“YoungSaeng, move aside. Let me go home already.” HyeYoung exhaled exaggeratingly as she folded both arms in front of her chest with a raised eyebrow. 

JungMin shook his head,“No, you musn't! We have not even begun the party, the fun.”

YoungSaeng only smirked as he kindly moved away. “Just to show you the gentleman I am.” The sudden emergence of four rowdy boys startled the group of adults. The Dong Bang boys hustled in the private room of the bar, escorted by a waiter. Faces full of smiles, they greeted the only girl in the room in unison. “HyeYoung-sshi!”  

With a defeated sigh, she  grinned. “I suppose none of you boys will let me rest in peace tonight, yes?”

Yoochun scoffed, “We have been working hard on photo shoots, music performances, TV appearances, CF's and well, you name it. Do we not deserve a night of some fun, at the very least?”  

HyeYoung gave them a strange look as she pondered on her options, resting a finger under her chin, humming to herself as if she were making a hard decision. A part of her wanted to have some good fun, perhaps walk away from reality's veil of darkness. She knew very well she was a coward and unreasonable for avoiding HyunJoong's previous call. As her mother once told her, misunderstandings only grow with the minutes you leave them be. If she allowed for any more time to pass without hearing from HyunJoong, she would only prolong the awkward silence seeping between them.

"Oyy. HyeYoung-shi?"

"Ah, neh," she grinned, "how does some karaoke sound to you singers? This way I can see which of you rely on autotune and those that have real talent."

"Cheh." Yoochun his chin with his index finger and thumb, huskily murmuring, "I have a killer voice, you know, I'm quite known for my ahjumma fans. I appeal to all ages."

YoungSaeng chuckled. He didn't fail to observe the drop of her eyelashes as she had previously held her minutes in deep thought. He had seen wheels turning in her head, whether they were going forward or back, he knew not. JungMin nudged him, "Yah, let's go out and grab a taxi."

"I call the car with HyeYoung." Yunho and KyuJong spoke aloud, getting their dibs. She made a game of it, deciding whoever made it in the car would go with her. There were no spoken claims as she wasn't a thing or some object.

__________________________________________________________

And so, the party of eight made their way in the private karaoke room with tambourines and microphones. They arranged themselves in teams of two; Jungmin with Kyujong, YoungSaeng paired to Yunho, Junsu teamed to Yoochun, and HyeYoung arranged with Shim Changmin. Each team took their turns, ranging the song choices from ballads to DJ Doc's Run To You, a classic to all. Junsu and Yoochun attempted to sing Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On, accompanied by Yoochun's raspy interpretation of the main girl calling for her drowned lover. "Come back. Jack ~"

The liquor's flow didn't lessen and the glasses were continuously passed around, some lasting, others wobbling onto the wall for some support. As for HyeYoung, she could hold her liquor, but she slumped onto ChangMin's shoulder for fun as she gave him a smile.

"Yah, KyuJong, let's sing Bo Go Ship Da, but trot style." JungMin wagged his eyebrows and nudged his partner, making a tempting offer of fun to the other.
"Moh? And ruin Kim Bum Soo's song?"
"You're such a worry wart. We're just having fun, and I want to brag of my superb vocal skills to the lovely lady. Since I don't have a girlfriend as you so claim to." Kyujong only shot him a glare in response, realizing that JungMin would use the knowledge of such information for blackmail.

HyeYoung waved them off. "I actually watched Stairway To Heaven, so I volunteer to sing our nation's most beloved kdrama song. In return, you all must praise me. Araso?"
Of course, she was no amazing and professional singer. As every other common Korean citizen, the practice of karaoke was fresh in . A sweet voice, she sang the lyrics with some feeling she herself didn't understand. The scenes of her life, mixed with the tragic ones from the drama brought fresh emotions to her heart and she sang on, cracking at one or two of the high notes, but managing. The boys playfully covered their ears, but resorted to swaying their hands as if it were some concert.

"Has the liquor gotten to you yet?" YoungSaeng inquired as they listened to yet another sing.
"No, I suppose my father was a strong drinker, lasting with a dozen of bottles or so." Arms wrapped around her knees, she wryly smiled. YoungSaeng remained silent, knowing she had a drink too many to begin speaking of her private life.
                                                   __________________________________________________________

"I want to sing more."
"We're going home, yah. Jae Joong will scold us for not getting out rest."
"Psh, he'll notice the bags under our eyes and guess straightaway."
Yoochun and Junsu bickered in the car going home, still childish. ChangMin only clicked his tongue, telling them to lower their voices every now and then. He rested his head on the window, grateful for a night of fun. Their entertainment company usually overworked them with tight schedules, not that he could complain. Popularity came with a price, he supposed. As for the charismatic leader, Yunho snored in the front seat, with his mouth wide open. A face that could frighten his own fans.
                                                  __________________________________________________________
 

"HyeYoung, do you need a ride?"
"No, I'm fine. Thanks for the fun night, get your sleep you boys." She waved to the SS501 boys cheerfully, but nearly tripped over an uneven step. With that, YoungSaeng sent off the two boys and decided to accompany HyeYoung. He took her into a coffee shop, ordering her an iced moccha.

"Well aren't you a strange one." He handed her the drink, raising an eyebrow at her selected choice, being that it was a cold and chilly night. "Usually coffee is what us mere mortals drink on tight schedules, like dramas."
She took a sip, exhaling a sigh of tasteful satisfaction. "It sends me straight to sleep on days I need it. It makes me drowsy and perhaps lax. Ah, and the taste is so fresh."
"So, I assume you talked to HyunJoong?"
"Well, we've both been busy. He's a hallyu star anyway, right?"
"That's irrelevant. Relationships involve communication. You two are being foolish, trying to cower away from having the talk that you need." 
"Look, visits to my mother strain me. I just needed a day to forget a few mistakes I made, matters I falsely prioritized, my naiveness as a teenager. It's time that I make my own progress, because I obviously am not an idol star that only has to breathe and fans will rush to my side in praise and awe."
"I sense bitterness. Are you reflecting on what you see as missed opportunities?"
"Honestly, being beside the entire mass of boys, it does strike me as a life that has its flair and glamour. But I'm not envious of your success, instead I see the struggles you go through. Yet in my case, I never did reach for my potential. I've stayed in my comfort zone for too long recently, resorting to manual work, waitressing, and all those typical jobs."
"Then study, pursue a career."
"I'm considering it, though I have no idea what to choose from all the fields, all the possible study topics."

"What time does HyunJoong usually wake up?"
YoungSaeng nodded, giving her an early time to approach him; 7 o' clock in the morning.
                                                        __________________________________________________________

"Hey you," she shyly grinned as she stood in front of him, looking at him in a muscle shirt with sweatpants. Groggily, he rubbed his eyelids and yawned, only taking in the presence of the woman in front of him after a few minutes of confusion, and perhaps denial. For some part, he was thankful he'd had the sense to dress in casual clothing, since it was a known habit with s that he basked in the comfort of sleeping unclothed. Apparently it was to feel the smoothness of the blankets on his skin. 
"HyeYoung?"
"It's  been a few days right? I just needed to distract myself since I think we've both been stressed and needed our space," she wanted to continue speaking comfortably with him, but after viewing a half awake HyungJoon scratch his rear end in the kitchen, she couldn't help but burst into laughter and suggest they continue their talk elsewhere.

And so, the two went with the comfort of meeting to talk at the special spot from their earlier years. Well, somewhat near it, and in the comfort of his car.

"So, who was the from Star King. This Yuri girl; hm?"