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Papers were flying everywhere. Some were scrunched into balls, and those too were flying everywhere. Was there a fight in the examination hall? Nooooo.. There was a celebration!

"Exam's over!" as if it wasn't obvious enough, Changmin had to yell into Ryeowook's ear- making him flinch.

"Is it? Because I really couldn't tell!" he shouted back into Changmin's ears, only to annoy himself as Changmin just laughed. Really, Changmin is that one friend who rarely gets annoyed easily and is always on a positive vibe. Changmin- the happy virus.

"Daww.. My favourite boys are fighting on the last day of school. They grow up so fast.." Sora came, mocking them, as she dramatically wiped her imaginary tears. "Party?" she asked, simple.

"Please don't ask us to enjoy our day of freedom at Quiche Qafe, because that would be sad," Changmin suggested to not go to that particular place, and that made Sora frowned.

Sora has this idea, that the place where she works in is the coolest and hippest of all places to hang out. Every time they wanted a get-together, she’d whine and persuade them to go there, and things would end up in a situation where Kyuhyun will be busy trying to separate the vegetables from his quiche and Changmin will be too uncomfortable with the posh atmosphere, trying his level best to not make his fork and knife clatter against the china too much, while Ryeowook would just sit there, staring at the two of them. He’d prefer that, though, rather than having to actually converse with Sora, oh Sora.

"Grilled meat, people. That's how we should celebrate. Stick to your roots, okay?" Ryeowook patted Changmin's back as the latter nodded furiously, knowing how that would infuriate Sora, who very much prefers western-related everything and anything.

"Whatever," she shrugged, giving up. "You grill the meat, okay, Kyuhyunnie?" her voice changed from exasperation to sweet-shrieking-like, making the other two fake a severe gag.

"Why don't you guys go first? I have to do something," he answered as he packed his stuff, zipped the bag and finally sling it over his shoulders. "Okay?" he winked at Changmin and Ryeowook and dashed off.

Where are you?

He texted her. He resorted to texting her after she hadn't picked up any of his calls. He wandered aimlessly around the faculty and decided to give her one last call, before he joins his friends.

“I wanna be with you… if only for a night… to be the one who’s in your arms, to hold you tight…”

The sound of a ringtone echoed from somewhere and he trailed the direction of it, ending up by the alley between the faculty library and the abandoned janitor room, where he saw a body shaking hard without a sound.

It broke his heart.

To see her crumble like that made his heart hurt as much. It hurt him so much; he thought that it was almost ridiculous.

I don't even know you.

I don't know your story.

I don't know what you've been through.

Heck, we only met, what- like, a few days ago. But why am I hurting inside seeing you like this, sunshine?

He canceled the call and immediately, the tone on her phone stopped. He tried to walk up to her as quietly as possible, but the quietness of the alley made it impossible. The friction between Kyuhyun's dirty sneakers and the loose pebbles on the road echoed along the alley. She must have heard it too, because she stopped crying but didn’t really react to his presence. She was letting her guard down.

He stopped and stood a distance away from her and observed the soul, who was sitting down, leaning against the walls of the quiet library. Her satchel was beside her, but some of her belongings- her books and phone were sticking out halfway through. It was like she didn't even care anymore.

While other students were celebrating somewhat mediocre success of finishing the final academic year, why isn't she? Kyuhyun couldn't help his own feeling that he wanted to do something for her. Anything, really. Just to see his sunshine smile.

He sat down next to her and slumped against the wall, quietly. He was looking up towards the grey sky, thinking about what he should say.

She sniffed and wiped the fresh drops of tear that were quickly joining in the stain of dried tears on her pretty cheeks.

The high-cheekbone cheeks she inherited from her mom. Her eyes were of the doe looking kind, precisely like her dad’s. Those features made her face look exotic, a far cry from the average Korean type. Receiving complements on her good looks wasn’t something new either. She’d just naturally smile and shy away. They attract a lot of attention too, her eyes and facial features.

But she hated them.

Every time she looks into a mirror, she would be disgusted by them, because they reminded her of her mom and dad. It was like a constant reminder that they were no longer by her and all she could do was look at a glimpse of them through her own reflection. She didn't need that constant reminding of how much she missed them. It just adds to the pain.

"Your book and student card-," without even looking at him, she stopped to sniff in the sniffles. "are inside," she held her thumbs up and gestured behind them, the library.

Kyuhyun just hummed in reply, expressionless, as if he was the one who just cried a river. This new experience is somewhat foreign for him. Clueless about what to do, what to say- He just wants to be by her side, a shoulder to cry on. 

“I checked the book out for you, since the finals are over. I figured you wouldn’t be needing the book anymore. But if you still want to read it, just ask from Ms. Jung. I’m sure she still has on the rack behind her," she kept on talking, facing the wall, as if she was having a normal conversation with the wall. “You said you wanted to see me. Why? Is something wrong?" she asked him.

"You know what?" he asked her in return and she looked at him curiously with her puffy eyes and slightly red nose. "You talk too much," he stated, just like a doctor diagnosing his patient. And just like a patient diagnosed of a disease, Mi Ra gawked, but before she could say anything,  Kyuhyun took her bag and got up, tugging her slender arms along with him.

"Why could you possibly take me here?" she asked as the both of them were standing in front of the pet store.

"Relax.." Kyuhyun assured her, acting like it is the coolest thing that could ever happen, with his hands in his pockets. "I need to get some biscuits for Ari. You remember Ari, don't you?".

"Wow.. Ari sure is treated well," she murmured to herself as Kyuhyun already started walking into the shop, leaving her to tag along behind.

The famous pet market, right along the Forest of Seoul, Cheonggyecheon Stream- birds, bunnies, hamsters, turtles, fishes of many, many kinds, and the list goes on. Kyuhyun spotted Mi Ra strolling down the aisle slowly and stopped in front of the aisle of fish. He turned his attention to the salesperson, making sure he packed Ari the right kind of biscuit, because Sungmin would have him killed if he bought those with mackerel, instead of tuna. ‘Ari hates mackerel,  Kyuhyun ah! She spits on them!’ He remembered the overly protective owner dramatically overeacting when he had bought Ari mackerel-based biscuits. That spoiled ..

Mi Ra solemnly walked, passing by aquariums of colourful fishes. Her brows raised as she observed an obnoxious looking Oranda goldfish swaddling across the aquarium like a boss. A smile started to curl upon her lips.

Kyuhyun paid for the biscuits and as he was placing the change into his wallet, he heard the sweetest giggles. Automatically, his head turned towards the laughter. As he was about to look back, he stopped to look at the source of those giggles again- you know like when somebody makes that double quick glances.

You are beautiful,  beautiful,  beautiful…Beautiful,  beautiful,  beautiful girl.. oohhh…

--Love Song, Bumkey & Rhythmking.

Kyuhyun gave a mental thumbs-up to the background music playing in the store at that perfect time, making his way to her.

She saw him coming towards her and ushered him to hurry up, immediately forcing a smile onto his lips.

"Oh my gosh, look here, Kyuhyun.." she excitedly pointed to the Oranda, looking obnoxious as ever. "They're so funny! Omo, look at that one!" she pointed again and giggling at the same time.

Somebody should smack Kyuhyun for not paying attention to the obnoxious oranda, seriously, for his interest was purely onto this merry lady beside him, who looks like she just swallowed a bottle of happy pills made from goldfish.

And the lord answered our prayers, when a smack landed on his arms.

"Yah, are you even looking?" she glared at him and then immediate change of facial expression to a more endearing one, "oh no.. Look at that one!".

Happy hour. Happy hour.

****************************************look at that, doesn't this brat look obnoxious?

After an ample amount of time of goldfish-gazing, they walked along the Cheonggyeceon Stream. The evening sunlight and the cool breeze created a relaxing ambiance for them to walk. 

Once in a while,  Kyuhyun would steal glances from her. He thought that by now, Mi Ra ought to see him as her savior.  First,  he helped her during the exams. Next, he saved her from an accident that could have happened. And now, erasing that sorrowful look on her perfect face, replaced by that undescribable smile of hers. All those little things he did for her made Kyuhyun feel contented. He wanted this. He wants to things for her. Just for her.

"Can we sit here for a while?" she asked him, pointing to the seats by the bank of the flowing stream. Kyuhyun gave her a smile as an answer.

Although Mi Ra would never admit it out loud, she quietly admited in her mind that Kyuhyun has the best smile. It's a well mixed combination of him- sweet, naughty,  caring, annoying, cool, and irritating. All in one simple smile.

"Are you working today?" he casually asked her as he sits himself next to her satchel she placed between them.

"Nope. I asked to be excused today. Today is a special day, isn't it?" she said smilingly, keeping her eyes on the steady stream of water in front of them.

"Of course," he replied. "Too special to spend time crying in an alley.. Am I right?" he turned to her, searching for an eye contact, which is impossible because now she's just staring at her ballet flats- like, thanks for bringing that up, Kyu-wet blanket-hyun, but she didn't seem upset or angry.

"Want to share with me what was that all about?" he chose his words carefully, avoiding any unwanted, unintentional heart-hurting-words.

She looked at him, and he nodded with a gentle smile plastered in his lips.

She tucked her hair behind her ears as she looked back towards the stream. 

"They won't let me graduate," she paused and already Kyuhyun had derived with twenty questions to ask her, but decided to hear her out first. "I haven't finish paying the tuition fees," she shrugged, as if it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Having problems?" he tried to keep the words simple and light.

She nodded with a slim smile.

"Can I help?"

She shook her head. "I'll manage. I'll think of a way and settle this before graduation,” she smiled a proper smile this time, although her eyes told a rather different story. "Thank you, though, Kyuhyun.. "

He felt uneasy. The way she says his name alone is making him feel insatiable. 

"And you?" she asked, surprising him.

"Me? What about me?" he replied, secretly feeling irritated because she didn't allow him to help her in any way he was capable of. 

"Is this how you celebrate?"

"Oh. Yeah.. I definitely celebrate by buying dog biscuits you know," he smirked, successfully making her giggle again. "Nah. My friends are actually-- wait. Why don't we-" and he got up and dragged her, again.

"Hey!" Changmin excitedly waved with the tongs in his hand and everybody, consisting of Ryeowook,  Sora, and Changmin's girlfriend,  Bona, turned around to look.

Kyuhyun entering the restaurant with a girl certainly didn't make Sora smile. What's to smile about when her feelings were crushed by the guy she crushes on, bringing another girl into the picture, whoever she is?

After a brief introduction, they invited her to join in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, " Mi Ra nodded a little as she sat on the mat, next to Bona, after she declined Kyuhyun's offer to sit by him, thinking that that wouldn't be nice since his 'girlfriend' is here too, feeling a little guilty that she went out with somebody’s boyfriend. Plus, judging by the constant amount of icy glares Sora shot her, she wouldn't want to stir up anything.

"No no no... Don't say that, Mi Ra ssi. Here," Ryeowook passed a glass of green tea to her and hissed to Kyuhyun, "this must be your sunshine.." and getting a smile as a reply.

"OK who wants more meat?" asked an enthusiastic Changmin and they started passing plates around.

****

Oh Sora wasn't born to be a . Her y genes might be on the recessive side, but at times, being a female, they tend to overpower and become dominant. It wasn't normal for her to be following people, stalking their privacy, but that was exactly what happened. 

Before she realized it, she was walking a few meters behind Mi Ra, occasionally hiding behind bushes and cars, just to spice up her own little stalking adventure.

She couldn't contain her curiosity.

Who is this Mi Ra ssi??

The introduction Kyuhyun gave earlier was too brief; he didn't even mention her family name. He only told them that she was a medical student too, just like them, which she found to be rather weird because she had never seen her face before.

And what was even more bizarre and was literally killing her softly was that how did Kyuhyun got to know her? Why is Kyuhyun with her? Why is she with Kyuhyun?

After several hundreds of unanswered questions, she stopped and hid behind a van, when she saw Mi Ra waved her hands to an old lady and a small boy riding a tricycle by the roadside.

This must be her house. Hmm.. Quite the shabby kind. Oh, well.

Having enough of her own adventure time, yet still not satisfied, she slowly and quietly turned around.

"Omma! Omma! Omma is back! Omma is back!"

She quickly turned around and her jaws dropped.

The boy was hugging Mi Ra. She patted the boys head, lovingly as she then scooped him up and carried him in her arms as the boy hugged her tightly. She kissed him everywhere on his face, like a loving ... mother?!?!

Mi Ra ssi?? Omma??

Mi Ra ssi is ... The boy's omma?!

Omo.

Omomomomo...