The door opened carelessly with a loud bang. In walked innocent Ryeowook, clearly oblivious to the moment he had just broken as Sungmin and I both pulled back quickly.

“Lalala~ Oh! Hyung! Noona! You’re both here? Ah…Jiyeon noona taking guitar lessons from our guitar pro Sungminnie hyung?” he concluded as he spied the guitar.

Sungmin gave an audible sigh and just nodded glumly. My heart, which just moments ago was about to explode, was finally settling down to a steady thump. “Ne, I was just trying around,” I told Ryeowook. After all, how could I blame him? He didn’t know what was happening behind those doors… Well, what was happening, I found myself asking. Why did my heart beat so fast? Why did I close my eyes? Why didn’t I pull back (I may even have leant forward)? Did I want Sungmin to kiss me? Was I in love with him? As these thoughts rushed through my mind I felt giddy. Giddy with happiness? Confusion? Regret that it didn’t take place?

“Yeah, she’s a great student,” I heard Sungmin telling Ryeowook.

“Chincha? Let me hear you play a song or two then, noona! Eh? Where’s the guitar? By the wall? Have you two been playing air guitar or something?” Ryeowook said in one breath. Sungmin quickly grabbed the guitar and handed it to me, conveniently ignoring Ryeowook’s implied questions as to how we were ‘playing’ without holding the guitar. I decided to go with the same song as that was the only one I had experience in, anyway. As we neared the end the déjà vu moment came, but the feeling was lost just as quickly as we weren’t alone anymore. Not that I didn’t like Ryeowook’s company, of course, he was great fun to be around too, but three’s a bunch too many sometimes.

After that, Sungmin and I didn’t bring up what had happened (or almost happened) and just continued interacting like usual. We laughed, we cried (not literally, though sometimes we did almost laugh to tears), and just had lots of fun around each other.

Soon it was the summer festival. It was a merry day in school, for we could come in whatever clothes we wanted instead of our uniforms, and there were stalls selling all kinds of food in addition to the performances that would help create the atmosphere.

I was clapping along to a group’s cute rendition of SS501’s ‘Snow Prince’ when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Yah, someone enjoying ourselves, aren’t we? I hope you stay this happy when you don’t get invited to Sungmin’s ball~” Heejun said in a mocking tone as she walked away, followed closely by her two sidekicks who knew nothing better than sticking to her like glue. I rolled my eyes at them to myself but was confused. Sungmin’s ball? What ball? It wasn’t that I was expecting to be invited to whatever ball he had, but he actually chose to invite Heejun? If he had to take a girl, there were so many girls out there, but her, of all people? I couldn’t even check this with him as he was backstage, preparing to perform with SJ.

I was feeling a whole multitude of feelings which consisted mainly of sadness and confusion when I felt another tap on the back. I half-expected it to be Heejun again, since the SJ boys were all not around, but instead it was only Youngeun who had found me.

“Unnie, the final act’s Super Junior! They’re up next! Super Junior, the band I was telling you about?” she giggled. She still didn’t know that I hung out with them, only that Sungmin was in my class. She didn’t even know I was his seatmate. Should I tell her?

“Yes, I remember that! Cool!” I kicked myself. Why wouldn’t I tell her? Was I trying to hog them all to myself? Of course not, I kicked myself for that even sillier thought. I should tell her and not feign not knowing them. “Actually…”

I never got to finish my sentence as there were loud screams from all around me, including one right in my ear from none other than Youngeun herself. “Aaaaaah!!! Super Junior!!!” I looked up to the stage. Yup, they were out. My five boys, wait my boys? Since when did I own them? Yeah, I didn’t. My five friends (that was ok, right?) were up there, looking totally glamorous and killing all the girls below the stage.

“Hana, dul, set. Annyeong haseyo, Super Junior imnida. Wuri neun Super Juni-oheyo!” the boys chorused and put their hands out facing the audience. Wow. I never knew they had such a cool introduction. Anyhow, they looked cool up there, and I was never prouder to be their friend (although no one else really knew, perhaps only the people in class knew I talked to Sungmin a lot).

(Lol, don't mind little Henry xD)

They started off with the latest song that hit town, 'Sorry, Sorry', where they showed off their dance moves. Eunhyuk was especially good at doing the dance break, he might even have been better than the original artist! After that it was a slower song entitled 'Bittersweet'. This time Sungmin started with an acoustic guitar rendition. It was really sweet, and his voice sounded like candy ringing in my ears, but no one minded when the second verse came and Eunhyuk got to the drum set and joined in while Donghae played the electric piano and Ryeowook, Kyuhyun and Sungmin continued singing. I could see that neither the maknae nor my other dongsaeng had won over the piano battle as they both had to sing. They ended off with 'No Other', a lively song where Donghae and Eunhyuk rapped and the rest sang. By this time I was almost deaf, not from the music but from the constant screams of the girls all around me. I knew they had to be popular, but I didn’t know they were that popular. Or maybe I did, from the way they treated Sungmin in class, but I didn’t expect this kind of craziness usually accorded only to super-scale celebrities by megafans. Well, maybe these girls were megafans of Super Junior, including the one next to me. Was I a fan? I guess I now was.

At the end of the song I saw Sungmin do a heart sign with his hands for just a brief moment, but he was looking at me.

Not a while later, I saw Donghae doing the same thing, only thing it was bigger as he used his whole arm instead of just his hands, and he was looking at me and smiling too!

Of course, no one else knew that and they just all went wild. I thought it was cute of them to do it, but I was easily one of the calmer fans not jumping up and down and screaming myself hoarse.

After the concert had ended, I wanted to go backstage to tell the boys what a wonderful performance it was, but wasn’t sure how to tell Youngeun. To my surprise, she asked if I wanted to go backstage just to see. But I found out that one of her other friends was a girl who had performed earlier. I agreed, as that was my intended destination anyway, and I thought I could slip away while she was talking with her friend. There was no real reason for me to be all so secretive about knowing Super Junior, but I guessed it would have been awkward not telling her about my lunches with them and all, even though I knew she was a fan. However, to my dismay, the moment we entered backstage, I saw Kyuhyun and Eunhyuk walking in my direction. It was too late, they had spotted me.

“Jiyeon ah! How was it?” Eunhyuk waved and shouted across the alley which was filled with performers, friends and I daresay hopeful fans.

“E…Eunhyuk oppa!” I think Youngeun couldn’t believe her eyes. “Unnie, you know Eunhyuk oppa?” Right. Her mini crush. I’d totally forgotten about that. Now what was I to do?

“Umm, yeah.” That was all I could tell her before we were face to face. As a good friend, I should probably introduce her to Eunhyuk, so I did. Everyone was polite as could be and I must say Youngeun did well not to stutter as a nervous fan/secret admirer.

Eunhyuk turned to me and said, “We were wondering if you’d come visit us.” Great. This was not, not helping at all. I noticed that Kyuhyun was rather quiet but I couldn’t think of much to say to him in my already troubled state of mind. All I could say to Youngeun was to suggest that she went to see her friend first and I’d come join her again later.

“Oh…no, no, it’s ok, why don’t you just go on with Eunhyuk oppa…” she said shyly. With that she turned and scooted (though that was the exit, not the way to the rest of the backstage) and I was alone with the boys.

“Come on, let’s go then! The rest must want to see you too,” Eunhyuk led me to their room. And no, I bet you’re not surprised that they have their own room backstage, since they were regular performers in the school, anyway.

“Guys!! I thought that was great! You all looked so cool and handsome and awesome and perfect up there!” They all laughed at my fangirling and I was slightly red-faced. But they were!

“Why not we go out for a celebratory dinner?” Eunhyuk the merrymaker suggested. We all agreed and so off we went, to a happy night.