Sometimes sleep just constantly deserts us the moment we need it the most.  It’s not uncommon for someone not to be able to sleep a wink, when they have something big coming up the next morning.  It was like time was slowing down even more as your anticipation for the next day builds up.  It was as if the more you force your eyes to close, the more sleep evades you.

Junho lies in his dark, quiet room alone attempting to somehow diminish the limitless thoughts that run repeatedly through his mind.  It’s 3:18 in the morning, a mere five hours from an important schedule and there he is wide awake.  He lets out a small sigh as he tossed and turned in his bed, covering and uncovering himself with his blanket, stretching and curling himself up trying to find the right position for him.

It’s five minutes to four in the morning and finally his eyes were closed, finally he’s starting to sleep.  All was good when a sudden banging noise was heard from the room upstairs.  Junho’s eyes shot open as he bolt sat up looking around the room with his heart racing from shock.  “What the hell?!”  Junho ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance.  Just when he finally caught his elusive sandman, some insensitive prick decided to do some construction upstairs.

He shakes his head as he glances at the clock on his nightstand and then lies back down to try to recapture his lost sleep.  He closes his eyes, but a loud racket once again disturbed his peace.  “!  That’s it!”  Junho with his hot head marched out of his apartment and up the stairs to knock on the room above his.

“I don’t know what your deal is, but can you please keep it down.  People need to sleep around here.” Junho said in a menacing tone as he knocks on the door angrily with his head hanging down.  He has no idea who this particular neighbor is nor does he really care to know and be known, but today was just hard to let go.

“I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.” was heard through the closed door along with the sound of the deadbolt being unlocked.  “I didn’t mean to bother anyone.  It’s actually an accident.  I’m really sorry.” you said as you finally opened the door, limping with a somewhat bruised foot.

The open door revealed a disgruntled half-awake Junho on the other side with his short hair mussed like he has been tossing and turning in bed or just got up from having wild , but you were too embarrassed and maybe a little too scared to look that you focused your eyes on the floor as you hold on to the door ready to close it at any time.  He started to lift his head to look at you with his brows pinched together in irritation. 

He blinks in surprise as he finds you in front of his eyes.  “She looks awfully familiar.” he thought to himself as he tries to peek at your face, his lips curved up to a smile, having a fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach that doesn’t seem to want to go away.  “It’s you isn’t it?”

You slowly lift your eyes to look at him.  Taking a step back as your mouth fell open staring at a disheveled Lee Junho, disheveled but still Lee Junho with a gentle smile right before your eyes in the wee hours of the morning at your doorstep.  Your face scrunched together in utter bewilderment.  “Are you real?” you said as you stabbed him in the chest with your index finger.

“Uhm.” Junho nodded as he looked you up and down seemingly scrutinizing you with narrowed eyes.  “How’s the nose?” he said touching the tip of your nose lightly with his finger.

His finger was so cold that it contrasts your warm nose.  “Oh my God!  This is real!” you thought to yourself.  The thought of having a famous celebrity at your door as you stood there looking so unkempt and being just plain unkempt startled you that you slammed the door shut at him.  “Oh my God!  Oh my God!  Oh my God!” you kept whispering to yourself in panic as you repeatedly ran your hand through your hair.

“Hey! That was kinda rude, you know?!” you heard Junho’s voice through the door.

You took several deep breaths before you had the courage to open the door again.  “I’m sorry.  I panicked” Junho chuckled at your response as he shoved both hands in his pockets.  “Anyway, is there - I mean why are you…ahhh…can I help you?  ’Cause you’re here- and…well - why?” Junho found it funny that you are having difficulty from doing well at completing sentences.

“Well I have an important schedule in a few hours and I can’t get any sleep because you were making that ungodly noise from up here at this late hour.  What were you doing anyway?”

“Fried wonton.”

“What?” he asked in disbelief and confusion.

“I was trying to make fried wontons, so I was trying to reach for the pan, but everything just fell off.  And then I think the second thud you heard was when I tried to put them back and everything just toppled over again.  Sorry.”

Junho laughed uproariously as he tried to imagine the scene in his head.  “I’m glad you found my misfortune amusing.” you said raising an eyebrow at him.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to laugh.  I’m sorry.  It’s just…well…you don’t know how glad I am to be the one living under you.” he replied cheerily.  “So, no fried wontons, huh?”  You shook your head at him as your embarrassment deepens, rocking back and forth on your feet as you tugged at the end of your shirt nervously.  “Well, we could- maybe you and I- well, we can go for Chinese.” Junho offered, his tongue darting out to moisten his lips.

“I can’t.”

Junho’s smile faded as he rubbed his throat nervously.  “Oh, of course.  I understand.  I mean…you don’t even know me, so why would you.  It’s quite underst-”

“No, I meant, I can’t right now and I do know who you are…I mean who doesn’t, right?  You’re kind of famous, you know?  I mean of course you know, how can you not know?” you babbled like an idiot as Junho smiles amused.  A faint blush of color tinted your cheeks every time you would see his eyes smiling.  “But, it’s just that…well, I’m not even sure if I could make it to the elevator right now.”

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he deliberately lets his eyes drop down to your body.  Junho sees a bruise on your foot and pushes himself through the door to look closer.  “What happened?  Does it hurt?”  Junho’s brows can’t help but crumple together in concern.

“My stew pot happened.”  You brushed your hair behind your ear as you said hid your bruised right foot behind your left leg.

“We should get some ice on that.”

“I will…later, I will.”

“You are fond of the word later, aren’t you?”

Before you realized what was happening, Junho started to pick you up.  “Put me down.  What are you doing?”

“Kitchen…which way?” You point to your kitchen as your other arm rests on his shoulders.  He puts you down on top of the counter gently and then he opens your refrigerator door like it was his, putting the ice in a hand towel to make an improvised ice pack.  “This will do.”  He placed the ice pack carefully on your foot.  “How can you let it bruise like this?”

“Well, you banged on my door.”

“So it’s my fault?”

“Partly.  In fact, I have a feeling you’ve been bringing me misfortunes.  Every time we meet I get physically injured.”

“Well -” He wanted to find the right words to throwback at you, but he couldn’t spit out another word.  “Well-“  Seeing you smirk at his failed attempt, he gives you his most charming smile and sticks his tongue out at you like a child.  Not knowing that the close proximity was giving you the irresistible urge to bite it.

Junho turns his attention to the scattered pots and pans on the floor and starts to pick them up to put away.  “You don’t have to do that.” you said trying to get off the counter.  “I’ll clean it up later.”

“Don’t move!  And keep that ice on that foot.” He quickly gathered everything on the floor to put back in the shelf.  “This won’t even take more than a minute.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do…after all I am partly to blame.”

“I was kidding when I said –“

“I know.” Junho chuckled as he finished cleaning up.  “So, where can I put you?”

“Huh?” you asked as he carries you once again in his arms.

“Where can I put you that’s more comfortable than your kitchen counter?”

Your cheeks flushed as you found yourself in his arms.  “Couch.”

“Okay then, couch it is.”  Junho carried you to the couch, putting you down carefully.  He grabbed a throw pillow from the chair and placed your foot on top of it.  “Does that feel better?”  You nodded in reply.

He looks around your place freely and saw a bunch of books on the table.  “Been here long?” he asked looking through the books.

“Awhile.  You?”

“Not that long.  So, you seem to have checked out a lot of books from the library this time.”

“I love to read…obviously.  They keep me company when I can’t sleep.”

“Do you visit the library often?”

“I guess.  Well, I was there yesterday to check those –“

“No you weren’t.  I was there and I didn’t see you there.”

“You were in our university library again?  Why?” you asked shifting yourself a little as he sits down on the couch with you.

“Be..ca…use…” Junho whispered trying to find a reason.  “Well, Taec.  Do you know Taec?  Ok Taecyeon, tall, bulky guy with lots of teeth, big ears.  He goes to your school too.  He wanted to see me.  It’s troublesome actually, I didn’t want to go, but I had to meet him anyway.”

“Ahh…you seem to be a good friend then.  I’ve seen Ok Taecyeon once or twice around school.  Does he live with you?”

“Do you like him?”

“As an artist?  Yeah, I guess.  He’s quite entertaining.”

“Really?”  He leans in close to your face turning on his charms.  He dropped his head and then slowly looked up to meet your eyes.  “Do you like me?” You froze at his question, your eyes opened wide as you stared at his smiling face for a few more seconds before you forced yourself to blink and squinted at him.  You never actually thought about it and never really cared before.  He was just the guy in the TV for you that’s all.  “Kidding!  I know you’re not a fan.” he said laughing at your poorly suppressed shock.

“You know every fan you have?” You giggled weakly.

“No, but usually fans would ask for autographs and pictures.  You on the other hand went scurrying past the bookshelves as soon as I turned around.”

“I didn’t want to be a bother.”

“Well, you did became a bother…one way or another.”

“I did?”

“Uhm.”  A smile d flickered across his face as he nodded lightly at you.  “Don’t ask how, I won’t tell you anyway.  So save me all that further bother and give me your name.”

You gave him your name and he repeated it several times with a pleased look on his face.  “Perfect, isn’t it?  Now we officially know each other…and better than that…now I know where you live.”

“Are you like this to everyone?  Is this part of your fan service thing or whatever you call it?”

“Fan service?  But you’re not even a fan.”

You tucked your hair behind your ear, your eyes leaving his face to look at anything else in the room other than him.  “So what’s this for then?”  You tried to steady your breathing as you wait for his reply.

“You seem very interesting.  I think you and I can be good friends.”

“Well, if you put it that way…then yeah, I guess that isn’t such a bad idea.  Being friends with you that is.”  You yawned widely and your chest rose and fell with the motion, but you were late in covering up your mouth making Junho chuckle.

“Well, it’s late, I should let you rest and I do have that schedule in a few hours too.  So…” he said as he stood up.

“I’m sorry again for disturbing you.  I’ll be quiet from now on.  I promise.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you made all that ruckus, made it easier for me to solve a mystery.”

“I have no idea what you just said…but…good night.”

“Good morning.  And let’s have that fried wonton some other time.” Junho said as he started to the door, shutting it behind him with a cheery look on his face as he whispered your name over and over to himself.

“Hey Taec, are you awake?” Junho said over the phone as he sits back on his bed looking at his ceiling with a smile.

“I am now.” he groaned displeased.

“Good.”

“What is this Junho?  Is this even important?”

“Uhm very.  You know the girl I was asking you about…”

“The one you punched in the nose?  Is she filing a complaint?”

“Uhm that one!  That one!  She’s living above me!  How much of a coincidence is that?!” he said happily.

“Do you like her?”

“No.  Nothing like that.”

“So, what’s this about?”

“Nothing I just thought she’s interesting.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…you’ve said that before.  So are you interested in her?  Do you want her?”

“Not really.  I mean I don’t know.” Junho said looking confused.

“Then don’t call me for this thing!  You’re irritatingly annoying!” Taecyeon hangs up angrily as Junho lies down with a smile unsure of why he wants to see her again, but feels sure that he wants to see her once again.