Yunho couldn’t help but get distracted by how Changmin was acting during their practice. The leader was very excited, preparing for their upcoming comeback, but the maknae didn’t seem to be feeling so good during their practice. He kept doing some mistakes and the choreographer was starting to get a little pissed off.

“Sorry…” Changmin muttered as he tripped. The choreographer rolled his eyes and sighed as he stopped the music. Yunho gave  Changmin a hand and helped him stand up.

“You okay? You seem a bit off…” Yunho pointed out in worry as the maknae straightened his shirt.

“I’m okay… Just thinking about stuff…” Changmin replied awkwardly. The leader gave the maknae a pat on the back, before saying,  “ We’ll visit her after practice. Don’t worry too much…” Changmin felt his face heat up at what Yunho said. He flashed him a glare, before the choreographer asked them to get back in their places.

“Okay, five six seven eight!” The choreographer said before playing the music from the start, getting the duo and the backup dancers to practice the steps to “Something…”

Right after practice, Changmin immediately checked his phone for some text messages. He smiled as soon as he read Helen’s name on the screen. He excitedly clicked on the message icon to view what she sent.

Focus on your rehearsals. Leader-shii will get mad at you. Don’t worry about me, Ceci-unnie is taking good care of me. See you guys later! ~~~ XOXO, Helen

Just finished rehearsals. I’ll just go take a shower and change. Hyung and I will be over in a few minutes. Kekeke… Get well soon. –Changmin.

As soon as the maknae pressed send, he and Yunho dashed to separate shower rooms in the building to take a bath and get dressed.  In a few minutes the two were ready to visit Helen. Yunho and Changmin got into Yunho’s car to take a 30-minute drive to the hospital Helen is staying in.

Before going straight to visit Helen, Changmin asked his hyung to take a stop over to buy a basket of fruits for Kasai’s maknae. As soon as they got to Helen’s room, Changmin settled the basket fruits on the side table. The basket had a variety of fresh and nutritious fruits. It had , oranges, strawberries, kiwis,  grapes, mangoes, fruits that Helen loved to eat especially when she feels like she has to diet.

Ceci took the fruits to wash and peel them. She placed them on a bowl which she settled on a tray that she placed on Helen’s lap. She gave Helen a fork and the maknae started munching on the fruits with a smile on her face.

“Thank you…” She told the two boys who smiled at her in return.

“So, how are you doing?” Yunho asked as he sat beside his girl friend. Changmin on the other hand sat on a chair, next to Helen’s bed.

“Good. I’ll be discharged tomorrow…” Helen replied. “Unnie and I will be able to go to the ball with you guys, so don’t worry…”

“You sure? Don’t you have to rest or something?” Changmin asked worriedly.

“She’s too stubborn to miss the ball…”Ceci told Changmin. “Helen’s pretty stubborn. You won’t win if you argue with her.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m resting properly and I’m taking my meds regularly.” Helen insisted. “Also, I don’t want the dresses to go to waste… And besides, you don’t want to go on that ball dateless, right, Changmin?”

Helen flashed the male maknae an evil smile. Changmin couldn’t help but chuckle at her sudden statement.

“I wouldn’t risk my date’s health. The ball is annual, so we can go next time…” Changmin said, still worrying about Helen’s condition.

“If you’re worried about Helen losing her breath, it would probably happen because she finds you gorgeous, Changmin-shii…” Ceci teased, giggling. Helen on the other hand shoved more fruits in , trying to keep herself calm.

“If she loses her breath, you can just give her CPR…” Yunho joked, causing Helen to choke on her fruits. Changmin rushed to give her a glass of water which she took from him and finished in a few gulps. Changmin gave Helen a few, soft pats on her back, before taking the empty glass from her.

 “I’ll go get some food at the convenience store nearby… I’m kinda hungry… You guys, want something?” Changmin said, clearing his throat as he placed his hands in his pockets.

“Nah, I’m good…” Ceci said.

“Strawberry milk, please?” Yunho said with a smile as he handed the maknae some cash in which the maknae took, before leaving.

The convinence store was just across the hospital, so Changmin just had to walk. Changmin got a small basket to put some sandwiches, strawberry milk, and other packed snacks in. He went to the counter to pay for everything and order a cup of coffee. The cashier was in a daze as she saw him. She was smiling and blushing as she handed him his cup of coffee and bag of food.

Changmin smiled and thanked her for her service. He was about to leave the store when he felt someone grip his elbow.

He turned and was shocked. He had his eyes on a girl in dress she wore under an expensive and cozy winter coat. She had a beanie on her head and a scarf on her neck. She was a cute girl, for everyone who’d first saw her, but Changmin knew the girl so well. He was aware that her cute look can be very deceiving.

“Changmin… It’s nice to see you again…” She said giving him a sad smile. Changmin couldn’t help but get a bit hurt, seeing her sad and broken.

“Max... How have you been?” He asked, feeling a bit awkward talking to his ex girlfriend. The both got out of the convenience store to have a little talk.

“Changmin…  About before… I’m sorry…” She said as she looked down. Changmin felt sorry for her, after all, he really did love her.

“It was all in the past, Max… “Changmin sighed. “We’ve moved on, now I guess?”

He gave her a sad smile as he pat her on the shoulder with is freehand. She looked at him desperately. She had tears in her eyes.

“Changmin, I want you back…” She begged. “I’m sorry… Please come back… I love you… I really do…”

“If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have cheated on me, Max… It’s over… We’re over… I’m sorry…” Changmin said, before leaving her to go back to the hospital.
 

Helen took a short nap when Changmin left. Yunho and Ceci were left to take care of her. The two leaders sat on a couch with their hands intertwined. They just kept silent and enjoyed each other’s company. The couple enjoyed the little simple things they do together. Ceci snuggled closer to Yunho, enjoying his warmth.  Yunho sighed as he held her closer to him, inhaling her sweet scent that he just loved so much…
 

The two were silent for a while, until Yunho spoke, “Before I forget, I have something for you…” He shifted his position to get something from the pocket of his coat. It was a velvet box with a ribbon, neatly wrapped around it and a card attached to it.

Ceci smiled at her boyfriend and muttered a “Thank you” as she looked at the card first, before opening his present.

Dearest Kim Sunjung,
            

 Thank you for giving me the chance to know you better and love you as time passes by. Please keep this with you always to remind you of our moments together and to make you look forward to creating more memories with me… Saranghae…

Love,
Jung Yunho
 

Ceci couldn’t help but blush upon reading her boyfriend’s note. She flashed him a warm smile and he smiled back at her making her blush a deeper shade of crimson. Yunho couldn’t help but pull her close to him to give her a kiss on the cheek. She was really irresistible.

“You’re cute when you blush…”  He remarked as he watched his girlfriend open his gift for her.

She gasped as soon as she opened the box that contained a simple yet stunning silver bracelet that  held three charms, one shaped like a silver coffee bean , one shaped like a soju bottle and another charm shaped like a small silver yacht.

“The bracelet is custom-made. Each charm symbolizes every moment we have together. The coffee bean, because we first hung –out in a coffee shop to drink coffee together, the soju bottle, because of our first kiss…” The two blushed upon remembering their first kiss.

“And the yacht…” Yunho continued, clearing his throat. “Because we confessed you became my girl friend while we were on the cruise Helen and Changmin set up…”

Ceci stared at the bracelet in amazement, remembering those moments she spent with Yunho. They were about a few, but still, they were memorable to her. She felt happy by how Yunho treasure those moments he spent with her, it couldn’t help but warm her heart.

Yunho slowly took the bracelet from her to put in on her wrist. Ceci watched as he gently placed it on her.

“Every charm, a memory to be treasured… There are only a few for now, but, soon, hopefully…” Yunho said in a shy manner as he leaner closer to Ceci, breathing heavily, before he captured her lips in a quick chaste kiss.

 The two were interrupted soon as the door opens, revealing Changmin with a bag of food and drinks, causing Helen to wake up upon his arrival. The female maknae stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes, yawned and stretched her arms.

The two leaders, shifted uncomfortably in their seats, both blushing furiously, thinking that Changmin might have noticed them being “lovey-dovey” with each other that moment, but since he was still in a daze after running to his ex girlfriend, he didn’t seem to notice them.

He handed Yunho two tetra packs of strawberry milk. Yunho gave one to his girl friend and drank the other one.

Changmin offered Helen some food, but she didn’t feel like eating at that moment. Changmin ate his food in silence as he thought about his encounter with Maxine. He couldn’t help but think about what could’ve happened if he got back together with her. But he shrugged the thoughts away. He felt it in his heart, that he had let go of her and that her presence just somehow, confused him and tempted him, in a way. He focused his attention then on Helen who just sat on her bed, as she peacefully read a book, she seemed to be really engrossed in. It was in English. Changmin read the title on the cover with blue, black and white colors, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Changmin couldn’t help but become mesmerized just by watching Helen smile from time to time as she flipped the pages through her book. She looked beautiful and simple in a way and Changmin was beginning to see a different side of her, which he was somehow beginning to admire. Changmin looked at her and somehow felt that in a way, she reminded him of Max-Maybe a nicer, less-bratty and talented, version of Maxine… But he decided to let go of such thoughts…
 

‘She’s Helen, Lee Haju, completely different person whom I shouldn’t mistake for someone in my past. Helen, perhaps… She could be my present… my future? Aish….’ Changmin spoke inwardly as he gazed at Helen and smiled.
 

A.N. A little, progress on HeMin, perhaps hahaha... What do you guys think about Changmin meeting his ex? Hahaha anyway, Maxine Hirakawa is another girl to look out for. Here is her profile...





Eia and I were really grateful that in our last update, more than the usual sent their comments. Please do keep sending us comments. It helps inspire us... We would like to apologize for the delay of this update, also. Eia has been busy, we haven't been able to talk about our updates that much... I was supposed to update yesterday, but my internet connection was really slow, I couldn't upload Maxine's profile,so I decided to update today, when my internet connection was fixed.

Anyway... I hope you like our update ^^ hihihi

With love, 
~Kei-chan