Kyuhyun can’t remember anything about his date with Yoona. Well, maybe that’s not really the case but it’s just that Kyuhyun wishes to forget everything about that stupid date. In the first place, he wouldn’t have gone even just to talk to that devilish girl if he’s not thinking of Sooyeon and he couldn’t wait for that moment when Sooyeon’s father will finally come home and help Sooyeon solve her issues with her mother. Until that time when Sooyeon will be free from her mother and she will have the freedom to solve her problems on her own, Kyuhyun is forced, as much as he doesn’t want to think about it, to be under Yoona’s blackmail.

And take note of this, Kyuhyun doesn’t usually do this. It’s just that Sooyeon is an important friend, like how Sooyoung and Joohyun is to Jongwoon and even though he thinks it’s really cruel that he’s the one being punished by the devil’s daughter even though he didn’t do anything wrong, Kyuhyun has longed to have somebody like Sooyoung and Joohyun to Jongwoon, a friend that transcends that of family, a friend whom you know you can do anything within your power to help and everything will be worth it because she’s that kind of person and if something is to happen to you as well, she’ll also do the same.

Yoona told Kyuhyun to wear formal attire and Kyuhyun remembers himself chuckling mockingly at Yoona and telling her that he can wear his boxers or she can wear her nightgowns for all he cares and Yoona, blushing really, really hard, tells Kyuhyun that she’s not ready for that. Kyuhyun gapes at her and mentally facepalms himself, scolding himself never – never, and he means NEVER – to mock Yoona like that or he’ll jump a building or play with sharp knife.

As soon as their basketball practice ended, he quickly showers and changes into his dark slacks and light-blue long sleeves, wondering to himself if he’s wearing formal enough because knowing Yoona, she’s probably wearing a gown to correspond to her formal attire. He runs to their meeting place which is just in front of the university and Yoona’s already there, leaning on her Mercedes and upon seeing Kyuhyun, waving enthusiastically at him. Kyuhyun really doesn’t get what Yoona sees in him. Sure, he’ll go as far as calling himself good-looking because he really is, without being an obnoxious jerk, but Sungmin or Hyukjae should be better-looking than him and Donghae is a lot more of a gentleman who treats girls really well than him. Not that Yoona deserves that sort of treatment, Kyuhyun can’t help snorting, but still, even though she’s the devil’s-daughter-reincarnated-to-be-a-human-to-make-Kyuhyun’s-life-miserable, wouldn’t any girl want to be treated like a lady by a gentleman? Well, Kyuhyun’s kind of treating Yoona like a puppy who peeped on his shoe.

He doesn’t notice that he never thought of Jongwoon or Yesung on his comparisons for who Yoona can possibly go after rather than him simply because, it will be a little war if Yoona will pose to take Jongwoon or Yesung from Kyuhyun and Kyuhyun’s mind already knows that subconsciously. Now, we don’t need another war after the third world war, do we?

As soon as Kyuhyun sees Yoona, he stops running because he really isn’t enthusiastic or anything similar to that feeling about this date but he’s running before because he doesn’t know how his unpunctuality will affect Yoona’s impulsiveness. Even from afar, Kyuhyun can tell that Yoona’s really dressed up and getting closer to her, she does look like the goddess almost every guy at school calls her. Only, she’s using Sooyeon to blackmail Kyuhyun to date her and a pretty face never makes up for an ugly attitude.

“You’re late, oppa,” Yoona cutely pouts at Kyuhyun when he’s already standing a meter before her. He really can’t stand getting any closer to her on his free will.

“Practice ran late,” Kyuhyun reasons pettily even though it’s the truth. It’s just that he doesn’t really feel any necessity to explain himself to Yoona since 1. They’re not dating for real, 2. He doesn’t like her at all and 3. Why would he explain himself to a girl he doesn’t like and not dating for real?

Yoona smiles cheerfully and immediately clings herself to Kyuhyun’s arm. “That’s alright, oppa,” she says even though Kyuhyun never really said he’s sorry or anything. “I’m glad I chose to wear this light-blue dress. We’re perfectly matched, oppa!”

That’s only when Kyuhyun notices Yoona’s dress and as he glances at her, she’s really wearing a dress the same shade as the long sleeves he’s wearing that night. Kyuhyun blames himself for choosing that same shade! He’s actually thinking of mismatching their attires so they won’t look “matched.” He thought Yoona would wear something like pink or yellow. Kyuhyun could only sigh resignedly.

“Where are you taking me?” Kyuhyun asks once they’re settled inside Yoona’s Mercedes. He can recognize the car since it’s one of those cars he’s planning to buy once he invents a very spectacular game and sells it for a million dollars. He supposed he could have asked, “Where are we going?” but it’s not like this is his choice so he asked that instead.

Yoona doesn’t seem to mind or to notice the depth of Kyuhyun’s question and the meaning behind the words. For her, it must have registered only that her date is asking her where they are going. She smiles brightly again and takes Kyuhyun’s hand, “You’ll see, oppa. It’s a surprise.”

Kyuhyun sighs again for he can’t remember how many times anymore that night. Yoona’s idea of surprises for Kyuhyun, as far as his experiences go, aren’t really that nice.

Sure enough, they arrive at a luxurious restaurant somewhere at the center of Seoul, several blocks away from the university proper. Kyuhyun thinks that they could have gotten there faster if they’ve taken the subway but taking another glance at Yoona, he’s not sure he can or he wants to be her knight in shining armor in case a maniac appears in front of them while commuting. Besides, he’s tired and the Mercedes ride doesn’t sound like a bad idea if not for the fact that Yoona’s holding his hand and she’s beside him.

Yoona made a reservation for their dinner and they’re ushered to their table near the window. She likes seeing the city below the restaurant at the top of that prime hotel, lets her take her mind off things she can and she can’t control just like this man sitting across her, looking worriedly at the menu the waitress handed him.

She chuckles, “Don’t worry about the price, oppa. It’s all taken cared of.”

Kyuhyun gawks. “Just how much is your allowance?”

“Just enough,” Yoona says with a smile, vaguely because her idea of conversing with Kyuhyun isn’t really to discuss her allowance.

“No, seriously,” Kyuhyun insists. “Just to make it clear, okay? I’m not the one paying for this, right?”

“No,” Yoona assures him with another smile. “I told you, everything’s taken cared of. We’re just here to enjoy ourselves, okay, oppa?”

Kyuhyun nods easily because he’s not exactly sure what Yoona meant with they’re just there to enjoy themselves. He actually feels a little weird because he feels like this isn’tright, like he’s cheating on somebody but as far as Kyuhyun knows, he’s not in any sort of relationship with anybody right at that moment.

Maybe it’s deeper than a relationship, Cho Kyuhyun.

“How’d you know about Sooyeon?” Kyuhyun takes his opportunity to ask Yoona because he wants to know what else she has under her sleeves to blackmail Kyuhyun after they’d given their orders to the waitress attending them.

“That she’s a lesbian?”

Somehow that doesn’t sound right to Kyuhyun’s ears. “That she’s in love with a girl,” he tells Yoona.

“I have my ways, oppa,” Yoona says seriously at first but ends with a playful tone, “so if you’re planning on cheating, think twice. I’ll find it out.”

Kyuhyun wants to snort at her now but stops himself. He really can’t get anything out of her and if he’s her, why would she tell him where she’s getting those things she’s using to blackmail him, right? It’s the only reason he’s dating her and if Yoona loses that leverage, she’s as good as gone in Kyuhyun’s life. Kyuhyun still can’t understand why but he’s sure Yoona doesn’t want that.

“Are you serious about your threat?”

“That I’d inform the entire university?”

“Yeah.”

“Will you still date me if I’ll say I’m not serious and that I’m not a bad person like that?”

“No,” Kyuhyun finds himself admitting the truth and it because if he tells her that he’ll still date her, then Yoona can’t use that to blackmail him anymore but he can’t. He really can’t. Looking at Yoona, she doesn’t look like a brat who’s only going after him just because she’s thinking that she can get everything – everyone – she wants. She genuinely likes him. Kyuhyun sees that and he doesn’t have the heart to give her false hope.

“Then, I’m serious about my threat,” Yoona says, smiling at him.

“I figured that,” Kyuhyun frowns at her.

“But why won’t you date me for real, oppa?”

“So you’re quite aware that this date we’re having right now is not real?” Kyuhyun asks, chuckling to himself sarcastically and looking over at Yoona disbelievingly.

“I’m not stupid, oppa,” Yoona says, as a matter of factly. “I can see that you’re not even a little bit interested in me but I really like you and I want us to work.”

“So you’re using my childhood friend’s issue right now to blackmail me? Is that your idea of wanting us to work?”

“It’s not like that, oppa. It’s not that I want to use Sooyeon-ssi’s situation like this but you’re leaving me with no option. How else will I get you to have dinner with me then?”

“For starters, you should try being nice first,” Kyuhyun mutters. He’s not sure where this conversation is getting them but as Yoona tells him, she’s not stupid and she knows that Kyuhyun’s not interested in her so there’s no use sugarcoating it. If there’s something Kyuhyun can do, probably it’s letting himself get dragged by Yoona with her blackmailing because there’s Sooyeon.

“I am nice!”

“Really?”

“How’d you know my name?”

“I asked Donghae-ssi and Hyukjae-ssi.”

“See? Why didn’t you talk to me first?”

“Because… Well, you are completely ignoring me.”

“That’s not a reason,” Kyuhyun says. “If you want to meet me, talk to me. Am I Donghae-hyung? No, I’m a genius unlike him. Am I Hyukjae-hyung? No, I’m not a playboy like him.”

“Oppa,” Yoona suddenly says, “are you saying that if, let’s say, we start over again, is there any chance that you’ll like me back, too?” There’s enough hope in Yoona’s voice that Kyuhyun mentally facepalms himself again. She’s taking what he’s saying the wrong route, just like when he mocked about boxers and nightgowns.

We really do see things we want to see.

Fortunately, their food arrives before another dead air passes that Kyuhyun’s not answering Yoona’s hanging question. Kyuhyun claps both of his hand and puts on his napkin, eagerly digging on the food before him. “I’m starving,” he announces and fills his mouth with food with a thought that if he’s mouth is always filled with food, then he won’t hanve to answer Yoona’s question.

Because really, how can you just break someone’s hope when it’s just that hope that they’re holding on to?

Yoona might not be the nicest person Kyuhyun has ever encountered. She might even be considered the worst person because she freaking kissed Kyuhyun in front of Jongwoon, didn’t she? But still, those aren’t enough reasons for Kyuhyun to break her apart. He can see how much she truly likes him. He probably will someday and she probably will realize it someday but not tonight.

Nothing much happened until Kyuhyun got back in the university dormitory that night because as much Yoona is trying to talk to Kyuhyun and maybe get a little closer than the stranger-ship (possible enemy-ship) she’s sharing with Kyuhyun as of the moment, Kyuhyun is trying to minimize his talking just because Yoona is taking it completely different the way Kyuhyun intends, completely in favor of Yoona than what Kyuhyun actually meant and that’s not really a good idea. It’s fueling Yoona’s hope and that’s not what Kyuhyun wants. Yes, he’s not brave enough to crush Yoona’s hope but he doesn’t want it to grow more enormous than it already is now. Who knows what else can Yoona do?

“I’ll see you tomorrow, oppa,” Yoona says brightly at Kyuhyun even though it’s already almost twelve in the midnight and they’re just going home. Actually, Kyuhyun just arrived and she’s yet to go back home but her smile is as bright as it was that morning’s first period when she greeted Kyuhyun “Good morning” and reminded him about their date tonight. “Good night. Sleep already, okay?”

Kyuhyun nods.

“Dream a little of me, oppa.”

Kyuhyun only nods again himself and does a half wave, sending Yoona back to her Mercedes. He looks as the car goes farther and farther until it’s not visible for him anymore. He then enters the dormitory and walks tiredly, not sure if he’ll have the energy to go to his first period tomorrow after this stressful day.

“Dream a little of you, huh?” Kyuhyun mutters to himself as he falls to his bed, really tired and already sleepy, still in his slacks and long sleeves, Yoona’s words echoing back to his mind. “I wonder if Jongwoon-hyung’s dreaming of me…”

Kyuhyun always comes back, no matter where he goes and who he spends his time with, to the one he truly searches for. He is just too dense, if not stupid, to realize that all along, it’s just within his grasp that he’s looking for.