tcoh6

Chapter 26


     “ Ah… Just look at the flowers!!” Melissa exclaimed happily.   “ I just love being here!” Melissa said as she took a deep breath of the fresh air around her.   “ Hey Tony! What are you doing with all the food in your mouth?” Min asked. Tony was stuffing the food into his mouth again. “ There goes our lunch.” Woohyuk groaned.

     “ Get him!” Hee Jun shouted as the rest ran after Tony. Melissa laughed. Now this was the life she missed. The carefree, happy days. Seeing them fool around keeps her sprits lifted. She smiled as she watched the guys pounce one by one on Tony. How could there be so much pain in her life when life is so beautiful?

     “ It’s all your fault. Now we have to share these pathetic stuff among seven people.” Min grumbled. “ Hey, I was hungry! You couldn’t leave me in the lurch right?” Tony said. “ Actually, that is what we would love to do.” Melissa laughed. “ Forget it Min, just take it as you are going on a diet.” Jae Won teased. “ Hey! Are you saying that I am very fat?” Min glared at Jae Won. “ Well, only you yourself know…” Jae Won laughed.

     “ Hey Jae Won, she’s not fat all right.” Hee Jun defended Min. “ Yeah yeah, and I bet you are the only one here who would defend her because you…” Kangta stopped, lifting a brow at him. His sentence made Hee Jun and Min blushed. “ Stop being shy guys, Min, have you accepted him?" Melissa asked. “ I…I…”

     “ Well, she would accept him sooner or later… They seem to get along VERY well.” Woohyuk looked at them slyly. “ Okay, okay, give you guys a break.” Melissa said, letting them off. They looked so embarrassed.

     “ You feel tired?” Kangta asked. It was late at night and they were siting among the grass, talking to each other. “ Kangta, stop treating me like a patient. I am well aren’t I? The thing is gone.” Melissa laughed.

     Even she herself couldn’t bear to say the word. Cancer. That word brought so much pain to her, even just saying the word makes her feel terrible. Those were the worst days of her life. “ But I wasn’t treating you like one.” Kangta protested. “ I was just concerned.” Kangta said. “ Well, you aren’t like that in the past.” Melissa said. “ Well, I learned to treasure you more and more each day.” Kangta smiled as he gently kissed Melissa on the lips.

    “ So what is your answer?” Hee Jun asked. The two of them too, couldn’t get to sleep and were walking along the beach somewhere near the ranch house. “ What answer?” Min asked. “ You know… the thing they were saying during dinner.” Hee Jun replied. “ What thing?” Min asked, pretending to be confused. She knew what Hee Jun was talking about, but she didn’t know how to answer.

     Sure, after all these months, her feelings for Kangta definitely died. Admiration was the word to describe her feelings towards Kangta. She admired Kangta on how brave he was when Melissa was ill and how much time he took to take care of her. Her feelings did develop for Hee Jun. She realised that he could be more than just a brother.

    “ Would you…Be my girlfriend?”

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Chapter 27

     Kangta yawned. He walked out of his room and walked to the dinning room. He stopped at his tracks. “ What the…?” Kangta was surprised, seeing the two of them holding hands.   “ Hee Jun and Min together?” Tony asked suddenly appearing behind Kangta. “ That’s great Min!” Melissa exclaimed. She had just woken up too.

     “ Stop making me embarrassed guys!” Min said. “ Okay, we shall pretend that nothing has happened.” Tony said, as he and Kangta imitated the two of them holding hands. “ Wait till I get you guys!” Hee Jun said as he went after the two of them.

     “ Hey, you two should start preparing for your singing competition. It’s coming up in a few months time.” Tony said, when the group was having breakfast. “ Oh, I have long forgotten about it!” Kangta laughed. “ Trust me guys. No doubt. You guys WILL win!” Jae Won said confidently.

     “ I can feel the pressure now, what if we don’t win? We’ll be disappointing you guys right…” Melissa said. “ Fine. Kangta, let’s go and bribe the judges now.” she joked. “ Come on, have some confidence.” Min encouraged.

     “ Yeah! You guys can do it!” Hee Jun cheered. “ Here’s to the competition!” Woohyuk said, lifting his glass of water. “ And to Melissa’s recovery.” Tony said. “ And last but not least, our beautiful friendship!” Melissa cheered as they clinked their glasses.

     “ Man, aren’t we ridiculous?” Hee Jun laughed. “ It’s okay, we all ridiculous people anyway.” Kangta laughed. The rest looked at Kangta. “ Okay okay, I was just kidding.” Kangta said as the rest laughed.

     “ We’re returning today?” Melissa asked sadly. “ Yeah, we still have school tomorrow kid.” Woohyuk laughed. “ Oppa, stop calling me a kid. I am no longer a kid. ” Melissa said. “ To me, you’re always one.” Woohyuk teased. Melissa made a face.

     “ If only we knew …!!” Melissa and Kangta sang at the top of their lungs in the car. “ Stop it guys.” Min laughed, covering her ears. The two of them were not practicing, they were just trying to make a fool of themselves. “ Shouldn’t we sing like this during the competition?” Melissa joked. “ Yeah, and Tony will kill you guys if you did that.” Hee Jun laughed.

     “ Kangta?” Melissa called out. “ Oh hi, aren’t you asleep?” Kangta asked. “ I can’t get to sleep.” Melissa said sheepishly. “ As usual.” Kangta laughed. “ What are you doing?” Melissa asked.   “ School work. I might not make it if I don’t study hard now.” Kangta said. “ Oh…”

     Melissa felt terrible. She was the cause of all these wasn’t she? If she hadn’t contracted cancer, Kangta wouldn’t be suffering. He had lost so much weight. Was she worth it? Was she worth all that trouble? Kangta is such a nice person, why did she drag him down with her own problems? Why was she such a troublesome person? Melissa couldn’t help blaming herself.

     “ I wouldn’t disturb you then.” Melissa said with fake cheerfulness in her voice. “ Sure, see you tomorrow.” Kangta smiled. He didn’t notice the tear that left her eye when she turned away and left the room…

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Chapter 28

     The sun shone on her bed and she woke up feeling faint. She felt giddy as she walked to the bathroom. She touched her forehead. Why did it feel so hot? She quickly took the thermometer and measured her temperature. “ 38.1 degrees?!” Melissa was shocked. Wasn’t she well the day before?

     “ Are you okay? You look pale.” Kangta asked, concerned. “ Pale? Ha… Of course I am okay!” Melissa lied. “ Are you sure?” Kangta asked suspiciously. “ Of course!” Melissa laughed as she gave Kangta a friendly punch on his back.

     “ Oh man, I can’t wait! The competition is coming up!” Tony said enthusiastically. “ He’s just excited about the money.” Jae Won explained. “ Yeah… I can tell.” Kangta laughed. They were back in school. “ Let’s practice after school today okay?” Tony asked. “ And you’re speaking as though YOU are the one who is participating.” Hee Jun laughed.

     “ Melissa, why are you so quiet today?” Woohyuk asked. “ Me? Nah.. You guys were talking too much, I didn’t have the chance to talk.” Melissa laughed softly. “ Hey! You look kind of pale! Are you okay?” Min pointed out. “ Of course I am! Stop treating me like a patient guys.” Melissa joked.

     “ Hey, heard about the new movie coming up?” Jae Won asked and the rest soon indulged in another conversation. Melissa thanked Jae Won secretly. She was relieved. She didn’t want the rest to know as she didn’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill. Who doesn’t get sick anyway?

     “ If only we knew there were no tomorrow…” they sang. “ That was GREAT!” Hee Jun applauded. “ You guys are just going to win. Trust me.” Tony said confidently. “ You’re just excited about the money.” Min teased. “ Hey! Could you all stop thinking that I am so money minded? I care for my friends too!” Tony said.

     “ He does?” Kangta looked at the rest. “ Get Him!” Woohyuk commanded as they pounced on him. “ Poor Tony, he often gets 4 buffaloes pouncing on him.” Melissa laughed. “ Who said that?” Hee Jun turned around. “ After her!” Jae Won shouted as Melissa ran.

     “ I knew it. They’ll make the whole house into a pig sty before leaving.” Melissa laughed. “ Yeah, that’s how they are.” Kangta smiled. “ And we? We have to clear the mess.” Melissa grumbled as she picked up the food crumbs on the floor. “ Yeah.” Kangta agreed as he mopped the floor. “ Those pigs. They should have at least helped us.” Melissa laughed. Though she was complaining, Kangta knew she enjoyed it. She enjoyed their company and cleaning up was nothing to her.

     Melissa felt something coming up. She rushed to the toilet. Just as she reached the toilet, she threw up. “ Oh no…” She moaned as she tried to clear the mess. When she was frantically trying to clear the mess, she noticed something. She pushed her sleeve up to have a better view.   Bruises? Why did she have bruises on her? First the fever, then throwing up, and now.. bruises?

     Fever, throwing up, bruises… Was it… Was it back?

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Chapter 29

     “ Today is the day! You guys can do it!” Min encouraged. They were at Victoria Hall and it was the day of the competition. “ I am nervous.” Melissa admitted. “ I think you are mad too. It’s like so hot today and you are wearing long sleeves?” Woohyuk joked. “ Hey! It might be cold inside right!” Melissa pointed out. The truth was that she wanted to hide the bruises from them.

     “ We can do it.” Kangta whispered into her ear. Melissa held on tightly to his hand. She was so nervous. “ We’ll be fine.” Kangta assured. He could feel how nervous Melissa was. Her hands were as cold as ice.

     “ Boy, aren’t they good?” Hee Jun accidentally blurted out. “ Melissa and Kangta are better.” Min scolded him, giving him a whack on his head. “ Yes, mom.” Hee Jun joked. “ Kangta, they’re good aren’t they? I’m scared.” Melissa confessed. “ They’re good, but we’re better. Just be yourself when we are on stage.” Kangta told her.

     “ Next!” Wasn’t it them? Weren’t they the next? “ Oh no…” Melissa said softly. “ You two can do it guys!” the rest whispered encouragingly. Seeing them so encouraging, she felt better. Hand in hand, they walked up the stage.

If Only

I remember the first day when I saw you,
We met in the most unexpected way.
I didn’t think I would see you again,
But fate brought us together again.

I remember how shock I was when I saw you.
First time is was coincidence,
Second time, it was fate.
Were we meant to be?

If only I knew it was the last time,
I’ll see you fall asleep,
I’ll tuck you in tightly,
And never let you go.

If only I knew it was the last time,
I’d hear you say you love me,
I’ll tape each action and word,
so that I could play them back day after day.

If only you knew,
How much I didn’t want to close my eyes,
When I know
I might never open them again.

If only, we met earlier,
We could have more days with each other.
If only you knew how hurt I feel,
When I know it’s going to be the last time.

If only we knew there were no tomorrow…

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

     Tears began to fall from Melissa’s eyes when she sang the last paragraph…

      Kangta took Melissa’s hand and they bowed. There was a loud round of applause. Kangta could see his friends cheering and whistling for them.

     “ Are you okay?” Kangta asked when they were down the stage. “ Sure! The song was to touching.” Melissa said. “ You guys were great!” Min squealed. “ You are going to win! I never heard such beautiful voices before!” Tony said. “ Please excuse me, I’ve got to go to the toilet.” Melissa smiled.

     Melissa practically ran into the toilet. She looked at her pale face in the mirror. Wasn’t the song just like them? It wasn’t fair. She didn’t want everything to end like that. Not when life is going on so beautifully and when she found someone she really deeply loved. Why was God playing around with her life like that?

     “ Oh God…” She couldn’t take it anymore. She squatted down and cried…

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Chapter 30

     Kangta was worried. Melissa seems upset. What was going on? Before he could leave and look for Melissa, he was dragged away by Tony and the rest, because Hee Jun saw their childhood friend.

     Woohyuk thought that it was strange. Why was Melissa crying when she sang the song? Was something wrong? He thought he’d better check it out. He walked away from the rest and went outside of the ladies to wait for Melissa.

     Woohyuk stopped. Why was there someone crying in the toilet? He recognized the cries. Wasn’t it Melissa? He felt a wave of panic flowing through him. “ Melissa?” He knocked on the door. “ Are you okay? What happened?” Woohyuk asked.

     Melissa tried to answer, but she was crying too hard to speak. “ Did Kangta bully you? Did Kangta make you upset? Tell me Melissa!” Woohyuk said. Melissa’s sobs became louder when she heard the name ‘Kangta’. The thought of leaving him was so painful.

     Woohyuk felt anger rising up inside him. Why? Why was Kangta always making her upset? Why was Kangta always making her cry? Didn’t he promise he wouldn’t make her upset anymore?

     Woohyuk spotted Kangta at a corner. He walked towards him with his fits clenched. “ Why did you make Melissa so upset?” Woohyuk practically shouted, holding Kangta at his collar. “ What’s going on..?” Kangta was surprised.

     “ Stop acting will you?!” Woohyuk shouted. “ If you didn’t make her upset, why is she crying so badly in the toilet? What have you promised me?!” Woohyuk shouted. He had totally lost his cool. He couldn’t take it anymore. Before Kangta could react, Woohyuk gave him a punch on his face.

     Kangta was furious. Why was he accusing him of something he had not done? Why was he so worked up over Melissa anyway? “ Who are you anyway? What position are you in to ask?” Kangta spat out, in a moment of anger.

     “ Now you are asking me what position am I in to ask?” Woohyuk shouted. “ Let me tell you this. If I had known that you would make her so upset, I would NEVER have given her up! Do you know how long I’ve fallen for her? Way long before you! Before I got the chance to confess my feelings, you came in! You can in and spoiled the whole picture!” Woohyuk said all in one breath.

     Melissa gasped, but quickly covered her mouth. They didn’t know she was there. She had came out of the toilet, wanting to tell Woohyuk that she was okay, but ended up hearing the whole conversation. She had wanted to stop Woohyuk when he punched Kangta, but his answer to Kangta’s question made her froze on the spot.

     Her mind was in a mess. Didn’t it all make sense? Wasn’t Woohyuk always the first one to notice anything about her? The chain that she wore, given to her by Kangta, the time when her eyes were swollen from crying, her long sleeves that she wore in such a hot weather. Didn’t it all make sense?

     Wasn’t Woohyuk always there when she was in need or in trouble? He was always there, helping her with the maths questions. And the time at the beach, when she wanted to give Kangta up, didn’t Woohyuk suddenly appear and consoled her? Wasn’t he the one who stood outside the toilet asking her what was wrong?

     “ Oh no…” Melissa moaned. It all made sense. How could she be so dense? She must have hurt Woohyuk a lot. He watched someone he loved cry for his best friend. He watched someone he loved being together with his best friend. He watched someone he loved so madly in love with his best friend. She must have torn his heart into many pieces.

     Why did she always bring trouble to the people around her?


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