Jae-Ha was bored of studying. The gang was at Yoon's place, cramming for their last exams, and if there was anything Jae-Ha hated, it was study groups. His study style was much more solitary. His party style, however, was a different story.

Yoon was in the kitchen making snacks for everyone, since he'd gotten most of his study done already. Ik-Soo, Yoon's guardian, was out back gardening.

"It's the only thing he can do without maiming himself," Yoon said once. "With all those digging tools it's a wonder he can manage."

Jae-Ha eyed his notebook with no care for it. The only things keeping him from stabbing himself in the face with his pen was 1) Kija, the love of his life and 2) the opportunity to annoy Hak.

Hak was sitting opposite Yona, and he wasn't even trying to be subtle about gazing at her in adoration. It was kind of creepy. Yona was as clueless as ever, scribbling in her physics notebook.

"Hey Hak, if you stare at Yona any harder I think she'll get sunburn," Jae-Ha drawled. "Just ask her out already."

Hak's eyes flashed in warning at Jae-Ha. "Shut it, Droopy Eyes."

"Mmm?" Yona raised her head. "What?"

"Nothing, Princess. Go back to your thermodynamics."

Jae-Ha batted his eyelashes, "Oh it's just that Hak is madly, irrevocably, so very in l-"

"Not another word, Droopy Eyes." Hak said in a low voice.

Yona's eyebrows were drawn together, but she let the matter drop and went back to her work.

She was much more focussed on Kija and Jae-Ha though. They were lying on their stomachs to the right of Yona, shoulder to shoulder, each putting up a great fascade that they were studying as opposed to enjoying each other's proximity.

Yona gave up trying to figure out this one problem and watched them fondly.

Jae-Ha chewed at his pen, side-eyeing the innocent Kija like it was all he could do right now, all he wanted to do right now. Kija felt Jae-Ha's gaze, looking up. They made eye contact. Kija smiled, hesitant but honest. Jae-Ha hurriedly pulled his pen out of his mouth and smiled widely back. A little too widely, if Kija's somewhat alarmed look was anything to go by. Yona muffled a giggle by putting a hand in front of her mouth.

"I'm certain Physics can't be that amusing, Princess." Hak smirked from where he was sitting across from Yona.

Yona rolled her eyes at her nickname, but she knew better than to get riled up after fifteen years of teasing.

"It's not," Yona said.

Yona glanced over at Jae-Ha and Kija. Kija had moved over, away from Jae-Ha, just a little so now their shoulders weren't touching. Jae-Ha looked like his favourite clothes had just been trampled on and torn to shreds. Yona sighed. Silly buggers. They were so in love and so, so clueless.

"Ah," Hak said, "I see."

He got an evil glint in his eyes. Yona knew right away what was coming.

"Oh, no, Hak don't -" Yona started.

Hak ignored her. "Jae-Ha," he said, cheek-splitting grin on his face. "Why the long face? Did you and the missus fall out again?"

Shin-Ah and Zeno shared glances. "Missus?" Zeno said, "But Jae-Ha's gay…!"

But only Yona heard him; everyone else was too intent on the shots fired.

Jae-Ha looked as if he was throwing blades at Hak's stupid face. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hak, my dear."

"You have a girlfriend?" Kija turned to Jae-Ha with wide eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't -" Jae-Ha started, but Hak was too quick.

"Jae-Ha didn't want to ruin his rep as a ladies man. But this playboy of ours has finally figured out that the monogamous life is the way to go. He's blissfully happy," Hak said, before stage whispering, "Except when he's fighting with her."

Kija looked vaguely sick, like he had ingested something rotten. He lowered his gaze.

Jae-Ha glanced at Kija and his gaze intensified at what he saw written in Kija's face. He was ready to tear at Hak's throat with his bare teeth.

"You would know all about the monogamous life, wouldn't you, Hak?" Jae-Ha said. "Oh wait, no you wouldn't. Because you're single, like me. But hang on, we know someone blissfully in a relationship. I'm sure Yona could tell us all about it. Yona dear! How are things going with Soo-Won?"

Zeno "ooo"-ed quietly in the background. Shin-Ah elbowed him in the stomach.

Hak seethed behind his facsimile of a smile, gritting his teeth like he was in physical pain. If he was a bear, he would be growling. Everyone, except Yona, knew the topic of Yona's love life was sensitive for the one nicknamed the Thunder Beast. Hak couldn't care less about Yona's relationship with his best friend.

Or rather, he cared a little too much. But what could he do? He loved them both dearly. But no matter how much he wanted Yona to be his, Yona just didn't see him that way. No matter how much his heart wished things between them would collapse, he also wanted Yona and Soo-won to be happy.

Now, Yona had confided in Hak plenty of times about troubles regarding Soo-Won, and she'd been known to go on and on about how lovely he was and how he treated her just right. She had been delighted when he'd asked her out, floating on cloud nine for a week.

But now…

Yona had been trying not to think about it, but it seemed she couldn't wait until after graduation to tell her friends what had happened.

Yona took a deep breath.

"I broke up with him."

The resulting silence was thick enough to make their ears pop. Everyone stared at her. Hak looked like he didn't know whether this was a joke or whether his dreams were coming true. Jae-Ha looked positively scandalised. Kija's eyes were welling up. Zeno didn't look surprised, and Shin-Ah stared at her, contemplating.

Yoon chose that moment to walk into the room, carrying snacks. He took one look around the room and sighed. What a pain, he thought.

"Did I miss something?" he said.

At first, they were wary about barrelling Yona with questions.

"Are you - are you ok, Yona-chan?" Kija asked. He moved to sit between Hak and Yona, much to Hak's bemusement.

"I'm fine, Kija," Yona said, smiling. "It was my decision but it ended up being mutual."

Jae-Ha abandoned his work and came closer to sit in front of Yona. "Mutual?"

"You're talking about Yona's breakup?" Yoon said. "A little late, everyone."

Now it was Yoon's turn to be stared at. Hak deliberated between staring at Yoon and staring at Yona. "Wait, you knew?"

"Of course I knew. I figured it out right away," Yoon said, arranging the snacks on the coffee table. He paid no mind to the heavy stares on his back.

"He did," Yona shrugged, smiling a little sheepishly.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Zeno pouted, though he'd had his suspicions. "We would have been supportive, Yona-chan!"

"Oh, I know! Please don't be offended! I - I didn't want to talk about it much, at the time. I don't know. But since Yoon had figured it out already, it felt easy to talk to him."

Yoon smiled at her.

"Sooo when did this happen?" Jae-Ha asked.

Yona tucked a strand of crimson hair behind her ear. Her hair had grown out since she'd cut it; it was now back to her shoulders. "A month ago."

"Ehhh?" Kija grabbed Yona's hands and held them at chest height. "That means you dated him for only two weeks or so!"

"So there was trouble in paradise early on, huh?" Jae-Ha said, glancing at Hak. He smirked at Hak's bomb-shelled look.

Hak was too preoccupied with Yona to notice.

Yona started turning red. "It was - yeah, it wasn't working out between us."

"But you've loved him since we were three," Hak blurted, and instantly regretted it.

Maybe it would've been better to leave it until they were alone.

"I don't anymore," Yona said, quietly, but with fire in her eyes. "Not in that way."

They were all silent for a while. Except for Yoon, who could be heard rolling his eyes as he started on his work. But he was curious, so he spoke.

"What changed, Yona?"

"I realised I was in love with someone else. That's why it could never have worked out between Soo-Won and me." Yona was wringing her hands to together.

That was all the questioning she could take, especially with the person of her desires in the room with them.

The rest of them weren't done questioning though.

"Well? Who is it?" Kija asked, "Ohhhh, don't tell me it's Matt from Art class. He's pretty dreamy though."

Jae-Ha was unimpressed. "Matt? Dreamy?"

Kija coughed, turning red. He refused to make eye contact with Jae-Ha. "He's an exchange student," Kija mumbled.

Yona giggled at their antics. "No, Kija. A-and, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not say." I don't want him to know.

How could she? He was mean! He wouldn't let her down easy! Because there was no way he felt the same. He had made that quite clear on many occasions. He saw her as a sister and nothing else and it was all that Yona could deal with.

"EHHHHHH?"

"Why not?"

"Who is it?"

"You have to tell us, Yona-chan!"

Yona's blush deepened. She was in for it now. This is what she got for allowing the first few questions.

"I'm not saying," Yona crossed her arms, "Because there's no way they feel the same. Now can we drop this please and get back to work?"

Later, they were packing up to leave Yoon's place. Shin-Ah waved at them, heading off to the sound of everyone's goodbyes. Zeno was wolfing down the last of the snacks, much to Yoon's disgust.

Jae-Ha and Kija were talking about what had occurred earlier.

"I swear, I don't have a girlfriend," Jae-Ha said. "But," he took a deep breath, "I do like someone."

"You - you do?" Kija's cheeks were heating up.

Jae-Ha walked up to Kija until they were less than a foot away from each other, nose to nose. Kija sucked in a breath, holding it in. He was dying from the proximity. His cheeks couldn't be more red.

"Yes," Jae-Ha said. "I do."

"Who?" Kija whispered. He licked his lips, glancing down at Jae-Ha's open mouth.

"Oh for God's sake," Yoon muttered, "I can't take anymore of this."

Jae-Ha heard him. "It's only because you don't have a lovely lady of your own, Yoon dear."

"Or gentleman," Yoon said, "Not that I'm looking for anyone at the moment."

For the second time that day, everyone was bug-eyed. Except Yona, who seemed quite unperturbed.

"You like men too, Yoon?" she said.

Yoon shot her a look as if to say duh, and you've known me for how many years now?

"Hey! High-five for being bi!" Jae-Ha cried.

Yoon stared at Jae-Ha. "No."

"Rude, Yoon-chan."

Yona and Hak finished packing their bags, and left Yoon's place, heading out to where Hak had parked his jeep. They were quiet for most of the ride to Yona's place. The tree and houses and shops scrolled past and Yona could barely breathe through the congestion in her chest. She should say something. But what was there to say? She didn't want to tell him that.

She was terrified of losing him.

But she could feel it. There was a distance between them, like a chasm, and it was opening up wider and wider between them in this stupid car on this stupidly long drive and Yona didn't know what she could do about it.

"Please stop, I can hear you angsting from here," Hak said.

Yona jumped about twenty feet in the air. "W-what?"

"You're brooding, Princess, and I'm telling you. Stop it. Whatever it's about can wait until we get to your place." So we can talk about it while I'm not driving, Hak thought.

Oh, Yona deflated, Of course. I'm just an annoyance to him. He can't wait to get rid of me.

She tried to reverse the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "Hak, why are we friends?"

"What?" Hak said, clenching his hands around the steering wheel.

"You find me annoying, you're mean to me, you act like I'm a little sister you wish you could shake off," Yona had lost her battle with her tears. "But I'm not your sister, Hak. Despite everything I am to you, we're friends. Why?"

Hak gritted his teeth. Whatever Yona was ruminating about had gotten out of hand. This was ridiculous. These questions were ridiculous.

Hak pulled over and parked the jeep.

"W-what are you doing?" Yona asked

Hak turned to face her. "Sometimes you're the most annoying thing on the planet, Yona, but that doesn't mean I don't," love you, he thought, then said, "like you. You've been a part of my life so long I can't think of it without you in it. Nothing will change that."

Yona wiped her tears away, sniffling. "You mean that? Nothing?"

Hak had never meant something more in his life. He nodded. Yona stared at him, at how serious he was and the resolved look in his eyes.

Yona took a deep breath. "Ok," she said. "Ok. Well in that case…"

"Why did you really break up with Soo-Won?"

Yona was startled out of crying. "Eh?"

"I know there's more to this. Tell me." Hak's eyes pierced her, as sharp as a spear.

"There's nothing more to it, Hak." Yona averted her gaze.

Hak relented his gaze. "Fine."

She had to say something.

If she didn't say it now, she might go her whole life without saying it. If there was even the slightest chance she could have him, have him all to herself, she would reach out and take it.

She'd do it, she'd be brave. It was him, or settling for someone else. She didn't want to settle for someone else. She wanted him like she'd never wanted someone before.

She was doubtful she would find anything like this with someone else.

"It's you," she whispered. "You're the one I have feelings for."

Hak's eyes widened. Their cobalt blue expanded until they were all Yona could see. The blue of the sky, the blue of a European sea, the blue of her favourite dress.

"Don't mess around with me, Princess," Hak said. Was he trembling slightly? Or was that her?

Yona shook her head hard. "I'm not. I swear."

"I might do something you'll regret." He leaned closer to her. Were his eyes always this mischievous?

"W-what do you mean? Like what?" Yona breathed, completely absorbed in Hak's gaze.

"Like kiss you." He was an inch away her now. Yona couldn't get enough air. Who needed air, anyway, when this feeling inside her was fuel enough? This feeling of light-as-air, full-hearted, warm-all-over?

She gathered her remaining faculties and said, "I wouldn't regret it. Not one bit."

Hak grinned, before gently running a hand through her hair and holding it there. He closed the gap. Their lips met softly, and they kissed and kissed.

It tasted like a bright new beginning, a scintillating red dawn.