Somin  got dressed in a beautiful black satin knee length dress and was waiting for Hyunjoong in the living room. She giggled as she reflected upon how waiting for Hyunjoong had always been an anxious event for her. Even after so many months she feels the same excitement, if not more.

Somin jumped to her feet when she heard a car entering her driveway. She ran alongside granny to open the door but was surprised to see a big van instead of Hyunjoong’s black sedan. Before she could ask anything Kyu and Hyungjun hopped out of the car crying “Hyungseo-nim!”

Somin was excited to see them and the three of them group hugged. Hyunjoong came out from the car in the meantime and was looking at the trio with tender loving eyes. He couldn’t have asked for a better person for his partner—Somin was perfect! She was kind, sweet, cute and was not just his favourite but also of all the people that mattered to him.

“What’cha thinking?” Youngsaeng sneaked upto where Hyunjoong was standing and mischieviously whispered in his ear

“Blimey! You scared me!” Hyunjoong momentarily glared at Youngsaeng in horror before laughing it off “nothing as such…just how lucky I am to have her. She’s perfect!”

“They say oneday you will come across someone who’ll make you realize why it didn’t work out with all the rest” Youngsaeng chuckled

“I second that” Hyunjoong smiled at Youngsaeng and turned to Somin , Kyu and Hyung Jun but instantly his face stiffened.  His smile was gone and his lips formed a straight line

Spotting Hyunjoong, Somin went to him. She expected to get a tight hug or a kiss but Hyunjoong showed no signs of doing any of that. He just nodded in acknowledgement and waved alittle in response before saying “Get in the car”

Somin didn’t know what was wrong she disappointedly went back to get into the car after bidding farewell to granny.

Hyunjoong kept his straight face throughout. Somin talked  with the other boys but Hyunjoong hardly spoke and even when he did it wasn’t very pleasant. Not that he insulted or rebuked Somin in any way, or passed any hurtful comments towards her but still it was evident he was not in the best of his moods.The five of them reached the restaurant they had booked. It was a luxurious but at the same time very private. Within minutes Somin realized this was not a regular restaurant. The restaurant had very limited access and hence there were no paparazzi or fans. Somin observed the customers had to flash some kind of card to enter and as they proceeded towards the entrance she found Hyunjoong digging into his pockets for probably the same. But as soon as the guard saw the 4 of them he instantly smiled and waved them in. But just as they were about enter he produced his hand forbiddingly and eyed Somin.

“She’s with us” Hyunjoong stated with authority.

“I need to se her ID sir” The guard said after a minute of hesitation. Somin got nervous as she was not carrying one and the guard looked very intimidating.

“I said she’s with us” Hyunjoong stated sternly. Somin turned to him and then she was confused about whom to be scared of—the guard or Hyunjoong. The guard looked at Hyunjoong  briefly and then at Somin. Finally he dropped his hand and bowed waving them inside.

Somin didn’t know what to do in such a situation—Hyunjoong hadn’t been talking to her and now the dominnering show he potrayed at the entrance scared her further. She was very much uncomfortable and was dying to brighten up the mood and bring back the normal Hyunjoong. “Do you guys come here often?” she asked,primarily to get Hyunjoong to talk but the latter just shrugged his shoulders in a carefree manner.

“We used to at one point of time but its been quite a while” Youngsaeng answered on leader’s behalf, sensing Somin’s discomfort

“This is a very exclusive kinda restaurant hyungsonim. It’s exclusively for celebrities like us. Being popular, we cant go anywhere we like, but in here they maintain extreme privacy. You can say this is just for celebrities.” Hyungjun bragged

“No wonder the guard objected at my admission” Somin laughed nervously

“Well you’re not a celebrity now but you’re going to be one soon…” Hyungjun said shrugging his shoulders “THE WIFE OF KIM HYUNJOONG!” Maknae waved the title in air. “you’ll probably be the most talked about woman in this nation after you two get married.

Hyung Jun went on without realizing with each word Somin was getting more and more burdened. Was she ready for this kind of attention? Can she live being constantly in the public eye? She remembered Hwangbo’s words—how she had to tolerate hatemail etc.Hwangbo is a confident woman with a strong fan base protecting her. But even then the antis remarks disturbed her. Somin doesn’t have any of those. Can she handle the pressure? Will she be able to endure it?

“Here we are” jungmin sighed as he stopped his car before the restaurant the members told him to arrive at. Though he appeared to be calm and composed the fear in his heart was inevitably reflected in his body language. Seunyeon’s condition was no different. Their present condition was very much contrasting to their normal self. The confident y charisma was now like a lost puppy and the arrogant spoilt brat was now like a wet kitten

They both turned towards each other and instantly identified the fear in each other’s eyes. “I am sorry I dragged you into this.” Seungyeon sighed looking at her folded hands. “I know you take me as an arrogant self centered brat, but I know how you’re feeling right now. The SS members…I’ve seen how much you five care for each other during our time at DSP….and to lie to them like this…I know you’dnt have done so if you had a choice.”

Jungmin didn’t speak; he just watched her. When she finished, he got out of the car in silence, leaving Seungyeon feeling even more guilty. Seungyeon closed her eyes and cursed herself. This really wasn’t a situation she wanted to be in. Infact recently she didn’t really know what she wanted anymore. She started this game to get Nick back and to make Gyuri experience the same loneliness. But now she didn’t care anymore. She didn’t even want Nick back. But if she didn’t want him who did she want?

“Come on..”

Seungyeon opened her eyes in shock and turned to find Jungmin holding the door open for her. She looked at him closely. Was he the reason? The times she spent with him during their fake relationship flashed across her eyes. Why was Jungmin doing all this? Just for her? Can someone be that selfless?

“So many celebrities come here huh?” Somin asked

“Yeah.Many!Don’t get surprised if you bump into any SuJu or BigBang members” hyungjun nodded and glanced sideways and spotted Jungmin entering “YO MAL!” he waved

Jungmin took a deep breath and momentarily glanced at Seungyeon before walking upto the members. He hugged all members and introduced Seungyeon to them. As the members greeted her,Jungmin’s eyes fell on Somin who was standing behind the four boys waiting for her turn to meet Seungyeon. As he watched her Somin’s eyes met his and she gave her patent warm smile. Jungmin’s heart melted in an instant and he felt a sting in his heart. This was the first time he was meeting her after Hyunjoong’s confession at the airport. Times have changed and he really thought he was over her but now when he saw her his heart still fluttered like it used to. “This is I guess why they say…you can never forget your first love” he thought.

Seungyeon received a very warm welcome from SS501 sunbaes. They hadn’t changed much over the years and she liked it very much. While exchanging greeting,from the corner of her eye she saw Jungmin. His expression was different, it was as if he was looking at something very close to his heart, a cherished possession. Seungyeon inconspicuously followed his gaze and spotted a girl. She couldn’t see her clearly as her view was blocked by the SS501 sunbaes. Finally Hyunjoong came upto her and said, “Seungyeon, this is Somin…” Seungyeon watched the SS501 members move sideways as their leader pointed to the girl standing behind them, whom Jungmin was looking at intently. Seungyeon bowed and Somin bowed in response as well,shooting a bright charming smile. Seungyeon stealthily glanced at Jungmin and found him staring at Somin again with the same intense emotion she noticed earlier as well.

“Who was she? Is she someone important to Jungmin? What’s her relation with him or any of the SS501 boys?” all these questions started popping up in her head.

As if to answer her queries, Hyunjoong  added “she’s my fiancé”

As soon as she heard Hyunjoong said that her head involuntarily turned to Jungmin just in time to catch his face turn abit gloomy. In that instant, Seungyeon understood everything. Jungmin wasn’t selfless he was playing the game too! He had his own benefits as well. “Every guy is the same” she grumbled in her head. Surprisingly, when she was not getting a reason as to why Jungmin was helping her out she was feeling guilty but now when she thought of this she should feel relieved but instead she became all grumpy.

Anyway after exchanging greetings they sat down to dine. Hyung Jun was clearly the most excited. He was excited to have both his would-be-hyungsonims with him.Kyu was next in line. Everyone was happy, even Hyunjoong’s mood lightened up abit.

Jungmin watched the members getting excited to meet Seungyeon but he kinda felt sad because he knew all this was fake. But what was disturbing him abit was the little coldness he observed between Hyunjoong and Somin.

Seungyeon saw Jungmin staring at the two. Though she was abit pissed she felt it was an obligation to help out Jungmin since he helped her out with Nick.

“Hyunjoong oppa..” she cried

“Hmm?” Hyunjoong looked up

“You should call up Nicole sometimes. She really misses you.” Seungyeon said

Somin paused and looked at Hyunjoong. Jungmin also was shocked at the sudden question. Hyunjoong on the other hand, being ignorant like always, didn’t give much thought and started praising Nicole and asking about her. He didn’t have any idea with each of his comments he was hurting Somin. Somin was disheartened and jealous. Jungmin along with Youngsaeng saw the sadness in her eyes but were helpless as they knew making Hyunjoong understand  in this situation was not possible.

They tried diverting topics but they weren’t very successful in doing so. Finally the dinner was over, Hyunjoong was still cold towards Somin who was inturn very upset with everything that happened that evening. Jungmin was not happy with the turn out and quickly took Seungyeon outside when he saw she was trying to bring up the Nicole topic again.

“We should have a get together like this again oppa” Seungyeon cried

“de” Hyunjoong nodded

“And next time we’ll invite Nicole too” Seungyeon suggested.

“Absolutely…I miss that little angel” Hyunjoong said smilingly. But his words hit Somin like daggers. ‘Angel’ was her name name! How can Hyunjoong call someone else angel? Disappointment and fury surged up inside Somin making her eyes teary.  

“Umm..sweety can I talk to you for a moment”  Jungmin interrupted—he saw Somin’s condition and he couldn’t let this go on. He left dragging Seungyeon with him.

Before Hyunjoong or anyone else could ask anything to Jungmin they heard a call from behind

“HYUNJOONG! YOUNGSAENG!”

Everyone turned to the call and Somin gasped when she saw the people who called out to Hyunjoong and Youngsaeng. Jaejoong and Yunho were striding towards them, looking like greek gods descending from heaven.