Chapter 24


Weeks passed...


3rd Person POV

The door to the vast room opened. She slipped in and dropped her backpack on one of the couches in her room. The room was spacious with couches in a corner and mini bookshelves built in on the wall. A queen sized purple covered bed stood in the middle of the room. A dressing table placed in another corner. A mini study corner/workplace complete with a laptop and a desktop was near the couches. Two more doors other than the one she came in led to the bathroom and the built-in closet which was the size of another room.

She walked to her bed and slumped on top of the bed without even changing her day clothes. She felt annoyed that nothing seems to be wrong with Onew and Seungyeon. She thought that with only her appearance, their relationship will be shaken. But it was the opposite. They seemed to get even closer if that was possible. The only time that she saw Onew was shaken was when he first saw her at the SNU field weeks ago. Onew can even talk to her normally without flinching or looked at other places when our eyes met. Sigh.

Tok.. Tok.. Tok..

The sound of the door being knocked can be heard resounding in the vast room.

“Yes.” She said with a lazy drawl.

A maid with a light blue uniform came in. “Good evening Miss Lee. Would you like me to prepare your dinner now?” The maid asked.

The person on the bed glanced at the clock on top of the bedside table which indicated that it was already 8pm. 

It’s already 8pm? How long did I spend time with them anyway? She thought.

She had spent most of her time with Jonghyun and the others. She had slowly become their friends. She began to know about the rest of the people. Other than Onew and Seungyeon, there was another couple which was Jonghyun and NaNa. But surprisingly these two didn’t act like one. Sure they did stick together but she found that Jonghyun always by her side talking to her while NaNa mostly stick to Seungyeon, Onew or Taemin. She found that the rest of them kind of received her in their group of friends pretty well. Even Onew and Seungyeon too. NaNa seemed to not care that Jonghyun always talking with me. She will continue to hang out with Onew and Seungyeon. The only person that still has his wall up was Taemin. He would not talk to her if there’s nothing important that needed to be conveyed. Without her knowing it, she came to like this group of people. They always hung out with each other now. Today was no exception. She just had her dinner with them.

She thought for a while then answered the maid, “It’s okay. I’ve eaten my dinner with some friends awhile back. Have umma and appa came back yet?”

“Okay Miss Lee. Oh, Mr and Mrs Lee? I thought you would’ve known about it already Miss. They’ve already fly to Japan in the afternoon for another business trip.”

The news didn’t even surprise her anymore. Even with her came back to Seoul after years of studying in the States, her parents still the same as before. Still pursuing their business deal before their children. 

“Really?” She said sarcastically. “It’s not something that’s unusual anyway. They’ve always been that way.”

“Is there anything else that you need Miss Lee?” The maid asked.

“Nope. You can leave now.” She said, dismissing the maid. The maid left her room and closed the door softly.

She put her right arm on top of her forehead and stared at nothing in particular. At times like these that she missed her sister terribly. Their parents always left them to the staff in the house to take care of them. Never did they really take the time to spend time with them. It hurts her to think that she was alone now. 

The thought led her to Onew again. He should have felt a bit of remorse. Her feeling of anger towards Onew began to dissipate with the time that she spent with his group. He looked so kind and gentle towards everybody. Even though he was with Seungyeon but he never forget about the people around him. But then another memory made her hardened her heart. She hardened her heart to at least teach Onew a lesson.

Thus she made the decision that she came to regret later. She rose from her bed, took her cell phone and dialled a number.

“Annyeong oppa. I have a favour to ask of you. I need you to take a job as a waiter.” She said with a sneaky grin on her face.


Key’s POV

People were walking back and forth from the place that I sat under the big tree outside SNU building. Most of them were going to have their lunch. I was still sketching my latest design for the autumn collection festival that will take place in two weeks time. I still had a lot of designs to do. Not to mention I had to include my own designed accessories. The practical assignment for this competition was everything that was modelled on the exhibition has to be the students’ own original designs. So there are a lot to be done. I looked back at my sketched design. Hmm, I need to put in more reddish brown colour for this design. I think I will make that my theme colour for this collection. Couple it up with colourful accessories.

A shadow blocked the sunlight that was cast on my sketchbook. I looked up to see NaNa stood in front of me looking at my design. I was quite surprised that she was in front of me. I looked behind her to see if Jonghyun hyung was there. But he was no where near NaNa.

“That is a really cool design you have there Key.” She said with a tint of awe in her voice.

For a while I didn’t know what to reply to her. Then I caught myself and try to still my erratic heartbeat. “You only noticed it now? I am a genius in this thing. You should know that by now.” I said cockily with a grin on my face.

She looked at me and rolled her eyes. But a smile was pasted on her lips. “Yeah right. You are a genius huh. But who was the one that said he was once tricked by Jonghyun and had a bubble gum pink hair?” She teased and laughed heartily.

“Yah! That was a long time ago alright. How can you still remember that I’ve said it before? That was embarrassing.” I said with mocked outrage.

“Well, it’s worth remembering about. And you still remember you told me about it before.” She retorted back while taking a seat beside me.

A gentle breeze blew and caught her soft perfume wafted in front of me. The same flowery scent that reminds you of summer days. What a summer we had. That reminds me of all the things happened in the past few months that started in the summer days. The fateful meeting with Seungyeon then with NaNa. I still remembered how NaNa was like an angry umma when she knows Seungyeon was in the hospital. My fateful meeting with NaNa.

I set my sketch book aside. I looked sideways at her. She just sat there and stared in front of her where students were passing by continuously. She had a pensive looked on her face. I wonder what she was thinking about. The fact that she was here without Jonghyun hyung for lunch meant that Jonghyun hyung was somewhere else. I know for a fact that he did not have any classes in the morning. He only has a class later at 2pm. I had a feeling that Jonghyun hyung was with Soo Min. Then I felt anger filled me.

I wanted to knock some sense into his dino head. He has NaNa now but he kept on spending his time with Soo Min. I don’t know if he spent so much time with Soo Min because he likes her for who she is or because he was still haunted by Ee Seul’s memory he sees in Soo Min. And if he likes Soo Min what become of NaNa?

Why am I so stupid as to let go of NaNa to Jonghyun hyung before? Why didn’t I just tell him that I have a feeling for NaNa too? I’m beginning to think that my reason was so stupid at the time.

Suddenly NaNa turned to face me. “You know what Key?” She asked. “I missed our time bantering with each other. I missed those easy going time where everything seems to be fun. Where we used to be close.” She said in a small voice and turned to look at the distance again.

I kept silent for a while. “I missed that time too.” I said and gazed at the people passing in front of us too.

“Everything seemed so complicated now. Jonghyun and I... We are becoming more and more like a stranger towards each other.” She said.

I kept my silent.

“Even without Soo Min in the picture, I know we are drifting apart.”

So she did realize that Jonghyun hyung was quite close to Soo Min nowadays. But to hear her that their relationship was rocky since before Soo Min was in the picture is new to me.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Well, I know what I want to do. But I don’t know if it is appropriate for now.

“I don’t know if I want to keep this relationship.” She murmured.

Then don’t, if it hurts you. What am I thinking? I’m just being selfish.

Without even thinking of what I am about to do, I turned to her. She still had her gaze in front of her. I slipped my hand on her face making her surprised by my touch. I didn’t give her time to think at all. I leaned closer towards her and pressed my lips on her lips.

I can tell that she was totally surprised by what I’ve done. This really reminded me the time that I lost control of my anger and kissed her on Taemin’s birthday party. The difference between this kiss and the kiss at that time was I didn’t do it to teach her a lesson for who was always right. This time the kiss is to express my feelings to her. The pent up feelings that I had tried so hard to hide. The frustration that I can’t be the one that she gives her love to. The longing of wanting to hold her in my arms.

She didn’t pull herself away when my lips were pressed on hers. It may be because of the shock. I pulled back a bit and gazed at her eyes. It was full of questions. I leaned closer to close the gap again and took her lips on mine. Kissing her softly and continuously. It has started as just a simple kiss of pressing one lip to another. But it turned out to be more than that. I kept on kissing her still stilled lips. Then she began to kiss me back. My heart leaped. She placed her palm on my chest. She must’ve felt my heart beat crazily. I kissed her one last time and pulled back slowly from the kiss. She still had her eyes closed. My hand that was on her face began to caress her cheek.

She finally opened her eyes and looked straight at my eyes. I smiled at her. She bit her lower lip, took her hand that was on my chest and used it to take my hand on her cheek. She lowered down my hand to my side. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered and stood up clumsily. She began to turn to walk away. After a few steps, she turned to look back at me still sitting on the ground beneath the big tree. Then she turned back and quickened her steps to take her farther away from me.

My heart still beat erratically. Again. She walked away from me. Just like before.


NaNa’s POV

I walked away from Key. I can still feel the imprint of his lips on mine. That would be the second time that he suddenly kissed me out of the blue. I can’t say that I was angry this time when he kissed me. No. I was actually happy that he kissed me. The one that I want to give my heart to. But I can’t just do this while I’m still officially with Jonghyun. My mind was so cluttered with a lot of things. What am I to do? 

Why did I go and sit beside Key anyway? Sigh. When I saw him sitting and concentrating on his drawings under the tree, I just can’t resist greeting him. Without realizing it, I was pouring out my burdens to him. Maybe the kiss was just to comfort me? Aish. I really don’t know what to think anymore. How do I sort this all out?

I was near our dorm when I thought of Seungyeon. How can I forget about her? I know I can always depend on her. I quickened my steps to our room. Eager to meet her. I opened the door and burst inside with a rush, hoping that Seungyeon has already come back from lunch.

When I finally took in the surrounding of our room, there was nobody in it. Seungyeon haven’t come back yet. I dropped myself on my bed. I was hoping Seungyeon will be here. I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down.

Then the door creaked opened to reveal Seungyeon. I rose up from the bed and went to hug Seungyeon. She was surprised by my sudden action.

“Wae NaNa? Something happened to you?” She said while trying to look at me closely. Trust her to know that something was amiss even when I haven’t told her anything yet.

I nodded my head in reply.

“Come on. Let’s sit first.” She brought me to her bed, put her bag down on the floor then paid me her full attention.

“Seungyeonie, I...” I started, but can’t finish my sentence.

She waited for me to continue. When I still didn’t tell her anything, she asked, “Is it about you and Jonghyun oppa?”

I lifted my head to face her. My eyes widened.

“You don’t have to be so shocked NaNa. I have noticed it even without you saying anything to me. You two were drifting apart isn’t it?” Seungyeon said.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you anything about it before Seungyeon.” I said.

“It’s okay. I know you will tell me about it someday. Like today.” She said, trying to make a joke.

I smiled a little from that. “Yeah. Like today.” But today, there was some addition to it. “It’s not only my relationship with Jonghyun. There’s something else happened today.”

“Such as?”

“Such as... I was kissed by Key.” I said quietly.

Seungyeon’s eyes widened. Then she composed herself. A small smile broke from her lips. “Why do I feel that history repeats itself?”

I bit my lower lip. “I was thinking the same thing. But it was different this time. It was not forced like the last time. I can feel his heart beat rapidly when we were kissing. I felt cared for and the kiss held a promise that I can’t put my finger on.” I confessed to her.

Seungyeon looked at me for a long time without saying a word.

“Seungyeon?”

“NaNa, I want you to be honest to your feelings okay. You can lie to me from what I am about to ask you, but you can’t lie to yourself. Be true to yourself. You deserved it.” She said seriously. Seungyeon rarely act serious, but when she does, I know it is something to be paid attention to.

I took a deep breathe. “Neh Seungyeon. I will.” I waited for Seungyeon’s question.

“How do you feel towards Jonghyun?” Seungyeon asked me.

I was a bit deadpanned by that question. I thought she was going to ask me about Key. Jonghyun. 

“Well. I never actually had a deeper feeling than the normal attraction to Jonghyun. When we met for the first time, I did feel some attraction towards him. But it was more to a crush kind of feelings. Nothing more than that.” I said. 

“Then what made you say yes to him?” Seungyeon asked me again.

I took a deep breathe. “Well, having said that. I did have a moment where I was quite confused with my feelings. Asking myself do I really like Jonghyun more than a simple friendship? I was flattered that he gave so much attention to me that I think I mistook it as a feeling more than a friend. So I think that made me say yes to him apart from other reasons.” I answered her.

“Other reasons? What other reasons that made you accept Jonghyun before?” Seungyeon looked at me with probing eyes.

“The other reason.” I said, while turning my head to stare at nothing in particular. “The other reason is I thought that since the guy that I began to have feelings with didn’t do anything and didn’t show any indication that he likes me, so I just took Jonghyun’s proposal in the hopes that I may find love with him.” I hung my head after I finally said it out in the open. Truthfully I am not proud with my decision at all. I hoped that I would not regret my decision at that time, but I end up regretted it. How ironic.

Seungyeon looked at me with compassion. “How is your feeling towards Key then?” She continued.

My mind immediately went to the kiss we shared just now. I can feel my face heated up from just the memory of it. I was silent for a while.

Seungyeon just smiled at me. “From your reaction I think I know how you feel towards Key but I still want to hear it from your own mouth.” She said.

I looked at her straight in the eyes. “I.. I always felt happy when I am with him. Even when I was with Jonghyun when we meet with Key, I would be happy just to be able to see him. He always made me mad at him for the stupidest things but I don’t mind it at all. I just feel happy, comfortable and someone that I can relate with.”

“Okay NaNa. So did you see your answer for the questions that I’ve asked you?” Seungyeon asked me.

I rerun my answers to Seungyeon in my head. I never did say anything about attraction towards Key. Just that he made me happy.

“The fact that you never say anything about attraction towards Key says a lot of things NaNa. You immediately accept that he’s the person that makes you happy. Now I’m not going to say anything to you about these two people. But instead I would ask you this question.” She said seriously. “Who do you love NaNa?”

Love. Who do I love? I smiled. I know the answer to that now. I am 100% sure of the answer that I’m going to tell Seungyeon. I feel so happy that I finally can admit it.

“I love Key.”


***


To be continued...


A/N:

Happy Birthday Key!!!! 

Though I am actually 2 hours belatedly wishing him since it's around 2AM here. But I guess not so somewhere around the world right. So I still will say Happy birthday to Key. Yay, an update on his birthday. Hehehe.. And his POV is here. Lol.
Woot.. Another twist and I think you didn’t see any of this coming? I’m pretty sure you will have at least two reactions regarding the 3rd person POV and for KeyNaNa’s POV. Who’s for KeyNaNa shippers? I know there’s a lot right. I’m sorry that they have to go through so much. You can blame it on their bad decision making. Lol. But I feel that there were so much kissing scene with the later chapters right. Sigh. Well, can't avoid it though. Kekeke. I hope you enjoyed this update. Do drop some comment on this chapter neh.  I would love to read your comments.  For all those comments on the previous chapters, thank you very much.  And thank you to all readers for reading this. Be it an active readers or silent readers. Komawo~~ :)