Chapter 4: 

Sitting behind him, Yuri could not but be embarassed. In so long, this was the first time she had ever felt like this. She had never minded what people said, because people never knew nor did they ever suspect, but the simple possibility that he may know was enough to make her feel ashamed of herself, and of her deeds.

Sungjong caught her eye, and only then did he recognize her. He waved at her and Taemin turned to see whom his friend was communicating with. When he realized it was her, he smiled and waved as well. Sungjong motioned for Taemin to stand up, the latter confused at first, then they made their way towards her. She'd been hoping that they wouldn't recognize her, and if they did, they wouldn't come to her.

"Taemin!" Ailee's voice rang as the woman called him from behind the counter. "Yunho's coming by. And- Never mind," she said as she saw a black car slide into the parking space effortlessly.

The tiny bell rang softly, and Yunho entered the quaint little café in comfortable clothes rather than the usual coat-and-tie ensemble he was clad in. He greeted her amiably, and placed the box he carried gently on the counter.

"Thanks, Yunho," she said.

"When are you going to set up?"

"This weekend," she replied. "Taemin and Sungjong have already declared their willing participation, and the guys will be around on Saturday. We might start of Friday, though."

"I'll help," he said. "Saturday?"

"Aren't you busy?" she asked.

"Christmas is around the corner, as odd as it sounds, now's the best time to get back to bothering the ones you love and helping them," he said.

"You're cheesey, Yunho-hyung," Taemin piped.

"Hey, if I'm not, then who else?" he asked, arms raised. "Besides, I've got an eye for this, check it out."

Ailee opened the box, and within were decorations befitting the gentle theme of her café.

"And when you add them, they look warmer than you'd think. When snow comes, we can make snowmen outside," Yunho said. "I'm sure these kids would love that."

"Yunho-hyung, do you ever remember that we're not that much younger than Ailee-noona?" Sungjong asked. "And you, Taemin, why do you accept 'kid' every time?"

"I'm the family's maknae, I'm used to it," he shrugged.

Yuri watched their joyful interaction from afar. She could hear their words, and feel their emotions, and it hurt her. She couldn't tell if this was the genuine them, or their true personalities were like that of their brother, Siwon, who, just last night, had slept with her, when everyone knew that it was against the code of conduct that he was supposed to be affiliated with.

"-i, Miss Yuri!"

She was snapped out of her reverie by Taemin's calls. And now, he was standing before her, the two of them beaming with excitement.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Would you like to join us on Saturday to decorate this place? Hyung prepared the decorations, but we need more hands to help," he said.

Yuri's eyes flitted towards Yunho and Ailee who were talking together animatedly, Ailee obviously eager to begin decorating with the lovely decors in her hands. They were lovely, she thought, and...

"Sure, I'll help out," she said.

...She's never set up Christmas decorations, it would be a nice experience.

"Great!" Sungjong exclaimed. He took her hand and pulled her towards the others who were beginning to converge around the decorations. "Attention crew members! We have a new crewmate."

"It's nice to have you aboard, Miss Yuri," Yunho said.

Yuri's stomach churned. What was real?

"Please take care of me," she said.

"No," Ailee resolutely said, causing Yuri's eyes to grow wide in shock. "Because this isn't a job, there's no need to ask; all of us will take good care of you," she added with a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, Yuri."

~°~

The music blared loudly as the disco lights roamed the room in haphazard directions. Loud voices competed against each other until someone with a mic caught everyone's attention. The air was heavy with the scent of alcohol as the lights shifted their attention to the stage in front of the whole place.

The striptease show was about to begin, and Yuri was tonight's special star.

When the performance was over, she rushed into her dressing room to gather her tips. Just as she was about to finish cleaning herself up, her phone rang. She had a customer.

It seems Jung Siwon enjoyed her company too much to resist her a second time.

~°~

Yunho sighed, gripping the wheel tightly as his knuckles turned white. They'd just dropped Sungjong off, and Taemin had just explained to him the nature of Yuri's job. He also told his brother of his and Sungjong's plan to help her.

"I cannot say that I approve of this, Taemin. You're getting yourself in risky business," Yunho warned. There was a tired edge in his voice.

"But Miss Yuri is as well. She needs help."

"And if she doesn't want it?"

"Then I'll just be her friend until she does."

"Taemin."

"Hyung. God loved the sinners enough to die for them. We are sinners as well, but we know of His love. She does not. Jesus did not differentiate! Why should we?"

Yunho sighed. "Because we're not Jesus. He knew what He was doing, you don't seem quite sure."

"Please, Hyung. The healthy don't need doctors, it's the ill who do."

Again, he sighed. "I still cannot say that I am in complete agreement to this. You may hurt yourself and lead yourself astray, Taemin. You're too innocent, but Sungjong's with you, and I trust you with him.

"I've already given Miss Yuri my trust by allowing your friendship, and it wouldn't be nice to suddenly pull that from under the both of you. But if I see something wrong Taemin, you have to understand that my priority is you and not her," he warned.

"Of course," he replied.

Among the three, Yunho's always been the rational one, acting upon things with thoughts and heart. He had always believed that one's heart had to be in the right place in order to do what was right, in order to act right, but he also thought that some things had to be rationalized as well. Not everything could be given away, not everything could be trusted, and men always had a way with words that they could not with their actions.