Amber comes to my apartment after work one night to help me pack. Joonho is over at his brother's house and won't be back for the next few hours. She's still fuming at me about not telling her about Joonho and his violent tendencies.

"It's not something you bring up when you first meet people," I tell her as we shove clothes into a suitcase. She rolls her eyes. "Look, I'm getting out so it should be better now okay?"

"I hope so," she states. "My friend Kris is-" Ding dong! "Here. I called him to ask if he could help us move some stuff to my apartment. He has a SUV so his car can carry more." I nod as I open the door to the tall, handsome stranger I saw at the restaurant that one day. He's taller than I remember and his brown hair is simply combed forward with a black beanie on top. He has not too big but not too small dark brown eyes, plump lips and a decent amount of piercings. Kris, has on a black winter coat with jeans and sneakers. He smiles politely at me and that's when I remember he was one of Kyungsoo's friends I met a long time ago.

"Just start taking stuff out to the car as we finish up," Amber instructs.

"Wow," he says in a husky voice that doesn't fail to take me by slight surprise. "Do you have enough closet space for all this?"

"Krystal just moved out," Amber says simply. "We have plenty of space." With a shrug Kris is out the door, two duffel bags in hand. I punch Amber in the arm as soon as he's out of earshot. "OW!"

"You gave me crap for breaking up with Kyungsoo and you're not dating that?!" I exclaim in disbelief. She rolls her eyes. "Amber, he's totally hot!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" she snaps. "Girls hit on him everywhere we go." I look at her. "Look, it's not that I've never had feelings for him at some point, because I totally have. We even went on a date once, but it was just awkward." I nod. "Plus he's a bigger dork than I am, you wouldn't believe it." I laugh as we start shuffling stuff out the room.

Amber and Luna live in a three bedroom apartment about ten minutes away from the restaurant. When we get there, Luna is cooking with a tall-ish, good looking guy with blonde hair in the kitchen. They're laughing and singing along to whatever is playing on the music channel. Then Kris, Amber and the blonde guy, Onew aka Luna's boyfriend, help move my stuff into the room I'll be staying in. Fifteen minutes later and the four of us are nearly collapsing on the couch.

"You have a lot of stuff," Onew states, limbs sprawled out on end of the couch. Luna calls for him and I jump when he trips and falls to the ground. He gets up laughing as Luna teases him about his clumsiness.

"So, how's the model girlfriend?" Amber asks Kris as he replies to a text message.

"Good," he answers with a big smile. "Actually, I have to go pick her up from the airport in a while." He looks at his watch. "Or now. Crap, I'm not going to hear the end of this. I got to go!" He waves goodbye and is out the door. The three of them chatter happily and I realize it's been a long time since I've been in a happy environment like this one. It's like walking on eggshells the way I have to be around Joonho lately. One mistep and I'm cracking a shell, which sometimes results in him taking a swing at me, on occasion succeeding in hitting the target.

"Amber, Henry called," Luna says with a smile. Amber's cheeks flush a pink color and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"He's just a friend of mine," she answers defensively.

"That blush says otherwise," I tease and she buries her head in a pillow from the couch as Luna and I start laughing.

"We sing at Xiumin's coffee shop sometimes, that's all!" I give her an unconvinved look and she's muttering under her breath as she dials his number.

 

"Yo! Okay!" Amber, Luna and I sing in unison as we're at the restaurant early the next morning before opening. Luna turned up the radio as she cleans windows, Amber cleans the tables and I sweep up the floors. "Na hoksi molla gyeonggohaneunde."

"Jaldeureo!" Yixing aka Lay the dimpled chef exclaims from the back of the restaurant. He's the other chef in the restaurant along with Kyungsoo. They opened this place together after Kyungsoo was done with school. When the chorus rolls around, Amber and I bust out the dance moves, Lay eventually coming to join us, being an actual dancer himself.

"Na~ri seon nunbitgwa beil deutan ginjanggam," I hear Kyungsoo's voice sing from the back where Lay was. I smile to myself as I remember that voice that never failed to send chills up my arms. He always sings when he cooks or cleans, even when I couldn't sleep sometimes."Jigeum tamsaekjungiya neoui juwireul babe oh." He smiles at me when I go back there to see him.

"Thanks for the other day," I tell him loudly over the booming radio.

"It's no problem," he yells back with another bright smile. "Are you all moved in?" I nod. "Good. They're great girls, you'll love living with them."

I come to realize over the next few weeks that I do love living with Amber and Luna. They're kind of like the best friends I've never had. We watch movies some evenings or go out on the weekends. I've met some of their other friends too, Victoria, Sulli, Krystal, and Minho just to name a few. Amber finally let me meet Henry when she believed that I wouldn't embarass her in front of him. He's a cutie with dimples, big eyes and light brown hair. They pretty much bicker like a couple and Luna told me that there's a pool amongst their group to when they'll finally get together. I laugh because I remember some of Kyungsoo's friends saying the same thing about the two of us. I believe Kai won that pool and I wasn't really surprised because he is the guy's best friend.

"Hey, have you spoke to your boyfriend since you've left?" Kyungsoo asks as he's makes a snack for us after closing one Thursday night. It's become a thing we do a few times a week when we can't talk during the day. While I do appreciate the time we have alone, it makes me miss all the good times we had together in the past. Kyungsoo is still the unintentionally funny, sweet, kind, sometimes snarky guy he was years ago.

"He's called, but I haven't answered," I answer, replying to a text from Luna. She just wanted to let me know that her, Amber and Onew are going to a movie and they'll be home late. My face lights up as Kyungsoo places the food in front of us. "Jeon!" He smiles.

"You know you'll have to talk to him at some point," Kyungsoo presses on as he places some of the jeon on my plate. "Tell him it's over and that he can't rely on you anymore."

"That's something easier said then done."

"Eh, you've always had a way with words." I laugh, covering my mouth so he doesn't see the chewed food.

"Yeah, I'm bad with them."

"No you're not," he argues with a laugh. "What about what you told me when you confessed to me?" I bite my lip as I fork some of the food on my plate. I don't remember all of what I'd said, it was pretty cheesy but still clever and cute. Something about us being the perfect blend of ingredients and together we could make the best kimchi spaghetti ever...or something equally embarrassing yet still involving food.

"Actually, Chen and Baekhyun helped me with that," I confess because they did help with a good part of the little speech. His jaw drops and I can't stifle my giggle. I look at him when he chuckles to himself.

"Yeah...Kris and Lay helped me."

"What?!" I exclaim looking at him. His eyes widen past the size only his eyes could manage.

"You got people to help you!" he protests, pointing a fork at me accusingly.

"But you got the composers of the group. You cheated!"

"I did not cheat! I just...used my resources." I roll my eyes but can't hide the smile as I remember everything he'd told me. My eyes looking like black pearls, some comparison involving him being a wolf and me being a beauty, how lucky he was to find me out of all the other girls in hte world and then concluded with asking me to be his lady. "You still said yes in the end, anyway." I feel heat creep up my face and feel slightly embarrassed that even after all these months that he can still have that affect on me.

"You know he's single right?," Amber says to me as she makes some popcorn for us to watch a movie as Luna says bye to Onew later that night. I look at her as I search the refrigerator for some drinks I just put in here this morning. They'd ran into Kyungsoo and I when they were getting back from the movies.

"Who?" I ask absentmindedly as I push past some of last nights leftovers and a carton of eggs. I just put those Cokes in here this morning, I swear! I jump when she flicks me in the ear. "Ow!"

"That's what you get for being dense," she scolds with an eyeroll. "Kyungsoo is single. He's not seeing that model anymore. Something about her dating some radio host or something." I nod, trying not to make a big deal that now Kyungsoo isn't seeing anybody and that I'm not seeing anybody and that I still get little butterflies in my stomach when I'm around him. Nothing about that makes this situation a big deal.

"Henry is still single too," I return with a smile. I laugh as she throws popcorn at me as I walk into the livingroom.

However, since Amber filled me in on that little bit of information, I find myself constantly checking my appearance in the mirror or on reflective surfaces, getting a little nervous when he talks to me or feeling my heart do that stupid little skip whenever he smiles at me. Damn, it's like I'm in high school all over again. It's one of those nights were the two of us stay behind again, excpet this time he lets me cook. When we were alone before I was fine, but now I feel warmer than I should, I keep tripping over my words and my heart is borderline tachycardic. I don't remember going through this the first time around when I liked Kyungsoo. I manage to make the kimbap just fine and Kyungsoo even tells me that it's delicious.

"Are you doing anything Saturday night?" he asks me as he drops me off. I shake my head. "Well, I'm having a party at my place around eight or so. Kind of like my delayed house warming party. You should come." Not trusting my mouth to let out anything coherent, I settle for a nod and smile when I get out the car. I slide down against the door after I lock it behind me.

"Have a good time?" Amber asks me with a raised eyebrow. Henry is beside her, totally intuned to the movie playing on the television.

"You ruined my life," I whine and now Henry looks at me, eyebrow raised. "Ever since you told me that Kyungsoo's single, I've been acting like a complete idiot around him. I keep stumbling over my words, getting nervous around him and getting nauseous from all these butterflies in my stomach and-this didn't all happen before! Why is it happening now?"

"Because you still like him," she chuckles, motioning for me to sit beside her on the couch as Henry scoots over with no objections. "Don't worry, it'll pass."

"You came!" a deep voice exclaims as a body barrels into me as soon as I walk through Kyungsoo's door. The person squeezes me in a bear hug and Krystal, the tall, pretty brunette that is one of Amber and Luna's friends, laughs as she finally pries the guy off me. That's when I recognize the tanned skin and big, almond eyes.

"Hey Kai," I laugh, straightening up my clothes. "How've you been? You're taller since I last saw you." He smiles and I see Kyungsoo approaching us. He's not super dressed up, just in a nice, blue long sleeved shirt, jeans and sneakers with his hair styled up.

"I see I'm not the only one who's glad you came," he chuckles as he pats Kai on the shoulder. Kyungsoo grabs my hand and leads me to the kitchen where it's not as crowded. All his friends that I'd met in high school and college are here, all eleven of them. How someone manages to have eleven close friends I will never know. He gets me a drink and we spend the next half hour talking before they run out of ice and he has to go out to get some. "You want to come with me?" I nod, grabbing my coat and letting Luna know I'm leaving.

There are a fair amount of people out on this cold, Saturday evening. We stop at a conviencnce store where we split up, him looking for ice and me looking for more wine when Chanyeol texted him saying they're running low. I don't really drink so I don't even know what kind of wine to buy.

"Long time no see," a voice says behind me. I feel a shiver run up my spine at the sound of the voice I haven't heard in the last month. I turn around to see Joonho standing behind me. He's in sweats, his hair longer than it was and slight stubble growing around his chin with the familiar scent of alcohol on his breath. "So, you thought you could just up and leave without a word?"

"There's nothing to stay," I state in the strongest voice I can manage. I didn't imagine this being how we would have this discussion, but I guess this is how it's going to go. "I was tired of being pushed around and not appreciated, so I left." I inhale a slightly shaky breath. "We're done, Joonho." He chuckles darkly and it sends shivers down my spine. All of a sudden he has my arm in a vice-like grip.

"I don't think that was for you to decide." I try to yank away from him but he seems to garner some kind of strength when he's under the influence of alcohol.

"Let me go!"

"No. I think we need to have a little talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." I yank again and feel my shoulder start to hurt from all the struggling. I kick him in the shin and run out the store as he crumples to the floor. I stand outside the store. I'm turning around to go back into the store when I run into Kyungsoo.

"Are you okay?" he asks, looking me straight in the eyes. No words come out when I try to explain and I realize my hands are shaking. "Did you run into him?" I nod and a worried expression takes over his his face. He takes my hand in his and I can already feel myself starting to calm down. "Let's get back to the party, huh?" We walk quietly back to the party, hand in hand. I'm kind of in a daze the rest of the night, but at least everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves. After one too many drinks, people get the courage to fire up the kareoke machine. I sit on the couch as Chen and Baekhyun sing an old trot song accompanied by silly dance moves from Chanyeol and Sehun. I sit by Xiumin and Luhan as they laugh at their friends. Kyungsoo is laughing with Kai and his other close friend, Taemin, across the room. I feel something cold being set on the forming bruise on my wrist and grin weakly at Suho, the handsome, kind smiled elder, as he sits down beside me.

"What gave you that?" he asks me, taking a sip of his drink.

"My ex-boyfriend," I answer quietly. "I ran into him when Soo and I went to the store."

"Are you going to be okay?" I shrug. "You know he's always worrying about you. If you're safe or eating well." I nod.

"I know, he's always been a sweetheart." I sigh, feeling sudden tiredness flood through my body. "I'm going to go lay down, but thank you Suho." He smiles warmly at me before I get up and find my way to one of the bedrooms. I kick off my shoes and lay down on the soft, cool navy blue sheets. It's only a few minutes before I'm falling asleep.

I wake up early the next morning to the smell of eggs and bacon being cooked. I chuckle at the plaid pajamas pants and tee shirt I'm in as I stumble to the ktichen. Kyungsoo is singing as he scrambles some eggs. I make a fresh pot of coffee and lean against the counter as I watch him finish up the eggs.

"Soo, you didn't have to do all this," I tell him as I stir my coffee with a spoon.

"I haven't been called that in a long time," he chuckles. "But I wanted to. Who else is going to take care of you if I don't?"

"Yeah, I guess you always were good at that," I admit.  We eat breakfast and the last words he just echo in my head. Kyungsoo always has been good at taking care of me, even when I didn't really deserve it. Sometimes I had to tell him to take care of himself instead of worrying about me. He's always had a big heart and that's probably the thing I love the most about him. The more I've been around Kyungsoo lately, the more I've found myself wondering why I was with Joonho. Even more, why did I break up with Kyungsoo in first place? We could've made the long distance thing work, right? I'm still caught up in my thoughts and walking around the kitchen when I run into Kyungsoo and almost lose my balance. He laughs as he catches me from what would've been a bad accident.

"You've had your head in the clouds all morning. Are you alright?" he asks me, running his hands up and down my arms soothingly.

"Yeah," I answer and then shake my head. What's the point in lying at this point? "No...actually I'm not okay. I'm an idiot." He raises an eyebrow at me. "For...breaking up with you. You're sweet and kind and funny and talented and friendly and have a huge heart. You're perfect. Who in their right mind would give up somebody like that?" His thumbs rub circles into my arms as he remains quiet. "Look, I know I'm the one that broke up with you and moved on, or tried to move on, before you did...but that doesn't mean I don't regret it."

"I thought about you the whole time I was in France," Kyungsoo says quietly. I look him in the eyes and he pulls me into a hug. He still smells like his cinnamon shampoo, a scent that I'll never get tired of. When we pull away and our faces still remain close, but Kyungsoo is the first one to lean in and close the miniscule space. The first time I'd kissed Kyungsoo was after our second date to the Han River and it happened on my front porch. We'd stood out there making pointless conversation for five minutes before I'd finally gotten tired of him beating around the bush and just kissed him. Nonetheless, after that incident, he had no problems initiating a kiss. I wrap my arms around Kyungsoo's neck as his arms tighten around my waist. The kiss last a few more seconds before we both pull away for air. "We could've made it work, you know?" I chuckle to myself, fixing his bangs.

"We don't know that," I say sadly. "I just didn't want to slow you down when you had so many things going for you."

"But I loved you," Kyungsoo states firmly and when I look into his big, brown eyes I see that he's serious. "And I still do. Look, all those things were important to me, but so were you. It kind of breaks my heart that you didn't think you were important enough to keep around." I look down, playing with my fingers as I try to hide the tears I feel b in my eyes. "I would've done all the Skyping, texting, costly international calls and even sending letters because I know how much of a sap you are." I laugh in spite of myself and feel some tears escape.

"You really would've done all that?" I ask quietly. His arms leave my waist and he cups both my cheeks in his hands and lifts my face up to look at him. Kyungsoo gives me a weak smile as he thumbs away the falling tears.

"Absolutely," he confirms, quickly pecking me on the lips. I smile at him and place my hands over his. "I don't know if this is the right time for you, but I'm willing to give this another shot if you are. Only when you're ready though." I bring our hands down from my face and lace our fingers together.

"I'd love that," I tell him and his bright smile makes butterflies erupt in my stomach. "I have to settle some things with Joonho once and for all, but I know for a fact you're the one I want to be with." I laugh when a dusting of pink covers Kyungsoo's cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too," he tells me, with still pink cheeks as he rests his forehead against mine. "I have some errands to run, but you can stay here if you want." I shake my head as I pull back a little to look at him.

"I should go talk to Joonho," I state. "I might as well go get this over with sooner than later."

An hour later finds me talking to a surprisingly just tipsy and not wasted Joonho in our old apartment.

"You're leaving me?" he asks as we stand in the kitchen. I nod. "B-but why? Is it because I don't have a job? Or because I've gained weight? I can find a job a-and start working out again. Just don't leave me!" I'm surprised when he's on his knees and actually begging me to stay.

"It's the drinking," I answer. "You're not the same person a year ago, Joonho. You used to be a nice, fun guy to be around and then after you hurt your knee and starting drinking...you changed." I sigh. "Plus, I never got over my ex."

"You're leaving for some other guy?!"

"Yeah, I am. I can't be with someone who only depends on me for a paycheck so he can get more alcohol. I need to be with someone who appreciates me, and loves me-"

"I love you!"

"And treats me right." He's quiet with a stunned expression on his face. "You've hit me before, but you probably don't remember it because you were drunk. I lost a job because of you and your drinking. I wasn't happy here. I wasn't happy with you."

"But I can change!" he protests. "I know I can change, just give me one more chance so I can prove it to you. I'm sorry for hurting you,emotionally and physically. I'm sorry for not having a job to support the two of us and buy us nice things. I'm sorry for not treating you better. I'm sorry for drinking so much that I get wasted or black out. I'm sorry for all of it, but please don't leave me." I shake my head and pry away his arms that have wrapped around my legs.

"Goodbye Joonho," I bid him, not even sparing a last glance at him. I feel a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders as I walk out the apartment and out of the old life I had with him.

 

The next few weeks couldn't be better. Kyungsoo and I have been together everyday and it feels like when we were together in high school, genuinely happy. We go on dates on weekends, call and text each other constantly, sneak kisses at work and are happy just being together. Amber finally stopped bugging me about getting back to together with him and I stopped bugging her abour Henry when she told me they finally confessd to each other at Kyungsoo's party.

"Are you two staying behind again?" Amber asks me as Henry pulls her hand. They have a reservation for dinner at a restaurant down the street. She yelps when Henry pulls her into his arms and she swats him on the chest as a pink blush comes over her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm making her dinner," Kyungsoo says, wrapping his arms around me from behind. I simply nod.

"Okay!" she exclaims throwing a wink my way and I return it. "See you at home later!" Amber grabs Henry's hand as they leave the restaurant. They sound like they're arguing until I see him quickly kiss her outside before they're walking down the street hand in hand. Kyungsoo makes galbi and steamed vegetables for us to eat for us to eat.

"How did he take it?" Kyungsoo asks me as we're eating.

"Not that well," I answer honestly as I swallow my food.  "But it's done and over with, that's all I'm happy about." I look at him and he smiles at me. I bump him with my shoulder and chuckle when he bumps me back. We finish eating and I'm washing my plate in the sink when he brings out a plate of my favorite dessert. I raise an eyebrow at him as he grabs my hand and I sit beside him. "What's all this?"

"Some desserts I made earlier," he tells me as I take a bite of one. "Compliments of the chef." I'm smile and grabb on of the desserets. I don't notice the little black, velvet box he pulls out his pocket. I stop mid-chew when I see the box and look up at him with wide eyes. My eyes widen to almost the size of his when he opens the box and there's a ring inside. It's a simple silver band with a heart and a small diamond in the center.

"Soo...what's this for?" I ask quietly, finally swallowing down the dessert.

"This is a promise ring," he tells me with a nervous chuckle. "To promise that no matter whatever we may go through in the next two weeks, two months or two years, we'll get through it together. And that no matter where we are whether it's ten minutes away or ten hours away, we'll still be together." I laugh as I wipe away a stray tear. He's right, I am a sap. I watch Kyungsoo slide the ring onto my right ring finger and he smiles at it proudly. I smile and lean in to kiss him. I rest my forehead against his when we pull apart.

"I love you," I tell him.

"I love you too," he tells me. I get butterflies in my stomach when he smiles at me, wide and bright. I don't know if they're from the smile that I fell in love with years ago or the promise that we'll be together for the years to come. But if they're for either of those two reasons, then I'm perfectly okay with the butterflies and wouldn't mind having them for a while.