Jaejoong sighed as he gazed at Yoona longingly during class. Too bad Yoona wasn’t paying attention to him. This is it Jaejoong decided. I will confess to her.

So, after class Jaejoong decided to talk to her. He was so busy thinking of ways to confess that he didn’t notice her walk away with her friends. Oh Yoona. Your hair is like a field of fine black silk. Your eyes… WAIT! Jaejoong noticed that she was no-where in sight. Where’d she go? He wondered as he searched the school for Yoona.

He finally spotted Yoona with her friends, occupying the cafeteria table nearest to the window. Jaejoong walked over to her, while simultaneously rehearsing the moment over and over again in his mind. He tapped Yoona on the shoulder and she turned around to see who it was. ‘Hi,’ Jaejoong said awkwardly. ‘Can I talk to you for a second?’ he asked. Yoona looked at him strangely before agreeing.

X

X

‘Yes?’ Yoona asked impatiently while crossing her arms and tapping her foot on the floor. They were standing on one of the balcony’s at the school, and Jaejoong had been sweating furiously the whole time. ‘Uh, umm… y-your hair is like a field of black diamonds,’ Jaejoong said, but then he realised he was supposed to say field of fine black silk. ‘Uh, thanks?’ Yoona asked confused, not really understanding the odd compliment.

‘Hyung, hyung, hyung, hyung, hyung, hyung!’ called out a familiar voice. Jaejoong turned around to find no other than, Junsu. Jaejoong sent the best glare he could send towards Junsu. The poor boy then stopped in his tracks and the bright smile was gone. Junsu looked terrified.

‘DAAAAAAAAAAAAADDYYYYYYYYYY!!!!’ Junsu yelled, completely frightened. He ran as fast as he could away from Jaejoong. Then, after a few minutes, Jaejoong swore he could hear Yunho scream in shock before there was a crash straight after.

Yoona looked at Junsu’s retreating figure sympathetically before frowning slightly at Jaejoong. ‘You shouldn’t just glare at your friends like that you know,’ she told Jaejoong.

He was surprised to see Yoona angry as she rarely ever got angry. ‘W-well,’ he stuttered.

‘I’ll be leaving. Nice to see you Jaejoong,’ said Yoona, smiling lightly as she walked past Jaejoong’s astonished figure.

When Yoona had already gone back down to the cafeteria, Jaejoong walked over to the edge and put his hands to his head in frustration. ‘WHY AM I SO BAD AT BEING GOOD?!’ screamed Jaejoong.

Changmin saw Jaejoong’s little tantrum but decided it was best not to disturb his half Japanese friend.

X

X

‘Yoona, what’s wrong?’ asked So Eun as she looked at her friend’s out-of-it expression. ‘Oh, it’s nothing!’ replied Yoona as she snapped out of her daze. So Eun wasn’t sure if Yoona was telling the complete truth.

‘Uh, Mei Ying, what would you do if a guy said that your hair was like a field of black diamonds?’ Yoona asked.

‘What?’ So Eun asked in confusion, caught off guard by the unusual question.

‘Nothing, nothing, forget I ever said anything,’ replied Yoona quickly. ‘Uh, I’ll see you later alright,’ Yoona bid farewell as she walked down the hall, probably towards her dorm, leaving a puzzled So Eun behind.

X

X

So Eun was walking down the hallway, making her way to the school library where she could finish her assignments and her homework. But she felt a hand grab her arm and yank her towards the janitor’s closet. As she was about to scream the loudest she could for help, a rather large hand covered her hand, silencing her.

‘Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you,’ whispered a very familiar voice.

‘Changmin sunbae?’ So Eun asked, with Changmin’s hand still covering .

Then Changmin released So Eun from his hold. ‘Why’d you pull me into a closet?’ asked So Eun, half angry.

‘Because, I need your help,’ answered Changmin, almost pleading.

‘With what?’ asked So Eun, less angry this time.

Man, she looks just like… But Changmin stopped his thoughts and answered So Eun’s question, ‘You see, my friend, Han Jaejoong, he’s… having some trouble getting close to your friend, Im Yoona, I believe.’

‘Oh, so you need my help setting them up?’ asked So Eun, simplifying Changmin’s request.

‘Well, to put it simply, yes,’ Changmin answered.

‘I don’t know. I’ll feel bad if I meddled with Yoona’s love life,’ So Eun said with a slight frown on her face.

‘No, we’ll actually be helping them,’ Changmin reasoned, but So Eun still looked unsure. ‘Please?’ Changmin asked.

So Eun stared deeply into his chocolate-coloured eyes, almost getting lost in them. But she caught herself and finally surrendered, ‘Fine.’

Changmin grinned almost childishly and said in gratitude, ‘Thanks.’

Changmin and So Eun locked gazes with each other. Changmin’s expression was unreadable but was very beautiful that So Eun had to look away, breaking their ‘moment.’

They both cleared their throats awkwardly before quickly saying goodbye and making their way out of the closet. They parted ways once more, but they couldn’t get the thought of each other out of their minds.

Stop it! Changmin reprimanded himself. You swore never to... to… love again ever since your heart has been torn on that horrible day ten years ago…

*Flashback*

‘Umma, appa, what’s wrong?’ asked a puzzled eight-year-old Changmin. He was very confused seeing his mother weeping furiously and his father comforting her, but with a very grim look on his face.

Changmin’s father flicked his eyes to the large television in the Shim’s huge living area. On the television was the news lady who always wore too much make-up in Changmin’s opinion. But what caught Changmin’s attention was what the lady was saying:

‘Earlier today, a little child, barely reaching six years of age, Kim So Eun, was kidnapped at Neoneun park. There were no witnesses at the park that day as there weren’t many individuals present. Searches throughout Korea are still commencing, and hopefully, news of Kim So Eun’s return might reach us soon.’

Changmin’s whole world began crashing down as he shook his head in disbelief while hot tears trailed down his little face. The little eight year old boy slowly backed away and then he turned around and ran full speed out the door and towards Neoneun park.

Rain poured down furiously from the dark grey sky as Changmin franticly searched the park for his best friend. He looked under park benches, in amongst the thick trees and bushes, the playground, everywhere he could, but he still could not find his missing friend. Tears continued to trail endlessly down his face and rain wet his entire body, making him very cold. But Changmin could think of nothing but his dear friend, So Eun.

After about an hour searching, Changmin still didn’t give up, and he now searched the streets for her. The heavy droplets of rain seemed to increase tenfold as it splashed down roughly to the earth and onto the devastated little boy who was still searching. Changmin began to lose hope after about two more hours of endless searching, still finding nothing. His head began to spin in dizziness as he was out in the cold, heavy rain.

Flashbacks of his moments with So Eun began to replay in his mind.

‘Ha ha!’ he yelled triumphantly while he wrapped his arms around So Eun’s waist and lifted her off the ground. ‘Aaahh!’ she screamed.

X

"Changmin… we'll always be friends, right?" So Eun asked, looking at her friend.

"Of course we'll always be friends, So Eun," said Changmin.

X

‘What should we call her?’ asks Mrs. Kim. ‘So Eun, Kim So Eun,’ whispers Mr. Kim. So EunChangmin thinks to himself, such a beautiful name.      

X

‘All better?’ he asked. So Eun nodded slightly in reply. Changmin brightened, ‘Good.’ He stood up from his crouched position and extended a hand out to her. ‘Coming?’ he asked playfully. So Eun smiled slightly and linked his slightly larger hand with hers.

X

‘I promise you So Eun,’ Changmin said, while looking up towards the stormy sky, ‘My best friend, and the girl I love, I promise that I’ll always do my best to know that it would bring that gentle smile to your face. I swear… that I’ll never love again.’

Those were his final words as he passed out on the streets, exhausted, and emotionally broken. ‘So Eun…’ he mumbled unconsciously before the whole world went black.

X

That night, Changmin sat all alone in his room, with the door locked and the curtains shut.

Changmin remembered what his father had said once, that sometimes when you were low, all you had left in your life was your right to close the door on the world and sit in your room alone where nothing further could befall you.

*End of flashback*

Yes, I will never love again, Changmin decided as he continued walking down the hall, towards the cafeteria.

X

That night, Changmin sat all alone in his room, with the door locked and the curtains shut.

Changmin remembered what his father had said once, that sometimes when you were low, all you had left in your life was your right to close the door on the world and sit in your room alone where nothing further could befall you. He said he’d felt that way ever since Changmin’s mother died, two years after So Eun disappeared. He had closed the door to his room and separated himself from everything that was out there.

‘Master Changmin?’ a maid asked through the locked door.

‘What?’ He groaned, irritated.

‘Can you not sleep well? Would you like some refreshments to help?’ the maid suggested.

Changmin took a deep breath to make sure he didn’t go snapping at the maid like Jaejoong does to almost everybody. ‘No, it’s okay. Will you please leave? I do not wish to be disturbed,’ Changmin answered calmly.

‘Yes master,’ obeyed the maid. Then he heard her footsteps get softer and softer until she was gone.

The maids and butlers didn’t matter to Changmin; they were just part of the happy world out there. But at least he was in here. At least he had a door, and at least it was closed.

X

The next day, Changmin and So Eun met at the library to discuss what they would do to bring Jaejoong and Yoona closer. They decided that they would set them both up to meet at the outdoor ice rink at night. It was So Eun’s idea of course, but Changmin just added a few suggestions and tweaks to her ideas.

‘… and then, the fireworks would appear and it’ll be so romantic!’ So Eun said as she gazed at the ceiling, already imagining what would happen. Changmin’s eyes began to get softer as he looked at So Eun’s optimistic expression. He almost smiled at that expression, but caught himself before he could. ‘Yeah… that’s great,’ replied Changmin as he looked out the window to hide his blush. Whether the blush was caused by embarrassment or bashfulness, he couldn’t tell.

‘Changmin sunbae, are you alright?’ asked So Eun with a worried expression on her face.

‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ answered Changmin. ‘Why?’ he asked in confusion.

‘You seem like you’re distracted or…’ So Eun was cut off by Changmin so she couldn’t finish speaking. ‘Really, I’m fine.’ Changmin stood up from his chair.

‘Good,’ So Eun said, smiling. This made Changmin smile lightly as well. But the school bell interrupted and they had to head to their next class. ‘So it’s tonight at seven?’ asked Changmin as he held out his pinky. ‘Tonight, at seven,’ answered So Eun as she hooked his pinky with hers and squeezed.

Not too far away, Ara was watching their little ‘pinky promise.’ So Mei Ying and Changmin are dating? Thought Ara jealously in her mind. Oh, that Mei Ying! Tricking me into thinking that she loves Yunho! But she then thought of a devious plan to get back at So Eun and to break her and Changmin up. Ara smiled evilly as she strutted down the hallway and made her way to math class.

X

‘Are you sure you want to go to the ice rink this late at night?’ asked Yoona cautiously as she glanced at the pile of homework assignments on her desk.

‘Yes, it’ll be fun! And besides, the homework won’t be due in a long time and the ice rink won’t be as packed at this time of day,’ replied So Eun reassuringly.

‘Alright,’ said Yoona, still not sure they should be abandoning their assignments. But she didn’t have a choice as So Eun cheerfully led them out of the door and to the frozen oval.

X

Meanwhile, Changmin was having a much harder time dragging Jaejoong out of his room. It had been about ten minutes ever since the heir to Shim corp. arrived at Jaejoong’s smallish, caravan home. It surprised him how someone could live in this! ‘For the last time, I don’t want to $*##* come to the *%$#!%& *&%$#* !%&*$## #$%* ice rink!’ yelled Jaejoong stubbornly.

Changmin sighed and spoke calmly once again, ‘Jaejoong, it’ll be good exercise. And you never do your homework anyway.’

‘Well I don’t WANT to come, your hear me?’ Jaejoong said in reply.

‘What if I said Yoona’ll be there?’ asked Changmin, smiling to himself. This’ll definitely make Jaejoong want to come.

Changmin heard the Choongnamese farm boy sigh and then he heard some rustling coming from the room the said “farm boy” was in. ‘Happy now?’ Jaejoong asked sarcastically as he stepped out of his room wearing a clean jacket and a pair of jeans. Changmin nodded and led the grumpy Jaejoong out of the door and towards the ice rink.

X

Yoona and So Eun were waiting for a few minutes until So Eun’s phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw that it was Changmin. I finally dragged JJ out of his house, he texted. We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.

K, So Eun texted back.

Then, Yoona and So Eun hired their skates and headed for the ice rink. Yoona had her own skates, but she left them at her house and didn’t bring them with her when she moved into the dorm at the school.

They skated for a bit and talked to each other most of the time, but it was pretty boring.

So Eun looked around for any sign of Changmin and Jaejoong, and luckily, she happened to find a frustrated looking Changmin saying something to an equally angry looking Jaejoong. ‘Yoona, I’ll be at the toilets. I’ll come back as fast as I can okay!’ said So Eun as she skated as fast as she could to the exit of the rink, not even listening to Yoona’s reply.

‘Uh, okay?’ answered Yoona awkwardly as she stared at her friend skating franticly to the exit of the rink.

X

When Jaejoong and Changmin stepped onto the ice, Jaejoong’s first reaction was to hold onto the rail at the sides. Changmin was about to burst in laughter at Jaejoong’s fearful expression, carefully eyeing the ice rink as if it was about to eat him. But he stopped himself and spoke instead. ‘Uh, Jaejoong, I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll meet up with you later,’ said Changmin hurriedly as he quickly exited the rink. Luckily, Jaejoong couldn’t stop him.

‘Yah! Get your back here!’ Jaejoong yelled, almost losing balance on his skates. But Changmin ignored him as he quickly took off his skates and started running somewhere. Man, if I weren’t on this blasted ice, that guy would be in for a serious whacking, thought Jaejoong angrily.

X

‘Hey, Mei Ying!’ called Changmin as he ran towards her. She was currently at the café within the ice rink, holding two packs of food.

‘Oh! Changmin sunbae!’ So Eun said as she jogged over towards him.

‘There you are. By the way, what are we going to be doing the whole time? Watching them?’ asked Changmin.

‘Yes,’ replied So Eun. ‘That’s why I’ve bought these cakes.’

‘Oh, you didn’t have to,’ replied Changmin. ‘How much was it?’ asked Changmin as he took out his shiny black wallet. ‘No. You don’t have to pay me back. It wasn’t that expensive, and we’re friends,’ So Eun retorted rather sincerely. Changmin sighed and put his wallet back in his jean pocket. ‘Alright. Let’s go then,’ Changmin said as So Eun handed him one of the packs containing the cakes. Then they both walked to an empty table and spied on Jaejoong and Yoona.

X

Yoona was skating alone until she passed a familiar face. Jaejoong?  She wondered as she skated backwards with ease. Then she saw that it was really him, and he looked really miserable as well as frustrated. ‘Jaejoong?’ she asked. Then, Jaejoong turned and saw her and was about to topple over in shock.

But then she grabbed his arm just in time and tried to balance him. ‘Thanks,’ Jaejoong muttered while blushing. ‘No problem,’ Yoona replied.

‘What are you doing here?’ asked Jaejoong curiously.

‘Mei Ying invited me,’ Yoona replied. ‘What are you doing here all by yourself? You don’t really look like the type to be skating.’

‘Well, Changmin hyung dragged me here,’ Jaejoong answered, slightly cross.

‘Oh, okay,’ Yoona said in understanding. Then there was an awkward silence between them until Yoona decided to break it. ‘Hey, do you want me to teach you how to skate?’ she asked, smiling.

‘Uh…’ but before Jaejoong could answer, Yoona started telling him the do’s and do not’s of ice skating. Jaejoong pretended to understand everything when he didn’t even learn anything at all. This is why I hate school, Jaejoong said to himself, begrudged.

Then, Yoona taught him how to skate without tripping over, and it helped Jaejoong a lot. ‘Okay, slowly, left, right, left right,’ she instructed gently.

After about an hour, Jaejoong got the hang of it and he and Yoona started skating side by side. They were actually enjoying the night and didn’t realise how much time had flown by.

Then, Yoona did a little spin that mesmerised Jaejoong. ‘Beautiful…’ Jaejoong mumbled while staring at Yoona spinning gracefully. Then she stopped and the fireworks started to burst into a million colours in the sky. Yoona blushed under Jaejoong’s gaze as he skated slowly over to her.

‘Um, Yoona, I want you to know that. I… I… I l-love you,’ Jaejoong confessed while blushing a very bright red.

Yoona’s eyes went wide as she took that confession in. Then her eyes softened as she hugged him. Jaejoong stood frozen to the spot as the girl of his dreams embraced him. ‘Y-Yoona?’ Jaejoong asked timidly. But Yoona didn’t reply as she continued to hug him tight. Jaejoong in return, placed his arms around her as the fireworks boomed over them. Creating the perfect scene.

Meanwhile, Changmin and So Eun were leaning against the wall surrounding the ice rink. They both smiled lightly when they saw Jaejoong wrap his arms around Yoona and the fireworks going off. Then So Eun looked to the side to look at Changmin. He had that same expression she had when she was watching Jaejoong and Yoona. So Eun blushed lightly while she stared at Changmin’s handsome face. But then she looked worried as Changmin’s head turned to the side as if in pain.

‘Changmin sunbae?’ So Eun asked, concerned.

‘Oh, it’s nothing,’ Changmin replied her unasked question as he gave her a fake smile, but behind it, she saw longing and pain.

So Eun tried to smile back, but she was wondering what Changmin was pained about. But she tried to ignore that and enjoy this night as much as she could.

AN: YO! I’m sorry I updated really late but I had to go to this retreat with fellow Indonesian people. Anyway, I hope this chapter wasn’t that short and cheesy.

Anyway, I’ll try to update as I can to not keep you guys waiting! ^^