“Everyone, Donghae has a good news,” Leeteuk called their attention.

“What is it?” they all asked actively.

“I called umma and Donghwa-hyung awhile ago. We can rest in our house in Meokpo.” Donghae crossed his arms proudly.

 

“Wow, that’s great!” Eunhyuk put an arm around him.

“So, whatcha waiting for? Let’s pack!” Kangin did the octopus dance happily.

 

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

All of them rode a bus going to Meokpo, Jeollanam-do. Lovers were seated with each other, leaving Heerin at the back seat.

 

“Aish, so you leave me here, huh?” Heerin muttered, leaning her head on the window.

“… if its okay…can I sit here, beside you?” Donghae said sweetly, enough to melt any girl’s heart.

She looked up at him, then away. “S-Sure.”

“Kamsahae~”

“Erm. It’s nothing oppa.”

 

 

“Kibum, you don’t want to sit with her?” Heechul asked.

“I guess I’m already out-of-place there,” he replied, pointing at the two.

 

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

 

“Life couldn’t get better, hey!”

 

They started singing joyfully as the ride went on. Just as when they are already halfway, everyone fell asleep, except for Heerin who was busy taking nice shots from her Polaroid camera.

 

“You really love taking pictures,” Donghae speaks out of the silence.

“Yeah.  I like capturing beautiful sceneries. I want to treasure them in my memory.” Heerin smiled at him. “But Donghae-sshi, aren’t you tired? You can sleep if you want.”

“I’m fine. Why don’t you sleep instead?” He transferred his bag that is in between them, on the seat in front. “Here, rest your head on my shoulder.”

“Aniyo… don’t worry. I’m not sleepy yet.” She laughed nervously.

 

Only 15 minutes after, Donghae found Heerin sleeping, her head bumping against the window as the bus takes on a rough road.

 

“Not sleepy?” he chuckled. “She’ll hurt her head if she continues sleeping like that.” He immediately rested her head, on his shoulder.

 

Donghae placed his right arm around her waist with his left hand on Heerin’s face for support as he leaned against her head to sleep.

 

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

“Shindong-ah, the camera~ Ppali! Ppali!” Leeteuk shook Shindong who was sitting behind him and Raseul.

“Why? What’s…?” Shindong asked dreamily.

“Picture-perfect!” HeeYeon and JaeEun giggled at the sight of Heerin and Donghae sleeping.

“Yosh! Let’s be a paparazzi for little while!” Shindong and Eunhyuk grinned as they secretly take a picture of the two.

“Aren’t they just meant for each other?” Leeteuk smiled.

 

All of the awaken members and girls nodded in agreement.

 

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

“Hm…” Heerin slowly opened her eyes and found Donghae’s cute sleeping face, just centimeters away. “In the end…we both fell asleep.” She smiled to herself as she gently touched his face. “It won’t be a sin if I touch you like this…,” she whispered.

 

*************************************************

 

 “Annyeonghaseyo,” all of them greeted as they meet Mrs. Lee, Donghwa, and his wife, when they finally arrived in the Lee’s house.

“How’s the ride going here?” Donghae’s mother asked concernedly. “You must be so tired.”

“Actually, it’s really nothing. Seeing this place releases our stress,” Leeteuk assured.

Mrs. Lee held her son’s hand. “Thank you for taking care of our Donghae.”

“It’s my responsibility as a leader, ahjumuni.” Leeteuk said, bowing.

“Umma, these girls are our assistants and coordinators.”

 

Donghae introduced them one by one. His mother suddenly walked closer to Heerin and put an arm around her shoulder.

 

“So this is Heerin-sshi~” Mrs. Lee smiled at Donghae, making him blush.

“Ne, ahjumuni. Heerin-imnida,” she bowed politely.

“Shall we go inside?” Donghwa blurted out, tapping Donghae’s shoulder. “Don’t mess up, dongsaeng-ah. You’re too obvious~” he whispered.

“Hyung~” Donghae muttered, embarrassed.

“Rinnie, meet your in-laws,” HeeYeon said, playfully.

“Mworago?” Heerin blurted.

 

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

“How long have you been with these boys?” Mrs. Lee asked.

“Well, almost a year now.” JaeEun replied. “It’s really fun meeting them.”

“They have grown up since then,” Mrs. Lee smiled, looking at her son.

“Ahem~” Donghae coughed at the sight of his mother looking at him. “Wae geurae, umma?”

“Aigoo, my son. You have someone, right? You can’t hide it from me,” she grinned.

“Umma, I think Donghae is indigested right now,” Donghwa and his wife chuckled.

“Am I on hotseat now?” Donghae pouted.

 

***************************************************

After unpacking in their room, the girls started a playful conversation.

 

“Because of you, I’m having goosebumps here,” Heerin acted irritated. “Sweetness overload. I think I might get diabetes.”

“Unnie, you’re mean. We’re just being sweet to our boys,” RaSeul defended.

“Seullie’s right.You’re the type who’s REALLY affectionate to your guy,” said HeeYeon.

“But I don’t have one,” Heerin retorted.

 

“Liar.” JaeEun pinched her nose. “You just don’t recognize it, but when you do, you’ll realize you have THAT someone.”

“Aiyah…molla~ I’ll sleep first.”

 

Heerin immediately lie down to sleep.

“Tsk. Guilty~” Raseul teased.

 

“No, I’m not having anyone from now on,” Heerin thought, underneath the blanket.

 

****************************************

“Donghae-ah, how’s your status with that girl?” asked Donghwa, sitting in a bench with his brother in their backyard.

 Hearing no response, Donghwa continued, “You haven’t said it, have you?”

 

“Why is it hard, hyung?” he sighed.

“Is there something stopping you?”

“I feel like it would be useless if I tell her, especially now that she’d broken up with her boyfriend. I want to give up, hyung. It really hurts~”

 

Donghwa patted Donghae’s shoulder and said, “Falling in love is easy but keeping the one you love is the hardest part…but that’s the great challenge of love…you keep on fighting even if you don’t know how to win.”

 

Donghae’s gloomy face was gone as he looked up.

“You’re really mature, hyung. You’ll be my adviser,” he smiled.

“Aish, this kid. You’re the one who’s so grown up because you already know how to love. I’m so proud of you dongsaeng-ah,” he started messing his hair up.

 

The next day, Heerin woke up early so she directly went to the kitchen and found Mrs. Lee preparing their breakfast.

 

“Good morning, ahjumuni~” she greeted brightly. “May I help you?”

“Ah ye. Komapta. How’s your sleep?” Mrs. Lee questioned as she and Heerin made kimchi.

“…Very good. It’s homey~”

“I’m glad that you like it in here. You can come here anytime if you want. You can also bring your friends,” Donghae’s mom offered cheerfully.

“Jeongmal? I’m happy to hear that ahjumuni. I’ll do that.”

“You’re such a sweet lady, Heerin-ah. Where are your parents by the way?”

“They’re overseas, working. My brothers and sister are also away from home, still due to their work.”

 

Her voice was lonely, but she tried to smile.

 

“You must be sad, living here all alone,” Mrs. Lee asked, pitifully.

“Aniyo. I have my friends with me. Having them makes me happy. I’ve got to stand on my own.”

“I admire you.You’re boyfriend must be so lucky to have you, ne?”

“Eh…about that…we broke up,” Heerin’s face saddened, tears forming. “Aish, why do these eyes of mine, betray me~” She looked up, preventing her tears from flowing.

“Oh dear, sorry. Eotteokhaji?”

“I really cry easily. The wounds of love are still fresh and new that’s why it still hurts me, so don’t be sorry ahjumuni.”

 

“You’re having a hard life, Heerin-ah,” Donghae uttered behind the kitchen’s door. “How can I help you?”

 

“Heerin-yang, our kimchi and ddukbogi’s done,” Mrs. Lee diverted the topic.

“Mmm. Delicious~” Heerin said cheerily. “…I’m starving.”

“Aigoo. Kyopta.” Mrs. Lee pinched her cheek softly. “It’ll be good to have a daughter like you.”

“Kamsahamnida,” she thanked shyly.

“If you don’t mind Heerin-ah, can you call me ‘umma’? Think of me as your mother for the meantime, while your parents are away, aratji?”

 

Mrs. Lee removed her gloves and caress Heerin’s cheek.

 

“Don’t be shy with me. Beside Dongwa’s wife, I’m really comfortable with you as well.”

“…I’m so happy…komawo…umma.” A smile crept into Heerin’s lips, as she uttered those words. “I’ll be a good daughter.”

“You already are~” Mrs. Lee praised. “Can you call them out for breakfast?”

“NE,” she responded enthusiastically.

 

When she stepped out the kitchen, she met Donghae.

 

“Donghae-sshi, annyeonghaseyo. Breakfast is ready.”

“You helped umma, right?” he said cutely.

“Yeah. I did a little help. You must thank me,” she bragged.

“Haha. You’re my mother’s daughter now, so you should help her do chores.”

 

He messed her hair, making her pout and cross her arms.

 

“Hey Donghae-yang, don’t disturb Heerin~” Mrs. Lee chuckled.

“Umma, oppa is making fun of me,” she protested childishly.

 

Donghae laughed at her innocence.

 

“Mian. Rin-ah, let’s go wake them up,” he suggested.

“Alright.”

 

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

 

They knocked at the first room, which has the older members---Leeteuk, Heechul, Hankyung, Yesung, Kangin and Shindong. When they open the door, they found them sleeping opposite to each other, three mattresses on each side.

 

“It’s good that this room is wide enough for these hyungs~” Donghae spoke, amazed.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “ Oppas, wake up. Time for breakfast,” she called amiably.

“Whoa~ Good morning,” Leeteuk greeted.

 

The others slowly got up and fixed their bedsheets.

“We’ll be there shortly. Just wake those other kids in the other room,” Heechul recommended, making the others cracked up.

“Then, we’ll leave first,” said Heerin.

 

They got inside the second room and found Eunhyuk sitting, half-awakedly.

 

“Yah, Hyukjae! Ppali! Wake the others now,” Donghae demanded, immaturely.

“Aish, you’re too harsh oppa. Sorry Eunhyuk-ah,” said she, elbowing him.

“That’s alright,” Eunhyuk assured. “This is how Donghae and I treat each other since then.”

“What a brutal friendship~” she uttered, laughing. “Leessangi (weird), EunHae couple.”

 

Almost all of them were already awake, except for this one member. Heerin walked towards Kibum, sleeping near the window.

“Kibum-sshi…Oppa…wake up.”

 

Their eyes met the moment he opened his eyes.

 

“Heerin-ah,” uttered his soft low voice.

“Come on, stand up and fix yourself,” She helped him got up and combed his hair with her hand.

“Ouch~” Donghae blurted out, seeing the scene.

“What’s the matter?” Siwon questioned.

“Nothing. I just bit my tongue,” He lied.

“Pegopa~” Kyuhyun said, cheerfully.

“Me too~” Eunhyuk seconded.

 

In the dining room:

 

“Wow, these are delicious! Ummuni, you really cook well,” Donghwa’s wife complimented.

“Actually, Heerin helped me.”

“You did?” JaeEun asked, sitting beside her. “Bonding time~”

“Unnie, don’t say it here.”

“Arasseo.”

Donghwa’s wife grinned, “You know Heerin, you can have a family.”

“Mwoh?” she blurted out, almost spitting out the rice in .

“Jagi, she’s blushing,” said Donghwa

“I really mean it. She’s good enough to have a family.”

“But she’s still young,” Donghae stated, helping Heerin out.

 

Hearing it, the members and the Lee family broke into laughters.

 

“Wasn’t it you who wanted to marry at an early age?” Leeteuk spilled.

“That’s right,” they chorused.

“Aiyah…why is it me now?” Donghae protested.

“You started it,” Heechul uttered..

 

Later that day, all of them went around Meokpo to explore the place even more.

 

“Tonight’s gonna be our last night here,” HeeYeon spoke at once.

“Then, we should enjoy ourselves to the fullest,” Yesung whispered in her ears.

“Jongwoonie.”

Yesung embraced her and sang for her. “Niga animyeon andwae…neo eobshineun andwae…”

HeeYeon turned around and pecked at his lips. “It has to be you, oppa.”

 

“Seullie,” Leeteuk uttered holding her hand. “I hope that we’ll be together forever like Donghwa-hyung and his wife.”

RaSeul smiled, “We will be~”

 

At the other side of the backyard, Eunhyuk and JaeEun were having their own talk.

 

“Aish, we’ll be going back to Seoul tomorrow~ Work again,” JaeEun sighed.

“It’ll be okay, because I’m working with you,” Eunhyuk said reassuringly. “We must work hard…for our future.”

 

With that, Eunhyuk kissed her lovingly.

 

“Heerin-ah, where’s your partner?” Kibum asked from behind. “Are you Ms.Loner?”

“Haha. I don’t have one, remember?” she retorted. “What about you?”

“Mine? She’s here…in front of me.”

 

Kibum’s face became serious. Heerin’s heart began thumping.

“But…”

“No but buts…I know, you rejected me hundreds of times already. But for tonight, even just tonight, I want you to be mine~”

 

He held her face as he continued, “Please don’t push me away…it would hurt me more.”

 

Heerin’s heart ached seeing him like that.

“Kibum-sshi, what should I do?”

“Just hug me…that will be enough.”

 

She neared him, wiped his tears and hugged him closely.

Standing from a distance, Donghae saw everything. He hit his chest, lifting his gaze towards the sky.

 

“Now, what happened to you?” Siwon asked worriedly.

“…My heart is indigested.”