Jessica woke up finding herself blissfully and securely wrapped under Donghae arms. She smiled and as gently as she can removing his arm and softly pecked on his forehead. After preparing breakfast for two, she went back to the room intending to wake him up but she found no one on the bed.

“Oppa…”

She shrieked when someone back hugged her and whispered then kissed her, “Good Morning princess.”

She giggled and pouted, “Oppa, you gave me a fright. Anyway breakfast is ready.”

Since both of them had no schedule for the day, they decided to brace themselves for a real date in public to compensate those dates that they couldn’t have. They disguised themselves and laughed at one another for it.

“Oppa are you sure that we won’t get caught by netizen?” Jessica suddenly voiced out her worries.

“I don’t care and we are well disguised that people won’t recognize us easily. Besides, I really want to give you a real date, we hadn’t been doing it for a long time,” he smiled.

She hugged him tightly, “Gomawo Oppa, let’s enjoy this date.”

They did what other couples normally do during dates, they catch a nice movie, dine in at a restaurant with great ambience, shopping and lastly taking a stroll at Hans’ River. They are thankful that no one seemed to recognize them and thus they had enjoyed their date very much.

Settled themselves at the bench, they had star gazing. They are in luck as the sky was filled with many twinkling stars. Jessica rests her head on his shoulder and pointed at the sky, counting those little stars. “Oppa, its beautiful isn’t it?”

He agreed, “But in my eyes, you are the most beautiful creature on earth that I had laid my eyes on.” Though it was mushy but she loved hearing it because she could feel his sincerity and honesty whenever he said.

“Will we have happy endings like fairytale?” she asked out of a sudden.

“Definitely, and I promise you our love story will continue until we say goodbye to the world. You mean so much to me that I wouldn’t want to lose you,” he assured her.

“I cannot afford to lose you too, Oppa. I will love you forever and always,” she smiled sweetly and they gazed into each other eyes, then they shared a long kiss under the moonlight.

***

Donghae stood outside Lee Soo Man office door, hesitating if to knock or not. It was in the morning he received a text message from Lee Soo Man secretary informing him that Mr Lee is looking for him. He had a bad hunch about it but still he ended knocking on the door with nervous heart before entering.

Mr Lee swirled around and placed his hands which are clasped under his chin. He said nothing but gestured him to sit. Donghae bowed politely and took the seat across him. “Sanjangim, you are looking for me?”

The atmosphere was so nerve breaking; he noticed anger firing in Mr Lee eyes. Mr Lee then shoved him a brown envelop, “tell me what this is!”

 Donghae opened it and gasped, it revealed photos of him and Jessica together. He was speechless and astonished. How could they get caught when they are so careful?

“I… we…” he stuttered.

“Donghae, didn’t I tell you before already that I do not approve any co related artist relationship? Did I?” Mr Lee sounded furious.

He could only nod. “Then tell me why are you with Jessica?”

“I love her,” he said without hesitating.

“Love…” Mr Lee imitated. “Yoona and Sooyoung had just exposed their relationship to the public; do you want it as well?”

“I…” he doesn’t know how to reply. A part of him wanted to ask for his blessing if he is to announce their relationship to the public but yet another part of him was hesitating if it was the right time to announce.

“See… you cannot tell me your reply straight. If you really love her, you will tell me that you want it but I guess from what I observed, you do not love her deep enough,” Mr Lee said.

“I love her, I really love her, and will you give us your blessing?” Donghae desperately cut in.  

“My answer will be No, I want you to end this relationship with her,” he ordered sternly. “I cannot risk it, if the media found out another member from Girls Generation is dating, the reputation and image of them will ruin. And as you know, you guys are Korea representative. Girls Generation will be making their comeback soon and I was planning on preparing an album for you and Eunhyuk. I want you to consider and think carefully, you guys are at the peak right now, and do you want years of your efforts gone wasted because of love? Can love help you rise to the top?”

Donghae silently listened to every word he said and held his head down. He was right after all. He cannot allow Jessica years of youth spent wasted because of him. He was confused.

“I will give you a day to think carefully on what you want. Love or career, I believe you will make the wise choice Donghae” Mr Lee words etched on his mind for the rest of the day. Donghae was listless throughout. He went to the beach to have a clearer state of mind.

He did not answer any calls or reply any texts to Jessica. He felt apologetic but he needs time alone to think. He stared at her photo in his phone gallery for the longest time and had made a decision at last.

***

“Eunhyuk Oppa, are you guys busy recently?” Jessica asked when she saw Eunhyuk entering their practice room to visit Hyoyeon.

“Yeah, Donghae and I are in the midst of preparing a Japan album,” he told her.

“I see, no wonder he’s so busy that he’s not returning any of my calls or texts,” she tried not to sound sad but actually her heart sank a little and was quite disappointed that he did not told her at all regarding the new album.

Recently, Jessica is unable to contact with Donghae. She hates herself for feeling that he is avoiding her although she is unclear why. But a woman instinct is always right but she shrugged the negative thoughts by assuring herself that he is very busy that he had no time for her. It is not like that they didn’t have this similar scene before, she comforted herself. But then again, even Eunhyuk had spare time to find Hyoyeon then why can’t Donghae?

 “Yeah, you know he is really hardworking,” Eunhyuk simply said with a smile.

“Is he still in the building?” she asked and he told her he was still at the recording room.

“Thanks Oppa.”

Jessica quickly dashed to the said recording room with dinner just in case he hadn’t taken his meal yet. To her delight, she found him sitting in front of the piano playing randomly. She softened her footsteps as she approached him; she covered his eyes with her palm. “Guess who.”

He removed her hands and greeted her with a simple ‘hey’. She was taken aback by his reaction, but she still had her smile plastered on her face. “I’ve brought you dinner.”

“I already taken my dinner,” he told without looking at her. He doesn’t seem happy to see her here.

“Oh,” she felt awkward suddenly. The atmosphere doesn’t seem right, it felt cold. But she convinced herself that he is probably too tired especially looking how much weight he had lost.

“I miss you,” she confessed.

“Jess, I got something to tell you,” he told.

They arrived at the rooftop and none exchanged any words while they are on the way.

“Oppa, what is it that you want to tell me?” she was anxious.

A minute of silence until he finally spoke, “Let’s break up,” and he avoided any eye contact with her.

She just stared at him, taking a moment to react. “Oppa, today aren’t April Fool and it’s not funny at all if you are trying to make me laugh with this stupid joke,” she stated with a nervous laugh.

“I’m dead serious, Jessica, I am breaking up with you,” his tone became serious and stern.

She was speechless and felt her heart stops literally. “Why?” that’s the only word escaped from .

“I don’t love you anymore,” it was a hurtful lie.

“I don’t believe you!” she was very certain. She knew him too well and she knows that he loves her so much. This is just too sudden.  He’s bad at lying, she can see through behind his eyes.

He remained silence as Jessica took a step forward and grabbed his hand, “What happened, Oppa? You know you can share anything with me. Just tell me.”

He brushed her hand away reluctantly. “I fall for someone else. It was simple as that. I thought you would have guessed I am seeing someone behind your back because we haven’t been meeting up and I made up excuses each time you initiate a date.”

Her heart felt like a knife which had just stabbed straight into it. She was choking with tears which started forming and brim her lids. She had never see this day to come at all. She had put all her trust and love on him to only allow him to break like this so easily.

He felt as bad, as guilty, and as heartbroken too. It was so difficult to ignore her calls and texts, avoiding her and lastly the last thing he would want to do on earth is to break his beloved heart.

She doesn’t want to believe anything he said to her. She hopes it was just a bad nightmare. But it wasn’t at all until she felt his warmth finger wiping her fallen hot tears. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for breaking your heart.”

She looked at him for the longest time. She cannot accept betrayal. Unwillingly, she felt the need to exert her angriness and the pain she had by giving one tight slap across his beautiful face. “That’s for breaking my heart, all my love I had for you, all the trust I had in you.”

Her hot tears kept tricking down, she just cried so much. She thought she can at least act to be stronger than she thought but after all she owns a fragile heart. Now that her fragile heart was shattered into pieces, it was the worst day in her life. 

***

TBC