Changmin POV:

Leaning against the opposite wall with my back turned away from her, I stalled for time as I tried to control myself.

Our pants were the only sounds in the dimly lit hallway. I wasn't sure what to do next - my apology hung in the air between us like the proverbial elephant in the room. But exactly how do you explain to the girl you like that you got er... a little too excited... you know, down there, while kissing her.

When she returned my kiss just now, I had pinned her to the wall without thinking. My nerve endings were exploding and the only thought that crossed my mind was that I wanted more. Unfortunately, Changmin Jr. seemed to want more too and I had to pull away before I completely lost my mind and took things too far. 

The question was, did she know?

I had to at least offer her some sort of explanation... I mean yes, the Seo Joohyun behind me right now was no longer the little girl I had taken under my wing as a trainee, she had proven that much over these last few days. But she was still a young woman who I respected and cherished and who was most likely mortified by my actions.

I turn slightly to face her, but am still unable to meet her eyes.

"Joohyun, I'm... I"m sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen."

Not hearing a response, I continue to blabber away. "Please forget this happened. I must have had too much wine tonight - "

"Save your breath." she cuts me off, her tone void of emotion.

Surprised, I look up only to find her running down the hallway, back towards the party.

"Joohyun! Wait!"

I quickly chase after her but she has already slipped through the doors and become engulfed by the crowd. Weaving between people, I desperately try to reach her, not caring that I've just knocked Chanyeol into Suho and nearly spilled Sunny's drink as I ran around her in my haste. But somehow, my long legs have failed me and I've lost her.

"Ya! Changmin, what was that about?" Jaejoong hyung catches up to me and looks concerned as he turns me around. "Didn't you hear me call you? If you wanted to leave so badly you should have let me know."

"... Yeah, sorry hyung. I just - I was just looking for someone. But we should leave now."

"Are you sure?"

I nod and he seems to understand. Taking out his cell, he calls up our manager to take us home, probably thinking that we are both too intoxicated to drive.

He was partially right - I was intoxicated, just not from alcohol.  

", you've really messed up this time Changmin." I say to myself once in the car.

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After the party, I called Joohyun probably 10 times with no luck. I have learned over the years that with her, silence is the worst possible result. Although she is introverted and shy around other guys, she always opens up to me and there were very few secrets between us. So the fact she was ignoring my attempts to seek her out did not bode well. I tried not to dwell too deeply on it, telling myself it was just a misunderstanding, but this did little to help me sleep that night. 

I was just entering the SM headquarters the next morning when I spot Yuri and Tiffany at the front desk. They seem to be emphatically asking the receptionist something and didn't see me as I walk up to grab a water bottle from the mini fridge.

"Unnie, are you sure he hasn't come in yet?" Tiffany is asking.

"If you haven't seen him that's ok, but do you think you could page us when you do?" Yuri adds.

Our receptionist, Mrs. Lee, looks confused. "Dear, I think he's right behind you."

They both turn and upon seeing me, shoot me glares, walking towards me with their arms crossed.

"AHA! There you are!" Yuri exlaims.

"Changmin oppa! How could you?!" Tiffany yells.

I give them a dumbfounded look. "Me? Why?" Carefully, I begin to back away, hoping to reach the elevators and escape.

This only seems to infuriate them more.  

"We need to talk to you. Do you have any idea what you've done?" Yuri demands. This girl maybe small but I seem to recall Yunho hyung telling me she has a serious right hook.

I give up on the elevator and make a break for the stairs. 

"Ya! Come back here!" they both yell and give chase. What ensued thereafter need not be told but it's safe to say my reputation at SM took a serious dent that day. I did somehow lose them on the fourth floor and got to the meeting with my choreographer on time. 

Afterwards, the rest of my day was spent looking for Joohyun, all while narrowly avoiding the other SNSD members. Yeah, so that "Soshi bond" that everyone talks about - well, it was more like the "hunt Shim Changmin down and roast him over a pit" bond. They were everywhere - I could have sworn I even overheard them near the men's bathroom at one point! 

Tired out, I kneeled down in an empty hallway to catch my breath when I realized this area was very familiar to me. Although I hadn't used it in quite some time, the room at the end of the hall was the piano room that Joohyun and I had made our own when we were younger. As I turn the knob, my mind is assaulted by memory after memory - Joohyun at the piano, me turning the pages for her, her laughter as she tries to teach me a simple song...

A knot forms in my stomach as I remember the reason she isn't here with me now. I almost turn around and leave until I spot a sofa behind the piano. 

"Maybe I'll just crash here for a moment." I say to myself quietly.

I make myself comfortable, figuring I was safe for now. The room is a little musky due to lack of use but for some reason, it feels like home to me.

I've only just started to doze off when I hear the door creaking open. Still half asleep, I try to discern who the intruder is from behind the piano. Whoever it is doesn't see me and enters the room, locking the door.

I can make out a girl's feet - they look very familiar...

She sighs to herself and sits at the instrument. 

At first, she only the keys absentmindedly, letting the notes string themselves together. The melody seems sad, almost melancholic until she suddenly picks up the tempo. Faster and faster her fingers dance accross the keys in a flurry of motion - an inevitable train wreck waiting to happen. It is a perfect balance of chaos and harmony that not many can achieve. Then, with one last crash of the chords, she stops and stands up, her five minute performance over. The piano bench scraps the floor as she backs away and I hold my breath.

But then she seems to change her mind.  Her hands land back on the piano, and this time she caresses them, almost apologetically. Dvorak's Humoresque. She's playing my favorite song. 

"Joohyun."

Silence.

I stand up and approach her slowly. She's staring at the keyboard, refusing to look at me. 

"Hyunnie -"

She cuts me off and starts playing again. Faster. Louder.

I walk over and stand behind her, wishing I could make her at ease around me. Her slender, delicate fingers pounding away at the keys look like they could break with any more pressure. I lean forward, my abdomen slightly touching her back, and carefully rest my fingers over her hands to stop her frantic movements. 

Her breath hitches and I feel my skin tingling from the contact with hers. Slowly, I let the rest of my body collapse over her's and embrace her in a hug.

"I'm sorry Joohyun-ah" I say into her hair.

Immediately, she breaks out of my grasp and turns around with fire in her eyes.

"I don't want to hear your apologies!"

"You didn't let me finish. I'm sorry Joohyun, I'm sorry for not making you realize - " As I speak, I trap her against the piano, my arms caging her in. "How much I truly want you."

I kiss her swiftly before she can protest. I kiss her with everything I have because I'm not letting her run away from me this time. 

She's trembling in my arms and unsteadily backs into the piano. The old baby grand lets out a jarring, disonant sound in complaint, but before she can be distracted by it, I pick her up and set her down on top of the instrument, my lips never leaving hers. Her legs naturally make room for me so I can stand between them and it is me who is distracted now by the thought of those long limbs wrapping around my hips.  

Our kisses gradually slow down in pace and eventually, I pull away and rest my forehead against hers. Her eyes remain closed as I gaze at her and unabashedly admire her long eyelashes and cute button nose. 

"Oppa, I don't understand," she says as opens her eyes and leans back. 

"What don't you understand Hyunnie?"

"You.... you can't just kiss a girl like that oppa, and tell her sorry afterwards!"

I nod, acknowledging my mistake. 

"It wasn't that I regreted kissing you Joohyun, more like I didn't want to take things too fast with you."

Her eyes widen.  "Oh ...So that means...."

I quirk an eyebrow, grinning. "Yup."

She smiles back slowly and whispers, "You liked it too then."

"I think I liked it too much." I respond.

Suddenly, she hits my chest with a light slap. 

"That was my first kiss oppa! I couldn't sleep a wink last night because I thought I didn't do a good job..."

She's pouting now and I can't help but laugh.

"Seo Joohyun, you just couldn't accept the fact that you didn't do your best at something could you?" I say teasingly.

Her checks turn red and she ducks her head, hiding her face in my chest. 

I decide now is a good time to move to a more comfortable location. As her hands are already wrapped around my neck, I easily pick her up and walk with her to the sofa. I plop down on it and turn her so she is sitting sideways on my lap.

"Don't worry Hyunnie, I'll make sure to practice with you."

And now certainly was as good of a time as any. 

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Author's Note: I know I took wayyy too long to update this fic - pls bear with me  > <   I had to take an exam last weekend.  So my plan is to update all of my fics again before the new year. The Elevator is next on my list! 

Changseo + piano = <3