It was a Friday and I was close to finishing my report on Traditional dances. I still had to do a Conclusion for my report but I had been working on it since this morning at seven. It was now two in the late afternoon. We had ramen for lunch due to my laziness in cooking that day. I threw my pencil onto my report and stretched out my limbs while stifling a yawn.

  I had sat on the floor with the coffee table as my table. I stood up and felt my bones creaking as I got up. I made a few stretches to warm up the muscles in my body and looked down on the coffee table. It was a complete mess so I had to clean it up. I cleared the unnecessary papers and threw them away. The books were all stacked nicely in one corner along with my report. My coffee mug was empty and had dried up so I picked it up and placed it in the sink to wash it.

  Just as I washed the mug I smelled body odor and realize I haven’t had my morning shower yet. Not to mention on a hot day, I must’ve sweat like a pig doing my report. I decided to go and take a nice and long shower for myself. I haven’t been able to since my packed schedule and not to mention the packed chores building on my shoulders. I tried to negotiate for a much less and much fair plan but they wouldn’t budge.

  At least let me have a long bath, God-willing. I took a step into the bathroom and felt cold just as the soles of my feet touched the cold tile beneath me. I gave myself a long and hard look. I didn’t look that bad, I only needed to work on my hair and I needed to work out more. I still have some fat lurking underneath the folds of my clothes. I never wanted plastic surgery though like some of my dorm mates who had done on their nose and eyes. Some even had some work done to their jaws. Now why would you want to go through such pain to change that? I just shook my head at how ridiculous some people could be.

  I brushed the thought aside and started undressing. I hung my towel on the hook behind the door and started on the cold water. Just as the small cold drops of water dropped on my skin, the hairs on my arm rise. But as the number of droplets increase and covered most of my skin, the coldness became something I was used to and it became refreshing. I turned the knob to make the pressure of water higher and to increase the amount that hit my skin.

  All from the tips of my hair to the tips of my toes, I was soaking wet. With a bar of soap, I started to put it under the shower head so it would get all wet and bubbly. I rubbed it all over my skin so I could get the scent all over. The smell of lavender filled the air and as well as my nostrils. A shower never felt so heavenly and good.

  All was well until I heard the doorbell rang. I was brought back from my trance for a moment thinking should I get the door? But my dorm mates were around to open the door. I let the doorbell to ring for a number of times until I realize the number it was ringing no longer could be tolerable.

  Quickly I washed away the foam of the soap on my skin and got myself some clothes on. I just got on a pair of capris and an oversized t-shirt before searching frantically for my dorm mates. After pushing open each and every door to see if there was anyone behind it, I find them all empty. Later did I notice the note on the fridge when I passed by the kitchen. They must’ve gone while I was in the shower.

  I ran to the door and opened it with my towel still on my head to cover my wet hair. I was at the midst of drying it. Just as I saw a tall figure I bowed low and said, “I am so sorry for the inconvenience! I didn’t know my dorm mates weren’t around!”

  “It’s okay,” the guy said before I could say more and I looked up to see who it was. I’ve had a number of surprises this week and to be expecting more surprises after that; I could get a heart attack if I were eighty.

  The guy standing in front of me wore the typical uniform postmen wear and held a big package in hand. I didn’t know how he pressed the doorbell a moment ago but I didn’t wait long to just make him stand there and hold onto it forever. He passed it to me and I placed it onto the coffee table. I gave it a second look before looking back to the tall man in front of me.

  “Ok, are you Miss Jae Kyung?” he asked while holding a clipboard.

  I laughed knowing the person who the packaged belong to and scoffed, “No,” but immediately stopped knowing he was giving me a weird look. I cleared my throat and said, “Uh . . . no, I’m not.”

  He scribbled something and then gave the clipboard to me. I just looked at it and it was when he said, “Well?” did I take it knowing I should’ve taken it earlier. He even passed the pen to me and said, “Sign down there, last box on the right.”

  I just nodded and signed or should I say scribbled my signature into that box and handed the clipboard back to him. Just when I thought he was done he said, “Uh . . . if you don’t mind. Can you not close the door once I leave?”

  “Why?” I asked, wondering why he’d ask me to do so.

  “Well,” he started and then took off his cap to scratch his head and sigh. “There’s maybe another three packages downstairs and they aren’t light.”

  “Typical,” I scoffed under my breath.

  “Excuse me?” he asked and I flustered.

  “Oh no not you, it wasn’t you. I wasn’t talking about you, I was talking about my dorm mates who are always so difficult hence the reason why I said typical so . . .  You know, why don’t you just get those packages and I’ll wait here.”

  “Right,” he said shortly and then disappeared.

  When he was gone, I leaned against the doorway and cursed to myself of how stupid I could be at times and remembered the towel on my head. I cursed a little louder and started to dry my hair harder than I should but it was close to dry when I heard footsteps coming my way.

  I popped my head outside the doorway to see if it was the postman and indeed it was him but he wasn’t the first thing I saw. The first thing I saw was the big brown box he carried. He placed it beside the coffee table and I made no way of stopping him from coming in because judging from the sweat trickling down the side if his face, it must be something real heavy. Once he had placed it on the ground, he stood up straight to gain his balance and then took the clipboard on the box he had carried and told me to sign in the same box at the bottom only in a different sheet.

  After that, he made another trip downstairs to go and pick the third package. This time, the package was a little bit bigger and it must’ve weighed more because the amount of time it took for him to carry it up to my dorm was longer. When he placed it on the floor, it fell with a loud thump.

  “What’s in there?” I asked, curious as to what made such a loud sound.

  “I have no idea,” he answered while gasping for air.

  I felt sorry looking at the guy. As he went for his fourth trip, I made a cold drink for him so that when he got up he’d take a moment’s rest and have a drink. When he came up, his knees were practically bended trying to uphold the weight of the big box. I moved aside the couch so that he could place the box there. His knees seem to have given in and he collapsed onto the couch behind him.

  Sweat trickled down the side of his face and down his neck. I took a clean and dry hand towel from my bathroom and handed it to the guy. He seemed like he was going to pass out soon but he took my towel anyways and held it up as a sign of gratitude. When he was dry, I gave him the glass of cool drink and he sat up straight to accept it and drink it. Surprisingly he gulped it down in one go.

  I sat on one of the boxes opposite of him and said, “Thank you and I’m so sorry you had to go all the way for this.”

  “No, it’s all in a day’s work.” He said and then placed the glass on the coffee table on any surface he could find that was enough to support the glass. “Besides your dorm was the last stop of the day.  So, I’m not in much of a hurry.”

  “Good to hear.” I said and then looked down to his name tag sewn across the top of his pocket. It said, “Changmin” and I happened to have said it aloud so he heard it.

  “Yes?” he said as if answering a call.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. I saw your name tag,” I explained and he understood.

  He took off his cap and his jacket only to reveal his thick bushy hair and him wearing a wet sky blue t-shirt. It was completely drenched in the sweat he exerted from carrying those heavy boxes. Seeing the condition of his t-shirt, I couldn’t help but comment on it.

  “It must’ve been really heavy.”

  “Yeah it was.” Changmin agreed and looked down to his t-shirt. I continued to scan him up and down like the observer I am and saw through his t-shirt, a necklace I couldn’t believe he’d wear. It was the same one the other three wore. “Oh, my . . . What am I doing?” he asked himself and quickly stood up.

  I too stood up and watched as he got his jacket and cap back on. He then handed me the clipboard so I could sign the remaining two sheets. Just as I handed him the clipboard back, he said a few words before he left.

  “I appreciate the hospitality you’ve treated me to; it’s been quite some time since I’ve been treated with such kindness.” Changmin spoke it in a tone I couldn’t help but feel was real gratitude, like he really meant it. Not to mention humble; I’ve never received gotten any credit from my dorm mates for what I’ve done. It was like as if he’s never been treated with such kindness before, maybe the last he’s received such treatment must’ve been in his TVXQ days. Just hearing such words from him, made me sad all of a sudden. “Well, good day Miss. Thank you again.”

  He tipped his cap and I replied, “You’re welcome . . . anytime.”

  He smiled and then left. I didn’t know what to feel. Should I feel happy that I made him feel special or should I feel sad as a fan knowing he missed the old glorious days as an idol? I left that question unanswered as I watched him disappear behind the wall that would lead to a staircase down to the parking lot where his van would probably be parked. He would be starting his engine as of now and be getting on to the post office before going home to either his parents or to an apartment he owned. Then, he’ll take out a bottle of Soju, drinking away his miseries. I know I would if I were in his shoes.  

Dear Readers,

Hope you guys like this fic.... there is yet 1 more member to post up and that is Jaejoong.... Comment and I might just post up Jejoongie's chapter... ^^

Peace Out! Love

Durian2003