With her hands clasped around her knees, Yoona sat on the edge of the bed and watched as the second-hand tick by. She didn't want the time to come. She didn't want to rip their friendship with her words. She didn't want him to suffer as badly as she did. Hurt by love...

[Message]

Jaejoong: Yoona, I'm sorry. Something important cropped up. Can we delay our appointment? 9PM?

Yoona couldn't take her eyes off the screen of her cellphone. She could feel the essence of relief seeping into her. A part of her insisted on breaking the news to him since he was her confidant. Yet, a part of her refused to confess to it. She didn't want to hurt him.

Yoona: It's alright. We'll arrange for another day.

Jaejoong: How about tomorrow? Since we'll be attending the year-end celebration.

It would be, after all, her last time in Dunman college. Her last time before she bids them goodbye. She would probably break down at the sight of her bunch of friends, but she has to brace herself up.

Yoona: Sure I will. I'll see you tomorrow.

Without hesitation, she proceeded on to click the send button. The chances of meeting Taecyeon during the off-campus outing wasn't too high. She can no longer bring herself to avoid but face him.

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'Khun Oppa,' Yoona waves enthusiastically as she raises a paper bag in her hand. 'Lunch.'

'You're here,' Nichkhun stands up from the bench, greeting her with his heartwarming smile. 'With lunch.'

'Yes, with lunch.' Nichkhun watches as she busily unlid the lunchboxes. There was never lunch prepared for him. Not by a friend. Not by a relative. Not anyone. But here she was, whipping up a simple meal especially for him. He never knew that simplicity as such could bring him so much content.

'Here,' she hands him a pair of chopsticks. 'Pass me some comments, but don't be too honest.'

'You want a lie?' Nichkhun lets out a laugh. Yoona narrows her eyes.

'At the very least, be kind. I put in a lot of effort to satisfy your hunger.'

'You did?' Nichkhun widens his eyes, unable to conceal the tinge of joy in his voice. That was music to his ears.

Yoona frowns, frustrated with herself. Why was she telling him this?

'Are you... shy?' He giggled.

'H-huh?' Yoona stammers, staring wide-eyed at him. Her attempt to keep herself from blushing has apparently failed.

'Before your lunchbox gets confiscated...' Yoona points to the lunchbox in his hands.

'Alright, enough teasing. I need to tell you something, Yoona.'

'Yeah? What-'

'Yoona...' A voice interrupts her sentence.

The atmosphere becomes tense instantly. Yoona shudders at the familiarity of the voice as she stares right into his eyes.

'Let's talk.' His dark gaze lands on her as he tucks his hands into his pockets. 

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Taecyeon walked at a speed impossibly fast for Yoona to catch up. She trailed behind him, frustrated.

'Stop!' She yells, breaking the silence. 'I'm leaving.'

She turns to walk away when a grip grasped her wrist tight and pulls her in.

'Where are you going? To find him?' Speaking forcefully as his grip threatens to break her arm, Yoona swallows the tinge of fear.

'Let go of my arm.'

'You're not denying?!' His face was now inches apart from hers. 'You prefer to spend your time with him, isn't it?!'

'You're incorrigible,' Yoona snorted, shaking her head. 'Whatever.'

'Tell me! Why have you been rejecting my calls?'

'Let go of me.'

'Why are you avoiding me?'

'LET.GO.' Yoona shrugs his grip off, turning to leave.

'What are you hiding from me?! What wrong have I done to deserve this!'

'Shouldn't I ask you that instead?' Yoona seethes, wheeling around. 'I've had enough.'

Without another word, Yoona storms off, leaving Taecyeon to think for himself.

What happened between us?

Why do you hate me this badly?

Why are you torturing me?

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'Taecyeon ah,' Tae Hee removes her apron, approaching him as she reaches out for his longcoat. 'You're home.'

'Yeah...' He replies, quirking an eyebrow. 'Why are you here?'

'I've every reason to be here...' She pouts, dissatisfied with his question.

'Noona, I don't mean that...'

'I was just pretending to be upset. You never mean anything bad.' Tae Hee breaks into a smile, dragging Taecyeon into their dining room.

...

'Noona, you don't have to prepare this. I could have brought you out for dinner instead.'

'It's different,' Tae Hee shakes her head as a faint smile creeps across her face. 'I'm no longer who I used to be, Taecyeon.'

Taecyeon feeds himself a spoon of rice, staring at Tae Hee.

'Taecyeon ah, my heart never changed. How about yours?'

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Addendum: I wanted to combine this chapter, together with the upcoming one. But I thought it would have been too long. I always think Taec deserves some kind of 'punishment' for not having cherished Yoona in the first place. What are you expecting Nichkhun to say?
Thank you, all 66 subscribers! For your patience. (: My exams will be over soon, though.

-SMILE-xoxo