Chapter five

Their friendship blossomed quickly, the moment Dongwoo and Myungsoo brought her in she felt completely at home, almost as comfortable as she had felt when Kevin and Eli had taken her under their wings.

On that particular day Amber was standing in the shower humming a repetitive song that Dongwoo had been singing that day in school. She felt... glowish you know, like the sun was shinning just for her. Having friends really made life look so much cleaner and warmer even in the winter months that they were currently in. speaking of winter, she wasn't quite used to the cold, back in LA it didn't snow, and if it did it didn't stick, hell, it rarely got under forty. She layered her jackets these days, but even then she never felt as though they were doing anything for her.

She found she didn't much like snow.

Once she was finished washing her face she dunked her head under the stream once more before switching it off then stepped out into the steam. No one other then her Grandmother was home, Jonghyun had a late practice tonight, so she hadn't bothered to bring clothes in with her. She wrapped her favorite fluffy towel around her body and took her first icy step out in the open, pausing when she heard a very male voice coming from the living room. Ducking back in she listened.

“oh yeah, we're real good friends, the best.”

that voice... no way, it couldn't be! Amber pulled her towel tighter around her and skidded into the living room, her eyes wide as they settled on the tall bird boy sitting on the couch, “Yah, Eli Kim, what're you doing here!” She grinned from ear to ear at the sight of her best friend who sat awkwardly across from her grandmother who was staring at her, alarmed at her apparel.

“visiting with the relatives, I wanted to surprise you, didn't think I'd catch you with your pants down.” Eli grinned as he spoke in English, hoping Amber's Grandmother couldn't understand his playful banter.

“You little punk, you coulda at least messaged me before coming over!” Amber padded over, still clutching her towel and playfully hit his shoulder.

“Amber Liu, you go get dressed.” Grandmother scolded and pointed furiously towards Amber's room.

Both children giggled, “alright Grandmother.” Amber chuckled then pointed towards Eli, “I'm not done with you Eli Kim.” and with that headed towards her room.

Once she was our of ear shot, Grandmother turned towards Eli with her eyebrows raised, she'd seen that kind of look he was giving her granddaughter, it was the same kind her husband gave that of his, “Are you perhaps... interested in Amber?”

Eli chocked and let out a little cough, his face turning bright red, “wha-what, what're you talking about Grandmother?” he sputtered out and wiped the spit from his mouth. Interested? In Amber of all people! That was...that was... aish~ it was very much the truth but it'd be insane, Amber was his friend, she was more interested in more of the same kinda he liked then even Kevin was... but ever since she left, even if it'd only been a little less then two months he just couldn't get her out of his mind.

“Here I was thinking she'd be surrounded by boys who'd never be interested in her, yet here you are in the flesh... it almost makes me regret setting her up with my friends son.” She eyed the boy up and down, taking in his warm out jacked, his messy hair and torn up jeans. He would never succeed in the business market, he was born to stay in lower middle class and she just couldn't see her Granddaughter marrying THAT, I mean, she had to take in account the difficult market.

“set her up?” Amber was seeing someone? Someone her Grandmother approved of? Hmm...

“It's not official of course, he lives over in Daegu but he's transfering over here for an internship offer, he's very intelligent and has a promising future.” Grandmother listed off a long list of the things that made him great while Eli sat there, mind clouded over by the fact that his best friend might end of getting with someone else... and really, he'd heard Amber talk about her Grandmother a million times, she wasn't someone who gave up when she wanted something.

“what're you guys talking about.” Amber asked she reappeared now with a long hoodie on with a pair of skinny jeans underneath.

“oh, I'm just telling Eli here about my friends son who's moving here soon, you remember Kim Junsu, you used to play together.” Eli peered over at the old lady and wondered how her voice and expression could change so fast, he'd been certain it was hostile only a moment ago.

“oh yeah, Junsu, what's he up to these days?” Amber asked as she sat down next to Eli and listened intently to her Grandmother.

“oh, he's just finishing up college and has excepted an internship at your school actually.”

“A teacher? Junsu?” Amber laughed, the thought of the Bad boy of the neighborhood becoming a teacher was to good to be true.

“Music, apparently he plans to take up teaching in highschools until he can start up his own music school, he's very talented actually.” that and Junsu had all the money in the world to fool around with, what ever he chose to do he'd always be financially secure and that was how Grandmother liked it, she'd never have to worry that her granddaughter would be out on the streets.

“ah, well good for him, he's always been pretty good at it.” Amber smiled and looked over at Eli then back and her Grandmother, “We're gonna go walk around, catch up you know.”

“oh of course, you kids go have your fun.” Grandmother smiled widely and stood up from her seat across from them, “Dinner will be done at five, why don't you join us Eli.”

“Oh, I couldn't Grandmother, I promised I'd be home tonight so I have to leave around four thirty to catch the subway.”

“why so early, how far are your relatives?”

“Seochu-gu...”

“that's pretty far, just stay until Jonghyun gets home, he can drive you in my car.” and with out letting him argue anymore, Grandmother went into the kitchen.

“She's a very persistent lady.” Eli pushed off the couch and turned to Amber, grabbing her hand and pulling her up beside him.

“You don't know the half of in.” Amber grinned and lead Eli to the door, slipping her shoes on before exiting through the door. they walked mostly in silence, Amber enjoying the warmth of her friends presence while Eli was lost in his own thoughts, wondering just what this Junsu was to Amber.

“So how long you in Korea?” Amber broke the silence.

“mom and I'll be leaving this sunday, I wanted to stay longer but mom has to get to work.” Eli sighed... it'd taken him a lot to convince his mom to take five days off from work to do this, they didn't have a lot of money so every day she didn't work was another dollar down the drain... Once he told her the reason he wanted to go to Korea she said yes right away though, Mrs. Kim has always like Amber.

“That's to bad, I really miss you.” Amber smiled and slung her arm around him, “Kevin too, what's that guy up to?”

Eli chuckled, Kevin was the last topic he wanted to talk to Amber about, but it was better then the topic that was currently on his mind, “He's fine, He wanted to come down too but you know how protective his parents are, he'll probably be down for Spring break though with his family.”

“that'll be fun, wish we could all hang out again like the old days though...” Amber paused and peered over at him, “You ok Eel? You look a little out of it?”

the use of her old nickname for him was enough to open his mouth, “Who's this Junsu guy, are you close?”

“Junsu... he's just a guy who me and uncle Jjong would play with when we were kids... well, it was more like he was babysitting us, he's only three years older then us but always acted like he was so old,” Amber gave a little chuckle, “One time we even got married, toilet paper veil and everything.”Eli laughed as well, though the joke to him had an almost ominous feeling to it... sure it was just kids playing, he'd probably gotten “married” a million times as a kid, but her Grandmother's assurance that they would get together felt almost fated now...

“come on, I want you to meet my friends!” Amber grinned brightly and pulled Eli down the road towards a less wholesome environment. Eli had always been used streets like these, but the thought of sweet little well off Amber Liu having friends in a place like this seemed almost out of place. The homes, while not exactly run down, paled in comparison to Amber's home back in LA as well as her home here in Korea.

They stopped infront of a shabby little home with peeled paint and dirt pile for a yard, the chain link fence rusted and on the verge of crumbling. With one last reassuring smile from Amber, Eli fallowed his friend into the yard and up the jagged mismatched walkway until they reached the door and knocked, “Yah, one minute!” he heard a call over a million dog barks. When the door finally opened a boy around their age smiled brightly as he tried to keep the dogs from escaping his home, “Hey Amber!” he said brightly then peered over at Eli, wondering who it was that was standing next to his “wife”.

“Hey, Dongwoo this is my friend Eli.” Amber said and leaned down to scratch one of the dogs behind it's ears.

“oh, hello.” Dongwoo hesitated before smiling brightly, “hope you're not afraid of dogs, come on in.” he said warmly and pushed the dogs back as best he could, giving them enough room to squeeze into the house. Once inside Eli took in the sight of the messy living room, the out of date tv that fizzed and fuzzed, the falling apart couch, the balding carpet, “want anything?” Dongwoo called to them as he headed towards the kitchen.

“some sodas Woo, we can't be here to long though, Grandmother has dinner cooking and you know how she is about meals.” Amber said cheekily as she pulled Eli towards the crumbly couch.

“coming up!”

Eli peered over at Amber who already seemed relaxed on the lumpy couch, she was leaning back with her legs up and her arms across the back of the couch, Dongwoo's remote to his tv in hand. It reminded him of when they'd first became friends, he'd been so surprised at how quickly she adapted to his lifestyle even when her own was so different. He wondered how she was really~ doing in school, if she was really as happy as she said she was...

“no soda, must of got cleaned out by Noona and her friends.” Dongwoo said as he balanced three glasses of water in his hands.

“that's alright, Grandmother'll have a cow if we stay to long anyways.” Amber stood to help him carry the glasses over to the ancient couch. Once they sat down Eli noticed the way the other boy looked him over, a territorial urge compelled him to stare him down as well, sizing him up to see if he deserved Amber's attention.

“So you're one of Amber's American friends?” the way he said it in a way as though he wanted to clarify that Eli was the past and he was the present.

“Yep, best friends forever.” Eli grinned and pulled an arm around Amber's shoulder, “been attached to the hip for such a long time that we're practically twins.”

Dongwoo seemed to not be discouraged, “oh twins you say... guess I could never be considered her twin, maybe future husband though, I mean we're already looking at rings.”

Amber laughed, “rings that have poodles on them, man hubby, even I want you to pay more then a couple dollars.” she joked, not noticing the tension in the room, “Eels saved me from bein a total loner, if he and Kevin hadn't showed up I'd prolly be a wreck.” Amber grinned and leaned her head on Eli's shoulder wondering why her friends were acting so weird.

“well that's good, I wouldn't want you any other way.” Dongwoo smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He and Amber might have just become friends but he couldn't deny that he liked her style, he liked how confident she was and how she fought to be her self... this boy though, he was competition and even had the upper hand since he'd known Amber longer.

Amber laughed, confused as to why they were so tense, “where's Myungsoo, I figured he'd be here?”

Dongwoo looked away momentarily towards Amber, “his parents called, big dinner with his step dad's boss tonight, has to look his best so daddy can get a raise, usual you know.” Dongwoo grumbled. He hated when Myungsoo's parent's took him from him, not because he was territorial or anything, he just really hated being alone, the only time anyone was home was when his sister had her friends or boyfriends over or when his mom decided to stop by... that was very uncommon though, the only real connection he had with his mom was when she sent money over for the rent and money for food, other then that she mostly spent time doing who knows what in who knows where.

“what a pain, I wanted him to meet Eli,” Amber turned towards Eli with a questioning look, “can I kidnap you tomorrow too, I really want you to hang out with both my friends?”

Eli almost said no, he'd promised his extented family he'd spend the day with them and he really didn't care to spend time with her “new” friends... but really she called him “hubby”, how could he leave his Amber with a boy she was already calling hubby with out getting a better idea of who this guy was... that and he had to see what this other guy was like as well, “of course, I'll be over first thing in the morning.” Eli grinned and hugged her closer, looking over at Dongwoo and smiling widely, “I'd love to hang out with you and your friends some more.”

(AN- I swear, my writers bloke has been on a high lately -.- I rewrote this chapter about five times and each time I'd think “ah, this is complete crap, I can't post this” and this kept going on until I gave up and now present you with this...

anyways, I probably should of made a chapter with Amber deepening her friendship with MyungWoo, but like I said above, that wasn't working, so I sort of skipped a head a bit, the three have been friends for at least a month now and are as tight as can be, Woo even teases her by calling her his wife (whether he REALLY has feelings for her is debatable, he's got a lot of clingy issues when it comes to his friends so... yeah) more development on that will come soon and in the next chapter you get more Dongwoo VS Eli for some extra fun^^

also, Kim Junsu is 2PM's Kim Junsu... cause I really wanna see more JunBer of the 2PM variety^^ he'll be entering some time later when I feel he should enter in, in the mean time you guy's will get some MyungWooBer and SeungBer^^

and possibly a VERY popular Jonghyun pairing that I'll give brownie points to who ever can correctly guess who it is^^ hint, he's a he and he's also close to Amber in real life^^ if you can't guess him I'll be very disappointed because it really is a POPULAR pairing^^

will try to update faster, for real^^)