Chapter 25


Key’s POV

The scene of our kiss in the afternoon was still fresh in my mind. It was replayed for the hundredth time already. I still can’t forget the kiss. Especially when she walked away from me once again. I know I had taken advantage of her vulnerable state. But I just couldn’t help it. Maybe it was because she was considering her relationship with Jonghyun hyung is not working out well. I should have advice her to hold on to her relationship. That it can still be resolve. But I know I can’t lie to her. I can’t lie to myself too.

I have noticed that Jonghyun hyung has been quite distance with NaNa too. It’s been quite a while. I never approached him about it. I don’t want him to know about how I feel about his relationship. But now, when I heard it from NaNa herself how she was having doubt about their relationship, I can’t help but to hope that I will have the chance to show my feelings to her. On the other hand, I know it’s not good to pursue someone who is dealing with a rocky relationship or who have just broke up. It may be a rebound kind of thing which wouldn’t last long.

I wouldn’t want to have a relationship based on that setting. Argh. I’m tired. I’m tired to strain myself thinking about this thing by myself. I can think or talk to myself all I want but I still need to talk with someone. Onew hyung is out seeking for a job. Delivering another demo that he had accomplished last night for another music company. Taemin was no where to be seen in the house. He may be spending his time in the dance studio in campus again. My son really is a dedicated student. Sigh. Jonghyun hyung is totally out of the picture since this concern about him too. That left Minho. Yeah. It’s been a long time that I’d talked to him. He usually can make me see things more clearly for my next action will be. 

I rose up from my Onew hyung’s bed which I occupied previously. I went out to the living room, kitchen, dining area, the bathroom. No one was in either one of the said room. So he must be in his room. I hope he is in his room without Jonghyun hyung in the room too. 

I knocked softly on his door. A small muffled “Come in” can be heard through the door. I opened the door and saw him on his study table which situated at the end of his bed. I walked in and sat at the edge of his bed facing his left side profile. I waited for him to lift his head and look at me.

He finally lifted his head from writing a few notes on his book to look at me. “What is it this time Key? I’m not in the mood to go shopping or trying one of your designs again. The last time you made me wear your unfinished clothes, I was poked with the pin needle that you forgot to take off.” He complained with a wry face.

I just looked at him without remarking anything about what he had said. He was lucky I have a much bigger problem to overrule the instinct of me defending my passion in career wise. If I started to nag about it, I may lose my focus on what I am trying to do. Minho realized that I didn’t reprimand him for what he had said. He raised an eyebrow to me.

“Something is wrong with you Key. Why are you so quiet? You’re creeping me out. Coming to my room without saying anything at all. Come on. Spill it out.” He said.

I took a deep breathe and let it out with my words. “I kissed NaNa.”

Minho just looked at me then he grinned. “You still can’t forget the time that you kissed her on Taemin’s birthday party? Man. That was a long time ago. So what if you had kissed her at the time. The issue was resolved right. She’s not mad at you anymore.”

I looked at Minho as if he had an antler grown on his head. Since when did Minho become clueless as this? I can accept it if it was Onew hyung. But this is Minho we’re talking about. I guessed all his studies and constant playing for the university team this semester made his brain a little bit haywire.

“I kissed NaNa just now in the afternoon under the big tree in front of the SNU building. Not months ago you dummy.” I said exasperatedly.

He looked at me and the information slowly dawn on him. “Oh.” He said.

I waited for him to continue. Nothing came out of his mouth. “Is that all you have to say after I spill this important incident to you?” I asked him incredulously.

He slowly smiled at me. Seriously, there is something wrong with Minho. His smile scares the hell out of me. He is being unMinho-ish. Just as I thought that nothing can get weirder, the sentence that came out of his mouth is one.

“Well, I kind of predicted that something like this will happen sooner or later.” He said while leaning back on his chair and scrutinized me with his big round eyes.

That is something I never would have expected at all. What did he meant by it? Predicting that this incident will happen? Did he know something that I am not aware of?

“What do you mean by that Minho?” I said.

“Nothing. Just as I have said I had predicted that something like this will happen.” Minho said.

“Yeah, but why would you had predicted it. There must be a reason.” I pressed him.

“Well. To begin with, I know you love NaNa right. You said it yourself to me when you made that milk kimchi stew. And you yourself know that Jonghyun hyung likes NaNa at the time. But one thing that both of you doesn’t know is what is NaNa’s feelings all this time.” Minho said.

“But NaNa had accepted Jonghyun hyung’s proposal. So she must have like him to accept him, isn’t it?” I asked. My mind was beginning to spin. I thought I will have a clearer view of things when I talk to Minho. But it was the opposite.

“Yes, she did accept Jonghyun hyung’s proposal. Have you ever seen them all over each other like Onew hyung and Seungyeon?” He asked me.

Come to think of it. I never did saw them so into each other as Onew hyung and Seungyeon. Not even once. The only intimate action that I saw them in was when Jonghyun hyung kissed NaNa on the day that he proposed to her to go out with him. Even that was only considered a peck.

“Not really.” I answered him absent-mindedly. Still thinking of the situation.

“I know that I had warned Jonghyun hyung to not go into the relationship if he is not so sure of his attraction to NaNa is based on his true feelings of wanting to love her or not. I’ve warned him that he can’t replace Ee Seul noona with NaNa because of a little similarity in their character. But I guessed he was driven to jealousy by seeing you so close with NaNa. He lost Ee Seul to Onew hyung before. So he may not want history to repeat itselves. But in this situation, he hadn’t considered that his feelings may only be a fragment of what he saw in Ee Seul is in NaNa.” Minho explained it to me.

So, it was because of his feelings for Ee Seul noona hasn’t died yet? After all these years? It must have hurt him that Ee Seul noona never saw him as more than her best friend. And to have her be the girlfriend of your own good friend, he must have held it all in. Is that why he never date with one woman for long? 

“Is it? Why does all this become so complicated? Why didn’t you stop this when you know about it Minho?” I asked him with a dejected tone. There’s no use to be angry anymore. It was all done.

“It is not my place to decide anything Key. I did warn him. And I did ask you what you’re going to do about it when you know Jonghyun hyung likes NaNa too. I can only help you two in some extent. But certainly not to make your decision for you. For that will make it my decision and not yours.” He said wisely.

Even though I know Minho was right, but I can’t help it but feel dejected by the turn out event. If only I pursue NaNa without worrying over Jonghyun hyung, it may not end up like this. 

Minho looked at me and reached out his hand to my shoulder.

“Key, don’t be discourage by what had happened. Think about the future. The fact that you said you kissed NaNa today says that you are going to change things. Aren’t you? You have restrained yourself all this while, but you kissed her today, there must be a reason.” Minho said.

So I told him about my conversation with NaNa in the afternoon.

“I noticed that Jonghyun hyung spent much of his time with Soo Min. I am worried that he sees Soo Min as Ee Seul again. Soo Min is not Ee Seul. That I can tell.” He said confidently.

“How can you be sure that she really is not Ee Seul?” I asked him.

“I just do. But never mind about that first. The important thing is, NaNa did not push you but instead kissed you back tells a whole lot of a different story. It can safely be said that they lost the spark a long time ago but just trying to save their relationship. But with the kiss happened, I don’t think their relationship will go anywhere.” Minho analyzed.

I stayed silent.

“I just hope that no one will get hurt again.” Minho said.

“Me too. But one thing for sure, whatever that will happen, I’m going to be right there for NaNa. I know you’ll be there for Jonghyun hyung, so I don’t have to worry about him.” I said to him with a small smile. I decided that whatever the outcome will be, I will still be there for NaNa.


Jonghyun’s POV

I placed my drink on the countertop while surveying the people around me. The club was full as it usually is. I was taking my break for a while before I resume my place to spin off the music in the DJ booth. It feels nice to work after the gruelling composing that I’d done for the past weeks. It also feels nice to be detached from everybody for a few hours. It gave me time to think.

I played with the glass of my drink in front of me. The water beads on the outside of the glass trickles down to the bottom of the glass when I pushed it, making the countertop wet. The picture of Soo Min came to my mind. We had spent a lot of time together. She’s been with our group for a while now. Through those times we spent together, I realized that she is totally different from Ee Seul. The way she talk with a confident aura that made you want to listen to what she has to say and take it seriously. I found that character of her very charismatic. 

Urgh. How could I think about Soo Min when I am still with NaNa? I really feel bad for neglecting NaNa a lot these days. But then again, it’s been a stretch for quite some time already. What am I to do with my relationship now? I really should heed Minho’s warning and advice before. I shouldn’t rush into a relationship with NaNa when I started to see the small similarity in Ee Seul. Sigh. I know I can’t put this off anymore. I need to break off our relationship as a couple with her. I can’t lead my relationship with NaNa deeper into this pit. It made us both unhappy and miserable. I missed the time that we can talk freely and just be a good friend. I am really a fool. I don’t know how to value a friendship that can mean so much more than just dating someone. I would not let myself fall into this mess again.

Even though I felt myself slowly attracted to Soo Min, I won’t jump into a relationship more than a good friend with her. But I wonder if the rest would think that I’m attracted to her because of her looks that looked so much like Ee Seul. I thought it must be because of that too, but when I think of it more deeply, it was not so. The more I spend time with her, the more I see her as Soo Min and not Ee Seul. I looked up from my glass and look around, there are more people coming in. I steered my gaze to the wall clock on the bartender wall. It’s already 9pm. It’s the peak hour. I may have to move in a short while.

I took a swig of my drink. Put the glass back on the countertop and straighten myself. Yes. I have to end my relationship with NaNa. There’s no use to put it off any longer. I think I will meet her tomorrow after all our classes are done. I hope that we can still remain as friends as we were friends before we entered this relationship.

“Hyuk Jae hyung, thanks for the drink. I have to go back to the DJ booth.” I called out to the blonde bartender.

He held up his hand to me and shouted out from the other end, “Sure thing. Have a drink again later before you leave.”

I just smile at him and nodded my head. I turned around and dropped down from my stool. I lifted my face and came face to face with NaNa. I was so surprised to see her in front of me that I staggered backward, causing the stool to fall down. I quickly turned around to put back the stool. I calmed my fast beating heart before I faced her again.

“I’m sorry that I surprised you Jonghyun. I didn’t know you’re going to turn around just as I want to call you.” She said with a small smile.

“Ah, it’s okay NaNa.” I said, trying to reassure her. But the sentence just hung in the air with an awkward silent.

“Umm, what brings you here tonight NaNa? Did you come with your friends again?” I tried to make a small conversation. How surprising it is to see her here just when I decided to break things off with her tomorrow.

“Are you free now Jonghyun? Can I talk to you for a while?” She asked me. I looked back at the clock. 9.10pm. I am supposed to resume my shift now. But what the heck.

I turned towards the bartender side and yelled at Hyuk Jae hyung. “Hyuk Jae hyung, can you do me a favour and asked Dong Hae hyung to replace me for a while? I’ve got something to do.”

Hyuk Jae hyung turned to me and yelled back, “Sure, no problem.” He went to the other end where Dong Hae hyung was chatting with a few women. Obviously hitting on them again while doing his bartender job. “Yah, Dong Hae ah. Replace Jjong for a while. You can play any music for your female fans here.” He said jokingly.

After making sure that everything was okay, I turned back to NaNa and bring her out of the club.

“Are you okay leaving your job just like that Jonghyun?” NaNa asked. Concerned.

“Yeah. It’s okay. I’m going to go back later anyway.” I smiled back at her. I brought her to a small little coffee shop that almost hidden in a corner. We sat at the farthest corner, ordered our coffee and sat there in silent.

It was really an awkward silent. I can’t believe that we end up being like this. I don’t think I want to wait until tomorrow to tell her. I better tell her now. I took a deep breathe.

“Let us break up.”

What?! We both looked at each other. Surprised that both of us uttered the same thing at the same time. Then we began to laugh at the situation. Seriously. This is one thing that I did not expect at all. After our laughter receded, I searched her face looking for any prank that she might be into. But all I see was her laughing face slowly turned serious.

“Do you really mean what you have said NaNa?” I asked her sombrely. This is really weird. It’s like our emotions are going up and down.

She looked at me in the eyes. “Yes Jonghyun. I mean what I have said. I think it’s best that we break up. It seems that you’re thinking the same thing too.” She said softly.

I looked upward at the shop’s ceiling lights. Then focused my eyes on her again. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking for quite some time about our relationship.” I said. A pause, then, “I’m sorry NaNa that this relationship didn’t work out for the both of us.”

“Don’t be sorry Jonghyun. It’s my fault too. I shouldn’t have accepted your proposal at the time when I’m still not sure of my feelings. When I realized about my real feelings, it’s already too late. We’re already in the relationship for quite some time. I’m sorry.” She said.

By what she had said, is it possible that she actually like someone else? I can’t really say that I’m mad, since I feel the same way. “You don’t have to be sorry too. You like someone else isn’t it NaNa?” I asked her.

She looked at me in surprised. Then her face slowly turned pink. Hah. I was right. She likes someone else. “Don’t be afraid to admit it NaNa. I actually am too. This is nuts isn’t it. Both of us actually like someone else. Or probably loves someone else.” I shook my head. I leaned forward and took NaNa’s hand in mine. I grasped her hands tightly.

“Look NaNa. I think both of us made a mistake with our relationship. But I don’t think it’s to the point that we can’t confide in each other as friend right. I hope you still consider me as your friend even though we broke up.” I said sincerely to her.

She looked at me and smile. “Neh Jonghyun. We can still be friends.” She gripped my hands more tightly in hers too. Then I slowly let go of her hands which she bring it back to her cup of coffee.

“So tell me. Who is the lucky person that managed to grab your heart?” I said cheekily.

She was silent for a while. I can feel her pondering whether to tell me or not. Then she said, “I’ll tell you if you tell me about your feelings for Soo Min first.” While raising one of her eyebrow.

Ah. So she noticed about it? Well, there’s no harm in telling her now right. Since we are not an item anymore. I nodded me head. “Okay. I will.”

She waited for me to continue. “Well, to be honest. I think I am beginning to like her for who she is and not for who her face reminded me of. There’s not much to tell except that, I won’t rush things with her.” I said.

“Hmm. Glad to hear that Jonghyun.” She smiled.

“So, tell me now. Who is it?” I asked her after a while.

She took a deep breathe. “The one that have my heart is... Key.” She said confidently.

My eyes widened for a while. Kibum? I didn’t know that. Well, it is not unexpected anyway. They were very close before I even met her. I guess it is to be expected? But then, does Kibum felt the same way? If yes, that’s mean that I have hindered them to be together much earlier? Oh man. How can I not see this? Crap. Then all this time when NaNa and I hung out together with him or the rest of them, he must have been hurt. I am really stupid. Why can’t I be more observant of the things that happened around me like Minho? No wonder there was always an awkwardness when Key and NaNa was in the same room.

“Kibum huh.” I said quietly.

“Neh. I’m sorry that I have not been honest to you. I should have told you about it and maybe we can break things off much earlier. But I thought it was my fault that I didn’t try harder to give our relationship a chance. It seems that it never work out in the first place isn’t it?” she said.

“No. I get it. It’s just that I’ve been so blind all this time.” I took a breath and blew it out slowly. “What are you going to do then?”

She looked at me slyly. “I will confess to Key my feelings.”

My eyes widened again. Wow. Now I know for sure she is really compatible with Key. Both of them got guts when dealing with each other. I grin widely. After all that happened, this is going to be fun.

“Are you sure you have the guts to confess to Kibum? You may falter along the way.” I .

“Yah. I am sure I can do this. I mean... I mean... I’d rather get this out of my chest than having to keep on wondering about what would happen.” She said.

I looked at her. Surprised that she will go to this length for Kibum. I smiled to myself. One thing I can do for her is to encourage her.

“Go for it NaNa. I know people will say it’s unconventional for a woman to confess to a guy, but I know you are not one to heed any of those sayings right.” I said.

“Yeah. Thanks for your encouragement Jonghyun. You should tread carefully on your future relationship okay. If you really like Soo Min, then work on it slowly and surely.” She said while throwing in her advice to me too.

“Yes. I will NaNa.” I said. “It’s weird isn’t it? We just broke up but we were discussing about our future relationship. I don’t think there will be any ex-couple as us in the entire world.” I joked.

She laughed. “You’re right. But I’m happy though, we end up this way.”

“Yeah.” I said. Thinking about our future. Hoping that Kibum can be with NaNa and me with Soo Min. I hope there will be no more challenges among us.


***


To be continued...

A/N:
Here you go. I think many of you are waiting for this to happen? Hehe. Don't you think MinKey moment is cute? I find them cute. Can I say that? Lol. Pardon Minho with his blankness (unMinho-ish as Key would say) for a few moments though. He really took his study seriously. Hehe. But he did help right.  Oho.. The appearance of Hyuk Jae (Eun Hyuk) and Dong Hae of SuJu. I just love them, so they somehow find their way in this fic. Kekeke. Anyway, let me know what you think of this update neh. Until the next chapter. Annyeong~~~