“Heechul!!!”

It seemed like he was too nervous that he didn’t even realised that he gulped down half a jug of iced lemon tea. When he heard me calling him, he got such a huge shock that he almost choked on the iced lemon tea.

“H-huh?”

 I asked worriedly, “Did you know that you just drank half a jug of iced lemon tea?”

“H-huh huh…” He stared at me absent-mindedly for a while before realising what I said, “Really?!”

I nodded and pointed to the mug.

“Oh gosh…”

He looked down at his tummy before he realised what he had just done.

“Gosh gosh, I needa pee!” He stood up suddenly and ran for the washroom like a kid. Worried, I followed and stood outside the washroom.

Half a jug of iced lemon tea. I seriously wondered if he will be okay.

Moments elapsed by and I got more worried. After fifteen minutes, he finally came out. His face was pallid white.

Worried, I asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” He pouted slightly as he continued, “But I had runs… Too much iced lemon tea I guess?”

He scratched his head awkwardly while I gave him a look of disapproval.

“Yeah, what do you think you were doing? Half a mug of iced lemon tea!” I lectured, but I couldn’t bear to lecture him too either. I helped him to a chair before finding Min Woo to ask him there’s some medicine for diarrhoea.

To my surprise, he was watching tv in the living room.

“I thought you were looking for some cookies?”

“Naw, that was just an excuse to leave you guys alone.” Min Woo grinned.

“Oppa! Aiya look at what you’ve done. Heechul is having runs now cuz he was too nervous when we were left alone and he drank too much iced lemon tea…”

“Serious?”

Min Woo jumped up from the sofa and immediately ran to the nearest cabinet to find some medicine for diarrhoea.

On the other hand, I helped Heechul to his room. Gently, I tucked him into bed after he has taken his medicine.

Slightly worried, I gave his hand a small squeeze.

“Are you alright, Oppa?”

With his eyes still closed, Heechul nodded. I guess he just needed some rest.

Then there came a knock on the door. It was the guys.

“Hey is Heechul alright?” Kevin asked as he walked in with the others.

I nodded as I replied, “I think he’s feeling better already.”

“Great to hear that, but I’m afraid that he will have to spend his valentines in the dorm, oh dear,” Jun Young said.

I nodded.

“Oh, if we’re all going to the party right now, who’s taking care of Heechul?” Hyungshik asked.

Upon this question, everyone stared at me.

-Oh a little obvious hur? -.-

“It’s okay I will take care of him. It’s has always been me anyway, when his parents are away on business trips,” I offered.

“Thanks, Soo Young,” Min Woo smiled.

“No problem.”

“Alright, we will get going then,” Siwan smiled. I waved as they left the room, and then before long it’s only me and Heechul in the dorm.

When I saw that Heechul’s lips was quite dry, I thought I would go to the kitchen too get some water for him. I tried to unwrap his hand around mine gently, but his grip was firm.

He stirred in his sleep and mumbled, “Don’t go.”

Worried that I was disturbing, I assured softly, “Okay okay I am here.”

It seemed pretty impossible to leave, so I sat down on the bed beside him. Slightly bored, I took the chance to once again scrutinise his flawness features.

I could almost immediately feel blooding gushing in the capillaries beneath my cheeks.

-Damn, why is Heechul so hot?! >.<

And even then I thought that his dry lips looked so smexy too, OMG.

-Get a grip on yourself, Soo Young.

I screamed, in my head of course.

-Okay I think I needa cool off somewhere.

Upon seeing that Heechul’s finally sound asleep, I slipped my hand out of his gently and left the room.

-Phew.

At times like this I seriously wondered how deeply I have fallen in love with Heechul, for him to be able to make my heart race like this, and that I have to catch my breath every time I’m with him.

While I was deep in thoughts, there came a soft melody from the piano room at the end of corridor. Surprised, I looked up.

-Heechul is awake?

Immediately, I walked to the room and turned the doorknob slowly.

Bit by bit, the piano came into view, and the melody became louder though it was still calm and soothing as ever.

When I finally saw who the pianist was, I got a shock.

.

.

.

Dongjun…?!

Unable to hide my surprised, I stuttered, “Dongjun…?”

His beautiful fingers on the piano keys stopped almost instantaneously. Turning around, he gave me a handsome smile and greeted, “Soo Young.”

“I-I thought… you left for the pub with the others just now…?” I stared, my eyes widened with surprise.

He smiled, “I came back, for you.”

That made my heart stopped momentarily.

-What does he mean by that…?

“I…”

The thing I was most afraid of would be a confession at this time, when I was already all convinced that my heart can only fit Heechul in, and not any other person.

Dong Jun smiled and said, “Since very long ago, I have been wanting to say this to you, and sing this to you. Would you listen to me?”

Slightly taken aback, I stared, “Huh…?”

He chuckled. Standing up from his seat, he walked over to grab my hand and led me to sitting down beside him.

With his fingers ready on the piano, he turned to give a small smile before starting the melody. It was the same melody that I heard just now.

But now, it’s clearer;

And more beautiful.

I shut my eyes as the beautiful melody gently seeped into my heart, mind and soul; I felt extra exhilarated.

It was so soothing, so gentle, as though rippling small spilling waves in my mind. Yet, it was firm and strong, touching me somewhere deep down.

And then I know what it is;

This is exactly how I felt when I was around Heechul.

Despite no heart-racing and nervous feelings, it was exactly how I felt when I was Heechul alright. It was calm, and felt like it’s something small, but at the same time, it was breathtaking scenery.

-Sigh, so beautiful.

Upon the last note, the beautiful melody came to a stop. I opened my eyes, and smiled.

“Beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Dong Jun returned my smile, “Do you know what this song represents? It was how exactly how I felt when I first met you. Breathtaking, and I just knew that you’re the one. All the beautiful moments we had together, I’m really thankful for that. It has been amazing how far we have come, Soo Young. Thank you.”

Hearing these words, I felt my throat tightening and my nose souring. My eyes started to sting too; I knew that my tears were coming on soon.

“No no, please don’t cry,” Dong Jun gave my hand a small squeeze and gave a sad smile. I could see from his eyes that he was really hurt, and I felt so engulfed by guilt.

“I know you must be feeling bad that you can’t return me my feelings,” Dong Jun gave a bitter smile, “but you really shouldn’t. It has been wishful thinking on my part, I know, because I don’t think you ever did like me, not in that way at least. You were probably confused as to how you felt for me so you did not reject me, but actually I knew what the answer would be right from the start. I just thought I should cling on till the last moment, hoping you would choose me. But when Min Woo told me that you could possibly like Heechul, I was forced to face up to the reality. So much for deluding myself, but I finally came to terms that you don’t like me that way.”

My vision blurred so hard that I could no longer see Dong Jun’s features; I could no longer hold back my tears and they fell down.

“I know you like Heechul, I know. I figured out that the only thing that’s holding you back right now is probably me. I’m sorry, and now I’m here to tell you that you should forget me and move on. What that happened between us was beautiful, but only beautiful enough to be friendship and not love. I hope that my friendship stays though… can we still be friends?”

The smile on Dong Jun’s smile was so sad, so sad that it hurt me so badly. I hate myself for being so weak. I think my tears only made this worse.

“Soo Young…” He gently pulled me into his embrace and said, “Don’t cry anymore. I will hate myself for your tears, really. Soo Young, please?”

“Just a while more, please,” I mumbled as I hugged him tighter.

After a few moments elapsed by, he gently broke the hug and smiled, “Okay, no more tears. Promise?”

I wiped away my tears with the back of my hands and nodded, “Yes.”

“Good girl.”

“Dong Jun ah…”

“Yes…?” He looked at me with a gentle smile.

“C-can… can we really still be friends…?”

Dong Jun smiled, “Of course, silly. I should be the one feeling afraid that you would run away from me. Yes, we are, and we will be best best best friends.”

I smiled.

“No, I want us to be best best best best best friends.”

Dong Jun chuckled, “And if you want, best best best best best best best… to the infinity, of friends.”

I laughed, and Dong Jun gave me a big smile;

It was a true smile.

\

Dong Jun left for Jun Young’s party, and I was once again left alone in the dorm.

Oh, right, with Heechul.

I went back to Heechul’s room to check on him. Thank god, he was still sound asleep.

I thought I would just step out of the dorm to catch some fresh air and that’s when I saw a beautiful sea behind the dorm.

-Why have I never seen this before?

I figured out that I have always entered the dorm from the front and have never explored the backyard, that’s why. But in any case, this discovery came at the right time.

I love seas.

Unlocking the side-gate, I walked out to the beach till the edge of the beach where the waves were.

The sun has already set down, and it was quite dark. Though there were still remnants of the salmon-red rays on the horizon, the coolness of the night has already started to set in.

I played with the waters, and finally when I was tired, I lay back on the sand and stared up at the deep blue sky above.

Stars, I smiled.

Before long, the deep blue sky with scattered dimly-lighted stars blurred into pure darkness.

\

Heechul stirred in his sleep, and soon, he woke up. Still feeling slightly drowsy, he fumbled in the dark for his clock. He pressed the left button and the screen lighted up to show the time.

11:19 p.m.

Groaning slightly, he was getting ready to fall back into sleep, when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

14 February.

“Oh shoots!”

He just remembered that Soo Young came to the dorm, all that happened in the afternoon, and of course the thing he has been planning all along;

Confession.

“Damn, it’s gonna be midnight soon. I have to do it as soon as possible,” he mumbled under breath as he tried to get off his bed while fighting all the drowsiness.

He went downstairs. Then he started to wonder where Soo Young could be. Wasn’t she beside him when he fell asleep just now?

“She probably went home, idiot.”

But, then again, her shoes were still at the doorstep.

Confused, Heechul frowned slightly, “Where could she be?”

He slipped into a pair of warm sandals and walked to the backyard.

That’s when he knew the answer;

The unlocked side-gate.