Chapter 16

"Do we have to meet here? At my home?" Asked Siwon when Sora is entering the door to the condominium which he lived in. Alone; apart from his family. Apart from his Super Junior member.

"Do you have any other idea?" Sora is asking back while looking around his place. It is a great place with great view of Gangnam district, few minutes’ drive from her house.

Sora looked at Siwon, asking him to invite her to sit.

"Oh, have a seat" said Siwon understanding Sora's body language.

Sora is taking her seat at the sofa and putting down her Miu Miu while taking her scarf off her neck. The heater in Siwon’s house is hot enough to maintain her body at room temperature without it.

"Coffee?" Siwon is heading towards his kitchen.

"Hot one. Black" Sora replied. Her eyes are still looking around the place. Neat and clean. As expected from him.

"Here you are" he's giving her a cup of coffee without sugar. Her all time favorite.

"Your taste still the same" he said while taking the seat across her.

"Something should remain the way it is" she answered after taking a sip of her drink. "You know why I'm here right?" She continued after putting down her cup on the coffee table and looked at Siwon.

"No I don't"

"Bluff.. I've said it clearly the other night. We need to talk" She’s giving Siwon a sharp stare.

"Look. If this is about Dong Gun shhi, I think you're wasting your time" Siwon is facing somewhere else. Taking his eyes off Sora’s stare.

"Why?"

"What’s more that you need to know?" He asked back.

"Everything" she looked at him intensely. That man is doing great in hiding all the truth from her for the last 3 years. If the 3 of them didn’t meet last time at the ceremony, she would have not known it yet until today.

"There's nothing more. You've known everything"

"If you keep ignoring my question like this, I have no choice to assume that you're leaving me because of the deal he made" Sora woke up from her seat heading towards the piano near the window.

"Hello? Who's leaving who dear? You're after the fame that he promised you. Are you forgetting that?"

"But you're promised with the fame too. Don't you?" She asked while pressing a note from the piano.

Siwon went silent for a moment. "That's not the point now.." He said.

"No. That's the whole point now! You should have fight for me that time" She looked at him. She is trying to ask for further explanation to her assumption.

"Why are you asking this now? Why not before? Both of us have gone with our own separate ways. Why bring this up again?"

Sora seated on the sofa again. Thinking through what's in her mind. Siwon is somehow right. Why did she need to bring up the old matters again?

"Do you still love me?" Siwon is asking randomly. Just in case.

"Hell no" immediately she answered with eyes widen looking at him.

"Then why? Why keep bringing up old stuff?"

"I'm started to regret over what had happened" She said while getting up from the couch again, crossing her arms and turned her body to face the glass window.

"Regret?" He looked at her.

"This entire thing wouldn't happen if I didn't make that stupid move" she throws her sight towards the Gangnam city under the broad day light. "It wouldn't happen if you stop me. If you fight for me" She added, somehow in blaming tone.

Sora looked at Siwon who stay seated on the sofa, his eyes are fixed on her expression.

"You're leaving him?" Siwon is approaching near her. Her eyes seem sad.

"I’m trying too.."

"If I have the power, I would have helped you. But you know who he is in my company"

"I know. Don't worry. I don't need any help. I guess I'm here just to let out my feelings. Nobody knows  and understands this better except you"

Siwon looked at her sad eyes. Obviously, Sora is in dilemma.

"So what are you going to do?" He asked again.

Sora looked at him, didn't know what to answer. If she knows the answer, she wouldn’t be here now. She thought to herself.

At the same time, Siwon's doorbell suddenly sounded.

"You have other guest?" Both of them surprised.

Siwon looked at his watch and then his cellphone. "Supposedly no" He answered.

"Could it be your girlfriend?"

"She has the key. No way" He answered and at the same time getting up from his seat heading towards the intercom.

"Who is it?"

"It’s me, hyung." A familiar voice heard from the intercom.

Sora's eyes widen. "Is it Leeteuk?"

"Yes" Siwon replied, start panicking. Leeteuk shouldn't be here now. Not with Sora in his house.

"Hyung, wait up" he speak to the intercom again trying to buy some time.

"What to do?" Sora asked, start panicking too.

"Hide. In my room" he said.

"Your room?"

"Yes my room. He wouldn’t enter it. I'll get him to leave shortly." he said while wetting his hair; pretending as if he just finished his shower.

"Okay" said Sora while picking up her scarf and her handbag from the couch, obediently following Siwon's plan. She couldn't risk being seen at Siwon's place. It would be awkward to explain if it so.

Meanwhile Siwon is heading to the door to get Leeteuk who is waiting for him.

"What a surprise. Why didn't you tell me first that you're coming" Asked Siwon opening the door for Leeteuk.

"I'm nearby the neighborhood, so I thought of giving you a visit" Said Leeteuk while immediately head to the kitchen. "Is there any drinks? I'm thirsty." He's opened the fridge to find some water to quench his thirst.

"Second floor. There's some juice" Siwon said while trying to make things look as normal as it can.

"What brings you here hyung?" Siwon asked when Leeteuk came back to the sofa with a glass of juice on his hand.

"Can't I?" Leeteuk grinned.

"You hardly come to my place. There must be a reason why you came.." Siwon looked at Leeteuk. It’s almost impossible for Leeteuk to come visit him at his condominium if it is not because of some personal-private matters.

Leeteuk smiled. Indeed he is there to talk about something with Siwon.

"Say it.." Siwon recognized that meaningful smile that Leeteuk gave. He can’t be wrong in reading Leeteuk's expression now.

"It’s about Kang Sora" Leeteuk started.

"Kang Sora?"

"I think I've fallen for her.." Leeteuk continued.

"I can see that.." Siwon replied calmly. He noticed that even without he's telling him.

"Right.. I think most of you realized it. But I think she's a bit complicated" Leeteuk looked at Siwon.

"Complicated?"

"We kissed last time.." Leeteuk stated.

"Kissed??! Already?" Siwon surprised. His eyes are looking at his bedroom door where Sora is hiding.

"Just for a slight second. But she retracts back.." Leeteuk smiled remembering that night.

"Why?"

"That's why hyung said she's complicated. I don't know what to do. But do you have any idea why she does that? Is she really attracted to me?" He asked again.

"Maybe she's just being cautious?" Siwon is trying to make a guess.

"Cautious?”

“Or playing hard to get, maybe?” Siwon is making another guess. Sora is good at that kind of mind game; as far as he knows.

"I don't know.. I'm blinded" Leeteuk said. "Sometimes I feel that she's positive with my feelings, but sometimes I think she's not"

“Have you talked about it with her then?” Siwon asked. In the other side of his mind, he’s amazed of how far they've progress judging from the awkwardness when they are together. And even with the worry that is in Sora's heart now, she still goes on with the other alternative. Teukternative.

“She told me to take things slow. So I asked her if she realized my feelings.”

“And her answer is?”

“She does, of course. But again, I don’t get it why we need to slow things down if we’re really attracted to each other” Leeteuk is taking a deep breath.

“Did she know about your last relationship hyung?” asked Siwon whispering.

“I don’t think she knows” Leeteuk whispered back, unconsciously following how Siwon reacted. He then looked at Siwon “Why are we whispering?”

Siwon smiled. Not answering to the question.

“Sooyoung is here?” Leeteuk asked after listening to the shower sound which coming from the private bathroom in Siwon's bedroom.

“Oh? Oh.. Yes..” Siwon hesitated to reply. The shower sound is not part of the plan.

“Sorry if I’m bothering you. I should make my move now” Leeteuk said, didn’t feel good to stay there, disturbing Siwon’s personal time.

“Okay.. Sorry hyung. I’ll visit the dorm sometimes okay? Let’s talk about this more” He said as Leeteuk is leaving. He is feeling bad when Leeteuk need to leave just like that.

“Don’t worry. Take care. Send my regards to Sooyoung” Leeteuk said while leaving the condominium. Maybe he’ll talk about this some other time with Siwon, the only one that he trusted to talk about things like this.

As the door closes, Siwon headed to his room.

“What are you doing?” Siwon asked while opening the room’s door.

“You’re taking too long to ask him to go, so I need to act.” Sora is getting out from the room.

“Did you hear everything that we talked about?” Siwon asked looking at Sora’s senseless face.

Sora nodded. She heard most of their conversation, except for the last part when they are whispering. It’s hard for her to hear that one.

“What’s with that face then? Could you show some feelings about it?” Siwon got mad suddenly with Sora’s stoned faced.

“What is wrong with you??” Sora raised her voice too, shocked with how Siwon is reacting.

“Are you serious with him?” Siwon asked her again. He knows this is not going to be the last time he’s going to ask the exact question to her.

“I’m not sure..” She looked away.

“If you’re not sure why are you letting him to kiss you?”

“I have certain feelings towards him. But I’m not sure if this feeling is a pure love. I need time. You also know my situation now. I have things to be settled”

“You sure you’re going to let yourself loose from Dong Gun?” Siwon’s voice lowered down.

“Certain” She looked at him with her round eyes.

“You’re not going to regret it? He promised you the fame. The fame that you’re enjoying now” Siwon is trying to become the devil’s advocate. It’s a decision that she need to live with for the rest of her career, if she still want to maintain in the industry of course.

“I’m going to regret if I don’t..” She’s biting her bottom lips. She had her doubt, of course. But she needed to be strong to decide.

“And Leeteuk?”

“I need time to be sure about him.. But it’s definitely not now.”

“You know.. He’s still in a fragile state now."

"Fragile?" Asked Sora while raising her eyebrow.

"He just broke up, and I think you should be careful. Buck up your feelings or if not you’ll hurt him more” Siwon said to her. Giving her another piece of advice.

“He just broke up?” She looked at him.

“Few months ago..”

“Hmm..” Sora is biting her lower lips again.

“Why sighing?”

“I think both of us need to see if this is really a pure love or merely rebounds.. Well, you know what I mean..”

“I’m sure he’s honest. He holds what he said, dearly.” Siwon is trying to convince. His trust towards Leeteuk is more than his trust towards Sora, definitely.

“I need to make sure of it myself since this is my feelings that I need to protect too. I’m not doing charity you know..” Sora said while heading towards Siwon’s room to pick up her scarf and her handbag.

“Up to you, I’m just letting you know what I know.”

“Arasso. I need to go now” She’s giving him a little smile.

“Be careful on the road then..” He said while giving her a friendly hug.

“I will.. Thanks..”

“Be careful with Dong Gun too..” He added while releasing his hug..

Sora nodded and headed to the door. At least everything about Dong Gun is clear for her now even though she doesn’t really know what she will do next. And Leeteuk.. She doesn’t have the time to think about the relationship with that guy yet. Just not yet.

Chapter 15

Sora is sitting at the passenger seat while hugging her body, throwing her sight towards the view along the Gwangan Bridge, the second longest bridge in South Korea.

“You’re being too silent. It’s making me worried” Said Leeteuk while stealing the glance at her spacing out in her own world.

“I told you I don’t need you to send me back” Said Sora in a rebellious tone. She’s stating her decision before, but Leeteuk insist on taking her.

“Hmm..” Leeteuk couldn’t say much. Suddenly he feels like he is making a wrong judgment when he started worrying about a person whom he have feelings with.

Sora looked at him sighing. “Sorry, I’m just not in a good mood right now” She said, feeling a bit guilty after saying those words in a harsh tone.

“It’s okay. My fault to begin with” Leeteuk said while stopping his car at the beach area towards the end of the bridge.

“Why are you stopping here?” Sora asked.

“Do you have anywhere else you wanted to go?” Leeteuk is asking back.

“Back to my hotel?” Asking the obvious.

“Let’s have some fresh air here first...” He insisted.

Sora looked at Leeteuk who’s getting off from the car and heading towards her side to open the door for her. He’s deciding something against her will, but she has no point to object either since he is the driver of the car.

“Where is this?” asked Sora while getting off from the car.

“A beach in Busan which I don’t know what is it called..” Leeteuk grinned. He also didn’t know the name of the place. He headed there out of instinct, just to find a nice place to calm down Sora’s huffy mood.

Sora is taking off her high heels while heading straight to the beach area.

“Where are you going?” Leeteuk asked.

“To the water”

“Isn’t it cold..” Said Leeteuk. It’s the beginning of the Autumn and the water would normally be cold.

“The colder the better. It will reduce my boiling heart. Isn’t that the reason why you brought me here?” Sora said to him while smiling.

Leeteuk didn’t have that intention at first but he’s glad looking at Sora’s smile just now. Like a kid who can’t wait to play around with her favorite toy.

Without thinking much, Sora entered the sea water with her Vera Wang dress.

“Your dress…” Said Leeteuk but unfortunately it’s too late when the lady is already in the water. Jumping around when her feet started to touch the water.

“Come! The water is not that cold” Sora said while waving at Leeteuk.

“No way..” He said in disagreement with Sora’s statement, but his leg is still moving towards her, joining her with her enjoyment.

“Eyyy.. This is cold” Leeteuk said while limping around in the water. It is freezing cold.

Sora laughed. “It’s fun.. I never went into autumn sea water before” She said while playing with the ankle deep water. After a while her body is adapting to the temperature of the water.

“Be careful or you might catch the cold” Said Leeteuk while head off the water.

He sat down on the sea sand while looking at Sora who keeps playing with the water. He can see how Sora is trying to ignore her sorrow by keeping herself happy playing around with the water.

“You really don’t want to come here?” She asked while waving towards Leeteuk, asking him to join her.

“No, it’s too cold for me” Leeteuk said while remain to observe her from the side.

“Arasso..” Sora said while heading deeper to the sea water until it is knee deep. Her dress is soaked.

Suddenly she stopped and stayed still at one spot for a few while. The urge to dive in the water and never come up is filling her. She knows if she does that, with the low water temperature, it won’t take long for her to be out of breadth; killing her soul slowly with basically no pain.

“Don’t be stupid” A man voice nearing her.

“What?” She looked at Leeteuk who already stand by her, grabbing her waist.

“What were you thinking just now?” Leeteuk is testing her out. He can’t be wrong by looking at how intense Sora is looking at the water.

“Nothing” She said while looking away from his eyes. Don’t want him to caught she is lying.

“Whatever your problem is, having that thought is not the only way out” He said. He didn’t know about what’s been bothering Sora’s mind that makes her wanting to leave the after party in a rush. He knows she won’t share anything with him. But he is here to accompany her and cheer her up. Even it’s just for tonight.

“What are you talking about?” Sora said while slowly moving towards the seashore.

Leeteuk looked at her avoiding the conversation. She must be in deep thought just now.

“You’re done playing?” Leeteuk is splashing some water to her.

“Ya it’s cold!” Sora said while hiding her face from the splashed water.

“I thought you said you like it earlier?” Leeteuk said while continue splashing the water to her.

“Yes, but not when this cold water hitting my face. It’s even colder with the breeze!” Sora said while started to splash the water towards him too, starting up a splash water war.

“Arasso Arasso.. Stop it” Leeteuk came nearer to Sora while holding both of her hands from continuing. Both of their body stands near to each other again.

“You hair’s getting wet” Leeteuk said while flipping Sora’s hair to the back of her ears. Sora is closing her eyes. Ticklish feeling when Leeteuk incidentally touched her ears.

Leeteuk looked at the beautiful woman in front of him. Her wet hair is making her to look more seductive than ever. Her wet red lips started calling to be kissed.

One of his arms is twirling around Sora’s waist while the other touches her face as she looked at his eyes. His fingers are running through her cheek to her chin, holding her lips up for him to move nearer to her.

Their lips touched for a split second before Sora started to back her body a bit, taking her lips off his.

“What’s wrong?” Leeteuk surprised. Sora’s mood started to change again. She seems to give in earlier but now she’s taking it back.

“I think it’s too fast for us..” Sora answered. She’s been cautious with her feeling since earlier, but Leeteuk’s lips are calling to be kissed making her to lose her compose.

“Too soon?” Leeteuk looked at her.

Sora nodded slowly.

“So you acknowledge my feelings?” Leeteuk asked again.

“I do.. But let’s not move too fast” Sora answered. At that moment Leeteuk can feel Sora’s body started to shiver. She’s been too long in the cold water.

Leeteuk looked at her and feel her head. Her body is stone cold.

“Let’s go. You’re freezing cold” He said while taking off his coat for Sora, warming up her body a bit.

He’s bringing her to the seashore while hugging her, transferring the body heat for her to feel the warmth again.

Chapter 14

“You really look great tonight” Says Leeteuk with Sora’s body a few inch parted from him. They are dancing to Stuck on You, a song by Lionel Richie. A beautiful ballad song which accompanying their slow dance at the after party for BIFF ceremony.

“Gomawo..” Sora looked up straight to his eyes. Shining eyes that makes her heart started to feel funny again. The flustering feeling that is making her to start being cautious.

“What’s wrong?” Leeteuk asked when Sora started to slowly loosened her grasp from Leeteuk’s hand.

“I need to go to the washroom” She said. She needs to calm down herself a bit. This is so unlike her. Her heart had been beating hardly since the flesh of their hands started to touch each other’s.

“I’ll join the boys then” Leeteuk smiled. Being together with Sora, dancing together with her makes he feels like there’s only the two of them in this hall, nurturing every bit of their feelings, every bit of the attraction towards each other.

“Both of you looked perfect together” Say Kyuhyun when Leeteuk is approaching them. Leeteuk’s face looks satisfied. Clearly the dance with Sora is giving him the confidence to interact with woman again.

Leeteuk smiled to Kyuhyun’s praise. He knew it; he knew it even before the others realized it. But he need time to build the confidence in holding Sora’s heart near to him. Not too soon, not too late. Everything must fall into the right proportion; his proportion of love.

“Where is she going?” asked Donghae. Sora does look good with Leeteuk, he agreed with Kyuhyun’s point. But she will definitely look better with him, he thought to himself.

“Washroom.” Leeteuk answered. He can read the envious look from Donghae’s eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Leeteuk asked.

“Nothing..” Donghae looked on the floor, hiding his face expression. Leeteuk can read him easily. His handsome face that comes with lots of facial expression, of which, Teuk has studied him well by being their leader for more than 10 years now.

“Evening guys!” a man in a sleek leather suit is approaching them.

“Anneyaseyo Director-nim!” All 5 of them immediately bowed at him. The gentleman in front of them looks like someone who’s being respected by them.

“Just act like I’m one of your friends..” The man said while hugging Leeteuk and Donghae’s shoulder who are standing next to him.

“Long time I didn’t see you Siwon-shi” He greeted Siwon. Slowly Siwon nodded, agreeing to his words.

“I didn’t know you’re here too..” Leeteuk said, starting the conversation with him. He knows his other members will not start it, but as the leader of the group, he needs to manage his group reputation. Stand before them is one of the board of director in SME, the company label that they are in.

“I’m here as the representative for the company. It’s good for me to spot candidates to be brought over to our company” He said with his small laugh.

“Did you found anybody good?” Leeteuk is continuing to ask while Sungmin silently started to make a sign to cut it off. All of them are not really comfortable with that guy joining them.

“A few new faces which have potential, but we definitely need to do some background checking before bringing them over to join us” He said. Leeteuk nodded and started to restrain himself to ask further; understanding the other’s concern. The more he talks, the more the man in front of them will stay.

“Oppa, sorry that I took too long in the washroom” Sora said while approaching them. “Oh?” She surprised when she looked at the person who are with them.

“Sora, please meet..”

“Jang Dong Gun-shi” Said Sora calmly before Leeteuk finishing his sentence. Her eyes are straight looking at that man.

“You know our director before?” Asked Donghae to Sora when he realized how Sora is looking at him intensely.

“Director?” Sora looked at Donghae, weird.

“I’ve known her before when I’m trying to bring her over to our company” Dong Gun is trying to control the situation. “But I think, our Sora-shi have better offer somewhere else, isn’t it?” Dong Gun said while looking straight to her eyes.

Slowly Sora nodded, unwillingly agreeing to Dong Gun’s lies. She then looked at Siwon who’s been silent at the other corner. The way Siwon is hiding his face from looking directly at her tells her something. Everything started to makes sense for her now.

“This 80’s theme music really makes me want to dance over and over again” Dong Gun said when another Lionel Richie song being played in the hall. “Sora-shi, will you dance with me?” He says while extending his hand towards her.

Sora looked at him, and then she looked at Leeteuk. Hesitantly she extended her hand accepting to Dong Gun’s invitation.

Leeteuk is speechless looking at them heading to the centre of the dance hall. Unexpectedly, Sora is accepting the dance invitation from some random man whom she just met.

“So these are the guys that you’re spending your time with whenever you’re not at home?” Dong Gun whispered to Sora while slowly dance following the beat of the music.

“I’m not” She’s short.

“Well, looking at how comfortable you’re with them, it doesn’t look like you’re just meeting them tonight”

“For god sake, this is a public event. What do you expect?” Sora said in a harder tone but still maintaining her voice level from being heard by others.

Dong Gun smiled. “If not, you won’t be hyped like this” He started to provoke.

“Enough, I’m off” Sora said while letting her hands off from Dong Gun’s.

“People will look at us if you’re letting my hands in a sudden” Gong Gun said while trying to reach for her hand again, resuming what they are doing before; dancing.

“Let’s just say I’m going to the washroom” Sora said while heading towards the washroom again. She does not want to be further bothered by the annoying human that she just danced with.

“What are you doing? Why you’re being so stubborn” Dong Gun asked.

“No, what are you doing?” She said to him back with raised eyebrow seeing Dong Gun is following her to the washroom.

“Look, we will not solve anything if you keep running away from me” He is lowering down his tone.

“Facing you will not solve anything either”

“Sora-ya.”

“Dong Gun-shi, I’ve said it very clear last time. I’m over you. But if you insist to continue with this, I will always disappear before your eyes.” Sora said to him in a stricter tone, making a point that she’s not joking, she never was.

“Sora” Dong Gun is grabbing Sora’s hand.

“Let me go before I scream. You don’t want to have news with SME Director on the cover page tomorrow. Don’t you?” Sora is giving him a sharp glance.

Slowly Dong Gun is letting her hand go. Sora has changed, her attitude has changed. She’s firmed with her words now.

Immediately Sora left the washroom, leaving Dong Gun inside.

“What’s wrong?” out of nowhere, Donghae appeared in front of Sora.

“Nothing. There’s a lunatic in the washroom” She said while heading towards the place where the other guys are gathered.

Donghae looked at Sora. He had overheard every single words of their conversation just now. Whatever they’ve talked with each other at the club last time are started to make sense to him now. Her sad and bothered facial expression, is it because of that man? He thought to himself.

“I’m sorry, but I need to go now.” Sora came near to the guys to excuse herself. At least not to let them wondering where she’s been if she suddenly disappeared.

Sora’s sudden emotional change and her changed face expression makes everybody wonders of what had happened.

“You, I need to talk to you.” She said to Siwon. There are a lot of things to clear with him. What had happened today is giving her the explanation of what had happened before; the clear explanation of everything.

“Now?”

“Not now, later” She said to him. The reason why Siwon is keeping everything from her, the reason why Siwon suddenly disappeared from her, is answered now.

“What’s wrong Sora? Are you okay?” Leeteuk is weird with the changes in Sora’s mood. Somehow it is making him worried.

“No I am not.” She’s being blunt. She’s not in the mood to talk. She just wants to get home and have some rest.

“Let me send you home” Leeteuk offered.

“It’s okay, I can drive on my own” She answered while looking for her manager to get the car key from him. “Why is he always not here when I’m looking for him” She continued while looking for cellphone in her clutch bag.

“I think it’s better if you let Leeteuk send you home Sora-ya.” Sungmin interrupted.

“Let’s go, I send you home” Leeteuk said to her again. Looking at her huffy mood, he doesn’t think its okay to let her to drive by herself.

“It’s okay.” Again, she stubbornly refused.

“Let’s go!” Leeteuk forcefully grabs her hand out of the ballroom heading to his car.

“Where are you taking me?” Sora asked. Leeteuk is silently brought her somewhere she didn’t even have a clue of.

“Just follow me…”