A WALK UNDERNEATH THE STARS
Robedith cannot speak. She just let the tears flow as he listened to Changmin.
When Changmin finished, she said, "Why do you always make me cry, honey?" she whispered, smiling. She then touched his face with his hand. "I've never been good with words. I think it’s impossible for me to say to you the things that you said to me. But remember that even if I can’t say it properly, I'm always making it sure that you feel how much I love you."
She continued, "Don't worry, I won't ever leave you. Even if you don't want me to. Even if you forget about me. Even if you don't love me anymore. Even if --"
Changmin cut her off by hugging her. "You know that I won't ever stop loving you. No matter what happens. That's our promise, remember?"
Robedith sobbed. "Yeah, I know. That's why I said 'if', you dummy."
Changmin laughed.
"It's getting late. I should get you home. I promised Mom we won't be late," Changmin said.
"And since when did you start calling MY mom like that?" Robedith laughed, tears still pouring down her cheeks.
"Since today. We're as good as married, right?"
"Ha ha ha," Robedith laughed.
"You know, whenever you laugh, I always find it so beautiful. I'm stricken speechless with it," Changmin commented.
"But you're talkative now, right?" Robedith teased.
Changmin kissed her. "Let's go." He laughed. She joined him.
"Wait, where's the car?" said Robedith when she cannot spot the limo.
"No, we're walking," Changmin replied.
"Oh, a walk underneath the stars, I see. Romantic."
"You find it so?"
"Yeah."
"Me too." Every place is romantic as long as you're there, thought Changmin.
"Actually, every place is romantic as long as you're there," Robedith said.
Changmin laughed. "And here I am, thinking about those lines."
"I beat you there, then. Haha!" Robedith said. She started to run - her laughs filling the air.
Changmin stood motionless as he stares at her. “God, thank you very much,” he thought. Then, he shouted, "Let's see who beat whom. I'm coming!" He started to run to catch up with Robedith.
Changmin opened the door.
“Hyung I’m home!”
As he close the door, he saw that his hyung is not around.
“Hyung?”
Then he noticed that the light in his hyung’s room is open. He went to the room. Inside, he saw his hyung packing his things.
“Hey.”
Jeff said “What?” and continued packing.
Changmin felt ignored. This is the first time his hyung made him feel that way.
“Where are you going?”
Jeff didn’t say anything.
“Hey. Are you leaving me?” Changmin felt troubled. It’s the first time that this kind of scenario happened. “What’s wrong?” he said.
Jeff said nothing.
“Are you leaving?”
Jeff didn’t answer.
Changmin felt lost. He was so happy moments ago. But now, with his hyung’s silent treatment, the moments he spent with Robedith seemed to be so long ago.
“What happened?” Changmin asked himself. He could not think of anything that can cause his hyung to be like this. He could not think of anything to say. He could not think of anything to do. This situation never happened before.
He just stood there, watching his hyung pack. When Jeff is done, he went straight past Changmin into the living room. After a moment, Changmin followed. He saw his hyung heading outside the house.
He couldn’t take it anymore. He cried.
Then he shouted to the top of his lungs, “DON’T LEAVE ME!”
Jeff turned around and looked at his brother for a whole minute.
Then, he laughed. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Changmin felt confused. Now that he’s taking a good look at his hyung, he noticed something.
Jeff had been listening to his iPod with so small an earphone that Changmin failed to notice it. He felt so stupid.
“You really are stupid, Min.”
Changmin felt so ashamed he could not look at his hyung in the eye.
“I’m packing my things because renovations will be done to my room starting tomorrow. I’m starting to feel that the room is getting smaller while I work - tons of paper works. I’m an IT specialist. I’m not a technical writer. But still, I can’t refuse the work.”
“But I’m happy that you would not want me to leave you. Don’t worry, I will never leave you. The one who is leaving must be you.”
“What do you mean?” Changmin asked.
“L’Renouille,” Jeff said.
“How on Earth did you know?” Changmin asked. He kept the proposal a secret from him.
“The manager of that restaurant is my friend. He phoned me when you made reservations.”
“But why did he do that?”
“It’s my request. I know you’ve been seeing that restaurant for a while now. And I know for what reason. So, did she accept the proposal?”
“Yes. Of course. Yes, she did.”
“Good. You’re not my brother if a girl turned you down. Well, not that it occurred to me that she will turn you down. But the question is why did you kept it a secret from me?”
“Hmmm. Just want to surprise you.”
“What a wonderful reason, as if I will be surprised. So when will you two get married?” Jeff asked.
“By next month. A lot of preparations should be done. And,” Changmin paused. “well, I can’t do it by myself.”
“I knew it. You needed me after all,” Jeff said, laughing.
“Of course, you’re my hyung. I really need you.”
Jeff clenched his fist. “To the success of the marriage.”
Changmin followed, clenching his fist, too. “To our happiness.”
“1,” said Jeff.
“2,” continued Changmin.
“3,” they shouted both.
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