Fans huddled outside a café. Their screams reverberated throughout the locality. A buzz of excitement permeated throughout the vicinity. It was enough to cause heads to turn, and people to point and whisper. Most smiled, while some shook their head, and others nodded understandingly recalling their youth.

Curiosity grew inside Hana and threatened to drag enthusiasm with it until she remembered she was still angry. Sort of… The earlier rage had mostly subsided. She had never been one to stay mad for long. It was something that bothered her at most times, but today was not one of those days.

Instead she stared at the lettering that spelt ‘Coffee Cojjee.’ Her eyes grew wide in wonder, and a smile lit her once furious expression. She drew a sharp breath, and her legs did rest of the work without trying. She rushed to see what the commotion was about, while garnering suspicions of her own.

Her guess was correct because there stood the Kim Jaejoong, in the flesh! Hana’s mouth formed an ‘O’ shape as she regarded her idol fondly. He wore glasses, a hat and a mask but even those accessories refused to mask his alluring aura.

Hana froze in place, rooted to her spot as she stared. Sehun tugged at her arm urging her to answer a question she’d ignored.

Euphoria whooshed through her at the speed of light making her squeal like the girls around Jaejoong.

She clutched Sehun’s arm to keep herself upright as she bounced on her toes, “Look! Look! Look! It’s Kim Jaejoong!”

Sehun knew who it was. Any idiot could spot the idol in question. He was popular for reasons Sehun failed to understand.

“So?”

Sehun pursed his lips and started at her waiting for an elaboration, but she continued to ignore him with stars in her eyes. His eyes narrowed briefly as he spied the idol, and then his girlfriend.

‘What the hell?’ Sehun sighed. This would take a while, but that didn’t mean he was planning to wait until she was ready to part with her superstar. He waved his hand in front of her face only to have it slapped away without a glance.

Sehun’s eyes twitched. He brushed the rejection away pretending it didn’t just happen. She was too star-studded to realize what she was doing, Sehun convinced himself. She would never dismiss him, or at least not like that.

“Let’s go.” He tugged at her childishly hoping she’d concur, and they could avoid the mass of teenage girls who, at this point, were harassing the entertainer to give autographs and selcas. It was the perfect mess, and Sehun wanted no part in it.

His feat didn’t work however, so he ransacked his brain for more excuses. He felt his pride bruise over a few dozen times, each time he was ignored. It made him seem like a needy child asking for something, and this displeased him too.

“I have a stomach ache!” Sehun protested eventually. He rested his forehead against Hana’s shoulder, and pouted. For how much longer could she blank him? He wasn’t used to this treatment. Was she conditioning him for something? He wished he knew because he couldn’t take much more.

His insides burned in repulsion and all brainwaves pointed to Jaejoong as the cause. The only problem was that there was no need to be jealous of the idol boy who looked as if he would barely survive in his fans claws.

“I’m not feeling well!” Sehun exhaled rather pitifully.

At least his girlfriend wasn’t joining them. That would have knocked the last bit of ego from him. He was already being disregarded like a tool. Did she even like him? He’d just complained of illness, but she’d dismissed him again! None of his protests had worked against her! Was she a steel wall?

Sehun was a bad liar, and Hana knew it too. She patted his head, and played along to this new concept.

“You’ll feel better soon,” she assured him. “I want to get a selca with Jaejoong oppa.”

It shredded his last bit of confidence. Sehun grit his teeth and stood upright. He ran his fingers through his hair at the callous embarrassment he was being forced to feel. It was not like him to get jealous, at least not at an singer.

“Do you really love me?” He queried in a detached tone. He refused to look at her for causing indents in his heart.

Hana finally looked at him. He could feel her gaze against the side of his face. It made him uncomfortable. Heat rose from his neck to his ears, making him clear his throat in defense. What was wrong with him?

He probably looked like an injured puppy in her eyes! And this thought made him clench his jaw in disapproval.

Hana kissed his cheek, “I’ll be right back!” She promised and made her way into the crowd leaving behind a disdainful Sehun.

“What does that pretty boy have that I don’t?” He sniffed. “I’m taller than that old guy,” he mumbled incoherently. He wanted to throw a tantrum. It was childish and quite unlike his stoic persona. So he did what he thought was best, and hurried after his girlfriend.

Kim Jaejoong had been tying to get out of his coffee shop without much avail. The persistent fans kept blocking his exit. He could hardly yell at them for it. Normally, he appreciated their affection but he was in a rush, and they weren’t helping his cause. They just wouldn’t budge!

As much as he loved his fans, sometimes they were too much to handle. He needed to visit the hospital because his pregnant sister’s water had broken, but the fans’ just wouldn’t let up.

He was trying to be polite about it, but they were ever zealous. He could hardly curse them for it although, sometimes they pushed his buttons.

As Hana veered closer her expression faded into a scowl. She stopped in her tracks, and turned around only to bump into Sehun.

“What’s wrong?” Sehun questioned regarding the look on her face. “Did that pretty boy say something to upset you?”

Hana shook her head, “Jaejoong oppa won’t like it if I bother him.”

Sehun pressed his lips together. He glared from pretty-boy Jaejoong and the crazy girls. For a moment, he was reminded of his demented fan club and then something snapped inside of him.

Whatever it was, he wasn’t himself in the period he yelled at the fans and told them to get a life.

“-Stop bothering other people! Just because they’re nice to you, you think you can do !-”

Sehun’s tirade continued until the pent up steam inside him hissed to a close.

The superstar stared too. No one had ever thought to lecture his fans as Sehun was doing! However, he was glad all the same. At least, someone was bothering to take action.

The fans weren’t too pleased. They were rather annoyed at Sehun for admonishing them. They narrowed their eyes to glare at him, but this behavior was soon upturned upon the discovery that Sehun was handsome.

Hana tugged at Sehun’s sleeve conscious of all the eyes watching them. Being stared at had become a trauma for her ever since her days as a wangta. It made her remember things she wished to forget, and it made her frantic to think that events could repeat. However ridiculous it sounded, she was afraid.

“Stop it!” She warned quietly praying he would listen to her and leave the scrutiny of fans.

“No! You’re a fan too, but you noticed that guy didn’t want to be bothered, and kept your distance. People like them need to understand that.” Sehun waved at the mob recalling every time he’d ever been bothered by people who called themselves ‘fans.’ They weren’t even fans! A quick glance told him they were all fanatic.

Sehun’s restlessness had sparked a new wave of attention.

“Are you a model?”

“Are you an idol?”

“Are you a trainee?”

Like so, a cluster of girls encapsulated him. They found it ‘cute’ that he was giving them advice on how to act in public. It was advice that would be wasted on them, but that didn’t hinder it from being ‘adorable.’

Hana was overwhelmed when the fans began to ask Sehun for selcas. This ripple of recognition was stunning because each look cast his way was followed by peek at her. It brought forth the ghosts of her past, and her chest tightened. She gripped Sehun’s sleeve feeling lightheaded.

Sehun was in no mood for selcas. The suggestion enraged him. Hadn’t they listened to what he’d just said?! His breath had been wasted because they were a wall he couldn’t conquer. They thought what they wanted, and ignored what they didn’t care for. Why did he bother trying? His attempt at social justice had just given Jaejoong time to slip away while fan attention had been swerved to him.

“No. I’m not someone whose about to debut. I’m not a model, or an ulzaang, or an actor. I’m a student.”

His angry tone did nothing to simmer the excitement.

“What school do you go to?” They demanded to know.

Sehun pressed his lips together refusing to speak to them. The more he tried to explain himself the animated they became. It was infuriating.

“Let’s get out of here,” Hana pleaded with moist eyes.

“Who is she?”

“She’s not even pretty!”

“Why is she acting all possessive?”

“This is my girlfriend,” Sehun introduced pulling her closer to him. As if to prove a point, he gave her a quick kiss, and smirked at her shocked expression.

His eyes calmed her hysterical heart. An assuring warmth replaced the coldness. Her tears dried in her eyes. She wasn’t alone...

“Are you okay?” Sehun asked, quietly brushing her hair out of her face.

Hana blushed noticeably, and bobbed her hear, still wary of the others that watched her.

“If you guys want a selca, you’ll have to take one with both of us. We come as a pair.” Sehun proclaimed to the hoard with his orbs still on Hana.

Sehun Hana’s pink cheek making her cover her face with her hands. This made him chuckle, and he wasn’t the only one. The fans laughed too, adding to Hana’s embarrassment.

-

Sehun and Hana sat at a table in Coffee Cojjee. The security ordered by Jaejoong had arrived late. Dallying fans had been evicted from the premise, but not before acknowledging Sehun as an ‘ideal boyfriend.’

Hana stared at her menu, but didn’t really see anything. She was exhausted after all the smiling she’d done for strangers. It occurred to her that she and Sehun had taken no pictures of their own, yet had smiled for other peoples selcas. Her jaw was tired from gaping like a statue, and she was sure that Sehun’s frown meant the same thing.

Still, she couldn’t help but recall how charming he’d been when he’d introduced her as his girlfriend. It hurt to smile so she settled for a small, satisfied smirk.

Sehun raised his brows at the menu. The drinks seemed oddly exquisite and showy. They didn’t agree with him who liked to blend into the shadows. As much as he tried, the shadows seemed to dislike him because he always ended up in the limelight like a doll on display.

After the pictures, he wanted nothing more but to rest in isolation, somewhere he wouldn’t be asked to talk, or humor someone. However, he was still on a date… Perhaps he could steal Hana with him on his journey to seclusion. It was an idea he was willing to humor.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” Sehun asked blinking blankly.

“For liking me.”

Sehun grinned despite his aching jaw. “Well, in that case I have to thank you too, for giving me a chance.”

He reached for her hand and clasped it in his, intertwining their fingers.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“No. I was never really mad at you.”

“I’m sorry if I ever said things that hurt you. I actually don’t want stop spending time with you. You’re clumsy as it is. You need someone to keep an eye on you.”

Hana wondered what he meant by that. Was he planning to become her savior? Who did he think he was, Jesus Christ? For a moment she just frowned. Was she paving a path for herself as a damsel in distress? Was that why he’d hurt himself, to protect the ‘fair lady?’

‘I can take care of myself!’ The thought sounded bratty in her head. After all, she’d failed to do that not long ago.

She decided to become more proactive, so she wouldn’t hear such words from him. She was capable. She just hadn’t shown it, but she was well able…

She hadn’t always been painfully timid. Bullying had made her like that.

‘Maybe it’s time for Sleeping Beauty to wake up?’ Hana sighed. It was easier said than done. She felt like a caged bird each time someone looked at her the wrong way. Would it be so easy to go back to the carefree days?

-

Sehun didn’t know what a fangirl was, well he had the gist of it, however he wasn’t prepared for this side of Kim Hana.

He didn’t think she would take picture, upon picture, upon picture… Was she trying to make a mountain?

She blanked him completely as she snapped away. Sehun reckoned it was his fault…

He was the one who’d accidently stood up for the pretty-boy idol. In return, Jaejoong had gifted them with free drinks, of their choice, and that was why Hana was taking pictures to glorify the moment.

Sehun nodded with his arms crossed. Definitely, it was definitely a result of his action. Had he not learnt anything up till now? Putting his hands into the wrong washbasin had always brought unsatisfying results. It happened in school already, but now the disease was spreading.

Sehun was left to contemplate to himself. Would she chose Kim Jaejoong over him? That certainly seemed the case from her demeanor. She was visibly taking pictures from each angle of their coffees and cakes.

Sehun thought he would be full from just watching her. He imagined his coffee would expire but Hana would still not be finished with her photo-album.

“My drinks getting cold!” Sehun whined slouching in his seat. He had already been taught that reaching for his cup would earn him a glare.

“Stop complaining! It doesn’t matter if it gets a little cold. You can just buy a new one. It’s not everyday that Jaejoong oppa lets me have drinks on the house!”

Sehun massaged his forehead. There was that word again. He wondered why it had to be Jaejoong of all people who reminded him that Hana had yet to call him ‘oppa.’

‘Sehun oppa,’ what would that term sound like passing from her lips?

He was left to daydream about it. His thoughts were that of clouds and rainbows. He wasn’t going to beg her to call him that! That would be weird, but if he didn’t ask would she ever add the prefix to his name?

The possibility was low, like the chance of rain on a clear sky. He recounted their birthdays and confirmed that he was older, so why? Why didn’t she call him ‘oppa?’

-

“It’s cold!” Sehun moaned sinking further into his seat. He sent Hana an accusing stare to illustrate his displeasure.  How could coffee turn cold on a warm day? It was beyond him. Undoubtedly the nefarious Jaejoong was at work. That man must have been a magician of sorts. Sehun knew the idea was preposterous, but how else could a man possess a face that made the average girl look like Frankenstein? It was magic, black magic!

Again, not for the first time today, she brushed him off as if he were just a child. Sehun pressed his lips together in irritation. He was aware of his outward behavior too, and despite everything his inner thoughts were degrees more whiny than he voiced. How would she react if she knew what he was thinking?

Hana was too busy to read Sehun’s physiognomy. A giant smile stamped her features, and Sehun couldn’t help think that she was fantasizing about Jaejoong.

The notion made Sehun twitch. He’d had enough of his nemesis. The very nemesis that’d swiped his heart when he hadn’t been looking and was now using it as a free bankcard. He’d lost his value...

He nudged her from under the table. Anything to bring her back to reality, and to him.

“What are you thinking about?”

Hana broke out of her daze. She blinked at him as if she’d forgotten he’d been there all along. She smiled that melliferous smile that made Sehun’s heart flutter. Her elbow rested on the table and her chin dipped into the curve of her palm.

“Today was the best day of my life,” Hana declared with a content sigh.

‘Oh, and I suppose that’s because of the makeup-wearing pretty boy?’

Hana sensed Sehun’s mood drop. His hand receded like the tide. A thin line had replaced his mouth, and his eyes were downcast.

She questioned what the problem was in her head, sensing that asking aloud would only antagonize him.

After much thought, she his leg with her foot and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” came the dry response.

“Did you enjoy today?”

“Why is it your favorite day?” He suddenly asked jerking up in his seat to give her his undivided attention.

Hana blushed, and cleared under his watchful gaze.

“Well,” she began as her cheeks grew warmer forcing her to regroup her posture, and digress for time by running her fingers through her hair.

“I loved it,” she admitted meeting his eyes. “We had our first date, and I kind of met Jaejoong oppa… Good stuff happens to me when I’m with you. You must be my lucky charm.”

Sehun’s grumpy attitude was forgotten. He smirked despite himself. A wave of gratitude thanked her for her hindsight. He was just delighted she hadn’t ended her sentence with Jaejoong’s name on her lips.

“You’ve got to keep your charm with you then. No falling for other guys.”

“I won’t fall for them because you’re already trapped me.”

“Yeah right… I’m constantly going to worry from now on. You’re sharing the same house as your first love. It’s nerve wracking. I feel like I’m going to lose you.”

Hana traced the mouth of her cup with a smile. “You won’t lose me because I really like you.”

“I really like you too. Promise, you’ll stay with me for a very, very long time?”

 “Are you proposing right now?”

“It’s a teaser. The actual proposal should come with a wedding ring, a proper one.”

“So, I will have to wait a few years till then.”

“Be patient with me. I’ll buy you the best one.”

“I don’t need a fancy ring, though. A loving husband should be enough.”

“You say that now, but you might think otherwise later.”

“I’m not materialistic. I’m more of a romanticist.”

Sehun jokingly sighed exaggeratedly into his hands. “You’re one of those hard-to-please ones then?”

Hana pursed her lips at his teasing, and said, ”You’ll need to be very romantic if you want to make me happy.”

“I’ll do just that then.” Sehun agreed, all grievances forgiven.

“What would you want your girlfriend to do in exchange?”

“I’d like if you stayed the same. I like the current Hana. An altered version wouldn’t be the same.”

Hana pouted feeling slighted, “You can tell me! I won’t get offended by it.”

“Oh really?” Sehun asked with a mock serious expression. “I’d like for you to stop fangirling over that washed-out idol in front of me. I feel like I’ve been kicked out in the rain every time you do that.”

Hana tittered a laugh, “No! I would never kick you out!”

“If you could either shelter me, or him from the wind and pouring rain, who would it be?” Sehun queried. His eyes pleaded with her to chose him.

“That’s a silly question!” Hana exclaimed. “I’d keep you both. Shelters are big enough to squeeze us all in.”

“No! It’s only big enough for two people!” Sehun protested.

Hana scratched her head, and thoughtfully replied, “The two of you can stay there then.”

Sehun’s eyes widened like saucers. “You’d go out in the wind, and rain?”

Hana shrugged. “A bit of wind and rain wont bother me.”

Sehun frowned and clicked his fingers. “I’ll stay with you then. I wouldn’t let you stay in a storm by yourself!”

‘Jaejoong oppa would never let me out in the storm. He would give up his spot for me like a gentleman.’

With the coffee date coming to a close, the duo decided to head home with memories they would fondly recall.

“Are you into the commoner ways?” Sehun asked thinking back to the train.

“I’m open minded. Not everyone is born with the world in their hands. Although we can get chauffeurs to bring us home, we should enjoy other things that life has to offer.” Hana answered honestly.

“I understand that.” He stated taking her hand in his. “How do you know all these things? Where did you ever get the time to learn them? How did your parents react to taking public transport?” Sehun bombarded.

“My parents are fine with it. My dad used to be a commoner at one point before he got his job in office.”

“That was ages ago, probably before you were born.” Sehun rolled his eyes.

Hana only giggled. “My parents don’t mind.”

“Our parents would flip their lid, and think we’d been kidnapped or something,” Sehun muttered darkly.

Whilst they laughed among themselves, someone followed them from across the street, and when they stopped at the bus stop a crook stared before heading to his vehicle.

 Ignorance is often called bliss, and perhaps it was fortunate that the young couple didn’t notice an old battered car tailgating the bus they were on. The car followed it until Sehun and Hana got off.

-

Sehun was chirpier now that he was on land, and back in his comfort-zone. Had he known he was being spied on, he might not have thought such things.

“I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”  Sehun pressed his lips against hers. Temporarily breaking away from reality, his heartbeat quickened at the contact his lips made with hers.

He wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to the elated feeling he had when he was with her. It only spiraled out of control when they kissed. It was addictive, and so was she. He didn’t want to let her leave, although they were at her doorstep his hands refused to part from her waist.

To detach himself the following words were necessary, “I’ll drag Kai to the library too since he’s a good teacher.” The sentence was enough to make his arms drop. The idea of letting Jongin spend time with his girlfriend wasn’t exactly appealing to Sehun.

“You’re a really good fiancé, always taking care of me.” Hana embraced him, carefully memorizing the minor details from his outline, to his scent, to the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She cherished the last few seconds before parting.

“Not really. I’m good to you, because you’re you, but… If you hold me, I’ll have a hard time letting go.”

Hana nodded and released him. The heat from him still lingered where she’d held him. She left with it a tingle of longing.

Sehun gave her another kiss before parting. This one was brief and fleeting like the wind. Any deeper and he would have stuck to her like glue. That wasn’t very attractive at all.

“Dream about me!” He winked, and waved. He relished the thought that it was likely for her to feel what he felt. Lately, he was becoming as sticky as a starfish. He wanted to appear enigmatic. However, he was sheading his barrier more often with her around. For the shield to drop specially for her, Sehun decided she might possibly be ‘the one.’

A camera shutter clicked rapidly capturing as many moments as it could. A crude smile formed and the villain rubbed his chin. How would Sehun’s fan club take this news? Would it be enough to tear the young couple apart?

Truth be told, there was an essay that had to remain unwritten. Reality could present itself, and that meant danger for more than just one person. No one was supposed to pry open the mystery of Yang’s death. Her parents believed she ran away, a fabrication had been presented to them.

No one would be the wiser, not when the police was in on it too…

This is a belated Valentines Day gift haha. It was meant to come out on Valentines, but I was busy and had no time till now to finish it. This update is very rom-com lolz. I'm sure lots of you will like it. Did anyone count the number of kisses? Who can guess how many? Hehe.

 Don't forget though, there is an underlying danger throughout this chapter. Sehana have a stalker. See, if it were the teacher, I'd have said, but its a different person. Doesn't this mean that there are plenty of people who are trying to cover up a crime?

That same crime is the one Sehun wants put in an essay. Now what do you think these 'hidden' people are going to do? They're obviously not going to sit home and watch Inkigayo, that's for sure. They'll probably want their dirty secret to stay secret. The only thing is, how will they go about it? Don't forget, these people technically have a hand in Yang's murder. They're dangerous...