Unequivocal love consumed Yunni as she walked up the winding mountain path. Cold air stung at her face as she hiked up the steep slope, listening intently to the waves of the ocean, crashing into the cliffs of the mountain.

She watched while seething with anger as Taemin walked the narrow path with Jaemin. They would not acknowledge her presence even though Yunni made as much noice as possible.

The couple did not talk.

They were holding hands, walking dreamily alongside each other, and they simply looked content in each others' company.

Yunni boiled with envy and hatred, and suddenly, December didn't seem as cold as it usually was.

Taemin had been ignoring her for quite some time now. He did not answer his phone, he did not reply to her emails, he ignored her text messages...

She was utterly frustrated.

Yunni froze in her tracks when the two stopped abruptly.

Taemin placed his hands firmly on Jaemin's shoulders and gradually leaned his face towards hers...

With tears streaming down her face, Yunni turned her head away in shock.

While trying to stop the flow of her tears, she ran back down the path. She held her hand to , stifling the soft sobs that wer escaping from her shaking body.

The steepness of the mountain and the rough terrain caused Yunni to trip and skid down the dirt path, scraping herself.

She gasped and groaned in pain, but Taemin and Jaemin did not heed.

No matter how much she hated it, Yunni allowed herself to cry freely.

She did not want to care anymore, but she could not find the strength within herself to do so.

The chilly breeze blew through her hair as she shivered while curled up on the floor.

Mustering all the will power left in her, Yunni struggled back up to her feet and limped down the path...alone.

-

"Of course not!" Joolee laughed.

Chanchan laughed along with her.

The two of them were planning their best friend's birthday. They sat surrounded in bags of party supplies and decorations.

"Do you think Jinki Oppa likes vanilla more? Or does he prefer chocolate?" Chanchan asked, tapping her ball point pen on her chin.

"Er, call Kibum and ask," replied Joolee.

Chanchan whipped out her cellphone and dialed Kibum's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kibum..." Chanchan greeted him.

"Hi Channie noona!" the younger boy replied with excitement.

Chanchan smiled and asked, "Does Jinki Oppa like chocolate or vanilla?"

There was a pause at the other line, and Kibum's energy level seemed to drop halfway when he said, "Uhh...I think he likes chocolate. For the cake?"

"Yeah. Thanks!" Chanchan didn't notice the change in his tone.

"No problem."

They hung up.

Lee Taemin and Hwang Jaemin walked into the small art studio with flushed, pink cheeks. The winter air flooded into the room when they opened the door to walk in.

"Hey, we're finishing up preparations. Want to help?" Joolee asked the two.

"Sure!" Jaemin replied cheerfully.

Taemin smiled his innocent smile and sat down.

-

Yunni tucked her arms in as the temperature dropped below freezing. She let her bare feet dangle off the cliff walls and she stared into the gradually darkening skies.

The ocean did not shimmer like it did in spring. The overcast weather of winter dulled the beauty of everything Yunni had once loved.

The fragrant flowers, the green trees, the comfortable temperature, Taemin's loving smile...

Yunni's anger had run dry and she stopped resisting the urge to cry.

-

"Hyung! Earth to Hyung!"

Jinki snapped out of his daydream.

"AH! Green Hippos!" he jumped.

Minho looked at him curiously.

"Hyung, you've been zoning out often these days," Kibum said.

"I know. I just keep wondering..."

Jinki's eyes looked distant.

"Hyung!"

He woke up again.

"Is it because of Yunni?" Minho asked.

Jinki hung his head. The girl that he cared about so much had not contacted him in days.

"She can't just disappear off the face of the planet. Can she?" Jinki asked.

"Hyung, she'll come back. Don't worry." Kibum reassured him.

Jinki nodded while the diamond bracelet in his pocket.

"Yunni, you'll be back for my birthday right?" Jinki asked in his mind as if she could hear him.

-

It was high tide, and the waters reached Yunni’s ankles. She stared at her reflection in the glassy sea.

Days had passed, and she remained in that same position. At that moment, she suddenly remembered that it was Jinki Oppa's birthday that day.

Her mind was empty and her heart numb as she got up to her feet with great effort, put her shoes back on, and walked back home.

She walked home to wish her friend a happy birthday, and to see if Taemin would talk to her if they were with their friends.

-

“Today’s the day!” Chanchan exclaimed.

Joolee was bouncy and full of life.

The two friends hung decorations in the small art studio, both caught up in their own thoughts about how to tell Jinki about their true feelings.

-

Taemin and Jaemin walked to the art studio, hand in hand.

They were returning from the bakery with Jinki’s birthday cake, and their presents to him.

Suddenly, Taemin heard a distant shout call his name.

He whipped around to see no one.

“What’s wrong?” Jaemin asked.

Taemin shook his head with blank, confused eyes.

“Nothing. I just thought I heard someone I knew.”

Taemin had distinctly heard Yunni’s voice.

He thought he heard that voice which he had missed for months, that voice he believed to be gone forever.

He felt a great pang of longing in his heart, but walked on with Jaemin.

Jaemin, the girl who reminded Taemin of Yunni’s matchless happiness.

-

“LEE TAEMIN!!!” Yunni shouted until her lungs burned.

Her heart skipped a couple beats when he turned to look at her but dropped again when he ignored her, once again.

She followed, nevertheless.

Yunni wanted to attend Jinki’s birthday party.

He had been the one she confided her secrets to. The one she talked to whenever she had trouble with Taemin.

But Yunni never ones paid attention to the way Jinki's eyes would light up when she visited him, or to the way his smile would twitch into a frown whenever she spoke of Taemin.

-

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

The celebration had started.

The closely knit group of friends laughed and had a great time, eating their favorite foods, playing games, telling jokes…

“Hyung, you’re at it again.”

Jinki awoke from his reverie.

He held the diamond bracelet gingerly in his hand.

“Taemin has gone to Jaemin now. I have a chance, right?” Jinki thought.

Joolee and Chanchan who were watching keenly eyed the bracelet.

Kibum watched Chanchan with sorrow as he noticed her gaze upon his hyung.

-

Yunni stood outside the art studio.

She sighed, but her cold breath did not leaving trace in the equally cloudy air.

She did not notice.

She walked in.

All eyes turned to her.

Taemin stood up and walked towards the door.

Yunni’s heart was beating irregularly against her ribs.

He walked past her and closed the door.

Yunni’s heart sank, yet again, but she picked it back up to be cheery for Jinki Oppa.

“The door opened on its own. It was probably the wind,” Taemin walked back.

Yunni’s heart wrenched at his words.

Did he hate her that much?

She sat down in the empty seat besides Jinki, but no one looked at her.

She cried again.

Every blow at her heart made her weaker and weaker.

“If none of you want me here, I’ll just leave. I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday Oppa,” she said, facing Jinki.

He shivered.

Just then, the television set across the room that was playing a replay of ‘Criminal Minds’ switched to a Breaking News Announcement.

-

It was nearing the end of spring.

Yunni skipped along the narrow pathway of the cliff.

Taemin had promised to meet her there that day.

She knew she was much too early, but what was a few hours when you’re in love?

He said midnight, but she had gotten there around six.

She fell asleep on the dirt path…

-

Taemin arrived at the destination just in time.

Just as the high tides calmed.

But Yunni was nowhere to be found.

Taemin waited and waited, each minute clawing at his young heart.

He waited until daybreak, when he slowly trudged home in defeat.

He cried tearless sobs as he acknowledged that Yunni did not want him.

-

“This is Breaking News. The case of Missing Person Kim Yunni is now closed.”

Everyone gave their attention to the reporter on the television screen.

“FBI has informed us that the young girl’s body had washed up onto the narrow shores of the local beach.”

Yunni’s eyes widened.

Taemin’s heart sank.

Jinki dropped the bracelet in his hand.

“Investigators say that there was no struggle, and Kim Yunni drowned in her sleep.”

Jinki whimpered softly and his body shook as tears poured down his face. The day he had finally mustered enough courage to tell Yunni everything, the day he would turn twenty years-old, was the same day that he would have to mourn her loss.

Mourn her loss for every last year of his life.

Chanchan and Joolee, upon seeing Jinki's reaction, were both crestfallen, but they tried their very best to remain silent.

Kibum's heart shattered as he saw Chanchan's expression change so drastically...

Taemin stared open mouthed, his heart gone. He was speechless and felt nothing. A numb sensation seized his body, as if he had been electrocuted or bound heavily from head to foot.

Jaemin watched with a broken heart as the ghost of Taemin’s love for Yunni returned

Yunni stood up.

“I’M RIGHT HERE!! LOOK AT ME!! LOOK AT ME!! I’M STILL HERE!!!”

She screamed and yelled desperately, trying to rouse the attention of her beloved, sobbing friends.

She ran to Taemin and tried to tug on his arm.

She merely slipped through.

She shouted his name. She called his name.

There was no response.

Just like always.

She was ignored.

-

The funeral was small and quiet.

No one said a word, but everyone felt a billion words in their hearts.

Yunni watched her body lie still in the coffin.

She watched her family and friends place flowers for her.

She watched her loved ones shed countless tears.

She watched as her coffin was buried.

And after the ceremony, she followed Taemin who walked alone to the cliffs where Yunni once was.

She watched him yell out into the open seas.

She cried as he shouted her name repeatedly when he could not hear her reply.

And…

She fell with him as he dove.

He went head-first into the seas that had claimed her life.

She protected him from a fate similar to hers.

She pulled him back up to shore, and without a choice, left him.

As she disappeared into oblivion, Yunni looked at Taemin again, calling his name, and confessing her love to him for the last time.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note;;

Was anyone else reminded of the domino effect? xD

[F a i t h y~♥]