Author's Note: Hi everyone! I updated a few mistakes in the last chapter. The texts said they were sent in 2015, but as you can tell, this fic takes place in 2014. Also, some of the smiley faces were mysteriously J's, so I fixed them. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

November 9, 2014 1:09AM KST

Serri: Hakyeon-ah, I thought of another one. One night I went to a club where Yoohwan was dj-ing. It was fun to dance and party...but Yoohwan was drinking a lot. At the end of the night, I had to try to drag him home. He was so drunk...and at night...it doesn’t feel very safe around the clubs. I was really scared...While I was trying to get Yoohwan home, I lost a ring he gave me. He was really angry the next day...it was just a bad experience.

Hakyeon: thank you for sharing, Serri-yah :)

Hakyeon: Serri-yah, it’s really late. Please get some sleep!!

Serri: Aish, ok. You too!

November 9, 2014 1:016AM KST

Serri: are you coming to the party tomorrow night?

Hakyeon: yes. And it’s technically tonight because it’s one in the morning! Serri-yah, you need sleep!

Serri: Ya, alright! Goodnight, oppa :)

Hakyeon: Goodnight, Serri-yah :)

*          *          *

            “Now we’ll be together forever.”

            “Are you really sure?”

            “Darling…I’ve never been surer.”

            As the credits began to roll over the faces of Jiyul and Hongbin, Hyomin finally erupted into passionate sobbing.  She, Serri, Hakyeon, Jiyul, Hongbin, and Jiyeon struggled to fit around the television inside the Dal Shabet dorm’s living room.  Hyomin’s soft, gloomy OST began to play as Time Will Tell finally faded to black on the television screen.

            “Ah, unnie, don’t cry,” Jiyeon pleaded, wrapping her arms around Hyomin.

            “It’s just so powerful,” Hyomin sobbed quietly, wiping the tears from her face.  “Such a happy ending!”

            “Ah, I’ve never seen you so moved before, unnie,” Jiyeon insisted with a laugh.  “Calm down.”

            As soon as the commercials began rolling, Serri led the room in energetic applause.  Jiyul and Hongbin bowed their heads humbly, while Jiyeon, whose character had left the show a few episodes ago, turned to them and cheered as well.

            “Hongbin-ah, I must say, your acting has really improved!” Serri told excitedly.  “You’ve always been really good, but Jiyul and I have really noticed a great difference.  The other day, we were watching the Error music video, and Jiyul was crying her eyes out-”

            “Unnie,” Jiyul interrupted suddenly, smacking Serri’s arm.

            Serri noticed Jiyul’s flustered appearance and stopped abruptly.  She gave a small laugh before leaning on Hakyeon’s shoulder and checking Hongbin’s reaction.

            “It was a sad music video,” Hongbin grinned with red cheeks.  “All of the actors who worked on that video were very good.”

            “Well, anyway, congratulations to all three of you for completing your drama,” Hakyeon smiled.  He tapped Serri’s hand, and she immediately looked up at him.  “Will you go on a walk with me?”

            “Sure,” she answered, giving him a curious look.  “Let me get a jacket.”

            “I say we cook some more food!” Jiyeon announced, leaping up from the floor eagerly.  “And there are still so many cookies.  How did you make them, Jiyul unnie?  They’re so good!”

            “Thanks, Jiyeon-ah,” Jiyul replied gratefully, following her into the kitchen.

            Serri rose up from the couch and tip-toed into the hallway.  She could hear soft, pretty voices coming from Gaeun and Subin’s room.  As she passed the slightly open door, curiosity overwhelmed her, and she peeked inside.

            Taekwoon sat on Gaeun’s bed with her guitar, attempting to duck his head away from Subin’s bunk bed above him.  Gaeun sat on the ground near him, grinning up at his passionate expression as he sang and played.  Every few lines, Gaeun would join in with a harmony or two, and Taekwoon would grin adoringly at her.  When they finished singing, Gaeun gracefully rose toward him and gave him a fervent kiss.  Their passion surprised Serri, and she swiftly gasped and threw her hand over .

            “Taekwoon-ah!”

            Serri’s heart skipped a beat as she heard Hakyeon’s booming voice just behind her.  She turned around to find him looking into the room as well.  In a sudden panic, Serri pushed him down the hall into the living room.

            “What’s up, hyung?” Taekwoon asked, peeking his head out of Gaeun’s room. 

            “There are a bunch of cookies out here,” Hakyeon told casually.  “Please have some more.”

            Gaeun came up behind Taekwoon and put her head on his shoulder.  “Is something wrong, unnie?”

            “Nothing is wrong!” Serri insisted with a nervous smile.  “They’re going to cook some more food, though.  Please eat some more.”

            “Alright,” Gaeun replied with a carefree smile.  She took Taekwoon’s hand and led him toward the kitchen.  Though she seemed blissfully unaware of Serri’s alarm, Taekwoon sent a scowl toward Hakyeon.

            “Ah, Hakyeon-ah, why did you do that?” Serri sighed, dragging Hakyeon down the hall and into her room. 

            “It’s rude to leave the rest of the party alone,” Hakyeon stated simply, peering around Serri’s room.

            “Ya, they were being cute,” Serri smirked.

            As Serri looked through her closet for a jacket, Hakyeon smiled down at the various pictures and fan gifts on Serri’s bedside table.  Hello Kitty figurines, family portraits, and journals all rested only a foot away while she slept.  When she finally chose a jacket and a pair of gloves, she came up behind him and grabbed his arm.

            “What are you looking at, oppa?” she asked.

            “Is this your family?”  He pointed at a family of four surrounded by a shiny, silver picture frame. 

            “Yeah,” she smiled, staring at the picture with adoration.  “My mom and dad, and my big sister.  Aren’t we cute?”

            “You must have been used to being a little sister,” he chuckled.  “And now you’re the big sister of Dal Shabet.”

            “It makes me appreciate my sister much more.”  She picked up the picture and looked down at her family.  “I love them.”

            “Ya!  Hakyeon-ah!” 

            Serri and Hakyeon jumped at Taekwoon’s loud shout.  They looked out at Taekwoon and Gaeun in the hallway outside.  Taekwoon wore a devilish smirk Serri had never seen before, and Gaeun clung to his arm and gave an impish grin as well.

            “There are cookies out there, you guys,” Gaeun said, finally bursting into laughter.

            “We won’t tolerate any funny business going on in here,” Taekwoon assured, eyeing Serri and Hakyeon carefully.  “You’d better get back out there.”

            “Very funny, Taekwoon-ah,” Hakyeon said with gritted teeth.

            Serri simply laughed with Gaeun and finally pulled Hakyeon back into the living room.  Jiyul and Jiyeon were already cooking in the kitchen while Hyomin sat on the couch and wiped her tears.  Before they could even say goodbye, Hakyeon led Serri out the front door and down to the quiet streets of Seoul’s business district. 

            “Where are we going, oppa?”

            “Nowhere in particular,” he said, stopping at the bus station.

            “Does it have something to do with what I texted you this morning?”

            “Hmm…maybe…”

            When the bus arrived, Hakyeon quickly paid their fare and led them to two seats at the back of the bus.  Serri saw his cold, gloveless hands and swiftly took hold of them.  As she rubbed them gently, she rested her head on his shoulder.

            “Why are you doing this, Hakyeon-ah?” she questioned with a sigh.  “Why do you do so much for me?”

            His smiling lips grazed the top of her head.  “Your sad memories shouldn’t remain sad.  I want to replace them with new memories.  I want to change them into happy memories.”

            She looked up at his cheerful eyes as her heart beat faster and faster.  “Hakyeon-ah…we just finished watching a drama.  Why do you have to talk this way?”

            “Serri-yah,” he laughed quietly.

            “But, Hakyeon-ah…Every memory with you is a happy memory.”

            They looked outside and saw the bustling streets of the Gangnam District.  People struggled to carry the results of their shopping sprees.  Couples strolled along the road eating spicy rice cakes and other warm, delightful food.  As the bus got closer to the clubbing areas, the people outside appeared more glamorous, and much more intoxicated.

            When they stopped outside a less lively club on the edge of the Gangnam District, they quickly exited the bus.  As the chilly air hit Serri’s face, she felt a shiver fall down her spine.  But she knew it wasn’t from the cold.  The drunken people around her, the bright, colorful signs on the buildings: they all reminded her of Yoohwan.  This was his area of expertise.  He was the fun, exciting club DJ.  She had followed him to these places every once in a while, only to be more and more disappointed with him. 

            Hakyeon gave her a concerned look, and she quickly smiled up at him.  “This is really exciting part of town.”

            “It reminds you of him, doesn’t it?” he questioned, pushing her hair from her face.  “This whole atmosphere must remind you of him.”

            “It doesn’t matter,” she assured with a grin.  “We can go clubbing if you want.”

            “I don’t want to go clubbing,” he chuckled.

            She took his cold hands and rubbed them again.  “What do you want to do then?  Do you want me to try to drag you through the city streets as you drunkenly stagger about?”

            As he laughed, he raised both their hands up to his mouth and blew hot air onto them.  His hands still felt like stones through her gloves, and she finally placed them inside her jacket and around her waist.

            “Is that better?”

            He blushed and looked down at the ground, but his hands still remained on her waist.  “I guess…”

            “Ya, oppa, I feel like we already reenacted this date,” Serri chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

            “How so?”

            “The night you took me home,” she reminded.  “I was totally drunk, and you had to carry me into the dorm.”

            “Ah…like this?”

            He suddenly took her up in his arms like a child, causing her to give a loud scream.  As he spun her around a few times, she held onto him tightly and erupted into shrill laughter.

            “Ya, oppa!  Stop!”

            When he stopped spinning around, he still held her up from the ground.  She patted his flushed cheeks and smiled.  His brown hair barely peeked out from under his furry hat.  The brisk air turned his dark skin pale, and Serri just wanted to warm his frosty face.  As she leaned closer, she just wanted the cold to go away.  Closer...just to chase the chill away…

            Their icy, blue lips met.  Serri tightened her arms around his neck, and she felt him hold her even closer.  A bubble of warm, enchanting air seemed to wrap around them.  Even as their lips parted, Serri felt as if they would never truly separate.

            “Serri-yah,” Hakyeon whispered, his cloudy eyes filling with concern.  “Are you crying?”

            Serri brushed her cheek with her glove and saw it shine from the freshly wiped tear.  A smile grew on her face, and she hugged Hakyeon’s neck once more.  “Hakyeon-ah…I’m just so happy.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yes.”

            He finally placed her back on the ground, and she reluctantly let go of him.  They stood there in their bubble of heat for a moment as Hakyeon wiped another tear from her face.  After giving her a pleased grin, he took a small box from his pocket.

            “Serri-yah…I know you lost a ring that night,” he began slowly.  “So I have one more thing to add to this date.”

            He opened the box in front of her, revealing a small, silver ring.  It was set with a glimmering sapphire star.  Serri stared down at it with wide eyes full of shock.  hung open as she looked back up at Hakyeon.

            “Hakyeon-ah, this ring looks really expensive,” she started fretfully.  “You didn’t need to do this.”

            “I wanted to do it,” he replied.  “Maybe we’re not sure where we stand as a couple…But you really do mean a lot to me.  You mean more to me than what this ring is worth.  I want you to see it every day and know how much you’re worth, Serri-yah.  If for no other reason, please wear it to know that you’re worth more than jewelry or precious stones.”

            When she looked back down at the radiant ring, she let out a tiny squeal and began to sob.  Hakyeon panicked at the sight of her tears and placed his hand on her cheek.

            “Serri-yah, please don’t cry!” he begged.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring back painful memories.  I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

            “Hakyeon-ah,” she sighed, finally taking a deep breath and wiping her tears away.  “Hakyeon-ah…This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.  I just can’t believe it…”

            “Please believe it,” he implored, his grin returning.  “That’s all I want.”

            Serri stood on her tip-toes and gave him a long kiss on the cheek.  She quickly began to take the glove off her right hand.

            “Serri-yah, it’s cold.  Don’t take off your gloves-”

            Ignoring his words, Serri placed her glove in her pocket, took the ring, and placed it on her fourth finger.  Her heart raced in her chest as she looked at it.  Even as her hand began to feel numb, she didn’t mind it.

            “Serri-yah…”  Hakyeon looked down at the ring with a wide smile.  He finally looked into her eyes and took her hand.  “Let’s go somewhere warm now.”

            She took his frozen hand in her own and beamed up at him.  “What place could be warmer than this?”