“I bet you can't make the throw.”

“You think so?”

Mir grabbed the straw of his Ice Americano and it until his cheeks were nonexistent,
completely emptying the plastic cup.

“Watch me.”

He aimed for the bin and threw the cup. It hit the corner and dropped to the floor.

“Damn! So close!”

“Hah, you so much.”

“Hey! Watch that mouth young lady.”

I yawned once and took a look around the apartment. It wasn’t exactly spacious, but big enough
for five guys to live in. What fascinated me the most was how the place was filled by gifts from
fans: framed photos, drawings, dolls, fansigns; just everything, and everywhere.

“Are all of your clothes gifts?”

“Huh?” Mir sat back from getting his plastic cup.

“Your clothes. Do you even shop?”

“Oh. I do shop, but not much,”–he started aiming for the bin again– “the whole wardrobe is
controlled by the stylist.”

“How does it feel?”

“What?”

“To have everything prepared for you?”

He paused.

“Meh. It's okay.” he threw his plastic cup. It missed. “Damn.”

“Ok, my turn!”

I started to drink, but Mir grabbed his cup and quickly sat back next to me before I can even
finish. “No, it’s not. I'll make it this time round.”

“But when is my turn?”

“In about five hours?”

This guy. It's a wonder that I'm hanging out with him – he's the epitome of immatureness and
nonsense. I usually can't bear to be around this kind of people, but with Mir, it's just funny. He
talks so much, brags about everything, and think of himself as a mature, manly guy when in
reality he's just a five-year-old kid who doesn't want to lose to even a girl over throwing a plastic
cup to the bin.

*thud* *clack*

My ears were was sure to suffer from his loud cheering if not for the sound of the door
unlocking at the same time.

“Wah! They're home!” Mir's face lightened up. We could hear the sound of people coming in
and the thunk of shoes being kicked off. “Hyung! Come inside! I want to introduce my friend!”

He had been so eager to introduce me to his groupmates that he asked me to come by his
apartment the third time we met. Like the normal human being I am, the idea instantly appalled
me, but Mir being Mir, he wasn't thinking much of it – at least until he saw the frightened look
on my face and tried to justify by saying how he has never invited a girl before, which of course
had made it more awkward.

Yet here I am.

“You too, stand up!” Mir pulled me out from my seat.

“Who is it? Another friend from Jangsung?” As I stood up, a guy with short, dark brown hair
came into the living room carrying what appeared to be grocery bags. “If yes then yo-”

I quickly bowed when I noticed he stopped talking the second he saw me.

“It's my new friend!” Mir placed his hands on my shoulders, jumping behind me. “Her name is
Hana.”

“Ah, yes, hello, I'm G.O,” he smiled, greeting me, and at the same time smacking the back of
Mir's head. “Ya, you little punk, why are you bringing a girl to our dorm?!”

“What? Who is here?” A guy with pale blond hair poked his head into the living room.

“Seungho hyung! It's my friend!” Mir was going to jump about but G.O grabbed Mir into a
headlock. The Seungho guy walked in and bowed, followed by a younger guy with jet-black hair.

“Hi, I'm Hana,” I said, greeting both of them.

“I'm Cheondung, nice to meet you.” said the younger guy.

“..But why does your name sound familiar?” Seungho wondered out loud.

“Me?” I asked, mutually confused.

“Wait. Are you...the one that made Mir do the bet?”

“Hold on–” G.O frowned. “You mean that airport picture–”

“–When he got caught by photographers and fans...” Cheondung continued, “..with a girly
coffee drink in his hand?”

Seungho's snort broke the three of them into laughter. Mir pouted, still stuck in G.O’s headlock.

 

       ~

 

“Mir?”

“Yeah?”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“What? No!” Mir gave a quick bark of laughter. “If she is, don’t you think I would already brag
to the whole world about it?”

“Ah, you’re right.”

“Help me unpack the food, hyung,” Mir said while trying to open a plastic container. Seungho
uncrossed his arms and started to set the table.

“Are you gonna make her your girlfriend, then?”

Mir didn’t answer and struggled to open plastic container instead.

“I’ll take that as a yes?”

“....Ugh.. This...” Mir whimpered. “It won’t open!”

“So frustrating,” Seungho took the container from Mir and opened it. “There you go. Now
answer me. Are you?”

“Thanks, hyung,”–Mir poured the contents of the container to a big bowl–“and... I don’t
know?”

“What? What don’t you know?”

“We just met? And she’s really cool to hang with, so just friends is also nice.”

“So you don’t like her?”

“Of course I do, but I don’t think she likes me in that way. I mean, look at her.” Mir looked
over his shoulder, Seungho following suit. G.O’s joke got Hana laughing so hard that her body
began to fall back, almost off the chair, making Cheondung provide support in reflex. “Would
she laugh like a seal like that if, say, she’s in the same room with her crush?”

Seungho laughed at the sight and patted Mir’s back. “Well anyway, you gotta let us know,
moreover if she hangs with us from now on. Because you’ll never know who’s gonna do what.”

“HUH? What do you mean by that!?”

“I’m just saying,” said Seungho, shrugging his shoulders while walking away.

 

       ~

 

“So that was fun.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I thought it would be awkward.”

He laughed. “I thought it would be too, but you managed to fit well.”

“Everyone was lovely. It’s a pity Joon wasn’t there,”

“Why? You like him?”

“What?” I turned my head to him, holding back a smile. “I just meant it would be nice to meet
everyone.”

“Whatever, he’s not as cool as he looks on TV, anyway,” he said while waving his hand
dismissively.

“Well, same thing goes to you, sir, how you turned out to be more reserved than I thought.”

Mir looked up to the dark, starless sky. “Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“Good, I guess?” I looked up as well. “I'm also like that. I'm different each time you see me.”

“Then which one is the true you?”

“Hmm?” I looked at him, who is now looking at me.

“You know, the real you?”

I paused.

“I guess there is no 'real' me. All the different sides? They are kind of... pieces of me. The whole
thing is the real me. Also with you. There's no 'fake' you. It's just, you're different every time.”

He let out a sigh.

“That could be fun, though.” I said.

He nodded to himself and kept still. Then he suddenly shook his head. “Ugh, sorry. Since when
did this became a serious talk?”

“Doesn't matter, I like talking about anything,”

“Yeah, same,” he said, “with you I feel like I can talk about everything.”

I stopped my steps.

“We're here,” I said, taking out my house keys. “Thank you for today.”

“No, thank you.”

“Alright. Fist bump,” I said, hovering my fist.

He pressed his lips together, made a funny face and bumped his fist against mine.

“See you,”

“See you.”