Listen to Cafe Latte (remix) by Geeks : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_1MyxmGCoY

During the drive to college, I found the texture of the atmosphere changing, like a sudden shower being replaced by a burst of sunshine. And that's exactly what had happened. Sunshine Woohyun was back.

I shifted in my seat so that I was boldly staring at his profile, his cheeks puffing up as he whistled to the soft R&B song playing on the radio. 

"Is this part of being a kitsune?" I asked. Woohyun turned to look at me, still whistling and raised his eyebrows as if to ask, 'What?'

"This," I said, waving at him. "Mood-swings."

The whistling didn't stall and Woohyun rolled his eyes. Finally, after a while he said, "But being a kitsune does have some benefits."

"Like?"

Woohyun gave a cheeky grin and I was relieved to have my cousin returned to me. "Did you really think I was sweating it out at the gym? For this?" He glanced down at his praise-worthy body. I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what he meant. After comprehending his word, my jaw fell slack. "So when you find out about your kitsune identity," I said, "you buff up?"

Woohyun caught my expression and cackled. "Thank god I shifted back to Verdelann after the transformation," he said, shaking his head, his eyes bright. "I don't think I would want Yoona to see me as the chubby dyslexic kid who was bullied like hell."

My eyebrows furrowed at what he said. "You know Woohyun," I said, carefully treading on the topic. "Yoona isn't exactly single---"

"Of course she is! She told me she wasn't dating anyone." He looked at me expectantly but when I didn't say anything else, he just shrugged. 

My mind rolled the words around and with a mischievous smile, I said, "But that means you'll lose your reincarnation status."

Woohyun blinked, looking uncomfortable. "Yeah well," he sighed. "Yoona's worth it, really. Believe the man who died three times without anyone by his side."

The thought of Woohyun already having died previous times made me squirm and I saw my frowning reflection from the side-mirror. "We'll figure out something," I murmured and I heard my cousin let out a soft chuckle.

Soon, we were at the north entrance which was closest to the fest preparations. We could hear the loud music booming from the speakers and the reverb pulled me out of all the paranormal  elements I had been submerged in for the forty-eight hours. There was a college fest, a town fund-raising event about to happen. Humans were participating, I thought but gave a shifty glance to Woohyun who was helping an embarrassed junior to carry some boxes of props.

Or maybe not, I thought again and began walking towards to where the stage was set up. 

Yoona was right at the centre, the sharp choreography working in line with her fluid moves. I was in awe of my best friend's skill and for a moment, let myself be enraptured by Yoona the performer. However, seconds after the song ended, she caught me staring at her and widened her eyes. I lifted my hands, ready to cover my ears.

"SAYAA!!!!!!!" Yoona squealed like a baby and skipped off the steps to jump into my arms. I was thrown off my stance for a while, only to laugh and hug her back. 

"I missed you," I said and smiled. Forget secrets, if there was anything Yoona didn't want to tell me, she had a reason for that. And sometime later, we would talk about it. But it didn't trump the fact that she was a wonderful and extremely supportive person. 

Yoona pulled apart, holding me at little less than an arm's distance. She began searching my face, open in a wide grin. She was about to say something when something covered her. 

"Woohyun!" I exclaimed. But my cousin knew no better and continued hanging onto her like a bereaved puppy. 

"Yoona~~" he sang and she rolled her eyes then scowled. Just when she was about to push him off, he stood back and beamed down at her. 

"I don't know whether to cry because I missed you or because you pain me with your beauty." He let out a sigh and with a burning gaze, smiled down at her. It seemed to have some positive effect on Yoona, though I was behind both of them trying to resist a gag reflex. 

"I-I-I," she stammered, as red as a tomato. I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Seriously?" I muttered and pushed Woohyun away. "I missed my friend. Now go off and charm someone else, we have catching up to do."

Woohyun gave a salute and in a mocking tone, said, "Aye, aye, Captain!"

Ignoring him, I pulled Yoona away and like old times, we linked our arms with each other. But after a few moments of skimming over Yoona's rushed details about the delay in fest dates, a sinking feeling took over.

I had to tell her. 

"Yoona?" I interrupted her. She stopped talking and looked at me, the shine in her eyes vanishing.

"Hey," she said in a soft tone. We were standing in the amphitheater now and as her concerned look hung on her, she pulled me down to sit on the steps. "What's wrong?"

I swallowed and after throwing away all resistance, looked her in the eye. "I have something to tell you."

                                                                ***************************************************

Listen to Sunflower by SNSD : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImKmdrlsZHU

At first, Yoona was in denial. She tried to look confused, then scared and in between, she would shake her head and murmur, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I sighed. I had already told her about how Jaejoong and I were Fated, how Key had given me all the belongings that his ancestors had hidden for the Arthurs and lastly, how Woohyun was a kitsune. 

She was still reeling in shock and suddenly I wondered whether she really had been unaware of all this. I did remember Top telling me that the prosecutor and his children knew about them, but concern shifted to anxiety and I slowly scooted towards Yoona.

"Yoona--"

She raised her hand, then looked at me. Her eyes were burning in mine but I didn't look away. After what seemed like a horrid moment of silence, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

I widened my eyes. "What?"

Suddenly Yoona burst into tears and to my shock, she collapsed on the ground. She wrapped her arms around herself like a cocoon and begna howling out apologies. I placed my hands on her arms and lifted her, but Yoona was resistant.

"I was sick," she hiccuped and I blinked at her. 

"Sick?" I asked, nervousness coiling up inside me. "Sick where? When? Yoona---"

She shook her head, letting me know that I had got her wrong. "I-I-I... I was sick o-of ly-lying." Her words made her explode again and this time, I embraced her and brush my hand against her hair.

Yoona continued crying for a while and in between, I even caught sight of Hyoyeon and Key. I shook my head, preventing them from moving any closer. Key seemed to understand and took the confused Hyoyeon away. A little while later, Woohyun saw us and as I saw him gazing at Yoona's body, wracking with the rhythm of her cries, I had to accept that my brother had fallen in love with my best friend. 

Once Woohyun left, Yoona seemed to calm down and slowly, she rubbed her face with her hand. She looked embarrassed and glanced up at me. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were bloated and moist.

"It's me," I softly reminded her and she nodded. Our heads shot up at the sound of footsteps, though I sighed the moment I found it to be Woohyun. 

Yoona's reaction was interesting. She gave him a once-over glance and then with a considerate smile, thanked him for the tea he had got for us two. I took my cup and winked at him. 

"You serve well," I . Yoona found the joke offensive but Woohyun pouted and waved me off. He slipped his hands inside his pockets and walked away, throwing a wistful glance at the girl next to me. 

Oh Woohyun, I thought and sighed. 

After a few sips of the tea, Yoona was back to normalcy -- or at least whatever she could muster to speak. 

"When I first saw the Arthurs, it was over some professional matter. Aiden and Zico had come over to Dad's office to settle some legal obstacles and I was---"

Suddenly, like she had achieved some sort of revelation, she looked at me curiously. "I bet Jaejoong already told you this story."

I nodded with a sheepish smile. "You skipped school to come back home early."

Yoona flushed and smiled a little."So I guess... you know... everything?"

She peeked at me and I nodded, not sure about whether I should be happy or sad. 

"You shouldn't have cried like that," I said, after a stunning silence passed us. Yoona frowned and pursed her lips. 

"You won't understand..." she said and I stopped her. 

"You love Aiden, right? Is that what this is about?" 

My words reached her like a charm. It was crazy how his name brightened up her face but the underlining knowledge of their hopeless future made her look years older. I could feel the sting of sympathy hitting me in my chest and I shook my head.

"You're not responsible for him," I murmured in a reassuring voice. "The same way he isn't responsible for you. I know how much this hurts, both of you loving each other but not being Fated."

Yoona froze and stared at me. "What did you say?"

I stalled, sensing a mistake on my part. "Wait. I thought you--"

"Aiden...." Yoona couldn't find the words and with trembling lips, she said, "Aiden loves me?"

Oh no.