Jonghyun’s POV

I haven’t told her about my plans to go back to LA yet. I’m just having fun every time she comes to the hospital after school, most of the time without Taemin. This feels so illegal. Is there a crime for loving someone who can’t be yours? Well, if there is, I will probably plead guilty anytime.


Minzy’s POV

I was walking to my bedroom to get a couple of things, preparing to spend the night in the hospital. I pity Se7en-oppa. No one is here to take turns with him in taking care of his brother, which is why I actually volunteered to do so, even if it meant nightly quarrels with Taemin. I hate it when Taemin treats me like a child. I know I’m young, and so is he. But that doesn’t mean we cannot take on simple responsibilities like this. And he kept on reiterating that I need to look after myself first before I do it to others. Ugh. I totally understand that he’s worried I might drain myself too much. Dance in school for the whole day, rush home to get things, head to the hospital to make Se7en-oppa get some rest, spend the night sleeping on a lazy boy, head back home to wash and prepare for school, and the cycle just went on for four days.

They couldn’t let Jonghyun-oppa go home yet, they said he’s better off in the hospital since there are nurses and doctors around to help him recover faster. His case wasn’t a serious one. But the cut on his foot, seriously, it scared me. He’s lucky he will be able to walk again after getting cut that deep.

As I was hurriedly walking, headed back to the car, I noticed one of the maids fixing some stuff in Jonghyun-oppa’s room.

“Are you gonna bring that to the hospital too, nanny Lia?” I asked the old woman. Nanny Lia has been my nanny since I was three. I was really close to her since she has also become my second eomma over the years.

“No, my love. I was asked to fix Sir Jonghyun’s luggage for his flight tomorrow night.”

“Flight? Tomorrow night? To where?”

“Back to LA, Minzy-dear.”

“Oh. Okay.”

When I got to the hospital, I remained silent, very different than my usual behavior. In the past few days, I usually sit on Jonghyun-oppa’s bed while we surf the internet for funny video clips and laugh our hearts out, or we play board games or even Uno Cards. Today, I chose to sit on the lazy boy and watch the TV.

“Yah, duckling, why are you so far?”

“I’m trying to get used to it.” I answered him without even looking at him.

“Get used to what?” Jonghyun-oppa asked with a confused face.

“You. Gone.”

Two words were all I said but that was all that was needed to well up my eyes with tears.

“Oh, you heard already,” he answered coolly.

“You didn’t have plans of telling me?” I asked back.


Jonghyun’s POV

“I do. I do. I was planning to bid you goodbye tomorrow morning before you leave for school. But since you already know, I might as well tell you now.”

We both remained silent.

I actually didn’t know how and where to start. Should I start by thanking her? Or should I just tell her that I’m leaving? I really didn’t know. But it seems to me that she couldn’t wait any longer since she left the room with a straight face, not even telling me where she’s headed.

I would totally understand her if she will hate me, after all, we promised to be really good friends (she said she can only have one best friend, Dara-noona, which is why she can’t call me her best friend too.) and tell each other everything and remain by each other’s side.

But remaining this close to her without the right to love her and show her how much I value her would only kill me by the minute. I’ve been looking for escape routes, a good excuse for me to fly back to LA and not come back anytime soon. My accident was the best excuse as of the moment. And I’m taking the chance, even if it meant breaching our promise.

I had to keep my game face on, I can’t let her see that this is hurting me too. Some may call it pride, others call it ego, but I call it letting go. Cheesy as it sounds; I have to make her feel that I am strong enough to handle these kinds of situations. And that my decision to fly back to America is the best option there is.


Minzy’s POV

How could he do this? He promised to be beside me all the time. And now he’s leaving and didn’t even have plans on telling me right away?

I can’t hate him, I know he did it with a valid reason. But I just can’t help but hold grudges.

I fumbled on my phone and dialed Dee-unnie’s number.

“Yobeoseyo?”, Dee-unnie answered.

“Unnie.” I wasn’t able to hold back my tears anymore. I cried at the sound of my bestfriend’s voice.

“Oh Minkkiah, what happened? Why are you crying?”

“Jonghyun-oppa is leaving.”

“Seriously? Going where?”

“Back to LA.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Oh. Why are you crying then? Isn’t he really supposed to go back to LA after a few months?”

“He didn’t tell me he was leaving already. He didn’t plan on telling me.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then stop crying. Instead of spending your time bawling your eyes out there, why don’t you go back to him and spend the remaining hours having fun with him.”

“Arasso.” (T: I understand.)

“But Minkkiah. Can you please start making up to Taemin once Jonghyun leaves? Taemin is still your boyfriend after all.”

“But he doesn’t understand me. Jonghyun-oppa is like a long lost brother-slash-best friend to me.”

“I know that. And I’m sure he does too. But you owe him an apology and making up for lost quality time.”

“Ne. Arasso.” (T: Okay, I understand.)

“So, what are you waiting for? Go back to Jonghyun’s room now and have fun. Jaejoong is downstairs waiting for me.”

“JAEJOONG-OPPA????? What is he doing there?”

“I’ll tell you everything next time. Sort out your mess, I’ll sort out mine.”

“Mess? What? Wait. What happened to Woodong-oppa?”

“Later, Minkkiah. Toodles!”

The next thing I heard was a busy tone.

I wonder, what is Jaejoong-oppa doing at Dara-unnie’s place? And why is Woodong-oppa nowhere to be found? Have I been spending a lot of time with Jonghyun-oppa that much that I don’t even know what’s been happening to my bestfriend?

I went back to Jonghyun-oppa’s room and found him surfing channels, eyebrows stuck together, frowning with disappointment because he can’t find a nice show to watch. When he saw me walk in, his frown turned into a smile.

“Are you still mad at me Minkkiah?”

“Aniyo.” (T: No.)

“I didn’t tell you about it because I want nothing to change. I was afraid I’d get special treatment if you knew about it earlier. I especially asked Daesung-hyung not to tell you yet. I actually got scold because he knew it wasn’t gonna be easy breaking news to you, specially on the day of my flight. I’m really sorry Minkkiah. I just didn’t know where to start.”

“Oppa.” I looked at him with teary eyes.

“Come here, will you?” He opened his arms for a hug which I gave to him in no time.

“I will really miss you.” I said, tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Uljima, my love. Uljima.” (T: Don’t cry, my love. Don’t cry.)

I sat on his bed and tried to get back to normal as soon as possible. It was really hard to spend the next hours as happy as he hoped we could be, but I really tried. Although my emotions have been failing and giving me away constantly, he also reminds me to be happy for him. And that he had to go back to LA so his mom can take care of him since he’s getting in the way for most people.

Even if it was true that he was becoming a burden for everyone, his smile and his aegyo from time to time eases everyone’s fatigue. He can light up a room with just his puppy eyes. And when he sings, he can turn the world upside down, make all the sad people happy, and the happy ~ happier.

Seeing him enter the airport in his wheelchair really broke my heart. There goes my guy best friend, away from me, away from us all. He’s leaving and I can’t even stop him. I had to turn around and get back to the car while he was being pushed into the airport.

When I got to the car, my phone rang. It was Jonghyun-oppa.

“Yobeoseyo.”

“I’m sorry, Minkkiah. Please stop crying.”

“I can’t.”

“It’s harder for me to leave if I see you cry like that.”

“Then don’t leave.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“If I stay, it’ll be even harder.”

“No oppa, we can take good care of you here too.”

“No Minkkiah, you don’t understand. It’s not that.”

“Then tell me.”

“I can’t. I just can’t.”

“Then go. I wish you happiness. Bye.”

With that, I ended the call. I don’t want to hear from him anymore, at least not until he gets to LA.


Jonghyun’s POV

I watched her turn her back on me, headed straight to the car. I asked Se7en-hyung to bring me inside already. He’s bringing me to America, but he will also head back to Korea after a couple of days.

“Hyung, can you leave me near the tinted window? I want to see them leave.”

Se7en-hyung remained silent as he gave in to my request. He left me and walked off to the immigration to start processing our plane boarding.

I dialed her number, and after speaking with her again, I knew instantly that I will be having 

I saw the car leave. There goes my heart, I heard it shatter for the last time.

I sent a couple of text messages.

To: Dee-noona^^
Noona, this is Jonghyun. Please take care of Minzy for me. If in any case Taemin makes her cry, please do two things for me. First, beat him to pulp. Second, tell me right away. Thank you very much.
Message Sent.

To: Heart Thief T_T
Please take good care of Minzy, I’m headed back to America now. Don’t break her heart. She’s too precious to experience pain. Thank you.
Message Sent.

To: Little Princess~♥
Please be strong without me. I will miss you. Take good care of yourself. I love you.
Message Sent.

And then I turned off my phone.

Minzy, you have to be strong. I may be an ocean away, but my heart will stay with you.

Just then, Se7en-hyung came back.

“Let’s go?”

“Hyung, can you promise me one thing?”

“Yes.”

“Take good care of Minzy when you come back? And if Taemin hurts her, let me know right away?”

“I will, Jjongie. I will.”


Minzy’s POV

It’s about time I shower Taemin some attention. I’ve been lost this past few days.

I dialed his number and tried to get through, but to no avail. His phone is dead. I tried calling Leeteuk oppa but his phone is turned off too.

I tried calling Jaejoong-oppa this time.

“Yobeoseyo?”

“Oppa! Are you with Taemin?”

“Huh? No. I’m in Seoul.”

“And so am I, oppa. Where’s Taemin?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Aniyo. Did he go somewhere?”

“Yeah, he left with Teukie-hyung last night.”

“To where?”

“To Italy.”