“How is China?  I’m sorry that I couldn’t call you earlier.  There’s so much to do.” states GD.  It has been 2 months since she came to China, but he has been quite busy recently.   “Are you getting used to the food?  Are you eating well?  You look like you lost weight.”

            “Oppa, I’m fine.” replies Sooyun, into her iPhone.  They were FaceTiming each other, since overseas calls would be too expensive.  “In fact, I think I gained some weight.  The food here is so good.”

            GD laughs, happily.  “I’m glad.” he breathes.  “Is it – Are you OK with Lu Han being around you? He doesn’t make you cry, does he?”

            He’s been a good older brother to her.  Surprisingly, she finds him to be very protective and quite sensitive.  When she told him that she was leaving for China, he practically cried for 15 minutes straight about how he can’t protect her like he should.  In a way, Sooyun feels bad for him.  He should never feel obligated to take care of her because he feels like he wasn’t a good enough brother for Shin.  He was perfect in every single way.  Sooyun tells him that all the time and he always denies it.

            “I’m OK with having him around and no,” smiles Sooyun, softly.  “He doesn’t make me cry because I know that he’s not Shin.  Oppa, you shouldn’t worry so much about he and I.”

            “How can I not worry?” asks GD.  “I just don’t want you to get hurt.  You’ve been through so much.”

            “I know…  But, I think it’s time that I try to move on.” says Sooyun.   

            “What do you mean?” asks GD, surprised.  “You’ve never talked about this before and would always pass it off when Hana and I suggest you to…  What happened?”  He lets out a soft gasp.  “Could it be Lu Han?”

            “No!!” quickly replies Sooyun.  Then, she pauses.  “Well…  Yes.”

            “Sooyun, wait, what-” starts GD.

            “It’s not what you think.” interjects Sooyun, stopping him.  “I don’t like him.  It’s his girlfriend…”

            “He has a girlfriend?” asked GD, shocked.

            “Well, yeah and she’s really pretty too.  She’s a model…  Anyways, when I see him with her…  I can’t help it but see Shin with another girl, with another life without me.” she explains, getting teary.  “I know that he’s not Shin, but from behind and the side, he looks like him…  When he walks away with her, it looks like it is Shin with another girl.  So, I was thinking that maybe I should move on.”

            “If this is what that will make you start living your life, then I will support you.” says GD, softly. 

            “In case you’re wondering, I’m having a lot of fun here.” she admits, switching the topic.  It’s true, she is.  She has never lived in China before, only visit occasionally for her clients.  “It’s interesting to live here and the boys are really nice too.”

            GD lets out a long sigh.  “OK, as long as they treat you well, then I’m fine.” continues GD.  “Is SM giving you any more titles on top of what you’re already doing?”

            “Well, if you think about it, I’m not doing a lot.  All I do is put makeup on them and that only takes 5 minutes for each of them and babysit them.  I feel kind of bad that I get paid so much for my work though.” admits Sooyun, starting to regret her demands.

            “Don’t back down from your passionate preaching about why you deserve the pay you do.” says GD.  “You worked hard to be in the position you are today and you deserve to be respected.  Besides, you give SM free advertising.  I saw that last video you posted up on youku about SM Town and that was major advertising on SM’s side.  I’m sure they were glad to see all the millions of views your video got.”

            That is true.  Sooyun had posted up the video 2 days before the tickets were sold and it helped generated enough excitement that the SM Town tickets were sold in 2 minutes.  It was a major success for SM with all the seats for the Shanghai venue being sold out.

            “I forgot about that…  So, how have you been?” asks Sooyun, moving on.

            She lets out a sigh as they wait to board the plane.  She glances over at Lu Han as she thinks about meeting his girlfriend, Xiao Xue.  Knowing what will happen between them is devastating, especially when everything is becoming a parallel universe to the one Shin came from.  She would like to stop him from suffering through his future and her from taking advantage of him, but she doesn’t know what she can do.  She’s not close to him nor is she going to reveal his future to him.

            Sooyun tears her gaze away to meet the eyes of EXO M’s leader, Kris.  He quickly looks away, somewhat embarrassed.  She smiles softly and turns to look at Chen.  His eyes are dazed and tired.  “Are you OK?” she asks.

            “Hm?” he responds.

            “You must be really tired.” Sooyun comments.  She turns to Lay.  “Yixing Ge, your hair is out of place.” 

            The guy had asked her to call him Yixing after some time and she started to, making their relationship seem closer than it really it is.  She quickly helps put some stray hairs back into place without hesitation.  Fans still have yet to comment her presence among the guys, which she thought was strange.  She always feels anxious when she searches the EXO M Baidu bar and specifically focuses on Lu Han’s Baidu bar as well.  But, there is nothing.  There aren’t even pictures of her accidentally in airport pictures.  Do people know and just don’t care or they’re just waiting for something big to happen?  Or, do they just not know who she is?  Regardless, she doesn’t care as long as EXO fans don’t start spreading rumors and attacking her for doing her job.

            Yixing smiles at her and says, “Thank you.”

            Slowly, she and EXO M are becoming closer.  She still has yet to really interact with Lu Han, but she feels like there is so much tension that talking to him is hard.  She feels likes she suddenly became stupid or something and can’t speak properly.  She bids the guys good bye as soon as they landed and watched from far away as they enter into a mass of fangirls, worrying like a mother.

            She waits about half an hour after EXO M exited the terminal.  She has been caught in the mob of screaming fangirls many times before and it is never a pretty sight.  The best thing is to avoid it.  But she has been putting up with them with EXO M as they travel all over China the last 2 months.  It is just today that she didn’t feel like it was necessary to be crushed, pushed, pulled, and screamed at by fangirls.  But, no matter how bad it is, she knows the life of a fangirl.  It’s a painful and lonely life.

            Sooyun smiles as she sees GD, Jae, and Hana.  She quickly runs up to them with her suitcase wheeling behind her.  She gives GD a big, warm huge first and then Hana and Jae.  “How are you?” asks Jae, as he ruffles her hair.

            She laughs, softly, fixing it after he’s done fooling around.  “I’m slightly tired, but good.” she explains.

            “Well, you better be ready kid~!” says GD, as he helps pat her hair down.  He is wearing a mask, making him look like a sick patient, to cover up his famous face.  Then, he whispers, “We’re celebrating tonight!  My single has been the number 1 seller for 4 weeks.”

            Sooyun laughs.  GD’s new single had bumped EXO K down from number 1 and they’ve been 2^nd place for a while, meanwhile EXO M seemed to have secured their spot.  “And, a high school friend of mine has a birthday party later.” she added.

            GD lets out a dissatisfied groan.  “You won’t be there?” he asked.

            “For a little bit.” smiled Sooyun.

            “I’m so glad that you’re back again.” says Hana, as she hugs her again.

            “Me too!” smiles Sooyun, as she hugs her friend back.

            “What do you want to eat for lunch, Sooyun?” asks Hana, as she pulls away from the hug.

            “Korean food.” she replies, making the others laugh.

            Lu Han suddenly wakes up from his dream, unsure why it happened.  He blinks slowly when he realized that his phone is vibrating.  He quickly answers it without looking at the caller ID.  “Hello?” he asks, in Korean.

            “I need you right now.” slurs a voice.

            Lu Han quickly pulls the phone away, confused.  He looks at the caller ID: Sung Sooyun as people starts to talk in the background of her call.  There is no legit reason as to why she would call him.  EXO M had just landed in Korea earlier for the China-Korea concert coming up soon.  What does she need to talk to him about?  Unsure of why she is calling him at 2 AM in the morning, he gets back on the line. 

            “Hello?  Sooyun?” whispers Lu Han.

            “Yah!!  Give me back my phone!!” she screams in the background.  “GIVE IT BACK!!”

            Lu Han quickly sits up in bed, worried.  “Sooyun?!” he asks, sharply.  “Sooyun?!”

            “Hello?” replied a male, making his stomach flip as he slips out of the room.

            “What are you doing to Sooyun?” Lu Han asks, boldly.  He quickly walks into the dark living room, where he wouldn’t disturb anyone.  “Who do think you are to violate-”

            “Are you her boyfriend?” asks the male.

            “H-Huh?” responds Lu Han.

            “Why don’t you believe me?!” yells Sooyun, in the background.  “He’s my boyfriend, you ing !!  Give me my phone right now!!”

            “I’m a security guard at Club Answer and this girl is trying to drive home completely wasted.” explained the male, agitated.  “Come get your girlfriend right now or I’ll have to send her to the police station because she doesn’t even know where she lives as of right now.”

            Lu Han lets out a breath of disbelief.  “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” he said.

            He covered his face with a mask, so then no one will recognize him even if they were drunk.  He didn’t bother changing out of his PJs.  All he wore was a plain white tee and some black sweats.  He quickly grabs a grey zip hoodie, his wallet, the key to Xiumin’s black Mercedes with completely tinted windows hanging by the door, and black Converses.  Then, he is out the door.

            Lu Han arrived at the crime scene within 15 minutes, to his surprise.  He quickly pulls up to the curb by the club and walked out of the car.  His breathing becomes uneasy as he sees Sooyun sit on the concrete, waiting.  She is wearing black short shorts with a loose, thin button up shirt and 5 inch black ankle boot wedges.

            “Sooyun.” he calls out, weakly.

            She quickly looks up and catches the sight of him.  She smiles a giddy, silly, and bright smile.  He has never seen her like that before.  All the smiles he had seen were lackluster and, practically, emotionless.  “SHIN!” she responds.  “Shin, you’re here~”

            She gets up to her feet and almost tipped over.  Lu Han quickly comes to her rescue as he catches her.  He turns to the big security guard and the guy flashes a smile at him.  He hands over the phone and her keys.

            “This little missy was trying to get home drunk as .” said the security guard.  “And, she doesn’t remember where she lives so I had to make sure that she’s going to home safe, even if she wakes up sober and at the police station.”

            “Thank you.” bows Lu Han as Sooyun wraps her arms around his thin waist.

            She giggles.  “Baby, I miss you.” she says into his chest.

            After some complications, Lu Han is able to find her home address and entered it into the built in GPS.  His jaw drops as he drives up into the driveway of Sooyun’s home.  He knew that Moon Shin made a lot off of his overseas promotions and more, but he didn’t know that the guy made this much.  The house was humongous with a modern and clean design.

            Lu Han quickly gets out of the car and tries to help Sooyun walk before she face-plants into the concrete of her driveway as he walks behind her.  He doesn’t want to touch her, feeling like he is already going too far by picking her up from the club.  After some frustration, she kicked off her shoes onto the front lawn and Lu Han just watches.  She sits down on the grass with her back turned towards him.

            “Why don’t you join me?” she asks, as she looks over her shoulder with a warm smile at him.

            Not knowing what to do, Lu Han sits next to her on the cool grass.

            “Why did you call me?” he asks.

            “The guy asked me to call someone to pick me up because I couldn’t remember where we lived, so I was scrolling through my contact list and…  I saw your face.” she replies, smiling a silly smile.  “I saw you, my fiancé, and called you…  I wasn’t sure if Heaven accepts calls, but I guess it does.”

            Lu Han can feel his heart drop.  She must had used a picture of me for my number on her phone, he thought.

            Sooyun quickly takes his hand in hers and he pulls away before she could hold onto it.  She lets out a frustrated groan as she throws a punch into his shoulder.

            “Why don’t you let me hold your hand?” asks Sooyun, as she tugs on his arm.  “Shin, why?”

            Lu Han turns away from her, not wanting to meet her eyes.  “Let’s go inside.” he says, as he jingles the keys.

            Although he didn’t want to, he leaves her at the lawn and heads toward the front door.  He opens it and walks inside and tries to find the light switch for the foyer.  He can hear Sooyun’s soft footsteps behind him.  Without warning, the lights turn on.  He turns to face her as she closes the door behind her.  He doesn’t see her face as she hangs her head.  She grabs his hand and led him somewhere.

            “I was hoping that you would come back again…” she comments, as she turns the lights on to a vast living room.  “And, you did.”  She turns to Lu Han with shiny eyes. 

            Sooyun pulls him to the couch and they sit there.  Lu Han feels uncomfortable about the situation.  He had never interacted with her more than a minute.  This whole ordeal was making him nervous and worried.

            “Nothing’s changed…” says Sooyun, after a long silence.  “Everything is still the same as it used to be, except we have a sauna now in the gym.”

            “What is still the same?” asks Lu Han, carelessly.  Instantly, he feels like an asking that, but he becomes curious about how she will react.

            “How you left the coffee table.” pointed out Sooyun.  She glances over at him, questioningly.  “Do you really not remember?”

            Lu Han looks at her.  “No.” he replies.  Sooyun drops the gaze and looks around the room.  “What was I eating?”

            “C-Cereal…  Fruit Loops.” replied Sooyun, with trembling lips.

            “It’s been 4 years.” comments Lu Han, as he leans over and picks up the empty glass cup.

            “It’s your favorite cereal.” says Sooyun, as her voice cracked.  She grabs his hand as he sets the cup down.  “I miss you.”

            Lu Han doesn’t say anything.   He doesn’t know how to respond to that.  What can he possibly say?  I miss you too when it’s a lie?  He can feel Sooyun try to kiss him and, automatically, he pushes her away.  She lets out a soft cry as she backs away from him.  Lu Han looks around, uncomfortably.

            “It’s really sad that you had forgotten about everything when I am still here, as always, never wanting to forget how much I love you.” hiccups Sooyun, weakly.  “Is because I forget what happened the few minutes before left?”

            “What?” asks Lu Han, confused.

            “I don’t remember what happened…” explains Sooyun.  “I don’t remember what happened after you fell onto the ground…  Is that why you don’t remember anything anymore?”

            A lump forms in Lu Han’s throat and his tongue becomes thick and lame.   “I’m sorry.” he could barely say, not answering the question.

            She grabs his hand and tightly holds onto it like a rabid fangirl.  “I’m sorry, Shin.”  cries Sooyun, angry.  “I’m so sorry for forgetting our last moment together!  And, that’s why I have been here, waiting for you to come back…  I’ve been waiting all these years for you, Shin, to make up for all I had done.”

            “You did nothing wrong…” mumbles Lu Han, trying not to let his lips tremble.

            “I never want you to leave ever again.” sniffs Sooyun, as tears falls from the rims of her eyes. 

            She quickly leans down to the side of the couch and Lu Han can see her pull something, then hears the sound of a scissor snipping twice.  His heart instantly drops and he quickly yanks her away from whatever she is doing.  In her hands are 2 strings of red yawn of reasonable lengths.

            “I never want you to leave.” she says, with watery eyes.  Without warning she ties one end of the string around Lu Han’s ankle*.  “According to a Chinese folklore, an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.  The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.”  She quickly ties the end of that string to her own ankle.  “The Japanese believes the same thing about destined lovers.”  She ties one around Lu Han’s pinky** then linking it to her own.

            He stares down at her, unable to help his tears blinding his vision.  “I love you a lot, Shin.” she starts crying again.  “I love you so much and I just want you to stay, even if you forgot everything.  As long as I never forget how much we loved each other then it’s good enough.”

            Lu Han can feel her hands on his face, cupping it.  “I’m sorry I forgot everything…” he says, without thinking.  “I promise that no matter what will happen, or whatever I will lose, I will never forget how much I love you.”

            All the sudden, he feels Sooyun’s lips pressed up against his.  As he closes his eyes, his warm tears escaped the rim of his eyes.  He responds instantly, pulling her closer without a second thought.  He lets out a groan when he feels her wet tongue his lips.  Before he can deepen the kiss, she pulls away.  She giggles.

            “You taste like strawberries.” she comments, through her quietly continuously flowing tears and smile.

            “Why are you crying?” asks Lu Han, as his hand comes up to wipe away her wet face.

            Sooyun lets out a happy laugh and then gives him another wet kiss.  “Because I’m so happy that I get to kiss you.” she responds.  “I will never take it for granted.”

            It seems like she is going to go in for another kiss and Lu Han quickly closes his eyes.  But, instead she wraps her arms tightly around him and hugs him.  “Please don’t ever leave again.” she begs.

            “I won’t.” says Lu Han, slowly.

            “Will you be here when I wake up?” she asks.

            Lu Han blinks slowly.  “Of course.” he lies.  He pulls her closer to him as he hears her cry some gibberish softly into his chest.  “I’ll still be there when you wake up.”

            Through all the soft crying and mumbling, Lu Han hears, “I love you so please don’t ever leave again.”

            “And, I’ll try to love you again…” whispers Lu Han, as another lump lodges itself in his throat.

* In the Chinese folklore, the red string of fate is tied around the soul mates’ ankles.

**Meanwhile in the Japanese superstition, the red string of fate is tied around their pinky fingers.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

            I have been thinking and planning this scene for the longest time.  I felt like the lyrics from DBSK’s “Stand by U” was the most fitting for what happened between Shin and Sooyun at this point of the story.  I hope you all enjoyed this!!  ^^  I cried so much, you guys have no clue…  T_T 

            Hopefully this will bring the two closer together somehow.

LOVE,

loveFORyunho