BGM: DBSK's Yunho and Changmin - She

You jolted out of bed as soon as the alarm clock started ringing. Slowly forcing your right eye to open, you took a peek at the Eeyore timepiece to check the time. 7:00 AM. Before you could start bumping into random things when you run around in panic, your brain conveniently reminded you of one very important detail: today is Sunday.

The realization made you let out a sigh of relief. It's Sunday. No school. No work. You can do just about anything you want. You lay down in bed and debated between going down for breakfast and going back to dreamland. It was quite obvious that you were still sleepy, since you can barely keep your eyes open, but you also couldn't deny the hunger-inducing smell of your mother's freshly-prepared meal coming from the kitchen.

"Hmm~ that smells nice~"

After convincing yourself that you can just go back to sleep after eating breakfast, you shifted to a seated position and slipped your feet into a pair of oversized Stitch slippers. Normally, you would comb your hair first or freshen up a little before leaving your room, but since you were still too sleepy to function properly, you figured that it was probably okay to just come down looking like a zombie. Besides, the only people downstairs were your parents - and they're supposed to love you regardless of how gross you look in the morning.

Halfway down the stairs, where you groggily descended each step with much difficulty, you heard a distinctive chuckle that effectively woke you up much faster than a cup of coffee or the sound of an alarm clock. Maybe even a bucket of ice-cold water.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Good morning to you, too," Luhan smiled, stuffing his mouth with a spoonful of rice.

You carelessly rubbed your eyes and blinked several times. He's still there. Luhan was there. And he was having breakfast. With your parents. Luhan was having breakfast with your parents. You pinched your own arm to make sure you weren't dreaming.

It hurt.

"AAWW!" you exclaimed, rubbing the spot that you pinched.

"Mimi honey, you're not dreaming," your mother confirmed.

"Yeah, Luhan really is here," your father added. He motioned for you to completely descend the stairs and join them at the table. "C'mon, Mimi sweetie. Have breakfast with us. You need to eat a lot. You have a long day ahead of you."

You tilted your head. "What do you mean?"

"You're spending the day with Luhan, aren't you?" your mother responded, adding more rice into Luhan's bowl. When she noticed that you still had a confused look on your face, she said, "Don't worry. I'm not going to feed him shellfish!"

You shrugged. "Umma~ that wasn't-"

"Hurry up!" your father called out, a hint of impatience in his voice. "Come down here and join us. Standing there and watching us eat is a waste of time. You have to sit down in here and have some breakfast before I allow you to go out," he insisted. "Well, maybe after you've combed your hair-"

And that's when it hit you.

You literally just got out of bed. Your hair was a mess. Your face was bloated. You were wearing an oversized dark blue shirt over a pair of Pororo pajamas. Your feet were covered with the Stitch slippers whose teeth, Luhan teased, were not unlike yours. Closing your eyes, you secretly put one hand on your back, fumbling your fingers for any sign of tiny clasps or metal hooks. When you couldn't feel any, you opened your eyes in horror before you started making a run for you room.

"Where are you going, little lady?" your father asked.

"To get ready, Appa!" you replied. "I'll eat after I've showered."

Han Jaesuk was about to stop you again when your mother persuaded her husband to just let you be. As a woman, she understood how horrifying it was for you to be seen by Luhan like that.  "Oh~ just let her be, honey," she said. "She did say she was going to eat breakfast afterwards, didn't she?"

"Fine, fine," your father surrendered. "But make it quick!"

"Yes, Appa! I won't be long, I promise!" you nodded.

You were about to ascend the next step when Luhan suddenly called you out. "Oh, and, uhm, Mimi-" He put down the glass of orange juice on the table and looked straight at you. Resting a hand on the railings of the staircase, you carefully turned your head to meet his eye. Still too embarrassed to utter a single word, you just raised both of your eyebrows and hoped that he'll understand it as a signal to continue.

"-don't forget to wear something red."

"Where are we going?"

When Luhan picked you up at your house that morning, you assumed that he was taking you to Happy Bubble or somewhere near that area to meet the rest of the boys; so when he asked you to alight the subway with him when it reached the Express Bus Terminal, you slightly panicked about the fact that you have absolutely no idea where the two of you are going.

"Aren't we going to Apgujeong?" you asked.

"Nope. We're not going to Apgujeong," Luhan answered. "We're riding the connecting train to Line 9."

"Line 9? Where are you taking me? Gimpo airport?" you joked, somewhat convinced that throwing funny remarks like those will help you calm yourself down a bit. "Is that why you picked me up this early? Because we're going to Gimpo airport? You're not taking me to China, are you?"

Totally amused by your assumption, Luhan chuckled as he turned to face you. He found you so cute that he suddenly had this urge (again) to kiss you, but since he figured he's probably not allowed to do that right now, he just pinched your cheeks instead. "Relax, I'm not taking you to China," he assured. "But if you really want to, all you need to do is ask."

"I don't have a Chinese Visa, though," you quipped.

"If I help you get one, will you go to China with me?" Luhan dared.

It may sound like he's only kidding, but somewhere in the back of your head, a voice is telling you that Luhan probably meant what he said. Honestly, it scared you a bit. Fly to an entirely different country with Luhan? Just Luhan? The idea made you nervous. And excited. But still nervous. So, before your mind wander even further and go all-Jihye by mentally listing an itinerary of all the activities you can do in Beijing, you just retorted with, "Ha! My parents won't allow it!"

"But they let you come with me today, didn't they?" he reminded.

"Well, that's because we're only going to what I assume to be somewhere within the vicinity of Seoul," you reasoned, restlessly fiddling with the loose ends of your striped scarf. "I don't think they'll let me go with you to another country."

Luhan arched an eyebrow and tried to look serious. "How can you be so sure?" he asked. "As far as I know, your parents adore me and they trust me enough to know that I'll take care of you no matter what."

You needed an extra second to gather your thoughts after hearing what Luhan just said. "~I'll take care you no matter what" - that particular line, for some strange reason, kept repeating inside your head. He meant it and you know it. The mood was gradually turning into something more mellow and you attempted to shift it back into something more casual by coming up with another witty remark, but the only thing that escaped your lips was a smile.

It was a shame that Luhan wasn't able to catch that moment because he took a quick glance at his phone when you beamed. "We need to hurry up," he said after checking the time. "It would take a while before we reach our destination."

"But where exactly is that?" you asked. "Where is our destination?"

"Answering your question will ruin the surprise," Luhan said instead.

The stupid grin you had on earlier reappeared on your face, and this time, Luhan was finally able to see it. "Surprise? You have a surprise for me?"

Although a little embarrassed, Luhan couldn't help but put on a smile as well. "Yeah~" he drawled, scratching the top of his head. "But I guess I shouldn't have referred to it as a surprise because by doing so, I just reduced the surprise factor by half."

"I don't mind," you admitted, not really intending to say it out loud. You wanted to cover up what you just said with another joke or anything but the words that came out of your mouth were these instead: "I'm sure I'll like it anyway - whatever it is."

"Hold that thought for me, okay?" Luhan requested, chuckling a bit. "If, for some odd reason, you suddenly feel the urge to kill me today, or just strangle me or punch me in the face, please remember what you just said and let me off the hook instead."

Looking at your companion suspiciously, you said, "Why? Are you planning something bad? Something illegal? Because I'm starting to get worried here."

Shaking his head, Luhan glossed his lips with his tongue and laughed gleefully. "No, no, no. I'm not going to do anything illegal today, I promise. You can feel at ease now." When he noticed that your eyebrows were still furrowed, he rubbed them with his thumbs and assured you that there's nothing to worry about. "Relax. You'll have fun today, I promise."

"Well, I better, because you took my precious 'me' time today," you said, trying hard not to appear too conscious about the physical contact. "I was supposed to be lazing around the living room while watching Sunday cartoons on TV, you know."

"In your Pororo pajamas?" Luhan teased.

You pushed him away and stuck your tongue out in response, making him laugh even more. "Whaat? That was a compliment! You look really cute in those pajamas! They also match your gigantic Stitch slippers perfectly!"

"Oh~ shut up!" you jokingly retorted. "You weren't even supposed to see me like that!"

"Like what?" Luhan asked, scooting closer to you again.

Playfully pushing him away again, you answered, "Like I just got out of bed!"

"But you did just get out of bed when I saw you earlier," Luhan pointed out, walking closer to you once more. He looked up to his right and, almost immediately, a big grin appeared on his face as he recalled that image of you in your Pororo pajamas and Stitch slippers: still half-asleep, carefully rubbing your eyes as you cautiously descended the stairs like a three-year-old little girl who woke up in the middle of the night only to find that her mommy has sneaked back to daddy's side while she was asleep.

The only thing missing, Luhan figured, is the Bambi plush toy you probably left in bed.

Although your hair was a mess and your cheeks were puffier than usual, in his eyes, that was the most beautiful he's ever seen you yet. "You haven't even combed your hair or wore-"

"-wore what?" you interrupted, daring him to complete his sentence.

"You know, that, that thing-" Luhan stuttered, slightly blushing. You were challenging him to say the word 'bra' and he knows it, but somehow, he just couldn't bring himself to say it. What's worse, is for every second that passes by, he felt himself getting more and more flustered.

Fortunately, Luhan found the perfect way to evade the situation. "Oh, look! That's our bus!" he exclaimed, suddenly grabbing your hand to gently drag you to the direction of the green bus marked 6000.

"But I thought we're taking the subway?" you reminded. "Line 9, remember?"

"Nah~ I changed my mind," Luhan responded. "We're taking the bus instead."

"Why did you suddenly decide not to ride the subway?"

As soon as you were properly seated near the back of the bus, you asked Luhan about his last-minute decision to change the mode of transportation to wherever your destination is. At first, you figured he was just trying to get out of the awkward situation of being dared to say 'bra', but when he actually got on the bus and paid the fare, you realized that his statement about riding the bus instead wasn't just a mere suggestion anymore.

"I just had this urge to ride a bus," he shrugged, flicking off that bit of snow on your shoulders. "Besides, the subway is kind of your thing with KkamJong."

It was your turn to look amused. "My thing? I have a thing with Jongin Chingu?"

"Yeah, aren't you subway friends or something?" Luhan replied.

"You mean, commuting buddies," you corrected.

Luhan shrugged again. "Subway friends. Commuting buddies. Same thing," he insisted, sounding a bit irritated about the course of discussion despite the fact that he was the one who started it. Truthfully, he had every intention of reaching your destination today by riding the subway all the way through, but that brief trip from Dogok Station to Express Bus Terminal changed his mind.

When Luhan suggested you play the 'left foot-right foot' game featured in the movie My Sassy Girl, you turned down his offer, insisting that you at that particular subway game because Jongin beats you every time the two of you play it. 

Although you probably did so unconsciously, you developed this habit of associating every single subway game with something you previously played with your Jongin Chingu. Even the random passengers reminded you of some commuter you apparently saw while you were with Jongin... 

...and Luhan noticed that.

Not counting that moment when you almost shared a kiss in your bedroom, this was the very first time he was going to be alone with you, and although he didn't mean to seem selfish or somewhat sulky, Luhan decided to take the bus instead because he just didn't want to spend this day listening to your subway adventures with Jongin.

Unbeknownst to Luhan, this unnecessary worry... this slight annoyance... or whatever you want to call it, didn't go unnoticed. After he accidentally voiced out that the subway is your supposed 'thing' with Jongin, about a hundred thoughts suddenly popped into your head... the most prominent of which, although you refused to believe what it was implying, is the possible reason why Luhan wasn't so keen on talking about Jongin. And once again, your big mouth betrayed you again by blurting out something that was supposed to be secretly hidden in the corners of your brain:

"Are you... are you jealous?!?"

With his right eyebrow slightly arching up, Luhan looked straight into your eyes and bit his lower lip. "Do you really want me to answer that?" he asked back, his tone quite serious.

When you realized that your stare was slowly shifting into Luhan's lips again, you immediately avoided his gaze by bowing your head instead. "No," you lied, hiding your fingers under your scarf - not to keep them warm, but to stop yourself from scratching your chin. "I didn't even mean to ask that out loud. It just... came out."

"I'm glad you asked anyway," he admitted.

You looked up and this time, you indulged yourself by returning his gaze. "Yeah?" you asked back, as softly as you could manage. Not taking his eyes off you, Luhan nodded twice, and although it seemed like a very casual thing to do, you felt your heart beating twice as fast just because of that.

The two of you just sat there, staring at each other like you were the only people in the world, and although you were wearing a thick pair of wool mittens, you felt your right hand getting warmer - and your heart beating even faster - when Luhan suddenly held it in his.

As with all of your sweet and romantic moments with Luhan so far, that particular scene wasn't meant to last long. Even without the sound of your grumbling stomach or the presence of Sehun the resident er, your Korean drama-like, squeal-worthy scene with Luhan was cut short when an army of teenage girls - all dressed in red - suddenly invaded the bus.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE TAKING ME TO SBS?!?"

When the red-clad group of teenage girls came barging inside the bus with their crimson-colored banners and star-shaped lightsticks, Luhan immediately accepted the reality that the surprise he prepared for you was now officially ruined.

"Why didn't you tell me?" you repeated, mercilessly hitting Luhan's arms. "I don't have my Dong Bang Shin Ki banners with me! I also don't have a pearl red ballon! I didn't prepare anything! I don't even have my Keep Your Head Down CD with me, how would I-"

Luhan took out a copy of Yunho and Changmin's latest CD from the inside pocket of his jacket and placed them on your mitten-covered hands. "Here. I got this for you just in case. I couldn't ask you to bring yours because it would spoil the surprise," he said. "The fanclub staff members attending the comeback performance will distribute pearl red balloons for later, so there's no need to worry about going there empty-handed. Anything else?"

"Hmm... a lightstick?"

"Oh, right!" Luhan searched the inside pocket of his jacket again and took out a small ziploc bag containing a red lightstick with the name '윤호' printed under a five-pointed star. "Here," he said, handing you the merchandise. "Are we good?"

"This looks like the one I have at home..." you noticed.

"It is yours," Luhan divulged, zipping his jacket up. "Your umma secretly gave it to me while you were taking a shower. She said you have quite a collection of DBSK lightsticks in your room, but she opted to give this to me instead because it has Yunho hyung's name in it."

You let out a frustrated sigh and pouted. "But if I use this one, it would seem like I'm only supporting Yunho oppa and not Changmin oppa."

"It's not like Changmin hyung will notice what type of lightstick you're holding up," Luhan pointed out. "Besides, I bet they'll be thankful you showed up to support them regardless of what type of lightstick you have. Just make up for it in the form of cheers, I guess." He paused to watch the worry on your face fade a little and smiled when another thing suddenly popped into his head. "I can't wait to see you wave a lightstick for me too."

You gently tapped Luhan's forehead with your Yunho lightstick. "What makes you think you'll be my bias? Huh?"

"Why? Do you have someone else in mind?" he asked back.

It made you nervous. "Does he know that I used to have a crush on Yixing? Does he suspect me of fancying one of his friends? Is this a trick to get me to admit something?" - these questions started buggling your mind. It was a good thing one of the Cassies onboard suddenly blurted out "Look! She's got a Dong Bang Shin Ki lightstick too!" and temporarily distracted both you and Luhan from your current topic of conversation. 

When he noticed the girl slowly approaching your seat, Luhan quickly covered his head with the hood of his jacket and hurriedly adjusted his scarf so that only his nose and a portion of his cheeks were exposed.

You tugged on his sleeve. "What are you doing?"

"They can't see me," he whispered, fixing his fringe with his fingers. "I know I haven't debuted yet, but trust me, it's better if those girls don't see me. It will be better if they don't remember what I look like or not recognize me at all. Believe me, it's for your own good."

You were about to tease Luhan for being really paranoid when a bespectacled Cassiopeia suddenly kneeled on the seat infront yours and started talking to you. "Hello! Are you a member of Cassiopeia too?"

"Yeah, we both are," you answered, locking your arms with Luhan's.

The sudden contact took Luhan by surprise. It was more than welcomed, of course, and it was extra special because you were the one who initiated it. He knew he was already pushing his luck, and it might be greedy of him, but Luhan wanted more so he held your hand again. So, when you reacted by resting your head on his shoulder instead of pulling your hand away, the baby-faced Chinese boy felt a big smile reaching the bottom of his ears.

"Aww~ that's sweet! I wish I had a boyfriend who loves my DBSK oppas too!" the girl in the glasses exclaimed.

"I wish I had a boyfriend - period!" another girl remarked.

Another Cassie, the little one whose hair is styled in a fishtail type of braid that suddenly reminded you of Jihye, suddenly retorted with the classic response of a loveless fangirl who insists that idol devotion is so much better than real-life relationships: "Who needs a boyfriend when we have our DBSK oppas?"

"Oppa! Are you hiding from someone?" the bespectacled girl suddenly asked.

"Ah, no. He's just... he's just..." You stammered as you tried to come up with an alibi. Just like what Luhan said earlier, he can't be seen by the girls. It would also cause a lot of trouble if one of the girls on the bus right now hangs out in front of the SM Entertainment building regularly - especially if they think that Luhan the trainee is your boyfriend. "...he's just shy," you said, and Luhan nodded to 'confirm' it. "You know how fanboys are... they're not as open as we are when it comes to stanning idol groups... especially boy groups."

Your reason seemed plausible so the other Cassies bought it. "Yeah, I get what you mean," the one in a fishtail braid agreed. "My brother always makes fun of me for being such a fangirl, but one time, I caught him watching my Tohoshinki T Concert DVD and he seemed to be especially engrossed with that particular performance that was playing."

"Why? Which song was it?" some girl asked.

"Darkness Eyes," fishtail braid girl replied.

Your jaw dropped. Eyes widened as if they belonged to Kyungsoo. When you looked around you, you noticed that every other girl inside the bus - the ones wearing red shirts, at least - had the same reaction as you. When you all realized this, you suddenly erupted into fits of laughter and 'oh my God!' exclamations.

Luhan had a confused look on his face as he tried to figure out what the fuss is all about. One girl was clutching her stomach in an attempt to control her laughter. Another one was fanning herself with both hands. The girl wearing a pair of glasses went back to her seat at the back and told fishtail braid girl to lend her brother her Tokyo Dome DVD because he might also enjoy Tohoshinki's 9095 performance.

And you... when Luhan finally locked eyes with you, your cheeks suddenly turned into a deep shade of scarlet. It was obvious that Luhan had no idea what the deal with the Darkness Eyes performance is, and somehow, that fact made you feel a bit relieved.

"I don't get it," he admitted.

"Well, let's just say that the choreography for that particular song was made especially for the female demographic," you vaguely explained, and as soon as the words came out of your mouth, another image suddenly flashed before your eyes - something that made you cover your face in sheer embarrassment.

And this time, it was Luhan's turn to laugh.

"Stop it!" you pleaded, weakly punching his arm.

"I didn't know you were capable of imagining such things!" Luhan teased.

You went into a state of panic as you felt your cheeks getting hotter by the second. He knows. You're sure of it. Luhan is a smart guy and he picks up things easily. He knows what you just thought of. It was already embarrassing enough to begin with, but the reality that Luhan also figured it out made you want to hide under a blanket forever.

"You just imagined me-"

"Shut up!" you quickly interrupted, hitting his arm again.

He laughed even more. "You really did, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't!" you vehemently denied.

Luhan held both of your hands and pulled them away from your face. You tried resisting, but he was just too strong, so you just closed your eyes instead. "Close your eyes like that and I'll assume you're concentrating on that image of me again," Luhan teased, causing you to automatically open your eyes in response. As soon as you locked eyes again, Luhan added, "Just so you know, I'm a really good dancer."

That sly remarked only cemented your earlier assumption that Luhan knew that you inadvertently imagined him - inside that big cage-like prop on stage - dancing that part in the Darkness Eyes  choreography that gives every Cassiopeia a wave of Choikang Changmin feels.

"Ooh~ I hate you!" you muttered.

And like always, Luhan just smirked and replied, "I know you don't."

It was still early in the morning, but the main entrance of the SBS Open Hall in Deungchon-dong was already packed with fans: VIPs parading black GD-TOP towels, Inspirits practicing BTD fan chants, teenage boys holding IU placards, Secret Time and Star1 debating which girl group is better, and of course, a huge army of Cassiopeias singing a medley of old Dong Bang Shin Ki songs.

"They're singing Balloons~" you choked, a bit teary-eyed.

"Want to join in?" Luhan asked. "I bet you even know the choreography."

"So do you," you assumed, flicking away a bit of snow from Luhan's shoulder. "Do you practice that a lot too? Like H.O.T's Candy?"

"We dance it for fun sometimes," he said, fixing the striped beanie on your head. "They always make us practice the more difficult routines, though, like Rising Sun and O Jung Ban Hap. And Tri-Angle. We danced Mirotic just last week. Jiaheng likes it. He says he feels cool whenever the rap part comes on."

Totoro dancing Mirotic? That would probably cause the death of your best friend, Jihye. "Why do I suddenly have this visual of Totoro's thick eyebrows when you mentioned him and Mirotic in the same sentence?" you asked. "It's weird."

"Maybe because he uses them when he tries to look cool," Luhan laughed.

"Wait~ speaking of Mirotic," you paused, fixing the strap of the sling bag on your shoulder. "Who does Changmin oppa's scream parts? I mean, among you, who can actually do that?"

Luhan cocked an eyebrow. "Why? You think I can't do it?"

"No that's not what I meant. It's just that your voice is too soft," you argued. "It's too sweet. You need someone with a Yoo Youngjin-type of voice to nail that part, you know. Someone with more power. Or even someone like Jonghyun of SHINe