‘Oh, Hae, look at this, doesn’t this look sweet?’Hanuel asked, flashing a silver bracelet to Donghae. She happens to found it when she is unpacking her belonging at her new place.

‘Yes…’ Donghae answered, nodding at Hanuel.

‘This is my last year birthday present from Doggie, so sweet of her to send it to me all the way from Taiwan.

‘Hanuel… So…. All the while Chaerin stay at Taiwan before this?’

‘Well… she went there at the age of 5, staying there for 10 years before she come back here, alone…’

‘Alone? Why does she want to come back here by herself like that?’

‘Well, she never explained…. But I guess she might wanted to stay at the place where her mother live before she pass on…So sad…’ Donghae silent for a moment, feeling the tugging pain on his heart. He miss her…There isn’t a single day he stopped missing her…

‘Chaerin….’

‘Donghae….what happen? U seem to be more interested to know about Doggie rather than mine…’ Hanuel asked, frowning.

‘I am not…. its just casual talk…’

‘Hae… u been… acting weirdly recently… what happen?’

‘Nothing… I need the washroom…’ Donghae stand up and made his way to washroom. He just wanted to avoid the questioning glare of Hanuel…

Hanuel looked at Donghae from behind. She shifted her attention to his phone which is lying on the table….Biting her lip, she took it and started to browse the call history… To her surprise, the name that appears most on his calling list is IM CHAERIN…

She couldn’t believe her eyes… Hanuel swallowed the lump in and move her finger, to the message inbox. To her relieve, no incoming message from Chaerin appear in his inbox… She quickly put down Donghae’s phone, she doesn’t want to upset him by letting him know that she peeped at his phone....

……..

………..

…………..

(C) ‘Chaerin…. What happen to u and Donghae?’ Suan asked, looking at Chaerin who is keeping herself busy with all sort of chores behind the bar table.

(C) ‘Nothing….’ Chaerin stiffened at the mention of his name, trying to sound normal when she answered Suan.

(C)’U are lying…. Both of u didn’t even greet each other just now…’Suan said, looking over to Donghae who is looking unhappy too.

(C) ‘Nothing…he and I are always like that…’ Chaerin said.

(C) ‘Im Chaerin, I am coming to u later…’ Suan whispered something to Ryeowook and he merely nodded at her, giving her a small frown.

(C) ‘I can’t talk to u now… I am going….’ Chaerin said.

(C) ‘Oh yes, u can… cos I am following u.’ Suan smirked.

(C) ‘What?’

(C) ‘Let’s have a talk…’

(C) ‘Suan….’

(C) ‘Donghae said u always keep your promise don’t u?’ Suan said.

(C) ‘……’ Chaerin looked at her, wondering what she wanted from her.

(C) ‘U promised to tell me about your relationship if u have…’

(C) ‘Suan…please….’

(C) ‘Lets find a good place…’

…………………….

(C) ‘So u do love him?’ Suan asked, upon knowing how she felt after their kiss and the confession of Donghae.

(C) ‘I don’t know its..love…or liking?’ Chaerin looked at Suan, puzzled.

(C) ‘Love is…U miss him when u are not seeing him, u enjoyed being with him… and u liked him kissing u…’ Suan elated, blushing a little… her mind is full of Ryeowook when she mentioned all these things she enjoyed doing with Ryeowook.

(C) ‘I think so..…’

(C) ‘Since so, why aren’t u accepting it?’

(C) ‘Suan… U know I cant…’

(C) ‘Hanuel?’

(C) ‘U knows it…’ silent fall between them for a moment…. Suan bit her lip and looked at Chaerin, shooting out a sudden question.

(C) ‘I suppose…. u heard of what happen between Kyuhyun and Heechul? Their relationship isn’t less closer than u and Hanuel….’

(C) ‘Its different! Ae Li eonni is not with Kyuhyun at that point of time when she chose Heechul oppa…’

(C) ‘Almost… Ryeo said she is almost with Kyu, close enough…They even went on several dates before…If not for that accident, I think she might be ended up with Kyu now…’

(C) ‘Almost….meaning yet… But Donghae is already in a relationship with Hanuel…’

(C) ‘Heechul is attached at that point of time with Sohee too… Aish!!! I don’t know! Its so complicated….’

(C) ‘Its different, Suan… If I were to true to my feeling, I would be taking away my best friend’s boyfriend or maybe I should say fiancé to be… I can’t do it…’

(C) ‘Hmn…. But friend or not friend….its unfair to Hanuel ssi too… Cos he doesn’t love her….’

……

…………….

……………………..

‘Hae… are u here?’ Chaerin asked, over the phone.

‘Yes, I am walking up…’

‘All right, come on in , I am waiting for u…’ Hanuel ended the call and Donghae slipped his phone back to his pocket, walking toward the cafe.

He frowned at the sight of it, wondering why Hanuel suddenly wanted to visit such a luxury café.

‘Hae~’ Hanuel walked over to Donghae at the sight of him and Donghae is surprised, to see his mother and elder brother Donghwa there, together with Hanuel’s parent.

‘An nyeong ha se yo…’ Donghae greeted and bowed at Hanuel’s parent before he turned to hug his mother and brother.

‘Omma, hyung, why are u both here?’ Donghae asked, smiling at them.

‘Oh… haha! To give u a surprise~’ Donghwa said, ruffling his brother’s hair.

‘Yes… Hanuel told us that both of u wanted to engaged in near date, so we are here to talk about that..’ Mrs.Lee said, smiling at Hanuel’s parent who nodded in agreement. Donghae looked at Hanuel in surprise, why didn’t she discuss with him 1^st???

‘He been asking me for quite a number of times…So, I was thinking… maybe its time to…’ Hanuel smiled at Mrs.Lee.

‘I see…’ Mrs.Lee caress Hanuel’s cheek softly. She cant help noticing the shocked expression of her son and her instinct told her that something is not quite right… She hopes it’s just her thinking too much on her side…

‘Come on…. Lets sit down and talk…’ Hanuel pulled Mrs.Lee to her seat and gestured Donghae to sit beside her.

Donghae feel so burdened looking at Hanuel’s parent ,his mother and hyung talking excitedly about the engagement. He couldn’t think straight right now, he wanted so much to run away… But he know he can’t…

……..

………..

…………..

Chaerin is unhappy, very unhappy… Its like all her energy being drained away after Donghae stopped appearing in her life. The worst torture is to listen to Hanuel’s constant talking about Donghae and her engagement which is coming soon, just before their 7^thanniversary concert.

‘Its just gonna be a simple one… we don’t like to complicate thing…’ Hanuel keep on ranting at her engagement and Chaerin just gave her a weak smile.

‘And when can u go and fit the gown with me?’ Hanuel asked, holding Chaerin’s hand.

‘Me? why?’ Chaerin asked, she cant… she don’t know how she can face Donghae… she cant make herself seeing nor hearing Hanuel and Donghae getting engaged moreover getting involved in it?

‘I…. cant… I am… bu..’ Chaerin stuttered, shocked when she saw the unusual anger in Hanuel’s eyes.

‘NO! U ARE MY BEST FRIEND!!!! U HAS TO BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT!!!’ Hanuel shouted, grabbing at her arms.

‘Hanuel… what happen to u?’ Chaerin is taken back at how agitated Hanuel. Hanuel looked at Chaerin for a moment, opening and closing as if she wanted to say something… She bit her lip, looking at Chaerin’s calm face.

‘I…… I am sorry… I think I am too…stress…’ Hanuel lets go of Chaerin, swiping at her fringe and looked away, trying to calm herself down… She keeps persuading herself to calm down… nothing happen between Chaerin and Donghae… Nothing can be…. It cant be….

‘Hanuel…. I…’ Chaerin tried to talk to Hanuel again, however, her words are being cut by Hanuel before she had the chance to finish her sentence.

‘U has to be there….’ Hanuel retorted, coldly. Not giving Chaerin any chance to decline at all. Chaerin stunned for a moment, looking at Hanuel, who is now shifting her attention to the magazine on her lap.

‘All… right…’ Chaerin bit her lip… Somehow, Hanuel’s reaction doesn’t seem to be her usual self… Is this the so called of Pre-marital syndrome? No matter what, She just doesn’t wish to irritate her further by rejecting her invitation… And it does looked weird if she is not there, making her guilt even more obvious…

…..

……..

………….

‘U are doomed…’ Suan said, shaking her head.

‘What?’ Donghae asked, irritably. She been getting on his back quite a lot recently by keep on ranting about Chaerin, he missed her badly enough without having her to remind me about Chaerin.

‘Don’t tell me u are really going to marry to someone u don’t love…’ Suan said, sitting down beside him.

‘………….’ Donghae glared at Suan and she shrugged her shoulder.

‘Its obvious…’

‘…………..’

‘Chaerin is devastated too…’

‘She… don’t...n won’t…. ‘

‘Because there’s Hanuel…’ Suan elated.

*sigh*

‘If u are brave enough, fight for it…’ Taking hold of his hand, Suan gave it a squeeze.

‘I cant….now… u know….’

‘That’s why I said IF u are brave enough….’

‘I tried….’ Donghae looked at Suan, sorrowfully.

‘Not hard enough…’

‘……………’ Donghae looked at Suan who suddenly look like another person to him now. He remembered how pessimistic, timid, lack of confidence she is when they 1^st,met her. Now, she is completely opposite…Happy, jovial, confidence….

‘I never forget how I strive for my strawberyeo…’ Suan smiled at Donghae. ‘And I am glad I did….’

‘Its different…’

‘It’s the same, cos she loves u…too….’  

…….

………

………..

Chaerin walked on the clean white sand of Mokpo beach, screening her eyes and looked at the children who are running around, talking and laughing at the top of their voice. She smiled… how good it is if she never ever had to grow up.

She looked over to a great big stone on her left side, remembered that Donghae ever told her that he wrote something on it when he was young… She walked over to the stone, walking around it looking for the message that Donghae told her.

‘Ah… its really here….’ Chearin smiled at her discovery and beamed to herself. She the wording carefully, savouring every little words he scribbled on. She looked up when she felt a shadow fall above her head. Very much surprise, she looked at the man, standing up.

‘Why are u here?’ He smiled at her.

‘I…..’ Chaerin is at loss for word, what reason should she give him?