“JUST GET IN.”

Okay.

The car fell into a super duper awkward silence. I was fidgeting nervously on my lap and I didn’t dare look up or look at him.

A tinny tiny curiosity crossed my mind though and before I could stop myself, I voiced it out.

“U-Uhm… Aren’t you still young… to have a driver’s license?” I glanced at him tentatively but quickly looked away as he glared at me for a while.

“Who said I have one?” Zelo said coldly. I snapped my head back to him.

“W-What?! You’re going to get us in trouble!”

“Do you see any police around here?” I just rolled my eyes at his rhetorical question then looked out the window. Great. I’m inside a car and a freshman is driving it with no permit.

“Don’t worry, I know how to drive or else we would be smashed in a tree ages ago,” I jerked my head at him not really amused at how he pointed that out.

“Thanks, that’s really comforting,” I said sarcastically.

“Just shut up.”

“And I still didn’t forget about that gym class. How could you betray your own team?” yes, call it childish but I won’t forgive him for that.

“Don’t really care. Get out we’re here,” he turned the engine off after parking and I could finally hear the faint pound of the music. He opened the car door and the sound grew louder as it flooded in. I looked out and instantly gaped at the house.

It was huge, probably up to third floor. The first floor windows were filled with dim but colorful lights. Some of the students were loitering outside, chatting. I knew Yongguk sunbae was rich but I definitely didn’t expect this. I stepped out of the car, still gaping at it.

“Will you stop that? It’s very unattractive,” I heard Zelo say as he grabbed my arm then pulled me towards the house. I could hear faint whispers all around us but I was still too busy admiring.

We crossed the porch then into the house, the music was loud and the people were louder. They were dancing on the living room on my far left and some guys were having a drinking bet on the kitchen on my right.

“Rule number one,” I heard Zelo say as he stepped in front of me, he was shouting a bit so I could hear through the loud music. “Don’t let Yongguk hyung or Eunji sunbae caught you. I wasn’t supposed to bring you here but I need to.”

He needs to? Why?

“Rule number two,” He continued. “Don’t ever… EVER drink anything from here or take anything that’s being offered to you. Understood?”

Wow. That’s the longest I’ve heard him talk.

I nodded in understanding. “What’s rule number three?”

“Nothing. That’s just it,” I rolled my eyes at him then stepped aside so I could look for Daehyun but he held my arm again.

Ugh. What now?!

“Before you go… take this,” he a piece of paper on my hand before letting me go and disappeared into the living room. I frowned at him then frowned at the paper in my hand.

If these are drugs I’m going to strangle him to death. Obviously they’re not. It was a note with something scribbled on it in a tiny, untidy hand writing.

Head to the third floor, my little troublemaker.

My heart was pounding against my chest louder than the music. My legs weakened so I leaned on the wall for support. I stared at the words and read it over and over.

My little troublemaker.

Why does this note screamed Bang Yongguk all over it? Okay calm down Jungmin. Think properly about this. I took steady breaths until I was relaxed.

First, Zelo would never give this note to me if it’s from Yongguk because he’s the one who said to avoid him in the first place. Second, he could be the one who wrote this but I don’t find any reason for him to do so because he looked like the person who doesn’t give a about me.

So the only person who could write this is…

No…

That can’t be… right?

I crumpled the piece of paper in my hand then pushed myself off the wall. I looked around for the stairs but this house is impossibly huge. I started to walk towards the hallway, pushing myself through dancing people and keeping my head down so no one would notice I was here. I darted my eyes around, looking for the stairs.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a sight of someone familiar and my eyes grew wide. I know that girl, where have I seen her again? I pondered as I stared at her. She seemed to notice me because she looked over my way then a shocked expression crossed her face as soon as she saw me.

An instant memory flashed my mind and I knew who she was. I noticed she was trying to end her conversation with someone then tried to get away but I was quick to grab her arm.

“What are you doing? Let go!” she struggled.

“No. Tell me why you were spying on me on the abandoned music room.”

“WHAT?! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb. It was you! You heard me confessing my feelings to Daehyun sunbae so you were going to tell it to him but I was there at that moment so you backed away,” my eyes turned into slits as I glared at her. The frown left her face as she finally recognized me.

“You think that was me? Well, apparently you were thinking wrong.”

“Huh?” wow nice reply.

“It wasn’t about you. It was family matters that I needed to talk about to Daehyun oppa.”

Oppa?!

“What? You called him sunbae—“

“I call him sunbae when we’re at school so no one would know I’m his cousin or else they would bother me with stupid questions about him.”

Okay, I clearly didn’t expect that.

“It was a personal matter so I can’t discuss it if there’s someone eavesdropping,” she continued her explanation.

“Then why did you look so surprised when you saw me? You even stayed back to spy on me behind the stairs.”

“Oh, that…” she chuckled, “I was surprised to see Daehyun oppa talking to a girl and I thought I was interrupting something important so I quickly backed away and—“

“And you spied on me because you were curious of what we were talking about or who I was,” I finished for her.

“Sorry…” she mumbled apologetically.

“If that’s not you then who was it?” I asked, frowning. The real culprit must still be out there somewhere.

“I don’t know. But… you said you were confessing about—“

“Shut it,” I cut her off and her smirk grew wider in a teasing way.

“Forget it…” I let go of her arm but then I remembered the note again. “Hey are you familiar with this house?”

“Yeah. It’s Yongguk oppa’s house. I always come here with Daehyun oppa before.”

“So do you know the stairs leading to the third floor?”

I stared at the end of the hallway, that girl left me here saying I only need to walk towards the right and I should find the stairs towards the third floor right there.

It was slightly dimmed, making me gulped hard as I cautiously made my way towards there. The faint sound of the music was fading away replaced by a creepy silence.

I wondered why she didn’t me all through there and I think I knew why. I feel like I was in some horror movie where a killer would appear and killed everyone inside the house. I smacked my palm across my head, cursing for thinking something like that.

I shouldn’t have listened to him and his weird note! What if it’s a trap? What if he’s leading me to their secret hideout and Yongguk would be there with a knife on his hand as he slit my—

“Jungmin stop it!” I hissed under my breath. I reached the end then turned to the right. I noticed the stairs going to the third floor. My palms begun to sweat, the piece of paper was already drenched in my hands as I slowly head upstairs.

This is a bad idea. I should never listen to them. They’re getting back at me for doing that to their leader. I reached the top of the stairs then took a peek at the deserted hallway. It was silent and there was no sign of life in here. Yep. Bad idea.

I was about to turn around when something caught my eyes. I did a double look before I noticed that it was a white rose sticking on the wall. I walked over it filled with curiosity. My eyes darted on the rolled piece of paper dangling on a red string and it was attached on the stem of the rose.

I plucked the rose from the wall then unrolled the paper. It was another note, only this time the handwriting was nice and neat.

That day I first saw you, you were so funny that I wanted to die from laughter. You really caught my attention and you looked cute when you blush by the way.

I gasped at the note, my heartbeat racing faster. I peeked at the hallway again and only now did I notice another white rose about a meter away. I went over it then plucked it, another note was dangling from it and I quickly unrolled it.

You’re really different from every other girl and I can’t stop thinking about it. Whenever I pass on the hallways, you would avert your gaze and it saddens me. Why can’t you look at me?

Now I remember those times I would meet them on the hall, he was looking at me but I would be the first one to avoid my gaze. My heart really wants to jump from my rib cage right now. I walked forward until I saw another rose sticking on the end of the hall.

That day on the cafeteria… I really thought you would apologize to hyung and cower in fear like everybody does. I was watching you silently but you pushed him away and even tripped him on the mud. I was in awe, you really are interesting and funny.

My legs started to weaken but I still continued, I looked around until I spotted the next rose on the left corridor. I quickly ran towards it.

On the same day… I heard a beautiful melody when I was walking on the third floor. It came from the old music room. I was hypnotized by the lovely music. I didn’t know who it was but I ran away before I was caught. I felt bad that day because I found someone as interesting as you, maybe more than that. I was instantly attracted to whoever was playing on that piano. Judging by the sound, I knew it was a girl.

Wait… crap… it was him?! Seriously? No kidding? How did it turn out like this? I followed another rose. I didn’t know where it was leading but I followed it.

I came back to that same old music room and I heard someone singing. The most beautiful and angelic voice I have ever heard and… I instantly fell in love with the owner of that lovely voice but again, I ran away before I got caught.

He fell in love with it? He doesn’t even know it’s me, does he? That idea pained my heart but I still moved on to the next.

I hid behind the stairs so I could catch a glimpse of whoever she is. And you can’t imagine the look on my face when I saw you sprinting down the stairs and looking around. My world stopped and the only thing I could hear was my heart beating.

Crap. I remember now. He came from behind me on that hallway, he didn’t run away so that explains why he was right behind me. The puzzle was slowly fitting in now as I moved towards the next rose.

You know you’re really clumsy right? But I’m thankful that you’re clumsy or else I wouldn’t notice your dark brown eyes when we fell on the floor. Now that I knew you and my mystery girl are the same, I can’t help but to stare at you that time. I was creepy, wasn’t I? Kkkk.

Yeah… and you turned me into a puddle when you didn’t get up and kept staring at me. I smiled widely as I took the next rose right next to the staircase.

On that gym class, I could sense your determination to win and it attracted me more. Yes, I purposely passed you the ball because I want to see my little troublemaker kick hyung’s and you did. Although it wasn’t his but still, that was amazing! You really are different.

I ignored the tingles on my body as I read ‘my little troublemaker’ because it sounds so possessive. I glanced up the stairs wondering where it would lead to since this is already the top floor. A white rose was sticking on the door, it was a short walk from the stairs.

I followed my instincts towards the library hoping I would find you there. You don’t know how much my heart fluttered when I heard that same soft, angelic voice singing from the back. I followed it and saw you sitting there and that’s when I thought… I like you Jung Jungmin.

I froze at the name mentioned. He knew my real name? For the first time in school, someone knew my real name aside from all those nicknames. I could feel tears swelling up but I pushed it back, I don’t want to be emotional right now.

I stared at the nine white roses I collected in my hand, all of them had a dangling note. I stared at the door in front of me, something tells me he would be just beyond this door, waiting for me.

Jung Daehyun…. Saranghae…

The words I said at the music room echoed in my mind then I widened my eyes. If he was there that time then… he heard it right? He knows… I like him and… he… likes me too…

I reached the cold doorknob with shaking finger then slowly pushed it open.

The first thing that hit me was the slight strong gust of the cold air and my hands shot up immediately to cover my bare arms. I slowly looked up and my jaws fell.

The view was breathtaking, I was standing on the rooftop and it looked like a wide patio except the tiled roof was visible and reachable on the side.

I took a step forward and my jaw fell wider as I noticed a round table covered with white silk tablecloth complete with all dining utensils lying on top of it. There were two chairs on each side and to make it more romantic, white rose petals were scattered on the ground.

Since the only source of light here was from the light bulb perched on top of the rooftop door, white and blue scented candles were spread out the whole place, illuminating the place with a pleasant and calm setting. The faint music could be heard from below.

This is something you could only see in romance movies but its here right now, in front of me. I was too busy admiring the scene that I didn’t notice someone creeping up behind me.

My vision went black when I felt a soft hand covering my eyes. Another hand went on my left arm, urging me to move forward which I did. I want to speak, I want to say something but my voice was caught up in my throat. I could feel his warm breaths at the back of my neck and I knew he was really close.

We suddenly stopped and he slowly lowered his hand. I blinked twice before finally digesting the magnificent view unfolding right in front of me.

He led me to the edge of the railings and I could see the whole city illuminated with different colored lights. It took my breath away as I admired it in awe.

“It’s… It’s beautiful,” I breathed out, leaning in more closer and taking a deep breath of fresh air.

“Like you,” I heard him whisper behind me and I momentarily forgot that he was still standing there. I quickly turned around then gazed up at him. I blushed from the closeness then took a few steps backward but my back was already pressed against the railings.

To say he was handsome was an understatement. He was gorgeous, like a prince ripped out from a fairytale book. Every inch of him made the butterflies in my stomach dance.

His black hair was neatly combed; a few strands fell over his eyes, giving him a mysterious aura. The dark eyeliner around his eyes made him look extremely y, his chestnut brown eyes were shining against the moonlight, giving them an extra glow and his full soft lips was pulled up in a wide closed smile.

That’s not it, he was wearing a black leather pants, white tank top that I could almost see the contour of his well defined chest through the thin material and black leather jacket with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows. He looked so perfect that I appeared too underdressed in front of him.

It really is him… He’s standing right here in front of me.

Is it another dream?