Seohyun stood beside the door to Yonghwa’s pad, her back against the wall. She had been there for what seemed like hours, when it was only minutes.

She bit her lower lip as she dialed another number: her Yoona unnie.

“Hyun?” Yoona answered right after the third ring.

“Unnie, is Jonghyun oppa home already?” she asked, hoping she gets a positive answer.

“Yes. Why? Where are you?”

“Can I talk to him, please?”

“Hyun, what’s going on? Where are you?” Yoona’s voice was growing worried.

“I’m here at Yonghwa’s place. He’s not here. His father said he’s not at their home, too. He’s not picking up my calls. I want to ask Jonghyun oppa. Maybe he knows.”

“All right, just a minute.”

Seohyun heard Yoona calling Jonghyun. A moment later she heard Jonghyun’s voice from the other line.

“Seohyun-ah?”

“Oppa, do you know where Yonghwa is?” she immediately asked.

“Oh. I thought he said he’d go straight to his pad right after we were through with recording. He’s not there?”

“No. No one’s answering the door.”

“Maybe he just fell asleep and he couldn’t hear you knocking.”

“Well, the doorman claims he’s been on duty since morning and he was sure he hasn’t seen Yonghwa come back yet.”

There was a pause at the other end of the line.

“Oppa?”

“Listen, Hyun. I’ll call you back later, okay? I’m going to ask Minhyuk and Jungshin. Maybe they know. For the meantime, why don’t you go home first? Or come here? I’ll come and get you there,” Jonghyun offered.

“No, thank you, oppa. Yonghwa might come any minute now.”

She heard Jonghyun sigh. “Okay, Hyun. I do hope so.”

………………………………………

Yonghwa stared at the waves crashing on the shore.

He was hurting and he knew it. It was so painful that he almost felt numb.

Seohyun is in love with someone else. She doesn’t need to say it. What he just witnessed tells it all. Why had he been so blind about Kyuhyun and the threat he had posed to him and Seohyun? He was so confident that he could bring Seohyun back; that he could make her love him again. He had overlooked the fact that through the years they had been apart, Seohyun had Kyuhyun. It wouldn’t be a wonder why and how she fell in love with him.

Maybe that was why no matter what Yonghwa did, she wouldn’t give in. She never considered giving him another chance…because she couldn’t anymore give her love. It now belongs to another man. How could he have been so foolish to think that just like his own, her feelings for him would also never change? How, when she had been so hurt and angry? And it was all because of him. He was a stupid fool. Tears welled up in his eyes. He had been a coward ever since. And he had lost his chance to let the people he loves know how much they meant to him. First there was Shinhye…and now Seohyun. He had lost once again.

As if trying to mourn with him, the heavens broke loose and rain poured down. Yonghwa didn’t get up. He wanted to stay there. He didn’t want to see anyone. He just wanted to stay there, alone. He was oblivious of the pouring rain until he felt cold. Shivering, he slowly made his way to his car parked not far away.

As he got inside his car and sat behind the steering wheel, he realized he couldn’t run away forever. Sooner or later he has to face the consequences of his choice ten years ago.

He took a deep breath. He has to make Seohyun happy…and it’s the last thing he could do to show her his love. He will give her back her freedom.

…………………………………..

Krystal sat near the window, sighing. She couldn’t believe how her conversation with Minho went earlier that day. Did she do the right thing? Did she give the right answer to his question?

He asked her if she could give him another chance. She told him she will think about it and he said he will wait for her answer. Should she say yes? Is he telling her the truth? Does he really like her? What if he rejects and hurts her again? Should she say no and move on instead?

“Yah, stop sighing! You sound annoying!” Jessica complained.

“Aish, I wish you’d hurry up and fall in love, unnie. So you could understand what I’m going through right now.”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “You’re in love again? Who’s the unlucky man this time? Are you going to stalk him the way you did with Minho?”

“Yah, I wasn’t stalking Minho!” Krystal denied.

“Yes, you did. Well, maybe now that you’re a grown up, it had been mild. When you were a little girl you’re worse. You would follow him even to the men’s toilet!” her sister laughed. “And once he cried because you were insisting that when you guys grow up he’s gonna marry you.”

Krystal blushed. “I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did.”

“Aish, you’re no good to talk to, unnie!” she stomped her way to her bedroom.

As she shut the door behind her, she smiled. Yes, she remembered how she used to stalk and tease and annoy the hell out of Minho when they were children. But it was how her little heart had felt about him. And it never changed. She realized that she would always love him…even if he had hurt her.

She quickly dialed Minho’s phone number and he immediately answered on the first ring.

“Soojung-ah?”

“Oppa, I made up my mind. Yes, I’m giving you a chance.”

…………………………………………

Seohyun was startled by the sound of ringing. She abruptly opened her eyes, and almost immediately she could feel the hard, cold floor beneath her and her stiff limbs and muscles. She slowly sat up, realizing that she had fallen asleep on the corridor, right next to Yonghwa’s unit door, and it was her phone ringing. She grabbed it from where it might have fallen when she fell asleep and looked at the caller ID on the screen. It was Yoona.

“Seohyun, where are you? Is Yonghwa home?”

“Unnie…I…” she looked around, seeing daylight coming from the small windows at the far end of the corridor. She is sure Yoona would get angry if she knew where Seohyun had spent the night.

“I don’t know, unnie. He hasn’t answered my calls yet. I’m here at Sue-ji’s house,” she lied.

“Where is that idiot friend of yours?” she heard Yoona ask someone in the background, and Seohyun was sure it was Jonghyun.

Jonghyun had called her back minutes after he had hung up. Jungshin and Minhyuk didn’t know where Yonghwa went either. They thought he had gone home to his pad, as that was he told them before they went their separate ways.

Seohyun shivered, a lot of scenarios flooding her mind all at once, none of them pleasant. What if…?

She shook her head. She must never think that way. Maybe Yonghwa was just giving her space. Maybe he was just hurt with everything she had said to him and is taking his time to heal. Knowing him, Seohyun is sure he’d bounce back. Sooner or later, Yonghwa will come around.

………………………………….

“What are you doing here?” Krystal asked, surprised to see Minho standing outside as she opened the gate. It was early morning. It was a good thing she had risen early. At least she already brushed her teeth and had taken a bath as she was facing him now.

He smiled. “I just wanted to see you.”

“At this time of the day?”

“Well, at least it’s still early and there are not much of people around yet and-“

“Oh, sorry,” she said, cutting him off. “I keep forgetting that you’re a celebrity.”

He chuckled. “Well, that’s a relief.”

“What’s so relieving about that?”

“I wouldn’t want you to think I’m a celebrity.”

“But you are.”

“Then forget that I am because I’m just an ordinary boy standing in front of a girl, asking her to-“

“Oh, shut up, I’ve heard that before.”

“I’m not finished!”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to come with me today,” he grinned.

“Where?”

He took her hand. “You’ll see.”

“Wait, I need to get dressed first,” she glanced at her t-shirt and shorts.

“You are dressed,” he pointed out. “Anyway, no need to dress up. I’m not taking you to a press conference, so relax.”

“Fine. I’ll just tell my parents I’m going out,” she hurriedly went inside.

Moments later they were driving to somewhere. Minho stopped in front of a house which is under construction.

“Is this yours?” Krystal asked as Minho helped her out of the car. She let her gaze roam around the yard and the two-storey house.

“This is going to be a lovely house,” she murmured to herself.

“You like it?” he asked. 

She nodded. Then she turned and looked at him. “This is yours, isn’t it?”

He shrugged. “Well, not for long.”

She looked puzzled. “What do you mean? You’re selling this?” she laughed. “Are you trying to sell this to me? I don’t know if I could afford this. I’m broke.”

He looked at her intently. “It will be yours for free. Just answer me yes,” he opened a small velvet box before her.

Krystal gaped. “A-are you…proposing?”

“What do you think?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know…isn’t everything too fast? I mean, I didn’t say yes to you yet…I mean, you’re not even my boyfriend yet.”

“Then make me your boyfriend now.”

“What’s gotten into you? Aren’t you going a bit fast? One moment you’re rejecting me and now you’re proposing?!”

He chuckled. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted, then. That was why I was so rude to you. I couldn’t admit to myself that I also have feelings for this annoying little girl who keeps on following me around. But now I’m sure about you. I love you, Krystal, and I want to spend my life with you.”

Her eyes were wide open as she stared at him in shock. Gradually her eyes grew moist until tears started streaming down her face.

“How could you marry me?” she wailed. “You’re at the peak of your career!”

He looked at her, the certainty in his eyes unwavering. “Because I’m sure of you. I’ve never been so sure of anything else,” he answered, hoping it makes sense.

“But you’re a star…” she protested, her voice getting fainter.

He caressed her cheek. “And you’re the sun. My sun.”

More tears came to her eyes. “You’re so cheesy,” she sobbed.

“Just say yes if you’re also sure about me. If you’re not then…just say maybe but don’t say no,” he grinned.

She had always been sure about what she wanted. And she had always wanted Minho like no other. She threw her arms around his neck. “Of course I’m sure about you. You know that I’ve always loved you right?”

He chuckled again. “Actually I was beginning to doubt it when you started avoiding me.”

“Really?” she pulled back and looked at him. “Well now, I’m telling you that I have always loved you since we were children.”

“Prove it.”

She pouted.

“Marry me?” he asked as he looked deep into her eyes. He had finally found what he was looking for and it was funny that she was just right under his nose.

She smiled. “Yes, oppa.”

She closed her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her. Everything felt surreal, but she doesn’t care. She had finally gotten what she had dreamed of for so long.

…………………………………..

Seohyun jumped as her phone rang. She was tensed the whole day and every little thing made her feel edgy and jumpy. She hurriedly picked up her phone and put it against her ear.

“Hello?”

“Seohyun-ssi, where are you?” she recognized Minhyuk’s voice.

She swallowed the lump in and she took a deep breath to calm her rioting heart. Where is Yonghwa? She wanted to scream. But she didn’t.

“I’m here at our home. Have you found Yonghwa?” she asked, her voice shaking.

She listened to what Minhyuk said on the phone. Her eyes widened and her whole body stiffened. Her knuckles grew white as her shaking hand gripped the phone.

She pushed the end call button and slowly put down the phone on her nightstand, her face pale and her whole body shaking.

“Oh, please, please, no…” she muttered as she hurriedly got dressed and got ready to go to where Minhyuk asked her to. Tears began to stream down her face but she frantically wiped them away as she grabbed her bag and hurried downstairs and outside of their house.

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

Aw, guys thank you for still supporting this story. Love you to bits. If the connection here wouldn't be bad I'll post the ending tomorrow.