“Hyung…are you sure you want to this?” asked Jung Min, concern in his voice as they were readying to perform on their band’s last showcase after they debuted 4 months ago.

Hyun Joong looked him in the eye before he dropped them and turned away, “Yes…it’s her birthday.”

“But…hyung…she’s not here.  You have to let it go…”

“No…she’s here.  In here,” he answered, looking at Jung Min sternly as he pointed his chest to where his heart was.

“Arasso…I miss her too…this is the first that… she won’t… be here with us on… her birthday,” stated Jung Min in a low tone, struggling to finish his sentences, especially towards the end.

Hyun Joong patted Jung Min on the shoulder and squeezed them a little, comforting him before strode away towards the side of the stage, readying himself for the performance, trying to pushed away the memory of his girlfriend.

“Hyun Joong ah…remember the student exchange program I told you about last 2 months?” Han Yoon Jae asked as she sat down on Hyun Joong’s lap, with both of her hands circling his neck.

“Ehmm…” he answered while nuzzling his lips just below her ear, giving her small, continuous kisses.  He’s not actually listening to her, too busy kissing her and getting his hands all over her back, underneath the t-shirt she’s wearing, until he heard, “I’ll be going to Melbourne, Australia in two days.  Prof Lee recommended me to experience the digital media in 3D animation study in JMC Academy.”

That caught his attention, all right.  He stopped the kisses and sat up straight.  “For how long?” he asked, looking straight at her face.

“Just a month.”

“But, your birthday.  We promised that we could spend the day together after the showcase.  The manager even agreed to it.”

She caressed his face and cupped it in between her palms.  Touching her forehead to his, minimizing the distance between them, she tried to coax her way out from the deal, “We can always celebrate it together after I got back.”

“You are too old when that day came.”

“Ya!”

He glared at her.  He was upset at her for deciding this herself when they had agreed on something else.  And not forgetting that he had wasted some money on the deposit of what he had planned for the day.

“Hyun Joong ah…please don’t be mad at me.  It is my birthday after all…how about you sing me a song during the showcase?  As my present?”

“Whatever…”

“Okay then, what if I try to come back here before my birthday ends?”

“Promise?”

“I’ll try hard.”

“I’ll wait…”

“Hyung!”

He snapped out from his daze, looking at Hyung Jun.

“It’s time.”

Three hours gone by and it was now the last performance.  His performance.  Nobody knew about the upcoming performance other that the band members themselves.  Not even the management.  Young Saeng took the microphone and its stand to the middle of the stage and Kyu Jong set a chair behind it.  Hyung Jun stood at the side with Kyu Jong and Young Saeng while Jung Min still stood at his keyboard, looking deeply at him as he sat on the chair with his guitar, adjusting the microphone.

“Hello Triple S.  This is going to be our last song for tonight.  But before we perform, this probably would be the first song that you will hear me sing all by myself.”

The fans got really excited when they heard that he would be singing this time around.

“I have changed the arrangement of the song a bit…This song is for my girlfriend, who’s not here with us.”

The fans roared louder.

“Today was her birthday…the first time for the both of us.”

He turned to look at Jung Min and he saw him staring down at his keyboard.

“The first time I approached her, I was the one to step forward into the relationship, waiting for her.  And now, it is my turn.  No matter where you are now, please wait for me…I’ll come to you.”

The audience stopped cheering.  They probably now understood what he meant.  What she meant to him.  Looking down at the guitar, he started to strum it and sang.

Better than anyone else

I want someone I can call out for

Looking at other woman watching them carefully

The time is here

I think it is time we say good bye

I know what I’m feeling right now

I believed it is supposed to be like this

Tell her don’t leave

If you just can look at me one more time

A song calling for you

It’s calling for you

Even though I’m calling for you like this

Even if I calling for you

A promise that you made a while ago

Don’t utter those words again

This is the limit

I think I understand now

Don’t mention those words again

Please can you wait (quitely)

Go away (quitely)

Leave me like this even if you to leave

The words ‘let’s stop’

Telling that it is too much

Telling me that you don’t like me anymore

Even though there’s nothing I can say anymore

Tell her ‘don’t go’

Tell her ‘don’t go’

If you would came back to me

Meanly stupidly as a man

Leave me as you get much far away

You become smaller

All I can think is only you

There’s nothing else I can do or say

The song was supposed to be a happy one but he changed it into this mellow, slow song…as what he was feeling right now.  He could still remember the day that changed  everything.  They were rehearsing for the showcase when Jung Min suddenly got a call and excused himself.  The call was brief.  He came back holding unto his phone loosely by his side, face looking all pale and staring at him.

“Hyung…”  That was the only sentence Jung Min managed to utter before he slumped on the floor.

The memory stopped as he ended the song.  The curtain closed in.  He didn’t get up straight away.  He wanted to collect himself first from all the mixed emotion.  Finally, he sat his guitar to the side of the chair he just sat during the performance and walked towards Jung Min.

“Thank you…”

Jung Min nodded and gave him a slight smile.  The other three came towards them and patted his back, as well as Jung Min’s.  They walked back towards the changing room.  As they were still lingering in the room, his phone vibrated.  He picked it up and set it on loud speaker.

“YA! HYUN JOONG!  What is the meaning of making me dead?”

All five of them laughed loudly as they heard the voice from the other side of the call.

“ALL OF YOU ARE IN IT??  You too JUNG MIN?”

“Hyung made us…blame only him.”

“Hyun Joong!  Reina called me saying that you have implied that I’m no longer in this world when you dedicated a song for me.”

He chuckled.  Trying hard to suppress his laughter, he answered her, “Who asked you to break your promise?   I did as you asked me to.  I dedicated a song for you.  You never said how I should do it.”

“Still…me dead?  Jung Min!  You’re so gonna get it from me.  How could you go along with his prank?  When I get back there, you can say goodbye to your favourite horse stuffed toy, Mal.  And I would probably kidnap Lapin away and sell him.  Let you feel the sadness trauma for the second time just as when Mommy called you saying that Lapin had escaped from his cage.”

“Noona…please don’t!  Hyung…help…”