Chance

Chance -(n.) a possibility of something happening; the opportunity to try something perhaps again.

[ New Year's Eve 2012 ]

Kai closed the door to their apartment, his eyes flickered at the sight of lamps still open in the living room. He hangs his coat on the coat rack beside the door before kicking off his shoes and walks further into the space, he saw his girlfriend sitting on the couch, her back facing him as she crouched forward, hands clasped together

“You didn't make it to the party” were his first words as he stood watching her from a distance. She didn't flinch however he smiles and pockets his hands “Did you wait for me here? A special surprise?” he asks but received no answer.

Now, he began to wonder. He calls out her name, taking a step forward but stops when she stands, her hands clenched into fists “Kai...”

He swallows hard

“Let's break up”

And it felt like his whole world just stopped and crashed down onto concrete ground as the words left her lips. She doesn't turn around and Kai doesn't make a single move.

He didn't know what to say, what to do, how to react.

“R—Rani, let's talk about this” he uttered; she turned around and faced him with her tear-stained face, as if she had been crying all evening. Kai's heart just dropped right then and there.

“I made it to the party... perfect timing too” she forced a small, pained smile on her face “Some kiss, huh?”

His eyes widened, his throat ran dry and it hits him like a tidal wave. The reason for all of this just comes surging through his mind; she saw it... she ing saw it.

“Rani, come on, let's talk about this...” “Kai, please...” she hung her head low, unable to keep her gaze on him any longer for fear that she won't be able to make it out of the place.

Rani saw it coming, somehow. The past few months, Kai and her haven't been in the best of conditions, work and other personal family matters got in the way which is why –although they wouldn't admit it- they grew apart. Other than that, they've been fighting quite recently too, almost everyday if she were to put it.

Kai took a step forward “Just let me explain...”

“Let's not do this, Kai” she wipes away the tears, still not sparing him a glance “We know we haven't been okay and we both know it was going to end eventually so let's just make this easy”

If he were –by some chance, tired of the relationship, these words that he was hearing right now would've been the best things that ever entered his ears but he wasn't. He loves her, after all. He really does. Which was why the next thing he knew, he was infront of her, on his knees.

“Don't leave me... please” he held her hand but she doesn't react at all. He got up and held her face in the most gentle manner, looking her straight in the eyes “It was one kiss, Rani”

Her eyes water up once more and tears flowed down her cheeks as she met his eyes “The first New Year kiss to be...”

He was at a loss for words. His hands fell limp and before he knew it, she left.

[ New Year's Eve 2013 ]

“Hana! Come on, I have to go somewhere, you know” Rani bangs on the bathroom door “Just a second! Geez ~” the person on the side calls out. She puffs out a breath, seconds later a clicking sound was heard and the door opens.

The said girl gestures her two hands towards the bathroom entrance as Rani gives her a thankful but little annoyed look “Thank you”

She enters the bathroom. Hana rummages through the wall mounted closet, looking for something to wear “Rani-ah!” she calls out loudly “Yeah?” faint running water from the shower fills Hana's ears “Are you going to that party?”

“I am, why?” Hana takes out a dress, looks at it for a moment before sticking it back to where it belonged “So... you're gonna see him, again?” “Who?”

Hana's eyes sparkle at a particular dress and she takes it out “Kai” she says, walking past the bathroom door. The shower stops, the door unlocks and Rani steps out in her bathrobe.

“I guess so” she takes a towel out of the closet and dries her hair with it “I don't know, it's not like I control the guest list anyway”

Her companion zips up the dress and turns to her; Rani chuckles “And I am guessing that you are gonna meet up with the pizza guy?” Hana snorts a laugh “Maybe” she gives a playful smile at Rani –who then responds with a sigh and a shake of her head

“I don't know what's with you, Hana... did you get knocked on the head or something when you were little?” she asks, turning to look at herself in the mirror and began to apply foundation on her face. Hana looks at herself in the full length mirror “Is it bad to believe in fate?”

Rani glances at her from the corner of her eyes “No” she mumbles “But people often get hurt because of too much belief”

Hana puffs out a breath and walks over to Rani, she places her hands on her friends shoulder and looks at her through the mirror “Hey, it's New Year... anything's possible, a new fate, another chance to start fresh, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?” she smiles at Rani before heading off to the door.

“Oh by the way” Hana turns back around “Are you gonna visit your sister in the hospital?”

Rani turns to her and nods her head “Yeah, I'm dropping by before heading to Kyungsoo's party” “Ah, I see, say hi to her for me then” and she was off.

He lied back in his bed, watching the clock tick on the wall.

To go or not to go? He asks himself, contemplating on whether or not to attend Kyungsoo's party or not. The guys have been calling him non-stop since this morning and they've been talking about it all week too. New Year's Eve celebration was something they've been doing for a number of years now and every year it's a different host.

This year, it happened to be Kyungsoo's turn and they swear on their soul –despite his awkward image- that the guy knows his parties.

Sigh. He sat up, looking around the empty apartment. He ran a hand through his hair, puffing out a breath and got up. Might aswell go.

He didn't want to spend New Year alone. No way.

[ 11:39 PM ]

The party was quite lively; Kyungsoo surely knew how to throw them. This year, the venue was at a roof top in downtown Seoul so that when the clock hits twelve they would be celebrating with the rest of the people down on the streets.

Kai was having a good time so far, laughing along with his friends and some girls as they drank the night away.

“So, how was your year so far?” Chen asks, gesturing his wine glass at Kai. The latter thought for a moment, removing his hand from his female companion's waist and raises a thoughtful finger in the air “Quite successful; stock profits are up, I got promoted and I got myself a new car”

“Wow ~” the group chorused, hearing his success; Baekhyun pipes up “Ah but you know what's you haven't managed to get?” “What?” he sniggers and tips his glass at Kai “A new girlfriend”

A chorus of teasing 'ooh's followed. Kai rolls his eyes at his friend “I'm perfectly fine on my own, you know” he states, sipping on his glass of clear white wine.

“Kai-ssi, are you still not over your ex-girlfriend?” his female companion questions. He doesn't answer and seemed to have gotten lost in thought all of a sudden. Kai swallows hard and finishes off his glass, he then turns to the girl and holds out his empty glass to her “Can you get me some more wine?”

Without question, she walks off. As soon as she was out of sight, Kai takes the chance to leave “Excuse me” he tells the group and swiftly drowns himself in the sea of people.

Chanyeol catches a glimpse of him in the crowd and turns to Luhan “Yah, does he know that Rani's coming?” Luhan shrugs his shoulder “I don't know” he sips on his drink “Maybe...”

“You think he's over her?” Lay asks, appearing out of nowhere “Nope ~” Luhan pouts his lips “And for that if you are trying to get me to bet, no thank you” Luhan walks off. Lay puffs out a breath “What about you?” he asks Chanyeol who breaks into a laugh and walks away.

Back to Kai...

It's been over a year already but even so, his wounds were still fresh. Don't get him wrong, he tried to get a move on. Keyword: tried. He tried but he failed. After the bitter break up, work was the only thing that kept him busy.

Because of his need to forget about her, he diverted all of his attention to work which was the main reason for his year's success. In other words, he could say that she was the reason why. If it weren't for her, maybe he still wouldn't have gotten his long-awaited promotion.

But he still questions if all the pain was necessary. He would've been willing to wait a few years more, he was willing to work his off even without that breakup.

“Rani-ah!” his head whipped to the direction of the voice which he recognized to be Lay's. He stretched his neck as far as he could just to get a glimpse of the girl, whose name Lay had exclaimed.

Rani? She's here? Giving up, he walked through the crowd, trying to reach where Lay was standing. In the midst of his search, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Kai” it was Kyungsoo. “Huh?” “I've been looking everywhere for you, come on!” he drags Kai by the arm “Wait --” “No buts, come on!” he keeps dragging him through the crowd; Kai kept looking back, he felt like he was being dragged by the sea, away from shore.

“Wait!” he pulls his arms back; Kyungsoo turns back to look at him “Huh?”

Kai rubs his arm, still looking towards the direction of the place where he assumed Lay was. Kyungsoo raised a brow at him “Yah, it'll be fine”

“Huh?” Kai looks at him in confusion. Kyungsoo turns his head to the opposite direction and he follows; his heart stops.

Rani.

It felt as if the whole room just went mute. The moment their eyes met, everyone else just seemed to have disappeared from their sight and when she smiled at him, his heart skipped a beat. I'm still not over you... still not over you... still not over you.

“Long time, no see...” her voice pulls him back to the reality of the moment.

She looks... the same. It was as if she didn't age at all; her long hair still flowed down her back, a white dress hugging her body in all the right places, her skin still as healthy as he remembered. Kai swallows hard and puts on a smile “You haven't changed at all, Rani”

He pockets his hands; Kyungsoo chuckles at a side “Well, I guess you two are doing fine; I'll catch you later then?” and without waiting for a reply, leaves.

Aish. Kai takes an inward breath before turning back to her “Do you wanna get a drink or something?” he asks, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. Rani lets out a small laugh before nodding her head and they both walk off to the table full of drinks.

“So, how have you been?” he asks as they walk over to the balcony and look down at the people partying down on the streets “I've been good; my sister's at the hospital and I'm struggling with bills but I've been good”

Right, her sister. Even when they were together she was struggling with the hospital bills and he offered to help but she always insisted that it was out of his responsibility. Despite her insistence, Kai still managed to pay a good month's word here and there.

“How is she?” he sips on his drink. Rani smiles “She was begging me to go home, she doesn't wanna be confined anymore” “And you didn't let her?”

Her smile fades “Kai, you know I want --” “All the best for your sister... I know” he chuckles. Silence falls upon them both; the band performing below begins to tune up something and as soon as the first lyrics come up, they exchange looks.

Kai takes a quick glance at her “You're still as pretty as the day I laid my eyes on you” he smiles, sipping on his drink. Rani flusters and turns to him, quietly thinking to herself: So are you... still as handsome.

The song kept playing and snow began to fall.

“Oh” Kai looks up, he places his drink down on a nearby table before taking off his tuxedo's coat and places it around her shoulder. She blinks her eyes in surprise at his action “T-thanks” she mumbles. Kai puffs out a breath and pockets his hands as he looks at the countdown clock. Just a few minutes before New Year.

“Kai”

He turns his head; she was smiling at him “I'm sorry... about that night” “Tss” Kai chuckles, looking away “Don't worry about it anymore,Rani”

“No; I... we should have talked about it and --” “Rani” she falls quiet. Kai smiled at her, slowly he looked to the side, out into the open again “The countdown is starting” her heart drops. She turns away from him and looks at the clock as well.

Thirty seconds.

“You know” he mumbles “what you saw really wasn't what you thought it was and I did” he takes a deep breath “save the New Year's kiss for you”

Rani was quiet.

“It was quite funny actually, I lost it to a drunk girl despite my efforts of avoiding almost every girl the whole night” he chuckles to himself.

Nineteen seconds... he reads the clock. Rani swallows hard “Do you...” she trails off for a moment. She takes an inward breath; It's the New Year, afterall... she quietly thinks to herself.

Fifteen seconds. “Do you believe in second chances?”

Kai whips his head. He looks at her. No one else existed right then and there; Yes. He very much believed and very much hoped for it all year. Maybe they have grown apart during the time that they were both together, maybe they did fight more often and maybe it was destined to all go down the drain eventually

But maybe... what they just needed was a chance. A chance to pull themselves back together and be better.

She turns to look at him, waiting for him to say something. Kai glances at the clock once more and people down below began to chant out “Three”

“Yeah...” Rani hears him say “I do believe in them” “Two”

He smiles at her and turns his body, taking her hands in his, he leans in and as one was heard, he kisses her. Giving her the promised New Year kiss that she always wanted.

“I believe in second chances” he smiles, leaning his forehead against hers.