Hyoyeon’s POV

Sometimes situations call for a good lie.

It’s been light years since I’ve seen Sooyoung set one foot out the door with the same joyful spring in her step like she used to back in the day. She often scowls at the whole world with us being the victims. The trainee life is no summer vacation either, but lately my poor heart aches for her. So maybe if I distract her with a small tint of happiness, I think my mind would finally ease out. That’s when I thought of something that should have probably been taken into action weeks ago if not months.

The brilliant idea you ask?

A blind date!

That’s where my good friend Eunhyuk comes into the picture. Eunhyuk and I have been friends for a while now, meeting each other in dance class at school. He’s one of the very few that I can actually understand with each move his body makes. Aside from attending the same school, he too is a trainee with hopes of debuting in part of an idol group one day.

It was not too long ago when I received her text message that oozed out loneliness. After declining to tag along for dinner, she messages us asking if we remember the location of a book she’s searching for. If that doesn’t sound lonely, then I don’t know what does…

That’s when I proposed the idea of a group date or in more juvenile terms, group gathering, to Eunhyuk. Gradually I learned about the guys he is currently training with…four others.

Then I heard of Choi Siwon, a guy with characteristics that strangely resemble that of my dear friend. I believe I was high off of kimchi or something, but I called her bluntly out of the blue bragging about how I’ve found her a perfect match. To my surprise, I was met with a voice that agreed to the idea immediately...a Sooyoung that isn't like itself.

I knew right there that she had no intentions to take the little group gathering in a serious matter. It was as if she just wanted to escape...

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Sooyoung's POV

I returned home in one piece being met with Hyoyeon and her oddly suspicious smile. I love her, but she seems to have nothing better to do than try to fix me. I admit that I'm often met with loneliness, but it's something that's easy to endure when i think of soon debuting. Nothing will change my mind in that regard.

"Sooyoung-ie...so tomorrow we're all going to have lunch with Eunhyuk and his friends. You're coming as well right? The guy I talked to you about previously on the phone, Choi Siwon, he'll be there as well~"

I'm in absolutely no mood to go parading with a bunch of guys when I should use my time wisely on practicing singing and dancing, but my friend only wants to help so I reluctantly agree.

"Neh, of course I will Hyo."

I head off quietly to my bedroom and as I do so, I can't help but see a small sparkle in my dear friend's eye...she must be really worried for me and my so called lonesome soul.

(The next morning)

We walk toe in toe into the small little chummy cafe in which both groups had decided to meet up in. The walls shine like the warm sun as the canary yellow paint jumps off from every four sides. It doesn't take long for us to spot the little herd of fellow trainees. I examine all of them while I place myself down onto an empty seat next to the windowpane.

Leeteuk, the eldest has his face constantly graced with a smile that hangs from ear to ear. He must naturally be a happy one, or at least extremely friendly since his expression hasn't yet seemed to fade for the past few minutes.

The humerous Shindong, has his face immerged in a bread roll, devouring the thing into bits and pieces. He must be truly hungry as I watch him reach forward for another piece from the appetizzer basket that already sits comfortably on the wooden table.

Sungmin, as cute as a button, he shyly introduces himself while his semi chubby cheeks soften to a light pink shade.

Then you have Eunhyuk, my dear Hyo's friend. He's an absolute stand out. From head to toe, his every move is like fluid, he's dancing without him knowing.

My eyes wander in search for the obviously missing guy by the name of Choi Siwon, the very same individual who's supposedly the whole reason why this group gathering was formed. But my eyes are only settled to the vision of an empty seat placed in front of me. I am neither happy nor disappoitned by the fact, but rather I feel nothing more than complete hunger at the moment.

"Yah! Eunhyuk, where the hell is Siwon-ssi?"

I hear Hyoyeon try to speak softly...the important word being that of "TRY". The poor girl just can't whisper properly even if it's to save her life. As a response, Eunhyuk only puffs his cheeks and mouths the words "I guess he'll be a bit late". It's quite funny actually in my mind; how the two tried so hard, with so much effort, yet their little plan isn't going to their liking.

I laugh a tad bit and slightly wish that this faceless Siwon takes his sweet time in coming over here since I'm truly getting a kick out of this...

We take our orders not long after; everyone basically getting the exact same dish with the exception of no garlic on my plate of pasta. Surprisingly, it takes less than ten minutes for the tasty food to arrive in front of our faces and a few seconds later, we begin entwining our untensils, threading it between the lenghty pasta.

While the others devour the food roughly as if there's been a shortage of food on this planet, I can't help but stare at the lifeless plate in front of me. I watch as the steam from the hot plate slowly rises up and yet the owner has yet to arrive on the scene.

Just then, the jingle from the door charms echo in the air. In walks a casual dressed guy with a black v-neck shirt accompanied by dark washed jeans. Without saying one word, he falls down onto the chair in front and flicks his hair to the side.

So this must be Choi Siwon. Interesting...

I pay him no attention as it seems like he doesn't care for this little meet up as well. I'm glad we're both on the same page on that.

"Yah! Choi Siwon, you're late and you don't have the decency to even introduce yourself to our company?" Leeteuk shouts with his mouth still filled with food as he waves his hand in the air.

"Didn't-I-tell-you-that-I-hate-garlic?" He responds blankly. Without raising his head once, he continues to shove the small pieces of chopped up garlic to the side of his plate.

So I guess the guy has decent taste buds...one point added.

"Siwon, this is Hyoyeon, Jessica, Seohyeon, Taeyeon....and the one in front of you is Sooyoung-ssi..." Eunhyuk awkwardly says as he points to us one by one. This whole plan is getting more unbearable as each minute passes on by.

I cover my head just a bit with one hand as Eunhyuk's introductions isn't exactly 'indoor voice friendly'. The room filled with strangers catch on and begin staring at our table...great. As their eyes continue to be felt on my shoulders, I undo my scraf wrapped around my neck and gently lift it up against my face.

"He's pretty loud isn't he?"

His voice is sternly frank and straightforward.

I look up at him, but his eyes are focused on the bits of garlic still living within his pasta. He looks like a child annoyed by the fact that his parents have placed vegetables onto one's plate regardless to his objections that they knew about.

"Well I can't say it's exactly quiet..." I reply to the best of my ability as his flicking of food is somewhat distracting.

"You don't like garlic?"

"I LOVE garlic. You see, I'm just separating it from the rest because I like to eat it all in one shot."

"Your sarcasm is not very evident, but I can catch onto it..."

I grab the small side plate and offer him some of my garlic-free pasta. Slowly, I shove it near his face. I watch as I finally receive a good glimpse of how he looks..big dark brown chocolate eyes framed within a masculine face structure.

"You must be smart, since not many can catch onto my sarcastic side. What was your name again?"

"If you weren't listening the first time then there wouldn't be the need to exachange info for the second time."

"So you're not going to tell me?"

"Bingo."

"You know, your personality is quite fierce. I'm guessing that you might even be quite agressive. Some might even say it's pretty intimidating."

"Why did I itimidate you?"

"Aniyo. I can be intimidating myself."

That's the last thing he says before he starts rummaging through the garlic free plate and I do so the same. I can feel the eyes of the rest of our company from the end of the table watching us, but I have no thoughts on that matter.

Every now and then oddly I find myself peeking upwards to take a glimpse of this strange Choi Siwon. He is afterall, like what I said previously, an interesting fellow...

It doesn't take long before I start to feel uncomfortable in a strange way that I've never felt before so I dismiss myself from the table and head off to the washroom. There's something about him that sets my mind at ease. My feet scamper off quickly and my fingertips continue to play with the strands of my hair as I walk on by. I have no idea what happened (maybe I accidently ate some garlic somehow), but my legs clump together as if I've been walking with a pair of left feet all this time as I find myself slowly falling towards the tile floor.

To my surprise, the cold flooring doesn't greet me. Instead, a pair of hands grasp around me and gently lifts me back up. Standing striaght, my eyes slowly batt open and to my surprise I see that stupid face of his, accompanied by that annoying smile.

.

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...Kyuhyun