’re with me!” I said confidently. There was the thought of what happened earlier lurking in the corner of my mind, but that was locked up and shut away in a box I hoped that would never be reopened.

A/N: Yeah, this was a little boring.....like the other chapters. I hope I can bring something alive and exciting in. But it's like it took me FOREVER just to end this. I was staring at my computer screen for ages! Review and comment please~! Oh, and btw, Sang Hyun is Thunder's name from MBLAQ (if y'all didn't know...). I know this makes all the ages like REALLY messed up, but this is creative lisence so yeah! Thanks for reading! :)