Kai sits on the couch, pale and sweating. His features are contorted by a medley of fear and shock and humiliation.

 

In the kitchen, Hana mixes ingredients together over the stove. A rich, creamy aroma wafts into Kai’s nose. A few minutes later, Hana has emerged from the kitchen, clutching a mug of hot chocolate. She hands it to Kai and sits down on the sofa next to him. Sehun slightly stirs on the couch.

 

“Drink up,” Hana whispers in a strangely tender tone. “It’ll make you feel better.”

 

“Th-thank you.” Kai takes a gulp of the thick drink. Its taste elicits memories in Kai, of burning firewood on a chilly winter night, of the crunchy feel of pure white snow under his boots. A warm feeling simmers in his chest.

 

“It’s good,” Kai says, nodding.

 

“Drinking hot chocolate always makes me feel better after nightmares,” Hana sighs.

 

“I’m sorry for waking you up,” Kai murmurs.

 

“It’s alright. I know how scary bad dreams can be. It’s always better to have someone there...,” A shudder runs through Hana. “Anyway, what was your dream about?”

 

Kai stiffens. “Oh, just some stupid stuff,” he replies. “It’s trivial, really.”

 

“I heard you say ‘Mom’.”

 

    Kai stares into his mug of hot chocolate. For a few minutes, he stays silent.

 

    Why would you try to talk to her about this? She is your enemy and she cannot know any information about you, Kai’s subconscious chides. Stay quiet.

 

    But there is something about the comforting manner Hana tended to him that prompts Kai to open up.

 

    “I had a nightmare about my stepmom,” Kai says quietly. “About the time she died, and her funeral, I mean.”

 

    “I’m sorry. How old were you?”

 

    “10.” Kai lets out a long breath. “That was a horrible time for me. See, my real mom divorced my dad when I was 2. I haven’t seen her, ever. So my stepmom was practically my mother.”

 

    “I see.” Hana nods. “Her loss must have been really hard on you.”

 

    “No kidding.” Kai lets out a bitter laugh. “My stepmom was my superhero. She helped me get through everything. I don’t know how I’m managing without her, really.”

 

    Hana nudges Kai with her leg. “Hey, you’re doing pretty well on your own. I mean, sure, you’re an with a superiority complex-,”

 

    “And here I thought we were finally getting along.” Kai snipes, crossing his arms.

 

    “-but you’re pretty smart. And you play tennis. And you’re managing pretty well as the heir to a billion-dollar corporation.” Hana finishes. “So remember: you’re doing fine, okay?”

 

Hana is all too familiar with these types of situations. She has been in Kai’s position numerous times. While attending university, Hana was constantly plagued with terrifying, mind-numbing nightmares that caused her to wake up screaming, her clothes sticking to her body drenched in sweat.

 

One night, Hana would dream of faceless individuals turning their backs towards her. The next night Hana would dream of slithering, serpentine strings of mathematical equations encircling her, tightly binding her body, preventing her from escaping.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Oh were extremely irritated with Hana’s shrieking every night. They would always walk into her room, pat her on the head a few times. “They’re just nightmares,” Mrs. Oh would tell Hana exasperatedly. “Go back to sleep.” Later, they ceased coming to her room altogether.

 

It wasn’t until a few months later, after Hana’s parents moved her to a dorm, that her dreams disappeared. Every night, Hana’s roommate would give her milk and honey. It worked like a charm: Hana was no longer afflicted by ghastly nightmares.

 

Hana is glad to see that milk and honey helps Kai as well.

 

    Kai is absolutely confused. He can’t believe that Hana is willing to make him hot chocolate and comfort him at 1 in the morning... especially after all the crap he’s given her.

 

    In a different time, a different place, Kai might have been friends with Hana. Hell, he might even be dating her- not to imply that he possesses any sort of attraction for her, of course. Just a possibility. Or a comment. Or a wish. Wait, what?

 

    Kai is jolted out of his thoughts when Hana yawns, “Hey, I’m going back to sleep.” She blearily rubs her eyes. “Do you need anything else?”

 

    He shakes his head. “I’m good. Go to sleep.”

 

    “Okay,” Hana sighs. She heads to her bedroom. “Bye.”

 

Hana is about to disappear through the door of her bedroom, when Kai suddenly clears his throat.    

 

“Hey. Hana.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Hana gives him a crooked half-smile. “No problem.”

 

---

Joonmyeon is lying flat on his back, his muscles flexing as he benches a 150-pound weight. There are 3 reasons why he frequents the Seoul National University campus gym:

 

1) He wants to stay in shape, of course.

2) It’s a productive place to de-stress after a long, tiring week.

3) He likes the attention.

 

Joonmyeon can hear the gaggle of girls hiding behind the water coolers, giggling over him. All of them are dressed in the same attire: a tight, neon-colored sports bra, tiny workout shorts, and shiny elastic headbands.

 

All of them are vying for Joonmyeon’s attention. He doesn’t give it to them.

 

Joonmyeon lifts the metal weight from the bar once more, tightening his muscles extra hard. Sounds of squeals emerge from behind the water cooler, and Joonmyeon smirks.

 

No one said he wasn’t a tease.

 

Suddenly, the excited shrieks are replaced with gasps. Joonmyeon doesn’t think too much of it; one of the girls probably dropped her water bottle or something.

 

But when he hears a voice say, “Can I talk to you?” Joonmyeon’s arms nearly collapse in shock.

 

    Standing above Joonmyeon is a tall, familiar girl with long black hairl. Joonmyeon’s stomach drops all the way to his feet.

 

    “I heard you would be here.” Lee Yoojin says smoothly. “May I speak with you about my club proposition?”

 

    Joonmyeon doesn’t look at Yoojin; instead, he focuses on lifting his weight up into the air.

 

    “I don’t hold student council-related conferences outside of school, in such an informal setting,” he replies coldly. “Schedule a proper meeting and then we can talk.”

 

    “I don’t have much to say, though,” Yoojin says. On the outside, it appears as if she is unfazed by Joonmyeon’s hostile tone.

 

    On the inside she really wants to kick him in the nuts.

 

    “I don’t care-,” Joonmyeon says, but Yoojin cuts him off.

 

    “I just wanted to say that I secured a teacher sponsor. My club is ready to go. We’ll be holding our first meeting next week.”

 

    The weight drops to the bar with a clang!

 

Joonmyeon shoots up from the bench, an astounded look on his face. The girls hiding behind the water cooler draw in their breath in nervousness.

 

“Can you all leave, please? I need to talk to her in private.” Joonmyeon requests the girls watching their conversation, struggling to maintain his kind demeanor. They nod immediately and hurry out the door.

 

The instant Joonmyeon and Yoojin are alone, Joonmyeon’s demeanor entirely changes. He walks towards Yoojin and closes the space between their bodies. She bristles, but refuses to back down.

 

“You got a teacher sponsor?” Joonmyeon hisses. “Are you suggesting that Professor Oh agreed to sponsoring your club?”

 

“She did, actually,” Yoojin replies, crossing her arms. “Professor Oh was more than happy to.”

 

“Really.” Joonmyeon scoffs. “And you know that clubs need at least 5 members? The last time I checked, you only had 3.”

 

“I have 5 members. Kai and Kris are our last 2 members,” Yoojin responds. Joonmyeon’s expression darkens even more.

 

“Are you ting me right now?” he growls. “Kai and Kris? You’re lying. There’s no possible way either one of them could have joined.”

 

“Why don’t you ask them, Suho?” Yoojin says testily.

 

The two glare at each other for what seems like an eternity, both of them refusing to break eye-contact. Despite her best will, Yoojin’s heart is hit with a pang of old emotions as she bores into Joonmyeon’s cinnamon-brown eyes. What familiarity and happiness those eyes used to bring to Yoojin!

 

    Now Joonmyeon’s eyes are merely dull brown orbs, staring into her with hatred and loathing.

 

    “Thank you for your time,” Yoojin finally says, clearing . She pushes past Joonmyeon and rushes out the door, eager to get away from him.

 

    After Yoojin leaves, Joonmyeon collapses down onto the bench. He buries his head in his hands.

It’s been years, yet Lee Yoojin still brings back so many mixed emotions.  

Maybe on another day, Joonmyeon would ponder how he caused Yoojin's carefree laughs and love to turn into emotionless stares and enmity.

But Joonmyeon has work to do today. He cannot spare time for trivial, petty matters, such as the formation of stupid clubs, the fact that his worst rival, his most erted friend, and his key to success are working together, and most of all, Lee Yoojin.

---

A/N: I am SO sorry for the lack of updates. I know I promised a double update last Saturday, but my mom took away my computer and grounded me -_- worse, she deleted all my planning for my fanfics saved on my computer. I had to try to piece together what was supposed to happen in the rest of the story from my memory. Grr.