His breathing was ragged.  His white t-shirt was soaked with sweat.  His body ached, in a good way.  Today's practice beat the hell out of the others.  And the whole class wanted to kill him for it.

"Everyone, next time, come prepared.  I don't deal with laziness and I sure as hell don't like to see anyone working those steps half-assed.  Got it!"

"Yes!" The class yelled.  

"Class is dismissed."  And then one-by-one they dispursed.

"Hyung!"  Hoya called out.  He, too, was covered in sweat.  He came to Dongwoo's class to practice a bit, instead got the class from hell.  "What's with you today?  Seriously, these kids aren't professional dancers, why treat them as if they were.  Some of these kids are barely out of diapers.  Did you see the girl with the pink sweats?  She was in tears."

Dongwoo bent over and grabbed a white towel off the floor, and then proceeded to wipe the dripping sweat off his face.  He then looked at Hoya and smirked.  Wrapping the towel over his neck, he then bent over and grabbed a bottle of water off the floor.  He ended up drinking half of it in one gulp.

"Is there something wrong?"  One of Hoya's eyebrows rose as he quizzed Dongwoo on his attitude for the day.

"I don't want to talk about it."  Dongwoo grabbed his stuff, walked to the bench on the side of the room and stuffed everything in his oversized bag.

"You never take your frustrations out on the class..." Hoya stopped mid-sentence when he realized that Dongwoo's ire was at it's limit.  He shrugged his shoulders then, gave Dongwoo a two-finger salute and left the room before Dongwoo beat the hell out of him.
 

"I need a drink."  Dongwoo thought to himself.  He was totally pissed and ashamed at himself.

At that moment, one of the female class members walked in.  Casually, up to him, she reached around him and back hugged him.  

Dongwoo stood up straight, looked up to the ceiling, and rolled his eyes.  "What the hell are you doing, Yoojin?"
 

"I'm hugging you."  She slowly let her hand slide down his front.

"Stop it.  I'm not in the mood to deal with you today."  He grabbed her hand before it reached somewhere it shouldn't.  He then turned around and held her away from him at arm's length.  "Don't you get it?  I... don't... like... YOU!"  He grabbed his bag and tossed it over his shoulder.  

She grabbed his elbow, her brand new, flourescent pink manicured nails lightly brushed his side.  "What?!  You me and then leave me, you !"

He smirked at her.  "I never said that I would date you.  I told you right at the beginning, you were a plaything.  You agreed that there would be no attachment.  You even said it would be better that way.  Did you lie?"

She put her hands on her hips, accentuating her very thin waist.  "I thought after all this time, you'd changed your mind.  It's been over 3 months now..."

"And you weren't my only toy..." He laughed.  "Did you think that I only played with you exclusively?  I think I can say that I don't want to play with you anymore."

Her lip curled in disgust.  "You think you can leave me so easily.  It won't happen."  She pulled his arm and he jerked it out of her hand.  Then, maybe a little too roughly, he pushed her against the wall.  

With his nose against hers, his hand reached up and squeezed her chin.  "Is this how you like it?"  He rubbed himself against her.  "You liked it when I touched you... when I was inside you..."

She nodded.  Something inside her exploded and she was rather excited about what was too come.

"Well, I don't."  He released her and moved away.  "You like a cold, dead fish."

"Dongwoo, you liked what I did for you..."

"Believe what you want, I'm outta here."  He his heel and walked out the door.

She stood there in disbelief.  "Dongwoo, you're mine.  If I can't have you, nobody can."

"Wrinkles!"  Sungyeol panicked.  His cat lay on her side.  She mewed softly, obviously in pain.

"What is wrong with your cat?"  Sungjong asked, he was more concerned for Sungyeol who was in tears.

"I don't know.  She was fine this morning, and when I got home just now, I found her like this."

"You don't think it's a furball, do you?"  

Sungyeol looked at his friend, both eyebrows shot up in disbelief.  Both hands pulled at the hair on his head.

"Are you stupid?  My cat has NO HAIR?!  How could she have a furball?"  He ranted.

"Hyung, let's take her to the vet.  She's obviously sick."  Sungjong picked up the cat and cradled her.  Sungyeol, on the other hand, ran around the apartment in search of the carrier and anything else he thought his beloved Wrinkles would need.

"Where should we take her?"  Sungyeol stuffed the carrier with a blanket.

"Hyung,  there's a place near where the guys' band plays... An animal hospital."

"Let's go..."  He took Wrinkles from Sungjong and rubbed his face upon hers... lovingly.

"Dear, thank you for all you've done for my Fluffy.  I feel so relieved..."  The old lady never got to finish her sentence.

"Excuse me!  My cat is dying!  You have to save her!"  Sungyeol yelled at the woman at the counter after rushing in through the front door like the north wind.  At the same time, shoving the carrier into her hands.  "Hurry!  There is no time!"

Lilia looked into the fancy, pink carrier and saw the rare Egyptian cat.  "Was it hit?"

"NO!"  Both Sungjong and Sungyeol said.  Sungjong had been right behind Sungyeol all along.

"Is it bleeding?"

"NO!"

"Is it vomiting?"

"NO!"

The young woman with the dark hair and large dark eyes looked at the tall man who was hysterical with disbelief.  "Is-it-breathing?"

"NO!"

She shoved the carrier back into the man's hands.  "It's not dying."  She grabbed a clipboard and handed it to the younger of the two.  "This needs to be filled out and we'll see her/him as soon as we can."

"WHAT?!  My cat is dying and you want me to go and sit down all casual like and watch her die?"

"Sir, she isn't dying.  So please sit down and we'll see her as soon as we can."  Lilia turned and stopped herself from laughing outloud.  Then turned back around with a straight face, devoid of any humor.

"Lilia, can you hand this back to Mrs..."  Haneul looked at the tall man whose face was turning purple and looked like he would kill at any moment.  "Lilia, what's going on?"

"This man says his cat is dying."  Lilia rolled her eyes heavenward.

"She is dying!  Look at her!"  He lifted the carrier eye level with Haneul and showed the pathetic pink cat on her side, looking miserable but not on her deathbed.

"Miss, my friend loves this cat more than anything.  Is there anything you can do?"  The younger, who seemed much more pleasant and cheerful, came from behind the angry man's back.

"Let me see her."  Haneul lifted the carrier eye level.  "I'll take her back and do a check on her.  While I do that, please fill out the clipboard for my assistant here.  Okay?"  Haneul took the carrier with the cat with her to the examining room.

"At least, someone around here listened to me."  Sungyeol looked down at Lilia and snarled his face at her.

"Mrs. Lee," Lilia ignoring Sungyeol's attack, "here is Fluffy's meds and we'll see you again with Fluffy in two weeks."  Lilia smiled brightly at the elderly lady and waved to her goodbye.  Then turning her face back at the giant of a beast, "YOU... behave.  Remember, we now have your cat with us.  And well..."

"You wouldn't dare lay a hand on my precious Wrinkles!"

Lilia just looked at him and smiled... evily.  Then laughed all the way back into the examination room.

Sungyeol and Sungjong were now back into the visiting room.  Both on pins and needles waiting for the lady doctor to let them know of what her evaluation came back with.

"Sungjong, I think I've seen that doctor before."  Sungyeol said out of the blue.  "She seems so familiar, I just can't seem to put a finger on it."

"You say that about all the women.  Can you at least save me one or two?"  Sungjong sat in a chair twirling his long hair in his fingers, leaning back casually with his legs crossed.

"I mean it.  She looks really familiar.  Like I just recently saw her..."

Haneul walked in with Wrinkles crooked in her arm, the other hand carried the empty carrier.  She placed the carrier on the floor and softly pet Wrinkles as she stood before the 'father' of the precious cat.

"Wrinkles will live."  Haneul brightly said.  "Has she recently changed food?  Or been around someone who feeds table food?"

"She only eats cat food.  I haven't...."  Sungyeol trailed off.  "Sungjong!  You were feeding her chips the other night..."

"Ah!  That explains it.  Chips have a high fat content and can cause animals to bloat and become constipated."

"Sungjong... you're dead!"  Sungyeol his heel, ready to kill the younger.

"Hyung, I didn't know..." Sungyeol already had his hand around Sungjong's throat.

"Sir... You don't have to do that... Sir!  Sir!"  Haneul came to the defense of Sungjong, with only one free hand to help him as she had the placid Wrinkles in her other arm.

"Wrinkles... is... my... baby...!"  Sungyeol squeezed his throat.

"H..y..u..."  Sungjong choked out.  "I..'m...s..orr...y."

"Wrinkles father!"  Haneul yelled.

Sungyeol turned his head and looked at the woman.  Then an image of her sleeping on the subway flashed like lightening behind his eyes.  His grip on the younger loosened.  The image of Dongwoo carrying her on his back on the subway....  He remembered.

"Y-Y-Yes."  Sungyeol dropped his hands and Sungjong immediately put his own hands up to his neck and rubbed the blood back into circulation.

"Don't worry about Hyung.  He wouldn't have killed me."  Sungjong said, not entirely convinced.

Sungyeol started wondering about Dongwoo-hyung and this woman.  How far did Hyung get?  Did he hurt her?  Why was Hyung so hung up on revenge with her that night?  So many questions crossed his mind.

He cleared his throat.  "So, Doctor... What's wrong with my cat?"

"I'm not a doctor yet, but I will be.  As for Wrinkles, the poor baby has indigestion.  That is why she is so miserable."  Haneul smiled and then handed the pink, hairless cat to the father.

"Thank you... Doctor."  Sungyeol couldn't stop staring at Dongwoo's new interest.

"I'll leave you all alone and when you are ready, you can check out at the counter any time.  Schedule to bring her in in two days for a follow up."  Haneul then bowed and left the room with a quiet click as the door closed.

"Hyung!  That babe is hot.  Noona, come to Jongie!"  Sungjong couldn't keep his tongue in his mouth.  "She might be worth a round or two... or three..."

"I'd leave that one alone.  I've got a feeling if you mess with her, you might really lose your life."  

Sungjong, cocked his head at Sungyeol, and then looked to the door the doctor walked out of.  He had no clue what Sungyeol meant.  He shrugged his shoulders and then imagined what it would be like kissing Noona.

Dongwoo and Hoya sat at the bar.  Hoya flicked a peanut in his mouth and then took a sip of his beer.  He casually eyed Dongwoo who sat with his beer in both hands, rolling the bottle between the two.  He was drowning in his thoughts.

"What happened between you and Yoojin?"  Hoya said out-of-the-blue.  Looking straight, towards the back of the wall that was lined with assorted alcohol of different genres.

"Nothing happened."  Dongwoo still rolled the bottle in his hand.

"Hyung, I hope so.  She is bad news.  I mean, seriously, she gives me some of the worst kind of the bad vibes."

They both got quiet, not looking at one or the other.  Time ticked by.

"Hyung, don't you think it's time to stop 'playing' and find yourself a real girlfriend."

Dongwoo didn't answer for awhile.  Then the thoughts of that particular morning at her house... "I don't ever want to see you again..."

"Howon... I don't think I could ever have a serious relationship."  He took a long gulp of beer.  "I don't think I'm wired that way."

Hoya casually looked at his pink-haired friend.

"Howon... I think I'll forever be the badboy.  I don't think I have what it takes to make a girl happy."  He then looked down, feeling sorry for himself.

They both got quiet again, quietly drinking their beers in silence.

He was dressed in a pair of old blue jeans, holes ran up and down the legs.  A black over-sized denim shirt was tucked in the front.  A pair of old worn, black army boots completed the ensemble.  His red hair stuck up on end as if he ran out of the house with only running his fingers through his hair.

He sat on the stool in the center of the stage, his guitar, warming up his oddly cold fingers from days of idle use. The club was empty, hours before it opened for the night.  A clink from the glasses as the bartender cleaned and dried them for the later crowd.  The waiters wiped and swept around tables.  Getting ready for opening.

The guitarist stopped, looked around.  "Myungsoo!  Where's Sungyeol and Sungjong?"  

On the side of the stage, another person dressed all in black.  A black turtleneck, black jeans, and black Doc Martens completed that person's outfit.  He looked up when he heard his name yelled.

"Hyung, Sungyeol and Sungjong will be a little late."

"What are those two dumb-asses doing?"  The leader of the group seemed annoyed.

"Wrinkles was sick."  Myungsoo said matter-of-factly.  He went back to stringing his guitar.  He'd just gotten new strings today.

"That damn cat..." The leader, Sunggyu, shook his head.  "What about Dongwoo?"

"Not sure, Hyung."  Myungsoo was not in the mood to talk.

Sungyeol and Sungjong ran into Woohyun as they all arrived in front of the club at the same time.

"Woohyun-hyung, why are you here?"  Sungjong was behind Sungyeol, lugging the now heavy animal carrier.
 

Woohyun smiled from ear-to-ear.  "Somebody has to diffuse the monster today.  I heard Sunggyu was a little y.  And, as you know, I'm the only one who can tame him."

Sungyeol laughed at that, and patted his friend on the back.  At Sungjong's dismay, they forgot about him and went inside the building.  He snarled from behind them and thought of ways to make them suffer.

"Hyung!  You won't believe who I saw today."  Sungyeol exclaimed.  "Remember the girl on the subway?"

"Which girl?  There are so many girls I should do and not enough time."  Woohyun joked.

"That girl that Dongwoo was with..."

Woohyun, at first looked puzzled as he thought, then looked up at Sungyeol astonished.  "You mean that girl who was sleeping?"

"Yeah!  She's an animal doctor or something like that.  She was the one who fixed Wrinkles."  Remembering his cherished baby, he turned and surprised the unsuspecting Sungjong who at that time was now using both hands carrying the heaving thing in and was focused on the mission to get it inside.

"Wrinkles, my baby." He cooed.  He opened the cage and pulled the lanky thing out.  "Daddy, took you and made you all better..."

Sungjong rolled his eyes.

"I wonder if Dongwoo knows this about her..." Woohyun thought.

"I have to bring Wrinkles back in two days... think we should... you know..."  Sungyeol wriggled his eyebrows.

"Yes, I think we should..." Woohyun wriggled his eyebrows back.

Sungjong had no clue as to what in the hell they were talking about and why they necessarily had to move their eyebrows up and down after each sentence.  He just wanted inside to grab a beer and warm up before Sunggyu-hyung lost it.    

All the animals were housed in their cages.  The counters were bleached and germ free.  All surgical utensils cleaned and put away.  The staff finished their work and started heading out the door.

"Haneul, do you want to come with me?"  The little, dark-haired, spunky girl asked.

"To where?"  Haneul wondered.

"Here."  Lilia pulled out an 8 x 10 glossy piece of paper and showed it to Haneul.  "It's a dance school.  With... some serious hot guys!  One of my friends used to be a student.  Two of the instructors are drop-dead gorgeous.  And I heard they give 'special' lessons."  She bit her lip then them seductively.  "And I'm all up for 'special' lessons with men... of the gorgeous kind."

"I can't dance, Lilia."  She ignored Lilia's ual innuendos.

"That is why it's a school... You know, to-learn-dance!"  She grabbed her purse and sashayed her way to the back door.

"I don't know."

"My god!  You are coming with.  It's time for you to stop this nun-like attitude and get your groove on.  You are 24 years old and you are as dead to a life as a tumbleweed is to a desert.  And they get more rolling action than you!"

Haneul contemplated about it.  She had two left feet.  She was very aware about it.  But to actually go to a school and learn to dance, there would have to be some students there who were as bad as her, right?  She bit her bottom lip and fretted.

"Haneul, it will be okay.  Even if you , it'll be worth it for the guy action.  Period."  Lilia grabbed Haneul's hand and dragged her out the door.  "I won't take "no" for an answer.  Tomorrow, you and I are going."  Lilia took her keys and locked the hospital's door.  Then hooking her arm through Haneul's, they quickly walked down the street.

Steering Hanuel away from the bus stop, "Where are you taking me?"

"Loosen up, girlfriend.  I'm taking you to a place where the music is loud, the guys are hot, and if we're lucky, the booze is free."  Lilia practically skipped at the thought.

"But we're dressed in our scrubs..."

"Who cares... They'll think it's cosplay or something.  Guys love cosplay... especially playing 'doctor'..."  Lilia winked.

Haneul laughed.  She could never win Lilia nor Lilia's dirty mind...