The face that stared back at Shinhye was that of confusion mixed with feign amusement, and just seeing him in front of her was enough for her to smile. Yonghwa’s unexpected visit was certainly enough to get her heart beating faster, but why exactly was he here? Since lunch he had been thinking a lot about, well, everything. As long as he was still around, it wasn’t fair to keep Shinhye in the dark when Minhyuk had already dragged her into their family’s mess. Yonghwa’s parents already saw her as family, and probably telling someone would help his reasoning a bit. The two of them sat closely together on the bench, and not long before they started talking the sky had already become pitch black. Even the temperature was dropping rapidly and Shinhye, with only a windbreaker jacket started feeling chills down her spine. She didn’t let a single complaint slip past her lips, because if she couldn’t do anything the least she could do was hear Yonghwa out.

            “Are you mad at them?” Shinhye asked after they sat in silence for a few minutes. It would be a good time for star gazing, if stars could be visible on such a gloomy night. He thought about it for a while. It surprised him to realize that he really wasn’t sure of what he felt this entire time. It was fear mixed with frustration, but anger wasn’t part of his emotional concoction, he was sure.

            “It’s just that they were so close this entire time, and I never knew. People I had longed to meet since I was younger continually slipped by unnoticed these last few years…” He was finally opening up to her, and she could feel every ounce of frustration in his voice. For the past few days of Yonghwa’s ignorance, she had to endure watching his parents become zombified with guilt and regret. Her doorstep was small, and from how they sat, their shoulders were so close they were practically touching. She hadn’t noticed that this whole time, Yonghwa had only a pull over sweater to keep his body heat in, and involuntarily he finally let out a shiver. She felt his arms vibrate along hers. It seemed his shivers transferred to her, as more chills ran down her spine. It was a strange feeling that engulfed her right in this moment, and she couldn’t indentify exactly what or why, but without being completely conscious of herself, she grabbed a hold of Yonghwa’s left hand and squeezed it tightly.

            “Though you don’t understand everything you’re feeling right now, there are still people here who love you so much. You just need to give them another chance to prove it.” She nodded comfortingly, still trying to warm his palms with hers. He was certain that the only people she meant were Yongguk and Sunhwa. That was how parents were, despite all circumstances; they were supposed to love their child. He didn’t know that when Shinhye said this, in her mental list of people who loved Yonghwa, she included herself. He appreciated every effort she put in trying to comfort him, and all he could think of to say was.

            “Thank you.”

@}--,--'----

            The next day was a Saturday, and Yonghwa came back to Shinhye’s house for another visit. This time, he had a well planned purpose in mind and went to speak with Yongguk directly. He had hinted to Shinhye what he wanted to do, and she was overjoyed to hear it. She was sure her foster parents would be even more delighted. They sat in the same positions in the living room as they had the night Shinhye got injured, and after a nervous cough Yonghwa requested,

            “I’d like to go with you two to see harabeoji’s grave.” They were both taken by surprise with his sudden request, but hearing him call Sunghyun by his title rather than his name sparked some hope in them. He was speaking in a more intimate tone, and there was no way they could refuse. This week however, wasn’t the most convenient for them, and Yonghwa agreed that he would go whenever they were willing. Next month, when the snow melted would be a good month to go. He agreed to wait patiently until then, preparing his heart to see his grandfather whom he would have never imagined to be blood related to him. Over the week, he went to see his parents almost every day. They asked if he wanted to move in, but he felt it would be troublesome for Shinhye so he insisted on staying in his own beaten down home. The paranoia he felt earlier was replaced with a new kind of warmth that he felt foreign to, but it was a kind and gentle feeling that he was willing to welcome. Shinhye could see it in his eyes too; Yonghwa was becoming more alive, much happier. Every smile he gave made her want to return a thousand, and every laugh he let out made her want to give him a big bear hug. It wasn’t a young, helpless boy that she saw in him anymore, instead, she saw a young man with a bright and hopeful future.

            “Yah, have you completely forgotten about me?” Hyomin was throwing one of her jealous tantrums again. It had been a long time since Shinhye had hung out with her properly. She had been so caught up with her foster parents and Yonghwa, it felt almost as if their rekindling was mending a broken part of her heart. She felt extremely apologetic to her friend who had stood by her despite being left in the shadow.

            “You and Yonghwa are so friendly with each other now that it’s almost disgusting.” She said straight out, but Shinhye took it jokingly. Hyomin never liked Yonghwa and probably never will, so hearing this seemed like comic relief to Shinhye’s hectic life.

            “Aren’t you happy for him too?” Shinhye wondered, looking at Hyomin fake a puking expression. They were in their second year of university but Hyomin still held onto childish habits. It was one of her charms, though, and Shinhye didn’t want her fun friend to change.

            “Well yeah… but it’s just kind of creepy seeing him so different.” Hyomin admitted, remembering Yonghwa and Shinhye walking downt he hallway together filled with smiles as if they were living under rainbows.

            “You two aren’t together are you?” Hyomin finally asked. Shinhye, yet again, saw this question coming. This time however, she took the question more seriously than she usually would. They definitely weren’t together, at least not officially, but she couldn’t hide the fact that something about Yonghwa thoroughly attracted her to him. Maybe it was his new livelihood and that it was just a small phase she would soon get over, or maybe it was something more. Right now it seemed a little too early to tell.

            “Shinhye, look me in the eye and tell me you don’t like him.” Hyomin demanded, forcing her face in front of Shinhye without blinking even once. Shinhye immediately turned away; her cheeks had already turned bright pink.

            “Omo omo omo, you like him!” Hyomin concluded without even conducting her little test. She had a thing for detecting things like this, but the accuracy of it was never backed up. Hearing Hyomin confess words Shinhye never dared to even think didn’t make things any easier. So she liked Yonghwa right now—that didn’t mean that anything would happen. In the beginning she never wanted to fall for him, but so many things had changed since then. She kept avoiding Hyomin’s eyes, thinking quietly to herself. If she let out another word, Hyomin would just pull her down into a deeper emotional hole.

@}--,--'----

            Minhyuk stopped showing up at school all together, and out of curiosity when Shinhye checked it office it said he had dropped out due to family reasons. They never saw him around the neighborhood, nor did they ever see lights turn on in the house where he lived. The thorn bushes were left uncared for, just like how they were when the house had been vacant and it seemed a little suspicious that they were all suddenly gone. Shinhye anticipated a big plan for revenge from them, something incredible enough to force them to flee from Korea, but instead, they left without a word. She couldn’t help but keep her suspicions every time she passed the house that carried a haunting atmosphere without the owner’s presence, but she also couldn’t help but feel relieved that he was gone. Minhyuk was someone with a dangerous persona, his evil intent radiated from his very being and several times Shinhye found herself waking up from nightmares because of him.

 It was just three days before Yonghwa would go visit the grave with his parents, and they were now so close that it was hard to tell they had never known each other for more than one and a half months. Yonghwa revealed to them that he had quite a lovable personality, and he was a pleasure to be around, though his habits of teasing Shinhye never went dormant. Shinhye waited at a beaten down playground near the elementary school she attended when she was younger. Yonghwa had wanted to meet her somewhere, and with the snow almost completely melted she felt a kiddy desire to go to a playground. It was a secretive tradition she kept hidden from even Hyomin, that every break from cold weather in the winter she would go to this very playground. She could no longer remember why she loved it so much, but tradition no longer needed another valid explanation.

Shinhye closed her eyes, feeling the light breeze between her fingers as she held her palm out, moving it back and forth in fluid movements. She opened one eye curiosity, feeling something fairly damp rub against her palm and gasped, opening her eyes to a gigantic bouquet of bold red roses. It had to be Minhyuk. He was back. She turned around to see a face no more than five centimeters away from her and screamed, almost falling backwards onto the moist gravel. A strong hand grabbed onto her elbow, keeping her from making that impended collision.

            “Oh my god, you scared me!” She whined, allowing Yonghwa to pull her back up onto the platform. He held the bouquet in front of her with a witty smirk, as if he had more tricks up his sleeve. He probably knew that his little surprise would give her a mini heart attack, but that was how he was—always teasing her.

            “You’re not going to take them?” He complained, still holding them in front of her as she stared into each blossom. These roses he held were of an elegant shade, quite different from those that grew in Minhyuk’s garden. When she looked into them, she didn’t see death. Instead, she saw affection. Her eyes panned upwards to see Yonghwa’s face slowly turning into a pout. How childish. Shinhye gladly took hold of the bouquet and allowed the beautiful scent to infiltrate the air she breathed.

            “Saengilchukhahae,” He smiled, giving her a sudden hug that was ultimately awkward because of the flowers separating them, but she was grateful that he remembered; February eighteenth, not too long after Valentines’ day. They had spent that day together as well, but they didn’t see it as a holiday of love. It was just another casual day to hang out, and she didn’t receive chocolates like all the girls were given in such a cliché manner. It had been a while since she stopped doubting what she felt for him. She knew her emotions were real, that his intentions were pure, and that whenever they were together it was like the rest of the world didn’t matter.

            The two sat down together on the frosty bench by the playground and she stared at the roses, touching a petal from each individual rose. Yonghwa was watching her cleverly, waiting for her to notice something ingenious he had done.

“What’s with the staring?” Shinhye asked, mocking his owl-like eyes. He laughed but didn’t answer. Her fingers continued to brush against the moist petals as she counted each bud, intrigued by their delicate beauty when she came across one that was rough and dry. In fact, the entire blossom seemed lifeless. She pulled out the individual stem and gawked at it. He had given her twelve roses, eleven real and one fake. She didn’t even have to ask why before he explained with one simple sentence,

            “I’ll love you until the last one dies.” 

A/N: Woo longer chapter!! This was mostly for all you dooley couple lovers who wanted more romantic scenes XD! Don't worry, this isn't the end of the story ^^ (Though it would be awesome if I ended it here... just kidding no it wouldn't, there's still holes in the plot LOL) If I ended it here my story would be too cliche. And you all know how I hate cliche, right? :D Please leave a comment below^^~~

saengilchukhahae - Happy Birthday