35th➳

Joonyoung

Joonyoung had texted to meet up with Jiae, since he had matters to discuss. First, their project then something personal. Joonyoung had to find out whether his theory was right or not. 

He saw Jiae enter the cafe they had agreed to meet in and waved his hand to get her attention. Once she spotted him, she headed to the table he was already seated at. 

First, they began discussing the project they were coming up with then after that was done, Joonyoung carefully took a sip of his coffee and slowly put the cup back down on the table before his eyes shot up at Jiae. 

"Now that that's done," Joonyoung began, tracing the handle of the cup white cup, "I have a few other things I want to talk about with you, Hong Jiae."

Jiae looked up from the heaps of paper on their table and began clearing it up. "What is it?"

"I noticed and discovered something really funny," Joonyoung began, his eyes dropping onto the cup that he continued to trace. "You built an orphanage, yet, you don't even treat kids nicely. What's with that?"

When Joonyoung's eyes examined Jiae instead of the cup he was tracing, he noticed the way she lightly flinched. He waited for her to give an explanation, even though he knew she wouldn't. Ever since she changed, he knew what she was like. She was unpredictable, at the same time, she was. 

She crossed her arms over her chest and kept a straight face. "And how would you know that?"

The corner of Joonyoung's lips lifted up slightly. "I have an insider, as you can say. It doesn't exactly matter how I know. What matters is the reason why you're doing such a cruel thing to kids who don't have parents."

"When were you so interested in what I was doing, Kwon Joonyoung?" Jiae asked, a smile rested on her lips before her expression changed into a disgusted expression. 

"I was always in your business, Hong Jiae. We were friends, and that was the reason why," Joonyoung slowly said, unsure whether he should bring a topic that seemed to be coated with dust. "But you're avoiding the question. Why? Is it another selfish reason?"

"Don't speak of something you don't know carelessly, Kwon Joonyoung. I'm warning you."

"This." Joonyoung made a hand movement that was indicating Jiae. "This is you from now on. Before, you always admitted what you did wrong. You were innocent. You were lovable. You were my friend. And this. This is how you are now. Cruel. Rude. Way on top. Over the lines."

Jiae scoffed. "If you're just going to keep insulting me this way, it would be better for me to leave."

"True," Joonyoung agreed, "but then, I wouldn't be able to find reasons. Tell me why you have an orphanage where you simply treat kids that way."

"If you want to know, fine. It's an orphanage for kids who are misbehaved. They have no one to keep them in line since they don't have parents, so this is where they'll be disciplined," Jiae explained, as if she memorized the answer. 

"You simply take kids off the streets and teach them a lesson?" Joonyoung raised an eyebrow. But that didn't make sense since Hoya and Jaemin weren't that big of troublemakers. He knew Jaemin had a temper but he was slowly stopping himself from getting angry at small things. 

"Yeah," Jiae answered without hesitation. 

"Then why did you lock up my cousins there?" Joonyoung started asking the real questions. 

Jiae paused for a moment, trying to look unfazed as she processed what he had just said but she had no idea what he was talking about. "What?"

"My cousins," Joonyoung repeated. 

"I did not lock up your cousins. I don't see any of your cousins' names there. I do know, for a matter of fact, that Nari's cousins are locked up there," Jiae told him. 

Joonyoung's lips pulled up in one side once again as he leaned back in his chair. "That's exactly what I mean. You did have my cousins locked up in there. What's the reason for, Hong Jiae?"

Jiae tried processing what he meant once again but she just simply couldn't understand. "What are you saying, Kwon Joonyoung? Don't tell me you're related to that lowlife named Kwon Nari."

"Well then, what if I said I was?" Joonyoung was testing her. Watching her face turned into a horrified one, he asked her, "What exactly is it that you hate about her, Hong Jiae? No one understands you. My only reason is that her personality reminds you of Oh Eun Soo. And why would you hate someone who reminds you of Oh Eun Soo?"

Jiae suspiciously turned away, avoiding his eyes. 

"Suspicious," Joonyoung commented. 

"I didn't really like Eun Soo, okay! She stole everything I liked. She was always there to steal my light. The day she died, that wasn't exactly an accident!" Jiae blurted out. When she realized what she had just said, she clamped her mouth shut and avoided his eyes again. 

Joonyoung's eyes squinted as he tried to make his own theory. "That means that it was a set up when Eun Soo fell into the water and drowned. We both know she couldn't swim. And all these years, you've been putting the blame on me because you didn't want to be caught. Hong Jiae, you're crazy. You could be fined for murder!"

Jiae didn't say anything. 

"I don't care what you're going to do anymore. I'm taking Nari back. She's our family, not yours, and you have no right to treat her and take her like that. I'll pay for the fine you paid for her so she doesn't have to work for you anymore," Joonyoung said, sliding an envelope towards her. "Happy now?"

Jiae stared at the envelope and scoffed. "So this is eventually how it is, huh? How come people always help the lowlifes?" 

"How come you're not helping one?" Joonyoung questioned. 

Jiae didn't reply to that one. 

Joonyoung stood up and tucked his hands into his pockets. "Since we've discussed everything now, I'll be leaving. Hopefully this will be our last project together, Hong Jiae."

Then Joonyoung left Jiae alone in the cafe. 

Jisoo

His parents had return back to Korea and he was happy to see them. But then the topic of the engagement between Gain and him wasn't making him happy at all. And seeing his parents look so cheerful about it, he couldn't risk telling them that this wasn't what he wanted. 

Jisoo noticed that Nari was nearby and she was following Ms. Pyo around, helping with chores and being taught the right way. He knew she could hear them and he was sorry she had to listen of the approval for the engagement like this. 

Nari avoided eye contact with him most of the times. Jisoo wanted to grab her attention or simply leave the room to talk to her but he couldn't, as much as he wanted to. 

"Your graduation is in two days," Jisoo's dad was saying, all giddy, "after you're a high school graduate, we can get the wedding planning."

Jisoo had a fake smile on as he continued to wonder where Gain's plan was. When were they going to get out of this engagement?

After talking more about the engagement, Jisoo was finally free to leave the living room and he disappeared into his room, since he knew he couldn't go to Nari right now. 

Jisoo picked up his phone and began typing away a message for Gain. 

Jisoo: My parents already know about it. Any smart ideas, No. 1?

Gain: I'm thinking. You don't expect to figure out a good plan in a short period of time.

Jisoo: Right, because you're No. 1 and you're always studying instead of thinking how to get us out of this mess.

Gain: Hong Jisoo, you're unreasonable rude these days. 

Jisoo: Can't help it. I become rude when I have to marry someone I don't love. Oh, and remember that you're the one who got Nari into detention because we were dating? 

Gain: Holding a grudge, I see. Grow up and get over it.

Jisoo: That's easier said than done. 

Gain: Give me two more days. My plan's almost complete. We'll be out of this arranged marriage. Trust me.

Jisoo: I'm trying. 

Gain: Just trust me. You won't even have to search for another rich girl to marry. Unless your parents make another decision, I don't know. 

Jisoo: Well, thank you for that, at least.

Gain: Yup. Okay.

Gain: I'll be studying now.

Jisoo: Graduation is in two days, In Gain. Why are you studying?

Gain: Some people have goals to achieve, Hong Jisoo. 

Jisoo: Medical School?

Gain: Yup. 

Gain: They won't let me in if I'm not in the top 99% or 100%. Medical School will stop me from getting a boyfriend or simply getting married at a young age, since that will only be a distraction. See you in twelve years, maybe?

Jisoo: Yeah, after everything, maybe. 

Gain: Right. Okay. Back to studying now.

Jisoo: See you.

♥

Gain had ran away to another country. 

So that was her plan all along. To run away from Korea once they graduated and to escape from this engagement. From what Jisoo had heard, she went to America because she got accepted into a prestige medical school there. 

Hearing that, Gain's father went mad and apologized to Jisoo's parents for her actions and Jisoo's parents replied by saying that she probably just didn't want to marry their son. 

Correction: none of them wanted to marry each other. 

The day Jisoo graduated—as well as Nari—Soonyoung had dropped by in their house for a visit. At first, Jisoo thought that it was because Soonyoung wanted to congratulated him for graduating and that they were going to have fun by enjoying their high school-free life, but it wasn't that. At least, not entirely. 

It was because Soonyoung was going to pick up Nari and bring her back to the Kwon household, which left Jisoo confused. Soonyoung quickly explained that it was because they were actually cousins and that his parents wanted her to live with them.

Jisoo was only left amazed. Who knew Nari ended up being cousins with his best friend?

Of course, Jisoo hadn't have a chance to ask Nari out again ever since the engagement failure and their graduation. Jiae was somehow arrested for murder that happened ten years ago and for mistreating children without parents. Also for fabricating a fine and whatnot. There were so many Jisoo's head went dizzy trying to take in everything. 

From what Soonyoung had told him, Nari was happy. And that gave Jisoo a chance. It was time for him to claim back something he lost. 

Nari

I always thought happiness was something that was never made for me. Like life just didn't like me being happy so they took it away from me whenever it accidentally entered my life. 

But that wasn't exactly the case. 

Happiness was made for everybody. Only that each person received a different type of happiness at a different time. Not everyone had it coming to them in an easy way. Some had to go through some tough trial. Most of the times, it was long. 

For me, it took me seventeen years to finally find the happiness that I have been searching for. 

"Noona, look! I beat Soonyoung hyung's high score!" Hoya excitedly told me as he pointed at the screen. 

I beamed at him. "He might not like that, Kwon Hoya."

Hoya evilly grinned. "It's not my fault I'm better than him."

I smacked the back of his head. "Someone's being conceited. Let's see if Soonyoung will be able to beat you then."

Hoya pouted as he rubbed the back of his head. "Noona, why are you crushing all my dreams? When I get high points, you smack the back of my head but when hyung does, you praise him. That's not fair."

I affectionately hugged him. "I love you, my little cousin."

"We're technically siblings now," Jaemin, who entered the room, said, plopping onto the seat nearest to him. He had an ice cream tube in his hands and he was enjoying it greatly. 

"Yah! Kwon Jaemin! You're going to get sick from eating so much ice cream! That's your third ice cream tube today!" I nagged, getting up from where I sat down and approaching Jaemin to get it away from him. 

Jaemin pulled it away from me and protected it from my grip. "No! I get to do what I want!"

I grabbed his spoon and hit the top of his head with it. "Get your head together, Kwon Jaemin. I swear, if you fall ill, it's not my fault. I'll tell Aunt and Uncle not to pay for your hospital bills."

Upon hearing that, Jaemin closed the ice cream tube and sighed before he handed it to me. "Why do you still call Mom and Dad Aunt and Uncle?"

I scratched the back of my ear. "I'm not used to calling them Mom and Dad yet. They're, after all, our Aunt and Uncle before they adopted all of us."

Soonyoung stood by the door, eavesdropping and once I noticed his presence, he said, "Oops, busted."

"Ah, it's so nice to have a noisy household," Hoya said whilst playing his game. "Hyung! I beat your high score!"

"Mwo?" Soonyoung immediately plopped onto the seat next to Hoya and grabbed a controller. "Yah, let's replay. I'm going to beat your score again and remain as the highest ranking."

I shook my head at the two boys. I still see them as my cousins, not yet as my brothers. But Joonyoung treats me so much like his little sister I could easily see him as my older brother. 

Joonyoung was there too, leaning against the door frame as he watched all of us in Hoya and Jaemin's gigantic room. Soonyoung and Hoya were playing games. Jaemin and I were... well, we were simply fighting over Jaemin's health. 

"Nari," Joonyoung called my attention. 

"Nae, oppa?" I turned to face him. That gave Jaemin to immediately slipped away. "Yah, Kwon Jaemin!"

Jaemin had ran into the bathroom and locked the door to probably continue eating ice cream. 

"When you get out, you're so dead!" I continued pounding on the door. 

"Ah, just leave him be, Nari. Let him do whatever he wants and let him see what he gets in the end," Soonyoung advised while he was immersed in the game. 

"Well, okay..." I pounded one last time on the door. "Kwon Jaemin, I hope karma hits you!"

"Whatever!" Jaemin shouted from beyond the door. 

"Nari," Joonyoung called once again whilst chuckling. 

"Oh, nae oppa?" I asked him once again. 

He nodded his head out of the door. "We have to get going now."

"Oh, right!" I immediately ran up to the mirror in Hoya and Jaemin's room to fix my hair. I tied it up into a high ponytail and followed Joonyoung out of the room. Soonyoung and Hoya were questioning where I was going but I didn't bother to reply since we were almost behind schedule. 

Joonyoung and I greeted Aunt and Uncle goodbye before we exited out of the giant mansion. Yeah, what a cool thing to be living in such a gigantic place, huh? I even got a big room and everything. I'm still not used to it, but it was definitely something. 

"Oh, you're driving?" I asked when I saw Joonyoung opened the car door to the driver's seat. I sat in the passenger seat.

Joonyoung smiled as he started the engine. "There's no need for a driver today. I'll personally be your driver today. One day, you'll be my driver once you're old enough, right?"

"What is this..." I muttered, but smiled at him anyway. I clicked the seat belt and quietly sat in my seat while Joonyoung did the driving. 

Once we arrived at our destination, Joonyoung told me, "We're going to different rooms, you know that, right? Once you're done talking, make sure you text me. Meet point is right here at the entrance. Okay?"

I nodded then decided to salute him as well. "Nae, oppa! I understand and will do as told!"

Joonyoung lightly chuckled and ruffled my head. "I'll be going ahead first. You go talk to her and say a proper goodbye, if you can. Okay?"

"It'll be hard, but I'll try," I told him, giving him a smile. "You, too, oppa. Hope you end things nicely."

"We probably ended things nicely years ago." Joonyoung gave me a dry smile. "I'll get going now. See you in a few, Kwon Nari."

I nodded once again before we both disappeared into different rooms. A police officer accompanied me and sat down somewhere by the side of the room, attending to something whilst a door at the back—behind the glass—opened and a person came out, accompanied by another police officer. 

She sat down in front of me, right behind the glass and she looked the most sober at this very moment. I guess the prison has done a great job by keeping the soju bottles away from her. 

Her eyes flickered for a second. Then, it started to look teary. But she didn't say a word. Neither did I. But we should, since visiting times didn't usually last long. Probably a few minutes and you'll be asked to leave. 

I took in a deep breath and asked, "Hey, Mom. How are you?"

She didn't reply for a good moment. 

I tried again. "Everything okay in prison?"

"Nari..." From what I could hear, her voice was quivering. "I can't believe what life I had driven you into. I can't make you stop hating me and I won't ask you to forgive me. I have never been the mother you've always wanted and needed. I'm sorry for that."

Even though I looked calm and composed, under the table, my hands were roughly clutching onto the longer part of my blouse. 

She went on, "I can't take you back now. I heard your father's brother adopted you? They're treating you well, aren't they? I hope they give you the happiness you deserved."

"Mom..." I took a deep breath. "What about you? What about your happiness? I may not have cared a lot for you this year but ever since I was kid up until last year, I deeply cared for you. What's going to happen to you?"

Mom wryly smiled at me. "Thank you for being a good daughter despite me being like this. Don't worry about me and live your life, okay? You're still so young. You deserve better than me."

"But still, everyone deserves their happiness."

"I'll be here in here for three years," she explained, looking around the room. "I'll have a lot of thinking to do. Once they let me out, I'll start again. It may be too late for a new life, but I'll change things up and get rid of horrible habits. I'll be better. Though I can't be the mother you deserve once I'm out of here, I hope I'll still be something in your life."

"You'll still be my mom," I told her without hesitation. "Reflect on your life here, okay?"

Mom smiled an amused smile. "I will, Nari. Thank you for still caring."

"Kwon Nari-sshi, visiting time for you is over," the same police officer that accompanied me inside the room told me. 

I nodded and turned back to Mom. "I'll see you soon, then?"

"After three years," she said, getting up as well.

I smiled back. "Yeah. Three years. Be well and stay healthy, Mom."

"I will. You too. I want to stay and talk to you more but the police officers might get mad."

"I'll visit often from now on," I promised, then finally saw her walk back into the other room through the door she entered from. 

It wasn't exactly a goodbye, but a hello to a new beginning. Maybe it was a goodbye as well, but it didn't seem like one at all.

 When you think of someone you hated, you never thought they'd find happiness. It's a normal mind response. However, that doesn't mean that the person you hate will never receive happiness because the world is fair. It gives happiness to everyone. Some at a given time. Some since the very start.

Once I was outside, I smiled. Peter Pan wasn't as alone as he thought he was. Because, in the end, he realized he actually had people there for him and that they cared for him deeply. 

Joonyoung

Joonyoung sat in front of the glass, facing Jiae who had a disinterested face on. Before he could mutter anything, she asked him, "Are you happy now? Now, you gave everyone else their happy endings but me."

Joonyoung folded his arms over his chest. "That wasn't my fault, Hong Jiae. You got rid of your own happy ending."

Jiae rolled her eyes and looked away. 

"I don't know if this helps, but Jiae, even you deserve happiness, you know that?" 

Jiae scoffed. 

"You just need different reasons to be happy," Joonyoung said, a little quieter. "Stop destroying other people's lives once you're out of prison, okay? I believe in you—in the girl I was best friends with ten years ago. It's never too late to change. You have time to reflect on your actions. I hope you do just that."

Jiae didn't reply back. She got up and told the officers she wanted to leave and did just that. 

Ah, she's still the same, Joonyoung thought then got up, messing up the back of his hair. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a door open behind him and turned around, seeing Jiae standing by the door behind the glass. 

The look in her eyes changed as she looked at him with warmness he never though he'd see. She slowly said, "I hope you'll wait for me? For a change in me, if you really believe in that."

Joonyoung smiled back and nodded. "You're my best friend. Of course I'll do that. Be well while you're in here, Hong Jiae. I'll come visit whenever I'm not busy, okay?"

Jiae smiled—actually smiled—and nodded. "I will. Thank you."

Joonyoung finally left the room and was smiling to himself as well. Finally, his best friend was returning and he seemed as if the pieces that were left scattered after finally being placed back in its original spot. And he liked that. 

Nari

Joshua: Can we meet? I'm sorry it took so long for me to ask you! My parents got me busy ever since we graduated and the whole engagement gone wrong deal >.<

I stared at the message and felt a weird sensation travel around my body. It's been two weeks since I heard from Joshua. I wasn't sure what was going on between us ever since graduation but hearing from him right now, I didn't sure whether there were sirens telling me it was wrong or if there were sparkles telling me this was right. 

Shaking my head, I decided to give him a reply. 

Nari: ye.......ah. we should meet. pit-a-pat cafe?

Joshua: Yes! Okay! I'll be there in ten minutes. I'm nearby right now.

Nari: ok. i'll be there soon.

Soonyoung said he wanted to introduce me to somebody—on behalf of our parents since they're busy this afternoon—but I guess I have to tell him to push that back for a while. I was meeting with Joshua after two weeks, this obviously seemed more important.

But what if he doesn't love me back anymore? We barely contacted in that span of two weeks. Anything could obviously happen. I mean, Joshua got engaged to In Gain—who ran away to another country after graduating—all of a sudden, so obviously, anything could happen.

Nevertheless, I decided to meet up with Joshua. I wanted to talk to him, see him and find out what exactly we were now. He said we were together until he finds a way to get out of the engagement but ever since Gain ran away, we never contacted. Isn't that what people usually call a 'break up'?

Okay, so I still wasn't too educated in dating but at least I was learning from Kwon Soonyoung. Or maybe it was a bad idea to follow my cousin—brother, but it was still too hefty—and his ways, since he was a famous flirtatious guy in his school. 

In a short while, I finally arrived at Pit-a-pat cafe. I entered inside, looking around to find Joshua. I spotted Joshua seated somewhere near the entrance but was shocked to find out how much he changed. He didn't really changed much, but a change of hairstyle or hair colour could make you into a whole different person. 

Right before me was Joshua with pink hair. Pink hair. Of all colours to dye it into. But I liked it. I smiled sheepishly and immediately ran up to the seat in front of him, startling him. 

He placed a hand over his heart and leaning back on his chair. "You scared me!"

I stuck my tongue out playfully. "Good! You needed it!"

Joshua smiled brightly and suddenly said, "I missed you."

I flinched in place. I wasn't expecting that. "Well, yeah, I missed you too."

Joshua titled his head to the side. "You don't sound so enthusiastic."

"I'm not exactly sure what we are so I can't sound enthusiastic," I told him simply, shrugging. 

Joshua laughed loudly, probably attracting a few people's attention in the cafe. 

"What are you doing?" I whispered, avoiding their gazes but giving Joshua a weird stare. "Yah, Hong Jisoo, stop looking so crazy. I think someone's going to get their phones to call a mental hospital."

Joshua finally calmed down but was still slightly laughing. He rubbed his eyes, as if to wipe a tear, and finally said, "We're together. How could you think other wise?"

"Because you didn't text me for two weeks?" I told him. "I honestly thought Peter Pan kidnapped you to Neverland."

Joshua seemed amused. "You really think that?"

"What else? Aliens then?" I shrugged. 

Joshua chuckled. "I see you haven't changed. How's life with Soonyoung? I heard you got adopted by his family. Sneaky you. Why didn't you tell me you were his cousin?"

"I only found out this year, surprisingly," I said, shrugging. Beats me why Dad never talked about his hyung. "But Soonyoung's fine. He can be an annoying butt and would team up with Hoya and Jaemin just to tease me but he's an okay dude."

"Okay dude," Joshua emphasized with a grin. 

"Okay, fine, he sometimes hide my storybooks and now I hold a slight grudge against him. He's mean," I shyly told him as I pouted. 

Joshua laughed once again. "Well, that's interesting. Soonyoung better be treating my girlfriend right or I won't hesitate to hurt him for you."

"There's no need for that." I smiled. "I know his secrets and fears. There won't be a problem on taking revenge."

"My Nari is a strong one, isn't she?" Joshua smiled. Then his phone ringed and he took it out. He had received a text, by the looks of it. 

At the exact same time, I received one as well. It was from Uncle— I meant, Dad. 

Uncle/Dad: Can you come back home, Nari? We have guests I want to introduce you to.

Nari: nae!

"I have to go now," both Joshua and I said at the same time, surprising the both of us. 

Joshua smiled. "I've got to go home. My parents have to talk to me about something. We'll meet again, right? Since we don't have school anymore, we can meet freely now."

"But your parents keep on bugging you," I noted, hoping I didn't offend him in any way.  

Joshua ruffled my hair and chuckled. "It will be fine, Nari. Come on." 

We exited the cafe with Joshua returning with his old jokes once again. Then a bunch of teenagers that looked like they were younger than us by a year passed by us, but they didn't completely leave us be. They stopped, stared at us, then snickered. 

"Look, someone wants to be a girl," the one in the middle, wearing his school shirt left unbuttoned, teased. "Hello, little girly. Are you girls going to the dolly cafe down the street?"

"That's very rude of you," said Joshua, frowning. 

"Aw, the little girl got hurt," another one said, snickering with his friends. He ruffled Joshua's hair as if he was older. "Why'd you dye your hair to pink in the first place, Princess?"

I couldn't tolerate any longer. I stepped in front of Joshua and gave them glares, though I was shorter than all of them. I called, "Yah."

"Yah?" one of the taller boys asked, their teasing eye-looks changing into something scarier. Anyone could obviously tell they were the trouble makers of the school. Luckily, they didn't go to our school. "How dare you you say "yah" to us."

I scoffed sarcastically then placed a hand over my hip. With the other hand, I gripped the one standing in front of me's collar. "You know, I pity people like you. They think they're above everyone, they think they can boss anyone they want but it's honestly really sad."

"This little girl talks too much," one of them joked, making the others snicker once again. 

I pulled the boy I was holding by the collar closer in and made intense eye contact. "I applaud you guys for actually having the courage to say things like these to strangers, but let me remind you, I can do the same thing to you kids, too."

"What are you doing?" Joshua whispered behind me, concerned. 

"You'll see," I whispered back. This was going to delay a lot of time but I had to teach these kids a lesson first. 

Joshua simply kept quiet by the sides, but I knew he was worried right now. 

I let go of the boy's collar and examined each one of them. "Hmm, you're short. You're fat. You smell worse than a dumpster. You look like someone who failed in their face surgery and—"

"Pipe down little girl or we won't hesitate to actually hurt you," one of them warned, holding me by the collar this time. 

I smirked and held my pointer finger in front of their nose. "Do you feel that? Your feelings getting hurt? Yeah, if you don't want to feel like that, then stop making other people feel like that. Unless you want a fist swinging your way, you better shut up and stop making fun of people and their ways. Or you'll be seeing me around me. Live a quiet and peaceful life, huh?"

Their eyes changed for a second before the one who held me by my collar finally let me go and walked away with his group, muttering an "aish". 

Once they were far away enough, I dusted my hands and chuckled. "Well, that was fun. I haven't done that ever since we graduated."

Joshua was smiling behind me, looking like he was mesmerized. "You know, there are just so many reasons why I fell for you."

I smiled back at him. "Sure, Jisoo. We should get going. Uncle might scold me if I'm not there on time."

"Sure, you go ahead." Joshua lightly patted the top of my head and gave me one last smile before we both went our ways.

Jisoo

As Jisoo was on his way home, he couldn't help but think of all the high school memories he had made. He couldn't believed he was already a graduate student and that his high school life was already over. If he hadn't met Nari, he wouldn't think he would have such a fun senior year. 

Only when his father mentioned he was smiling when he entered the living room in their mansion did Jisoo noticed he was smiling brightly as he thought about Nari. 

"Why so happy, Jisoo?" his dad asked, finding his smile contagious as well. 

Jisoo shook his head and sat down. "No reason. Why did you call me to come home?"

"Well, we're going to meet some guests. A potential fiance!"

Jisoo's smile immediately dropped as he screamed, "What?! Dad, I thought we were over the entire arranged marriage thing!"

"Not In Gain this time," his father said, chuckling as he shook his head. "She traveled to another country on her own to become a doctor. That girl has guts."

He didn't like how his father was not fully explaining another sudden arranged marriage. "Dad, you're getting distracted. Why must I keep getting involved in an arranged marriage?"

His father grinned back at him. "Oh, I have a feeling you'll like this one."

Jisoo groaned as he shook his head. What new plan must he come up with to get out of this arranged marriage? This time, he was on his own.

"Stop being such a big baby, Hong Jisoo. Come on, at least meet her before you turn her down. I have a feeling she'll like you a lot, as well," his father said, getting up from the seat. "Let's go now."

Jisoo didn't have a choice but to obey his father, so he got up and followed him into the car where they began to take a trip to wherever they were supposed to go.

Nari

"Yah! You guys are still playing games?" I asked, entering Jaemin and Hoya's room, only to find both Soonyoung and Hoya still seated in the same seats as before I left. "We have guests coming over! What are you two still doing here?"

"Guests?" both Soonyoung and Hoya repeated, their eyes locked on the screen. 

I walked up to the TV and grabbed the remote and switched it off. 

"Yah!" both of them complained.

"Yah?" I repeated, turning back around as I gave them glares. "Did you two just use a tone on me?"

Sure, I may have been like a kid before but now, I was really growing up. I didn't hate it so much anymore. I ended up finding out that not all adults are the worst. You just have to find the right ones to be in your life.

Both Hoya and Jaemin avoided eye contact and cleared their throat, suddenly becoming quiet. 

I lightly hit the top of their heads and pointed my forefinger at the both of them. "Yah, you two, get your head together. Uncle will scold you two more than I will if he finds out you two are simply playing games instead of getting ready for the guests."

Soonyoung's eyes then shot up and then he grinned, as if to teased me. "I think you'll like our guests very much."

I smacked his head once again. "I don't want to hear any of what you want to say now, Kwon Soonyoung. Go take a bath right now. You smell worst than Joonyoung oppa's feet after he had a long day."

Once Soonyoung heard that, he lightly gagged and immediately stood up, leaving the room to probably wash up. I'll check on him later because he might sneakily play games in his room. And yeah, Joonyoung's feet smells really bad after he had a long day.

I looked at Hoya and asked, "Well? Aren't you going to shower, too?"

Hoya immediately stood up and disappeared into the bathroom, but he was chuckling whilst he was doing that. 

When everyone else was preoccupied, I took a seat on the couch in Hoya and Jaemin's room and decided to take a quick nap for at least ten minutes. Also, I just didn't want to wait any longer for the guests.

♥

Probably two minutes before the guests arrived, Uncle suddenly called me because he wanted to talk to me. We were currently in his big office space, and I took the time to look around. 

"Nari, I have exciting news to tell you," Uncle finally said, grinning like a happy kid. I still wasn't used to calling him Dad. 

"What is it?" I quietly asked. 

"You've been placed into an arranged marriage!" he happily told me. 

I blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. What? "What do you mean I'm getting myself into an arranged marriage?"

"I think you'll like your new fiance," Uncle went on, as if ignoring my question, "he's quite the looker."

"Wait—what? An arranged marriage? It's all too sudden!" I explained, unsure what exactly was going on. "I have someone I like, too!"

"Oh, you'll just have to meet him before you disagree. It will be rude if you rejected him before you meet him, Nari," Uncle said, wiggling his eyebrows. 

What?

We both heard a vehicle parked. "Oh, they must be here."

"Wait!" I shouted, my eyes widening. I started to feel wary. How would Jisoo react to this? 

"Come on, Nari." Uncle didn't hesitate to bring me out of his office to meet our guests. "I'm sure you'll like him."

This was happening all too fast that I couldn't process whatsoever. 

Though, when the front doors of our mansion opened and the first face I saw was Joshua—who was climbing out of his car—I couldn't help but feel like this is how our story ends. 

Happily ever afters in real life are so rare that when something similar happens, people say, "That's so out of a fairytale!" 

Each person has their own story, their own book, filled with chapters. Each chapter will be filled with different emotions, depending on the person and for me, it felt like there wasn't much emotion. I simply didn't care about my emotions back then. But now, Joshua directed them, taught me which was what and eventually, I found myself growing up. 

It started off as a story of a girl who simply wanted to travel to Neverland and stay there forever. What she didn't know was that her story was eventually changing into a Cinderella one. Though, the thing about real life is that we don't stay on one story. We flip the pages and find them changing and it won't stop. 

An ending with the person you loved was an even better ending. And I was glad I was one of those lucky people who received that happy ending. 

I can't say our story ended here. Maybe it did, as Peter Pan Nari and Prince Charming Jisoo. Then a new story started writing on its own—this time, it was just Kwon Nari and Hong Jisoo. And that happy ending was the happiness I have been searching and waiting my entire life for. 

THE END.

~Author's Notes~

Omo! This story finally ended! I have mixed feelings again hehehe! 

Thank you to all the Kimichies that have been voting, commenting, waiting, reading, supporting and loving this story! I wouldn't have continued this without you amazing people! You guys are my encouragement when I have none❤

ABOUT THE BOOK

The ideas for this story mostly started because I've always wanted to write a character relating to Peter Pan (and I'm also guilty for loving him, heh). When I write Nari's character, I mostly picture out Kang Yeon Doo from Cheer Up!/Sassy Go Go, thus her strong image. 

There's not much to say about the ideas since I didn't plan out a lot of things. But thank you still for loving this story! 

SEQUEL 

Oops, no, I don't see myself writing a sequel to this story either. (Authornim, you're too mean! You haven't written a sequel to any of your books! T^T) I know, I know, but I have a story that I'm planning to post soon (I'm not sure when though) and I already have a sequel plan ready for it :) That's my most anticipated story to be published, yet! 

DIARY OF A MANDU

As one story ends, another one begins! Diary Of A Mandu is my new SEVENTEEN fanfiction and obviously, from the title, you can tell it's a diary-themed book :) Hope you'll enjoy that work of mine as well! 

I might be taking some time off Wattpad though since my finals have finally came around. (SEU-TEU-RAE-SSEU! ;-;) 

I can't stop thanking you amazing Kimichies, like seriously! I would never make it without you guys ❤ Please continue staying amazing and awesome, you guys! :) 

Okay, this is my last author's notes for this book! Hope we'll meet again in my new book! :) Love you all! ❤

Oh! Right! If you have any questions for any characters of this book, don't hesitate to comment and I'll probably post the Q&A soon ^^ 

So, until we meet each other again! :)

xoxo  

Byun Sang Kyung