--- this is the first part of my triple update of chapter 16, 17, 18---

Heechul's POV:

After leaving the room, I ran as fast as I could in an attempt to reach the holding room as fast as possible. My fingers trembled as I reached out for the doorknob. What if they weren't there? What if they were still insane? What if... I shook those thoughts out of my head. No. Siwon said they were alright, and I will trust him. I had to. It was my only hope.

"HANNIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" I cried as I ran towards him. I hugged him tight.

"Whoa... Chullie calm down." He said, but I didn't let go.

"I'm alright, really. Now stop, I can't breathe." He laughed. I let go, tears b in my eyes.

"I was so so so so so so so worried, Hannie..." I said.

"I know. But I bet you were worried about them too, right?" He said, pointing to the rest. 

"Yes, but I was more worried about you." I said, blushing.

"Really? And you guys tell me you're not a couple?" Henry said. I glared at him.

"Shut up, chipmunk."

"But honestly, heechul. That was way too much for you to be considered a mere bromance." Leeteuk said.

"Hannieeeeee! Tell them to stopppppp." I whined.

"Ok that's it. That is so so legit right now. I totally support hanchul." Shindong piped up. I frowned. 

"Hanchul? What the. Why does everyone keep calling us that?" I asked.

"Maybe because it's a cute ship name?" Kangin said, smirking. I threw my hands up.

"URGH whatever guys. I give up." I said, sighing. 

"Let's go, geng. I need to get away from all this insanity." I said, dragging hangeng with me.

"HAHHA ok, princess. Let's go." 

"EWWWWWWW WHAT THE HECK?!" I heard them shout. I rolled my eyes and headed out the door. Finally, away. No more shipping.

"HYUNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I heard kyuhyun shout. He certainly learnt from sungmin.

"哥哥!" I heard Zhou Mi shout.

"HYUNGGG!!!!!!!!" I heard Minnie scream. Stupid min, still can't control his volume. 

"Hi kyu. Hi min. Hi Mi." I said.

"你好，周觅。你好，贵贤。你好，晟敏。(hi, Zhou mi. Hi, kyuhyun. Hi, sungmin.)" Hangeng said. What the heck, why was he suddenly speaking in Chinese?

"WHAT WAS THAT, HYUNG?" Sungmin shouted. We cringed.

"Minnie-ah! Control your volume!" I heard Leeteuk say.

"HYUNG-AHHHH!!!" Well, we could obviously see how well that worked out.

"Sungmin!" We shouted in unison.

"Hehehehheheheheh 미안해~" he said. We all sighed.

"How was it hyung? Did you win?" Kyuhyun asked. I nodded.

"Yep I won." I said, proudly.

"Cool. Tell us all about it ok?" Zhou Mi said. My smile faded a little. I didn't want to recount even a little of that horrible experience.

"How about I tell you instead? I'm sure this diva here will add some fake facts in." Hangeng said, earning roars of laughter from the group. He had said it with a roll of an eye, but I knew better. He was obviously trying to help me. I smiled up at him as thanks.

"Ok, so..." He started. "How about we go talk over lunch?" He asked.

"SURE!" They all shouted. 

"Can I join?" Henry asked. We nodded. So we went off, all 7 of us. After ordering our food, we sat down and started discussing the games. I was alright at first, able to contain my feelings, but as the story went on, I felt myself start shaking. I felt a hand over mine, gripping it tightly. I looked up and saw hangeng. He was comforting me.

"Wow I see our dear Hanchul couple got much closer during the games, huh." Kyuhyun smiled mischievously.

"Oh my gosh you guys call them that too?" Henry asked, jumping up and down.

"OMONA SO CUTEEEE :3" sungmin shouted, clapping his hands.

"Yeah, during the games they were SO SO cute." Leeteuk grinned.

"Really?! Tell us more, hyung!" Zhou Mi smiled. 

"Ok then. So you see, once they walked in..." Leeteuk started. I rolled my eyes. It was as if they were a bunch of kids listening to an elder telling a story.

"I'm going to the washroom." Hangeng announced.

"I'm coming with you. I totally NEED to get away from this nonsense. Let's go!" 

"Oh yes, and you see, after the games... Heechul ran over to him going all 'I missed you' on hangeng. It was so adorbs!" Henry continued, obviously ignoring us.

------------ a while later ---------------

"Chul-ah?" Hangeng said.

"Yeah what." I asked.

"So... About what I said in the last stage..." He started. I blushed a bright red. 

"Urm... Yeah?" I said.

"You said you liked me then... So... Is hanchul... You know, real?" He asked.

"Yes!" I wanted to say, but the words wouldn't escape my mouth. I thought hard. I really wanted to say yes, to be happy, but... I was immortal. He was human. If I said yes, then... What would I do when he dies? I don't think I can handle the pain. I can't. I won't. I don't want to. I better stop before I become too attached. I know this is selfish, but I really don't want to hurt. Better to let go now instead of fall deeper and feel the pain later on, right? Yeah. Of course. That would be better... Right?

"No, geng. No." I said, tears b in my eyes. I bit my lip.

"B-but why? Chul, you said..." He started.

"No, geng. I said no. And I mean it." I said, as much as I didn't want to.

"But Chul, then what... What did you mean back there then?"

"Huh? What did I say?" I said, putting on my diva face. But it hurt inside. 

"You know, your response to my question?" He asked. I heard hope in his voice. I'm sorry, hannie, but I have to crush that hope.

"Oh that. Well. It was probably just on impulse. You know I was sorta out of my mind just now. We all were. I didn't even know what I was doing."

"Chul-ah..." He said, hurt apparent in his tone. 

"Also, I'm suprised you even remembered it." I said, fighting back tears.

"No, Chul. Don't lie, please." He replied desperately.

"I'm not lying, geng." I replied.

"Chul, please." He pleaded.

"Also, I didn't mean a thing at all, geng. Like really?"

"How could I not remember, Chul..." He said sadly. I felt a pang in my heart. I didn't want to do this, but I had to. I'm sorry, hannie. Really really sorry.

"Well in any case I remember saying 'I LIKE you' not 'I LOVE you'. There's a difference you know. I do love you geng..." I said. He looked up.

"But if ever I do love you, I love you only as a friend. A great friend." I cringed. Silence.

"Please, geng. I didn't mean it."

"Ok then, Chul. I hope you don't take it to heart. Let's keep being friends, okay?"

"Yes, ok. But NEVER EVER mention the words HANCHUL in front of me. NEVER. I can't stop kyu and the rest of them, but at least you won't do it, right?" 

"Yes, I won't..." He said awkwardly and forced a smile. It took me all my strength to keep my tears from flowing out. I clenched my fists.

"Thanks hannie, for being my best friend. I really don't want to lose you as a friend."

"You won't, Chul. I'll be here for you. Always." He said. Why, hannie. Why don't you get mad? Why don't you leave? You're just making it harder for me...

"Let's go..." I said, turning away so that he wouldn't see me cry. I won't let him. By the time I was back at the table, I had sucessfully dried up all my tears. I went back to my diva mode immediately.

"So, are you guys done gossiping?" I asked. 

"Yea. Sit down and eat, heechul." Leeteuk said. 

"Good." I muttered as I sat down. From the corner of my eye I could see hangeng staring at me, but I ignored him. No. I can't give in. I mustn't.

"So..." Leeteuk started. I stared at him.

"Can I ask you a question?" He continued. I nodded in response.

"Is hanchul real?" They asked in unison.

"No. It never was, and never will be." I said with as cold a voice I could muster. I fought back even more tears as I went back to eating my food. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to be weak. I won't be.

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Aw so heechul rejected hangeng! :< but don't worry, miracles can happen (: as to whether it happens here... Well, read on to find out :3 *plays miracle by SJ*

Please comment/subscribe :3 <3 thanks for reading!!!!

P.s. Go read chapter 14 if you haven't!!!! It's really ADORB hanchul and it prob will make you cringe/squeal/fangirl/whatever :3