ℕ𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕋𝕠 𝕐𝕠𝕦 || 9ᴛʜ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ

𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚎

The sun was descending down the western horizon, as the boy sat under the beautiful floral tree. The sky was like a painting, with beautiful hues of pinks, purples, blues, oranges; it looked like a fictional tale come to life. The sight was absolutely beautiful, the breeze setting the mood, as it dropped the petals of the flowers that had once laid on the branches. They swayed back and forth through the wind, some would fall to the grass, some went along with the current of the wind winding up in far places. 

Seungmin wanted to smile at the beautiful sight, but his emotions wouldn’t let him turn the corners of his mouth, much less let him smile. He had remembered bringing Kai to here. It was after Felix was eliminated. She was upset, more than any of the boys. So he wanted to cheer her up. They had both sat at the top of the hill, under the same tree and talked, and talked until the sun wasn’t visible in the darkened sky, the memory only brought him more pain. 

*Memory is in Italics*

“Seungmin, where are we going?” Kai was being dragged with the smiling boy. He had grabbed her hand the moment he left with her from the dormitory, and hadn’t let go since. 

“You’ll see, noona. You're going to love it.” Seungmin promised as he faced her, with a smile on his face, making her smile as well.  He dragged her to a small park in the middle of the big buildings. There was a small pond, with ducks and turtles surrounding it. The trees were beautiful with purple flowers; the ground full of its petals. 

They walked up a small hill. The biggest tree was planted there. It was so big, you could see from ways afar. Seungmin helped Kai up the steep hill, they both laughed as she couldn't mound her feet to the ground, almost tripping. If Seungmin wasn’t there to help stabilize her, she would have fallen over. 

Once they got to the top of the hill, Seungmin turned around, Kai’s small hand in his. “Close your eyes.” Seungmin pleaded, as he tightened his grip on her hand. 

“Why? What are you planning, Min.” Her nickname for him almost made his heart flutter, her curious smile, made him chuckle. 

“I’m not planning anything. Trust me, Pearl.” Seungmin said with a soft voice. Kai trusted him, and she closed her eyes, with a laugh. 

Seungmin covered her eyes, as he led her to the spot under the tree. The sky was the most vibrant it had ever been, as if it knew he was going to bring Kai here that day. He heard her laugh, again, bringing a smile to his face; he loved her laugh. 

“Okay, ready…1...2...3…” He uncovered her eyes, as he watched her face go wide with admiration. Her smile was as beautiful as the sky itself. Her eyes filled with wonder, as she looked upon the sky, mesmerized. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Seungmin asked, knowing her answer. She turned her attention to the boy next to her, and gave him the most genuine smile, he couldn't help but smile, his face hurting from the intensity of his smile. 

“It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen, Min. Thank you for showing me.” Her smile never left her face, as she looked back to the sky. 

***

“Hyung?” Seungmin turned around to see I.N standing there, hands in his jacket pockets, with a worried expression on his face. A  single tear rolled down Seungmin's, as he turned his attention back to the sky. 

I.N sat next to the older boy, as he also looked ahead to the sky. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, before I.N spoke once more."You remember when Kai didn't mention her birthday, and she spent it alone." 

Seunin scoffed at the memory, she had always been so stubborn, "Yeah, why bring this up now?" 

"She told me the reason she didn't say anything because  she thought it wasn't so important. Her parents didn't call, and the only people that did had their own life going on. She didn't tell us because she thought it was best that we had a break instead of a celebration. She always put herslef second." I.N explained, as he looked ahead. 

"Why tell me this, Innie?" Seungmin said, as he summed up the courge to face his freind. 

"You can't tell me, that what JYP PD-nim is offering isn't a great offer. Kai can live her dream and won't  get backlash for being the only girl in our group. She wouldn't have to go through that." 

Seungmin look down, eyeing the grass beneath him. He hadn’t wanted to think of Kai or her decision. He was too scared to admit that Kai's best choice was to take the offer. 

"Hyung. Kai has suffered so much. Much more than anyone I've ever met, why let her put herself through it all again? It isn't fair." I.N had a point. She did suffer and sacrificed so much for this opertunity. But, Seungmin already knew that, he just wished it didn't have to be this way. 

More tears slid down his face. "We worked so hard, so fucking hard. We trained and practiced. We became freinds. Now it feels like I have to say goodbye to her, and I don't want to say goodbye. I don't know if I can." Seungmin admitted, as he shamefully wiped the tears off his face, at one point he didn't bother because of the frequent tears.

"Hyung, I know how bad it hurts. I don't want to say bye either, but this isn't a goodbye. We'll see each other frequently, we could out for dinner or take a trip, but we won't say goodbye. It won't be the same, but she deserves this. Whatever she chooses, she deserves. Either it's with us or solo, we are on her side, because every day since day one, she's been on ours." 

Suengmin nodded. He smiled, just at thought of Kai being happy. He nudged his friend." When did you get so wise." Seungmin joked eith a laugh.

I.N smile as he heard the genuine laugh, " I have a wise friend." He says, as he looks over at Seungmin with a smile, happy to see Seungmin's smiling again.