11th✯ 

By the time I knew it, Friday was slowly ending and it welcomed the new Saturday morning sun. 

I heard my alarm clock ringing with the new song from a new boy group and it hyped me up because the song has been my favourite lately. It's called The 7th Sense and it's by the group NCT U. I'm loving that song these days, not the mention the handsome oppas. 

Of course, there's still Astro. I mean, I may not be a fan—I'm more of their friend than a fan—but I still support and love them, in a friendly manner. But if I were to be a fan of a K-pop group, it would be NCT U. 

Rockie: don't forget! we're going to the amusement park today :) 

Today would seem like such a great day because I started my morning with a wonderful song and Rocky had reminded me that we were going to the amusement park. Feeling giddy, I immediately entered the bathroom to take a cool bath. 

Spring had welcomed everyone in Seoul, as well as cherry blossom trees and lovely flowers that decorated Seoul. I smiled at the thought. Every spring, I would take my phone and snap a few pictures of the flowers by the streets or in coffee shops. 

"Noona? Where you going?" Daeul entered my room in a slightly sleepy state, staring at me with his eyes that were close to closing. He held his teddy bear close to him and asked me again, "Where you going?"

I bent down so I could reach his eye level. "Noona's going out with a friend today. Be a good boy today, okay? If you're good, I'll promise to buy you a new toy."

Daeul was grinning by now as he jumped excitedly. "Toy! Noona promise?"

I'm making way too many promises to Daeul these days. I haven't even kept the promise of him meeting Sanha again. I wasn't sure whether that'd be a good idea, though. 

Giving Daeul a smile, I said, "Just remind noona, okay? Noona has a lot of things to remember these days, especially since I'm graduating next year. So don't get mad at me if I forget about your toy."

Daeul seemed to agree and danced happily. "Nae, noona! Daeul will remember... uhh... toy! Daeul will remember noona buy toy for me!"

I giggled at his slightly broken Korean sentence. It was adorable on how he was learning. Ruffling his hair, I carried him in my arms. I asked him if he wanted to eat breakfast now and he seemed to be in a good mood because he kept bobbing his head happily with a big grin. 

I brought him out of my room and the first thing my mom asked me when she saw us was, "Are you going out today, Aerim?"

I put Daeul down on the floor and watched as he waddled his way to his high chair. I fixed my hair a little and answered, "Yeah. I'm going with a friend to the amusement park later on."

"Is it Ayoung?" Mom asked, helping Daeul into his chair.

I forgot all about Ayoung, honestly. I've been occupied with the Astro boys that I have totally forgotten about her. I feel bad now. "N-no, it's someone else."

"Another friend I'm not aware of?" Mom questioned, tilting her head at my direction. "But don't you always just hangout with Ayoung?"

"I have other friends too," I said, frowning that she thought I was some type of loner who sticks to one friend. I do have friends, it's just that I was the closest with Ayoung. "You make it seem like I'm some loner, Mom."

Mom smiled back and said, "Love you too, nae dal. (my daughter)" 

Mom was really unbelievable sometimes. At times, she would act like she's supposed to, all mom-like but other times, she would act like my best friend. Speaking of best friend, my mind suddenly came across Jeonghan as I stared at the empty seat beside me. 

I tried just as much not to cry on such a perfect day. I recomposed my face when I saw Daeul worriedly staring at me. Holding onto his small hand, I told him, "Noona's fine."

But that only made Daeul frown. "Noona is not fine. Noona is sad. Why?"

Smiling, I shook my head and assured him it was nothing, even if it really was. We often lie because we wouldn't want to worry people or we just don't want people to bother us. We didn't want them to know where it really hurts, where's our vulnerable spot. 

Or that's what I think, at least. I was like that. I didn't want people knowing where it really hurts. I didn't want them to know and then use it as advantage. 

"Noona sad again."

Daeul's voice snapped me out of my deep pool of thoughts and I was actually grateful for once that I ended up giving Daeul a smile while rubbing the back of his palm. "I'm not sad, Daeul. I'm actually happy."

Daeul didn't look convinced with what I told him and only shook his head, saying, "Aniya!"

Often I wondered if my little brother had super powers. He always seem to know if something's up, even if he's just four years old. I'm grateful enough to still have him by my side, if Jeonghan wasn't around like now. 

Giving him a good pat on his head, I assured him, "I'm really fine, Daeul-a. In fact, I'm going to go to the amusement park later to have fun and become more happy. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Me go too?" Daeul hopefully asked, his eyes sparkled as his lips immediately curled into a smile. 

"Next time," I told the four-year-old boy, pinching his cheek. "You have to go to your daycare today. You said your wish was to become a big boy."

Daeul was grinning by the mention of big boy and quietly ate with his grin on. 

"Adorable," I mumbled to myself before I continued eating. 

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

"Aerim! Hi!" Rocky excitedly greeted me once I saw him standing by the arch of the amusement park's entrance. 

Rocky was wearing a really simple oversize white t-shirt with a simple print of a leopard and jeans. He did wear a black mask and a gray baseball hat, like he said he would. Even with the mask covering up half of his face, I could see it through his eyes that he was smiling at me. 

"Annyeong! Yeah, I'm here. I'm honestly feeling excited from this. I can hear the screams from the roller coaster already," I told him, pointing at the roller coaster that could be seen from as far as the eye could see. 

I find it funny how people compare their lives to roller coasters. We always say our life's a roller coaster because it has its ups and downs. That's true, I can agree. But can't we compare our lives to something else? Aren't there more to compare our lives with? 

"I got our tickets!" Rocky excitedly waved two red tickets in his hands happily. "So, let's go in now! We're wasting too much time not playing."

Rocky gripped onto my forearm and began dragging me into the amusement park, which was crowded with parents with their kids, couples and teenagers. It felt like I crossed the border between reality and the magical realm—everything felt so different here. 

Rocky pointed ahead, at the merry-go-round with golden lights attached onto the entire thing. It would have looked better if we came in the evening, but nope, we decided to come in the afternoon. But, hey, it works too. 

"Let's go to that one!" Rocky shook onto my arm, as if he was a kid begging his mom to buy him a toy he wanted. 

"Okay, okay. You don't have to tell me, Minhyuk oppa. You're practically the older one among the two of us," I reminded him, suppressing a laugh as we approached the merry-go-round. 

We occupied different horses but made sure they were next to each other's. As the ride finally began its two minutes long ride, Rocky and I started taking selfies together. Most of them were goofy and silly-looking, only a few decent ones existed. 

I laughed and pointed at a picture of him with his eyes looking really high up. "Look at you! You look as if some demon possessed you!"

Rocky lowered his head, laying it down on his horse, as if to hide from me. "Don't say things like that! I might get nightmares!"

"And I thought you were the older one. I must have been mistaken," I said, trying my best not to laugh. "Where did that confident Minhyuk wander off to?"

"He's missing today. Today, it's kid Minhyuk that's here!" Rocky replied, chuckling. 

"Oh, so I'm bad sitting today. Maybe I should have just stayed home." I shook my head, hiding a smile to myself. 

"I may act like a kid but I'm still the one who's going to look after you today, Aerim," Rocky reminded me, giving a light pat on the head. "I just don't want to feel old so I'm acting like a kid."

"Even my little brother acts more mature than you do, you butt," I told him, giggling. 

Daeul has been insisting he was a big boy a lot these days. For a four year old, he seems to want to advance three years older. Sometimes it would feel like he was taking care of me. I swear, Daeul acts older than Rocky. 

Rocky was still grinning at me like some kid until the ride finally ended. Once we got off, Rocky stepped in front of me, blocking my path with his arms stretched out. 

"What are you doing, Minhyuk?" 

I figured it would be better if I called him by his real name and not his stage name, in case Rocky was too famous these days. We didn't want to attract fans, especially sasaengs—since I heard they were scary—so it was best to call him by his real name. Besides, Minhyuk is a common name. 

"Blocking you," Rocky simply answered. I couldn't tell if he was smiling or not right now because of that mask but I had a feeling he was. 

"Move. We're blocking people's path," I told him, warily eyeing our surroundings. 

Rocky raised an eyebrow, and I instantly knew what that meant. There were absolutely nobody walking around where the both of us were standing since most of them moved ahead somewhere else. I honestly thought Rocky would fall for it, but apparently not. 

"People's path?" Rocky repeated, as if to mock me. I could easily feel the grin forming behind that black mask of his. "What people, Aerim?"

I avoided eye contact and pointed behind his shoulder, where I saw a gyro drop. "Let's go there. We're wasting time not playing anything."

"Feeling embarrassed, Aerim?" Rocky teased, folding his hands by his side once again. "Because you said there were—"

"Oh, look! A poster of EXO oppas," I changed topics, pointing at the poster up ahead, which displayed the handsome oppas from EXO. Baekhyun was standing out the most. Or was it because he was my bias? 

"That changes a lot," Rocky whispered in my ear, teasing me once again. Pointing at the poster, he told me, "And I think Sehun is standing out the most."

I turned around and gave him a scoff. "He's too popular for a maknae! What about the other members that don't receive enough love? I pity them! But I can't love all of them! Wait, I already do. Oops."

"More than me?" Rocky teased, letting out a laugh. 

"Funny. You'd usually tease me and Sanha if I said something concerning love," I voiced out, giving him a grin. 

"Yah, not everything is about the both of you, okay? When you're with me, all subjects are about me. You and Sanha can talk about your relationship when I'm not around," Rocky told me. 

I wasn't sure if he was being serious or joking around. It sounded like both, mostly on the joking side but there was this other tone I couldn't decipher well. 

"Mwo? What relationship? Pfft!" 

I honestly received chills from thinking of future scenes I might have to do with Sanha. If the scenes were slowly getting coated with sweetness, what will happen in the future episodes? I hope this doesn't exceed 16 episodes. Sixteen's my limit and I won't do any more. 

The next thing I knew it, Rocky and I were sitting side by side in the gyro drop. Before I had a chance to bail last minute, the staffs already strapped the very sophisticated seat belt over the both of us and all I could do was whimper in my seat.

Rocky must have noticed the way I looked like I was going to cry and offered a hand for me to hold—or squeeze, since I might die on this ride. 

Then, we slowly began the ride. I was screaming my eyeballs out and my soul probably left my body. I was even crying and the only comfort I had was Rocky's warm hand. Everything around me was a blur because of the way I was screaming my head out. 

Once the ride ended and the seat belt was lifted, I swiped the tears away but still couldn't stop. 

Rocky worriedly looked at me and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Do... does this look like okay to you?" I asked him, sucking in air that I lacked due to excessive screaming. 

Rocky didn't say anything but only dragged me to a nearby bench and tried to wipe away all my tears with his thumb. "Pabo, you were the one who suggested to ride this ride."

"W-well, you s-should know t-that people look like they can ride it, b-but in reality, they're r-really scared." It was really hard trying to talk whilst crying because your soul left your body. "I'm such a pabo, though."

"No, don't blame yourself. Let's get you cleaned up. You look like a clown who just drowned," Rocky told me, getting up from his seat and running to a nearby stall to get tissues. He returned shortly and handed them to me. "Here, wipe your snot."

I felt embarrassed to have him see me cry, especially since crying wasn't something admirable. Immediately snatching the tissues away from his hands, I wiped my eyes and nose.

"Do you want to wash your face in the girls toilet? I think you need to," Rocky told me. 

"Do I really look that horrible?" I ended up asking. Without being able to take my question back, I just lowered my head and continued to mentally slap myself in my mind. 

"I don't need to answer that question of yours. Giving you both a lie and or truth is not good," Rocky answered, brushing the hair away from my face. "Come on, time to wash your face."

I managed to smile and followed after him. Rocky said he'd wait outside the toilet and then said to quickly finish my business. I nodded and entered the toilet, standing in front of the mirror and sink. 

Like what Rocky said, I really looked horrible. Like some clown who just drowned and barely managed to survived.  

I attempted to wash my face and cleared all the snot that was sort of visible. I also tried to do something about my very red eyes. I tried washing them away with water but it didn't make much of a difference, honestly. 

A lady came out of a cubicle behind me and gave a small smile as she turned the faucet on and began washing her hands. I smiled back at her and continued washing my eyes, hoping there would be a difference this time. 

"Did you cry?" the lady who looked like she was in her late twenties asked me. 

She sounded like any other stranger that was trying to start up a conversation with another stranger on those days. I wasn't surprised at all, plus she looked nice. 

"The ride was scary," I found myself replying, also perplexing myself. "I regret my choices."

The lady chuckled ever so slightly and dried her hands. Before she left, I saw her eyes change into something far from nice. "Well," she said, "there are far more scarier things waiting in life. You'll never know. If might just be next to you."

Before I could ask her what she was talking about, she had already left the toilet, leaving me to ponder on what she was talking about and staring at the mirror, hoping answers would appear out of nowhere. 

I walked out of the toilet, thoughts encircling my head all over again and I didn't even notice Rocky standing in front of me, worriedly staring into the eyes he didn't meet. 

"Are you okay?" he quietly asked as he unhooked one side of the mask off his ear. 

"Minhyuk, you might get spotted by fans..." I told him in a cautious whisper, but realized it was mostly because I felt weak. 

"Not now, Aerim. I don't want to worry about myself right now. Look at yourself. You're so pale. Did something happen? Are you not feeling well? Do you want me to bring you back home?"

I pushed away his hand that was about to touch me to check if I had a fever and shook my head. "I-I'm fine. Can we just sit down for five... ten minutes?"

Rocky wanted to say more but I immediately cut him off by shaking my head and begging please. Just like that, Rocky swiftly brought me to the stone bench that were decorated with stone carved Disney characters. 

"I wish I was a doctor sometimes," Rocky said out of nowhere while my head spun around over and over again. 

"What?" I turned to look at him, wondering what was up. 

Rocky turned his attention to me, locking his eyes with mine as he said, "Sometimes I wished I were a doctor. Because I want to help the girl I like when she's sick or hurt. Instead of hurting her, I would heal her."

I smiled at him. "That girl will be really lucky, Minhyuk."

Rocky smiled at the floor. "She sure will."

In that short period of time, I was able to forget the fact some lady told me something I probably wasn't supposed to hear in the first place. 

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

"How was today?" Rocky asked me as we walked down the streets to get to the bus stop. 

After bickering for almost forever, I finally convinced Rocky on taking the bus to get home. He was telling me all these things like it's not safe, I shouldn't be alone, the bus is home to nasty people. I protested back, telling him it was okay but he still wasn't convinced, so he decided to follow me and take me home. 

I clutched tightly the monkey stuffed animal Rocky managed to win in a game stall there in the amusement park. Beaming at him, I replied, "It was the funnest day of my life!"

The bus stop was empty with the unoccupied plastic seats left there and there were still no sight of the bus so Rocky and I decided to just take a seat and patiently wait for it. After all, I needed time to take everything in.

Sitting on the blue plastic chair, I hugged the monkey closely. I bet once I got home, Daeul would go crazy over this toy. Well, I did promise to get him a new toy so I might give this to him. On the other hand, I didn't want to because Rocky won this for me. 

"What are you thinking that's occupying that head of yours?" Rocky asked me after a minute of silence. He tapped on my head several times.

"Oh, just things. I can't really talk about them right now," I told him, hoping he'd understand. I spotted a car coming from the distance and watch it zipped by. After that, it was absolutely quiet. 

Rocky also noticed the quiet atmosphere and decided to start a conversation, "It's so quiet right now. Isn't it strange? People are always busy running around doing something that they often forget to slow down and relax."

I stared at Rocky, surprised by his deep words all of a sudden. "Wah, uri Minhyuk sure is deep!" 

I fought the urge to pinch his cheeks but I sensed Rocky had an idea that I was about to pinch his cheek so shifted to the next plastic seat and gave me a sly grin. 

"Yah! That's unfair, Park Minhyuk!" I sulked in my plastic seat and hugged the teddy bear closely. 

Rocky, being the mature seventeen-year-old he was, stuck his tongue out and grinned at me. 

In that moment, the both of us had forgotten that the world was still spinning around us. There's no such thing as the world stop spinning, but there are pauses in life you have to make. Those pauses will make you think and appreciate things such as these. The ones such as these. 

We were so absorbed in the time we spent laughing that we didn't even realize that someone walked up to me and said, "It's her."

~Author's Notes~ 

Gosh, it has been nearly a week since I haven't updated! I really don't like school taking away my time to update, aish T-T Or am I just getting distracted these days? PUHAHAHA whatever reason it is, I hoped you waited patiently for this update :) Here's the update as a reward for waiting, heh! :) 

Anyone else obsessed with NCT U? I swear, they're killing me so quickly—probably even quicker than SEVENTEEN does! It's crazy! 

Also, who else here watches Click Your Heart? Now, if you don't know/don't watch it, I recommend you go watch it! It's such a great drama! <333 I literally thought about it all day in school today, HEH! 

Okay, that's all for this chapter, my lovely Kimichies! Love you <333 

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung