"I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Lee Junki."

Lee Junki? 

...

Hm, nice name. I reached out to shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Lee ajusshi." 

He seemed surprised but he regained composure quickly. "Oh please, don't call me that. I'd feel old."

"Isn't that how you're supposed to call people in YOUR age range in Korea?" 

"BWO?? NOOOO! How old are you anyway?" he exclaimed, losing his manly poise. 

"I'm 21 but people often mistake me to be younger."

"Oh, we're the same again," he smiled pleasantly. He had a way with people. "I'm 45 years old but people say I look like I'm in my 20's." 

"EHHHH?????" 

I couldn't believe my ears. Just before my brain exploded (bad joke for me, I know) from this mindf**k, he laughed heartily and said that he was just kidding.

"I'm 30 years old. But that's not such a long way from 21, is it? I look your age anyway," he remarked playfully.

I wanted to throw him out the window. 

"Let's get down to business, kitty."

"Eh?"

He cleared his throat and pointed to the mirror behind me. I rushed over and saw that the black fur hat I was wearing had two big cat ears sticking out of the top. My mouth hung open dumbfoundedly. 

Junki appeared behind me.  He put an arm around my shoulder as he closed my mouth with his other hand. To my annoyance, he began to fluff up the already fluffed-up cat ears.

"As I was saying, kitty, I have something that I want you to do for me. And I want you to do it like you always do." 

I turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "What is it, ajusshi?" I said, trying to piss him off.

He rolled his eyes but gave me his signature sheepish smile that made his eyes sort of disappear-- which was really irresistible!

"I want you to sing for me please."

NOOOOOOO WAYYYYYY AM I GONNA DO THAT AGAIN!!! SCREW ALL OF THIS AND SCREW YOU!!

No, I didn't say this. I just replied with the usual, 

"Eh?"

He scratched his head hard. "All you say is 'eh eh eh', can't you say anything else like 'osu' or 'hai' or even 'NEH' because it's Korean for "yes" and it sounds the same as 'eh' but with an N?" he rambled in a whining tone.

... 

"Eh?"

He got more frustrated. I was actually enjoying this. Haha. After some time blabbering to himself in a corner, he came back with an even more intense and serious look that was more than enough to shut my funny bone up. 

"Okay, let's make this a little easier for you," he said as he motioned for me to follow him. The smell of juicy roast chicken grew stronger and my stomach sang for it-- a bit too loudly though. I think he heard it because he suddenly glanced my way when my stomach spoke and he chuckled to himself. 

So embarrassing. Obviously, I wasn't used to eating such good food nor eating a LOT of anything. Not recently anyway. 

We entered the dining room and I must say, it was so... my style! I mean, there was nothing fancy about it but there were no chairs-- only terracotta-colored pillows surrounding a dark brown rectangular table. Decorating the table was-- oh holy smokes-- the most tender looking roast chicken I had ever seen. It was decorated with baby potatoes, carrots, and other veggies. There also were servings of sushi, a type of red ramen, and tempura. 

Oh, did I mention that it was a kotatsu? :3

I was shallowly ecstatic at the sight. He made me sit at one end of the table while he sat at the other. Kicking his legs under the warm blanket of the kotatsu, he put his hands together and inquiringly said, "Itadakimashoo?" to which I eagerly replied, "Itadakimasssssu~!!" 

I dug in. In my mind, I kept telling myself to eat with more poise because even though I was a boyish girl, I needed to act respectable sometimes... Just not at meal times, I argued with myself. 

After 30 minutes, I was stuffed. I let myself fall backwards on a pillow while not losing the kotatsu blanket. I could see Junki still sipping his drink, which he said was 100-year old cactus tea. I seriously don't know why he would even drink that stuff. It's for old people.

"Hey, kitty. Are you still alive?" I heard him ask.

"Y-yes... ughh, I'm so full. Thank you for the meal." 

"Was it good?"

"Yes, ajusshi--" I raised my fist in the air, "--JJAAANNGGG." My arm dropped back down lifelessly. "I loved the chicken the best."

"Really? I'm glad you like my cooking." 

"Oro?" I sat up to his sweet smiling face. My heart became a bit tighter. "YOU made that?" 

"Yes, I'm a very good cook. Just look at you, all stuffed."

"You're such a girl," I muttered. 

"MWO??!" he shouted, making me jump under the kotatsu. "Who's like a girl??"

"Lee Junki. Ajusshi. Oh, it's supposed to be Ajumma. Sorry, I made a mistake. "

"Everyone says that all the time. Aaaarrghh! Shut up!" 

"Alright, alright." Sheesh. "Thank you for feeding me. Can I go now?"

He turned to me with that intense fierce look again, totally different from when he was being sheepishly aegyo. I couldn't pick which one I liked better. "Let's start from the very beginning," he said slowly. 

I have to admit that being around him like this made me feel... alive? Fluttery? Pumped with adrenaline? I just enjoyed laughing and teasing him that I totally forgot how I was like the day before. 

"It would be easier for you and for me if you answered my questions truthfully. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can go h... leave." 

"Okay," I sighed pulling my knees together. 

"Why weren't you wearing any shoes yesterday?"

"I forgot to put them on when I went out." God, that sounded so stupid.

"Why were you dressed in thin clothing? Didn't you know that winter was coming?" 

"I didn't bother to change. I had no time." Images of me about to jump off the building, and of Junsu and the others flooded back into my head.

"I see. And why was that?"

"Ano... because... because..."

WAIT JUST A MINUTE. Where did my clothes go? I looked up at him in wide eyed horror. 

"Ya, d-did yo-you-- are you staying alone in this condominium?" 

"Yes, I am. Why?" he answered, a bit confused at my sudden mood change.

I gave him a right hook in the face. 

"OW!! AISHH, this punk. What was THAT for??" he complained, rubbing his cheek.

I stood up and pointed at him accusingly, "How DARE you dress a girl?? I bet you didn't even try to close your eyes! You don't have any proof that you didn't do it so don't try to make any excu--"

"Excuse me, Lee-sama." I heard a female voice say. 

I stopped and blinked my eyes at the oba-san who was standing at the door. When she looked at me, her face lit up. 

"Ah, miss, you're awake! I hope you are comfortable with the clothes. Lee-sama especially told me that I had to be extra careful when dressing you up because of your feet." 

I looked at Junki. He quickly turned his head away and acted all cool with a little pout, still rubbing his hurting cheek. I hate to admit that I felt guilty. 

"Was the food suitable to your taste, miss?" she inquired. 

"Yes, very much. Did you cook this, ma'am?," I asked her while slowly turning to narrow my eyes at Junki. 

"Ah yes, I did!" she said as she picked up the little platters first and brought them to the kitchen.

I swiftly turned to Junki and glared at him hard. Although he wasn't the one who dressed me up, he still lied about other things. 

"You said that you cooked everything," I accused.

"No, I didn't. I just said that I was a really JJANG cook," he said giving himself a double-thumbs up on the JJANG part. 

"But I asked you if you cooked the food and you said yes! Trying to get all the credit from Oba-san," I seriously pouted. 

As if on cue, oba-san came into the room again and gathered the rest of the plates. I guess she heard what I had said because she countered,

"Ah, miss, I forgot to mention that it was me who made the sushi, tempura, and others. Lee-sama was the one who prepared and cooked the chicken," she said politely with a bow before taking her leave once again.

I heaved a heavy sigh and rolled my eyes, trying to make this feeling of guilt lessen before saying, 

"I'm sorry for the punch. And the accusations." 

He looked at me and shook his head as he folded his arms across his chest. "Tsk. You punk Japanese girl, do you think I'll accept this sorry? Isn't it considered more polite when you bow while apologizing?" 

Don't... Get... Pissed... off....HMMMPP-- 

I went down lower this time, almost hitting my head on the floor. "HONTO NI SUMIMASEN." I said in a loud monotonous voice.

"Tsk," he said again. "Didn't sound so sincere but I guess that'll do. Sit back up. Where were we before you started acting crazy?" 

"Something about my clothes?"

"Ah yes," he said clearing his throat, "Why did you not change your clothes?"

Do I really have to answer? How do I say this without sounding like a total psycho?

"It's okay. You can tell me," he said reassuringly. Really, this guy can melt your heart with just one glance into your eyes.

"I... I..."

"...?" 

"Why are you asking me this? What do you plan to do with me? And what do you care about whether I went out in thin clothes barefoot or not?" I spilled out. 

The way he looked at me then told me that he was beginning to understand. He took my hands and rubbed them in between his. 

"I don't wish to see these go cold." 

I paused and lowered my head, letting my messy hair cover some of my face. 

"If you don't want to tell me right now, it's fine and I understand that because we've only just met," he said. "But I hope that eventually, you open up to me." 

I looked up at him with a confused look. Eventually?

"Maybe I wasn't making myself clear enough. You see, I just got out of military duty and I plan to make a different kind of entrance into the industry. Aside from my usual projects, I would like to produce new talents myself. Which is why, kitty, I want to hear you sing again and give you that chance to show your gifts to the world. I believe you can go far."

I couldn't believe my ears. 

I wanted to accuse him of being a fake, because maybe he was. I couldn't go with someone I had just met and trust them with what was left of my future. But somehow, something was telling me that everything he said was true. (Or maybe it was just his ggotminam eyes taking a toll on me) Still, there was no way I could ever have that dream. I lowered my head again and began to shake it in rejection. 

He took my face in his hands, revealing the tears that had been running down my face. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

I shook my head again. I was now sobbing too hard that I choked on my words. 

"Don't you want to be a singer?" 

I... deep down inside... 

... I really want to... sing... 

"B-but I can't s-sing," I choked out.

"Of course you can," Junki said with a smile that said "Are you kidding me?" "Do you think I'd go run after you if you weren't good at all?"

"But everyone used to tell me... that I never would be able to make it... and that my voice sounded "this" and "that". That's why I don't want to sing anymore..." I started sobbing again.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him, locked in a hug. I didn't care anymore that I was hugging this gorgeous creature. I just buried my face in his surprisingly toned chest and squeezed him tightly. 

"That's okay, my kitty," he said as he gently caressed my hair, "I promise you that I'm not lying, and that in the future there would be no one who could ever say that to you again because..." and he hugged me tighter, "you yourself are beautiful inside and out. I can see it. With that voice, you may not be able to be like SNSD but you have the power to make a million people cry." 

He fluffed up my cat-ears again and smiled at my tear-stained face. "Will you accept my proposal and come with me to Korea?" he asked, not taking his focus off of me. 

What to do? I had nothing left here. I'm going to die eventually so I might as well go and do things that I had never done so that I would at least pass away without as much regrets. 

My heart skipped a beat. If I became a famous singer in Korea, then that would mean that I'd have the chance to meet Xiah Junsu and the rest of THSK. But this time, as colleagues in the same field! That would be so much better, I thought. 

I looked at Junki in the eye and nodded saying, "Osu!"

"Hahaha! Osu! Osu! We are going to leave really soon. Maybe the day after tomorrow so that you can pack your things. I also have my last press conference tomorrow so after that, I'm free to leave the country." 

"Osu," I replied with my hands in fists. 

"You can be really enthusiastic," he commented. "I like that. A lot of people like that. You should keep it up." He started to stand up and motioned for me to follow him. "I would let you go home but I don't want you to suddenly do anything rash," he said putting on his gray coat. 

As he helped me put a black coat on me, he said, "From now on, I will be your manager. But you can call me oppa because I will treat you like I was your big brother. Fine, call me ajusshi if you wish, but PLEASE NEVER CALL ME AJUMMA. It'll cause a riot." 

I felt like I wanted to cry. Half because I had always wanted an older brother. Half because I FREAKING DIDNT WANT THIS HANDSOME GUY TO TREAT ME LIKE I WAS HIS LITTLE SISTER! I just gulped the thought down though. He might have a girlfriend.

"Here," he said throwing me some boots, "You can borrow these." 

To my surprise, they fit me perfectly. I could smell that new shoe smell emanating from it. I wonder if they had bought it while I was asleep just for me? How can there be such nice people? I smiled a little to myself.

We put on our  boots and he held the door open for me with a bow. I stepped outside his door and he followed. 

"Where do we go?" I asked.

"AH AH AH! Let's go to---"

 

(A/N: Heehee, I cut you off now, didn't I? :P Don't worry, this story hasn't ended yet.)