"I want...I want..." Nicole looked upwards. She looked into his eyes, his golden brown eyes, and all of the feelings she had spilled out. She wanted to be with him desperately. She opened to speak. The room was still silent, but this silence was almost deafening. Minhyun could sense who she was going to choose, whereas Kris had no idea. Kris prayed that it was him, but he didn't know Minhyun and Nicole's history. He thought they maybe both liked each other, but then remembered the night before when they had almost kissed. The two boys were on edge now as Nicole started to speak.

"Kris. I...I have never been in love before, but...I'm almost positive I know what it feels now, because of you." Were the words she spoke, looking at the coffee table, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. 

There was a moment of silence after her words. Jessica, Baekhyun, GD, Hyuna, and T.O.P all smiled, excited to have another couple in the group. Sohee looked horrified, not even beginning to fathom what Minhyun must've been going through at her words. Pure bliss could not describe the look on Kris's face. Minhyun looked relatively unsurprised, but within his head, he was shaking with confusion and hate and nervousness and every bad emotion combined. No... Minhyun wanted to shout. No, please, Nicole, have it be a joke. Let this be a practical joke, let this be some kind of nightmare or false reality or anything else...Nicole, I've liked you since you came here, and I know what love feels like because of you. Why do you choose him...? Of all people, why is he the better? Why does Kris deserve a girl he just met? Why don't I deserve the girl I've liked, no, loved, for so long...But you didn't choose me, did you? You just chose him. 

I'll always be waiting, Nicole. I'll wait to have you.

Minhyun then did the most logical thing he could. He spit out some words of congratulation and then walked calmly out of the room. He wanted to get home and be back in his room so he could think and try to make sense of what had just happened. Minhyun ran his hands through his hair, messing it up the way he liked it. He found a bench outside and sat down instinctively. Minhyun started to go through what had happened, remembering how far away his house was. The memory was fuzzy now, he could only remember his emotions turning from hope to hate in a very quick matter. Minhyun turned around, looking at the lawn. He felt an arm go around his shoulder, and turned, seeing CL right next to him. Minhyun became flustered, and rubbed his forehead while laughing a little bit. "CL, you scared the out of me...!!" He sighed. "I forgot you weren't inside..."

"Why are you out here?" CL asked. She looked over at Minhyun and smiled a bit. "You know why I'm here, of course." She looked a lot more forlorn than she would like to admit, with obvious mascara lines down her face, signifying that she had been crying for who knows how long. CL's pretty silver dress was now wrinkly, and she had taken off all of her jewlery and placed it in her lap.

Minhyun observed all these things and took a breath. He told her the entire story. "...And now I'm just kinda pissed, you know?...I wish Nicole had chosen me." CL laughed a little, making Minhyun turn red. "I know it sounds pathetic, but I've liked her for awhile-"

"No," CL interrupted him, looking into his eyes. "I'm laughing because the same thing happened to me. I told T...I told the guy I like that I liked him, and he told me he likes one of my friends, and I wish he had chosen me. And so I totally get where you're coming from, which is why I think it's funny, because Nicole likes your friend-" Minhyun laughed this time, interrupting her with words CL was very surprised and taken-aback to hear.

"Kris is not my friend."

"...What?"

"You heard me."

"I did, I just..." CL had no idea what to say. She had never expected something so... downright blunt out of him. Minhyun had a look in his eye, a look that CL did not like, that made her realize his passion for Nicole, and how much he really wanted to change what had happened just a few minutes ago. She didn't want to encourage Minhyun, but she was slowly realizing the same feeling was growing inside of her for Sohee. She wanted T.O.P, and couldn't believe that he had chosen probably the ugliest girl in their friend group over her. CL realized what she had just called her best friend and didn't want to take it back, she wanted her feelings of hate to simmer until T.O.P realized what kind of bad decision he had made. But for now, she quieted her feelings. 

Minhyun smirked at CL's confused words. "You know, I have never had any luck at all with love. You know that I transfered schools because everyone thought I was gay?! And apparently the rumors have transfered over, since GD gave me his number-" CL's expression changed from hate to complete confusion.

"What the hell....GD's gay...?" CL asked him, not expecting the answer she was given as Minhyun scoffed at her.

"Duh. He's been trying to get in my pants for the last two years." Minhyun realized how mean he was beginning to sound and apologized. "I'm sorry, CL, but I just really wanted this thing with Nicole to work out. Baekhyun went through the same thing, actually, until he started dating Jessica, so that would be another bonus to dating Nicole. ...I'm honestly glad you at least partially understand." He sighed again, running his hands back through his hair until the gel he had used to part it to the side was completely out. He took off his tie and stuffed it in his jacket pocket. He took his arms out of his jacket and put them in his pockets too, letting the empty jacket hang over his shoulders. 

CL looked over at Minhyun and expressed worry for her friend. "And what about Hyuna? Does that just make her his arm candy?!..." Minhyun nodded his head. "Oh, jeez...our friend group is really disfunctional. First our situations, and then...Hey, can I tell you something? But you have to promise not to tell anyone?"

Minhyun raised one eyebrow as he spoke. "Uh...Sure. Why not."

"Sohee likes you."

Minhyun said nothing to CL's words.

"Did you just hear me? I said Sohee likes you. She told me and Nicole at the beginning of the year. I think you should go for her, you two would make a great couple," CL spoke, laughing. "Just don't tell her I told you. I just want her to be happy, you know?" And NOT with T.O.P. But she left that part out. Minhyun nodded and said goodbye to CL, deciding to it up and walk home in the cold. It was better than staying with CL any longer. When he was out of her sight, he started to run back to his house, knowing Gyuri was probably there. He wanted to talk to her about this so badly, and he knew he had to. Maybe the time we kissed HAD meant something to her... He thought. Maybe she was lying. Maybe she does actually like me...And I broke her heart that night. Minhyun couldn't have been more wrong that night, running home. Sohee did not like him, but CL didn't know that. She instead decided to walk home without anyone, not wanting to be with anyone for the rest of the night.

Back at the party, it had relatively calmed down. Kris had his arm around Nicole and her head was on his shoulder. They were holding hands as well. Baekhyun and Jessica had their arms around each other, and Hyuna had her head on GD's shoulder. GD looked slightly uncomfortable with it, as you can now imagine why. T.O.P was back inside, sitting on the left of Sohee and with Fei on Sohee's right side. They were all sharing stories and laughing together, all of them happy and content. As the last of the stories ended, Nicole spoke a few words and said goodbye to her guests. Jessica and Hyuna went home first, with GD and Baekhyun behind them. Kris and Fei went next, with Kris giving Nicole a goodbye kiss that made the rest of the group squeal with excitement for them. T.O.P then offered to walk with Sohee home, and the two of them wished her farewell as they departed.

Nicole was ultimately glad the party was over, and she turned off the CD, glad to have some silence. She was officially dating Kris, and she couldn't be happier. Though she thought she had forgotten something...Oh! Sohee had tried to talk to her earlier and she was interrupted. Nicole got out her phone and dialed Sohee's number. She called her instead of texting, because she had remembered what Sohee was saying being somewhat important. "Hey, Sohee, it's Nicole. Before the party you were saying something...I forget what it was, but it sounded important." Nicole said immediately as Sohee picked up the phone.

The other line was silent for two seconds, and Nicole assumed it was Sohee taking a deep breath. "Hey, Nikki. Uhm...I was saying...remember that night you, me, and CL told each other who we liked, and I said I liked Minhyun? Well...I actually don't. It was a lie, and I'm really sorry I lied to the two of you, you two are my best friends, but...but I actually have a crush on T.O.P. And the only reason why I didn't tell the truth is because I was scared about what CL would think, because, you know, she likes him too. But honestly, I just want what's best for her-"

Nicole picked this moment to interrupt her with the words she wanted to say. "Screw that."

"What..?!"

"I said, screw making CL happy! We both love her, I know, but...come ON, Sohee! You need to...you need to go for it! Go for T.O.P! Spend some time with him! Aren't the boys getting together soon? Like T.O.P, Minhyun, and Baekhyun? Sohee, you should TOTALLY go! Ugh, girl, you should have told me this earlier," Nicole stopped and realized that Sohee had been laughing on the other line, to which she felt immense relief. "Look, we can just keep this a secret between you and me. I'll do everything I can to help you out! I've gotta go, see ya~" Nicole hung up the phone, ready to do anything she could to hep her best friend.

Sohee, on the other line, was relieved and worried at the same time. She was excited for Nicole to help her out, but not so much excited to have CL find out, because with Sohee's luck, she would. Sohee then decided to sleep, finally, and she started to become more excited about the whole idea of actually getting T.O.P to go out with her.

Of course, she didn't know exactly how hard it was going to be, because as Sohee was planning the rest of the next few months out in the love aspect, Minhyun was telling his stepsister Gyuri all about Sohee and her secrets because he needed to let it out to someone. And now Gyuri knew exactly how to ruin Sohee and wasn't going to wait any longer to do it.