After three hours of exhausting practice, Jongin walked down the hallway of Yongsan High. He glanced upon his watch: 7PM. Everyone probably went home already.

He opened his rusty locker door, and found an odd looking paper in front of him.

It wasn’t a new one, however. It’s an old photograph, he realized, when he moved to a much brighter spot.  He subconsciously traced the rough lines from all the crumpling as he focused on the girl on the picture.

Jongin cringed.

She’s terribly familiar.

He can’t remember her name clearly but he was pretty sure that the girl was one of his biggest fans, but he never gave a single about them ever since.

Jongin was about to throw that useless photograph, but then he saw that something was scribbled on its back with red ink.

I was wrong about you, Kim Jongin. I used to admire you. I never imagined I’d be saying this to you but... I wish you just never existed.

“Oppa! Oppa!” A short girl smiled at him, tapping his shoulder and starting to move out of the shade and into the field.

“Oh, it’s you.” His voice was cold. Perhaps he was expecting someone else.

“Can we go on a date?”

“Date? Don’t you think it’s not nice for a girl to ask a man?”

“Uh – Oppa, it’s not like we just met... So I think...”

“You think I’ll go with you?  What a stupid illusion.” Jongin had his eyes rolling on her. “I have to go somewhere else, I don’t want to spend another minute here.”

And he left.

 “You’ve been practicing too much today.” Someone approached him from behind.

“Oh, Chanyeol. I thought everybody went home already.”

“Uhh, no.  Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.” He was about to say it but then the thing that Jongin’s holding distracted him. “Wait, what’s that?”

“What?” He said, curiously looking around.

“A photograph?” He asked. He took a few more steps to get closer to him. “Oh, this is nothing, it’s just – “ Before he can even finish, Chanyeol snatched it from his grip.

He immediately recognized the subject. “Never knew you were keeping her picture.” He said as he beamed at Jongin, looking a bit surprised. “No, actually, I just picked it up.” The latter shrugged and reasoned out.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Jongin remembered.

“Mom! I’m starving! What are you going to cook for tonight?” Soojung shouted, slouching on the chair she was sitting on. It was already growling, since she’s completely drained after studying.

“But honey, I’m not going to cook for tonight!” Mrs. Jung yelled from inside her room.

“What?!” Soojung’s eyes went huge. “Mom, I’m going to eat you if you won’t!” She insisted.

“It’s their anniversary! Stupid!” Sooyeon entered the family room, sitting beside her sister.

Soojung coldly stared at her. “Am I talking to you?”

She pretended to read her textbook while she flicked the pen she was holding. Evidently, the two never had a day without petty arguments. Baekhyun thinks that they would never ever agree with anything at all.

“I’m getting hungry too.” Baekhyun added.

“Tch. Let’s just buy dinner outside.” Sooyeon suggested.

The three ate at a fast-food joint just around Park Point, since Baekhyun said their burgers were ‘cool’ and Sooyeon, obviously, is too lazy to drive to the mall.

They arrived, and unfortunately, there were a lot of people lined up. They took their seats while Sooyeon ordered.

“You know, you’re really pretty, noona.” Baekhyun commented out of the blue, smiling at Soojung sheepishly.

Wow, Baekhyun. You’re a clever one.

“Are you on drugs, kid? Tell me, what do you want?” She replied.

“Can I borrow your phone? Please?” Baekhyun asked, pouting his lips.

“What are you going to do with it, huh?”

“Play games, of course.”

“Alright, find it inside my bag but don’t read any message, okay? If I catch you, you’re dead.” Soojung reminded.

“Yeah, yeah, I know those already.”

He rummaged in his sister’s bag with his tiny hands, searching in every pocket.

“Ha. I found it.” Just as he grabbed it from inside, a weird looking thing fell out.

“What’s this? It smells nice, it looks fluffy too!” He enthusiastically waved it in the air, making everybody see Soojung’s stack of napkins.

Soojung stood up and snatched it from his hands, wanting to throw the little kid off a cliff.

“What the hell, why did you pull this out Baekhyun?!“ Their conversation was loud enough that the people eating around can hear, much to Soojung’s embarrassment.

“I don’t know. Can I have it?” The clueless yet annoying Baekhyun asked.

“NO!“ She almost yelled, her face flustered.

“You’re really careless, Soojung.”

The deep and hoarse voice resembled Myungsoo’s. She turned around and found her dance partner, almost cracking up in tears.

“Oh, oppa!” Soojung waved at him, quickly stuffing her napkin back inside her bag like nothing happened. “Don’t mind..uhm..that thing.” She offered the seat next to Baekhyun, who was quietly occupying himself.

“I told you not to call me oppa anymore.” He chuckled. ”Anyway, it’s really nice to see you here.” He smiled, although looking a bit stressed.

“You went to the studio again today, didn’t you?” Soojung accused.

“How did you know?”

“I mean, just, look at you.” She let out a big sigh. “I told you not to force yourself anymore.”

“Fine, I won’t. But the evaluation’s tomorrow, you know. I want to give a lot of effort, since the instructor expects a lot.” He breathes out.

“You have a partner, Myungsoo. Don’t worry too much.”

Myungsoo watches her every whirl, how she manages to make every single turn incredibly graceful, back perfectly arched, how her feet sweeps across the nicely shone floor of the dance studio. He watches with full admiration, absolutely stunned. Soojung makes everything look so easy.

She stops, as soon as she recognizes him standing beside the door.

“Am I late?” The older asked, dropping his bags onto the floor.

 “You’re not.” Soojung giggled, since Myungsoo is still clueless as ever. “I asked you to come an hour earlier.”

“Wise girl.” He remarked. “I did not think of doing that.”

“I’m pretty smart too, you know.” Soojung replied, crossing her arms proudly. “Go change, and let’s get started.”

Myungsoo and Soojung hang out together in a flower park a few blocks away from the conservatory just after the evaluation.

Soojung was about to praise him for a job well done today, but she guessed he had something to say.

“I like you, Soojung. A lot.” Myungsoo muttered in the middle of their small talk.

She wasn’t shocked, she was worried.

They had been friends, ever since Myungsoo found Soojung practicing at the old studio in the conservatory.  Soojung longs for an older brother, and Myungsoo has been one to her. Soojung was dreading the day he would confess, and the day that he will find about Jongin.

Soojung had a painful expression on her face, waiting for the words to slide out of . To say everything without hurting Myungsoo was her biggest problem.

“I like someone else.” She almost stuttered. Her hands gripped on the bench were secretly shaking.

There it goes, like a huge spear fiercely stabbing his heart. Somehow he manages to smile half-heartedly, with tears forming at the edge of his eyes.

Soojung feels uneasy; heavily dreading the day their friendship will fall apart.

“Who is he?” Jongin pryingly asks as soon as they left.

“Myungsoo. Friend. Ballet partner.” Soojung replied with a displeased sigh.

It was already 3 in the afternoon, the sun was still high, and Jongin picked up Soojung from the dance conservatory. He spotted the two at the park.

He gave her a nudge. “Why do you look so weary?”

She doesn’t reply.

“Okay, I’m going to make you smile today.” Jongin said, placing his arms onto Soojung’s shoulders.

He took her to the beach where they first met.

Soojung was wearing a thin gray shirt and her favourite jeans, the cool wind pressing into her skin with the faded suntan already revealing her pale skin. Jongin took off his shoes and walked along the seashore, letting the small waves touch his feet.

What are we going to do here? She thought somewhat curiously.

“Come here.” He invited.

She followed, and soon they were playing with the salty water from the sea. Jongin was extra happy today, and Soojung couldn’t make out the reason why.

They sat at a distance from the shore, and watched the sun set from beyond the waters. Soojung turned to Jongin and caught him staring intently.

“You really have beautiful eyes.”

“And beautiful hair.” He said as he brushed off a few strands on her forehead.

“I love you, and I want you to be my girlfriend.” Jongin whispered, his face just inches from hers, the warmth of his breath pressing onto Soojung’s cheeks.

Soojung felt Jongin’s words were surreal, how everything is happening so fast. The blazing sun was already a half circle, the skies almost getting dark, the crispy brown leaves falling from the palm trees behind them. This is another moment where words won’t come out of . She could feel his eyes deeply fixed onto her, waiting for her one reply.

She doesn’t say anything. Instead, she leans in close, and in an instant his full lips were on hers. Soojung’s nimble fingers got a hold on his hair, pulling him even closer. Jongin tastes the gloss on her lips, wanting more, but then it only lasted for a moment before he parted.

“Wait, is that a yes?”

She laughed and pulled him into a tight hug. “I love you too.”