tcoh4

Chapter 16

     “ He even bought a bouquet of flowers for me!” Min exclaimed excitedly. She was on the phone with Melissa and was telling her what had happened the night before in details. “ Then you must be very happy?” Melissa asked. “ Of course! That was one of the best days in my life!” Min said happily.

     Melissa left her room and saw Kangta leaving his room at the same time. “ I’m surprised. You know how to buy flowers?” Melissa laughed bitterly. “ Oh by the way, Min loves them. She keeps talking about it.” Melissa continued. “ So, when is your next date with her?” she asked.

     “ The flowers were meant to be for you.” Kangta blurted out. “ For .. For me?” Melissa was surprised. Kangta walked towards Melissa and said “ Melissa, I have been wanting to tell you this for a long time.”

     Melissa gave Kangta a questioning look. “ I love you.” he whispered into her ears. Melissa blinked. Was she dreaming? The words sounded so magical. It seems as though her heart has been waiting for those words all along. Kangta leaned forward towards her. She closed her eyes …

      Suddenly, the phone rang. Melissa turned away, embarrassed, and she went to answer the phone. “ Hello Melissa? Could you call Kangta to the phone?” Min asked. “ Oh.. sure.” Melissa said as she passed the phone to Kangta.

     While Kangta was talking on the phone, she thought of Min. Yes, true she loves Kangta, but how could she ever snatch her friend’s happiness? How could she ever betray her friend? She had never seen Min so happy before.

      All she could do now was to give the two her blessings. She could still get along in life. “ It’s no big deal.” Melissa consoled herself. She quickly grabbed her things and told Kangta that she was going to school first. Before Kangta could tell her to wait for him, she was out of the house.

      “ Wow! You’re early today, where’s Kangta?” Jae Won asked. “ He’ll come a little later.” Melissa said. Soon, Kangta arrived. “ Oops, I just remembered that I should be in my class earlier today, see you!” Melissa said as she quickly left the place, avoiding Kangta’s eyes. “ Are you two okay?” Tony asked. “ Yeah.. There’s something fishy around here.” Hee Jun said. “ It’s a long story.” Kangta sighed.

     It was after school and Melissa didn’t know where to go. She didn’t want to go home as she didn’t want to face Kangta. She didn’t feel like seeing Min either. She didn’t dare to face her. She wandered about and soon she ended up at a beach. She sat down and looked into the sea. If only she could be as free as the fishes in the sea…

     “ Hi kid.” Woohyuk smiled as he sat down beside Melissa. “ Woohyuk? How did you know I was here?” Melissa asked. “ You always come here when you are unhappy, why wouldn’t I know?” Woohyuk laughed. “ Oh oppa, I feel lost.” Melissa suddenly burst into tears and bit by bit, she told Woohyuk the whole story.

     “ Melissa, follow your heart, only then, you’ll be happy.” Woohyuk told her after he heard the whole story. “ Thanks oppa, I feel much better. I better be going, it’s really late.” Melissa said as the both of them walked out of the beach in silence.

     Melissa opened the door gently. Surely she was late enough? She had made sure she didn’t reach home so early, she didn’t want to face Kangta. “ He must be sleeping now.” Melissa assured herself. “ You’re back?” Melissa jumped. “ You scared me!” Melissa said.

   “ Melissa, we’ve got to talk…”

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Chapter 17

     Melissa sat down nervously. “ Now, why are you avoiding me?” Kangta asked. “ Avoiding you? I wasn’t.” Melissa denied, staring at the floor. “ Stop lying. Look at me Melissa.” Kangta said. “ Why are you avoiding me? What have I done?” Kangta questioned. “ All right, I’ll tell you.” Melissa gave in.

     “ You didn’t do anything wrong. I am the one who is wrong. I am the one! Yes, I know I love you, but we can’t be together. If we are together, we’ll hurt Min. Do you know how much she loves you? How could I ever betray her? How could I?

     She’s one of the greatest friends I ever had. How could I be so selfish? Because of my own happiness I neglect her feelings? How on earth could I ever have the heart to do that? I’m sorry.” Melissa said, with tears welling up in her eyes.

        “ Melissa, feelings can’t be forced. You can’t force someone to like another person. The person I love is you and you alone. I will never fall for anyone else except you. No one can ever take your place. Even if you don’t accept me, I’ll never fall for Min, the one that I love is not her!” Kangta explained.

     “ Give me a chance, I’ll never let tears fall from your eyes again.” Kangta promised. “ Oh Kangta!” Melissa said as she hugged Kangta. They pulled apart and looked into each other’s eyes. Slowly, they leaned towards each other and they kissed.

     That was the sweetest kiss ever…

“ I have decided! I think I will tell Kangta that I like him tomorrow!” Min said happily. She was on the phone with Hee Jun. “ Are you sure? Shouldn’t you wait?” Hee Jun asked. He had already heard the whole story from Kangta and he knew that there was no place for Min in his heart. What could he do to prevent her from getting hurt? He got no idea. He just hoped that she would not take it too hard.

    “I’m really into boxing these few days.” Tony said. “ Wow! Boxing? I didn’t know you know boxing.” Min said. “ Well, who knows, he might just be boasting.” Jae Won laughed. “ Hey, I am actually not as dumb as I look.” Tony pointed out. “ Are you sure?” Woohyuk laughed. Hee Jun looked at Min worriedly. Would she be able to take it?

     “ Kangta, I am worried. What will Min do?” Melissa asked worriedly as they walked hand in hand to school together. “ It’s okay, just remember that I’ll always be with you no matter what happens.” Kangta assured her. “ Here comes Kangta and Melissa!” Tony said.

     Min looked up and saw Kangta… Holding hands with Melissa? She gasped in horror. What was going on? Her mind whirling around. Everyone looked in surprise. “ We are proud to announce that we are now officially a couple.” Kangta announced proudly. “ YooHoo! That’s great!” they clapped. Melissa smiled meekly.

     Min stood up and ran away. “ Wait Min!” Melissa called out as she ran after her. The rest look at one another blankly. Something bad was bound to happen. “ Oh no, I better go after them.” Kangta said.

     “ Wait up Min!” Melissa called out as she tried to catch up with her. Min stopped. She turned and asked “ Why? Why did you do this to me? How could you ever do this to me? Among all the guys, why to you have to pick Kangta?” “ Min, I am sorry, but I really love Kangta.” Melissa tried to explained. “ You are not the only one. I love Kangta more than you!” Min cried out.

     “ I’m sorry, please don’t be like this.” Melissa begged. “ You’re sorry? If you’re sorry you would never have done this! How could you? You are so selfish!” Min shouted as she slapped Melissa.

      With that, she ran away. Kangta saw the whole thing. He walked towards Melissa. “ Don’t worry, she’ll be fine after a while.” Kangta assured her. “ Kangta, I am such a bitch.” Melissa sobbed as Kangta hugged her.

     “ No you’re not. You’re an angel…”

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Chapter 18

     “ How’s Melissa now?” Woohyuk asked. He had called to ask how was Melissa. He was worried about her. “ I think she should be fine after a while. She felt very tired and slept once we reached home.” Kangta told him. “ Oh yah.. Kangta? Don’t ever make her upset again.”
“ I won’t.” Kangta promised.

   Hee Jun decided to stop by Min’s house to see how she was doing. He knocked on the door. “ Min, I know you are inside, open the door would you?” Hee Jun asked. There was no answer. He realised that the door wasn’t locked. He opened the door and went in.

     “ Min! What are you doing!” Hee Jun rushed in and stopped Min. She was trying to swallow a whole bottle of sleeping pills. “ Let me go. I don’t want to live anymore. My life sux.” Min cried.

     “ Get a grip will you? Stop being a coward. You’ve got to face the reality. Why are you running away from it?” Hee Jun asked. “ You don’t understand. Do you know how much I love Kangta? Do you know how much it hurts to see your best friend with the guy you love most? Do you know how it feels to be rejected? Do you know how it feels when your best friend betrays you? Do you know how it feels when nothing else matters in your life? Do you? Do you?” Min wept. “ I hate Melissa! How could she do this to me!” Min cried.

     “ Min! Wake up! If Kangta has no feelings for you, he’ll never accept you, whether there is Melissa or not. If Melissa is not there, he still might not accept you. Why don’t you just give up? Is it worth it crying for someone who has no feelings for you? Do you think it is worth it, killing yourself because of a guy who doesn’t even love you? Is it worth it, feeling so upset over a guy who has no place for you in his heart? Is it worth is ruining a friendship because of a guy? Is it worth it?” Hee Jun practically shouted.

     “ Why should I give up? I believe he likes me!” Min shouted. “ Stop dreaming! You know that is not possible!” Hee Jun said. “ But Hee Jun, I can’t turn back, I have fallen deep into the well of love, I can’t climb back anymore.” Min sobbed.

     “ There’s no way I can ever forget about him. No way! How could I ever forget someone whom I love so much?” Min said. “ That is only an excuse! To forget someone is difficult, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible, it takes time.” Hee Jun said. “ You can do it Min!” Hee Jun encouraged. “ Oppa? Why are you so good to me?” Min asked.

    “ It’s because I have fallen for you since a long time ago…”

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      Melissa woke up. She was perspiring all over. She never felt so tired. “ Hi, wake up, I’ve bought some breakfast.” Kangta said cheerfully. “ Wow, I’m starving.” She said. After brushing up, she sat on the table and looked at the spread on the table. “ That’s nice.” She smiled as they begin eating.

      Suddenly, she stood up and went to the toilet. She felt something coming up. She vomited everything out. “ Are you okay?” Kangta asked worriedly. “ Erm.. yeah.. I am coming out soon!” Melissa called out as she quickly cleaned the mess she made.

     It must be the food she ate last night. She heard that the store wasn’t really hygienic, but she ate it anyway, since Kangta bought it. She didn’t want Kangta to worry, so she kept quiet about it…

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Chapter 19

     “ What? You’ve fallen for me?” Min asked. Hee Jun nodded. “ Haha.. Okay the joke is over.” Min forced a laugh. “ It’s true Min, I can’t remember when was it when I have fallen for you, but one thing I can say for sure is that I really love you.” Hee Jun said seriously.

     “ Are you feeling sorry for me? It’s okay oppa, I can manage, you don’t have to lie to me to make me feel better.” Min gave a small smile. “ It’s true Min, I swear that every word I said comes from the bottom of my heart.” Hee Jun said.

     “ Me? This is all so sudden.” Min said. Her mind was in a mess. First, Kangta broke her heart, now someone is making a confession to her? “ Could you be my girlfriend? I promise I’ll heal your broken heart.” Hee Jun promised.

*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~

     “ Hi, Is everything okay?” Tony asked as Melissa and Kangta approached them. “ I wonder how Min is..” Melissa said worriedly. “ I guess she should be okay.” Woohyuk assured her. “ Hello guys..” Min said. “ Erm.. Melissa? Could we talk?” Min asked meekly.

     “ Sure.” Melissa said nervously. “ You’ll be okay.” Kangta whispered into her ear as he squeezed her hand gently. Melissa nodded and went off with Min, her joints hurting a little as she walked.

     “ First of all, I would like to apologise, for that slap and for shouting at you.” Min apologised sincerely. “ No! You don’t have to apologise, I deserve that slap. I deserve those.” Melissa said. “ No, you know you don’t deserve them. I was in the wrong. I’m sorry.” Min said. “ I am sorry too.” Melissa said.

     “ So.. are we still friends?” Min asked, placing her hand out. “ Always!” Melissa said happily as she shook Min’s hand. “ Another thing. Hee Jun actually confessed that he likes me yesterday.” Min told Melissa.

      “ Really!” Melissa was surprised. “ That’s good! Did you accept him? He is a nice guy you know..” “ Well, I don’t know, the fact that I haven’t forgotten Kangta, it won’t be fair if I accepted him.” Min said. “ Don’t worry, I am sure you would be happy with Hee Jun, he’s someone who would treat the person he loves very well. He can definitely make you happy.” Melissa said, happy for her friend.

     “ You deserve your own share of happiness too.” Melissa said. “ Don’t worry, you don’t have to feel sorry for me, I have came to my senses. Hee Jun was right. Why should I be upset over a guy who has never loved me?” Min smiled sadly. “ Min, I really feel bad.. but I hope you do understand.” “ Don’t worry, I understand.” Min said as they hugged each other.

      “ How was it?” Kangta asked. “ No problem.” Melissa smiled. “ At last your smile is back. I was so worried for you.” Kangta confessed. “ Don’t worry, I am fine. Do you know that Hee Jun has been hiding a torch for Min all along?” Melissa asked. “ Really? That fellow, he has never told me anything about it.” Kangta laughed. “ Let’s just hope they have a happy ending too.” Melissa said.

      Melissa threw up in the toilet. She felt nauseous. “ Oh no, I must have caught a flu or something.” she thought and with that she climbed back to her bed and fell asleep immediately. With so many things going on, she often felt tired.

     Was everything going to be all right soon?

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Chapter 20

     “ Hey! Why didn’t you take the clothes to the laundry? Wasn’t it your turn?” Kangta asked. “ Sorry, I was too tired when I came back from school.” Melissa smiled weakly as she lay on the sofa. “ Yeah, what an excuse. I am always tired too.” Kangta laughed as he rolled his eyes.

     “ Come on, it’s dinner time.” Kangta was trying to wake Melissa up. “ Kangta? I think you go ahead without me, I am too tired.” Melissa said. “ Are you okay?” Kangta asked, concerned. “ Sure, just a little tired. Who wouldn’t? With all the school work and activities going on.” Melissa said.

     The following morning, Kangta went to Melissa’s room to hurry her along for school and found her still under the covers. “ Come on Melissa, Up, up, up. We’re running late.” Kangta said. “ I don’t think I can get out of bed.” Melissa said. “ We all feel like that sometimes.” Kangta smiled. “ I mean I can’t get up.” He laughed. “ If this is a way of skipping the maths test, forget it.” he said, pulling at her covers. “ Come on.”

     “ Kangta, I mean it, I just…I feel too weak.” She seemed serious. Kangta felt her forehead. “ You don’t have a fever.” he said. “ Honest, Kangta. It’s not the math test. I think I just over tire myself.” she said.

     “ Is it that you are trying to do too much? Or is there something else wrong that you’re not telling me?” Kangta asked suspiciously. She did not answer for a while. She knew she could not lie anymore. Kangta has saw through everything. Then she said reluctantly, “ I haven’t been feeling real good lately. I keep throwing up. And I get these pains in my joints. Her eyes were suddenly frightened. “ I… I don’t know what it is.”

     Kangta quickly went out to call the Tony that they would not be in school today. “ Is she okay?” Tony asked, concerned. “ I don’t know what it is too, I am bringing her to the clinic as soon as possible.” Kangta said. “ Kangta, relax, she’ll be fine.” Tony assured him, though he wasn’t so sure himself. He could feel the anxiety in Kangta’s voice. Kangta then phoned the HMO.

     When he went back to Melissa’s room, he was fighting panic. Seeing her lying there, trying to smile, her face as white as the pillow, it was hard to disguise his fear. “ I’m going to run you to the clinic.” Kangta told her. “ Aw, Kangta.”

     “ We need to get this dealt with, whatever it is. Here, let me help you up.” He slid an arm around his shoulders and tugged her into a sitting position. He had not realised how thin she was. He swung his legs sideways, so that by pulling him forward, she was standing on the floor. He carried him out and quickly hailed a taxi. “ Could it be anorexic?” Kangta thought worriedly. It would explain the weakness, the tiredness. Maybe even the pains in her joints.

     As the taxi drove across the town to the clinic, it seemed as if every light turned red as the car approached it, and every bus in town deliberately stopped in front of the car to slow them down. Breath plumed from where the pedestrians on the sidewalks, not one of them aware of his need to get where he was going as soon as he could. His thoughts churned, panicky, terrified.

     Anaemia. Anorexia. Anaemia. Anorexia. One or the other. There were not life-threatening diseases. They could be cured. “ She would be fine.” he consoled himself.

     She would be fine. Would she be fine?

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