Personal Sunrise

Alone

Onew’s POV

                “Here you go, oppa.”

                I glanced up as Mi Sun’s cheerful voice pulled me from my thoughts. She was standing directly in front of the sun, throwing her face into deep shadow and creating a bright, otherworldly aura around her silhouette. She looked like some sort of fallen angel, and the plate of food she carried in her hands made her appear even more perfect.

                Chicken.

                I smiled as she set the plate on the hard metal surface of the picnic table. “You didn’t have to do that.”

                She shrugged. “I know how much you love chicken. Now hurry and eat it before it gets cold, okay?”

                I laughed and hastily bit into the first piece I laid eyes on. Mi Sun watched me for a few seconds, then rested her chin in her hand and stared pensively into the distance.

                “Something wrong?” I asked, picking up a handful of napkins and quickly running them over my fingers. “Are you still having trouble with your lines?”

                She shook her head, causing her short, choppy hair to fly into her face. “Ani, ani, it’s not that. The practice we did today really helped. I’m just…thinking about Jonghyun and Key.”

                I smiled involuntarily at her concern. Mi Sun had always been a confident, slightly conceited individual, and it was rare for her to show any sort of worry for another person.

                “Well, from what you told me, Jonghyun finally figured it out,” I said, mentally congratulating myself on my overwhelming success. My plan had been absolutely flawless.

                “That doesn’t mean he did anything about it, oppa,” she grumbled irritably, absently twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

                I froze. All right, so maybe it hadn’t been completely flawless.

                “But… He finally realized it. He wouldn’t keep those feelings inside, would he? That’s so stupid. Key obviously feels the same way…”

                “It isn’t obvious to him. Think about it, oppa. They’re best friends. Jonghyun probably doesn’t want to risk ruining their friendship by confessing. Imagine how awkward things would be if Key didn’t feel the same way.”

                “But he does!” I said loudly, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

                “Jonghyun doesn’t know that!” Mi Sun retorted, just as loudly. A group of friends sitting at the table next to us shot us annoyed glances before returning to their card game.

                “But how could he not see it?” I continued in a more subdued tone. Images of Key’s obvious displays of affection flashed through my head. “Neither of them hide it very well.”

                “They’re in denial,” Mi Sun explained. “Or Jonghyun was, at least. Imagine how you would feel if you suddenly realized you were in love with Minho or Taemin. Wouldn’t you instantly deny something like that?”

                I rested my chin on my hand and tried to imagine what that would be like. What my entire life would be like if I was in love with anyone but Mi Sun. “Well, ne. I guess I would. That would be really strange and unexpected…”