The crowd that once formed around them diminished into the background as quickly as they had once appeared. Both Minho and Sooyoung watched as they evaporated before their very own eyes.

Slowly, Minho brought himself off the cool floor as he wiped the traces of blood that still graced his face. He looked up at Sooyoung that stood before him and flashed her a weak smile.

This idiotic boy…why is he trying to smile when he is obviously in pain?

She stared at the boy who was in no doubt not in the best condition. With every little move, she saw him wince; yet there he was putting up a front…trying to act tough.

She let out a small chuckle…she just couldn’t help it – he reminded her of her brother for some strange reason…

There was something about his stubborn innocence that brought her to think of Key.

Without knowing, she punched the boy on the arm.

“Idiot, why would I feed you to the kangaroos?”

“Is that even humanly possible?” Minho asked, snapping Sooyoung back to reality.

“I mean, would kangaroos eat human flesh??”

She looked at him as he rubbed his shoulder that had fallen victim to Sooyoung’s attack.

That must have hurt.

She started to feel the guilt slowly rising. She held no mercy when it came to Key --- physically hitting each other was their special way of portraying their interesting love as siblings.

But the kid before her was obviously not Key, she wasn’t in that sort of comfortable relationship with him. In fact, the knowledge she held for that boy was still very limited.

She shifted her eyes towards him again. He was bruised throughout his body with visibly marked cuts practically dominating throughout.

Good job Sooyoung, kick the poor boy while you’re at it you devil girl.

Are you ok? Sooyoung asked in a low tone of voice.

Minho grabbed her hand and began to run….run off into the now abandoned streets that lay before the two. Sooyoung watched the back of his head in a state of confusion.

Why is he always running…why is he always taking me with him?

They finally got to a holt as they stood before SamDong high. The navy blue sea of students was no where in sight.

He was going to take her on a ride…just like how they had used to do. Minho reached for the motorcycle helmet and placed it on Sooyoung.

Smiling like tomorrow would not exist, Minho fastened it safely onto the girl’s head. “We wouldn’t want you to get hurt now would we?”

She didn’t know why she was agreeing to all this nonsense, but she found herself on the back of his motorcycle lightly holding onto his back. She never asked where they were headed nor held any concern…something about him gave her that sense of familiarity, a sense that she could trust him.

Off they went into the horizon as the cool wisps of autumn air braced along their faces and the sunset gleaming down on them.

“You should seriously be more careful.” Sooyoung said as she opened the package and carefully placed a bandage over the injured boy’s face. They were now sitting in a city bench surrounded by the beauty that nature has to offer.

“Thanks for being on my side noona.” Minho replied as he shot her the thousandth smile that day.

“…” a whip of awkwardness flew across over them at that instant.

“Uhhh, well I’m not taking anyone’s side really…” she played with her long locks while trying to avoid eye contact.

“Back then you know…I just thought it’s kind of a disadvantage for you…since there’s only one of you and so many of them…”

“But still, thank you noona.”

Sooyoung let out an uncomfortable laugh.

He really needs to let go of the habbit of calling me that…

“Am I really your noona? Even though, it’s ok to just call me Sooyoung…really, I think it would actually make me feel a bit more comfortable.”

“NO!” he shockingly blurted out. “I can’t…it’s not right. You’re Sooyoung noona….”

Kekeke truly a stubborn kid, just like Key.

“Minho, but why exactly were you waiting for me today?” she shot him a curious look.

“Isn’t it obvious? I like you.”

“Hahaha! Minho, you’re really funny…nice joke.”

Why isn’t he laughing?? Omg, this is definitely weird right now…

In her life, that was probably one of the most awkward moments, one in which she’d wish she never would have to go through again.

“It’s true.” He looked at her as he batted his eyes innocently while slightly pouting his lips.

“uhhhh…well YAH! Look at how you dress. Button up that shirt, pull up those baggy pants…what are you trying to do? Wanna lure some cougar ahjummas? Is that what you’re living you’re life for? Study hard as well. You can’t go off fighting every single school in Seoul.”

Sooyoung was talking nervously as she barely took breaks in between for breaths. She deeply wanted to avoid the subject.

It wasn’t the fact that she didn’t share the same feelings, but rather because she couldn’t sort out the emotions she was feeling.

She was comfortable around him that’s for sure, but Sooyoung found herself blocking him off as subconsciously, she began to build a thin layer of glass in between ---a small separation that isn’t the easiest to describe, but something that was created in order to reserve herself, reserve her heart.

Suddenly, a soft giggle erupted in the silence that finally took over the atmosphere between the two. Sooyoung looked up from her fidgeting fingers and saw peeks of a grin form along the boy’s small face.

“I—I’m not joking! You-you need to listen to your noona.” Her voice quivered as she tried her best to showcase a serious facial expression to the younger individual.

“Buy me dinner.” The abrupt direct request escaped his mouth so sudden that it took Sooyoung by surprise.

“Dinner?”

Minho nodded happily.

“I have no money…” Even if she did, Sooyoung still had doubts about his request.

“You’re older noona, you still need to buy me dinner.”

“I really don’t have money…” She was quite shocked to see how he wouldn’t seem to back down. Suddenly, his request seemed more of a command. Innocent, yet stubborn indeed.

“Buy me dinner…” Minho replied again as he shuffled his feet onto the floor with. His actions and words were perfectly matched with the right amount of aegyo that would make a normal person’s fingertips curl in embarrassment.

Not knowing how to avoid the situation any longer, Sooyoung decided that a great escape would be the best. She quickly grabbed her belongings and awkwardly shouted, “I better be going now!”

Before she could even take a single step away, Minho latched his own arm firmly onto hers. As if suddenly finding her feet buried into cement, she didn’t have the ability to continue on.

“Noona…”

She slowly turned her head back to him.

He placed her one hand in between his, now cupping it carefully inside. He looked at them with a gentle and peaceful gaze.

“Your hand…you’re hand is always very warm.”

~

 Sooyoung was just about finished folding her laundry when suddenly a familiar piece dropped out from the bin and elegantly flew softly onto the floor like a leaf landing onto the fresh pad of grass. She reached down for the object.

It was soft.

It was elegant.

It was Shim Changmin’s scarf.

She slowly brought the piece of fabric up as she examined every little fold, every little detail of it.

For some reason she hated herself for causing so much wrinkles to surface on the measly little thing.

She detested herself for holding such a scarf that had lost its beauty.

She pulled out the ironing board and furiously began to iron the piece she held so cautiously in her hands; constantly going over any crease both small and large that is visible to the human eye.

She didn’t know why, but she felt like it was her obligation to revive its natural original beauty.

Just then, her phone began to ring, the sudden noise filling the quiet house echoing off the blank walls that surrounded her.

“Hello?” Sooyoung called as she turned off the iron.

“I'm currently making some changes in my life. If you don't hear from me anymore, you're probably one of them.”

The voice replied in return. She could hear the hesitancy of the caller’s voice. The deep breathing they had. Sooyoung heard the voice before --thick and husky, masculine to the very tip, yet warm and inviting like a great embrace offering comfort.

It was a voice that often lingered in her thoughts, but was more commonly heard everyday more so presently than ever.

….the indescribable infamous voice of Shim Changmin.

Before she could even say one word, one line of bickering, one sentence of annoyance or hatred, she was left with the flat buzzing sound on the other end.

He had hung up just like that.

She looked back down and caught herself tightly holding onto Changmin's scarf as if his random words from a while ago had truly affected her...

Impossible…she quietly thought to herself.

Even if I was so called one of them, wouldn’t that be for the best? She was in a state of confusion, not knowing what was what anymore. Her thoughts all started to be bombarded with the memories she had with him.

"Are you alright?"

“You’re not going anywhere with my woman…”

“Choi Sooyoung is going to be my girl."

She suddenly found herself recalling the touch of his grip around her shoulders, the firmness of his hold along her shy hip, the twinkling of his delicate fingers along them…but moreover she found herself picturing that unforgettable smile…and finally the inhumane stranger that transformed all of that in an instant from the occuarance of a brawl.

Sooyoung brought the scarf closer up to her face.

“wdawsrfesdfohsigvnoesinf THIS IS TOTALLY BUGGING ME!!” She let out a long sigh as she ruffled her hair messily. She felt like she was going crazy, like she finally had entered into a realm of insanity.

What exactly was bugging her?

What exactly was she feeling?

What exactly caused her to be this way?

Those were the questions that she just couldn't find the answers to.