Chapter 23

Happily Ever After?


“I can’t do this hyung.” Seung Ho said giving up after trying for the 25th time for the past five hours. It was already 11:00am the next day and they were still in the middle of nowhere.


“You can do it.” Youngsaeng messed his hair and massaged his shoulders.


“Why do you love her? What do you feel whenever she is around?” he asked and Seung Ho’s face brightens up when a new idea struck him. 


“Riza ah, can you go with me this afternoon around 4pm?” Joelle asked Riza who was just lying on her bed with a book in hand.


“Okay. Where?” Riza agreed, wanting to be away from the house as much as possible.


“Shopping.” Joelle said with a big smile on her face.


“Oppa can we have a chat?” Min asked Jungmin who was like Riza hiding inside his room; he was leaning on the wall beside his full wall glass window.


“If it’s about accepting the throne, you know my answer. I can’t refuse it just like that.” Jungmin replied as he opened his arms asking for a hug when his sister came in.


“I know. I’m here to talk about Kimmy and the group.” Min replied and gladly went inside his arms.


“What about it?” Jungmin asked and got a chair to get his sister to sit in front of him.


“What will happen to SS501?” 


“I won’t leave the group but I’m still not sure how to do that.”


“What will happen between you and Kimmy?” 


“I can’t take her with me, Kimmy is an outgoing girl, if I take her with me, it’s like trapping her in a cage, like what happened to you when you were forced to go back.”


“...” Min just remained silent.


“Min ah, what is it?” Jungmin asked, not comfortable with the sad silence from his sister.


“I’ll miss you.” She said pouting.


“Mianhe. Oppa has to leave you, but you’ll come and visit me right?” Jungmin asked and Min just nodded.


“Oppa, we’re planning to help Seung Ho reconcile with Riza and Hyun joong with Gab this afternoon, you have to come and support them.”


“Arasso. I will.”


“Just don’t forget, Kyu jong and I are still the young heralds, we live for the purpose of helping you keep the peace in our kingdom. Even if we are suppressing the powers of our chi’s until they learn how to control them, we all can help.” Min said and went out of the room to give him some space.


--at the shopping mall


“Joelle ah, I thought we’re going shopping, why are we heading towards the parking lot at the basement?” Riza asked when she was pushed through the elevator.


“No peeking. I see you peek a little I’ll torture you.” Joelle threatened when she blindfolded Riza the moment they entered the elevator.


“What is this all about?” 


“We have a surprise for you.”


“It’s not my birthday.”


“Yep. But it’s another special occasion.”


Joelle stopped exactly at the middle of the basement and made Riza sit on the only chair, where balloons and flowers were decorated around it as well as the entire place.


Seung Ho’s POV


“Seung Ho-sshi calm down, don’t worry about the other things. We have it under our control.” Youngsaeng hyung whispered to me when I froze the moment I saw Joelle bring Riza over to her seat, a few meters from where I was standing.


“And where are you going?” Min noona glared at me when I took a step backwards.


“Seung Ho fighting!” I saw the girls mouthed and cheered for me silently. Jungmin was now counting with his hands, as he was about to take the blindfold off.


“Seung Ho?” Riza stared at me and stood up to walk away but I was fast enough to catch her.


“Stay. Please stay for a few minutes. If after this you still won’t accept me, then I guess we were just really never meant to be.” I said and I feel more pressured when she gave me a nod and went to sit back at her chair.


“This is it. Iz, this is my last chance, maybe you never took me seriously because I always pestered you like a little child, but this time around, I hope you see my sincerity in this song I wrote for you.” I said and took the microphone that Alicia handed me and the music started with Youngsaeng hyung playing the piano and Hyun joong hyung strumming the guitar into an upbeat but romantic beat.


Today is full of sunshine
Your light came down
Your smile filled my day
Even amidst what seems to be a bit depressing, painful day
Through you everything feels cured


All these things

Only for you
You make me forget my day

My love
Always by my side

With you
As long as I have you

Whatever may happen
I do love you


Riza’s POV


I couldn’t stop the tears that were falling from my eyes; they just fell one after another.


I felt his sincerity, because he was singing right now. To some it might not have been a big deal but for Seung Ho it was, after he damaged his vocal chords when he was 10, he never sang again, not even once and here he was singing in front of me, singing a song he wrote for me.


 Although sometimes making people feel tough
Might have hurt you
But I will never let you go


All these things

Only for you
You make me forget my day

My love
Always by my side

With you
As long as I have you

Whatever may happen
I do love you...


Hyun joong’s POV


“Oppa.” I heard a voice inside my head; I concentrated and found out it was Min. I continued strumming the guitar but I was also communicating mentally to her.


“Wae? Need something, are you hungry or uncomfortable?” I mentally asked her immediately, I don’t know anything about being pregnant but I do know it’s tiring from our experience in one of our shows.


“Anni. I’m just saying you only have one chance today like Seung Ho.” I stared at her confused of what she means.


“It means you either set things right with Gab who will be waiting at the park where we all usually play, or your precious guitars will never see the light of day by tomorrow.” Hyung joon butted in our mental conversation and my eyes grew wide.


“Though I have the keys, you can easily destroy the lock. So this is just really about giving you a chance. It’s up to you to take it.” Min said and cut off our conversation to continue listening to Seung Ho’s song.


Gab’s POV


“Why do I have a feeling that I am being set-up too?” I asked myself out loud as I moved my feet to move the swing I was sitting on.


“That’s because you are.” I froze. I knew that voice.


“Oh.” Was the only word I could say. I was nervous for reasons I don’t know. Maybe because it’s been two days since we talked to each other.


“...” I stared at him when he took a seat at the sandbox in front of me.


“...” He stared back.


“...”


“...”


“...”


“...” We both ended up laughing at what we did.


“Mianhe. I got my alien upset, my fault.” I looked at him and smiled when I saw the sincerity at his eyes.


“You’re forgiven, but you have to come and play with me first.” I said and he gave me one of those smiles that melts my bones and make me unable to move.


“I thought you want to play? Aiisshh youngsters now a day define play by gawking over someone.” I stood up to hit him for his statement but he ran away making me chase after him around the sandbox area.


End of POV

Youngsaeng and Joelle decided to stay at the shopping mall to stroll around. On the other hand, Alicia and Hyung joon was giving each other a high five at the sight of the two lovers playing at the playground at the park. They were spying on Hyun joong and Gab. Watching them ran up the slide instead of sliding down, and using the monkey bars as hanging bars.


“Oppa, don’t you think how Seung Ho said ‘Iz, be mine as my everything is yours’ after his song is very romantic? Then the way Hyun joong oppa and Gab reconciled is fun?” Alicia said as she sat down on the ground and giggled like a fan girl.


“Ne. I’m glad Riza accepted him finally. Ei, want something more romantic?” Hyung joon asked her.


“Bwoh?” she asked and she was shocked when he suddenly kissed her.


“Ke Ke we are good with this solving stuff.” Kimmy said while walking back to the bench where the others were seated after spying for a few minutes.


“Unnie, kwenchana?” Kimmy asked Min as she was seated on the bench, clutching her stomach with Kyu jong her back and whispering in her ear.


“De. The baby is just kicking hard and being playful.” Min replied.


“Where are the turtle lovers?” Jungmin asked when he came back and handed Min her water that he took from his car.


“Still spying or enjoying a world of their own.” Kyu jong replied and looked worriedly at Min’s perspiring face.


“I think I need to take my wife home now.”


“De. Oppa take unnie home. Unnie rest up arasso? I’ll pick up the twins later from Krystel. She said she would just be at the amusement park.” Kimmy said and waved them off and walked towards the opposite direction.


“Kim, can you accompany me, even if it is just for this whole afternoon?” Jungmin caught her arm and she just nodded and followed him inside his car.


Kimmy’s POV


I know Jungmin oppa would choose to ascend and accept the throne so I tried to be cheerful, as if this was our last day together. I was happy that he decided to spend some time with me, even when I know that he would be leaving for the ceremony tomorrow at the first streak of light.


End of POV


“Oppa, where are we going?” Kimmy asked cheerfully.


“Somewhere to have fun.” The crowned prince just smiled at her and her eyes gleamed with joy when they stepped out of the car and entered a magic show.


“Wow! Amazing.” Both of them said out loud as they saw the magician produce a rose from the handkerchief and gave it a blow and it turned into fire then it became a dove.


They then went to stroll around the area and saw an open space where people would just join and dance around to the music that was playing. There were around 50 people in the area.


“Come and dance.” One of the organizers pushed them inside the circle of dancers.


“Ha! They call this dancing?” Jungmin gave out a smirk and pulled Kimmy towards him.


“y charisma is up to something?” Kimmy asked as he gave a confident smile and started to dance a different level than street dance and Kimmy just playfully matched up to his every step.


They continued playing like that until they got tired and walked to another place and this time discovered stalls selling many things and a cosplay that was being held.


“Oppa, look it’s you.” Kimmy pointed to a horse stuff toy and Jungmin flicked her head.


“I’m more handsome than that.” He said and pulled her towards a cooling station to buy some drinks. People have long gone recognized him but they were thoughtful enough to just take pictures and not really disturb the two.


“Pretty.” Kimmy pointed to a cotton candy like cloud as they were sitting on a porch like deck that they found while drinking their shakes.


“Kim...” Jungmin called her attention.


“Hmm?” she looked at him and waited patiently until he continued to talk after a few minutes.


“I don't have the right to be with you right now but what I know is that I love you...it might be selfish...but can you wait for me?...” Jungmin said looking straight into her eyes. Sadness, pain, joy, hope, and love was mixed in his eyes.


“Babo. You don't have to ask...I was thinking of waiting anyway...” she replied giving him a genuine smile and a loving eyes as she met his.


“You might have to wait for years.”


“I have all the time I need.”


“You might not see me often or talk to me often.”


“It’s okay. As long as I can see you or at least visit you with the others every now and then, that’s enough.”


“Even if I can’t see you long even if you visit?” 


“Do you want me to take back my answer?” Kimmy said after getting tired of his endless remarks and questions.


“NO! Anni.” Jungmin pouted and Kimmy just laughed and rested her head on his shoulders.


“Let’s stay like this for a while can we?”


“Arasso. It’s the least I can do.” Jungmin replied and rested his head on top of hers while both were looking at the sun beginning to set.


“We still have to fetch the twins though.” Kimmy reminded.


“De. Or else Krystel might take them as souvenirs and take them home with her.” Jungmin replied with a smile.


~~~

aaawww....Epilogue will be up either tonight or tomorrow ^^