For the next few days or so, Heechul felt distracted. From time to time, he would space out and his fingers would reach up to touch his lips unknowingly.

“I wonder it feels like to be kissed,” Kwanghee asked randomly after a dance practice one day, and that question totally caught Heechul’s attention.

“Don’t be an idiot. Would you even have a chance to?” Si Wan rolled his eyes.

Kwanghee pouted, “Wannie, how can you say this?! I’m attractive alright?”

“Ha,” Si Wa scoffed, “Even so, our manager wouldn’t allow us to date, less to say kiss.”

“Oh wells, I don’t have to kiss a girl,” Kwanghee then flashed Si Wan an evil grin, “I can always kiss a guy, like you.”

“Chhhh, don’t be an idiot,” Si Wan skilfully pushed Kwanghee’s pouting lips away and Jun Young laughed.

Kwanghee sulked and turned to Jun Young, “What about you Junnie?”

“Oh please,” Jun Young laughed and raised up one palm to stop Kwanghee from going any closer to him, “I’m hella straight, for your information.”

Upon hearing that, Min Woo looked up and stared at Heechul. Much to his surprise, Heechul wasn’t at all listening. He was too deep in his thoughts to even hear what would have been heartbreaking for him if he heard.

‘Seems like Heechul has lost interest in Jun Young…?’ Min Woo thought.

Then Kwanghee turned to Heechul, “Chullie!!! What about you? How about a kiss with me?”

“Huh,” Heechul was surprised by both the sudden interruption and Kwanghee’s ridiculous question, “Umm, no, of course not.”

“Embarrassed?” Kwanghee asked, “Naw don’t be!”

“Hyung, you’re crazy!” Min Woo stopped Kwanghee and defended, “He needs to save it for Soo Young.”

Min Woo said that intentionally. It was meant to test if his guess was right.

And much to his expectation, it was a positive response;

Heechul flushed red.

“I…”

“BWOAH?!” Everyone exclaimed out loud, except Dong Jun; he stared at Heechul, too surprised to respond.

Min Woo smiled and said, “Chillax, I was just kidding.”

Everyone gave a sigh of relief.

“Chey,” Hyung shik said, “You scared us alright.”

Min Woo grinned, “Wells we always tease them, don’t we?”

A sigh of relief escaped Heechul’s lips.

‘That was close,’ Heechul thought.

On the other hand, Min Woo smiled and walked away.

\

Because of Min Woo’s question, Heechul started to wonder if Soo Young was the reason he felt so distracted.

‘It’s just a kiss, Heechul, no big deal. Soo Young used to kiss him on his cheeks. It’s purely friendship and nothing more.’ Heechul tried to convince himself.

Yet, his heart counter-argued that, ‘She said that she likes me!’

‘Yeah, merely friendship and nothing more!’ His mind retorted.

Then his heart asked, ‘Really?’

That was when he knew that he couldn’t answer that question. He was totally stunned by his own question, speechless.

\

It was such a strong urge to call Soo Young; he had been yearning to hear her voice and see her smile, but damn it, he just couldn’t pick up the courage to. There, Heechul was once again caught in a dilemma, this time to call her or not.  Yet, unknowingly, his fingers have already scrolled down his contact list to her contact.

Confused, he lay back on the floor of the practice room and stared hard at his phone screen.

‘Call…? Or, not to call?’

“Geez,” he sighed out loud, “Ottokke, ottokke…”

“What ottokke?”

Just then a voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up and saw that it was Jun Young.

Shaking his head, Heechul replied sorta-nervously, “Nothing…”

“Sure,” Heechul replied guiltily, and Jun Young raised an eyebrow questioningly, as if unconvinced.

“Alright,” Jun Young’s stare softened a little, and he continued, “Actually I came in to ask if you’re free on next Sunday?”

“Next Sunday?” Heechul asked, “We’re having a day off?”

“Yeah, it’s Valentines,” Jun Young chuckled.

“Ohhh,” Heechul scratched his head in embarrassment, “Sorry, too caught up in work to realise that. Yeah I think I’m free.”

“Great,” Jun Young smiled, “I’m having a party with some of the members at my pub in town. Wondering if you want to come along?”

Just then Heechul remembered Soo Young and he hesitated, “I…”

“No worries I won’t matchmake you with anyone!” Jun Young quipped, “It’s a pure men’s party for all single men who are my friends.”

Heechul thought that it wouldn’t be nice to turn Jun Young down, so he agreed, “Sure, count me in.”

“Awesome,” Jun Young smiled, “I will go invite the other members now.”

Heechul watched as Jun Young. He realised that, surprisingly, his heart was beating normally even when Jun Young was so close to him just now. He felt nothing, absolutely nothing.

‘Does this mean that I don’t like Jun Young anymore?’ Heechul cocked his head sideways and thought hard. To his surprise, his heart agreed almost immediately – it neither raced nor skipped a beat.

Surprised, Heechul looked up and stared.

‘Does this mean…’ His thoughts trailed off. And when sense was finally coming back to him, he realised that he no longer likes Jun Young. Instead he had already fallen in love with his best best friend.

As though his courage was powered by this sudden realisation, he pressed down the call button and waited nervously for the other end of the line to pick up.

The other end of the line finally responded and a sweet voice came on.

“Hello?”

Heechul bit his lips and asked nervously, “Hello?”