Perhaps, it´s because of what happened on the new year´s party. After the radio show, I was DJ-ing in LTE as always. The club was ten times more packed than usually and Lee Sangmin was watching from behind the bar with happy smile plastered on his face. I was in great mood; the club was lively. Donghae came too, he was together with his friends, they decided to celebrate in LTE. I believed that it was Donghae´s idea.

It was past midnight already, I spent the last moments of 2016 in the studio with the staff that was almost like a family to me already. I had one glass of champagne with them and then quickly rushed to the club, where I had another glass with Lee Sangmin. That glass was full again and standing on the table next to me. I smiled and changed the song for the cheering crowd. Clap! Clap! I encouraged them to dance harder.

“Hyukjae?” I got startled by Donghae´s presence next to me, I didn´t see him coming.

“Hey,” I smiled at him.

“We have table seven, come to us when you have your break,” Donghae had to yell right into my ear. I only nodded and gave him a thumb up. At that the extremely well styled man grinned and left.

After twenty minutes I put there a fifteen minutes long retro mix, that could play by itself without my assistance, and went to greet Donghae´s friends at the table number seven. I sighed. Four actors, two actresses, three idols and only two commoners, from which one was Donghae´s manager, were sitting there. I´m used to meeting celebrities at work but this was a private occasion and I felt slightly awkward.

“Hyuk! You are here!” Donghae noticed me and jumped up from his seat. He put his arm around my shoulders and began introducing me, although I knew everyone from the TV or radio. The only new face was Jiyoung, the non-celebrity woman who turned out to be a stylist.

“So, I see you are having fun?” I chuckled, noticing that Donghae was already a bit tipsy.

“Oh, right!” Donghae suddenly turned to me and gave me a tight hug. “Happy New year!”

“You too, Happy New Year,” I smiled and patted his back. “Come on, let go, I have to go back quickly.”

“Already?” Donghae let go of me. “I will see you later then.”

What a sad face I thought when I was jogging back to the mixing console. No matter what he says, it´s obvious that he has feeling for me. When he´s drunk, his actions speak for himself. Somehow, I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry that I am more interested in stylists I barely know. Jiyoung, was it?

The party went on and I kept feeding all the wild animals on the dance floor. It was fun, very much. Sangmin would come and refill my glass, patting my back friendly. I played two Donghae´s songs that I remixed, which tempted the guy to come out and dance. I checked out short dresses, the stylist´s too. It was a really fantastic night until I found myself very embarrassed.

It was dawn already; the party was over and I was in the staff room and packing my things. Donghae and his manager were waiting for me outside. Donghae wanted to go in the same taxi to see me arrive safely home. I rolled my eyes but didn´t protest.

“Pffft!” Drop-Face, whom I stubbornly ignored the whole night, was spitting at me.

I had his drool on my shirt and it made me mad. One of the reasons I felt intimidated by him was that when he spat at me, there was actually liquid. He could spit at me and that meant he could touch me too, right? He hasn´t touched me yet but there was the possibility. Not knowing where were his boundaries was the worst for me.

“Pffft!”

“Don´t do that! It´s disgusting,” I got angry, especially since his mouth was in the middle of his black chest, grinning at me mockingly.

“Pfft!” That one hit my face, I´ve had enough.

“Is it because I ignored you today that you are being like that? Look, I´m tired, I don´t want to bother with you. And I don´t have time for that, why don´t you ing go and spit into your ownface?! I´m sure you can do that.”

“Hyukjae?” Blood froze in my veins when I heard someone call my name. I spun around quickly and it was Donghae, he was standing in the doorframe and looking at me weirdly.

“Sorry, you were waiting, right? I´m almost ready,” I panicked and returned to my bag, quickly moving things around.

“Are you alright? Who were you talking to?” Donghae was much soberer that I would have guessed.

“Sure, I´m just tired, I was talking to myself. It´s a bad habit, ain´t it?” I smiled awkwardly and put on my coat.

“Hahahahahaha!” Of course, Drop-Face was more than pleased by the whole situation decorated by the blush on my face.

“Let´s go, Donghae,” I pushed the man forcibly out of the staff room, “your manager must be already asleep in the taxi.”

I managed to bring Donghae out without any more questions. On purpose I sat to the front in the taxi and hoped that the celebrity would fall asleep. The plan was a success and to my relief. It was already light when I got home that day, I slept until three in the afternoon. Yeah, perhaps it´s all because of what happened that day.

“You know, you can tell me anything,” Donghae murmured, his lips playing with the straw, “we are friends and I´ve also told you my secrets.”

It was the first week in 2017 and Donghae took out the precious time from his schedule so we could meet up over a cup of coffee. We were sitting in the corner so Donghae could stay comfortably without being recognized. At first I was wondering why he wanted to meet up so badly but now I was almost sure. New year´s eve.

“Thank you but I´m fine,” I shrugged, “I´m not bothered by anything.” My own words sounded to me like irony but that´s only because I knew that Drop-Face was squatting under the table and drooling black slime on my shoes. Nowadays I wished a lot to be like Donghae, monster-less.

“Are you sure? You know in the club,” Donghae began and I stiffened.

“Oh, you mean that? You noticed?” I interrupted him and Donghae seemed happy that I was ready to open up.  Only that I wasn´t.

“I was wondering if I should ask you,” I began half joking but half serious, “the girl, Jiyoung. Could you get me her number?”

“Huh?” Donghae was flabbergasted. His dark eyes suddenly looked lost, this wasn´t what he had expected. It´s not like I was all done for the stylist but the truth was that she was my type. “Sorry, I don´t remember there was someone like that.” Liar.

“Okay, never mind,” I smiled at him. I didn´t want to hurt him after all. “I´m not that much interested anyway.”

“You´re such a player, Hyukjae,” Donghae sighed, “and a weirdo.”

“Thanks,” I snorted.

Hello and happy new year!!! There are still many comments asking me about Donghae´s non-existent monster and Hyukjae´s ability to see them. Don´t worry, I won´t forget to reveal it. But first things first :P I will have you wait a little longer. Anyway, 2017 is the year for EunSiHae to return from army. I´m already so excited, when it´s still half a year away T_T. I wish you all good luck, good health and lots of happiness in 2017. Let´s keep meeting! - PandaHero