I nearly died at his words. They were way too into my personal life.

“You guys,aish, I swear on all that is holy. Do not tell anyone this. It isn’t important to be brought up nowadays especially since Byunghee-op—since he’s an idol.”

“Oooh, sounds scandalous,” gushed Taecyeon. I glared at him. These idols, I swear.

“Byunghee and I dated for two years while I was in high school. It didn’t start or end well for us. But, we had good times.”

They weren’t surprised at my story. Instead, Wooyoung was tapping a finger on his chin thoughtfully.

“High school, hmm? I would say you must have been 16 when you started dating…omo, but G.O. hyung is nearly three years older than you, right?”

“Oh! You’re right, Wooyoungie. He would have been 18, almost 19…and Eunhee-ah probably looked…” He started laughing and asked me if I had a photo of the two of us. Knowing there was no way out of this. I opened my phone and went through the photos. I had transferred photos from my old phone to my new one. The only picture I had of us on this phone was shortly after we started dating.

I was sixteen years old and in my school uniform. My hair was jet black and super long at the time, so I kept it in braided pigtails. This hairstyle did not help me look anymore my age. I was also probably around 5’0” though I had not grown much since then. Byunghee was eighteen, nearly nineteen since this was taken in October. He was quite a bit taller than me and sporting his trademark moustache. He was wearing a black button down shirt and dark jeans, which made him look even older. We were quite the mismatched couple. He looked like an uncle with his niece. Not a boyfriend with his girlfriend.

I handed it over and no sooner had his eyes looked at the phone when I heard a huge laugh erupt from his body.

“AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA, OMG! He looks like a pimp and you’re the school girl he owns!” hooted Taecyeon. Wooyoung leaned over for a look and couldn’t control his laughter either.

“Awww, Eunhee-ah’s so cute and then you look at G.O. hyung and he’s so serious like an ahjussi. Even then, he looked like an uncle.”

They passed the phone to Nichkhun, who choked instantly upon seeing it. I could tell he was holding back laughter.

“Just laugh, Nichkhun. I know you want to.”

“Mianhae,” was all he managed before joining Wooyoung and Taecyeon in a 10-minute laughing session.

These guys, I thought, clucking my tongue. Aigo, how did my father work with people like this all the time?

They were still laughing when our food arrived. The waitress smiled at the laughing boys and winked at me.

“Keep ‘em laughing, honey. That’s the best way to keep a man at your side.”

My first thought: I never made Byunghee laugh. Maybe it was because I was never fully myself around him. I always kept a certain air of mystery around me, hoping that he would be constantly entranced. However, mystery only goes so far and he was better at this game then me.

Isn’t it funny when you think a relationship is perfect at the time, but then you think back over it and you realize all the problems you should have seen?

It’s not, is it? I’ve never been very good at jokes. But I love to laugh. He always made me laugh. Omona, Eunhee, quit that!

Thoughts such as those were put to rest when I looked down to my plate. Heaven was no longer served on silver platters, but on lovely white ceramic ones with a delicate rose pattern.

We began eating our food, filling up the silence in-between bites with casual conversation. These were really nice boys. Very friendly and funny, in fact. I personally love to laugh and really enjoyed talking to them.

Soon we finished our breakfast and chatted for a little while more waiting for the waitress to bring our checks. She arrived shortly, passing out the receipts. First to Taecyeon then Wooyoung, I held out my hand anticipating mine, but she shook her head and handed the last slip to Nichkhun.

“He asked me to put them together,” she explained, winking at us. I must have looked flabbergasted because she waved away my fave and said, “He’s a good boyfriend for doing so.”

I peeked at Nichkhun, who was fiddling around with his wallet. Taecyeon and Wooyoung both sighed appreciatively.

“Wow, hyung, you’re so smooth,” commented Taec grinning. Wooyoung pouted and pushed his receipt over to Nichkhun.

“Hyung, pay for your Woodong too,” he pleaded. I turned my head back to my hands, which were now gripping onto the edge of my T-shirt. Why was he paying for me? Why didn’t I try to stop him? Then I was able to find words.

“Nichkhun, there’s no need to pay for me. I’ve got it.” I insisted, reaching over to get the receipt. He moved it out of my reach and turned to flash me a thoroughly adorable smile.

“Consider it a welcome back to Korea present,” he replied. I bit on my bottom lip and let out a breath.

My brain was struggling to say the words, “Thank you,” but for some reason I had a problem with social niceties. I was embarrassed to say kahmsahmnida or mianhamnida in front of more than one person. For me, it made me a nervous wreck. Okay, that was perhaps a little exaggeration. Nonetheless, the words were difficult to form. During my internal struggle, the bills were all paid and the boys were getting up to leave.

I stood up along with them though my attention was being drawn to the window where it was currently pouring outside. The guys followed my gaze and immediately groaned. They had not checked the weather obviously. I opened my bag and pulled out my umbrella. I poked Khun with the end of it. His eyes fell on it and he cocked his head to the side.

“What about you?” he inquired. With my free hand, I pulled out the light rain jacket that I had packed and poked him again. Smiling again, he accepted it gratefully.

“Thank you Eunhee. That’s very nice of you.”

“It’s nothing,” I mumbled, putting on the jacket. I zipped it up and yanked up the hood. Taecyeon and Wooyoung came around the table and peeked into my bag.

“Anything else in there?” they inquired.

“Nope!” I announced, closing it and tossing it over my shoulder. “Well, if you excuse me…I should be going.”

“Ani, we have the whole day free! Come hang out with us,” Wooyoung exclaimed.

“Yeah, it’s going to be fun! I don’t know what we’re doing yet though…” added Taecyeon.

Truthfully I had nothing else to do. And they were so entertaining that it kept my mind off of other people. I hadn’t really even thought of him once. Well, less than the normal amount of times.

“If it’s boring, I’m leaving,” I warned.

“Have you no faith in 2PM?”

“Have you not seen Wild Bunny?”

“We’re really very fun.”

I stared at them and tilted my head to the side. “Chincha? Well, where are we going?”

“Back to our place for now!” The three of them started heading towards the door and I quickly followed. It was still raining outside and Nichkhun was getting ready to open my umbrella while I secured my hood. Taecyeon and Wooyoung stepped outside first and were oddly unaffected by the rain. Nichkhun gestured for me to exit first and I did just as a gust of wind came and blew my hood off.

An entirely girlish squeal escaped my mouth as I struggled to pull my hood back on. Though Korean, my hair was not exactly completely straight. I had to use a straightener to maintain a sleek look. Otherwise, and I have no idea why, frizz would be my enemy.

Nichkhun held the open umbrella over my head as he stood beneath it with me. He stood, looking down at me his lips pulled into a slight grin.

“Ahem, kahmsahmnida…” I said, clearing my throat.

“Omo, your face was pricel—“

“OPPA! SARANGHAEYOOOOO!!!!!” It was the cry only a fan girl could utter: equal parts fanaticism and love. And it was pure terror for any idol in the vicinity of the call. Nichkhun tilted the umbrella to hide his face with one had while the other gently tugged up the hood I had been able to put back on. Wooyoung tilted the brim of his baseball cap down though it didn’t help to hide his face any. And Taecyeon slid behind Wooyoung and ducked. That did not hide him at all.

While they were attempting to hide themselves from whatever fan girls were approaching, I turned to look behind us where the noise had come from. It was raining too hard for me to tell what group of people was exactly approaching us, but whoever it was, they were very important.

“It’s another idol group,” I assured them. Taecyeon peeked up from Wooyoung’s shoulder and peered behind us.

“She’s right. Let’s go before they spot us.”

“Agreed,” chorused the other two boys. I nodded and the four of us began to walk the opposite way of the screams.