Chapter 24: “I am part of all that I have met - Lord Alfred Tennyson”
-o0o-

Monday, it was. December 13, 2010, five days before their official leave from the school grounds. The sidewalks were already drizzling with snow and the wind that blew at their side chilled the quiet hearts that were breaking, freezing emotion from bleeding even more. It was time for the students to get back to their families, some of them taking their leave as early as that last Monday of school.

Sungmin was lonesome that morning, but he hardly flipped his scarf as walked past the other people. He carried his books by his side, seriously focusing on the exam he was going to take. He held his breath, recalling the series of political communist issues the North Korea was undergoing. Any day they would attack, assuming it was like a ticking bomb out to blow any minute of their lives. Innocent civilians would get hurt, and if the Republican country fell against their sister country, what would happen to him? What would happen to the people he loved? What would happen to Sunny? The country was at the verge of death, and so they must be conscious of their moves and plans to overthrow that nation. North Korea had an advantage, he sadly thought. But God was with them. Surely He would not let another war prevail from this.

As he turned by the corner of the hallway, he opened the door to his classroom, only to see it was Sunny inside, sobbing on her chair.

He hastily entered, shaking the girl to see if she was in any condition to answer the exam. No one was inside the room, Sungmin finally noticing the large banner on the board and the cake on top of the teacher’s table, lighted with 8 bright candles. Balloons of all sorts where displayed on every corner of room. On the banner was a decorative design in neon coloring. ‘Happy 22nd birthday Sungmin-oppa! Will you ever love me again?’ From Sunny. Marveled, he stared back at the weeping girl who, he realized was not actually crying. She giggled, opening her arms.

“My...my birthday’s...”

“Two weeks away, I know,” Sunny responded. “But...I thought we won’t be seeing each other by then because of the holidays so I thought why not celebrate now?”

“And the test? Isn’t Mr. Yoo going to be angry?”

She started laughing hysterically. “Ah, that. Mr. Yoo’s sick today so he said we’ll have it tomorrow.”

“So I studied for nothing?”

She nodded, taking the cake and requesting him to blow it out. He blew them out contentedly, knowing she wouldn’t quit at all, no matter how he tried avoiding her.

Sunny smiled at him in pleasure, bowing her head sheepishly. “So, does it mean you’ll love me again?”

Sungmin’s lips pursed, eyes looking at the ceiling fan on top of them rotating round and round. He shook his head in reply, startling the girl with the piercing pain. Weakened her knees were unable to handle the pressure---mouth gaped.

“Why?”

Sungmin couldn’t resist beaming. “Because...again is an unfitting word.”

“Wh...Why?” she stammered.

“Because I never have fallen out of love from you,” he replied, again shocking her. “That’s why I can’t love you again. I always have loved you since then. Understand?”

She was silent, but her grin proved to be a sufficient answer.

“Men should be doing this,” Sungmin said, holding her hand with the knife as he sliced the strawberry coated icing. “You know I’m not a fan of strawberry.”

Sunny shrugged, receiving the slice from him on her plate. “I know. But I am.” Sweetly, she dabbed icing on his nose and giggled, noticing how cute Sungmin really was with the color.

“I love you,” Sunny pecked his nose, tasting the icing on her lips.

Sungmin blushed undoubtedly, glancing to his right in order not to show her this expression. But she knew, even in the low lighting, she knew this. Hurriedly, Sungmin wiped his nose with his hanky, erasing the essence of her lips on it. He had to keep that out of mind or else he would completely lose it. What did Siwon say about keeping purity until God declared them as a couple? He must have self-control; he must not be tempted by the aegyo queen.

“What’s wrong with you?” Sunny replied, smiling as she gazed at his face. “Maybe this Christmas I can introduce you to my family and meet...Daddy. Do you want to spend the end of the year with us?”

“Daddy?” Sungmin gulped, hearing issues about the strict dictator that became a tyrant in Sunny’s childhood.

“He’s nice, I swear,” she assured.

“Are we really getting married?” Sungmin wondered, faking laughs. “I...I mean...marriage is a long process. We shouldn’t rush, and let’s enjoy...the two years we still have with each other. Let’s get married after college.”

”You’re right,” Sunny agreed. “Daddy says I should finish first before dating anyone. But we’ll keep this relationship a secret.”

-o0o-

“I find your dorm really peaceful,” Taeyeon commented, sitting on the couch with a blanket over herself, dripping the hot chocolate Leeteuk prepared for her.

He sat next to her and turned the TV on, scanning through the afternoon dramas women loved. In his hand was also hot cocoa, eyes on the screen.

“Yes, the boys still have classes by this time,” Eeteuk mused, seeing it was only three in the afternoon. “Except for Siwon-sshi that is. He’s going home early today. He’s---”

“Taking Sooyoung,” Taeyeon replied.

“Right. That girl.”

As Teuk changed from channel to channel, he halted on this nationwide telecast, where certain movies were played. The movie was just starting; from there he saw the credit line by the side, bewildering him.

“It’s your movie, Taeyeon,” he nudged her, she grinning at him in delight.

“That was last year’s project,” she replied. “Remember? I was asked by that company if they could broadcast my film. They always show it off in that channel. Not really much of a big deal.”

“But...you already have a movie shown on TV! Imagine that, you’ll be famous,” Leeteuk awed in her talent.

She shook her head sadly. “The actors and actresses get to be famous. Not the directors and writers. Aren’t they the ones who have the least credit?”

“How can you say that?” Eeteuk faced her, gazing at the short girl, her hair tied behind her back. “Come on, don’t ever put yourself down. You’re an amazing director. You have a great future ahead of you. Stop degrading your esteem. Think of it. Without the director, who’s going to lead the crew into creating such a masterpiece? Without the director, who’s going to boss around the cinematographer? Who’s going to tell the producers to make a bigger budget plan? Who’s ever going to tell the make-up artists they’re not doing their job right? Don’t ever think that way. You...you’re practically...the best director I’ve met in my entire life. You’re the...prettiest one too.”

“Eeteuk-sshi, that’s not true,” she said while blushing. “I . I’m not...good enough.”

He placed his cup on the glass table, then enclosing his hands around her cup and looking at her straight in the eye. His heart accepted the electricity running across his veins back and forth, imprisoning his heart from moving a bit farther. Once again, he gazed at her shy beauty---the impeccable milk cheeks and those eyes that appeared, as if they were merely slits of opening. Her lips were trembling in uncertainty and her eyes coward with reservation. She wasn’t aggressive, or rough or untamed.  Taeyeon was practically a simple person, molded to hide her doubts and fears from people. Leeteuk knew her being a different person, long before their tiny arguments arose. But because she was the toughest competition, Teuk was driven to perform his best to beat her.

“You’re only saying that because you’re doing your best to improve all the time,” he uttered. “But...to me...you are better than being ‘good enough’. I will never doubt you and your capabilities because you’re...great. Who cares if they disagree, to my eyes, you’re number one.”

“Thank you.”

Distracted, the two were ignoring the space in between them, bit by bit their heads touched and as by that, their lips would be in contact. Eeteuk’s pocket vibrated, making him realize that he was actually planning to kiss Taeyeon. His cheeks reddened at the epiphany, eyes gazing at her as the ringtone continued to disturb them. He moved away, answering it with total laxness.

“Hello?” he said, at once recognizing a sweet symphony he had longed to hear in months.

Taeyeon saw as his face brightened, covering the paleness with a shimmering smile she had never seen on him. She sighed inwardly, not saying what she was thinking at this crucial moment.

“Eeteuk-oppa remembers me?” she quietly said, cheerfully smiling on the other line.

Leeteuk was speechless, unable to attend to the fact that he was hearing her voice again.

“It’s me...Shin Hyunae,” ran dry; scared he might have forgotten. Leeteuk looked at Taeyeon who waited for his reason. She was just sitting there, watching one of the saddest love stories told in time. Teuk grinned, covering the mouthpiece and saying, “It’s Hyunae.”

“Yes...of course,” he responded, excited. “How are you? How’s medical school?”

“Oppa...” was what she said, silent now. “Oppa...would you go abroad with me? I have told my parents about me being a surgeon and that sort of stuff and they agreed. We can go together. So that...we’ll...be together. Can you...understand me?”

He nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes. I will go with you. When are you leaving?”

Taeyeon couldn’t help letting drop at the situation, how bleak this love story was turning out to be. He was going to leave SMEU? For a girl he swore he was going to marry. What in love cheapness, did he not understand? It was so childish, so irrational, and so...depressing.

“The following year? But...I got...school to consider,” Leeteuk muttered, looking at Taeyeon’s patient and humble smile of fake happiness.

“Oppa...after that, I won’t be returning to Korea for good,” Hyunae said sadly, at the verge of falling apart. “Please say you’ll leave with me. I don’t want to be alone in a world I’ve never been to. You can study film with me there. I missed you and the more I will long for you when we part. I don’t want that to happen.”

He smirked, nodding his head in understanding. “I see. All right. Because I feel the same way, too. I don’t...want you to be alone.”

Hyunae laughed. “Thank you, Oppa. I’ll call you back later. I’m sorry for not contacting you. It’s just that...my parents didn’t allow me to use my phone in the past months. I had to wait for this time just to call you. Oppa, I love you.”

“I understand,” Eeteuk replied, still smiling. “Don’t ever be sorry. You’re doing this for your future. I’ll be expecting it. I love you too. Goodbye.”

Taeyeon’s heart burned the last straw, not wanting to love him more than she could chew. Why was she desperately forcing herself to fall in love with a man who was already committed with another? Self-pity had brought her to this state. What did Jonghyun tell her when they were going out? She was too addicted to working her off in beating Eeteuk; it was as though, he was the only boy that became her concern. They broke up harshly, she quickly forgetting the experience behind her. And yet, it was true. Park Jungsu was the only man that made her heart run miles and miles and never get exhausted. That was Leeteuk, who was fond with Hyunae, the perfect angel awaiting her prince.

“She’s really going to leave? I mean...what the ? I want to be with her and still...she...I have to be with her...” Leeteuk’s remarks made the other girl feel queasy and tired that she just knew it was time to go back to where she belonged. She shouldn’t even be here, enjoying quality time with a man who was her enemy months back.

She stood up, taking her coat and bowing her head. “Thank you for the company. I will be leaving now.”

“I can walk you back to---”

“It’s okay,” she declined. “I’m good.”

“Are you sure?” Leeteuk asked, gazing at her state. She suddenly became pale, opening the door and making way for the winter breeze to blow in. Swinging her backpack by her shoulder, Taeyeon started her way out.

She smiled reassuringly at him, waving back. “I can handle myself. No strong winds can hold me down. I’m Kim Taeyeon, after all. May God bless you and Hyunae in the future...See you, Eeteuk-sshi. Have a nice Christmas.”

“You too,” Leeteuk added, powerless even to wave back, “Have a nice Christmas.”

Taeyeon turned her heels back again, looking at Eeteuk. “We have until Thursday, remember? The deal? Best director wins, right? Treat the other to a movie date...”

He nodded, giving two thumbs up. “Yeah. I remember. I hope you did well with your film! Good luck!”

-o0o-

Sooyoung held her bag, pulling it as he followed Siwon to his car. She looked at her watch, only past three fifteen in the afternoon. Sighing, she lifted her luggage at the back of his car, knowing that the airport wasn’t too far off.

“Are you excited?” Siwon asked, pressing her face in those muscular hands. Being squashed her nose twitched, as she still put up a bright smile on her face.

“Nervous would be the right word,” she affirmed, laughing.

 Siwon, being a man of few words, noticed something was wrong with her, because usually she would crack one of those insulting jokes and a few words of sarcasm. Today she was plain and serious, like all the other girls he knew when they were experiencing some sort of gloominess. Sooyoung was special in her own ways, but her measure of hiding that emotion showed through her spicy coated outside.

“Shall we drop off the office today? Before we leave?” Siwon asked her, gazing as her eyes sparkled in wonder.

“What for?”

“Our flight’s an hour away,” he muttered casually. “I bet it won’t take long to talk to him.”

“No, no,” Sooyoung at once understood what exactly he wanted. “Please, I...really must not. We had already talked the other day. Chief’s...practically busy today compiling some articles for the final issue they’re going to release for the year.”

“Oh,” Siwon managed to reply. “But...I think...you’ve forgotten some of your books at your desk. You better get them now or Christmas will totally bore you.”

“Bore me? I have you,” Sooyoung replied, smiling. “But...yes, it would be lonesome without my books. Okay, let’s go to the office.”

Sooyoung did not know how to react, why was Siwon doing this for her? Onew was merely a friend, nothing more. A boss, that is, and a caring leader, Sooyoung would really miss him when they leave for the holidays. Siwon, despite their differences, actually valued her thoughts and respected her as a woman. That would be the real reason why she loved him so much.

Still, that reason...seemed too shallow.

At the office, she rushed inside, passed a bunch of desks and her own, glancing that there was nothing on it that day. She knocked on the Editor in Chief‘s door and hurriedly opened it without consenting the official sitting on the swivel chair.

“Chief...I’m going now,” she said, excusing herself with full respect, but the man sitting on the large throne was unmoving, still looking out of the window.

Panicking, she slammed her fists on his table. “Damn it, would you at least look at me before I go? Would you even say goodbye?”

“Why would I?” Jaesung answered, facing Sooyoung with a smirk. “Get going. We’ll handle the final issue on our own.”

“Where’s Chief?” demanded the outraged girl, shocked to see the junior at Onew’s seat. “Where is he, Jaesung?”

“You’re looking at him,” he chuckled, flicking a piece of paper. Sooyoung drew closer, snatching the paper and reading it, more puzzled than ever.

“As of today, Lee Jinki, or Onew has resigned his high position as Editor in Chief and is valid. I have been requested to take over until the remaining months. If Lee Jinki does not proclaim that he wants the position in the following ten days, it will be permanent. Hey