“Annyeong Hyukjae!” she somehow manages to utter in a believably normal voice. ‘They should give me a bravery award,’ she thinks, because in truth, her world is literally crashing around her - Inception style.

“Annyeonghaseyo noona.” He is bowing shyly now, the tips of his ears a telltale pink. There is an expectant glow on Sung-mi’s cheeks and Hyoyeon wants to die.

If she were proud and aloof like Jessica, she would’ve stood up, mentioning some ultra important appointment –

leaving with her dignity intact and the mittens already mentally tossed in the trash. “There are plenty of other mittens out there!”

If she were witty like SooYoung, she would’ve made a funny but harmless joke about their noona-dongsaeng relationship –

leaving with her dignity intact and erasing all possibilities of an awkward next meeting with them both. “What a cougar! And tsk, Hyukjae – noona complex much!”

If she were logical and sensible like Seohyun, she would’ve politely wished them a good night and a happy couple life together –

leaving with her dignity intact and an early resolution for the New Year. “It was for the best anyway. Friendship is the best and safest.”

And if she were Tiffany, she would’ve stuck it out and used all her feminine wiles and eye-smiles to make Hyukjae see that she was the true love of his life-

 leaving with her dignity intact and perhaps, even the boy. “Love is a battlefield, after all.”

But Hyoyeon isn’t any of them.

She is just Hyoyeon – a girl who doesn’t lie very well but yet somehow, manages to hide her feelings well.

☆ ☆☆ ☆

“Hyoyeonie is here for coffee too so I hope you don’t mind if she joins us for a while,” Sung-mi is asking Hyukjae.

To be fair, he seems just as surprised to see Hyoyeon there as she is to see him. But he is Lee Hyukjae and Lee Hyukjae is suave so he takes it in stride and slides into the booth, next to her.

“What would you like to have noona?”

Hyukjae is asking when Hyoyeon regains her senses. It’s like her mind wants to shut down and not listen to any of the sweet talk between the two but her sadistic ears want her to know every cruel word. Either way, it’s not like she can close her eyes to what’s happening right in front of her.

Though it’s not like a scene out of Romeo & Juliet yet, Hyoyeon just knows by looking at Hyukjae’s twinkling eyes that he’s excited.

“Do you want me to get anything for you, Hyo?”

Her eyes widen.

NOooo! How did he know?

“Mwoh... Do I want you?”

Hyukjae’s eyes narrow slightly in response as he nods, “yeah, to get anything for you?”

Oh!

“Oh! I’m good thanks,” she waves her buzzer around, “got mine right here. See?”

Idiot!

“Cool, I’ll be right back then!”

Hyoyeon’s eyes follow Hyukjae as he weaves his way towards the front of the store – motions fluid like water. She also notices some girls turning to give him a second look. It’s not their fault, though. That’s just Hyukjae – he is not as handsome as his best friend, Lee Donghae, their class Kingka – but he has that something.  An enigmatic quality that captures your attention, accelerates your heartbeat, that drives you to –

The round buzzer in her hand vibrates loudly making her jump – literally!

‘Praise the lord’ as Siwon - Sooyoung’s brother and pastor-in-training would often say.

In a second, Hyoyeon is sliding out of the booth and saying her rushed goodbyes. There’s nothing she wants more than to make an escape from this whole situation.

But she waits… she waits until she sees Hyukjae leave the counter and heads for the completely opposite direction.

“Order number 64! Here you go, Miss. Have a great day!”

“You too!”

Hyoyeon ducks her head and quickly pops her earphones in, ready to make a dash for the exit.

But that is quite impossible given the crowd and chaos in the store.

“Excuse me… I’m sorry…. Excuse me…”

“Yah!”

A warm hand grabs a hold of her free one while another simultaneously tugs her earphones out.

“Whoa! Your hand feels like ice, Hyo!” Hyukjae stares at it for a second before looking up to meet her surprised eyes.

Their hands are still joined together – his are soft and warm – better than any cup of coffee, honestly!

But Hyoyeon can’t be thinking like that.

She quickly pulls back and shoves her hand into her pocket – it’s tingling too much for her to pay attention.

Hyukjae watches her with furrowed brows; and when he speaks, his voice is low and reprimanding, “You lost another pair of mittens, didn’t you Kim Hyoyeon?” A sigh, “I’m going to have to think of a better gift, I guess. Maybe mittens attached to a sweater this time…. but then you’d have to wear the same sweater all winter. No, that won’t work since you just looooove to do laundry every-day. But there must be someone who’s come up with a solution to—”

“Er Hyukjae,” she pokes him with her foot, “I should get going... and you should get back too.”

“Hmm?” he follows her gaze to Sung-mi and nods, “You’re right! Oh, Kyuhyun told me that Seohyun’s gone home for the weekend, your apartment must feel empty.”

"It's ok," she shakes her head, "I wasn't in the mood to do much anyway. I'm just going to stay in and watch a million movies."

"Sounds lowkey but fun," he agrees "but you'll come to the Chois' Christmas Party, right?"

"Of course, I want to be alive to see 2013," she lets out a little giggle alluding to Sooyoung's well known violent ways. 

"I still don't get how she and Siwon are real siblings."

"Me either..." her heart feels warm and comfortable laughing with him. They haven't hung out in a while due to end of term exams and essays.. 'well.. at least for me!' she thinks - the sudden stabbing pain in her heart reminding her of what-appears-to--be his budding noona romance..

"I should really go.." 

"WAIT!"

He steps forward.

Her eyes raise up in question.

No response.

He is still stepping forward - now invading her personal space - and getting too close.

Her free hand shoots up, pushing against his hard chest. 

It's strange. She can feel his heartbeat.

It's pounding. Just like hers. 

His body halts but his head is still moving closer. 

"Ya....hhh. wae geurae?" **

He stops...

leans down....

and drops a kiss against her forehead.

☆ ☆☆ ☆

**wae geurae: why are you acting like this?