JONGHYUN'S POV

Yes! I clinched the deal. Man, this is tiring me.. But as long as it's for Tae-Hee, it's fine. Holding on to the paperworks, I entered the house. Was there a chance that Tae-Hee was home? Maybe not. Since they always go out till late. But, just to make sure, I called out. 

"Anyone home?"

It was dark. Of course. She's still out. Disappointed, I switched on the lights.

The moment I did, I saw Tae-Hee hugging her knees on the floor, head buried in her arms. I got a shock, if anything.

"TAE-HEE! What happened? Why didn't you turn on the lights?" I asked, dismayed.

She didn't reply me. Weird. 

She un-buried her head and rubbed her eyes.

I bent down and lifted her chin.

"All right.. What happened?"

I saw her tear-stricken face and it broke my heart. I released my hand and she buried her head again. 

""Tae-Hee.. You know I'm here for you. Tell me what happened."

"Key.. asked me.. to marry.. him," she hiccuped.

I felt the green monster creeping up again. I pushed it away. 

"What? Isn't that a good thing?" For you.

"He dosen't know."

About?

"About?-- Oh no.. Not that." I said, realizing what had happened.

Her transgenderism.. She hadn't told him?

She remained silent.

Disbelieved, I asked, "Really?" 

She didn't reply me. 

"Oh man! I thought you had told him when you started dating!"

"How could I? I was afraid he would run away, like all the others. His sweet smile.. His funny personality..." 

I began to feel really jealous.

"..I didn't want that to go away." She continued.

"You can't have expected that this would be kept secret forever!"

"Tell me.." She was starting to sound angry. "Could you have told him if you were in my position?"

I looked at her for a moment. Her eyes glared into mine.

I sighed. "Look, I can't pretend to know what you're going through," I paused. "But I do know that hiding the truth won't do anything to rectify the problem."

"I'm.. I'm not afraid of a breakup. I'm used to it, even." She started to sound desperate. "What if I tell him, and he won't even see me as a friend?!"

"So what?! You're gonna run away from the greatest relationship you've ever had?"

She had stopped crying, and said in a quiet voice, "I.. I just don't know what to do, Jonghyun."

What she said next really made me really, really angry. "Look, just.. tell him that I have to go back to my hometown to sort out some problems.. That's the only way.."

SLAP

I gave her a slap. 

"DAMN IT, TAE-HEE! Wake UP. Solve your problems! Don't run away. You solved your problems before and the rectified problems allowed you to meet Key, right?" 

I hugged her close to me. "Remember when you told me about the tomato? It dosen't matter whether if it's a vegetable or a fruit. Same goes for you! A tomato's a tomato. You're Tae-Hee." I didn't know where these words were coming from, but as long as Tae-Hee cheers up or at least find a way to solve this, I'm satisfied. "Tae-Hee's Tae-Hee."

"Thank you, Jonghyun." Tae-Hee said quietly. "I.. I'm gonna go tell Key then."

She released herself from my embrace and headed for the door. Only when she's out of the door, I said, "Good luck."

Tae-Hee's POV

....

....

....

"Can I have some time to think about it?" Key paused. "It's.. alot to take in." 

He got up. "I'll call you later."

------

I walked home slowly when I heard Jonghyun's voice. "TAE-HEE!" 

I turned my head to where the voice came from. 

"Jonghyun..." He was sitting on the bench that I just walked past. I walked back to him. "What're you doing here?"

"What? Can't I worry about my best friend?"

I grinned. He always cheers me up, no matter what the circumstances.

------

It's been a week since we last met. Key hasn't even called me once.

I watered the tomato plant. While I was sprinkling water on the plant, I noticed the time. "Oh! That's right. I have an interview today.." I remembered and quickly got up. Without knowing that I left my phone on the bed, I left the house.

Your POV

Phone on bed: Ring~ Ring~ RINGRINGRING~

C'mon.. Pick up, Tae-Hee! Key frantically thought.

He kept calling her. 

"Damn it! Why did I take so long? She probably thinks I've given up on her now!" He mumbled to himself. He walked out of his office building. Thank goodness Onew let him go off early to find her. "I shouldn't have cared about who she was before! She's the woman I love and that's that!" He comfirmed as he hurried to Tae-Hee's house.

Jonghyun's POV

"Thank you every much." I couldn't hide my smile as I shook hands with the businessman.

I have finally bought a bookstore for Tae-Hee! She had always loved books, that's how she was able to find out about the tomatoes.. 

I can't wait to tell Tae-Hee! I thought as I headed home.

Tae-Hee's POV

Walking along the pavement, I felt dejected. I had failed the job interview again.. But at least this time's because I'm underqualified. I was gonna reach the corner around my house when I saw..  Key? 

I stopped. "Why is he here..? I'm not ready to hear his answer yet.. What would I do if he says.. "Sorry.. But I just don't see things working out.."?"

No.. I'm not ready. 

"Hey.. Tae-Hee!" I heard Key's voice calling out to me.

I ran away.

"Tae-Hee! Wait! Come back! Please, I have to--"

I ran across the road.

No, I cannot see him now-- not now--not now--not-

"TAE-HEE!"

His voice was imbued with horror.

I don't know why but I looked to my left and a pair of headlights was the last thing I saw. 

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Jonghyun's POV

"This is held in memory of the.. recently deceased, ...Tae-Hee," a woman with graying hair started off, but she faltered and cried.

Her mother.. I've never seen her before. I stared at Tae-Hee. Tae-Hee's funeral photo. Holding the box I held tight, I kept staring at her photo the whole time. After the ceremony, I headed to find Key. 

I found him sitting at the bench. I approached him and asked him the question I've been wanting to ask for a long time.

"Say, you're Key, right?"

"Yea. You?" He looked up. His face was gaunt and depressed, not the friendly and cheerful face I saw in the photos.

"Jonghyun. I was Tae-Hee's best friend." I gave him a grim smile.

"Oh yes.. She told me so much about you. She had said you helped her through some hard times." He stopped. "I didn't realize until how hard till.. you know."

The two of us remained quiet.

"Oh, this is for you." I said quietly and opened up the box. "I was taking care of Tae-Hee's things and I thought you should have this." I held the object out to Key.

He took it and I explained. "This tomato plant was Tae-Hee's 'pet' of sorts. She loved that thing. Emotional creature, wasn't she?"

I chuckled.

"Heh. You got that right," he agreed and hugged the plant close to him.

"Well," I said to him. "I gotta go now. Take good care of her pet, yea?"

"Yea."

And then I left.

I had to top up my card to ride the bus back home, so I went to the top up station. I whipped out my card and didn't notice the photo that fell out with it. After topping up, I left. 

A boy had noticed and picked the photo up. The boy took a look at it and called out for me.

"Hey, mister! You dropped this." The little boy held the photo up for me and I took it.

When he left, I took a good, long, look at the photo. I tried to stop the tears. But they still came anyway.

I held the photo of Tae-Hee and looked at her cheerful, alive self. She was smiling beautifully at her tomato plant.

-------------------------------------------

Poor shmuck. After buying the bookstore, he lost her. This story's pretty emotional.. I think I scared readers away. T^T But it was in the book, so yea XD

Well. That's it for Tae-Hee and Jonghyun. I think I'll start on Onew and his wife next. It's just mainly him and his sangtae XD (I think). I don't really have a clear idea of his sangtae. *shrugs*

 Sorry that I didn't update last week.. My schedule was really packed.. With a major national competition coming up, I have very little time to use the comp. Sadly. 

As usual, I'll try to update asap :) Till then, don't lose faith in me XD

By the way, I've added some teasers in the Foreword. But I didn't really write the teasers well. I'm blaming it on my sleepiness!

Comments are loved~

 ~Aimeki o^o