{Maura's POV}

"I want to make cookies." I say.

Yesung-oppa stares at me, alarmed at my sudden comment. "Huh?"

"I want to make cookies." I repeat myself.

"Umm... I would say go for it except Erika told me not to let you near anything hot so... No dice. Sorry."

Nooooooooo! Why would she tell him that?! I'm great with hot things! I mean, I may have tried to bake muffins in a microwave once, but that's only because Erika wouldn't let me use the oven! It seemed like a good idea at the time.

But why would she go around telling people not to let me do stuff? This is my house, too! I can do whatever I want!

"Too bad. I live here. And you don't. So I'm going to make cookies. And they'll be the best thing you've ever tasted." I say stubbornly to Oppa. I look around the room to see Ryeowook and Sungmin staring at me worriedly. What's there problem?

I get up and walk out of the living area in to the kitchen and start going through the recipe book, trying to find the recipe for the chocolate cookies Erika has been refusing to make me lately. I need those cookies. Seriously, they make my life happy.

"Maura, I really don't think this is a good idea..." Yesung-oppa follows me into the kitchen. "You could blow something up..."

"Oppa, do you really think I would do that? I'm a great baker!" I retort but it just makes him laugh. I can see he's not taking me seriously. I'll show him.

"Are you sure about that?" He looks at me with a cocky smile. I'm almost 24 years old yet this guys still treats me like a kid while Erika, who's just turned 23- younger than me- is always treated with respect, like a real adult. I'm an adult too. And Erika's just as short as me! Well, almost... So she should be treated like a kid, too!

"Yes." I humph and then make a triumphant noise once I finally find the recipe. I stare at the picture of the cookie. Yumm... I'm sure I'll be able to make them look identical.

"Well, if you're going to stand there watching, you might as well help," I say to Oppa who is leaning against a wall, watching amusedly. "Help me find the ingredients."

So we gather all the ingrediants. But for some reason the baking soda box says 'baking powder'. Oh, whatever. They've got to be the same.

"First off... We have to mix together 1 cup of butter, one cup of white sugar and one cup of brown sugar... Okay... So you measure them." I instruct. He just laughs and follows my orders, carefully measuring each cup and putting them in the bowl. But it just doesn't look like enough.

"I think we need more. This doesn't look right." I say and grab the bag of brown sugar, pouring about a cup more in. "There we go." I smile to myself.

"Maura, are you sure that's a good idea?" Yesung-oppa asks nervously.

"It's a great idea! Just trust me!" I exclaim confidently. "So next... We have to beat in two eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, half a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of baking soda... Well, baking 'powder' in our case. Why do they have to make it so confusing?"

We continue adding the ingredients but, of course, things just don't look right. So I add about 3 more teaspoons of vanilla, two more of salt and one more egg. There. That's better.

"Now, lastly, we have to add 2 cups of chocolate chips- well, that won't be enough because I love chocolate chips- and 3 cups of flour. Let's just add 5 instead.

He follows my orders obediently, seeming to have gotten over his worry.

Damn, he would make a good husband. So calm, gentle and submissive. Not to mention good-looking.

Wait, what did I just think to myself?

Whatever. It was just a thought, Maura. You're crazy, talking to yourself like this.

Shut up.

"Okay... I think it's ready to mix." Oppa says, pulling me out of my conversation with myself.

"Oh... Okay. Let's do it." I get out the electric mixer and slowly put the egg beaters on and then plug it in. I place it in the bowl, readying myself to start mixing.

I turn it on low like the recipe says. But after 30 seconds, this is just taking too long. So I turn it up to max speed.

Well, not the best idea I've ever had.

Dough- which is actually more like mush, I'll admit- flies everywhere along with the not yet mixed in flour. I jump back, startled, dropping the mixer in the bowl which only makes everything worse. It starts spasming inside the bowl, making everything fly faster and further.

"Ahhhh! Yesung-oppa!" I cry and grab him, pulling him in front of me as if her were a shield, blocking me from flying cooking dough. After a second, I feel bad for him. He totally doesn't know how to react. He just stands there blocking his face with is arms, making noises every time he get's hit.

"Oppa! Turn it off!" I yell over the noise.

"What? How?! I don't know how!" God. What the hell is wrong with Sungmin and Ryeowook. I mean, can they not hear the noise? Why aren't they rushing in to help?

"Just press the button-thingy!" I scream.

"Button-thingy? What button-thingy?!"

"Well, it's actually more of a wheel-thingy... Just turn it! And it'll turn off!"

"Fine!" He replies loudly and lunges forward for the mixer, leaving me to get hit by more dough.

I block my face as best I can and watch as he fumbles with the mixer. But every time he tried to pick it up to turn it off, it slips out of his hands which are covered in the mush. He starts to panic.

"I can't do it! I can't get a hold of it!"

So I run forward and stand next to him, trying to help pick it up. Now we're both getting hit in the face with insane amounts of dough.

Finally, I grab on to it. My grip is firm. I find the wheel-button-thingy and turn it or press it- whatever you're supposed to do!- and it finally shuts off.

We just stand there gasping, dripping failed cookie dough and covered in flour. How did this happen? Oh yeah, I did this... My bad. Erika's going to be mad.

How am I supposed to clean this mess?!

I look up at Oppa who looks back at me with and exasperated look. "You... You just... I'm... I-" He tries to say something but he's cut off...

When he bursts out laughing.

"Hahahahahaha! How the hell did that happen! You just... And I... And then you... Cookie dough everywhere!" He's bent over, holding his stomach now, his shoulders heaving up and down as he laughs.

I stand there dumbfounded for a moment, not understanding. But then I start giggling, not really knowing what's funny. And then it turns in to a full out laugh. That was funny. Why did I ever think that would work anyway? Erika always does it patiently and slowly! I've watched her do this a million times! Just... Why?!

"Hahahaha!" I laugh and then I actually fall on the floor.

He starts to move toward me, still laughing, to help me up but he slips on cookied dough...

And falls right on top of me.

We both stop laughing immediatly and just stare at each other, shocked. I'm surprised that I don't even make a move to push him off and he doesn't try to move either.

"I-" He starts and both our faces go red. His face is literally an inch away from mine. "You... You have cookie dough all over your face..." He says and lifts a finger to my cheek, attempting to wipe some off.

But suddenly his eyes find somewhere on my face, other than my cheeks. I see his face inching closer... Wait, why is my heart beating faster all of a sudden?

...And why am I not moving away?

My eyes instinctively close once I see his face, barely a centimeter away. We're just about to touch lips...

When I hear the kitchen door open.

I look up startled to see a surprised looking Erika, tears mysteriously staining her cheeks.

"Not... Not you two, too..." She whispers and then runs away.

I buck Oppa off me and he falls to the ground with a suprised yelp. I stand up and quickly run out of the kitchen after Erika. I see the front door slam closed and I know she's just left.

I hurriedly pull it open and look out only to find out that she's nowhere in sight, already vanished.

Why was she crying?

I hear footsteps coming down the wooden stairs behind me and turn to see Eunhyuk and Donghae hurrying down. I also notice Yesung running toward me.

"Where's Erika?" Donghae and Eunhyuk yell the question at me simultaneously. Their expressions tell me that they're in a rush to find her. But I don't want them to.

I look them both square in the face.

"What did you say to Erika?"

                                                                                       {Erika's POV}

"Because I like you."

My mouth hangs open and I stare dumbfoundedly at Donghae. Did he just say what I think he said?

"Eunhyuk's lying! It wasn't me who attacked him! He attacked me because he likes you, too! And here you are, babying him. He wasn't even hurt the worst." He yells.

What? No, that's not possible. That's not what Eunhyuk told me.

But... The again, why would Donghae attack Eunhyuk? We spent the day together yesterday... He's just not that kind of person. And really, how much do I know about Eunhyuk?

"Lee Hyukjae," Donghae starts, staring at Eunhyuk. Well, that's one thing I definetly didn't know. His real name. "Why would you lie like that? You're my best friend." I see Donghae start to cry and I feel terrible. I want to go over and comfort him. But I still don't know how I feel in this situation or who I believe.

I turn to look at Eunhyuk who has a distressed look on his face. "I-I'm not lying! You jerk! Don't say that kind of thing to Erika! You don't really like her! I do." He reaches out and wraps his arms around my frame, pulling me close.

I expect Donghae to come and punch him or something. He's looks so upset. But he just stands there, tears falling steadily from his brown eyes. Those trusting, friendly eyes that I'd looked in to yesterday as he looked at me affectionately. Eyes that don't lie.

I turn to Eunhyuk who's arms are still around me while he stares threateningly at Donghae.

"Eunhyuk-shi... Why would you lie to me?" I ask him quietly.

He looks at me, startled. "What? I just told you I didn't! I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are. You're lying again." I'm sure of my words.

He seems to notice he's been caught and his arms fall from my body, his shoulders slumping, mouth hanging wide open. So he was lying. "I-" He starts but I stand up from the bed and turn my back on him, unwilling to look him in the face, but not wanting to look at Donghae either. He may not have lied to me... But I'm not sure I feel comfortable with his confession yet, either.

"I only lied because I like you! Don't be mad!" Eunhyuk pleads, grabbing on to my shoulder. I shrug his hand off and feel tears of my own falling.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to be here. I want to disapear. Where's Maura? Why won't she come in and save me? Is she with Yesung? Then where's Sungmin? Ryeowook?

Anybody?

Before I know it, my feet start moving toward  the door, my body knowing that I can't stay in this room for a second longer. I push past Donghae standing in the doorway and run down the stairs, searching for someone to help me.

After running down the stairs as fast as I can, I find the kitchen and pull open the door, impatiently...

Only to find Maura on the floor, eyes closed in anticipation, with Yesung on top of her, obviously leaning in for a kiss.

Her eyes fly open and she stares at me, startled, but doesn't move from her position.

Why is this happenning? I can't believe this.

"Not... Not you two, too..." I whisper and then run out of there, going as fast as I can. I hear Maura call after me but I ignore her and push open the front door.

I run out in to the cold air, snow hitting my face. I hurry as fast as I can down the driveway and into the street, disapearing out of sight.