As Ryeowook attempted to untangle herself from Sungmin’s iron grip, Sungmin only squeezed harder then suddenly let go. Standing back, she laughed directly into Ryeowook’s face, which still registered shock. Her friend’s laughter was infectious, and Ryeowook smiled for the first time that day, momentarily forgetting about Yesung and Kyuhyun’s stalking.

"Come on, darling’, why so grumpy? You never used to be like this," Sungmin peered into her friend’s face. "Is Hyukkie here? What about Yesung and Donghae? Haven’t seen them for ages! I …" She grabbed Ryeowook’s hand and skipped indoors, slamming the door behind Ryeowook and chattering on.

"Who – " Eunhyuk began, looking up from her papers as Ryeowook appeared back in the doorway, a big smile on her face. "Why, you seem so happy – " She broke off as Sungmin bounced in, having stopped in the hallway for a while to admire Ryeowook’s new boots. Her eyes widened.

“Minnie!!" She shrieked, throwing herself on her friend. "Omygod, Minnie, I haven’t seen you for ages! What are you doing here? How are you? Hey, I love the way you did your hair! Omygod I … "

Yesung and Donghae stood up, smiles tugging on the corner of their lips. Sungmin’d been a blast back in primary school, and they’d genuinely liked her. Sungmin pulled back from Eunhyuk and threw her arms around Yesung and Donghae’s necks. Donghae pretended to choke. Yesung laughed out loud and punched Sungmin playfully in the arm.

Kyuhyun rose slowly from his seat on the sofa, his gaze raking over Sungmin’s slim and sporty form in denim cut offs and tank top, cropped hair, tanned skin, radiant face.

Sungmin, gasping for breath, gave Yesung one last playful punch and slapped Donghae’s hands away, laughing. Pausing to catch her breath, she spotted Kyuhyun still standing. Their eyes met, and Kyuhyun came over and stuck out his hand, a small smile crooking his mouth.

"Cho Kyuhyun."

Sungmin looked into the face opposite hers and smiled innocently. She stuck out her own hand. "Lee Sungmin. Nice to meet you," she said, beaming up into his face.

They shook hands.

Sungmin’s smile slowly faded as she noticed the expression on Kyuhyun’s face. The sparkle in her eyes changed, and they turned dark and assessing. She looked into Kyuhyun’s eyes – then abruptly, her facial expression changed again. The sparkle returned, the smile came full-on.

Sungmin smiled at Kyuhyun, a smile not as innocent as it looked.

"Really nice to meet you," she repeated.

Kyuhyun looked back at her, eyes narrowed. She was not what he thought she was.

---

Ryeowook yawned and stretched. They’d abandoned the project hours ago, but her friends were still around, laughing and chatting. Even Yesung and Kyuhyun were distracted. Ryeowook was glad. She didn’t feel that she could have taken it anymore if their incessant stalking and staring went on any longer.

She dragged herself out of the comfortable pile of cushions Donghae and Eunhyuk had collected during their cushion fight, and shuffled out of the living room. Nobody noticed. Except for …

She shut her bedroom door and collapsed on her bed. Puffing up her cheeks, she blew out the air slowly. She forced her body to relax. She’d been so worked up recently that she could barely relax. Closing her eyes, she managed to calm herself down.

Just as Ryeowook was about to fall asleep, there was a soft tap on the door. Momentarily surprised and not remembering that her friends were still in her home, rather befuddled from her sleepy state, she stumbled out of bed and fumbled with the doorknob.

She opened the door, and not noticing who the visitor was, yawned right into his face.

"Yeah …what you want?" She murmured sleepily.

"Did I disturb you? I’m sorry."

Ryeowook snapped right awake. Eyes huge in her pale face, she stared in shock at Yesung, smiling languidly in front of her.

"I … ah, no, not really … I was … just, um… "

Yesung’s eyes swept over her tousled hair, dishevelled clothes – and to his utmost amusement, her right bra strap chose that moment to slip down over her shoulder. Though it did not reveal anything (not that there was anything much there to show off anyway, Ryeowook thought bitterly) Ryeowook was mortified, and pulled it up again immediately. To her surprise, Ryeowook felt hysterical laughter bubbling up in her. What was wrong with her?

Before she had had time to collect herself or her thoughts, Yesung spoke.

"We were just going off. We thought you might be sleeping, so only I came up to tell you. Donghae and Eunhyuk say that they’ve put the cushions back in order, and Sungmin passed you this note." He dropped it into her hand.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks. I’ll, um, see you off …"

Yesung shook his head. "No need. I just really wanted to come up and give you … this."

He leaned over … and kissed her on the lips.

When he moved his head away from hers, Ryeowook’s eyes were larger than ever, and a rosy blush had spread all the way to her ears.

Yesung smiled at her. "I'll be off then. See you tomorrow."

Before Ryeowook could say anything, he was gone.

She touched her lips in a sort of wonder. Her first kiss … gone. Just like that.

----------------------

"RYEOWOOK!! We’re late! Get down here!" Eunhyuk shrieked up the stairs.

"I’m coming!" Ryeowook yelled back down, frantically trying to squeeze all her books into her bag.

"Donghae and Yesung are waiting too! What did you do, oversleep? You’re not usually so late!"

Ryeowook froze. Yesung was waiting … ? This was all her fault for oversleeping when she had spent about half the night dreaming about Yesung and what had happened the day before. She fumbled with the zip on her bag and finally zipped it shut, praying that it wouldn’t give way. She hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and hopped out of the bedroom, trying to pull her socks on at the same time.

Eunhyuk peered up the stairs as Ryeowook clumsily managed one sock and switched to the other foot. Shaking her head in disapproval, she sat down at the bottom of the stairs to catch Ryeowook should she fall bouncing down the stairs like that.

Ryeowook hooked her bag on the staircase railings, letting it slide down first as she pulled on a shoe. She hopped halfway down before stopping to tie her shoelace. Eunhyuk picked up Ryeowook’s bag, groaning at the weight of it. Something evil sparkled in her eyes, and before Ryeowook could stop her, she had thrown the bag out of the door towards Yesung, who caught it easily.

"Hyukkie!" Ryeowook whined, tying the other shoelace into a dead knot in her confusion. "What’d you do that for?"

Eunhyuk grinned evilly. "I was just helping you to speed things up. After what happened last night you should really be nicer to him, and him carrying your bag for you is something he should do anyway."

Ryeowook flushed red. Eunhyuk knew! She didn’t know how Eunhyuk found out, but somehow she knew!

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, and anyway I don’t see DONGHAE carrying YOUR bag," she muttered, sneaking a look at Yesung. He was actually smiling! As their eyes met, his smile got even wider, her bag slung on his shoulder.

Muttering bad words under her breath, Ryeowook stomped out, slamming the front door and locking it. Donghae and Eunhyuk had already gone ahead, Donghae now carrying Eunhyuk’s bag in addition to his own. Yesung was still standing on the path waiting for her. Somehow her bad mood dissolved away.

"Thanks," she mumbled, reaching out for her bag still slung on his shoulder. Yesung laughed and swung it out of her reach.

"Come on. We’re late." Ryeowook flushed even redder as he prodded her along the path ahead of him, his hand at the small of her back. She smiled to herself.

---

Throughout the day, she yawned constantly, and only Yesung’s constant kicking of her chair leg kept her awake. She fell asleep during break and nearly dipped her head into her noodles.

After school, the four went back together as usual, Yesung dragging a half-asleep Ryeowook by the hand as he talked with Donghae. Eunhyuk had her head in a romance novel, and Donghae’s occasional prod kept her from crashing into trees and walls.

As they approached Ryeowook’s house, Yesung waved goodbye to Donghae and Eunhyuk, and plucking Ryeowook’s keys out of her bag, let the two of them in. Closing the door behind him, he left her bag at the foot of the stirs and lifted Ryeowook up into his arms. She stirred and murmured sleepily. As he climbed up the stairs, she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in.

Yesung swallowed. He hadn’t expected this, but somehow it felt good. Pushing her bedroom door open with his foot, he gently put her down on her bed. When he made to get up, she murmured again sleepily and hung on to his neck. He hesitated. Then he smiled.

Kicking off his shoes, he dropped a feather-light kiss on her forehead before lying down beside her and closing his eyes.

---

A whirl of puzzle pieces settled themselves down.
things were progressing rapidl

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A/N: Finally! Sorry for not update-ing my fics for so long as I was busy with my school works.. Hope your enjoy!^^