[CONTENTID1]HER LAST ROMEO[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]A SELECTION OF CHOCOLATE BOYS[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

Despite how confuzzled her mind was, Suzy managed to sleep soundly that night. Sungyeol’s saddened face did not impede her dreams. Instead, she sat amongst a meadow of blooming tulips, arms wrapped around her knees. She watched the flowers grow, and every passing minute filled her heart with a bittersweet sentiment.

This raw emotion was deep and she had never felt such powerful tricks on her heart before. It curved through the chambers of the organ, twisting and meandering like a toxic river full of this hysterical emotion.

When the back of her lids shone and she opened her eyes to greet the melting, golden sunlight, tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away with her palm as realisation dawned upon her.

Like a sandy ground continuously struck with a hammer, the emotion inside her bubbled to the surface like water from beneath. It latched onto her soul, comforted her and killed her all at once.

She then recognised what this feeling was-- it was love, and she knew she was not in love with one man, but two-- two men that she imagined she would give up her life for.

Yet she loved me more than the other. Who it was, she could not tell. Perhaps time would be her benefactor and clear up her path.

She rolled out of bed, dressed into jeans and a long tee, and walked off into the kitchen. Jieun, Nana and Krystal were chatting with her mother and Suzy then realised that it was almost afternoon.

She wondered why no one bothered to wake her up. Perhaps after all the horrors of the night before, they did not wish to impede her respite. A soft smile crept along her lips. Her friends’ boisterous laughter boomed across the across the hall. She decided to join them, and in doing so, each girl got off their chairs to greet her with a hug.

“Morning Minnie!”

“Why didn't you guys wake me up?” said Suzy.

Krystal sent her a wry grin. “Not when you looked like Sleeping Beauty in your bed. We didn't want to disturb you.”

“Honey, did you have a good rest?” her mother asked.

Suzy nodded in affirmation. She joined them for a late brunch and ate almost everything on the platter. She never knew how famished she was. Then, again she did not eat anything the day before. The fact that Hangeng and Big Bang were now behind bars brought her a sense of comfort.

As she swallowed the last morsels of her plate, the doorbell echoed and she dropped her metal chopsticks. Suzy furrowed her eyebrows as the girls whispered among each other. They agreed to go together. No one could trust that Big Bang did not send any henchmen to finish them off. After all, without Taekwoon, they were powerless.

They skittered across the hall, with Mrs Kang leading them, a saucepan in her hands. The girls all poised their chopsticks into the air, reading to poke any eyeballs if matters grew dangerous.  

Mrs Kang counted to three before she swung the door open but tensed to find Changmin and Woobin at the door.

Changmin flinched. “Did we come at a bad time?”

His voice sent shivers down Suzy’s spine. She stifled the urge to embrace him.

Mrs Kang shrugged a tremulous laugh before hiding her saucepan behind her back.

“No, no of course not,” she said. “Why don't you come inside?”

“Can't do that, Mrs Kang,” chuckled Woobin. “I'm dropping Changmin to the airport.”

The girls gasped in surprise.

Krystal appeared utterly disappointed. “You're leaving? Where? Why?”

Changmin rubbed the back of his hair. “I got accepted to carry out research in Harvard university.  They booked my tickets last night. I came to say goodbye-- to you, Suzy.”

Heat crawled up . She flushed as the others grumbled.  

“Well, sugar-puff needs some time on her own. Let's go kiddos.” Woobin, ever so tactful and intuitive, ushered the rest of them in while Suzy closed the door behind her.

Once alone, she fought to hold back her tears as she imagined Changmin strolling across the streets of America-- with tall skyscrapers that made people dizzy and English words that were spoken too fast for her drab mind. The thought that he would meet a pretty American girl only burned her viscera to ash.

And who would not want to date him? He was handsome but he was also a caring person.

Changmin took her hand and placed a small box into it. Suzy gulped as she stared at the box. Her heart leapt with hysteria.

What could be in the wrapped paper-- a ring!? Did he wish for her to go with him!?

She rapaciously tore the paper and opened the burgundy, velvet case with bated breath. To her disappointment, a ballerina figure popped out and spun around in sync with a tintinnabulating melody.

“You want to study music, right?” His voice broke through her thoughts. “No more science for you. I won’t say I’m disappointed.”

She tilted her head. “Then what?”

He rubbed his chin in vain effort of contemplation. “I’m relieved. You would make one incompetent scientist.” He quickly ducked before Suzy could whack his head. He caught her wrist and gave her that brilliant grin that was so rare.

“But promise me you won’t change?”

Suzy bit her bottom lip and nodded. She threw her arms around him and pressed her race against his shoulder. Changmin patted her head.

“I'll miss you…”she breathed, her voice trembling like the wind. “You'll visit won't you? And you'll stay in touch?”

“I'm not good at that,” he chuckled, “But I'll try.”

It was then that she knew how important this was for him. He needed to start a new life. He needed to leave his memories of Victoria behind and become a new person-- away from the shadows and ghosts of his past.

But she didn't why it hurt. It was in that fateful moment that she realised he was one of the men she loved.

His lips were moving and he spoke to her but her mind did not register his words. By leaving, Changmin made it easier for her heart.

After all, her love for him was like her fascination for the stars. She could only love him from a distance and no more. He belonged to a world disparaged from hers. He was destined not to be hers the moment she ran into his arms after being chased by Hangeng.

The troubles he endured for her-- her daydreaming habit during his tuition sessions, his near death experience from her bodyguard, his patience with her frenetic cries after Sungyeol’s accident-- Suzy never realised how precious Changmin was to her.

“I'll miss you,” she whispered.

He bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead, his lips burning through her skin.

“Goodbye Suzy. I'm glad we met.”

He deserved better...

And with that laden knowledge sinking into her like metal dust, she let him go.

-

The girls stayed well over lunch and even hung around when Luhan came to chat with Mrs Kang. He gave Suzy a benevolent smile, his downy curls almost gleaming under the golden sun. He looked dashing in his cotton blue blouse and beige chinos. When he sat around the table, he was still a bit awkward but he got over the phase of staying timid among a larger group.

Sometimes, he would titter and submit his own voice into the conversation. Mrs Kang appeared upset that Suzy never had the guts to ask him out. Suzy knew that Luhan was a kind and lovely person but there was someone else who stole her breath.

That person…

“Joonmyun and I are getting engaged soon,” said Jieun.

The girls hooted with applause, except for Suzy. She should be happy but her heart sank into her stomach like a heavy stone. She strained her lips to smile. Everyone was finding love: Nana and Yifan were great study buddies with medicine and their public affection display was atrocious. Jaejoong often had to pull them apart because they stuck to each other like glue. Jongin and Krystal finally found the perfect apartment, and the two were moving out at the end of summer. It amazed the others how someone like Jongin scored such a pretty and sophisticated girl.

Of course, now Jieun and Joonmyun took their relationship one step further, so that meant that they were one step closer to marriage. It was as if they were made for each other since the start. Joonmyun’s kind personality and Jieun’s quiet nature clicked into place. They were the missing jigsaw pieces that completed each other. Everyone would sigh dreamily whenever the couple roamed the streets. Such a fairytale couple was difficult to come across these days.

And yes, there was Suzy, who was fighting the urge to give into her heart. Something was pulling her back, and she knew the reason. Changmin made her job easier for her because he was on the plane at this stage. She was saddened by the fact that she never reunited him with Jaejoong, but some things in life were just meant to be.

As a girl, she often clung to the fact that things got better later, but this was not true. To believe in such petulant fantasies was like blindfolding herself from the facts. The reason that she would not admit her love was because…

Suzy jumped when her phone vibrated in her jeans. She pulled it out and her eyes almost fell out of their sockets when she knew who was endeavouring to speak to with her.

Sungyeol.

Silence surrounded her until the only sound she heard was the pounding of her heart. She gulped down the knot of emotion lodged in and her fingers fumbled as she answered his call.

“Suzy,” he said, a