I couldn't help myself but feel content as these colorful emotions bursted like fireworks in my chest. I had told him just a little bit of my feelings that I had bottled up inside, hidden. I peeked from the corner of my eye at his face as we recited the lines in the book. Black glasses at the bridge of his nose, his gaze was concentrated and focused in the novel. I felt my lips curve upward. It was unfair. Without even doing a thing, he was able to make me tremble and anxious. I was happy just to to be near him.

It was childish. I felt like the typical high school girl immersed in a crush. I smirked slightly. I never thought this sort of thing would happen to me. I only saw it in the comic books me and Sung-mi read after school. It was as if I was the heroine in a story. 

Joori kicked my chair lightly. Returning to reality, I looked behind me. Joori passed a piece of paper, gesturing for me to open it. Making sure the teacher wasn't looking, I hid it under the desk. 

The centennial is in two days and I have nothing to wear for the after party!!! You have to come with me to buy dresses!!! No excuses~

I glanced back. Her hands, clapped together, begging me with her eyes. I scratched my head and wrote on the back of the paper...

After party?

She read it and rolled her eyes, quickly jotting down her reply, flicking the paper at me.

After the performances, there is a party that all the V.I.P attend. Its filled with press, celebrities and top reporters. Are you coming or not?!

I swallowed. Celebrities? Reporters? Exactly what have I gotten myself into? Joori kicked my chair again. I forced myself to nod, afraid of her temper.

..............................................................................

I stepped off the bus , Joori dragging me through the crowded streets. I looked up at the billboard with the huge poster of "Boyfriend." In awe, I studied the twin's frozen pose. Joori sighed. "Incredible huh?" I nodded blankly. They were getting more famous by the day.

Christmas carols played in the background as we looked around the shops, munching on rice cakes. "What are you going to do tomorrow?" Joori asked, searching through the racks. "Tomorrow?" I completely forgot that Christmas was almost here. "I.." I remembered the wrapped presents laying on top of my dresser. "I'm not doing anything." Joori sighed and then gasped. "I just had a great idea! Why don't we invite the members of boyfriend and Shinee to a christmas party!" I looked up at her hopeful eyes. "My parents are out of town so their house is empty. We can host a party!" I tried to refuse but she grabbed my hands. "Oh please! Please, Please!!" Her attack was impossible to dodge. "Ask Minho if he could come, I can tell the twins to bring the others." Losing to her persistence, I agreed. A christmas party?

Squealing in delight, she began to list the things we would need to prepare. "Entertainment. Music. Food.." Joori counted the costs in her head, a small grimace appearing. "Catering is going to be expensive." She sighed, depressed. "I can do it." Her head snapped up. "Seriously? You can cook unnie?" I nodded. "Back in the orphanage, I would make the meals." She hugged me delighted. "Now we have extra money for decorations! This is going to be perfect!"

...............................................................................

My feet were slowly dying in pain as we entered the 30th dress store. Not satisfied, Joori rummaged and hunted every dress shop in the district. The sun was slowly coming down as she huffed, frustrated. "This is the last place, I promise! If there is nothing here then we'll go shopping for groceries and things for the party." I followed her, exhausted. Inside was white and had a elegant chandelier hanging on the ceiling. "Wow." I whispered. A lady in red approached us. "Hello, welcome to Trendsella. How may I help you?" She chirped. "We're looking for evening gowns. Are there any new releases?" Joori asked. 

Joori left with the lady to the back as I found a lovely looking sofa. I sat down, my body crying with relief. I massaged my legs, pulling of the heels Joori gave me to wear. "These things are demons." I muttered, glaring at the white shoes. A stifled chuckle surprised me. I looked up at the source.

She was beautiful. She had large black glasses covering her eyes while her milky complexion contrasted elegantly. A long gray mink coat covered her body as she smiled, a magazine in her hands. She closed the book, setting it aside. She took off her glasses,  revealing her dark brown eyes.

She seemed familiar...

................................................................................................

Her gaze was soft as she smiled at me. "Uh.." I was lost for words. "Was that utterly ecstatic girl your friend?" She asked, her voice smooth like velvet. "Y..yes, she is." I said awkwardly. "And you are?" her eyes reminded me of a cat. She had blonde hair, and a face not entirely korean. "Hayoung." I didn't know why I was answering her. "Have you found what you've been looking for?" I shook my head. "Not entirely... I'm not very good at dress shopping." She chuckled and then snapped a finger. Another lady wearing red appeared. "Yes Ma'am?" "I want you to take this girl and show her the way to the dressing room. Bring the dress from last time" She ordered gently. "Right away ma'am. Excuse me miss?" She gracefully raised her hands to the back. "I-" Bewildered, I gazed at the mysterious lady. Standing, the worker lead me towards the back. I gazed back at the mystifying women.

In the large dressing room, there were racks of clothes at the corner.Carefully, I examined the dresses, in awe. Sparkling and finely detailed, each dress was as elegant as a wedding gown . The sudden knock on the door startled me. The same lady came in, carrying a coat hanger wrapped in fabric, concealing what was inside. She slowly pulled the cover off as the dress appeared. I felt my breath taken away...

..............................................................................

I was mesmerized. Sparkling elegantly, the dress almost glowed under the lights. I walked towards it, hesitating. Reaching my hands out, I gently glided my fingers on the silky fabric. The lady smiled, "This dress was specially designed and was featured in the 2011 fall fashion show in Paris. It's an exclusive." she praised. I could only nod as I studied the beautiful dress. It was like a piece of art. The beads and ribbons twisting and braided against each other, creating a unique design along the side. Open at the bottom, the frills rustled softly as I placed it back on the hanger.

"Its beautiful but I can't afford this." I whispered. I was suddenly confused. Why would that women show me this? I let go of the garment, sighing.

Outside, Joori waited for me, excited at her purchase. "I finally found an amazing dress that I bet all the girls would go crazy for!" she giggled. She placed the credit card on the counter as she continued to boast. The lady at the register placed her purchase in a black bag, handing it to Joori. I felt depressed at my empty hands. 

As we were about to leave, the lady in red gently handed me a white bag. I looked at her, surprised. "I didn't buy this." I shook my hands, rejecting it. "Madam wanted you to have it." She smiled. I peered inside, stunned that it was the garment from before. "But-" She interrupted me. "She wishes you luck on your performance."

.......................................................................................

We arrived to Joori's home when it was alright late at night. Holding groceries in my hands, I stumbled as I gazed at the white bag.

Good luck?

I felt my head splitting from all the questions. Who was she? Why did she give this to me? How did she know about the Centennial festival?

Joori fumbled with the keys as she opened the door. The house was rather luxurious and large. I walked in carefully, examining the marble staircases and detailed curtains. She smiled, turning towards me. "Welcome to my home!" 

......................................................................................

I looked at the contact log of my phone, wondering if I should call Hayoung. She had been gone since this afternoon and she didn't come to dinner. Practicing my lines of what I would say, I waited, listening to the phone ringing. 

"Hello?" She suddenly answered. Startled, I fumbled, forgetting what I was going to say. "I-Its me." My voice was higher then usual. "Oh, Youngmin?" My heart skipped a beat when she said my name

"Where are you? I didn't see you at dinner." I said, trying to be as less awkward as possible. "Im at Joori's house. I'm staying over to help with the party tomorrow. Joori said you were coming." Her voice was cheerful. "Yeah, everyone's agreed to go." I could tell she was smiling. "Thats great. I'll see you then." I nodded, agreeing. "...Goodnight, Hayoung."

I hung up, anticipating for tomorrow.

...................................................................................

I woke up early that morning. My legs ached as I stood up from the couch. I couldn't sleep well, I was still fixated on what happened last night. Deciding not to think about it, I washed my face and dressed myself in a simple t-shirt and jeans. 

Downstairs in the kitchen, I looked around, studying the ingredients in the pantry and the refrigerator. I searched for the locations of the pots and pans and the other necessities I needed to begin cooking.

Managing to decide on the dishes, I wrapped the pink feminine apron around me. Hwaiting!

.................................................................................

Kwangmin's point of view

I studied my reflection in the mirror, deciding what to wear. It was already almost five. After trying on six outfits, I concluded with a black and white striped shirt with jeans and a wool red scarf. I looked at Youngmin's empty bed. He had been missing since morning. My phone vibrated as I checked the I.D. Donghyun's teeth were chattering as he told me to come out.

Outside, the rest of the members including Youngmin were waiting in the freezing cold. I shivered as I wrapped my scarf tightly around my neck. "Where were you?" I asked, getting into Donghyun's car. Youngmin breathed on his hands, warming them. "I had to pick something up." 

.............................................................................

The car pulled up in front Joori's house slowly as I observed the large estate. I scoffed. No wonder she's so spoiled.

Minwoo knocked on the desperately wanting to get away from the wind. The door opened, Joori greeting us cheerfully. "Boyfriend!" she waved, letting us in. I shook off the snow from my head as Hyun Seong and Jeongmin excitedly toured the house. "Where's Hayoung?" I asked Joori, taking off my shoes. "In the kitchen." She said, distracted. She ran after the others, guiding them around the house.

I walked towards the bright room, finding Hayoung leaned over the counter, cutting vegetable. She hurriedly put them into the frying pan, stirring the noodles rapidly. She was wearing a pink apron as she was busy cooking. I smiled at her very feminine appearance. It felt as if she was the wife cooking dinner while I returned from work. I blushed, pushing the thought away. 

I cleared my throat. She turned around, looking at me. "Youngmin, your here?" I nodded, sitting on one of the stools. Amazed I looked at the counter. There were dishes and dishes of food. "You made all this?" I asked, in awe. She nodded, busy decorating the last plate. She exhaled, laughing gently. I recognized all the different kind of holiday food. Fried dumplings, Glass noodles, fried tempura, pork and beef ribs. I swallowed, salivating. 

Joori ran in, panting. "Hurry Hayoung! The others are coming. We need to set the table." She huffed, out of energy. "Others?" Kwangmin came in, holding a basket of fruit. He laid it on the table. "Shinee's coming. There almost here." My eyes widened. "Minho's coming?" I asked, surprised. I stared at Kwangmin's similar expression. Hayoung's smile faded. Joori giggled, "I'm so excited! Shinee is coming my house!" She skipped out of the kitchen, yelling for help setting the table. 

......................................................................

I checked the numbers in front of the house, verifying if it was the right place. The van stopped in the driveway as the rest of the members climbed out, complaining about the cold. Taemin smiled excitedly, "Hayoung's here?" Onew nodded. Knocking on the door, Kibum opened the door to noisy chattering and a delicious smell. 

We hurriedly walked in the foyer, greeting the others. Hayoung came out of the kitchen holding a silver tray. Rushing, she waved at me as she hurriedly placed the food on the low table. My stomach grumbled at the sizzling of grilled meat. I began to remember the days at the orphanage. 

....................................................................

As I finished setting down the last plate, Joori grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the stairs. I waited in the hallway as she ran to her room and came out holding a black dress. "Wear this." She commanded. She pushed me into the bathroom, waiting patiently as I changed. The garment hugged my body as it shimmered slightly in the light. Stepping out of the bathroom, she took me to her bedroom where piles of makeup were laid out on the bed. "Sit here." She patted at the stool. "Joori, what is this?" I asked, obediently following her orders. "I invited some girlfriends of mine and there going to be soon. There are really pretty but we have to look even better." She smirked, pointing at her blue cocktail dress. I sighed as she began the beautification.

...................................................................

Everyone had already started happily eating when I noticed Hayoung was no where to be found. Kwangmin, sitting besides me, was  scooping rice into his bowl, and munching on fried shrimp. I glared at Minho busy grilling the meat. I pursued my lips, not want to see him. I was annoyed but not angry or jealous anymore. Hayoung had already told me she didn't have existing feelings for him anymore. That was enough for me to relax. 

Joori bounced down the stairs, Hayoung following quietly behind her. The black dress was fitted against her slim body. She had her hair down and slightly curled. I was surprised at her sudden beautified appearance. I blushed, not about to look away. I couldn't believe she lived in the countryside all her life. She looked as if she stepped off a photo shoot.

........................................................................

I felt embarrassed as I went downstairs. I averted my eyes away from Youngmin, not daring to see his expression. As I was about to sit down, the door bell rang. Everyone's snapped their heads up, curious. "Hayoung, get that please." I stood up, adjusting my dress. I walked towards the foyer, unlocking the door. Outside, a blonde haired girl smiled, handing me a basket with various treats. Behind her, six others kindly waved. 

I welcomed them in as they walked in, greeting the others. The boys smiled excitedly as the pretty girls. Joori stood up, hugging the blonde girl. "Rinka!" 

..........................................................

Once we all seated, self introductions were made. Rinka, the japanese blonde smiled as she greeted the "Boyfriend" and "Shinee" members. "She's a old friend of my back in middle school. She really likes Boyfriend so she asked to tag alone." Dong hyun blushed, "Nice to meet you." 

I absentmindedly ate, not really hungry. Youngmin gently placed a grilled rib on my plate. "Here." I looked up at his warm eyes. I blushed, my heartbeat racing again. "T-Thank you." I muttered, shy. He was sitting so close to me, his leg pressed against mine. Then Rinka tapped me on the shoulder. Her gaze was intimidating. "Hayoung-shi?" she questioned. "Will it be alright if we switch places?" She smiled, her hand on my arm. 

..........................................................

The chopsticks on my lips, I watched Hayoung's reaction. "Excuse me?" She said timidly. I could tell Rinka had a very strong personality, I was worried for Hayoung. "Do you mind? I'm a really big fan of Youngmin-shi and I want to sit next to him. " She pleaded with her eyes. Hayoung's eyes grew wide. "Um..sure." She moved awkwardly, blushing crimson. Rinka pushed her to the side, smiling at Youngmin.

.........................................................

"Hello, I'm Rinka." She touched my arm, grinning. Confused, I looked at Hayoung's hidden face. "Hello." I answered. She scooted closer. "I'm a big fan of yours!" "Thank you." I gritted my teeth, uncomfortable. What's with the girl?

.......................................................

I couldn't focus on what Rinka was saying. I kept gazing from the corner of my eyes towards Hayoung. I suddenly wished I wasn't wearing a turtleneck as I kept tugging at it around my neck. Finally once we finished eating and started clearing the table, I was able to escape. I walked towards the kitchen with plates in my hands. Hayoung was looking down as she scrubbed the dishes quietly. I felt annoyed at Rinka for creating such a tense situation. I grabbed the yellow rubber gloves, standing by her side. She looked at me, "It's fine. I'm almost done anyways." Her voice seemed strained. Not listening, I picked up a plate, trying to wash it but slipped. I panted as I caught it mid-air. 

I stopped breathing. Crap! I messed up. Hayoung was silent. I felt cold sweats. She's mad.  I was about to apologize when she suddenly burst into laughter. She looked at me, her eyes almost at tears. "You truly are an idol. You can't even hold a plate correctly. " I felt the air returning to my lungs, relieved. I blushed, upset she saw my week side when it came to housework. "What are you talking about?! I know how to wash dishes." My hand slipped again, betraying me. She giggled, grabbing my hands. I felt my heart skip a beat. She pulled off the gloves gently, smiling. "Wash the fruit instead." I nodded, blushing. 

..........................................................................................................

I watched from behind as they splashed water at each other, laughing. I felt that prick in my chest again. Be strong Kwangmin.

I cletched my fist, trying to calm my heart when Joori clapped her hands together. "Now that we are full and joyful, shall we play a few games?" She grinned suspiciously. Everyone gathered in the living room, impressed by the rotating christmas tree and the numerous colorful presents underneath. Ji-Young, one of Rinka's friends walked around with a small container. Joori explained the rules. "For a christmas full of love and romance, the Pepero game is the highlight of today's party." Some of the guys cheered excited. Joori must have had the gift of persuasion. "So to make it fair, we have made a system of creating couples. In that container Ji-young is holding, are toothpicks with different colors. Once everyone had picked a stick, who ever matches colors are automatically a couple." She smiled at her own brilliance. 

Hayoung looked confused as she stared at the boxes of chocolate sticks. "Pepero game?" she asked. Joori gasped. "Do you seriously not know?" She shook her head. Joori sighed in disbelief. "Watch the first couple, it's a really simple to understand." 

Once everyone one received their sticks, I looked at mine. Blue. Joori began to go by colors, the couples increasing. Dong hyun paired with Hyun Seong complained. Minwoo smiled once he found his partner was Selli, the long legged beauty he had been eyeing the entire time. Joori got to me, shouting "Blue!" I looked around, wondering who my partner was. My eyes widen in shock when Hayoung's hand slowly raised. "I...have blue."