"Someone kill me."

Chanmi sat up with a massive headache as she tried to get out of bed. After dealing with Baekhyuns' never ending tips about how she should prepare for her date, she fell asleep with so much pain and ringing in her ears. 

She turned to stare at her alarm clock before flinging it against the wall to turn it off. The clock broke into several pieces before landing on the floor. Knowing she would eventually leave it there, she decided it would be best to clean it up.

Chanmi cried out in pain as she fell out of bed and hit her head against her nightstand. She could feel another bruise growing over the one she got when her phone smacked her forehead last night.

Lazy Chanmi thought it would have been a good idea to use her legs to clean up.

But then if she wasn't so lazy, she would have never gotten hurt.

"My head hurts," She whimpered as she sat up, "I don't want to go anymore."

Unfortunately Baekhyuns' yell made her scream in surprise. She ran out of her room and flung open the door, her eyes meeting with his bright brown ones.

"I brought breakfast," He smiled, "I just wanted to make sure you were getting ready."

"Can't I just go another day?" She moaned, "I feel sick."

"That's why I brought medicine! I knew you shouldn't have eaten so much last night."

Chanmi glared at the large white bag that contained several bottles of medicine. Her eyes flew open when she watched Baekhyun step inside her house before heading to the kitchen. He could hear her choke on her saliva and sighed when he looked up.

"What?"

"Why are you in my house!?"

"Because I'm going to help you," Baekhyun frowned, "Why else would I be here?"

"You can't come in uninvited!" Chanmi covered her body with her arms, "Especially when there's a woman living alone."

"I came last night."

"That's because I invited you."

"What do you want me to do?" He sighed, "Go outside and knock?"

"I'm just saying you should be more careful," She rolled her eyes, "What are people going to say?"

Baekhyun stared at Chanmi before laughing out loud. She muttered curses under her breath as she stomped her feet in defiance. What was so funny that made him laugh so loud?

It was nothing more than the fact that Chanmis' hair was a birds' nest with massive tangles and hair sticking out everywhere. But what had made him laugh the most was the fact that she wearing a shirt that said ' me hard.'

"Do you even know what that shirt means!?" Baekhyun wiped away his tears, "I-I-I can't breathe!"

"What?" Chanmi looked down at her shirt, "It's pink."

"I can see that."

"What does it say?"

"Who gave that to you?" He held onto his stomach, "So I can give them a hug."

"It was Iseul," She frowned, "The friend who signed me up at your company."

"She is utterly brilliant."

"What does it say!?"

Chanmi could feel her face growing red as Baekhyun kept on laughing. He began to gasp as he struggled to breathe. She grabbed her phone and translated the words. Baekhyun looked up to see her gasp in shock as her face grew beet red. She stared at him with wide eyes and practically on the ground.

"No."

"Yes."

Chanmi covered her face and cried out, "I even wore this outside!"

"Chanmi, you can keep your 15 straws," Baekhyun happily sighed, "I haven't laughed in so long."

"I shouldn't be so worried. It's not like anyone understands what it says."

"I did."

She moaned again as she ran a hand through her hair. Baekhyun smirked when she whimpered as she tried to fix her hair, the tangles growing larger as she tried smoothing it out. He tossed her another bag filled with cosmetic products and motioned for her to take a shower. Chanmi knew more than to go defy his orders when she was going on another meeting. She stomped her way towards the bathroom and screamed when she stepped inside.

Baekhyun pretended to hit her as she closed the bathroom door. He turned back to the several bags in front of him and decided to wait for her to come out. He kept playing with Pororo as he sat on the couch, glancing at his watch every once in a while.

"Why isn't she coming out?" He murmured, "She's going to be late."

Chanmi stepped outside of the bathroom and ran towards her room as she screamed for him to look away. He was playing on his phone and waved his hands as she got ready. Time went by faster than he thought and he pounded on her door for her to get out. 

"Yah!" Baekhyun yelled, "You only have 30 minutes before the date starts!"

"How the hell do you put on eyeshadow?" Chanmi grew frustrated, "What the hell is a crease and lid?"

"Just throw it on your face and get out!"

"Why is this lipstick so bright!?"

Baekhyun rested his forehead on the door as he pounded his fists against them. He fell to the floor when Chanmi slammed it open. She glared at him as she wiped away at the makeup she had put on.

"I don't want to wear them," She frowned, "They make my skin itchy."

"You've never worn makeup on your other dates?" He looked up, "Ever?"

"No, I just used a moisturizer."

"Damn, you have nice skin then."

"Thanks."

Chanmi stepped over Baekhyuns' body and turned to give him a thumbs up. He examined her clothes and stopped in his tracks as he remembered something. He tapped his chin before snorting as he shook his head.

"Is that the only outfit you own?" Baekhyun asked, "I've seen you wear it on every single date."

"Why?" Chanmi looked down at her light green dress, "It's the only nice thing I have besides jeans."

"So you've worn the same dress for the past 6 months?"

"I think it's pretty."

Baekhyun glanced at his watch and grabbed Chanmis' hand before throwing her shoes at her. They walked out of the apartment and towards his car. She struggled against his grasp and finally gave up when he wouldn't let go. The drive lasted only a couple of minutes before he stepped out. Chanmi wordlessly followed him as he entered a clothing store.

"Pick a dress," Baekhyun ordered, "You only have 10 minutes."

"Why?" Chanmi backed away, "I don't need a dress."

"I can't let you go around like that. It makes me look bad."

She flinched at his words and looked away. Even though he was right, it always hurt Chanmi every time Baekhyun would say things like that. Even if he didn't actually mean, he would carelessly say things that were rude and it would make her feel bad. Baekhyun wasn't the only one struggling in this situation.

Chanmi was doing this for herself too.

"Okay," She nodded, "I'll pick something out."

She looked around the store before picking out a dress that was similar to the one she owned. Baekhyun motioned for her to try it on and quickly paid for it. Chanmi stepped out in the new dress and stared at herself in the mirror.

It felt different.

Too different.

"Let's go," Baekhyun grabbed the bag, "The date starts in 5 minutes."

He reached for her old dress before tossing it into a wastebasket. His eyes grew wide when Chanmi dove for it, holding the dress tightly against her chest. Baekhyun reached for it but pulled back as she held onto it tighter. Her face was completely blank as she stared ahead in front of her.

"It's mine," Chanmi whispered, "You can't just throw away my things."

"But it's old and worn out," He tilted his head, "Why do you want to keep that?"

"I shouldn't have to tell you."

Chanmi avoided Baekhyun's gaze as she slipped the dress into her purse. She walked out of the store and slipped into his car, waiting for him to come out. The drive was awkward and quiet as she stared out the window. They soon arrived at a nice restaurant and Chanmi stepped out. Baekhyun followed after her and pulled her back when she grabbed the door.

"Remember Chanmi," Baekhyun smiled, "Don't be yourself. Just be a girl with a nice personality."

"Okay," She nodded, "I'll try."

She walked inside the restaurant and was led to a nearby table where a man was waiting. Her heart raced faster as he looked up at her with a soft smile. Chanmi winced as the smell of alcohol reached her nose. She observed the man and frowned slightly when she noticed his disheveled hair and wrinkled suit.

"Did you just wake up?" Chanmi blurted out, "Then why the hell did I have to dress nice?"

"I'm so sorry," He stood up, "I drank last night and I woke up super late."

He smiled awkwardly as he walked towards her, pulling open the chair for her to sit. Chanmi stared at him in amusement and disappointment as he sat back down. He tried desperately to fix his hair and smooth out the wrinkles of his suit.

"Chanmi."

"Huh?"

"I'm Chanmi," She smiled widely, "Park Chanmi."

"I'm Luhan," The baby faced man grinned, "Just Luhan."

•••••••••

Alcohol.

The one thing Luhan loved and hated most in the world. Just one sip of the bittersweet drink was enough for him; the delicious taste had him drowning in ecstasy.

But of course he hated it as well. It was always hard for him to stop once he had had his third shot. Luhan wasn't an alcoholic, but that didn't mean he wasn't a drinker either. Working day and night had taken a hassle on him as he struggled to work his way up into his father's company. 

So every time he gulped down one more shot of soju, it relieved him of stress. But of course with every nice thing there is always something bad that goes along with it.

Luhan became very touchy and every time he ended up drunk.

It didn't matter if someone looked like they had just fallen from a tall building and smacked their face onto the pavement or if someone was the most beautiful person in the world.

If that person was nearby, Luhan made sure his lips found their way towards them.

Kris and Suho always tried to make sure he didn't do anything to embarrass himself but they always failed in the end. Luhans' lips and body were too strong for the weak friends. Every night he would smack those plump pink lips onto an ahjumma, grandma or worst of all, men.

But Luhan never cared since he wasn't the only one from his friends that did the same thing. Suho would bite and cuddle against the nearest person while Kris would try to them before falling asleep on top of their bodies.

In his opinion, Luhan was the most mature out of all three of them. 'Savage beasts' was what he called them when they were out of earshot.

Luhan was just a normal 23 year old who had an odd drinking habit. 

A rich, modest and gentle 23 year old who just liked drinking a bit too much. There was nothing wrong with that as long as he made sure to do his work properly. He was the epitome of perfection. Not to mention the fact that he had a mesmerizing singing voice.

Then again, the downside of the so-called perfect man was the raging hangovers he got every time he woke up. 

And today was no exception.

"Water," He snored, "I need water."

Luhan opened his eyes before hissing in pain as the bright sunlight his face. He sat up and covered his face as he struggled to get out of bed. There was a sickening feel in the pit of his stomach and he dashed to the bathroom, throwing up what remained of his drinking spree. Luhan stepped out with water dripping down his face as he walked towards the kitchen.

His eyes landed on his phone and he grabbed it, noticing he had a voicemail. Grabbing the orange juice from the fridge, he waited patiently to hear the message. Luhan began to choke as he glanced at the clock, his eyes almost popping out when he noticed the time. He dashed to the door and ran out of his apartment before heading to his car.

"I'm late," He moaned, "Of course I would be."

He made his way to the restaurant that was mentioned in the voicemail and sighed in relief when he managed to get there on time. Luhan glanced at his watch before heading to the bathroom. He washed his hands and smoothed his hand through his hair as he glanced at the mirror. An indescribable sound escaped his lips as he surveyed his outfit.

He was still wearing the same suit as last night, fully wrinkled and a bit stained. His hair stood out in several places and he wasn't wearing any makeup. What was worse was that he wasn't even wearing matching shoes.

The famed CEO of Deer Industries looked more like an unemployed teenager than a rich chaebol.

There wasn't much time before the date began and there wasn't anything he could do. All Luhan could hope for was that the girl he was meeting didn't notice the reeking smell of soju all over his body.

He mustered up his courage and headed back to the table, desperately trying to smooth out his hair. There was a ringing sound and a young girl stepped inside the restaurant. She was wearing a light green dress that hugged her curves and TOMs shoes. Her long straight hair hung limply over her shoulders. She wasn't any makeup and her tattered bag swung back and forth as she walked around. There was a piece of green fabric that stuck out of it.

This girl was different.

Luhan caught her eye and he stood up, his hands smoothing his dress shirt. There was a look of confusion in her eyes as she walked over to him. She smiled back at him before her nose wrinkled when she sniffed the air.

"Did you just wake up?" She blurted out, "Then why the hell did I have to dress up?"

This girl was extremely different.

He stood up to help her sit down before staring back at her. She smiled back at him in amusement as she bowed. There was a bit of an awkward silence as they struggled to get past his drunk state.

"I'm sorry," Luhan smiled softly, "I drank last night and woke up super late."

Luhan once again tried to fix his hair before he heard a soft giggle. He looked up to see the girl smiling at him, her eyes turned into crescent moons. His eyes blinked rapidly as he felt his heart beat just a bit faster.

"Chanmi." 

"Huh?"

"Chanmi," Her lips curved upwards, "Park Chanmi."

"Luhan," He grinned, "Just Luhan."

Chanmi nodded and brushed back her hair. Luhan noticed a small scar on her forehead and smiled when he noticed it got deeper when she smiled. He glanced at the menu and spoke up, watching as she jumped a bit in her seat.

"What would you like to eat?" Luhan asked, "Is there anything you don't like?"

"Umm..." Chanmi's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to figure out what Baekhyun would want her to order. She glanced at him when he noticed him pointing to a salad. Bastard, she thought before going back to Luhan, "How about a salad?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I don't eat much in the mornings."

Luhan nodded as he ordered for them both, watching as Chanmi fidgeted in her seat. There wasn't a look of discomfort or boredom on her face. He began to worry when she stood up suddenly, grabbing her purse.

"Do you mind if I use the powder room?" She smiled, "I won't take long."

"Of course not," He shook his head, "I'll wait."

She bowed at him once more before making her way to the restroom. He snorted as he remembered what she said. 'Powder room?', who says that anymore? There was something different about her as he played with his utensils. 

She was plain but mysterious. 

An open book that had hidden secrets.

"Chanmi," Luhans' eyes shined, "Park Chanmi."

•••••••••

"A salad!? Who the hell eats a salad!?"

Chanmi paced once more as she glanced at the mirror. She hated vegetables. And now Baekhyun wanted her to eat the very thing that made her want to throw up. Her eyes grew bright as she dumped the contents of her bag on the floor, rummaging through straws and books. There was a wrapper sticking out and she grabbed onto it, a smile on her face.

She ripped open the bag and bit into the semi-hard piece of bread. Chanmi knew that there was no way she would get full from eating vegetables. But she didn't want to make Baekhyun angry either. Once she finished the bread, she wiped away the crumbs before fixing her face. Not that there was much to fix.

Chanmi stepped out and hid behind a pillar to glance at the man again. Luhan, that was his name. She could feel her heart pounding as his face caught the light. His skin was smooth and pale while his hair was a mixture of red and brown. Chanmi let out a giggle as he closed his eyes to feel the sunlight. A true fangirl at its best.

She smoothed her hair and wiped away the crumbs off her face. She sat back down in front of him and kept staring when he didn't notice her. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and a small scar on his lower lip. He took a deep breath and sighed in satisfaction. Luhan turned back and stared at Chanmi who blinked at him. 

"Do I have something on my face?" He asked, "Is that why you're staring?"

"No," She shook her head, "I've never met someone so handsome before."

"Not pretty?"

"Why? Do people say that?"

Luhan sighed and pretended to cry, "Apparently I don't look manly enough. I'm too much a flower boy."

Chanmi nodded in understanding, "But just because you don't have sharp looks doesn't mean you're not a man," She looked away and blushed, "You look very manly to me."

He grinned in happiness before crossing his arms. Luhan tried his best to pretend he didn't care but he couldn't take his eyes off of Chanmi. Unlike the other girls who had said the same thing, she sounded sincere and innocent. She wasn't desperately trying to sleep with him. Chanmi seemed sweet and kind.

Before Luhan could say anything, the food arrived. They ate lunch and talked, getting to know each other better. Luhan found out that she had a dog and that she owned a book store. Chanmi found out Luhan hated people on his bed and that he loved soccer. Not to mention that his family owned a very large finance company. Once lunch was over, Luhan decided to walk her back home instead of driving.

"Did you like the food?" Luhan turned to look at her, "You didn't each much."

Chanmi stared at him and bit her lips as she struggled to say something. She immediately knew what Baekhyun would want her to say. But she was still so hungry that her stomach rumbled in anger. But Luhan seemed so nice and she didn't want to lose this chance. She covered when she realized she had spoken without noticing.

"No, I hated it. I'm still hungry but I didn't want to say anything."

Luhan looked at her in surprise before smirking when he heard her stomach rumble. Chanmi wrapped her arms around her stomach and winced, knowing full well what will happen next.

'Great job Chanmi', she thought, 'What a great way to ruin your chance.'

She felt her face burn when Luhan grabbed her hand. He led her nearby to a small restaurant and sat down at a table. She watched as he ordered several servings of meat and noodles. Luhan reached out to wipe away the chopsticks before handing them to her.

"Good," He chuckled, "I thought I was the only one starving."

'There go my lady parts', Chanmi blushed, 'Quivering like crazy.'

•••••••••

✉ author's corner;