"And that's how we started dating," Jin-Ah chirped happily, her arm still clinging on her new boyfriend's. Jonghyun smiled and said nothing, while Kibum's jaw remained hanging in the air out of disbelief and Byul only showed her uninterest in the couple by filing her nails at the table casually.

"How can you guys even start your relationship like that, bro?" Kibum slapped his cousin's other arm. "You ought to be more romantic!"

"I'm not as 'Paris' as you, Key," Jonghyun laughed and slapped the other male even harder, receiving a loud groan. "I with common courtesies."

"Yeah, as if an ambushing kiss is accepted as 'common courtesy'..." Kibum muttered, picking up his handbag with his other hand occupied with his cup of unfinished caramel Macchiato, preparing to leave the conversation. "I've got an appointment with monsieur. Catch you ladies later!"

Jonghyun's gaze did not leave its focus on his cousin's back. "So I'm a lady too?"

Jin-Ah laughed and shoved her boyfriend lightly, when the long-lost voice finally joined in. For five seconds, to say the least.

"I've got to go too. Ring me when you're coming back, Jinny." She stretched before leaving her seat, leaving the puzzled couple behind with question marks surrounding them. 

X X X X X X X X X X

Byul fastened the horse hair back on her bow, taking out her violin from her dusty case next. Then came a sigh that escaped from her lips. Why? She knew that the scumbag that was bugging her for two whole study terms had been the worst nightmare for her. Princesses were not meant to be performing for people and be bothered by others, and that was how she was brought up.

Now, that nuisance is trying to hook up with her best friend. Wow, what a plan to get closer to her, the girl thought. Scoff. 

"You won't even get to touch a single strand of my hair, Kim Jonghyun." Byul monologued as she starts tuning the strings. "Not unless..." 

Playing a prolonged D note on her violin, Byul continued with a soothing melody. That familiar melody that reminded her of that boy she met back then, that boy who made a promise.

Or perhaps, it was just Byul being naive. Perhaps the boy has already forgotten the music box he bought for her. He forgot the girl that had her eyes caught on him. Perhaps that is why he did not come for her.
The girl started dancing to the melody at her fingertips, humming the parts where the piano plays its solo. A smile crept up her face. This is what they call "nostalgic".

But on the other side...

X X X X X X X X X X

Jonghyun placed his guitar lightly at the corner of his room, like he always did after playing it. He walked to his keyboard and the main switch, and lightly pressed some of the keys to make sure it was working (It was a pretty old one and had high tendencies of malfunctioning). He then let out a huge sigh. 

Did Byul really not notice what he was trying to tell her? Hopefully that was the reason, Byul did not know his name back then. Or perhaps she forgot about everything. She could have been in an accident where every second of their memories had came to naught. The competition, the fun fair, the music box. Perhaps that was why, and Byul remained an oblivious girl since then.

Perhaps.

Jonghyun let out another sigh as he played thirds on his right hand. The intro to that song that reminded him of that day, when he held another girl's hand as they ran around the fair, when they hopped on a ride of the Merry-Go-Round. Ah, such memories.

Ending the intro with a hanging arpeggiation, he continued with a pianissimo waltz rhythm on his left hand, the melody on the other joined in several bars later. "The Merry-Go-Round of Life". He remembered watching the movie when he was little and had a great addiction on the song, humming it for months.

How these two perfectly synced each other, playing at the same time, if only they were on the same stage...

So near, yet so far.

X X X X X X X X X X

Byul could not possibly ignore her best friend though Jin-Ah was dating Jonghyun, her ultimate enemy. Jin-Ah was blood type A, the ones that think very much, but also think too much. The girl knows if she rejects Jin-Ah too many times, thoughts will appear in her best friend's mind, and it certainly was not a good thing. Back when she never knew the girl, she heard from others saying that she did malicious things to this ex-best-friend of hers when she shut her out on day because she had personal problems.

What kind of "malicious things"? Probably would be better if none of you reading this knows.

Byul watched how the couple fed each other, or showered their parters with cheesy lines. Though Byul hardly gets influenced by mushy things like them two, she has got to admit— regret has started crawling up her spine. No, it can't be it, she chanted to herself every time she had such thoughts. He was only here to invite me to his ensemble, it's not a confession or what. No.

But no, it was not. In fact, the more Byul thought of the topic, the more sorriness she felt for rejecting the boy in such a harsh way. Something in her head just kept on reminding her that Jonghyun did not come for her for a mere collaboration on stage.

The concerned girl walked down the pave-way with her favourite coffee in her left hand and stacks of books on the other, rushing for the next practice for the concert. As soon as the girl sees the green light at the crossing starts to flicker as she reaches, she ran in her heels, not realizing a speeding car from her left driving at her way.

"Watch out!"

Byul only felt a strong tug on her body before tumbles on the floor. Slowly opening her eyes, she found a familiar person being pressed under her with his hands holding tight around her waist. His weak voice spoke again as people started to crowd.

"You... Okay?"

"J-Jonghyun..." Byul's mouth was left agape at the person who brought her away from the gate to Death. "I'm o-okay... Are you?"

"Then that's fine..." Jonghyun smiled before he closed his eyes and lost his senses.

X X X X X X X X X X

"Are you okay?"

Jonghyun opened his eyes when he heard an unfamiliar voice asking a question, probably towards him. 

He looked left, right, up and down, before the female repeated her question.

"Sir?"

"Where am I? Who are you?" Jonghyun asked back with his weak voice. A male answered after.

"You are now in a hospital, we're your doctor and nurse. Do you perhaps remember what happened?"

"I-I think I do..." the male replied, with another question coming after.

"But... Could you please turn on the lights please? It's pretty dark here..."

I know this chapter sounded kind of crappy... Actually not to spoil but I'm guessing this story will end with a dissappointment, unless it's just me and my own judging standards when it comes to these... (That's why I hardly read in AFF, except for the really good and featured ones, especially when they involve my biases and OTPs ahahahahahahaha)

Sorry for you guys... And I know I'm being LOA once again, but do check out my new fiction? It's a KyuMin/HyukMin that I've posted recently and thought it might need a wheeny little attention... So yeah? ^_^