After a few days, my somber mood lightened and I resumed my normal activities with friends. Although I've been without my phone, I manage to contact a few friends online. Thank goodness for the Internet.

I return home from taking a walk around the neighborhood with a friend to find my mom on the phone, looking slightly confused. She pulls the phone away from her ear and covers the bottom of it with her other hand. Wait, that's not a confused look...she looks...intrigued.

“Mona?” she asks. I can sense the bewilderment in her voice.

“Yeah, Mom?” I reply, watching her out of the corner of my eyes as I slide my shoes off. “What's up?”

She doesn't answer right away, and I look up. She doesn't bother to hide her puzzled, slightly excited expression. “Phone's for you,” she says finally.

I sigh. She knows how much I hate talking on the phone. “Who is it?” I ask in a huff, starting to head for the kitchen and into the fridge. “I don't feel like talking.”

“This gentleman has your phone.”

I still don't...wait, what?

“What?” I jump, peering around the corner of the kitchen. “Who has my phone?”

“The gentleman on the phone,” she repeats patiently. “He's even called from it. I guess he saw it was in your contacts. He says you lost it in France, so he figured he'd call to help return it. Maybe you should get on the phone and thank him...?” she says...hopefully? Does she realize that this “gentleman” could very well be the man I had professed my love for?

She gently lowers the phone into my hand. Yeah, she knows.

She urges me to start talking. I swat her away, but she insists on keeping her feet planted. I storm out of the room, and she giggles childishly.

I raise the phone to my ear. Oh, gosh, breath in, out. I open my mouth to speak. In, out, in, out, in, out...

“Hello...?” I gasp. Smooth, kid, real smooth.

“Hi, Mona Elrich!” the voice cheers from the other end. Oh, God, hearing someone's voice has never felt so wonderful. My heart races a little as I continue the conversation.

“Oppa, it's so nice to hear from you!” I smile, covering my blushing face. I can hear my mom shift her body against my door frame. I kick at the wood, and she lets out a tiny laugh.

“You too!” he replies cheerfully. His innocence is melting my heart. My mom knows it, too, because I can hear her whisper briskly, “Ask him how he's been without you!”

“How've you been without me?” Oh, crap. She laughs hysterically, clearly in shock that I listened. Way to go, Mom. Last time I listen to you.

“I mean...” I stammer. “How are you?” Hope he completely missed that little slip-up.

“Oh, I'm fine, and you?” he answers without missing a beat. I think my heart did, though.

“I'm fine, too, Oppa,” I say, my voice trailing off. I swallow my nervousness and continue. “But I really miss you.”

His end is silent. Oh, no. Please don't hang up, I'll take it back. I won't regret saying it, because it feels so good to tell you the truth, but please don't leave me hanging like this.

“I miss you, too,” he replies, and I can tell he's nodding solemnly at the answer. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling my heart finally regain a normal rhythm.

“Mona?” he calls out. Mona? He's never just called me Mona. Oh, my gosh...

“Yes, Oppa?”

“Can I talk to you more?”

My eyes widen, and my mom sticks her head in the doorway, her stare asking the questions she's leaving unsaid. Oh, well, here comes that irregular heartbeat again.

“S-sure, Yunho Oppa,” I smile. I give my mom a little thumb's up. “You can talk to me as much as you want.”

“Okay!” he beams. “Goodbye!” Click.

“W-wait!” I shout in a panic. I pull the phone swiftly from my ear and start to yell. “Oppa? Oppa, wait!” I glare at the tiny screen on the phone, which mocks me by saying “Call ended”.

My mom pops into the room. “Everything alright?” she asks. “What did he say?”

“He said he wants to talk to me more,” I say in disbelief. “...but he hung up!”

Ring ring. Ring ring.

My mom peers over my shoulder. “It's your cell phone number again!” she exclaims.

“I'm well aware of that,” I snarl, immediately softening my face as an apology. My fingers respond quicker than my brain, as I raise the phone to my ear once again. “Hello...?”

“Hi!” Yunho sings, his voice like sweet, sweet honey. “I have your phone,” he announces proudly. I play along.

“Oh!” I say, feigning surprise.

“I will give it back to you,” he says without much struggle. If you want it, you can have it. Take everything I have...just please, don't go so soon. My mom stirs next to me, leaning in to try and hear Yunho's end of the conversation. I scowl at her, and shuffle away quickly.

“Oh, okay, thank you,” I manage, hoping he won't hang up just yet. “Do you have to go?” Why would you ask that? That's like inviting him to hang up.

“Yeah...” he answers solemnly. I pout. “But I want to talk to you more.”

I manage a smile. “I want to talk to you more, too,” I admit. “A lot more than you might realize, Oppa,”

“Oh...okay!” he says, and I can tell he's got that goofy grin on his face. He probably had no idea what that last statement meant. “I will talk to you soon!”

“Talk to you soon...” I say quietly, covering my mouth. Maybe if I don't announce it loudly, fate won't tell me to hang up. Fate won't tell Yunho to hang up. Fate will bring us together. I feel the need to reach out and tell Yunho how much I love him, but instead I say, “You promise to call me, right, Oppa?”

He hesitates for a second, but returns strong. “Yes, I promise to call you, Mona Elrich!” he answers. Maybe his English was better than he let on to...?

“Well, then...goodbye, Oppa,” I say, then scold myself silently. Stupid, why would you say that?

“Goodbye, Mona Elrich!” he shouts. I reluctantly pry the phone away from my ear, and just about hit the end button.

“Mona Elrich!!!”

I jerk the phone up again. “Yes?” I ask urgently.

“You are my friend, Mona. Promise you remember?”

I touch my fingers to my lips. My mom tries to peer over my shoulder to see my face, but I push her away before she can see me start to blubber like a baby.

“Yes, Oppa, I will always remember,” I whisper.

“Goodbye!” Click.

Mom runs around to look me in the face, but gasps at my tears. She rushes in for a hug, but I put my hands up defensively.

“Mom, I'm fine,” I state, wiping my eyes with my forearm. “I promise, I'm fine. I'm just...I'm just really happy, that's all.” I smile through my red eyes and warm cheeks.

“So you really do love him,” she says in thought. It's no longer a question. She knows. I know.

I avert my eyes, but I'm still smiling. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” I say sarcastically.

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Dragon note~

I love this chapter. XD So much~ I think it was one of my favorite parts to write for this story :3

Thank you for reading, and enjoy~♥