13 years ago…

Little Jinki smiled as he walked with his new book. It’s a story about an alien and a brave kid who became friends and traveled the outer space together in search for a very unusual medicine that can heal her mother’s illness. He kept on looking at the cover of the book.

“Saving umma with Robojoo… I’ll read you later when I arrive home.” He smiled to himself again after reading the title of the book. He carefully put the book on his bag and started walking again.

Few meters away from home, someone immediately captured little Jinki’s attention. It was a girl who is squatting beside the street hugging herself while crying. He saw her sobbing so he crossed the street to get on her side.

“Did something happen?” He asked calmly and squatted then in front of her to have a better look at the girl. The little girl looked up with her tears flowing on her face. Little Jinki gasped as he met eyes with the little girl who’s crying really hard. “Oh, no, please don’t cry. What happened?” He asked.

“My yogurt…” She said and Jinki looked down to see a small bottle of yogurt fell on the ground and all of it was spilled around. She started crying again. “Huhu… it was the last money I have… umma won’t give me another…”She said while sobbing really hard.

“Oh… it’s sad.” Jinki said but the girl cried louder. “Please… please.. please… stop crying.” He pleaded and reached down touching his pocket. He remembered the change from the book he bought so he took it out and showed some coins to the little girl. “Is this enough to buy another one?” Little girl stared for it for about a while.

“You’re going to use that to buy another one?” She said between sobs and Jinki nodded. “Are you sure?”

Instead of answering, Jinki stood up and held one hand towards the girl. “Let’s go buy yogurts. I want to have one, too.” He said and the little girl nodded and took his hand. They walked hand in hand together until they reached the nearest convenience store.

**** **** ****

“How old are you?” The little girl asked while both of them sat together on the bench under the tree few blocks away from the little girl’s house. He said he’ll drop her home after they finished the yogurts.

“10.” Jinki answered. “You?”

“6.” She said and Jinki’s eyes grew a bit wider.

“You should not walk around alone. You’re still young. Don’t you know there’s a news that some bad guys are going around kidnapping little girls and selling them to other country?” He asked but the girl shook her head.

“I’m not scared. I’m with my guardian angel so I will always be safe… and besides… umma always tells my oppa to accompany me, but he is busy with his friends so he always forgets about me. By the way… what’s your name?”

“Lee Jinki.” He answered and figured out the little girl knows a lot of questions to be asked on another kid. “How about you?”

“Han Soo Jin.” She replied.

“This is my mother’s number. If you want to go outside and no one can go with you… call umma and tell her that you need me.” He said and handed her a piece of paper with his mother’s number in it. “Tell her you’re Han Soo Jin and we’re friends.”

She smiled and took the paper. “From now on… I’ll call you Jinki-oppa…”

“Soojin-ah… you need to be there, later, okay?” Jinki said as he talked to her over the phone. “This is a chance for us to see each other after 3 months. You should be there. I’ll be disappointed if you don’t come.”

“But oppa ~ That party is going to be between the artists of SM only. I don’t belong there!! I’ll just see you tomorrow after your schedule in Nampyong and after I finish my class.”

“Aniyaaa~” Jinki whined. “I need to see you on the party tonight. That’s what I want.” He insisted and Soojin, of course, couldn’t help but say yes to his whiny oppa. “Okay, I’ll see you later!!” He ended the call briefly.

“Hyung…” Jonghyun heard the conversation he just had with Soojin a while ago. “How long will you keep your feeling to her?” He asked and chuckled. Onew sighed and shook his head. “You told me you liked her ever since the day you saw her crying and she lifted up her face to meet gazes with you.”

“I can’t. She’s like a very close little sister for me.” He uttered.

“NO.” Jonghyun insisted. “For 13 years, you have imagined her being your girl – someone you will cherish all your life – while you just allowed her to see you as an oppa… it’s your fault, hyung.”

“We don’t need to be lovers…” Jinki insisted.

“That’s stupid. Wait till you experience the feeling when she tells you she already has a boyfriend.”

Jinki knew one day it will come. If he don’t make a move, for sure someone else will take Soojin away from him. Sure he wants the both of them to be together, but how can he say how much he loved her for 13 years? How will he tell her he’s tired of being just an ‘oppa’ only? How will he be sure that she won’t feel any awkwardness when he confesses?

That night at the party was really fun. Onew walked around and finally able to see Soojin entering the venue. “Soojin-ah!!” Onew happily approached and welcomed Soojin. Some artists who got to see Soojin smiled.

Soojin is such a beauty with cute yet y features at the age of 19. There are a lot of offerings for her to be a trainee for some talent agency, but Onew suggested that she declines it since it’s better for her to continue studying and be a professional one day. Even SM asked Onew to lure her into joining the company but he rejects it. Other trainees and some idols have expressed their huge crush on her – but she refuses to date anyone of them – stressing that it’s enough to have one idol giving her headache – she doesn’t one anybody else.

“Wow. You’re beautiful.” Onew praised as soon as he met Soojin. She smiled and winked at her.

“Of course. I don’t want SHINee Onew to be embarrassed of his date.” She said and immediately clung around Onew’s arms. “But we have to leave early. I need to tell you something.” She said.

**** **** ****

On the rooftop of the building is Onew’s favorite hangout. When Soojin asked for some privacy between the two of them, he suggested that they can go to the rooftop and talk there.

Then… he thought he should say something to her as well – maybe this is the right time – just maybe, they have the chance to be together. As they arrived at the rooftop, Soojin removed her arms around Onew’s and walked ahead of them. She spread her arms wide while wearing dark blue halter ball gown which extends just above her ankles. Her dress goes along the wind. She’s like a beautiful fairy who went down to catch a spell on him.

“This feels nice. Fresh air~” She said as she sighed deeply – absorbing all the fresh air that she can possible absorb in one breathing. “I’m here to tell you something.”

He controlled his breathing – waiting and anticipating for what she’s about to say. A part of him is nervous – a part of him is excited. He stayed silent, looked into her eyes until she can say what she needs to say.

“I’m starting to like someone…” She uttered and blushed. Onew felt his cheeks burning… he hid the smile that was about to form. “I’ve been thinking if I should say this or not but… I swear, I tried myself not to fall… but I can’t control my feelings.”

“You don’t need to control your feelings… just let it out.” He smiled.

“Really, oppa??” She smiled widely and immediately hugged Onew so tight. “I knew it. I knew you be the one that could understand me more!! That’s why I love you!!” I love you… Onew’s heart skipped a bit. “Jonghyun-oppa… I didn’t know I could like him as much as I do now… please don’t tell him yet, okay? This is just a secret between the two of us.”