Here's another chap. Two chaps for a day. Now that was amazing.

Everybody was preparing for the party. They were all interested. After all, it’s not always you got a break from exams and have some time to have fun.

Yes everybody was helping.

All except Yuri.

She had been busy with her baseball practice. She strongly believes that she is not worthy. That fact disturbs Donghae a lot.

“Hey Yoona!” called Yuri when Yoona and Donghae happened to pass by their practicing quarters.

“Yuri? Practicing eh?”

Yuri nodded. “Yeah. We have been having this because tournament is approaching.” Then he noticed DOnghae. “Oh Hae, we haven’t talked for a while.”

“Yeah.” He answered. Softly.

Yuri’s eyes narrowed. “Well then. See you later.” And she walked away.

“The party will be definitely fun!” shouted Donghae, calling her attention. “Please come.”

But that was not enough to make Yuri alter her decision. She ignored him and went back to the practice.

“Yuri is acting a lot weird strangely.” commented Yoona. “ Do you think she’ll be cheered up if hse goes to the party?”

Donghae just nodded.

“We have to do our best to make it an amazing party.”

“Yeah! Let’s do it Yoona!”

***

“Hey you two are too slow.” demanded Jessica “We need it right over.”

She was referring to the Christmas ornaments Siwon had instructed DOnghae to fetch at the stock room.

“Hey why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be in your photoshoot?’

Jessica shook her head. “Nah. I’m here to help. And I’m in charge with the ornaments.” She showed her a piece of glittering rope and in just a second, all the ornaments fell from the string, rendering her efforts.

“Ha! Ha!” mocked Yoona. “You have to re-do it gain! Re-do! Re-do!”

Jessica bit her lip. Another round of rant and tiredness.  “Shut up! Weren’t you suppose to be a good girl? What a shame! Santa might be shaking his big head now!”

Siwon then appeared, carrying a huge ladder.

“Is that for the party?” asked Donghae.

“No.” he answered. “The P.E teacher asked me to carry this over but we will soon use this for our ornaments.” He winked at Yoona. “But I guess it would take longer.”

“No. I am going to help.” Said Yoona eager to please Siwon even that meant working with Jessica.

Leeteuk then stood, smiling at Siwon. He took the ladder from him, carefully putting it on his broad shoulders. “Hey, I’m going to take care of that.” He handed the scissors to him. “You and Yoona should go handle the star-making. Here’s the scissors and glue.”

He pushed Siwon and Yoona away to the exit, leaving Donghae and Jessica alone by the room.

“Uhh. What are they trying to stir up?” asked Donghae, putting the box of ornaments down.

“Stir up?”

“Don’t play dumb. You know Yoona… liking Siwon. I really don’t understand. Lately, it seems like everyone’s pairing them up.”

Jessica chuckled. “It seemed like you were too obsessed with this. Are you jealous?”

“Huh? Why would I be jealous?” he protested. “I just get annoyed, when someone spread the stuff with someone else’s lovelife. Or something like that.”

Jessica stared at him. “This is exactly what a father feels when his daughter is getting married.”

“Neh. It’s not like I have a daughter or anything. Also I never met my father.”

“Not allowing her to fall, get mad or cry. Watching the most precious woman for you get taken by another man. Not knowing if that man will treasure her as much as you do. “ she said, reciting some sort of a line from a song.

“I never have thoughts like that.”

Jessica chuckled. “Surely, it wont be fun for you to watch Yoona and Siwon date right? It’s like the opposite. You’re not her father but you treasure her like she’s your daughter. You pretend to have another woman in your heart. And it’s like playing a playhouse game. There was a daddy, a mommy and a baby.”

“What are you saying?” Donghae was getting crazy now. This girl knew his weak spot.

“I am saying that you should stop pretending to be the daddy.”

Donghae sat beside her.

“You’ve been making mistakes all along. Why don’t you wake up before you get hurt?” she continued. “You should forget everything and just start over. Then, you could also give me another chance.”

DOnghae frowned in wonder. “Eh?”

“Never mind. Just pretend you didn’t hear anything. After all, what you really don’t understand was yourself.”

She stood and left him.

Give her another chance? What does she mean?

And am I really pretending?

He stood, finally recollected.

I’m not going to pretend anymore. I’m going to confess to Yuri.

***