A/N: Last chapter.  Not edited yet, but I just wanted to get this out as soon as possible :D  Thanks for staying with this story for so long! 

[the final song is BoA's "One Dream" ft. Henry Lau and Key.  Just pretend that Jaehwa sung the rap parts :D]

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Jaehwa sighed.  “It won’t work, oppa.  I’m serious, I’ve already tried every method possible.”

Yoseob pouted, leaning back against the wall mirror.  They were sitting in Beast’s practice room, discussing ways to convince Jaehwa’s parents to let her live her own dream.  But so far, no brilliant idea had emerged.

“We just need a way to really open your parents’ eyes.  They need to know how much you really love performing,” Yoseob said solemnly, biting his lip as he wracked his mind for suggestions.

“Maybe they’ll figure that out at the goodbye stage Sajangnim has planned,” Jaehwa mumbled sarcastically.

Yoseob bolted up.  “That’s it!” he shouted, pulling Jaehwa up and gripping her shoulders.

Jaehwa raised an eyebrow.  “What?”

“Your parents need to be at that goodbye stage!  I have an idea!” Yoseob exclaimed, giving Jaehwa a slight shake before rushing out of the room.

Jaehwa sighed.  “That boy…” she whispered, an amused smile on her lips.

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Jaehwa’s parents reluctantly agreed to let their daughter perform at one last goodbye stage.  However, when Jaehwa asked if they could attend, her father coldly said, “If we have time.”

Yoseob searched relentlessly for a song for Jaehwa to perform at her last stage.  The day before the final performance, he handed her a sheet of lyrics with a simple “Here.”

“Oppa,” Jaehwa hesitated, scanning the words, “What’s this?  What song is this?”

“It’s mine,” he said with a tired smile.  “I spent the entire past few days working on it.”

“You wrote this?” Jaehwa asked, staring in amazement at the person standing in front of her.

“Yes.  I wrote it hoping that somehow, it will inspire your parents to see just what kind of a future you can have.”

“I–” she began to feel emotional as tears built up in her eyes.

“Jaehwa,” Yoseob said, his face suddenly serious.  He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.  “You can’t leave me.  You… you belong with me.  I can’t stand being without you.”

Jaehwa’s mouth fell open in shock at her best friend’s sudden confession.  Long ago, she had hoped that this day would come, the day her feelings for Yoseob would be answered.  However, since the events of the past year, she had given up on ever hearing those words.

Therefore, she was completely caught off guard.  Speechless, she just stared at him.

Yoseob searched her eyes for an answer.  But all he saw was confusion, surprise, and something else.  Please say something, he pleaded silently.

Luckily, something snapped Jaehwa back to reality, and she blinked.  Yoseob saw relief, happiness, and amazement flood into her dark eyes.

No words had to be exchanged.  Yoseob followed his instinct and leaned down to her face.  “I’ve been dying to do this for a while now,” he whispered before closing the distance between their lips.

Jaehwa’s eyes fluttered shut.  Finally, she thought happily.  It finally happened.

They stayed together for a few minutes.  Then, Jaehwa reluctantly mumbled against his lips, “Oppa…”

“Hmm?”

“Oppa, I need to practice,” she murmured, separating from him and looking up into his eyes.  “But I want you to be beside me from now on.  Can you please do that for me?”

“Always have been, and always will be,” Yoseob said with a bright smile, pulling her into another embrace.

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I’m going to miss this, Jaehwa thought sadly as she stared out into the darkness.  I hope this won’t be my last stage.

“What are you thinking about?” a voice came from behind her.

Jaehwa spun around to face the back of the empty stage.  Yoseob pushed himself off the wall and strode over to her.  He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.  “What’s up?”

“Just… hoping things go well,” she said softly, staring out into the empty audience seats again.  “Oppa,” she started.

“Yeah?  Something wrong?”

“What if this doesn’t work?” Jaehwa asked worriedly, leaning her head against his chest.  “What if–”

“Shhh,” Yoseob stopped her words by lightly placing his hand over .  “It will be fine.  If this doesn’t work, we’ll find another way.  But I promise I will always be by your side, and I will always help you achieve your dreams.”

Jaehwa smiled gratefully and hugged him.  “I love you, oppa.  Thanks for being here with me.”

“No,” Yoseob shook his head.  “That’s what I’m supposed to say to you,” he said, smiling.

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“Hwaiting,” Yoseob whispered before kissing her lips quickly.

Jaehwa nodded and stepped onto the stage she had been on only an hour before.  This time, however, the lights were on and the seats were filled with people.

As the music began, she felt sort of a déjà vu of her debut performance.  The emotions, the nerves, the feelings.  It was all coming back again.

Her breath hitched as her eyes landed on two certain people sitting in the front row.  Her parents, dressed in formal business attire as usual, stared straight at her, their eyes calculating.

Jaehwa took a deep breath and kept her gaze trained straight on them.  Then she began to sing.

The more I drop my head, the further away the light gets

Lift up your head, open up all possibilities

They keep ridicule me, saying that I can’t

And devaluing me but I will never stop

I want to hold it – the hand extended to me

I will hold it – the hand extended to me

I bite down all the criticisms toward me

It becomes silence

She watched as her mother’s expression slowly began to change.  However, her father seemed unfazed as the chorus began.

To me, there is only one voice, one dream

One chance I can do it

One wish, one soul, one time

With all my heart

They look at me with expectant eyes

The light that shines on me is bright

My desperate dreams are now in front of my eyes

Sing a song with one voice, one voice, one voice

One voice, to me, there is only one voice

Backstage, Yoseob gazed at his best-friend-turned-lover.  His heart swelled with pride.  She’s done it, he thought happily as he glanced at her parents’ expressions.

Because there were days that seemed like they would never come

I avoid the world that once turned away from me

I wanted to run away when they were disappointed

Sadness was too deep but I’ll stand up again

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jaehwa’s father gave a small nod of approval.  It wasn’t much, but Jaehwa felt like bursting into tears of joy.  For years and years, that was all she had ever wanted.

Don’t tell me that I can’t

Don’t treat me as if you’ve met a defeated person

There are many failures

But only one success

That is right now, look at me now

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