Chapter 9: Noona

[Normal POV]

Monique changed into the clothes Donghae had lent her for the night and layed in the bed, waiting for Kibum to return from the kitchen, finding the need for a glass of water.

She was comfortable enough in Kibum's room, it just wasn't as comfortable as it was the night before with Donghae. Her eyes were about to close for sleep when the door to the room opened up to reveal Kibum with a big amount of junk food and beer in his hands, a smile plastered across his face.

Monique sat up as Kibum started to lay the various kinds of junk food on the floor, agaped at the younger man. "What's all this, Kibum-ah?" Kibum looked up at her with an innocent smile.

"Just a little midnight snack. I don't have any schedule tomorrow, so I invited Teukie-hyung, Yesung-hyung and Ryeowook-hyung to join since they don't have schedules tomorrow either," he answered brightly, "plus, you don't really work, so it's up tp you if you want to join us or not." 

Monique knelt down to the floor and sat, her back against the bed as she heard a light knock at the door. Her curious eyes looked up to see Leeteuk with Yesung and Ryeowook behind him. Leeteuk greeted Monique with a warm smile and nodded at Kibum as he settled himself beside Monique.

Yesung and Ryeowook sat at both sides of Kibum, talking quietly amongst themselves. Leeteuk looked to Monique, locking eyes, and just smiled.

"We can't be too noisy since the others have schedules early," Leeteuk spoke softly.

Monique giggled,"But you made the rest go to sleep early, wouldn't that make your 'Leader conscience' feel guilty?" Leeteuk chuckled and nodded.

"I suppose you're right, but it's lonely in a room by yourself. Plus, I felt like having a drink," He then turned and grabbed a beer, offering another one to Monique who just scrunched up her nose.

"I don't prefer beer..." Leeteuk chuckled again at her statement, remembering how her face scrunched up in distaste of the bitter liquid the last time she had had a beer.

"Oh!" Kibum exclaimed, hearing what his noona had said,"I forgot, I got some wine coolers for Noona since she didn't seem to like beer the last time we saw her drink one." Everyone turned to Kibum as he got up to go to the kitchen.

"Oh, you didn't have to go through the trouble-" Kibum cut her off by waving his hands.

"Don't worry about it, Noona. I wanted to make sure you'd be able to have a little fun too!" With that, he left with Yesung and Ryeowook to get more junk food.

Leeteuk breathed evenly as the other members left, leaning on his elbow and lowering his body so he was laying on his side, facing the girl in front of him. "So..." He started casually,"are you excited to become our choreographer?"

Monique laughed, "Of course I am! You know how hard I've been working and hoping for an oppurtunity like this." Leeteuk looked up to look in her eyes. A couple minutes passed in silence.

"M-Monique-ah, can I ask you something?" Leeteuk asked, nervousness evident in his voice. Monique looked at Leeteuk's face and smiled encouragingly.

"Of course, Oppa! You know you can ask me anything," She flashed a smile to Leeteuk, making him smile in return.

He paused for a moment and swallowed his saliva, "A friend of mine likes this girl..." Monique quickly sat up straight and in front of Leeteuk in anticipation and excitement.

"Oh, really! Ah, Oppa, are you asking me for dating advice and afraid for your donsaengs to hear you?" She poked fun at the leader, making him blush and making the girl giggle. "Who's the girl, Oppa?"

Leeteuk's blush deepened, he cleared his throat from embarrassment, "It's not like that, it's my friend..." He stressed out the last word in hope that she'd believe him. Monique rolled her eyes at his statement playfully.

"Okay, okay. Your friend, what kind of problems is this friend having?" She looked at Leeteuk's face as he breathed in deeply.

"He really likes this girl, but one of his really close friends likes her too. It doesn't help when it's his donsaeng either..." He looked up at Monique's reaction to find it unchanged, "What should he do?"

Monique sat and thought about it for awhile, "Hm.. that's pretty tough. I'd say to let the girl know so that your friend can at least have his feelings acknowledged. If not that, then just let the girl know that he's there for her when she needs him." Leeteuk nodded in understandment of Monique's words.

"Monique-ah... I-" Monique's eyes turned and locked with Leeteuk's as he spoke with a serious tone, something she wasn't used to.

As he was about to continue with his curiosity, the door flung open with the return of Kibum, Yesung and Ryeowook."Did we miss anything?" Yesung asked, brightly smiling at his hyung and dongsaeng.

Leeteuk mumbled,"Nope, absolutely nothing." Monique giggled at her oppa as Kibum handed her a wine cooler.

[Leeteuk's POV]

As Kibum entered, I was about to confess to Monique, but obviously, that plan didn't go by as planned.

After Monique drank about 3 of the 4 bottles of wine coolers, she started to get a little sleepy, so I grabbed her and brought her to the kitchen to eat something to soak up the alcohol so she wouldn't get too bad of a hangover tomorrow, if any. But, she was a little tipsy already- being only a social drinker and all.

"Oppa~" She leand loosely against my side as I pulled her to the kitchen. I covered , determined to not wake up the other members.

"Shhh..." I warned as I pressed a finger against my lips, covering with my other hand. "You don't want to wake up the others."

I turned around to find some bread for a sandwitch and found her hugging me from behind, her chest pressed against my back, her head resting on the back of my shoulders. I could feel my breathing start to become uneven from the sudden contact.

"Oppa... I know you're the one who likes me.. not your friend~" She slurred softly in a whisper. My breath hitched at her realization.

"You're tipsy, Monique-ah. Let me make you something to eat," I hurriedly made her a sandwitch and gave her a glass of water to help sober her up.

I sat her down to eat at the table, not paying too much attention to what she was saying until she said my name, "Leeteuk-Oppa..." I turned my head to show that I was listening to her, my eyes facing her downcasted face,"Donghae-Oppa... I think he likes me."

Her head remained downcasted as I studied the cup of water that I held in my hand. She had just now caught on to Donghae's feelings for her. She must be really innocent to just now catch on to his feelings- almost all the members saw it. The way he treated her, the way he always wanted to protect her, the way he always poked fun at her- it was obvious to everyone else how he felt for her, but must not have been so obvious for her.

I plastered a fake smile on my face as I continued to place the cup of water next to Monique's sandwitch,"I'm sorry for whatever heartache it may cause you, Oppa. I didn't mean for it to happen..." I could hear her holding back a sob. The smile I had plastered on had instintly dissapeared.

I bent down beside her chair, placing a finger at her chin, pulling it up slightly, for her to look at me, "It's not your fault. Don't be sad, okay? I'll still be beside you, helping you along the way. Just because I can't have you the way Donghae seems to have you, doesn't mean I can't have you at all." I kissed her cheek softly as a tear fell from her eyes.

I then left her some peace to eat and returned to the little group in Kibum's room. I entered the room and all three of the boys look up at me, but not in happiness, they looked up at me as if in shock and in horror.

"What?" I asked innocently.

Yesung and Ryeowook pointed to the side of the room, in the corner. I turned and froze.

Donghae.

I gulped at his angered expression. He must have seen the encounter in the diningroom with Monique. I'd be angry too if my hyung had kissed the cheek of the person I potentially loved.

"D-Donghae-ah..." He pushed past me and went straight to Kibum.

"Kibum-ah," He started, anger clear in his voice,"Why'd you leave Monique-ah alone? Why all this? She's following Siwon-ah tomorrow! How can she focus on work and dancing if she's up all night and drinking?" Donghae's eyes glared into Kibum's, waiting for an answer.

"N-Noona didn't say anything, she just went along with it," Kibum stuttered. Donghae stood up, trying to calm himself down.

I stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder, making him turn around, glaring at me. I had never seen him like this, so over protective and passionate about something beside his dancing and singing. "Get away from me, Leeteuk. Stay away," he growled at me, yanking his shoulder away from my grasp and left to the diningroom.

[Normal POV]

Donghae found Monique asleep on one arm, only a few bites taken out of the sandwitch and the cup of water gone. Donghae's expression softened as he approached the sleeping girl, picking her up bridal style.

"Monique-ah, why'd you drink? You know you have work tomorrow," he grumbled as he walked past Kibum's room and into his own. Monique grabbed onto Donghae's shirt, squeezing the fabric between her fingers, eyes tightening and sweat starting to form on her forhead.

Donghae quickly layed her body down on his bed and felt her forhead to find she was running a high fever. He bit his lip in guilt as he covered her body with his blanket and made her as comfortable as he could. He then layed next to her, hugging her closely to his body.

"Mianhe, Monique-ah. You're sick and it's because I wasn't there to watch over you... Jeongmal Mianhe.." He whispered as he slid his fingers through her hair. "I really thought Leeteuk-hyung would know better... but I guess I was wrong. And he kissed you.. he kissed you knowing I really like you.."

He rested his head at her shoulder, falling asleep knowing the next day would be hell for her when she woke up.